358 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



MONTHLY CALENDAR. 



The success of all garden operations depends upon 

 preparatory measures ; for this reason the beginner in 

 the business can be much benefited by being reminded, as 

 he goes along, of the work necessary to be done to ensure 

 successful results in the future. To do this, I must, to 

 some extent, repeat directions given in the body of the 

 work, but as they will be presented here in a condensed 

 form, they will not tax the time of the reader. As in 

 all other references made to dates, the latitude of New 

 York is taken as a basis, that being not only the point 

 from which our experience has mostly been derived, but 

 also one that will best suit the majority of readers 

 throughout the country. Those whose location is more 

 southerly or northerly must use their judgment in 

 adapting the directions to suit their locality. 



JANUARY. Vegetation in our Northern States is com- 

 pletely dormant during this month, so that, as far as 

 operations in the soil are concerned, it might be a season 

 of leisure ; but the business of gardening being one that 

 so largely requires preparation, there is always plenty to 

 do. The ground being usually frozen, and giving us 

 good hauling, it is always the month in which our ener- 

 gies are given to getting manure, muck, lime, etc., into 

 convenient places for spring work. Care should be 

 taken to get manure in heaps large enough to generate 

 sufficient heat to prevent its being frozen, so that it can 

 be turned and broken up thoroughly before it is spread 

 upon the ground. This work is often very slovenly per- 



