190 Joiiniid of Agriculture, Victaria. [10 March, 1917. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



Autumn weeds must be kept out of the kitchen garden. These 

 rapidly grow, and remain as robbers right tlirough until the spring 

 time. 



The section should be well dug over for planting winter crops. 

 Before digging a light sprinkling of bonedust and a good top dressing of 

 stable manure should Ije spread on the surface. These may then be 

 dug in, as they provide humus for the soil. Large plots should be 

 avoided in winter; where such occur a path should be run down the 

 centre. This will provide more efficient drainage. The beds, too, may 

 be more raised than in the summer time. 



Early onions may be planted out in the beds, and, if not already 

 done, onion seed should be planted at once. 



All classes of seedlings may be planted out, and seeds of lettuce, 

 early peas, beet, carrots, radish, cabbage, cauliflower, and swede turnip 

 may be sown. 



Asparagus beds should be cleaxied 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. 



The 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 may be covered with only 

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



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, candytuft, 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. 



