THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 121 



THE GARDEN GUIDE FOR APEIL. 



Flower Garden. — The planting of evergreens should be com- 

 pleted early this month. Stakes must be put to those newly- 

 planted to keep them firm, and prevent their being loosened with 

 the wind. A good thick mulch over the roots will be of immense 

 service. Sow seeds of biennials and perennials, and annuals for 

 late blooming ; thin out those already up, and transplant or throw 

 away. Finish dividing and planting herbaceous plants. Prepare in 

 readiness the beds for ordinaiy " bedding stuff," dahlias, etc. Box, 

 thrift, Stachys lanata, and other plants for edgings, may be planted 

 early in the month. Walks should be thoroughly rolled to make 

 them firm for the summer ; and grass plots dressed, to give every- 

 thing an air of neatness and order. 



Kitchen" Garden". — Like last month, an unusual amount of 

 forethought and activity are required in this department just now. 

 Old stumps of winter greens, that are likely to produce a few more 

 gatherings, should be taken up, and laid in by their heels in some 

 spare corner, and the ground they are now occupying turned up. 

 Plant out cabbage and lettuce raised in cold frame. Cauliflowers 

 from the frames should be planted oat the first week of this month ; 

 sow for late autumn supplies. Sow for main crops, beet, broccoli, 

 cabbage, cardoons, carrots, celeriac, celery for late crop, chicory, 

 endive, parsnips, salsify, scorzonera. For successional crops — 

 lettuce, radishes, cress, mustard, spinach, turnips, peas, and other 

 vegetables ; plant out crops from the seed beds when large euough. 

 Keep the hoe at work amongst crops of all kinds. Earth up and 

 stick peas, to prevent their being blown about. Seeds of sweet 

 and pot-herbs that still remain unsown must be got in at once. 

 Those sown in heat should be pricked off into small pots or cold 

 frame, to well harden off before planting out. Prepare trenches 

 for celery, and put at least six inches of good rotten manure in the 

 bottom, and just cover with soil. The spaces between the rows 

 may be occupied with lettuces and radishes. Get in all crops that 

 ought to have been sown last month as early as possible, for every 

 day adds to the risk of the crops coming to perfection. All salading, 

 such as lettuce, endive, and radishes, must have rich soil after this 

 season, otherwise they will make a slow growth, and of little value. 

 Small salading is of little service through the summer, unless grown 

 in a shady position, in a cold frame, or under handlights. Potatoes 

 in heavy cold soils must now be planted. Protect early kinds now 

 peeping through the ground, by drawing a little soil over them. 



Fruit Garden". — All pruning ought to be finished before this, 

 with the exception of the fig, which must be done early this month. 

 Continue to protect peaches and nectarines ; care, however, must 

 be exercised, so that the young growth is not drawn weak and 

 spindly through too thick a covering. If blinds of tiffany or canvas 

 are used, roll them up during the day, but where branches of fir 

 or fern are used, about half the quantity should now be taken off. 

 When coddled too much, the young shoots suffer considerably when 



