HORTICULTURE.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 4, 9 April 1920, Page 14

HORTICULTURE.

Euly planting has many advantages especially in Southland where the winter is Iona ir than in the north and if not dorie early the soil becomes wet and cold which sometimes causes delay if planting is put off Trees and shrubs planted in May and the beginning of June get sorne new roofs slarkd before the wet and cold have much efieet upon soil and are ready to start into growi.lt upon the first signs of Spring, and further early orders generally resulting in better plants by having the first pTek ; therefore attend to your ordering as soon as possible. Make up your mind at once what alterations or additions you intend to make and the class of trees shrubs or platits you want, then make your selections either from the means you have at hand or from lists and catalogues procured from seedsmen or nurserymen. Roses in particular should he ordered at once and your ground got ready for planting as sooi as the plants are received. Manur-

mg is or the hrst importance, and what io use and how to apply it, depends greatIy upon the nature of your soil and whether you are planting cornplete areas or beds, cr individual plants. Animal manure is always the best although the addition of a moderate proportion of bonedust or artificial garden manure will be beneficial — bonedust is always safe. Deep diggitrg ;s always; necessary for the best results and in the case of areas or heds the manure can be worked into the soil making ino bottom soil a good deal richer than the surface. In the case of individual plants ihe best . course is to manure when planting by digging the liole sufficiently deep, wi ll mixing manure, with the soil in the bottom and mixing more with the soil whilst filling round the plant. There has always been some controversy as to the depth of planting, many being of opinion that the stock should be below the ground to slightly above the point where budded. Generally speaking this is satisfactory and ceitainly gives the plant a much firmer hold in the ground and minimises the effecds of the wind in blowing the plant over. However when the stocks and budding are good, planting with the point of budding above the ground gives equally good blooms. Spread the roots nicely and press the soil firmly round the plant. Ordinary bedding roses are hybred perpetuals teas and hybred teas, and which will succeed best depends upon the nature of the so'l All will succeed in lieavy loamy or clayey soils, hybred teas being extremeiv satisfactory, but pure teas with very few exceptions will not succeed in light peaty soils. Yarieties are so numerous and so many charming sliades of colour have been attained of late years especially with orange and yellow tints as the result of crossing with Austrian briars etc., arid individual tastes vary so much that it is useless to suggest any selection of varieties. Good catalogues all give fairly reliab'e descriptions but whatever method of selection is adopted tbere is sure to be some disappointment, however on the whole a, little care will result in a good coliection. For climbing and pillar roses the Wichurianas are almost always satisfactory, Excelsa as a crimson being simply giorious whilst Dorothy Perkins is always charming, the colour and form being all that can be desired in a pink ; white Dorothy is a profuse bloomer and good doer, ali three giving a fairly long season of bloom. For a large growing pillar rose Alister Stella Grey is unequalled, strong growing, handsome foliage, perpetual blooming, a mixture of large and small sprays, colour orange tuming to very pale yellow ; and splendid for decoration needing no foliage but its own, lasting well and having a delightful perfume. Ards Rt ver with its large rich foliage, fairly laige, well formed crimson fiowers and continuous blooming is also a grar.d pillar rose. Some of the dwarf polyanthus and other dvvarf bunch flowered varieties are well worth growing and everyone should grow the Orleans Rose.