52 



GARDENING BY MYSELF. 



thing ; and stick a label in the middle or at 

 one side of the patch. Else you may get 

 two sets of poppies '' cheek by jowl," and 

 red, white, and blue, in anything but har- 

 monious confusion. Some gardeners say it 

 is well to cover the seed patch for a few 

 days with a bit of board or an empty flower 

 pot. It may be, — I have never tried it. 

 But remember neither to dig nor sow nor 

 transplant just after a heavy rain. The 

 earth will dry in clods, and give you great 

 trouble. 



Some time this month you must uncover 

 your bulbs. The middle of March is gener- 

 ally my time ; but that must vary a little 

 with season and place. Let no careless hand 

 touch the beds ; for the shoots are many of 

 them well up by this time, and the brush and 

 leaves must be taken off very gently. Then 

 dress the surface of the earth with light 

 trowel work, so as to loosen and smooth 

 and put the whole in neat order ; being 

 very careful not to injure the shoots that 

 are not yet up. Give relief to the tuUps 



