850 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



early scarlet Strawberry. Cut grafts before the buds become 

 large. 



In the Green-house. Both in frosty and damp or foggy 

 weather, employ small fires. During the warmest part of 

 every fine day, open the sashes, in order that the air in the 

 house may be kept constantly sweet. Be extremely sparing 

 in the use of water ; Aloes, and other succulent plants, will 

 require none. The water should have acquired the tempera- 

 ture of the house before it is used. Fumigate occasionally 

 with tobacco smoke. 



In the Hot-house. Carefully regulate the fires, according 

 to the state of the weather. The temperature of the house, 

 during the night, to be kept about 55 degrees of Fahrenheit, 

 and in the middle of the day it should rise to about 70 de- 

 grees. Admit fresh air every day. Remove all insects that 

 can be found, particularly examining for them the blossoms 

 of fruit-trees. Roses and other flowers will frequently require 

 water, but fruit-trees in blossom only seldom, and little at a 

 time. 



In the Nursery. Repair the fences, to keep out rabbits, 

 hares, and other animals, which are at this time very destruc- 

 tive, from the scarcity of food. Transplant and prune forest- 

 trees and flowering shrubs. Trench the ground for sowing 

 seeds in spring: make plantations of stocks for budding and 

 grafting upon. Gather and carry away the moss, wherever 

 it appears. 



SECOND MONTH. FEBRUARY. 



Flower Garden and Shrubbery. Finish the planting of 

 Box and other edgings. Lay down turf where it is required, 

 and in order to prevent the grass from becoming rank, if 

 brought from a poor to a rich soil, place under it a layer of 

 sand. Bulbous and tuberous-rooted flowers may still be 

 planted, but will in general be weaker than if planted in the 

 fall of the year. Dig over and manure the soil of the shrub- 

 bery, and finish the pruning of the shrubs. Transplant per- 

 ennial flowers ; sow tender annuals in hot-beds, and prepare 

 the ground for sowing hardy annuals. Continue to cover 

 beds of valuable flowers with mats as in last month, taking 

 off the mats in the middle of the day. Sweep off the moss 

 from gravel walks with a stiff broom. 



Kitchen Garden. Sow Melons, Cresses, Mustard, Radishes, 

 and Celery. Put the Cucumbers three days old into small 

 pots, one for each plant, and put the pots up to the rim in a 

 hot-bed. Continue to sow Peas, Beans, Carrots, Cabbages, 

 Savoys, and Lettuces. Examine the Cauliflowers and Let- 

 tuces under glasses. Earth up the Beans and Peas of last 

 month's sowing. Plant Garlic, Rocambole, Chives, Escha- 

 lots, Scorzonera, Salsafy, Borage, Angelica, Marigold, curled 

 Parsley, Potatoes, and Jerusalem Artichokes. Plant Horse- 

 radish by cuttings ; and at the end of the month, plant the last 

 crop of Asparagus for forcing. If the heat of any of the 

 hot-beds appears to decline too much, remove a part of the 

 dung round the sides, and apply a quantity of fresh. 



Fruit Garden. Prune and nail up Vines, Peaches, Nec- 

 tarines, and other stone-fruit trees. Transplant fruit-trees of 

 all sorts. Plant cuttings of Gooseberries and Currants. Give 

 air to Strawberries on hot-beds. Graft Apples, Pears, Plums, 

 and Cherries. If gum or symptoms of canker appear, cut 

 out the infected part. 



Green-house. As mild weather occurs or approaches, 

 admit more or less fresh air during the day. Dissipate the 

 damp of foggy weather, and ward off the effects of frost, by 

 small fires. The Aloe will still require no water; plants of 

 a less succulent nature will require a little ; and others, in 



proportion as they approach to a hard or ligneous texture, 

 will require the quantity of water to be increased. Frequent 

 waterings are better than few and copious ones. Remove all 

 decayed leaves. Remove the earth of pots to the depth of 

 an inch, and supply its place by fresh mould. 



Hot-house. Let the temperature be about 55 degrees dur- 

 ing the night, and 75 or 80 degrees during the middle of the 

 day. Thin the bunches of grapes; eradicate decayed leaves 

 and insects. Take care to keep the air in a wholesome state. 

 Frequently water Pines, stir up the old bark, and mix with 

 it some fresh, if there be a decay of its heat. Fumigate to 

 destroy insects. 



Nursery. Plant Acorns, Beech-mast, and other seeds, &e. 

 of shrubs and forest-trees : cut down seedling Chestnuts of 

 one year old to the ground : head down grafted and budded 

 stocks ; plant cuttings, suckers, and layers in general. 



TIIIRJ) MONTH. MA.RCH. 



Floiver Garden and Shrubbery. Give a covering of fresh 

 earth to plants in pots, first removing a layer of the old earth. 

 Roll gravel walks : finish the planting of deciduous shrubs, 

 and perennial flowers, and continue to sow annual flowers, to 

 maintain a succession of them. Tender annuals, sown in 

 pots, will require a gentle hot-bed, to hasten their time of 

 flowering. Sedulously weed the flower borders. Plant ever- 

 greens with balls of earth. Plant Carnation layers in pots. 

 Shelter tender flowers from heavy rain or sleet. Finish the 

 laying of Turf, and at the end of the month mow the Grass. 



Kitchen Garden. Sow the general crap of Lettuces, Pars- 

 neps, and Carrots. Continue to sow Peas and Beans at inter- 

 vals. Sow Spinach and Cabbage seed, Celery, and early 

 Turnips. Make fresh plantations of Asparagus, between the 

 rows of which sow Onions. Remove the hand-glasses from 

 Cauliflowers, and earth them up. Sow Salading, Parsley, 

 Horse-radish, Thyme, and aromatic and physical herbs in 

 general. Plant Leeks and Endive for seed. Surround the 

 hot-beds of Melons and Cucumbers with a thick lining of 

 fresh dung, or remove them to fresh beds. Kidney-beans, 

 Jerusalem Artichokes, Tomatoe, Mushrooms, and Capsicums, 

 must not be forgotten. 



Fruit Garden. The blossoms of the Peach, Nectarine, 

 and Apricot, must be protected from dry and cold winds in 

 the night, by placing hurdles before them, or spreading old 

 fishing nets over them, or covering them with mats. Pkmt 

 and prune ; graft the various kinds of stocks ; shorten the 

 shoots from the grafts of last year, and take off the heads of 

 the budded stocks of the same age. Dress Strawberry beds, 

 and water them, especially those on hot-beds ; place wisps of 

 straw on the ground to support the leaves, and remove oil 

 runners, unless it is intended to prepare for a new plantation 

 of them in autumn. Hoe the soil where the Currants and 

 Gooseberries are planted. 



Green-house. Trim Myrtles, Orange-trees, Lemon-trees, 

 and other shrubs, to the form required. Open the sashes 

 during the warmest part of all fine days. Frequent waterings 

 will be required ; and the washing of the plants with water is 

 beneficial. Exclude the frost; for which purpose, at nights, 

 a small fire will be necessary. Sow the seeds of green-house 

 plants in hot-beds. 



Hot-house. Thin the leaves and shoots of the Vine. 

 Admit fresh air during the middle of fine days. To main- 

 tain the heat in a regular manner, is of great consequence 

 to the Pines, which will now begin to shew fruit. The 

 temperature in the morning should be 60 degrees, and in 

 the course of the day, should rise to 75 or 80 degrees. 



