118 THE GARDENER. [March 



for a time, than filling the structure full of soil at once. Melons do 

 well in strong loam and a little decayed manure well mixed. If much 

 dung is allowed, disease is more liable to attack the plants. Cucum- 

 bers do in a lighter soil than Melons — a good portion of turfy loam 

 should be used. Near the sides of the bed the soil may be made very 

 firm, as, when very loose, more of the growth of the plants is given to 

 wood and foliage than fruit. Melon soil, all over the bed, can hardly 

 be made too firm, and sloping a little from the stems of the plants. 

 If ridge-Cucumbers are to be grown, they could be brought on early 

 in a frame, which could be gradually taken off in summer, and used 

 for any other purpose. The usual system of growing ridge-Cucumbers 

 and Gerkins may be delayed till next month, as the plants seldom do 

 much good if planted out before the end of May. New Zealand 

 Spinach may be sown in a pan or pot to raise plants for planting out. 

 The end of the month will be early enough. A frame is valuable in 

 most places to raise such plants as the above, besides Vegetable Mar- 

 rows, Capsicums, and Tomatoes; both of the latter may be sown at 

 once. 



Nail and otherwise finish fruit-trees as formerly directed. Though 

 bushes and fruit-trees should have been planted long ere this, they may 

 still be got in ; a little extra care of drought will be necessary, as March 

 is sometimes very trying for all kinds of newly-planted trees ; and 

 where staking has not been well done, strong winds will do much 

 damage both to root and branch. Trees on walls, &c. — such as Plums, 

 Apricots, and Peaches — may require disbudding early this season, as 

 unfortunately most things are very early. When taking off the wood- 

 buds, considerable judgment is necessary, so that the best-placed shoots 

 may be left as near the main branches as possible ; any that are grow- 

 ing right out from the tree should be taken clean off, and enough of 

 wood left to furnish bearing wood for next year. The wood and leaves 

 should fully develop themselves without being crowded. There are 

 generally more failures from overcrowding than the reverse. 



The propagating of bedding-plants may be proceeded with as rapidly 

 as possible. Verbenas may be put in a high moist temperature, in 

 rather sandy soil. They will soon root, and if potted and replaced in 

 heat till the roots take with the new soil, they can be placed in a close 

 frame, and air increased as the plants begin to grow. If green-fly make 

 its appearance, a little tobacco smoke will kill it ; confine the smoke 

 for a time by placing mats over the frame. Calceolarias and other 

 more hardy plants can be placed in a sunk pit or frame if pots are 

 scarce ; it does well to turn the plants into rough soil, where they will 

 root freely, and can be lifted out with balls at planting time. Chry- 

 santhemums may be propagated now, by cuttings or by dividing the old 



