2o8 Journal of Agriculture. VictDria. [lo Mar.. 191 i.. 



The vegetable garden and also die seed beds should be kept free of any 

 weeds, and a good culti\'ation kept up all through. 



Seedlings of cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and celery may be trans- 

 planted out, and seeds of cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, early peas, swede 

 turnip, beet, carrot, radish, parsnip, and early onions may be sown. 



Flower Qarden. 



Undrained garden? have suffered very consideral>lv a? a result of the 

 January and February rains. Quite a number of plants, especially young 

 shrubs and dahlias, have been killed by the excessive moisture. A start 

 may be made with garden drainage towards the end of the month, so that 

 the plants may survive the winter rains. Last winter a tile drain was 

 carried through one of the rose beds in the Burnley Gardens ; its presence 

 is wonderfully apparent in the growth of the rose bushes nearest to the 

 drain. These have increased very much in size and \igour, while bushes 

 away from the drain have put forth very much inferior growth. 



Liquid manure should now be given to all growing autumn plants, such 

 as chrysanthemums, dahlias, and roses. Weak solutions are preferable; 

 strong liquid manures will either drive the plant into a great activity re- 

 sulting in coarseness, or they will kill the tender roots thi\t collect the food 

 supply of the plant. A weekly application of liquid manure will be ample. 



All classes of spring-flowering bulbs may now be planted. In bulb plant- 

 ing, the bulbs should not come in contact with any manure. The manure 

 should have been some time previously dug well in. and mixed with the 

 soil, and all heat should have disappeared. If much manure is required it 

 should be placed below the bulb so that the roots may ultimately penetrate 

 to it. Bulbs thrive in sandy soils ; and where the soil is heavy, a little 

 sand may be added with advantage. Bulbs should not be planted too 

 deeply ; the depth to plant is generally regulated by the size of the bulb. 

 Such bulbs as freesias may be covered Avith only an inch of soil, while 

 larger bulbs should be somewhat deeper. In the Scillv Isles, off the coast 

 of Cornwall, where immense quantities of bulbs are grown for the English 

 markets, the rule is to plant the bulbs very shallow for flowers ; while if 

 bulb divisions or increases are required, the bulb is planted deeper. 



All hardy annual, biennial, and perennial seeds may now be planted : 

 among these are dianthus, candytuft, sweet peas, Iceland poppy, anemone, 

 ranunculus, stock, wallflower, columbine, foxglove, salpiglossis, phlox, 

 penstemon, pansy, gaillardia, &c. 



Wherever aphis and red .spider occur, the plants should he spraved with 

 benzole emulsion, nicotine, "Pestend," " Soaperine " or some other pre- 

 ventative, in order to protect the coming flowers. 



Mildew attacks should also be warded off by the u.se of sulphur. The 

 sulphur may either be dusted on the plant, or it may be scattered on the 

 ground, around and under the plant. 



