THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



shallow boxes mixed with a Httle soil, leave 

 them out under a fence or trees until fall ; 

 look them over occasionally, as the wood 

 lice are very partial to them, especially 

 hyacinths. Commence bedding- out g^eran- 

 iums and the hardiest of the plants about the 

 end of the month, leave coleus, caladiums, 

 and cannas a little long^er. A bed of tea 

 roses gives good results, especially on lig^ht 

 soil ; plant in June, g^et larg-e plants if you 

 can. Etoile de Lyon, Marion Ding-ee, and 

 the profuse blooming- dwarf Clothilde Sou- 

 pert, for an edging, makes a good selection; 

 if another variety and color is wanted, the 

 little pink Hermosa will give grand results. 

 Give water to beds early in the day at this 

 season of the year. 



Fruit Garden — All planting except per- 

 haps strawberries should be finished before 

 this time. Keep the hoe and cultivator 

 busy. Watch out for caterpillars on goose- 

 berry bushes ; dry Hellebore sprinkled light- 

 ly on the leaves early in the morning will 

 destroy these voracious creatures. A weak 

 solution of Paris green water is efficacious, 

 this should not be applied after the currants 

 are of any size. I find Bordeaux mixture 



sticks to the fruit, and spoils the appear- 

 ance of gooseberries and currants. Spray 

 plum, pear and apple trees after the bloom 

 has fallen with Bordeaux mixture. 



Vegetable Garden — Onions transplanted 

 from hot beds, and all growing crops, will 

 require a light surface stirring of the soil ; 

 one hour's work now with the scuffle ^ or 

 Dutch hoe will save many times over the 

 labor if left until later. The main crop of 

 carrots and beets may be sown. The main 

 crop of potatoes should be planted about the 

 end of May. Plant second early cabbage — 

 Henderson's Summer is a good variety for 

 second early. Sow seeds of savoy and late 

 cabbage and cauliflower early in May in the 

 open ground. A late sowing of peas and 

 beans may perhaps give you good results if 

 the weather is favorable. Plant out leeks as 

 soon as large enough, in shallow trenches 

 prepared the same as for celery. Trans- 

 plant small celery plants from seed beds or 

 boxes into cold frames ; shade and water 

 them well. 



Hamilton. HoRTUS. 



Note. — It will be necessary to make some allowance for 

 dates given, as this article is written for southern Ontario 



EVERGREENS. 



JiVERGREENS are used for hedges, 

 'f^- '• wind-breaks and for lawn purposes. 

 Very few farms can be found which 

 do not need wind-breaks, especially 

 in winter. Those who do not feel able to 

 plant rows to protect their fields should at 

 least arrange to shelter their buildings. 

 Hedges may be made to answer as fences 

 and low wind-breaks. They are beautiful 

 as well as useful. Norway spruce is largely 

 used for wind-breaks and hedges ; it is 

 cheap and hardy. Arbor Vitae or white 

 cedar is especially suitable for hedges ; the 



roots are fibrous and bear transplanting 

 very well. Norway spruce and other ever- 

 greens can be handled with more ease and 

 safety when small. This is true of trees and 

 shrubs generally, but it will take years of 

 patient teaching to get planters to generally 

 act upon this idea. 



Scotch pine grows with great rapidity and 

 soon makes a wind-break or a large single 

 specimen. Austrian pine is smaller ; both 

 have coarse strong needles as foliage. White 

 spruce is a rapid grower and should be more 

 used. Black Hills spruce is a slower grow- 



