GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 16 October 1925, Page 3

GARDEN NOTES.

Looking Ahead. We now look forward to soon having warmer, brighter and longer clays these bringing in their train a pressure of work both under glass and in Ihme open, which will be much m excess of other years, owing to the ion-, spell of wet weather. The rainfall has been heavy enough in many districts to interfere with the transplanting of shrubs and trees, and generally speaking a great deal of work whicn is usually accomplished in the nrsi month of spring is still waiting to be done. If time should be lost in preparing the beds intended for summer flowering annuals, and every opportunity should be taken for sowing seeds of hardy annuals, the plants will be needed for refilling the beds and empty spaces in shrubberies. A little thought, accompanied by a large amount of work at this season will transform your garden into a blaze of beauty and colour, throughout the summer months, which will amply repay for the labour which -must'be expended at this season of the year. The garden must receive attention or tnc golden opportunity is lost, and the borders quickly tell their own tale as the summer advances, accompanied by regretful thought on, what might have been. Rose beds are rapidly showing signs of active growth, and whilst working among them great, care should betaken of j the young shoots, which are easily broken, sweet-peas are also makingrapid strides needing a little attention in their training. Autumn sown annuals are commencing to showsigns of better growth and should be hoed or forked round as quickly as possible. This operation greatly assists them, and the beneficial results are quickly noticeable. - Beds of antirihi nums may 1 be planted, godotias,. scabious, clarthias verbenas stocks (beauty and ten week) linaria, iceland and Shirley poppies, nemesia, carnation, dimorphotheea, delphinium, eschscho etyias, larkspur, and pansier;. While seeds of astor, cosmos, daihia, marigolds, phlox-drummondi, petunia, and salvia may he sown, for later plantings, also sow zinnia seed if favoured with a sunny site or frame, but it is wisest to sow all seeds in boxes of pans, as the moist weather has been very favourable for the welfare of slugs and other garden pests, including small birds. The latter do an immense amount of damage at this time of the year, seedlings often disappearing before the gardener knows the yare up, and so naturally often blames the seed for failing to germinate. ' Chrysanthemums and Dalhias

Prepare the beds for chrysanthemums and dathias, cutting and rootlets laken from the former should be making good growth, and the plants will be- ready for their, permanent quarters next .month. When the daihia tubers have made shoots two or three inches long cut them off just he low the lowest point, and Insert in small pots of boxes of sandy soil to root. The beds for chrysanthemums and dalhias should be well and-deep-ly worked, with a fair amount of well rotted farmyard manure added. Wheiv this is not available apply a dressing of two ounches super and the same of bonedust to the square yard apply this mixture to the dug ground and fork in. The Vegetable Garden. Make immediate planting of potatoes and peas, only in well sheltered positions may a sowing be made of french or runner beans. Prepare the ground for cucumbers, marrows,' pumpkins, etc. which should always, he- well manured, although very successful crops have been grown by digging - holes in the beds here and there, and filling with manure. Tomato seed should be sown under glass in sheltered places plants may be set out, but it will be necessary to shelter ihem from cold biting winds. Sow lettuce seed at intervals from now onwards and cress, which grows quickly and makes a useful and appetising salad. Potatoes anil Nitrate. Very interesting experiments have' been made at a Californian University where experiments have been made which successfully increased the potato yield. The cut seed tubers were soaked or -steeped for thirty minutes in a solution made by dissolving three and a half pounds of common grade nitrate of soda in ten gallons of water The treated crop came up quickly and also natured much earlier, while the untreated sets were some weeks later. The former also produced a much higher yield. The treatment should bo given just prior to the sets being planted. With our backward season (his experiment would be well worth trying. Draining. The rainfall throughout the winter and spring months has been so much in excess, as to fully demonstration w-hero defects in the way of drainage exist. Lawns that are suffering -from inadequate drainage, have had to be let"!, untrimmed, while, many pleasure grounds and gardens .have suffered considerably. Where work of this nature lias to bo done, there is no better time than (he present for ean-ying it out, if no spare time be available make notes of what is required and proceed with the work in Ihe autumn. The drains should be dug to a depth of from twelve to fourteen inches. Antirrhinums There seems to be a disposition to-day to plant out antirrhinums in the best of all ways—that of colour groups—instead of mixing them. For garden display this method is all to the good, as the results are better and the charming effect produced is all that could be desired. When studying these plants, one is forced to the conculsion that they are wonderfully accommodating. They are easily and quickly raised from seed, they may be struck from cuttings, and will thrive in dry clayey soils where nothing but a geranium would exist, they respiond generously to forcing for exhibition blooms, and wherever planted in shade, or full sunshine,

poor or rich soil, they will flourish ana provide an abundance of bloom Antirrhinums ar e splendid for massing and only ask to be relieved of spent blossoms to make way fov others. Looking back on the old varieties remembered in childhood days which were even then popular, and made much of, we have a great deal to be proud ot in the splendid varieties of to-day. We have the cleai-est yellows and whites, deep crimsons, scarlet, many shades of pink and rose, and charming orange and flame tints,, many of them with beautiful white throats Avhich contract delightfully with the wonderful new shades of pink and flame. They may be cut back and treated «- s biennials with good success, but after the second season it is best to start afresh with a new stock of plants.