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THE LADIES' GAEDEN.— No. IV. 



BY J. C. CLARKE, 

 Head Gardener at Cotbelston House, Taunton. 



[HE first work to be done this month is to see that all the 

 beds and borders are raked over, and all decayed leaves 

 and rubbiish of every kind removed, as anything of that 

 description tends to multiply and harbour vermia, which, 

 if allowed to increase, may possibly endanger the safety 

 of young plants as they come up. We have now to consider in what 

 way we are to supply flowers for the beds and borders without being 

 dependent upon bedding plants. I, therefore, propose to deal with 

 this subject at some length, as the time has now arrived when our 

 readers must set to work in earnest. As nearly every garden 

 possesses a cold frame, we must make use of that first, by placing it 

 where it will get all the sun possible. If it is a deep one it must be 

 filled up to within fifteen inches of the glass with any rubbish that 

 will afford a free passage for the water, yet go together firm, so as it 

 will not sink. Coal ashes, sand, or small gravel will answer. Upon 

 this bed must be placed a thickness of fix inches of fine, rich, sandy 

 soil. In every case this must be added if the first is not required. 

 The frame will then be ready for the reception of the seeds, and such 

 as I shall name first must be sown in drills about half an inch deep 

 and four inches apart. One drill will generally furnish enough for 

 one bed, if the frame is six feet wide, which is the ordinary measure ; 

 and, of course, the drills should be lengthways. The sowing must 

 take place as early in the month as possible. The seeds must be 

 covered with fine soil, and gently watered with a fine rose waterpot. 

 Every night, until the middle of May, the frame must be covered 

 up secure from frost, and until the seedlings appear they will require 

 shading. This is best done by sheets of old newspapers laid on the 

 soil inside of the frame, as then the sun upon the glass warms the 

 internal air of the frame ; but if the sun is excluded by external 

 coverings upon the ulass, the seeds do uot feel the benefit of the sun, 

 consequently they are longer before they vegetate. As soon as the 

 seedlings show themselves outside, shading must be resorted to, but 

 then only just sufficient to break the force of the sun's rays for about 

 four hours in very bright, clear weather. Watering must be attended 

 to according to the amount of sunshine. In very bright weather 

 water should be given early every morning ; but in dull, w r et weather, 

 every second or third day will suffice, but they must never be kept 

 wet for days together. The amount of air must also depend upon 

 the state of the weather. If bright and clear, a wedge four inches in 

 thickness, to tilt up the back of the light for at least eight hours 

 every day, will be necessary. When the weather is dull and wet, or 

 the wind cold, half that space for air will suffice. I need not to say 

 more about the management of the frame further than that more air 

 must be allowed after the middle of May, by removing the light quite 



