THE GENESEE FARMER. 



117 



Siip«sriiiw 



HORTICULTTJEAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH. 



If the weather continues as fine as it is at present 

 (March 16,) nearly all the early garden crops will 

 have been planted before this number reaches our 

 readers. Early peas, onions, carrots, cabbages, 

 cauliflowers, lettuce, radishes, celery, &c., will 

 have been sown on the warmest soil in the garden. 

 If not, they should be sown immediately, or at 

 least as soon as the ground is in working condition, 

 but not till then. If not already done, a few early 

 potatoes should be planted immediately. By keep- 

 ing them in a warm j)lace for a few days before 

 plantmg, they will start earlier. Peas, if possible, 

 should be planted in a single row, as they then get 

 more light and heat, and produce earher and more 

 abundantly. If this cannot be done, plant in rows 

 four feet apart ; or five feet, with a row of earl}^ 

 cauliflowers or cabbage between them. Some 

 English gardeners plant peas in hills from three to 

 five feet apart, according to the variety, five or six 

 peas to each hill. They are poled like beans. The 

 amount of seed necessary depends on the variety ; 

 the early dwarf kinds require about 80 peas t© 

 each lineal foot ; dwarf marrowfats, 24; tall mar- 

 rowfats and all of similar habit, 12. The small 

 sized peas should be planted 2^ inches deep ; the 

 large sized 3 J- inches. Do not tread them in^ 

 especially if the soil is at all wet or heavy. — 

 Early Kent, Champion of England, and Knighfs 

 Dwarf Marrow, sown at the same time, will ripen 

 in succession. The Champion of England is a de- 

 licious pea, and very productive. 



Lima Beans. — Plant on warm, dry soil, in hills 

 four feet apart. The soil should be as rich as pos- 

 sible. Stick a pole about ten feet long in each hill, 

 and plant five or six beans around it. This is bet- 

 ter than poling when the beans are up, as the 

 operation is apt to disturb the plants. Three plants 

 in a hill are sufficient. If cold, wet weather comes, 

 and the plants die, plant again immediately. 



Stedjg Beans are sown in drills like peas. They 

 should have a warm soil and a sunny situation. 

 One pint of beans will plant a row fifty feet long. 



If more than one row is needed, make the rows 

 two feet deep. 



Onions and Carrots should be sown in rows 

 one foot apart. The former delight in rather a 

 heavy loam ; the latter in loose, deep, rich soil. The 

 Early Short-horn is the best carrot for table use. 

 It may be eaten when quite young, and should 

 consequently be sown thick, and thinned out a3 

 wanted. 



Parsneps and Beets. — Sow in rows two feet 

 apart, and thin out ten to twelve inches in the 

 rows. 



Cabbage and Cauliflowers. — Sow on a warm 

 border or gentle hot-bed. Sow thick, so as to have 

 plenty for the fly and enough for yourself, and thia 

 out and transplant if too thick. They are always 

 better for transplanting before finally setting out. 

 The same remarks apply to celery and tomatoes. 



Raspberry Canes, if they have been covered, 

 should be taken out and tied to stakes. The canes 

 should be shortened back, leaving them from two 

 to four feet long, according to strength. 



Asparagus Beds should be slightly forked over 

 and manured. 



The Hot-Bed will require careful attention this 

 month. If too cold, some fresh, warm horse-dung 

 should be placed round it. The cucumber vines 

 should be pegged down, cutting out all but the 

 strong and fruitful vines. These should be trained 

 so as to cover all the space — say from twelve to 

 fifteen inches apart. As soon as the fruit is set, 

 and begins to smell, the vines should be pinched 

 off two leaves above the fruit. By the time the 

 first cucumbers are ready to cut, the vines will 

 have pushed out again and formed new fruit, 

 which will grow rapidly as soon as the other is 

 removed. Unless the vine is very strong, not more 

 than one cucumber should be left on at a time. 



The celery, tomatoes, egg-plants, &c., sown m 

 boxes in the hot-bed, should be removed to a cold 

 frame, or if the weather is very warm, to a sunny 

 border. In transplanting, care should be taken to 

 disturb the roots as little as possible. They should 

 have a gentle watering, if necessary, with water 

 of a temperature of above 60 ® . They should be 

 set out in rows four or five inches apart, aud re- 

 main here till the groimd is ready for their final 

 setting out. 



To insure a good vegetable garden, the soil can 

 not be too rich. Rapid growth is desirable. It is 

 better to manure in the fall ; but if this has been 

 neglected, the ground should now be spaded and 

 heavUy manured with rich, weU-rotted dung, and bo 

 careful to thoroughly incorporate it with the soil. 



