CALENDAR AND INDEX. ]03' 



stables, (not such as have lain long, or may have been 

 soddened with water,) spread the dung evenly in the 

 pit until it is full, then put in good light rich mould or 

 compost, to the depth of about ten or twelve inches, 

 and the seed may be sown as soon as the mould gets 

 warm, see page 16. It may be necessary to observe, 

 that in making hot-beds, the quantity of top mould 

 should be regulated according to the substance of 

 manure in the pit, and this may vary according to the 

 use the beds are intended for, or to other circumstances. 

 After the seeds are sown, the beds will require con- 

 stant attention ; cover up warm in cold nights, and 

 give air at all opportunities, to prevent the plants from 

 growing weak, 



APRIL. 



This is the most important month in the year for 

 gardening operations. If not done towards the end 

 of the last month, the covering must be taken from 

 hardy flowering plants, early in this month, and the 

 beds and borders attended to as directed, page 15, 25, 

 59, and 71 ; at the same time, clip edgings of box, and 

 clean, relay, or make new gravel walks, &c. 11 • prune 

 and transplant flowering shrubs, 26 and 39 ; and hardy 

 herbaceous plants, 22 and 23. Sow flower seeds ; the 

 hardiest may be sown in the open borders, and the 

 tender in hot-beds, 16 to 19. All the soil of a garden 

 should be dug this month, if possible, and pulverised 

 as directed, 16 and 41. It will be necessary to look 

 over all the greenhouse plants in the early part of this 

 month ; let them be deprived of dead wood, if any, by 

 a careful pruning ; at the same time take off all yellow 

 leaves ; the earth, at the top of the pots, should be 

 loosened, so as to admit the sun and air to the roots 

 of the plants, 78 and 81. If insects prevail, on roses 

 or other plants, a fumigation, with tobacco smoke, 

 will be necessary. Bulbous roots will require some 

 attention this month ; those in bloom, in the garden, 

 should be tied up to wires or small sticks ; and those 



