CORRESPONDENCE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 85, 4 January 1935, Page 14

CORRESPONDENCE

Answers to Inquiries Cyclamen.—For best results, it is advisable to repot cyclamen corms every year. In December or January the corms should be shaken out of their pots and reset in fresh soil. A mixture of loam, leaf-mould and sand in equal parts makes a good medium for them.—Mrs. D.V.8., Weraroa.

Pruning Old Lilacs.—lf the old lilac trees are good flowering varieties, cut out some of the oldest branches which have few vigorous shoots ou them. Thin out the weakest of the young shoots remaining, also any weak twiggy brandies, thus encouraging the development of strong new growths. Cultivate beneath the shrubs and add a mulch of decayed cow manure.— “Lilac Time," Wellington. Queries from paten: (1) The bulb you sent is a Watsonia, an extremely hardy South zkfrlean native. It should flower profusely if given a warm, dry, sunny position. It dislikes shade. (2) The shrub witli red flowers Is the coral tree ti'irythrlna, Christa galll). The latter name is due to the thorny spikes ou the ste us. Legend lias it that Christ’s crown was made of these. This plant requires a sunny position and deep- good garden soli enriched witli well-decayed cow manure and leaf mould. (3) Cannot identify without flower. (I) 1. don't think it is the eelworm that is troubling your plants. Eelwornis are so small that it Is extremely ditlieult to see them with the naked eye. The best way of ridding your soil of the pest, whatevtr It tuny lie, is to move your plants and dig a dressing of horticultural napthalene into Hie affected soil. Three weeks later you etui move the plants back to tile soil so treated. Before doing so. dip the roots of tlie plants into a solution of permnnganiate of potash, so weak that the water is just barely coloured. (Mrs. N. jlyM., I’atea.)