GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowkai.") lEIS KAEMPHEIU. The flowers of the beautiful Japanese irises hnvo been bringing pleasure to many gardeners for some weeks now. Those who arc lucky enough to have a littlo stream running .through their gardens, or an artificial pond in their grounds, should grow quantities of these beautiful ilowers. They like a cool, moist rooling-plaee, but plenty of sunshine. The sunny sido of a stream is an ideal homo for them. Tho flowers of the Japanese irises are larger than those of tho English or Spanish varieties, and they aro wonderfully rich in colouring, and, in somo cases, most curiously marked. A creek or pond margined with a good frowth of these irises in Woom is a most eautiful sight. When tho ilowers are cut and brought into tho house they aro equally beautiful. They are most easy to arrange among their own foliage, and they have tho advantage of keeping fresh in water for some days. It is advisable to cut off all flowering stalks as soon as the Ilowers aro over. By doing so immediately the plants are 'enabled to produco large ilowers for several years without being disturbed and thinned out. POHUTUKAWA. Wherever one goes about tho suburbs of Wellington just now ono sees, literally covered with masses of its crimson flowers, that most beautiful native treo—tho pohutukawa. Tho trees, when in bloom, aru so strikingly beautiful that one's sonso of appreciation never becomes dulled. Every fresh tree that meets the eye causes one to pjuse involuntarily, and givo it tho homage which is its just due. Wherever tho trees aro hardy they should bo planted extensively. The ground where they are t6 be jrowu should ho well dug and prepared beforehand. The growth of tho trees is generally slow for the first year or two, but once they make a start they grow very quickly, and soon bear their brilliant and exquisite flowers. A littlo manuka brush placed round the youn;* trees affords them great protection, and helps them to make an early start into growth.

LIQUID MANURES. The most satisfactory liquid manure for all purposes is made as follows:—Put into an old sugar-bag some cow dung and about a shovelful of soot. Place this in an old tub of water, and leave for a few days. A strong stick should be laid ncross the tub, and the bag of manure suspended from the stick, so that it hangs well in the water. When using the liquid add sufficient clear water to make the manure the colour of wesk tea. Half an ounco of guano in one gallon of water is a very quick-acting manure. Ono ounce of nitrnto of soda in ' one gallon of water is very much used for vegetables. Soot-water is a splendid manure for pot plants, and helps to keep wire-worms away from plants in_ the garden. To make, put somo soot in a bag of coarse material,; and suspend it from a stick placed across' a kerosene tin into water for a few days. When using tho liquid for manure, dilute it with clear water till it is the colour of weak tea. Carrots, onions, turnips, celery, azaleas, rhododendrons camellias, and carnations are .all benefited by doses of weak sootwater.

HOW TO APPLY LIQUID MANURE. When applying liquid manuro take a short stick round with you and make a littlo gutter round each plant. Four the manmo slowly into this gutter. If tho ground does not quickly absorb tho necessary quantity, pass on to the next few plants, give. tnein a little, .and then come back to the first. The ground will, by this time, bo ready to drink in 6ome more manure. As soon as the necessary quantity has been absorbed, cover tho dry earth over the little gutter. In this way the ground round the plants does not become -caked, and ■ the manure, instead of running all over the gnrdeir or on to the path, passes down to the roots whore It is wanted. Axioms. Never apply liquid manure to ground that is dry. First saturate with dear water. - Never apply liquid manuro to plants that are sickly. Always apply liquid manuro in the evening if possible. Always apply liquid manure weak. Strong manuro burns the roots and does more harm than good. Plants that Need Liquid Manure at Present:. Hollyhocks, liliums, scabious, dahlias, -jtladinli (that , havo not bloomed), p'an6ies, violas, asters, • carnations (soot water), summer rhubarb, tomatoes yf fruit is set), celery (if plants have been in the ground at least one month). • Give celery Joz. of nitrate of soda in one gallon of water, and weak soot water alternately once a week. RHUBARB. Winter rhubarb, Topp's Winter, should be allowed to rest now before the leaves die down. The plants will probably make a good growth of leaves, and stems after the pickinz has- stopped, but the leaves, if lett,. help to make tho plants strong for next year. " As soon as the plants die down, rmuove about an inch of the old surface soil, and replaco it with a mixture of decayed leaves and well-rotted manure, well covering tho crowns of the plants in the process. The plants of summer rhubarb need constant supplies of water and liquid manuro to keep up the supply of good stems, '-'lit away all decayed loaves at once, and. keep tho plants free from weeds- The following liquid manuro is good for rhubarb:—Tlitco ounces of soot, and six ounces of guano should be tied up in a piece of sugar bag or scrim, and then allowed to stand a few days iu ten gallons of water. Dach plant may. have a thorough soaking with this liquid just as it is. VEGETABLES." SAVING SEED POTATOES.

Most amateur gardeners are now digging for use potatoes of their own growing. As digging proceeds the' tubers for seed should bo selected. , The best time for doing this is just before the haulm begins to 'turn colour. Tubers'should be taken from those roots that have the g!i<eatest number of large well-shaped potatoes. Never choose for seed potatoes that are badly shaped, those that ,-ome from a weak root (that is, a root that bears very few and very 6moll potatoes), or those from roots that have shown any sign of diseaso. -The selected tubers should be spread •out in a cool, dry place to "green." The skin then becomes hard, aud the potatoes so treated aro less liable f o be attacked by disease. Store tho seed tubers in shallow boxes in a cool, dry shed, whero they will bo exposed to a fair amount of light. MARROWS AND PUMPKINS. ■The vines of marrows and pumpkins are now. spreading over the ground very quickly. It is very necessary to heep them free from all weeds to allow the sun-and tho air freo access to them. After a hot, dry day the leaves rjhculd be syringed with clear water during the' evening. Water that has been exposed to tho sun for a few hours is the best to uso for washing plants. Water that is drawn straight from n well is generally very cold, and, if used straight away, gives the plants such a shock that it is apt (0 cause a check. Those who are obliged to use puiup water should draw it in tho morning and allow it to stand all day in tubs, buckets, kerosene tins, etc., in the sunshine. Vines Vhat are making .rank growth and very little fruit should have their tips pinched off to cause them to throw out laterals. The laterals will generally bear fruit freely. s / . CABBAGES. Keep a sharp look-out for the eggs of tho cabbage butterfly during dry, warm weather. Loot especially on the under sidos of the leaves. Wash the leaves thoroughly by frequently syringing with clear water. It destroys the eggs before they can hatch out. HOEING. Hoeing must bo carried 011 regularly. Onco tho ground cakes among vegetables of any kind it is most difficult, to get it into good condition again. Tho plants, too, receive a severe check, and that is biul for all vegetables. Two or. Ibreo inches' of line, dry soil is a fiiio mulch for the roofs of vegetables. Garden Notes next week will contain iwnsmmbJe notm absut Joaaluvgij, glxaw. tra-d, suusUblfta,