NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 19 



and be correctly labelled before putting away. A few small 

 patches of the very hardiest annuals may be sown in the 

 borders ; and the utmost attention should be given to keeping 

 down all weeds, so that they may not shed their seeds. 

 Remove suckers from recently-budded and other roses, 

 stake and tie up carefully those whose buds are pushing, 

 lest the latter be destroyed by high winds. Proceed with 

 budding. This is an excellent time to put in cuttings of 

 roses from the wood of the current year, when ripe, with a 

 heel of last year's wood attached. Propagate without delay 

 all sorts of bedding plants, pansies, c., if not already done. 

 The seed vessels or capsules should be at once picked from 

 rhododendrons ; and, indeed, from all other flowering shrubs. 

 It should be remembered that it is a great waste of power 

 and injury to plants to allow them to ripen seed that is not 

 specially required to save. Pipings of pinks or carnations, 

 and also cuttings and layers now rooted, may be planted out 

 in well-prepared beds, and will require attention as to water- 

 ing. Finish layering carnations and picotees without delay. 

 Dahlias and other tall-growing plants should be carefully 

 staked. Pot auriculas in compost formed of sandy turf 

 loam and thoroughly decomposed cow-manure, shake out 

 the roots before repotting, place in a close frame, and shade 

 for a few days. 



MARCH. 



Kitchen Garden. Sow small quantities of endive and 

 lettuce, and also a little onion seed. The latest crops of 

 celery should now be got in, and those previously planted 

 should be earthed up as soon as they attain a sufficient size. 

 The earthing-up must be carefully performed, when the 

 soil is moderately dry, and may be done two or three 

 times. Cauliflowers and cabbage plants may still be set out 

 for Spring use, and liberally supplied with liquid manure. 

 Prickly spinach for Winter and Spring use should be sown 

 now. It is an excellent vegetable much neglected in the 

 colony. It should be sown in drills in deeply-worked ground, 

 with an abundance of manure, and carefully thinned and 

 kept clear of weeds as it advances in growth. The main 

 crop of onions should now be lifted and spread out thinly on 



