158 THE GARDENER. [April 



manure must be allowed ; sow thinly. The plants should be at least 

 4 inches apart in the rows. 



Turnips may be sown in small quantities still, dusting wood-ashes 

 or soot over the leaves as they come through the ground, to prevent 

 the ravages of "fly." If not already done, the main crop of Celery 

 should be sown, either in a frame or under a handlight. Do not let 

 the young plants become matted or dry at the root ; shelter them from 

 cutting winds, but increase light and air as they grow ; and for prick- 

 ing them out on, let the bed be, if possible, solid rotten manure, with 

 2 inches of light soil over the surface ; and when the roots are well 

 established, there will be no difficulty in lifting large balls with the 

 plants, when placed in the trenches, in June or July. Ground on 

 which is grown the latest Broccoli does well for the Celery trenches. 

 One or two sowings of Peas may be got in during the month. Stake 

 those growing before they fall over, and keep the hoe going freely 

 among all growing crops ; order and neatness should prevail every- 

 where. Fine raking of surfaces is not to be recommended in the 

 vegetable garden. Melons and Cucumbers will now require attention, 

 keeping them trained out regular over the beds, keeping the principal 

 shoots a good distance apart, so that the bearing-shoots are not 

 crowded. In one light, two leading shoots of Melons trained each 

 way, and the tops taken off just before they reach the sides of frame, 

 will do ; and two or three side-shoots will be pushed from each leading 

 one, which will require stopping as soon as the fruit appears : all 

 other shoots not required should be rubbed off before they rob the 

 plants. Cucumbers will require more pinching than Melons, as more 

 fruit is taken, and none (except one or two for seed, which rob the 

 plants very much) allowed to ripen. Two Cucumbers 10 inches long 

 are more valuable than one of 20 inches. When the fruits are allowed 

 to become yellow at the ends, they are almost worthless. Heat kept 

 up by linings or otherwise should be not less than 65° at night; 75° 

 with a little air on all night is not too much. Shutting up the frame 

 early on sunny afternoons, after sprinkling all the beds with tepid 

 water, will promote free growth in newly-turned-out plants. Air, 

 avoiding cutting winds, is indispensable to success when the plants 

 become established. 



Fruit-trees may require disbudding in southern localities before the 

 month is out. If done early and at different times, the tree will receive 

 no check : great quantities of foliage cut off at one time gives a severe 

 check to the trees. All shoots growing out from the walls should be 

 taken clean off. 



Asters, Stocks, Larkspurs, Convolvulus, Tropseolum Canariensis (the 

 two latter for climbing on old tree-stumps, or vacant spaces on walls), 



