1863.] 
67 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
mire should be laid evenly and packed firmly by 
striking it with the forks, taking care to fill up the 
soft spots and have the whole mass uniform. The 
sides should be laid up square and workman-like, 
and the fine manure which will be left from the 
heap, be shoveled up and distributed over the top. 
The mass of heating material should be at least 2 
feet thick. Place on the frame, and put in 5 or 0 
inches of rich earth, which should have been in 
readiness the previous Fall. Cover with the sash, 
and allow the earth to become well warmed. The 
temperature should be 60° to 70°. If the earth be¬ 
comes too hot, open the sash. The seeds may bo 
sown when the earth is of the proper temperature. 
Shade until they are well up. Guard against ex¬ 
cessive heat at mid-day, by lifting or removing the 
sash, and against cold at night by a protection of 
mats or other cover. The manure, after hot-beds 
are done with it, is in good condition for later crops. 
Leeks. —Sow in drills 15 inches apart in rich soil. 
Lettuce. —Sow in hot-beds or cold frames, and in 
the open ground as soon as it can be worked. 
Manure. —The free use of manure is one secret of 
successful gardening. Muck, ashes, kitchen slops, 
scrapings of the barn-yard, hen and pigeon manure, 
should all be carefully saved. 
Mustard for Spring salads : sow in one-foot drills. 
Onions. —Potato or multiplier, top onions, and 
bets, may be planted for early use. Seed should 
not be sown until the ground becomes warmer. 
Peas. —Some of the early kinds may be sown in a 
warm spot. Plant where any well manured crop 
stood the year before. The pea-weevil may be 
killed by pouring scalding water over the peas be¬ 
fore planting. It will not destroy germination. 
Parsnips. —Those which have been left in the 
ground through the Winter may be dug for use or 
market. Leave enough of the finest roots for seed. 
Peppers may be sown in a hot-bed. 
Plow and subsoil whenever the soil will allow. 
Potatoes. —Plant for an early crop. The early va¬ 
rieties are numerous, each locality having its favor¬ 
ite sort. Around INew-Tork, the Dykemau is the 
one most cultivated. The Ash-leaf Kidney is a fa¬ 
vorite with many. We have geen a kind at the 
W est, called Early Shaw, which was there considered 
earlier and better than any other variety. Secure 
seed in season. Those put in early, should be plant¬ 
ed deeper than usual, and it is well to have litter 
handy to throw over them, if frosts should occur 
after they are up. Several days may be gained by 
starting the potatoes before planting. They may 
be laid in a hot-bed or cold frame, or started in a 
warm place on bits of sod, which are to be planted 
out. In whatever way the potatoes are started, they 
should have plenty of light, as sickly shoots raised 
in the dark will usually die off after planting. 
Radishes. —Sow in hot-beds. They should have a 
bed to themselves, and the tops kept as cool as pos¬ 
sible. Sow in the open air the last of the month. 
Salsify. —Dig for use, leaving enough for seed. 
Seeds. —Procure the season’s stock if not already 
done. If you can not rely upon your own experi¬ 
ence, consult the list given on page 36 of February 
Agriculturist. See “ Germination of Seeds ” on 
another page. Roots which have been kept over to 
raise seeds from, should be put out early in good 
soil. Let only the most vigorous shoots grow. 
Spinach. —Remove the covering from the Winter 
beds, and stir the soil between the rows. Sow seed 
of the round-leaved variety for a Spring crop. 
Tools. —Have everything in repair, and purchase 
improved sorts. Make now, all garden conveniences 
that will be requiied, such as markers, stakes, etc. 
Tomatoes. —Sow in hot-beds, to be transplanted to 
another bed, or potted as soon as large enough. 
Trench deep, as soon as the ground can be worked. 
Turnips. —Sow in a warm spot for early table use. 
Winter Cherry. —Sow in hot-beds for early fruiting. 
Fruit Garden. 
In the directions for the Kitchen Garden above, it 
is recommended to have a separate department for 
fruits. This is often impracticable, and it is neces¬ 
sary to grow small fruits among the vegetables. 
Even in this ease, it is better to devote particular 
divisions to vegetables and fruits, than to mix them 
indiscriminately. Where a new fruit garden is to 
be laid out, a place should be chosen which is shel¬ 
tered from cold winds, and the soil should be deep 
and well drained. The garden should contain an 
abundant supply and variety of 6mall fruits, and of 
dwarf apples and pears, peaches, cherries, plums, 
etc. Dwarf trees occupy little room, and bear fruit 
much sooner than standards. Strawberries may be 
successfully grown between rows of dwarf trees 
and grapes. In stocking the garden, procure only 
well established varieties, unless disposed to expend 
time and money in testing novelties. New things 
are not always valuable in proportion to the amount 
of pulling they receive. In buying nursery stock of 
any kind, procure that which is good and true to 
name, in preference to that which is low priced. 
Except in very new countries, there is generally a 
reliable nurseryman within easy reach, and where 
there is not, trees and plants can be readily sent to 
a great distance with the present facilities for trans¬ 
portation. The ground should be prepared early. 
In no place will thorough manuring and deep work¬ 
ing of the soil pay better than in the fruit garden. 
Blackberries. —Plant at least 6 feet apart, cutting 
the canes back to within 6 inches of the root. The 
New-Rochelle and the Dorchester are still standard 
varieties. The New-Rochelle grows vigorously, 
bearing abundant fruit of large size. It is esteemed 
too sour by many, generally owing to the fact that 
it is gathered too soon. It blackens some time be¬ 
fore fully ripening. 
Currants. —Prune, and secure cuttings at once, if 
not already done as directed last month. Set out 
rooted plants. The Cherry, Red Dutch, and White 
Grape, are among the best varieties 
Figs. —These may be cultivated in this latitude, if 
the trees are laid down every Fall and covered with 
soil, or surrounded with barrels filled with earth. 
They should not be uncovered until settled weather. 
Fruit Trees. —Plant early and of the best varieties. 
See article on Dwarf Apples on page 82, and a list 
of Pears in the January No. on page 17. 
Gooseberries. —Prune and make cuttings, and set 
out new stocks. The “ Houghton’s Seedling ” is 
productive and succeeds almost any where. The 
“American Seedling” is highly spoken of, but we 
have had no experience with it. 
Grapes. —It is now too late to prune with safety. 
Vines which have been laid down for protection 
should be put up as soon as the weather becomes 
settled. In localities where late frosts occur, it is 
better to leave them until next month. Fork a 
good dressing of manure into the borders. See 
“What grapes to Plant,” on page 83, also page 96. 
Raspbenies. —If the weather is suitable, uncover 
buried canes, cut them back to 4 or 5 feet, and tie 
up to stakes. In malting a new plantation, the 
Franconia, pure Red Antwerp, and Brinkle’s Orange 
will be found to be good varieties. The improved 
varieties of the BlackCap are very productive. Use 
manure freely in the soil. 
Strawberries. —The covering may be removed as 
soon as Spring opens. Prepare beds for planting 
in April and May, using plenty of well decomposed 
manure. Muck and ashes are good fertilizers. 
Trellises. —Put in repair, and erect new. Next 
month we intend to give a plan for a grape trellis. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
Novices make a great mistake in doing work in 
the first warm days of Spring, that should be left 
until settled weather. There is plenty to be done 
in the grounds, however. Unless unusual care has 
been taken, there will be remains of last year’s vege¬ 
tation to clear up, broken limbs of trees to be re¬ 
moved, leaves to be raked from the lawn, and pick¬ 
ing up generally, to'be done. 
Annuals. —Those intended for early blooming, may 
be started in a hot-bed or cold frame or at the last 
of the month, Asters, Petunias, Balsams, Larkspurs. 
Phloxes, etc., may be risked in a warm spot. 
Bulbs. —The covering of hyacinths, crocuses, etc., 
may be in part or wholly removed. It is well to 
have a supply of litter close at hand to throw over 
them in case it should become very cold. 
Cold Frames. —Should have plenty of air to har¬ 
den the plants before planting out. 
Edgings. —Box edgings require resetting as soon 
as they become shabby. The earlier it is done, the 
better. Grass edgings should be trimmed with the 
edging knife, and replaced where the grass is dead. 
Gravel. —Old walks should be repaired and new 
ones made. A layer of stones beneath the gravel 
acts as drainage and secures dry walks. 
Hedges. —Buckthorn, Privet or other deeiduois 
hedge plants may be set this month. 
Honeysuckles and other Climbers. —Prune and ar¬ 
range. Plant out where needed. 
Hot-Beds will be needed for early annuals and 
cuttings. See KitchenGarden for this and last month. 
Lawn. —Dead leaves should be raked up and a top¬ 
dressing of compost or plastergiven. Sow seed on, 
or turf over bare 6pots. 
Manure. —This will be wanted everywhere. There 
should be a large stock of well decomposed com¬ 
post ready for use. 
Perennials. —Dicentra, Perennial Phloxes, Lark¬ 
spurs, herbaceous Spiraeas, Hollyhocks, etc., should 
be divided and reset to increase the stock and pro¬ 
duce finer bloom than is given by overgrown clumps. 
Roses. —Plant and set as early as the ground will 
admit. Trim and arrange pillar and climbing roses. 
Shrubs. —Do not uncover those protected during 
Winter, until the weather becomes settled. Plant 
hardy kinds as soon as the ground is suitable. 
Green-Mouses. 
The warmth of the sun will allow fire heat to be 
nearly dispensedwith. Sudden changes of temper¬ 
ature should be guarded against. Plants should be 
hardened off by free admission of air on mild days. 
Bedding Plants. —A good stock of Verbenas, Cu- 
pheas, Petunias, Pansies, and the like should be 
hardened off and ready for outdoor planting. 
Cleanliness should be scrupulously observed. De¬ 
caying leaves, weeds and moss ought not to be al¬ 
lowed to accumulate up on the pots. Syringe the 
foliage to remove dust. 
Insects will now be on the increase, and especial 
care will be needed to keep them in check. Fumi¬ 
gation, soap-suds, etc., should be freely employed. 
Lemons , Oranges and Oleanders are very apt to be 
affected with scale. Cleanse with soap-suds applied 
with a stiff brush. Repot and trim as needed. 
Roses. —Those rooted for out-doOr blooming will 
need changing to larger pots. 
Water. —The quantity should be increased as the 
plants push more vigorously. Its temperature 
should be as near as possible that of the house. 
Hot House and Conservatory. 
The changeable weather of this month will ren¬ 
der it necessary to guard against sudden cold. The 
temperature must be regulated according to the na¬ 
ture of the collections. Neatness should be a char¬ 
acteristic of every well kept house. Shabby plants 
and those out of bloom should be kept in the back 
ground, and dead leaves, trimmings, etc., removed. 
Abutilons. —These should be propagated for plant¬ 
ing out. They make aline appearance in the ground. 
Abutilon striatum and venosum grow from cuttings 
with the greatest ease; while the insignis needs to 
be grafted on the free growing sorts. 
