February 1, 1908 
use in suitable districts. 
Onion.—A little seed may be sown, but 
unless the seedlings are kept free from 
weeds when they come up, they are likely 
to be smothered. Seedlings can be raised 
in seed-bed and afterwards transplanted 
when they are strong enough... This is a 
good method to adopt, and will save a 
good deal of trouble In early seeding, 
although the transplanting takes some 
little time to carry out. : 
GARLIC. ; 
Parsley.—A little seed may be sown. 
Potato.—A few rows may be planted, 
taking all possible trouble to select good 
seed, free from any signs of disease such 
as moth, sometimes known as ‘potato 
fly, eel worm, and scab. Discard all 
potatoes that are in any way defective, 
Use whole potatces for seed of medium 
size, If it is necessary to cut potatoes 
into sets, select the largest potatoes for 
the purpose, making use of those of tho 
most perfect shape. Plant in rows about 
3 feet apart laying the potatoes 1 foot 
apart in the rows. Ths drills should be 
5 to 6 inches in depth. 
Pumpkins.—Seed may be sown if re- 
quired, but by this time plants should be 
growing and bearing well so that further 
sowing may be unnecessary. 
EARLY SCARLET WHILETIPPED TURNIP 
RADISH. 
Radish.—Sow a little seed. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
i D 
be bearing ears sufficiently advanced for~ 
Spinach.—A little seed may be sown 
from time to time. This vegetable de- 
serves to be grown, being useful for a 
change from those vegetables most com- 
monly used. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET BEET. 
Tomato. — According to Dr. Gordon 
Stables, R.N., “The tomato if just ripe 
and not too ripe is perhaps the most 
health-giving food in the kingdom,” 
Therefore, taking this into consideration, 
no one could go wrong in planting and 
using this vegetable extensively. A few 
seeds may be sown and seedlings planted 
out in order to keep a supply of fruit 
going as long as possible. Train to one 
stem, as such system of training is the 
very best to carry out. Nothing is more 
offensive than a mass of rotting tomatoes 
in a garden where the plants have not 
been trained in any way, and probably 
nothing is more likely to increase tomato 
diseases. There is but little trouble in 
training tomato plants as they should be 
trained. Stakes must be provided, and 
as the plants grow they must be tied to 
the stakes, removing all side shoots as 
soon after they appear as possible. The 
leaves will spread out well, giving a quite 
handsome appearance to the plants, and 
fruit will grow in quantity along the 
stems, 
Turnip.—Sow a little seed in drills 
from timg to time. 
‘UMMERCIAL AND OLWAMEN- 
VAL PRINTING of every descrip- 
tion in first-class style, on the shortest 
notice, and at cheapest rates, at the 
“ Australian Gardener” Office, corsor of 
‘Pirie and Wyatt streets. 
5 
To Correspondents. 
H.B.—If the trees are in good growing 
condition, fumigating or spraying may be 
safely carried on this month, but where 
orange or lemon trees are suffering from 
the effects of want of moisture, they must 
not be treated on any consideration, as 
either spraying or fumigating would under 
such conditions be harmful to the trees. 
The lower the temperature the better will 
the trees stand either of these processes ; 
therefore never treat treos on a hot day; 
in fact, during this month fumigating 
gives the best results if carried on at night. 
When it is found necessary, trees may be 
sprayed with Bordeaux mixture after 
fumigating, but under no circumstances 
must a tree be fumigated after it is 
sprayed with-that mixture, 
“Darryman” asks for information 
about cow peas, Our answer is to go 
to a reliable seed merchant and he will 
tell you that they grow in summer under 
irrigation. But he may not know what 
Mr Grantham, of Missouri, remarked 
a report. He said that as much forage can 
be produced from this crop in 80 days as 
red clover will yield in 16 months. 
“ Durcuy” wishes to know whether it 
is right to take up bulbs every year. It 
depends a good deal upon what you do 
with them and the ground you take them 
from. Most bulb growers take them up 
every second or third year. Some people 
neyer take them up and succeed in getting 
good flowers for years. 
“H.”"—The name of the flower is 
Agapanthus. These bulbs are growing 
in favor for summer gardening. They are 
very beautiful and the separate flowers of 
the crown make nice buttonholes with a 
little fern. They come from the Cape. 
ASPARAGUS.” —NO, it is not a fern at 
all, although many people ignorantly talk 
about asparagus ferns. It is one of the 
same family as the common eatable 
asparagus that you see in little bundles 
in shop windows. - 
“VERANDAH Por.”—The large foliage 
leaves often seen on verandah’s described 
in your question are evidently Aspidistra. 
Very easily grown. Borrow a single root 
from.a friend, put in a pot andin a very 
short time you you will be able to return 
it with interest and have plenty for 
yourself. 
To Destroy Rats.—A correspondent 
writes :—Take slacked lime and alum and 
put the mixture under or on the benches, 
around poultry yards or greenhouses, and 
you will get rid of all rats. I had them 
so bad that they destroyed my ger- 
aniums and carnations, The rat is very 
fond of water, and when it goes along on 
this preparation it gets its claws full, rubs 
its nose, then runs for water; and as soon 
as it gets water the animal is destroyed. 
For ants and slugs, the mixture cannot 
be beaten by anything on the market, I 
have nine green-houses, and have not 
lug or ant in the place. 
