AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



513 



protection to the roots ; even the experienced 

 purchaser rarely has sufficient knowledge to be 

 certain whether the roots of a tree have been 

 injured by being frozen or dried up by the cold 

 winds of March. 



Vegetable Garden. — Early Peas, Onions, 

 Parsnips and the various vegetable seeds recom- 

 mended for the Southern States in January can- 



not be planted too soon after the ground is in 

 working order. Hot-beds must now be started, 

 and Tomatoes, Egg Plants, Sweet Potatoes, 

 etc., forwarded for early planting. In the more 

 Southern States the tender sorts of vegetables, 

 such as Melons, Okra, Egg Plant, Squash, Sweet 

 Potatoes, Tomatoes, etc., may be planted as 

 soon as the weather is settled. 



APRIL. 



Green-house and Window Plants. — Plants 

 of every description will now require increased 

 water and ventilation, and on fine days a slight 

 shading to prevent the sun from burning the fo- 

 liage. (See "Shading."') Due attention must also 

 be paid to shifting into larger pots, when neces- 

 sary, and also to increase the space, when prac- 

 ticable, by putting the hardier sons out in cold- 

 frames. It is better to throw away a few of the 

 older and less desirable plants now, than to risk 

 their becoming weak and spindling by overcrowd- 

 ing. Cuttings may still be made of Verbenas, 

 Coleus, Petunias, Ageratums, Achyranthus and 

 all other plants intended for summer decoration ; 

 the more advanced plants should be topped back 

 to make them sturdy and bushy. Tender annuals 

 may also be sown and pricked out in boxes or 

 pots and placed in cold-frames for later use. 

 On the first appearance of insects, measures 

 must at once be taken to exterminate them, es- 

 pecially on Calceolarias and Cinerarias, which 

 will now be coming into flower, and are the 

 most showy and useful plants at this season. 

 (See " Insects.") See that nothing suffers for 

 want of water and keep the atmosphere moist by 

 syringing freely. 



Flower Garden. — This is a busy month in 

 the flower garden. Bulbs, and all tender plants 

 that have been covered for protection during 

 winter, may now be uncovered and the other beds 

 forked over and put in order to receive the 

 spring-blooming plants such as Pansies, Daisies, 

 Forget-me-nots, Polyanthus, etc., which may be 

 planted out from the cold-frames as soon as the 

 weather appears settled, thus making room to 

 harden off the more forward of the bedding 

 plants. All Roses should now be pruned 

 and tied up, and syringed occasionally with 

 tobacco, soap or some other insecticide, to pre- 

 vent the attack of the rose-slug nest month ; 

 this insect is easily destroyed while young. All 

 vines and creepers on walls or screens should 

 be pruned and tied up ; herbaceous plants, such 



as Dielytras, Phloxes, Helianthus, Delphiniums, 

 etc., may be divided and replanted, and a plant- 

 ing of Gladioluses for early flowering made. 

 This is also an excellent season to sow Grass 

 seed to improve the lawn, or to sow for new 

 lawns, following it by a slight top-dress- 

 ing of bone meal or lawn fertilizer and a 

 good rolling to level it thoroughly for the 

 mower. 



Fruit Garden. — All new plantations of Grape 

 vines, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, 

 etc., should be made without delay, and those 

 that have been laid down during winter uncov- 

 ered and tied up to stakes or trellises. Straw- 

 berries that have been covered up by leaves or 

 straw should be relieved around the plant, 

 leaving the covering to act as a mulch and keep 

 the fruit clean. 



Vegetable Garden. — Whenever the soil is 

 in good condition no time should be lost in sow- 

 ing the hardier sorts of vegetable seeds, such as 

 Cabbages, Beets, Parsnip, Lettuce, Onions, 

 Parsley, Peas, Radishes, Spinach, etc. ; this 

 should be done in all cases by the middle of the 

 month, wherever practicable, for if these varie- 

 ties of vegetables are delayed until the hot 

 weather in May, they will not be so early, nor 

 will they produce such good crops. Asparagus 

 and Rhubarb should also be uncovered, the 

 beds forked over lightly and fresh plantations 

 made when necessary. All Potatoes, especially 

 those for early use, must also be planted as 

 soon as possible, and small sowings made of 

 Thyme, Marjoram, Sage, Fennel, Dill and other 

 herbs, without which no garden is complete. 

 Cabbage and Cauliflower plants, Onion sets. 

 Shallots, etc., should also be planted as soon as 

 the weather is favorable. Tomatoes, Egg-plants, 

 Peppers and other tender plants may still be 

 sown in the hot-bed, Sweet Potatoes put in to 

 produce sprouts to plant out next month, and 

 a few Cucumbers in hills to remain there and 

 come in for early use. 



MAY. 



Green-house and Window Plants. — Many 

 of the plants so carefully wintered over will 

 now be in full bloom, and except on verj'^ cold 

 nights flring in the green-house may be dispensed 

 with ; still, during the first of the month care 

 must be exercised in ventilating, on account 

 of the cold winds. It will now be necessary to 

 partially shade the glass, which may be done 

 either by "burlaps" on rollers overhead, 

 or more cheaply and simply by syringing the 

 glass, outside, with a thin mixture of white lead 

 and naphtha, spattering it on more thickly every 

 week or two as the sun ^rows stronger. (See 

 " Shading.") Azaleas will now be at their best 

 and will fully repay the care bestowed on them. 

 As soon as they are done blooming they should be 



pruned into shape, and after being kept close 

 and moist for a short time till they break, re- 

 potted for next season, and about the end of the 

 month placed with Camellias and kindred plants 

 in a slightly shady place, out-of-doors, where 

 they may be freely syringed and attended to 

 during summer. The various plants that have 

 done duty during winter should now be looked 

 over; those that do best in pots repotted, 

 while many will recuperate better if planted 

 in the open border for the summer. All 

 climbers, such as Cissus, Passifloras, Steph- 

 anotis, Allamandas, should be tied up and 

 kept in order, and syringed freely every day 

 to keep them clean and healthj', while the 

 many varieties of Achimenes, Gloxinias, Bego- 



