MAY. 159 



varieties for succession bloom. The first planting will require a 

 liberal supply of water. 



Kitchen Garden. — We never remember this looking so desolate as it 

 does this year : Broccoli, Cabbages, Spinach, and many other vegetables, 

 are nearly all dead. One remarkable circumstance connected with this 

 is, that autumn -sown Cabbages in this neighbourhood are all running to 

 seed, and the Cauliflowers buttoning. What can be the cause? Spring 

 raised Cauliflowers, &c., should be got out into warm rich borders as 

 soon as they are sufficiently hardened off; Cabbages the same. Keep 

 the ground well hoed between advancing crops, to loosen the soil, and 

 keep down weeds. Successional sowings of Peas, Beans, French do., 

 Spinach, Lettuce, Radishes, &c., should be made ; let the ground for 

 these crops be deeply trenched and well pulverised, that they may find 

 ample pasture for their roots during the dry season coming on. Water 

 liberally such vegetables as Cauliflowers, Asparagus, Lettuces, &c., to 

 cause them to grow quickly, on which their good properties depend. 

 Stick Peas and Scarlet-runner Beans. Onions, Carrots, Parsnips, Beets, 

 Parsley, &c., should be thinned out when sufficiently advanced for the 

 purpose. Hoe between the rows of Potatoes, and earth them up a 

 week or ten days afterwards. Divide and transplant herbs in showery 

 weather, and sow Sweet INIarjoram and Basil on warm borders. 

 Tomatoes and Chilies should be planted at the foot of south walls, first 

 hardening them off ; the former should be trained to the wall as they 

 grow. Clip edgings of Box and Thrift. Keep every department in 

 tidy order. 



Pansies. — This is another flower that will be in its beauty this 

 month. Water freely, and shade temporarily, only during the heat 

 of the day. To prolong the bloom, cut the old flow^ers off as they 

 fade. The size of the bloom will be increased and kept up by keeping 

 the young shoots cut out of the plants. Seedlings will not only 

 be in full flower this month, but will bloom in good character, and 

 should be carefiilly examined, marking such varieties as appear to 

 possess good qualities, as well as being dissimilar to existing kinds. 

 These must be grown another year before they can be depended on. 



Peaches. — After the fruit have stoned, the trees should be gone over, 

 and if too many fruit yet remain, thin them to the number the trees 

 are capable of swelling off; tie in the young wood, and syringe each 

 morning and in the afternoon of sunny days. The night temperature 

 may be 60°, with a rise of 15° or even 20° by day ; air must be very 

 liberally given in bright weather, closing the house tolerably early for 

 the advantage of sun heat, to save firing. Thin out the crops of later 

 houses, and treat as before. 



Pelargoniums — Shading, watering, and keeping the bees from the 

 flowers is the principal work this month. Aphides, there should be 

 none to kill. The plants should have two good smokings as they are 

 about to open their flowers, as they cannot be fumigated after without 

 injuring the bloom. The shading should only be kept on during the 

 bright part of the day, as it weakens the late flowers so much. 

 Seedlings will not generally be in bloom until June, which is the 

 Pelargonium month, notwithstanding the May flowers are exceed- 

 ingly bright, and perhaps more pleasing than at any other time. 



