130 THE SEED-GROWER. 



WHAT IS THE PROPER TIME FOR SOWING 

 OUT OF DOORS IN SPRING? 



As the seasons vary and differ according to the cli- 

 mate or the locality, one's own experience or that of 

 some successful neighbor is the best guide for planting 

 that can be suggested. A safe rule for the hardiest 

 varieties is to sow as soon as the ground is entirely 

 free from frost and can be made in condition. This 

 may mean in some of the extreme Southern States Jan- 

 uary or February; in some warmer sections of the 

 Northern States, the latter part of March or 1st of April; 

 in colder sections not before the 20th or 25th of April 

 or May 1st. In the Middle States (and some such 

 rule will apply everywhere) it is pursued by many 

 gardeners by observing nature, such as the leafing of the 

 early shrubs and trees, the blossoming of the early wild 

 flowers and fruit trees. 



Cabbage, lettuce, onion sets, parsley, peas, radish, 

 salsify, spinach and turnip are sown in Southeastern 

 Pennsylvania when the violet and the arbutus, the 

 peach, cherry and pear are in full bloom, or the maple 

 and horse chestnut in one inch leaf, which is gener- 

 ally from April 18th to 25th, depending on the earliness 

 or lateness of the season. Sowing of the less hardy 

 varieties, such as beans, beet, carrot, celery, cucumber, 

 kale, okra, onion and parsnip, is made a week or so 

 later, when the apple is in blossom, or the oak (a late 

 tree) is in one inch leaf, which is from May 1st to 5th. 

 Corn, melon and squash are planted when all danger 

 from frost is past, or when the catalpa and blackberry 

 are in bloom, from May 15th to 20th. 



The following table for a period of ten years taken 

 from a record kept for twenty years by the writer, shows 

 the season or the average time when blossoming and 



