May 1, 1907 
now is the time to sow all sorts of hardy 
annuals Itisa good time also to sow 
beinnials and perennials, those plants 
which will live for two years or more, and 
those which live for many yoars. The 
annuals, as a rule, live for one season 
only. They grow, produce their flowers, 
ripen their seeds, and then die away 
This is a good time of the year to plant 
evergreens of all kinds, and also for the 
propogating of plants from cuttings, and 
those who desire to increase their stock of 
roses from cuttings should take advantage 
of the best month of the year for this 
purpose. 
Roses, dahlias, chrysanthemums of early 
varieties, carnations of the peapetual or 
tree varieties, bouvardias,and many other - 
plants should be flowering splendidly 
this month. el 
Flower Garden. 
Roses and chrysanthemums. grown from 
specially fine flowers, will require to he 
watered and fed with Jiquid manure, and 
the flower buds or shoots thinned. Fre- 
quent reference is made in these aotes to 
the above plants, chiefly because they are 
the most popular among florists’ flowers, 
thrive in most parts of the State, and are 
generally catered for at Horticultural 
Shows. The result of the treatment ac- 
corded them should also be -an object 
lesson in special culture in any branch of 
agriculture or horticulture One of the 
most important matters is the feeding of 
such plants with liquid manure. Such an 
application is without doubt the most 
rompt and economical method possible. 
‘The plant food is applied to the roots of 
the plants in the only form that they can 
absorb it quickly, it spreads evenly to all 
parts of the root system, and in the 
preparateon the various ferments that are 
needed to make it available at once occur. 
In some cases highly concentrated prepar- 
ations are diosolved and applied at once 
to the planis. In others animal m inures 
are employed, and although less pleasant 
in the preparation and applicition, are 
much cheaper and generally more effec’ ive 
than the chemical manures. Fresh ia- 
nure should be nsed, dry old horse or cow 
manure being valuless. Cow manure is 
generally advised, chiefly because it is the 
Teast harmful, but it is not nearly as 
valuable for the purpose as fresh horse 
manure. Drainage from stables and cow 
sheds ismcre valurble than either, but 
must be aliowed to stand for a fortnight 
at least, and be highly diluted before 
being used Liquid manures should be 
used very carefully, beginning with weak 
solutions and gradully increasing their 
strength Occasionly an application of 
clear water is necessary. Soot, fowl 
manure, blood manure, and guanv, are all 
valuable for making liquid manure, but, 
excepting soot, are liable to “burn » the 
roots unless used very carefully. All 
- reduced to one or two. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
UU EEEIEESSEEe ee 
animal manures used in liquid form should 
be allowed to stand several days after 
“ mixing ” before being used The usual 
plan isto place the manure in a sack and 
suspend it in a tub or other vessel, dilut- 
ing the resulting liquid before application 
About 30.lbs. of horse manure soaked in 
30 gallons of water will, after standing 
> fora week, produce liquid ready to dilute 
at rate of 1 part to 20 clean water. 
Chrysanthemums should be -fairly for- 
ward and should be securely tied as need 
arises Dahlias will need to-be thinned 
in their growth and flower buds. An; 
lateral shoots that occur on the selected 
~ shoots should be rentoved to within’.a foot 
of the surface The lower shoots may be 
allowed to grow and will produce fair 
bloonis later on. 
Roses started into growth should be 
‘kept growing steadily : The -plants: “will 
be benefited by the epplication of liquid 
manure once a week Where a numbor 
of weakly shoots occur they should be 
On-the first ap 
pearance of mildew the plants should be 
“ dusted ” with flowers of sulphur, choos- 
ing early morning while the dew is on 
the plants for the application. 
Carnation Inyers should be ready for 
removal from the plants, and may be 
plantei outin their flowering quarters, 
or rowed out, to plant later. They should 
be attended to in regard to watering and 
cultivation should the weather be warm. 
Seeds of hardy annuals, biennials, aud 
various perennials, may be sworn, and 
herbaceous plants divided and replanted. 
Seedlings pansies, Iceland poppies, and 
other plants raised earlier may be planted 
where it is intended they should bloom. 
NOTES ON SPRAYING 
Mr. J. L. Phillips, Virginia State Crop 
Pest Commission, gives the following in- 
teresting notes on lime and sulphure- wash 
He says that the uncooked lime, salt, and_ 
sulphure wash, recommended by some of 
the American experts. where the heat 
generated by the lime was utilised to mix 
¢he other ingredients, has proved very 
unreliable. He advocates making this 
without the salt, particularly when used 
for Sun Jose scale and using only sulphur 
anl lime. He gives the following formula 
and directions : — : 
Lime-sulphur Wash—Secure an iron 
kettle that will hold about 25 gallons, 
place over the fire, and put four or five 
gallons of water in it. When the water 
gets warn, add 16 Ib. of good unslacked 
Time; as soon as slacking begins, add 15 
Ib. of sulphur, and stir the mixture, 
Continue to stir briskly, so as to mix the 
sulphur well with the lime, and add 
boiling water as needed, so as to bring the 
mass into a thick paste. Stir well while 
in this condition and smash all lumps; 
_ then add enough'water to make fifteen or 
eighteen gallons. If the sulphur is lumpy, . 
spread it on a floor and mash it with a 
5 
Shovel, or make into a pasty mass in the 
kettle, before adding the lime, Boil the 
mixturé vigorously for forty minutes, and 
then strain into the spray barrel with 
enough water to make-50 gallons. The 
better cooked the more effective the wash. 
Either cold or hot water can be used in 
diluting the mixture after it has finished 
cooking, and itis better to add the spray 
to the water in the barrel than to first 
put the spray mixture in the barrel and 
_add the water. ~ 
~.Ars:nate of Lead Spray for Codling 
Moth,—The growers in several of the 
apple-growing districts of Victoria claim 
that the last year’s experience has proved 
that thereis no spray equal to this for 
destroying codling moth, and that Paris 
green is quite superseded, and even arsnite 
of soda (Kedzi’s Compound), so much 
used in South Australia, will give place to 
this spray. The following are the reasons 
given :—First, it will not wash off the 
fruit and foliage if rain comes svon after 
it has been used: that in Paris green or 
arsenate of soda compounds of lime is 
often of inferior quality, or is spent 
and old before it is used, owing to the 
ignorance of the user, who thinks that 
any kind of lime will do for-spraying ; 
further, that the arsenic of soda com- 
pounds the lime is often of inferior 
quality, or is spent and old before it is 
used, owing to the ignorance of the user, 
who thinks that any kind of lime will do 
for spraying ; further, that the arsenic of 
the spray is apt to burn aud damage the 
foliage; ayain, that the spray, if properly 
made, never logs the pipes or nozzle. 
The formula, as given by Inspector 
Prescott, is as follows :— 
1 1b. white arsenic 
2 lb. carbonate of soda (crystals) 
7 lb. acetate of lead 
360jgallons of water 
The arsnic and soda are boiled for abou & 
half an hour until they are dissolved in 
half a gallon of water. The acetate of 
lead should be-dissolved in one gallon of 
warm water. When cold, the arsenie- 
soda blend is gradually stirred into the 
acetate of lead mixture uatil thoy are all 
thoroughiy combined, This stock of 1% 
gallons will yive twelve pints, which can 
pe bottled and securely corked: and each 
bottle will suffice for thirty gallons of 
water. The stock in bottles will keep, 
and can be stored away for any length of 
time. 
~ Printing. 
CNA AND ORNAMEN- 
JAL PRINTING of every descrip- 
tion in first-class style and on shortest 
notice, at the ‘“ Australian Gardener ”’ 
Office, corner of Pirie and Wyatt streets. 
Subscription to “ Australian Gardener”’ 
ig 3s. 6d. per annum, post free to any 
address in the Commonwealth. 
