II April, 1910.] OrcJiard and Garden Notes. 217 



and well mixed with old decomposed manure. The deeper the working, 

 the more profitable will be the results. Topp's Winter, Stone's Ever 

 Bearing Ruby, and Early Albert rhubarbs are popular and profitable 

 varieties to grow. 



Asparagus beds should be attended to, and the tops cut off before the 

 seeds have a chance to drop on the ground. If allowed to do so, thev 

 will germinate and grow, and so the seedlings will become a nuisance in 

 the later season, and the worst weed in the bed. The tops should be 

 removed as soon as the seeds are ripening. The ground should then receive 

 a good manurial dressing. Well rotted .stable manure is very beneficial ; or, 

 if obtainable, a good top dressing of sea-weed is also valuable. Formerly, 

 a heavy dressing of salt was given on all asparagus beds ; but experience 

 has shown that the presence of salt is not at all necessary to the develop- 

 ment and growth of the plant. Further, later analyses of asparagus 

 show that, of all ingredients in the composition of this plant, salt is in 

 the lowest percentage. 



The most perfect fertiliser for asparagus is a mixture of 2i cwt. sul- 

 phate of ammonia, 2 cwt. sulphate of potash and from 4 to 5 cwt. of 

 bonedust per acre. This will supply a fair amount of nitrogen, potash, 

 and phosphoric acid in the proportion required by the plants. Asparagus, 

 is a gross feeder, and the plant requires abundant food, in an available 

 form, and within easy reach, during its growing period. The most suc- 

 cessful practice in manuring asparagus is to top dress with stable mariure 

 in the autumn, and then to feed with chemical fertilisers in early spring. 

 In preparing new asparagus beds, the ground should be very deeply dug, 

 a depth of from two to three feet being not at all excessive. A good rich 

 friable soil is required ; and a good mixture of well rotted stal)le manure 

 should be thoroughly worked into the bed, which must be well drained. 

 It is not essential to place large quantities of manure in the bottom of 

 the bed or of the trenches. This is a wasteful practice; the plant will 

 thrive far better in a fairlv compact soil, which has been well worked 

 with manure, and fertility and productiveness will be maintained by the 

 regular top-dressings. 



Onion seeds may now be sown for transplanting in the winter ; the 

 most useful varieties are the Brown Spanish and the Early Golden Globe. 

 Specimens of the latter varietv, if well grown and given plenty of room,, 

 may easily be obtained up to one pound in weight. 



Continue to plant out cabbage, cauliflower and other seedlings. Plant 

 also early peas and broad beans. 



Flower Garden. 



The copious rains of February have brightened up the flower 

 gardens wonderfully, and just at this time they should be bright 

 and gay with autumn flowers and foliage. The garden can gene- 

 rally be depended upon to make a good show in the autumn 

 months, provided that the plants have been previously kept in 

 a healthy state by watering, mulching and feeding. The ques- 

 tion of plant foods should be given far more consideration in 

 autumn than at any other time of the year. Not only because the most 

 popular flowers — roses, chrysanthemums and dahlias — are then in vogue ; 

 but more because the soil requires a stimulus and an addition, after the 

 trying, heating weather of summer, and also after the leaching or soil 

 washing effects of the frequent summer waterings. So that, in order tO' 

 impel our rose bushes, our chrysanthemums and other plants to give their 



