574 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Sept., 1917. 



easy ploughing; and also to conserve as large an amount of moisture in 

 tlie soil as possible. The longer the ploughing is delayed, the less 

 amount of moisture is retained in the soil for summer use. Deferred 

 ploughing certainly means dry soil, enfeebled trees, and diminished re- 

 sults. Early ploughing gives exactly opposite results; the earlier the 

 ploughing, the more soil water is conserved. 



When the ploughing is completed, the clods should be crushed, and 

 the land harrowed, so that a fine earth mulch may be obtained. The 

 orchard surface should be kept as level as possible, and no irregular 

 ridging or furrows should be allowed. 



All cover crops planted to supply humus to the soil should now be 

 ploughed in. If the plants are of a leguminous nature, the best time 

 to plough these in is when they are in full flower. If the growth has 

 been at all excessive or rank, the crop may be rolled before ploughing; 

 or it may be cut or mowed with a mowing machine. Every care should 

 be taken that the plants should be distributed evenly over the ground, 

 and large quantities in a mass should not be ploughed under. Artificial 

 and stable manures may also be given to the trees at this time. These 

 should be applied before ploughing. 



Grafting. 



The work of grafting should be completed early in the month. The 

 most useful method of reworking old trees is to cut the head right off, 

 leaving only the stump. Then grafts can be put in according to the 

 fancy of the grower. The old method of cleft grafting has been super- 

 seded by the bark or crovni graft. The latter method does not cause 

 any damage to the wood and thus, with care, no rotting can take place. 

 The best method of bark grafting is the saddle graft; that is, the graft 

 is inserted in the bark and a strip of bark is carried right across the 

 trunk and inserted in the bark on the opposite side. This method is 

 much .slower than the ordinary bark graft, but it insures a much quicker 

 healing over the old stump. 



Vegetable Garden. 



The vegetable plots should be cleaned from all weeds, having the 

 light weeds dug in and the stronger ones pulled out and rotted in the 

 compost heap. The surface should be worked up to a very fine tilth 

 after digging; it must be kept constantly loose with the hoe to keep the 

 soil cool ; and prior to digging it will be advantageous to give a top 

 dressing of lime. 



If the weather be dry or windy, all newly-planted plants should be 

 frequently watered. In transplanting seedlings, it is a help to dip the 

 whole plant in water before planting. 



Any seedlings that are ready may be planted out ; the first crop of 

 tomato plants may be planted out under shelter until the frosts are over. 

 At the end of the month a sowing of French bean seeds may be made. 

 Seeds of jieas, broad beans, and beet, cabbage, kohl-rabi, and radish, 

 turnip, cauliflower, lettuce, carrot, parsnip, &c., ma)' be sown in the 

 open. Seeds of melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, m.arrows, and similar 

 plants may be planted in frames for transplanting after the frosts have 

 gone. 



