44 



IIM>II (iAIMilMXC 



wi-ar and t.-ii uf !...• lif.' luu-l li;.v.- l.-.n .ilm..>( 

 at a iiiiniinuiii. 



Iliv.- nx.fs should Iti- ixainiiud t«> sic if tli.> 

 ari- l.•akin^^ an«l if anv tlamiUH-ss Ix- f..uinl 

 I'lMiiipt nifasiir.'S sIkhiUI In- (ak»-n to make (li.iii 

 waterproof hv adding' soiiw rovi-iin^. mi« li ; -^ 

 ol.I liiioh-um .".!• tarri'd f.-M to throw olT thi- w.l 

 till lh»- roof is «lry .nounh to Ix- ovi-rljauKd and 

 p«int<'d. Any damji rovrrinK's nt'ar the Ih-.s 

 s)iould hi' rmiovi-d and rcplari'd hy dry oiu's. 



Kxaniin.- hiv.-s on th<- lirst favourahl.- oj.pov- 

 l unity wh'-n Ihm-s arr tlyiiiK' to asct-rtain if tlic 

 food supply is suHlcii-nt. In doin^ so In- careful 

 n.it to disturl) tlu- Imm-s nior.- than is a})silutcly 

 necessary to see if there is still sealed stores on 

 the l»ack" frauu's : if there are plenty of se;iled 

 >lores. un<ai> or hruise alioul '.i in<lu s of <ap| in^' 

 and cover \ip suu^In- If there is an ajiparent 

 risk of sliorta^c hefoVe it is s;«fi' to h.-jiin f.cdinK 

 with syru|>. place a cake of «andy i>ver the centre 

 • f the "cluster, and if there is a scarcity of poll'-n 

 fron\ willows or other s )ur<Hs. j;ive Hour <aiidy. 

 or pea Hour may ])e placed aiuonj; shiiviii^^s or 

 clialT in a slielteVed sunny corner, to which tlie 

 Itoes can he attracted on" line days. Frames of 

 sealiMl stores tliat liave heen stored is the hest 

 stimulant, and should he plac.-d at. the hack of the 

 hrood nest, and at tile same time remove tin- 

 empty frame next the dummy. 



Sections and foundation and other accessories 

 likely to he r.-(piired for the coirin : Season slionld 

 he ordered earlv. as owing to tlic war tliere may 

 1).- delays tlu-ongli congestion of traffic. ])osides 

 many estahlisliments have l)een reduced in liel]) 

 hv their exjierienced liands liaving decided to 

 d'"' th.'ir •■ hit at the front. "" 



1 Fairview. KnniskiUen. 



Notes for Novices. 



Yoi'NG vegetable plants growing on nlider the 

 shelter of franie.'* nuist be given every attention 

 now with regard to watering and airing. It is 

 an essential ])oint to see that a [chink of air is 

 admitted before the sun strikes upon the frame. 

 If the day is warm, the lights may be removed 

 entirely for several hours during the day in order 

 to inure the i)lants to hardier conditions, b\it do 

 not forget to lay them on again in cas3 of a shar]» 

 frost during the night. Apply to early cabbage 

 in the open a dressing of nitrate of soda at the rate 

 of one ounce to the stpiare yard, and stir it well 

 in with the Dutch hoe. Farmyard licpiid manure 

 is the next best sub.stitute. only it lacks the 

 quickening elTect of the Uitrate 



Sow a desirable (piantity of Gradus peas about 

 the lirst of the month, and repeat the siime a 

 fortnight later as a succession. The soil will 

 ntjw l)e in a warmer condition, consecjuently the 

 seeds will not be so liable to rot as they would be 

 in the earlier part of the year. A line of Victoria 

 si)inaeh may be sown between each row of iieas. 

 Draw out a drill 2 inches deep, sow fairly thin, 

 and cover with line soil. Tlie main cro]) of onions 

 can be sown towards the end of the month 

 whenever the surface soil is got in a nice friable 

 condition. 



Onions thrive best in a soil [that has been well 

 trenched and liberally manured in dry weather 

 during the late autumn. Before sowing the 

 seeds, give the bed a topdressing of soot, suffi- 

 ciently thick to make the soil quite black, and with 



:i u led i,>ke Ilioi.iurJilx mi\ it with the surface 



soil. 'i'lead the Wllole bed quite li Mil ami agjiin 

 lak.- it l.\el. Draw out shallow drills at <ine 

 f.iol apait .ind on,- inch deep. .Suw the seeds 

 thinlv an<l e\ enlv. jmkI till in with n liglit covering 

 of thl- linest s.il." Centlv tap the see<l lines witii 

 a rak.-, and linisli olT the bed with a nice level 

 surface. Ailsa Craig, Jjedford C'luimpion, and 

 .lames Keeping are three excellent varieties for 

 spring .soAxing. 'Pile silver-.skiniied pickling onion 

 may also b;- included. 



On a warm .sheltered Iwirder sow a few lin< s of 

 carrots ajid turnips f<ir the earliest use. I trills 

 diuwn out at 10 inches apart ancl 1 inch deep 

 will suit this early .sowing. l<!arly (iem carrot 

 and ICarlv Snowball turnip are two good 

 varieties. " 



S..ed i.ofalo.s tlu.l were l.lid out ill boxes in 

 the early jiart of the year should now be in 

 good order for planting out. Choose a warm 

 border, the soil of which sh..uld be <.f a light 

 rich nature. Trenches are liest opened ont to a 

 depth of .*» inches, and a s|iace of IS inches 

 allowed between each trench. Pl.ant the tubers 

 at !» incliesai)art in the rows, ('over with I in<hi's 

 of soil, breaking u]» .all lunqis as the w<»rk jiro- 

 ceeds. Three of the best early varieties are 

 Sharpe's Victor, Duke of York and May (^ueen. 



('elery .seeds may be .sown in boxes for the 

 main croj). Being one of the best of winter 

 vegetables, it is worth doing Well. By making 

 two succe.ssional sowings, one in March and the 

 other in April, a supiiy of good heads may be 

 obtained from September until March. Procure 

 .shallow boxes, jdace a layer of crocks in the 

 liottom of each to ensure ample drainage, and 

 lill up with a light rich mixture of line soil. Sow 

 tliinly, and cover the .seeds lightly with the 

 rem;iini7ig compost. Stand the boxes in a hou.se 

 or frame in which a temperature of (iO is main- 

 tained- As soon as the young ](lanls ]iroduce 

 their first rough leaf transplaiit to othr-r boxes, 

 filled with a compost of three parts loam and 

 one leaf-mould, with the addition of a litth- 

 poW'dery manure. Standard Bearer (pink) and 

 Wright's Grove (white) are two reliable varieties, 

 and of excellent quality. 



Karly this month make a .sowing of tomato 

 seed U) ensure good plants for planting out of 

 doors at the end of May. By that date it is 

 nec(>ssary to have the ]ilants well established in 

 o-inch pots. Ailsa Craig and Sunrise are both 

 free setters, and bear abundant fruits of line 

 .shape and c(dour. 



On a warm, sheltered border. whi<li consists 

 of a light rich soil in good Working order, siw the 

 first few lines of lettuce. The lines should be 

 drawn out at one foot ajiart and one inch dee]!. 

 SoNv moderately thin, and as soon as the seedlings 

 a])pear through the surface kee]) a .sliarji look out 

 for slugs. A light dusting of soot ai)plie<l between 

 the lines in the early morning .several times a 

 w^eek will, to a large extent, keep the plants 

 free from the.se enemies. Run the Dutch hoe 

 frequently between the lines U) promote healthy 

 and ra]iid growth. All the Year Round is one of 

 the best varieties. 



Pears, iieaches, plums and cherries in variety 

 will .soon be coining in bloom, and will require 

 s<jme form of i)rotection against har.sh, frosty 

 winds which we are liable to experience during 

 March. A double covering of (ish -net ting hung 

 over trees ])lanted against walls will prove of 

 much value as a protector. Bush trees in the 



