MONTHLY CALENDAR 283 



Fig. 34, Chap. V, a single clump of peonies or iris 

 making sometimes a dozen to twenty plants. 



Seeds of hardy flowering plants, like alyssum, candy- 

 tuft, hollyhocks, etc., may be sown as soon as the soil 

 becomes fine and mellow. It is often the hot sun and 

 drying surface of the soil that destroys germinating 

 seeds, and they should be sown while the sun is low. 



Greenhouses and Sash. This is a critical time for 

 plants in the greenhouse and under frames. During 

 bright sunny days unless one watches the ventilators large 

 quantities of plants may be destroyed in an hour or two. 

 Summer conditions are produced at this time by fur- 

 naces and the increasing heat of the sun, and good 

 judgment is required to keep up a healthful growth. 

 Too much or too little water will cause serious injury 

 as will too high or too low temperature, and insects 

 increase at a wonderful rate. Plants should be run out 

 into the frames as soon as possible, so that they may 

 grow stocky and be well hardened off before planting 

 permanently in the open ground. As the sun runs 

 higher the glass should be shaded, first lightly with a 

 very thin mixture of white lead and turpentine, which 

 will give it a ground-glass appearance. Then later a 

 more permanent shading may be made by adding a little 

 more white lead and a little linseed oil. 



The Orchard. Transplanting is now in order as soon 

 as the ground will work up fine and mellow, but trees 

 should not be planted when the soil is sticky like 

 mortar. See that the tops and roots are cut back as 

 shown in Fig. 42. 



The Vineyard. All grapevines should have been 

 pruned before this time and tied to their support on 

 buildings, garden trellis, or vineyard wires. It is better, 

 however, to prune now than to let it go undone. All 

 trimmings should be cleared up and burned to destroy 



