GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 1600, 31 May 1924, Page 21 (Supplement)

GARDEN NOTES.

SEASONABLE WORK. (By “Nikau.”) Vegetables and Fruit. —Dig and trench the soil whenever it is workable. Store marrows, pumpkins, squash and fruit in a dry but airy place. Store kumeras in dry sand, indoors. Plant out cabbage and cauliflower. Mould up celery- and leeks. Leave artichokes, parsnips and carrots in ground until they are wanted. Plant rhuhard, strawberries and fruit trees, including bush fruits such as gooseberries and currants. Flowers. —Dig and manure the borders. Cut down annuals and perennials such as cosmos, michaelmas daisies, helenuim, etc., but leave geraniums and dahlies for a while longer. Put in cuttings of hardwooded plants such as roses, -viburnums, weigelas and conifers. Weed the bulb-bed with a hand-fork. Plant lilies, gladioli, and late anemones. Trim hedges and topdress lawns. Plant hardy shrubs and trees. Prepare ground for new hedge. SPECtAL NOTES. Wet Saturdays. —All too often we have wet Saturdays, and indeed there is good, grounds for the superstition, belief or what not that every weekend now is wet. In our less cheerful moments we would say that the explanation is that the whole week is wet, and naturally the end is , wet. Though the rainy season lias come, we need not think that is the end to all gardening operations for some months, for there are plenty of things that can be done in spite of wind and weather. For one thing, we should see to stakes, sticks, netting and other supports for peas. To prevent loss by rotting or rusting the supports should be put away under cover until they are needed again. The seed-boxes may be attended to. Those not being used should lie emptied of soil, repaired where nccesary, and then stored away in a dry shed. This is a good time to make new seedboxes, either of wood or of tin. These should be only three inches deep, so that the seedlings will be inclined to form plenty of fibrous roots rather than to send a few roots deep down. In any case, drainage-holes will need to be made; in the box or tin. It is aiso a good time to start making a “frame,” either to be used as a “cold frame” or on top of a hot-bed. Glass is useful, but not necessary, as oiled fabrics will be nearly as transparent and they are less liable to injury. Next year’s operations should now be planned, while this year’s successes and failures are still fresh in our minds. If not already done, notes should now be made showing what crops and what particular varieties were the best. Suitable dales for sowing should aiso he noted in Hie light of experience. If a plan of Die vegetable portion is made now, it will he very easy to follow a system of rotation. Seed-lists should also be prepared, and orders given for the various seeds, plants and tools required. It should be remembered that nurserymen naturally send out the best and strongest plants first, and the latc-comer takes what is left. Fruit Trees on Small Sections.— If we allow for house and sheds, front lawn, flower-beds, drying lawn, kitchen garden and perhaps a garage, we find there Is not much room left 4'or fruit trees. We may, it is true, plant the fruit trees in the vegetable portion, and get good results from both classes of plants, but after three or four years we tiiul the fruit frees spoiling the vegetables. The trees not only take the moisture and the plantfoods from the soil, but also shade if, so that the plants become spindly and drawn-up. For this reason, wc should plant the fruit trees at the edges of lawns or along fences, as less of the useful space is then laketi up. After all, because of blights and insect pests, fruit can often be bought more cheaply than is can be grown on town sections, but on the other hand vegetables may be grown easily and cheaply. For training on walls, no tree is more useful than the well-known .Japanese plum called Burbank. If it is treated well in the mutter of drainage and richness' of soil, and if it is trained with moderate care, this plum tree is the most profitable- tree that can he grown. For dessert, jam-making, and preserving it is invaluable, . while its cropping qualities put it in a class by itself. Besides the Burbank plum, a nectarine tree should be planted; though best tree should be planted; though there

are many good varieties, the best also may he trained against a fence, but it needs more skilful training; as i 1 is a strong grower, and crops best when left almost alone, it should be planted in a spare corner. Having decided on our Japanese plum and our nectarine, we may consider the choice of apple trees. There arc dozens of line kinds, early, mid-sea-son and late, so the matter of selection is far from easy. The best early apples are Irish Peach and Cravenstein; the former has fine flavour, but must not be pruned much, as it bears its fruit at the tips of the branches. 11, has the advantage of boing proof against woolly aphis. The Cravestcm is easier to prune and bears larger fruit, and consequently is often preferred to the Irish Peach. For midseason to late, there is no finer apple than the Jonathan; it is fme-llavoured and handsome, and the tree crops well. Except for its being fairly suspectible to woolly aphis, this tree is the most profitable kind of apple to be grown. For a late variety, Delicious is the best, for it has almost every good quality. An American eulogy of this variety was quoted in this column some weeks ago, and in any case everyone' now knows the Delicious. Varieties of Gladioli.—As there are over 130 species of gladioli, with dozens of varieties in each of several species, it is evident that the classification and the description of gladioli are difficult matters. A few groups, however, will now be discussed. The first is the gandavensis, said to have originated at Enghicn but sent oid, from Client, hence its name,gandavensis. It includes many beautiful exhibition kinds. The Lemoinei section was originated by MLemoinc of Nancy, France, by hybridising gandavensis with another species/ These gladioli are distinguished by deep-coloured blotches at the bases of lower segments; in this group is the well-known Baron 11ulot, with purple (lowers. The next section is the Nanccianus, also originated by M. Lemoine, and characterised by tail spikes and large Powers. The Childsii section of gladioli was raised in Germany but passed into American hands. These gladioli are also hybrids from gandavensis and another species, and include many of the finest varieties in existence. The next section is flu? early-flowering one, including many separate species, particularly nanus and colvillei. The whitc-llowered bride belongs to the latter species. The last of the important species are Byzantimcs, with purple (lowers, and primulinus; many varieties have been raised lately from the latter species, making it one of the most popular in the Home countries. The names of dozens of varieties could he given, but the amateur's best plan is'to ask his seedsman for the best white, yellow, pale pink, scarlet, and so on, and also say whether "selfs" (pure colours) or blotched varieties are wanted. The following short list includes some of toe very best: Schwaben (yellow), .Mrs Francis King (light scarlet'. Mrs Frank Pendleton (blotched salmon pink), Peace (beautiful white), America (lavender-pink), Willie Wigman

(pink, tinted cream), Halley (salmon pink), Brenchleyensis (scarlet).

The Winter Show. —An account of the horticultural section will appear next. week. At present we note with regret that the number of entries has decreased, but we hope the quality of the exhibits has improved.