GARDEN NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1922, Page 11

GARDEN NOTES.

VEGETABLE CULTURE. (By "Agricola.”) The combined influence of rain and strong sunshine has promoted a vigorous condition of growth, and garden crops are making rapid progress in consequence. In order to encourage this desirable condition, constant attention will be necessary in the matter of thinning and hoeing. Planting and sowing should be continued as required in conformity with the instructions given in last week’s notes. THE TOMATO. ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE. The tomato is an annual of SouthAmerican origin. The name is derived from the Aztec word zitomate. The tomato was cultivated by the natives, who possessed many forms and colors. Both the yellow and the red tomato were described by Mattheolus in 1554; the former he called the “golden apple,” and the red, “love apple.” The popular smooth tomato was described by one writer in 1700 and the tree tomato by Vilmorin in 1855. In 1583 the tomato was introduced to Europe and to England in 1506. One of the first allustrations of the plant, if not the first, is found in Morrison’s “Historia Universals ” 1680. For long after its introduction the tomato was little esteemed, especially by the English speaking races, but as far back as 1820 it was grown under glass in England, and it was quoted in American markets at 50 cents per dozen over 100 years ago. At the present time the tomato is one of the most popular vegetables grown, and in a number of countries its cultivation is an important industry. Tn New Zealand there is an ever increasing demand for tomatoes and every year sees more glasshouses being erected and a larger acreage devoted to the general crop. The varieties-are numerous, but not ns many as their names would suggest. Th*e popular color is red, in many shades, but there are also several shades of yellow and bronze, and part-colored tomatoes, also varieties with white flesh. As regards type one can get tomatoes from the size of a pigeon’s egg up to about one lb in weight. Though some are considered small sorts, others medium and others large, a tomato plant of any kind will produce different sizes and shapes. Early in the season, and if th? plant is grown in heat, quite a large number of the berries will be rough even when a smooth sort has been planted. The medium sized smooth red is morn popular than a corrugated, large, or email tomato. But the grower requires that the tomato shall have other qualifications. such as hardiness, prolificacy and good flavor. The nearest appearance to those requirements is found in the sorts most cultivated for marks*.. Years ago Clark’s Favorite was the kind chiefly grown for commercial and private purposes; but it has been gradually superseded by other varieties of superior merit, and of more recent introduction. No one variety has a . monopoly over all the good points and it is a very safe plan to grow what kind is eh’eflv cultivated, by market growers. Flavor is a matter of culture, as well as of varietv, and contrary to the general belief, the indoor tomato, all other things even, is the best flavored. Here it might be added that the smaller and later tomatoes are better in flavor than the large and early of the same kind. CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL GROWING. Tt is an item of considerable importance that the young plants should be hardy, short-jointed, and sturdy in character before being finally planted out, even if they are smaller than others. Tall, drawn specimens invariably lack constitution. Thev succumb to disease much more readilv and produce half the cron of their sturdier brethren. It is presumed that no one would attempt to grow tomatoes on absolutely poor ground. From a long and varied experience in tomato culture, it has always appeared to the writer that what thev require Js a soil which would he generally regarded as fairly good, and. given that, animal or any manure of an evciting nature should be avoided. The causes responsible for excessive growth and consequent failure of the crop, owing to blight, is directly attributable to gross feeding. Last season the writer saw a promising crop ruined by being watered with ammoniacal liquid from a gas-house. This induced a rapid and consequently soft growth and in a short time the plants went to destruction to blight. The majority of soils are rich enough to grow good tomatoes, but i-f the ground is poor and the plants are loitering, the best manure to use is one pound of sulphate of potash mixed with two pounds of superphosphate and applied at the rate of one ounce around each plant. A fair amount of well rotted stable or cow manure may be worked into abnormally dry soil, but such ground should be employed only in cases of necessitv and under no circumstances should the plants he given liquid manure at any time. During summer, when the plants are bearing, a mulch of rotted strawy man- . ure that has been well broken up. mav be applied and this will act beneficially in keeping the roots cool and moist. TRAINING. There are many ways of training tomato plants. Some growers train them on wire, some to upright stakes, while . others let them lie on the ground. The ( last mentioned plan is good enough when the fruit is intended for sauce making. Naturally it cannot he depended on to supply perfect fruit and a rainy season would he likely to damage most of ■ the crop. If a few dead branches of a ; twiggy description, such as macrocarpa. were laid beneath the plants it would save the fruit to a large extent. This is, in fact, a verv old plan and answers well as a makeshift. In these days when blight is so prevalent, it is wise to make every effort , to support the growth clear of the , ground, for plants lying on the moist earth must of necessity be more liable to suffer than those high and dry. Observations have shown that plants which • are subject to a good circulation of air and are grown hard, are least liable to blight. Weed growth should he kept ( under, as it not only robs the plants of food, but a heavy growth creates » moist atmosphere—a condition to be avoided. A wild growth of laterals also tends to prevent a free circulation of air and the desired hardening of growth; ; waste growth should therefore, if for no I

FLOWER GARDEN. SOME SEASONAL NOTES. HARDY AND HALF HARDY ANNUALS. The following lg a list of plants of annual duration, any of which may be sown at once for summer and autumn displays:—Alansoa, ageratum, anagallis, arctotis, aster, brachycome, calliopsis, candytuft, cornflower, celosia, clarkia, chrysanthemum (bicolour, or morning and evening star) ? collinsia bicolour, cosmos (early flowering), dianthus, dimorphotica, gillardia (annual sorts), godetia, leptosyne. linum (scarlet flax), French and African marigolds, nemesia, nemophila, nicotiana, phlox drummondi, phacelia campanularia, rudbeckia, salpiglossis, schizanthus, stock (ten weeks), sweet sultan, viscaria. zinnia and others. Among these are included many of the choicest and most popular of garden flowers, which, with proper treatment, will be found to fulfil all requirements either for purposes of garden adornment or for furnishing a supply of cut blooms. A comparatively small area, preferably one that is not fully exposed to the sun at midday, and is sheltered from high winds, is all that is required as a seed-bed, but the ground should be thoroughly broken up and the surface made fine, either by repeated Takings or by spreading a layer of finely Rifted soil over the surface of the bed. Firm this slightly by patting gently over with the back of a flat hoe or spade, taking care to make the surface as even as possible. The drills are best formed by laying a rake or hoe handle horizontally on the bed and pressing it very lightlv and evenly so as to form a slight depression in the soil, making these at intervals of four inches apart. Sow the seed thinly,, cover lightly with fine soil and finish the operation hv firming the bed all over with the back of p flnt hoe or hoe in the manner previously described. Tt will greatly facilitate the work if the smallest seeds are mixed with a little fine soil before they are sown, and this will also ensure a more even distribution of the seeds in the drills. Tt will be necessary to thin out the seedlings early so that each tiny plant stands just clear of its neighbor. When large enough to handle the thinnings, may be picked out into another finely prepared bed, which should be kept shaded from the sun for a few davs until the plant® have become established, aftex* which all possible light and air must be given. Where space is limited, and only a small number of plants are required, the one seed bed will suffice, ’but in this case the seedlings require to be thinned out gradually as thev develop, until they finally stand two or three inches apart. Some annuals mav be left fairly close together in the seed bed, and they seem to thrive better on this account. Anagallis , linum (scarlet flax) and linaria are examples in respect to this. Although transplanting is an advantage with many annuals. there are others nnon which the proceeding has a detrimental effect, even nnder the most favorable circumstances. Notable examples in regard to this are nsperula. cacalia. gvpsonhila. larkspur, lentosiphon. night-sccnted stock, mignonette. sh'rley poppies and Virginian stock. Thev mav be sown at once where thev are intended to flower, in ground that has been worked into a well pulverised condition. The surface should be made fine and the seeds sown very thinly in small patches at intervals of one foot apart. The resultant growths must be thinned boldly, taking care to retain the strongest seedlings in each clump, until eventually one plant is left to each foot of ground. SHELTERING SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS. One of the greatest disadvantages resulting -from sowing flower seeds in the open ground, is the risk of violent rainstorms occuring before the seeds have germinated. Even when the seedlings are well above ground, a deluge of rain will hatter and in other ways in hire them beyond all hope of recovery. It is here that th? value of a glasshouse or frame, in which to raise the plants, becomes apparent. But these structures, nowadays, are expensive and beyond the means of the average amateur. When the seed bed can be made in close proximity to a wall or hedge, valuable shelter is thus provided, but as neither of these afford overhead protection, the following suggestions mav be found to meet requirements in that connection: Procure a few stout pegs or stakes, each three or four feet long. Drive these into the ground about a foot away from each corner of the seed bed, using cars to leave sav fifteen inches of the pegs above ground on one side, while twelve inches will suffice on the other. Connect these at the top with stout saplings, or bamboo rods, and tie or nail them securely to the pegs. On top of this framework lay more rods, lengthwise and crossways at intervals of a foot apart and tie these with strong string to the outer framework. On top of thas again place some waterproof material, such as canvas, old, but sound, linoleum. car sheets of zinc, or tin. Tt will be necessary to make this covering secure, as otherwise the first sale woujd most likelv remove it. T* structure thus provided will prove & serviceable means of protecting the seed or seedlings from the vicissitudes of the weather. The covering may be left on until the seedlings appear, after which it should be removed and used again only when heavy rain storms necessitate its use. Manv people prefer to purchase their flowering plants from the seedsmen and in instances where gardens are very much exposed, this course is advisable, as it invariably saves much trouble and disappointment. SWEET PEAS. ’ Like most hardy annuals, the sweet pea thrives with greater luxuriance from an autumn sowing and the cultivator is rewarded with an earlier display of bloom, more vigorous growth and finer blooms than is gpnerallv realised from a spring sowing. The adaptable value of sweet neas for garden adornment, and their beantv of coloring, and elegance of form, combined with a delightful perfume render them indasnensable for all purposes for which cut-flowers are required. Tn acknowledging that as regards the abstract comparative merits of autumn and spring sowing all is in favor of the former a snring sowing of sweet peas will, nevertheless, nroduce a profusion of excellent blooms if intelligent cultivation and rare are exercised, th? following remarks, if put to practical use, will he found of service to readers who intend sowing sweet peas: The site chosen for growing sweet peas should ; have a northerly aspect if possible and iif the soil has not been previously prep&rad; jjreeeed t®

ing out the top soil to a depth of eight inches. Break up the bottom soil thoroughly and incorporate withit a fourinch layer of either well decayed stable or cow manure (the latter should well broken up), or, in the absence of these, use rotted turf or partly decomposed leaves. The two latter substances can be used together and a small quantity of superphosphate mixed with them. A handful of the latter to each yard run of the trench will be ample. The superphosphate must not, however, be added to the animal manure. Next return about four inches of soil to the trench and rake the surface over evenly, and firm slightly with the rake, draw a drill one inch deep through the centre of the trench and sow the seed singly at intervals of two inches. Cover with fine soil and make this firm. There will still be a quantity of soil left over from digging the trench. Leave it .in the meantime until the plants are well above the ground level, when during a dry spell in summer it can be spread around the stems of the jlants after they have

received a good watering. Support must be given to the young growth when two or three inches high and the soil about the plants should be kept well stirred at all times and weekly applications of liquid manure, which has been well broken down, will benefit them considerably, especially if a little soot has been added to the liquid.