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Garden Notes.
iints and Suggestions for
Amateurs.
(By J. W. Robinson, of the Ormond
Plant Farm, Pty. Ltd.)
DECIDUOUS TREES & SHRUB'S
It is at this time of the year that
the value of deciduous trees and!
shrubs is particularly apparent. One
frequently comes into contact with
people who want everthing evergreen,
their reason being that they
do not look bare in the winter. A
garden composed entirely of evergreens
would look much too heavy
and there would be very little variations
in the shades of green. Besides
this most of the finest flowering
trees and shrubs are deciduous.
At the present time the spring trees
and shrubs breaking into growth are
most attractive and refreshing. The
flowering fruits are a wonderful
garden asset during the spring; the
double peaches are almost finished,
the flowering cherries are in full
bloom, and the flowering apples will
continue on for some time..
Among the most useful of the
flowering fruits are the Prunus or
flowering plums, which have various
hades of bronze foliage after flowering.
If you can find a spot in the
garden for something that will grow
from 10 to 15 feet I would strongly
advise planting one of these flowering
fruits, or better still, several
that will flower at different times.
In this way you can have them flow,
ering from June until November,
which is nearly half the year.
There is no occasion to wait un
til the winter for planting these, as
most of them can bjs purchased in
pots or containers of some kind, and
they can be quite safely planted
now, when they will have all the
summer to make good growth ready
for flowering next spring.
CHRYSANTHEMUMS
The planting of chysanthemums
can now be undertaken. This is
flower which appeared to go rather
out of favour a few years back,
but it is rapidly coming to the front
again. Chrysanthemums do not give
as long a flowering period as dah
lias; but by planting different var
ieties they can be had in flower for
several months. There is the early
flowering type which commences to
bloom in January, and there are oth
ers which do not begin to flower un
til towards the end of May; and
there is no mistaking their popular
ity as a cut flower. Some of the
big disbudded varieties will last in
ood condition in water for two
weeks. Chrysanthemums left in the
ground to form large clumps cer
*ainly give a lot of flowers, but they
do not give the same quality of
bloom as those replanted each year.
There is no occasion to try and
grow the huge flowers you sometimes
see at exhibitions. Good medium
sized flowers can be produced
by disbudding, allowing several
flowers to the plant, but only one
on a stem.
I would certainly suggest that
you try a few of the cascade type,
which can be grown in various ways,
either upright in the ordinary way,
or growing over a wall or down a
bank. When they are grown to
form a real cascade of flowers, the
shoots should be tied down to string
or a wire and trained to grow downwards
for about 2 feet and then the
ends allowed to curl up naturally.
They can also be grown in this way
in pots or baskets. If in pots, when
the shoots are long enough to tie
down, the pots should be raised up
on something to give room for suspension
of the branches. Bone meal
mixed with the soil at the time of
potting or when planted will assist
the plants during their growing period.
THE KITCHEN GARDEN
Much activity should be manifest
at this season in the vegetable garden,
as there is so much to be done
m the sowing of seeds for autumn
and winter supplies. Following the
rains, weeds have grown vigorously
and attention will have to be directed
to their elimination in order
that crops may have a fair chance
to mature satisfactorily. Now that
frost dangers have disappeared,
French beans may be sown freely.
This most popular vegetable requires
careful culture to ensure best results,
and deep soil cultivation is
necessary and the incorporation of
well rotted manure, or if animal
manure is not available, bone fertilizer
will suffice; but see to it that
the soU preparation is thorough.
Too often this important crop is
neglected in this respect, a mere
scratching of the soil and a sprinkling
of manure being deemed sufficient
to ensure a crop. Such halfmeasures
mean failure and waste
of time. Careful and thorough attention
will be rewarded with bumper
crops.
Sow the seed 4 inches apart and
inches deep in drills which should
in JL- ? part To ° cI <*e planting
restricts quantity and reduces
the quality of the produce. Constant
working of the soil and copious
watering should the weather
and
ah^0! 88 ' "^cient drainage
Jould be provided, as th e plants
dislike stagnant water. Durii ho^
weather it will h e found anadvantage
to mulch with short stable man-
P °, ds are youn e and juicy,
as they are less stringly and delighS
ltL SU r len \»» d much *">re pat
SSv f J ^ When th6y ^ Old as
oila^ ThT wr j
a bean recommended of m arve'Ious are:
*Iar sorts, W in receS ^ S
-b Jec t to powdery wilt oT^Tt
SfJT pwved disappointing
A
careful re-selection of tm S va rie fcv
" is » kooA
of a useful size. The flavor is all
that can be desired. White Stone
or Six Weeks is very hardy, with
short top. It is of mild flavor, with,
close snow-white flesh. Turnips
should be sown in drills and thinned
out to 4 inches apart.
Sow also: Asparagus, beet, carrot,
broccoli, brussels sprouts, capsicum,
cabbage, leeks, lettuce, parsnips,
radish, parsley, tomatoes, pumpkin,
marrow, squash, spinach, melon,
sweet corn, onions (for salad).
Plant cabbage, beet (red and silver),
onion (Odorless), potatoes.
$