mpeg. 
_ Answers 10 Correspondents. 
—_— 0: —— 
mea N ei ©B.B.” Wallaroo —We make no extra 
charge for back numbers of the AustRa- 
“LIAN GARDENER. 
<P.G,, Cross Keys. —Rape i isa splendid 
-pasturage for pigs, as they thrive rapidly, 
and do not bloat or scour on it, as sheep 
are likely to do. “To obtain the best 
results give the pigs grain, such as’ peas, 
maize, ‘oats, &e, at the time they are 
being pastured on the rape. 
2 EDITORIAL. 
Dry! Dreadfully diy! dry 
dust, Such is the refrain to all the 
recitals from producers during the month 
of March. ‘There is always a handy topic 
to ring on to, and generally it is the one 
nearest their heart, which means mostly 
ee their pocket, For where their treasure 
-—sig there also is their heart. And little 
_———~—s wonder. It is easier for teachers and 
__phildsophers to tall pretty theories about 
what men should do, and think, and talk 
about, but let the cash returns shrink, 
‘show a prospect of shrinking, ’and 
philosophy counts for little a-ainst 
_ climatic conditionsfor the producer, How- 
ever, it is adverse conditions, whether 
- weather or anything else be the: irritant 
that make the producer resourceful. /t 
least the producer that thinks becomes 
resourceful, If March month be dry he 
has to do something to supply the 
deficiency, and hence we see him 
cultivating, and h.rrowing, and stirring 
that the ‘ blanket’ topsoil will not allow 
the moisture still in t e soil to evaporate 
and thus conserves what is still left for 
the benefit of the root system of his 
trees. 
_ droughty periods rain is the consideration 
most needed. A showerof rain at a 
critical period will save more time, money 
_ toil, and exertion than weeks cf human 
invention to supply the deficiency. And 
_ full crop of disappointments over the lack 
of rain, One gardener remarked to us 
that given fairly good soil, manure, water 
and sunshine and he would undertake to 
grow anykind of vegetation that was ever 
_ known to exist. That is all right; 
_ would not contradict him; but we also 
know the effect of a shower of rain upon 
thirsty soil and leaves that have their 
bre thing apparatus dried up. Before 
going to print we are promised rain and 
when that comes the whole face of nature 
‘have not been keeping their cultivators 
shining through work will be sorry and 
_ trees for planting and leaving everything 
g ready i in good time, 
- — Drainage — 
Inthe noteson vegetable operations this 
month the writer opens with sometimely — 
as” 
or” 
up his orchard generally, for he knows 
There is no doubt, however, that | 
while much can be done to help the trees 
especially young stuff, to pull through the 
so it happens that March has brought a 
we. 
will be changed. Those laggards who — 
sore with disappointment, while the busy — 
ones will be busier still, selecting their — 
‘THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
A ROADSIDE VIEW OF PILE’S PADDOCK, NORTH KENSINGTON. 
remarks upon drainage. We are quite 
satisfied that gardeners are not sufficiently 
seized of the importance of under draining 
the heavy gully soils. Many seem to have 
the impression that if the ground has 
drain pipes put init means that the ground 
will become dry. That is not so. It 
simply means that the ground will dis- 
charge the surplus micistuse which would 
otherwise stagnate and sour the soil. 
These drain’s should be putin before the 
winter rains come on, when the ground 
will soon become bogey and tco difficult 
to work. And the veriest tyro in garden- 
ing knows that trying to work wet ground 
does it more harm than good. 
— Mushrooms, — 
~ Mushroomirg will he a fashionable 
pastime in the early mornings as soon as 
the rain comes. Eyen with tie little 
shower that came the other night there 
were soine of the alert ones out with 
baskets, and were uot altogether dis- 
appointed. But why. wait for the rain ? 
Mushroom culture is very interesting, 
yes, and very profitable. Now is the 
time to commence operations, and the 
article on the method of cultivation deels 
with the business, 
—- Oranges, — 
Growing oranges is not the easiest 
thing in the world, althouszh some worthy 
people seem to think that. ‘they hare only 
to putatree in the ground and it will 
grow fruit withont much further atten- 
tion. If the fruit dces not come like 
magic they think the game is not worth 
going on with and pronounce it a failure, 
like everything else such people take in 
hand. Amonyst other things to be done 
we would craw the attention of our 
readers to the article dealing with leep-— 
ing the trees clean, ‘The fungus disease 
known as ¢ black spot’ is one of the worst 
known amongst the orange groves, and 
the writer gives all instructions how to 
deal wath it,” : 
been known as Pile’s Paddock, being one 
ft as. a public recreation park. 
for building purposes the chances 0 
securing it for the en are 
April 1, 1909 
— Dairying. — 
‘Choosing cows snitable to the condi- 
tions on the farm is more important than 
most haphazard Luyers seem to think. 
The class of feed that suits some breeds 
is no nse to others, and so many other 
conditions that ge to make up a success- 
ful dairy. These things seem to be oyer- — 
looked, and everywhere is to be seen 
mixed herds all expected to thrive pales) 
well under the same conditions. A short — 
extract of good advice upon the su! ject 
is given in this issne. 
— Flowers, — 
Not the least interesting articles in 
this issue are those dealing with the ‘care 
of young reses, aud the description of © 
annuals and _ perennials—Lobelias, for 
instance. What prettier little flower in 
whole realm of beauty can be found than 
the modest Lobelia when sct out daintily 
ns a border. The rich blue catches the — 
eye at cuce. Blue flowers are so com- 
paratively rare in garding that it strikes 
the thorcugh garderer as being somewhat 
strange that they are not more cultivated. 
— A Roadside Scene.— © 
A pretty little scene is reproduced in 
this issue from a photograph taken by 
Mr. John Bannigan. It is a suburban 
road to Adelaide which, by the fine gum- 
tree in the foreground, gives the appear 
ance of a pretty country scene ‘This 
runs alongside what has for many years 
Ay 
of the few remeining \locks of land 
belonging to a large estate owned by on 
of the pioneer families of the State. This 
fine block is near the preseat terminus 0 
electric tramwzy system to Kensington 
and some attempts were made to secur 
The 
negotiations, however, came to n thing, 
and with the present rise in land values 
fas 
receding. “ 
