! 
‘dampen them. 
‘Stowths appear, which is uulikely, rub 
March, 1910, 
Raising Herbs. 
The best.way to raise a stock of herbs 
‘—such as sage, thyme and marjoram—is 
to procure a few plants and propagate 
‘them by divisions or cuttings. Seeds of 
‘several herbs, including those mentioned, 
are procurable from Adelaide seedsmen 
‘and may be;raised with little trouble, but 
‘are some time coming to maturity. They 
Would require careful culture during the 
firat season. Old plants may be divided 
‘during autumn and planted in rows to 
‘admit of horse or wheel hoe cultivation if 
‘@ quantity is required. The land should 
be well drained and well worked and 
Manured before planting. A moist but 
‘sweet situation is most suitable. 
‘Growing: Topless Potatoes. 
‘One gardener near London has for 
Yedrs grown. Potatoes without tops, the 
‘tubers being cultivated in a cellar. The 
‘eulttire is simple enough. Tubers of the 
‘present season’s harvest, if kept cool and 
‘in the light will not break into growth 
Very goon. When they do the shoots 
Should be rubbed out and, as fast as they 
are reproduced, they must be removed. 
Place in a dark cellar on the surface of 
‘Some light soil or fibre and slightly 
If any further leaf 
them out. As a last resource the old 
tubers will commence to produce tubers 
Which swell fairly rapidly. Often these 
‘tubers are produced inside the old ones 
‘and are not visible till the new one bursts 
through, but the majority are formed 
Upon strings issuing from the eyes of the 
old tubers. 
T.A.W., in ‘ Florist’s Exchange.’ 
The Best Way to Dispose of 
Garden Rubbish. 
The burning of garden rubbish is the 
best plan both for the sake of tidiness 
4nd economy, the ashes forming a valu- 
able plant food. The method of digging 
the rubbish into the ground is not to be 
Tecommended untess trenching is being 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
carried ont, when the rubbish may be 
placed in the bottom of the trench. No 
wood or prunings should be buried, as 
these are liable to start the growth of an 
injurious fungus. Finely sifted ashes 
from the smother fire are used with 
advantage for covering the seed of 
Carrots, Onions, and other plants. After 
sowing the seed cover with a layer of the 
ashes before filling in the drills with a 
rake. Dry ashes are best for this purpose 
and a quantity should be’ sifted and 
placed under cover. Heavy soils which 
have been dug in the autumn are much 
improved by the ashes being forked into - 
the surface when preparing them for 
sowing or planting in spring. For the 
fruit quarter these ashes may also be used 
with most benefizial results. In all cases 
where a fire can be made, burn the 
rubbish and return the ashes to the soil. 
Giant Mexican Summer 
Spinach. 
Prof. R. de Noter, of Bondy, France, is 
introducing this novelty after having had 
it under his observation for three years, 
and it is considered by him as a plant of 
extraordinary value, from a fourfold 
point of view. namely: 1, as a vegetable 
and fodder; 2, for its seed; 3, for the 
manufacture of paper; and 4, for the 
extraction of cellulose, says the ‘ Revue 
de l’ Horticulture Belge.’ 
1. As a vegetable it has found favor 
with all who have tested it, and who pro- 
nounce it to be superior to garden 
Spinach, being finer and more pronounced 
in flavor. It does not run into seed. The 
abundant pickings of the leaves may be 
also used as fodder for sheep, which eat it 
greedily. Being rich in vegetable iron, 
it provides excellent nourishment for 
delicate and anwmic stomachs, It thrives 
even in places where ordinary Spinach 
rlins into seed, and grows to a height of 
about 8 ft. ; its thick leaves are 12 in. by 
14 in. 
2. The food value of its seed is ‘also 
considerable. Chemical analysis has 
shown that the seed is richer in the 
nutritive organic elements than wheat, 
17 
rice, oats, or corn, and more easily diges- 
tible on account of its large percentage of 
protein. A most promising addition to 
man’s dietary, it may also be used for 
feeding cattle. 
3. The tall, solid, flexible and fibrous 
stems are adapted to the manufacture of 
- paper, 
4. Chemical analysis shows 30 per cent.. 
of cellulose, promising excellent returns 
to the manufacturers of paper and cellu- 
lose. 
The cultivation of this legumivo-cereal 
is easy and the harvesting may be done 
within four months. It requires a well- 
manured soil; the seed should be sown in 
furrows 2 ft. apart, with 12 in. to each 
plant. “t 
The estimated net profit on a hectare 
of land (roughly 24 acres) is estimated to 
be about $260, equally divided between 
the harvest of the fresh leaves, either for 
market or as sheep fodder; 0 the seed 
and of the dry stalks left after the first 
have been gathered. Even if only one- 
half of this sum were netted, it yet would 
exceed the not’ profits of a hectare of 
wheat. 
Melon Talk. | 
Melons are making good progress. The 
fruits of the rock varieties; as they” 
advance in size, should be lifted from off 
the soil and placed’ uvon pieces of slate, 
or bricks, or wood. This prevents any 
earthiness ‘of flavor. and hastens 
ripening. 
Marrows should not be allowed to 
attain any size. The flavor of the fruits 
when small is very superior to that of 
the more matured article; besides, if the 
plant is, permitted to mature its fruits 
there will be no succession of crop. The 
same remark applies to squashes and 
gourds. 
Should mildew attack these plants, no 
time should be lost in dusting the vines 
with flowers of sulphur, 
OMMERCIAL AND ORNAMEN- 
TAL PRINTING of every descrip- 
tion in first-class style, on the shortest 
notice, and at cheapest rates, by the 
“ Australian Gardener’? Printing and 
Publishing Coy., Scrymgour’s Buildings, 
20 Waymonth Street, Adelaide. 
