386 AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURE. 



Depth for Planting Beans. Not deeper than two inches. There are 

 disappointments every season from planting too deep. 



White Corn. This delicious vegetable, which might be an item in 

 every garden, may be planted now. It is an agreeable, haalthy product, 

 and as suitable for small as larger places. Plant in rows from three and 

 a-half to four feet apart. The plants to stand about one foot apart. 



Water Cress. Set out sods of roots, or single plants. Running water 

 is an advantage, but not absolutely necessary. An occasional soaking, just 

 to keep the soil moist, is sufficient. 



Salads being in great demand as hot weather advances, frequent 

 Bowings of lettuce, cress, &c. , may be made. The best summer sorts of 

 lettuce are those of the drumhead class, which comprises many good 

 varieties. The chief properties of good lettuce are crispness and sweet- 

 ness. To develop these qualities, rapid growth and very rich soil are neces- 

 sary. For lettuce, indeed, as for celery, the soil cannot be too rich. 



Celery Plant out, and earth up earlier lots to secure tender, crispstems. 



Radish and Parsnips. They may be sown together, and fair crops of 

 radish may be got by thinning before the parsnips require the land. 



Asparagus. Where water can be given, cutting may go on till 

 Christmas ; although, November very generally sees the end of this 

 delicious vegetable. 



Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Melons. They may be planted. Creeping and 

 climbing plants all require watering. Where plants are not making strong 

 growth, fewer shoots should be allowed and fewer fruits produced. Water 

 melons should not have as many shoots as rock melons. A water-melon 

 plant with eight shoots, each carrying one fruit in the first instance, is 

 about a useful arrangement. Where cucumbers can be trained upon banks 

 of loose stuff they fruit their very best. 



FRUIT GARDEN 



Summer Pruning. Careful thinning of fruit trees is lalx>ur well 

 bestowed. We can get quite as much weight of crop in smaller numbers 

 of larger size, and much finer quality than when trees are crowded with 

 small, woody specimens. We can also save the trees from a heavy strain 

 of seed bearing, and much heavy pruning in winter by thinning out badly- 

 placed and over-bearing shoots at this time. 



Grafting. In the late districts, orange grafting is in season. Both 

 buds and grafts that have taken require attention, by loosening the 

 bandages and making grafts secure against heavy winds. 



How Much Fruit on a Tree ? There is an ordinary calculation by 

 fruit-growers who aim at making produce of the highest quality. It is to 

 thin out until about six inches of space is allowed to each fruit on the tree. 

 This rule applies with good effect to apples, apricots, peaches and oranges. 

 Of course, observation, experience, and practice are all required to be able 

 to work out the system effectively. 



Spraying. Aphis may become bad as warm weather is felt on the 

 early peaches and plums. They must be checked at once, or there will be 

 serious trouble. Soda, resin, petroleum, kerosene, soft soap, and other 

 sprays, are effective preventatives against the increase of these destructive 

 pests. 



