92 THE FLOWER GARDEN COMPANION. 



ART. 5. April. 



April is the busiest month in the flower garden. As soon 

 as the weather will admit, and the ground is dry, the pruning 

 and cleansing of the plants and the garden should be finished. 



The borders and flower beds may now be dug, and the 

 box, or other edgings, mended or replanted, and every thing 

 must be done preparatory to transplanting perennials and 

 sowing annuals. 



In digging borders or flower beds, care must be taken that 

 they are so dug as to lay rather the highest in the middle, by 

 which the appearance will have a more pleasing effect, and 

 the water will drain from them in a regular manner. It must 

 be recollected, that wherever water is allowed to lay long on 

 any plants, (except aquatics,] they are much injured thereby. 

 Previous to the borders being dug, the places required to be 

 planted, either with shrubs or herbaceous plants, may be 

 planted after the manner described under the heads of Plant- 

 ing and Descriptive Lists, where every information will be 

 found relative to their proper position, and the manner of 

 performing the work. When the borders are dug and 

 planted, the grass plat, if any, and walks must be repaired, 

 and put in proper order. 



The seeds of hardy annuals and perennials may be sown, 

 and the layering of plants, dividing the roots, putting out cut- 

 tings, and the like, may be performed as directed under the 

 head of " Propagation."* 



ART. 6. May. . 



Supposing the work to be done as directed, in April or the 

 beginning .of this month, the principal thing to be attended to 

 is to sow all kinds of annual, biennial, and perennial seeds, at 

 three sowings, this month : the hardy kinds at the beginning, 

 the half hardy at the middle, and the tender at the end of the 

 month.* In the beginning of the month, box edgings may be 



* This business, in this place, particularly refers to the eastern states ; 

 in the south-western states it should be done in the preceding month. 



