TIMELY TOPICS FOR THE AMATEUR. 



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the end oi the month take a peep at the 

 Dutch bulb beds, if the bulbs are showing 

 growth above ground, and the weather is 

 mild, a portion of the winter covering may 

 be taken oft", but leave sufficient of the 

 lightest part of the covering to loosely cover 

 the growth ; this can be removed later on, 

 when the tips of the growth have hardened 

 and the weather becomes warmer. Sow 

 Sweet Peas and Mignonette as soon as pos- 

 sible after the ground is in good condition. 

 Uncover all shrubs and trees as well as per- 

 ennial and biennal plants that have been pro- 

 tected during winter ; exposing them gradu- 

 ally to the sun and air, as recommended be- 

 fore for bulbs. Flower seeds of various 

 kinds can be sown in pots or boxes and 

 started in the hot bed for early flowering, 

 such as Asters, Campanulas, Alyssums, Cal- 

 liopsis. Cosmos, Dianthus, Gaillardias, Pe- 

 tunias, Marigolds, Zinnias, etc. Some of the 

 new varieties of the Centaureas (corn flower) 

 and the useful annual summer flowering 

 Chrysanthemums, better known perhaps as 

 Marguerites, are very beautiful and easily 

 grown. A few of the old fashioned Antir- 

 hinums (Snap Dragon) should be grown, 

 they will give you spikes cii bloom from July 

 through the scorching hot days of August, 

 when flowers are often scarce, and continue 

 in flower until severe frost sets in. A few 

 Nasturtium seeds, two or three seeds in a 

 three inch pot, will make useful plants for 

 trellises, vases and similar uses. Some 

 seeds of the beautiful and vigorous exotic 

 climber, Cobea Scandens, may be sown, one 

 or two seeds in a four inch pot and trans- 

 planted into the open ground in June after 

 all danger of frost is gone ; this plant makes 

 a gorgeous climber for covering wire trellises 

 around verandahs during the summer 

 months. Prune hardy roses as soon as the 

 young buds show. 



Frimt Garden. — All pruning should be 

 finished this month. Gooseberries, and 

 both red and white currant bushes should be 



pruned on the spur system, by cutting back 

 the growth of last year, leaving only two or 

 three of the buds at the base for future fruit 

 buds. Black currant bushes should not be 

 topped, but merely thinned out as required. 

 Remove all useless suckers from all fruit 

 trees, also all branches of fruit bushes that 

 touch the ground, except gooseberries. The 

 lower branches of these latter may be layered 

 if young trees are needed, and this is done by 

 pegging down the lower branches with a 

 forked stick at a point as near the main stem 

 of the bush as possible, and throw a spadeful 

 or two of earth over the branch where pegged 

 down ; in a year's time you will have some nice 

 young bushes for transplanting. Strawberry 

 beds that have been heavily mulched should 

 be partially uncovered. 



Vegetable Garden. — The asparagus bed 

 generally requires the first attention in the 

 spring ; fork it lightly over and rake off a 

 part of the winter's mulching of manure, 

 give it a good coating of salt, a bushel to 

 the rod will not be too much if the bed is 

 well established. This delicious and health- 

 ful vegetable should be grown by ever\- one 

 who has a small patch of garden ground, it 

 requires very little care when once planted, 

 and well repays any labor expended on it. 

 Sow a few rows of spinach, parsley, onions 

 and peas as soon as you can work the 

 ground ; sow early and late varieties of peas 

 at the same time, you will then have a suc- 

 cession of pickings by this method. Sow 

 parsnips and plant artichokes as early as 

 possible. A row or two of early carrots and 

 beets may be risked. Mustard and cress 

 seeds may be sown and placed in a hot bed, 

 or even in a window. A good method ot 

 sowing mustard and cress is to get some 

 shallow boxes, about two inches deep, fill 

 them three parts full of good soil, level and 

 press the soil firmly, sow the seed thickly so 

 as to nearly cover the soil, press the seed 

 slightly into the soil with a smooth piece of 

 board, but put no soil over the seeds at all, 



