IBS 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
formed during droulh, break it up carefully, not injuring 
the tender shoots. 
Hot-Beds—Complete transplanting from them, f, m, and 
put away sashes and frames for use another season. 
Insects—Guard against them by dusting with «soot, 
snuff, pepper, etc., and hasten the growth of vegetables 
out of their reach by sprinkling with liquid manure ; the 
odor of this w ill repel some kinds. 
Kohl Rabi-Sow, ff, m, and treat the same as cabbage, 
setting the plants closer, say in rows two feet apart, and 
one foot distant in the row. 
Lettuce—Sow, ff, and every two weeks for a succes¬ 
sion. Thin cabbage varieties to nine inches apart, to al¬ 
low plenty of room to form good heads. The plants re¬ 
moved will supply the table. Transplant from hot-bed, ff. 
Manures in liquid form are convenient of application 
to vegetables, and aid in rapid growth. See page 139. 
Melons-Plant, m, 1, protecting and cultivating as di¬ 
rected for cucumbers. See article on page 149. 
Mushroom Beds for Summer use may be made, f, m. 
Nasturtiums—Sow, ff, m, for flowers and for pickles. 
Okra—Sow. ff. Plant out former sowings, m. 
Onions may still be sown, ff, for late use. The pant 
phlet on onion culture published at this office, gives com¬ 
plete directions by practical men. Set top and potato 
onions, ff, if not put in last month. 
p eas _Sow, f, m, 1, for a succession. See article on 
page 117, April No. Bush early sorts, m, 1. 
Potatoes—Plant, ff, if not completed. 
Radishes—Sow, f, m, 1, at intervals of a few days. 
Scatter the seed between rows of beets, and around hills 
of vines, to save space. 
Raspberries—Tie up canes to stakes or low trellises, 
ff. Cut back long straggling shoots. Keep the ground 
well enriched by forking in well decomposed manure. 
Rhubarb—Set roots or sow seed, ff, if not supplied. 
Hoe out all grass and weeds, and keep the surface loose. 
Manure heavily around them. 
Sage, Savory, etc.—Sow, ff, m. Transplant last year's 
sowing. 
Salsafy—Sow, ff, m, on soil deeply worked, the same 
as for carrots. 
S eec l s _Try new varieties before purchasing largely. 
8et out all remaining roots or plants intended to furnish a 
supply for next year. 
Squashes—Plant, f, m. See directions last month. 
Protect from insects with frames covered with millinet; 
other preventives are of doubtful utility; this is certain. 
Strawberries—New beds may be made, ff, in. Water 
in dry weather. Keep free from weeds. Mulch with 
tan bark or cut straw before blossoming, to keep the fruit 
from the dirt. 
Tomatoes—Transplant from hot-bed, ff, m, and sow 
seed at same time for late use. Fruit may be secured a 
week or fortnight earlier by care in transplanting so that 
the growth is not checked. Set the vines four feet apart 
each way, if to be trained on horizontal frames—if upright 
supports are used (see page 14“) three feet is sufficient. 
Transplanting—This may be done so as to be scarcely 
felt by the plant. A moist cloudy day is the best lime, but 
if it be dry, first thoroughly wet the earth around the 
plant, so that it will adhere to the roots. Dig a large 
hole, and fill it with water; introduce the roots, and 
sprinkle in earth as the water soalfs away. Put on 
the top half an inch of dry earth ; this will prevent a hard 
crust baking on the top, and attract the moisture 
from below, which keeps the plant from wilting, and it 
will not be necessary to shade it even, though with ten¬ 
der plants this precaution is useful. If it be necessary to 
water after transplanting, never apply it directly upon the 
surface ; dig a hole by the side of the plant, and pour in 
■ he water-a crusted surface will certainly retard growth, 
nd prevent dews from being absorbed. 
Turnips—lloe. weed and thin those sown previously. 
Sow for Summer use, f, m. Next month, or the follow¬ 
ing w ill be earlv enough for the W inter stock. 
Weeds need no cultivation. To secure a good crop of 
them, neglect to hoe the paths, and between the rows—they 
require nothing but to be let alone, when they will soon 
take full possession. 
Winter Cherry (Physalis)—Plant out, f, m, the same as 
tomatoes, setting them nearer together, say two to two 
and a half feet distant. Seed may still be sown, ff, tn. 
jpitnvei’ 4n jq sa aiid ILsiwnn. 
—A busy season is May in the flower garden. Laborers 
are at work spading and trenching the ground, working in 
a coating of manure at tho same time ; others are laying 
out the beds, and preparing thorn for planting, some of 
the female portion ol the household follow with seeds, 
pot plants and bedding flowers, leaving behind them a 
smooth, even surface, already sprinkled over with blooms 
of verbenas, petunias, dicentra, carnations, and other 
plants from the house, with a fine show of hyacinths, nar¬ 
cissus, tulips, and crown imperials. Such a show of 
bloom, added to the green foliage of the lilies, paeonies, 
and other herbaceous perennials, with the flowering 
shrubs, renders tho garden “a thing of beauty,” even as 
soon as made up in the Spring. 
If new grounds are to be laid but and arranged, no time 
should be lost. One of the first things after deciding upon 
the boundaries, is to fix upon and lay off the avenues and 
walks. Having established a firm foundation, using 
stones or laying tiles beneath them, to carry off the wa¬ 
ter as fast as it falls, cover with coarse, clean gravel, a 
little rounded up in the center. Next arrange the flower 
beds, grass plots, shrubbery, and trees. For instructions 
regarding these see pages 146 and 147 of the present 
month. It is hardly to be supposed that everything will 
be made complete in a single season. 
Annuals—Sow, ff, m, as noticed in the calendar of last 
month. It is essential that a good variety of fine bloom¬ 
ing annuals should now be put in to keep up a show of 
flowers late in the season, after most of the perennials 
have cast their blossoms. Those sown in the houses to 
forward thoir growth, may now be transplanted to the 
open ground. 
Bedding Plants—Set out a bed or mass of verbenas, 
another of petunias, with a patch of daisies here, and ge¬ 
raniums or other good bedding plants, somewhere else. 
The dicentra, lavalera, and salvia are also good bedding 
plants. This is far better than to mix them up promis¬ 
cuously. Such beds, of fanciful shape, have a fine effect 
when scattered over the law n. 
Biennials and perennials should be arranged ff, as they 
are already beginning to grow. Do not transplant them 
too often. We hare frequently seen pseonies, hollyhocks, 
lilies, campanulas, etc., kept in a weak state by trans¬ 
planting nearly every Spring. Where it is needful to in¬ 
crease the stock, remove a portion from one side, and 
leave the remainder undisturbed. 
Borders and Lawn Beds—After planting, rake off, and 
leave in a smooth, neat condition, with no foot prints upon 
them. Use a fine toothed iron or steel rake occasionally, 
after planting, to prevent the earth from crusting. 
Box and Grass Edging—Trim or pare the grass borders 
with a spade, or still better, an edging knife. Set out 
new borders both of box and turf, trimming the box only 
to remove the rusty portions, and to keep of even grow th. 
Bulbs—The earliest blooming are already fading, but 
there should still be a fine show of crown imperials, tu¬ 
lips, and a few- hyacinths. Keep well supported, and 
stretch a muslin awning over the choicest, to lengthen the 
period of bloom, removing it at night and du ing cloudy 
weather. Set Autumn blooming varieties, ff. 
Carnations, Pinks, Picotees, Pansies, Daisies, etc.— 
Plant out from pits and grten-houses, f, in Keep the 
flower stalks of those in bloom, securely tied to neat 
painted stakes. Separate layers, and divide roots to in¬ 
crease the stock. 
Cypress Vine, Morning Glory and other annual Climb¬ 
ers—Sow, ff, m, and train upon strings around a central 
pole as shown on page 339, Vol. 17. Unsightly buildings, 
rough fences, etc., can be almost hidden beneath a mass 
of bloom, w hen covered with these climbers. Screens 
or lattice work may also have these vines running over 
them. Cypress vine seeds vegetate much more freely 
when soaked in tepid water for 12 hours before sowing. 
Dahlias, Gladioluses and Tuberoses—Unless already 
exposed to the sun, put in boxes of earth, ff, and place in 
a warm, sheltered situation. There is nothing gained by 
setting out early; m, is about the best season, when the 
ground is warm and dry. 
Dicentra Spectabilis—By all means add this to the flow¬ 
er border, if not already there. Plant and treat as the 
poeony, which it somewhat resembles in habit of growth. 
They are easily propagated by dividing the roots. 
Drain, ff, any wet portions as directed last month. 
Evergreens—This month is the best in the year for 
transplanting evergreens. They may be set at any time 
during the month, and even into June, but we prefer 
planting from the first to the 10th of May, just after tho 
trees have begun to grow. In transplanting, keep the 
roots from tho sun. Hollies, rhododendrons, and other 
broad leaved evergreens do better when removed w ith a 
ball of earth attached. To keep evergreens in a com¬ 
pact shrubby form, cut oil' the leaders and some of the 
side branches. If desired for stately trees, do not injure 
the leaders. Set hedges and screens of Norway Spruce, 
arbor vita!, hemlock, etc. 
Frames and Tils-These may be emptied of their Win¬ 
ter plants, ff, in. Set them in borders and flower beds, 
and store away tho sashes and shutters for another year. 
Flowering Shrubs—Plant, ff, any not already set out. 
Some of the early blooming are already in bloom, or have 
even cast their flowers Plant freely about the lawn, where 
they have a fine effect. They are also quiUi appropriate 
along the borders of the flower garden. Seffl^age 146. 
Gravel Walks—As soon as the litter and rubbish of the 
lawn and flower beds are cleared away, attend to the 
gravel in the walks, spreading out that which was raked 
in heaps last Fall, and adding new where necessary. 
Rake off smoothly, and roll with the garden roller. 
Hedges—Set out deciduous, ff, and evergreen, f, m. 
Trim moderately those heretofore neglected. 
Iloes will need to be brought into requisition by the 
middle of the month. Keep the w eeds down at the start, 
and the work will be much easier, besides giving the 
flowers all the benefit of the manure at the roots and the 
sun at the surface. 
Honeysuckles, Wistarias, Ivy, Bignonias, Clematis and 
other perennial climbers—Set, ff, if neglected until now. 
Arrange on trellises or lattice work. Old wood may be 
layered for an increase of stock. Sow seeds, ff m. 
IIot-Beds—Transplant, ff, m, anything remaining in 
them, use the manure for enriching the borders, and store 
away the frame and sashes for another season. 
Labels, Stakes and Dahlia Poles should all be in readi¬ 
ness for use when needed. Mark the seeds when 
sow n, by putting in small painted sticks with the names 
w ritten upon them. It is annoying to have a new' plant 
come up and find you have no means of ascertaining what 
it is. It is a good plan to make a record and plan of each 
day’s sowing, putting down the kinds of seeds and roots 
planted, with their exact positions. 
Lawn—This has doubtless already been raked over, 
grass seed sown on any bare spots, and a dressing of bor.e 
dust, plaster or fine compost given it, so that a fine, lively 
green covering gives promise of a compact and firm turf. 
It will need mowing, m, 1, and should be cut very evenly. 
See page 136 upon making a “ Grass Plot.” 
Mulching—A coating of saw-dust, spent tan, old leaves, 
muck, or stable litter spread around newly planted trees, 
will keep the ground moist in time of drouth, and often 
save the life of an evergreen, that would otherwise die. 
If unsightly, cover the mulch slightly w ith earth. 
Pruning—Although we oppose cutting off large branch¬ 
es at this season, yet the pruning knife may be used w here 
necessary, mainly to cut back last year’s grow th, so as to 
form a more compact or bushy head. Young gardeners 
prune too much. Shrubbery needs to be kept pretty dense 
to look well. Deciduous trees do not wantstraight branch¬ 
less trunks six to eight feet high with long straggling limbs 
above. Evergreens should branch quite down to the ground. 
Their outer extremeties may be cut back slightly, to make 
a dense shrub-like growth. 
Roses may still be set, ff. Those wintered in the houses 
or in pits, may be put out, f, rn. It is bettor to turn them 
out of the pots and set. in the borders. Plant freely of 
this queen of flowers, especially those sorts which bloom 
several times during the season. Layer old wood, m, 1. 
Tie up pillar and climbing varieties, pruning if needfui. 
If slugs (green worms) appear upon the leaves, II, sprinkle 
freely with dry wood ashes, or lime, while the dew is on, 
or still better, syringe with a strong solution of whale oil 
soap—say one lb. of sap to six gallons w ater. A few ap¬ 
plications of either of the above wili exterminate the 
present insects, but the bushes must be watched. 
Shade trees may also be planted, ff, although rather late 
for decfduous kinds in this latitude. More care is neces 
sary now than earlier in the season. 
Water those plants recently set out, should the weath¬ 
er prove dry. 
Weeds should not be allowed to get a start in these 
grounds. They do much more damage now, if allowed 
to grow, than later in the season. 
»bh« 1 IS®t"33«mses. 
Fire heat is now only required among the tropical plants, 
and occasionally in the other houses during eooi or wet 
weather to dispel damps and keep the atmosphere al as 
even a temperature as possible. By the middle of the 
month, most of the plants will have been taken to the 
open air, and the comparatively empty houses will need 
little care. Tho ventilators may be thrown open, and 
only closed in unpropilious w eather. Previous to remov¬ 
ing! much pains should be taken to harden the plants by 
giving abundance of air and gradually reducing the tem¬ 
perature. It is not. advisable to be in haste to empty tho 
houses before the weather is settled warm. I lost.s fic- 
quently occur early in May, and the tender plants from a 
warm climate (heated houses) are easily chilled, if not 
actually frozen. In carrying out, take the more hardy- 
first, such as roses, camellias, chrysanthemums, verbenas, 
| etc , leaving I he more tender sorts until the middle of the 
month Some of the plants will do better when turned 
out u f the pots and planted in the border, while many ot 
