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DICTIONARY OF SEASONABLE GARDEN WORK. 



Hydrangeas can now go out to the garden. Give an 

 occasional dose of liquid manure to induce strong growth 

 and fine flowers. The hardy //, paniculata grandiflora 

 should have a place in every garden. 



Ipomaas are fine for covering old tree-trunks. 



Ii'y-ciittings put down now will have long shoots be- 

 fore autumn. 



Jasmhies must be carefully trimmed and trained. 



Lapaget-ia rosea is one of the handsomest climbers for 

 a conservatory. 



LaiL'H Management. — Start the lawn-mower as soon 

 as the grass is an inch or two high. Repeat every two 

 weeks or oftener. Use the edging-knife several times 

 in the growing season to keep the edges neat. Plant the 

 beds as the season advances. 



Matthiola bicornis is exceedingly fragrant. Sow 

 some seed of it in a spare corner. 



Maurandia Barclayana is a pretty vine for trailing 

 over low walls or for climbing trellises. 



Mignonette dislikes transplanting. Sow where it is to 

 blossom. 



Oleander-cuttings from well-ripened wood will strike 

 quickly in a bottle of water hiing outside. 



Pansy-beds will be in all their beauty during May. 

 Do not let the plants bear seed. The more flowers you 

 gather the more you will have. 



Parsley. — The double-curled makes a fine edging. 



Perenjiials. — Plant columbines, day-lilies, iris, holly- 

 hocks, poppies, phloxes, etc. 



Pinks. — Sow seeds and set bedding plants this month. 



Primulas are now in full bloom. Dig in dead leaves 

 about them. 



Quassia-chips made into a decoction (four ounces to 

 one gallon of soft water and four ounces of soft soap) 

 is said to be a good remedy for greenfly on roses. 

 Syringe the bushes well with the liquid, and in an hour 

 or so wash off with cold water. 



Ribbon-beds can be prettily bordered with white alys- 

 sum and blue lobelias, and filled in with plants in shades 

 of red, where a patriotic display is wanted. 



Roses. — Watch carefully and pick off the caterpillars 

 that roll the leaves. 



Rotation is good for both flower and vegetable garden. 

 After bulbs and early perennials cease blooming in spring, 

 annuals brighten the lawn until fall beauties begin to 

 blossom. 



Shrubs. — No cutting may be done now, only prune 

 out dead wood. 



Siirubberies. — Groups of tall lilies and foxgloves are 

 striking and beautiful. 



Summer bulbs should all be planted in May. 



Sun/lozcers. — Plant wherever there is a damp corner. 



Tidiness and cleanliness are absolutely indispensable 

 in both greenhouse and garden. 



Trees, if dead or sickly and not in the way, may be 

 covered with perennial creepers. 



Tiolets. — Grow in a half-shady border. When in 

 bloom keep the roots moist, but not the foliage. 



Water-lilies. — Prepare their tubs; they will soon be 

 sprouting. 



Wet lands should be planted with the alder, ozier, elm 

 and ash. 



Windom-boxes. — Plant with ivy, geraniums, trailing 

 fuchsias, lobelias, nasturtiums, petunias, etc. Avoid 

 crowding. 



Wistarias, by cutting back, can be made handsome 

 standards for tubs or lawns. 



Wood-lice. — Toads will soon destroy them. 



Yucca. — No large grounds should be without these 

 stately plants ; they stand northern winters well, 



II. GARDENING for TABLE AND MARKET, 



Asparagus. — Have you an asparagus-bed ? No veg- 

 etable is grown with greater ease and certainty, and none 

 is better relished. Set 50 or 100 plants now. They will 

 give a full supply for years to come. In cutting from an 

 old bed be careful with the knife, lest you injure the 

 crown of the plants. 



Beans. — Begin planting the bush sorts. Start the 

 Limas in pots or on inverted sods under glass, if you wish 

 them early. Plant late crops in open ground after May 

 15, when the soil has become warm. 



Beets. — Sow for succession. If plants were started 

 under glass, set in open ground at once. 



Blackberries. — Clean up the old patches, and get them 

 ready for fruiting. If new plantations are to be made, 

 set plants early. The land need not be rich. Select the 

 variety best suited to your locality. 



Cabbages. — For early, set plants grown in coldframe 

 or hotbed in well-manured and well-prepared soil. Early 

 Jersey Wakefield is the variety you want. For medium 

 early use Henderson Summer, 



Carrots. — Sow for main crop. Be sure to keep down 

 weeds from the very beginning, Chantenay is a good 

 short variety ; Danvers a good medium-long sort, 



Caidiflozver. — Treat like early cabbage. Have soil 

 very rich. Nitrate of soda is good for both cabbage and 

 cauliflower. 



Celery. — Keep the plant-bed well cultivated and scru- 

 pulously clean of weeds. If really first-class plants are 

 wanted do not allow them to stand thicker than about 25 

 to the square foot ; and less will be better. Apply nitrate 

 of soda in small quantities, say 100 to 200 pounds an acre. 



Cucumbers. — Plant in open ground the latter part of 

 the month, or start a few hills soon, in same manner as 

 advised for Lima beans. Cucumbers in frames need 

 plenty of sun and careful airing. 



Currants. — Trim old bushes and plant new ones early 

 in this month. The ground should be rich and kept clean. 

 If well taken care of currants pay. Try White Imperial. 



Dandelion for greens. Sow in open ground, 



Egg-Plant . — Keep the plants in good heat. Transplant 

 in three-inch pots or old tomato-cans, and toward June 

 set in open ground, carefully protecting from potato-bee- 

 tles. 



Crape-forcing. — Thin the vines in coolhouses, but 

 avoid handling the berries. The early crops, now ap- 



