CALENDAR FOR MAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 824, 9 May 1868, Page 4

CALENDAR FOR MAY.

[written expressly poe the takanaki herald.] During the month of May the weather is often fine and beautiful, the days being warm whilst the nights and mornings are cold-, and no certaiuty exists that towards early dawn a frost may not nip the more susceptible portions of vegetation. From the large amount of rain that has fallen this season, much of the cleaning and digging must have necessarily been neglected, therefore advantage should be taken of fine and open weather, to complete the trenching and digging of all vacant grounds. Continue to plant out the cabbage and cauliflower tribe ; sow radish, and mustard and cress for early spring. Earth up advancing crops, attending, as directed last month, carefully to the celery heads, and in dry spots securely sheltered both from the south-east and south-west winds, — sow peas and beans. A careful selection of aspect is of very great importance, most vegetables may be obtained early in the season, under the influence of shelter. Rhubarb, so soon as the frosts make their appearance, should be covered with straw, or other refuse vegetable matter. Suckers from all kinds of fruit trees should be removed. Trees when pruned should present a cup-like shape, so as to admit both light and air, and thereby produce a better flavour to the fruit than if closely wooded. Raspberries for new beds plant out strong with well rooted suckers ; let the ground be trenched and manured, and planted four feet from row to row ; in the old plantations cut out the old stems that have borne fruit during the present season ; thin out the youug shoots to three or four of the strongest of each shoot, and shorten the top. Plant out all kinds of fruit trees, and in the planting take care to spread the root out cai-efully with the hand, if convenient give a watering to settle the earth into the fibrous roots, and cover with dry earth. Strawberries in old beds fork over, giving a coating of manure, clearing away runners aud decayed leaves. Vines should now be trained, merely at present pinching off the green tops, leaving the pruning until spring. Herb beds clean for the winter, and top dress with thoroughly rotted manure. In the removal of bushes or trees, take care that the small roots are not injured, as their functions are of importance. This is the best month in the year for the removal of rose trees ; the ground should be well prepared and manured.

Herbaceous plants that have done blooming take up divide and replant.