226 GARDEN MANACTMENT. 



drills 9 or 10 inches apart, or broadcast, and thin to the sanae distance. The 

 white beet may be sown for the leaves, which are eaten like spinach in summer. 



596. Early Potatoes may be planted on a south border, or under a wall 

 having a sunny aspect. At this time it is well to plant middUng-sized tubers 

 whole. The early tops are apt to get cut oflf by spring frosts ; but they bear 

 none the less for it, and they may be recovered if not too severely frozen, by 

 watering with cold water before the sun is up. 



597. Saladiag and Potherhs. — Lettuces should be sown now for succession. 

 Mustard-and-tcress may be sown under hand-glasses. American cress, which 

 is much the same as water-cress, may also be sown on a sunny border ; it is 

 very useful for salading, and easily cultivated. Chervil may be sown about the 

 end of this month, and also other potherbs, as savory, marjoram, coriander, 

 and hyssop : unless it is desired to have them veiy early, however, it is as well 

 to defer sowing these till next month. They are mostly very slow in germi- 

 nating. 



59S. Scorzoneras, Salsafy, Ilaniburg Parsley, d:c. — It is as well to defer 

 sowing main crops of these things till next month : the advantage of having 

 early crops is great, but they should be proportioned to the extent of room, 

 the time they last, or the wants of the family. A square rod of ground will 

 generally be suflBcient for early sowings of most of the principal crops, but 

 herbs and salads will do with less, and it is best to look forward to what 

 is to be done during the whole season, and calculate to a nicety what can 

 be grown on every part without wasting room, or crowding and over-cropping, 

 and exhausting- the soil beyond the power of manure to restore it. It may 

 seem advisable to make early use of the ground, and get it three-parts cropped 

 in February ; but in May and June it will be seen that a fatal error has been 

 committed. 



§ 4. — Fruit-Garden. 



599. Strawberries. — If it is desirable to make new plantations of strawberries 

 at this time, it may be done by taking vip runners with a trowel, and planting 

 them 18 inches apart. It is easy to select plants that will flower and fruit the 

 same j'ear by the crowns, which, if plump and full, indicate flower-buds. 

 After planting, mulch with dung : they will bear much more freely, and it is 

 important to do this early. Old plants should be cleaned and^mulched. 



6co. RasiJierries should be pi'uned without delay, if not done before. Cut 

 out all the old canes, and thin out the new to four or five ; shorten them one- 

 third, and if necessary support them with sticks, rails, or by arching them 

 together. If this is done cai'efully, only tying two together, it will answer better 

 than by tying them to stakes. 



601. Gooseberry and Cuirant-hushes should be pruned where fonnerly 

 omitted. In pruning gooseberries, the object is merely to thin out and regu- 

 late the shoots, which need not be shortened except to keep them oflf the 

 ground, In pruning currants, the obi^ct is to produce short fruit-bearing 



