od porous soil for the seed-pans. Sow very thinly in a temperature of
60 deg. or 65 deg., and get the plants into thumb pots while they are quite
small.

==Turnip== may be sown on warm borders, but it is too early for large
breadths in open quarters.

==MARCH==

This is the great season for garden work, and the gardener must be up
with the lark and go to bed with the robin, which is the latest of birds
to bid farewell to a sunny day. The first care should be to make good
all arrears, especially in the preparation of seed-beds, and the
cleaning of plots that are in any way disorderly. Where early-sown crops
have evidently failed, sow again without complaining; seed costs but
little, and a good plant is the earnest of a good crop; a bad plant will
probably never pay the rent of the ground it occupies. Keen east winds
may cause immense damage, but a little protection provided in time will
do wonders to ward off their effects, and the sunny days that are now so
welcome, and that we are pretty sure to have, will afford opportunity
for giving air to plants in frames, for clearing away litter, and for
the regular routine work of the season.

Seed of almost every vegetable grown in the garden may be sown in the
month of March. Make successional sowings of whatever it may be
advisable to put under cover or on heat, and then proceed with
open-ground sowings as weather and circumstances permit. The weather is
the master of outdoor work, and it is sheer waste of time to fight
against it. It is better to wait to the end of the month, or even far
into the next, before sowing a seed than to sow on pasty ground. But it
matters not how dry the ground may be, and if the wind blows keenly,
that should only be an inducement to brisk action; for seeds well sown
have everything in their favour if they are not too early for the
district. Very important indeed it is now to secure a ==Hot-bed.==--To
make one is easy enough, but it is of no use to half make it; for
half-acres in this department do not bear good corn. In the first place,
secure a great bulk of manure, and if it is long and green, turn it two
or three times, taking care that it is always moderately moist, but
never actually wet. If the stuff is too dry, sprinkle with water at
every turn, and let it steam away to take the rankest fire out of it.
Then make it up where required in a square heap, allowing it to settle
in its own way without treading or beating. Put on a fo