THE GARDEN.

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 135, 5 June 1919, Page 1

THE GARDEN.

(By W. Taylor in Journal of Agricult,lire) TIIE FLOWER-GARDEN. Roses: The present, is an excellent time for transplanting; Imslios transplanted at this time still retain most of their foliage; this promotes immediate root-action, and the bushes become re-established at once. If a

bush lias a very heavy top it may be lightened to some extent—just sufficient to enable it to stand when transplanted ; straggling shoots may be shortened, but, further than that no pruning should he. done. It is inevitable that tin' roots be more or less damaged in lifting, and they should be. cut back so as to remove the damaged parts. When planting the soil should he trodden very firmly about the roots, but the surface soil must be left loose. No manure of any kind should he allowed to come in contact with the roots, nor is mulching any benefit at this time. Cuttings of the right kind root well if put in now. Cuttings of hybrid perpetuals should be made of clean straight growths without side branches. The cuttings should be Sin. or Din. long, the base cut square across close under a joint. Cuttings of ten roses and most kinds other than hybrid perpetuals should be side growths with two or three branches; they should be torn off with a heel of the old wood. The only preparation the cuttings require is a slight shortening of the tips, which will be immature. The cuttings should be planted in a nursery (dot where the soil is of a non-binding character, with only two or three of the top buds on each piece above the ground. The soil should be trodden very firm about the base of the cuttings, leaving the surface loose. None of the buds that are buried should he cut off. When the rooted plants are taken up it will usually he found that the strongest shoots are from buds that, wore beneath the surface. The young plants will not require to bo planted so deeply again, and it is usually best to reduce their height, cutting down to

the strongest shoots. Chrysanthemums: When the flowers arc past the steins should be cut down to near the ground. If the soil has become weedy or trodden down the surface should be lightly forked over so as to admit air. This will greatly assist the stools to throw up new suckers. If a stool is slow to break into fresh growth it is a good plan to thrust a fork under it and prise it

loose. Look out for slugs; they are sure to be in evidence now damp weather prevails, and may eat the young suckers before they are visible. Dust lime about the stools occasionally, choosing ufter dark as the time to apply it. Dahlias may now be cut down. Unless there are reasons against it, it is safest to leave the tubers in the ground till spring. They keep quite well there, whereas when they are lifted they are often destroyed by woodlice or slugs eating the epidermis around the collar, where the new growth comes from. The tubers should be lifted in spring just as growth is about to start. They can then be divided as required, bedded in a temporary position till the buds start, and then planted out in the borders.

Bulbs: All spring-flowering bulbs should be planted at once. The natural time for starting into growth has passed, but bulbs that have been lifted and stored in a dry place remain dormant much later than those left in the ground. This renders it possible to extend the plunting season. When, however, the period of storage extends too near to the time when the bulbs should be coming through the soil, those in storage are not improving. Daffodils begin to flower in June, in some places even earlier. All bulbs that arc in the soil are active long before, the lops are visible. A slow start is essential to good flowers; therefore plant at omcc.

HEDGE TRIMMING. The question is frequently asked: When is the proper time to trim hedges? There is no reason why a hedge should not be trimmed at any time it requires it. In the case of olrcagnus a number of light trimmings is better than one or two heavy trimmings. From the point of view of economy in labour combined with benefit to the hedge itself, and referring to the generality of hedges, two trimmings each year is better than one, and cheaper. In my experience there are two periods when growth is most active—namely, from early spring to near midsummer, and again when cooler weather and moister conditions begin in early autumn, continuing in winter to a varying extent

ruled by the climate. The main trimming should take place in late winter or very early in spring. Severe cutting can, if necessary, be done at that time, as spring is the time when the plants can best recover from radical treatment. It is also desirable to start the hedge with all new growth in spring. Even if it is not intended to cut a hedge back to narrower limits, all the recent growths should be cut hurd back to the proper line. All inequalities in outline should bo rectified, and the hedge left with a perfectly level top and sides quite true, which will make future trimming easier. All fallen leaves and rubbish should be raked out from under the hedge and burned, thus destroying any insect pests that may have harboured there—of which there are usually a good many. The second trimming should be done in the week preceding Christmas. Most people like to hnve their garden trim at this time, and very little growth will be made after that unt ; autumn. Another reason,

and the principal one, for trimming at that time is that it relieves the plants of the burden of young shoots, which they are. not well able to support through the dry summer weather, and the hedge is benefited by their re-

moval. The plants in hedges are always close together, and this, together with other circumstances, nearly always makes the soil very dry about them. The relief to the plants effected by the removal of the crop of young shoots must thus be obvious.