THE GARDEN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17734, 6 December 1919, Page 9

THE GARDEN.

(Specially Written for the "Wanganui Chronicle.")

THE, UNSEASONABLE .WEATHER

The uncertain weather of early summer is very disheartening to the gardener. It is enough to make one swear off gardening as a hobby. There is this consolation, however, that when the sun shines once more the gardener's enthusiasm returns. In all situations there are compensations to any drawbacks that may exist. One compensation just now lies in the fact that transplanting may be still carried on. You will probably find that such annuals are crowding each other, and although asters are now big plants they may be successfully transplanted if reasonable care is exercised. Some animals such as larkspur and1 schizanthus have passed their best and are looking very ragged. It is better to clear these out of the Avay and supply their places with stocks, asters and other annuals. If you have no such plants they can be obtained very cheaply from the nurserymen, and will ensure you have a good display of bloom in the autumn months.

Another compensation to be found in rainy weather is that no artificial watering is necessary, and so such plants as dahlias have been revelling in it, and much labour has been spared the gardener. ,

In the direction of weeding, however, you must get busy if you are going to have your garden clean for the Christmas season. An afternoon's strenuous work on your patha and flower beds should make the garden spick and span till after New Year.

The weather has been very detrimental to sweet pea's, and enthusiasts desiring to''show have great difficulty in selecting suitable blooms.

CARNATIONS

j Carnations have done well this year, and some good specimens have been seen on the show bench. There is a great attractiveness in growing carnations from seed, but if you are going to have any success let it be seed of the best possible strain. Such seed is not cheap. The seed of the famous Douglas strains, for example, cost from 1/6 to 5/- per packet. Sutton and Sons, of Reading, England, advertise in their catalogue several splendid varieties, but the cost is as indicated above. But it is well worth the cost and trouble to discover that you possess carnations which are not in the gardens of your neighbours. My* own experience is a case in point. Five shillings' worth of good carnation seed produced 25 plants. From these plants I obtained one brilliant red, one bright scarlet, one plum shade, four flakes, three beautiful blush pinks, two whites, one buff shade, and one which proved to be synonymous with Charlton, a new British carnation, which last year cost 3/6 in the Old Country. The remainder of the twenty-five proved to be (Singles and some huge varieties of a red shade that burst badly. These look all right in the garden, but are not fit, for ,the show bench.: In, every packet there is a,percentage of singles, but a dozen good varieties at a cost of 5/- must be regarded as very' reasonable. Sow your seed in February in shallow boxes about three inches deep. Put in the seed —there are not many in. a.5/-.packet—^about. half-an-inch apart, and cover them lightly with finely sifted soil, and press down with some flat article so as to ensure an even surface. Then water gently, so that seed will not be washed out. They do not require any coddling, but require guarding from slugs. When they have grown three or four leaves prick out into larger boxes, and then when strong sturdy plants transplant to the bed where you want them to grow, and this time next year you can look for thp fruit of your labours.

If you have any good carnations or picotees that you wish to increase, you may do it by means of cuttings or layers. The latter method is the more satisfactory one, and may be done in the following fashion. Scrape away the earth round the plant so as to get a clear space in which to work. Strip a shoot —not a stem that has flowered —that you want to layer up to about four joints from the top. Then, with a sharp pocket-knife, cut half through a shoot just below a joint and run the knife up the shoot till you pass the joint. Then, with a piece of wire shaped like a hairpin, peg the shoot down to mother soil, and cover over, and then water the layers to settle the soil about them firmly. In about a month the layers will be rooted, and in April can be moved to. their permanent beds or winter quarters.

Marguerite carnations are very attractive blooms. With these the seed is sown in the spring, and they bloom the same season.

From the above instructions you see that an original expense of five shillings should in a couple of years give you a magnificent supply of first-class carnation plants. This year, through layering, I have a dozen strong plants of Charlton.