WORK FOR THE SEASON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1340, 4 August 1877, Page 18

WORK FOR THE SEASON.

From the beginning of August we date the commencement of Spring, which exhibits closely the changeable characteristics of an English February, especially from the beginning to the middle of the month. One day is warm and pleasant, with a soft, mild, and spring-like • atmosphere ; a second is cold and bracing, with sharp morning frosts ; whilst a third is cold, wet, and stormy. After which, several delightful days may succeed, rapidly exciting vegetation, and fully indicating the presence of spring, as further exemplified by the swelling buds of gooseberries and thorns, and by the re-appearance of crocuses, snowdrops, and other early spring flowering bulbs, whose return reminds us that the season is at hand for renewed exertions in sowing, digging, pruning, and planting, as often as favourable weather and a suitable condition of the soil may afford proper opportunities.

Those who have had their vacant ground dug up ioughly to the action of the weather in the early part of winter, will now find it in good condition for cropping, from the ease with which it may be broken down and prepared for the sowing of seeds. Many of the principal crops of vegetables may be sown, such as Onion, leek, carrot, beet, parsnip, cabbage, and cauliflower. Sow peas, broad beans, lettuce, radish, spinach, herbs, parsley, &c. Plant early potatoes. Land up and stake early peas. Roots of carrot, parsnip, beet, and cabbage intended for seed should now be set in sheltered places. Plant rhubarb, sea-kale, and asparagus, ; also the main crop of shalots. Keep the ground well stirred between the rows of .advancing crops of cabbage, cauliflower, &c. Proceed Jwith transplanting fruit trees, bushes,' raspberry canes, and strawberry plants. Remove all suckers from the roots of fruit trees ; and any pruning not yet done should be no longer delayed. Some half decomposed manure spread over the roots of newly-planted fruit trees will prove beneficial. , Plant hedgerows of thorn quicks, sweetbriar, and broom. There are many late-flowering bulbs, such as lilies, and gladioli, which may still be planted. Plant 'flower roots of ail hardy things. Sow both annual and perennialflower Beeds. Transplant shrubs, and secure by stakes those which may be in danger from wind. Plant edgings of box, thyme, roses, camomile, London pride, rosemary, &c. . Returning spring suggests the necessity for renewed activity in all matters relating to greenhouse cultivation ; first, howeverj amongst the more pressing duties of the season, will be that of shifting to large flower pots all plants requiring additional , pot room to enable them to increase their growth, and to perfect their bloom. For this purpose, flower pots at least twice or three times the size of those the plants now occupy should be well drained with broken flower pots or small pieces of brick, and the plants potted in these in a mixture of something like good garden soil of a rich black loam, to which one third of well-decompo3ed manure has been added.