86 



THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



the seed to be in patches of eight inclies 

 diameter, and two feet apart, and about 

 eight seeds in ench, the plants to be 

 thinned to three pLints in each jjatch ; the 

 ground should be rich, well drained, and 

 deep. Beds may also be formed now by 

 planting roots, but the best plantations 

 are those raised on the spot from sefids. 

 Those who purpose raisingseedlingrhubaib 

 plants should sow about the middle of the 

 month in shallow drills, eighteen inches 

 apart, dropphig the seeds in patches, six 

 inches from each other. Potatoes not yet 

 planted should he got in v/ithout delay, 

 and towards the end of the month scarlet 

 runners and French beans may be sown ; 

 the runners slmuld have a warm dry posi- 

 tion until the first of May, when they may 

 be sown in almost any soil or situation 

 without risk ; hut, like most other things, 

 yield the best crops on ground well dug 

 and manured. The main crop of carrots 

 should be got in about the fifteenth of the 

 month, and there is still time tor a crop 

 of parsnips, but they must be sown di- 

 rectly. Slips of kitchen herbs may be 

 put in any time this month, and will 

 root quicker if planted in a rather dry 

 sandy border. 



Flower Gj^den. — Seeds of hardy an- 

 nuals and perennials are to be sown early, 

 and towards the end of the month the 

 more tender kinds may he safely com- 

 mitted to the ground : but very small 

 seeds of choice things had better not be 

 sown till next month, as lieavy rains 

 may wash them down into the soil, and 

 they may be lost. Perennials may be 

 planted out, and old stools of phlox, chry- 

 santhemum, sweet William, etc , may be 

 parted. Dahlia roots may also be planted, 

 and if the shoots appear before night-frosts 

 are over, they may be protected by flower- 

 pots inverted over tliem, and the holes 

 stopped with pieces of tile. Wliere early 

 beds of dabliMS are required, this plan 

 may be adopted in the putting out of 

 young plants, and if well hardened first, 

 the beds may be filled about the middle of 

 the month, and inverted pots, litter, or 

 netting, used to protect them during fits 

 of cold wind or frost. Bo.x edgings sliould 

 be clipped, and ivy may be cut in and 

 trimmed, and fresh plantations made cf 

 last year's roots. Cutting- of ivy may 

 also be taken and planted n a sandy 

 border, only partially expose^ to the snn. 

 The cuttings should be short-j inted, and 

 trimmed of the lower leaves. Tigrida 

 bulls may be planted two incnes deep. 

 A light netting, or some similar protection 

 will be found useful now as a protection 

 to tulip beds, and if the foliage gets 



frozen, water them with cold water before 

 the sun gets on them. Walks should be 

 turned and i-olled, and grass plots dre-sed, 

 so as to give an air of neritness and order 

 to the whole of the ground. 



Greenhouse asd Pit. — If bedding- 

 stock is still in request, cuttings should be 

 struck in a brisk heat, even as high as 

 90^ ; they will bear much more heat now 

 than they would a month ago. China 

 roses may be propngated in pots by taking 

 off young shoots close to the old wood 

 when four inches long, and plunging in a 

 moderate heat. General collections should 

 only have a moderate heat, and a strong 

 healthy growth should be promoted by 

 giving plenty of air, with a view to put- 

 ting out the fires for the season. ]\Iany 

 specimen-plants will want liberal shifts, 

 and all subjects not immediately required 

 in flower should be regularly and fre- 

 quently stopped to induce bushy growth 

 and form good heads. Water and liquid 

 manure must be more freely given, and 

 vigilant efforts must be made to keep 

 down green-fly and thrips. Many of the 

 less tender things may be removed to cold 

 pits, to increase the room for other things 

 that want continued protection to make 

 fine plan's. Young stuff from the pro- 

 pagating house should be potted as fast as 

 rooted, and kept close till started afresh, 

 and then be gradually inured to air and 

 light, so as to be strong by the middle of 

 Maj-. All tropical plants required for 

 summer blooming in the house should be 

 got on without delay, and a quick 

 growth promoted so as to allow them as 

 long a season as possible for blooming, 

 and ripening their buds for next season. 

 Average temperature this month 55' by 

 night, 60' to 65' by day. Where desirable, 

 the house may be shut up with sun-heat 

 to render fire unnecessary. 



Stove. — Vines in bloom must be kept 

 close, and with a little extra fire-heat to 

 prevent injur}- from damp setting on the 

 berries ; melons should be encouraged to 

 make quick growth until established, and 

 then kept cooler to encourage the produc- 

 tion of fiiritful wood ; but do not stop tlie 

 main shoots till they have extended as far 

 as the space allov.'ed them, and then they 

 VI ay he stopped to promote the growth of 

 ; icerals. Pines will want shade on bright 

 days, and air as often as possible, but the 

 atmosphere about them must be kept 

 moist, and the roots well soaked whenever 

 the s^oil about them is dry. Ked spider 

 will now be getting active, and must be 

 kept down. Keep also a good look-out 

 for green-fly, especially among young 

 stock. Average temperature for pines, 



