95 
OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
i Again the cheerful month of May is ushered in, and the gardens and fields begin to teem 
!ith all the verdancy and glowing tints of their floral treasures. The occasional returns of frost, 
jhichso frequently intercept and obstruct the stream of vegetable activity, are now once more on 
le eve of final departure for the season, and gradually abating in the force of their attacks. But 
Rough their severity is tempered, and less frequently experienced through the increasing power 
• the sun, the susceptibility of plants to receive harm from them is at the same time so much 
:eater, that they are really more to be feared and more strenuously to be warded off now than 
le fiercer frosts of former months. 
Another thing by which a hurtful depression of temperature becomes more truly the enemy 
I ' the culturist at the present advanced season, is the necessity which now exists for removing so 
any of the plants hitherto protected in glass-houses and frames to the open air, in order to 
ford room for carrying on successfully the ordinary operations of summer. It will therefore be 
matter of absolute necessity for him to provide himself with some convenient portable fabric, 
ich as mats or canvas, to throw over them when a likelihood of such recurrence appears. Fur- 
shed with these, he may at once proceed to transplant to their summer quarters many of the 
■ ore hardy amongst the plants for the flow^er-garden. They will thus be obtaining root-hold in 
tie soil, and hence will more speedily cover the beds and expand flowers ; whilst they may easily 
li protected from the slight casual spring frosts by the means just alluded to. Perhaps, where 
lere is an amplitude of room in frames and low houses, healthy strong plants, and an earlier 
I oom may be induced by allowing them to enjoy these receptacles till the end of the month or 
immencement of June, observing in the meanwhile to furnish them with sufficient pot-room for 
e roots to extend, and encourage to the full their respective growing capacities ; but it must be 
membered that this plan will entail an enormous increase of labour and attention, both in 
>tting and repotting, watering and daily care, and also in the operation of transplanting, when 
fi.e period at last arrives. This extra labour will bear no comparison with the little required for 
lie occasional covering and uncovering of the beds ; and therefore, unless the culturist has 
nple leisure and convenience, we would advise the less delicate things to be immediately trans- 
rred to the parterre. This must not be considered discrepant with the recommendations of last 
onth : it is essential to pot off and encourage young plants in April ; but to continue the 
’actice much longer would demand more space and time than can generally be afforded. 
If any of the arrangements or preparatory operations for planting out are yet incomplete, no 
"rther procrastination must be indulged in ; for it is now high time to have everything in 
adiness. We may here advert to a current mistake in the preparation of flower-beds for 
:otics, most disastrous in its consequences, which cultivators nevertheless adhere to very 
| :tensively : we allude to the practice of gorging them indiscriminately with dung, as though it 
3re an unfailing panacea for every species of weakness or sickliness. The very contrary is often 
le real result of the case ; and instead of dung improving the aspect, it is the very parent by 
tiich an unhealthy habit is engendered. In other instances it cherishes a plethoric disposition, 
ad is hence inimical to the production of flowers. The character of the plant, and the constitu- 
an of the soil, must both be taken into consideration. As a general rule, we would propose 
Hess depth of soil than commonly exists, and the securance of a permeable subsoil, especially 
ie latter, when dung is employed. The soil must neither be too open, nor yet very adhesive ; 
id wherever such extremes exist, unless some remedial measures are applied, success can only 
|sult under a corresponding extreme in the state of the weather during the season. Manui’e 
ay usually be applied successfully to those plants which are ordinarily most prodigal of their 
lossoms, with a continued development of them. When the reverse appears, or the flowers are 
merally not shown till late in the season, it should be avoided. 
Besides attention to these considerations, there is the disposal of the different kinds of plants 
i their several stations, so as to realise the most effective mingling of colours ; and in doing this, 
yond the arrangement of colours, the planter should contrive, as much as possible, to select for 
ch kind of plant the situation most favourable to its success : for instance, some plants, as the 
emophila, love a shady place ; others, as the scarlet Pelargonium^ revel in the brightest beams 
light ; some are so tender or brittle as to wither, or be snapped asunder by a moderate blast ; 
c 
