11 March, 1918.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 189 



manure should, some time previously, have been dug well in, and mixed 

 with the soil, and all heat should have disappeared. If 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 to 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 with only 

 an inch of soil, while larger bulbs may be somewhat deeper. 



Dahlias and chrysanthemums may be fed with liquid manure, or 

 mulched with stable or poultry manure. In any case the feeding should 

 not be too strong nor too frequent, and it should always be withheld 

 before the flowers come. 



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

 planted. Among these are dianthus, candytuft, sweet peas, Iceland 

 poppies, anemone, ranunculus, stock, wallflower, columbine, foxglove, 

 phlox, penstemon, pansy, gaillardia, &c. 



Wherever aphis and red spider occur the plants should be sprayed 

 with benzole emulsion, nicotine, pestend, or soaperine, or some other 

 preventive in order to protect the coming flowers. Mildew attacks on 

 the rose should be warded off by the use of sulphur. The sulphur may 

 be either dusted on the plant or it may be scattered on the ground 

 around and under the plant. 



March is one of the best months for transplanting evergreen plants 

 of all classes, trees, shrubs, and palms. The roots of the transplanted 

 plants should be disturbed as little as possible, while the roots of those 

 transplanted from pots should be well uncoiled and set out before 

 planting. 



The soil is now warm, and the roots will quickly take hold and grow. 

 They are thus established for the winter, and will give little or no 

 trouble in the subsequent summer heat and dryness. 



In preparing the soil for planting the trees care should be taken not 

 to dig small holes. A small hole is simplv a " pot hole," in whicli the 

 winter water accumulates, and as a result the voung tree roots are rotted. 



A large hole should be dug; or better still, the whole planting area 

 should be well cultivated all over, and the plants or trees then set out 

 in this cultivated area. 



^^^S^^^'^N^^S/^^WS^A^i^^^^^^^ 



The Eradieation of Weeds. 



With many, weeds are the chief factor in constant surface cultivation, 

 and — much as the gardener otherwise regards them — they therefore have 

 some utility in imposing an operation that in other respects has so much 

 value as we have indicated above. The seeds of weeds are constantly 

 being carted on to the garden with manure, and there are also seeds that 

 are being deposited by wind, birds, &c., so that their destruction must 

 ever be before the grower. The old saying that " one year's seeding 

 makes seven years' weeding " is particularly true in a vegetable garden. 



