CALENDAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1762, 29 August 1885, Page 7

CALENDAR.

The weather continues extraordinarily favourable for all garden operations, and perhaps too much so for our fruit trees. This morning (22ud August) the thermometer at 7 a.m. registered 54 dog,, and the day has continued mild and oloso although some appearances of rain are noticeable. Plants and trees of all sorts are showing signs of active growth, leaf and fruit buds swelling and opening all around. If frosts do not now come on with any degree of intensity there is abundant promise of heavy fruit crops. It is ye,t too early, however, to venture an opinion or prediction, as our weather is so very changeable. Even our' Government weather prophet, Captain Edwin, seems quite out of his reckoning, as his forecasts are seldom, if over, fulfilled in this quarter. It is rather an expensive matter for us to contribute our proportion of his £400 a year salary when we derive no benefit from his advice. Better for usto.ioly on the old method of studying themoo,n.\pnases and act accordingly. Dr Hereli,oV*s tables for foretelling the weather aro worth noting, and we have found them not so far out. They are shortly : Tho nearer the moon's change is to midnight the fairer will the weather be for the seven clays following; the nearer to noon wmidday, more wet or foul weather may bo looked for duriug'the same space. The changes occurring during other portions of I^o 24 hours are not so reliable, being in 3, great measure influenced by the wind.

The operations iii the garden generally should be carri&ct on as already directed^ .Mowing and planting out different descriptions of vegetables in such qunntities and 0? jjuch kinds as may be preferred. The grwmt should bo kept stirred as much as passible wherever practicable, with a view of keeping down weeds, and destroying tho oggs of insects — slugs, in particular— which are now being hatched out. The eggs of the slugs will be found in clusters, and ?,bout the size of a grain of sago, and of iig^t,. almost transparent colour, very lil.-e small' glass bo,Nk. Dusting with a little hot lim© will be »i«-e to destroy them.

Among fruit treefi thQ work of transplanting, pruning, and, cleaning away suckers and weeds from roots, stirring tho soil lightly with n *Ps% Ttrul Jhulchin g liborftlly , should bo completed. liOr>\z out closely For eg-gs of insects, either scale or aphis, and scrape or rub off, applying soap, lime, and sulphur.

The sowing of hardy annuals should now be proceeded with more freely, also reducing the stools of herbaceous plants, such as plox,penstemous, antirrhiniums, &c. to one or two stems, as thereby far better flowers will be obtained. HOKTICULTOn.