GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 229, 15 June 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

ANSWERS TO COEBESPONDENTS. "Amateur," Dannovirlio,—Therge is a little acale on the palm leaf, but the chief trouble seems to bo from improper watcrine.' To water, stand the not In a basin of water up to Hβ rim. Allow tho soil to beconio thoroughly saturated, and then do not water again till absolutely To remove the 6<:ale, scrape it, off with: a piece of blunt wood— part of a clothes-peg would do-and then thoroughly eponge the leaves and stems with warm water, to which a little nermanganate of potash has beun added. Tho permanganate of potash, crystals may be obtained from any chemiet. The merest pinch in a. cupful of warm water is sufficient. A piece of toft sponge should be usqd fov cleansing the leaves. Jf the palm is. watered thoroughly only when it is necessary, and if the loaves are sponged regularly, you should not have much difficulty in keeping the plant healthy. TEEES AND SHRUBS WITH OENAMENTAIi PBUIT6. . During the winter months wo dopend largely upon, the beautiful and brightlycoloured berries of many trees and shrubs for decorating our gardens and rooms. The brilliant scarlet borrios of the, holly (ire a most welcome sight during the dull days of winter. In the garden, and hedges become literally ablaze with colour, so generous, ae a- rule, is tho load of fruit. For houee decoration, too, liolly is delightful. So thickly do the berries crowd up the etem that one can csni'rallj pick quite long branches which ore quickly and effectively arranged in large bowls or tall vaaea

For tablo decoration notivnE is nioro chitrminE than the bunches of small'coralred berries of viburnum sieboldii. especially if the leaves are removed with a pair of scissors. I have seen maii'y a success l'til table at autumn flower shows decorated with those berries and tlio smallleaved copper birch. ' In the garden the shrubs are most useful, for the foliage is always attractive, and the shrubs are suited to email ns Well ae large gardens. Solatium hybrida keens np a constant supply of red berries throughout the qntumn and winter. The plants are well adapted to Quito small. gardene, and the berries,' which are as largo as the wild cherries that they so much resemble, are particularly attractive, both for gardon and house decoration. . Among tall-growing Irees Bonthamia fragifera ie charming. During the whole of tho winter it Is covered with light red berries which are ae large ae a strawberry. Other ornamental borry-bearing trees aro tho Mountain Ash, Arbutus Unedo (tho Irish strawberry tree). Euonymtie'Europaens (eplndle treo), hollies and Crataegus in varieties. All of these are suitable for growing as specimen trees on a laiyn, or for the back of a shrubbery. Cotoncasto mjcrophylla in a small-leaved dwarf-growing Bhrub, which bears bright red bcrrioß in winter, It is 6plendid for growing against a wall, and eo is well adapted for small gardens where space is ti consideration. Another cotoneaster that is well worth growing is C. frigata. The plants are literally covered with red berries all through' the autumn and winter, and sprays quite three feet long can be cut for decorative work; The Siberian crab (I'yrns baccata) nnd the common crab (Pyrus malue) both boar attractive-looking fruit. The crabs are also very pretty in tho spring -when the'taen are. covered with blossom. They may be jrown in quite small gardens. Berheris Tliumbergii is a (iwarf-spreadliiK Japanoso ehrub. The foliago is richly coloured 'during autumn, and throughout the winter tho bushes bear bright scarlet, berries. The pepner tree (Schinus Mollo) givce yet another delightful colour among berries, for tho trees are covered during -wmteit with long racemes of coral pink norries. JtOUTINE YTOKK. Whenever the soil is in a suitable condition any'digging that has to be done should be pushod on with. ■ ' " Whcro dahlias' havo recently beon lifted, the ground should be very deoply dug. and a good supply of decayed vegetable rubbish should be worked . in. . Hoses, shrubs, and trees may be planted where the soil ia well-drained and in a friable condition." Where tho soil is heavy, wet, or cold plnntiuc should be deferred till later. All perennials such ae Michaclnniß daisies, pentstcmons, delphiniums, antirrhinums, etc., that have not'already been attended to should not be neglected longer than can be helped. Sweet peas from the early autumn sowing are growing well. .Keep them well trained up their supports, and see that the Boil is kept well worked .about them. Chrysanthemums should bo cut back as noon ns they have fiiuehed flowering to encourage the roots to uenu up strong new shoota.

Daphne is very lovely just now. As a rule a little support ib necessary to keep the branches off tho ground. Slugs sometimes cit tho flower-buds just aa they, are forming. Keep a sharp look out for them. ■. . .

Arums are once more opening their lonely white flowers. Were they not bo common we wotild appreciate them more, fer they iiro beautiful winter subjects.- After a heavy frost tho leaves of the plants klkiuW be well watered with, cold water before the sun rises. Many a fine.dump is spoilt in the beginning of. the winter for want of this procaution. Onco the Bun strikes the frost-covered leaves, the dainaco is done: therefore, the frost snould be washed off in time.

Violets aro becoming every day .r-cro plentiful, and their beauty and fragrKnco bring joy to everyone at. this time of tho year, Plantß should not be.allowed to suffer from want of water during spells of dry weather. " -

Keep stirring the'soil along the -rrws. working ■in wcll-ripcned Boot from time to time. A'littlo'blood and bonedust, worked in about the roots now will iraprovo the eizo of tho flowers .and the yield of the plants. Anemonee must' not bo allowed to Buffer from dryneee β-t 'the roots.

Whenever it Iβ neceesnrj' to water in winter, try to do it 'during tho middle, ot tho da.y. • ' . ■ : Winter-flowering carnations need coicful staking, for tho tall flower-stalks are easily beaten down by wind or rain, 110 flowors are not produced in great qn-inti-iies at thin time of the year, but tlu.se that do come aro large, well-formed, and very fragrant. Soot and a little boiwc'ust should'bo worked into the soil ahout the plantfl from time to time. Keep tho noil loose round them, and avoid the vto o\ animal manure, as it tends to make sappy growth rather than (lowcr-bearinz stalks. VEGETABLES. ■ LETTUCES. A pinch of lettuce seed may be sown in «i seed-pan at any time if there is likely to be a shortage of this raoet useful salad. Place the pan in a warm corner, and, if a sheet of glass can be v'aced over it, the seedlings will very soon r.ppear. As- soon aa they aro well up remove tho glass during the sunny part of tho day, replacing it again aVnieht ur during cold, wet weather. In this ~i,y tho seedlings are encpuragod to grow quickly and. aro hardened off gradually. Whore sparrows arc troublesome it. will bo necessary, when transplanting tho seedlings, to stretch threads of blatk cotton over them. ONIONS. Working time in the garden is necoßsarily skrrt just now, but every opportunity should be eeized to trench and manure the ground for futuro crops. The onion-bed should be prepared as soon as possible. Onions like a firm bed; some liino should elapse between the.nrfccss of digging the ground .and that of sowing the Kcefl. The longer the lime, the firmer tho bed will be. Onions need it cwr.lyworked bed. It is as well to trench,- and to work plenty of well-rotted manure or vegetable rubbish into the subsoil, for root bioisturc they must have. The top soil may be thrown back into place, and left rough till tho time for Bcort-wwing. If yon «i.n black the enrface with soot ■ about once a week, bo much the better for the future crop. PEAS. Where necessary a. farther. 6"*ine of peas may be made. Begin boeinj; between the rows as Boon ns the jtreou flboatß appear above the ground. As you hoc, draw the earth towards the rows. This gives the plants a gradual cni'thing-up. 1 Provide bu6hy sticks or pio"CB of nianuhi brimh for tho tiny plants to cling to until they are tall enough to fasten to. tho etiikcß. Even at this time of the year Kings must be guarded againet. Lime, soot, or wood-aehes may be sprinkled along the rows, but it is better still to trap tho slugs or to go out hunting for them after, dark. Threads of black co;.lon should be stretched nloiiß as eoon ae the seed is sown, or sparrows will get the -tender green shoots. Hoc whenever the, contlil.ioiiH arc suitable. "Garden Notes" nest week will contain Boasonablc note 3 about-.—Chrysautltcmums, berberis, and vegetables.