Gardening Notes.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2710, 27 September 1887, Page 2

Gardening Notes.

. FLOWER OAKDKN. The hardening off of bedding plants should be carried out without any unnecessary, liheck. If the process be a gradual one no harm will accrue from the full exposure of such plants as pelargoniums, verbenas, &c., in the daytime now, if covered up at night, If »cold day intorvenes, they should only be exposed .for a few hours in tj ld middle of the day. It will be understood that plants must not be taken out of a warm hme into the open all at once. Gladiolus may still planted for. late blooming. thrive best in a light sandy loam slightly enriched. These plants are not generally growu'fo.r greenhouse decoration in. the colonies, but thoy make very effective 'pot'plants, more especially is this the case with the new ;Lemoinei varieties. Newly planted rosegshould b8 cut.rather'-, hard induce th.a back eyes'to break, anjjlfer the foundation of healthy, balanced bushes, in the future. The -soil, woi-kB froely after a few days .fine weather, and all flowtr seeds sown

in it,,[if hot- too deeply covered, gemmate immediately, Sow thinly ■ if tha;seeds are good ii is a waste' to sow ao; thickly as is commonly done, In sowing Poppies and atuaJl seeds, 1 ' one seed to tlie square^inch 1 if it were possible to distribute tliern evenly,-would give plants enough to select from, Anything of'r choice nature 'may be covered with* a piece of brown paper pegged down, This will ' 'ensure the . germination of f every good seed. The'present is 4 a good time for planting ever* greens, and I here give the names of ' a few choice and beautiful kinds, especially adapted for the ornamentation of moderate sized gardens : Berberis, Aqiiilolium, B. Steaophylla, B, Darwinii, Arbutus, Aadracbne,' AucubaJaponicn, A. Japonica, MaW lata (male), Buxua £legan Broom, white and yellow ; Co{onetißt(ffr Simonaii, C. Microphylla, Hscallotn/' Macrantha, Garrya Elliptica, Hodginsi, Golden Queen, and Silver Queen. Tree Ivies in variety; Laur-. ustinus, Pornettia Mucronata j. Pyracanthus, Skimmia Ambijff commoner things the and coirimpn Yew are very useful, will rapidly grow inlQ handsome mens.' . - FRUIT GARDEN, , It is ft aoteblo foot that, eome fruit

trees are bettor adapted for !> district than others. There are Mso

good apples fallen into (iisrcp'ilc in New Zealand, while in England t'. -y • still hold their own amongst' the ing varieties: Tlie^only reaßons to ao , .given for thisis .that oiir climpte, .pr.- .llie;. general; .environment ."..does hot ill together bring; out their . gOAdbeafi ng tj ut t>l j'i iea. 'The'fruit pro- ' pf^itte 'Colony l would, in. the ' .-coitfie of ii couple of yearn, be iaunenae* ly #the treM. lacking in .... '.fertility beheaded and graf- . .ted, with .-.proved. ; nnd fertile kinds. .' .•'Everyone knows oiin or more fertile ' trees in a district, and it would be an ; ; . 'easy matter to buy pr dig grafts from :. a tree which nearly always bore fruit, • to place on those which rarely bare a full crop. Kind grafting is the best •for large branches. The -branches are sawn off, and the wounds made smooth ■.-, tyith a sharp knife. Incisions aro then' made through the bark at two or more plaws, according to tho nizo of tb« • branch o|>erate.d on, by drawing the knife up, beginning about, three or . four inches heiow where tho amputation took place, and drawing the knife upwards to the top. A small instrument oi bone or hard wood, fashioned ;lib the .bottom of the scion; is thrust in behind the outor bark,- and- when it is .withdrawn, tlifl graft, which, has in the memi- . tioio Icefci prepared ,bv having a slice cut off', one Bide, ami tho outer • bark •removed "'from the other,' • leaving the inner bark'or cambium, as far as possible, .intact, is inserted. 'This kind of grafting.is simple enough, . As jsoon us ono branch is finished, the _grnft3 should bo tied in, anil tho clay applied immediately to keep out tho air.