368 TEE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



it began to turn yellow that rust appeared. 

 I obtained two-thirds of a bucketful of 

 good clean seed from the plot. Half of 

 this seed I planted again on June 13th 



this year, and it has grown splendidly. 

 The other half I intend to plant in 

 January next." — (C. B. Lloyd, Hidcote, 

 Highlands, 7th August, 1901). 



Garden Notes for August, 



By W. J. Bell, Florist and Seedsman. 



FULL crops of potatoes should now be 

 planted in the midland districts 

 where frosts are generally over by the 

 middle of the month. 



Further sowings of peas may be made 

 for succession. Also lettuce, radish, 

 turnip, carrot, cabbage, beet, onion. 



As soon as danger from frost is over, 

 sow cucumber, marrow, squash, tomato, 

 sweet and water melons, egg plant, and 

 capsicum. 



Young plants for planting out may be 

 had much earlier by sowing at once in 

 boxes in a framework with a little bottom 

 heat from a hot bed. 



Rhubarb roots should now be planted 

 in. deep rich soil with a south aspect if 

 possible, and thoroughly protected from 

 the hot winds. 



Planting of deciduous fruit trees 

 should be completed this month, such as 

 apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, 

 nectarines, also grape vines. Evergreen 

 fruit trees, stich as loquots, oranges, 

 lemons, guavas, &c., should not be planted 

 till the rains have set in. 



Deciduous fruit trees may now be 

 grafted, and pruning should be com- 

 pleted as early as possible. 



Cuttings for fences may now be put in, 

 such as mulberry, quince, hibiscus, spirea 

 (White May). 



Graftings should be commenced as 

 soon as the eyes or buds begin to 

 swell. Select the grafts from the pre- 

 ceding year's growth, and cut about 5 or 

 6 inches in length, and about the thick- 

 ness of an ordinary lead pencil. 



The cuttings should be as firm and 

 strong as possible, so that they are not too 

 large for the stocks, for although weak 

 cuttings will grow they will not do so 

 well as the stronger ones, neither will 

 they bear so well the dry, hot winds 

 prevalent at this season. 



Prepare the stock by cutting the stem 

 close to the roots, after removing some 



of the surface soil, so that the graft may 

 be inserted as near to the root as possible. 



There are various ways of grafting, but 

 the best and usual method is what is com- 

 monly called whip grafting. 



Hold the scion or graft in the left hand, 

 and take a slice off the end about an inch 

 long, and be careful not to let the knife 

 cut too deep to get into the pith till it 

 gets near the end of the slice ; having 

 made the slice in the manner described, 

 cut a tongue or. slit which should be about 

 a \ inch long, commencing about a J inch 

 below the top of the slice. 



Having got the scion ready, take a slice 

 off the stock the same length as the slice 

 in the scion, make a tongue, or slit, about 

 the same length as that on the scion, be- 

 ginning nearly at the top of the slice, 

 letting the knife slope gradually into the 

 stock. Then insert the tongue of the 

 scion into the tongue of the stock, and 

 tie together with bast, taking care that 

 the inner rind of the graft and stock fit 

 together on one side, and also at the 

 bottom, if possible, as the grafts derive 

 more nourishment from the bottom than 

 the sides. After tying carefully, so as not 

 to misplace the scion, cover with clay, 

 and draw the soil round, so as to exclude 

 sun and air as much as possible. The 

 clay should be prepared by being well 

 worked, so as to free it from lumps and 

 stones, and should have about a third 

 cow-dung mixed with it. 



Flower Garden. — Hardy flower seeds 

 may still be sown as recommended in 

 previous notes, and as soon as danger from 

 frost is over, sow half-hardy and tender 

 annuals and perennials, such as aster, 

 aceroclinium, calandrinia, canna, Cen- 

 taurea-Americana, cobrea scandens, cocks- 

 comb, dahlia, globe amaranthus, helichry- 

 sum, heliotrope, ipomoea, marigold, sen- 

 sitive plant, nasturtium, portulaca, zinnia. 

 Plant summer flowering bulbs, such as 

 liliums, gladiolus, tuberose, pancrateums, 

 amaryllis, etc. 



