154 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



strawberry beds, when the crowns have risen above tlie level of the 

 soil, receive quite a fresh stimulus if some rich fine soil is laid round 

 the roots ; into this they make vigorous roots, as it is more kindly 

 than an ordinary border soil ; and the same may be said of seakale 

 and rhubarb plantations. Many fail with radishes, when grown 

 under glass in early spring, because they will not take the trouble to 

 earth them, that is to say, to give them a sprinkle of fine dry soil 

 every week to cover up the stems of the young plants, which at this 

 early season are always drawn for the want of sufficient air. In the 

 absence of anything better, I have frequently used dry sifted cinder 

 ashes, and for many young plants this is better than soil, as the 

 roots will work in it quite as freely, and it prevents, at the same 

 time, the slugs working amongst them, as they do not like the 

 rough surface to travel upon. 



As a last remark, I cannot avoid saying that gardeners generally 

 do not attach sufficient importance to the practice of earthing all 

 young seedling plants, as it is a sure preventive against their 

 getting long-legged, as well as against mildew and, that worst 

 of all evils, damping off. 



THE GAEDEX GUIDE EOR MAY. 



" Then came fair May, the fayrest Mayd on ground, 

 Deckt all with dainties of lier seasons pryde, 

 And throwing flowres out of her lap around : 

 Upon two Brethren's shoulders she did ride, 

 The Twinnes of Leda; which on ej'ther side 

 Supported her like to their soveraine queene ; 

 Lord ! how all creatures laught when her they spide, 

 And leapt and dauiic't as they had ravisht heene ! 

 And Cupid selfc about her ftuttured all in greene. — Spexsee, 



SlAT is generally a dry month, but in respect of tem- 

 perature very variable, a week of brilliant summer 

 weather being succeeded, perhaps, by ten or twelve 

 days of bitter cold ; when, as the poet says, " winter 

 lingers in the lap of May." Beware of bad weather 

 about the 20th, and be in readiness to protect tender subjects of 

 all kinds that are out of doors. The barometer is usually high 

 during this month, the mean of tlie month being a fraction under 

 thirty inches ; prevailing winds north-west and north-east, the 

 latter bringing sharp night frosts. 



There is practically no limit to the number of garden flowers in 

 perfection this month. AV^e have, for example, the evergreen candy- 

 tuft, campanulas, scillas, feathered hyacinths, crown imperials, 

 linums, anemones, Alpine phloxes, German and other iris, dielytras, 

 pansies, blue-bells, and columbines. 



The garden-work of May includes the filling of the beds with 

 their summer occupants, parting and planting in nursery quarters 

 the perennials employed in the embellishment of the flo ver- 

 garden during the spring, planting out from the seed-beds the 



