MARCH.
To be done
In the Parterre, and Flower Garden.
Stake and binde up your weakest Plants and Flowers against the Windes, before they come too fiercely, and in a moment prostrate a whole year’s labour.
Plant Box, etc, in Parterres. Sow Pinks, Sweet Williams, and Carnations, from the middle to the end of this Moneth. Sow Pine kernels, Firr-seeds, Bays, Alatirnus, Phillyrea, and most perennial Greens, etc. Or you may stay till somewhat later in the Moneth. Sow Auricula seeds in pots or cases, in fine willow earth, a little loamy; and place what you sow’d in October now in the shade and water it.
Plant some Anemony roots to bear late, and successively: especially in, and about London, where the Smoak is anything tolerable; and if the Season be very dry, water them well once in two or three days. Fibrous roots may be transplanted about the middle of this Moneth; such as Hepatica’s, Primeroses, Auricula’s, Camomile, Hyacinth, Tuberose, Matricaria, Hellebor, and other Summer Flowers; and towards the end Convolvulus, Spanish or ordinary Jasmine.
Towards the middle or latter end of March sow on the Hot-bed such Plants as are late-bearing Flowers or Fruit in our Climate; as Balsamine, and Balsamummas, Pomum Onions, Datura, Aethispic Apples, some choice Amaranthmus, Dactyls, Geraniums, Hedysarum Clipeatum, Humble, and Sensitive Plants, Lenticus, Myrtleberries (steep’d awhile), Capsicum Indicum, Canna Indica, Flos Africanus, Mirabile Peruvian, Nasturtium Ind., Indian Phaseoli, Volubilis, Myrrh, Carrots, Manacoe, fine flos Passionis and the like rare and exotic plants which are brought us from hot countries.
Note.—That the Nasturtium Ind., African Marygolds, Volubilis and some others, will come (though not altogether so forwards) in the Cold-bed without Art. But the rest require much and constant heat, and therefore several Hot-beds, till the common earth be very warm by the advance of the Sun, to bring them to a due stature, and perfect their Seeds.
About the expiration of this Moneth carry into the shade such Auriculas, Seedlings or Plants as are for their choiceness reserv’d in Pots.
Transplant also Carnation seedlings, giving your layers fresh earth, and setting them in the shade for a week, then likewise cut off all the sick and infected leaves.