HORTICULTURAL CLIPPINGS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 276, 27 June 1888, Page 4

HORTICULTURAL CLIPPINGS.

jManuul i'ok Pkacukk. — J. IT. Hall, an experienced peach-grower, says :— " Chemical manures, rich in phosphoric acid and potash, and containing but little nitrogen, arc the best for peacheb. These may bo had in various founs ; but from some years cxpoiioneo with 12,000 trcon, and the purchase of from 20 to 40 tons of fertiliser?, annually, I am fully satisfied that pure fine ground bono and the highest grade of muriate of potash arc the best and cheapest foitilisoi.s for the peach, applying annually fiom 300 to 400 pounds of p >tash, and from 800 to 1,500 pounds of the bone per acre, tho quantity varying with the natural foi tility of tho soil and condition of the trees." GiuraM: Yinks. — A practical vigncron has given hi.s experience iclati\e to giafting >_>rape \incs, ami says that, having experiment od at diflei out reasons, he linds none so favourable as thai of cany iii tho '•pi ing. The best si/o vine for the nuiposo is about tho sue of a lead pencil ; although it i.s possible to graft on smaller sizes, but tho result then is not so good. A keen, thin bladed knife should be used, and tho graft fitted with perfect precision. Tin., draft is always best if below the ground, or if that is not- practicable, as near to the ground a^ possible, alteiw.iuU making a mound and covering it. Ui-\n iui.mi'.ms or Asi>\k u:i's. -Two things aiu nece-"-ary for the glowing of good aspaiagu-% namely, plenty of room for the planU to grow, and copious manuiing. Tho laMoi is be.-t applied to thick bed* by co\ oiing the whole -intaco with manuie two or i>hi cc inches thick, late in autumn, and loikinu if. in very early in spring, hefoie the new shoot* start. Thick beds, however, should not he planted, but the plant.-, allowed thieo oi four feet each way to each Threo by ii\ ois a common and suitable distance, and largo sfcalks may bu obtained in thi.s way. NiavStkvw hi uk\ 1>! i>s.— Tlic straw ben y i.-> a gross feeder and needs ueU piepared soil and an abundant supply of fertilising mateiial. For new plantations choose land on which strawbenies have not been grown for some year-*. Well lotted stable maniac eompos'cd with ashes and bone is the be-t fet tiliser. ( Jive a liberal top dreeing as .soon as the vines have done bearing and again in the spring. Planting is be«t done in the spring in cold localities. Tin. I>akp.l'!!KY Hi i'(!K. — Wo have fre qucntly rofencd to the b.ubeny as ore of the best hedge plants Here i-> wh.it .i gai cloning w riter says of it : - The barbei ) y oi bei bci iy , combines moi eof tho c-^cnt iaK and convenient, qualities ot .i hedge plant than any othei that is equally haidy. It.-, natmal lorm of giowth is just light— in height, which scarcely ever exceed? eight or nine feet ; in density of growth at the mound , in armature. ha\ingthiec spine? to e\ery lent; in beauty of foliage and fruit, in which it is eminent ; in tho gieat case with which it is kept in tiim ; am; in its tenacity of life. Jt is said by London to live for' two or three centimes without increasing much in si/e. It will thrive m Ihe poorest sand oi on the driest calcareous lidges ; and it prospers well in rich low land. JlYh vs- a fliu-LX M vm Ri . — Many gaiden soils would bo much benefited by ha* ing a . gieen crop turned under and dug into it occasionally. Rye is a capital crop for this puipo-c. An Ameiican eonfcempoiary state- that an Ohio mniketgnidcner ploughs and sows with ryo that, pait of his gar den which he can clean oil in time, and whatever manure i« leadv is spread at the same time. The rye makes quite a grow th during fall and winter, and when turned under in the spring counts something as a fcitiliser, besides rendering the soil very mellow Ukow Fi.owlkn. — For planting 'iladiola. bulbs- you need only a good gaiden soil, enriched with vciy rotten manure from the cow yard, and softened with .-and and leaf mould if it seems too slid. The same sot of soil may be used for bulbs in pots. Some lloiists gi'\e each bulb a little bed of pure -•and to test in, surrounding it with (he lichcr soil. With plenty of phlox and veibenasandswcetpca.se and stock-^illics audastor.sand balsams; with mignonette in many places, and sweet alyssum here *nd theie ; with morning-gloiies running over the fences and clinging to the w.alls in sic-ht, with pojjpics and pinks and bachelorbuttons and fuschias and pan.sics for the shaded places, how lo\ely and satisfying even a small garden may be ? Lwtm! Ot t t aCi vudkn. — Jn laving out a flower garden and ornamental grounds, the following rules should be kept in mind : — Sot off ground for no more ornamental planting than can be well performed and well taken care of. Avoid laying out too many walks ; one or two, neatly kept, are better than many in a state ol neglect. Parallel walks should be avoided, or, it noccssary, they should be hid from each other by plantings. Let every walk lead to somo special point ur object, as a scat or a niimmer house, and not "end nowhere. M Great advantage may be taken of undulations for increasing tho beauty zuid variety of the place, and a great cloal bo thus comprised, within a modei ate extent. A simplo plan, well executed, is far bettor than a complex one under neglect. Horticulture is taught in the common schools of Germany. The pupils are required to bud. graft, transplant, plant beds, etc., and they are given instructions 'n the subject of plant growth, adaptation of varieties to soil, climate, etc. Manukjng Fjuht Tukks.— ln fruitgrowing remember that fiuit.« are like grain and vegotablo crops in this, that they must have manure to keep up the fertility. Unlike vegetables and grain, however, their feeding roots arc mostly at tho surface It is best, therefore, annually to top-dress fruit tree 5 ". If manure cannot be had any fresh earth from ditches or loadbido spread half an inch or so under the troes will have a wonderful effect. Indeed, we do not know but that for the pear tree a thin layer of road sand is one of tho best of manures. Wo have seen apoles thrive amazingly with a coating of coal ashc Burnt Earth vom Potting.— In many parts of Germany burnt earth is much employed for potting plants. It there often usurps the place of loam, the ueo of which is^ not generally so woll known as in this country. Tho rofuse of the garden— clay, j rotten wood, lawn sweepings, etc., — is all thrown togethor and slowly burnt in the suvnmor. Many kinds of plants root freely I in soil thus prepared, and it is very serviceable for seed sowing, being free from weeds.