1 Ocr., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 299 
Farm and Garden Notes for November. 
Why do so few farmers grow their own vegetables? ‘This is a question 
that is frequently asked by visitors to the farming districts. The reason, 
probably, is that vegetables require a good deal of care and attention, which 
mean also a good deal of time taken from the ordinary farm work. In many 
cases it pays the farmer better to buy many kinds of vegetables than to grow 
them for himself. The only vegetables grown on many fine farms are cabbages 
and pumpkins, not to class potatoes under that head. Many people have an 
idea that European vegetables cannot be grown during the hot summer months, 
but this is a great fallacy. The Chinese gardeners supply the towns with all 
kinds of vegetables, except perhaps cauliflower, during the whole of the summer. 
It is therefore clear that, by constant work, plenty of manure, water, and some 
shade for seedlings, most vegetables can be produced during the hot months 
from November to March. 
Frenp.—Under ordinarily favourable conditions harvesting the wheat and 
barley crops might have been now begun, but owing to the severe drought it 
seems ironical to suggest to farmers that the wheat harvest should now begin, 
seeing that thousands of acres are lying either unseeded or with the 
ungerminated seed lying rotting in the ground, under the influence of the late 
rains. All that can now be done under these unfortunate circumstances is to 
get the unoccupied land ready for maize. Those who have oats for hay should 
cut it when the grain has formed, but before it is ripe, for then the plant is in 
its most nourishing condition. Destroy caterpillars on tobacco plants, and top 
the latter so as to throw all the strength into the leaves. Keep down the 
weeds, which will now try to make headway; earth up any growing crops 
requiring the operation; sow maize, imphee, setaria, Kafir corn, teosinte, 
sorghum ; and plant sweet potatoes, yams, earthnuts, ginger. 
Krronen Garpen.—If{ your ground has been trenched or deeply dug and 
well worked, the advantages will be seen during the coming month. It does 
not pay to work shallow, dry ground. When sowing and planting this month, 
give plenty of room between the rows and the plants, otherwise they will be 
drawn up and worthless, and keep the ground open by constant forking and 
hoeing. ‘Thin out melon and cucumber plants. It is a good plan to peg down 
the vines. They will then not be blown about by the wind; they will take root 
at intervals, and thus help the main stalk. Give plenty of water to tomatoes 
planted out last month. They should also be mulched. Sow cabbage, French 
beans, melons, lettuce, radish, pumpkins, cucumbers, marrows, rosellas, &c., 
and transplant for succession in calm, cloudy weather. 
Frowrer GarpEy.—Stake any dahlias which may now be above ground. 
Plant out the bulbs which were stored in a moist place. If the weaker bulbs 
are reserved, they will come in for autumn planting. Take up all bulbs that 
have done flowering, and store in a dry place. Winter flowering plants will 
have gone off almost; still the garden should be in full bloom and will well 
repay the trouble bestowed on it, and a little fertiliser given as a top dressing 
will assist the plants to bloom and look well for a longer time than if this were 
neglected. Give weak liquid manure to chrysanthemums, and allow no suckers 
to grow till the plants have done flowering. Take up narcissus. Do not store 
them, but plant them at once in new situations. Sow antirrhinum, balsam, 
zinnia, summer asters, summer chrysanthemums, calliopsis, and nemophila. 
