FARM AND GARDEN OPERATIONS FOR MARCH, 1873.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 34, 12 March 1873, Page 3

FARM AND GARDEN OPERATIONS FOR MARCH, 1873.

Farm. —Thia month, dry and warm, is the month for burning-off bush, then spread the ashes over the ground, and land intended for grass may be sown on appearance of rain. Fern land ploughed-up about December may now be sown with grass, not less than one bushel of seed and one cwt. guano to the acre. The ram mav be turned to the ewes this month, if you can depend upon having food for the lambing ewes in August. If you pit potatoes for two or three months, cover with straw, rushes, or fern, but never use the haulms, as they contain the eggs of the moth, which destroy the potato; cover the side of the pit with earth, but not the top. For green food sow oats and turnips, and and on dry land sow Cape barley; make preparation for putting in main winter crops. In sowing, choose a calm day, then harrow lightly; unless the ground is much exposed it is better not to sow oats with the grass, &c. If weather showery commence sowing ; then bush harrow and roll; seeds to vegetate require warmth, moisture, air, and exclusion from light, therefore slightly cover to exclude light, but not deep enough to exclude air. Sow oats and turnips for green food for winter. Kitchen Garden. —Harvesting general crops, let the onion ground be well manured and dug to receive a crop of cabbage and cauliflower for winter use. Earth up advancing crops, particularly celery. Sow turnips, carrots, kidney beans, lettuce, spinach, onions for winter use. Mould up leeks, but first give good soaking of manure water; also to celery. Tie up lettuce and endive for blanching. Sow radish and small salading. Fill up all spare ground with a crop for the winter. In season — same as last month; generally the latter half of this month is favorable for sowing and planting. Fruit Garden.—Finish budding fruit trees, loosen the ties of those done last month. Strawberries will be over, dean the beds; if any have borne three years in succession trench them down, and replace with strong healthy young plants; select the runner this month, and lay in a rich piece of ground two inches apart, will make fine plants for permanent planting in May or June. In season—peaches, nectarines, pears, apples, plums, figs, melons, walnuts, and mulberries. Flower Garden.—Towards the and of this month sow hardy annuals for winter and spring flowering. Autumn flowering rases supply with liquid manure, stake and tie up dahlias, salvias, and all plants likely to be broken by high wind. Plant out pinks, picotees, and penstemon, and anterhiMum; pick off all decayed leaves and unsightly refuse, this will extend the blooming season.— Chapmans JTew Zfafuwd Almanac.