S02 



CALENDARIAL INDEX. 



by the time they would naturally make their first appearance above ground. 

 This may well be done by adopting Mr. Armstrong's method, with regard to 

 melons^ 202. Attend to your fruit in your fruit-room or cellar^ on shelves or in 

 boxeS; and; if necessary^ pick it over^ and cull out w^hatever is defective j wipe 

 the remainder diy, and pack it away anew. But if it is put down in some sort 

 of grain, dry sand, flax-seed chaff, or, what is probably best of all, pulverized 

 plaster of Paris, you will not need to meddle with it. You may now, perhaps, 

 begin to force asparagus in hot-beds, 28. Sow under glass cases, for transplanting 

 or otherwise, radishes, carrots, small salads, peas, beans, &c. Protect choice 

 plants, which may show a disposition to vegetate, by matting, litter, cases of 

 wicker, old bark^ and other proper means. 



t MARCH. 



Lettuce may be sowed in the open ground as soon as frost will permit, 191. 

 It may be sov. ed between vacant rows, intended for other plants, and pulled out 

 for use before the other plants are large enough to be encumbered by it. Early 

 ■peas cannot be planted too soon after the ground is thawed, 226. jRadishes 

 may be sowed as scon as the seeds can be raked in. Sow cabbages, cucum- 

 bers, melons, cauliflowers, squashes, &:c. in hot-beds, under glasses, &c., 84, 149, 

 202. Dig up vacant ground, applying manure. Dress borders, and clip edg- 

 ings of box. Clean^ I'elay, or make new gravel walks. Attend to, and turn 

 over compost beds. Dress asparagus beds, or make new ones the latter part 

 of this month or the beginning of April, 22. Select from your cellar the test 

 cabbages with heads, and set them in some proper place to stand for seed. Set 

 the difierent kinds remote from each other, to prevent their mixing at the time 

 of blossoming. Likewise, set some of your best cabbage stumps for early salad 

 and greens. If the gi'ound is moist, set shallow j if dry, place them about six 

 inches deep. Small salading, such as cresses, 80, 81, mustard, 207,208, radish, 

 260, &c., when a constant supply is wanted, should be sown once a week or 

 fortnight. Celer}', for an early crop, may be sown in this month, though the 

 principal sowing had better be deferred till April, 74. Artichokes should be 

 sov/ed as early as tiie season will permit, 18^ and horse-radish, 159. 



APRIL,. 



In the Eastern States, generally, and in those parts of the Middle States where 

 ine ground is naturally somewhat moist and heavy, this is the month for sowing 

 ihe principal garden crcps. Sow^ the hardy kinds as soil, site and season will 

 permit, that the plants may be firmly established before they are overtaken by 

 the heat and drought of summer. But a stifl:' and moist soil should never, on 

 aii}^ account, be dug, ploughed or harrowed when it is so wet as to be clammy 

 and adhesive. On the other hand, a light, sandy soil will be meliorated by be- 

 ing hoed, or olhei'wise wTought on while moist. 



" Earth of a consistence that will hold water longest icithout becoming Imrd 

 luhen dnj, is that of all others tlie best adapted for raising" the generality of 

 plants in the greatest perfection. The great art of improving sandy and clay 

 !^:oIls is to give to the former such dressings of clay, cow-dung, and other kinds 

 of manure, as will have a tendency to bind and make it more compact, and, 

 consequently, more retentive of moisture 3 and, to the latter, coats of sandy 

 earfl), pond mud, horse dung," &c. — M'MaJiGn. 



"^ Sow' artichokes, IC, asparagus, 22, horse, or garden beans, 33, kidney beans, 

 36, beets, 40, the last of this month, or the' first of next, borecole, 51, Brussels 

 t.prouts, 55; sov/ cabbage seed, 60, set out cabbage plants, 61, sow cardoons, 67, 

 can-ots! G8, cauliflowers, 72, celery, 74, coleworts, 79, succession-crops of cresses, 

 80, 81, cucumbers in hollowed tuiniips placed in a hot-bed, 87, or in pots un^ 

 der haiid-glasses, &c. ; propagate fmit-trees by cuttings, 95. You may set out a 

 fev/ dandelion plants in your garden, 97, and let us know how you succeed in 

 attenipt:)!g to dorr.esticafe them. Look out for, and destroy insects, 169 3 sow a 

 kittle eariy summer endive, 105, fennel, 108 5 propagate garlic, 136, leeks, 190, 



