Life in the Garden.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 14, 6 October 1909, Page 38

Life in the Garden.

SEEDS TO SOW THIS MONTH. Flower.— Acroclinum, Alyssum, Candytuft, Clarkia, Cosmos. Godetia, Helichrysum, Larkspur. Mignonette. Mathiola. Nimophlia, Nasturtium, Phlox Druinmondii. Portulaeea, Rhodanthe, Sunflower, Zinnias, Ornamental Grasses, Leptosyne. Vegetable.— Beet, Broccoli, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Melons, Parsnips. Peas, Pepper, Pumpkin, Radish ami other Saladings, Spinach, Tomato, Turnip, Vegetable Marrow. Plant. — Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cape Gooseberries. Flower Seedlings.

GENERAL. GARDEN WORK. in the garden is now in //I full swing, there is no lack of IIL work, anl constant attention and steady labour will give surprising results. Continue successional sowings of peas; Strategem, Yorkshire Hero, Gladstone and Glory of Devon are good kinds, suitable for main crop. Previous sowings should !>e attended to by working between the rows to keep down weeds, and loosen the soil. Draw the soil slightly towards the rows before putting in stakes. In warm localities a few kidney beans can be sown. Sow beet. We strongly recommend the Crimson Globe variety for early and late work, and the long kind for main erop. The Crimson Globe should not be confounded with Egyptian turnip-rooted, an old variety, but not in our opinion, so good in quality as Crimson Globe. Onions

Practical Advice for Amateurs.

should be thinned out to four or six inches, and where required transplant the thinnings. Onions require good firm soil, otherwise they are inclined to grow “ bull-necked.” Continue planting out cabbage, lettuce, etc., sow turnips and continue planting potatoes. The lawn requires attention, where grass has been allowed to grow rank, it should ba mown with a scythe, then rolled; afterwards use the lawn-mower. Hoe over beds of earnations and keep free from weeds. Get stakes ready for tying up the bloom stalks, and plant a few dahlias, and propagate cuttings. Attend to chrysanthemum cuttings and narcissus which have done flowering. Protect the leaves from injury by tying; on no account should the leaves or “grass,” as it is sometimes called, be cut off, laind intended for tomatoes, Cape gooseberries, melons and sueh-like crops, should lie well worked by digging or forking over, so as to have the soil in good condition. In sheltered situations tomatoes may be planted, but we prefer having the main crop unplanted until towards the end of the month. We have never gained by too early setting out, but occasionally we have lost. Later in this month the soil gets warmer, and when the plants are set out—if they have been well hardened off—they start to grow right away, and never look behind. Some growers of tomato plants have lost considerable numbers of young plants this season, and we are inelined to think the cause is too much stable manure, more especially when sawdust is used. There is plenty to do in the orc-hard, especially in working between the rows of trees to keep down weeds. Peaches, nectarines and plums are now making a fine show of bloom. The end of the month will bring the spraying against the codlin moth, and all apple growers should get their spraying outfit in good order, and have a supply of Swift’s arsenate of lead handy.

Stratford Daffodil Show. The Stratford Horticultural Society held their fifth annual daffodil show on September 23 and 24—dates which were, if anything, too early for this upland district, considering the inclement weather recently experienced. The display of blooms was beyond doubt the best yet seen in Taranaki, and the attendance was a record. The show was opened on Thursday bv Mr. .1. Hine, M.P., and

was closed on Friday evening with the presentation of trophies by the Hon. R. McKenzie, Minister for Public Works. The R.H.S. Flora medal for 30 varieties was won by Dr. Dillon Carbery, with Seagull Ornatus, Crown Prince, Apricot, M. de Graaff. Noticeable amongst others were: Mr. Osmund, who was very unlucky’ in being disqualified in this class owing to a bud of Weardale which could not be identified as such by the judge. He had some sterling blooms of Victoria, Emperor, Gloria Mundi, and Glory of Leiden, one of these last-named being gigantic, measuring full five inches across the perianth segments and 2.5 in diameter - of ostium. In the cup class for 12 popular varieties (cost not to exceed 1/ per bulb), there was close competition. Noticeable on the stand of the winner, Mr. Robert Gibson, of Riverlea, were giant blooms of Crown Prince, J. B. M. Camm, and Almira. Mr. Gibson’s methods of cultivation are little short of revolutionary. He applies a solid six inches of cow manure to the subsoil, and covers with nine inches of fertile loam without any addition of phosphates or lime. His results are marvellous. The roots of his bulbs penetrate the manure when it is mellow to a depth of 18 inches, giving blooms of great size without coarseness and with splendid colour. Growers should compare this method with the latest American ideas suggested by M. A. Kirby in the new book on daffodils in the U.S.A. No harm has resulted to the bulbs treated in this manner so far as two years’ observation indicates, but the narcissus fly is prevalent in Mr. Gibson’s garden. Mr. W. S. Cato was second in this class with large and shapely Glory of Leiden’s as central blooms. The new R.H.S. classification was adopted for the first time with fairly satisfactory results. It is, of course, strange as yet to many exhibitors, but its plain English simplicity is its strong point for beginners, and the very dogmatism of it makes for straightforwardness in judging. In Division I. (Long Trumpets) the championship fell to Glory of Leiden, shown by Mr. Osmund. White Queen was an easy winner in Division IT. (Short Trumpets). This fine variety, exhibited by Mr. Robert Gibson, defeated

Lady Margaret Boscawen and Maggie

May, the latter being disappointing; but Lady Margaret, the white Sir Watkin, is very worthy indeed. A glorious Lucifer (4 5-Bin in diameter), with a brilliant cup, which was easily the best flower of any kind in the whole show, gave Mr. E. C. Holland, of Kaponga, the championship in Division 111 (Large Cups); and Salmonetta, shown by Mr. Robert Gibson, with its degp shrimp margin to cup, and clear, spreading perianth of Poeticus type (4.5 in was a'charming first amongst the small cups. Other good things shown were Enid, an improved Beatrice, White Lady (larger and more refined than K. Spurrell and Amazon), and an all-white Gloria Mundi. The Stratford Society anticipate great strides in daffodil culture during the ensuing season, and have every reason to feel proud of the show, which marks an epoch in the history of gardening in Taranaki.