MONTHLY CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 389 



weak. It is better to throw away the common or coarser 

 plants if there is not room for the finer sorts to develop 

 properly. Towards the end of the month it may be necessary 

 to partly shade the glass of the greenhouse. This may be done 

 either by sheeting hung on rollers from the top, or, more 

 simply and cheaply, by making a very thin whitewash of lime. 

 This may be spattered over the glass very lightly at first, just 

 to mark the glass with white spots as thick as if a slight shower 

 should leave the marks of its drops. The wash is to be spattered 

 on thicker every week or two, as the season advances. The 

 planting of all kinds of hardy herbaceous plants and shrubs 

 may now be done in the flower garden. Bulbs and all tender 

 plants that have been covered for protection in winter may now 

 be stripped, and the beds slightly forked and raked. Sow 

 tender annual flower seeds in boxes in the greenhouse, hot- 

 bed, or sitting-room, and the hardier kinds in the open border. 



FRUIT GARDEN. Strawberries that have been covered up by 

 straw or leaves, should now be relieved around the plant, only 

 leaving the covering between the plants. See chapter on 

 " Strawberries." Raspberries, Grape-vines, etc., that have been 

 laid down may now be uncovered and tied up to stakes or 

 trellises, and all new plantations of these and other fruits 

 should now be made. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. The covering of Asparagus, Rhubarb, 

 Spinach, etc., should now be removed, and the beds hoed or dug 

 lightly. The hardier sorts of vegetable seeds and plants, such 

 as Beets, Cabbage, Cauliflower. Celery, Lettuce, Onions, Pars- 

 ley, Parsnip, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Spinach, Turnip, etc., 

 should all be sown or planted by the middle of the month, if 

 the soil is dry and warm, and in all cases where practicable be- 

 fore the end of the month; for if these varieties of vegetables 

 are delayed until the hot weather in May, they will not be so 

 early, and in most cases will not produce so fine a crop. It 

 is quite a common practice with many amateurs to delay 

 garden operations of all kinds until May, but all the hardier 

 sorts of vegetables arc likely to be later and inferior in conse- 

 quence. Any one expecting to get fine early Cabbage, Cauli- 

 flower, Lettuce, or Radishes, if planting or sowing is delayed 

 until the time of planting Tomato and Egg-Plants in May, iff 

 certain to be disappointed. 



