GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2878, 16 September 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kow'hai.")

STOCKS. Stock is a- plant that 'should be in ovory gardon all the year round, it is one of the hardiest of plants, blooming freely, oven in frosty weather, and it. is one of the most easily cultivated. From, seeds sown at 'tins time last year, I have had three varieties of stock in bloom all through tho winter. They kept the garden bright and full of fragrance, when very few other flowers ware in bloom, and'they are still flowering "gaily in company with narcissi, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, wallflowers, mignonette, primroses, violets, sparaxis, antirrhinums, ■ anemones, and pale 1)1 uo forget-me-not. The garden at present is a garden of sweet scents and delicate colours. On the verandah, too, the freesias scent, not only the air around them, but also the whole house. • But. to return to the stocks. . The three varieties ,that I find, most, useful are-.—Beauty of Nice (pale .pink), Morite Carlo (primroseyellow), and Alice (wliite). Stock seed should lie sown in shallow pans. The seedlings will not then have much chance to make' long tap roots, but, should they do so, the tap roots should bo cut off at tho time of transplanting. The seedlings should be put out intowclLdug,' well-manured ground. *To be . really successful with stocks one must give them generous .treatment. Poor ground will not grow good stocks. Keep the ground well cultivated, arid after the .plants have been flowering'well for a month or two reward them witn a good mulch of well-deeay'ed manure. During spring, • summer, and'-early .autumn plants that are in flower require occasional do6es of weak liquid manure following a previous watering with, pure water. ' x DIMORPHOTHECA. Dimorphotheca is the ugly-sounding name of; one of the daintiest and most charming of flowers. To amateur gar. deners the flower i 3 'more commonly known as" Star of tlio'Veldt, tind tho latter name certainly seems mora appropriate. Anyone who-has seen a patch' of the golden-coloured' variety, on a bright sunny day must realise-how 'fitting is tho name Star of the Veldt. .' As the latter name implies,- the. plant; comes to us. from South Africa. The dainty, daisv. .like, flowers are bright orange-yellow', in. colour, with darlc centres, . .and. when drown iii piasse-s.the, plants make a most brilliant display over a very long season.'" Besides, the original golden-yellow flower, we have also the beautiful hybrids (dimorphotheca aurnntiac-a- hv, brida!). These'include flowers of vaTiotifi shades, such ds- creamy-white, buff,' salmon, and every possible shade of yellow. Plant? from seed sown in the aittuinii are already in bloom, and ttc.<te-licately-eolored flowers open-up in pro. fusion every mornin? at the-first touch of the sim's rays. Seed should be sowp no<v, either in seed-pans or broadcast in 'the. garden. The seedlings sliould be thinned' out to at least six inches apart eneli way. for the plants have a delightful.branching habit, and soon-cover-the intervening spaces. Tf the seedlings are left'overcrowded, the pi wis. .are unable to ))ranch out to their.fall, extont, and their beautv of . habit is. liernssarib' marred. An open sunny position is necessary.''for Ster .of the Veldt, but, as .tlie stems'of the plants are exceedingly brittle, they should be o[iven, : if Tipssible, protection -from liigh winds. With retard to soil, I- find -that the plants nbed a moderate amount of root moisture. The addition ot some, well-, rotted manure or well-<lecayed vegetable matter, and <v little river sand to fhn soil will be-a help tn th» plants. During dry weather they' will be freatlv benefited by an occasional good soaking of water. ' -. ■ ' XEMKSTA. ' . < Xemesia is another delightful annual that has come to us from South Africa, but it is not as generally grown as one .would-., expect. : Tlio flowers are vei'y beautiful, and very useful for . cut., (lowers. Tho colours are varied, rang.ing from the daintiest of pa's shades toi the richest of deep shades. The plants are a little particular as to soil, but nearly every gardener can '■ so treat his soil as to ■ satisfy their requirements. The' plants object to a told damp soil, and they equally object to a' very'., light dry one. Apparently, like so many of tho South African plants, they like sun, warmth, and well-drained soil, but sufficient root moisture.' Star of the Veldt, sparaaiji, .and frcesins all. seem io demand the same treatment. Coid, damp soils, should be deeply dug and trench«l, and should .have well-decayed horse manure and coarse sand added to them. A very light soil, 011 tlie other hand, should have plenty of well-decaved cow manure mixed with it. The plants should bo at least six inches apart each war. During hot, dry weather an occasional good soaking of water is necessary.. VEGETABLES. Leeks may be sown now in the open .where they are to grow. ■ The most satisfactory'way to grow them is in tr&ches. Dig out a shallow, but fairly wide trench, and fill it in with three or four, inches of rich soil. ,Tust before sowing ,I'ho seed prick in some bonedusit or superphosphate (loz. "to 1 yard run). As soon as the plants are big" enough, thin them out to six inches apart. 1 Earth up the plants as they grow. Constant loosen, ing of tho- soil with the: hoe, plenty of watejy and;, on, • weak' liquid manure are neccssary to. grow/leeks- successfully. ' " "'

ROUTINE WORK.- . Want out, where i\ecessary, cabbage and cauliflower plants in riclilv manured ground.' Beforer planting the seedlings out; cut off 'the loiig tap root'to encourage the growth of fibrous' roots; Mix a little boilcdust with the soil in each hole at planting time.'-'Keep cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, aiid silver beet growing quickly.' Hoe bet,ween the rows constantly aiid feed regularly' once a fortnight with a weak solution of 111': irate of soda (loz. ,in 1 gallon), or with weak liquid manure ■ jnade l'rom cow manure and soot. Hoe between the rows fot peas and broad beans, ami attend t-'. the st.ilcing. As sooi: as the flowers ot. the: broad beans show signs of setting nip oft the tops of the plants. Atte;nl to the thinning out of carrots. Begin, drawing the earth towards, early potatoes as soon as tlio tops show above' ground. 1 Continue sowing the following seeds wliero necessary :—Beet: Sow in drills 15 inches apart. The best soil for beet is a light, but rich one. As manure fresh-, ly. added to tlio soil may spoil the roots, use ground that was richly manured for .a previous crop. The soil must -be mado very firm before sowing the seed. Sprinkle a little bor.edust or . superphosphate 111 the- drills at the time of sowing tho seed. Onions—Make the soil vury firm t),y treading 011 it before sowing! Do this only when the. soil is dry. Blacken tho soil with soot several rimes - before sowing the seed. Dust superphosphate in the drills at the time of sowing. Sow the seed in drills 12. inches apart. Brown Spanish • and' James's ■ Keeping are the best for .keening. i Radish.—French breakfast is the best. Sow broadcast in rich firm ground, mid in a warm sunny position. Short Horn or Nantes Horn Carrots Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Turnip.—Early Snowball or" Early White Stone. Sow iu ground that was richly manured for a previous crop of greens, or in ground t]j;\t was manured early in the. auCumii. Make the ground very firm. Sow thinly in drills twelve inches apart. Peas.—Sow in drills from two to three feet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and should, have wood ashes ljiixod with it. Dust boiicdust in the drills at tho time of sowing. Paisnips.T-Sow in .ground tha.t was well manured for a previous crop. Work tho soil to a fine tilth for a depth of at least 18 inches. Any lumps may cause deformed and worthless roots. Work into the soil ashes from a rubbish 1 lire, aiid boncdiist (4oz. to square yard). Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about anemones, collarette dahlias, and vegetables.