238 



GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



ries. Raspberries, grape-vines, etc., that have been laid down may 

 now be uncovered and tied up to stakes or trellises, and all new 

 plantations of these and other fruits should now be made. 



Vegetable Garden. — The covering of asparagus, rhubarb, 

 spinach, etc., should now be removed, and the beds hoed or dug 

 lightly. The hardier sorts of vegetable seeds and plants, such as 

 beets, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnip, 

 peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, turnip, etc., should all be sown 

 or planted by the middle of the month, if the soil is dry and 

 warm, and in all cases where practicable before the end of the 

 month, for if these varieties of vegetables are delayed until the hot 

 weather in May, they will not be so early, and in most cases will 

 not produce so fine a crop. It is quite a common practice with 

 many amateurs to delay garden operations of all kinds until May, 

 but all the hardier sorts of vegetables are likely to be later and 

 inferior in consequence. Any one expecting to get early cabbage, 

 lettuce, or radishes, if planting or sowing is delayed until the time 

 of planting tomato and egg plants in May, is certain to be disap- 

 pointed. 



MAY. 



Greenhouse and Flower Garden. — The majority of plants 

 in the greenhouse or window garden should now be in their finest 

 bloom. Firing may now be entirely dispensed with in the green- 

 house, though care must yet be exercised in ventilating in the first 

 part of the month, as we still have cold winds in this section. 

 By the end of the month all of the plants that are wanted for the 

 summer decoration of the flower borders may be planted out. In 

 doing so, when the ball of earth has been completely matted with 

 roots, it will be better to bruise it slightly between the hands, so 

 that the water will pass freely through the " ball," as it often hap- 

 pens that it is so hard and dry as to prevent the water from pene- 

 trating it, and the growth is impeded in consequence. Water co- 

 piously after planting if the weather is dry. When the greenhouse 

 is not to be used during the summer months, camellias, azaleas, and 

 plants of that character should be set out-doors under partial 

 shade, but most of the other plants usually kept in the greenhouse 

 or window garden in winter, may be set in the open border, where 

 the pots should be plunged to the rim in ashes or sand, keeping 

 them slightly apart from each other, to prevent crowding. Where 

 there are indications that the pot has become filled with roots, the 

 plant should be shifted into a size larger just as it is done inside 



