THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 23, 23 December 1932, Page 3

THE GARDEN.

Notes are published under this hear aro invited to send in questions relal expert advice; answers will bo publish THE NEW HYDRANGEAS. The following is part of a fetter received from a large firm in England and is very interesting reading: “A few years ago there was only one variety of hydrangea grown in any quantity. This was nailed Otaska, and ean still be seen in' many gardens, but it will soon become a thing of the past, principally owing to the fact cliat the public have a better sense of the fitness of plants for their gardens, and it will not pay nurserymen to go on propagating it. Our own firm was growing a few new hydrangeas fifteen years ago, but within the last five or six years they have become so popular that we could supply fifty 01more varieties. Many of the newer ones are not distinct enough in our eyes. I think the numbers could be very well reduced, but for all that 1 do not wish to discourage those deserving people who are trying to raise something new and distinct. My idea of a good selection would ho as follows: Goliath,, which is pink, but can he blued; Parzival, ruby red with fringed petals; Freya, deep carmine and fringed; King George, rose pink fimbriated ; Marechul Eoch, rosy red; Baroness Schroeder, flesh pink; l)eutclle, deep rose or blue, shading to a cream centre; Domotoi, double pale pink flowers; Helge, dark rose; Mousseline, sky blue or pink with a white centre; Blue Prince pale rose with a metallic sheen; La Marne, large mauve flowers with a beautifully serrated edge; Yvonne Cayeux, deep pink;! and Mine. A. Riverain, wedgewood blue. There are really only three main colours in hydrangeas—pink, white and cerise, but soil constituents bring out varying shades, including blue. In the' hill country, especially in red volcanic soil, it is difficult to get any colours except white and blue. The wnite varieties never change, but : tho pinks vary considerably. You , will find tlrat some parts’of your conn- ■ try will produce the blue colour j naturally; this is where the ironstone | gravel is near the surface, but gener- I ally to obtain the blue colour the • plants have to he treated artificially with blueing powder. The quantity will vary according to the size of the plant. If it is 111 the open ground and a fair sized plant, a quarter ol a pound sprinkled on the ground around the plant and watered 111 would not be too much. Afterwards, either water the plant with it or sprinkle a small quantity around and water it in until the plants begin to show buds. Remember that it is necessary, to get it into the system of the plant before it lias made much growth in the spring. After the buds show it is no use putting the blueing powder on them and it is useless to use it just before the plants arc to flower and expect to get blue flowers. It must he grown right into their system. For plants that are growing in pots or tubs, it is better to use a small quantity often than it is to use a large

quantity at one time. Most of the new hydrangeas are much more dwarf-like in growth than the old varieties. Some of the newer sorts will begin to flower in October with you and may continue right through the season until frosts become too strong. Some will give two crops in a season, but the majority keep on blooming all the season, and 1 think it is here that hybridists should bend their energies to produce a longer season. Although these plants will grow and flower right in the open, they prefer slight shade, especially during the hottest part of the day, when they are most liable to be burnt. A syringing overhead in the hot weather is very beneficial, hut the water must not be icy cold. Pruning should be done as early as possible in the season after flowering to allow them time to ripen their shoots for the following season.

HOSES. Last week an exhibitor made a selection of roses which was a very good one, but at the same time it was not a selection that would appeal to everyone. Mabel Turner is a pink that every exhibitor should have and grow. It is a rose that stands a fair amount of rough weather, better than most of its colour. Florinda N. Thompson is a cream rose that opens with a light pink edging to the petals and has all the good qualities that a good rose should have. It stands the weather well and the plant is a good grower. Golden Dawn is another splendid grower and is a rose that does not require much feeding, or the blooms will be quartered. The colour is a deep creamy yellow and the bloom has a delicious scent. Jonkheer J. L. Mock and Edgar M. Burnett are two pink roses that are easy to grow and cannot be passed over when good show blooms are wanted. Joan Haworth is another good reliable pink and is closely followed by a very similar rose in Joan Cant. Miss Wilmot is a very reliable rose in some seasons, but has not been seen to the best advantage this year. J ulien Botin is a yellow rose of splendid form, but it must be covered from the time the bud begins to open until it is cut for the show bench or it will not show its true yellow colour. Exhibitors do not mind this and will find what they want in it. Ville de Baris is another reliable rose and the colour, which is yellow, holds well and is a splendid contrast to the good dark foliage. James Gibson is a dark red of great beauty and has been overlooked for a long time. AVe think it will soon be recognised as one of the best. For some reason or another it seems to be harder to get the good reds that are required at show time, and wo would advise growing some of the climbers and semi-clnnbers on a low fence tor this purpose. The Countess of Stradbroke is a climbing rose of fine form and when well grown will give plenty of good, dark, red roses to pick from. Miss Marion Manifold is another rose that gives plenty of blooms of splendid form when well grown. Avoca and Hugh Dickson are two roses which will give better blooms when they arc grown as semi-climbers. To grow them in this way their long growths must be tied out horizontally a foot or two from the ground, and they will send out flowering shoots from every bud. A friend says that he lias found Climbing Rose Marie the best pin. 1 ; show flower that he has got and he treats it in the way described for the semi-climbers. Paul’s Lemon Pillar will only give him one good crop of blooms, but as that comes at the right time it is always welcome. Hadley is a good dark red dwarf which can be relied upon in a very hot season. The hotter the weather the better this rose seems to colour. Rev. F. Page Roberts is a good yellow that likes hot weather. The form is splendid and the colour holds well. McGredy.’s Ivory, Coquette and Caledonia are all good, light coloured roses for exhibition purposes and when better known will be found in all collections of show blooms. Mme. Butterfly is a beautiful rose of the Ophelia type, and when good is very hard to beat. It has been said that a I bush of this will give more perfect blooms than any other rose in the

ding, and reader sinterested in gardening .ting to matters upon which they wish hed with the weekly notes. garden. Mine. George Norwood is another rose that gives a large percentage of perfectly formed flowers and they last better than most of the varieties when cut. DAFFODILS. All those who have to lift their bulbs this season should get the work done as soon as possible now that the foliage Iras died down. This work requires a little care, especially ii tho bulbs have been in the ground for more than one season. When they are grown in beds dig a trench across one end of the bod and parallel to the rows and as close up to the first row as possible without touching the bulbs; then the spade can be pm in between the first and second row and bent over, which will turn the bulbs on their sides and they can easily he picked out and put together to dry. If possible,, they should be spread in shallow boxes to dry, with tlie label, and then after a few days they can be cleaned and put in cardhoard boxes or stiff, qpen paper bags. Never try to keep them in hermetically scaled containers as they, are liable to sweat and will begin growing at onco if this happens. Any diseased or soft bulbs should he destroyed at once; they are not worth keeping and are only a menace to the others. As soon as the bulbs are out and stored, begin making a new bed because the sooner they are in the ground the better it will be for them. INo manure is required to make a hull) bed, hut if good turf can he got and put in the bottom it will be a good tiling to use. Leave the surface of the bed rough and give it a dressing of naptlrelenc or some other good soil fumigant which can lie worked in with the hoe. Then leave tlie hed for a fortnight before doing any planting. When planting, run i about an inch of good, clean sand | along the bottom of the trench for the j base of the bulbs to rest on and then I cover the bulb to the neck with more j sand. They will lift cleaner and brighter when treated in this way. The National Daffodil Show is to be held here this next season, so prepare. PRESERVE YOUR BUSH. AYe have been asked by one owner who lias a piece of native bush ol which iie is justly proud and lias taken great pains to preserve by growing exotic trees round it, to warn motorists and picnic parties of the great risk front fires wiiieh are lit to boil the übiquitous “hilly.” Now, if a little care is taken to see that no fire is iit in any place where sparks from it will catch the dry undergrowth, and when the hilly has been boiled the remains of the fires are carefully put out, 110 harm can he done, hut unfortunately there are a few people who do not seem to realise what havoc they are likely to cause by carelessness and thoughtlessness. The owner who spoke to us about this subject is one of many would not mind picnic parties making use of the sliado provided by the trees if Ire could be sure that the bush will not suffer from fire or from those vandals who, as soon as they see a piece of nati.-e bush, whether on private or public property, seem to think it is their duty to rush in and destroy something. \Yc appeal to the various picnic parties that are likely to bo abroad this holiday season to do all in their power to preserve what little native bush remains to use in easy localities. If this bush is not guarded zealously, it will not be long before there is none for the rising generation or the generations to come, to see. Already the young folks do not know a native plant from an exotic and with the destruction of what remains to us there will be nothing for them to see, in a few years to come. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

One vegetable gardener asked an old grower to go and see it he eoulti diagnose what was wrong with ins marrows; they would not grow and during the day time wilted down anti looked a sorry spectacle. The old grower could not see anything wrong anti got a fork to investigate the sod when, much to his surprise, the fork went through into a hollow, and when he dug down a little he got out six baby rabbits. The old mother had closed the entrance so carefully it could not he seen and the hole vnt right under the roots of the plants, causing them to languish lor want ol moisture. They are now growing strongly and are in llower. We have never heard of a similar case. A row of runner beans put in now will give a good crop of beans late in the season when they will be very much appreciated. Make a trench and put some manure along the bottom which can ho worked up with the soil, then give the site a good dusting with lime and sow the seeds at least a loot apart. Poles or string must be provided for them to climb, and when the beans are in liower work in some superphosphate along the row; about two or three ounces to the yard and spread a foot on either side of the row will be enough. Tomatoes want almost daily attention now that they are growing well. The best plan is to grow them on the single stem system and to do this one stake to each plant ,’s enough. Pinch out all the side shoots and leave the centre of the plant to grow upwards. When the first bunch of fruit lias set, spray the plants and continue to do so every three weeks or so, choosing a dry dull day for the work if possible. Even though it has rained lately it pays to give lettuces water and liquid manure. Saiadings are always very much appreciated during the hot weather and the gardener who always has plenty ready will be _ a grower who knows Iris business. Seed can bo sown right up to the end of January with every chance of success. After that time it is more or less of a catch crop and may come off or may not. The same remarks apply to peas sown after the end of January. Aon may have a good crop or they may be a failure, but for all that they are worth trying. Plant out cabbages and broccoli plants for the winter and early spring use as soon as you can now. These plants like a good rich soil where they have not been grown before and if possible choose a cool showery day for the work of transplanting. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS.

Before the next lot of notes appear another Christmas season will have come and gone. We take this opportunity of wishing all our readers a very happy Christmas and we hope that we have been the means of providing them with a part at least of their Christmas fare. Good vegetables such as green peas and potatoes from your own garden are better than those that have to be picked sometime beforehand and are always appreciated.