MARCH. 



619 



MARCH. 



each other. During the autumn, earth 

 up to blanch. The plant grows very 

 large, after the manner of the globe 

 artichoke. Much room is required for 

 banking up ; accordingly, some gar- 

 deners recommend placing them 5 feet 

 apart at the final planting ; but the 

 crop can never pay for this enormous 

 extent of ground. 



Carrots. Some seed may be sown early 

 this month, but the main crop should be 

 deferred till the first week in April. Such 

 sorts as the Intermediate may be sown in 

 the four succeeding months ; they will be 

 useful to those who like to have this vege- 

 table fresh and sweet from the ground. 

 The ground should be deeply dug or 

 bastard trenched in autumn, left at first 

 in a rough state ; but when it has been 

 well frosted, stir and level it in January 

 or February. For the purpose of doing 

 this the Canterbury hoe (that is, a hoe 

 having two or three prongs instead of 

 a blade) is a very useful implement. 

 This treatment 'of the soil applies in all 

 cases of spring sowing, especially if the 

 ground is heavy or retentive ; in that 

 case it will not fall to pieces, unless it 

 has been frosted and dried by winds. 

 In preparing the ground for carrots, no 

 manure should be applied ; it is known 

 that it induces them to fork, and they 

 are more likely to become grub eaten. 

 A dressing of sand is advantageous. 



Cauliflowers. Cauliflower seed sown 

 now will furnish plants for planting out 

 in May and June ; it may be sown in 

 the open ground or in a frame or hand- 

 glass. Sow on the surface, tread and 

 rake, and protect with litter or netting. 



Celery. It is too early yet to sow the 

 main crop of celery, but a little may be 

 sown for early use. First sowings may be 

 sown in seed pans ; but for the main crop, 

 it is preferable to shake together a small 

 heap of stable dung, just sufficient to give 



a slight heat ; spread three inches of soil 

 on it, sow the seed, and cover with a hand- 

 glass. The plants come up much stronger 

 by this method. The seed takes a long 

 while to germinate compared to some : 

 that sown in March will be ready to 

 transplant in April. 



Cropping. During this month the great 

 operations of the year are commenced, and 

 most of the principal crops got in. Hither- 

 to, warm and sheltered spots and borders 

 have been appropriated, but the larger 

 quarters have been dug up into ridges, 

 and as large a surface as possible 

 exposed to atmospheric influences. Now 

 the whole garden is to be cropped upon 

 a carefully considered plan, so that no 

 crop of the same character should follow 

 on the same spot; but having once laid 

 down a well-devised plan for the season, 

 the operations should become compara- 

 tively easy. Assuming therefore, that 

 previous directions have been attended 

 to, that the soil was turned over in 

 autumn, that it has been frozen, the 

 surface turned over and frozen again, 

 and dried by the winds which generally 

 occur early this month, it is now ready 

 for cropping (see Rotation of Crops). 



Leeks. A sowing should be made in a 

 small bed not later than the middle of the 

 month, to be transplanted, when large 

 enough, into well-manured trenches for 

 winter use. 



Mint may also be propagated this month 

 by separating the roots and planting them 

 in drills drawn with a hoe 6 inches 

 asunder, covering them with an inch of 

 earth, and raking smooth. They will 

 quickly take root, and grow freely for 

 use in the summer. This method may 

 be applied to the several sorts of spear- 

 mint, peppermint, lamb mint, and orange 

 mint. 



Onions. The main crop should be got 

 in this month. Sow in drills from 6 to 9 



