April Making Ready for Summer 



of sand, so that a level surface may be obtained and 

 for the sake of the plants also. 



Planting Sweet Peas. Seedlings raised under glass 

 early in spring ought now to be planted out of doors, 

 either in clumps or rows, as the fancy of the gardener 

 may dictate. Clumps perhaps look best and are most 

 convenient because one can find room for them more 

 easily than for a row. The plants should not be closer 

 together than 5 or 6 inches ; many who give them special 

 cultivation put them 12 inches apart. It is wise to place 

 small twiggy sticks round about the seedlings as soon 

 as they are planted, not only as a means of support, but 

 as a measure of protection against cold winds and birds. 

 Sweet Peas thrive only on deeply dug and manured 

 ground, but it is a mistake to manure the land excessively 

 when they are grown for garden decoration only. The 

 finest flowers are obtained by restricting the growth 

 of the plants to one or two stems, and by removing 

 all side shoots as they appear, but the average flower 

 lover is content to let them grow as they will. A prolonged 

 display can be expected only if the flowers are gathered 

 regularly to prevent the formation of seed pods. 



Half-hardy Annuals in great variety may be sown 

 out of doors as soon as the soil is dry enough to bring 

 to a fine tilth with fork and rake. The pruning of Tea 

 Roses ought to be carried out, all dead and useless shoots 

 first being removed and the remaining ones shortened 

 by about half, unless, as is not unlikely, they have 

 died back to that extent. The frequent use of the 

 hoe will do much good by aerating and loosening the 

 surface soil and so helping to promote a healthy 

 growth. Hardy flowers of many kinds may be raised 

 from seed sown in boxes in a frame or even out of 

 doors if the ground is sufficiently dry to be brought 

 to a fine tilth. 



Items of Garden Work. If seeds of Border Carna- 

 tions are sown now they will produce giant clumps for 



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