MARCH. 
71 
judgment. Watering, giving air, and keeping 
the plant clean both of green fly and dead 
foliage, will be the principal things to do. 
There will, however, be some tying-out of 
the shoots of late plants. Fancies should now 
have a little extra warmth, and seedlings all 
the room that is possible to afford them. 
Verbenas .—Good healthy cuttings put in now 
will be in ample time for flowering, either in 
pots or for bedding-out. Healthy young 
plants will succeed better than a large old 
stunted one. 
FORCING. 
Keep up the succession of Sea-kale, Aspa¬ 
ragus, and Rhubarb; also of Mustard and 
Cress. Sow French Beans, Tomatoes, Cap¬ 
sicums, Sweet Marjoram, and Basil, and put 
into heat. Sow Celery, and prick out that 
sown last month either into boxes or into a 
frame where there is a little bottom heat and 
some nice soil. Keep close until they begin 
to grow, then expose freely in fine weather. 
Water Potatoes in pits. Sprout Potatoes and 
plant when ready. Put some roots of Mint 
and Tarragon into heat. Hardy Shrubs .— 
As soon as you remove any plants in flower, 
fill up their places with others. Roses will 
now flower well, also Lilacs and Deutzias. 
Weigela rosea forces well. Introduce good 
plants, full of buds, of hardy Azaleas, Kalmias, 
and Rhododendrons; nothing looks more 
showy than they do when in flower. Keep 
up a moist atmosphere, and give air in fine 
weather freely. Cucumbers .—Attend carefully 
to the plants in bearing; pinch off all fruit 
not required to swell. Under the increasing 
influence of solar light, they will require 
more liberal supplies of water; and they 
should occasionally have some liquid manure. 
Train, stop, and thin shoots. Plant out young 
plants, and see that they have a steady bottom 
heat. They will not need much water for a 
few days. When they have fairly started 
growing they will want good supplies of 
water. Whether trained to a trellis or grown 
on a bed the shoots will require proper 
attention in thinning, training, and stopping. 
Do not leave too many shoots; never let them 
get crowded. Bear in mind, every leaf ought 
to get solar light. A soil composed of turfy 
loam, leaf soil, and some rotten dung answers 
well for Cucumbers. Keep up a moist growing 
atmosphere, and give air as freely as the 
state of the weather permits. Finery .—Many 
of the large plants will now be “ showing.” 
When in bloom keep the atmosphere rather 
dry ; by this means you will get perfect and 
handsome-shaped fruit. See that the bottom 
heat is always regular. The whole of the 
young stock should be potted some time 
during the month—choose calm mild days 
for the job. Strong vigorous plants with 
good healthy roots may have a liberal shift. 
Pines will grow in almost any soil not too 
gravelly or chalky. A mixture of turfy loam 
and a little rotten dung answers admirably. 
Peat soil or “bog,” where it is plentiful, may 
be used, as Pines grow and fruit remarkably 
well in it. When potted, plunge in a steady 
bottom heat of about 85°, and keep a moist 
growing atmosphere, but do not water until 
they begin to fill the pots with roots. Vinery. 
—It has been favourable weather lately for 
early forced Vines. Vines in flower the 
latter part of January ought to have set well, 
as we had many sunny days. Keep a moist 
atmosphere in the early house until the 
Grapes begin to colour, but always mind and 
give a little air in good time in the mornings, 
and in fine weather increase it freely in fore¬ 
noons. Attend to thinning the berries in 
other houses as soon as they are set. Attend 
to disbudding and tying-down the shoots in 
late houses. Keep a moist atmosphere in all 
except when in flower, when it should be 
rather dry. Water liberally all inside bor¬ 
ders, and occasionally with good liquid 
manure. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
There must be no delays, no procrastination, 
no putting off till to-morrow. Every advan¬ 
tage should be taken of favourable weather 
to get in crops of all descriptions. The 
actual conditions of the ground now will, in 
great measure, depend on the trenching and 
ridging it received in October and November. 
The principal crop of Onions shonld be got in 
as soon as the ground is in a fit state; the 
best sorts are—White and Brown Spanish, 
James’s Keeping, Globe, and Deptford. The 
principal crop of Parsnips should also be got 
in as soon as possible, and towards the end of 
the month the principal crop of Carrots 
should be got in. Sow Parsley, Spinach, 
Early Horn Carrots, and Early Dutch Tur¬ 
nips. Sow Radishes every two or three 
weeks. Sow Lettuces of sorts, Cauliflowers, 
also Walcheren and Early Cape Broccoli. 
Sow the main crops of Brussels Sprouts, also 
Savoys and Borecole. Sow Leeks. Sow Peas 
and Broad Beans twice during the month; 
sow herbs of sorts. When the soil and 
weather are favourable proceed with planting 
Potatoes: plant Ash-leaved Kidneys in rows 
from 2 feet 6 inches apart. You can then 
plant Brussels Sprouts, Borecole, and Broccoli 
between, and the Potatoes will come off before 
the plants get any great size. Plant out in 
mild weather the Peas and Broad Beans 
raised in pots and boxes. Rod the Peas as 
soon as they are planted. Plant, if not already 
done, Artichokes, Rhubarb, Sea-kale, Aspara¬ 
gus, and Horseradish. Plant out of frames 
Cauliflowers and Lettuces. Plant out Cab¬ 
bages, and fill up vacancies in the autumn- 
planted ones. Strawberry plants laid-in in 
nursery-beds since the autumn should now 
be placed out on some good land. Keep a 
keen look-out in frosty weather, and protect 
all tender growing crops. Cut Box edgings 
and clean walks, and get every place into as 
good order as possible. 
