MARCH.

Colonist, Volume VII, Issue 663, 4 March 1864, Page 2

MARCH.

(From the Southern Provinces Almanao.J . TABMING- OPERATIONS. Sow tares (vetches) —the -winter variety, for it always produces half as much again aa the spring seed— two-and-a-half bushels of tares and half a bushel of wheat or oats per acre.' If the land is to be laid down for permanent pasture, be careful that it has been | thoroughly tilled, and has a fine tilth earth to receive the seed. For seed, about a bushel of perennial rye- j grass, three or four pounds of white clover, and one or two pounds of cow-grass will produce a plant for a year or two; but for permanence and the fully planting of the land, several varieties of the true grass will be required, comprising some of the poas, fescues, &c, &c. GARDEN CAXENDAB. Autumnal showers, at shortintervals, throughoutthe greater portion of the present month, may always be predicted with complete certainty. The effect upon vegetation, in the heated state of the soil, thus slightly cooled and moistened by these frequent shower*, is almost instantaneous, rapidly exciting a second springlike growth, and even a second profusion of blossoms upon many sorts of flowering plants which had already bloomed at an earlier period of the year. These rains indicate the arrival of a suitable time for the renewal of our exertions in active planting and sowing, which should first be devoted to the planting of late crops of celery, as well as second crops of all sorts of winter greens. Seeds may now be sown of raddish, lettuce, cress, mustard, and endive; and this is especially the season for making a large sowing of early white stone turnips, which will yet give a moderate crop of remarkably sweet and tender turnips throughout the whole of the winter and early spring. The most suitable ground for all of these crops will be that from which early potatoes have been dug. Now is the best period of tho year for preparing the land for a large breadth of autumn-sown onions ; for this indispensable and valuable vegetable, sown early in the present month, becomes sufficiently establifhed to withstand the winter, and during the following summer to produce much larger and finer bulbs than those sown in spring ; indeed, so well is this known in the northern settlements, that onions are very generally sown at this season, and the crop is well known to be often an astonishingly profitable one. It is, however, here requisite to introduce a caution against extending the autumn sowing of onions, as is sometimes unwisely done, to tho end of April and May; for if sown so late, they have not had time to root sufficiently deep to secure themselves, when the first thaw that succeeds a sharp frost is sure to throw them upon the surface. It ought, therefore, to be distinctly understood, that if onions are not sown in March, or by the first week in April, they are best deferred until early spring. Broad beans sown at this season will withstand the winter, and produce an abundant crop in November. All the varieties of cabbages, curled greens, savoys, brussels sprouts, and cauliflowers may now be sown for transplanting in spring; another sowing of spinach may be made. j Transplant lettuce and endive for winter use; mould up celery; tomatoes and capsicums may be gathered; ripe onions may also be gathered, dried, and stored j and some of the later sorts of annual pot-herbs will still require to be collected and dried. Continue the budding of fruit trees, and regulate once more the shoots of vines, apricots, peaches, and other choice fruit-bearing plants; make new planta-! tions of strawberries from well-rooted and established | runners, giving an especial preference to the variety variety known by tho name of Keen's seedlings. Bulbous and tuberous flower roots lifted about the end of summer may now be replanted; polyanthuses, auriculas, primroses, and cowslips, now starting forth into new growth from the altered character ; of the weather, may bo lifted and increased by division of

their roots ; these and other herbaceous plants whidh have finished blooming, will, during the showery weather of this aid the succeeding month, readily bear this easy mode of augmenting their numbers, i . English hollies and several other evergreens having completed their summer's growth'and now about to push forth an autumnal one, can be transplanted with certain success at this season, especially if showery or cloudy days are selected for the operation. The Bame period and mode of procedure will be found alike applicable to young blue gums and other Tasmanian trees and evergreen shrubs. Greenhouse plants, from the greater humidity of the atmosphere, will now require less frequent watering, especially those which have, done blooraing, many of which may bow be headed back, and the cuttings thereby afforded, if placed in a gentle bottom heat, will root rapidly, and speedily increase the Btock of flowering plants for another Beason. Maintain in vineries a perfectly dry atmosphere, and give an abundance of air every fine day. Grapes should now be highly colored and perfectly ripe, and readily be preserved, plump and fine, for a period of five months, in a dry temperature, with a free circulation of air.

PHASES 0? THE H00N. C Last Quarter ... 2 0 44 a.m. O New Moon... ...8 3 32p.m. C First Quarter ' ... 15 5 40 a.m. O Full Moon 23 9 57 p.m. ( Last Quarter ... 31 9 51a.m.

•ays. Events. rises. sets. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 .16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Tu W Th F S S M Tu W Th F S s M Tu W Th F S S M Tu W Th F S S M Tu W Th • ] St. David's Day Death of Emperor Nicholas, 1855 Emancipation of Russian Serfs, 1861 Thames Tunnel opened, 1843 Fourth in Lent Entry of Princess Alexandra into [London, 1863 3iege of Lucknow commenced, 1858 Prince of Wales married, 1863 Korararika destroyed, 1845 Chelsea Hospital founded, 1682 Fifth in Lent Reform Bill carried, 1832 Prince Napoleon born, 1856 St. Patrick's Day Princess Louisa born, 1848 H.M. 5 45 5 46 5 48 5 49 5 50 5 51 5 52 5 53 5 54 5 56 5 57 5 58 5 59 6 0 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 6 6 6 8 6 9 6 10 6 11 6 12 6 13 6 14 6 15 6 16 6 17 6 18 H.M. 6 39 6 38 6 36 6 35 6 33 6 31 6 30 6 28 6 27 6 25 6 23 6 22 6 2o 6 18 6 17 6 15 6 13 6 12 6 10 6 8 6 8 6 5 6 3 6 1 6 0 5 59 5 56 5 55 5 53 5 52 5 50 Palm Sunday Battle of Alexandria, 1801 Otago anniversary . Queen Elizabeth died, 1603 Good Friday. Lady Day. Maori [Parliament first opened, 1862 Easter Sunday Battle of Waireka, Taranaki, 1860 General Cameron arr. at Taranaki, New Plymouth Anniversary ['61