10 Feb., 1919.] Reminders. 127 



Fumigation. 

 Evergreen trees, including those of the citrus family, that are infested 

 with scale, should now be sprayed or fumigated to rid the trees of this 

 pest. For spraying, a weak red oil emulsion, lime and sulphur 

 spray, or resin wash will be found useful. The most successful 

 method, however, of dealing with the scale pest is by fumigation. The 

 ttees should be closely enveloped in an airtight sheet or tent, and hydro- 

 cyanic gas generated inside. The chemicals for generating the gas, as 

 well as the fumes of the gas itself, are excessively dangerous, and great 

 care is necessary in their manipulation. A wooden, enamel, or earthen- 

 ware vessel is placed inside the tent, the vessel containing a mixture of 

 4 fluid ounces of sulphuric ^cid, and 12 fluid ounces of water, the acid 

 being placed in the vessel first. Four ounces of cyanide of potassium is 

 then quickly dropped into the vessel, the tent closed down at once, and 

 the bottom of the tent all round covered with soil tio prevent any of the 

 gas escaping. The operator must take care that not the slightest portion 

 of the fumes is breathed. Fumigation should be carried out at night- 

 time or on a cloudy day, if the foliage of the trees be thoroughly dry. 



Vegetable Garden. 



Celery crops will now be a prominent feature in the vegetable section. 

 The seed may be sown from January to March, and succession plantings 

 should be carried out occasionally during those months. The growth of 

 celery should be quick ; a fair supply of water and a good rich, loose soil 

 are helpful to its growth. 



Ample water will now be required in the vegetable garden. The sur- 

 face should be kept well hoed, and mulchings of manure given wherever 

 possible. 



Cabbage, carrot, turnip, radish, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, &c., seeds 

 may now all be sown, and young plants from any seed beds planted out. 



Flower Garden. 



Constant watering and hoeing will now be required for successful 

 gardening. Cannas will require manuring ; the old flowering stem 

 should be removed to make way for the new growths. Dahlias and 

 chrysanthemums will need a great deal of attention, staking the growths 

 as they develop, disbudding, thinning out weak shoots, and removing 

 unnecessary growths. The dahlias should receive a good soaking of 

 water during the hot weather, and liquid manure or quick acting ferti- 

 lizers given when the flower buds are developing. When chrysanthemum 

 buds are very small, liquid manure should be applied. Roses may now 

 be summer pruned ; all weak growths should be removed, and the strong 

 ones shortened to a fairly good bud. The plants should then receive 

 occasional waterings with liquid manure, and be kept well supplied with 

 water. 



All flowering trees and shrubs that have finished blooming should be 

 pruned, the flowering growths removed, and, unless the seed is required, 

 all seed heads cut off. 



Cuttings of pelargoniums, zonale and regal, may now be planted, and 

 delphinium spikes that have finished flowering cut down to make way for 

 new growth, the plant being watered and manured. Seeds of perennial 

 and hardy annual plants, especially winter-flowering sweet peas, Iceland 

 poppies, stocks, and pansies, may now be sown, and a few bulbs for 

 earlv flowering planted. The beds should be well manured and deeply 

 worked in anticipation of planting the main crop of bulbs. 



