_Kitchen Garden._---Trench up all vacant ground as soon as cleared of
its crops, leaving the surface as rough as possible. Sow early peas
and Early Dwarf Prolific beans in the second week, for an early crop;
also in frames for transplanting. Protect endive, celery, artichoke
and sea-kale with stable-litter or fern, or by planting the former in
frames; take up late cauliflower, early broccoli and lettuces, and
place them in sheltered pits or lay them in an open shed; earth up
celery; manure and dress up asparagus beds.
_Fruit Garden._--Plant all sorts of fruit trees in fine weather--the
earlier in the month the better. Protect fig-trees. Commence pruning
and nailing. Gather and store the latest apples and pears. Examine the
fruit-room and remove all decayed fruit.
_Forcing._--Keep up the requisite degree of heat in hotbeds and pits.
Cucumbers and tomatoes will require more than ordinary attention.
Force asparagus, rhubarb and sea-kale, in the mushroom-house, in pits,
or in the open border under boxes or cases surrounded and covered by
well-fermented stable dung and leaves. Sow Early Horn carrot; also
kidney beans and radishes, on hotbeds. In the forcing-houses prune and
train the trees; fork over and dress the borders of such houses as
have not been already done.
_Plant Houses._--The directions for the greenhouse and conservatory in
January apply also to this month generally. Continue the forcing of
roses, hyacinths, &c. Houses containing large-flowered Japanese
chrysanthemums will require to be kept dry, airy and moderately warm
to prevent "damping-off" of petals.
_Flower Garden, &c._--Plant dried tubers of border flowers, but the
finer sorts had better be deferred till spring. Plant tulips in the
early part of the month. Put in cuttings of bedding calceolarias,
choosing the shoots that will not run up to flower. Protect such
half-hardy plants as are not already sheltered. Plant deciduous trees
and shrubs so long as the weather continues favourable, and before the
soil has parted with the solar heat absorbed during summer. Dig and
dress such flower borders and shrubberies as may now be cleared of
annuals and the stems of herbaceous plants.