88 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
sashes to remain off day and night for a week. 
Prick out the first crop of Celery on a slight 
bottom heat. The soil should be rich and 
very shallow, and the plants kept close to the 
glass, to have them stocky and well rooted by 
the first week in May. Where Leeks are re¬ 
quired early, it is a good plan to raise them on 
a little heat under glass, and then transplant. 
Melons and, Cucumbers. — Follow our last 
directions, and see that the heat, both bottom 
and top, is at all times uniform, that no check 
may occur—which, with Melons particularly, 
is most injurious. Watch for green fly and 
red spider ; frames and pits with these plants 
may be kept pretty free from these pests by 
occasionally washing the inside with tobacco 
water, with which mix a handful of sulphur. 
Peach-house. —In selecting the wood for next 
year’s bearing, in some degree be guided by 
the vigour of the tree. Strong-growing trees 
will require the wood to be laid in pretty 
thick, while weakly growing ones must have 
it left in much thinner ; with the former, leave 
a large crop to check too luxuriant a growth, 
while weakly trees should be rather under¬ 
cropped, till they gain strength. Keep down 
green fly ; and thin the last house, if the fruit 
has set too thickly.. The night temperature 
of the early house should not exceed 60°, allow¬ 
ing a rise of 15° to 20° under bright sun. 
Syringe with tepid water once or twice daily, 
according to the weather. Pinery. —If not 
shifted last month, the succession plants will 
now require repotting. Shake the soil clear 
away from plants at all unhealthy, or when 
the soil is not in a suitable state, and repot 
the plants in pure loam. The healthy plants 
should have a small shift, liberating the roots 
before potting; let the soil be moderately 
dry. 
kitchen garden. 
All the crops above ground will be bene ¬ 
fited by having the soil frequently stirred 
between the plants in dry weather, nothing 
conducing so much to a vigorous growth as 
moving the surface. Keep up the required 
succession of vegetables, according to the 
demand. Peas and Cauliflowers should have 
well trenched and richly manured ground, 
or the produce will be indifferent—in dry 
weather particularly, if the land is at all 
poor; in fact, deep working of the soil, and 
frequent stirrings of the surface, are the main 
points of success in growing nine-tenths of our 
vegetable crops. Sow a crop of early French 
Beans on a warm border, and Scarlet Runners 
may be sown towards the middle of the month. 
Thin out Onions, Parsnips, Lettuce, Carrots, 
Parsley, and Spinach, when large enough. 
Silver Beet may be sown towards the end of 
the month, as also Salsafy, and Scorzonera, 
which run when sown sooner. If you want 
your Rhubarb to grow as large in the stem as 
a tidy builder’s pole, water the roots two or 
three times a-week with guano water or other 
liquid manure. 
FRUIT GARDEN. 
Hardy Fruit .—Finish pruning and nailing as 
quickly as you can. Figs are generally the first 
to be looked to. Have your protecting ma¬ 
terials ready. ¥e do not know what April 
may require yet, but it will be well to be fore¬ 
armed. Raspberries may be shortened back if 
not done; and if part are cut back to a foot 
from the ground they will produce a succession, 
carrying on the supply from the main crop 
till the double-bearing ones come in. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
This month is quite as important to the 
flower gardener as May, as he will now be busy 
preparing the soil in the various beds for their 
forthcoming inmates, and he will also have to 
sow and transplant many things hardy enough 
to stand the climate. All vacant spaces in 
the herbaceous beds and shrubbery borders 
may now be sown with hardy annuals, having 
first well broken up the soil and made it fine 
to receive the seed. Finish pruning Tea and 
China Roses, also any others left at the general 
pruning. Prune and train wall climbers, &c , 
and let the whole of the ornamental shrubs, 
requiring cutting in, be done, that the borders, 
&c., may be made tidy, after which they 
will only require hoeing and raking occa¬ 
sionally. Provide stakes for Hollyhocks, &c., 
and the proper supports for all tall plants. The 
grass in many places requires mowing; do 
not let it grow too long, if you wish for a 
close bottom. Cold Frames. —See our last 
calendar; and finish all the propagating for 
the flower garden as quickly as possible, to 
enable them to get properly hardened off by 
planting time. Some of the hardiest things, 
as Calceolarias, Lobelias, &c., may be removed 
to turf pits, to be protected with canvas ; this 
will allow more room for more tender things 
requiring glass. Softwooded plants may yet 
be propagated. 
FLORIST’S FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. —These, like many other things 
this spring, are unusually forward, many now 
being in bloom. Shade during bright sun, 
if the plants are facing the south, or perhaps 
it would be best to place them in a cool north 
situation, to prolong their bloom. Always popu¬ 
lar with a class, the Auricula is now becoming 
generally so, and is now patronised by the 
great societies at their spring meeting. Carna¬ 
tions and Picotees. —No time should be lost in 
completing the potting of these for bloom, or 
planting them in beds or borders. Dahlias .— 
Propagate freely. Plants struck during the 
first three weeks in April, will be in ample 
time, yet not so forward as to become stunted 
before planting-out time. Pot-off first-struck 
cuttings, and keep them growing, if but 
gently. Start old roots in the bottom of 
vineries, or any spare place where no increase 
is desired, but only the old plants, which will 
be forward and strong. Seed should now be 
sown. 
