APRIL. 



630 



APRIL. 



in them. A melon pit, divided into com- 

 partments of two or more lights each, will 

 be useful at this time, and will answer 

 most of the purposes to which frames are 

 applicable. 



Mushroom Beds may be made out of 

 doors this month. Prepare the dung by 

 turning it over five or six times; mix a 

 portion of loamy soil with it, and some 

 recommend a sprinkling of salt ; build the 

 bed up in a ridge of 4 feet high, and 5 or 

 6 wide ; dig a trench round it to drain it ; 

 beat it firmly, and when about 80, spawn 

 it by making shallow holes with one hand, 

 thrusting pieces of spawn into them with 

 the other. Some recommend waiting a 

 day or two after making the bed, asserting 

 that the weight of the casing, as it is called, 

 causes a rise in the temperature, which 

 might endanger the spawn. It is as well 

 to be cautious. Case the bed with 2 or 3 

 inches of loamy soil, rather stiff, and cover 

 with 6 or 8 inches of clean straw ; and to 

 keep this in its place, cover it with mats. 

 This will protect it from winds and rain. 



Potatoes. Plants in frames may be tried 

 by scraping away the earth near the collar. 

 The largest tubers are near the surface 

 generally, and may be removed without 

 disturbing the plants, which should be left 

 to perfect the smaller ones. Water, if 

 required^ but liquid manure is not neces- 

 sary. 



Salading. Lettuces may still be sown 

 in cold frames, and a good plan is to move 

 the frames from place to place, merely 

 using them to protect the seeds from birds. 

 There is no limit to the utility of cold 

 frames in the garden. A frame placed 

 over rhubarb will bring it on fast. Lettuces, 

 &c. , may be urged on in the same way. 



Seakale. When cut, the roots should 

 be removed, and planted in the open 

 ground, if required for increase. 



Vegetable Marrows, &c. Vegetable 

 marrows, ridge cucumbers, tomatoes, cap- 



sicums, chillies, tea plants, and egg plants 

 may be sown and raised with the aid of 

 manure, managed as for melons. April is 

 a good time to raise all these, or to pot 

 them and plunge them in the dung, if 

 already raised. 



April. Hothouse, or Plant 

 Stove, Work in. 



During the warmer months of the year, 

 the routine work, &c., of the hothouse and 

 greenhouse for flowers, &c. , is identical, or 

 very nearly so, and for the present no dis- 

 tinction need be made between them. The 

 chief difference is in the temperature, which 

 always rules higher than in the greenhouse. 

 In the plant stove, a moist, growing atmos- 

 phere of 70 to 75 should be maintained as 

 a general rule. 



Begonias. Most of the variegated 

 varieties do best treated as half deciduous. 

 Retaining a few plants for winter decoration, 

 the main stock should be compelled to rest 

 for the winter ; that is, they are kept warm 

 and very dry. so that many of the leaves 

 fade. Now is the time to shake over the 

 dry soil, re-pot, and plunge into a bottom 

 heat of 70 or 80, or they will start very 

 nicely on a stone shelf. The rapidity of 

 change from semi-death to vigorous life is 

 very striking. This treatment suits begonias 

 admirably. An example of the begonia is 

 shown in the accompanying illustration. 



Caladiums. Start a few pots of 



caladiums. Their adder-tongued-looking 



leaves have a striking effect, and, with 



foresight, some may be had throughout the 



year. Keep dormant plants quite dry. In 



' this state they are liable to damp and rot. 



I The beautiful Argyrites is often killed by 



i attempting to keep the plant in leaf all 



j winter, and by watering it to secure this 



j object. Nature tells them all to rest for 



j three or four months, and they will sooner 



perish than grow. 



Orchids. As soon as these begin to grow, 



