GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 10

GENERAL.

The season now approaches when preparations should be made in the garden for the coming winter and spring months. On tho slightest appearance of frost every opportunity should b© taken during open weather to transplant or prepare herbaceous beds or borders. The dahlia will be first to show signs of decay, and on having died down the stems should be cut about 6in from the tuber, placing it in a dry spot with the neok downwards to allow any water to run out and then be laid past carefully for th© returning season. All rubbish should be carefully burned to destroy any fungoid which may have odlained a lodgment. Asters, perstemons, find other hardy herbaceous plants should be kept dean, free irom weeds, with a slight coating of sand spread round them, and to protect young crowns, manuka scrub or bracken fronds should be placed over them, not lying flat down, but slightly raised fro^s the grounds

I The planting of tulips and hyacinths should now be seen to, and th© beds made as tidy and clean as possible by edging them neatly and raking them well with a fine-toothed rake. Gladioli 6hould be lifted, dried, and stored, taking the precaution of le iving a few inches of the stem, by which they can be tied in bunches. When these stems become quite dry the cleaning oan be- done. Crocuses, snowdrops, eta., should now* be planted freely. Arrangements should be made for bringing the more tender vari3ties of p&largoniuins, geraniums fuchsias, etc. indoors, placing them on shelves beyond the reach of frost, and keeping them only slightly moist during the period of rest. — I. M. I.