342 WOEK BY SEASONS 



March. — As soon as the frost is out of the ground begin trans- 

 planting bush fruits and trees. The earlier this work is done the 

 better. 



Prune out the oldest canes of currants and gooseberries, but 

 leave some that are three years old. 



Spade or plow among the bush fruits as soon as the frost is out of 

 the ground, if the soil is not too wet. Applications of manure should 

 be made among the bush fruits before the first cultivation. 



A heavy dressing of well-rotted manure may be applied to the 

 lawn grass early this month to. be raked off in April. This is also a 

 good month in which to sow grass seed. 



Spade around shade trees and apply some suitable manure or 

 let that be spaded in. 



April. — Look at the instructions for spraying and watch the 

 development of fruit trees carefully. Try to spray at exactly the 

 right time. 



April should be the month for the heaviest planting. Trees and 

 shrubs planted later than the last of April are less likely to thrive. 



The first cultivation of orchard trees should be completed in 

 April. 



Set out root grafts made during the winter. This may be done 

 at any time after the warm spring weather begins. 



May. — Strawberry beds may be started early in May. If the 

 old bed has a winter mulch, part it a little over the plants and let 

 them come through. This should be done just after the latest 

 killing frost of the region. If mulching was not done in the fall, 

 apply a clean mulch of straw or other coarse litter around the 

 plants to hold the berries off the ground, to serve as a mulch for 

 holding moisture, and to keep down the weeds. 



This is one of the most important months for spraying. If 

 peach, apple, pear, and plum blossoms are beginning to shed their 

 petals, begin to spray for the curculio and the codling moth. Look 

 out for currant worms and other leaf eating insects. Tent cater- 

 pillars and similar enemies may begin their work early. 



Estimate the yields of fruit and order the necessary boxes, 

 baskets, crates, etc. (Fig. 242). 



June^—i Keep the bush fruits and orchards free from weeds and 

 keep the ground well mulched by cultivation. 



Summer pruning may be done in June. Pinch off the shoots that 

 start on the main limbs where you do not want them. Careful 

 direction of the growth of trees is worth while. 



