DON’T 
Start wrong in your gardening operations now that 
the few early flowers have given you the regular Spring 
fever, for which, before planting, you think there is no 
antidote excepting the contents of a first-class seed, 
bulb and plant establishment. Don't make the too com¬ 
mon mistake of planting too much, which only aggra¬ 
vates instead of allaying the fever. Don't fall into the 
regular practice of crowding a dozen plants where there 
should only be three; and what is still worse, don't 
plant all the varieties you have in one bed. Serve your 
plants as you do your guests, by giving each a separate 
bed, and they will be equally thankful. Don't mix colors: 
neither put the high and low together, they will not 
prove congenial; each and all will be out of place. 
Don’t neglect harmony : in all your arrangements be 
sure that form, size, color and habit will bear such a 
relation to each other that the desired effect is secured. 
Give each plant a bed or a section of your border, so 
that no other plant will interfere with it. If you have 
a geranium bed don't mix colors, and be sure not to 
plant the scarlets next to the pink. So arrange the beds 
that in all cases there will be the most marked contrast 
of colors; and let the same ride apply to all other 
plants. Don't neglect to have everything that pertains 
to the welfare of the garden in readiness, so that when 
the proper time for planting comes there need be no 
cause for delay. By no means get in a hurry to plant; 
don’t think your few Crocuses, Snow-drops and Scillas 
are evidences of summer; they are only prophecies, 
simply reminders of the good things that are to come if 
you do your part. Don't work your ground when it is 
cold and wet. It is then trading off winter for summer, 
so don’t interfere until the bargain is completed. Don’t 
sow seeds of any kind until the soil is dry, warm and 
inviting, then they will come up quickly, and you will 
have no occasion to complain about the quality of the 
seeds bought. In almost all cases good management 
means good seed. In seed-sowing take a short lesson 
from nature. Cover the seeds thinly; don’t bury them 
unless you wish to bury all your fond hopes of a beauti¬ 
ful garden and your good nature as well with them. 
If you have taken the wise precaution of starting your 
favorites in the house or hot-bed, don’t be in a hurry to 
transplant them into the open border. No matter what 
you have started in advance of its regular season of 
growth, the plants will not be as vigorous as if grown 
in the open border. Under natural conditions, conse¬ 
quently, they will not endure the frequent cold winds 
of Slay. All hardy annuals are not hardy when started 
in the house or hot-bed, and will perish if turned out 
into the open border too scon. We find from ltng ex¬ 
perience that notwithstanding what the weather may 
be, it is not safe to transplant seedlings, or bedding 
plants even, before the last week in 'May ; and as a rule 
the first of June is the better time. The time, 
however, will depend upon the locality ; wherever you 
are don't plant out your flowering plants too soon. 
In selecting Carnations and Roses, don’t buy those in 
full bloom or those that have flowered all through the 
Winter, and need rest. In selecting Tea Roses by all 
means choose young plants—those that have never flow¬ 
ered—they are much cheaper, and will give you flowers 
the entire season. Do not let the rules we have adopted 
for early planting apply to Roses and Carnations; these 
will do much better if planted a month earlier than 
seedlings or tedding plants. Don’t neglect neatness 
and oreler ; upon these conditions the pleasure in the 
garden in a great measure depends. Have all climbing 
plants properly trimmed and furnished with suitable 
supports. Don’t let your friends see a Burdock when 
there should be a Rhubarb, or a Plantain where there 
could be a Poppy. Study the law of adaptation and make 
the garden indicative of taste and refinement. Don’t 
(to gentlemen only) neglect the flower garden and visit 
the beer garden ; it is a far better indication of domestic 
happiness, of noble, manly character when there are 
flowers in the garden, instead of blossoms on the 
nose. 
HINTS FOR MARCH. 
March is the most uncertain mouth for gardening in 
the whole year. It is a month that cannot, in this sec¬ 
tion, be depended upon for anything. It is fond of 
caprice, one day winter, the next spring, and the 
following one summer, alternating as fancy dictates. 
We often see in the warm cozy corners around the 
house, where the sun delights to linger, Snow-drops and 
Crocus in full flower by the first of the month, and the 
whole lawn dotted with the same by the middle of the 
month. Again we have seen the thermometer indicate 
forty degrees of frost, and good sleighing early in the 
month. A great portion of our drork for the month 
consists in watching and fighting the weather. We 
must keep careful sentry over it, and provide our tender 
favorites with defence in every time of need. The great 
danger is the being deceived by appearances. Because 
the Crown Imperials, the Crocus, Tulips, aud Hyacinths, 
confide in the first few warm days, as though they were 
the sure forerunners of spring, do not let us be deceived, 
but have everything in readiness to protect these rash 
and foolish adventurers that should have remained in 
the bosom of mother earth for at least a month yet. 
All the early flowering bidbs and herbaceous plants get 
impatient over their long confinement, and commence 
their annual labor as quickly as possible. If they get de¬ 
ceived and make a portion of their - growth far ahead of 
time, be prepared with mats or some clean mulching to 
protect them in case of severe frosts that are sure to 
visit them, until about the first of May. Bidbs need 
protection far more in March and April, after they have 
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