602 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [DEC. 



SOUTHERN STATES. 



In such of the southern States as have but very slight frosts in 

 winter, you may, in addition to other necessary work, sow on warm 

 borders- for early crops, small quantities of carrots, parsneps, onions, 

 beets, radish, lettuce, spinage and parsley. &c. j earth up late celery 

 and cardoons, tie up endive for blanching, and plant out in rows up 

 to their heads such of the cabbage tribe as are intended for seed, cover- 

 ing their heads wifh straw if found necessary, to preserve them from 

 frost or wet. Tak6 care to set each kind apart by itself, and at a 

 considerable distance from any other, for if contiguous, the farina of 

 the one when in blossom would impregnate the seeds in the ovaries 

 of the other, whereby the whole would become bastardized, and you 

 would have neither kind in its original purity. 



Plant early Mazagan, Lisbon, long-pod, and Windsor beans, and 

 sow early-frame, Sangster's early, and Charleton peas ; earth up the 

 crops of peas and beans which were sowed in the preceding months, 

 as they advance in growth, and if there is any danger to be appre- 

 hended from frost, cover them at night and in severe weather with 

 long dry straw, which can be conveniently removed when a favorable 

 change takes place, and laid on again when found necessary. 



Plant out garlic, rocambole, and shallots, likewise large onions, for 

 seed, and sow as directed in March, the seeds of rhubarb, sea-kale, 

 skerrets, alesanders, dill, and such other kinds of seeds as do not 

 vegetate freely when kept out of the ground till spring. 



THE FRUIT GARDEN. 



IMPROVING THE BORDERS, ETC. 



You may now carry well-rotted old dung, rich earth, or compost, 

 and spread it on the borders in which are planted wall or espalier 

 trees this will protect the roots during winter ; in spring, when dug 

 in, it will add new vigor to the trees, and the advantage will be very 

 evident in the ensuing crops. Standard fruit-trees of every kind 

 will be greatly improved by similar treatment, especially if the 

 ground is become poor, or any way exhausted. 



PROTECTING THE ROOTS OF NEW-PLANTED TREES. 



In the early part of this month, if omitted in November, you 

 should lay wispy dung, straw, or long litter of some kind over the 

 roots of those trees which were planted last spring or in the preceding 

 months, to prevent the frost from having too great an effect on their 

 young and yet tender fibres j this in very rigorous seasons often does 

 considerable injury to young trees, and sometimes lays the founda- 

 tion of diseases which ultimately destroy them. 



