130 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



Planting. Planting may commence in May, while some 

 gardeners prefer planting in August either season will 

 answer if the ground has become tolerably dry. Some 

 recommend steeping the roots for twelve hours in water 

 before planting, but we think this not necessary, except the 

 planting season has been put off till the middle of August, 

 and the soil at that season happens to be unusually dry ; 

 then it may be useful : we do not, however, recommend this 

 plan, as the soil is generally moist enough in August. Sup- 

 posing, then, that the weather is propitious, and all things 

 prepared, commence by drawing with a hoe a drill across 

 the end of the bed, one inch and a-half deep ; if deeper the 

 roots will be weakened the succeeding year, by forming a 

 kind of stem nearer the surface ; and if shallower the plants 

 are more liable to be struck with drought. The drill being 

 drawn the right depth, press each bulb or tuber slightly 

 down into the ground ; plant them if large, six inches apart 

 in the row ; if small, four inches will be a sufficient distance. 

 Cover the crown of each tuber with fine sand. This will 

 cause the tubers, when they are taken up in January, to 

 come out of the ground quite clean for keeping. Then 

 with a short-toothed rake, draw the soil over the bulbs, and 

 when it is level, with the head of the rake gently press the 

 soil pretty closely upon them. Draw another drill, proceed 

 in the same way in planting and covering up, and so on till 

 the whole are planted. 



Watering. Should the Spring prove dry watering will 

 have to be resorted to. Previously to the first watering, 

 immediately after the plants have broken through the soil, 

 and when the surface is moderately dry, tread down the soil 

 between the rows pretty firmly with the feet. After the bed 

 is regularly pressed down, then press the soil close to the 

 neck of each plant, and between them, with the hand. 

 Then proceed to water the bed with a rather coarse-rosed 

 watering pot ; give it freely and liberally ; and to do this 

 well, go over the whole bed with a heavy shower, and as 

 soon as that has sunk in and disappeared, commence 

 again and repeat the shower. In most cases this 

 will be amply sufficient for a week's consumption. If 

 the weather still continue dry, at the end of the week 

 repeat the watering, and do so until heavy showers take 



