GARDENING CALENDAR, FOR MARCH. 
109 
Plums which are in blossom early, should 
also be defended against frost. The weak 
blossom should be thinned out. The common 
plum is the best stock for dwarfs, and the 
Brussels for standards. 
JRaspberries. — Plantations may still be 
made upon a light and rich soil : plant them 
four feet in the row, and six feet between, 
making the rows to run north and south, so 
as to admit more sun light. 
Service-tree. — A fruit seldom seen, in the 
way of the medlar : it is propagated by layers, 
and not procurable hy seed, to be depended 
on. A common soil will suit it. 
Strawberries. — These should be thoroughly 
cleaned, and if drought prevails, they must be 
watered : by picking off the early flowers, the 
fruit may be kept longer in season, inasmuch 
as those will fruit in autumn. Make a planta- 
tion of the alpines on a north border, and 
allow them to run together ; these are easily 
procured from seed, and may be sown about 
the middle of the month, on a warm border. 
Vines may still be planted : give them a 
porous soil of fresh loam, lime rubbish, and 
decomposed dung, about eighteen inches deep 
and twelve feet broad, the whole thoroughly 
drained. The sorts best adapted for out of 
doors, are the Sweet Water, Burgundy, the 
Muscadines, Esperione, and Black Cluster. 
Plant them five feet apart, and train them up- 
r'ght : cover a foot or two of the young cane 
with the soil, which will root freely. 
Walnuts thrive in a soil of light sandy 
loam upon a dry bottom, and may yet be 
planted ; attend to mulching and watering. 
THE FORCING GARDEN. 
General Directions. — Increase the amount 
of water and air : the water must always be 
of the same temperature as the place in which 
it is used ; and the air should be admitted 
chiefly by the top ventilators, and increased 
and reduced by degrees : shut up always with 
a powerful sun heat. Continue to cover up 
with mats, which should be removed eaidy. 
The late forcing houses will be benefited by 
a thorough watering and syringing. To those 
required to be very late, give air in every 
part ; and untie the trees and bend them from 
near the glass or warm part of the house to 
the bottom, where it is much cooler : at the 
same time, close the houses every night, as 
the least frost would prove detrimental. 
Asparagus. — Temperature, 60 to 65 degrees 
by day, and 50 to 55 degrees at night. Give 
more air, and should the weather prove cold, 
linings of hot dung may be applied : use 
tepid salted water when watering. 
Cherries. — Temperature, 60 degrees by 
clay, 45 to 50 degrees at night. Thin out 
the badly formed fruit, and disbud gradually. 
Syringe gently with tepid water in the morn- 
ings, especially when fine and bright. 
Cucumbers. — Temperature, 75 to 80 de- 
grees by day, 60 to 65 degrees at night. 
Syringe less as the fire heat is decreased ; still 
in stoves they will require it once a day, in 
the morning or early in the afternoon, say at 
mid-day or soon after, taking care to close 
the house at the same time. Apply liquid 
manure to those in pots, twice a week. Those 
in an advanced slate should be looked over 
every day, and pegged or tied and stopped at 
every joint, doing all in the warm part of the 
day to those in frames and pits. Pot off a 
few of those sown last month ; and at the 
end of the month sow again. The heat in dung 
frames must be kept up, by renewing the 
linings of fermenting dung; and great care is 
requisite to prevent the steam from the dung 
escaping into the frames. 
Figs. — Temperature, from 60 to 65 degrees 
by day, 50 to 55 degrees at night. Disbud, 
and stop the shoots, when about nine inches 
long. Give liberal waterings with liquid 
manure, and maintain a moist atmosphere. 
Kidney Beans. — Temperature, 65 to 70 
degrees by day, 55 degrees at night. Con- 
tinue to pot off and sow for succession at least 
twice a month ; they may soon be planted out. 
Keep the plants clear of red spider and thrip 
by syringing and having the atmosphere moist. 
If these insects are upon them, kill them by 
slightly painting the flues (when cool) with 
sulphur. Use liquid manure every alternate 
watering, in strength according to the state 
and age of the plants. 
Melons. — Temperature, 80 degrees by day, 
65 to 70 degrees at night. Air daily by the 
top ventilators. Those in pits and frames 
must be regularly covered at night, and un- 
covered early if the morning is fine. Give 
fresh linings when the heat declines. Cover 
over the surface of the bed with slates, which 
will keep the vines (or stems) dry and warmer. 
Train and stop these, and impregnate the fruit 
blossoms; look over this every day: determine 
the number of leading shoots left to a plant 
by the number of plants in the bed, in any 
case eight vines (to one light), and one fruit 
of ordinary size on each, will be sufficient ; 
the very large sorts may be reduced to four. 
The fruit usually appears after the second 
stopping ; they are first stopped at the third 
or fourth joint, then at the seventh or eighth, 
and when they are impregnated stop at the 
second or third joint beyond the fruit. 
Mushrooms. — Temperature 55 to 60 degs. 
Keep the house dark. Excellent spawn will 
be found in the old beds, which can be at 
once introduced into the new beds, or may be 
laid in a corner amongst litter to increase, 
which it will soon do, and be ready for use 
