190 Join Hill of Af/ricultun', Viclorut. I Itt Makch, 19llt. 



Asparagus beds should be cleaned up and cut down as soon as the 

 berries begin to colour. Celery rows should be kept earthed up; 

 rhubarb beds should be given a dressing of manure to encourage the 

 coming winter crop, and new rhubarb plantations may now be 

 established. 



Flower Garden. 



All classes of spring-flowering bulbs may now be planted. In bulb 

 planting the bulbs should not come in contact with any manure. The 

 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 rnay be covered with onlv 

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



The increasing prevalence of both bulb mite and rhizoetinia fungus 

 in attacking bulbs makes it a matter of urgency that all bulb gardens 

 and plots should be well dressed with lime before the bulbs are planted. 

 The lime should be dug into the soil; and after the bulbs have been 

 planted, a top-dressing should also be given. Each dressing need not 

 exceed 2 ozs. per square yard. 



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, cand3rtuft, 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 plant« 

 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 ]>lanting the trees care should be taken not 

 to dig small holes. A small hole is simply a " pot hole," in which the 

 winter water accumulates, and as a result the young 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. 



