GARDEN NOTES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 21, 18 November 1908, Page 39

GARDEN NOTES.

The annual summer show of the Auckland Horticultural Society takes place within the Choral Hall on 20th and 21st inst. The chief attractions at this exhibition are roses and sweet peas, and as the season has been a favourable one, we anticipate the quality of the blooms will be above the average. The popularity of the rose and sweet pea in universal, and we strongly urge all to avail themselves of the opportunity of seeing one of the best displays of the year. Apples are setting fruit freely, plums are extremely promising, peaches and nectarines so far as we have observed are also well laden, and providing no untoward circumstances arise the fruit crop promises to be much above the average. Strawberries are fruiting early and freely this season, and unless we have a dry spell there will be a very good yield; gooseberries also are a fairly good crop. Nemesia Strumosa Suttonii. —Those who sowed this seed early are now enjoying a magnificent display of bloom. Beds planted with this splendid annual are conspicuous in any garden. They last a long time in flower, and are easily grown. The Autumn Show of the National Rose Society took place in London on Sept. 17. The function was a most success-

ful one, the Horticultural Hall and annexes were filled with exhibits and there were crowds of visitors. It is worthy of note that in the home of the rose, the growers from Scotland and the Emerald Isle scored heavily. English growers will need to look to their laurels and not allow their Scotch and Irish competitors to carry off' all the big prizes. In the class for thirty-six distinct blooms Messrs. James Cocker and Sons of Aberdeen were first. Mr. Hugh Dickson. Belfast second, Messrs. Alex. Dickson ami Sons, Newtownards. third. In the class for eighteen blooms Messrs, J. Jefferies and Son. Cirenedster.

were first. Mr. George Prince. Longworth. second. Messrs. I), and W. (’roll. Dundee, third. In the class for twelve blooms with seven competitors, Mr. 11. Dickson. Belfast, was first: Messrs. .1. Cocker and Sons. Aberdeen, second. Messrs. J. and R. Ferguson, Dunfermline, third. A class was provided for twelve blooms of one variety, and the three premier ones all contained Frau

Kar| Druschki, Messrs. Jefferies being first. Messrs. Ferguson second, Messrs Cocker third. A great display was formed by the collections of thirty-six distinct varieties in trusses, arranged as far as possible to show the foliage and habit of growth of each variety. Messrs. Frank Cant and Co. taking first place and Messrs. B. R. Cant and Sons second. There were four new varieties exhibited which gained the coveted honour of gold medals, viz.: l.tidy Alice Stanley.—A Hybrid Tea variety of pale-rose colour, the inner surface of the petal being of a silvery

sheen; the centre is somewhat globular, and although the flower is not. perhaps, of tin* choicest form, it possesses fragrance*. an attribute not always to be found in new roses. 11 is Majesty. A line dark red ro-e. sweetly scented, and with a well formed centre. Both these* were* shown by Messrs. MeGredy and Son. Portadown. Aie.x. Hill Gray. —A beautiful yellow Tea variety, with very elegant form and richest shade of colouring. Dr. O’Donedl Brown, II.I* — A good red rose*, slightly paler on fin- exterior of the pet-als. which are of good sub stance. These two last-named were

shown by Messrs. Alex. Dickson and Sons. The blooms of Charles J. Grahame were considered the Ix'st in the nurserymen's classes, and were awarded a silver medal. J* GROWING RUNNER BEANS FOR EXHIBITION. The following method of growing runner beans, both for exhibition and home use. has proved highly successful with me, and may. therefore. Im* useful to read ers of this paper: The site chosen is always an open one. Two lines are laid at a distance of 2ft from each other, and running from north to south. When so grown, (he beans have equal sunshine on both sides. The space between the lines is taken out fully 2ft deep, the top spit, together with (he crumbs, being placed on one side, and the next spit put on the opposite side, the bottom being dug up and allowed to remain. This gives a good deep root run and ensures perfect dr.linage, especially on heavy soils. The trenches are then half filled with any kind of garden refuse which will rot quickly, followed by three or four inches of well-decayed manure, and after a light treading, four or five inches of soil is placed over the manure and left thus until the beans are sown. Some grow a single row in each trench, but 1 prefer two rows, grown as follows: Two lines are laid down in the trench, each line being three inches from the side, thus giving I.Sin from row to row. Plant the beans three inches deep and nine inches apart. A good way to ward off the attacks of slugs is to sprinkle a mixture of wood ashes, soot and lime over the ground. When the first baen is seen up. continue this after every shower until all danger is passed. Staking is done early by placing a strong rod 12ft to 14ft long to each bean, and to secure the rods from rough winds props are set in the ground 2ft deep and 15ft apart, battens being tied to the rods in pairs with strong string; treated thus, they stand firm throughout the season, rhe growths are assisted with a tie to enable them to take to the sticks more readily. This crop is rendered more productive, the season prolonged, and the blooms set more freely, when kept well watered, giving manure water occasionally. Gather the beans as fast as they become fit. Those intended for exhibition need a little more attention. In selecting the most promising ones, these should be situated so as to get plenty of sun and light, in order to give them a deep green colour all over. Leave only two pods on a stem, keeping to this number on a plant. Endeavour to keep them straight by drawing the hand lightly down them a few times as the growth proceeds. Should black fly put in its appearance or red spider, means must Ik* taken to rid the plants of these pests, otherwise much damage will be done to the crops. Syringe the plant twice a dav until they are destroyed, with -oapy water or an insecticide. \ arieties are very numerous now. ami all more or less good. For many years past 1 have saved my own seed, select el from the ven largest and best pods. Now aml then I buy a pint to grow alongside of them for comparison. On* pint of seeds sown as above will plant a double row of lOKft long. Runner beangrown as described have* evoked much admiration for the quality of the pro duction. if. rowi e<. yc STAKING RUNNER BEANS. It is really wonderful how quickly these plants grow when once the runners form, and if the weather l>e warm. Runner beans, peas and all k’lids of plants that

cling t<> "takes for support always glow more <piickly after the stakes are placed in portion. There an* various methods of "taking runner beans. Some growers use tin* tallest of ordinary pea sticks, others put in "ingle rows of plants and one row of upright stakes. while others, again, grow two rows of plants in parallel lines and stake them as shown in illustration. One stake is placed to each plant, and they are crossed near the top; then a row of stakes are laid in the openings formed by tin* crossing of the sticks, made secure by twine B to the stakes C. A row so treated is practically stormproof. FLOWER SEEDS. Ilie uncertain germinating properties of certain seed" affords an instance of one of those problems in nature, the satisfactory solution of which will never be arrived it. It is tin* general belie! 11. at the seed* of Anemone, Hellebore, Primula. Iris, and of plants belonging to the Lily family should hi* sown as soon as thev are ripe. and this ha doubtless been followed in many in "tanees with totally different results. I believe the late Professor Michael Poster gave an experience of hi" in the “Gardener's Chronicle" not long before his death with certain seeds of Iris of hiown sowing remaining good and producing plants each year for a period extending Io 15 years, and he saw no reason wliy even that long period could not be extended. In my own experience, I have known seeds of a sowing of Iris to produce plants each year for five years, by which time the whole of the seeds had germinated. If seeds, under the same conditions of light, heat, and moisture, can remain dormant and good for 15 years, whilst "imilar seeds, under the same conditions, germinate within a year of the sowing, we are confronted with a problem. At the same time, I am of opinion, based upon experience, that the seeds of certain plants lose rather than •gain in point of time in germinating from being sow n as soon as they are ripe. Some vears ago 1 took from the opening capsules a large quantity of seeds of Ant hericum Liliastrum var. ma jor and sowed them in several boxes witbin a few hours. A portion of the same seed was placed in a brown paper bag to await orders, and. the season over, the surplus was sown in tin* usual way. This la 11 er seed, dried and rested for several month", produced plants abundantly in the course of a few weeks from the date of sowing, while that sown as soon a.ripe remained dormant for upwards of two years, ami then the plants appeared as thickly as Mustard and Cress, quite lifting the surface soil that covered them. In this ease it would appear that a certain change or development was necessary internally before the seeds were capable of growth, and that such chang • was more quickly brought about by tile dry condition of the seed bag. What of importance to the gardener and the seedsman is that they may know to what extent seeds may be kept in the diy state advantageously. Old seeds of the Cyclamen are as good as any. ami seeds a dozen years old are as full of vitality as tin* newest. Eresh Primula "oed is regarded a" essential to success; yet both these plants belong to the same oilier. Seeds of annuals and biennial" ii"imil\ germinate quickly and in great abundance; whilst seed" of perenibials of the "nine genera are often slow and erratic in growth, the herbaceous and tin annual Phloxes being an example. It is not improbable that, in the case of an iiuals and biennials, the vitality of theii seeds may be influenced, to some extent at lca"t. by the length of the plant’" existence. Seeds of Daffodil" and Er* mini, if sown two or three months after harvesting appear with considerable uniformity in the following spring: while \ ear-old seeds of the last-named plants may not appear at all. Daffodil seeds saved four years appear to be as full of \iiality as the newest- Many seed" appear to do best when sown in the springtime. and some will refine to grow if planted two month" later. E. IL -len kins. Hampton Hill. ,•< s VIOLET FARMING. Some yea’s ago. we learn from the April ‘Windsor Magazine." two ladies, the \lis-c" Allen Brown. retired to the charming little Sussex village of Hen field, and commenced a business as gene ral farmer* ami growers of all kinds of

herliaceoiis plants. One of the primary reasons for the starting of the enterprise, was that one of the ladies was suffering from ill-health, and it was thought that tin* light horticultural work would be a mean> towards improvement. After a period it became evident to the enterprising lady horticulturists that success was more likely to be attained in a specialised branch of horticulture than in general growing, and they accordingly decided t<> confine their efforts to the production of sweet English violets. The success of the enterprise is now assured, and a daily despatch during the season of thc-e lovely Howers in perfection goes out from the llenfield Violet Farm all over the British Isles. Orders also come from such distant places as Egypt, Switzerland. and even Russia and India, these being to supply friends at home with boxes costing from one to ten shillings each. On many occasions the ladies have been commissioned by the wealthy people of England to provide the whole of the floral decorations for such important events as weddings, and an old Cheshire family in the winter of last year had a complete violet wedding prepared from the llenfield farm. As a scent, too. attar of violets has become increasingly popular each year, and the flowers bid fair to oust even roses in the public taste. One thing in its favour is that violet scent is extremely economical, a very tiny drop being sufficient to scent a handkerchief. Violet farming is ar increasing industry, and, though the farm at llenfield was probably the first started, there are now quite a number of others in existence. CAMPANULA LONGISTYLE. Although it is likely to prove only a biennial with the majority of us, if not with all. as will probably be the case, the long-styled bellflower, Campanula longistyla, is a plant which has surely a future before it, both from its serviceableness in the garden as a blue flower and from its good habit of growth. When it was first offered one expected that it would prove to be its ally, C. macrostyla, another beautiful annual or biennial bellflower, but it is quite distinct from that fine but now little seen plant. I have met with it in a few good gardens this summer, and in all it was delightful with its tallish stems of deep blue pendant flowers, resembling almost in size those of the smaller Canterbury bolls, but on a less stiffly arranged plant. Ibis campanula grows from a foot to about two feet high, and gives many flowers, which are of good substance and last for a considerable time. Plants will be best raised from seeds, sown either when the seeds are ripe or in spring, and the seedlings pricked off in time. —S. Arnott.