382 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 June, 1918. 



as to deepen the surface drainage, and to consequently warm the beds. 

 This will mean earlier growths. A heavy dressing of manure should be 

 given, and the beds well and roughly dug over. 



Plant out seeds of tomatoes and the pumpkin family in the frames; 

 and sow in the open, seeds of peas, lettuce, spinach, broad beans, radish, 

 onions, carrot and leek. Asparagus crowns, rhubarb roots, tubers of 

 Jerusalem artichokes, shallots and onions may now be planted out. 

 Celery should still be earthed up, taking care not to have the beds too 

 wet. 



The Flower Garden. 



General cleaning up and digging will be the work for this month in 

 flower section and shubbery. Where the soil is heavy or sour, or where 

 sorrel is plentiful, the garden should be given a heavy dressing of fresh 

 lime, a fair dusting being applied all over the surface. Lime should 

 not be used in conjunction with leaves, garden debris, leaf-mould, stable 

 manure, or any other organic matter used for humus. These should be 

 first disposed of by digging well into the soil ; then shortly afterwards a 

 top dressing of lime may be given. Should no humic material be used, 

 the lime may be dug in with the autumn digging. 



In cleaning up gardens, all light litter and foliage should be either 

 dug in, or, better still, it should be placed in an out-of-the-way corner 

 to form a compost heap. Leaf-mould, well rotted, is especially useful in 

 any garden, particularly where such plants as Azaleas, Khododendrons, 

 Liliums, &c., are grown, or for pot plant work it is exceedingly valuable. 

 In forming the compost heap, no medium whatever should be added to 

 help the rotting down of the leaves unless it be a little sand. Any 

 chemical added will render the" mould unsuitable for its special objects. 



Any hardy annuals may be planted out, such as stocks, pansies, wall- 

 flowers, &c., and cuttings of roses and hardwood shrubs may also be 

 planted. In planting out cuttings it is very important that all the eyes 

 should be removed from the part of the cutting which is to be below the 

 ground. If this be not done, there will always be the subsequent danger 

 of the plant suckering. 



Roses and any summer and autumn flowering shrubs that have finished 

 flowering may be pruned. If the spring flowering shrubs have not pre- 

 viously been pruned, they should be allowed to remain until after the 

 next flowering season. This especially applies to such plants as Spireas, 

 Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Deutzia, Prunus Mume, and other early 

 flowering shrubs. To prune these now would mean the certain loss of a 

 great proportion of their flowers. 



In pruning, the shrubs may be well thinned out, especially removing 

 any weak upright or old flowering growths; keep the shrub always at an 

 outward growth, inclining to a broad bushy type, instead of to an upright 

 habit. By this means, the lower regions will always be furnished with 

 good growth. Shrubs and trees of all descriptions should never be 

 allowed to become too crowded; they require to be opened, so as to allow 

 sunlight and air into the interior, where it is most needed. This is one 



