100 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
yield beautiful flowers. Sow in a warm place the 
last of the month, and give them some support. 
Pea-brush will do, or, if near a fence, they may run 
upon strings or wires. 
Onions .—Put out Potato and Top onions, and 
sow seed in rich mellow soil. Avoid the use of 
manure containing foul seeds. Muck and ashes are 
excellent for this crop. Some cultivators burn 
over the bed to destroy the weed-seeds. Use great 
care to get pure seed. Sow thinly in drills 15 
inches apart. 
Parsley .—Sow early. It is always a long time in 
coming up. It is sometimes sown along the mar¬ 
gins of beds, for which it is a very pretty edging. 
Parmips .—Sow in rich, deep soil, at the last of 
the month, if the weather admits. A correspondent 
suggests that those of last year’s crop still in the 
ground have the tops cutoff about half an inch: 
iu this way they will keep good until the ground 
is needed for another crop. 
Peas .—See article on page 115, this number. 
Peppers .—Sow in hot-bed or sods. The true 
thick-fleshed squash pepper is the best for pickling. 
Radishes .—A light, quick, sandy soil is essential. 
Unless a radish grows rapidly it is worthless. Sow 
early, and at intervals for succession. The Turnip- 
rooted and Olive-shaped are good sorts. Water 
with liquid manure; use ashes if attacked by insects. 
Rhubarb .—Set out whole roots or crowns, as soon 
as the ground will admit of working. Three feet 
apart is usually quite near enough to give the leaves 
room to expand. Make the ground rich with well- 
rotted manure. Pork in plenty of manure around 
the old stocks. See Calendar for February. Seed 
may be sown as early as convenient. All who could 
not get one or two year-old roots or crowns, have 
doubtless sent for seed from our distribution. The 
young seedling plants will require less room the 
first year, and may be kejrt in a bed, thinning out, 
or transplanting as needed to prevent crowding. 
Note the best and largest plants for after use. Ten 
to twenty roots are all that will be needed by any 
ordinary family. 
Salsify .—Sow as early as the season will admit. 
See article on page 84, last month. 
Seeds .—Many of these can be profitably raised in 
the garden, while others may be purchased more 
cheaply of those who make a business of growing 
them. Set out all roots which have been saved for 
seed, as well as seed onions, in a rich spot, and 
where they can be daily noticed, in order that they 
may be gathered at the right time. 
Squashes .—Summer squashes may be started as 
directed for cucumbers. Winter sorts should not 
be planted until the ground is thoroughly warmed. 
Sweet Herbs .—There should always be a bed for 
these humble, yet useful tenants of the garden. 
The perennial sorts, like lavender, thyme, hyssop, 
etc., may be propagated by division of the roots. 
We prefer to start sage from the seed or from cut¬ 
tings. Summer savory, basil, and sweet marjoram, 
may be 60 wn when the ground is warm. 
Sweet Potatoes .—The roots may be placed in a 
hot-bed, in order to get sets for planting. In ab¬ 
sence of a hot-bed a frame of boards may be placed 
over a heap of fermenting manure covered with a 
few inches of earth. The potatoes will soon 6prout. 
The frame should be covered with boards at night 
and during cold days. 
Spinach .—There should be a good supply from 
the wintered crop. Sow early for succession, in 
drills a foot apart. 
Tomatoes .—Pot off from the hot-beds those that 
are large enough, and place the pots in a cold frame. 
Sec article on page 114. If not done already, start 
seed in the hot-bed, or in sods. 
Tools .^Clean every one before it is put away. If 
you have never used a spading fork or bayonet 
hoe, try them and you will not readily give them 
up. A man with a first-rate hoe or other imple¬ 
ment will do twice as much as two men with poor 
tools, and the saving of time will often pay in a 
single day for the greater cost of the former. 
Turnips .—Early kinds should be sown. 
Winter Cherry or Physalis should be grown as di¬ 
rected for Tomatoes. 
Flower Garden and Lawn. 
The work here will be mainly that indicated in 
last month’s Calendar. Clearing up, planting 
shrubbery, and making preparations for the open 
season, will fully occupy all the time that can be 
given to this department. New grounds may be 
laid out, and old ones enlarged or improved. A 
garden is never finished. Each year presents 
suggestions towards that perfection which we all 
take so much pleasure in striving for, but never 
fully attain. 
Annuals. —Asters, Balsams and others may still 
be sown in hot-beds, or, in absence of this, in a 
cold frame, or in sods as described under the 
Kitchen Garden. Those started earlier should be 
thinned and weeded if they need it, and if large 
enough they should be put into small pots to be 
ready to turn out as soon as the season will permit. 
As a general thing sowing is done in the open air 
too early.—See article on early sowing on page 
115.—Still many hardy annuals can be properly put 
in as soon as the ground is in working condition. 
Two years ago we were unable to sow a large as¬ 
sortment of over a hundred varieties of annuals 
until June 1, and we had better success than in any 
previous year. As a general rule those annuals 
which readily spring from seed that is self-sown in 
Autumn may be put in early. Among these are 
Petunias, Whitlavia, Portulacca, Larkspurs, Candy¬ 
tuft, Sweet AlysSum, etc. 
Bulbs .—Many of these will show flowers this 
month. In most localities the winter covering 
may be all removed very soon. Tall-growing sorts, 
such as Crown Imperials and some of the Hya¬ 
cinths, will need to be staked, to prevent winds 
from breaking them down. 
Cold Frames and Pts should be opened every 
mild day, to harden off the plants before they are 
turned out. 
Climbers should be pruned and trained. Plant 
new ones in appropriate places. The Wistaria is 
one of the favorite climbers, and will stand the 
Winter wherever it is not colder than around New- 
York. In colder localities it may be laid down and 
covered with earth. For foliage merely, nothing is 
more beautiful than the Virginia Creeper, some¬ 
times called the American Ivy or Woodbine. It 
grows everywhere, and can be readily transplanted 
from the woods. It is not poisonous, as many sup¬ 
pose. The poisonous Ivy has a three-parted leaf, 
while that of the Virginia Creeper is five-parted. 
Edgings .—These are of great importance to the 
neatness of the garden, and are always a source of 
trouble. Tile edgiugs are very neat, but they are 
too expensive for most people. Box makes a neat 
edging, but it must be frequently cut, and needs to 
be reset every few years: besides, when the Winter 
is severe it dies out in spots and becomes ragged. 
Grass edgings are easily obtained, but they require 
frequent trimming to keep the roots from spread- 
' ing. Whoever will introduce a neat, hardy, and 
easily-kept edging plant, will do a good deed. We 
prefer grass edgiugs, neatly kept and trimmed. 
They should be 6 or 8 inches wide. It is best to 
cut the turf in an old pasture, in strips twice as 
wide as the edging, as they are more easily trans¬ 
ported, and can be divided with the edging-knife or 
a sharp spade, near the place they qre to be laid. 
Evergreens arc transplanted with best success in 
May. Norway Spruce and Arbor Vitae will bear re¬ 
moval earlier. Never let the roots of an evergreen 
^be exposed to drying winds. More attention 
should be given to broad-leaved evergreens like 
the Holly, Laurel, Rhododendrons, etc. 
Gravel Walks .—Remove all weeds and give a 
dressing of fresh gravel where needed. In making 
new walks, be careful to select gravel that will 
pack firmly. Coarse river gravel will not answer. 
Hedges and Screens may be set out. Buckthorn, 
Privet, and Hibiscus or “ Shrubby Altlne,” make 
good hedges. Arbor Vitae, Red Cedar, and Norway 
Spruce, are best for screens. 
Lawns .—If there are but few bare spots of 
moderate size, they may be filled with turf; if 
large, it will be necessary to sow seed. A top¬ 
dressing of fine compost will be beneficial: even 
coarse manure may be used if the long stuff is 
raked off after the rains have washed out the 
soluble portions. Plaster is a valuable application, 
on most lawns. 
Manure .—If the borders had a dressing in Au¬ 
tumn, it should be forked in. If not, give them a 
good supply of fine compost. Don’t forget that 
the trees on the lawn will thank you for manure by 
increased growth and beauty. 
Perennials a7id Biennials .—Set out as early as 
practicable. See page 117 for a good selection. 
Hollyhocks and Sweet Williams should have been 
put out in Autumn; if neglected then, attend to it 
now. When it becomes warm enough for the main 
sowing, do not forget to put iu seeds in a reserve 
bed, for a future supply of these plants. 
Roses .—Plant out new, and transplant any old 
needing removal early. For ordinary culture, we 
prefer only those which bloom freely on their own 
roots. Many fine kinds are grafted, but they will 
soon disappoint those who cannot give them extra 
attention. 
Shrubs .—Plant in masses as a rule. Single large 
growing specimens have a fine effect on the lawn. 
Have a regard to the winter aspect of the garden, 
and introduce evergreens where they will app<*tr 
to good advantage when all other shrubs are bn re. 
Wiegelias, Spiraeas, Japan Quince, Lilacs, Flowering 
Almond, and Plum, should be in every collection. 
Where it is desirable, increase by divisions of large 
specimens. The purple-leaved Barberry makes a 
line contrast to the green of other shrubs. 
Trees .—Plant in every appropriate spot. Study 
the effect that will be produced, and do not plant a 
round-headed tree like a maple where a graceful 
elm would be more pleasing. Every tree has its 
particular expression, and where much planting is 
to be done, the advice of a landscape gardener 
should be taken, or standard works upon the sub¬ 
ject should be consulted. 
Fruit Garden. 
These hints are given under a distinct head be¬ 
cause iu the best culture vegetables and fruits are 
grown in separate grounds, but they are equally 
applicable where circumstances require that both 
be grown together. In planting fruits of any kind 
it is important to get good sorts, and this is equally 
necessary with small fruits as with large. We have 
already given lists of pears and grapes, aud on 
other pages of the present number will be found 
lists of other fruits fixed upon by practical growers 
after a full discussion upon their merits. 
Cherries .—Plant standards or dwarfs as early as 
possible. Most varieties may be dwarfed by bud¬ 
ding on the Mahaleb stock, wlicu they form com¬ 
pact bushes suitable for the garden. 
Currants .—Old plants need no attention now 
beyond liberal manuring. Currants are generally 
left to take care of themselves, but no plant more 
readily responds to good cultivation. Chip manure 
is excellent for them, but they will be glad of 
something better. Rooted cuttings of last year 
may now be put out where they are to stand, cut¬ 
ting back the last year’s growth to three or four 
buds. Cuttings made iu the Fall and Winter should 
be put out; they should be put two-thirds of their 
length in the ground, and have all the buds which 
are buried removed. 
Figs .—These are sometimes grown at the North, 
but they require great care in laying down in Au¬ 
tumn, and even then are killed by a severe Winter. 
