IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20176, 3 March 1931, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK. FOR THE WEEK. (grJSCIALLT WRITTXK lOK TH» MISS.) [By J. T. SINCLAIE.jv ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. H.C.—You can plant the Christmas lilies now, but it would havo been better if you had done the work a fortnight ago., These plants soon make roots at Hits time of the year, and if you are going to' lift, the bulbs and replant do it at once, before they get checked. Plant about, two inches deep. The other names are Madonna lily and Lilium candidum. JCovfco—Pie melons do not always set well, especially in cold "weather. Xt is safest to fertiliso the floucrs by taking somq of the pollen from a malo flower, with a small camcl-ha-ir brush, and transfer it to the stigma of the female flowers. When tho fruit begins to show,. some of the growing points should be pinched out two or three leaves beyond the fruit, then, if growth is rampant, some of tho lateral i growths should be cut out. Pie melons ] do not set thoir fruit as readily as do i marrows and pumpkins. 0.8.R. —Plant the polyanthus back into tho border again in April.' Ranunculus seed, if old, sometimes takes a long time to germinate. If you sow the seed as soon as it is ripe in n cold frame you Bhould not have much bother. The tubers of the ones you planted Inst year will be all light if your ground is free from wireworms.

VEGETABLES. Onions —The first two weeks in/March is the best time to make a sowing of onions to stand the winter. If sown later the young plants are apt to get lifted out of ..the soil by severe frosts, and if sown too early often run to seed in October. Well till and manure the ground, make it firm by treading and level with the rake. Sow thinly in drills an inch deop. A good sort for present sowing is Giant Rocca. During'autumn and winter keep the'"bed frfee, from weeds by the frequent use of the Dutch hoe. ' ' , Carrots—lt is true that autumn-sown carrots have not a good colour,'and soon riin to seed in warm spring weather, but, nevertheless, a few tender roots are vory acceptable. A piece of ground from Tjrhich a crop of cabbage was taken will make a good site'for a bed. ' Lettuce—To have plants to stand through the winter it will be necessary to make a couple of sowings, one soon, and another in the second half of the month.. Make a fyiio tilth, and sow in shallow drills A foot apart. Hardy varieties are All the Year Round, Brown Bath, ajid Brown Cos. Cabbage and Cauliflower —There is no better method of procuring plants for next season's cabbage and cauliflower crop than by sowing seeds now in a cold, frame. Some growers, who have d warm green house at their disposal rely 011 seeds sown'in May rather than on those sown now, but undoubtedly autumnraised plants give by iar the fetter results, as these are leps inclined to become drawn and spindly, than are plants raised in heat. The seed should be sown thinly in a cold frame in poor soil, for it is not advisable that the soil in which they are set should be on the rich side. As .soon .as the seedlings are large enough they will be all the 'better if transplanted into a cold frame, or under bandUghts in a sheltered part of the garden, but in either case pjoor soil be used. The object of planting And growing them in poor soil is to keep the 1 plants, dwarfed. Plenty of air should bo admitted ,ta the: frame, 'even in- the 4«pth of winter. A»-a preventive' yottng plants, damping off, ample* space should beJ left -between ea6ty especially" the cauliflowers. If set too 61osely together tbfe- foiiqge soon begins to damp, off. and consequently the plants are not; of mucji- vpJue~ .

I FLOWERS. I Growing bulbs in -fibres-No method of growing bulbs 'is as, simple as l this, for not only is it a elean process, but It takes very little time and attention to ' obtain the results. When used in lieu of soil, all that is necessary is to place a*sufttcient quantity of fibre, which can be Obtained fromany seeisman whd specialises in bulb's, in suitable bowls. 1 'The more ornamental these are : the nicer ,they Trill look when 1 placed About . thef,living-rooms. It is, always"necessary bulbs are grown In soil to provide ainpje drainage so that the moisture passes through the pots freeifll not the!', case with bowls ialivhich fibre is used, as no. drainage lM' the lordinary sense of the word is fibre,simply requires to, be-. trameiently -taoistened, to Keep the 1 ;toots,of the- bulbs active. In order have' the fibre always fresh and'sweet, 1 ,itf some pieces of char-. *oos !&4' th'e; bottom ofthe boyrts/ After < cohering the charcoal thoroughly with "fibre/ the bulbs should be placed in posi-, tiqai VUsjiially' the/bulbs are bo. placed l Hjdnli ' their .crowns come otft i ievel"''with the' top of the bowl," as |ip«eeed^best r this way. It is alVwayir .recommended to those who grow bulbr/in fibre to place as many as posin the bowls, in order to plake;<a good display. 'So long us sufficient ppaee is left between each bulb to permit, a, small quantity of, fibre to .bev, placed around them, that is all .that needed. It may be taken for grantee} "thafc't >b«lbs,. pfaijted ,in fibre must be more; careful# watered than those growsoil'which is well'drained. The jbert method ,of watering % the bowls, fibrt appears to bo-dry is to [di£, them|in a.pail of water, and then place.them 011' their sides so as to let fhevsurpW . meisture escape. In, other ways .the .treatment that bulbs- growings in fibre require is almost identical with 'that given to thoso .cultivated in soft.-,' ' ,• rjiambler Roses- —Bambler roses of the Dorothy, Perkina type are benefited by pruned after the ' flowering is completely over.. Stems two or three •years old, and that are taking on a ■yellow cast, should be eut out entirely. It will be found that they have yielded only email t-rtasses'of bloom, K and? have "ionly "poor new growths, ,if any,-, along. 'their entire length. They are, therefore, but a drain on the plant's resources 1 , and, o#eT , nothing in return, while' if remov.edtheir absence ■ gives more space for younger wood. Thdse roseitmake vigorous shbotos/often from nea* the base, and which grow anything from 3ft to 15ft in one season. These s>e ..the phoota which give, the most > ftnd/fiqest blooms' the following season. Csfier ,shoots are produced such as 'spring .from .-the side-shoots ;thst < hay.e given / the of bloom, and the Backer-like/ growths which have issued from 'last -season 'a string shoots. lt;> is,'useless to* leaye Y all the-', young and some of thp weaker ones S wiemoved at 'the-same time;as.the exhausted ones. Ramblers'pruned wiiHea,ve little to be done next spring. Annuals —This -is a good--time, to sow many of thetjiardy annuals. Some of the advantages V autumn-sowing are earlier flowering, more "freedom of growth, and ape* #qweM.'They, can be saw® *here-fto&y; are' to bloom, alloyed t the<- J '*rtnter „in a small state in- 9£rittj* with - bWls of 'soil Attached to the roots. They de ' not Pas .a' llke b'emg transplanted whileiie weather* ift hot .and sry, but ther oan be meVed atr ease, in the spring. if/«iwn ! about-the -preseht time. They make a wonderful show >hen in flower early in. the jeason ana are-jvell worth y jj, ' " < ' -, i\ &£ r \ " '« ''