April : Fourth Week 



KEEPING UP WITH GARDEN SCHEDULE; HARD- 

 ENING OFF PLANTS; TENDER PLANTS IN 

 PAPER POTS 



After all the early crops are in, the gardener sometimes 

 waits longer than he should before putting in the first of 

 the tender crops and succession plantings of such of the 

 early hardy crops as may be required. The tender crops 

 to be grown from seed — beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, 

 squash and pumpkins — should be timed to come up as 

 soon as all danger of late frost has passed. This date 

 cannot be fixed exactly, but it will pay to take a chance on 

 the first planting. If the ground has warmed up enough to 

 insure germination put in a row or two, or a few hills, a week 

 or so before you feel quite sure that the season has settled. 

 Jack Frost may get them, but what of it? The seeds are 

 cheap, and the gardener who will not risk five or ten cents' 

 worth of cucumber seed or sweet corn fails to appreciate the 

 gentle excitement of the gardening game. 



Nature's seasonal reminder for the planting of the tender 

 crops is when the apple trees come into bloom, or when the 

 temperature averages fifty-five to sixty degrees in the 

 shade — from the first of May to the first of June, according 

 to latitude and season. The vegetables to be included in the 

 setting out of these groups are beans, corn, cucmnbers, 

 eggplants, peppers, muskmelons, okra, squash, tomatoes 

 and watermelons. Also at this season should be made 

 succession plantings and sowings, for transplanting later, 

 of beets, cabbages, cauliflower, carrots, lettuce, peas, rad- 

 ishes and turnips. The second plantings of these things, 

 which are for sunmaer and early fall use, should be com- 



