GARDENING NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 April 1925, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

The Garden Path. Well-made and well-kept paths are not only a delight to the eye, but, by affording a surface on which we can walk in comfort under average condi"tions, add greatly to the enjoyment of the garden. Whatever material is decided upon for the path, and there is a choice of several, the procedure is similar in all cases. The first step is to mark out the lines of the path, and, this done, we next take off some six or eight inches of the soil. • A layer of broken bricks or medium-sized stones is then4*t down to act as drainage, and is well beaten or rolled to make it quite firm. This is an important point, if we would avoid trouble in the future, through the path sinking in places and forming hollows. This layer of drainage should be three or four inches thick, and should curve slightly from -the centre to allow of the water running off. A fall of an inch per foot from the centre to the side will be sufficient. Over the drainage, when it was been well rolled, a 2in layer of 'rough metal or shell is spread, and this is also rolled. Then comes the finer metal or shell to bring the path up to the desired height. This again is rolled and- consolidated, and the work .s done. If scoria is used the work is carried out in the same way. First sift the material, the coarsest being rescrv od for the foundation, the medium becomes the second layer, and the finest ?s used for the top layer. Concrete makes a. good path, but its preparation and# laying requires some skill. Tar and sand is also very durable. It merely requires laying, levelling and rolling, being finished off with a- sprinkling of powdered shell.

Antirrhinums from Cuttings.- . The antirrhinum, or snapdragon, is now ono of the most valued of bedding, plants, with its clear and beautiful colours. There arc now offered seeds of various strains which may he relied up--on to come fairly true to type, but for absolute certainty there is nothing to equal cuttings; and where a particularly choice variety is grown and further plants are required this is the best method of propagation. The first step is to drain a box or boxes by boring a few holes, about half an inch in diameter, in the bottom. Over each of these holes jdacc a large piece of broken flower pot, hollow side down. Sprinkle some coarse soil on the bottom of box covering the drainage, then fill the box with light sandy compost. Make the soil firm and press flat and level with a piece of board. When pressed down, the surface should be about half an inch below the level of the box. The cuttings -are the short 9ide shoots which have not flowered, and more especially those near.the base of the plant. To obtain the cutting, take it between the finger and thumb and give it a downward pull. This will probably bring away a “heel” of the stem, and this is desirable. The leaf pulled away with the cutting should be removed, also the bottom pair of leaves, if they come too close to the base to • allow the cutting to be inserted to the proper depth. After putting in the cuttings give the box and cuttings a good watering. The box,, when filled, should be stood in a cold frame jor' greenhouse, or it can be stood outside in a sheltered position, but wherever it is stood it must be shaded till rooted. * * * •

Why Bulbs Sometimes Fail. It sometimes happens that bulbs, such as hyacinths or when grown in pots, fail more or less completely. As this rarely happens in the open ground, the cause is evidently to be sought in some fault connected with pot cultivation, and as a rule it is want of sufficient moisture to enable the roots to develop properly. As such bulbs arc useless, no harm can be done by turning 'them out of the soil and examining them. In most cases they will be found to have scarcely, any roots. This may be due rather to excessive caution than to carelessness. All the authorities fell us that bulbs require very little moisture until they begin,- to grow. The statement is indisputable, but the moisture must be in the right place. It is worse than useless to keep on sprinkling the surface,'for the soil underneath may be so dry that root growth is impossible, and the damp surface will only hide the fact. When water is given it should be in sufficient quantifies to moisten the whole of the soil. Tf this is done only when necessary, there wiii be no danger of injury to the bulbs, especially if each rests on a layor of sand. The sand is useful in various ways. It not only allows surplus water to drain away, but also offers less resistance to the growth of the roots than more solid soil', and, by means of the air in the spaces between its particles, actually promotes their growth. .Then why not all sand? it may be asked, Because it contains no food. Most plants would die in sand alone, and though bulbs will live in it for a time, and even flower, they do so only by exhausting their supplies of stored i food, and, unable to get any more, dwindle away. » * * *

The Strawberry Tree. The strawberry tree makes a highly ornamental shrub, often growing 12 or 15 feet high, and deserves a place in every garden of any size. It is a native of Southern Europe, and where frosts are experienced should be planted in a fairly sheltered position. The leaves are evergreen, leathery, glossy, and in shape not unlike those of the sweet bay. In colour they are' clai-k green. This shrub flower's in late autumn, and as the fruits talje 10 or 12 months to ripen, we have the spectacle of flowers and fruit at the same time. The flowers are in drooping clusters or panicles, and somewhat resemble the lilv of the valley, but'a re longer. They are of whitish colour, sometimes flushed with pink. The fruits, which are produced in bunches, are about the size of marbles and very Tough on the surface. As they ripen they turn red, and thus is derived the name of the strawberry tree. They are edible but not sufficiently enticing to be popular. They are, however, greatly improved by cooking which brings out their agreeable acid flavour. * # * *

Cabbage Fly or Moth. The weather during March was drv and quite naturally the cabbage'moth was very much in evidence. The most Important thing is to protect the young leaves just forming in the centre of the plants. The plants set out in January and onwards will have made a certain but in many eases checked by v mav f II

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables,

rupted. When the weather breaks, and with shortening days and cooler nights the moths will get a check and the plants will get away from them. A litt e helledore powder dusted into the centre of the plants will save the young leaves or they may be sprayed with Black Leaf 40, Vistolenc or any or the minicrons insecticides offered. Everyone familiar with these pests will know that when disturbed most of .them let themselves down to the ground on a fine thread. If the plants are rustled by shaking them in a rough way, or tapping them with a hoe handle, many ot the grubs will.descend to the ground; it the surface is then smartly scuffled w£h a flat hoe a great many of the grubs will be destroyed. It must not be forgotten, however, that a number of the grubs will remain in among the young leaves on the centre where thc,\ find sufficient shelter, so that the treatment of that portion of the plant by some poison or contact killer is neecsS arv. Besides the active grubs, there Are usually some beneath a web. These have had their turn at feeding, and are in chrysalis form. In a few days they emerge as mot'll and deposit more eggs. It is quite possible where there are only a few plants, to go over them and crush them beneath their webs. Bows of turnips in a small seedling state, aie rapidly destroyed bv these grubs; spraying will save them. The Loganberry. Among small fruits there is none more productive than the loganberry. This, as is well known, is a hybrid between the rapsberry and the blackberry, and it partakes of the characters of both parents. The fruit is much larger than the blackberry, of a more elongated shape, is very juicy, and possesses a pleasant acid flavour. The colour is deep red. It is sometimes used for dessert, for which purpose it is allowed to get fully rijio, Iwt owing, to its 'large oore it is not in gVPftt favour. For preserving -however, it is excellent, and for this it should be gathered somewhat earlier. The loganberry will grow in any ordinary soul that does not get dry. It- does best in a deeply-dug and .wenmanured root-run, and where this is provided it makes extremely vigorous growth, sending up shoots as much as fifteen feet long. The fruit is borne on the ripened wood of the previous season and tliis must be carefully trained in place. During the autumn or winter the old shoots that have fruitedinay be cut out ,to make room for these younger ones. The shoots may be trained along a wall, fence or trellis, around a pole, or on wires stretched from posts about six feet high. By ’fastening the shoots to these wires a dividing hedge or screen can be formed if required. Planting can be done from this onwards. Propagation is easy, as any shoots allowed to trail along the ground will soon make roots and produce fruiting plants in a season or so.