APRIL. 



631 



APRIL. 



a general potting should take place. The 

 beautiful palm-like leaved Cyrtopodiums 

 should be shaken out and potted in a compost 

 of equal parts loam, leaf mould, turfy peat 

 sand, broken crocks, and charcoal. They 

 are noble-looking plants. Bletias may be 

 treated in the same manner, using more 

 loam, however, for them and the beautiful 

 dove plant, Peristeria data. Plunge 

 Aerides, Vandas, &c., in water, when their 

 flower stems appear, until they are 

 thoroughly soaked. Shift Laelias, Brassias, 

 Cattleyas, &c., into fresh baskets. Keep 

 Oncidiums rather dry at present. The 

 beautiful old Goodyera discolor will now be 

 in full blossom. Its striking dark purple- 

 veined leaves, and noble heads of pure 

 white blossom, make it still a charming 

 object. Clean all plants when in a dormant 

 state, and secure a moist growing atmos- 

 phere of 70 to 75, as already directed. 



April. Kitchen Garden, Work 

 in. 



Artichokes, Globe. These may be propa- 

 gated by offsets taken from them in April 

 or May, and planted on deeply trenched 

 ground in rows 5 feet apart, and 3 feet 

 apart in the rows. 



Artichokes Jerusalem. The tubers may 

 still be planted where not previously done. 

 Let there be a space of 3 or 4 feet between 

 the rows, if a large piece of ground is 

 planted with them, and about 3 feet 

 between the sets, which, however, may 

 be placed 18 inches apart, if a single row 

 is planted at the foot of a wall or wooden 

 fence to serve in some measure as a screen. 

 Planting should not be delayed after the 

 first week in April. 



Asparagits. When it is determined to 

 raise plants from seed, the seed should be 

 sown on ground that has been well dug, 

 but not manured, at any time from March 

 to June, but April is considered the most 

 suitable time. Beds to be filled with roots 



should have been deeply trenched and 

 heavily dressed in the winter. The ground 

 must now be levelled and forked over, a 

 liberal dressing of rotten manure being 

 incorporated with the soil at the same 

 time, and the roots then set in the ground 

 in rows 24 inches apart, and at the distance 

 of 8 or 10 inches from each other in the 

 rows. 



Beans, Broad. A few rows of any good 

 dwarf variety, or even a row or two of 

 Green Windsor beans, may be sown for 

 succession. 



Beans, Kidney. Seeds may be sown at 

 the beginning of the month in pans, and 

 under handlights, and at the end of the 

 month in the open ground, for trans- 

 planting. Scarlet runner beans, the most 

 profitable, and, perhaps, the most palatable 

 of this class of beans, should be remem- 

 bered. This is a most appropriate vege- 

 table for cottage gardens, and has a good 

 appearance when sown at the foot of a 

 fence or palings, which its exuberant 

 growth, when it has well started, will soon 

 hide from view. 



Beet, Red. Red beet, or beetroot, as it 

 is frequently called, should be sown at the 

 beginning of the month. The ground 

 should be open and exposed to the sun's 

 rays, and such that no shade from trees 

 can fall on it. 



Beet, Spanish or White. This may be 

 sown now, though it is usually sown in 

 March, and allowed to grow large : the 

 leaves are eaten in the same way as 

 spinach. It is a useful summer crop, because 

 spinach soon runs to seed in that season, 

 when this beet makes a very good substi- 

 tute, and may be grown advantageously 

 by those who desire to have a continuous 

 supply of vegetables throughout the 

 season. 



Cabbages. The first week in this month 

 is a. good time for sowing the various sorts 

 of cabbages for main crop, selecting the 



