A.BOU1 FRUITS, FLOWERS AND FARMING. Ill 



FLOWER GARDEN. Remove the covering from your bulb- 

 beds ; as soon as the earth is dry enough to crumble, with a 

 pmall hoe carefully mellow the earth between the rows of 

 bulbs, and work it loose with your hands, in the row itself. 

 Leave the surface convex, that superfluous rain may flow off. 

 Transplant roses that are to be moved. Divide the roots 

 of such lilies, peonies, irises, etc., as are propagated by divi- 

 sion, and replant. 



As fast as the soil allows, spade up your borders, and 

 flower compartments, giving first a good coating of very 

 fine, old, pulverized manure. 



If you have hot-beds you may bring forward most of your 

 annuals, so as to turn them out into the open beds as soon 

 as frosts cease. 



But defer sowing in the open air until the first of April ; 

 and then, sparingly ; sow again the middle of April, and on 

 the first of May. Only thus, will you be sure of a supply. 

 If you gain more than you need by three sowings, should 

 all succeed, you have friends and neighbors enough, if you 

 are a reasonably decent man, who will be glad to receive 

 the surplus. 



MANURE. Corn and potatoes will bear green and unfer- 

 nicnted manure. But all ordinary garden vegetables require 

 thoroughly rotted manure. If the soil is sandy, leached 

 ashes may be applied with great profit at the rate of seventy 

 or eighty bushels the acre. The soil is made more reten- 

 tive of moisture, and valuable ingredients are secured to it. 

 Salt may be used with great advantage on all garden soils, 

 but especially upon light and sandy ones. Thus treated, 

 soils will resist summer droughts and be moist when other- 

 wise they would suffer. Salt has also a good effect in 

 destroying vermin, and it adds very valuable chemical in- 

 gredients to the soil. Soapsuds should be carefully - 

 and poured about currants, gooseberries and fruit-trees. 

 Charcoal, pulverized, is excellent, as it absorbs ammonia 

 from the atmosphere, or from any body containing it, and 



