i8 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Jan., 1907. 



in winter and spring, and are thus enabled to acquire moisture and plant 

 food from a much greater depth and area, being also less liable to suffer 

 from fluctuations of temperature. Water should be applied in sufficient 

 quantity to moisten the soil thoroughly, and the surface near the plants 

 should be either mulched or broken up finely with the hoe while drying. 



Xewly-planted dahlias and other tender plants will require special 

 attention in watering, shading, and cultivating, until thoroughly estab- 

 lished and growing freely. Dahlias should be mulched with long manure, 

 and securely staked as growth progresses. An occasional syrmging or 

 overhead sprinkling in the evening of days of great heat, will benefit the 

 plants, and also check red spider, the principal insect enemy of the 

 dahlia. 



Chrysanthemums grown for exhibition blooms should not be allowed 

 10 suffer from lack of moisture during hot dry weather. Under ordinary 

 weather conditions, if the beds are well drained and properly prepared, 

 hoeing the surface occasionally is sufficient to keep the plants growing 

 steadily. The plants will probably produce a bud in the points of the 

 shoots, and break into lateral growth about the middle of January. This 

 bud is known as the first crown, and should not be saved. All shoots 

 but the leaders sho'uld be remo\ed, and great care taken that these are 

 not damaged by caterpillars^ &c.. as on these shoots the finest blooms are 

 produced. Buds will show in the points of those shoots from earlv in 

 February till the end of the month. The flower bud is rounded, and 

 occupies the centre of the shoot, l>eing accompanied on either side by 

 growth buds. The latter should be removed as earlv as possible without 

 damaging the flower bud, which is known as the second crown bud. No 

 liouid manure should be applied to plants in prepared beds before the end 

 of February. 



Carnations may be increased by layering the growth after the flowering 

 period. The layers root readily in light soil well supplied with mois- 

 ture. Flowering shoots should be removed from plants of tree carnations 

 designed to bloom in winter. 



Seeds of pansy and Iceland poppy should be sown at end of January to 

 supply plants that will flower early in winter. A special shade or cold 

 frame should be provided, and the seed sown in light soil in boxes, or 

 in shady borders. One of the best strains of pansv procurable is Bath's 

 " Empress." A fair proportion of finely marked fancy varieties of large 

 size may be expected. Iceland poppies are easily grown, and are speciallv 

 valuable during winter and spring for garden decoration, or as cut flowers. 

 A new strain producing flowers of various shades of pink is advertised, 

 and should be worthv of a trial. The colours of the older varieties are 

 white, yellow, and orange. 



Ground should be prepared for the reception of bulbs and corms of 

 winter and spring blooming plants, such as Narcissi. A late batch of 

 rorms of gladioli may be planted for autumn blooming ; the ground should 

 be deeply worked and Avell manured for their reception. Gladioli that are 

 showing flower spikes should be staked and liberally watered. 



Kitchen Garden. 



As in the flower garden, the principal work should be the maintenance 

 of a moist soil, and watering where necessary. Land should be prepared 

 for future cropping as soon as cleared of crops. A liberal dressing of 



