THE GARDEN. 819 



proved by being stripped of the mats, or other covering, 

 in season to receive the chill of a snow storm. 



The tenth of April is full early enough with us to 

 uncover trees and shrubs. The digging of the garden 

 beds cannot be advantageously undertaken before the 

 first of May. 



The only April gardening, is uncovering the beds of 

 snowdrops, crocus, and other early bulbs. The time for 

 this varies from the first to the last of the month, ac- 

 cording to the exposure of the bed. The rule is, when 

 the bulbs shoot up through the manure and straw, and 

 begin to bloom, then uncover. We shall, doubtless, have 

 frosty nights ; but unless the cold should be very severe, 

 far greater than the average after the first of April, 

 the young shoots and flowers will not be injured. 



Let us suppose the warm, sunny days of May have 

 come, the bloodroot and violets are in full bloom, and 

 Nature is rapidly assuming her spring vestments. Now 

 is the time to dig over our flower border ; we shall find 

 the soil, instead of being hard, sodden, and cold, as it 

 is in April, soft, porous, and crumbly, breaking readily 

 under the blows of the spade. If we have given the 

 border, in autumn, a good top-dressing of manure, as is 



