THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 19664, 17 September 1927, Page 19

THE GARDEN

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Bad weather lias interfered with the operation of sowing and planting in this department. Advantage should now be taken of all fine days to get in crops of all kinds. Weeds should be destroyed, as they are now coming up in battalions, and must be seen to. Sow asparagus seed in, drills or plants got in as previously advised. Beans (French, butter, and runner kinds) should bo sown now. Runner beans are best sown in double drills- — the lino and drill from 4 to 6tn apart, side of the lino from 4 to 6in apart. Then drive in tall stakes on either side and tie their heads at the top. By this they arc very steady and made secure against wind. The beans will soon catch hold of the stakes or poles and mount to the top and give a plentiful supply of beans till the frosts cut them down in autumn. ■ Broccoli, with careful thought and good management, may be had for more than half the year, and at times when vegetables are scarce and expensive. Broccoli take from seven to ten months to mature from seed, according to their being of the early or late kinds. A sowing should be made at once of the first early kinds, such 'as Sutton's Autumn Protecting, Michaelmas White, Veitch’s Self-protecting, and others. The second and third division should be sown later Sow Brussels sprouts, cabbage (both the table and red varieties, the latter for pickling purposes), and plant out those from the autumn sowing., Sow cauliflower for late summer use and plant out those o! the autumn sowing. , Celery may be sown as previously advised. Ccleriac, or ■ turnip-rooted celery, should be sown in the same manner as celery. It requires a rich and warm bed tor raising the seed, as-the quicker celery is grown the better it will bo. Sow leeks, onions, carrots, turnips, spinach, beet, parsnips, lettuce, radish, cress, and parsley. , Plant potatoes, both early and late or main crop varieties, particularly the former. Where early kinds' are not already in no time should be lost in getting them planted. 'Early kinds pushing their heads through the ground should he kept well earthed up to protect them against late frosts.

THE TOMATO-HOUSE Where, heat is applied the plants should be coming on apace now, and must he ‘attendee! to by way of tieing them securely to supports, either stakes or suspended strings from the astricals or other contrivances, also tho rubbing or pinching out of all side shoots as they appear. Water should -ho given with caro these cold and wot times. ‘ Do not give ventilation from the bottom vents, but rely entirely on the top, as cold draughts must be strictly, guarded' against. It should be quite safe now to plant out the cold or unheated tomato house, but in cold districts or cold situations I advise to wait a week or a fortnight yet. Better a week or two later in ripening the fruit than run the risk of a severe check to the plants. Assuming tho ground has been properly prepared, and that it is firm and porous, put in the plants well down, and make the soil nice and firm. Plant 12in to ICin apart in,tho row and 2ft Gin from row to row running at right angles from tho path. If the soil is moist at planting little or no water should bo given. They will soon catch hold of the soil. Water with care, giving it only when quite necessary or when tho surface soil is quite dry. Very little water will bo required until they are sotting a good crop of fruit. Neither must they suffer for want of it. Ground oyster shells can be procured at a reasonable, rate now, which is excellent material worked in the soil for tomato-growing, containing as it does both plant food and lime, at the same making the soil open and gritty, THE FLOWER GARDEN

Evergreen and flowering shrubs should be planted and alterations or planning of any description got on with as weather permits and bo brought to a conclusion as soon as possible. Plant perennials and .. other_ hardy bedding-out plants and other kinds of herbaceous plants that arn not too far advanced into growth to ho divided or removed. Roses should ho cnvclully pruned whilst they are out of the ground. Prick out young seedling annuals and others sowii 'last month as soon as they become sufficiently strong to handle, planting them'in shallow boxes filled with fine, free, open, sandy loam, and replace them and grow in the warm frames or glasshouse until planting-out time. There is still time to make other sowings of annuals in seed boxes to grow on in tho usual way as soon as tho weather becomes more settled and ■warm. Sow annuals, biennials, and perennial flowers in beds or in tho open borders.

Take advantage when 'tho weather and ground conditions arc favorable to neatly boe and rako flower beds to keep down weeds; gravel paths to ho hoed, raked, and rolled. Mow and roll lawns. Take -advantage whilst tho ground is solt to give tho lawn a heavy rolling; they will look much nicer and make tho work of mowing afterwards much easier. Any new lawns to bo sown may ho got on with now. This subject 1 will touch upon next w r cck. ANSWERS “ Arrow.”—The woolly appearance of tho buds on the apple twigs forwarded is quite natural. They nearly all have that appearance after the buds have burst through the outer skin and before tho flower buds appear. Tho small white spots on tho woo'd you refer to are also natural,- particularly with some kinds. Tho twigs are quite free from scale or oilier pests of that nature affecting the apple. “L.M.”—You grow some tulips, in pots. They flowered nicely the first year you planted them into the garden,but last year they only showed one’ leaf, and this year they are coming tiro same. Tulips often come away in that form. They become partially blind through exhaustion sometimes when the flowers are not picked and they form seed pods. After tho tops have ripened off lift and thoroughly ripen or dry off the bulbs, and give them at' next planting a change and rich soil. _ ~ “Curious”- wishes to know it ivy growing up a tree is injurious, as he has tiro fine cabbage trend with ivy right up to the leaves. Ivy should hot ; bo allowed to grow up any tree, particularly a cabbage tree, for sooner or biter it will kill the' tree right out. I had an experience once with a place I was in charge of, where three cabbage trees had ivy growing up them. They wero not only, killed, but the roots right' down into the ground rotted, and it - takes something to kill the roots of a cabbage tree. If you do not wish anything to injure your cabbage trees, cut out tho ivy root and- branch. <r Haws,”—You have a tali hawthorn hedge, -and wish to know what you could do to make it thicker at the bottom. Saw it off nice and level about 2ft or 3ft from the ground. It will then break out thickly into young growth. When these young shoots are Ift or 2ft in length clip them neatly along the, top and sides, and continue to do so as growth demands. You will soon have a good thick hedge. H.C.

CORRECT HEDGE TRIMMING A neatly-trimmed hedge is a splendid set-off to a garden. Many hedges aro spoilt from want of proper and seasonable clipping and trimming. ft is generally when hedges arc young that they are permitted to run riot and grow out of shape. If the hedge has been well planted and is growing well, it wi.l not be at all difficult to keep it in proper form if trimmed carefully once or twice a year with the shears or hedgebili. The shears makes the better job, especially in tho trimming of privet or tecoma, but an expert at plying the hedgebili will make an admirable job, nevertheless. For the first few years the young growth should bo cut fairly hard in, especially on the sides. If tho young -hedge looks thin and irregular, ’it must he cut well down to induce a thicker growth. Tho late autumn is doubtless the best time to trim hedges, but they may also be trimmed during the summer, though not quite su severely as in the autumn. Tho hedge is clipped more easily if done before the wood gets ripo and hard. Tho hedge looks neater, too. and is in less danger of being broken down. CELERY BLIGHT Market gardeners and private gardeners will not readily, forget tho losses which were-suffered in 1926 in most gardens where celery was grown (states; the ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ England).; Cdevy blight) a disease which is always with us; but which in most years contents itself with but a moderate toll of destruction, was at the height of, its virulence. Celery leaf snot or blight fungus spreads fastest when there_ is; plenty of moisture for the germination of its spores and not'enough warmth to; promote rapid growth of the celery plapt. Mr Stirrup and Mr Ewan, of , the Midland Agricultural and Dairy College, have, however, recently published the results'of : experiments which ■ show that this disease may* easily-be kept in check, and every gardener should talffe careful and early- note of their advice. The'diseaso is apparently

Wom FOR THE WEEK.

r- - - rrf fYp>»w «. sKjynawm gariteME, will ha clad to answer questions, winch must W retserod zest later than Tuesday of each week. Mnbmm jbsbL be handed ia to the office before 2 pan. on Edday.

always present,in the “seed.” Efforts made by Messrs Stirrup and Ewan to sterilise the seeds have met with only partial success. We think, however, that further trial with disinfectants, other than those which they tried might prove effective. From our own expeuonce, the best, seed steriliser is chloride of lime (bleaching powder). By tlie use of this substance, which must, oi course, be employed in very dilute solution, it impossible to sterilise completely the surface of certain seeds, and we hope therefore that the authors will tiy its effects, on celery. Pending an effective ‘method ■of seed sterilisation re course must be had to close observation and / early: and frequent sprayingCelery- blight may make its appearance on tile seedlings whilst they _ are yet in the frames.’ The disease is easily recognised. ! Pale green areas appear on the leaves and leaf stalks. They increase in size,.and become studded over with minute ■ .black spots—the spoic cases—whence presently emerge vast numbers of microscopic, thread-like spores. . .Sometimes the spots on the leaves assume a pale brownish color, and then-the grower usually describes the disease as rust. The damage done by the blight fungus is not to; be confused with' that done by the celery fly. The latter is a miner, and destroys the inner tissues of the leaf, so that the damaged patches are translucent, whereas the diseased areas are not. The most successful sprays are Bordeaux mixture and Burgundy mixture, cithei of which may be bought ready made or made up in the garden. _ Tim Bordeaux mixture recommended is 4:4:40; 1.e., 41b each of copper sulphate and quicklime and forty gallons of -water. I'or making Burgundy- mixture 41b or copper sulphate, 51b of washing soda, and forty : gallons of water are required. The authors recommend the use of the mixture at the rate of thirty or forty gallons ■ per acre ’ when the plants are young, and about double this rate when the celery'is. fully grown. In unfavorable seasons -spraying must be done several times if the fungus is to be kept in check. It is quite evident that the cost of the operation is so small that it'will be returned manyfold m the increased yield, and therefore gardeners who neglect this precaution have qnly ; themselves to blame if they lose this very valuable winter crop. Walk along the celery trenches now, and the odds arc that the disease will be found to be already making headway. If this be spraying should ho resorted to Tvitliout delay. ___ SPRAYiHC OF FRUIT TREES At the recent well-attended conference in England of horticultural oi ganisers Dr Goodwin (late principal of tho Midland Agricultural College, and now advisory chemist at Wye) opened a discussion on ‘ Reccnt_ Developments ni the Sprayipg of Fruit Trees. 1' irstly, lie dealt with a number of factors m connection with insecticides and fungicides, ns follows:

(1) Tho spray must destroy insect ami fungus; (2) the material should not ho too dangerous. so as to atlect men or animals; (-0 it should remain in solution' or in suspension in water ; (4) it should stick to the leaves; (o) it should spread 'well over the leat; (>) it should cause little injury to the plant; and (7) its cost should not be 100 great. j 'Ho stated that there wore , many points to consider in the mixing' of sprays, as ingredients mixed may react on each other. Bordeaux mixture and lead arsenate were safe to mix, but sulphur and lead arsenic could not bo mixed; subsequently ho mentioned the following advantages of dry sprays (1) Tho work can he done nioro rapidly; (2) it is cheaper per unit area; (3) water transport is avoided; (4) there Js a lighter load to move; and (5) no mixing .is required.

Ho stated that' sulphur sprays arc generally used in hop gardens, and aie found very effective, tho action depending on the contact of particles of so - pliur with tho fungus; hence the sulphur must be in a fine state of division. Sulphur is more effective wet than as a dry spray; the toxic effect is due to polysulpnide. Bordeaux mixture... made with Hydrated limo is best, and is much more convenient for small gardens than ordinary lime; ho gave tho following as a suitable’ mixture: —81b Co lh l icr l s i}] p ¥ t ®f 121 b hydrated lime, and lOUgal ot " Dr 1 Goodwin considered that tar distillate washes were excellent lor a insect pests, especially ior checking plum aphis, but must bo applied when the tree is dormant. Oil emulsions would, he considered, be used more in the future, as they, are very usclul m the case of aphis attacks. —» FLOWER SCENT AT NIGHT During the summer months the evening aspect of tho garden is the one that interests us most; it is only in tho cool of the eve that wo have lull leisure to enjoy the fruits of our laboi, and what shall we see if. we plan our garden from tho viewpoint ot color values only? Vivid colors may show up well at midday, but in the evening garden fragrance must reign, supreme above all other qualities, it is a curious provision of Nature that brilliantcolored flowers possess no scent, lot these roly upon their bright hues to attract insect visitors. Fragrant flowers are mostly of soft and snbpuer tones, and in the case of night-scented species the color is usually while or pale yellow, for these shades show up best In the dusk of day. Let us take a few examples, all plants that may bo put in at tho present time for providing a profusion of sweetly-scented blossom during the summer mouths. Nicotinna aflinis (tho tobacco plant) is end of tho most powerfully fragrant of all half-hardy annuals, and is probably familiar to all readers. A big mistake in dealing with this species is to dot the plants about singly, bar finer effects are produced by growing in large masses of six .or a dozen, though, of course, this is not possible is a small border. When selecting plants growing in boxes at the nursery choose only those that look sturdy. Seedlings that have commenced to spindle up to flower in tho seed boxes will never make good plants, though they may blossom very, early in the season'. Nicotiana. affinis. of course, bears long-tubed white blossoms; besides this, there ate the sandarae hybrids, with flowers in varying shades of red, pink, mauve, etc., but these scarcely seem so fragrant as the white form. All nicotianas will flourish- in partial, shade,., and .in such positions grow very 'luxuriantly. Another fragrant annual is matthiola bicornis; (pight-scented stock). Seed should be scattered freely in positions where the scented air may be wafted into the living- room. During daytime the flowers are rolled up in tight balls, •bpt with tho approach of evening cr during,cool, showery weather they open wide, and emit their powerful and refreshing fragrance into the surrounding garden for yards around. Tfie double ten-week, stocks are also, members of the matthiola family, and added to their fragrance: they have the advantage of showincss and ease of culture. :■