THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



159 



Garden Notes for May* 



By W. J. Bell, 



KlTCIlKiN (iARDEN.— Where water is 

 available small sowings can still be 

 made oi' liadisli, Turnip, Beet, Carrot, 

 Parsnip, Lettuce, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, 

 Marjoram, and other pot herbs. 



Peas may be sown towards the end of 

 the month for early spring cropping, 

 where the frost is not too severe. 



Earth up Celery and Broad Beans. The 

 tops of tlie ktter should be pinched off 

 so soon as the lower pods begin to set. 



Late planted Cabbage and Cauliflower 

 will be much benefited by abundant 

 watering and occasional applications of 

 liquid manure at the roots. In the case 

 of Cauliflower planted late it is a very 

 good plan to plant them in trenches, with 

 a good layer of rotten dung underneath; 

 the same as for Celery. 



Elower Garden. - — Many varieties of 

 hardy annuals and perennials should be 

 sown now for winter and spring flowerin?, 

 such as Larkspur, Candytuft, Petunia, 

 Phlox Drummondii, Sweet Alyssum, 

 Primrose, Polyanthus, Cowslip, Poppy, 

 Salpiglossis, Stocks, Calendulas, Gail'l- 

 ardia, Sweet William, Pansy, Daisy, Car- 

 nation, Dianthus, Pentstemon, Mig- 

 nonette, Cornflower, Antirrhinum. In 

 the colder districts of the Colony, 

 where night frosts are severe, spring 

 would be the best time for sowing 

 these, except where very sheltered 

 places can be found, when a trial 

 of some of the hardiest varieties might 

 be made if they can be watered regularly. 



The most hardy are Sweet Alyssum, 

 Candytuft, Petunia, Calendula, Nicotiana 

 affinis, Daisy, Cowslip, Primrose, 

 Polyanthus and Pansy. The last four 

 should be sown in boxes and transplanted. 

 "Watering in the winter should always be 

 done in the morning, and never later than 

 mid-day. 



May and June are the two best months 

 for sowing tree seeds such as the various 

 varieties of Pines and Cypresses, Cedars, 

 Casuarinas, Eucalpyti, etc. "The follow- 

 ing is a good selection of coniferous trees 

 suitable for South Africa : — Pinus In- 

 signis, i'. Uanariensis, f. I'lnaster, f. 



Florist and Seedsman. 



iJalapensis, Cupressus Sempervirens, 

 varieties horizontalis and pyramidalis, C. 

 jVIaci'ocarpa, C. Lusitanica, C. Goveniana, 

 C. McNabiana, C. Funebris, C. Knight- 

 iana, Cryptomeria Japonica (Japan 

 Cedar), Juniperus Bermudiana (Bermuda 

 Cedar), Juniperus Virginiana (Virginia 

 Cedar), Cedrus Deodara (Indian Cedar), 

 Casuarina Quadrivalvis, C. Stricta, C. 

 Tennissinui, Thuja, Orientalis. 



Where only a small quantity of seeds 

 are being sown, shallow boxes should be 

 used. See that they are well drained by 

 luiving holes at the bottom, and a layer 

 of broken brick or stone before putting 

 in sandy soil. Fill the boxes within a 

 few inches of the top with light, rich 

 saufly soil. Sow the various sorts of 

 Pinus about a quarter of an inch apart, 

 and cover with half an inch of soil. Small 

 seeds, sueli as Cupresses, Casuarina, Cal- 

 litris, Cedrus, Thuja, Cryptomeria, and 

 (lum, should be sown thinly, and covered 

 with about a quarter of an inch of finely, 

 sifted soil. After sowing, press the soil 

 firmly down, and water with a fine rose. 

 The various kinds of Acacia seeds require 

 steeping in nearly boiling water before 

 sowing. Place the boxes on stones or 

 bricks, taking care to have them level,, 

 and in a shady place. After sowing do 

 not allow the seeds ever to want water, 

 even for a single day, or much harm will 

 probably be done. If the seed is sown in 

 the open ground, the beds must be formed 

 with the same sort of soil as is recom- 

 mended for the boxes. They should also 

 be shaded with grass or straw, the same, 

 as flower seeds. 



Dur'pff last September alone 600 OCO cases of 

 eggs, of thirty dozen each, were taken into cold 

 storage at the Chicago Stockyaiv^s. Two of the 

 liirsest firms have now in stock about 216,000,000 

 fees, which they purchased at prices 

 tanging from 4d. to Gd. per dozen. Another 

 method of preserving which the Chicago packers 

 are adopting on a large scale is the freezing of 

 eggs in bulk. In Ibis case Ihe eggs are broken 

 and emptied into 501b. cans, which are intended 

 mainly for use in pastry making. [And yet an 

 egg-expert witness at a recent law case in Dur- 

 ban averred he had never heard of cold storage 

 for eggs.] 



