4 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



of the garden. This is a good time to remove the old 

 exhausted soil from flower beds, to be replaced with fresh 

 material, pruning and transplanting shrubs should now be 

 completed. Some of the hardiest annuals may be sown in 

 warmer parts of the garden towards the end of the month. 

 Herbaceous plants may be divided with advantage, and the 

 mixed flower borders may be much improved by careful 

 digging over and forking in a liberal supply of old manure 

 or fresh soil. Lawns may be formed by sowing or turfing, 

 and old ones should be carefully mown as required, and any 

 bad places turfed over. 



Bulbs, Crown imperials, lilies, hyacinths, ixias, narcissus, 

 gladioli, and tulips may still be planted, always selecting a 

 time when the ground is dry ; a little sand put about the 

 bulbs will be of service. Anemones and ranunculuses may 

 also be planted, they thrive best in a rich sandy loam. Pinks, 

 pansies, and carnations may be transplanted and the soil re- 

 newed with a rich compost of well-decomposed manure. 

 In districts not subject to late Spring frosts roses may now 

 be pruned, otherwise defer the work till next month ; a 

 plentiful supply of rich rotten manure should be applied to 

 the beds, if not already done ; a sprinkling of bone dust as 

 well will be an improvement. 



Gravel Walks. When the gravel is soft and spongy, get 

 two sieves one that would not let a horse bean through, 

 and the other somewhat larger. Gravel thus cleared of the 

 large and small stones should be laid on, and rolled in 

 every time the wet comes, until the surface is as solid as a 

 rock. 



SEPTEMBER. 



September should be the busiest month in the kitchen 

 garden. As seed time and seed sowing are now upon us and 

 in general operation, and believing as we do, that many of 

 the failures attributed to seeds may be more justly attributed 

 to some drawback as regards the preparation of the seed 

 bed, the sowing, covering, &c., the following useful hints on 

 the subject will be found not undeserving of perusal : 

 Seeds, to germinate, require light, heat, air, and moisture. 

 They should be sown when the ground is mellow and fine, 

 and, if possible, before a gentle rain ; and the soil should be 



