CHILDREN’S GARDENING CIRCLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 244, 15 October 1932, Page 7 (Supplement)

CHILDREN’S GARDENING CIRCLE

My Dear Children, — What au exciting day 1 have had —my first mail has arrived and my first group of members have arrived also, at least their letters have —what a happy time we are all going to have. Fancy twelve members by the first mail, what a big family our garden club will be < soon. Now, children, just a word to those who wish to grow gladioli. The time is right at hand to plant the corms —please note they arc not called bulbs —so if you know of any other friend who would like some glailioli corms just send their names along as soon as possible. Next week full instructions on the cultivation of these beautiful flowers will appear in these columns. I am offering a special prize of one dozen exhibition carnation plants to the .'child who enrols the greatest number of children, by December 30. Now, children, this prize will give to the winner a groat deal of pleasure. So all get busy. Even if you do not win this prize, your efforts in enrolling members will give to some other child much happiness. Another gentleman has kindly given a Boys’ (or Girls’) Annual to the child who keeps these garden notes in the best order. So, if you get a book and paste them in each week you will have a very valuable book to refer to in later years. Now, dear children, I think this is a. wonderful start—there are more surprises for you later—keep smiling, and if any child would like to become a member just fill in the coupon below and send to “ CARNATIC). ” P.S.—Don’t forget, all children wishing to grow gladioli must send their names in as soon as possible as planting time is right here. As Mr. Printerman. wants these notes each Tuesday any application for membership reaching me after Tuesday of each week will be acknowledged th© following week. New Members. lan Matson, 4 Cavcll Place. Grace Izard, 38 College Street. Charles Cox, 38 Harrison Street. Norma Cox, 3$ Harrison Street. Valina Howard, Makirikiri. Teddy Kimber, 71 Glasgow Street. Lorraine Young, 24 Carlton Avenue. Brian Matson, 4 Cavcll Place. Helen Moore, 87 Alma Road. Violet Moore, 87 Alma Road. Stella W x ard, 32 Somme Parade. Vaughan Cooke, 7 Sedgebrook Street. Cissie Graham, Kai Iwi. Brian Corliss, Westmere. Hester MeKnight, Makirikiri. William Billinghurst, Springvale Rd. Nada Brider, c/o. St. John’s Co. Success in Gardening. What is the secret of success in gardening? Some will assert that it is a matter of manuring, others that it depends entirely upon hard and constant “ stick-at-it-ness, ” and so on, and all these aspects have a vital bearing upon success, but are not the essence of it. The secret of full success in gardening is to treat each single plant as though success or failure depended entirely upon that ono particular plant. To strive to understand and treat every plant individually holds the key to success in plant cultivation. No man or woman becomes a successful gardener who has no vital interest in gardening apart from what is to be got out of it in money 's worth, or praise or a comi binaton of both. Thor© must be a genuine love for gardening, and a genuine interest in any sympathy with the plants w r e cultivate, if gardening success is to be w T on. That is why genuine gardeners are to bo found in all ranks of society, and why money alone cannot make a successful gardener. The larger the garden, other things being equal, the less amount of indi--1 vidual attention that can be given the plants, and it is then that the smaller

garden is the better of the two. A plant that can be given just the soil, water, manure, training, fostering and so on, that it requires just when and as required, naturally does better than w'ould be the case under other conditions, and it is only by persistent endeavour to understand the particular plant right from start to finish, with the object of treating it to the best advantage, and then to see that it gets that best, that the acme of success can be attained.

Some have long contended that plants respond to human sympathy, and, as it has recently been proved that plants have a nervous system, such contention is possibly justified. At any rate, when you see a gardener proud of his plants, and looking after their welfare as assiduously as if they were children, you will find that gardener to be a successful one.

Garden Knowledge. In making a new garden, it is ail important that the land should be well broken up and deeply worked, also that the drainage should be perfect; only by thorough preparation of the soil can th© best results be expected. If the only land available is naturally poor, it can be gradually brought into condition by frequently enriching it with manure and other vegetable matter. Even sand will grow good flowers, but it should have plenty of manure, or a good drossing of black soil. Heavy clayey soils should have sand and manure added to them. After the beds have been prepared for planting the surface should be firm and even. A fine workable surface is essential. Answers to Correspondents. “Lilac Time.”—Tbe seeds of anemones and ranunculi are better sown on a well-drained sunny border as soon as ripe (about November), a slight shade being provided until th© seedlings appear. The seedlings re-thinned out to six inches apart as soon as they are large enough to be handled, and the thinnings can be planted out on well prepared beds also six inches apart. The plants will flower the following season. They can also be sown in boxes and afterwards pricked out as already advised, but they should not be left too thick in the boxes during the winter.