GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2699, 19 February 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

[By "Kowhai."] SPBING-FLOWER-ING B ULBS. The earlier bulbs are planted the longer will they have for making roots before the lljwering season, and hence the liner will the (lowers bo in spring. The present is a good time fo prepare the ground lor bulbs, and to proceed as fast as'posi sible with the planting. A little later enrvsanthemums and seedling perennials will ronke big demands on the amateur gardener's time, while at present the work in the garden is fairly light. In preparing a garden for bulbs the following instructions should be carried out:--M(irk out the space to be occupied by the bulbs, then remove a strip of lopsoil from one end of tho bull) garden, and lay it aside in a barrow. Now break up thoroughly tho subsoil thus revealed, and mix with it decayed garden rubbish, or well-rotted stable manure, and plenty of road grit. Heavy clay soils should have coal cinders in addition lo plenty of grit. Now remove the top soil from the next strip of garden, and placo it on tho first strip of well-worked subsoil. Proceed to treat the second strip of subsoil m the same way as the first was treated, and then place the top-soil from the third strip on it. The last strip of subsoil will be covered by th# top-soil that is in the barrow. Now work into the whole of the top-soil 6ome sand, a little wood ash or rubbish tire ash, and some leaf-soil. Rub the leaf-soil to a lino tilth with tlie hands before adding it to the bed. I'or manure use tlie following:—loz. of bonedust and loz. of sulphate of potash to the square yard. A bed that has been occupied by bulbs for several years may be treated in the same wny. First dig up the bulbs, grade i. w'> spread them out for a "sun bath' as recommended last week. Any bulbs that halve started growth should be laid under a- shady tree, and should 2® covered ,ivith damp sand or wood ashe3 till their garden bed is readv. When planting bulbs place a layer 'of Tiver or silver sand for them to rest on, and see that they are on a firm base. Bulbs dishko standing in cold, stagnant water during winter; hence the need for working the subsoil. Bulbs dislike being prodded with the hand fork during weeding operations; hence the need for neat marking sticks. Bulbs like leaf-mould, eand, and potash. Bulbs like to have a long time in which to malso their roots; hence th& need for early planting. Bulbs that require very early planting are:—Paper white, polyanthus narcissi, crocuses, snowdrops, snowflakes, scilla-s, chiono-doxa, freesias, Boman hyacinths, grape hyacinths, and lilium candidum.

SCILLAS. Scillas or wood hyacinths arc lovely little spring flowers. They ar? among the hardiest of the spring bulbs, and will grow equally well in sun or in shade. Clumps of tliem look charming in the front of a mixed border, but they aro, I think, seen to better advantage when planted in drifts, up the slope of a rockery. From a mass of green foliage, numbers of little straight stems stand up, literally covered with tiny fragrant and dainty bells. Wood hyacinths are among the few plants that will flourish under pinus insignis. I have seen them in spring making a carpot of blue under a pinus insignis hedge that had become bars near the ground. I think one roaton of their success was that they were allowed to stay there undisturbed, for seillas dislike disturbance. In the mixed border they are constantly suffering dialurbauct, but under trees, on a rockery, or in the grafe they can grow and .flourish secure from unwelcome attentions from the gardener. If they are given an annual top-dressing of well-decayed manure, or admixture of leaf-mould, sand, and bonednst, they will flower well every spring, and need only bo lifted for thinning out very occasionally.

AUBICULAS. The auricula, known to tho children as flio "dusty miller," seems to be relegated to the old cottage garden. Yet it should find a place in ovcry garden, for nowhere is there' "a more fragrant or charming spring flower. Tho alpine auricula is a delightful 'plant, early flowering, sweet scented, and of beautiful colours. Seed may be sown now in shallow pons containing plenty of sand. Auricula seed is very slow to germinate, somo 'of the seed of the best plants taking several months. Place the seed pan in a sheltered corner and cover it with, a sheet of glass. For the rest, keep the pan weeded, the soil fairly-moist, and possess your soul in patience. New plants may be purchased from nurserymen, and old ones may now be broken up and replanted. Auriculas grow best on the shady bide

of a house, or under the shade of a deciduous tree. In the Jatter position they {jet tlio sun during winter, and shade during summer, and that is what they like. Before planting auriculas mis with the soil plenty of leaf mould, river sand, and well rotted cob- ma-nure well broken up. Each year aftor the flowering is over the top inch of soil should bo remove ed from around aurieuln.s. and should be repkeed with a mixture of loam, leaf JJiopid' sand, and broken-up cow manure, this will give the plants a new rooting ground, and will help to build up strong plants for the next season's flowering. FORGET-ME-NOT. Sow now seeds of forget-me-not to proride plants for spring flowering. No Kpring garden is perfect without a few good clumps of pale blue forget-me-not. It makes a- charming carpet plant, 100, «> plant round clumps of the blue everfasting pea, dnd is delightful when grown in a bod with blue grape hyacinths (inn?can conicum). The deep blue flowers of the. grape hyacinth rise well above a carpet of pale hl.ue forget-me-not. CUTTINGS. Cuttings of various plants may betaken now. Dig up a spare part of a shad.v border, and then tread the soil firm, Alake drills several inches deep lot- tlie cuttiugs, placing in them about one inch of sand on a firm base for the ends of the cuttings to rest on. Cuttings of geraniums, pelargoniums, most flowering shrubs, penstemons, antirrhinums, rosus, calceolarias, carnations, pinKs, fuchsias, marguerites, may all be taken now. In taking cuttings, cut just below » joint, and see that the base of the cutting rests in sand on a firm foundation. Penstemons, antirrhinums, marguerites, carnations, and caloeolaries make new shoots at the base of the flowering stem. These are the shoots for cnttings. For roses, a shoot that has flowered makes the bjst cutting. Bemove the dead flower and the lower leaves, cut just below a joint, and insert the cuttings von' firmly. Pelargonium and geranium cuttings should be allowed to dry for an hour or two before being planted; all other cuttings should be planted as quickly as possible. ' Be generous -with the sand in striking outtings.

Keep the soil just moist (not sodden), and the cuttings shaded from the sun. Press the earth very firmly rotmd cuttings, especially round th'« base of the cuttings. »

VEGETABLES. Dig up potatoes as soon as the haulm shows signs of withering. If left longer a few good showers will spoil the crop. The potatoes for table use should be stored away from the light as soon as possible, but those for seed should be left out in the sun for a few days to green. In saving potatoes for seed choose wellshaped healthy ones about tho size of a large hen's egg. Choose them also from those plants that tore the greatest number of large potatoes. Collect the haulms into heaps, and as soon as it is dry enough burn it. and spread the ash over the ground. The potato garden should not now be given over to weeds. It makes a good placc for growing cabbages, cauliflowers, and' lettuces for winter uev. 'Simply rake the ground level, as winter greens need a firm l>ed. / If it is not immediately needed for another crop, fork over the ground and sowoals or cheap turnip seed, to be dug.in later on for green mairerc. It is a good plan to thus sow every vacant piece of ground. The first slower brings the oats up, and they may be dug in as soon as the groiisfl is needed. Spare plots of ground, instead of being left to weeds, which rob thom of strength, are thus easily restored to fertility, and''tho plots present at all times a tidy appearance. ' I

Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notess about chrysanthemums, sparaxis, English and Spanish irises, and vegetables.

BULBS. Visitors to Messrs. H. C. Gibbons and Co.'s Lambton Quay warehouse would noto the preparations soinc oii for the coming bulb season. Narcissi, hyacinths, crocus, and many rare bulbs, raw arriving in warehouse, aro beine placed in various convenient bins, ready for the season now about to open. 'Some of the orders run into thousands, and great care is essential, espwiially in handling the named rare varieties. A window display is also being prepared, which should prove interesting. Illustrated catalosmcs are in printer's hands, and may be secured free on application by those desiring to attain the "garden beautiful."