CALENDAR FOR CP-COUXTRY 659 



bottles. Sweet-peas and Nasturtiums may be sown at once where they are 

 intended to remain. Cuttings of Verbenas, Petunias, etc., should be put in 

 early in the month to be ready for December planting. Supply vacancies in 

 beds and borders. Prune shrubs and trees where necessary. Fork up the soil 

 among shrubberies, burying any decayed refuse. Top-dress or re-pot orchids. 

 Vegetables of all kinds, except potatoes, may be planted out early in the 

 month. 



September. Weather mild and pleasant. Average rainfall 578 in. on 

 18 days. Mean temp. 62 deg. Mulch annuals which have been planted out 

 in June and July, especially those in un-manured beds. Continue supplying 

 vacancies where they occur. Prick out seedlings as they become large 

 enough to handle into boxes or beds under cover. Where the sowings in 

 sheds have been too thick the seedlings must be thinned out, or all the plants 

 will become weak and useless. More sowings should now be made of such 

 seeds as Pansies, Phlox, Dianthus, Nemesia, etc. Keep an eye on young 

 Cinerarias and Stocks for a green caterpillar generally found on the under- 

 side of the leaves, also for green-fly; hand-pick the former, and smoke or 

 syringe with soapy water for the latter. Dahlias should be taken up and 

 stored in a dry place for a six weeks' rest before being re-planted in 

 November. Stock manure. Sow vegetables of all kinds, except potatoes, 

 which would suffer from the rains that may be expected during the next few 

 months. 



October. Weather usually wet in the afternoons with the advent of 

 the North-east monsoon. Average rainfall 1 1 '95 in. on 23 days. Mean 

 temp. 62 deg. One of the most suitable months for general planting. Piant 

 up pockets in banks. Re-pot any plants that need it. Prune back Geraniums, 

 Pelargoniums, etc. ; water sparingly until new growth has commenced, then 

 re-pot. Insert cuttings of all kinds. Put into small-sized pots Cinerarias, 

 tuberous-rooted Begonias, Gloxinias, etc., increasing the size of pots each 

 time of potting. Where annuals are wanted to be in bloom during the 

 "season" (middle of January to end of May), these should be sown in 

 succession from the middle of November to middle of February. Rose 

 bushes here take two months to come into bloom from the time of pruning, so 

 the latter operation should be carried out according to one's requirements. 

 Vegetables as last month. 



November. -Weather wet and dull, often with heavy plumps of rain. 

 Average rainfall 1 1 '29 in. on 21 days. Mean temp. 60 deg. Watch for pests, 

 especially black-grub; the early morning is the best time to catch these. 

 Slugs and insect pests are liable to be troublesome this month. Unslaked 

 lime will destroy them. Green caterpillars are liable to attack Cinerarias and 

 Stocks. The general planting up of beds and borders should be commenced 

 as soon as the seedlings are large enough. Plant out roses, pruning them two 

 or three weeks later. The weather during this and next month is generally 

 suitable for budding and grafting. Put down vegetables of all kinds from 

 now onwards. 



December. Weather often excessively wet and misty. Average rain- 

 fall 12-84 in. on 21 days. Mean temp. 58 deg. Weather conditions are 

 generally against plant-growth, the days being sunless and misty, with an 

 almost continual drizzle and heavy plumps at intervals. " Damping off" and 



