GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

■ ' (lly "Kowhai.") ROSE i'JuAKTINO. livery year when I liuisn uiy rose planting I look round., my garden and say: "There. is not room for one more ru»o bueh." }ct ever uuinmii finds me cagei ly studying the new catalogues, and eaiij Bending oil'. [or just a lew- more rosea that 1 shindy must have. And oven a» I write this note 1 glance round my garden ami feel that l. am instilled in ordering more and yet moro rose bushes. For from every hush glorious blooms nod at mo in tho sunshine, andtbeir delightful stent comes drifting towards me with evei-v breath of. air. Ever since the beginnins of October there have been roses in the garden, and many of tho bushes will continue to bear their lovely (lowers till 1 am compelled to stou them with my pruning l knife. Just opposite to mo one hush. Warrior, is at present looking very attractive. During the past few weeks it has made most, vigorotiß growth, so much so that, ita hranehes. have- pushed their way into a. clump of single yellow chrysanthemums ou the one side, and 't great snowy-looking mass of Michaelmas daisy on the other, till thD golden-yellow flowers of the. chrysanthemum, tho dainty flower-laden' sprays of Michaelmas daisy, and the dark foliage and lons-pointed biood-rpd' buds of tlio .ro'so are hoDelcssly but charmingly intermingled. But my shines is stem as it wanders towards Ileautc Inconstante, even though sho is flinging her perfume towards me in a meat reckless niamiet', for her lovely dark red foliage is badly attacked with mildew, and is at present liideou.-ly powdered with flowers of sulphur. 1 find her.a most provoking rose to grow, for no sooner do 1 get her over one attack of mildew than she. develops another. Were sho not so prodigal with her lovely perfume she" would have been dug out long ago.. . tier next-door neighbour, Madame IDdouard. Ilerriot. haß been most satisfactory m evory way. Tho healthy green follago has shown not the least trace of mildew throughout the season, and tho gloriously-coloured and sweetly-scented flowers have been produced quito freely. Roses almost more than any other flowers come to be the personal friends of their owner, for they 6how individuality in a remarkable way, and each bush demands special treatment.

And now we havo come once moro to rose-planting time. The ground, wltero roses are to be planted should bo prepared some time beforo planting takes place. Thoso who have a heavy clay soil should proceed to prepare their ground iu the following way :—ltcmove the top soil and thoroughly break up the subsoil, mixing with it liorße manure, half-decayed leaves, road grit, sand, and ashes from a rubbi* lire. To much grit cannot be added, as it is Bueh a splendid thing for keeping a heavy soil open. Lemomber that this Is your only chance of attending to the subeoil,' and do the work thoroughly. Tho top soil can be improved from abovo ground at any time ltoses cannot t-Vivo in a soil that keeps water lying round their roots during winter; hence the importance' of breaking up a clay Bubsoil and of making it porous. Koses.that arc made to enduro tho hardships of stagnant water about their roots become so chilled that they never recover from the BU£<ik, and the growth in summer is sadly lacking in vigour. Thero is nothing to be gained by making tho subsoil too rich, because rose' aro shallow rooters" and goodness never comes up, but always washes further dowii. and so away from tho roots. As long as the subsoil is in good heart and well drained that is all that is rocensary. Ashes irom tho rubbish flro and decayed leaves mav always bo mixed with the top soil, and when brought in contact with tho roots of roses will encourage the growth of fibrous roots. Fresh manuro should never be allowed to touch tho roots, but, at the timo of planting, a little boncdust may bo mixed with the soil that is to cover the roots. , A light, sandy toil is, on the other hand, too porous, and steps must bo taken to inako it retain a certain amount of moisture. Eemovo tho top soil and bury cow or pig manuro 1 to 2 feel below tho surface of the soil. If a little clay can bo mixod with the soil that is to cover tuo manure, so; much t>io better. This will make a nieo foundation for the roots ot tho roecs, and the clods of manuro underneath will prevent tho water from draining away too rapidly, The treatment of tho top soil is tho samo as for heavy Boils. I cannot impress upon amateurs too earnestly tho importance of thorough soil preparation before attempting to grow roßes. Hoses should he planted only when tho soil is friable. Should tho ground ho very wet or sticky planting should be deferred till it is drier. Some- gardens aro always hopelessly wot during .luno and' July, and tho owners should niako a point of planting early iu llay, or oi postponing it till spring.- Autumn planting has an advantage over iipring planting iu that the bushcß will flower sooner.. But if the soil is a cold, wet one, the planting should be done early while thero is still timo for tho roots to becomo established before tho cold, weather sets' in. Those who havo a, well-drained soil may plant at almost any timo during tho winter. In planting roses make tho boles wide enough to allow tho roots to he eveuly spread out to their full length. So often tho poor plants have their roots thrust into a hole far too small for them. How can they search for and obtain food for the plant when thoy are so Badly cramped? Deforo plifnting tho roses have a- good look at the roots to see it they will rest on a flat base. Sometimes it is necessary to nia-Jto a little mound of surface in the middle of tho hole for the base of tho stem to rest oh. and the roots will go don-n the sides of the mound nnd out on to the bottom of the holo. Tuo sizo of the mound will dopend upon the requirements of the roots. . Tho next point to be observed is the condition of tho soil that is to surround the roots of the rose bushes. It is important that the soil should be fine. A layer Bhould bo placed over tho roots and pressed firmly on to Ihom. Then another layer should he added, and pressed firmly down, and so on tilt tho hole Js filled. , , , , Tho depth of planting can be regulated by the junction of the stock and the roso proucr. This should be, when planted, about two Inches below tho surface el tho soil. In grafted roses this Junction is tho most vulnerable part of the plant, and if exposed, a heavy frost may do untold damage to the plant:

VEGETABLES. During the past lew wecua most amateur garaeucrs havo been bttsy their vegetable crops ami storing them away for the winter. Potatoes, carrots, and beet arc all sceurtly tucked away, and a goodly supply of marrows and pumpkins with a piemclon or two liaug troni hooka in the roof of a shed. Lima beaiiß have been tipttwiud, and the plants hung up on nails, the beans to await shelling till liwo allows or till they arc needed. Onions are how ready to be put away. Tito best method of storing them is to plait them into ropes as soon as they arc thoroughly dry. Froouie a piece of three-ply rope about three feci Jong, tie a knot at one end aud secure it to a hook in the walj, or on the kitchen dresser. Tlio rope is then tplit into three strands. An ouiou is laid along each string, the .bulb towards the kuot, and tlio three plaited together, tho tops of the onions going with their respective strings, this process is repeated till the ropo is nearly finished, lrlien llio ropo and llio last, threw onion lops are securely tied together. Enough rope should be left to innko a, loop to Jiang the. onions up by. Parsnips arc still in the garden, and leeks and celery li.ivo. received their final earthing up. Meanwhile, broccoli and navoys are growing 'fast, and should ho | coming in before long. So much for our winter supplies, and alrcndy we are malting preparations for spring. Br<wl beans, peas, and carrots have already been sown, and lottuces, spring cabbages, and early cauliflower are being planted out whereverlliev aro needed. All vaea.nl plots should be trenched and manured in readiness or • tho ■nex'fr.'erop." :ff/Mwy' tiri- itot needed immediately they may be sown with a crop to bo dug'ill for green manure early in the spring. For such a crop ' °" m sow mustard, for wlin: turned in wire worms, etc., icem 1n dislike it. . On sutinv days, or whenever the soil is dry enough, hoe. hoe. hoe. The hoe helps to'keep the soil fertile, and keeps down the weeds try I. are. onlv awaiting Ibeir elmncn to spring into vigorous growth. Oardeu Tfot.es rexf. week will eoiilam 'Reasonable notes about:-Uliododondron3. routine work, and vegetables

Gold is lalcen to ilio London Mint In inputs weighing each aljoitt IKlloz. Sufl'erers from rheumalisii' should eat freelv of celery. Imlli raw and cooked. Tim trade of Canada increased from . 43172,800,000 in 1015 tu JJil)0,OllO,000 in 1010.