BEANS.

IN the beginning of this month, if the wea­ther is open, let some ground be got ready for a principal crop of broad beans. The best sorts are—

The windsor bean, sandwich bean, toker bean, &c.

The windsor bean is an excellent sort, and may be planted the first week in this month; also the toker, which is very fine▪ and a good bearer. Let the rows be four [Page 2] feet distant from each other; and set the beans either with a blunt ended dibble, two or three inches deep, or drill them that depth; and about five or six inches asunder in the rows.

If you have not planted any mazagon and long podded beans before this month; let some of the two sorts be planted as early as possible—you may plant the mazagon, long podded, and windsor beans all at the same time; and they will succeed each other in bearing.

The mazagon bean should be planted in rows two feet asunder, and four inches dis­tant in the rows; and the long pods two feet and a half or three feet from row to row, and six or seven inches in the row.

PEAS.

Let some early hotspur peas be sown the beginning of this month for a full crop, in a warm piece of ground, to succeed the same sorts sown in the two last months—the sorts are—

Charleton, hotspur, golden hotspur, Essex hotspur, &c. but the two first are the earliest, and the other▪ is proper to succeed them; sow each sort in rows four feet asunder; if the ground is rich, and you intend to set sticks for their support—but, if you do not intend to give them sticks; three feet will be sufficient.

[Page 3] At the same time also you may sow the first crop of marrowfat peas, and they will succeed the hotspur, for they will come into bearing as the others go off. This pea is much admired in most families▪ but the dwarf marrowfat is the properest for sowing at this season; observing, if you intend to set sticks for those peas to run upon, to sow them in rows five feet distant from each other—but, if no sticks are intended, three feet and a half will afford space enough.

If you have pease and beans, already ad­vanced two or three inches high or more, take the advantage of a fine day, when the surface of the ground is dry, and draw some earth up to their stems.

This should not be omitted; for it will strengthen the plants, and protect them great­ly against the frost and wind.

CABBAGES

About the beginning, middle, or any time in this month, you may sow early York, su­gar-loaf and drum-head cabbage-seed, to come in for summer use—for this purpose, chuse a warm border, under a wall or fence—Dig the ground a spade deep, throw it up into a bed or beds, sow the seed pretty thick, and rake the surface even—should severe weather set in, you may throw a little light litter or straw over the beds, before or after the plants are up.

[Page 4] If your cabbage-plants, sown in October or November, were not transplanted last month, let them be put out soon in this. Let the ground be well manured with good rotten dung, and dig it in a full spade deep, if the land will bear it. Rake the ground smooth, and plant your drumhead or large cabbage plants two feet and a half distant from row to row, and the same distance in the rows....[See December.]

CAULIFLOWERS.

Let every care be taken to protect your cauliflowers from frost—This may be done by binding moss or hay bands round the stems, and about one third of the leaves, and tying the leaves together near the tops.

About the middle of this month, you may transplant the cauliflowers sown in October, if they are of full size to transplant. Let these plants be put out into a warm situa­tion, and in a spot of rich soil well manur­ed with good rotten dung; and plant them about two feet and a half distant from row to row, and two feet in the rows.

BROCCOLI.

Let your broccoli have frequent hoeings; and let the decayed leaves be taken away as they fall off, which are no ways pleasing to the eye.

TURNIPS.

About the latter end of this month, sow a few dutch turnips, for an early crop—if they succeed they will come in about the beginning of April, and will be exceeding good.

BEETS.

Sow beets about the latter end of this month, of different sorts, the red beet for a large root, and the green and white sorts, for their leaves in soup, stewing, &c.

Beet seed being pretty large it is an eligible method, either to sow it in drills, in order that it may be more regularly buried in the earth, at an equal depth; or to dot it in with a blunt ended dibble in rows—Let the drills be drawn with a hoe, about an inch and a half deep, and ten or twelve inches asunder—Divide the ground into beds five feet wide, put three or four seeds into each hole, and cover them in as you go on; and after the plants are come up some time, leave only one of the strongest in each hole.

It will be most proper to sow the red and the other sorts separate; for it is the root of the red sort only that is used; and the leaves of the white and green kinds.

CARROTS.

When the weather is mild and dry, at any time in this month, let a warm spot of ground be prepared for a few early carrots—Dig the ground a full spade deep, and break the earth well as you go on.

This is only intended for a few to come in a little before the general crop; therefore only a small piece of ground should be pre­pared for this purpose—Choose a dry mild day to sow the feed; and you may sow a thin sprinkling of radishes with the carrots; and let them be raked in soon; always ob­serving to divide the ground into beds from four to five feet in width.

ONIONS.

Let your onions have frequent hoeings; and let the surface of the ground be con­stantly kept loose, which will greatly pro­mote their growth.

SPINAGE.

On a small spot of ground you may sow a little spinage, to come early in the spring, at which time it will be very acceptable in most families; the smooth-leaved or round seeded is the best to sow at this season.

The seed may be sown about the middle or toward the latter end of this month, either in the broad cast, and raked in; or in broad, flat, shallow drills, drawn with a hoe flat­ways, [Page 7] about an inch deep, and a foot asun­der; or you may sow it in drills between rows of early beans and peas.

PARSLEY.

Sow some parsley seed in open weather, about the middle or towards the end of this month.

There are two kinds of parsley, the com­mon plain, and curl-leaved, but the latter is greatly to be prefered; the leaves being large, thick, and bushy, and excellent for culinary uses, and much admired for garnish to dishes. Let shallow drills be drawn in a dry part of the garden, and sow the seeds therein pretty thick, and cover them about half an inch deep with earth.

These seeds may be sown in a single drill round the edges of the kitchen garden quar­ters, or along the edges of the borders next the paths—This seed lies in the ground some­times a month or six weeks before it makes its appearance.

LETTUCES.

Transplant some more lettuces from the beds or borders where they stand too close together—In doing this, observe to draw the plants out regularly, and let the strongest remain in the bed or border ten or twelve inches distance; then loosen the surface of [Page 8] the earth with a hoe, and clear away the weeds and litter.

The plants which are taken out, should be planted in a warm border of rich earth, at ten or twelve inches distance each way; and if the weather is dry let them have a lit­tle water.

Cabbage, Silesia, and Dutch brown lettuce may be sown at any time in this month in a sheltered situation, in a spot of light rich earth, open to the sun.

Pick off all dead and decayed leaves as they appear on the plants, and keep them perfectly clear of weeds; and if you stir the surface of the earth between the plants some­times it will be of service to them.

CELLERY.

When the weather is open take the advan­tage of a dry day to earth up such cellery as require it.

Let the earth be well broken and laid up to the plants lightly, that they may not be crushed down or bruised, raising the earth near to the top of the plants; should severe frost set in, it will injure part of the tops of the plants that are above ground; and if much of the plants should be out of ground in such weather, and be thereby destroyed, it will also occasion a decay of those parts that are within the ground—Therefore it may [Page 9] be necessary to cover the rows with long litter, straw, &c.

ENDIVE.

In dry open weather let some of the full grown endive be prepared for blanching—take the opportunity of a fine day, when the plants are quite dry, and tie the leaves of each plant together; and with a small hoe draw up some earth round them seperately, to assist their whitening, and to protect them more effectually from the frost—They will be blanched for use in a fortnight proper for sallads, soup, stewing, &c. [For further in­formation see December.]

GARLICK & SHALOTS.

If your garlick or shalots are not already planted, the business should be no longer omitted. — [See October.]

RADISHES.

In the beginning, or any time this month when the weather is open and mild, sow some short top radishes for an early crop, on a warm border that lies well to the sun, un­der a wall or fence—and about the latter end you may sow the same sort, and some salmon radishes, to succeed them.

You should not mix both sorts together, but let each sort be sown by itself, for the short top will come in ten or twelve days [Page 10] sooner than the salmon radishes; and the short top are much more hardy than the salmon—

The surest method is to sow some short top at least twice or oftner in this month—therefore if you sow some about the beginning, and again at the middle, and towards the lat­ter end of the month, in a warm situation you will seldom fail of success.

There may be mixed and sown with the radishes a sprinkling of carrot seed; for if the radishes should fail, the carrots may succeed; and if both succeed, there will be a double advantage—for when the radishes are drawn off for use, there remains a crop of carrots, which will come in at an early period; or, instead of carrots, you may sow a little lettuce seed or round spinnage, and when the radish­es are gone off these will come in.

You should sow your radish seeds pretty thick at this season; for when the radish seeds begin to appear, if the weather should prove sharp▪ it will cut some off, and the birds too will be apt to attack them and destroy many; sow the seeds regularly over the surface, and throw the ground up into beds, about four or four feet and a half wide, and rake the surface even, standing in the alleys—Should there be any appearance of frost after the seed is sown, it will be proper to spread some dry straw or litter over the surface, an inch or two thick; which will keep the surface [Page 11] warm, prevent the injury of the frost, and greatly forward the germination of the seed—

Likewise when the plants begin to appear, the same precaution will be necessary to pro­tect them from the frost, by spreading a little straw or litter over the surface, there to re­main till they are fairly up—and if the wea­ther proves frosty afterwards, cover them with a little straw, or some light ever green bushes, which may be continued occasionally; by which means the plants will be greatly forwarded in their growth: for should cold north wet winds prevail in the day time, the bushes will break the wind, which is almost as hurtful to them as the frost: but this co­vering must not by any means be kept on in mild, but only in severe weather, until the plants are fairly in rough leaves.

ARTICHOKES.

Where your Artichokes were not dressed and landed up in the last month, let this work be done now as soon as possible.—For the method see October.]

ASPARAGUS.

If your Asparagus beds were not dressed in the last month, let this business be attend­ed to soon in this.—[See October.]

HORSE RADISH.

This plant is propagated by cuttings, ei­ther taken off the top an inch or two long, [Page 12] or from the old roots cut in pieces of that length—but the top or crown of the plant is most preferable. The method is this —

First procure a quantity of proper sets;—which may be either the small off-sets that arise from the sides of the main roots, of which take cuttings off their tops, an inch or two long; or you may use the tops of the crowns of the old roots, when taken up for use: or in default of a sufficiency of crowns or tops of either, you may divide a quantity of old knotty roots into cuttings of two inch­es long; which, if furnished each with two or three buds or eyes, will make tollerable sets. When you intend to make a fresh plan­tation, you should, during the winter, when you take up the plants for use, reserve all the best crowns of the main roots for planting. But this latter practice can only be pursued in private gardens: for where the large roots are for sale, their tops must not be taken off, which would render them unsaleable in mar­ket: therefore the Market Gardeners reserve the strongest off-sets arising from the main root.

Being thus furnished with a proper quan­tity of sets, proceed to prepare the ground for their reception. And they may either be p [...]nted with a dibble, after the ground is dug; or trenched in, as you proceed in dig­ing the ground.

[Page 13] Choose an open situation, and as light and deep a soil as the Garden affords; which must be trenched regularly one good spade deep at least; but if the ground will admit of it, the deeper it is loosened the better.

Then proceed by dibble planting, in the following manner, being provided with a long dibble, begin at one end of the piece of ground—range the line cross-ways; and with the dibble make holes about fifteen inches deep; and be careful to make them all of an equal depth; which you may readily do by making a mark upon the dibble. and so thrusting it down to that mark: makeing the holes six inches asunder, dropping as you go on, one set or cutting into each hole, with the crown, &c. upwards; taking care to fill or close the hole properly with earth—the rows to be one foot six inches asunder.

The other method of planting, by trench­ing in the sets, is, to open a trench at one end, in the common method of trenching, two spades wide and one spade deep or more; and then having the sets or cuttings provided, plant one row along the bottom of the trench with the crowns upright, about six inches asunder; then dig the next trench the same depth and width, turning the earth into the first trench, over the row of sets; thus pro­ceed, trench after trench, to the end.

By practising either of the above methods of planting horse-radish, the sets will put [Page 14] forth perfectly straight-rooted shoots quite to the top; whereby they will be long and smooth, and swell evenly their whole length, and will sometimes attain a tolerable perfecti­on the first summer's growth.

When the whole is planted, the ground may be sown with spinage or radishes, which will come off time enough to give the horse radish full time to grow—for these will not come up till the first or middle of April, when the spinage and radishes will be all gathered.

They must be kept weeded for a month of six weeks, after which the leaves will co­ver the ground, and prevent the growth of weeds.

In the autumn after planting, or about michaelmas, you may begin to take up some of the roots, if wanted for use: but it will be adviseable to let the principal part remain, to have another summer's growth, when they will be very fine and large.

When you take up these roots, it should be done regularly—not digging up a stick here and there, as is often practised in private gar­dens; but beginning at the first row, and so proceeding from row to row, according as you want them: observing to throw out a trench close along the first row of roots, and as deep as the roots go, but not to loosen the bottom or old set from whence these proceed, which is called the stool.

[Page 15] Having thus cleared away the earth quite close to the stool or bottom of the roots, then with a knife out each root off level, close to the stool from whence it proceeds ‐ for all the stools or bottoms of the roots must be left in the ground undisturbed; for these will yield a supply of fine roots, the succeeding year—and when the roots are dug up, the old stools still remaining will continue as of­ten as the produce is gathered, to furnish a fresh supply of roots every succeeding year.

But care must be taken, when digging up the roots, always to clear the old stool from all straggling or small roots whatever; and in the summer season to draw up all the small plants rising between the rows.

PEACH, NECTARINE, & APRICOT, TREES.

PRUNING may be performed on these Trees any time in this month.

In doing this business, you are to observe, that although the trees were pruned last summer, there will still remain many bran­ches which ought to be taken out — The most irregular and most abundant of them are to be cut away, and a due supply of the best-placed and most moderate, strong [Page 16] shoots are to be preserved, in every part, at proper distances — For these trees produce their fruit principally from their former sum­mer's shoots.

The old naked branches, having no young shoots on them, should be entirely taken out: which you will frequently meet with in old standard trees; particularly in their lower and middle limbs. The cause is chiefly ow­ing to neglect of pruning, in due season; for the upper branches crowding over the lower and middle ones, destroy their fertility.

Therefore in pruning these trees, let some of the old naked wood be cut away in every winter's pruning, to make room for the last summer's shoots; and where the branches of the trees are too crowded, let them be thin­ed; observing to take off such as grow most i regularly: and when any branches run a­cross, or interfere much with any of the o­thers, in an improper direction, let them be cut out. But a due supply should be left e­very where, at moderate distances, to bear fruit the next summer; and all such as are not wanted must be cut away quite close, leaving only the short spurs.

The weaker shoots, which are now left, must, at the same time, be shortened, more or less, according to the vigour of the tree, and strength of the different shoots; which is done in order to procure an effectual supply [Page 17] of new shoots next year, to bear fruit the year following.

But in shortening the shoots, mind to pro­portion every one, according to it's growth, and original length. For instance—A shoot of about a foot long, may be shortened to six or seven inches, according to it's strength; and one from fifteen to eighteen inches, may be shortened to about twelve; and one from two to three feet, need not be shortened at all, if the strength is in proportion to it's length. And you will even find sometimes shoots of a foot long that require no shorten­ing, observing always to leave the strongest and largest shoots.

The general rule for shortening the shoots of young trees, after the first year's planting, is, if they are very strong and vigorous, you may shorten them one fourth; if pretty strong, one third; and if weak, cut off two thirds. Observe to prune out side branches, that are above an inch long; and leave none but the main shoots on the trees—As to the number of the branches, I refer you to head­ing down young trees.—[See March.]

But such peach, nectarine, and apricot trees, as produce strong and vigorous shoots must be treated accordingly, and must also be shortened less in proportion; and the stronger the branches are, the more room they should have.—When the tree is pruned, [Page 18] the branches should be at least from sixteen to eighteen inches distant from each other, at the extremity of each shoot; but indeed some of the most vigorous shoots should not be shortened at all—This is the only method of pruning, to bring a vigorous shooting tree in good order, so as to produce moderate shoots, such as will bear fruit.

For the more wood you cut out, and in proportion as the shoots are shortened, the more vigorous the trees will become.

By what I have above hinted, the pruner will not be at a loss to know in what manner peach, nectarine, and apricot trees, accord­ing to their different growth are to be treat­ed. In the article of pruning, the rule here mentioned is always to be applied to win­ter prunings.

Another thing is also proper to be observ­ed; that is, where any young shoots, which are left to bear, have produced only small shoots from their sides, they must be cut off close to the principal, for those will neither produce good fruit, nor good wood.

It is proper to direct also, in shortening the shoots, to cut them off as much as possi­ble at a leaf or wood bud, distinguishable from the blossom buds, by being long and flat; the others being round and swelling: or otherwise to prune to a twain blossom bud, that is where two buds arise at the same eye, [Page 19] having a wood bud between them. Either of these rules are necessary to be observed in shortening; in order that each may produce a leading shoot next summer, forming a lead­er to the main shoots. For where there is a fair leading shoot provided near the extremity of a bearing branch, such shoot seldom fails to yield a fair and well flavoured fruit.

It will be also necessary to remark one thing more in pruning of these trees; parti­cularly the apricot—In this tree we often perceive in the two year old branches, some short shoots or spurs, on which are frequently to be seen several blossom buds: now some people cut these spurs entirely off, but I am much against such practice; for some of these short natural spurs will produce handsome fruit, both in apricots, peaches, and nectarines, but especially the former.

TRANSPLANT FRUIT TREES.

At any time in this month you may with great safety transplant any kinds of fruit trees. — [For the work see December.]

Support tall new planted fruit trees with stakes as soon as they are planted, that they may not be rocked about by the wind, which would greatly retard them from taking root.

VINES.

Vines may be pruned at any time in this month, if not done in the two former ones. — [For the method see December.]

[Page 20] You may still continue to prune apple, pear, plumb, and cherry trees, if not done in the former month — [For the work see De­cember.]

PRUNING RASBERRY PLANTS.

Prune rasberries—In doing this let it be observed, that all the old wood that produced fruit last summer must now be cut out; for these never bear but once.—Therefore a sup­ply of young wood must be left to bear next year; observe therefore to leave several of the strongest of the last summer's shoots standing upon every root, to bear the fruit to be expected next year.—These being the only proper bearing shoots, they must be allowed room; therefore as above hinted, let all the old wood be cut close to the ground; and se­lecting from three to five of the best young shoots on each root or stool, let all the rest above that number be cut away close to the surface of the earth; and at the same time let all straggling roots be destroyed.

Each of the shoots that are left to bear must be shortened—the rule is this.—Take off one third or one fourth or thereabouts of the original length of each shoot, according to the different growths.

In dressing, observe to take up and clear a­way all straggling roots between the rows, and also all such as do not belong to the standing [Page 21] plants; this digging will strengthen the roots, and the ground will lie clean and neat all the winter.

PLANT RASBERRIES.

This is a good season to plant rasberries.—When a new plantation is wanted, observe that the young shoots or suckers which arise every summer from the old roots are the most proper plants for the propagation of them: and fresh plantations of these shrubs should be made in an open situation, where the ground is good; and if you dig in some dung it will be of advantage to the plants.

In choosing the plants for this plantation, observe to take such as are well furnished with roots, for that is a principal article in rasber­ry plants; and if there be but one or two or more buds formed on the root for next sum­mer shoots, such plants are particularly to be chosen.

Having procured the plants, shorten the shoots a little, and leave only one of the strongest shoots on each root—Let the ends of the roots be also trimmed; then put the plants in rows four or five feet distant, and let them be planted half a yard distant from each other in the rows.

BEANS.

PLANT beans of any kind; for all sorts will succeed from this planting.

This is still a proper season for the windsor, toker, and also the long pod bean, which is a very great bearer.—Any of the small kind of beans may be planted in this month.

Some of the most approved sorts of beans should be put into the ground every fort­night or three weeks; which will afford a regular supply of young beans during the sea­son for them.

Plant the windsor and toker in rows about three feet and a half, and the long pods about three feet asunder.

PEAS.

Sow marrowfat, sugar, rounceval, and other sorts of pease once a fortnight or three weeks; by which means you will have a con­stant succession of young peas for the table.

[Page 23] Any other of the large or smaller sorts of peas, as mentioned in the former months, may be now sown, allowing the distance of three weeks or thereabouts between each sowing.

Draw drills or trenches for the different kinds of peas, as mentioned in the former months; and sow them regularly, and cover them over with earth about three inches deep.

All sorts of pease should be sown in open situations, but by no means under trees.

Draw the earth to such pease and beans as are now up some height; it will strengthen the plants greatly, and will encourage their growth.

CABBAGES.

Transplant cabbage plants of all kinds, if not done in the former month, in the places where they are to remain to cabbage.—It may be done at any time in this month; but if the plants be strong and in good order, the sooner it is done the better: Let them be planted in good ground; allowing about two or two and a half feet distance for the York and sugar-loaf, and two and a half or three feet for the larger sorts.

This distance is to be understood of such plants as are to remain to grow to their full [Page 24] size; but such of the forward kinds as are to be cut while young, may be planted closer; and sixteen or eighteen inches apart will be sufficient.

Plant out also red cabbages, if not done in the last month; allow two feet distance in the row, and two feet or two feet and a half between row and row.

CAULIFLOWERS.

If your cauliflowers sown in October, were not planted out in the last month, let it be done soon in this; and plant them in a good rich soil in a warm situation, in rows at about two feet and a half distance from row to row, and two feet from each other in the row.

LETTUCES.

Transplant lettuce plants from the beds or borders where they have stood all the winter, that is, if they stand too close.

The plants which are drawn out should be planted in an open spot of rich ground, at ten or twelve inches distance each way.—If the weather be dry let them be watered.—[See January.]

Lettuce seeds of different sorts should be sown the beginning of this month, for a general crop; and to have a regular supply, let some more be sown about the middle, and again towards the latter end of the month.

[Page 25] The proper sorts of lettuce, to sow at this time, are the white coss, the green coss, cabbage, Silesia, brown Dutch; or in short any sorts may be now sown.

Dig, for these seeds, a rich spot of ground, in an open situation; and let the earth be well broken; sow the seeds on the surface, with an even hand; and rake them in light­ly, taking care not to draw the earth in heaps.

SPINAGE.

Sow spinage to succeed that sown in the last month; the sowings should be repeated every fortnight, or three weeks, or therea­bout, to have a regular supply; for the pro­duce of each will not continue fit for use much longer, before it will run.—Let the seed be of the round leaved or smooth seed­ed kind; which is the most proper sort to sow at this season; its leaves being consider­ably thicker, and every way larger than the prickly spinage.

The seed may at this season be sown ei­ther in a spot alone, or with other crops; particularly, between rows of windsor beans, or between cabbages, or with radishes, &c. observing that, either alone or with other crops, spinage seed should be sown pretty thick, and generally in the broad cast—Let it be evenly raked.—Or you may otherwise [Page 26] sow it in broad flat drills, about a foot wide, near an inch deep, and a foot asunder.

Let it be observed that spinage should not at this season, be sown, in a situation which is much shaded with trees or bushes; for in such case it is probable the plants would be drawn up to seed, before they arrive to half their growth.

Hoe, or hand-weed early crops of spring spinage, thinning the plants at the same time, to five or six inches distance.

The crops of winter spinage, which were sown last autumn, will be now advancing to good perfection for use; and should be now kept clean from weeds, and the earth be­tween the plants stirred with a hoe; and, in gathering the plants for use, if they stand close you should pull them out clean by the roots; but if they already stand at wide dis­tances, only crop the larger outward leaves as wanted, 'till they begin to run; then cut them up clean at the bottom.

ONIONS AND LEEKS.

I would recommend that onions may be sown this month for a general crop. But I am well aware that many may be of a differ­ent opinion▪ and may perhaps condemn me for attempting a matter so contrary to the usual practice. Therefore I hope that I shall not be rashly accused, before my method is fairly tried.

[Page 27] The beginning of this month, prepare a piece of good rich ground; and let it be well manured, and dug a full spade deep; and throw the square into beds, about four feet over; and let the alleys be about one foot wide, and four inches deep.—Draw four drills or trenches on each bed, at equal dis­tances, about half an inch deep; scatter the seed thinly in each trench, and cover it with the back side of the rake, and then rake it over evenly, standing in the alleys.

Let your transplanted onions have frequent hoeings, and never suffer the surface of the earth to be bound, but kept constantly loose.—Leeks may be sown and managed in the like manner.

RADISHES.

Sow some radish seeds, to have a fresh sup­ply to succeed those sown in last month.—There should be some of the salmon, short top, and turnip radishes sown at two or three different times in this month; that is—at the beginning, middle, and latter end; by which means there will be a due succession of young radishes for the table.—Let this seed be now sown in an open spot, where the ground is good, and rather of a light, pliable nature.

In sowing these seeds observe the method as mentioned in the last month.

[Page 28] Thin the crops of early radishes, as soon as they arrive to the size of a goose quill; which will greatly promote the growth of the small plants; observe to keep them free from weeds, and clear from any litter.

In dry weather, let the early crops of ra­dishes be frequently watered; otherwise they will not swell freely, but will be sticky and hot.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

Sow carrots and parsnips the beginning of this month, for a principal crop; the carrots sown now will be fit for use in May, June, July, and August.—In the latter months you will find them very acceptable.

A spot of light deep ground, in an open situation, should be chosen for carrots and parsnips; for the roots will thrive best in such soil and situation.

The ground should be trenched one good spade deep at least; or rather double dig it, if the land will bear it. Observe in digging to take but thin spits; and be careful to break all the clods, that the roots may have full liberty to run down straight: for if the earth is not well divided or seperated, the roots will be apt to grow unkindly and forked.

Before you sow your seed, throw up the ground into beds, about four or five feet wide; and on each bed, draw four drills or [Page 29] trenches, and set the seed thin in each drill: or you may sow it in the broad cast method; you may also sprinkle a little radish seed a­mongst the carrots or parsnips, and rake the beds evenly, standing in the alleys.

SMALL SALLADING.

Small sallading, such as cresses, mustard, radish, rape, &c. should, when a constant supply is wanted, be sown once in ten or twelve days, on a warm border, in drills about three or four inches asunder, let each sort be kept seperate, and cover them over lightly with fine earth.

When the plants begin to come up, if the earth should cake, so that they cannot rise freely, let it be broken lightly with the hand, or with a small rake.—If they should be at­tacked with frost, let them be watered before the sun comes on them, which will prevent their turning black, and spoiling.

CHERVIL AND CORIANDER.

Sow chervil and coriander seeds.—Draw some shallow drills about ten inches or a foot asunder.—Sow each sort seperate; and cover them about an inch deep with earth.—Those plants are all to remain where sown till they come to perfection, and the chief culture they require is to keep them clear of weeds.

SOWING PARSLEY.

Parsley, if not sown last month, may now be sown, either in beds; or in a single drill, at the edge of the quarters or borders of the garden; it will make a useful, and also a neat edging, if not suffered to grow rank, especially the curled parsley; or if large sup­plies are wanted for market, it may be sowed in continued rows, nine inches asunder; or upon the general surface, and raked in.

SOWING BASIL.

Basil is, in some families, used as a kit­chen herb.—it is propagated by seed; and the middle or latter end of this month, or early in March, is the season to sow it; and the plants will be ready for planting out in April.

POT, AND MEDICINAL HERBS.

The seeds of dill, fennel, borage, burnet, bugloss, sorrel, marigold, orach, and clarey, together with the seeds of all other herbs of the like kinds, may be sowed any time this month, in a bed or border of common earth, and raked in; most of which you may let remain where sown, if the plants are proper­ly thinned;—or you may transplant them in­to beds, a foot asunder, in April, or May.—plant slips of balm, burnet, tarragow, tan­sey, penny-royal, feverfew, and chamomile.

[Page 31] In taking off the slips of these plants, be careful to preserve some root to each if pos­sible.—Plant them nine or ten inches dis­tance from each other, in beds of rich earth.

Sow hysop, thyme, savory, and sweet marjoram, rather at the beginning; but they will succeed very well, if sown any time in this month. These seeds should be sown se­perately, in spots of rich light earth, and raked in; or they may also be sown in shal­low drills, along the edges of borders, or beds; covering them with fine earth, a quarter of an inch deep; and the plants will make neat and useful edgings.

These plants should remain where sown till October; at which time they should be thinned to five or six inches distance; and those that are drawn out may be planted in another spot, six inches asunder: those which are sown for edgings need not be thinned.

Plant slips of sage, hyssop, thyme, and savory, any time in this month.

Those slips or cuttings should be of the last year's growth, from five to seven inches long, observing to slip or cut them off close to the place from whence they arise; but there are sometimes to be found slips or suckers arising from the bottom of the old plants, which are often furnished with roots: such slips or suckers should be particularly chosen.

[Page 32] Plant all sorts of these herbs in beds or borders, six or seven inches apart; they will take root, and become good plants in a short time.—Water them in dry weather, and they will be strong and well rooted; when they may be transplanted, at proper distances, in beds of rich earth.

ROSEMARY, RUE, &c.

Plant slips of rosemary, rue, wormwood, and lavender; let these be planted in a sha­dy border six inches asunder; they will take root freely if you observe to water them in dry weather: they may be transplanted into more open situations about October, when they will be strong and well rooted.

It must be observed also, in propagating the cuttings of these plants, that the shoots which were produced last year, are to be chosen for that purpose—They should be from five to seven inches in length, according as you can find them; observing to slip them off close to the part from whence they proceed.

Put each slip or cutting about two parts out of three into the ground.

But sometimes there are also slips or suck­ers to be met with, which arise immediately from the stems of the old plants, near the surface of the ground:—These should be prefered, because they are often well fur­nished with roots.

[Page 33] Now is a good time to make new plantati­ons of Mint.

MINT.

This plant is to be propagated, either by parting the root, or by the slips of the young plants, taken up with roots or fibres at the bottom; or by the cuttings of the young stalks next month, or in April, &c. But at this season the increasing it by slips or parting the roots is most generally practised—and the method is this:

Having procured the roots let them be planted in rows about six inches asunder, and five of six inches distant in the rows; and if the weather is dry let them have a tolerable watering, to settle the earth about their roots.

In the third or fourth week in this month you may have recourse to such old beds of mint, as are well stocked with plants; ob­serving to slip or draw them up by the roots: In doing which, you must draw them up gently, and with the help of your knife at times, to raise or seperate them; by which care, every plant will rise with good roots.

The method of propogating by roots is this: Having procured a sufficient quantity of old roots, draw drills with a hoe six inches asunder, extend the roots or runners along the bottom of the drills; cover them about an inch deep with the earth, and then make the ground even.

PLANTING ASPARAGUS.

Any time in this month is a very proper season to remove the roots of asparagus, for the making of new plantations.

In the doing of which, the chief matter to be regarded is the choice of a proper soil; which should be the best and deepest the gar­den affords: it must not be too wet, nor too strong or stubborn; but such as is moderately light and pliable; so that it will readily fall to pieces in digging, raking, &c. and in a situa­tion that is open, and enjoys the full sun.

The ground where you intend to make new asparagus beds should be regularly trenched or dug to a good depth; and a large quantity of rotten dung buried in each trench, at least ten or twelve inches below the surface of the ground.

The ground being dug and laid level, di­vide it into beds three feet in width, with al­leys about twenty inches wide between▪ bed and bed.

Two rows of these roots are to be planted on each bed, allowing about sixteen or eigh­teen inches between each plant; and let the rows be about eighteen inches from row to row.

Next let it be observed that the plants to be chosen must not be more than two years old; but most good gardeners prefer those that are only one year from the seed, which are such [Page 35] as I would recommend▪ as from experience I have found they have generally taken root more freely, and succeeded every way better than two year old plants.

The following is the method of planting them:

Strain your line length-ways the beds, about eight inches from the edge; and then, with a spade, cut out a small trench or drill, close to the line, about six inches deep; making that side next the line nearly upright; and when one trench is opened, plant that, before you open another, at the distance be­fore directed.

In placing the roots observe they must not be horizontally extended or put flat in the bottom of the trench, as practised by some people; but they must be laid nearly up­right, against the back of the trench or drill, so that the crown of the plants may also stand upright, about two to three inches below the surface of the ground: Let them be all placed at an equal depth, spreading their roots a little in nearly a direct position against the back of the trench; and, at the same time, drawing a little earth up against them with the hand, as you place them; just to fix the plants in their due position. When one drill is thus planted, immediately with the rake draw the earth into the drill over the plants; and then open another drill, pro­ceed [Page 36] in the same method till the whole is plant­ed. Then let the surface of the bed be raked smooth, and cleared from stones, &c.

At each corner of every bed, let a firm stake be driven into the ground, to serve as a mark for the alleys.

It is the custom with some people, who are obliged to make the most of every spot of ground, to sow a thin crop of onions, the first year, on new asparagus beds; and this should be performed before the beds are ra­ked; sowing the seeds and raking them light­ly in. A crop of onions may thus be ob­tained, without hurting the asparagus, pro­vided the onions are not suffered to grow just about the plants.

The asparagus being planted, the next care is, when the plants come up, which will be about the end of this month, or the begin­ning of the next, to keep them clean from weeds; which must be particularly attended to during the summer season.—[For the further management in dressing up the beds, &c. which must be done this month, see October.]

It will be two years, from the time of planting two year old roots, before the aspa­ragus will produce handsome buds large enough for use; tho' sometimes a few of the largest are cut the second spring after plant­ing. But I do advise to let it be the third [Page 37] year before you make a general cutting.

A plantation of asparagus, if the beds are properly dressed every year, as directed, in the spring and autumn months, will continue to produce buds for twelve or fourteen years.

In making new plantations of asparagus, it is the custom with some gardeners, instead of putting in your plants as before directed, to sow the seed at once in the beds, where the plants are to remain: This is not a bad me­thod—for by such practice the roots are not disturbed by a removal, and consequently cannot fail of producing a regular crop. But it must be observed, that if two pieces of ground are to be laid down the same year with asparagus; supposing one piece to be planted with young roots, and the other sown with seed, that piece which was planted will be ready to cut, a year before that sown with seed.

However to such as choose to raise a plan­tation of asparagus at once from seed, the method is this:

The beds are to be three feet wide, and prepared as before directed for the plants; then mark out two lines lengthways on the beds, and allowing these lines at the distance of sixteen or eighteen inches, dot in a few seeds, covering them about half an inch deep. When the plants have been up some time, you must thin them, leaving only one of the [Page 38] strongest in each place, and carefully clearing them from weeds—

A plantation of asparagus thus raised will produce beds fit to cut the fourth spring after sowing, but they will be very large and fine the fifth year.

This is now the season to sow asparagus seed, to raise plants to make new plantations.

This seed should be sown about the begin­ning or middle of this month, on beds of rich earth, about four feet wide, Let it be sown in the broad cast, on the surface; and throw up the alleys about fourteen or sixteen inches wide, and three inches deep; let the seed be buried about half an inch in the earth, and let the ground be raked smooth:—the plants will be up in a month, when they must be kept very clean from weeds, by a careful hand, weeding them at different times in the sum­mer.

If the weather be very dry, when the plants come up, it will be proper to refresh them, now and then, with a little water; which will greatly forward them in their growth.

They will be fit to plant out for good next spring, agreeable to the method prescribed.

ARTICHOKES.

Make a general dressing of artichokes, the beginning or middle of this month.

Where the plants have been landed up in [Page 39] the autumn to protect them from frost, let the ground be now levelled down, especially if the plants have begun to shoot tolerably strong; observe, as you proceed in levelling down, to dig and loosen all the earth about the plants; and at the same time, examine the number of shoots or suckers proceeding from each stool or root; and selecting two or three of the strongest to remain on every stool or root, you may then readily get to slip the superabundant shoots off clean from the place whence they arise; minding, as above direct­ed, to leave two good shoots, but never more than three, upon each root or stock; closing again and gently pressing the earth about the roots, and also about the young plants, with your hands.

The shoots that are slipped off will serve to make fresh plantations, where wanted; for artichokes are generally increased by planting the young shoots; and this is the season to do it.

When any new plantations of artichokes are intended, let them be planted so soon in this month as you can procure good plants for that purpose; observing that those slips or suckers slipped off, in spring dressing, from the largest plants, as above directed, are the proper sets to be chosen.

There are two sorts of artichokes, the large globe, and the French green or oval arti­choke; [Page 40] but the former is greatly preferable to plant for a general supply, the head being con­siderably larger, and the eatable parts more thick and fleshy.

They should be planted in an open situa­tion, and in good ground; it may be neces­sary therefore to spread a quantity of good rot­ten dung over the piece, and to dig it in.—The sets must be planted, with a dib­ble, in rows of five feet asunder, and four feet in the row—give them some water immedi­ately after they are planted, to settle the earth about the plants.

The above plantation, if kept clear from weeds, and watered now and then in dry wea­ther, in the beginning of the spring, till they have taken good root, will not fail to yield artichokes in June.

You may in the spring, when your arti­chokes are dressed, plant a row of drum head cabbage plants between them, or sow radish­es, spinage and lettuce; as also, between the rows of your new planted shoots.

A plantation of artichokes will continue to produce good heads six or seven years, and sometimes longer; but it must be observed, that such person as desire to have a succession of them for two or three months in the sum­mer, should make a new plantation every spring; for the old stocks, which have been planted a year or two, produce heads in May [Page 41] and June; and the slips planted now pro­duce their heads in June and July.

About the latter end of this month, sow the seed of artichokes; for this purpose choose a small piece of good ground, in an open situation; throw it up into a bed, about four feet wide; draw four drills thereon, about nine inches from each other, and half an inch deep; plant the seeds about six inches distant in the row; cover the seed over and rake the other ground smooth. The plants from these seeds will be fit to put out, &c.

IRISH POTATOES.

Irish potatoes may be planted at any time in this month—these roots thrive best in a moderate, light, loose soil; and where it is not wet, if you add dung it will be of great advantage.

For propagating potatoes be careful to procure some good roots; that is, to pick a quantity of the best kind of potatoes, choos­ing such as are perfectly sound, and of a to­lerable large size: These are to be prepared for planting, by cutting or quartering them; that is to say, each root is to be cut into two▪ three, or more pieces, minding particularly that each piece be furnished with at least one or two good buds, which will be sufficient. Being thus prepared, they are to be planted in rows two feet and a half from each other▪ and about a foot in the row, and two inches deep.

[Page 42] As to the method of planting, it is fre­quently performed with a blunt ended dib­ble; but some plant them as they proceed in digging or plowing the ground, placing them in the trenches or furrows as they go on, and turning the earth from the next trench or furrow over them; and so on to the end.

Others dig or plough the ground; then draw drills with a hoe, about two or three inches deep; and so drop the set into the drills and cover them in.

But where people plant large quantities, the most expeditious way is to plow them in, by placing the potatoes in the furrows; miss two furrows, and plant one; but you must observe, that your ground must be in good order, clean, and free from weeds, &c.

TURNIPS.

Early in this month, sow turnips for a full crop—the best sort to sow now is the early Dutch. But I observe that few people sow turnips at this season; and the reason is, I have heard many say, that they will all go to seed. But the chief cause why they so frequently run to seed is, that it is greatly degenerated, by being sown too often in the same soil; but you will find that when your seed is fresh imported from Europe, not one in ten thousand will run.

Let this seed be sown in an open spot of [Page 43] ground moderately thin, and as even as possible—lay the ground out in beds from six to ten feet wide; and throw up alleys eigh­teen inches wide; let the earth that is taken out of the alleys be carefully thrown over the beds; and rake the ground as even as possi­ble, standing in the alleys.

PLUMB AND CHERRY TREES.

PRUNE, plumb and cherry trees, at any time in this month, if not done before.

In pruning plumb and cherry trees, either espaliers or standards; observe, that the same bearers remain many years in a fruitful state.—Let only any causual worn out wood, or any irregular crowded branches, and de­cayed parts be cut out, together with all the superfluous and ill placed young shoots of last summer.—

But it must be observed, where a supply of young bearing wood is wanting in any part of these trees, that some of the best situated shoots of the last summer's growth must be left in every such place; these shoots are not to be shortened, but each must be left at full length, without being reduced at any future pruning, in summer or winter, where there is room for them.

[Page 44] For the shoots, which are now left at full length, and not hereafter shortened, will, in the second or third year after, begin to pro­duce some thick short shoots or spurs, about an inch or more in length; and upon these spurs, and on no other, the fruit of these trees is produced.

But on the contrary, if the shoots which are left in to bear were to be shortened, as by many is ignorantly practised, they would not, in that case, produce any such fruit-bearing spurs; but, in the places where the spurs or blossom-buds will otherwise appear, would send out numbers of strong and altogether use­less shoots; with which the trees would be continually crowded; and not one branch would be in a condition to bear, so long as you keep shortening them: and the trees thus mismanaged would not produce one tenth part of the fruit as when treated in the method above mentioned.—

Therefore be careful to leave the young shoots as they advance in full length, without reducing them, unless you should perceive any irregular or superabundant ones which may require to be taken out, in which case they should be pruned away close to the mo­ther branches.

This plainly shows, what method is to be taken, in pruning these trees, to bring them into a condition to bear; it also plainly shows, [Page 45] that neither the young shoots nor old branch­es are, in the general course of pruning, to be shortened.

But in the course of pruning the above trees, the branches in general should be well examined with a curious eye; and if there are any which are old or worn out, and not fur­nished with good bearing spurs, let such as are decayed, or in an unfruitful state, be taken out, to make room for the more proper bear­ing wood and for a supply of young shoots, in a regular manner.

When the old useless wood is cut out, ex­amine the remaining branches, &c. And where these stand too close let some of them be cut away, observing to prune out the most unpromising and irregularly grown, and such as can be best spared; and let no two branch­es cross each other—and all the summer shoots which are not wanted for a supply of wood, must be now cut away quite close, leaving no spurs but such as are naturally produced.

Let the shoots in general be left at equal distances, at the extremities; and always ob­serve to leave the middle of the tree open, to admit a free circulation of air through the branches.

PEACHES, NECTARINES, AND APRICOTS.

If your peaches, nectarines and apricot trees were not pruned in the last months, let it be [Page 46] done in this; the sooner the better. [For the method see January.]

PRUNING OLD STANDARD FRUIT TREES.

Standard fruit trees, in the garden or or­chard, may be pruned at any time in this month, where necessary: observing to cut from them all dead wood, and decayed worn out branches, that do not promise to bear good fruit, or that croud others.—Also where the trees assume a rambling or irregular growth, and the wood in general is much crowded. Let such be cut away in a regular manner, so that the principal branches may stand clear of each other.

If any old trees be infested with moss, which sometimes runs over the branches; let it now be cleared off, if not done before; for it will much injure both trees and fruit.

VINES.

The vines which were not pruned the for­mer month, should be attended to as soon as possible in this,—If the business be delayed much longer, they will be apt to bleed after pruning; which will greatly injure the plants.

RASBERRIES.

If your rasberries were not pruned, dressed, and planted in the last month, let this work be done early in this. [For the method see January.]

STRAWBERRIES.

The plantations of strawberries should be now cleaned, and have the spring dressing.—First pull or cut off any remaining strings or runners from the plants, and clear the beds from weeds, litter &c. then loosen the ground between the plants, and earth them up: this will strengthen them, and make them flower strongly, and produce large well flavoured fruit.

Strawberries may be planted till the middle of this month; but the best season is about the latter end of September, or the beginning of October; for, in such case, they will bear fruit the summer after: indeed those planted now will take root freely; but will not bear any fruit until the next year.—Observing that the proper sets for planting are the young off­sets or runners of last summer; such as I ad­vised to be left in May, which must be now procured from these beds of old plants that are in full perfection for bearing, taking them up with good roots, and not disturbing the old stools. Prepare for these plants a piece of good land, if loomy the better, and let some good rotten dung if you can procure it, be dug in. Divide the ground into beds four feet wide, with alleys at least eighteen inch­es. Plant four rows on each bed, and let them be about ten inches or a foot distant from each other in the row.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES.

Fruit trees, of all sorts, may be planted any time in this month.

Let every kind be planted at proper dis­tances, so that they may have room to grow, without interfering with each other; which, in a few years, is often the case in many gar­dens and orchards.

Peaches and nectarines should never be planted less than twenty-five feet distant from each other; and if you plant them thirty, it would be a more eligible plan; tho' the dis­tance appears considerable at first, yet, if trees are grafted or budded upon free growing stocks, they will readily fill up that place; and bear much better than if confined, so as to require to be often cut back, and kept within bounds.

Standard apple and pear trees, when plant­ed in an orchard, should be at least thirty feet distant from each other; and if the land is rich and strong, if they had forty it would be the better.

The rule, I advise, to plant standard fruit trees in general is, to allow apple and fruit trees in an orchard, from thirty to forty feet distance, every way; peaches, nectarines and apricots, from twenty-five to thirty feet dis­tance; cherries and plumbs, from eighteen to twenty-five; almonds, quinces and med­lars, from sixteen to twenty. Observing, [Page 49] these are the least distances that should be al­lowed; but where there is a good scope of ground, you may allow them five, ten, or even twenty feet more room: for in the end, it will prove to be of greater advan­tage, when the trees arrive at their full growth.

In planting trees of any kind, let care be taken that they are not planted too deep; for that is a more material point than many peo­ple imagine.

Open for each tree a hole, wide enough to receive the roots freely, without pressing them against the sides; then, having the trees ready dug up with good spreading roots, which you must take care not to injure in the operation, let the ends of the straggling ones be pruned; and cut off all such as are broken or bruised: then set the tree in the hole, and see that all the roots spread freely as they should do, so as the upper roots be rather over than below the general surface of the ground.—Break the earth well, and throw it in equally about the roots; and in so doing shake the tree gently, that the earth may fall in close between the roots and fibres.

When the earth is all in, tread the surface gently, to fix the tree properly; and lastly raise a small concave hill round the tree.

Support new planted trees with stakes, as soon as they are planted; that they may not [Page 50] be rocked about by the wind, which will greatly retard their taking root.

FIG TREES.

About the middle of this month prune your fig trees.

In the first place observe to cut away or grub up all the suckers at the stock of the trees; which otherwise would require much nourishment to support them, and weaken the mother plants; when this is done you must prune out all dead, decayed and crowded wood; and where any large branch grows in a rambling manner across the others, let it be also taken out.

Where the branches stand too close, so as not to admit a free circulation of air through the tree, let some of these be also cut away.—The keeping the trees thin, and taking away all irregular and old worn out branches, is the only way to have large and well tasted fruit, and also handsome and lasting trees.

The young branches of fig trees must not be shortened, but left at their full length; for by shortening them you will not only cut away the fruit that would have appeared, but also, occasion them to run much to wood, and thereby never to produce half a crop of fruit.

TRANSPLANT ORANGE TREES, &c.

If the weather be open and mild, about the latter end of this month, you may transplant [Page 51] such orange, lemon and lime trees, as you have an occasion for.—If you plant the orange trees for a hedge, about ten feet will be a good distance; but if intended for an orchard or a grove, twenty feet will not be too much.

N. B. These trees will not thrive well far off from the salt water.

PRUNE ORANGE TREES, &c.

About the middle of this month, you may, with great safety, venture to prune your orange, lemon and lime trees.

In doing this, observe to cut out all dead and decayed branches from the middle of the trees, and to take away all cobwebs, dead leaves, &c. that shall be found on them.

HEADING DOWN YOUNG TREES.

In heading down those trees, it is to be supposed that they were budded or grafted a year or two before, and have been trimmed up to a small head about the height of three or four feet, containing four or five small shoots, and an upright middle one.—Cut the middle one down close, leaving four or five of the shoots; thus done, shorten the remaining ones within six or seven eyes from the main stem, if the tree is in a strong and vigorous state; but if the tree is weak, the shoots may be shortened to three or four eyes: by your short­ening the branches as above, it contributes much to the growth of the trees the next sum­mer.

BEANS.

YOU may still continue to plant more beans to succeed those sown in the former months, where a constant succession of young ones are required.

The long podded bean is a proper kind to plant at this season, it being a remarkable great bearer, excellent when young, and is very profitable for the use of a family.—They may be planted at any time in this month, al­lowing them the distance of three feet between each row, and about six inches in the rows.—

The Windsor and Sandwich beans, or any other of the large kinds may yet be planted—let these be planted at this season in rows about five feet asunder.—Let some earth be drawn up to the stems of such beans as are advanced four or five inches high, which will greatly promote their growth.

PEAS.

Sow peas to succeed those sown in the for­mer [Page 53] month: where a constant supply is re­quired, there should be some sown at least every fortnight or three weeks.

The marrowfat and Spanish morotto, being of the large kind, are both fine eating peas, and great bearers, and are also proper to be sown at this season—likewise, the rouncival is a very fine large pea for a late crop; and if sown at any time this month; will succeed very well. These large kind of peas should be sown in drills or trenches not less than five feet asunder. The hotspur, or any other small peas are also proper to be sown now, if re­quired.

Draw earth to such peas as are come up, and advanced to the height of two or three inches; it will strengthen the plants, and greatly forward their growth.

Set sticks to peas when you intend them for to climb up; this should be done in due time, when the plants are about four or five inches high; observe to have sticks of a proper heighth: for marrowfats and other large peas, they should be six or seven feet high; but those of four or five feet will be quite suf­ficient for the hotspurs, and other sorts of small peas.

CABBAGES.

Now transplant, if not done in February, all the cabbage plants that are remaining in [Page 54] their winter beds, or as many as you intend to plant out for a spring crop: this should be done the beginning of the month; and if the weather proves dry, give your plants now and then a little water till they have taken good root.

Draw up earth about the stems of forward cabbage plants, as it will greatly strengthen them and encourage their growth.

If the weather about this time should prove dry, you should frequently give your young cabbage plants a little water, observing to do it early in the morning.

SNAP OR RUSH BEANS.

About the latter end of this month, plant snap beans, in a dry and warm situation.

The best sorts to plant for a first crop are the small negro, and also the white and yel­low dwarfs; they are exceeding good bearers, and will come very early.

These beans should be planted in rows, about two feet from each other, and, at this season, about three inches distant from each other in the rows.

ONIONS AND LEEKS.

Where onions and leeks were not sown the last month, this work should be done early in this.—You may either sow them in the broad cast, or in trenches, about nine or ten inches from each other, on beds about four feet wide.

[Page 55] The onions and leeks sown last month will be now above the ground; let them be hoed as soon as you can properly distinguish the rows:—for nothing will promote the growth of onions and leeks so much as frequent hoeings.

Let your transplanted onions be often ho­ed, and the earth kept always loose between them; which will greatly promote their growth.

TURNIPS.

If you have not yet sown any turnips, let this business be no longer delayed.—[For the method see February.]

Those turnips which were sown the be­ginning of last month, should be now hoed, and properly thinned, leaving the strongest plants from six to eight inches distant from each other; but if they were sown in drills nine or ten inches apart, they should be also thinned to about six or eight.—[For parti­culars of hoeing turnips see August.]

IRISH POTATOES.

Potatoes may be yet planted, but the sooner the better—plant them about two feet and half asunder.

Those planted in the beginning of last month, will be now above the ground; they should have some earth drawn up close to them—it will protect them from the frost, [Page 56] and cold winds, and greatly promote their growth.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

If you have not sowed any carrots or pars­nips last month, let some be sown the be­ginning of this.

If you do not sow at this season the true orange carrot, the greatest part will run to seed before they arrive to any degree of per­fection: but if you can procure good seed im­ported from Europe, and if your land is good, and you follow the directions of last month, you need not fear of having a fine crop of carrots and parsnips▪:—However, where a supply of young carrots or parsnips are re­quired, they ought to be sown almost every month.

RADISHES.

Thin the general crops of radishes where they are too thick—you may begin to draw them before they become quite so large as a goose quill, which will make room for the other plants to grow more freely; observe to keep the crop clear from weeds.

Radish seed, both the short top and sal­mon, should be sown at two different times in this month; by which means a constant supply of young radishes may be obtained; allowing about fifteen or sixteen days between each sowing; choosing at this time, an open [Page 57] situation for your seed;—sow it evenly on the surface, and rake it well in; the plants will make their appearance in a few days, at this season.

The crops of early radishes should in dry weather be frequently watered; this will oc­casion their swelling freely, and prevent their growing hot and sticky.

Where turnip-rooted radishes, or small round radishes are required, the seed may be sown at any time in this month.—It should be sown in an open spot; and when the plants begin to shew their rough leaves, if they are too thick, they should be thinned to about an inch distance, to make room for the remaining plants to grow.

The black and white Spanish radish may also be sown at any time in this month.

LETTUCES.

About the beginning, or at any time in this month, transplant lettuces of all kinds, where they stand too close; both those of the winter standing, and such as were sown in January, or early in last month.

Choose a good spot of ground for these plants; and if moderately dunged, it will prove beneficial to their growth: dig the ground regularly one spade deep, and rake the surface smooth; then plant the lettuces on beds, about four or four feet and a half [Page 58] wide, divide the beds into four rows, and place your plants about 12 inches from each other in the rows: if the weather be dry, water them immediately after planting; and frequently repeat it till they have taken good root.

Coss, cabbage, Silesia, and brown Dutch lettuce, or any other fort may be sown at any time in this month—dig a spot of rich ground for them, in an open situation; sow the feed equally, but not too thick; rake it in lightly: repeat the sowing once a fortnight or three weeks, that there may be a regular succession.

SMALL SALLADING.

Sow small sallading at least once a fortnight, such as mustard, cresses, rape, &c.

Draw some flat shallow drills for these seeds, where the ground is rich and light; sow thereon each kind separate, and cover them lightly with earth.

Water them moderately, if the weather be dry; as it will greatly promote their growth.

If the sallading be attacked with a hoary morning frost, water it off before the sun comes on it; as it will prevent its becoming black and being spotted.

PARSLEY.

If you sowed no parsley seed in the last month, do it early in this; the curled sort is best esteemed, it being most proper to garnish [Page 59] dishes, and equally fit for the kitchen ser­vice.

TOMATOES.

About the middle, or towards the latter end of this month, sow tomatoes.

This seed should be sown at this season in a warm situation, and in a light rich soil; it may be sown either in drills, or in the broad cast, or else dotted into the earth about three or four inches asunder, and a quarter of an inch deep.

SOW PEPPERS OF ALL SORTS.

Towards the twentieth of this month, you may sow peppers of different kinds; they may be sown much in the same manner as the to­matoes, and in a warm border of light rich earth.

WATER AND MUSK MELONS.

About the middle of this month, you may sow water and musk melons, for the first crop; the culture of these is so well known, that it needs but little description. I would only recommend it to those who plant melons at this season, to raise hills of good light rich earth, from eight inches to a foot above the surface of the ground; and let the hills be from fourteen to eighteen inches broad on the top, and let about six or seven seeds be placed in each, about half an inch deep.

CUCUMBERS.

Sow cucumbers, for a first crop, about the middle of this month; chuse a warm and sheltered situation, raising hills and managing them in every respect as you would do your melons.—[For the further method of rais­ing them see April.]

OCRA.

Ocra may also be sown about the middle of this month; it delights in a low, rich land; and should be sown in rows, about six feet asunder, and the plants should be left to re­main in the rows at least four feet distant.

SQUASHES AND PUMPKINS.

These may be planted about the middle of this month, for the first crop; if they suc­ceed, they will come in early.—[For the method see next month.]

RED BEETS.

The beets that were sown in the last month should be now carefully thinned, leaving on­ly one plant in the place where they were sown, and let the earth be constantly kept loose; which will greatly strengthen the plants.

Red beets ought by no means to be trans­planted; for, if the tap root is once broken, it will put out many fibres, and will be very short and unseemly.

CELERY.

About the middle of this month, sow ce­lery for a first crop—prepare a spot of rich ground for this purpose, and as much in the shade as possible, but not under trees; and if it be moist it is all the better.—Sow the seed pretty thick, and either rake it in lightly, or otherwise cover it over near a quarter of an inch with fine earth; and, in dry weather, give frequent moderate waterings, both be­fore and after the seed comes up.

SPINAGE.

Sow spinage where required, it will yet succeed, and may be sown any time in this month.—Where a constant supply of this plant is wanted, you should sow some at least every three weeks; observing the round leafed is still the best sort for this season, which may be sown either in the broad cast and raked in, or in shallow drills.

Hoe the spinage that was sown in the for­mer month, and thin the plants out to three or four inches distance.

ASPARAGUS.

Fork or dress your asparagus beds, if not yet done; let these be finished the first week in this month, for the buds are now in great forwardness.—Rake the bed smooth im­mediately after they are forked.

[Page 62] Asparagus may yet be planted, it will now take root freely; but let this work be finished by the middle of the month, for the plants will not succeed well if planted later.—Let the same method be observed as mentioned in the former months.

Sow Asparagus seed, if omitted last month, in order to raise plants for a new plantation the next year, if required.

ARTICHOKES.

Where artichokes were not dressed and slip­ped last month, they should be now attended to; for they will have made their spring shoots, which will be up some height above the ground; let the same method be observed in dressing them as directed in Fe­bruary.

Plant artichokes where wanted: they will yet succeed; and may bear in the summer, provided you plant them soon in this month.

Choose a piece of good ground for these plants, in an open situation, and lay some good rotten dung thereon and dig it in a pro­per depth—let the plants be set in rows five feet asunder, and plant them not less than five feet in the rows, giving them a good wa­tering.

ORANGE TREES, &c.

ABOUT the beginning of this month, you may with great safety transplant orange, lemon, and lime trees. You must also observe to prune them if not done before. [See Feb.]

FIG TREES.

About the beginning of this month plant fig trees, if not done in February; this being a good season for removing them—they will now take root in a short time.

These trees should be planted, from twen­ty to twenty five feet from each other; for nothing adds more to the flavor of the fruit than a free circulation of air and the admission of the sun between the trees and branches.

When you plant them examine the plants well; and rub off all the buds that are likely to break within two feet of the ground; and in particular under the surface of the earth—for they are very apt to throw out suckers, which, if not taken away in due time, will [Page 64] greatly retard the growth of the young trees.

PEACH, NECTARINE, AND APRICOT TREES.

Where peach, nectarine, and apricot trees remain unpruned, let them be finished the first week in this month at the furthest—for, if the spring is forward, these trees are some­times in full bloom at this time; when it will do them more hurt than good to prune them in such state—and the work might have been much better done in the former months.

In pruning these trees, let the same me­thods be observed as directed in February; but as the buds are now swelled it will re­quire the greater caution.

Finish pruning of apples, pears, plumbs, and cherries, and all other fruit trees; it should not at any rate be delayed longer than the first week in this month.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES.

If you have been hitherto dilatory, fruit trees may yet be planted with some hopes of success, but the sooner the better; if the wea­ther be moist, the trees which are planted now will take root in a short time, and, with the assistance of a little water in dry weather, will shoot freely.

In planting fruit trees, either espaliers or standards, observe to plant each kind at the [Page 65] distances mentioned under the head in the month of February.

STRAWBERRIES.

The strawberry beds, which were not dressed in the last month, ought to be attend­ed to as soon as possible in this; the plants will now begin to push apace, and the sooner this work is done the better.

Clear the beds from weeds, and the plants from strings, and other litter, and if the main plants are crouded with young ones, from last year's runners, let them be thinned ac­cordingly; for it is the best method to keep those plants in single bunches, and clear of each other, so that there may be room to dig round them with a narrow spade or trowel.—The beds being cleared from litter, &c. loosen the earth between the plants, and let rich earth, or well rotted dung be put in between them; as it will be the means of strengthen­ing the plants, and cause them to flower strong, and produce large and good fruit.

Strawberries may now be planted, where required—observe the same method as men­tioned in October.

It seems to be a common method in Caro­lina to burn the dead leaves, and runners of strawberries in the spring; I am much against such practice; for by burning the dead leaves and runners, you often injure the plants likewise.

BEANS.

IN the country, you may yet venture to plant beans the beginning of this month, for the last crop.

The Windsor and the long podded beans are the best sort to plant at this season; the sormer should be planted in rows about four feet distant from each other, and six or eight inches in the row; and the latter, about three feet, and five or six inches from each other in the rows.

Hoe between the rows of beans that are al­ready up, and draw earth about their stems.

Observe to top such beans as are in full blossom; it will promote the setting of the pods. [See February.]

PEAS.

Sow some peas, in order to have a regular supply from the beginning of this month; [Page 67] let this be your last crop; indeed there is no great prospect of success even from this; but where young peas are required, and you have plenty of garden room in the country, you may try to get some peas to come in for use about June; tho' it is seldom you see any in Charleston market after May that are good.

The best sort to sow at this season is the marrowfat, green and white rouncevil, being fine large sorts; likewise any of the hotspur kinds may be sown now, and will sometimes produce a good crop.

The larger kinds ought to be planted five feet from row to row, and the hotspur four feet at least.

Let the earth be now drawn up to the stems of such peas as are above ground, and keep them clear from weeds; for by this means their growth will be greatly promoted.

Stick such peas as are advanced to the height of five inches; let it not be delayed too long, for if they are once beat down by the winds and rain, it will be troublesome to stick them at all, and they will not readily rise again.

Let hotspurs have sticks about three feet and a half, or four feet high; and larger sorts sticks of about six feet. [See Feb.]

CABBAGES.

By the beginning of this month your spring sown cabbage plants will be fit to remove to [Page 68] the beds where you intend them to cab­bage.

Plant out the early York and sugar loaf, for they will be the first that will produce hard heads: they should be also the first made use of, as they will not stand the heat so well as the larger kind of cabbages.

These plants should be planted in a square of well dunged land, at about two feet from row to row, and two feet from each other in the row.

Next plant the battersea and drumhead cab­bages; allow them two feet and a half from row to row, and two feet in the row.

Let the cabbage plants, which were set out in February and March, have frequent hoe­ings, and draw up earth to the stems of them.

About the middle, or latter end of this month, sow large late cabbages and savoys for a general autumn crop.—These seeds should be sown in an open and airy situation, in beds about four feet wide; the seed ought not to be sown very thick, nor yet too thin, but moderately and evenly scattered.

The plants which are sown now will be fit to plant out in June.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

Sow your first crop of cauliflowers and bro­coli, at the same time, and much in the same [Page 69] manner as you do cabbage plants. If you sow them early, they will be able to stand the sun in the summer much better than those sown in June.

SNAP OR BUSH BEANS.

Now plant full crops of all kinds of snap and bush beans, to succeed those sown in the last month.

Any of the dwarf kind may be now plant­ed; but the most profitable are the white, black, and yellow, which are all early kinds, great bearers, and exceeding good for kitch­en use.

There are three or four other kinds more late, but very great bearers; they are the black speckled, red speckled, large white, and the cream coloured dwarfs. The early and the late sorts may be planted at the same time in this month, and they will succeed each other in bearing.

The method of planting them is this.—Dig a square of ground, in an open situation; and if you can give it a moderate dunging, the better.

Your ground being dug, rake it even; and take away the stones if any; then with a small hoe draw drills about twenty inches or two feet from each other, and one inch deep; then drop the beans into the bottom of the drills six inches apart; cover them over with your hoe, and rake the ground smooth.

[Page 70] Let it be observed, that both the early and late sorts are to be planted in the same man­ner; only allow the large kinds a little more room from row to row, and likewise in the rows.

The white running snap bean is in the high­est esteem in Europe; where few families use dwarfs after these come in.—They are great bearers, and a fine delicious vegetable if ga­thered while young. I have known them to thrive exceeding well in this state, and am much surprized to see them taken so little notice of; for they will bear when the dwarfs will not—I have seen them in full bearing in July and August.

These beans should be planted in rows about six feet from each other▪ and from four to six inches in the rows, and in drills about an inch deep, as was before observed.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

Your early carrots and parsnips will be now advancing fast in their growth, and they should be properly encouraged:—Clear them from weeds, and thin the plants out to their due distances.

This work may be either done with the hand or hoe; but those who can use the small hoe will find it to be the most expeditious method of cleaning and thinning the plants: and besides, by loosening the ground with [Page 71] the hoe, it will in a great manner promote their growth.

However, at any rate, let the plants be thined out properly, so that they may have full liberty to grow at the top, and to swell at the bottom. Thin out therefore the ge­neral crops to about seven or eight inches at least, and cut up all the weeds, for there is nothing like allowing these plants plenty of room; by which means, if the ground be good, the roots will become long and strait.

The parsnips in particular should be thined out to twelve inches distance; then the roots will swell to a considerable size, and attain their utmost perfection.

Such crops of carrots however, as are in­tended to be drawn for the table when young, need not to be thined at first, to more than four or five inches apart; for, by a gradual thining out the larger, for use, the rest will increase in their growth daily.

But the main crops of carrots, that you intend to grow to a full size, should be thin­ed properly at once; you should in this case allow them full eight or nine inches at least; but if they were placed from ten to twelve inches asunder, it would be the better.

SOWING CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

About the latter end of this month, sow carrots and parsnips for a general winter crop.

[Page 72] Various are the opinions about sowing these roots for winter use; therefore I think it in­cumbent on me to let no observation escape that may add to the culture of these valuable vegetables.

In England the culture of carrots has ar­rived to such perfection, that for my own cre­dit I refrain from relating real facts; for I am sure, not one in a thousand would believe me.

It seems to be the general opinion of most people, that if they sow their winter crops of carrots before June, they will run all to seed; but those ideas are entirely erroneous; for success depends chiefly on the kind of seed.—If it be the true orange carrot, it will not run;—but if the seed sown in March or April, be of the pale degenerated sort, they will run to seed by September; or, as the gardeners express it, they will all be speared to a plant; while the produce of the true ge­nuine seed imported from Europe, will be in its full vigor. Besides, it is a very hard mat­ter to get the carrot seed to grow in June, that month often proving dry, and the weather very hot; therefore people who have occasion to sow large crops of carrots for the winter use, should take every precaution to keep the ground as dry as possible▪

Let it be laid out in beds about four feet or four feet and half wide; observing to lay the beds always on the descent, and not to [Page 73] confine the alleys, but let them be full fifteen inches wide, and not less than six inches deep; by which means you will be able to draw off the water; for if it is suffered to lay on the beds or even in the alleys, the intense heat of the sun in July and August, will scall the roots and rot them.

Having laid out the ground into beds, let the surface be raked smooth; then draw four drills on each bed at equal distances, about half an inch deep; and scatter the seeds thin in each drill; cover the seed with your hoe; and rake the ground even standing in the alleys.

ONIONS AND LEEKS.

The onions that were transplanted in the autumn will now begin to swell, and many of them will begin to put forth seed heads;—let those be pulled out as soon as they appear; for if they are suffered to stay long on the plants they will not only deform the roots, but will also draw from them great part of the nourishment; therefore let them be taken out as soon as they appear.

The onions sown in February will be now advancing fast in their growth; let them be thined out to their proper distances; and leave them in the row about eight inches from each other, and loosen the ground between and round the plants, which will greatly for­ward the growth both of onions and leeks.

SOWING LEEKS.

About the latter end of this month sow leeks for winter use.

These may be sown in a small bed of good earth, pretty thick, from whence you may transplant them as soon as they are fit.

TURNIPS.

Hoe and thin the turnips that were sown in the last months; cut up all the weeds and thin the plants regularly; allow eight or nine inches between plant and plant; if sown broad cast.

This work of thining should always be performed when the rough leaves are about the size of a shilling.

ASPARAGUS.

Assparagus, you will be now cutting for use; in cutting the buds, or shoots of these plants, it should be observed that, when they are arrived to about three or four inches in height they should be gathered.—But if these five or six inches high, or in prime order, when permitted to run any higher, the top of the bud opens, and the shoot does not eat so well as those that are cut when the head is quite close.

When you cut them, be careful to thrust your knife down close by the side of the shoot you intend to cut, least you wound, or de­stroy any of the buds that are coming up, and [Page 75] do not yet appear, cutting the young shoots off about three or four inches under the ground.

Let the beds of these plants be now cleared of weeds, which will come up very thick among them.

Taking therefore an opportunity of a dry day, and with a small hoe cut up all the weeds clean within the surface, and they will soon die.

IRISH POTATOES.

Potatoes will be now coming forward, and should frequently be hoed, which will keep them clean of weeds.

Continue still to draw more earth up to the stems of your potatoes, which will be of great service to them.

RADISHES.

Sow more radishes; the salmon kind is ve­ry proper for this sowing; and likewise the short top and turnip.—Choose an open situa­tion for sowing these seeds; and let your ground be dug well, and divided into beds about four feet wide; sow the seeds (but not too thick at this season) cast a little earth over the beds, and rake the surface even, standing in the alleys.

It will be proper to sow radishes at two or three different times in this month, to conti­nue a succession.

[Page 76] In dry weather let your radishes be fre­quently watered both before and after they are up, which will prevent their growing hot and stickey.

LETTUCES.

In moist weather transplant lettuces of various kinds, that were sown in the last month.

Choose a rich spot of land for these plants, in a free and open situation; such as is not crowded with trees, &c. which will draw the plants up slender, without forming good heads.

Dig the ground neatly, and throw it up into beds about four feet wide; rake the sur­face smooth, and plant four rows on each bed, about nine inches from each other in the rows.

If the weather be dry, give them fre­quently a little water till they have taken good root.

Sow lettuce this month, to succeed the last month's sowing; and where a constant supply of lettuce is required, this should be sown at least twice in April.

The best kinds to sow now are, the Silesia cabbage, and brown Dutch: the coss lettuces are very a [...]t when sown at this season to run to seed before they arrive to any degree of perfection.

[Page 77] Sow these seeds in an open situation, very thin; for it is designed that they should re­main where they were sown, till they are fit for use. Let it be observed, that they will not run to seed as soon as if they were to be transplanted, and will make much larger and finer heads.

Let those seeds be sown in beds about four feet wide, and throw up good bold alleys; and you may also sow a sprinkling of radishes amongst the lettuce; observe not to sow them too thick.

If the weather prove dry let the seed be watered both before and after they are up.

SMALL SALLADING.

You may still continue to sow mustard, cresses, radish, rape, &c. if they are re­quired.

Where a constant supply of these small herbs are wanted, there should be some sown every week.

CELERY.

About the beginning, or at any time in this month, you may sow celery for a general crop.

Dig a small piece of light, rich earth, and lay the surface even, and throw it up into beds; then sow the seeds pretty thick, and rake it as light as possible, with an even hand.

[Page 78] If the weather should prove dry, let the seeds have a little water both before and after they are come up.

MINT.

Mint may be also planted now, where new beds are wanted.

The sets proper for this purpose are, the young plants which come up from the old ones, as observe in the former months—they should be planted in a spot of rich ground, after being dug, and divided into beds about four feet wide, and set five rows of plants on each bed, about eight inches from each other in the rows, and give them a good watering to settle the earth about their roots.

CUCUMBERS AND MELLONS.

Sow cucumbers and melons, about the beginning of this month, for a full crop. For this purpose, choose a piece of good ground in a sheltered situation; and if you can pro­cure any good rotten dung, put about half a wheel-barrow full to each hill, and cover it over with rich earth, about six inches deep, and plant thereon about six or seven seeds.

SQUASHES AND PUMKINS.

Sow also, about the beginning of this month, squashes and pumkins; for there is now a fair prospect of their succeeding: let them be sown or planted in the same manner as cucumbers, &c.

OKRA.

At any time in this month, you may sow or plant okra seeds: but, if you have not planted any before now, the sooner they are put into the ground the better.

Those seeds should be sown, or planted on ridges or hills, on low ground, about four or five feet from each other, and three or four feet apart in the rows.

THINING BEETS.

The beets that were sown in February, will require thining early in this month, if not done before.

Let all the small plants be taken away, and leave the strong ones about a foot from each other, in the rows—then, with a hoe loosen the earth between them, and about the plants that remain; which will greatly forward their growth.

DESTROY WEEDS.

Weeds will now begin to appear plentiful­ly from seeds, in every part of the garden; and the utmost diligence should be used to destroy them while young, before they get a head of the crops.

Pay particular regard to your onions, car­rots, parsnips, lettuce, spinage, and the like; for the weeds grow much quicker than they do; and if they are not weeded, or hoed in [Page 80] time, the weeds will soon over top the plants, and occasion much trouble to clear them.

Those who are expert in useing the small hoe, where seeds are sown, either broad cast or in drills, will dispatch more work in one day, than six will do at hand weeding in the same time.

Take the opportunity of dry weather, and hoe ground between the beans, pease, cab­bages, and other crops that stand wide, to destroy the weeds, and take care to tread the ground as little as possible.

A large piece of ground may soon be got over with a hoe, when the weeds are small; but when they are permitted to grow large, it requires much labour to destroy them.

VINES.

VINES should be looked over about the mid­dle of this month—they will by this time have made some shoots; and the useless ones should be displaced.

In looking over vines, observe, at this time to displace only such shoots as appear absolutely useless.—There generally arises ma­ny young shoots from the old wood, and younger branches; but these seldom produce [Page 81] grapes, or wood proper to bear fruit: there­fore, let most of these shoots be rubbed off close, except in such places where young wood will be wanted next year, which should be strictly attended to; and leave for the pre­sent, all the shoots that are produced from the last year's wood.

But where two shoots put out from one eye, which often happens, let the most un­likely be taken away; for if they were both suffered to remain, one would starve the other, and the fruit of neither will be good.

Let it be observed, that this dressing, or displacing of useless shoots, at this early time, may be performed with the finger and thumb, rubbing them off quite close.

The useless shoots being cleared away, the useful ones when of due length, should be trained along the frame, so that each may en­joy the advantage of the sun and air, to pro­mote its growth, together with that of the fruit.

By the above early regulating the grape vines, the bunches of grapes will be large and fine, and will ripen more regularly and sooner then when the vines are suffered to run into confusion before they are looked over;—besides by timely looking over the vines, one may do as much work in one hour, as in six, when the shoots are suffered to run and mix in a confused and irregular manner.

STRAWBERRY BEDS.

Both the old and new beds of strawberries, should be kept free from weeds; and the runners produced from these plants, should be constantly taken off as they come forth; but where new plantations of strawberries are required, some of the best runners may be suffered to remain till September, to form young plants—observe always, to stop the runners soon after forming the first plants; and these are to be planted out in the autumn as there directed.

About the beginning of this month, let the strawberry beds now in fruit, be frequently watered in dry weather, for they will require it. If they are not well supplied with water in a dry time, the fruit will be small and ill tasted, and there will be also but a thin crop.

WATERING NEW PLANTED TREES.

New planted trees, both standards and dwarfs, should, in dry weather, be well wa­tered at the roots about once a week—it will also be of service to water the branches now and then in dry weather, which frequently happens in this and the two following months.

SNAP BEANS.

SNAP beans may be planted at any time in this month; but to have a constant sup­ply they ought to be planted every week.

Choose a piece of good ground in an open situation for them at this season; and if the ground is dry, you may soak the seed about six or eight hours in soft water before you plant them.

Having dug your ground, proceed to draw drills, as advised in the former month; then drop the beans in the drills or trenches, about five or six inches distant from each other; cover them up with your hoe, and rake the ground smooth.—[For further informati­on see last month.]

Let some earth be now drawn up to the stem of such snap or bush beans as require it; which will strengthen them greatly.

CABBAGES AND SAVOYS.

If your general crop of cabbage plants, for the autumn and winter use, were not sown last month, let them be sown early in this, that they may have time to get strength before the hot weather comes in: for I find, by ex­perience, that people in general seldom sow their cabbage plants before June, and often not till July.—If they are not sown before June, the seeds frequently lie in the ground till the sun destroys them; for June common­ly proves the dryest month in the year; and we have often very heavy rains in July that cripple the plants before they get strength.—These and a number of other reasons may be added in favor of April and May, for sowing winter cabbages.

Let your cabbage plants, which are put out, have frequent hoeings; and draw earth to the stems of those that require it.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

About the beginning or the middle of this month, if not sown in the last, sow your cauliflower and brocoli seed, for a full crop.

Prepare a small piece of land in an open situation for these seeds; dig the ground, and lay it even; throw it up into beds, and sow your seeds, but not too thick; and cover them over with a little earth, and rake the ground smooth, for it is proposed, that these [Page 85] plants should grow to a good size before they are put out for good.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

If your general crop of carrots and pars­nips for autumn and winter use, were not sown last month, let them be sown early in this, the sooner the better; for if they are sown the latter end of the month, when the dry weather generally sets in, you must be constantly watering the ground to get them up, and they will acquire but little strength before the hot weather comes on, and are li­able to be scalded after every mid-day's show­er of rain.—[For the work see April.]

LETTUCES.

Sow Silesia, brown Dutch, and cabbage lettuce.

Sow the seed in this season where they are to stand for use, in the most low and shady part of the garden, but not under trees.

It is of little use to transplant lettuces at any time in this month; for by so doing they will run to seed, and arrive to no degree of perfection.

SMALL SALLADING.

Sow small sallading at least once a week; such as mustard, cress, rape, &c.—Draw some drills about four inches from each other, and sow the seeds pretty thick, and throw a little earth over them; rake it smooth, and [Page 86] let the ground be watered as soon as the seeds are sown, if the weather be dry.

RADISHES.

Sow salmon and turnip radishes, at any time in this month; and where a constant supply of these roots are required, the seed should be sown once a week or fortnight.—Sow it at this season, in an open situation, and not too thick; for the tops of the sal­mon radishes in this month, will grow to a large size before the roots are fit to draw.—A small sprinkling of lettuce may be sown with the radishes; for when the latter comes off, the former will succeed them.

SPINAGE.

You may yet continue to sow spinage seed, where required.

Prepare a piece of good ground in an open situation; and throw it up into beds about four feet wide: you may either sow the spi­nage▪ seed in broad cast, or in drills; and were you to sow a sprinkling of radishes with the spinage, it would not be amiss.

CELERY.

You may sow more celery about the ginning of this month, for a late crop.

Choose a small piece of low ground, in a shady situation, for sowing this seed now;—let it be sown pretty thick; and water it in dry weather before and after it comes up.

[Page 87] The celery plants that were sown in March, will be fit to prick out towards the middle of this month, into a nursery bed of light, rich earth.

For this purpose, prepare a spot of good ground, and divide it into beds about three or four feet wide; rake the surface smooth; then thin out a quantity of the best plants from the seed bed, and let them be planted on these, about three inches separate from each other; give them a moderate watering, and repeat it every day in dry weather, till they have taken good root.

The plants should remain in these beds till the middle of July; when they may be plant­ed out for good, in trenches.

CUCUMBERS, MELONS, SQUASHES, &c.

At any time in this month, you may sow a successional crop of cucumbers, melons, squashes, &c.

The seeds at this season, should be sown in an open situation; and if the weather proves dry, give them a little water before they come up; and the plants should be fre­quently watered in dry weather, after they are up.

PEPPERS AND TOMATOES.

The peppers and tomatoes that were sown the beginning of last month, will be by the middle of this, fit to plant out, where they are to stand for good.

[Page 88] For this purpose, choose a piece of good ground in a free and open situation; draw the earth up in a small ridge, and plant the peppers in rows about two feet from each other, and from twelve to eighteen inches in the rows.

The tomatoes should be planted in hills about five feet from each other, and three plants on each hill.

BEETS.

If your beets for winter use, were not sown in last month, let it be done early in this; that they may get strength before the hot weather comes in.—[For the method see February.

GATHER SWEET AND POT HERBS.

Towards the later end of this month, ga­ther mint, balm, sage, thyme, hysop, savo­ry, &c. for drying: provided the plants are nearly at their full growth.

Gather also all such physical herbs as are now in flower.

The latter should be always gathered when they begin to flower; for they are then in their greatest perfection, and much the best for their several purposes; nor should they be gathered before that period.

They must be cut in a dry day, and im­mediately spread or hung up in a dry room, out of the reach of the sun, where they may [Page 89] gently—Never lay those herbs in the sun to dry, for that would exhaust them too much, and render them useless.

CUT PEPPER-MINT, &c. FOR DISTILLING.

These and other plants that are intended to be distilled, should be gathered for that purpose when they arrive almost to their full growth, and begin to flower, as before ob­served; therefore if they do not begin to flower this month, defer cutting them till the next.

But be sure to cut them in a fine day, and when the plants are perfectly dry.

DESTROYING WEEDS.

Now let more than common pains be taken to destroy weeds among crops of every kind, and in every part throughout the garden.

There is no work in the kitchen garden that requires more attention than this: for weeds are at no time more dangerous to crops than at the present: it should be therefore the principal care of the gardener to de­stroy them before they grow large; for weeds, when permitted to get to much size, not only exhaust the goodness of the land, and ruin the present crops, but are also a very dis­agreeable sight, and require more than double labour to clear the ground of them.

[Page 90] Let the utmost attention be paid to your small crops that grow pretty close; and let them be timely cleared.

That is, let the weeds be cleared away and not suffered to over-spread the plants, which they would soon do when they begin to run, and in this case would do much da­mage to the crops.

Besides, when the weeds are suffered to grow large among the small crops, so as to mix and entangle one with another, and with the plants, it renders the work of hoe­ing or weeding them extremely tedious, and very troublesome to perform.

But when weeds appear between the rows of beans, pease, cabbages, and such crops as stand in wide rows, nothing can be more easy than to stop their progress; because, there is room between the plants to admit a large hoe—and with such an instrument a person may go over a large piece of ground in a lit­tle time; therefore he who would suffer weeds to grow among such crops will be much to blame.

WATERING NEW PLANTED CROPS.

Watering, in dry weather, is now a very needful work, to all new transplanted crops; always apply it to such as are conveniently situated; and where the number of plants are not too great, so as to render the work [Page 91] over laborious and tedious; repeat the wa­tering till the plants have taken good root.—A regular attention to this business will prove very beneficial, in accelerating the fresh root­ing, and setting the plants off in a free growth from the beginning, which would otherwise be greatly checked or stinted.

THINNING PEACHES, NECTARINES, AND APRICOTS.

THESE trees, in favourable seasons, will set ten times as much fruit as their roots are capable of supplying with proper nou­rishment; and if the whole, or even too ma­ny of them were to be left, they would starve one another; and the fruit in general would be small and ill flavoured.

Besides, where this precaution is not ob­served and too great a quantity of these sorts of fruit remain to ripen on the trees, the ill consequence does not terminate altogether in the badness of the fruit that year, but it [Page 92] extends to two or three years to come.—For by suffering the trees to be over burden­ed with fruit, the branches are robbed of their due nourishment; and the trees are so much exhausted that they will not be able to produce shoots capable of bearing fruit the next, and perhaps subsequent year;—and it may probably be the third year before a crop of good fruit can be reasonable expected.

Therefore when the fruit is produced too thick upon the trees, and advanced to about the size of a nutmeg, or before; let the quantity be reduced;—and the sooner the work is done the better it is for the trees, and also for the fruit that is to remain on them.

This thinning should be performed in a very careful manner, by looking over the branches regularly one by one; and before you take any off, single out, on each shoot, the fruit that is proper to leave, and let the most promising and best shapen remain:—paying a due regard to those that are best situ­ated on the branches:—each kind according to its size must be left at such proper dis­tances, that every one may have sufficient room to swell and grow freely to its just big­ness every way; and the fruit on the strong shoots should be left at least nine or ten inch­es from each other.—For instance allow­ing a tree is in good condition and strength [Page 93] for bearing;—and supposing the shoots to be of three different sizes; that is, the strong, the middling, and the weak: the number of fruit to be on those branches are; upon the stronger, three or four of the fairest and best placed; upon the middling shoots two or three, and not more than one on the weak shoots.

Was a due regard to be paid to the above distances, and to the number of fruit menti­oned to be left on the different branches; the thinning them nicely in this manner, will be the means of bringing your fruit to the utmost perfection.—At the same time the trees will shoot freely, and produce a suffici­ent quantity of good wood to bear fruit the next year.

This should be the method of thinning the choice kinds of fruits; but the small and inferior sorts, may be left closer together, and a greater number of fruit may remain upon the different branches:—For instance, the early masculine apricot, the nutmeg peach, and the fair Child's early nectarine are of the earliest kinds, and by far the smal­lest; of these there may be left upon each of the strong shoots, about five fruit; and on the middle size three or four, and so in pro­portion on the weaker shoots.

SUMMER PRUNING PEACH, NECTARINE AND APRICOT TREES.

About the beginning of this month, you may look over your peach, nectarine and apricot trees—for they will now require your utmost care and attention.

Let these be gone over as quick as possible, while they are making their first shoots, and clear away all the useless ones; and at the same time let the well placed and promising shoots be retained.

Likewise let all the luxuriant shoots that generally rise out of the old wood be taken away;—these will neither produce good fruit nor kindly wood, and will also greatly injure the growth of the prime shoots; they are always known by their rambling and vigo­rous growth: and as I before observed, in treating of pruning in a former month, branches shooting out from the middle part of the tree should be all displaced, unless any should seem necessary in particular parts, to fill up a vacancy, or to furnish a supply of wood—but only some occasional shoots of these kinds should be left, and let all the others be cleared away quite close.

Notwithstanding, be careful to leave a full sufficiency of the best shoots, that are of a kind and moderate growth; that is, the shoots that are produced this summer, to bear fruit next year; therefore it is much the [Page 95] best way to reserve at this season a sufficient quantity of kindly growing shoots, that there may be enough to choose from in winter pruning.

Observe not to shorten any of the shoots thus left at this season; but let them remain at full length▪ for by topping them, they will produce so many young shoots, as would crowd the fruit too much.

In the early summer dressing or pruning of these kinds of trees, it is also requisite to keep the middle part open to admit a free circulation of air among the branches; which will be very beneficial to the fruit; but, at the same time, not to cut away too much, so as to leave the fruit altogether exposed to the sun.

The displacing of these young shoots at this season may be carefully performed with the finger and thumb; and the fruit may be thinned at the same time as before directed.

VINES.

The vines will now begin to shoot vigor­ously; and will produce a great number of shoots, many of which will be useless, and must now be cut away; and the sooner the better.

This work should be done before the shoots begin to entangle with each other;—for a great advantage attends this early dres­sing; [Page 96] both in giving an opportunity of per­forming the work with more expedition and regularity, and in affording a greater benefit to the trees and fruit.—Observe that all the immediate bearing shoots, which now discover the young bunches of grapes upon them, must be left,—and such other shoots as have strength, and are well situated for the purpose of throwing out bearers next year, must be left in the places where they are wanted; but all weak and straggling shoots, such particularly as often arise im­mediately from the old wood are useless, and must be cleared away, where-ever they are produced; except in such places where young wood is absolutely needful;—and even strong shoots that are destitute of fruit, and arise in places where they are not evidently wanted, should also be taken off.

When this is done, let all the bearing shoots, and all others that are necessary, be left in their proper places, in regular order—and do not stop any of the shoots now, but let each be left at full length for the present, so that all the branches, and fruit, may equally enjoy the advantages of sun and air.

After this dressing, observe, that all shoots that put out in any part of the vines, must be constantly rubbed off as soon as they ap­pear, and no small shoots must be suffered to remain, unless it be to fill a vacancy.

STOPPING THE YOUNG SHOOTS OF VINES TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF THE FRUIT.

About the beginning, middle, or any time in this month, when your vines are in full bloom, examine them carefully; and tie in all the shoots that you would have to bear fruit the next year;—you will likewise find a great number of fruit bearing shoots, which cannot be tied to the frame; let these also be minutely examined; and you will see some of them with one or two, and others with three branches of young grapes on them; let the tops of these shoots be taken off near the fruit; and where any small ones appear on the branches let these be entirely taken away.—Stopping the shoots in this manner will not only forward, but also greatly pro­mote the growth of the fruit.

FIG TREES.

In the beginning, or at any time in this month, when you perceive suckers coming out from the bottom of your fig trees, let them be taken away as soon as they appear, least they rob both the shoots and fruit of their due nourishment.

Also if any young shoots appear on the old wood let them be cut away; but be careful not to cut the old wood, which will occasion the tree to bleed.

WATERING NEW PLANTED TREES.

New planted trees should be watered in dry weather; which frequently happens a­bout the latter end of this month.

This necessary work should be performed at least once a week; and give each tree about half a large watering pot of water.

SNAP BEANS.

YOU may still continue to plant bush or snap beans, to succeed those planted in the former months.

The best sorts to plant at this season are the early white, black and yellow dwarfs;—they may be planted in rows, about twenty inches from each other, dropping the beans in the drills four inches apart.

It would be very proper, in dry weather, to steep the beans in soft water about six or [Page 99] eight hours before they are planted.—They will spring and take root much sooner and stronger.

You may also plant in this month the white runners; they will stand the heat bet­ter than the dwarfs, and bear more plenti­fully.—You must give them proper sticks for them to run up.

Let the bush beans that were planted last month, be frequently hoed; and let some earth be drawn up to the stems of those that require it.

CABBAGES AND SAVOYS.

Your cabbage plants, that were sown a­bout the middle of April, will be fit to plant out early in this month, to the places where they are to cabbage.

For these plants prepare a piece of good ground, in the most open situation of your garden:—Dung it well with good rotten dung, if you can procure it; and dig it in evenly, laying the surface smooth; then mark out the ground for the plants, in rows about two feet or two feet and a half; and if your plants be of a very large kind, you may even allow them three feet from row to row, and two feet and a half from each other in the rows:—Observe that the distance for planting cabbage plants depends entirely on the goodness of the land.—The surface of [Page 100] the ground being laid even, and your rows all marked out, draw the earth up into small ridges or beds about six or seven inches high; and let the top of them be flat, observing at the same time to let these small beds or ridges range with the descent of the ground, if there be any; for if the water is suffered to lie in the alleys next month, when the heavy rains set in, the roots of the plants will be scalded; this is a very material cir­cumstance which you ought to guard against.

It is very necessary also to observe, that the plants, at this season, should be planted out as soon after a shower of rain as possible; and if the weather should prove dry, give them now and then a little water every even­ing, till they have taken good root;—and should the day after planting prove very hot, which often happens in this month, it would be of great advantage to the plants to stick a small bush on the south side of them; which would not only protect the plants from the violence of the sun, but greatly promote their taking root.

You may still continue to sow cabbages and savoys, for winter use.

The seed, at this season, should be sown on beds about four feet wide; and if the weather proves dry, water them well every evening, both before and after the plants are come up; and if the beds had a temporary [Page 101] shade made over them, so as to admit a free circulation of air under it, this would be of great service to the plants.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

About the beginning of this month you may sow cauliflowers and brocoli; and if proper care is taken of them they may suc­ceed very well.—Let them be managed much in the same manner as mentioned before of cabbage plants.

The cauliflower and brocoli plants, which were sown the beginning of last month, will be fit to prick out early in this.

For this purpose, prepare a piece of ground in an open situation; and divide it into beds about three feet wide; and plant on each bed six rows of the small plants, that you draw out of the seed beds, about five inches from each other in the rows.—Let them be wa­tered in dry weather every evening, till they have taken good root.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

At any time in this month, you may sow carrots and parsnips, for winter use, if you did not sow a sufficiency in the two last months.

It would be very necessary, to take the ad­vantage of showery weather, for sowing the seed at this season.

[Page 102] Prepare for this purpose, a piece of good ground, in an open situation; divide it into beds about four feet wide, and sow four rows of carrot or parsnip seed on each bed.—[See April.]

Let the carrots and parsnips that were sown the last month, and in April, be fre­quently hoed, and properly thinned.

This is a work of more consequence than many imagine; for if the plants are once suf­fered to remain long crowded together, they will soon stint each other, therefore let the business be not delayed.

If you design these carrots and parsnips to remain in the ground till November or De­cember, the carrots should be thinned out at least to eight or nine inches from each other; and the parsnips to ten or twelve;—By strict­ly observing the above method you need not doubt of raising good roots of each kind.—[See April.]

LETTUCES.

You may still continue to sow cabbage, Silesia, and brown Dutch lettuce, where a constant succession is required.

Prepare a piece of good soil, to sow the seeds at this season, in the lowest part of your garden; and take particular care to throw it up into high beds before you sow the seed; and observe that they are not sown too thick; [Page 103] for it is intended that the plants should remain in the seed beds till they are fit for use; for they will not bear transplanting at this season.

Let the lettuce plants be hoed and thin­ned that were sown last month, for they will now require it.

This work should be performed with a ve­ry even hand, cutting up all the small plants and weeds, and leaving those that are most promising, about seven or eight inches from each other, in regular order on the beds.

RADISHES.

Sow a succession of radishes—the short top is the best sort to sow at this season; having prepared your ground, divide it into beds a­bout four feet wide; and sow the feed thereon broad cast, but not too thick; and if the wea­ther proves dry give them a little water both before and after the plants come up.

SMALL SALLADING.

Sow mustard and cresses, at least every ten days or a fortnight, in the most shady part of your garden.

Sow these seeds in small drills or trenches, about four inches from each other; and if the weather should be dry, give the seed a little water every evening till it comes up, and the plants after they are up.

CELERY.

Prick out celery plants if wanted, and not done in the last month; by pricking out these plants, they will grow strong and stockey, and will be mnah better▪ to plant out next month for blaching, than those you would otherwise take out of the said bed.—[For the work see May.]

PULL ONIONS.

Examine, towards the middle of this month, the forwardest crop of onions; when the leaves begin to wither, it is then the pro­per time to take the roots out of the gronnd. They must be managed in the following manner, which will serve also as directions for the same work next month.

These roots must be taken up in dry wea­ther; and as you take them up, pull off their leaves; only observe to leave about four or five inches of the stalk to each root.—They should be spread to harden, upon a clean dry spot of ground, or upon a scaffold made for that purpose▪ let them lie ten or twelve days, remembering to turn them frequently that they may dry and harden regularly.

When they have lain a proper time, they may be gathered up, in a dry day.

Let them be very well cleaned from earth, and all outer loose skins; then bring them into the house, in dry weather, spread them [Page 105] evenly on the floor, and let them frequently be turned over the first two or three weeks.

Let the windows of the room be kept constantly open in dry weather;—observe, when you turn the onions over now and then, to pick out any that are decayed.

PULL GARLICK AND SHALOTS.

Pull up garlick and shalots, when full grown; this is known by the leaves—for when the roots are swelled as much as they will, the leaves begin to wither; let them be managed in the same manner as onions▪ after they are taken up.

CUCUMBERS, MELONS, SQUASHES, &c.

You may still continue to sow more cu­cumbers, melons, squashes, &c. for they will yet succeed very well.

They should now be sown in an open situ­ation, on hills of good earth, about twelve feet from each other.

Let the cucumbers, melons and squashes, that were sown last month, be now properly thinned; and leave not more than three or four plants on each hill.

OKRA.

Early in this month let your okra be pro­perly thinned out; that is, let your plants be left at least three seet from each other in the rows, where the soil is rich,—Let them be [Page 106] frequently hoed; and let the ground be kept constantly loose about the plants, which will greatly promote their growth.

TOMATOES.

Your tomatoes will now begin to run; they, being of a procumbent growth, should have sticks to support them; which should not be very high, but strong and bushy; first let one stick be set in the middle of the hill, then put three or four more round the outside of the plants, to keep them from fall­ing to the ground.

PEACH, NECTARINE AND APRICOT TREES.

WHERE the peach, nectarine and apricot trees were not looked over, and put in proper order last month, due attention should be now paid to them.—This work should be attended to early in this month, and followed with the utmost diligence till the whole is completed; for where these trees [Page 107] are suffered to remain long in a wild and con­fused state, which they will naturally fall in­to at this season, it would not only prove detrimental, in a great degree, to the trees, but would also very much retard the growth and ripening of these kinds of fruit.—Therefore let these trees be now in general looked over, taking care to clear away all over grown and ill-placed shoots; particu­larly such strong ones as arise from the old wood, which you will often find in the mid­dle of the trees; the timely displacing such will not only strengthen, but make more room for the useful shoots; and also admit of a free-circulation of air to the fruit.

Let these shoots be taken away quite close to the place from whence they are produced, except such as grow out close to the fruit; which may be cut off within half an inch of the branch.—Observe to leave, in every part of these trees, a sufficient quantity of the best shoots, for the purpose of bearing fruit the next year;—leave also a plenty of the more regular and moderate shoots that are well situated; observing at the same time to keep▪ the middle of the tree as open as possible, to admit air among the branches.—Do not shorten any of the shoots you intend to leave, for the reason mentioned last month; but let them stand at full length, both the large and smaller ones; and take particular care to▪ [Page 108] leave them in such a manner, that the leaves may afford a moderate shade to the fruit in intense sunny days:—for it will thrive much better under a slight coverture of leaves, than when openly exposed to the sun; and the fruit will be better flavoured.

THINNING PEACHES, NECTARINES AND APRICOTS.

The peaches, nectarines and apricots, still remaining too close upon the trees, should now be thinned; let the same rule be ob­served as that mentioned in the last month concerning these kinds of fruit.

SUMMER PRUNING ESPALIER TREES OF APPLES, PEARS, PLUMBS AND CHERRIES.

The apple, pear, plumb and cherry trees will now have made strong shoots; which, if not gone over in May, it is now full time they should be examined and properly regu­lated.—Let these trees be looked over with good attention; and let them now be pro­perly cleared of all useless and unnecessary shoots of the year; that is to say, all the luxuriant ones, wherever they appear, must be taken off close; all foreright shoots must be also cut away; and also such shoots as are produced in such parts of the trees where they cannot be properly trained in; and such as are not absolutely wanted to fill up the tree [Page 109] be displaced: but be careful to retain a mo­derate supply of the most regular and well placed shoots to train in, to chuse for winter pruning, by the rules here mentioned, viz.

In ordering these trees, it must be observed, that there is no need to leave a general sup­ply of young wood, as in peaches, nectarines, &c. which bear their fruit always upon one year old shoots, and in consequence thereof, require a peculiar treatment.—But as the case is otherwise with the trees I am now speak­ing of, there is no necessity to leave, every summer, a general supply of young shoots in every part of the tree; for as to apples, pears, plumbs and cherries, their branches seldom begin to bear till they are two or three, and sometimes four or five years old; the branch­es of plumbs and cherries generally begin to bear at one and two years, likewise apples sometimes in the lower parts of these States: while the pears oftener bear from four to five year old spurs:—and when the branches of all these kinds have arrived to a fruitful state, the same bearers continue to produce fruit in more and greater abundance for many years: so that there is no necessity, after the trees are once furnished fully with bearing branches, to leave such▪ a general and constant supply of young shoots above mentioned, as would be required on different trees which produce their fruit on shoots of the preceding sum­mer's [Page 110] growth.—But notwithstanding it will be proper to leave here and there, in every tree, some of the best grown and well placed side shoots, together with the leader, to each branch, if there be sufficient room: this pre­caution should not on any account be omit­ted; for some of those summer shoots will most probably be wanted, to lay in, to sup­ply some vacant place or other of the tree, in the winter pruning.

But where there appears to be an absolute want of wood in any part of these trees, do not fail, in that case, to leave, if possible, some good shoots in such vacant parts.

It is always the best method to leave the trees pretty full of proper shoots, at this season; they will be ready, in case they should be wanted, to fill up any vacancy, or to sup­ply the place of old useless dead or worn out wood, when you come to prune in the win­ter; and such shoots as are not wanted may then be cut away.

Let all the shoots that are now lest be trained at full length, and nailed or fastened up close to the frame, in a neat and regular manner all the summer.

WATERING.

Water should still be given, in dry wea­ther, to new planted trees; and in particu­lar to such as are planted late in the spring.

[Page 111] This work should be done at least twice a week in hot and dry weather; and give each tree one, two, three or four gallons of wa­ter in the evening in proportion to its size, and as its state may seem to require.

BUSH OR SNAP BEANS.

YOU may, at any time in this month, plant bush or snap beans to succeed those sown in the last.

The early sorts are preferable for this planting, such as white negro and yellow dwarfs.

Choose, at this season, a piece of ground in an open situation; and, if you can give it a moderate dressing, it will be the better; let the ground be well dug, and laid even; and if the weather is inclinable to be very wet, which often happens about this time, take [Page 112] precaution to guard against it, otherwise it may prove destructive to the crop.

Therefore while your land is fresh dug mark out the rows, about one foot eight inches from each other, and draw the earth with your hoe up into small beds or ridges, about four inches above the surface; then on these ridges or beds draw your drills, and plant your beans as directed in the former months.

But, on the other hand, should the wea­ther prove dry, it will be necessary to steep them in soft water, for six or eight hours, before you plant them; they will in that case come up much sooner and stronger—it will be also requisite, when the ground is very dry, to water the drills, before you plant the beans.

But let it be observed that steeping the beans is necessary only in dry weather, and the drawing up the small beds or ridges, in a wet season.

Let the bush beans that were planted the last month be frequently hoed, and the ground be kept constantly loose between them, which will greatly promote their growth; and draw earth up to the stems of those that are ad­vanced to the height of four or five inches, which will support and strengthen them.

CABBAGES.

The plants from cabbage seed, which was sown about the latter end of May, will be now fit to put out for good.

Make choice of a piece of rich ground in an open situation, and lay some good rotten dung thereon if it can be procured; dig it in, and lay the surface even; then mark out the rows, about two feet or two feet and a half from each other; and with a hoe draw the earth up into small flat beds or ridges, about six inches above the surface of the ground, and six inches broad on the top; and set the plants about two feet from each other—It is to be supposed that the water tables of the garden are lower than the trenches between the rows, by which means the water may be the more easily carried off, which would other­wise greatly injure the plants, if not wholly destroy them.

You may still continue to sow the seeds of cabbages and savoys where required; if the rain does not cripple them they will be fit to put out in six weeks after sowing, and will be particularly serviceable in town gardens.

For this purpose prepare a piece of ground, in a shady situation, but let it not be under trees; throw it up into high beds, and allow them good bold alleys; that water may not lie between the beds let them range with the descent of the ground.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

About the beginning of this month, if not done in the last, transplant your first crop of cauliflowers and brocoli, where they are to remain till they are fit for use.

For this crop you should choose one of the best pieces of land your garden affords; and to have fine cauliflowers and brocoli you must give it a dressing with good rotten dung—and let it be spread even over the sur­face; dig it in, and lay the ground smooth; then mark out the rows about two feet and a half for the cauliflowers, and three feet for the brocoli; plant the former at two feet in the rows, and the latter two feet and a half: the ground being dug in a proper manner, draw the earth up into small beds or ridges, as before directed under the head of cabbages; and, if the weather should prove dry after planting, give them a moderate watering every evening, till they have taken good root; and if you were to stick a small bush on the south side of each plant the next morning after they are put out, (the evening being now the best time for planting) it would be of great ser­vice to them, by screening them from the intense heat of the sun.

You may still sow more cauliflower and brocoli seed, if you have not got a sufficiency of plants from your former sowings; they may be sown on a bed, as directed in last [Page 115] month; and should now have a temporary shade erected over them, which will not on­ly break the violent heat of the sun, but also the heavy showers of rain which commonly fall, and cripple the young plants at this season.

If the weather should prove dry, after the sowing of the above seed, give them a mo­derate watering every evening till they come up, and every two or three days after they are up; for the plants at this time ought to be forwarded as much as possible in their growth, as the season for sowing them is al­most spent.

LEEKS.

The leeks that were sown the beginning of last month will be fit, by the latter end of this, to plant in the places where they are to remain, till wanted for the use of the kitchen.

For this purpose dig a piece of ground in an open situation, and if you can give it a little dung▪ it would be the better; di­vide it into beds about four feet wide; then draw some of the largest of the plants out of the seed bed; cut off the ends of the roots and likewise the leaves; and plant them, on the beds prepared to receive them, about six or seven inches distant from each other; and give them a moderate watering every even­ing till they have taken good root.

ONIONS.

Your spring sown onions will be fit to take up by the beginning of this month;—let the utmost attention be paid to this crop; for these are the roots you are to depend on for winter use; let them be housed as soon as they are quite dry and in order, and managed as directed in the former month.

CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.

You may still sow carrots and parsnips, if they are required;—they will yet succeed pretty well if you can prevent the sun from scalding their roots after they are come up, and the heavy rains from crippling them.

Clear the weeds, &c. from the ground where you intend to sow the seed; and give it some dung, if you can procure any—dig the ground a full spade deep—thus done, di­vide it into beds about four feet broad, and leave good bold alleys full fifteen inches wide and six inches deep;—sow four rows of car­rot or parsnip seed on each bed: if the earth be dry when you sow the seeds, give the drills a moderate watering before you cover up, and then rake the ground smooth, and take the stones, &c. out of the alley.

Let those carrots and parsnips which were sown in the former month be constantly hoed, and the earth kept loose between the plants until the tops of them▪ cover the [Page 117] ground; and also let those be thinned that require it.—[See April and May.]

ENDIVE.

Towards the latter end of this month, you may sow endive seed, for the first crop.

Dig for this purpose a piece of good ground, in an open place; and divide it into beds about four feet wide, and sow the seed thereon, but not too thick, and rake it with an even hand;—should the weather prove dry, give the seed a little water till it comes up; and the plants now and then after they are up.

TURNIPS.

About the middle or towards the latter end of this month, if the weather suits, sow your first crop of turnips.

For sowing this seed, choose an open situ­ation—dig the ground, and sow the seed while it is fresh dug—let great care be taken not to sow the seeds too thick, but as regu­lar as possible;—divide the ground into beds from four to ten feet wide, and allow good bold alleys; and let the beds range with the declivity of the ground, so as not to suffer any water to lie on the beds, or even in the alleys.

LETTUCES.

Dig a spot of ground, in an open situation, to sow more lettuce seed—the Silesia, and [Page 118] curled coss are the best sorts to sow at this season; and should be sown at least twice in this month, to have a constant and regular supply.

It is very difficult to raise lettuce to any degree of perfection in town gardens; they being in general too close and confined: and the heavy rains, that generally fall in this and the next month, often cripple the plants before they get strength▪

Observe to sow the seed on high beds, about three or four seet in width; and let the alleys be broad and shelving, so that no water may lie in them.

CELERY.

You may, about the middle of this month, prepare some trenches, to plant out your first crop of celery.

For this purpose choose a spot of rich ground, and clear it well from weeds; then mark out the trenches about a foot broad, and allow three or four feet between the trenches; dig each out at this season about six inches deep, without shoveling the crumbs out at the bottom; place the earth that comes out neatly in the spaces between the trenches; observe to lay it equally, and spread it as even as possible;—then put in the bottom of each trench some good rotten dung, and dig it in.

[Page 119] Then take up some of the best plants from the seed bed, if you have not pricked any out—choose the strongest you can find, and trim the end of their roots, and the tops of the straggling leaves—plant them in a row along the middle of the trench, setting the plants about five or six inches from each other, and give them a good watering:—let this be repeated every evening in dry weather till the plants have taken good root.

RADISHES.

You may still continue to sow salmon, short top and turnip radishes, where a con­stant supply is required: but there is not much prospect of a great crop from this sow­ing, owing to the uncertainty of the wea­ther.—If it sets in dry, the plants will be burnt up, if not constantly watered; and, on the other hand, the heavy rains that often fall now are very destructive to the young plants, together with the intense heat of the sun, which seldom fails destroying the great­est part of them before they arrive to perfection, unless they have a temporary shade made over them; which will break the violence of the rain, and also check the scorching heat of the sun.

For sowing radishes at this season prepare a piece of ground in an open situation, and divide it into beds about three feet wide; [Page 120] and sow the seeds evenly▪ let it be ob­served that the alleys between the beds ought to be both deeper and wider in this and the following month than at any other time, in order to draw off all the superfluous wa­ter that may fall at this season.

SMALL SALLADING.

You may now, sow where required, the dif­ferent sorts of small sallading; such as mus­tard, cresses, rape, &c.

Where these small herbs are daily wanted, there should, in order to have a constant sup­ply of such as are young and good, be some seeds sown at least once a week.

Prepare a small piece of ground in a shady situation, but not under trees; and sow the seeds in drills as advised in the former months; and if the weather should prove dry, let the seed be watered every evening till it comes up, and the plants also, till they are fit for use.

SPINAGE.

Towards the latter end of this month, sow some spinage seed; it will be fit for use in the autumn.

The best sort to sow at this season, is the round seeded or the broad leaved kind.

Prepare a piece of good ground in an open situation; let it be well dug, and the sur­face laid even; and let it be divided into beds [Page 121] about four feet wide; and on each bed draw sour drills—scatter the seeds thin in each—cover it lightly over with your hoe, and rake the surface even.

You may likewise sow a few radish seeds with the spinage; the former will come out before the latter wants hoeing.

Should the weather prove dry, it will be requisite to give the seed a moderate water­ing till it comes up; and the plants now and then after they are up.

WATERING.

Watering should, at this time, be duly practised in dry weather, to all such plants as have been lately planted out, till they have taken root.

This work should be done always in the evening about two hours before sun-set, that the water may have time enough to soak in before the sun comes on the plants the next day.

PRUNE PEACH, NECTARINE, AND APRICOT TREES.

IN gardens where these trees have not yet had their summer pruning, that very needful work should be done early in this month, [Page 122] otherwise the fruit upon such trees will not only be small and ill formed, but also very bad tasted, in comparison to the true flavour of this fruit.

And besides retarding the growth, and de­basing the taste of the fruit, it is also detri­mental in a very great degree, to both stand­ard and espalier trees, to neglect summer pruning until this time; and in particular peach, nectarine, and apricots, and such like trees as produce their fruit principally upon one year old shoots.

Besides, it causes great perplexity to the operator, to break through and regulate such a confusion of young shoots;—it also re­quires treble pains and labour, and cannot be executed with half the accuracy as when the work is commenced early in the summer.

There is a very great advantage in begin­ning early in the summer to prune, train and leave the useful shoots in their proper places; and at the same time to clear the trees from all that are ill-placed and luxuriant:—For when the useless ones are timely cut away, and the useful left in a regular manner all the summer, the sun, air and gentle showers will have a proper access, not only to pro­mote the growth and improve the flavour of the fruit, but also to harden and ripen the shoots perfectly, which is absolutely necessa­ry to their producing good fruit the next year.

[Page 123] But however, where there are standard and espalier trees still remain unpruned, do not fail to let it be done the beginning of this month.

Do not shorten any of the shoots at this time; but let every one be left at full length.

Look also again over such espalier trees as were pruned, and tied down the two▪ last months; and see if all the proper shoots which were laid in before, keep firm to their places;—and where any of them have been displaced, or got loose, let them be ti­ed, and nailed again close in proper order.

Likewise observe, if there has been any straggling shoots produced since last month, in places where not wanted, let them be al­so displaced.

It would also be very necessary to look over again, those trees that were pruned in April and May;—you will find on them a great number of useless shoots that are put out since that time, which should be cut away; in particular side shoots that have put out this summer's branches—let these be cut away also.

PEASE.

LET earth be drawn up to the stems of the pease that were sown last month, if not done before: for they will now require it; and it will strengthen them greatly.

Set sticks to them when they are arrived to the heighth of four or five inches; and let your sticks be from four to five feet high, which will be quite sufficient at this season.

If you have neglected sowing pease in the former month, you may venture to sow some early in this:—but this work should not be [Page 135] delayed: for the sooner they are planted the better.—[For the method see last month.]

BUSH BEANS.

Let the bush beans which were planted in August, he frequently hoed; and let earth be drawn up to their stems, for they stand in need of it.

If you have neglected planting bush or snap beans in the last month, it is not yet too late: the work should not be delayed, but done immediately.—[For the me­thod see August.]

CABBAGES AND SAVOYS.

Towards the latter end of this month, transplant the early York, sugar-loaf, and sa­voy cabbage plants, sown in the last month:—Prepare a piece of good ground in an open part of your garden—manure it well, and spread it even over the surface; then dig it in, and plant the early York, about one foot eight inches from row to row, and eighteen inches in the rows—the sugar-loaf and savoys will require a little more room: that is, about two feet from row to row, and one foot eight inches along the rows.

Should the weather prove very wet, it would be necessary to draw the earth up into small beds or ridges, to protect them from the water; which would otherwise rot their roots if planted in the level surface.

[Page 136] If you have omitted sowing early York, sugar-loaf, and savoy cabbages, in August, let it be not delayed but done as soon as pos­sible; for the seed even if sown early in this month will make pretty cabbages by Christ­mas, if managed in a proper manner.

Let this seed be sown in beds, on an east or west border, but not in a south aspect, nor yet too thick—in dry weather water the seed every evening till it comes up.

About the latter end of this month, or early in the next, you will not fail to sow early York, sugar-loaf, and drum-head cab­bage seed, to come early in the spring.

The seed that is sown now should be im­ported from Europe; for if you save it from the cabbages that are the growth of these States, they will run to seed in the spring almost to a plant—while the others are form­ing fine heads.—This doctrine tho' but little known, may be relied on as a fact, as I speak from experience, which no art or argument can confute—and however strange it may appear to some of my readers, I hope they will not [...] me before they have made a fair [...] I have advanced.—Similar circumstances are to be met with in carrots, parsnips and turnips, as before ob­served.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

You may still continue to put out the plants of cauliflowers and brocoli, if you have any that are good, and ground to spare—they will do very well in the lower parts of these States from this planting—the work ought not to be delayed, but done as soon as possible▪

Let the ground be prepared and the plants put out (as advised in the the last month)

Let the cauliflowers and brocoli that were transplanted before, be hoed as soon as they have taken good root, for nothing promotes the growth of all plants of this kind as hoeing them frequently, whether there are any weeds come up amongst them or not.

Towards the latter end of this month, or early in the next, sow cauliflower seed—the plants from this sowing if they come on well; and the winter does not kill them, will be fit to put out about Christmas; and will come in fit for use the beginning of May.

TURNIPS.

If you have not sown any turnips before now, let this work be attended to as soon as possible; and if not delayed too long, you may yet have a tolerable good crop.

The best sorts to sow at this time are the early Dutch, or red top—they will come in at a proper season, and are exceeding good [Page 138] for the table. Sow this seed much in the same manner as advised in the last month; and let care be taken not to sow it too thick, but as even as possible.—Let the turnips that are now fit for hoeing be duly attended to; and those which were hoed last month be gone over two or three times in this, as it will add greatly to their growth.

Choose out one or two of your steadiest hands, to hoe turnips the first time; and make choice of boys for the second and third hoeings; by which means they will be im­proving, and in a short time they will be capable of performing the work with accu­racy and dispatch.

POTATOES.

The potatoes which were planted the last month, will now want hoeing; and, about the middle of this month let some earth be drawn up to the plants, which will be of great service to them:—this work should be repeated every ten or twelve days till the roots begin to swell, and the tops nearly co­ver the ground.

ONIONS.

The season is now advancing for the sow­ing of onions for a general crop—about the middle of the month is a very proper time to execute this work.

[Page 139] Choose a small piece of good ground in an open part of your garden—dig it, and di­vide the same into beds about three or four feet wide—sow the seed thereon pretty thick, and cast a little earth over it, raking the sur­face of the beds smooth.

CARROTS.

If you omitted sowing carrots in the for­mer months, it would be necessary (where these young roots are constantly required) to sow seed early in this month: if the wea­ther proves mild, they will be fit for use the latter end of December.

Let those which were sown in the two former months be often hoed;—let them also be thinned that stand in need of it, which will forward the plants greatly.

SPINAGE.

Spinage may be sown at any time in this month, with the utmost prospect of suc­cess: but if the work has been neglected, the sooner some seed is put into the ground, the better for a general winter crop.

You may sow the seeds now on the east or west borders of your garden, in drills about nine inches one from the other—scatter the seeds thin in each: cover them, and rake the ground smooth.—Let the spinage that was sown last month be hoed as soon as you can [Page 140] plainly discover the rows—it will greatly encourage the growth of the young plants.

ENDIVE.

If you have not sown any endive in the former month, let this business be no long­er delayed; for the plants ought to acquire strength before the winter sets in.

Transplant such endive as is fit to put out: If you have not planted any cabbages or lettuces between your celery, it will be a very proper place to receive some endive; and let the plants which were put out last month, either in beds or between celery, be hoed, at least every week; and the earth al­ways be kept looose between the plants.

CELERY.

The celery plants which were put out the latter end of July, will now want a little earth to be drawn towards them; but let the utmost care be taken not to suffer it to fall into the hearts of the plants, which would choke them,—You may put out more ce­lery if you have not a sufficient quantity out already: for they will do very well if put out by the middle of this month; and will be fit for use about the latter end of November.

Prepare a piece of good ground in the lowest part of your garden—dig out the trenches six or seven inches deep, and about [Page 141] or five feet from each other—lay some good rotten dung in the bottom of each trench, and dig it in even—then plant one row of the best plants you can procure from your seed bed; or, if you have pricked any out, you will find them to be the best plants—cut off the ends of the straggling roots and the long leaves, planting them in the trench­es about five or six inches from each other.

LETTUCES.

Early in this month transplant those let­tuce plants that were sown the beginning of last month.—For this purpose choose a piece of good ground in the most airy part of your garden, and let it be manured as well as pos­sible (for these plants delight in a rich soil and low situation at this season.)—Let it be dug and the surface laid even—then divide it into beds four feet wide—let the alleys be full six inches deep, and at least fifteen inch­es in width—rake the beds even, drawing all the stones and rubish into the alleys; and let it be taken away before you proceed to put out the plants.

Draw out of your seed beds some of the strongest plants which are thereon; and plant four rows of them on each bed, about nine inches from each other.

[Page 142] Having planted your first row, set your line down for the second; and put in your plants (not opposite) but in the opening between each plant of the first row, so that every three plants may form a triangle—by this method they will compleatly cover the ground be ore they crowd each other.

The lettuce plants that were put out last month, should be now often hoed, which will greatly encourage their growth:—for when you observe the ground to be bound on the surface, hoeing is always necessary—for this frequently happens after very heavy showers of rain;—and the plants will not thrive untill the earth is loosened.—Let care be taken not to draw the earth into the hearts of the plants when you are hoeing them.

You may sow lettuce seed the beginning of this month for a general crop of sallad after Christmas and the spring.

You may sow any sorts at this time; but the best are the white curled coss, or Silesia, brown Silesia, cabbage, brown Dutch, green and white coss—they should be sown in beds as directed in the former month.

Let your lettuce plants in dry weather be duly supplied with water every evening; but let care be taken not to suffer it to run or wash the surface of the ground, as it will materially injure the plants.

RADISHES.

About the beginning or near the middle of this month, sow salmon, short-top, and turnip radishes, for a general autumn crop, for they will succeed very well.—Prepare for this purpose a piece of good ground in the most airy part of your garden, and let it be well dug and divided into beds four feet wide: sow the seeds thereon, but not too thick: cast a little earth over it; and if the weather should continue dry it will be necessary to give the seed a little water till it comes up, and the plants now and then after they are up—let those radishes that were sown in the last month be also watered in dry weather every evening, which will prevent their grow­ing hot and stickey.

SMALL SALLADING.

You may still continue to sow small sal­lad where required—such as mustard, cress, rape, radishes, &c.—These seeds may be sown in the east border of your garden, or, in a bed on any of the squares, in drills, as observed in the former month—and in dry weather let them be watered till it comes up, and the plants sometimes after they ap­pear above ground:—Remember that the evening is the best time for watering plants of all kinds at this season.

BUSH BEANS.

LET the bush or snap beans that were plant­ed in the last month, be frequently ho­ed; and let some earth be drawn up to those that are advanced to the height of four or five inches.

CABBAGES.

If you have neglected to put out your ear­ly York, sugar-loaf, and savoy cabbage plants, in the last month, let the work be no long­er delayed, for they are advancing in their growth, and ought to be planted out for good.

Choose a piece of ground in an open situ­ation, and give it some good rotten dung if it can possibly be procured: for let it be ob­served, there is no crop that requires manure more than cabbages, and the different kinds of cole worts. As soon as the ground is dunged let it be immediately dug, and the surface laid even, and raked as smooth as possible—you need not draw the earth up in ridges as recommended in the former months (unless the weather proves very wet, which seldom happens at this time) but let the plants be put out on the level ground, and the savoys and sugar loafs in rows about two feet wide from each other from row to row, and one foot eight inches one from another in the row; and the early York one foot eight by eighteen inches: If the weather proves dry give them a moderate watering till they have taken good root.

Let cabbage plants of all sorts, that were put out in the two former months, be fre­quently hoed; and let some earth be drawn up to those that stand in need of it; which [Page 147] will strengthen them, and greatly promote their growth. But if you leave neglected to sow early York. Sugar loaf, and drum-head cabbages in the last month, let it be no long­er delayed: for the time is now advancing when this seed should be put into the ground. It ought to be sown in beds, in the same manner as directed in September.

CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCOLI.

If you have any good cauliflower or bro­coli plants, that were not planted out in the last month, they may be put out early in this:—I have known them produce very good heads in Charleston from this plant­ing—but they will not answer ten miles in the country.—On the islands near the sea, and in the towns of Beaufort, and Savannah; or to the southward, they may be trans­planted with some prospect of success, if your ground is rich and in good order.—Let these plants be put out at this season, in rows two feet from each other; and the same distance one from the other in the row.

Let the cauliflowers and brocoli that were transplanted in the former months, be now frequently hoed; and let the earth be drawn up to their stems as they advance in growth.

TURNIPS.

Let the turnips which were sown in the former month, be frequently hoed, and pro­perly [Page 148] thinned; as it will greatly forward the late sown crops, which stand in much need of it.

ONIONS.

Towards the latter end of this month, the onions that were sown for a first crop will be ready to transplant out, where they are to remain till they are fit for use.—Choose a piece of good ground in an open situation; and lay some good rotten dung thereon; dig it in even, and rake the surface as smooth as possible—then divide the ground into beds about four feet wide—draw out of your seed beds some of the largest plants that you can find—trim off the ends of their roots, and the tops of their leaves; and let four rows of these plants be put out on each bed, eight or nine inches▪ from each other; and give them a good watering if the ground is dry.

CARROTS.

The carrots which were sown in the for­mer months, if the tops of the plants do not cover the surface of the ground, let them be hoed at least every fortnight or three weeks, to keep the earth loose between the rows;—and let those that stand too thick, be proper­ly thinned in due time.

SPINAGE.

If you have omitted sowing spinage for winter and spring use, let it be delayed no [Page 149] longer, but done as early in this month as possible.—The sort I would recommend for this sowing, is the prickly seeded: and if the east border of your garden is vacant let it be prepared for this crop—sow your seed in drills eight of nine inches (cross-ways the border) from each other, but not too thick.

Let the spinage that was sown in the for­mer months, be duly hoed and weeded; and let the early crops be thinned out so as to leave the plants standing single four or five inches from each other.—Where this work is executed in proper time, the plants will always produce broad and thick leaves.

ENDIVE.

Near the middle or towards the latter end of this month, take the advantage of a dry day to tie up some endive to whiten.

Make choice for this purpose of some plants of the most forward growth: gather the leaves up evenly in your hand, and let them be tied together a little above the mid­dle, with a small band of moss or a soft string, so that it may not cut the outside leaves of the plants.

If you have plenty of endive plants, and have not put as many out as you could wish, let this business be attended to as early in this month as possible; and let the plants be put out as directed in the former month; [Page 150] observe, if your plants are of a large size, to cut off the ends of their roots, and the tops of their straggling leaves, before you plant them.

Let the endive plants that were put out in the last month, be frequently hoed, until they are forward in their growth.

CELERY.

Take advantage of a fine day, and earth such celery as require it.—Let the earth be well laid up to the plants, and within six or eight inches of the top of their leaves.—Let this work be performed with the utmost care; and lay your earth up gently to the plants least it falls into their hearts and choaks them.—This earthing up should be repeat­ed at least three or four times in this month; as it will not only promote their growth, but their blanching also.

LETTUCES.

Near the middle, or towards the latter end of this month, let the south border of your garden be got ready to receive some lettuce plants, to come in for use early in the spring—supposing the border to be about four feet wide;—plant thereon four rows of the best plants that you can find on the seed bed, about nine or ten inches from each other; and if the weather should prove dry, [Page 151] let them be duly watered till they have taken good root.

Let the plants that were put out in the last month be often hoed, and the surface of the ground always kept loose between them.

RADISHES.

You may yet sow radishes where required, for winter use; and at this season in a shel­tered situation; in beds about four feet wide, or on a border that is open to the sun: and in dry weather let the plants be watered in the evenings till they get strength.

SMALL SALLADING.

Where small sallading is required, you should now sow it on a border open to the sun, in drills, as directed in the former month.

ARTICHOKES.

Near the middle, or towards the latter end of this month, let your artichokes be well examined, and give them their winter dressing.

Take away all the earth round the stool, or plant about two feet wide and six inches deep, clean to the roots:—This being done, provide yourself with a hard piece of wood about six inches long, two inches wide, and half an inch thick;—make one end of it as sharp as possible; and let all the [Page 152] shoots or suckers on the old stool be well ex­amined—then with the wooden instrument take away all the smaller shoots quite close to the stock from whence they arise, (which have sprung up since the last dressing)—ex­cept four or five of the largest that are to be left; and let the loose straggling leaves be cut off but not close to the stock; then lay on the roots, and crown off the stool be­tween the remaining suckers or shoots, a wheel-barrow full of good rotten dung, and spread it even where the earth was taken out—then let the earth be put back again on the dung, raising it about the remaining plants full six inches higher than before the work was begun; and let the utmost care be taken that the loose earth do not fall into the hearts of the plants, which will greatly in­jure them.—To prevent this it would not be improper to tie the leaves together of those suckers that you do intend to leave till the work is executed.

Let it be observed, that the four or five suckers or shoots which are left, are not all to remain to bear heads the next year—for three is quite sufficient for the strongest stool; and the other two are left as a reserve, in case you should be in want of plants to make a new plantation in the spring.

By this fall dressing it will strengthen the plants greatly that remain; as I may justly [Page 153] suppose there are four times as many suckers taken away as are suffered to remain.

ASPARAGUS.

Towards the latter end of this month, let your asparagus beds have their winter's dressing.

In the first place let all the stalks be cut off quite close to the ground, and carried away: then let both the alleys and beds be hoed, and the ground raked as clean as pos­sible; and the weeds and litter if any, be all taken off.

The beds and alleys being now clean, provide yourself with a fork for the purpose of dressing the asparagus beds—it should be about ten inches wide, and contain three tines, each about a foot in length, and an inch and a half broad; the back part per­fectly flat, and the sore side convex, or a small rising in the middle of each tine—let the ends be blunt, so that they may not wound the crown of the roots.—Let the beds and alleys be forked up three or four inches deep, and the earth laid smooth and even—then with your rake draw an inch or an inch and a half of the earth off each bed into the alleys—lay some good rotten dung thereon about four inches thick, spreading it even—dig out the earth in the middle of the alleys a full spade deep, and fifteen inch­es wide, covering the dung with the same [Page 154] (you have before put on the beds) as even as possible, and rake the surface smooth.

By this management your asparagus beds will lie dry and warm all the winter, and produce fine large buds in the spring.—You may plant on these beds some endive, or early York cabbages; but remember that whatever crop you plant on your asparagus beds must be taken off by the tenth of Fe­bruary, in order to give them their spring dressing.

STRAWBERRIES.

EARLY in this month is a good time for making new plantations of strawber­ries, as they will soon take root, and will acquire strength to bear fruit in the next spring.—The sooner this work is done the better.

You may either plant them in beds on the quarter of your garden, or in the bor­ders of each side of the principal walk;—but let them be planted where they will (if you [Page 155] would wish to have good fruit) the ground must be well manured.—Dig your land a full spade deep, and divide it into beds four feet wide—then put out four rows of the best young plants you can find on the old beds.—If you remember there were some left in April for this purpose, which will be by this time fine plants; tho', to have them strong, and bear good fruit in the spring, it would be necessary to take them up with small balls of earth to their roots, and im­mediately planted on the beds prepared to receive them—and if the weather be dry give them a good watering to promote their growth, as well as to settle the earth about the roots.

RASPBERRIES.

At any time in, this month you may plant out raspberries where wanted.

Choose for these plants the lowest part of your garden; for they delight in low moist land; observe, never to suffer the water to lay on or between the beds, either in sum­mer or winter,—If you would wish to have large, and good flavoured fruit, it would be proper to give your ground a good dressing with manure when you put out the plants.

The land being well manured, and dug a full spade deep, repair to the old beds, and take up some of the best young plants that can be spared,

[Page 156] It would be very imprudent to destroy the old beds the same year you make your new ones; as they will bear but little for the first and second season: tho' the third year they will come into full bearing, and pro­duce fruit plentifully:—Therefore, as I ob­served above, take out only such young plants as can be best spared, and will not injure your crop, for the ensuing year.—You will find many young plants round the outside of the old beds, which (if not taken up to make new plantations) must be destroyed—let it be observed that the old plants which bore fruit the last year, are not proper to be planted out; for they will not produce fruit more than one season, when they die, and are succeeded by young shoots every sum­mer:—It is these and these only, that I mean should be planted out to form new beds.

Having procured a sufficient number of young plants, trim off the ends of the strag­gling roots, and one-third part of the young shoots, and plant them in rows four or five feet one from another; and about a foot or fifteen inches from each other.

Let the old raspberry beds be examined, and let all the old branches be taken out, and the young shoots properly arranged, and the weeds which are now on the beds be taken away, and the earth loosened between the [Page 157] young plants that are left—lay in some good rotten dung betwixt them, and let the alleys be now dug a full spade deep, and three feet wide, close up to the plants; and as you are digging between the rows, cast a little earth over the dung: by so doing the raspberry beds will look neat all the winter, and will be in a fair way of producing a good crop of fruit next season.

PLANTING EARLY BEANS.

NEAR the middle, or the latter end of this month, you may plant some beans to come early the succeeding spring.

Those which are planted now, if they survive the winter's frost, &c. will be fit for use early in April.

The Mazagon bean is the best to plant at this season; for they will come up earlier then any other sort, and are excellent bear­ers tho' but of an humble growth; and they will stand the winter better then the larger kinds.

[Page 158] A warm border under a south wall, is the best situation to plant those beans at this season.

They should be planted in rows across the border—that is, provided the border is five or six feet wide; observing that the rows are to be two feet asunder, which will be room enough for this sort.—The beans should be planted four or five inches from each other in the rows, and near an inch and a half deep.

You may also plant one row lengthways of the border, within two or three inches of the wall or fence: these will sometimes out­live the winter, when those at a greater dis­tance from the wall, &c. are destroyed.

But, if the border is narrow, you had better plant two rows only lengthways; that is, one row near the wall, and the other about two feet and a half from it.

They may be planted wither with a blunt dibble putting them in about an inch and a half, or near two inches deep; or you may draw drills that depth, and drop the beans therein; drawing the earth an equal depth over them, and rake the ground smooth.

In planting early beans, it often proves successful first to sow them pretty thick in a bed of rich earth; and when they come up a little height, transplant them into the bor­ders.

[Page 159] The method is this:—Dig a bed about three or four feet broad, of good earth, in a warm corner of your garden.

The ground being dug, draw the earth off about an inch and an half or near two inches in depth equally from the surface, half to the one side and half to the other.—This done, scatter the beans thereon about an inch asunder, and immediately cover them over with the earth that was drawn off for that purpose: or you may with your hoe draw broad flat drills cross-way the bed, and scat­ter the beans pretty thick, and cover them over with earth equally; and if severe frost should prevail in their infant slate while re­maining altogether in this, they can readily be protected with a few pine tops till they are fit to transplant.

When the beans are come up an inch and a half or two inches high, they should then in mild weather, be transplanted into the above mentioned borders, taking them care­fully out of the seed-bed with their full spreading roots, and as much earth as will hang about them—pull the old beans at the bottom, and trim the end of the perpendicu­lar root, and then plant them in rows in the same manner and at the same distance as be­fore directed; observing to close the earth well about every plant—they will soon take root and grow freely.

[Page 160] One reason for this practice is, the best of gardeners allow, that the beans which are transplanted, will come in sooner by a week or ten days than those that are not, though the seed be put in the ground the same day.

SOWING PEASE.

About the middle of this month, sow pease for your first crop—if they escape the frost they will come for use early in April.

The early hotspurs are the proper sorts to sow at this time.—Choose seeds that are fresh and new.

There are several sorts of the hotspurs, such as the golden, Carleton, Reading, &c. These I would recommend to sow for the first crop.

A warm south border, under a wall or fence, is the most proper place to sow them in at this season—the seed must be sown in drills, either lengthways or in rows, athwart the border, according to its breadth: where it is but narrow, draw one drill only length­ways at the distance of one or two feet from the wall or fence, and scatter the pease there­in pretty thick, but as regular as possible—cover them up immediately with cath about an inch and a half deep, and rake the ground even.

Where your border is five or six feet wide, it would be proper to sew the peae in drills cross-ways [Page 161] the same, about four feet distant from each other: and if you intend they should run on sticks, you may plant a row of cabbage or lettuce plants between them.

CABBAGES.

If you have neglected to put out any early or savoy cabbage plants in the former month, and have good plants and ground to spare, it may be done at any time in this month, and will make fine heads early in the spring without the least danger of running to seed, as the large kinds are apt to do.—If the ground be good where you have sown your first crop of early peace, you may with propriety put out a row of these plants be­tween each row of pease, about sixteen or eighteen inches from each other.

ONIONS.

If you have not put out any onions in the former month, it should be done as soon as possible in this.

Let a piece of ground be prepared to re­ceive them: and after it is dug and divided into beds about four feet wide, cut off the ends of the roots as well as the tops of the long leaves, and plant four rows of them on each bed, about nine or ten inches one from the other in the rows.

[Page 162] Let the onions which were planted out in the last month, be frequently hoed, as it will be of infinite service to the young plants.

LETTUCES.

Lettuce plants which are designed to re­main in the beds where sown for winter use, should now be cleared of weeds, and thinned where you find them too close.

Those plants which were sown in Septem­ber, should now be transplanted into a warm south border, in order to come out for use early in the spring.

RADISHES.

Some time in this month sow some short­top radish seed, and if they survive the frost, they will be fit to draw early in February; and tho' there is but little hopes of their suc­ceeding, yet where radishes are desired early, it will not be improper to sow a few to take their chance.

SOWING PEASE.

Let this seed be sown in a warm border near a walk or fence; observing to sow it pretty thick, and in a fair, dry day.

SMALL SALADING.

You may sow small salading in a shelter­ed situation: such as mustard, cresies, rape, &c. where required.

CELERY.

When the weather is open and dry, you should earth up your celery to blanch.—Break the earth well, and lay it up to the plants within six or eight inches of the tops of their leaves.

In performing this work let care be taken not to lay the earth too hastily to the plants, as it may be the means of forcing it into the hearts of them, which would occasion the plants to rot.

ARTICHOKES.

If your artichokes did not get their win­ter's dressing in October, it should be no longer postponed; for the sooner the work is performed the better.

The earth should be opened round the roots, and all the useless plants taken off; leaving four or five of the strongest suckers or shoots on each stock—lay some good rot­ten dung round them: when they should be earthed up and managed in the same manner as recommended in the month of October.

ASPARAGUS.

Where your asparagus beds were not fork­ed and dressed up in the last month, let it be done early in this.

The stalks should be all cut away quite close to the ground; and the weeds which are on the beds or in the alleys, be hoed and [Page 164] raked to the ends of the same; and carried immediately out of the garden: then let them be forked up; the dung laid on; and the work executed as directed in the former month.

PRUNE LARGE-GROWN APPLE AND PEAR TREES.

TOWARDS the latter end of this month, let the apple and pear trees in the or­chard, be well examined; and all dead, de­cayed, and worn out branches, be cut away; together with all the suckers and superfluous shoots which often arise out of the old limbs in the middle of the trees—and where you find the bearing wood too thick, and grow­ing together, let it be taken out, in order to give room to such as you intend to remain to bear fruit, as well as to admit a free cir­culation of air among the branches.

The business of pruning old fruit trees is of more consequence than many are aware [Page 165] of; and require much judgment in perform­ing the work:—Let the branches be regu­larly thinned, and as even as possible.

PRUNING PEACHES, NECTARINES, AND APRICOTS.

This work may be done towards the latter end of this month; tho' you may execute it with equal success in the next.—[See Ja­nuary.]

STRAWBERRIES.

If you have not transplanted any straw­berries before now, and would wish to have them produce a crop of fruit the next season, the work should not be longer delayed, but put in practice as soon as possible.

Early in this month let the old beds or bor­ders of strawberries be carefully looked over, and all the dead runners, leaves, &c. be cut off and taken away, as well as all the useless plants where too thick, be taken out, and the earth loosened about those which re­main.—Let good rich earth or very rotten dung be conveyed between the plants, which will not only strengthen them, but enrich the land so as to look neat all the winter, and produce fine fruit in the spring.

RASPBERRIES.

If your raspberries were not put out in the former month, the earlier done now the bet­ter; [Page 166] and let them be planted in rows as be­fore directed.

Also let the old raspberry beds be well ex­amined, and the dead branches which bore fruit the last year taken out; and the young shoots properly thinned—throw some good rotten dung between them, and dig the al­leys as mentioned in October.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES, &c.

Towards the latter end of this month you may plant our fruit trees; such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples, pears, plumbs, cherries, and grape vines—and let the same rules be observed as mentioned in January.

BEANS.

ABOUT the middle of this month prepare some good ground in a sheltered situati­on, for a successional crop of beans.

If you have not planted any before this period, let some of the mazagons be put in as early in this month as possible.

[Page 167] You may also plant some of the long pod­ded, and Windsor, at the same time; as they will succeed each other in bearing.

Ler the mazagons be planted in rows, two, or two and a half feet—the long pod­ded two and a half, to three feet—and the Windsor three, or three and a half feet from row to row, and a proper distance in the rows, viz.—The first sort three inches—the second five inches—and the latter eight inches from each other.

If you have any beans that are up about two or three inches above the ground, let some earth be drawn up to their stems.—This work should be done in a mild, fine day, when the surface is perfectly dry: By this method you will not only preserve your plants in a great measure from the frost, but will support and strengthen them.

PEASE.

Sow more pease about the middle of this month, to succeed those which were sown in November; and in order to have a regular supply for the table.

If you neglected to sow any in the last month, do not delay it now; for the sooner you perform this business the better.—I would recommend the early kinds at this season, which will come forward with some prospect of success, and nearly as soon as [Page 168] those sown in the former month; as they are not so likely to be injured by the frost, and will probably bear a much greater crop.

Towards the latter end of this month, you may sow in a sheltered situation, some mar­rowfats and sugar pease.—These sorts will require sticking when they are three or four inches above the ground; and as they run very stately, your sticks ought to be at least five or six feet high; and your plants five or six feet from row to row; and not so thick in the rows as the early kinds.

This distance will appear very great at first; but be assured that your crop will be much the better for it, as it will admit of a free circulation of air between the rows.—You may if you think proper, plant cabbage plants between each row of pease.

Let the pease which was sown last month, have some earth drawn up to their stems, as it will strengthen them greatly, and prevent the wet weather from rotting them near the ground.—If you was to stick a row of pine or any other ever-green bushes betwixt the rows, it would be of infinite service in breaking the cold wind, which very often cuts off the early crops of pease.

CABBAGES.

Near the latter end of this month, the cabbage plants that were sown in October, will be by this time fit to plant out.

[Page 169] Choose a piece of good ground in a shel­tered part of the garden; and lay on it some good rotten dung, and dig it in a full spade deep—lay the surface even, and rake the stones away if any; and put out the early York, cabbage plants in rows, about two feet from each other from row to row, and twenty inches in the rows; and let the sugar leaves be planted tow feet every way; and allow the large kinds two feet and half by two feet.—If this crop is properly managed, they will make fine heads in April and May.

If you have a plenty of cabbage plants which were raised from English seed sown in September or October, it would be very ad­viseable to plant some between the rows of early beans and peas, to out up for use in March, when you will find greens scarce—let it be observed that the ground ought to be always fresh digged before you put out these plants this matter is of more conse­quence than many people are aware of.

CAULIFLOWERS.

Towards the latter end of this month, if your cauliflower plants (which were sown in October) are grown to a good size, let some of them be put out on the south border of your garden, if it is vacant—if not, the most warm and sheltered place that you can con­veniently spare—let it be well manured, [Page 170] and dug a full spade deep—rake the ground even, and put out the plants in rows full two feet from each other.

The cauliflower plants which were put out in May and June last, will now begin to show their heads—you should therefore be very careful in protecting them from the frost.—For this purpose provide yourself with a number of hay, straw, or moss bands, well twisted together, binding the same round the stalks of your plants, beginning at the bottom close to the ground till you come up to about one third part of the leaves—let care be taken that you do not wind it too light round the leaves; but let the band be rather flack so as to afford the head sufficient room to swell;—you may tie the leaves together near their tops; for by this treatment you will not only preserve the cauliflowers from the frost, but will be the means also of ren­dering them perfectly white and beautiful to the eye.

Let the bands that are tied round the leaves be frequently examined; and see if the head has sufficient room to swell: if you find the band too tight, let it be loosened that the head may grow free and easy.

BROCOLI.

Let the ground between the last planted crop of brocoli be now hoed for the last time, [Page 171] and all the leaves which are fallen off between the rows taken away; and remember to let some earth be drawn up to the stems of those which require it.

RADISHES.

Towards the latter end of this month, sow some short-top radishes for an early crop.

Let a good piece of ground be prepared as open to the sun as possible; and if your south border is not engaged, it would be the most proper place to sow your seed in at this season.

The border being properly manured and dug, sow the seed broad cast pretty thick: you may also sow a sprinkling of carrots with your radishes; for if one should fail the other may come on—the latter will arrive to perfection and fit to be drawn before the carrots are got to any size: therefore, should they both succeed, the growth of the one will be no impediment to the other.—If it is not convenient for you to sow carrots, spi­nage may be sown with an equal prospect of advantage.

LETTUCES.

Let a small piece of good ground be pre­pared towards the latter end of this month, as open to the sun and as sheltered from the cold winds as possible) in order to sow some lettuce seed.

[Page 172] The best sorts for this sowing, are the brown Silesia cabbage, and brown Dutch, they being the most hardy kinds.

Let the seed be sown pretty thick and even—cast a little earth over it and rake the surface smooth.

Should the weather prove frosty after the plants are up, it would be very necessary to cover them over while in an infant state, every night with pine, or other ever-green bushes, which will in a great measure pro­tect them from the frost, as well as forward­ing their growth.

The lettuces which are out in beds or borders, should be now kept perfectly clean of weeds, and the ground often loosened be­tween them, which will encourage their progress.

Was you to cover even these with bushes as above, in frosty nights, it may be the means of saving them frequently from de­struction.

SMALL SALADING.

Where small salading is required, you should sow some at least every ten or twelve days, in a situation that is open to the sun; and in drills as directed in the former months—should there be any appearance of a frost, it would not be amiss to lay straw or bushes lightly over the plants every night, as it will greatly preserve and cherish them.

SPINAGE.

Let the beds and borders of spinage be kept perfectly clean of weeds, and the earth frequently loosened between the rows.

Where your plants are too thick, let them be properly thinned so as to stand not less than three or four inches from each other.

In gathering spinage let it be observed, that the large broad leaves should be cut first; and care ought to be taken that you do not injure the small ones, so as to destroy the whole at once.

ONIONS.

If you have not already planted out your onions, let it be no longer neglected; and the earlier the work is attended to in this month the better.—Let a piece of good ground be prepared for them, and the plants put out as advised in the two former months.

The earliest planted onions should be now kept free from weeds, and the ground hoed frequently between them, which will great­ly forward your plants.

CARROTS.

If the weather is mild and dry towards the latter end of this month, let a piece of ground be put in proper order to receive some car­rot seed—the best sort for this sowing is the early horn or short orange; as they will come in for use near a month sooner than the long orange.

[Page 174] It would be very necessary to give your ground a moderate dressing with good rotten dung turned in well, which divide into beds four feet wide, sowing four rows of carrot seed on each bed, but not too thick—you may if you choose, sow a sprinkling of short top radishes with your carrots.

Let it be observed, that it must be the true orange carrot seed that is to be sown at this season: for if you sow the pale degenerated kind, it will be running to seed in May—when the roots from the European seed will be in their highest perfection.

CELERY.

Make choice of a fine dry day to earth up such celery as stand in need of it.—In per­forming this work great care should be taken that the earth do not fall into the hearts of the plants, by which it would greatly injure their growth, if not entirely destroy them.

Should severe weather now set in, let your plants which are in the ground be carefully protected from the frost, by laying straw or some other covering that may be most con­venient over the rows:—But if the ground should be very wet where your celery is planted, let some of the best of it be taken up and put into a dry, warm border, pretty thick, which you may take up for use when­ever required.

ENDIVE.

Let the beds or borders where your endive was put out, be looked over, and tie up some of the largest plants.

Gather the leaves up regular in your hand, and tie them together a little above the mid­dle, as close as possible, with a small moss band, or some strong bass matting; then with a small hoe draw up the earth close round the plants.

Should the weather prove severe and frosty, it would be very proper to take some of the plants from the beds that you have tied up; and let them be put into a south, dry border, in order that they may whiten.

In performing this work, take care that you do not cover the endive wholly over, but lay them into the earth within an inch of the tops of their leaves—and if the wea­ther should be very wet, it would be proper to lay a plank over the plants to protect them from the heavy rains which would otherwise perhaps cause them to rot.

ARTICHOKES.

If the artichokes were not dressed up and properly managed in the last month, it should be no longer postponed; for it is now high time this work was done.—[See Oct.]

ASPARAGUS.

If your asparagus beds were not forked, dunged and dressed in the last month, it should be done as soon as possible in this.—[See October.]

If you recollect I recommended cabbage and lettuce plants to be put out on the aspa­ragus beds in October last, after they were dressed; but it will now be too late in the season—for before your cabbages or lettuces (on these beds) would arrive to any perfecti­on, they would require their spring dressing.

PRUNE PEACH, NECTARINE AND APRICOT TREES.

AT any time in this month you may prune peach, nectarine and apricot trees, ei­ther dwarfs, espaliers or standards.

Let the trees be well examined, and all the useless shoots taken out, leaving the prime bearing ones at proper and regular distances; tho' if the trees be young and in [Page 176] a weakly state, let the shoots be shortened according to their strength: but if strong and vigorous, let them be managed as directed in January.

PRUNING OLD STANDARD APPLE AND PEAR TREES.

If you have omitted pruning the old stand­ard trees in the orchard, let this business be now attended to; and displace all dead and decayed limbs that you may find in any of the trees; and let the young branches be properly thinned.

PRUNE PLUMB AND CHERRY TREES.

You may also prune your plumb and cherry trees at any time in this month, if not done before.

Let it be observed that these trees do not bear their fruit from the last year's shoots (the morrell cherry excepted) but are pro­duced generally from short spurs, sometimes two, three and four year's old; which should never be cut off but in some particular cases: but where these short spurs are forced by bad management, they will produce strong and vigorous shoots; the most irregular and un­kind of which should be cut away; for the more you stop them, the more strong the shoots will become; and as long as you con­tinue shortening the shoots at this season, [Page 177] be assured they will not produce any fruit­bearing spurs.

PRUNING YOUNG VINES THE FIRST YEAR AFTER PLANTING.

The young vines which were planted out in the last season, should be now looked over; as they will probably have produced some (more or less) young shoots, the last summer.

These shoots should be all shortened with­in three eyes of the old wood, in order to make them put out with more vigour the next year.

PRUNING VINES THE SECOND YEAR AFTER PLANTING.

As these vines were headed down very short the first year after planting, it is to be supposed that▪ some of them have made three, four, and perhaps six fine and strong kindly shoots, eight or ten feet long.—These shoots, some over-wise people will lay in. six or eight feet the second year—but such practice I by no means approve of: for the running them out so long before the plants are well established in the ground, will weaken them so much, that with all the art you are possessed of, it will be three or four years before your young vines will have acquired sufficient strength to produce good wood, without which there will be no pros­pect [Page 178] of fine fruit; therefore let the shoots be shortened the second year also, to within four or five eyes of the last year's wood; and the third season they will with proper care cover an arbor eight feet wide and ten feet high, with fine fruit-bearing shoots.—By this treatment your vines will acquire pro­per strength, and may, probably produce some fine fruit the next summer.

PRUNING VINES THIRD YEAR AFTER PLANTING.

By this time your vines will have acquired strength, if managed as before directed; and may have produced on each plant from eight to twelve fine bearing shoots, which should be also shortened according to their strength, leaving the strongest of them after pruned, at least five feet; and if very strong, six feet will not be too much.

Then let them be tied to the frame ten inches or a foot from each other:—Tho' this distance may seem great at this season, you will find your arbor compleatly shaded in the summer.—For the further manage­ment of these, I refer you to the next head on pruning old vines.

PRUNING OLD VINES.

If the vines were not pruned last month, let this necessary work be no longer delayed, but done as soon as possible; it being now a proper time for performing it.

[Page 179] In the first place let all the last summer's shoots which have sprung out of the old wood and branches be cut away; except in such particular places where they are abso­lutely wanted in the ensuing year: in such a case only they are to remain; but let them be shortened with two or three good eyes from the old wood.—By cutting the shoots so short it will be the means of their pro­ducing strong and kindly ones, which may probably prove fruitful the summer after next.

Observe in the next place, that all the short shoots which were suffered to remain in the last spring (for the purpose of bearing fruit only) should be now examined; and the most weakly and ill-placed of them be cut away; leaving the prosperous and most healthy shoots about ten or twelve inches from each other; and shortened so as not to have more than one or two good eyes (or as the gardener's call them spurs) to your vines; which will produce good fruit in the next season.

Thirdly and lastly, let all the shoots which were laid in the last summer, be carefully looked over; and all the side shoots from the principal bearing young branches be cut away quite close from whence they proceed; as they will neither bear good fruit, nor pro­duce good wood, being always of a rambling [Page 180] and irregular growth.—This being done, shorten the shoots which are left, agreeable to the state and strength of each, as in the following manner.

Your young shoots will now require great attention, and must be shortened according­ly:—The most weakly should be cut back within three or four eyes of the old wood, in order to render them strong and healthy by the ensuing summer;—those of a mid­dling strength should be taken off within five or six eyes, whilst those that are strong and luxuriant may be (where there is sufficient room) permitted to remain with eight or twelve, and even from twelve to sixteen eyes; tho' let it be observed, that this treat­ment is only intended for old grown grape vines.

PLANTING OF VINES.

At any time in this month you may plant out young vines where required.

Choose for this purpose some good young plants of one and not more than two years old.—If you put them out for an arbor (which is the most approved method) let holes be dug where you intend your plants to grow, about three feet wide and eighteen inches deep—put therein a barrow full of rich earth mixed with some good rotten dung, planting the young vines near the frame about five or six feet from each other, [Page 181] and pressing your foot gently round the plant to fix the earth.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES, VIZ. APPLES, PEARS, PEACHES, NECTARINES, APRICOTS, PLUMBS AND CHERRIES.

AT any time in this month you may trans­plant any of the above fruit trees by way of espaliers, in your garden.

If you plant plumbs or cherries, to train on a frame, they should be put out about fourteen feet from each other, and near one foot six inches from the walk.

If you was to dig a hole about two feet wide and one foot deep, putting therein some good rich earth mixed with a little dung, it would be of great service to the young trees.

But let it be observed, that you do not plant trees of any kind too deep: for this is of more consequence than many people are possibly aware of.

Should you wish to plant out peach, nec­tarine or apricot trees, you ought to plant [Page 182] them at least eighteen feet distant from each other, but not too deep, as cautioned before.

Apple and pear trees being of a more vi­gorous and lasting growth, should be plant­ed twenty foot or more one from the other: this distance may appear very wide at first, but they will soon extend so as to meet on the frame if your ground is good and the trees are managed in a proper manner.

RASPBERRIES.

If you have not planted out as many rasp­berries as you would wish, this season, you may still do it; tho' the sooner this work is performed the better:—But if it is not con­venient for you to execute it early in this month, you may delay it till the latter end of the next.

If you have not as yet given your old beds of raspberries their winter dressing, it should be done as soon as possible, as the young plants will greatly improve and flourish if earthed up in proper season.

STRAWBERRIES.

If you have not put out any strawberries before now, let the work be no longer de­layed; for if the plants are nor put out ear­ly in this month, it had better be postponed till the latter end of January, when they will take root more freely than about Christmas.

[Page 183] Let the old strawberry beds be well exa­mined if not done in the former months, and all the dead runners and leaves be cut away and the earth loosened between the plants, which will strengthen them so as to bear fine fruit the next spring.—[See No­vember.