GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2908, 21 October 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

■ • AQUILEGIAS. The flowers are so fresh, so dainty, and so exquisite both in colouring and formation. They are so lightly' placed on the long stems, which rise straight up from'a mass of cool, soft green foliage. There are some flowers which are essen. tially-restful, just as others are invigorating. Aqiiilcgins may he classed among tho former. The dainty, fragile heauty of tho flowers seems to work a charm on tired nerves, and to bring refreshment to tho tired mind. It is how worries become trifling, and over-strain-ed nerves are soothed as one potters about in a garden, and attends to tho wants of beautiful flowers. The presentday hybrid aquilegias with their longspurred flowers are a great advance on the old-fashioned "granny-honuets" of our ■ grandmothers' time. The flowers are larger, better spaced on their stems, and very pure in. colouring. Aquilegias are most useful plants for shady parts of the garden. Indeed, it seems to be immaterial to them whether they are grown in sun or in shade. But any-flow-ers that will do well in shade aro especially valuable, for so many flowers demand a sunny position.

, Among the older class of aquilegias is oue that.deserves,mention. This is aquilegia chrysantha, a beautiful goldeufloweTed, long-spurred variety. The plants last for several years, each year becoming more beautiful. It is as well to raise fresh seedlings every year, however, as sometimes the old plants go off quite suddenly. Seeds of aquilegiiv should be sown now in seed-pans, to,have seedlings Teady for planting out in the borders at the end of tho autumn. Plants that are'in flower at present should bo overlooked frequently to seo that there is no appearance of greenfly. The ybnng flowering shoots are often attacked. Keep dead flowers picked off to prolong the flowering season. _• •;

PHLOX,DRUMMONDI. ; Phlox di'ummondi is one of the most useful .of our annuals, and ono of the most, easily grown. Where narcissi havo finished .flowering,. the leaves be tied up iii bunches, and seeds of phlox drummondi may he sown round' the clumps. Fork a little bonedust into the soil, v:hioh should be made very fine. Many a spare corner or bare-looking Space might, be sown with, seeds of phlox. The flowers are so varied in colourings some .being delicate,'some, rich, and others essentially' gay. As cut flowers ther can soarcely be surpassed. Tho plants have a very long flowering season if they are looked after. I have known tli'eni flower all through the summer and autumn, and then, after heirig cut back audi "bucked up", with, a mulch, throw up hew shoots and go on; through the winter and spring. By: that time there was younger stock waiting to take their place, and the old plants were turned into food for tho young. Phlox drummondi is very charming when associated with mignonette) hoth'in the garden and in bowls: ..•'•.

S.VLPIGLOSSIS. Seeds of salpiglossis may he sown in , tho open garden now. When sowing seeds of annuals, or when planting out annual seedlings, remember that they like a fair quantity of lime in the soil. Ground lime should be forked in a week or so before sowing tho seed or planting out- Bonedust at the rate of three or four ounces to tho square yard forked lightly in before sowing tho seed is also much appreciated by annuals. Salpiglossis is an exceedingly beautiful annual. Tho flowers are so rich in colouring and so quaintly marked. To get the best effect,.they should he grown in clumps of three or four plants, or in bold groups. Keep tho plants well supplied with water during dry weather, or give them ono thorough soaking, and then spread a light mulch about their roots. If tho old plants are cut down to within a few inches of tho ground at tho end of the autumn, and then given a weak stimulant, and a mulch of hnlf-deoayed ruanuro, they will throw np new growth, which wiU flower as soon as tho warm spring weather sets in.

SOWING SEEDS IN THE OPEN. 1. Have tho"ground deoply.diig, made fine, and firmed again. ■• 2. Work, in lime several weeks before sowiug. 3. Work in bonedust (if the seeds are sown where the plants aro to grow) just before sowing seed. ■ "i. If tho'ground is ..dry,...water it with tepid water several .hours/before sowing seed. " ■ 5. Sow seeds very thinly. G. Just cover with fine soil rubbed gently through the hands. . 7. 'Shade from direct sun's rays till seedlings are up. 8. Thin out as soon as seedlings can be handled. SPARROWS. Sparrows are often most tiresome ■where- seeds aro sown in tho open. They seem to tako a delight in raking up the seeds and eating them. A freshly-mado seed bed, too, provides them with an ideal place for a dust bath. A few sticks driven m, and some threads of black cotton stretched across the seed bed will help to keep them away. No doubt it is an excellent joke to the sparrows to see the keen amateur gardener watching so anxiously for his seedlings to appear, when all the time the seeds are no longer in the ground,'but tucked away in a warm place beneath their feathers.

■ KEEPING PLANTS CLEAN. Now is tho time when wo must be | very vigilant in our watch for insect pests. Oue of the most troublesome at J this time of the year is jreenfly (aphis-). No woner do tho young shoots of several plants, and especially roses, appear, than the greenfly finds them but. At first only one or two appear, but if these are not promptly dealt with, millions soon follow in their wake. Tho aphides five on the juices of the young shoots, and their young are -produced in worediblo numbers, while tho parents never pause in their work' of feeding.. In a very short time the young shoots are literally infested .with these juicerS'ueking insects.. What a drain on the strength of the plants! No wonder tho young growth is so soon crippled. ■ It is as well, to bogin cleaning plants at once, wh.eth.er the aphides have arrived or not. Sunlight soap suds make an excellent spray for garden plants. Cut up one cake of sunlight soap and dissolve it in two gallons of boiling water. Uso rain water if possible. Syringe the plants; thoroughly with this; using "the mixture when quite hot. Where a few greenfly have-already made their appearance give two or three consecutive cleansings, allowing perhaps three days to elapse between each. Where plants are already badly, attacked something stronger must ho used. For this purpose paraffin emulsion is splendid. Or the sunlight soap solution may : be used, adding about oue tablcspoonful of kerosene to every two gallons. 'Cut up the soap, add a littlo water, and dissolve it over the fire. Add the kerosene to this, mixing ..it thoroughly. . Then add tho rest of the water. Churn (he whole thoroughly with the syringe, and use quite hot.

MILDEW: . Mildew lias already been making its appearance in some gardens, and especially on rose bushes. It may "be recognised by the whitish appearance of (ho leaves, and by tho curling of their edges. Keep some flowers of surplnir handy in a tin with a perforated lid, and, whenever there is the least trade of mildew, powder the hushes or plants with tho (lowers of sulphur. Do this early in the morning, while the dew is still on tho foliage.

VEGETABLES. SCARLET RUNNERS. Tiie ground for Rcurlet runners should be deeply dug, and the subsoil well treated witli decayed iiiniiju'v. 'Die plants should ho encouraged lo root deeply, so that they may .withstand any amount of drought. At the time of sowing the need sprinkle " dressing of bonedust in the drills. Have the seeds from six to eight inches apart in tho drills, and about two inches deep. Cover with fine earth, and press it firmly down with tho buck of the hand. As soon as the seedlings are well up sprinkle a littlo superphosphates along tho row. Stakes must be driven in before bowing tho seed. The plants will want littlo further attention, with tho exception of regular boning. Keep potatoes woll earthed up. liarth up with damp, warm earth. Sprinklo

a very little' nitrate of soda about each plant before earthing up. Hun out carrots as they increase in size. ■ Growth is fairly rapid just now. A very slight dressing of superphosphates may bo given along tho rows, and aftcrr/nrds hoed in. Always bo sparing in the uso of chemical manures. Much harm may he done by using them generously . Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about: Primroses, wallflowers, sowing seeds of biennials, and vegetables. To comply with the new by-law wgardling heaps of compost, manure, and rubbish, attracting flies, we notico Messrs. H. C. Gibbons and Co., Ltd., 180 Lambton Quay, advertise the "Success" Spray I Pump, which is supplied with sufficient material to make 20 gallons approved spray, for 225., complete.