GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 127, 31 May 1919, Page 11

GARDENING NOTES

(By " Experience."}

THE FLOWER GARDEN.

Antirrhinums are plants of increasing popularity, those-most favoured being the raco of dwarfs, among which are colours never seen among the tall varieties. The compact habit of the dwarf varieties renders them valuable for massing in beds, but in such positions it is usually necessary that colours bo kept separate; this cannot be done if the seed is home-saved, unless one colour only lias been grown. Cuttings afford the surest means of making sure of a colour; theso may be mado of young side shoots that have not flowered. Heel cuttings are surest; they can be rooted in boxes in a cold frame, or in the open ground whore \ drainage is good. Seeds of named varieties may bo purchased, aud the strains are nearly but not quite pure. As ordinary garden plants, antirrhinums aro valuable, because by savins a. few of the plants that aro alwava coming up, thoy may bo had in flower all the- year round. The Sweet Sultan is another useful plant that has been greatly improved in recent years. _ This is an. annual that is always repeating itself by self-sowing. It is useful to sow. twice each year: autumn-sown plants flower early in summer, spring-sown_ plants Bower in autumn, a tirno that suits them well, as is evidenced by'tho'line flcwera now in shop windows. Auriculas are now coming into flower. This is a plant deserving of more attention, than .it frequently gets nowadays. "The Dusty Miller," the vernacular for auriculas, in old times had a cult of its own. The plant does well, where it is assured of. a fair amount of moisture, and shaded from the hottest sun. Soil that will grow good pansies would grow good auriculas. It is> useless to plant either in dry 3oiL or where the soil is robbed by the roots of trees or shrubs. The auricula produces seeds very freely, and the- hybridist would find the crossing of tho flowers a most fascinating study. Most astonishing breaks in colour occur in tho seedlings. I have raised a pure yellow from pa.re.nts with purple ..flowers. Lily-of-the-valley, the most popular of a.ll flowers, should be planted now. It grows wild in .England, where it is |ound on moist shady banks, in copsts,W and undor tho shade of trees. In such places it is shaded from the sun in summer, when tho' soil must be dry. and protected from oold winds in spring, when it flowers. The fallen leaves protect tho roots from cold in winter, and feed them when decayed into ieaf mould. Tlfe plants require good soil. A bed to themselves is best if the position is open to the sun. ail day. In a semi-shady place less summer moisture is needed; but the- position should be .such as will ensure some sunshine at flowering time, and not under tho shado of evergreen trees, because in^ such positions the soil is always dry. Established beds should bo top-dressed with two or three inches of well-decayed manure.

Forgot-me-not and wallflowers planted just no-w would make a good display in spring, and be past their best in time.to. make way for summer bedders.. Recent rains have started new growth' in primroses and polyanthus, and now is a.. good time to plant them. Among the Urge family of primula, there are .many specios well worth growing in the open garden besides primroses, polyanthus, and a-uriculas. Primula Japonica and'primula Kcwensis are ■ summer .flowering plants. So also is P. ■'cortusoides, a. .particularly beautiful plant. 'We now. have another species, P. malachoides; this is similar lo cortusoide-s, but with smaller flowers, which, however, are borne in such profusion as to more than compensate for lack o?'size. Tile fact that this species flowers all through winter makes it specially valuable. Plants may be set out ( now. Though tho plant is perennial it commonly behaves as though it were -an annual, but as it seeds very freely it is easily perpetuated. Another useful winter flower is tho cineraria; it. will not beaT eharp frost, but. dobs -not' mind cold or two or three degrees of. f-roat. It does best in partial shade, and in' such; positions plenty of young plants come from fallen seeds, so it..is easily-increased. „ A MATTER OF HEDGES..* •; Tho perennial question ot hedges is naturally cropping up just now. In this connection I would suggest that in old I settlements intending planters would usually find, a 'tour of inspection of value, and. gain from personal inspection more than anyone might advise. With regard to a question now asked by a correspondent, which is how close to a Lawsoruana. hedge could fruit trees be planted without fear of the roots of tho hedge trees impoverishing the soil about the fruit trees, I reply that, in the f avoirra-ble conditions at the Hutt the fruit trees could l>o planted as. near the hedge as their habit of spread ' would allow —say about eight feet. As to the plant that would make the next-best hedge to the La-w----eoniana, I am of opinion that the next best is a, good way off, because of drawbacks, insect peats, etc.'. that attack hedges in the Hutt Valley. . I advise the Lawsoniana. because it fills all requirements, can be kept to any limits desired from six feat high to twenty feet or more, it can be kept as narrow.as desired, and it is not subject to pests of any kind. Three feet apart would be a good distance to plant, or plant four feet apart and plant a silver birch between each two. This makes an excellent combination breakwihd and is highly ornamental. Elea-gnus is a, clean plant; it makes a good hedge, but when, it. is required to make a hedge termed "high," it becomes an expensive hedge to keep. It would need to be planted in two rows, or it would not stand; and the trimming of «• large eleagnus hedge is expensive in labour. Tho necessity for a high hedge narrows the choice, because .there are few hedge plants proper that-a-re capable of providing shelter for fruit trees. The macrocarpa is still sometimes planted as a hedge; it answers well—better than any other tree, in fact, for a few years, but becomes an expensive- nuisance later, and eventually dies out. THE VINERY. Now that tho' fruit is gathered there is a tendency towards neglect. Grapes, when well managed, aro a. most satisfactory crop to grow. They aro remarkably easy to'manage. They will not, however, put up with neglect. The knowledge required is not very extensive, but should be exact. Cleanliness is most important. "Mealy bug" comes from neglect. Just at this time the vines aro ripening tho wood. Next season's fruit largely depends on tho wood being" ripened. Attend to ventilation as regularly as if tho fruit were growing. Short days and dull and rainy weather aro not entirely favourable to ripening wood, therefore additional care is necessary. Dead leaves should bo gathered ,up daily and removed, and no rubbish of any land or weeds be allowed to subsist. Dry conditions should be maintained; free ventilation in fine weather will help to harden the wood. On very wet days but little ventilation should be given. If there is much lateral growth, remove it, for it generally gets covered with mildew at this time. . Where mealy bug is present no opportunity should bo lost for destroying them; touched with an old:tooth brush moistened with kerosene, they die instantly. It is disastrous in its effects and very difficult to get rid of, yet it is the easiest possible to kill. It can be done by anyone who desires to make the care of tho vines a pleasure instead of a labour. VEGETABLE GARDEN. Lettuces should bo planted in tho warmest position available; raised beds are advisable whore the land is flat. Cabbages may bo planted, but plants must not be too old. Cabbages planted now will not bo ready for use during wintor. If the plants are old, they will bolt to seed in spring without making hearts. Peas of a dwarf variety may be sown.