GARDEN NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

GARDEN NOTES.

SEASONABLE WORK. (By “Nikau.”) Vegetables and Fruit.—Continue to plant cabbage, onion, lettuce, tomato, and sow all the ordinary vegetables. A small sowing of the more tender kinds can also be made, such as cucumber, maize or sweet com, marrow, and pumpkin. Mould up potatoes and spray .with Bordeaux Stake all peas, even Hie dwarf varieties. Make the main sowing of starlet runners. Have covers ready in case of frost. Plant passion vines. Stake newly-planted trees. Spray apples and pears with arsenate of lead to kill young grubs of codlin moth. Flowors. —Plant out dahlias and chrysanthemums. Put out. hard bedding plants. Spray roses with Katakiila or soap and hot water (not above 135 degrees Fahrenheit) to kill green fly. Make cuttings of new shoots of fuchsias and many other shrubby plants. Divide and replant perennials before it is 100 late.

NOTES. Ccdlin Moth. —This week and the following month are critical times for dealing with codlin moth; if two or more sprayings are given soon, there will be little trouble with this pest. At present the moths are laying their eggs on the leaves and liowers, and very shortly the young grubs will hatch out. They will make their way into tiie calyx of each flower and work down into the core of each little fruit. In a fortnight the calyx tube will close, thus protecting tiie grub from ail ils foes, Lie sprayer included, and leaving it free to grow, pupate and become a ‘perfect insect’ or moth. Egg-laying and hatching will follow as before, <but the young grubs have then to burrow in from the outside instead of merely following an open tube. It is evident from Lie foregoing remarks that every effort should be made to kill the first lot of grubs before they find their way down into the young fruits. Arsenate of lead is the spray for this purpose; one pound of the powder or from one and a half to two pounds of paste (the usual form) should be used to each 50 gallons of water. The water should be kept stirred, as the arsenate, not being ip solution hut being only in suspension, readily sinks to the bottom. Bordeaux (at summer strength) should be combined witli it to check black spot and other kinds of fungal diseases. This powder also settles quickly, so there is a double need for stirring when the combined spray is used. In commercial orchards where freedom from codlin moth is essential, it is usual to give the first arsenate spray at pc Lai fall, and to follow this up with sprayings at three-weekly or monthly intervals. The amateur with only half-a-dozen apple and pear trees should certainly give the first spraying at the proper time, and then, please himself about the other sprayings.

A Correction. —Owing to a printer’s error it appeared that Dr, Cockayne’s book on the cultivation of New Zealand plants has over 1000 pages, but the figures should have read “over 100 pages”- —130 to be accurate. This may appear very little, but not when it is known that most of the book is in the following form: —Melrosideros tomenlosa (pobutakawa h.h.) much resembles M. rubusla (Northern rata), but more rapid and amenable io cultivation; lvs. white —toinenlose beneath; fls. dark crimson. Jlab. coastal cliffs and forest to somewhat south of lat. 38deg. Cult,, most kinds of soil, tolerates high wind, but growth stunted. Drop., young plants, cuttings, seeds, [he gardener who loves reading catalogues will, of course, have seen lint h.h. means half hardy; lvs., leaves; fils., flowers; hah., habitat; cult., cultivation; and prop., propagation.]

Fragrantisslmum.—The plant usually spoken of by this name is a rhododendron with large, scented, white liowers. Except for their gyeat size, they more closely resemble azaleas than rhododendrons. The leaf, too, is more like that of an azalea, so it is not surprising to find some peoiple have classed this plant as an azalea, in spile of such rivals as Pink Pearl, Countess of Seftqn and Countess of Haddington, fragranliissimum is probably Hie finest rhododendron in cultivation. There are some good specimens in various parts of the town, including several in the Memorial Park. Like other rhododendrons and allied plants, fragranissimum appreciates a cool root-run, with mulchings of lawn-mowings in summer. An occasional hosing is also a great aid to growth, besides keeping red mite or “spider” in check. The roots are very delicate, and mostly keep to the surface, so the spade and. tiie fork must never come near them; a handfork is sufficient to stir the surface soil and kill seedling weeds. One of Hie finest hushes known to the writer lias never had the soil stirred round it once in eight years, weeds being kept in check by mulching; any that have come through have been pulled, it must be remembered that rhododendrons are hillside plants, used to excellent drainage and a heavy rainfall; their chief food is the. humus that is made up of Ihe leaves of trees. : In this respect they resemble most of our native trees, .which have around them a earpel of dead leaves at least two inches thick.

Dahlias from Seed.—Headers are reminded that, the next three weeks are, an Uuxe to &a v A dahlia

seed. Owing to the love of snails and slugs for these plants, it is advisable to sow the seed in tins or boxes. Porous soil should be used; a mixture of sand, rotted leaves ( or compost), or ordinary soil will do quite well. Fresh seed will germinate in a few' days, and by the end of a fortnight there should be plenty of seedlings to pick out. To give these vigorous plants a good chance, prick out only a dozen to half a benzine tin, instead of the usual two or three dozen. Seedlings raised by the writer last year formed large clumps of tubers, and from several of these as many as four strong shoots are now coming. This shows what wonderful growth is made by dahlias in the one year. Clumps with several shoots shouud be divided, as the best dahlia bushes are single-stemmed. Only the best seed available should be used, as there is a great difference between ordinary dahlias and very good ones.

List of Good Chrysanthemums.— The following varieties are recommended by the Auckland Horticultural Society as among the best for decorative or exhibition purposes:—Annie Hamilton, Autumn Tints, Edith Gavell, Kara Dow, Gallipoli, Lady Stradbroke, Mrs R. Luxford, Pink Pocket, Stephen Brown, William Turner, A. E. Tyson, Bessie Robinson, Florence, Golden Champion, Lady Stanley, Mrs R. G. Pulling, Mrs R. Thompson, Rose Day, White Lousia Pockett, W. P. Francis.

List of Dahlias. —The Auckland Horticultural Society recommends the following as among the best for decorative or exhibition purposes:— Cactus, Auburn Beauty, Golden Crown, John W. Wooiman, Mrs A. C. Gilliatt, Capella, Champion, Curlew 7 , Flora Treseder, Miss Eckert, The Swan, Harry Crabtree, Caronia, Conquest, Elsie Prior, F. W. Fellows, Mammoth, Silverhill Park, John Riding, Mrs M. Stredwick. “Nikau” recommends the last nine as extra good:—Collarette: Allison Simpson, Bullfinch, Diamond, Taurus, Autumn Tints, Canary Bird, Pip, Jessamine, Primrose, Wilfred. Paeony: Admiral Hood, Director, Joblin, Lucien, Gala, King Albert, Noble, Prudence, Snowball, Redman, St. Leonards, Holman Hunt, Canary, Gorgeous. Giant Decorative: Doris Trayler, Gloria, Insulinde, Mastiff, Moloch, Sheila Wood, Siren, Elsie Golding, Golden Queen, Lilac, Miss Mallison, Mrs E. Gant, Shepherdess, Victory. Pompom: Adelaide, B. Purvis, Dewdrop, Glow, Johnnie, Raider, Sunny Daybreak, Bacchus, Darkest of All, Florence Woodland, Ideal, Moira, Rosebud, Wee Grade.

Paulownia impenaiis. —During October many people ask about a large tree which bears tubular flowers of a lilac colour. As these Lowers aupear before any leaves, and as they are borne in the greatest profusion, the tree is a very noticeable one. The leaves are very large, making this an excellent shade-tree in summer. GutLings of young shoots, when a little firm, should he put under a hand-light or frame with bottom-heat. Though there hove been large trees of Paulownia in New Zealand for over twenty years, it has never become common. This lavender-flowered species comes from Japan, hut three wtiite-llowered species come from China.