lo May. 1911.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 335 



General \\'ork. 



Drainage systems should now be extended with as iittle loss ot lime as 

 possible. 



New planting areas should be prepared, and subsoiled or trenched 

 wherever possible. 



Vegetable Garden. 



Weeds must be kept down in the vegetable garden. Weeds are gener- 

 ally free growing at this season; their growth is very insidious, and they 

 will crowd out tlie young seedlings or plants in a very quick time. Hoe- 

 ing and handweeding must be resorted to, preferably hoeing. The fre- 

 quent use of the hoe in winter time is of much benefit in the vegetable 

 garden. A varied assortment of crops is now being produced ; and, if 

 these can be kept growing, much better crops will result. The soil quickly 

 stagnates in the winter, and the only way to prevent this is to keep the 

 surface stirred. Thus, a double service is performed with the aid of the 

 hoe. 



The application of lime is a matter of great necessity at this season. 

 In addition to amending unhealthy and unsuitable soil conditions, lime 

 is particularly u.seful as an insecticide. It assists in destroying both eggs 

 and insects in immen.se numbers, that would breed and live in the ground 

 to do damage to all classes of vegetable crops. Therefore, wherever pos- 

 sible, the soil should receive an application of lime. The garden should 

 as well be manured with stable manure, but not for some weeks after the 

 lime application. 



Cabbage and cauliflower plants may be planted out; and seeds of 

 parsnips, carrots, onions, peas, and broad beans may be sown 



Flower Garden. 



The whole flower section should now be thoroughly dug over. All 

 beds should be cleaned up, top dressed with manure, and well dug. The 

 light rubbish, such as foliage, twiggy growths, weeds, etc., may all be 

 dug in, and they will thus form a u.seful humic addition to the soil. These 

 should never be wasted. Only the coarser and stouter growths should be 

 carted away for burning, and then the ashes may be used as manure. No 

 part, whatever, of garden rubbish or litter need be wasted. In one form 

 or another it should be replaced in the soil. 



May is a good month for establishing new gardens, and for planting 

 out. All deciduous plants and shrubs may now be planted. It is not 

 necessary to dig a deep hole for planting. A hole in which the roots of 

 the plant can be comfortably arranged, without crowding or cramping, 

 will be quite sufticient for the purpose. 



Continue to sow .seeds of hardy annuals, including sweet peas, 

 although the main crop of sweet peas should be well above ground. Where 

 there has been any ovorplanting, the young plants will readily stand 

 transplanting, and this will greatly assist tnose that are to remain. 

 Annuals should not be crowded in tiie beds. They require ample room 

 for suitable development; and thus the seeds should be sown thinly, or 

 the plants set out at a fair distance from each other. 



All herbaceous perennials that have finished blooming may now be cut 

 down. Included amongst these are phlox, tielphiniums, etc. If these are 

 to remain in tiieir pre.sent situation for another season, it is always an 

 advantage to rai.se them somewhat, by slightly lifting them with a fork. 



