294 THE PLEASURE, OR [March. 



four to ten inches, according to circumstances, of a clean stem be- 

 tween the surface earth and lowest left bud, upon which to esta- 

 blish the head. Having had one or two years growth in these rows, 

 they may be planted out either in autumn or early in spring, where 

 intended for fruiting, but autumn is the most preferable season. 



Gooseberries, of all other fruit-trees, require the richest soil. 

 The situation should neither be too high nor too low, nor the soil 

 much inclined to gravel or sand, a deep rich loam is their favourite. 

 Where this fruit is expected in the best perfection, the ground 

 between and about the trees must be kept free from weeds, and 

 dug every spring and autumn, and strongly manured once a year 

 with old well rotted cow-dung: they must be judiciously pruned, 

 and each tree kept to a single stem, without any suckers, which 

 must be dug up or stripped off whenever such appear. But all 

 the culture on earth will not produce good fruit unless you have 

 good kinds, for there are crab gooseberries, as well as crab apples, 

 and as great a variety of the one'kind of fruit as of the other. 



THE PLEASURE, OR FLOWER GARDEN. 



Hyacinths. 



The choice kinds of hyacinths should now be protected from 

 severe frost, for if permitted to penetrate so far into the soil as to 

 reach the bulbs, especially about the time that the plants begin to 

 appear above ground, it will produce a singular effect, by causing 

 some of them to shoot forth or discharge their stems or blossoms; 

 but if at this time the roots become entirely frozen they are in dan- 

 ger of being destroyed, or at least so weakened as to produce but 

 indifferent flowers. 



Tulips. 



When your choice tulips appear above ground, if on examina- 

 tion any distemper or canker is discernible on the foliage, about 

 this time, either above or a little below the surface of the soil, 

 it should be carefully cut out, with a sharp knife, and the wound- 

 ed part left exposed to the sun and air, which will presently heal 

 it: a fine dry day should be made choice of for the foregoing 

 operation. 



If the surface of the beds appear to be of too close and solid a 

 texture, it should be carefully stirred up, about two inches deep, 

 which will admit the air more freely to the stems, give vent to their 

 exudations and encourage their growth. 



Should the weather prove extremely severe, a slight covering of 

 mats placed on arched hoops over the beds, will be very serviceable 



