62 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan., 1916. 



gas through its texture. This gas is generated inside the tent, and the 

 tent is kept over the tree for a period of from half to three-quarters of 

 an hour. The best remedy is hydrocyanic gas, which is generated by 

 placing cyanide of potassium in a mixture of sulphuric acid and water. 

 Both the cyanide and the gas are deadly poison, and every care should 

 be exercised in using them. 



Summer Pelning. 



Summer pruning should now be carried out, and care should be 

 taken that as much of the leafage as possible is retained on the trees. 

 Unduly long laterals of fruiting trees may be shortened back, always 

 cutting to a leaf. Unnecessary terminal leader growths, of which there 

 are sometimes three or four, all strong growing, may be reduced to one,, 

 retaining this one as a leader. In no case should this growth be cut 

 or interfered with in any way. 



The results of these cuts will be to divert the sap, which was flowing 

 into growths that would subsequently be pruned, into more profitable 

 channels, so that weak buds and growths may be strengthened and 

 induced into fruit bearing. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



The work in this section is much the same as in the flower garden. 

 Prequent waterings, good mulching, and regular soil stirring will be the 

 work for the month. As soon as any bed is cleared of vegetables, it 

 should be manured and well dug over in preparation for the next crop. 

 Deep digging is always desirable in vegetable growing. If any pests 

 such as aphis, caterpillars, or tomato weevil have been present, it would 

 be advisable to burn all the crop refuse, to destroy any insects that 

 remain, and to give the plot a good dressing of gypsum or Clift's 

 Manurial Insecticide. 



Keep the tomatoes well watered and manured, pinching out surplus 

 and strong growing laterals. In early districts the onion crop will be 

 ripening. In late districts, or with late crops, the ripening may be 

 hastened by breaking down the top. An autumn crop of potatoes may 

 be planted. Cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and celery plants may be 

 planted out. 



The Flower Garden. 



January should be a busy month in the garden. The waterings will 

 be constant and frequent, and after every watering the surface should 

 be well loosened and stirred with the hoe, to keep it moist and cool. 

 More cultivation and less water is a good rule to be observed. If the 

 hoe be used more and the hose less in summer, greater benefits will 

 accrue, and the water bill will be considerably reduced. Mulchings 

 with straw, grass, &c., are very useful iust now. The mowings from 

 lawns form valuable mulching; waste tobacco stems are also good as a 

 mulch. 



Dahlias, chrysanthemums, and other tall growing slender her- 

 baceous plants will require support in the way of stakes, they will also 

 need mulching considerably. These plants should receive no check 



