510 Joiirrud of Aririrultiire, Virtoria. [10 Aug., 1917. 



Where peach aphis has appeared, it will be advisable to spray at 

 once with a stronor nicotine solution. Tobacco stems should be soaked 

 in cold water for some days, adding a teaspoonful of caustic soda to a 

 cask of steeping stems. The liquid should be made strong, and every 

 endeavour should be made to kill out the first insects that appear. 



The pruning of deciduous trees should be at an end this month. 

 The pruning of evergreens such as oranges, lemons, and guavas, may be 

 left until later. 



Young deciduous trees should be planted not later than this month. 

 The soil should be trodden firm round the roots, and, when planting 

 has been completed, the tree should be headed back to three or four 

 buds on each arm. 



Preparation may be made for planting citrus and other evergreen 

 trees. The soil should be well ploughed and sweetened in anticipation 

 of planting in September and October. 



In root-borer affected districts, the beetles will begin to appear 

 during the latter part nf the month. A close observance should be 

 kept on them and the insects should be regularly collected and destroyed. 



Flower Garden. 



All winter-flowering shrubs that have dropped their blossoms may 

 now be pruned. It is important to prune these immediately after 

 flowering, so that the plant may be able to make plenty of flowering 

 wood for next season. 



Seed beds and plots need constant cleaning and weeding. Weeds 

 must now be kept out of the garden, both by hoeing and hand picking. 

 Tiie seedlings that are growing in their permanent situations should be 

 thinned out and given a good chance to develop strong and sturdy 

 plants. 



Divisions of herbaceous plants such as delphiniums, cannas, shasta 

 daisy, herbaceous chrysanthemums, rudbeckias, salvias, and phlox, may 

 be still planted out. If it is intended that such plants shall remain 

 in the same location as last season, they should be lifted, the soil being 

 well dug and manured, and the crowns planted back again. By this 

 means the plants retain their vigour, and are able to produce good 

 flowers each season. 



Evergreen shrubs may now be planted out, the soil having previously 

 been well dug and aired. All beds should be well dug over by this 

 time, manure and refuse litter having been dug into the soil. 



A few corms and tubers of early summer flowering bulbous plants 

 may now be planted. 



Vegetable Garden. 



The plots should be well dug over at this time, adding gypsum or 

 lime where any pests have been prevalent. In other beds stable manure 

 shoiild be well worked into the soil. 



The soil should be rich, well worked, and warm, so that a quick' 

 growth may result. Vegetables grown quickly are generally more 

 tender than slowly grown ones; and frequent changes of crops in the 

 plots will give better results. At this season, the weeds will require 

 constant checking; frequent use of the hoe will, therefore, be neces- 

 sary, and in the rows hand-weeding should be resorted to. 



