CALENDAR FOR UP-COUXTRY 657 



September. Average rainfall 5*03 in. Weather still dry. All crops 

 fall off. Seeds should be collected, and land worked up for planting again. 

 Nurseries should be started. 



October.- Average rainfall I4'6/ in. Second planting season begins 

 with the North-east monsoon rains, which are now more or less general 

 throughout the Island. All kinds of crops may be now started, and fruit 

 trees also planted. 



November. Average rainfall 12*38 in. Planting may be continued. 

 The best month for planting tomatoes and gourds in the low-country. 



December. -Average rainfall 6'03 in. General vegetable produce 

 begins to come in, also annual flowers. Weather generally cool. 



CALENDAR FOR UP-COUNTRY. 

 [TAKING HAKGALA GARDENS AS A STANDARD,] 



[Elevation 5,500 feet ; average rainfall 90'86 inches on 203 days ; average 

 mean temperature 62 D Fah. ] 



By the late J. K. NOCK,* Curator, Hakgala Gardens. 



January. Weather wet, with foggy mornings; latter half of the month 

 often fine. Average rainfall 8'22 inches on 1 6 days. Mean temp. 58 deg. Fah. 

 The month during which the finishing touches should be given to a garden. 

 Drives, paths, etc., should be attended to. All general planting should be 

 finished early in the month. Fork up frequently the surface of the ground 

 around all young plants; afford mulching with leaf mould or well-rotted 

 cattle manure ; a top dressing of artificial manures mixed with fine soil should 

 be given when possible. Liquid manure may be applied to pot-plants once a 

 week, especially to flowering kinds. Phloxes, Verbenas, Petunias, etc., need 

 pegging down as their growth advances. Remove superfluous buds from 

 roses if fine blooms are required. Afford protection to tender plants against 

 frost (as stated for December) during the nights of this and the next two 

 months. Vegetable seeds of all kinds may be sown for- keeping up a 

 succession. 



February. Weather dry, with cold nights and mornings, and hot bright 

 days. Average rainfall 3*05 in. on 9 days. Mean temp. 60 deg. Fah. Much 

 watering is usually necessary. Liquid manure may with benefit be applied 

 to bed and border plants. Supply vacancies where necessary. Weed and 

 point over beds and borders frequently. Stake plants needing supports, e.g., 

 Carnations, Antirrhinums, etc. Collect cattle dung for potting work, and cut 

 and stack turf-clods ; the latter should be placed grass-side down, with 

 manure between each layer. Pot on flowering plants. Remove fruit cap- 

 sules from rose bushes. Place clean straw under the Strawberries before 

 they begin to ripen. Vegetables of all kinds, especially those of the cabbage 

 tribe, may now be sown. 



March. Weather dry. Average rainfall 4*54 on 9 days. Mean 

 temp. 62 deg. This should be the brightest month in the flower garden up- 

 country. Routine work as last month, collect seeds as they ripen. If a 



c See preface. 



