l\)-2 Journal of AgricuH are, Victoria. [10 March, 1919^ 



CULTIVATION. 



Farm. — Dig potatoes as they mature. Cart out and spread stable manure. 

 Finish preparation of land for main cereal crops. Sow Chou Moellier seed in 

 beds for transplanting. Sow the following mixture per acre for green feed 

 during the winter months for the dairy herd : — IJ bushels, Oats; ^ bushel, 

 Cape Barley; i bushel, Tick Beans; ^ bushel, Pease. Sow Giant Drum- 

 head Cabbage for transplanting (1 lb. sufficient for 1 acre, in rows 3 feet 

 apart); provided the soil is in good friable condition, plants from seed sown 

 last month should be planted out. Sow wheat and oats according to locality ; 

 also rape for winter feed or green manuring. Prepare clean seed-bed for 

 lucerne; and sow Hunter River, Arabian, or Peruvian seed, free from dodder,, 

 in drills 7 inches apart and at the rate of 12-16 lbs. of seed per acre. Sow 

 permanent pastures with grasses and clovers. 



Orchard. — Prepare land for planting; plough deeply and sub-soil. Plant 

 legumes for green manure. Plant out strawberries. Clean up Codlin Moth 

 from trees as soon as all fruit is gathered. 



Flower Garden. — Plant out evergreen shrubs, trees, and Australian plants, 

 divisions of herbaceous plants, seedlings, layers, and rooted cuttings. Feed 

 chrysanthemums with liquid manure weekly until flowers begin to open. Pre- 

 pare land for future planting's of roses and shrubs. 



Vegetable Garden. — Plant out seedlings from the seed beds. Dig all vacant 

 spaces roughly. Sow onions for early crop; also peas and broad beans. Clean, 

 out asparagus beds wherever the seeds are ripening. 



Vineyard. — Examine " Yema " grafts to see if strings require cutting. Con- 

 sideration must be given to manuring; early application is strongly urged. Peas, 

 &c., for green manuring should be sown as soon as possible. 



Cellars. — Cleanliness is emphatically urged. Carefully remove all fer- 

 mentable refuse — skins, lees, skimmings, &c. Such odds and ends favour 

 multiplication of Vinegar Flies (Drosophila funeiris). If present destroy 

 these with formalin or insecticide powders. A little bisulphite or sul- 

 phurous acid in washing water is recommended; also free use of lime oa. 

 floors. &c. 



TO SAVE TOMATO SEEDS. 



It i.s nut ditticuit, says an exiJcrt, to save tomato seeds. Select well 

 grown, perfectly ripe tomatoes of the type desired from the most hardy 

 productive plants in the bed. Be sure upon hardiness and cropping, 

 because those features are likely to be transmitted. When the tomatoes 

 are fully ripe, from day to day gather tomatoes of good shape from the 

 selected jilants, and do not be tempted to gather any odd fine fruit from 

 plants which do not fulfil the conditions mentioned. Place the tomatoes 

 on a tray or shallow box in the shade, and allow them to became soft. 

 In fact, they may start to decay, but do not let them go rotten. If they 

 are in the shade, they will probably dry without rotting, and some people 

 adopt this method for their supply of seed. It is advisable, when the 

 tomatoes are soft, to cut them and squeeze out the pulp into water, wash 

 away all the pulp, and then strain the seed on to muslin, cheesecloth, 

 or similar material, and i)Ut it in the shade to dry. When dry, place 

 the seeds in a small tin, label it, and keep them ready for sowing at the 

 proper time. When the seeds drj- in the tomato they stick together and 

 are not so easy to handle. Otherwise they are as good as those which 

 are washed. If the wasliing, however, is done as described, the 

 seed is not in any way injured. A good plan for Avashing is to use a 

 small sieve, or to put the pulp in cheesecloth and wash the pulp through 

 the mesh, leaving the seeds alone inside. I'lie removal of the skin and 

 hard parts first facilities the cleaning. 



