254 Journcd of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 April, 1916. 



from the ravages of snails and slugs, as these pests have a very great 

 liking for these succulent growths. A good surface dressing of broken 

 leaf or dust tobacco will effectually deal with these pests. In fact, 

 the gardener who constantly uses tobacco, either in the leaf, stem, or 

 dust forms, will very soon be in the happy position that slugs and snails 

 will cause him no anxiety whatever. Besides, the tobacco has manurial 

 properties which are also valuable. 



Pansy and any other seedlings, also rooted layers and cuttings, may 

 now be planted out into their permanent positions. 



Sowings may also be made of any hardy annuals, such as antirrhinum, 

 aquilegia, correopsis, Canterbury bell, dianthus, everlastings, foxglove, 

 gaillardia, hollyhock, larkspur, leptosyne, lobelia, marigold, pansy, 

 petunia, stock, sweet peas, verbena, wallflower, &c. 



Vegetable Garden. 



There should now be no untidy or undug beds in the kitchen garden. 

 The vacant beds should all be well dug over and prepared for the 

 planting of vegetables for use in spring. In digging, a top dressing 

 of manure should be given ; this may be dug in. All weeds, too, may 

 be forked into the trenches, and covered well with soil as each spit or 

 length is dug. A dressing of lime is very beneficial at this time of the 

 year three or four weeks after the manure or weed dressing. 



A start should now be made at cleaning out the asparagus beds. 

 This vegetable is most popular, and yet one rarely met with in ordinary 

 household gardens. It is supposed to be difficult to grow, but this 

 supposition is not borne out, as, once established, a bed of asparagus is 

 one of the most easily managed plots in the whole garden. Depth of 

 good soil and plenty of manure are all that this plant requires. 



In establishing a new bed, it is advisable to see that there is a good 

 depth of 2 or 3 feet of rich, well-manured soil. If this is not present, 

 the soil should be dug out to that depth, and thoroughly mixed and 

 enriched with well-rotted manure before being replaced. A bed deeply 

 prepared, and supplied with ample quantities of manure, should last 

 without replanting for very many years. The young plants or crowns 

 should then be planted in trenches, keeping the rows 2 or 3 feet apart. 

 An asparagus bed requires ample and direct exposure to the full rays 

 of the sun. The asparagus should not be cut during the first season 

 after planting ; in fact, it is better to allow it to go uncut for two 

 seasons. As little foreign weed growth as possible should be allowed 

 in the beds, but, when they are not producing culinary asparagus, rows 

 of lettuce, beans, radish, &c., may be grown between the crowns. 



Towards the end of April the tops may be cut down, the beds cleaned, 

 and a good top dressing of stable manure given. Chemical fertilizers, 

 such as bonedust, sulphate of ammonia, and sulphate of potash, may be 

 given as a substitute to organic manure. In the past it has been the 

 custom to annually top-dress the beds with salt. It was supposed that- 

 as asparagus in its native habitat was usually found in sandy soils near 

 the sea coast, the plant required salt or a saline soil to produce successful 

 results. It has latterly been found that salt is not at all essential to 

 good growth, and that the plant will readilv adapt itself and grow well 

 in soils of not at all a saline character. Where potash has taken t-he 

 place of salt, quite improved results followed. 



