MONTHLY CALENDAR. 233 



teams, it is of great importance to have spare parts to 

 replace those liable to be broken ; otherwise, frequently 

 half a day is lost, by the breaking of a whiffle-tree, or 

 plow share, causing more loss by delay, than three or four 

 times the cost of the article. 



March — is one of the busiest months in the year with us. 

 Hot-beds are made, and planted or sown, and Lettuce crops 

 may be planted in cold frames and forcing pits, (see direc- 

 tions under these heads). In the latter part of the month 

 we often begin, on dry soils, the sowing or planting in the 

 open ground of such hardy vegetables as Horseradish, 

 Cabbage, Lettuce, Onions, Radishes, Turnips, etc., etc. 

 Although we gain but little in earliness by starting before 

 April, yet it forwards our operations, so that it equalizes 

 labor more than when starting late in spring. Enthusi- 

 astic beginners must avoid the too common error of be- 

 ginning out-door operations too soon, when the soil is 

 not sufficiently dry; for, if the soil is dug or plowed while 

 wet, it is highly injurious, not only destroying the pres- 

 ent crop, but injuring the land for years after. 



New plantations of Asparagus, Rhubarb, Sea Kale, and 

 Artichokes may be made, and old beds top-dressed, by 

 digging in short manure close around the plants ; we con- 

 sider it more economical of manure to do this in spring, 

 than in fall. (See Asparagus.) 



Such roots as Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Leek, Lettuce, 

 Onion, Parsnip, etc., planted to produce seed, may be set 

 out the latter part of this month, on soils that are warm 

 and dry, drawing earth up around the crowns so as to 

 protect them from sharp frosts; in hoeing, in April, this 

 soil is removed. 



