GARDEN NOES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 121, 15 February 1919, Page 14

GARDEN NOES

(By "Kowhai.") \

CrCLAJIKN, \ ■Cyclamen aro among onr mos. useful flowering plants Jor winter am early spring, Luring winter tney ton laeul decorations for rooms, verandah arm .000 l greenhouses; during early-spring ;thcy are delightful in the garden,' Especially 'when planted in colonies in tiiroek. garden or among icrns. In tno grden' mo eorms shouul be buried just Jlow ■the surface of the soil. Before pliuing, prepare tne ground tnoroughiy, aniitaix witn the soil some leaf soil, river sW, «nd a little lime. Conns that have fen resting in pots all the summer shflu now be started into growth. To do tis, stand them up on the greenhouse beiii or in a frame, or in some warm, sheltekt position, and water them. As soon 0 growth is started, shako out the ol soil, and put up the eorms in a mis turo of good louin, well-rotted uiaimri (rubbed through a siove), Jeaf-mould, sand and wood ashes. Add. also a little bono dust to the mixture. The eorms should be resting, when potted, on the aurfaeaof the soil. They will new! careful watering till tho pots are full of roots. It is of the utmost importance that tho leaves should be kept clean and free from aphis.

Seedling cylanien from a.eetl sown iu tlie sprintr should now bo malting good progress. To sccure goad flowering in the winter they must be kepi growing vigorously all the summer awl tiulunm,. They should not bo potted into large pots until they ,ha.ve a, good supply of rijota, for tho soil would become, sour from watering. before the plants' had taken possession of .it. It ib better to. leave them in small pots till the roora are circling frcoly round the sides, thenmore .them into 6-inch or 6-inch pots. WJtcn potting 'press tlic- earth (irmly round and over tho roots, and havo the tops of the corm well above the surface of the soil. Water gently through a line rose, and stand the pots, if possible, in a. frame. Where-110 frame is available, stand them up to their rims in as,lies, and shade from iieree sun. .Seed may be sowji now for late-flowering plants. POPULAR SMtING-FLOWEItIi\G BULBS. CIIIONODOXA. Ohionodoja, (Glory of the Snow) is one of. the earliest of the bulbs to come into .flower, and its boantiful bright blue blossoms, make cheery spots in the garden during the dull days towards the end of winter. The bulbs are exceedingly liardy, and should be left undisturbed for three or four years, When planting, the bulbs Bhoiilu be given plenty of room, but, to bo effective, should be planted in /airly largo groups. ;

SNOWDROPS, Snowdrops, also, bloom very early, but unfortunatoiy they are not uo generally grown as they should be. The aiiowllako seems to havo taken the place of the snowdrop, but room should certainly be found for both. . 'i'he snowdrop iikc-s a fairlj* rich, gritty <ir sandy soil, and'it dislikes being moved. Once planted, it should bo left undiuturbcd, excopt for an occasional top-drcßsiiiß after the leaves have died down. CROCUSES. Crocuses aro always favourites in the spring garden, and tliey are indeed very beautiful. Planted in. groups all along tho garden paths they make a very bright show, and they aro splendid ici- nj-tur-alisinc in crass, or for planting iii bold drifts on a rockery. Ono cannot have too many of them in spring. Crocuses like a. light, rich soil, and shallow planting. They llower well in sun or in shade, and many a shady corner may be brightened in spring by being tilled with yellow or lilac crocuses.

SCIIiLAS. Ecillas ,or wood hyacinths, arc lovely little Spring flowers. They are among the hardiest of tho spring flowers, and will grow equally well in sun or in shade. Olumps of them look charming in tho' front of a mixed border, hut -they are, I think, Been 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 tho few that will flourish under pinns insigiii3. I have aeon them in spring making a carpet'of blue under a pinus insignis hedge that had become bare near the ground. I think one reason of their succcbb was that they were allowed to stay there undisturbedj for scillas dislike disturbance. In tin mixed border they are constantly suiTering disturbance, but under trees, on a rockery, or in the grass, they can grow and flourish securo from unwelcome" attentions .from.tho gardener. If they are givon an annual top-dreßsing of well-decayed manure, or a, mixture of leaf-mould, sand, and bonedust, they will flower well every spring, and need only ho lifted for .thinning out ycry occasionally.' . Hulbs should be planted how as soon as possible. vec.etabi.es. Amateur gardeners who have been industrious throughout the spring and summer months are now in full enjoyment of quantities of delicious home-grown vegetables. Green pcaß, French beans, runner beans, all tender and juicy, .sweet young turninß, tender young marrows, cabbages, cauliflower, ojid carrots, are all ready foil use. Now that hot weather has set in one, is only too thankful to cut dofii tho meat supply, and to cook instead a delightful variety of delicious vegetables. Salads, too, are most acceptable just now, and it is most satisfactory lo sea the rows of crisy fweet lettuceb and radishes, and to note the promise of tomatocß to come in before long. ' ;Runner beans have come on very quickly during tho past few weeks, and all pods must be gathered as soon as they are ready. French beans and pens are in various stages. First there are those that are just forming their flower buds. Following on are others that are alwut halfway towards flowering, and others that arc just above ground. The far-seeing gardener will have yet other rows of seeds juat sown, or he will just be going to make a fresh' sowing. French beans and peas are two of our most delicious vegetables, and we feel that wo cannot have too many of them during their season.

Owing to tho unusually wet season -wo have had so far, cabbages, savoys, broccoli,- and Brussels sprouts have had a better start than usual. The blights that usually attack these vegetables have so .far been conspicuous by their absence, and it has been a ploasure to see the clean healthy growth of the plants. Now that dry weather seems to have set in, however, ithese crops must be carefully watched for aphis, and for the caterpillar of the white cabbage butterfly. Spraying with kerosene emulsion is recommended for protecting greens against these two enemies, but I find that regular and thorough syringing with clear water, especially on the undersides of the leaves and in the> centres of tho and persistent hoeing, do more than anything else to kejp the plants free from pests, and growing vigorously. . A wood that is very prevalent just now is Bhepherd's purse. This should never be allowed to niist anywhere near orops of the cabbage family, for it harbours the particular anhis that iB bo destructive to thein. Old cnbbnge leaves and stumps, too, should not be allowed to lie about, for they harbour tho eggs. of the cabbage aphis. During winter the eggs will bo snugly hidden; but during summer there are enough generations of this aphis to alarm the most careful gardener. Therefore be prompt about burning old leaven and stumpß of cabbage.

Now that it lias not rained for several days, rome iravdeners are already get-tin? out their garden hose and watering-cans. Let me .urge them to he advised. Don't water I. JToe! There is enough -water in tho soil already to eop the plants going through several weeks of dry weather. When Tain falls water is- taken, by the force of gravity, down, down, down, till it reaches a hard layer. It is then, during dry weather, .drawn by capillary, action to furnish moisture for vegetation, and that is when the roots of plants inaka nse of it. By keeping a loose, powdery surface wo destroy the capillary ac'-ion just beneath the surface of tho soil, and so the moisture is retained in tlio soil.- and the plants (jet the full benefit of it. Allow the surface to "oeroznc ca!;:d, however, and the moisture is drawn right to the surface and evaporated. What a- waste! iroisturo saturated with the mineral foods so necessary to plant lifo allowed to evaporate into tho air!

Therefore. hoe! Keen breaking up thn surface! Knncuragc the plantK in send their roofs down to meet the food-laden moisture lh.it is constantly beinq; drawn io the surface! Bu don't allow thimoisture to come to within more than a counle of indies of the surface.

Garden Koios 11 ry.*. wenl; -will contain seasonable notes about Propagatin- carnations, popular sprinnr-tlowering bulbs (continued), und vegetables.