DICTIONARY OF SEASONABLE GARDEN WORK. 



77 



avoid cold draught. Do not give water very freely until 

 fruit has set. In late houses, further on, give air freely 

 so the temperature will not rise too high. 



Horse-Radish may be planted early. 



Hotbeds are to be occupied all the time. When one 

 crop is taken out, plant with radishes, carrots, beets, 

 celery, tomatoes, etc. 



Lettiice-plants. — Transfer from hotbeds to coldframes ; 

 prepare those in coldframes for setting in open ground 

 by thorough hardening off. Sow seed in open ground for 

 a succession. Try some of the new varieties, like 

 Sensation, California (All-heart), Ohio Cabbage, etc. 



Lettuce-Forcing. — Give plenty of air in suitable 

 weather. Water sparingly during dull and cloudy spells. 

 Grand Rapids is a superior sort for forcing. 



Mushrooms. — Manure may yet be prepared, and beds 

 spawned for succession. 



Onion-seed may be sown in hotbeds and coldframes 

 for transplanting. For this purpose we know of no better 

 variety than Prizetaker and White Victoria. For grow- 

 ing onions in the old way, manure and prepare the 

 ground, and sow seed as soon as soil and season will 

 permit. Try the White Globe for a white, and Barletta 

 for a small pickling onion. Sets should also be planted, 

 in drills 12 inches apart and five inches apart in the 

 row. 



Orchard Management. — Starvation is probably the fore- 

 most cause of the complaint that tree fruits do not pay. 

 Plenty of manure brings plenty of good fruit. Poor 

 fruit never pays. What trees you wish to plant, order 

 at once. Unpack the stock carefully when received, 

 trim properly, severe trimming being better than not 

 enough, and set early in well-prepared soil, pressing the 

 soil firmly about the roots. Select varieties known to 

 succeed in your soil and locality. Do not plant any new 

 thing on a large scale in the hope of getting big profit. 



Parsnips of last year's crop should be dug as soon as 

 the ground is open. 



Peas. — Plant first any of the first early sorts, like 

 Alaska, etc. The wrinkled sorts may go in a little later. 



Pepper-plants . — Start as advised for egg-plant. Ruby 

 King is a good sort. Many of the newer varieties, like 



Black Nubian will be found ' 'more curious than useful. " 



Potatoes. — Make provision for required seed in time, 

 and try to preserve tubers in good condition. Don't 

 allow them to sprout in a dark room, and while together 

 in mass. If there is a tendency to sprout, spread them 

 thinly in a rather light room. This will make short 

 strong sprouts, not the weakly spindling things that are 

 of no earthly use. For first early try Early Ohio, Early 

 Sunrise, perhaps Freeman. 



Radish. — Sow in hotbeds and coldframes, also in open 

 ground early. Get plenty of seed and sow freely for 

 succession. There are always vacant spots available, 

 and people might just as well as not have young crisp 

 radishes from early spring until fall. Early Erfurt is 

 good for forcing. 



Raspberries. — Treat as advised for blackberries. 



Rhuliarb. — Give a liberal coat of good compost, if not 

 applied last fall. If extra-early " pie-plant " is desired, 

 place kegs or half barrels over the plants and put heating 

 horse-manure around them. Cover the tops with boards 

 or mats. 



Spraying. — A number of new points have been de- 

 veloped by the experience of last season. It is noticed 

 that some of the materials for making the mixtures are 

 often found adulterated. Material can be easily prepared 

 at home, from sulphate of copper and sal-soda. It also 

 appears that we are destined to go through a similar 

 experience, concerning the Bordeaux mixture, as with 

 Paris green. Probably we have been using it far stronger 

 than necessary. If three times the quantity of water 

 is used that the original formula called for, the mixture 

 will be as effective, more convenient to apply, and one- 

 third as expensive. 



Stra-i'berries. — For new plantations plenty of good 

 manure should be deeply and thoroughly mixed with the 

 soil. Set plants as early as the season will permit. Try 

 new varieties cautiously. 



lVindo7v-Bo.xes. — When you have no hotbed or green- 

 house for starting early plants for the home garden, one 

 can do very well by planting tomato, egg-plant, pepper 

 and other seed in boxes containing good soil set in a 

 sunny window. 



