MARCH. 
63 
accompanied by a little extra beat, in order 
to enable them to set well and form hand¬ 
some bunches. 65° will he a good average 
temperature, hut Muscats require 70° to do 
them justice; stop the shoots at one joint above 
the bunch, leaving a leader. If the Vines 
have been cut back shorter than the rafter, 
tie down the shoots neatly, and thin the 
berries which are likely to swell, as soon as 
possible after they can be seen. Keep the air 
of the houses humid, by syringing the walls 
and damping the heating apparatus, when the 
Grapes are swelling and the Vines breaking. 
When the weather is mild, give air freely, 
using more caution when cold or frosty, so as 
to avoid exposing the foliage to chilling cur¬ 
rents of air. Peaches .—In the early Peach- 
house, disbud when the fruit is set, taking otf 
a few of the extra buds at a time to prevent 
giving the trees a check; leave the shoots in¬ 
tended to form the wood for next year’s crop 
regularly over the tree. After the fruit is 
set, the syringe should be again put in use on 
fine mornings, to keep the foliage clean and 
healthy; and the air of the house may be kept 
moister than when the trees were in bloom. 
Water the inside borders of vineries and 
other forcing-houses. Strawberries in bloom 
must be kept fully exposed to light; those 
swelling may be removed to more heat, to 
finish them off; supply with liquid manure, 
and keep down green fly by tobacco. Melons 
should now he ridged out on a nice sweet 
bottom heat. Let the loam be free from dung, 
and moderately strong. Keep a top heat of 
70° or thereabouts. When the plants have 
started, pinch out the ends of the shoots, when 
they will produce laterals, the strongest of 
which should be selected to fill the frame. 
Do not permit them to produce fruit till they 
have a good stock of leaves. Sow for succes¬ 
sion. Cucumbers should receive the same 
treatment as Melons, only they require a 
lighter soil. A moist heat is necessary for 
both in their early stages. Assist those in 
bearing by manure water and top-dressings, 
and maintain a steady bottom heat of 85°. 
Pines showing fruit, keep dry. Like most 
other things, a dry atmosphere causes their 
bloom to open more freely, and results in 
regular-shaped fruit; water them when they 
are dry at the root, and keep the bottom and 
top heat steady ; from 80° to 95° for the former, 
and from 60° to 80° for the latter, with air at 
all opportunities. The young plants will now 
require shifting into larger pots; use, for grow¬ 
ing them, half rotten turfy loam, to which 
may be added a little soot or well decomposed 
manure. If the loam is tolerably rich, this 
will not be necessary; plunge in a brisk 
bottom heat, and keep rather close till they 
begin to grow; afterwards, air and light in 
abundance. Keep on sowing Dwarf Kidney 
Beans. A pit planted with the above now 
will produce a valuable crop in April and May. 
Continue making Mushroom-beds according 
to the supply expected. Afford air freely, to 
give colour and flavour to Asparagus forcing 
in frames. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
With the advance of spring, the number of 
things requiring to be done in this department 
daily increases. If our previous directions 
for trenching and working the land have been 
attended to, it will now be in good order for 
sowing Parsnips, Onions, and a few Carrots ; 
the principal crops of the two former should 
be got in without delay. Carrots in dry soils 
are apt to become maggotty in hot weather 
if sown too soon. Dwarf Mammoth and 
Champion Peas may now be sown, to be 
succeeded by the taller Marrowfats towards 
the end of the month; the Long-pod and 
Green Windsor Beans should likewise be 
planted to succeed the Fan and Mazagans. 
Plant out, as time permits, the early and 
principal crops of Potatoes. Avoid the use of 
fresh, rank manures; but where manure is 
necessary, let it be well decomposed, and add 
dry ashes, guano, or soot as auxiliaries; lime, 
in moderation, on some soils produces Pota¬ 
toes of excellent quality. Towards the middle 
of the month transplant from the frames 
Cauliflowers, Lettuces, &c., to warm borders; 
give the autumn-planted crops a good hoeing, 
or if the soil is very firm, slightly dig it over 
with a fork. Fresh plantations of Rhubarb, 
Horseradish, Sea-kale, and Artichokes may 
now be planted ; as the above are to remain 
in the same place for some years, let the 
ground be deeply trenched and well enriched 
with manure. Spring-sown vegetables in 
frames should have the sashes taken off on 
mild days, to gradually harden them for 
pricking out. Autumn-planted Cabbages, en¬ 
courage by well soaking, in mild weather, 
with liquid manure, and keeping the soil 
about them well loosened. To have Leeks in 
perfection, sow them on a slight bottom heat, 
and treat them like Celery. 
PRUIT GARDEN. 
Hardy Fruit —The pruning and nailing of 
fruit trees should now be brought to a close 
without delay. In our last Number we recom¬ 
mended materials to be applied by way of 
keeping the trees from blooming till as late a 
period as possible; coverings must, however, 
be removed when the flowers open, as full ex¬ 
posure will then be necessary each day, replac¬ 
ing them at night. The above supposes canvas 
or netting of some kind to be used ; but as the 
spray of evergreen trees is sometimes employed 
as a substitute, a portion must be removed so 
as to admitlight and air to the blooms, adding- 
more at night, should the severity of the 
weather demand it. Break down with the 
garden fork, the ground rough dug among fruit 
bushes, and give as tidy an appearance to 
the ground as possible. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
Digging and dressing flower-beds and 
