110 



THE GAEDEN GUIDE EOE MAY. 



Kitchen Garden.— Put sticks to rows 

 of peas as soon as they require it ; well 

 bank up those that are forward. Thin 

 parsnips and carrots to eight inches apart. 

 Transplant from seed-beds of cabbage, 

 broccoli, etc., as fast as the plants are large 

 enough to handle, leaving the smallest 

 to get stronger before removing them. 

 Choose showery weather, if possible, for 

 transplanting, or else give shade for a few 

 days, and gentle watering. Thin out 

 celery, and make up small beds for the 

 plants on very rich, hard ground. Trenches 

 should now be made for celery, and six 

 inches of rotten dung forked into the bot- 

 tom of each. A dull or showery day 

 should be chosen to put out the plants, and 

 plenty of water given during dry weather. 

 Look to seed-beds, and transplant ; well 

 hoe and clear the ground as maybe neces- 

 sary. Sow beans and peas for succession; 

 savoy for late crop. Cabbage, broccoli, 

 kale, beetroot, kidney beans, both runners 

 and dwarfs, lettuces, spinach, turnips, 

 cucumbers, and marrows may now be sown 

 in the open ground for a late supply. 



Fruit Garden. — Bush, and pyramid 

 fruit-trees will want pinching in to the 

 third or fourth leaf from the base. Where 

 large crops of fruit are set, thin severely, 

 but not all at once, as the more fruit the 

 poorer will its quality be. Give straw- 

 berries plenty of water. If raspberries 

 have not been mulched, give them at once 

 a top-dressing of half-rotten dung. Do 

 not dig it in. In the orchard-house renew 

 the mulchings if needful ; give plenty of 

 water. 



Flower Garden. — This is a good time 

 to sow hardy and half-hardy perennials of 

 all kinds, to get strong plants for winter, 

 either to remain out, or have the protection 

 of a frame, or to take up and pot for early 

 blooming in the greenhouse. Lovers of 

 the Chinese primula should sow now for 

 the next spring. Late-planted roses should 

 have plenty of water, and the surface 

 mulched, and similar treatment given to 

 hollyhocks and chrysanthemums put out 

 last month. Carnations and picotees 

 should be staked without delay, and their 

 shoots thinned. Part and plant polyan- 

 thuses and primroses that have done bloom- 

 ing, and give them a rich loam and a shady 

 aspect. "Where it is intended to have new 

 gravel, it would be. advisable to defer it 

 till the beds are filled, and the whole gar- 

 den acquiring its full summer gaiety ; a 

 coating of new gravel then will add much 



to its fresh and bright appearance. Roll 

 and mow grass turf frequently, to promote 

 a fine close growth. 



Greenhouse and Conservatort. — 

 Where plants are crowded, many may be 

 removed to frames, so as to allow of a freer 

 circulation of air. Shift, stop, and tie out 

 all soft-wooded plants that are advancing 

 in growth; but if required to bloom shortly, 

 they must not be disturbed, merely kept in 

 shape, and have plenty of water and free 

 ventilation. Continue to strike bedding 

 stock for late blooming. Fuchsias, gera- 

 niums, verbenas, and petunias make 

 beautiful specimens for pot blooming in 

 the autumn, if struck now and kept regu- 

 larly stopped till July. Camellias and 

 azaleas that have made their young shoots 

 should have a little more ventilation to 

 prepare them to go in the open air next 

 month to ripen their wood. Pelargoniums 

 out of bloom to be cut in and allowed to 

 break before repotting them, and the 

 syringe and fumigator kept in use, as may 

 be necessary, to destroy red spider and 

 green fly. 



Stove. — Climbers now want plenty of 

 room and liberal culture ; the syringe to 

 be used frequently. Propagating must be 

 attended to. Begonias must be repotted 

 as they go out of bloom. Temp. 65° to 

 70° night, 75° to 85" day. 



Vinery. — Vines in inside borders 

 should be liberally supplied with water. 

 Vines in pots frequent supplies of liquid 

 mamrre, and stopping of laterals to regu- 

 late the growth. Bed spider must be kept 

 in check by painting the pipes with a 

 mixture of sulphur, lime, soot, and water. 

 Thin the bunches regularly. 



Pinery. — Suckers should be removed 

 as soon as they make their appearance, 

 except so far as they may be required for 

 stock. Queens never produce good fruit 

 unless the suckers are removed early. 

 Young pines, for winter fruiting, should 

 be in a rather light soil, to prevent excess 

 of moisture from stagnating about them. 

 Temp. 75° night, 85° to 90° day. 



Pits and Frames that have been 

 emptied of their winter occupants will now 

 be useful for hardening bedding plants 

 previous to planting out. Cucumbers and 

 melons must have good culture, and regu- 

 lar stopping and training ; they should be 

 looked to daily. Always keep a canful of 

 water in each frame, to have it tepid for 

 use. 



