THE MANUAL OP GARDENING. 
98 
directions. In the vicinity of Philadelphia, the time chosen fof 
setting these beds is about the first of March ; of course it should 
be later or earlier, as we reside north or south of that latitude. 
The beds do not require to be formed of much manure, and great 
care should be used that they are properly ventilated, else the 
plants will grow weakly, and be unable to bear transplanting. 
As, in all probability, most cultivators of flowers may not find 
it convenient to form hot-beds for this purpose, our remarks will 
be directed to their culture in the open ground. About the 1st 
to the 15th of April, for the latitude of Philadelphia, or as a 
general direction, when the apple or pear is in full bloom, the 
Work in the flower garden may safely commence. The borders 
and compartments, intended to be decorated, should receive a 
good dressing of manure, (if not applied in autumn,) and be 
neatly dug and raked free of clods, stones and inequalities, in 
which state it will be ready to receive the seeds of the more 
hardy flowers, which may be sown, either in patches in the places 
which they are permanently to occupy, or in parallel lines across 
the beds, to be subsequently thinned out, and transplanted to other 
portions of the grounds ; in many cases the latter is the better 
plan.— One advantage is, that a small piece of ground only is re- 
quired to raise the plants, and, as they thrive best on freshly dug 
ground, the garden need not be dug until they are of a suitable 
size to transplant ; they are also more readily weeded in such 
rows, or seed-beds, and unless that be attended to with much 
care, those which are slow to vegetate, or of weak growth, may 
be overrun, and perhaps totally destroyed. The rows should be 
separated sufficiently to admit a small hoe between them, and 
should be plainly marked to facilitate the weeding. Seeds which 
are of small size, and many flower seeds are exceedingly minute, 
should, when sown, be covered very delicately, not exceeding a 
small fraction of an inch ; the usual plan is to draw the rows of 
a depth to correspond with the size of the seeds to be sown, and 
after sowing close them by drawing a rake in the direction of the 
rows, or by sprinkling a little nicely prepared earth over them. 
With all the skill that may be used, it not unfrequently occurs, 
that owing to unfavourable circumstances, such as too much or 
too little moisture, cold, chilly weather, &c., the seeds fail to 
vegetate; therefore the best precaution is to repeat the sowings 
of each kind, at short intervals. From the 15th of April to 
the early part of May, or as a uniform rule for different latitudes, 
when the oak and other late sprouting trees put forth, the more 
tender annuals may be sown, and though they require more care 
than others, amply compensate by their exceeding beauty. 
Transplantation and subsequent culture — When the plants 
have attained a sufficient size, let them be removed, in moist and 
