THE 



AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



6t)5 



more phosphates of lime from rotten than 



flZJr\ the putre- 



faction of bones soluble nitrogenous 

 organic compounds and ammoniacai salts 

 a.-e produced from the gelatine contained 

 in the bones. These compounds act 

 powerfully and quickly as fetilising con- 

 stituents, and are indirectly useful in 

 greatly enhancing the solubility of bone 

 phosphates in water. 6. Bonedust kept 

 m a heap for three or four months heats 

 and becomes more efficacious as a manure 

 than bonedust applied to the land fresh 

 trom the mill. 7. High-pressure steam 



renders bones so brittle that they can ba 

 eisily ground into a fine powder, which 

 13 readily assimilated by plants. 8. Bone- 

 meal prepared by high-pressure steam 

 contains not much less nitrogen than 

 ordinary bonedust, and, as a manure, is 

 far more efficacious and valuable than the 

 latter. 9. Placed in a heap, with ashes or 

 sand, and occasionally moistened with 

 liquid manure or water, bone enters into 

 putrefaction, and becomes a much more 

 soluble and energetic miiiure thin ordin- 

 ary bonedust. 



Garden Notes for December^ 



By W. J. Bell, Florist and Seedsman. 



TZITCHEN GARDEN,-The main crop 

 -LX. of cauliflower should be sown without 

 delay, especially the late growing varieties 

 such as Autumn Gianc. This variety re- 

 quires SIX or seven months at least to 

 mature from the time the seed is sown 

 and m some localities they have been 

 known to take several months longer 

 Another sowing of celery may still be 

 made where the first sowings have failed 

 though It is now getting too late for sow- 

 ing this crop, expect for soups, unless a 

 very sheltered spot can be found for sow- 

 ing m the open. Sowing in boxes is pre- 

 ferable, as they can be moved about as 

 required, but should not be placed under 

 the drip of trees. 



Succession sowing should be made of 

 French Beans, Beet, Cabbage, Carrot, 

 Lettuce, Radish, Mustard and Cress 

 Leek, Parsley. ' 



Early varieties of Tomato and Bush 

 Marrow may still be sown except in the 

 colder districts. 



Peas seldom do much good at this time 

 of the year unless they are well staked 

 with rough twiggy sticks. 



Ihin out the growing crops of beet, 

 radish carrots, lettuce, etc., as required. 

 Ihe thinnings of lettuce may be trans- 

 planted into another bed about nine 

 inches apart, and will make good plants 

 to follow after those left in the seed bed 

 ^^'■S^'' vaiieties of leituce 

 should be planted not lees than one foot 



apart, and Webb's Wonderful— one of 

 the largest in cultivation -requires to be 

 planted not less than eighteen inches or 

 two feet apart. 



Beds of beet, radish, turnip and carrot 

 are frequently spoiled by want of thin- 

 ning out, and, to facilitate this oper.ition, 

 sowing in drills is the most convenient. 



Keep all crops free from weeds by con- 

 stant hoeing, and give copious supplies of 

 water in dry weather. When frequent 

 watering is required, mulching with 

 littery manure will be found a great 

 benefit, as it prevents too rapid evapora- 

 tion, and baking and hardening of the 

 surface of the ground, to which some soils 

 are very liable when water is constantly 

 applied in hot weather. 



No seeds should be sown at this time 

 of the year unless they are well shaded 

 immediately afterwards with some kind 

 of light material such as straw, grass, or 

 hay. If fresh cut grass is used it should 

 be free from seed if possible. 



Flower Garden.— Many varieties of 

 tender and half-hardy annuals may be 

 now sown for autumn flowering, includ- 

 >ng Asters, Balsams, Calandrinia, Cen- 

 taurea Margarita, Centaurea Americana, 

 Cosmos, Chrysanthemum tricolor, Gail- 

 lardia Helianthus, Helichrysuni, Marigold, 

 Nasturtium, Phlox, and Zinnia. 



Carnation seed may also be sown now 

 for spring flowering. 



