CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 13

CHILDREN’S GARDEN CIRCLE

Dear Members,What a glorious blaze of colour vve have in our gardens at present ami Ilio.se of you who have your little gardens should be thrilled at the different Howers you are now able to pick from your gardens. I wonder how many of you noticed Mrs. Anderson’s message to you last week? Have any of you sent that bunch of flowers to some sielc person this week'? I know our little friends from Parikino have and I know that the Westmere-Brunswick members and Maxwell members have not forgotten our little friends in hospital. Now, members, we will soon be at work again and senior members who wish special tuition are asked to keep in touch ■with Miss Pat Holmes, Bignell Street. We arc arranging another evening so please ring Mrs. Hood, 34 King’s Avenue or Mrs. Macleay, Heads Hoad, for further particulars—and don’t forget to watch these columns each week. Planting time is right here now for your gladioli so get them back to .Mother Darth as soon as possible. Mark any pansies that you like so that you can take cuttings in January and February. How many of you read the Gardening Examination answers sent in last week by Margaret Conway and Paid Jones? Please make sure ami read them. And so to you all a happy week-end amongst your flowers.—Your Gardening Friend, “CARNATIO.”

NEW MEMBERS 1214 George Millan, Turangarere. 1215 Matthew Heperi, Turangarere. 1216 Shirley Smith, 33 Swiss Av. 1217 Barbara Jones, 61 Niblctt St. SENIOR MEMBERS Ross Robbins, Koromiko Road. Dulcie Bartlett, Tarangarerc. DONATIONS Heather Bell, 2s. Mr. and Mrs. Muir, ss. ORG ANISER’S REI’OR JL Il is with great pleasure that I present my report to you for the month of September, the month has been a very important one for the C.G.C. movement. Show. —During the month our third children’s show was held and in every way it was a great success, no doubt the finest yet staged by us. The exhibits displayed by the children were of a very high standard, reflecting great credit to our demonstration committee. The members themselves did everything possible to make the show a success and the Wanganui Education Board in granting the members a holiday from school enabled them to stage their exhibits. It is pleasing to know that the education board is giving every assistance possible to our members. Not only was the show a

success as a show, but the increased attendance and support accorded by the stalls committee tea rooms committee and friends of the circle made the event a big financial success. Admission i ci urns of over 162 show that nearly 2500 people visited the show in addition to members and associate members. Our thanks must be recorded to the Wanganui and Suburban Horticultural Society for the Joan of their plant and to their members for their assistance in erecting and dismantling the show. To the judges, stewards, and all those good friends of the circle who assisted by donations etc., our thanks is also accorded. To the performers at our concerts, the Press, and Trussells Orchestra who graciously gave their services we send our thanks. During the show we had an official visit from Mr. Pearson, representing the National Daffodil Society, who was more than surprised at the growth of our movement. Your organiser now thanks all members ol your executive who worked so hard to make the show such a wonderful success. The financial statement of your snow will be presented by your treasurer.

Birthday Party.—On September 25 our birthday party was held in our rooms and all who attended realised just what a happy event this is for the children. The room proved altogether too small to accommodate the large number of members and parents. Amongst those present were Aunty Gardenia and Uncle Wai, this gathering being their “day out.” During the afternoon the trophies and championship award cards were presented. The championship award cards receiving favourable comment, your organ- | iser wishes to thank Mrs. Connor and the power board for making the wonderful cake, also to Mrs. P. Turner for donating the official birthday cake. The arrangements for the birthday party were in the capable hands of our social committee.

Floral Service. —On Sunday, Sept. 26, your members were invited to a floral service at the Trinity Church conducted by tiie Rev. R. Dudley. About 180 members and a number of officers attended and the flowers, after being received, were later sent to the sick and suffering of Wanganui. Obituary.—l regret having to record the loss of two of our members, Isla Muir and Shirley Bannister. The former was a very active member of our circle and her loss will be noticed. Wreaths were forwarded and suitable letters of sympathy have been sent. Membership.—The membership of the circle continues to grow both in active and associate. I would ask all members of this executive to enroll as many associate members as possible. I find that the movement is receiving much sympathy from the public and many people can and would support us by becoming associate members if asked. Badges.—During the month the new enamel badges arrived and were greatly admired. They are just the thing we have wanted for years and our thanks is recorded to Mrs. Maclbay in finalising the purchase of them.

Allen Cup.—During the month your treasurer, Mr. J. Allen, presented a handsome challenge cup to be awarded to the district carrying out rule 3 “By distributing flowers 1o the sick and suffering.”—This cup was awarded this year to the members of the Parikino branch who have for some months regularly sent in flowers to be distributed to the sick and suffering in Wanganui. Seed Distribution.—Seeds and bulbs

distribution has been well attended to by your seed distributor, Mr. J. Shanks. Chrysanthemum Culture. During lhe month I made arrangements with the Wanganui Chrysanthemum Club to teach a few of our members (chrysanthemum culture. The club .has offered to supply plants and give I personal tuition to 14 selected members of our circle. District Reports.—During the month the Westmere-Brunswick District held a very successful show for C.G.C. members of their district, when prizes won for the season were presented. Many members of your executive attended. A floral service conducted by Rev. Norrie was also held in the Brunswick Church and was well attended by C.G.C. members. The flowers were later sent to the Wanganui Hospital. Maxwell members also attended a floral service at Maxwell. This district is being re-organised by Miss E. Morrison, Mrs. Staite having resigned the position of secretary. Our thanks must be recorded to Mrs. Staite for the work she has done in this district. Turangarere district and Ohingait! districts also report favourably on our | movement in their districts. Mrs. Redman and her committee working very hard in the Turangarere district and Mrs. Dalzell and her committee | are re-organising the Ohingaiti branch. The secretary of the Rangi‘waea branch, Miss Jean Donovan, visited our show and was favourably inpressed. Requests for demonstrations have been received from Waitotara, Nukumaru, Maxwell, Fordell, and Okirie branches and it is hoped to finalise those in the near future. Card Evenings.—The card evenings are still as popular as ever, and besides being a financial success, give pleasure to those who attend. Future Operations.—l suggest to you that a mooting of parents and supporters should be called at an early date to make arrangements for future operations of our movement. There is still much to bo done, especially social i activities and the re-organising of districts. In conclusion may I thank the executive for the loyal support accorded me during the month. It has been a busy one for all of us, but I am sure you wifi all agree that it was well worth while. LETTERLAND Matthew Heperi.—A hearty welcome to you Matthew. We arc sure you will enjoy your stay with us. A parcel of seeds will be forwarded to you also, later some bulbs will be sent to you. Barbara Jones.—Just what a happy band of children are joining from Keith Street School. We are happy to enroll you and I will see a little parcel is sent to you. George Millan.—A hearty welcome to you also George. 1 am sorry 1 omitted your name earlier. A parcel of seeds will be sent to you. Shirley Smith. —A hearty welcome to you also Shirley. If you call on Mrs. Hood, 34 King’s Avenue, she will give you a little gift for your garden. “Trailing Fern. 1 have forwarded your badges and will arrange to send you a small parcel later. Sorry I have no pansy seeds. “Prancing Daffodil.”—lt is good to hear from you again. Please let me have your full address so that a parcel can be forwarded to you and “Trailing Fern.” “Tinker Bell.”—Will you call on Mr. J. Shanks, 67 Young Street, for some seeds. So glad to see you back again with us. June Howell. —Your request has been noted. Please let me have your private address so that a representative of the Chrysanthemum Club can call on you. Howard Cann. —Your request has been noted and forwarded to the Chrysanthemum Club. Dulcie Leigh.—Your request has been forwarded to the club who will advise you. Francis Clifton.—Could you call on Mr. Benson, 113 Bell Street, about your chrysanthemums. “Heather Bell.”—Many thanks for your donation. The badge has been forwarded to you. Yes the show was a great success. “Huia.” —I am sure you are going to try hard and win the Shirley Gilbert Cup. Your name has been forwarded to the club who will advise you. CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTURE The Wanganui Chrysanthemum Club are pfepared to except members between the ages of 16 and 18 years as junior members. The membership in eludes personal tuition. Further particulars can be had from their secretary, Mr. W. Benson, 113 Bell Street. PARIKINO DISTRICT

Many thanks to the members of this district who have each week sent in their flowers to the sick and suffering iof Wanganui.

PLANTING MARROWS To obtain the best results with vegetable marrows they should be given a deeply-dug soil that has been well enriched with manure. If one has been able to trench the site, so much the better.

The plants are best set in trenches, or hollows, six inches below the level of the surrounding soil. This will make it much easier to attend to the watering and feeding later on, especially if the season happens to be a dry one. Plenty of space must be allowed for trailing varieties to develop. The points of the shoots should be pinched out when six good leaves have been made, and the resultant shoots are again stopped at intervals, especially those varieties inclined to rank growth. The bush marrows do not

take up so much space and are very useful for the earliest crop.

POPULAR DAPHNE WINTER FLOWERING SHRUB. Daphne is probably the most poufar winter flowering shrub, and it certainly is the sweetest scented one. For some reason, or perhaps for several reasons, the daphne does not succeed as well as it should. One of these reasons is that people fuss too much over giving it the correct treatment, when it is not so much what the daphne wants, as what it does not want, that is the secret of success. It requires a well-drained soil, of a medium texture, neither too heavy nor too light. Its chief enemy is scale, but this can be controlled by a

spraying with white oil (1—80) once or twice a year, say immediately after flowering, about the end of September, and again at the beginning of winter, in April or May, before the plants begin to flower. The daphne does not need a lot of manure. A little bonedust every spring is all that is required. It suffers from a form of collar rot. The plant appears all right; then suddenly the foliage begins to droop and turn yellow, and in a few days the whole plant collapses. There is no cure for this, for the plant is already dead before there is any sign of the disease. Drainage is the best preventive. Plants collapsing like this should be taken up and burnt and the soil sterilised. Daphne, if left alone, is inclined to become straggly. This can be avoided by cutting back the growth in

11 early spring when the plant begins tc. grow, but avoid cutting back to wood two or more years old. To keep a ’ bush compact pruning must be done i every spring. To let a plant alone for years, and then to attempt to ■ prune it and make it bushy, will only ’ result In failure. Layering is the best and surest ■ means of propagation, and as the ■ daphne is not a long-lived plant a few i layers should be put down yearly. • The layers, if put down about Octo- • her, will not be sufficiently rooted for . transplanting until the following , spring. A partially shaded spot suits the 1 daphne, but avoid ground which is full of tree roots. Good results can be obtained in an open position if due i care is taken to avoid drying out in ■ summer.