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EDITORIAL. 
Wet, wet, wet. The atmosphere during 
the last two months seems to have 
become surcharged with moisture, The 
sun has made a number of futile efforts 
to dry up the sky, but no sooner does a 
little hope come with the sunshine than * 
the clouds obtain the mastery and dull 
dismal drizzling days follow each other in 
The total fall of 
rain, however, is not so large as in 1908 
up to date. The reason is that while 
there have been more rainy days, there 
have been 
downpours. 
vexatious succession. 
but few storms and heavy 
The hills complain of too 
much wet so continuously because they 
cannot get ahead with their preparations 
for spring, and every week makes a 
-difference to them. Those who pray are 
‘quite devotional in their hope for fine 
weather, and those who swear are none 
the less strong in their desires, but the 
two kinds of character have a different 
method of expressing their hopes and 
‘desires. The farmers and graziers, how- 
ever, are just sitting around smiling in 
smug satisfaction at the way the season 
is progressing. 
Y eau 
We have mentioned it before, but 
would reiterate the fact that fruit and 
vegetable gardeners do not pay sufficient 
“attention to drainage. It seems in some 
‘cases to be a lot of labor to make big 
‘drains. but it pays all the time. The 
-orchardist who puts his labor into the 
making of a necessary drain will save. it 
-over and over again in the working of his 
land and in the results of his crops. 
Badly drained land that will throw only 
one crop in the year, can be made to 
double its output under a proper system 
-of drainage by carrying two crops, In 
fact the land can be tmade to grow” stuff ~ 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
August 2, 1909 
all through the year by a carefully 
arranged rotation and fertilising. 
fie Steet 
In the article on vegetable garden 
operations for the month the author 
gives some good advice upon the work of 
trenching ground when preparing for 
planting. We might add to his remarks 
that trenching may be a garden laborer’s 
job, -but few things will hamper the 
grower more than badly trenched ground. 
The man who pitches a clayey subsoil up 
on top and the loam underneath will 
never be forgiven by the man who has to 
work the ground afterwards. Trenching 
wants brains as well as muscle, and many 
a good piece of land has been spoiled 
through lack of brains in the first process 
of preparation. 
if ec? 
Potatoes will be dear next year, so they 
say. Certainly if the rumors about the 
Irish blight having appeared in certain 
potato districts be true there is no doubt 
the mighty tuber will be more scarce 
than housewives care to think about, 
There is probably no article of diet more 
geverally used by the Britisher than the 
Potato, and anything in the way of 
disease appearing will make a big 
difference to his dinner table. 
Tiaiaka,: ta, aa 
This month is a busy one for the 
orchardist. Well, for that matter, what 
month in the caleudar is not for the. 
carefal man. The only difference in 
each month is that some are more busy 
than others. August brings more work 
than July, anyhow. What with manu- 
ring, grafting, budding, spraying, and 
general preparations for the growing 
strength of the sun, which starts all the 
latent energies of life into activity. the 
orchardist has not too much leisure. He. 
cannot forget that what is good growing’ 
weather for his trees is equally good for 
weeds and vests, and a battle royal is. 
coming along fast between those things 
that are profitable and those that are 
not. ’ 
An interesting article “appears this 
month upon Strawberry culture. 
Few, 
products ‘are more profitable than straw- 
berries when grown in virgin soil and in 
favored localities, and, as the writer 
points out, they are great aids as runners 
up to newly planted orchards. 
PBigy Likiy - UPewens 
In the timely article on dairying there 
is one point that we would emphasize. 
That is the care of cows when dried off. 
Most dairymen look upon this period as 
an unprofitable one, and consequently 
allow their cows to get down in condition 
through neglect. Such treatment is a 
great mistake, because the.cow requires 
to be kept up in condition by careful 
feeding just as much then as when she is 
in full milk. Without -proper and 
sufficient food there is a great wasting of 
condition which has to be made. good 
when she is coming in. This.making up 
requires an undue amount.of energy, and 
the forcing business is too great a tax 
on the constitution and does not pay 
either in immediate output both on the 
part of the man and his beast. In 
successful dairying system is everything. 
This is the dull season for flower gar- 
dening, although the man who knows his 
business can keep his beauties going now 
just as well as at any other time in the 
year, though, maybe, there is not the 
brilliance of colors now as during the 
spring and summer. Brilliance, however 
is not looked for during the winter 
months, and the lovely perfumes of the 
jonquils, and violets,’ makes up fora lack 
in other respects. _ Then her sister blooms 
of lovely daffodils and tulips account for 
all the rest of what might be wished 
for. Pansies, too. are blooming, and 
What more can one want than the bright 
cheerful cvloring of these beautiful 
flowers.- ee 
Preparations are now to be made for 
the bright 1 ‘sunshine with such gay things” * 
as Asters, Zinnias, and Sunflowers. ~Zin- 
nias are coming into vogue and very. fine 
blooms can, be: had of them. The hotter 
the sun, the. better. they seem .to like 
1t. In fact, ona ‘scorching summer day 
it is quite refreshing to look at a bed of 
Zinnias enjoying the fierce rays of “the 
sun, Prt) et 4 ie ohs abd mi fs os 
