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Dunstan Times, Issue 242, 14 December 1866, Page 2

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Kitchen Garden.—How unlike the same month in the Heme Country ! We have abundance of green Peas, new Potatoes, and Strawberries, and are enjoying the perfume of the Pose, the Honeysuckle and the . v weet l riar. This is a busy month in the garden : vegetables are growing vigorously, root crops require thinning Peas and Beans staking, and, above all, weeding; and hoeing has to be attended to. Teas, sow; also' French Beans and Runners, Turnip, Early I lorn Carrot, Lettuce, and adish. Early varieties of the otato may still be planted. A slight top dressing of stable manure mixed with sand will benefit Onion and Leek beds if the growth are at all backward ; and in the event of dry weather, water with weak guano or manure water. Celery will be improved by the same treatment. Fhuit Garhen.—The little Cherry-eat-ing birds are busy nibbling the fruit as it begins to color. e would like to-knov how to protect our trees from the depredations of these pretty little intruders : they are so small that the nets used to protect berries in Britain are of no use here. Trained trees now require tying or nailing 81 ght frosts, which occasionally occur this month, are apt to blister the leaves of I each and Nectarine trees. A temporary topping of scrub, to project about a foot over the top of the wall orVence on which they are trained, will protect them. I inch the tops off the strongest growing shouts of young fruit trees, to equalise the grojßM and induce :i bushy habit. suckers as they make their appearance boiow grafts lately put on, and pinch the tops oil" their main shoots when they have pushed two or three inches. '1 his will encourage the growth of lateral shoots, and in some measure prevent them from being injured by wind. Flower Garden.—Fee that Tahiias, and Hollyhocks are well secured to stakes and encourage growth by frequent %vaterings with liquid manure. Lilies, I hloxcs, &c, will require stakes; and Verbenas, Petuncas, and other trailing plants, pegging down. Stake Sweet Teas, Canary Creeper, and Convolvulus Major. See that annuals are not too thick, and let all thinning be done whilst the plants are young. Young Fuchsias now making rapid growth should bo encouraged by shifting into larger sized pots, and watering twico a-week with weak guano-water;

DUNSTAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL. The meeting adjourned from the sth inst., ■was held at the Municipal Council Chambers on Tuesday evening the 10th. Present, Messrs Gocdwin, Marshall, Cambridge, M'Conn ichie, Grindley, Barlow, Robinson, and Clarke (Treasurer). Mr M'Connochio occupied the ’ chair. Three Tenders for Bfead were 'opened—Sir Wm. Beattie, Is Cd the 41b loaf, M* Charles Smith Is 4d do., Mr J. Hastie Is 4d. do. Moved by Mr Barlow and seconded by Mr Cambridge— “ That the successful tender be decided by ballot. ” Carried. Upon the ballot papers being read Mr Hastie’s tender was accepted. Mr Barlow read the'minutes of tie last meeting. Mr Clarke, Treasurer, explained, at some length, the reason of his not attending former meetings, and of his not preparing and laying before the Committee at their monthly meetings the usual financial statement, fbr tthich neglect and omission the vote of censure was passed on him at the last meeting. He stated that the act of the Committee was unjust and exceedingly uncourteous, that 'iH 'health had precluded hit attendance, and as regarded the monthly finacial statement he was not aware it was required, the must say, he had not lost Bight of the ■terly Statement. He read from the Cash t a statement that shewed a defect of L 76. r Robinson said that he had considered the absence of the Treasurer, to say the least, strange ; but after the explanation given by the Treasurer he would move the rescinding of the vote of censure, the which, had the like expjanation been given at the last meeting, would not have been passed. Moved by Mr Robinsop—That the explanation of Mr Clarkg, the Treasurer, be received, be considered satisfactory, and that the vote of censure be rescinded. ” Seconded by Mr. Cambridge and carried.

Mr Clarke expressed his pleasure at the manner in which his explanation had been received. With the customary acknowledgement to the Chair the meeting closed.