96 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
panded, fertilise; give air pretty freely, unless 
the weather be cold. Plant out young plants 
as soon as the beds are ready—use a good 
loamy soil. Keep up a steady bottom heat 
and a moist growing atmosphere. Sow for 
successional crops. Peach-house. —Attend to 
the disbudding and tying of the shoots; do 
not remove too many at a time, but go over 
the trees often. When any of the trees are 
deficient of wood, endeavour to get some young- 
shoots to fill up. In thinning the fruit, be 
guided by the condition of the tree; on a 
strong, vigorous-growing tree, leave a good 
large crop, that will check over-exuberance; 
on weak growing trees, leave rather a light 
crop, this will give them a chance to grow 
stronger. Keep a steady temperature of about 
50° or 60° until after the stoning of the fruit; 
when this is completed, gradually raise the 
temperature. Water the borders freely when 
they require it. Pines. —Secure neatly to stakes 
the fruit, in order to keep them in an erect posi¬ 
tion. Keep a moist atmosphere and water 
liberally. The young stock should now be pot¬ 
ted ; strong plants with good roots may have a 
liberal shift, but in general we do not like large 
shifts at this potting ; we prefer giving them 
small shifts at this potting, and as soon as 
they have filled these with roots (which they 
in general will in a few weeks), to give them 
liberal shifts. There may be a little more 
labour in this plan, but the plants will make 
more rapid progress by this method. In pot¬ 
ting, press the soil firmly; when potted they 
should be plunged into a bottom heat of about 
85°, and they should have a moist atmosphere 
and a liberal supply of air, but they should 
not be watered for two or three weeks, by that 
time the roots will be through the balls. After 
t his they will grow rapidly. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Plant the general crop of Potatoes; plant 
Cauliflowers, Lettuce, Savoys, Borecole, and 
Cabbages ; plant herbs. Sow Peas and Broad 
Beans for succession; sow Broccoli of sorts for 
general crop ; sow Cauliflowers for succession; 
sow Savoys, Borecole, Beet-root, and Carrots, 
for general crop. Sow Turnips, Spinach, and 
Parsley. Sow Celery for late crop; sow 
Radishes; sow herbs; sow Salsafy and Scor- 
zonera ; sow Asparagus ; sow Lettuces. De¬ 
stroy weeds as soon as they appear, and keep 
soil open among crops. Keep everthing clean 
and tidy. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Hardy Fruit. —Attend to the protection of 
Peaches, Nectarines and Apricot trees until to¬ 
wards the end of the month, when, if the 
weather be mild and fair, they may be dispensed 
with. Uncover Fig-trees. Apricots will be set 
now, and should often be gone over, thinning 
a few at a time. Finish grafting. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
No time should be lost in getting the beds 
in readiness for the summer plants. The soil 
should be frequently turned oyer; do not on 
any account make it over-rich, as this will 
give more foliage than flowers. Look often 
over the stock of plants for the beds, and en¬ 
deavour to have sufficient to fill each and 
every bed with its proper colour. Harden 
off spring-struck cuttings ; bring forward 
annuals. Roll the grass frequently before 
mowing, you will afterwards see the benefit of 
it. Prune Roses. Cold Frames. —Remove the 
lights off daily, if the state of the weather 
permits, so as gradually to harden off before 
planting out: water freely, and, as soon as 
you perceive any green fly, fumigate. 
florists’ flowers. 
Auriculas. —As many of these will now be 
in bloom, the frame should be removed to a 
north aspect, to prolong the beauty of the 
delicate tints of colour these possess. Late- 
blooming kinds, however, should for a time 
remain in their old quarters. A rather free 
siipply of water will now be required, with 
plenty of air. Carnations and Picotees. —The 
season and the weather are in favour of 
speedily finishing the potting of these plants 
for blooming. Those for blooming in beds or 
borders may now be planted out, without risk. 
Avoid planting them in soil infested with wire- 
worm. Dahlia's. —Repot all that are struck, 
and grow them on a gentle bottom heat until 
well established. When established, repot 
into a size larger pot, and place them in a cold 
pit, free from slugs or snails. Cover the pits 
or frames up during frosty nights. Sow seeds 
in shallow pans, placing them in a hotbed 
having a brisk heat. When a sufficient number 
of cuttings has been obtained, divide the 
roots; they will make several strong plants 
each, which are best adapted for planting in 
the most exposed situations. Hollyhocks .— 
Repot spring-struck plants; they will make 
greater, progress in pots if good rich soil is 
used than if planted out before the weather is 
settled. Strong plants may be planted out at 
once, giving each plant a few spits of rotten 
manure. Pansies. — Gather any premature 
flowers these may produce; this will cause 
larger and finer flowers in May, the time they 
will be required for exhibiting. Those in pots 
will require constant looking over with the 
watering-pot. Use weak liquid manure two 
or three times a-week. PinJcs. —These having 
been top-dressed will require but little atten¬ 
tion for some time. Disbudding will be the 
next thing to be done, if large blooms are re¬ 
quired. Tulips. — April is the most trying 
month for Tulips, from the frequency of 
showers, followed by frosty nights. It will be 
better to give a good watering between the 
plants when they require it than to allow 
them to have rain, which remains so long in 
the heart of the plant. Avoid hail night or 
day, by covering up, if threatening showers 
appear. Daring very cold winds secure the 
canvass used for protecting them at night the 
exposed side of the bed ; this will greatly pro¬ 
tect them without drawing the plants. 
