GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 152, 22 March 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "liowhai.") STOCKS.

Seeds of Ten-weeu and Nice stocks may be sown now. '.file early-dowering i\ice aiociis arc most satisfactory ones i.o grow, lor the plains keep on noweriug over a period ot eignteen months. In this section ilio bent-known variety is "lieauty of iSi-.'e," with pale pink flowers. Another uuiuitiful variety is "Giant uccp Lilac,' uie colour being exceptionally line.

citocl; seed should always lie sown in a slut now pan. uie idea lieing to discourage any attempt- at it tap root being produced. I'nulls mat do produce w tap root should have it cut oil at transplanting lime. . „ , (Stocks should be grown 111 weil-prepared ami well-manured ground. The soil Bhould hi) kept, well cultivated, and the growth of hurous roots encouraged.

liIIJY OF TUB VALLKV. Beds of lily of tlio valley should bo topdressed now with a goon luytr 01 .welluecaycd manure, to be followed by u good watering. 'I'lua is the only attention'that lily of the valley asks ot the gardener— uie annual top-riressing with manure—and it ropays him by giving a line number of lietimit'iii /lon-urn towards the end of (he sprins. It is a very hardy little flower, and uithoiijii it naturally likes a position where it is shaded Irom itfic mid-nay sun it will succeed even where ii, gets no shace. New' clumps should he planted as early as the nurseries will supply them.

BOKOKIA, Boronia Mezatlißiiin, Die sweet-scented boronia, is one of the geius of the early spring garden, for its- tiny eooper-eoloiirod (lowers tire intensely fragrant. liefore the plants are put in, ilio soil should be very deeply dug. ond should have sand and peai (if possible) added (o it. The roots of the plants should be • kept fool and nioißt at all times, and dunlin dry hot weather watering 'and mulching should be attended to. i!oi'.mias are apt to become scraggy after, two or three years, so that it- is advisable to keep raising fresh plants every year. This may be done either by means 01 cutting:) or by sowing seed. Cuttings root eaßil.v if they are-planted very firmly in very sandy soil, and are kept fairly moist- The tips of the side shoots, about two inches in length, may bo taken at any time during the summer and iintmnn. I'o'ung plants should bo pinched once or twice to encourage bushy growl-h. Other varieties are:—Elation,, with deep red Honors, and l'innata, with rose-coloured flowers. Jioronia lutea is a sport from megastigma,'and possesses the same delightful fragrance. ■ THE ARGENTINE PEA" (LATHVHUS PUBBSOENB). v A well-grown Argentine pea in full flower is a wonderful sight, for it grows to a height- of at least six -feet, and is covered, , towards the end of the winter, •with' masses of pi\lo blue flowers, 'the (lowers are long stemmed, and last for a long time.in water. Being such a vigor-' oiis grower, the plant is a gross feeder. It lusts for many years, and should Uierofore be given a pood siart. Dig oijt a hole three foot deep and about two feet square. Jlalf Ull.it with a.mixture of cow manure, • leaf soil, loam, and grit, and then fill up with, a mixture of loam, wood aflhes, and leaf soil. Allow the contents of the hole to settle down thoroughly before planting the pea. Old-established bushes should be cut back as soon as they have finished flowering, and the root-s should be covered with n mulch of well-decayed manure or vegetable rubbish. Water Bhould be supplied during dry weather. •• ■ , ■ . A Buniiy position is necessary for the Argentine pea.

ICELAND POPPIES. Seeds, of Iceland poppies may be sown now. Mix the seeds with n little fine sand before sowing, so that they may do well distributed over the .seed pan. Ab soon, as the seedlings are big enough ■to handle plant them out iu their flowering Quarters. A, littlo sand sprinkled round the roots when transplanting will bo much appreciated by the plants. . _ < • In gardens where llio soil is heavy and not too well drained, it would bo as well to leave the Becdlings in tho seed pail until early in the spring, when plenty Of sand should be added to the soil before tho. seedlings are planted out. AQUILEGIAS.

A.o.uilegias are charming' spring-flower-ing' plants, for their linbit of growth is graceful in the extreme,mid their fraillooking flowers .embrace the daintiest shades of pink, blue, yellow, and heliotrope: The plants will grftw either in' the Bim or in the shade, and any well-dug garden soil is suited to them. Once planted, they last for many years, and become more beautiful each year, especially if an early-winter mulch of vrelKtecayed manure be given to them. Seedling plants inay lie pilt out now,.and. seeds may be sown. , '...

- - SOWING 1 SEEDS OF PERENNIALS. Duriiig the next few .; ivecks Beeds of many perennial plants may' be sown. Seeds sown at this time,of the,year are, as a rule, far less trouble than thoso sown in the spring; for the soil is warmer, and the weather more .even, Tho seeds, moreover, iuay be sown in sheltered parts of the gartlen, instead- of in seed pans, though it is always a safe plan ,to bow in-both ways. If the seedß that arc sown in the garden are well-scattered they will nocd only a -slight thinning, out, the. majority being left where they are until it is time to plant them out in their permanent quarters.' This often saves one the tedious work of "pricking cut," and it is a great saying of time to "the -busy amateur gardener. - To be succcssful with seed sowing it is necessary to take a little trouble with the preparation of the seed. bed. The soil should bo well dug and' made very fine, a good quantity of sand should bo mixed with it, and it! should then be made' firm again. At this time of the year it is necessary to water the seed bed before sowing' the seed.This should bo done thoroughly several hours before /the.seed is 60wn. . '

Large seeds niay be placed one at a time in position; smaller ones should be mixed with sand,■ mid then scattered lightly over the moist seed bed.. Just .cover the seeds with a sprinkling of very, flue earth, and lay' some light, litter, such as dead pea haulm or <lry manuka. brush, over the bed. This will help to keep the soil moist till the seedlings arc up, vlien it may be removed, It is always a pity to be obliged to water the seed bed afier the seeds are sown. . If the follbwing rules are obeyed, seedsowing should be a success:—' . 1. If possible, mix sand with the soil. 2. Malic the soil flue and Arm. J. Water thoroughly several hours previous to sowing. 4. Just cover the seeds with a sprinkling of very fine soil. 5. -Scatter the seeds well, mixiug fine seeds with a little sand to ensure thin sowing. '6. Shade the pans.or .seed hed from .hot sun till the seedlings I 'are' up. Seeds of the following perennials may be sown'How:—Stocks, wallflowers, coreopsis, sweet William, sweet icubious, anemones, antirrhinums, >aquilegia-s, pansieß, violas, delphiniums, pentstemons, pinks, carnations, primroses, polyanthus primroses, verbenas, geum. gaillardins, gypsophila, gerbera, Canterbury bells, linaria, Oriental poppies, Iceland poppies, lobelia, and petunias. VEGETABLES. SEED BOWING. Seeds - that may bo sown this week where necessary are 1 Carrot-s.-Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Turnips—Sow in ground that was richly manured for a previous crop. Make the ground very firm, and thoroughly saturate it with water several hours before sowing the seed. Sow thinly, in drills 12 inches apart. Shade, the drills from hot sun till the seedlings, are up; then.hoe constantly. Matured soot 'shoiild be. dusted over the seedlings as soon as they appear, for .it is the first-smooth leaves that the fly attacks. Silver Beet.—Sow in deeply-dug, .fairly ircli soil in drills 13 inches apart; Thiii out the seedlings to.ono foot,apart. Onions.—Jlake the eoil very (inn ' by treading on it before sowing. Do this ouly when the soil is dry. Sow the seed in drills 12 iiichcs apart. Cabbage, Cauliflower, ,!tnd Lettuce— Sow thinly in seed pans iu moist, sandy soil. Keep the pans under the shade of trees till the seedlings are up; then move Litem out into the sunshine. Do not allow the seedlings to sillier from dryness at 1 the roots. - ROUTINE WOIIK. Thin out seedling carrot, turnip, etc. Keep wiuler greens supplied with water during dry weather. Syringe the leaves frequently with clear water. Remove all crops that are over, and at onee prepare the ground for Ihe next. Make a sowing of some crop, to lie dug in for green manure where the ground is not wonted for immediate use. Clear away all rubbish, and either add it to a rubbish heap, or burn it and save the ash. Out. marrows and pumpkins iin they ripen. Karth up celery where necessary. Attend regularly lo the needs of tomatoes. Harvest onioi" that are leady. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about:—lxias, routine work, and vegetables. /