326 CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. [CHAP. XII. 



and beans. The strawberry beds are pruned 

 and dressed, and the raspberry shoots are 

 shortened and cut in. 



March. — This is the sowing-month. In the 

 flower-garden the seeds of hardy annuals are 

 sown in the open border. Turf is laid down 

 where wanted, and grass seeds are sown. Rose 

 trees are sometimes planted in this month, and 

 the climbing kinds are pruned and trained. 

 The best sorts for training as pyramids of roses 

 are the Noisette and Boursault kinds, and some 

 of the hybrid China. The box-edgings are 

 taken up and replanted; and the gravel walks 

 are raked or turned over, and new gravel 

 added, if requisite. Whenever this is done, the 

 walks should be well watered; and afterwards, 

 as soon as the surface has become quite dry, 

 they should be rolled. Unless the gravel be 

 well watered, the rolling will do but little good; 

 and, unless the surface be allowed to become 

 quite dry before rolling (which it soon will, 

 when exposed to the drying winds of March), 

 the gravel will adhere to the roller, and the 

 surface will be rendered rough instead of 

 smooth. March is the first month that dis- 

 plays the cheerfulness and brilliancy of spring, 

 for the flower-garden is gay with crocuses, and 

 the bees are buzzing about them, while the 

 birds are singing on every tree. The weather 

 is often very fine and warm in March; but 

 there are frequently frosty nights, during which 

 the tree-peeonies and other half-hardy early 

 flowering shrubs should be protected by a kind 

 of beehive-like covering, made sufficiently large 

 to put on and take off without injuring the 



