S4r 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Maiich, 
Window - Boxes are very useful for starting a few 
early plants of tomatoes, cabbage, etc., where the 
expense and care of a hot-bed are inconvenient. 
Artichoke. — This vegetable is seldom cultivated 
at the North, but often grown at the South. The 
seeds may be sown in the hot-bed, and the young 
plants set out as soon as large enough. Set out in 
rows three feet apart, with two feet between the 
rows. The fleshy scales of the flowers are the 
parts eateu. The Green GJobe is best. 
Asparagus. — Give the beds a good coating of ma- 
nure, if not applied last fall ; spread al60 a dress- 
ing of salt. Set out new beds of one-year-old 
plants, two by three feet, after the ground has beeu 
plowed and manured. Couovcr's Colossal is the best. 
Beans. — Do not plant in the open ground until all 
danger of frost is over. Then sow in drills two feet 
apart. One of the earliest sorts is the Valentine ; the 
Dwarf Wax is the best bush for snaps ; the Aspara- 
gus is a pole variety, excellent for late snaps, as is 
Giant Wax. Large Lima is the best of all beans. 
Beets may be sown as soon as the ground can 
be worked, and if there is snow or frost, a board 
placed over the rows will prevent freezing. The 
best early beet, the New Egyptian Blood, is from 
one to two weeks earlier than the Bassauo and 
Early Blood Turnip, which are both good. Sow in 
drills, one foot apart. 
Broccoli requires the same treatment as cabbage. 
Sow White or Purple Cape. 
Cabbage Plants, wintered in a cold-frame, or 
started in early hot-beds, may be set out as soon as 
the ground opens, if well hardened off. For early 
sow Jersey Wakefield, or Winningstadt, and Mar- 
blehead, Drumhead, and Fiat Dutch for winter. 
Cauliflower. — Early Paris and Early Dwarf Erfurt 
are good early sorts. Treat the same as cabbage. 
Carrots.— Sow Early Horn in drills, 12 inches apart. 
Celery. — For early crops sow Dwarf White Solid, 
and Boston Market, in hot-beds. 
Corn. — When the ground is warm, plant Cros- 
by's Early, Mammoth Sweet, Mexican, and StoweU's 
Evergreen, in drills 2}4 feet apart. 
Cress. — Sow at intervals of a week, in shallow 
drills one foot apart. Curled is the best. 
Cucumbers. — A few seeds of Early Russian may 
be planted on pieces of sod, in a hot-bed, for early ; 
for general crop, White Spine, and later Green 
Prickly for pickles. 
Egrj-Plaut. — Sow Long Purple in hot-bed for 
early, and Purple or Black Pekin for later. 
Horse-Mtdisli. — Sets may be planted in well-ma- 
nured trenches, two feet apart. 
Kale sowed last fall should have the soil well 
worked around the plants, to prevent the growth 
of weeds. 
Kohl-rabi. — Sow- Early White in two-foot rows in 
the open ground. 
Leek. — Sow Flag or Musselburgh, same as onions. 
Lettuce sowed last fall should be uncovered, and 
the soil loosened between the rows. Sow seeds in 
the hot-bed or open ground. Curled Silesia and 
Teuuis-Ball are valuable sorts. 
Melons. — Treat the same as cucumbers. Ward's 
Nectar, Skillman's Netted, and Cassaba are best. 
Onions. — Sow in drills 15 inches apart, as soon as 
the ground can be prepared. Early Red and Yel- 
low Dauvers are good for the general crop. Plant 
out set and potato and top onions for early crop. 
Parsley. — Sow the Curled variety in drills one foot 
apart, after soaking the seeds. 
Parsnips. — Dig those left in the ground. Sow 
Hollow Crown in drills 15 inches apart, early. 
Peas. — Plant in double rows Carter's First Crop 
and Daniel O'Rourke for early, Champion of Eng- 
land for main crop, and for dwarfs McLean's Little 
Gem is best ; the dwarfs should be sown in single 
rows, one foot apart, and do not require any brush. 
Peppers. — Start in hot-bed; the Squash variety 
for pickles, and Sweet Mountain for stuffing. 
Potatoes. — Start a few for early in the hot-bed; 
those for early planting in the open ground should 
be cut and exposed to a warm atmosphere for a few 
days before planting. Early Rose is the best early. 
Iiadishes. — Sow thickly in rows in the open 
ground, at intervals of a week or ten days for a suc- 
cession. Early Scarlet Turnip, Olive-shaped, and 
French Breakfast arc good varieties. 
Mhubarb. — Dig in plenty of stable manure around 
the roots, and if wanted very early, take up a few 
plants and put them in half-barrels, nearly filled with 
manure, with sufficient earth on top, and place in a 
sheltered spot, watering it often with liquid manure. 
Salsify which was left in the ground during the 
winter, should be dug, and seeds sown for the next 
crop, flic same as recommended for parsnips. 
Seorzonera is very similar to salsify, and requires 
the same treatment. 
Spinach. — Uncover the beds planted last fall, and 
in a few days it will be ready to cut. Sow seed for 
spring and summer crops in drills one foot apart. 
Round-leaved is best. New Zealand, for summer 
use, is sown later. • 
Sorrel. — The French sorrel is excellent for greens, 
and its slightly acid taste renders it particularly 
pleasing to most persons. 
Sweet Potatoes are started in hot-beds, with two 
or three inches of compost placed over them, aud 
when the sprouts are large enough, they are re- 
planted iu ridges. Nanscmond aud Southern Queen 
are the best for northern latitudes. 
Squashes. — Summer Crookneck for early, aud 
Boston Marrow and Hubbard for late. 
Tomato. — Sow seeds of Trophy aud Early Smooth 
Red in the hot-bed or window-box. 
Turnips. — Sow Flat Dutch for early use, aud Red 
and White Strap-Leaf for later; White French and 
Yellow Stone for ruta-baga sorts for family use. 
Seeds. — Where roots are to be planted for seeds, 
they should be set out early, and the earth drawn 
up around the crowns to prevent freezing; when 
all danger of frost is over, it may be removed. 
Flower-Garden ami «.:>\i n. 
Annuals. — Sow a few seeds for early flowering in 
window-boxes or a hot-bed. Hardier varieties may 
be sown in the open ground, iu sheltered places. 
Livens. — Gather up all rubbish which has col- 
lected during the winter, aud if there are any spots 
where the grass has been winter-killed, sow fresh 
seed, and rake it iu with a steel garden-rakc. Give 
a compost of well-decomposed manure. 
Walks. — Have all walks properly rolled and 
cleared of leaves, etc., which may have collected, 
aud keep the center of the walk a little raised, to 
allow the surface water to run away. 
Shrubs. — Prune, where needed, and cut off all 
broken branches. 
Edgings. — Where box is used, re-set as soon as 
the ground is dry enough. 
tireenlioiise aud Window Plants. 
The increasing heat of the sun will render fire- 
heat less necessary, though the fires should be kept 
up during the night, as a sudden change of tem- 
perature might do considerable damage. Admit 
air freely, whenever the weather is mild. 
Propagation. — At this season the gardeners should 
prepare a large stock of plants for planting out. 
Azaleas. — As the plants begin to flower, give more 
water, aud sec that they are sheltered from the drip, 
which soon spoils the flowers. 
Camellias which arc just starting into growth 
should be allowed a little more heat and water. 
Dahlias. — Place a few tubers in the greenhouse, to 
secure plants for early flowering; when the sprouts 
are two or three inches long, pot into rich soil. 
Climbers, such as Passion-Flowers,, Wax-Plants, 
etc., should have their branches trained to the 
rafters of the greenhouse, and kept properly tied up. 
Bulbs which have flowered must be gradually 
dried off and stored in a dry place, ready for 
another year. 
Hoses.— Give the bmhes liquid manure occasionally. 
A 31 E K I C A X A G !l I C l I, T IRIS T. 
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