568 THE FRUIT-GARDEN. [DEC, 



SOUTHKUN STATES. 



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

 winter, you may in addition to other necessary work, so\v on warm 

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

 beets, radish, lettuce, spinage, and parsley, Sec. 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, 

 covering their heads with straw if found necessary, to preserve them 

 from frost or wet. Take 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 bastai> 

 dized, and you would have neither kind in its original purity. 



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

 sow early-frame, golden, and charleton hotspur 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 

 apprehended from frost, cover them at night and in severe weather 

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

 favourable change takes place, and laid on again when found neces- 

 sary. 



Plant out garlick, 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 seed as do 

 not vegetate freely when kept out of the ground till spring. 



THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 

 Improving the Borders^ &c. 



YOU may now carry well-rotted old dung, rich earth, or com- 

 post, and spread it on the borders in which are planted wall or espa- 

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

 when dug in, it will add new vigour 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, espe- 

 cially 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 pre- 

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

 on their young and yet tender fibres j this in very rigorous seasons 



