MONTHLY CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS. 



235 



have been kept in cellar or other dark, cool place, may now be 

 brought into the light of the greenhouse, provided they have filled 

 the pots with roots, if not well rooted, leave them where they are 

 until they are so, or select such of them as are best, and leave the 

 others until ready. In the outside flower-garden little can be done 

 except that shrubs may be pruned, or new work, such as making 

 walks or grading, if weather permits. 



Fruit-Garden. — Pruning, staking up, or mulching, can be 

 done if the weather is such that the workman can stand out. No 

 plant is injured by being pruned in cold weather, though the 

 pruner may be. 



Vegetable Garden.— Nothing can be done this month in the 

 northern states except to prepare manure, and get sashes, tools, 

 etc., in working order, but in sections of the country where there 

 is but little or no frost, the hardier kinds of seeds and plants may 

 be sown and planted, such as asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, car- 

 rot, leek, lettuce, onion, parsnip, peas, spinach, turnip, etc., etc. 

 In any section where these seeds can be sown in the open ground, 

 it is an indication that hot-beds may be begun for the sowing of 

 such tender vegetables as tomatoes, egg and pepper plants, etc., 

 though unless in the extreme southern states, hot-beds had better 

 not be started before the first of February. 



FEBRUARY. 



Greenhouse and Flower- Garden. — The directions for Jan- 

 uary will in the main apply to this month, except that now some 

 of the hardier annuals may be sown, and also the propagation of 

 plants by cuttings may be done rather better now than in January, 

 for instructions in such matters, see chapter on Propagation. 



Fruit- Garden. — But little can be done in most of the northern 

 states as yet, and in sections where there is no frost in the ground, 

 it is likely to be too wet to work, but in many southern states this 

 will be the best month for planting fruit-trees and plants of all 

 kinds, particularly strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pear and 

 apple, while grape-vines will do quite a month later. One of the 

 greatest wants in many parts of the south is reliable nurseries, 

 where such things can be procured, and as all such plants are at 

 this season frozen solid in nurseries at the north, orders for such 

 things cannot usually be shipped before April ; still though some- 

 thing may be lost by this circumstance, if proper attention is given 

 to planting, watering, and shading, (when practicable), good re- 



