THE ANEMONE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 13

THE ANEMONE

There is a large number of anemones of different sizes, natives to almost all parts of the northern hemisphere, from the small wood anemone membrosa of Britain (only a few inches high) to the Japanese anemone. which runs up to 4ft. high. Anemones may be raised either from bulbs or seed sown in boxes filled with light, loamy soil, the seedlings being transplanted out when large enough to handle. The best months for sowing seed are February and March, and if properly grown the seedlings will bloom the first season (about September). After flowering, the plants die down and the bulblets may then be lifted and stored. Flowers from seedlings the first year will not be very large, but the bulblets planted back the following March or April will afterwards give first-class results. As anemones are moistureloving plants, be careful not to allow the young seedlings to get too dry. For ordinary garden purposes the anemone is one of the best of the bulbs for bedding, a-nd as they embrace a wide range of colour, covering rose. scarlet, crimson, pale blue, violet and white, some very fine effects may be produced by growing bulbs in clumps. The gardener will effect a great saving of time and trouble by procuring the bulbs and planting them out during March and April, as they will flower the first season, from the end of August to the middle of October. Soil and Fertiliser. The best soil for anemones is a

deep, rich, sandy loam. As soon as the bulbs are growing and the plants can be plainly distinguished, mulch them with well-decayed cow or stable manure. This also acts as a fertiliser. Just as the plants are about to flower, an application of liquid cow manure will increase the quality, intensity of colour and quantity of the blooms. During the past few years the anemone has shown an increasing tendency to suffer from a rust disease which cause the foliage to come distorted, turn yellow and eventually dry off. This is the result of a rust disease and one peculiarity of this particular brand of rust is that it spends only part of its life on the anemone and the other part on the plum trees as plum rust. Needless to say, it chooses the plum for the summer time host and the anemone for the winter stage. Where it has attacked a bed of anemones one season it is sure to appeal if anemones are planted the following season in the same bed. It is also more virile on the old tubers than a young seedling so that it is advisable to plant new young tubers each year. If old tubers are to be planted it is advisable to soak them in a sterilising solustion such as formalin one ounce to four gallons of water which is about a spoonful to a gallon of water or a 1-100 solution of a coal tar disinfectant. As a further precaution, it is advisable to give the young plants a spraying with lime sulphur, 1-120 as soon as the foliage appears through the soil and three weeks or a month later give another spraying.