366 MONTHLY CALENDAR. [March. 



in a greenhouse or light room, or else plunged in a hot bed. 

 Those who have no such conveniences may, however, 

 delay the planting of sound bulbs, until the weather will 

 admit of their being planted in warm borders. 



Dahlia roots should now be plunged in a hot-bed, to 

 forward them, with a view to their being separated, as soon 

 as the eyes are discernible, 196. 



FRUIT DEPARTMENT. 



If the weather be mild this month, considerable work 

 may be done in the fruit garden and orchard, before the 

 ground can be brought into suitable condition for ploughing^ 

 digging, or planting. 



Prune Grape Vines ; but withhold the knife, until you 

 have surveyed the plant, and selected a full supply of the 

 last Summer shoots at regular distances from each other, 

 for bearers the coming Summer ; cut out the superabundant, 

 wjth part of most of the last year's bearers, and naked 

 wood. Prune so that a young shoot terminate each branch, 

 and shorten the reserved shoots; the smallest to three or 

 four joints, and the strong ones to ten or twelve. Fasten 

 the vines to trellises as soon as pruned, with list, or shreds 

 of woollen cloth, arranging the general branches from ten 

 to twelve inches distance, more or less, according to the 

 size of the vines and space allotted for them to grow. See 

 Observations on Training and Pruning, page 251; also, 

 article Grape Vine, 293 to 306. 



Prune Apple trees, 2.65 ; Cherry, 277 ; Pear, 329 ; Plum 

 338 ; Quince, 344 ; also, Currant bushes, 264 ; Gooseberry, 

 292 ; cutting out all crowded branches, worn out bearers 

 and decayed wood. 



Cut out and destroy all the old stems of Raspberry shrubs, 

 reserve three or four of the strongest young shoots on each 

 stool ; shorten them at the top, and take away all others j 

 the strqngest of which may be transplanted to form a new 

 bed, 346 



In transplanting trees care should be taken that the col- 

 J^ar, or that part from, which emanates the main roots, be not 



