FARM AND GARDEN OPERATIONS FOR MARCH, 1875.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 254, 10 March 1875, Page 2

FARM AND GARDEN OPERATIONS FOR MARCH, 1875.

Flower Garden. Most of the directions for February will hold good for the present month. Keep the surface of the soil open to the depth of three or four inches where not covered by plants. Keep edgings trimmed, and borders and walks free from weeds. Mow lawns closely, and sweep off at once. Cover the surface of the soil about camelias and other hard-wooded plants with flaky moss, or similiar material as a mulching to retain the moisture in the ground. Propagate roses by cuttings and seeds. Kitchen and Fruit Garden. Earth up leeks and celery—it is not too late to make another planting for Spring use. Small salad herbs should be sown twice a month if a continuous succession is required. Sow spinach, parsley, lettuce, and onion. Sow carrot and parsnips. Sow cauliflower, cabbage, &c. Plant out cauliflowers, giving plants plenty of room. Onions and potatoes may now be got up, and stored in a dry, airy place. Water all newly-removed plants. Plant out cabbages and leeks. Gather seeds. The directions for last month still apply to the Fruit Garden, and but little can be added. Apples and pears should be gathered as they ripen ; the early kinds must not be allowed to get fully ripe before they are gathered. Farm. It is desirable that all the potatoes should be gathered this monlli in order to give time for the land to be properly worked for grass ; in most, cases, if the potatoes have been w r ell cultivated; the land will only require one ploughing, previous to which, however, the potatoe fops and weeds may be dragged together by the harrows and burned. Rape may be sown where it is sown in the Spring ; from three to four pounds per acre can be sown if nothing else is sown with it, If the weather is showery, grass may

be sown on the light volcanic soil, but great care must be taken to render the surface as smooth as possible, so that no harbor may be afforded to the crii ket. Fallow land should be ploughed and in readiness for sowing and as much as possible of the potato and other land where grass will be sown should be got in a forward state this month in order to take advantage of a. suitable opportunity for sowing. A fair rotation of crops is very desirable. Ewes may be turned into a good pasture in the first week in March, and the ram put to them a few days afterwards.