_Kitchen Garden._--Sow asparagus, sea-kale, Turnip-rooted beet,
salsafy, scorzonera, skirret, carrots and onions on heavy soils; also
marrow peas, Longpod and Windsor beans, turnips, spinach, celery,
cabbage, savoys and Brussels sprouts for succession. Sow broccoli and
kidney-beans both in the second and in the last week, and lettuces and
small salads twice or thrice during the month; sow all herbs, if not
done last month. Sow vegetable marrow. Plant cauliflower, cabbages,
sea-kale, lettuce; and finish the planting of the main crops of
potatoes; divide and replant globe-artichokes. Propagate all sorts of
pot-herbs, and attend to the hoeing and thinning of spinach, onions,
turnips, carrots, beet, &c. Earth up cabbages, cauliflower, peas,
beans and early potatoes. Stake up peas; blanch sea-kale and rhubarb
in the open air by covering with straw or leaves.
_Fruit Garden._--If vines have been neglected to be pruned, rub off
the buds that are not wanted; this is safer than pruning now. Protect
the finer sorts of fruit trees on the walls. The hardier orchard-house
fruits should now be moved outdoors under temporary awnings, to give
the choicer fruits more space,--the roots being protected by plunging
the pots. Mulch all newly-planted fruit trees, watering abundantly in
dry weather.
_Forcing._--Continue the preparation of succession beds and pits for
cucumbers and melons. Sow; pot tomatoes and capsicums for succession.
Pollinate tomatoes by hand to ensure early fruit on plants intended
for outdoor culture. In the forcing-houses, from the variable state of
the weather, considerable vigilance is required in giving air. Keep
down red spider (Acarus) in the more advanced houses by frequent
syringings and a well-moistened atmosphere. Continue the usual
operations of disbudding and thinning of fruit, and take care to keep
up the proper temperatures.
_Plant Houses._--Still sow tender annuals if required; also cinerarias
and primulas. Proceed with all necessary shiftings. Propagate rare and
fine plants by cuttings or grafting; increase bouvardias by cuttings,
and grow on for winter flowering. Pot off tender annuals, and cuttings
of half-hardy greenhouse plants put in during February to get them
well established for use in the flower garden. Transfer chrysanthemums
to sheltered positions out of doors, and provide means of protecting
them from frost and cutting winds.
_Flower Garden and Shrubbery._--Sow main or successional crops of
annuals of all sorts--half-hardy annuals in warm borders, or on slight
hotbeds. Biennials and perennials should be sown before the middle of
the month. Plant out gladioli, if not done, tigridias and fine stocks.
Finish the transplanting of herbaceous plants by the end of the first
week. Cuttings of border chrysanthemums may now be dibbled in a warm
spot out of doors. Protect stage auriculas and hyacinths from extremes
of every description of weather; and tulips from hoar-frosts and heavy
rains. Plant out tender deciduous trees and shrubs raised in pots;
plant out tea-roses, mulching the roots. Remove part of the coverings
of all tender shrubs and plants in the first week, and the remainder
at the end of the month. Form and repair lawns and grass walks by
laying turf and sowing perennial grass-seeds; mow the lawns
frequently; plant evergreens.