,illustration     ,,the ,,culture ,,of  
,,vegetables ,,and ,,flowers ,,from     
,,seeds ,,and ,,roots   ,,by  ,,sutton  
,,and ,,sons ,,reading  ,,sixteenth     
,,edition  ,,london  ,,simpkin1         
,,marshall1 ,,hamilton1 ,,kent  ,,co2   
,,ltd4  #aiba  ,all rights reserved     
,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode1          
,,ballantyne ,,and ,,co4 ,,ltd4         
,,london1 ,,colchester ,,and ,,eton     
,contents  ,,the ,,culture ,,of         
,,vegetables ,a ,,year',s ,,work ,,in   
,,the ,,vegetable ,,garden ,,january    
,,february ,,march ,,april ,,may ,,june 
,,july ,,august ,,september ,,october   
,,november ,,december ,,the ,,rotation  
,,of ,,crops ,,in ,,the ,,vegetable     
,,garden ,,the ,,chemistry ,,of ,,garden
 ,,crops ,,artificial ,,manures ,,and   
,,their ,,application ,,to ,,garden     
,,crops ,,the ,,culture ,,of ,,flowers  
,,from ,,seeds ,,the ,,culture ,,of     
,,flowering ,,bulbs ,,flowers ,,all     
,,the ,,year ,,round ,,from ,,seeds     
,,and ,,roots ,,the ,,pests ,,of        

,,garden ,,plants ,,the ,,fungus ,,pests
 ,,of ,,certain ,,garden ,,plants ,,the 
,,fungus ,,pests ,,of ,,certain         
,,flowers ,,index     ,,the ,,culture   
,,of ,,vegetables   ,horticulture has a 
full share in the progressive character 
of the age4 ,changes have been effected 
in the ,kitchen ,garden which are quite 
as remarkable as the altered methods of 
locomotion1 lighting and sanitation4    
,vegetables are grown in greater        
variety1 of higher quality1 and are sent
 to table both earlier and later in the 
season than was considered possible by  
gardeners of former generations4  ,when 
,parkinson directed his readers to      
prepare ,melons for eating by mixing    
with the pulp #8salt and pepper and good
 store of wine1' he must have been      
familiar with fruit differing widely    
from the superb varieties which are now 
in favour4 ,a kindred plant1 the        
,cucumber1 is more prolific than ever1  
and the fruits win admiration for their 
symmetrical form4  ,the ,tomato has     

ceased to be a summer luxury for the    
few1 and is now prized as a delicacy    
throughout the year by all classes of   
the community4  ,as a result of the     
hybridiser's skill modern ,potatoes     
produce heavier crops1 less liable to   
succumb to the attacks of disease1 than 
the old varieties1 and the finest table 
quality has been maintained4  ,peas are 
not what they were because they are so  
immensely better4 ,while the powers of  
the plant have been concentrated1 with  
the result that it occupies less room   
and occasions less trouble1 its         
productiveness has been augmented and   
the quality improved4 ,all the pulse    
tribe have shared in the advance1 and a 
comparison of any dozen or score of the 
favourite sorts of ,peas or ,beans grown
 to-day with the same number of         
favourites of half or even a quarter of 
a century since will at once prove that 
progress in horticulture is no dream of 
the enthusiast4  ,among the ,brassicas1 
such as ,broccoli1 ,brussels ,sprouts1  

,cabbage and ,cauliflower1 a series of  
remarkable examples might be mentioned2 
and roots such as ,beet1 ,carrot1       
,onion1 ,radish and ,turnip afford other
 striking instances of improvement4     
,salads also1 including ,celery1        
,chicory1 ,endive and ,lettuce1 have    
participated in the beneficial change   
and offer a large choice of dainties1   
adapted to various periods of the year4 
,indeed it may be truly said that none  
of the occupants of the vegetable garden
 have refused to be improved by         
scientific crossing and selection4  ,the
 vegetables which are available for     
daily use offer a wide and most         
interesting field to the expert in      
selecting and hybridising4 ,for past    
achievements we are indebted to the     
untiring labours of specialists1 and to 
their continued efforts we look for     
further results4 ,whether the future may
 have in store greater changes than have
 already been witnessed none can tell4  
,one thing only is certain1 that        

finality is unattainable1 and the       
knowledge of this fact adds to the charm
 of a fascinating pursuit4 ,happily1    
innovations are no longer received with 
the suspicion or hostility they formerly
 encountered4 ,in gardens conducted with
 a spirit of enterprise novelties are   
welcome and have an impartial trial4    
,the prudent gardener will regard these 
sowings as purely experimental1 made for
 the express purpose of ascertaining    
whether better crops can be secured in  
future years4 ,for his principal        
supplies he will rely on those varieties
 which experience has proved to be      
suitable for the soil and adapted to the
 requirements of the household he has to
 serve4 ,by growing the best of         
everything1 and growing everything well1
 not only is the finest produce insured 
in abundance1 but every year the garden 
presents new features of interest4  ,in 
considering the general order of work in
 the ,kitchen ,garden1 the first        
principle is that its productive powers 

shall be taxed to the utmost4 ,there    
need be no fallowing--no resting of the 
ground2 and if it should so happen that 
by hard cropping perplexity arises about
 the disposal of produce1 the proverbial
 three courses are open--to sell1 to    
give1 or to dig the stuff in as manure4 
,the last-named course will pay well1   
especially in the disposal of the       
remains of ,cabbage1 ,kale1 ,turnips1   
and other vegetables that have stood    
through the winter and occupy ground    
required for spring seeds4 ,bury them in
 trenches1 and sow ,peas1 ,beans1 c41   
over them1 and in due time full value   
will be obtained for the buried crops   
and the labour bestowed upon them4 ,but 
hard cropping implies abundant manuring 
and incessant stirring of the soil4 ,to 
take much off and put little on is like 
burning the candle at both ends1 or     
expecting the whip to be an efficient   
substitute for corn when the horse has  
extra work to do4 ,dig deep always3 if  
the soil be shallow it is advisable to  

turn the top spit in the usual manner1  
and break up the subsoil thoroughly for 
another twelve or fifteen inches4 ,where
 the soil is deep and the staple good1  
trench a piece every year two spits     
deep1 the autumn being the best time for
 this work1 because of the immense      
benefit which results from the exposure 
of newly turned soil to rain1 snow1     
frost1 and the rest of ,nature's great  
army of fertilising agencies4  ,in      
practical work there is nothing like    
method4 ,crop the ground systematically1
 as if an account of the procedure had  
to be laid before a committee of severe 
critics4 ,constantly forecast future    
work and the disposition of the ground  
for various crops1 keeping in mind the  
proportions they should bear to each    
other4 ,be particular to have a         
sufficiency of the flavouring and       
garnishing herbs always ready and near  
at hand4 ,these are sometimes wanted    
suddenly1 and in a well-ordered garden  
it should not be difficult to gather a  

tuft of ,parsley in the dark4 ,change   
crops from place to place1 so as to     
avoid growing the same things on the    
same plots in two successive seasons4   
,this rule1 though of great importance1 
cannot be strictly followed1 and may be 
disregarded to a certain extent where   
the land is constantly and heavily      
manured4 ,it is1 however1 of more       
consequence in connection with the      
,potato than with aught else1 and this  
valuable root should1 if possible1 be   
grown on a different plot every year1 so
 that it shall be three or four years in
 travelling round the garden4 ,lastly1  
sow everything in drills at the proper  
distances apart4 ,broadcasting is a     
slovenly mode of sowing1 and            
necessitates slovenly cultivation       
afterwards4 ,when crops are in drills   
they can be efficiently thinned1 weeded 
and hoed--in other words1 they can be   
cultivated4 ,but broadcasting pretty    
well excludes the cultivator from the   
land1 and can only be commended to the  

idle man1 who will be content with half 
a crop of poor quality1 while the land  
may be capable of producing a crop at   
once the heaviest and the best4  ,,globe
 ,,artichoke  ,cynara ,scolymus  ,the   
,globe ,artichoke is grown mainly for   
the sake of its flower-heads which make 
a delightful dish when cooked while     
immature4 ,the plant is easily raised   
from seed1 although not quite hardy in  
some districts4 ,it will grow on almost 
any soil1 but for the production of     
large fleshy heads1 deep rich ground is 
requisite4 ,the preparation of the soil 
should be liberal1 and apart from the   
use of animal manure the plant may be   
greatly aided by wood-ashes and seaweed1
 for it is partial to saline manures1   
its home being the sandy seashores of   
,northern ,africa4  ,the simplest       
routine of cultivation consists in      
sowing annually1 and allowing each      
plantation to stand to the close of the 
second season4 ,seed may be sown in     
,february in boxes of light soil1 or in 

the open ground in ,march or ,april4 ,in
 the former case1 put in the seeds one  
inch deep and four inches apart1 and    
start them in gentle heat4 ,grow on the 
seedlings steadily1 and thoroughly      
harden off preparatory to planting out  
at the end of ,april1 giving each a     
space of three to four feet apart each  
way4 ,under favourable conditions the   
plants from the ,february sowing will   
produce heads in the following ,august1 
,september1 and ,october4 ,in the second
 year1 the heads will be formed during  
,june and ,july4 ,this arrangement not  
only insures a supply of heads from     
,june to ,october1 but admits of a more 
effective rotation of crops in the      
garden4  ,sowings in the open ground    
should be made in ,march or ,april1 in  
drills one foot apart4 ,thin out the    
plants to six inches apart in the rows  
and allow them to stand until the       
following spring1 when they may be      
transplanted to permanent beds4  ,globe 
,artichokes may also be grown from      

suckers planted out in ,april when about
 nine inches high4 ,put them in rather  
deep1 tread in firmly1 and lay on any   
rough mulch that may be handy4 ,should  
the weather be dry they will require    
watering1 and during a hot dry spell    
water and liquid manure should be given 
freely to insure a good supply of large 
heads4 ,seedlings that are started well 
in a suitable bed take better care of   
themselves than do plants from suckers1 
especially in a dry season4 ,vigorous   
seedlings send down their roots to a    
great depth4  ,to advise on weeding and 
hoeing for the promotion of a clean and 
strong growth should be needless1       
because all crops require such          
attention4 ,but as to the production of 
large heads1 a few words of advice may  
be useful4 ,it is the practice with some
 growers to twist a piece of wire round 
the stem about three inches below the   
head4 ,this certainly does tend to      
increase the size1 but the same end may 
be accomplished by other means4 ,in the 

first place1 a rich deep bed and        
abundant supplies of water will         
encourage the growth of fine heads4     
,further aid in the same direction will 
be derived from the removal of all the  
lateral heads that appear when they are 
about as large as an egg4 ,up to this   
stage they do not tax the energies of   
the plants in any great degree2 but as  
the flowers are forming within them     
their demands increase rapidly4 ,their  
removal1 therefore1 has an immediate    
effect on the main heads1 and these     
attain to large dimensions without the  
aid of wire4 ,the small heads will be   
valued at many tables for eating raw1 as
 they are eaten in ,italy1 or cooked as 
#8artichauts frits4' ,the larger main   
heads are the best for serving boiled in
 the usual way4 ,after the heads are    
used the plants should be cut down4     
,chards are the blanched summer growth  
of ,globe ,artichokes1 and are by many  
preferred to blanched ,cardoons4 ,in the
 early part of ,july the plants selected

 for ,chards must be cut over about six 
inches above the ground4 ,in a few days 
after this operation they will need a   
copious watering1 which should be       
repeated weekly1 except when heavy rains
 occur4 ,by the end of ,september the   
plants will have made much growth and be
 ready for blanching4 ,draw them        
together1 put a band of hay or straw    
around them1 and earth them up1         
finishing the work neatly4 ,the         
blanching will take fully six weeks1    
during which time there will be but     
little growth made--hence the necessity 
for promoting free growth before        
earthing up4 ,any ,chards not used      
before winter sets in may be lifted and 
preserved by packing in sand in a dry   
shed4  ,the ,artichoke is hardy on dry  
soils when the winter is of only average
 severity4 ,but on retentive soils1     
which are most favourable to the        
production of fine heads1 a severe      
winter will destroy the plantations     
unless they have some kind of           

protection4 ,the usual course of        
procedure is to cut down the stems and  
large leaves without touching the       
smaller central leaves1 and1 when severe
 frost appears probable1 partially earth
 up the rows with soil taken from       
between2 this protection is strengthened
 by the addition of light dry litter    
loosely thrown over4 ,with the return of
 spring the litter is removed1 the earth
 is dug back1 and all the suckers but   
about three removed3 then a liberal     
dressing of manure is dug in1 care being
 taken to do as little injury to the    
plants above and below ground as        
possible4 ,at the end of five years a   
plantation will be quite worn out2 in   
somewhat poor soil it will be exhausted 
in three years4 ,but on any kind of soil
 the cultivation of this elegant        
vegetable is greatly simplified by      
sowing annually1 and allowing the plants
 to stand for two years only1 as already
 advised4  ,,jerusalem ,,artichoke      
,helianthus tuberosus  ,the ,jerusalem  

,artichoke is a member of the ,sunflower
 tribe1 quite hardy1 and productive of  
wholesome roots that are in favour with 
many as a delicacy1 and by others are   
regarded as worthless4 ,it is said that 
wise men learn to eat every good thing  
the earth produces1 and this root is a  
good thing when properly served2 but    
when cooked in the same way as a ,potato
 it certainly is a very poor vegetable  
indeed4 ,it is a matter of some         
interest1 however1 that in respect of   
nutritive value it is about equal to the
 ,potato2 therefore1 in growing it for  
domestic use nothing is lost in the way 
of food1 though it needs to be cooked in
 a different way4  ,the ,jerusalem      
,artichoke will grow anywhere2 indeed1  
it will often yield a profitable return 
on land which is unsuitable for any     
other crop1 but to insure a fine sample 
it requires a deep friable loam and an  
open situation4 ,we have grown immense  
crops on a strong deep clay1 but it is  
not a clay plant1 because it soon       

suffers from any excess of moisture4 ,to
 prepare the ground well for this crop  
is a matter of importance1 for it roots 
freely and makes an immense top-growth1 
reaching1 when very vigorous1 a height  
of ten or twelve feet4 ,trench and      
manure in autumn1 and leave the land    
rough for the winter4 ,plant in         
,february or ,march1 using whole or cut 
sets with about three eyes to each1 and 
put them in trenches six inches deep and
 three feet apart1 the sets being one   
foot apart in the trenches4 ,when the   
plants appear1 hoe the ground between1  
draw a little fine earth to the stems1  
and leave the rest to ,nature4 ,take up 
a portion of the crop in ,november and  
store in sand and dig the remainder when
 wanted1 as recommended in the case of  
,parsnips4 ,the tubers must be dug with 
a fork by opening trenches and cleaning 
out every scrap of the roots1 for       
whatever remains will grow and become   
troublesome in the following season4    
,,asparagus  ,asparagus officinalis     

,asparagus is a liliaceous plant of     
perennial duration1 and it demands more 
generous treatment than the majority of 
,kitchen ,garden crops4 ,under          
favourable conditions it improves with  
age to such an extent as to justify the 
best possible cultivation4 ,plantations 
that have stood and prospered for twenty
 or even thirty years are not uncommon1 
but a fair average term is ten years1   
after which it is generally advisable to
 break up a bed1 the precaution being   
first taken to secure a succession bed  
on fresh soil well prepared for the     
purpose4 ,plantations are made either by
 sowing seeds or from transplanted      
roots2 and although roots are extremely 
sensitive when moved1 success can1 as a 
rule1 be insured by special care and    
prompt action1 assuming that the proper 
time of year is chosen for the          
operation4 ,the advantage of using roots
 is the saving of time1 and in most     
gardens this is an important            
consideration4 ,fortunately roots may be

 planted almost as safely when two or   
three years old as at one year4         
,soil4--,asparagus will grow in any soil
 that is well cultivated2 a deep rich   
sandy loam being especially suitable4   
,calcareous soil is by no means         
unfavourable to ,asparagus2 still1 a    
sand rich in humus is not the less to be
 desired1 as the finest samples of      
,european growth are the produce of the 
districts around ,paris and ,brussels4  
,the ,london ,asparagus1 which is prized
 by many for its full flavour and       
tenderness1 is for the most part grown  
near at hand1 in deep alluvial soils    
enriched with abundance of manure4      
,nature gives us the key to every secret
 that concerns our happiness1 and on the
 cultivation of ,asparagus she is       
liberal in her teaching4 ,the plant is  
found growing wild on the sandy coasts  
of the ,british ,islands--a proof that  
it loves sand and salt4  ,preparation of
 ,ground4--,the routine cultivation must
 begin with a thorough preparation of   

the ground4 ,efficient drainage is      
imperative1 for stagnant water in the   
subsoil is fatal to the plant4 ,but a   
rich loam does not need the extravagant 
manuring that has been recommended and  
practised4 ,deep digging and1 where the 
subsoil is good1 trenching may be       
recommended1 but an average manuring    
will suffice1 because ,asparagus can be 
effectually aided by annual             
top-dressings1 and proper surface       
culture is of great importance in the   
subsequent stages4 ,it is necessary to  
choose an open spot for the plantation4 
,preparation of the ground should       
commence in the autumn and be continued 
through the winter1 a heavy dressing of 
half-rotten stable manure being put on  
in the first instance1 and trenched in  
two feet deep4 ,in the course of a month
 the whole piece should be trenched     
back4 ,if labour is at command a third  
trenching may be done with advantage1   
and the surface may be left ridged up   
until the time arrives to level it for  

seeding4 ,it will be obvious that this  
routine is of a somewhat costly         
character1 but we are supposing the     
plantation is to remain for many years1 
making an abundant return for the first 
investment4 ,still we are bound to say  
that a capital supply for a moderate    
table may be obtained by preparing a    
piece of good ground in an open         
situation in a quite ordinary manner    
with one deep digging in winter1 adding 
at the time some six inches or so of fat
 stable manure1 and leaving it thus     
until the time arrives for sowing the   
seed4 ,then it will be well to level    
down and point in1 half a spade deep1 a 
thin coat of decayed manure to make a   
nice kindly seed-bed4  ,where soil known
 to be unsuitable1 such as a damp clay  
or pasty loam1 has to be prepared for   
,asparagus1 it will be found an         
economical practice to remove the top   
spit1 which we will suppose to be turf  
or old cultivated soil1 and on the space
 so cleared make up a bed of the best   

possible materials at command4 ,towards 
this mixture there is the top spit just 
referred to4 ,add any available lime    
rubbish from destroyed buildings1 sand1 
peat1 leaf-mould1 surface soil raked    
from the rear of the shrubberies1 c41   
and the result should be a good compost 
obtained at an almost nominal cost4     
,size of ,bed1 and ,sowing ,seed4--,at  
this juncture several questions of      
considerable importance arise4 ,and     
first1 whether the crop shall be grown  
on the flat or in raised beds4 ,where   
the soil is sufficiently deep1 and the  
drainage perfect1 the flat system       
answers well4 ,the advantages of raised 
beds are that they deepen the soil1     
assist the drainage1 promote warmth1 and
 thus aid the growth of an early crop4  
,in fact1 raised beds render it possible
 to grow ,asparagus on soils from which 
this vegetable could not otherwise be   
obtained4 ,the preparation is the same  
in either case1 and therefore we shall  
make no further allusion to flat beds1  

but leave those to adopt them who find  
their soil and requirements suitable4   
,now comes the question of distance1 on 
which depends the width of the beds4    
,the first point may be settled by the  
measure of the plant1 and the second by 
the measure of the man4 ,monster sticks 
are valued at some tables1 and we shall 
refer to these later on1 but an abundant
 crop of handsome1 though not abnormal1 
,asparagus meets the requirements of    
most households4 ,after many            
experiments1 we have come to the        
conclusion that the best mode of        
insuring a full return of really good   
sticks1 with the least amount of labour1
 is to lay out the land in three-feet   
beds1 with two-feet alleys between4 ,in 
some instances1 no doubt1 five-feet     
beds1 containing three rows of roots1   
one down the middle and one on each side
 at a distance of eighteen inches1 are  
preferable4 ,for the majority of        
gardens1 however1 the three-feet bed is 
a distinct advantage1 were it only for  

the fact that all excuse for putting a  
foot on the bed is avoided4 ,on this    
narrow bed only two rows of plants will 
be necessary4 ,put down the line at nine
 inches from the edge on both sides1 and
 at intervals of fifteen inches in the  
rows dibble holes two inches deep1      
dropping two or three seeds in each4    
,this will give a distance between the  
rows of eighteen inches4 ,in very strong
 land1 heavily manured1 the holes may be
 eighteen inches apart instead of       
fifteen4 ,april is the right month for  
sowing4  ,thinning4--,when the #8grass' 
from seeds has grown about six inches   
high1 only the strongest plant must be  
left at each station1 and they should   
finally stand at a distance of fifteen  
or eighteen inches in the row4 ,much of 
the injury reported to follow from close
 planting has been the result of        
carelessness in thinning4 ,the young    
plant is such a slender1 delicate thing1
 that1 to the thoughtless operator1 it  
seems folly to thin down to one only4   

,the consequence is that two or three1  
or perhaps half a dozen1 plants are left
 at each station to #8fight it out1' and
 these become so intermixed as to appear
 to be one1 though really many1 and of  
course amongst them they produce more   
shoots than can be fed properly by the  
limited range of their roots4 ,severe1  
or may we say mathematical1 thinning is 
a sine qu non1 and it requires sharp    
eyes and careful fingers2 but it must be
 done if the ,asparagus beds are to     
become1 as they should be1 the pride of 
the ,kitchen ,garden4  ,blanching4--,the
 grave question of white versus green   
,asparagus we cannot entertain1 except  
so far as concerns the cultivator only4 
,on the point of taste1 therefore1 we   
say nothing2 and it is a mere matter of 
management whether the sticks are       
blanched to the very tip1 or allowed to 
become green for some few inches4       
,blanching is effected in various ways4 
,the heaping up of soft soil1 such as   
leaf-mould1 will accomplish it4 ,on the 

,continent many contrivances are        
resorted to1 such as covering the heads 
with wooden or earthen pipes4 ,in a few 
districts in ,france champagne-bottles  
with the bottoms cut away are employed4 
,but a strong growth being secured1 the 
cultivator will find it an easy matter  
to regulate the degree of colour        
according to the requirements of the    
table he has to serve4 ,as a rule1 a    
moderately stout growth1 with a fair    
show of purple colour1 is everywhere    
appreciated1 and is the easiest to      
produce1 because the most natural4      
,there is1 however1 an interesting point
 in connection with the production of   
green ,asparagus1 and it is that if     
wintry weather prevails when the heads  
are rising 7as unfortunately is often   
the case7 the tender green tops may be  
melted by frost and become worthless1 or
 may be rendered so tough as to place   
the quality below that of blanched      
,asparagus2 for the blanching is also a 
protective process1 and quickly grown   

white ,asparagus is often more tender   
and tasty than that which is green1 but 
has been grown slowly4 ,as the season   
advances and the heads rise rapidly the 
green ,asparagus acquires its proper    
flavour and tenderness1 and thus        
practical considerations should more or 
less influence final decisions on       
matters of taste4 ,the business of the  
cultivator is to produce the kind of    
growth that is required1 whether white  
or green1 or of a quality intermediate  
between the two4 ,this is easily done1  
making allowance for conditions4 ,when  
green ,asparagus is alone in demand1 the
 cultivator may be advised to have in   
readiness1 as the heads are making their
 first show1 a sufficient supply of some
 rough and cheap protecting material1   
such as grass and coarse weeds1 cut with
 a sickle from odd corners of the       
shrubbery and meadow land1 or clean hay 
and straw perfectly free from mildew2   
but for obvious reasons stable litter   
should not be used4 ,a very light       

sprinkling of material over an          
,asparagus bed that is making a first   
show of produce will ward off the       
morning frosts1 and amply compensate for
 the little trouble in saving many      
tender green sticks that the frosts     
would melt to a jelly and render        
worthless4 ,after the second or third   
week in ,may the litter may be removed  
if needful2 but if appearances are of   
secondary importance1 it may be left to 
shrink away on the spot4                
,cutting4--,asparagus as supplied by    
market growers is needlessly long in the
 stem4 ,the bundles have an imposing    
appearance1 no doubt1 but the useless   
length adds nothing to the comfort of   
those at table1 and is a wasteful tax on
 the energy of the plant4 ,for home     
consumption it will generally suffice if
 the white portion is about four inches 
long1 and this determines the depth at  
which the sticks should be cut4 ,here it
 may be useful to remark that deeply    
buried roots do not thrive so well as   

those which are nearer the surface1 nor 
do they produce such early crops4 ,the  
sticks are usually cut by thrusting down
 a stiff narrow-pointed knife1 or       
specially made saw1 close to each shoot2
 and it is necessary to do this with    
judgment1 or adjacent shoots1 which are 
not sufficiently advanced to reveal     
their presence by lifting the soil1 may 
be damaged4 ,to avoid this risk of      
injury by the knife it is possible from 
some beds to obtain the sticks without  
the aid of any implement by a twist and 
pull combined1 but the process needs a  
dexterous hand and is impracticable in  
tenacious soils4 ,the sticks of a       
handsome sample will be white four or   
five inches of their length2 the tops   
close1 plump1 of a purplish-green       
colour1 and the colour extending two or 
at most three inches down the stems4    
,both size and degree of colouring are1 
however1 so entirely questions of taste 
that no definite rule can be stated4 ,it
 is more to the purpose to say that1 if 

liberally grown1 the plant may be cut   
from in the third year2 and that cutting
 should cease about the middle of ,june1
 or early in ,july1 according to the    
district4 ,for the good of the plant the
 sooner cutting ceases the better1 as   
the next year's buds have to be formed  
in the roots by the aid of the          
top-growth of the current season4       
,weeding and ,staking4--,two other      
points relating to the general          
management are worthy of attention4     
,some crops get on fairly well when     
neglected and crowded with weeds4 ,not  
so with ,asparagus4 ,the plant appears  
to have been designed to enjoy life in  
solitude1 being unfit for competition2  
and if weeds make way in an ,asparagus  
bed1 the cultivator will pay a heavy    
penalty for his neglect of duty4 ,the   
limitation of the beds to a width of    
three feet1 therefore1 is of            
consequence1 because it facilitates     
weeding without putting a foot on them4 
,the other point arises out of the      

necessity of affording support to the   
frail plant in places where it may      
happen to be exposed to wind4 ,when     
,asparagus in high summer is rudely     
shaken1 the stems snap off at the base1 
and the roots lose the service of the   
top-growth in maturing buds for the next
 season4 ,to prevent this injury is easy
 enough1 but the precautions must be    
adopted in good time4 ,a free use of    
light1 feathery stakes1 such as are     
employed for the support of ,peas1      
thrust in firmly all over the bed1 will 
insure all needful support when gales   
are blowing4 ,in the absence of         
pea-sticks1 stout stakes1 placed at     
suitable distances and connected with   
lengths of thick tarred twine1 will     
answer equally well4 ,in sheltered      
gardens the protection of the young     
growth with litter1 and of the mature   
growth with stakes1 need not be resorted
 to1 but in exposed situations these    
precautions should not be neglected4    
,manuring ,permanent ,beds4--,the       

management of ,asparagus includes a     
careful clean-up of the beds in autumn4 
,the plants should not be cut down until
 they change colour2 then all the       
top-growth may be cleared away and the  
surface raked clean4 ,give the beds a   
liberal dressing of half-decayed manure1
 and carefully touch up the sides to    
make them neat and tidy4 ,it is usual at
 the same time to dig and manure the    
alleys1 but this practice we object to  
in toto1 because it tends directly to   
the production of lean sticks where fat 
ones are possible2 for the roots run    
freely in the alleys1 and to dig is to  
destroy them4 ,in the spring clear the  
beds of the autumn dressing by raking   
any remnant of manure into the alleys1  
and the beds and the alleys should then 
be carefully pricked over with a fork   
two or three inches deep only1 and with 
great care not to wound any roots4  ,the
 application of salt requires judgment4 
,for a time it renders the bed cold1 and
 when followed by snow the two combine  

to make a freezing mixture which arrests
 the growth of established plants4 ,on a
 newly made bed salt is unnecessary1 and
 may prove destructive to the roots4    
,the proper time for applying salt must 
be determined by the district and the   
character of the season2 but in no case 
should the mineral be used until active 
growth has commenced1 although it is not
 needful to wait until the growth is    
visible above the surface4 ,in the      
southern counties a suitable opportunity
 may generally be found from the        
beginning to the middle of ,april4      
,second and third dressings may follow  
at intervals of three weeks1 which not  
only stimulate the roots but keep down  
weeds4  ,planting ,roots4--,in many     
gardens where there is space for two or 
three beds only there will be the very  
natural desire to secure ,asparagus in a
 shorter time than is possible from     
seed1 and we therefore proceed to       
indicate the best method of planting    
roots4 ,asparagus roots do not take     

kindly to removal1 especially old and   
established plants4 ,the mere drying of 
the roots by exposure to the atmosphere 
is distinctly injurious to them4 ,they  
will travel safely a long distance when 
well packed1 but the critical time is   
between the unpacking and getting them  
safely into their final home4           
,everything should be made ready for the
 transfer before the package is opened1 
and the actual task of planting should  
be accomplished in the shortest time    
possible4  ,a three-feet bed should be  
prepared by taking out the soil in such 
a manner as to leave two ridges for the 
roots4 ,the space between ridges to be  
eighteen inches1 and the tops of the    
ridges to be so far below the level of  
the bed that when the soil is returned1 
and the bed made to its normal level1   
the crowns will be about five inches    
beneath the surface4 ,this may be       
understood from the following           
illustration of a section cut across the
 bed4  ,illustration3 bedlayout  ,a1 ,a 

represent the alleys between the beds1  
and ,b the top of one bed4 ,the dotted  
lines show the ridges on which the roots
 are to rest at ,c1 ,c4 ,when the bed is
 ready1 open the package and place the  
,asparagus on the ridges at fifteen or  
eighteen inches apart1 allowing about   
half the roots of each plant to fall    
down on either side of the ridge4 ,as a 
rule it will be wise to have two pairs  
of hands engaged in the task4 ,the soil 
should be filled in expeditiously1 and a
 finishing touch be given to the bed4   
,very rarely will it be safe to         
transplant ,asparagus until the end of  
,march or beginning of ,april1 for      
although established roots will pass    
unharmed through a very severe winter1  
those which have recently been removed  
are often killed outright by a          
lengthened period of cold wet weather1  
and especially by thawed snow followed  
by frost4  ,giant ,asparagus4--,some of 
the most critical judges of ,asparagus  
in the country are extremely partial to 

giant sticks4 ,their preference is not  
based on mere superiority in size1 but  
on the special flavour which is the     
peculiar merit of these extra-large     
,asparagus when they are properly grown4
 ,although there is no difficulty       
whatever in producing them1 it must be  
admitted that to insure specimens       
weighing nearly or quite half a pound1  
plenty of space must be allowed for the 
full development of each plant and a    
prodigal use of manure is imperative4   
,where drainage is effectual1 the soil  
of any well-tilled garden can be made   
suitable4 ,the roots may be grown in    
clumps or in rows4 ,clumps are planted  
in triangular form1 two feet being      
allowed between the three plants of each
 group1 with a distance of five feet    
between the groups4 ,the more usual     
method1 however1 is to plant in rows4   
,in both cases the cultural details are 
almost identical1 and to obtain the     
finest results it is wise to get the    
preparatory work done at convenient     

times in advance of the planting season4
 ,assuming that rows are decided on1    
commence operations by digging a broad  
deep trench1 throwing out the soil to   
the right and left to form sloping sides
 until there is a perpendicular depth of
 twenty-seven inches from the top of the
 ridge4 ,about one foot of prepared soil
 should be placed in the bottom of the  
trench4 ,this may be composed of such   
material as the trimmings of hedges1    
sweepings of shrubberies1 twigs from a  
faggot pile1 wood ashes and leaf-mould4 
,the constituents must to some extent   
depend on the materials at command4     
,what is wanted is a light compost1     
consisting almost wholly of vegetable   
matter in a more or less advanced state 
of decomposition4 ,add three or four    
inches of rich loam1 and on this1 at the
 beginning of ,april1 plant strong      
one-year roots of a robust-growing      
variety4 ,between the plants it is      
customary to allow a space of at least  
two feet1 and some growers put them a   

full yard apart4 ,cover the crowns with 
three inches of rich soil1 previously   
mixed with manure and laid up for the   
purpose4 ,the second and following rows 
are to be treated in the same way1 and  
the work must be so managed that an     
equal distance of four and a half or    
five feet is left between the rows4     
,when the foliage dies down in autumn1 a
 layer of fertile loam mixed with rotten
 manure should be spread over the       
surface4 ,in the succeeding spring      
remove just the top crust of soil and   
give a thick dressing of decayed manure 
alone1 upon which the soil can be       
restored4 ,during the autumn of the     
second year the furrow must be filled   
with horse manure for the winter4       
,remove this manure in ,march1 and      
substitute good loam containing a       
liberal admixture of decayed manure     
previously incorporated with the soil4  
,the slight ridges that remain can then 
be levelled down4 ,by this treatment    
large handsome sticks of ,asparagus may 

be cut in the third year4 ,to maintain  
the plants in a high state of           
efficiency1 it must be clearly          
understood that forcing with horse      
manure will be necessary every          
subsequent year4 ,blanching may be      
carried out by any of the usual methods1
 and ,sea ,kale pots are both convenient
 and effectual4 ,not a weed should be   
visible on the beds at any time4        
,forcing is variously practised1 and the
 best possible system1 doubtless1 is to 
force in the beds1 and thereby train the
 plants to their work so that they      
become used to it4 ,the growers who     
supply ,paris with forced ,asparagus    
produce the white sample in the beds1   
and the green by removal of the roots to
 frames4 ,forcing in beds may be        
accomplished by means of trenches filled
 with fermenting material or by         
hot-water pipes1 the beds in either case
 being covered with frames4 ,where the  
demand for forced ,asparagus is         
constant1 there can be no doubt the     

hot-water system is the cheapest as well
 as the cleanest and most reliable2 for 
a casual supply forcing in frames       
answers very well1 but it is attended   
with the disadvantage that when the crop
 has been secured the roots are         
worthless4 ,the practice of forcing may 
be said to commence with the formation  
of the seed-bed1 for if it is to be     
carried on in a systematic and          
profitable manner1 every detail must be 
provided for in the original            
arrangements4 ,the width of the beds and
 of the alleys1 and the disposition of  
the plants1 will have to be carefully   
considered1 so as to insure the best    
results of a costly procedure1 and it   
will be waste of time to begin forcing  
until the plants have attained their    
fourth year4 ,the rough method of market
 growers consists in the employment of  
hot manure in trenches1 and also on the 
beds1 after the frames are put on4 ,the 
beds are usually four feet wide1 the    
alleys two feet wide and twenty inches  

deep1 and the plants not more than nine 
inches apart in the row1 there being    
three or four rows of plants in the bed4
 ,the frames are put on when forcing    
commences1 but the lights are withheld  
until the shoots begin to appear4 ,then 
the fermenting material is removed from 
the beds1 the lights are put on1 and no 
air is given1 mats being added in cold  
weather1 both to retain warmth and      
promote blanching4 ,this method produces
 a fair market sample1 but a much better
 growth may be obtained by a good       
hot-water system1 as will be understood 
from a momentary consideration of       
details4 ,by the employment of          
fermenting material the temperature runs
 up rapidly1 sometimes extravagantly1 so
 that it is no uncommon event for the   
growth to commence at #gj to #hj ,fahr41
 which may produce a handsome sample1   
but it will be flavourless4 ,the        
hot-water system allows of perfect      
control1 and the prudent grower will    
begin at #ej1 rise slowly to #fj1 and   

take care not to exceed #fe2 the result 
will be a sample full of flavour1 with a
 finer appearance than the best         
obtainable by the rougher method4       
,forcing in frames is systematically    
practised in many gardens1 and as it    
exhausts the roots there must be a      
corresponding production of roots for   
the purpose4 ,the first requisite is a  
good lasting hotbed1 covered with about 
four inches of light soil of any kind1  
but preferably leaf-mould4 ,the roots   
are carefully lifted and planted as     
closely as possible on this bed1 and    
covered with fine soil to a depth of six
 inches4 ,the sashes are then put on and
 kept close2 but a little air may be    
given as the heads rise1 to promote     
colour and flavour4 ,the heat will      
generally run to #gj1 and that figure   
should be the maximum allowed4          
,experienced growers prefer to force at 
#fj or #fe1 and to take a little more   
time for the advantage of a finer       
sample4  ,,broad ,,bean  ,faba vulgaris 

,the ,broad ,bean is a thrifty plant1 as
 hardy as any in the garden1 and very   
accommodating as to soil4 ,it is quite  
at home on heavy land1 but in common    
with nearly all other vegetables it     
thrives on a deep sandy loam4           
,considering the productive nature of   
the plant and its comparatively brief   
occupation of the ground1 the common    
,bean must be regarded as one of our    
most profitable garden crops4 ,both the 
,longpod and ,windsor classes should be 
grown4 ,for general work the ,longpods  
are invaluable2 they are early1         
thoroughly hardy1 produce heavy crops1  
and in appearance and flavour satisfy   
the world at large1 as may be proved by 
appeal to the markets4 ,the ,windsor    
,beans are especially prized for their  
superior quality1 being tender1 full of 
flavour1 and1 if well managed1 most     
tempting in colour when put upon the    
table4  ,for early crops the ,longpods  
claim attention1 and sowings may be made
 towards the end of ,october or during  

,november on a dry soil in a warm       
situation1 sheltered from the north4    
,choose a dry day for the operation4 ,on
 no account should the attempt be made  
while the soil conditions are           
unfavourable1 even if the sowing is     
thereby deferred for some time4 ,the    
distance must depend upon the sorts1 but
 two feet will answer generally as the  
distance between the double rows2 the   
two lines forming the double rows may be
 nine inches apart1 and the seed two    
inches deep4 ,on strong ground a        
distance of three feet can be allowed   
between the double rows1 but it is not  
well to give overmuch space1 because the
 plants protect each other somewhat1 and
 earliness of production is the matter  
of chief moment4 ,thoroughly consolidate
 the soil to encourage sturdy hard      
growth which will successfully withstand
 the excessive moisture and cold of     
winter4 ,it is an excellent practice to 
prepare a piece of good ground sloping  
to the south1 and on this to make a     

plantation in ,february of plants       
carefully lifted from the seed rows1    
wherever they can be spared as proper   
thinnings4 ,these should be put in      
double rows1 three feet apart4 ,if      
transplanted with care they will receive
 but a slight check1 and will give a    
successional supply4  ,main             
,crops4--,another sowing may be made    
towards the end of ,january1 but for the
 main crop wait until ,february or      
,march4 ,for succession crops sowings   
may be made until mid-,april1 after     
which time there is risk of failure1    
especially on hot soils4 ,a strong soil 
is suitable1 and generally speaking a   
heavy crop of ,beans may be taken from a
 well-managed clay4 ,but any deep cool  
soil will answer1 and where there is a  
regular demand for ,beans the cultivator
 may be advised to grow both ,longpods  
and ,windsors--the first for earliness  
and bulk1 the second for quality4 ,the  
double rows of maincrop ,beans should be
 fully three feet apart1 and the plants 

quite nine inches apart in the rows4    
,the preparation of the seed-bed must be
 of a generous nature4 ,where grass land
 or land of questionable quality is     
broken up and trenched1 it will be      
tolerably safe to crop it with ,beans as
 a first start2 and to prepare it for   
the crop a good body of fat stable      
manure should be laid in between the    
first and second spits1 as this will    
carry the crop through1 while insuring  
to the subsoil that has been brought up 
a time of seasoning with the least risk 
of any consequent loss4  ,there is not  
much more to be said about growing      
,beans2 the ground must be kept clean1  
and the hoe will have its work here as  
elsewhere4 ,the pinching out of the tops
 as soon as there is a fair show of     
blossom is a good plan1 whether fly is  
visible or not1 and it is also advisable
 to root out all plants as fast as they 
finish their work1 for if left they     
throw up suckers and exhaust the soil4  
,the gathering of the crop is often so  

carelessly performed that the supply is 
suddenly arrested4  ,sowings under      
,glass4--,in an emergency1 ,beans may be
 started in pots in the greenhouse1 or  
on turf sods in frames for planting out1
 in precisely the same way as ,peas for 
early crops4 ,this practice is          
convenient in cases where heavy         
water-logged ground precludes outdoor   
sowing in autumn and early spring4 ,in  
all such cases care must be taken that  
the forcing is of the most moderate     
character1 or the crop will be poor and 
late1 instead of being plentiful and    
early4 ,when pushed on under glass for  
planting out1 the young stock must have 
as much light and air as possible       
consistent with safety1 and a slow      
healthy growth will better answer the   
purpose than a rapid growth producing   
long legs and pale leaves1 because the  
physique of infancy determines in a     
great degree that of maturity1 not less 
in plants than in animals4  ,,dwarf     
,,french ,,bean  ,phaseolus vulgaris    

,among summer vegetables ,dwarf ,french 
,beans are deservedly in high favour1   
and are everywhere sown at the earliest 
moment consistent with reasonable       
expectations of their safety4 ,this     
early sowing is altogether laudable1 for
 although it occasionally entails the   
loss of a plantation1 the aggregate     
result is advantageous1 and a very      
little protection suffices to carry the 
early plant through the late spring     
frosts4 ,but those who supply our tables
 with green delicacies do not all       
recognise the importance of late sowings
 of ,dwarf ,beans4 ,here1 again1 a risk 
must be incurred1 but the cost is       
trifling1 and when the summer is        
prolonged to ,october the late-sown     
,beans are highly prized4 ,even if they 
produce plentifully through ,september  
there is a great point gained1 but that 
cannot be secured from the earliest     
sowings2 it is impossible4 ,after ,july 
it is useless to sow ,beans1 but where  
the demand is constant1 two or three    

sowings may be made in this month1      
choosing the most sheltered nooks that  
can be found for them4 ,for late sowings
 the earliest sorts should have         
preference4  ,dwarf ,beans for main     
crops require a good though somewhat    
light soil2 but any fairly productive   
loam will answer the purpose1 and the   
crop will yield an ample return for such
 reasonable digging and dressing as a   
careful cultivator will not fail to     
bestow4 ,at the same time1 it is a      
matter of some practical importance that
 the poorest land ever put under tillage
 will1 in an average season1 yield      
serviceable crops of these legumes1 and 
on a rich soil of some depth the ,dwarf 
,bean will endure summer drought better 
than any other crop in the ,kitchen     
,garden4 ,earliness of production is of 
the highest importance up to a certain  
point2 but an early crop being provided 
for1 abundance of production next claims
 consideration1 the heaviest bearers    
being of course best adapted for        

main-crop sowing4 ,as regards the sowing
 and general culture1 it is too often   
true that ,dwarf ,beans are crowded     
injuriously1 even in gardens that are   
usually well managed4 ,nothing is gained
 by crowding4 ,on the contrary1 loss    
always ensues when the individual plant1
 through deficiency of space1 is        
hindered in its full development4  ,for 
early crops which are eventually to come
 to maturity in the open ground1 the    
first sowings may be made in the month  
of ,april1 either in boxes in a gentle  
heat1 or better still in a frame on a   
sunny border without artificial heat4   
,in districts where frost frequently    
prevails in ,may1 and on heavy soils    
where early sowings outdoors are        
impracticable in a wet spring1 the      
forwarding of plants under glass is very
 desirable1 but the actual date for     
sowing must depend on local conditions4 
,the tender growth that is produced by a
 forcing process is not well adapted for
 planting out in ,may2 but a plant      

produced slowly1 with plenty of light   
and air1 will be stout and strong1 and  
if put out with care as soon as mild    
weather occurs in ,may1 will make good  
progress and yield an early crop4 ,the  
seed for this purpose should be sown in 
rather light turfy soil1 as the plants  
may then be lifted without injury to    
their fleshy roots4 ,careful treatment  
will be desirable for some time after   
they are planted1 such as protection    
from sun and frost1 and watering1 if    
necessary1 although the less watering   
the better1 provided the plants can hold
 their ground4 ,the plot to which these 
early sowings are to be transplanted    
should be light and rich1 and lying     
towards the sun2 open the lines with the
 spade or hoe in preference to using the
 dibber1 and as fast as the roots are   
dropped into their places with their    
balls of earth unbroken1 carefully      
restore the fine soil from the surface4 
,rough handling will seriously interfere
 with the ultimate result1 but ordinary 

care will insure abundant gatherings of 
first-class produce at a time when there
 are but few in the market4 ,on dry     
soils a small sowing may be made about  
the second week of ,april on a sheltered
 south border4 ,sow in double rows six  
inches apart1 and allow a distance of   
two feet between the double rows4 ,when 
the seedlings appear give protection if 
necessary1 and in due course thin the   
plants to six inches apart in the rows4 
,main crops are sown from the last week 
in ,april to the middle of ,june4 ,the  
distance for the rows may be from one   
and a half to two feet apart1 according 
to the vigour of the variety1 the       
strongest growers requiring fully two   
feet1 and the distance between the      
plants may be eight to twelve inches2   
therefore it is well to sow the seed two
 to three inches apart1 and thin out as 
soon as the rough leaves appear4 ,the   
ground being in fairly good condition1  
it will only be necessary to chop over  
the surface1 if at all lumpy1 and with  

the hoe draw drills about two inches    
deep1 which is far better than dibbling1
 except on very light soil1 when        
dibbling about three inches deep is     
quite allowable4 ,generally speaking1 if
 the plot be kept clean1 the ,beans will
 take care of themselves2 but in        
droughty weather a heavy watering now   
and then will be visibly beneficial1 for
 although the plant bears drought well1 
it is like other good things in         
requiring something to live upon4 ,in   
exposed situations and where storms are 
prevalent1 it is an excellent practice  
to support the plants with bushy twigs4 
,late ,crops4--,to extend the outdoor   
supply sowings may be made early in     
,july4 ,when the ground has become dry  
and hard1 it is advisable to soak the   
seed in water for five or six hours2 the
 drills should also be watered1 and1 if 
possible1 the ground should be covered  
with rotten dung1 spent hops1 or some   
other mulchy stuff to promote and       
sustain vegetation4  ,the gathering of  

the crop should be a matter of          
discipline4 ,where it is done           
carelessly1 there will very soon be none
 to gather1 for the swelling of a few   
seeds in neglected pods will cause the  
plants to cease bearing4 ,therefore all 
the ,beans should be gathered when of a 
proper size1 whether they are wanted or 
not2 this is the only way to insure a   
long-continued supply of good quality   
both as to colour and tenderness4       
,autumn1 ,winter and ,spring            
,supplies4--,by successional sowings    
under glass a continuous supply of      
,beans may be obtained through autumn1  
winter1 and spring4 ,the earliest       
sowings should be made at fortnightly   
intervals1 from mid-,july to            
mid-,september1 in cold frames filled   
with well-manured soil4 ,put in the     
seeds two inches deep and six inches    
apart1 in rows one foot apart4 ,water   
copiously during the hot months and give
 protection when the nights become cold4
 ,after mid-,september crops of         

dwarf-growing varieties should be raised
 in heated pits1 or in pots placed in a 
warm temperature4 ,in pits the beds     
should be one foot deep1 the drills one 
foot apart1 and the plants six inches   
asunder in the rows4 ,when pots are used
 the ten-inch size will be found most   
convenient4 ,only three-parts fill the  
pots with a good compost1 and insure    
perfect drainage4 ,place eight or nine  
beans one and a half inches deep in each
 pot1 eventually reducing the number of 
plants to five4 ,as the plants progress 
soil may be added to within an inch and 
a half of the rims4 ,air-giving and     
watering will need careful management1  
for the most robust growth possible is  
required1 but there must be no chill1   
and any excess of either moisture or    
dryness will be immediately injurious4  
,when a few pods are formed feed the    
plants with alternate applications of   
soot water and liquid manure1 commencing
 with highly diluted doses4 ,thoroughly 
syringe the plants twice daily to combat

 ,red ,spider4 ,at night a temperature  
of from #ee to #fj must be maintained4  
,in mid-,february sowings may be made in
 frames in which six inches of fertile  
soil has been placed over a good layer  
of litter or leaves4 ,from these sowings
 heavy crops may be secured in spring   
and early summer before the outdoor     
supplies are ready4  ,flageolets is the 
name given to the seeds of certain types
 of ,dwarf and ,climbing ,beans when    
used in a state intermediate between the
 green pods 7,haricots verts7 and the   
fully ripe seeds 7,haricots secs71 and  
they are strongly to be recommended for 
culinary purposes4 ,the use of ,bean    
seeds as ,flageolets1 although so little
 known in this country1 is very largely 
practised abroad1 and in the vegetable  
markets of many ,french towns the       
shelling of the beans from the semi-ripe
 pods by women1 in readiness for cooking
 in the manner of green peas1 is a very 
familiar sight4 ,the seeds of almost all
 varieties are suitable for use in this 

way1 irrespective of colour1 as this is 
not developed as would be the case if   
the seeds were quite ripe4  ,,climbing  
,,french ,,bean  ,the ,climbing ,french 
,bean has all the merits of the ,dwarf  
,french ,bean1 and the climbing habit   
not only extends the period of bearing  
but results in a yield such as cannot be
 obtained from the most prolific strains
 in the ,dwarf section4 ,although the   
modern ,climbing ,bean is less vigorous 
in growth than the ordinary ,runner1 the
 former may generally be had in bearing 
before the most forward crop of ,runners
 is ready4 ,for an early supply out of  
doors seed should be sown under glass in
 ,april1 in the manner advised for early
 crops of the ,dwarf class4 ,gradually  
harden off the plants and transfer to   
permanent quarters on the first         
favourable opportunity4 ,in the open    
ground successive sowings may be made   
from the end of ,april to ,june4 ,the   
outdoor culture of ,climbing ,french    
,beans is practically the same as for   

the ,dwarf varieties1 except that the   
former are usually grown in double rows 
about four to five feet apart4 ,allow   
the plants to stand finally at nine to  
twelve inches each way1 and support them
 with bushy sticks such as are used for 
,peas1 for ,climbing ,beans will run far
 more readily on these than on single   
sticks4  ,the ,climbing ,french ,bean is
 especially useful for producing crops  
under glass in spring and autumn1 and   
the plants do well when grown in narrow 
borders with the vines trained close to 
the roof-glass by means of wire or      
string to which the growth readily      
clings4 ,the general treatment may be   
much the same as that recommended for   
the ,dwarf varieties1 special care being
 taken with regard to watering and the  
giving of air4 ,during the autumn months
 atmospheric moisture must be cautiously
 regulated or much of the foliage will  
damp off1 while in spring a humid       
atmosphere should be maintained and     
systematic watering practised4          

,cucumber1 ,melon1 and ,tomato beds from
 which the crops have been cleared may  
often be used to advantage for raising a
 crop of ,climbing ,beans1 and generally
 these beds are in excellent condition  
for the plants without the addition of  
manure4  ,,haricot ,,bean  ,although in 
,france the term ,haricot is given to   
all types of ,beans1 except those of the
 ,english ,broad ,bean1 in this country 
the word ,haricot is generally applied  
only to the dried seeds of certain      
,dwarf and ,climbing ,beans1 notably    
those which are white4 ,almost any      
variety1 however1 may be used as        
,haricots1 but the most popular are     
those which produce self-coloured seeds1
 such as white1 green1 and the various  
shades of brown4 ,seed should be sown   
early in ,may and the plants treated as 
advised for ,french ,beans4 ,the pods   
should not be removed from the plants   
until the seeds are thoroughly ripe4 ,if
 ripening cannot be completed in the    
open1 pull up the plants and hang them  

in a shed until the seeds are quite dry4
  ,,runner ,,bean  ,phaseolus           
multiflorus  ,runner beans need generous
 cultivation and will amply repay for   
the most liberal treatment4 ,the main   
point to be borne in mind is that the   
plant possesses the most extensive      
root-system of any garden vegetable4    
,deep digging and liberal manuring are  
therefore essential where the production
 of the finest crops is aimed at4 ,if   
possible the whole of the ground to be  
allotted to ,runners should be deeply   
tilled and well manured in autumn or    
winter4 ,but where this is inconvenient1
 trenching must be carried out in ,march
 or early ,april4 ,remove the soil to a 
depth of two feet1 and the trench may be
 two feet wide for a double row of      
,beans4 ,thoroughly break up the        
subsoil1 half-fill the trench with      
well-rotted manure1 and restore the     
surface soil to within a few inches of  
the level4  ,time of ,sowing4--,it is   
seldom advisable to sow ,runners in the 

open before the month of ,may is fairly 
in1 for they are less hardy than ,dwarf 
,beans1 but as late supplies are        
everywhere valued it is important to sow
 again in ,june4 ,of course these late  
crops are subject to the caprices of    
autumnal weather1 although they often   
continue in bearing until quite late in 
the season4 ,in districts where spring  
frosts are destructive1 and on cold     
soils or in very exposed situations1    
plants may be raised in boxes for       
transferring to the open ground1 as     
advised for ,dwarf ,beans1 but in the   
case of ,runners allow a space of three 
inches between the seeds4  ,distances   
for ,rows1 c4--,frequently the rows of  
,runner ,beans are injuriously close1   
and the total crop is thereby           
diminished4 ,on deep1 well-prepared     
soils1 single rows generally prove most 
productive1 and they should be not less 
than five feet apart4 ,but where the    
soil is shallow and generous preparation
 is not possible1 and in wind-swept     

positions1 double rows1 set nine inches 
apart1 are more satisfactory4 ,between  
the double rows allow a space of from   
six to eight feet1 on which             
,cauliflower1 ,lettuce1 or other        
small-growing subjects may be planted   
out4 ,two inches is the proper depth for
 putting in the seed1 and it is a wise  
policy to sow liberally and eventually  
to thin the plants to a distance of from
 nine to twelve inches apart in the     
rows4  ,staking4--,it will always pay to
 give support by stakes1 but where these
 are not available wire netting or      
strands of stout string make efficient  
substitutes4 ,immediately the plants are
 a few inches high1 insert the sticks on
 either side of the rows and tie them   
firmly to the horizontal stakes placed  
in the fork near to the top4 ,the means 
of support should be decided upon and   
erected in advance of planting out      
,runners which have been raised in      
boxes1 thus avoiding any risk of injury 
to the roots4  ,but ,runners make a good

 return when kept low by topping1 and   
without any support whatever1 a system  
adopted by many market gardeners4 ,for  
this method of culture space the plants 
one foot apart in single rows set three 
feet apart4 ,pinch out the tips when the
 plants are eighteen inches high and    
repeat the operation when a further     
eighteen inches of growth has formed4   
,general ,cultivation4--,as slugs and   
snails are particularly partial to the  
young plants1 an occasional dusting of  
old soot1 slaked lime1 or any gritty    
substance should be given to render the 
leaves unpalatable to these pests4      
,during drought copious watering of the 
rows is essential1 especially on shallow
 soils2 spraying the plants in the      
evening with soft water is also freely  
practised and this assists the setting  
of flowers in dry weather4 ,a mulch of  
decayed manure will prove of great      
benefit to the plants and will prolong  
the period of bearing4  ,in some gardens
 ,runners are grown in groups running up

 rods tied together at the top1 and when
 these groups are arranged at regular   
intervals on each side of a path1 the   
result is extremely pleasing4 ,this mode
 of culture interferes to a very        
trifling extent with other crops1 and   
the ornamental effect may be enhanced by
 growing varieties which have white1    
red1 and bicolor flowers4  ,preserving  
the roots of ,runners is sometimes      
recommended4 ,we can only say that it is
 a ridiculous proceeding4 ,the utmost   
care is required to keep the roots      
through the winter1 and they are        
comparatively worthless in the end4 ,a  
pint of seed will give a better crop    
than a number of roots that have cost   
great pains for their preservation4     
,runner ,beans for                      
,exhibition4--,although fine specimens  
fit for exhibition may frequently be    
gathered from the general garden crop1 a
 little extra attention to the          
cultivation of ,runner ,beans for show  
work will be well repaid4 ,when staged  

the pods must possess not only the merit
 of mere size1 but they should be       
perfect in shape and quite young4 ,rapid
 as well as robust growth is therefore  
essential to success4 ,select the       
strongest-growing plants in the rows1   
and for a few weeks before the pods are 
wanted give alternate applications of   
liquid manure and clear water4 ,pinch   
out all side growths1 and limit the     
number of pods to two in each cluster4  
,,waxpod ,,bean  ,many visitors to the  
,continent have learned to appreciate   
the fine qualities of the ,waxpod       
,beans1 sometimes known as ,butter      
,beans1 the pods of which are usually   
cooked whole4 ,there are two types1 the 
dwarf and the runner1 for which         
respectively the culture usual for      
,dwarf ,french ,beans and ,runner ,beans
 will be quite suitable4  ,,garden      
,,beet  ,beta vulgaris  ,as a food plant
 the ,beet scarcely obtains the         
attention it deserves4 ,there is no lack
 of appreciation of its beauty for      

purposes of garnishing1 or of its       
flavour as the component of a salad2 but
 other uses to which it is amenable for 
the comfort and sustenance of man are   
sometimes neglected4 ,as a simple dish  
to accompany cold meats the ,beet is    
most acceptable4 ,dressed with vinegar  
and white pepper1 it is at once         
appetising1 nutritive1 and digestible4  
,served as fritters1 it is by some      
people preferred to ,mushrooms1 as it   
then resembles them in flavour1 and is  
more easily digested4 ,it makes a       
first-rate pickle1 and as an agent in   
colouring it has a recognised value1    
because of the perfect wholesomeness of 
the rich crimson hue it imparts to any  
article of food requiring it4  ,frame   
,culture4--,where the demand for ,beet  
exists the whole year through1 early    
sowings in heat are indispensable4 ,for 
this method of cultivation the ,globe   
variety should be employed1 and two     
sowings1 the first in ,february and     
another in ,march1 will generally       

provide a good supply of roots in       
advance of the outdoor crops4 ,sow in   
drills on a gentle hot-bed and thin the 
plants from six to nine inches apart in 
the rows4 ,as soon as the plants are    
large enough1 give air at every suitable
 opportunity4 ,fresh young ,beets grown 
in this way find far more favour at     
table than those which have been stored 
for several months4 ,they are also of   
great service for exhibition1 especially
 in collections of early vegetables4    
,preparation of ,ground4--,the          
cultivation of ,beet is of the most     
simple nature1 but a certain amount of  
care is requisite for the production of 
a handsome and profitable crop4 ,beet   
will make a fair return on any soil that
 is properly prepared for it2 but to    
grow this root to perfection a rich     
light loam is necessary1 free from any  
trace of recent or strong manure4 ,a    
rank soil1 or one to which manure has   
been added shortly before sowing the    
seed1 will produce ugly roots1 some     

coarse with overgrowth1 others forked   
and therefore of little value1 and      
others1 perhaps1 cankered and worthless4
 ,the soil should be well prepared by   
deep digging some time before making up 
the seed-bed1 and it is sound practice  
to grow ,beet on plots that have been   
heavily manured in the previous year for
 ,cauliflower1 ,celery1 or any other    
crop requiring good cultivation4 ,if the
 soil from an old ,melon or ,cucumber   
bed can be spared1 it may be spread over
 the land and dug in1 and the piece     
should be broken up in good time to     
become mellow before the seed is sown4  
,seaweed is a capital manure for ,beet1 
especially if laid at the bottom of the 
trench when preparing the ground4 ,a    
moderate dressing of salt may be added  
with advantage1 as the ,beet is a       
seaside plant4  ,early ,crops4--,where  
frames are not available for providing  
early supplies of ,beetroot1 forward    
crops may often be obtained from the    
open ground by making sowings of the    

,globe variety from the end of ,march to
 mid-,april1 in a sheltered position4   
,of course1 the earlier the sowing the  
greater the risk of destruction by      
frost1 and birds may take the seedlings4
 ,a double thickness of fish netting1   
however1 stretched over stakes about one
 foot above the soil1 will afford       
protection from the former and prevent  
the depredations of the latter4 ,set the
 drills about twelve inches apart and   
sow the seed one and a half to two      
inches deep4 ,thin the plants early and 
allow them to stand finally at nine     
inches in the rows4  ,main ,crop4--,the 
most important crop is that required for
 salading1 for which a deep-coloured    
,beet of rich flavour is to be          
preferred1 and the aim of the cultivator
 should be to obtain roots of moderate  
size and of perfect shape and finish4   
,the ground having been trenched two    
spades deep early in the year1 may be   
made up into four-and-a-half-feet beds  
some time in ,march1 preparatory to     

sowing the seed4 ,the main sowing should
 never be made until quite the end of   
,april or beginning of ,may4 ,for a neat
 crop1 sow in drills one and a half to  
two inches deep1 and spaced from twelve 
to fifteen inches apart4 ,when finally  
thinned the plants should stand about   
nine inches apart in the rows4 ,hand    
weeding will have to follow soon after  
sowing1 and perhaps the hoe may be      
required to supplement the hand4 ,the   
thinning should be commenced as early as
 possible1 but it is waste of time to   
plant the thinnings1 and it is equally  
waste of time to water the crop4 ,in    
fact1 if the ground is well prepared1   
weeding and thinning comprise the whole 
remainder of the cultivation4  ,some of 
the smaller and more delicate ,beets1 of
 a very dark colour1 may be sown in     
drills a foot or fifteen inches apart   
and thinned to six inches distance in   
the drills4 ,we have1 indeed1 lifted    
pretty crops of the smaller ,beets at   
four inches1 but it is not prudent to   

crowd the plants1 as the result will be 
thin roots with long necks4  ,on stony  
shallow soils1 where it is difficult to 
grow handsome long ,beets1 the ,globe   
and ,intermediate varieties may be tried
 with the prospect of a satisfactory    
result4 ,we have in hot seasons found   
these most useful on a damp clay where  
fine specimens of long ,beet were rarely
 obtainable4 ,from this same unkind clay
 it is possible to secure good crops of 
long ,beets1 by making deep holes with a
 dibber a foot apart and filling these  
with sandy stuff from the compost yard  
and sowing the seed over them4 ,it is a 
tedious process1 but it benefits the    
land for the next crop1 and the ,beets  
pay for it in the first instance4  ,late
 ,crops4--,by sowing the ,globe or      
,turnip-rooted varieties in ,july1      
useful roots may be obtained during the 
autumn and winter4 ,space the drills as 
advised for early crops4 ,seed may also 
with advantage be thinly sown broadcast2
 the young plants will thus protect one 

another1 and the roots may be pulled as 
they mature4  ,lifting and ,storing4--,a
 ,beet crop may be left in the ground   
during the winter if aided by a covering
 of litter during severe frost4 ,but it 
is safer out of the ground than in it1  
and the proper time to lift is when a   
touch of autumn frost has been          
experienced4 ,dry earth or sand1 in     
sufficient quantity1 should be ready for
 the storing1 and a clamp in a sheltered
 corner will answer if shed room is     
scarce4 ,in any case1 a dry and cool    
spot is required1 for damp will beget   
mildew1 and warmth will cause growth4   
,in cutting off the tops before storing1
 take care not to cut too near the      
crown1 or injurious bleeding will       
follow4 ,on the other hand1 the long    
fang-like roots may be shortened without
 harm1 for the slight bleeding that will
 occur at that end will not affect more 
than the half-inch or so next to the cut
 part4 ,a little experience will teach  
anyone that ,beets must be handled with 

care1 or the goodness will run out of   
them4 ,many cooks bake ,beets because   
boiling so often spoils them2 but if    
they are in no way cut or bruised1 and  
are plunged into boiling water and kept 
boiling for a sufficient length of      
time--half an hour to two hours1        
according to size--there will be but a  
trifling difference between boiling and 
baking4  ,the ,silver1 or ,sea ,kale1   
,beet is grown principally for the stalk
 and the midrib of the leaf1 considered 
by some to be equal to ,asparagus4 ,in a
 rank soil1 with plenty of liquid       
manure1 the growth is quick1 robust1 and
 the plant of good quality1 without the 
necessity of earthing up4 ,sow in ,april
 and ,may1 thinly in drills1 and allow  
the plants eventually to stand at about 
fifteen inches apart each way4 ,the     
leaves should be pulled1 not cut4 ,as   
the stalks often turn black in cooking1 
it is advisable to add a few drops of   
lemon-juice to the water in which they  
are boiled1 and1 of course1 soda should 

never be used4 ,they should be served up
 in the same manner as ,asparagus4 ,the 
remainder of the leaf is dressed as     
,spinach4  ,,borecole1 or ,,kale        
,brassica oleracea acephala  ,the       
,borecoles or ,kales are indispensable  
for the supply of winter vegetables1 and
 their importance becomes especially    
manifest when severe frost has made     
general havoc in the ,kitchen ,garden4  
,then it is seen that the hardier       
,borecoles are proof against the lowest 
temperature experienced in these        
islands2 and1 while frost leaves the    
plants unharmed1 it improves the tops   
and side sprouts that are required for  
table purposes4  ,as regards soil1 the  
,borecoles are the least particular of  
the whole race of ,brassicas4 ,they     
appear to be capable of supplying the   
table with winter greens even when grown
 on hard rocky soil1 but good loam suits
 them admirably1 and a strong clay1 well
 tilled1 will produce a grand sample4   
,granting1 then1 that a good soil is    

better than a bad one1 we urge the      
sowing of seed as early as possible for 
insuring to the plant a long season of  
growth4 ,but early sowing should be     
followed by early planting1 for it is   
bad practice to leave the plants crowded
 in the seed-bed until the summer is far
 advanced4 ,this1 however1 is often     
unavoidable1 and it is well to consider 
in time where the plants are to go1 and 
when1 according to averages1 the ground 
will be vacant to receive them4 ,the    
first sowing may be made early in       
,march1 and another in the middle of    
,april4 ,these two sowings will suffice 
for almost all the purposes that can be 
imagined4 ,a good seed-bed in an open   
spot is absolutely necessary4 ,it is    
usual to draw direct from the seed-bed  
for planting out as opportunities occur1
 and this method answers fairly well4   
,but when large enough it is better     
practice to prick out as a preparation  
for the final planting1 because a       
stouter and handsomer plant is thereby  

secured4 ,if it is intended to follow   
the rough and ready plan1 the seed      
drills should be nine inches apart2 but 
for pricking out six inches will answer1
 and thus a very small bed will provide 
a lot of plants4 ,when pricked out1 the 
plants should be six inches apart each  
way1 and they should go to final        
quarters as soon as the leaves touch one
 another4 ,on the flat1 a fair distance 
between ,borecoles is two feet apart    
each way1 but some vigorous kinds in    
good ground will pay for another foot of
 space1 and will yield enormous crops   
when their time arrives4 ,transplanting 
is usually done in ,june and ,july1 and 
in many gardens ,kales are planted      
between the rows of second-early or     
maincrop ,potatoes4 ,the work should be 
done during showery weather if possible1
 but these ,brassicas have an           
astonishing degree of vitality4 ,if put 
out during drought very little water is 
required to start them1 and as the cool 
weather returns they will grow with     

vigour4 ,but good cultivation saves a   
plant from extreme conditions2 and it is
 an excellent practice to dig in green  
manure when preparing ground for ,kales1
 because a free summer growth is needful
 to the formation of a stout productive 
plant4  ,we have suggested that two     
sowings may be regarded as generally    
sufficient1 but we are bound to take    
notice of the fact that the late        
supplies of these vegetables are        
sometimes disappointing4 ,in a mild     
winter the ,kales reserved for use in   
spring will be likely to grow when they 
should stand still1 and at the first    
break of pleasant spring weather they   
will bolt1 very much to the vexation of 
those who expected many a basket of     
sprouts from them4 ,a ,may sowing       
planted out in a cold place may stand   
without bolting until spring is somewhat
 advanced4 ,kale of the #8,asparagus'   
type1 such as ,sutton's ,favourite1 will
 often prove successful when sown as    
late as ,july4  ,as regards the         

varieties1 they agree pretty nearly in  
constitution1 although they differ much 
in appearance and in the power of       
resisting the excitement of spring      
weather4 ,but in this section of        
vegetables there are a few very         
interesting subjects4 ,the ,variegated  
and ,crested ,kales are extremely       
ornamental and eminently useful in large
 places for decorative purposes4 ,these 
do not require so rich a soil as        
,sutton's ,a#a or ,curled ,scotch1 and  
they must have the fullest exposure to  
bring out their peculiarities4 ,it is   
found that in somewhat dry calcareous   
soils these plants acquire their highest
 colour and most elegant proportions4   
,when planted by the sides of carriage  
drives and in other places where their  
colours may be suitably displayed1 it is
 a good plan to cut off the heads soon  
after the turn of the year1 as this     
promotes the production of side shoots  
of the most beautiful fresh colours4 ,a 
crop of ,kale may be advantageously     

followed by ,celery4  ,,broccoli        
,brassica oleracea botrytis asparagoides
  ,the great importance of this crop is 
indicated by the long list of varieties 
and the still longer list of synonyms4  
,as a vegetable it needs no praise1 and 
our sole business will be to treat of   
the cultivation4  ,of necessity we begin
 with generalities4 ,any good soil will 
grow ,broccoli1 but it is a strong-land 
plant1 and a well-tilled clay should    
yield first-class crops4 ,but there are 
so many kinds coming into use at various
 seasons1 that the cultivation may be   
regarded as a somewhat complex subject4 
,we will therefore premise that the best
 must be made of the soil at command1   
whatever it may be4 ,the ,cornish       
growers owe their success in great part 
to their climate1 which carries their   
crops through the winter unhurt2 but    
they grow ,broccoli only on rich soil1  
and keep it in good heart by means of   
seaweed and other fertilisers4 ,all the 
details of ,broccoli culture require a  

liberal spirit and careful attention1   
and the value of a well-grown crop      
justifies first-class treatment4 ,on the
 other hand1 a badly-grown crop will not
 pay rent for the space it covers1 to   
say nothing of the labour that has been 
devoted to it4  ,the                    
,seed-bed4--,broccoli should always be  
sown on good seed-beds and be planted   
out2 the seed-beds should be narrow1 say
 three or three and a half feet wide1   
and the seed must be sown in drills half
 an inch deep at the utmost--less if    
possible2 and where sparrows haunt the  
garden it will be well to cover the beds
 with netting1 or protect the rows with 
wire pea guards4 ,a quick way of        
protecting all round seeds against small
 birds is to put a little red lead in a 
saucer1 then lightly sprinkle the seed  
with water and shake it about in the red
 lead4 ,not a bird or mouse will touch  
seed so treated4  ,the seed-beds must be
 tended with scrupulous care to keep    
down weeds and avert other dangers4 ,it 

is of great importance to secure a      
robust plant1 short1 full of colour1 and
 free from club at the root4 ,now1      
cleanliness is in itself a safeguard4   
,it promotes a short sturdy growth1     
because where there are no weeds or     
other rubbish the young plant has ample 
light and air4 ,early thinning and      
planting is another important matter4   
,if the land is not ready for planting1 
thin the seed-bed and prick out the     
seedlings4 ,a good crop of ,broccoli is 
worth any amount of trouble1 although   
trouble ought to be an unknown word in  
the dictionary of a gardener4  ,manuring
 ,ground4--,as a rule1 ,broccoli should 
be planted in fresh ground1 and1 in mild
 districts1 if the soil is in some      
degree rank with green manure the crop  
will be none the worse for it4 ,but rank
 manure is not needful2 a deep1         
well-dug1 sweet loam will produce a     
healthy growth and neat handsome heads4 
,however1 it is proper to remark1 that  
if any rank manure is in the way1 or if 

the ground is poor and wants it1 the    
,broccoli will take to it kindly1 and   
all the rankness will be gone long      
before they produce their creamy heads4 
,still1 it must be clearly understood   
that the more generous the treatment1   
the more succulent will be the growth1  
and in cold climates a succulent        
condition may endanger the crop when    
hard weather sets in4  ,method of       
,planting4--,broccoli follows well upon 
,peas1 early ,potatoes1 early ,french   
,beans1 and ,strawberries that are dug  
in when gathered from for the last time4
 ,but it does not follow well upon      
,cabbage1 ,turnip1 or ,cauliflower2 if  
,broccoli must follow any of these1 dig 
deeply1 manure heavily1 and in planting1
 dust a little freshly slaked lime in   
the holes4 ,the times of planting will  
depend on the state of the plants and   
the proper season of their heading in4  
,but everywhere and always the plants   
should be got out of the seed-bed into  
their permanent quarters as soon as     

possible1 for the longer they stay in   
the seed-bed the more likely are they to
 become drawn above and clubbed below4  
,as regards distances1 too1 the soil1   
the variety1 and the season must be     
considered4 ,for all sorts the distances
 range from two to two and a half feet2 
and for most of the medium-sized sorts  
that have to stand out through the      
winter for use in spring1 a distance of 
eighteen to twenty-four inches is       
usually enough1 because if they are     
rather close they protect one another4  
,but with strong sorts in strong soils  
and kind climates1 two feet and a half  
every way is none too much even for safe
 wintering4 ,plant firmly1 water if     
needful1 and do not stint it2 but1 if   
possible1 plant in showery weather1 and 
give no water at all4 ,watering may save
 the crop1 but the finest pieces of     
,broccoli are those that are secured    
without any watering whatever4  ,autumn 
,broccoli4--,to grow ,autumn ,broccoli  
profitably1 sow in ,february1 ,march1   

and ,april1 the early sowings in a frame
 to insure vigorous growth1 and the     
later sowings in the open ground4 ,plant
 out as soon as possible in fresh land  
that has been deeply tilled4 ,if the    
soil is poor1 draw deep drills1 fill    
them with fat manure1 and plant by hand1
 taking care to press round each root   
crumbs from the surface soil4 ,this will
 give them a good start1 and they will  
take care of themselves afterwards4     
,when they show signs of heading in1 run
 in shallow drills of ,prickly ,spinach 
between them1 and as this comes up the  
,broccoli will be drawn1 leaving the    
,spinach a fair chance of making a good 
stolen crop1 needing no special         
preparation whatever4 ,another sowing of
 ,broccoli may be made in ,may1 but the 
early sowings1 if a little nursed in the
 first instance1 will pay best1 because 
early heads are scarce1 whereas late    
,broccoli are plentiful4  ,winter       
,broccoli should not be sown before the 
end of ,march and thence to the end of  

,april4 ,as a rule1 the ,april sowing   
will make the best crop1 although much  
depends on season1 soil1 and climate4   
,begin to plant out early1 and continue 
planting until a sufficient breadth of  
ground is covered4 ,within reasonable   
limits it will be found that the time of
 planting does not much affect the date 
when the heads turn in1 and only in a   
moderate degree influences the size of  
them4  ,spring ,broccoli are capricious1
 no matter what the world may say4 ,it  
will occasionally happen that sorts     
planted for cutting late in spring will 
turn in earlier than they are wanted1   
and the sun rather than the seedsman    
must be blamed for their precocity4 ,in 
average seasons the late sorts turn in  
late2 but the ,broccoli is a sensitive  
plant1 and unseasonable warmth results  
in premature development4 ,sow the      
,spring ,broccoli in ,april and ,may1   
the ,april sowing being the more        
important4 ,it will not do1 however1 to 
follow a strict rule save to this       

effect1 that early and late sowings are 
the least likely to succeed1 while      
mid-season sowings--say from the middle 
of ,april to the middle of ,may--will1  
as a rule1 make the best crops4 ,where  
there is a constant demand for ,broccoli
 in the early months of the year1 two or
 three small sowings will be better than
 one large sowing4  ,summer ,broccoli   
are useful when ,peas are late1 and they
 are always over in time to make way for
 the glut of the ,pea crop4 ,late ,queen
 may1 in average seasons1 be cut at the 
end of ,may and sometimes in ,june1 if  
sown about the middle of ,may in the    
previous year1 and carefully managed4   
,this excellent variety can1 as a rule1 
be relied on1 both to withstand a severe
 winter in an exposed situation and to  
keep up the supplies of first-class     
vegetables until the first crop of      
,cauliflower is ready1 and ,peas are    
coming in freely4 ,generally speaking1  
smallish heads1 neat in shape and pure  
in colour1 are preferred4 ,they are the 

most profitable as a crop and the most  
acceptable for the table4 ,an open1     
breezy place should be selected for a   
plantation of late ,broccoli1 the land  
well drained1 and it need not be made   
particularly rich with manure4 ,but good
 land is required1 with plenty of light 
and air to promote a dwarf sturdy growth
 and late turning in4  ,protection in   
,winter4--,various plans are adopted for
 the protection of ,broccoli during     
winter4 ,much is to be said in favour of
 leaving them to the risk of all events1
 for certain it is that finer heads are 
obtained from undisturbed plants than by
 any interference with them1 provided   
they escape the assaults of winter      
frost4 ,but in such a matter it is wise 
to be guided by the light of experience4
 ,in cold districts1 and on wet soils   
where ,broccoli do not winter well1     
heeling over may be adopted4 ,there are 
several ways of accomplishing the task1 
the most successful method being managed
 thus4 ,open a trench at the northern   

end1 and gently push over each plant in 
the first row so that the heads incline 
to the north4 ,put a little mould over  
each stem to settle it1 but do not earth
 it up any more than is needful to      
render it secure4 ,push over the next   
row1 and the next1 and so on1 finishing 
off between them neatly and leaving the 
plants nearly as they were before1 save 
that they now all look northward1 and   
their sloping stems are a little deeper 
in the earth than they were in the first
 instance4 ,this should be done during  
fine weather in ,november1 and if the   
plants flag a little they should have   
one good watering at the roots4 ,in the 
course of about ten days it will be     
scarcely perceptible that they have been
 operated on4 ,they may be lifted and   
replanted with their heads to the north1
 but this is apt to check them too much4
 ,in exceptionally cold seasons cover   
the plot with straw or bracken1 but this
 must be removed in wet weather4 ,when  
it is seen that the heads are forming   

and hard weather is apprehended1 some   
growers take them up with good balls of 
earth and plant them in a frame1 or even
 pack them neatly in a cellar1 and the  
heads finish fairly well1 but not so    
well as undisturbed plants4 ,it is      
impossible1 however1 to cut good heads  
in a very severe winter without some    
such protective measures4 ,in many      
gardens glass is employed for protecting
 ,winter ,broccoli1 in which case the   
plantations are so shaped that the      
frames will be easily adapted to them   
without any disturbance of the plants   
whatever4 ,there must be allowed a good 
space between the beds to be covered1   
and the plants must be fifteen to       
eighteen inches apart1 with the object  
of protecting the largest number by     
means of a given stock of frames4       
,sprouting ,broccoli1 both white and    
purple1 are invaluable to supply a large
 bulk of a most acceptable vegetable in 
winter and early spring4 ,sow in ,april 
and the plants may be treated in the    

same way as other hardy winter greens4  
,they should have the most liberal      
culture possible1 for which they will   
not fail to make an ample return4 ,the  
,purple ,sprouting ,broccoli is a       
favourite vegetable in the kitchen1     
because of its freedom from the attacks 
of all kinds of vermin4  ,,brussels     
,,sprouts  ,brassica oleracea bullata   
gemmifera  ,brussels ,sprouts are       
everywhere regarded as the finest       
autumnal vegetable of the strictly green
 class4 ,they are1 however1 often very  
poorly grown1 because the first         
principle of success--a long growing    
season--is not recognised4 ,it is in the
 power of the cultivator to secure this 
by sowing seed at the end of ,february1 
or early in ,march1 on a bed of light   
rich soil made in a frame1 and from the 
frame the plants should be pricked out  
into an open bed of similar light fresh 
soil as soon as they have made half a   
dozen leaves4 ,from this bed they should
 be transferred to their permanent      

quarters before they crowd one another1 
the object being at each stage to obtain
 free growth with a sturdy habit1 for   
mere length of stem is no advantage2 it 
is a disadvantage when the plant is     
deficient of corresponding substance4   
,the ground should be made quite firm1  
in order to encourage robust growth     
which in turn will produce shapely solid
 buttons4 ,this crop is often grown on  
,potato land1 the plants being put out  
between the rows in the course of the   
summer4 ,it is better practice1 however1
 to plant ,kales or ,broccoli in ,potato
 ground1 because of the comparative     
slowness of their growth1 and to put the
 ,sprouts on an open plot freely dressed
 with somewhat fresh manure4 ,if a      
first-class strain1 such as ,sutton's   
,exhibition1 is grown1 it will not only 
pay for this little extra care1 but will
 pay also for plenty of room1 say two   
and a half feet apart every way at the  
least2 and one lot1 made up of the      
strongest plants drawn separately1 may  

be in rows three feet apart1 and the    
plants two and a half feet asunder4 ,for
 the compact-growing varieties two feet 
apart each way will generally suffice4  
,maintain a good tilth by the frequent  
use of the hoe during summer1 and as    
autumn approaches regularly remove all  
decaying leaves4 ,those who have been   
accustomed to treat ,sprouts and ,kales 
on one uniform rough plan will be       
surprised at the result of the routine  
we now recommend4 ,the plants will      
button from the ground line to the top1 
and the buttons will set so closely     
that1 once taken off1 it will be        
impossible to replace them4             
,moderate-sized1 spherical1 close1      
grass-green ,sprouts are everywhere     
esteemed1 and there is nothing in the   
season more attractive in the markets4  
,crops treated as advised will give     
early supplies of the very finest       
,sprouts4 ,for successional crops it    
will be sufficient to sow in the open   
ground in the latter part of ,march1 or 

early in ,april1 and plant out in the   
usual manner2 in other words1 to treat  
in the commonplace way of the ordinary  
run of ,borecoles4 ,with a good season  
and in suitable ground there will be an 
average crop1 which will probably hold  
out far into the winter4 ,it is         
important to gather the crop            
systematically4 ,the ,sprouts are       
perfect when round and close1 with not a
 leaf unfolded4 ,they can be snapped off
 rapidly1 and where the quantity is     
considerable they should be sorted into 
sizes4 ,the season of use will be       
greatly prolonged1 and the tendency of  
the ,sprouts to burst be lessened1 if   
the head is cut last of all4  ,,cabbage 
,brassica oleracea capitata  ,the       
,cabbage is a great subject1 and        
competes with the ,potato for           
pre-eminence in the cottage garden1 in  
the market garden1 and on the farm1     
sometimes with such success as to prove 
the better paying crop of the two4 ,it  
may be said in a general way that a     

,cabbage may be grown almost anywhere   
and anyhow2 that it will thrive on any  
soil1 and that the seed may be sown any 
day in the year4 ,all this is nearly    
possible1 and proves that we have a     
wonderful plant to deal with2 but it is 
too good a friend of man to be treated1 
even in a book1 in an off-hand manner4  
,the ,cabbage may be called a lime      
plant1 and a clay plant2 but1 like      
almost every other plant that is worth  
growing1 a deep well-tilled loam will   
suit it better than any other soil under
 the sun4 ,it has one persistent plague 
only4 ,not the ,cabbage butterfly2 for  
although that is occasionally a         
troublesome scourge1 it is not          
persistent1 and may be almost invisible 
for years together4 ,nor is it the      
aphis1 although in a hot dry season that
 pest is a fell destroyer of the crop4  
,the great plague is club or anbury1 for
 which there is no direct remedy or     
preventive known4 ,but indirectly the   
foe may be fought successfully4 ,the    

crop should be moved about1 and wherever
 ,cabbage has been grown1 whether in a  
mere seed-bed or planted out1 it should 
be grown no more until the ground has   
been well tilled and put to other uses  
for one year at least1 and better if for
 two or three years4 ,there are happy   
lands whereon club has never been seen1 
and the way to keep these clear of the  
pest is to practise deep digging1       
liberal manuring1 and changing the crops
 to different ground as much as         
possible4 ,a mild outbreak of club may  
generally be met by first removing the  
warts from the young plants1 and then   
dipping them in a puddle made of soot1  
lime1 and clay4 ,but when it appears    
badly amongst the forward plants1 their 
growth is arrested1 the plot becomes    
offensive1 and the only course left is  
to draw the bad plants1 burn them1 and  
give up ,cabbage growing on those       
quarters for several years4 ,the        
question as to why the roots of         
brassicaceous plants are subject to this

 scourge on some soils1 while plants    
from the same seed-bed remain healthy   
when transferred to different land1 is  
deeply interesting1 and the subject is  
discussed later on in the chapter on    
#8,the ,fungus ,pests of certain ,garden
 ,plants4' ,here it is sufficient to say
 that the presence of the disease is    
generally an indication that the soil is
 deficient in lime4 ,a dressing at the  
rate of from #ad to #bh or even #ef     
pounds per square pole may be necessary 
to restore healthy conditions4 ,the     
outlay will not be wasted1 for lime is  
not merely a preventive1 it has often an
 almost magical influence on the        
fertility of land4  ,for general        
purposes ,cabbages may be classified as 
early and late4 ,the early kinds are    
extremely valuable for their earliness1 
but only a sufficient quantity should be
 grown1 because1 as compared with       
mid-season and late sorts1 they are less
 profitable4 ,in the scheme of cropping 
it may be reckoned that a paying crop of

 ,cabbage will occupy the ground through
 a whole year2 for although this may not
 be an exact statement1 the growing time
 will be pretty well gone before the    
ground is clear4 ,after ,cabbage1 none  
of the ,brassica tribe should be put on 
the land1 and1 if possible1 the crop to 
follow should be one requiring less of  
sulphur and alkalies1 for of these the  
,cabbage is a great consumer1 hence the 
need for abundant manuring in           
preparation for it4 ,the presence of    
sulphur explains the offensiveness of   
the exhalations from ,cabbage when in a 
state of decay4  ,spring-sown ,cabbage  
for ,summer and ,autumn use4--,to insure
 the best succession of ,cabbage it will
 be necessary to recognise four distinct
 sowings1 any of which1 save the        
autumnal sowing1 may be omitted4 ,begin 
with a sowing of the earliest kinds in  
the month of ,february4 ,for this1 pans 
or boxes must be used1 and the seed     
should be started in a pit or frame1 or 
in a cool greenhouse4 ,when forward     

enough1 prick out in a bed of light rich
 soil in a cold frame1 and give plenty  
of air4 ,before the seedlings become    
crowded harden them off and plant out1  
taking care to lift them tenderly with  
earth attached to their roots to        
minimise the check4 ,these will heart   
quickly and be valued as summer         
,cabbages4 ,the second sowing is to be  
made in the last week of ,march1 and to 
consist of early kinds1 including a few 
of the best type of ,coleworts4 ,as     
these advance to a planting size1 they  
may be put out a few at a time as plots 
become vacant1 and they will be useful  
in various ways from ,july to ,november 
or later4 ,a third sowing may be made in
 the first or second week of ,may of    
small sorts and ,coleworts2 and these   
again may be planted out as             
opportunities occur1 both in vacant     
plots for hearting late in the year1 and
 as stolen crops in odd places to draw  
while young4 ,the second and third      
sowings need not be pricked out from the

 seed-bed1 but may be taken direct      
therefrom to the places where they are  
to finish their course4  ,in planting   
out1 the spacing must be regulated      
according to the size of the variety    
grown4 ,if put out in beds1 the plants  
may be placed from one to two feet      
apart1 and the rows one and a half to   
two feet asunder4 ,all planting should  
be done in showery weather if possible1 
or with a falling barometer4 ,it may not
 always be convenient to wait for rain1 
and happily it is a peculiarity of      
,brassicas1 and of ,cabbage in          
particular1 that the plants will endure1
 after removal1 heat and drought for    
some time with but little harm1 and     
again grow freely after rain has fallen4
 ,but good cultivation has in view the  
prevention of any such check4 ,at the   
best it is a serious loss of time in the
 brief growing season4 ,therefore in    
droughty weather it will be advisable to
 draw shallow furrows and water these a 
day in advance of the planting1 and if  

labour and stuff can be found it will be
 well to lay in the furrows a sprinkling
 of short mulchy manure to follow       
instantly upon the watering2 then plant 
with the dibber1 and the work is done4  
,if the mulch cannot be afforded1 water 
must be given1 and to water the furrows 
in advance is better than watering after
 the planting1 as a few observations    
will effectually prove4 ,if drought     
continues1 water should be given again  
and again4 ,the trouble must be counted 
as nothing compared with the certain    
loss of time while the plant stands     
still1 to become1 perhaps1 infested with
 blue aphis1 and utterly ruined4 ,as a  
matter of fact1 a little water may be   
made to go a long way1 and every drop   
judiciously administered will more than 
repay its cost4 ,the use of the hoe will
 greatly help the growth1 and a little  
earth may be drawn towards the stems1   
not to the extent of #8moulding-up1' for
 that is injurious1 but to #8firm' the  
plants in some degree against the gales 

that are to be expected as the days     
decline4  ,autumn-sown ,cabbage for     
,spring and ,summer use4--,the fourth1  
or autumn1 sowing is by far the most    
important of the year1 and the exact    
time when seed should be put in deserves
 careful consideration4 ,a strong plant 
is wanted before winter1 but the growth 
must not be so far advanced as to stand 
in peril from severe and prolonged      
frost4 ,there is also the risk that     
plants which are too forward may bolt   
when spring arrives4 ,in some districts 
it is the practice to sow in ,july1 and 
to those who find the results entirely  
satisfactory we have nothing to say4    
,our own experiments have convinced us  
that1 for the southern counties1 ,august
 is preferable1 and it is wise to make  
two sowings in that month1 the first    
quite early and the second about a      
fortnight later4 ,here it is necessary  
to observe that the selection of        
suitable varieties is of even greater   
consequence than the date of sowing4 ,a 

considerable number of the ,cabbages    
which possess a recognised value for    
spring sowing are comparatively useless 
when sown in ,august4 ,success depends  
on the capability of the plant to form a
 heart when the winter is past instead  
of starting a seed-stem1 and this       
reduces the choice to very narrow       
limits4 ,among the few ,cabbages which  
are specially adapted for ,august       
sowing1 ,sutton's ,harbinger1 ,april1   
,flower of ,spring1 ,favourite1 and     
,imperial may be favourably mentioned1  
and even in small gardens at least two  
varieties should be sown4 ,where ,spring
 ,cabbages manifest an unusual tendency 
to bolt1 sowing late in ,august1        
followed by late planting1 will         
generally prove a remedy1 always        
assuming that suitable varieties have   
been sown4  ,the planting of autumn-sown
 ,cabbages should be on well-made       
ground1 following ,peas1 ,beans1 or     
,potatoes1 and as much manure should be 
dug in as can be spared1 for ,cabbage   

will take all it can get in the way of  
nourishment4 ,if the entire crop is to  
be left for hearting1 a minimum of      
fifteen inches each way will be a safe  
distance for the smallest varieties4    
,supposing every alternate plant is to  
be drawn young for consumption as       
,coleworts1 a foot apart will suffice1  
but in this case the surplus plants must
 be cleared off by the time spring      
growth commences4 ,this procedure will  
leave a crop for hearting two feet      
apart1 and when the heads are cut the   
stumps will yield a supply of ,sprouts4 
,as these ,sprouts appear when          
vegetables are none too plentiful1 they 
are welcome in many households1 and make
 a really delicate dish of greens4  ,by 
sowing quick-growing varieties of       
,cabbage in drills during ,july and     
,august1 and thinning the plants early1 
thus avoiding the check of              
transplanting1 heads may often be had   
fit for cutting in ,october and         
,november4  ,the ,red ,cabbage is grown 

for pickling and also for stewing1 being
 in demand at many tables as an         
accompaniment to roasted partridges4    
,the plant requires the best ground that
 can be provided for it1 with double    
digging and plenty of manure4 ,two      
sowings may be made1 the first in ,april
 for a supply in autumn for cooking1 and
 the second in ,august for a crop to    
stand the winter and to supply large    
heads for pickling4  ,,savoy ,,cabbage  
,brassica oleracea bullata  ,the ,savoy 
,cabbage is directly related to         
,brussels ,sprouts1 though differing    
immensely in appearance4 ,it is of great
 value for the bulk of food it produces1
 as well as for its quality as a table  
vegetable during the autumn and winter4 
,in all the essential points the ,savoy 
may be grown in the same way as any     
other ,cabbage1 but it is the general   
practice to sow the seed in spring only1
 the time being determined by           
requirements4 ,for an early supply1 sow 
in ,february in a frame1 and in an open 

bed in ,march1 ,april1 and ,may for     
succession4 ,this vegetable needs a rich
 deep soil to produce fine heads1 but it
 will pay better on poor soil than most 
other kinds of ,cabbage1 more especially
 if the smaller sorts are selected4     
,savoys are not profitable in the form  
of ,collards2 hence it is advisable to  
plant in the first instance at the      
proper distances1 say twelve inches for 
the small sorts1 eighteen for those of  
medium growth1 and twenty to twenty-four
 where the ground is strong and large   
heads are required4 ,in private gardens 
the smaller kinds are much the best1 but
 the market grower must give preference 
to those that make large1 showy heads4  
,,capsicum and ,,chili  ,capsicum       
annuum1 ,c4 baccatum  ,capsicums and    
,chilis are so interesting and          
ornamental that it is surprising they   
are grown in comparatively few gardens4 
,sometimes there is reason to lament    
that ,cayenne pepper is coloured with   
drugs1 but the remedy is within reach of

 those who find the culture of          
,capsicums easy1 and to compound the    
pepper is not a difficult task4 ,the    
large-fruited varieties may also be     
prepared in various ways for the table1 
if gathered while quite young and before
 the fruits change colour4  ,the        
cultivation of ,capsicums is a fairly   
simple matter4 ,the best course of      
procedure is to sow seed thinly in      
,february or ,march in pots or pans of  
fine soil placed on a gentle hot-bed or 
in a house where the temperature is     
maintained at about #ee4 ,pot on the    
young plants as they develop and keep   
them growing without a check4 ,spray    
twice daily1 for ,capsicums require     
atmospheric moisture and the ,red       
,spider is partial to the plant4 ,nice  
specimens may be grown in pots five to  
eight inches in diameter1 beyond which  
it is not desirable to go1 and as the   
summer advances these may be taken to   
the conservatory4 ,plants intended for  
fruiting in warm positions out of doors 

should be hardened off in readiness for 
transfer at the end of ,may4 ,in gardens
 favourably situated1 as are many in the
 ,south of ,england1 it is sufficient to
 sow a pinch of seed on an open border  
in the middle of ,may1 and put a hand   
glass over the spot4 ,the plants from   
this sowing may be transferred to any   
sunny position1 and will yield an       
abundant crop of peppers4  ,the ,bird   
,pepper or ,chili is grown in precisely 
the same way as advised for ,capsicum4  
,to prepare the pods for pepper1 put the
 required number into a wire basket1 and
 consign them to a mild oven for about  
twelve hours4 ,they are not to be       
cooked1 but desiccated1 and in most     
cases an ordinary oven1 with the door   
kept open to prevent the heat rising too
 high1 will answer perfectly4 ,being    
thus prepared1 the next proceeding is to
 pound them in a mortar with one-fourth 
their weight of salt1 which also should 
be dried in the oven1 and used while    
hot4 ,when finely pounded1 bottle       

securely1 and there will be a perfect   
sample of ,cayenne pepper without any   
poisonous colouring4 ,one hundred       
,chilis will make about two ounces of   
pepper1 which will be sufficient in most
 houses for one year's supply4 ,the     
large ornamental ,capsicums may be put  
on strings1 and hung up in a dry        
store-room1 for use as required1 to     
flavour soups1 make ,chili vinegar1     
,cayenne essence1 c4 ,the last-named    
condiment is prepared by steeping       
,capsicums in pure spirits of wine4 ,a  
few drops of the essence may be used in 
any soup1 or indeed wherever the flavour
 of ,cayenne pepper is required4        
,,cardoon  ,cynara ,cardunculus  ,this  
plant is nearly related to the ,globe   
,artichoke1 and it makes a stately      
appearance when allowed to flower4      
,although the ,cardoon is not widely    
cultivated in this country1 it is found 
in some of our best gardens1 and is     
undoubtedly a wholesome esculent from   
which a skilful cook will present an    

excellent dish4 ,the stalks of the inner
 leaves are stewed1 and are also used in
 soups1 as well as for salads1 during   
autumn and winter4 ,the flowers1 after  
being dried1 possess the property of    
coagulating milk1 for which purpose they
 are used in ,france4  ,in a retentive  
soil ,cardoons should be grown on the   
flat1 but the plant is a tolerably      
thirsty subject1 and must have          
sufficient water4 ,hence on very dry    
soils it may be necessary to put it in  
trenches after the manner of ,celery1   
and then it will obtain the full benefit
 of all the water that may be           
administered4 ,in any case the soil must
 be rich and well pulverised if a       
satisfactory growth is to be obtained4  
,towards the end of ,april rows are     
marked out three or four feet apart1 and
 groups of seed sown at intervals of    
eighteen inches in the rows4 ,the plants
 are thinned to one at each station1 and
 in due time secured to stakes4 ,full   
growth is attained in ,august1 when     

blanching is commenced by gathering the 
leaves together1 wrapping them round    
with bands of hay1 and earthing up4 ,it 
requires from eight to ten weeks to     
accomplish the object fully4 ,the       
,french method is quicker4 ,seed is sown
 in pots under glass1 and in ,may the   
plants are put out three feet apart4    
,when fully grown the ,cardoons are     
firmly secured to stakes by three small 
straw bands4 ,a covering of straw1 three
 inches thick1 is thatched round every  
plant from bottom to top1 and each top  
is tied and turned over like a nightcap4
 ,a little soil is then drawn to the    
foot1 but earthing up is needless4 ,in  
about a month blanching is completed4   
,,carrot  ,daucus ,carota  ,the ,carrot 
is a somewhat fastidious root1 for      
although it is grown in every garden1 it
 is not everywhere produced in the best 
style possible4 ,the handsome long roots
 that are seen in the leading markets   
are the growth of deep sandy soils well 
tilled4 ,on heavy lumpy land long clean 

roots cannot be secured by any kind of  
tillage4 ,but for these unsuitable soils
 there are ,sutton's ,early ,gem1 the   
,champion ,horn1 and ,intermediate1     
which require no great depth of earth2  
while for deep loams the ,new ,red      
,intermediate answers admirably4        
,forcing4--,carrots are forced in frames
 on very gentle hot-beds4 ,they cannot  
be well grown in houses1 and they must  
be grown slowly to be palatable4 ,it is 
usual to begin in ,november1 and to sow 
down a bed every three or four weeks    
until ,february4 ,a lasting hot-bed is  
of the first importance1 and it is      
therefore necessary to have a good      
supply of stable manure and leaves4 ,the
 material should be thoroughly mixed and
 allowed to ferment for a few days4     
,then turn the heap again1 and a few    
days later the bed may be made up4 ,in  
order to conserve the heat the material 
will need to be three to four feet deep1
 and if a box frame is used the bed     
should be at least two feet wider than  

the frame4 ,build up the material in    
even1 well-consolidated layers1 to      
prevent unequal and undue sinking1 and  
make the corners of the bed perfectly   
sound4 ,put on the bed about one foot   
depth of fine1 rich soil2 if there is   
any difficulty about this1 eight inches 
must suffice1 but twelve is to be       
preferred4 ,as the season advances less 
fermenting material will be needed1 and 
a simple but effective hot-bed may be   
made by digging out a hole of the       
required size and filling it with the   
manure4 ,the latter will in due time    
sink1 when the soil may be added and the
 frame placed in position4 ,the bed     
should always be near the glass1 and a  
great point is gained if the crop can be
 carried through without once giving    
water1 for watering tends to damage the 
shape of the roots4 ,no seed should be  
sown until the temperature has declined 
to #hj4 ,sow broadcast1 cover with      
siftings just deep enough to hide the   
seed1 and close the frame4 ,if after an 

interval the heat rises above #gj1 give 
air to keep it down to that figure or to
 #fe4 ,it will probably decline to #fj  
by the time the plant appears1 but if   
the bed is a good one it will stand at  
that figure long enough to make the     
crop4 ,thin betimes to two or three     
inches1 give air at every opportunity1  
let the plant have all the light        
possible1 and cover up when hard weather
 is expected4 ,should the heat go down  
too soon1 linings must be used to finish
 the crop4 ,radishes and other small    
things can be grown on the same bed4 ,in
 cold frames seed may be sown in        
,february4  ,warm ,borders4--,in ,march 
the first sowings on warm borders in the
 open garden may be made4 ,these may    
need the shelter of mats or old lights  
until the plant has made a good start1  
but it is not often the plant suffers in
 any serious degree from spring frosts1 
as the seed will not germinate until the
 soil acquires a safe temperature4 ,all 
the early crops of ,carrot can be grown 

on a prepared soil1 or a light sandy    
loam1 free from recent manure4 ,the     
drills may be spaced from six to nine   
inches apart4  ,for the main crops      
double digging should be practised1 and 
if the staple is poor a dressing of     
half-rotten dung may be put in with the 
bottom spit4 ,but a general manuring as 
for a surface-rooting crop is not to be 
thought of1 the sure effect being to    
cause the roots to fork and fang most   
injuriously4 ,it is sound practice to   
select for ,carrots a deep soil that was
 heavily manured the year before1 and to
 prepare this by double digging without 
manure in the autumn or winter1 so as to
 have the ground well pulverised by the 
time the seed is sown4 ,then dig it over
 one spit deep1 break the lumps1 and    
make seed-beds four feet wide4 ,sow in  
,april and onwards in drills1 mixing the
 seed with dry earth1 the distance      
between rows to be eight to twelve      
inches according to the sort2 cover the 
seed with a sprinkling of fine earth and

 finish the bed neatly4 ,as soon as     
possible thin the crop1 but not to the  
full distance in the first instance4    
,the final spacing for main crops may be
 from six to nine inches1 determined by 
the variety4 ,by a little management it 
will be an easy matter during showery   
weather to draw delicate young ,carrots 
for the final thinning1 and these will  
admirably succeed the latest of the     
sowings in frames and warm borders4     
,late ,crops4--,sowings of early        
varieties made in ,july will give       
delicate little roots during the autumn 
and winter4 ,the rows may be placed nine
 inches apart1 and it is essential to   
thin the plants early to about three    
inches apart in the rows4 ,in the event 
of very severe weather protect with dry 
litter4 ,for providing young ,carrots   
throughout the winter it is also an     
excellent plan to broadcast seed thinly4
 ,when grown in this way the plants     
afford each other protection1 and the   
roots may be drawn immediately they are 

large enough4  ,in ,july the culture of 
the smaller sorts may also be undertaken
 in frames1 but hot-beds may be         
dispensed with1 and lights will not be  
wanted until there is a crop needing    
protection1 when the lights may be put  
on1 or the frames may be covered with   
shutters or mats4  ,storing4--,before   
autumn frosts set in the main crop      
should be lifted and stored in dry earth
 or sand1 the tops being removed and the
 earth rubbed off1 but without any      
attempt to clean them thoroughly until  
they are wanted for use4  ,carrots for  
,exhibition4--,it will be found well    
worth while to give a little extra      
attention to the preparation of the     
ground when growing ,carrots for        
exhibition4 ,as in the case of ,beet and
 ,parsnip1 holes should be bored to the 
requisite depth and about one foot apart
 in the rows4 ,where the soil is at all 
unfavourable to the growth of clean     
symmetrical roots the adoption of this  
practice will be essential to success4  

,any light soil of good quality will be 
suitable for filling the holes4 ,well   
firm the material in and sow about half 
a dozen seeds at a station1 eventually  
thinning out to one plant at each4 ,the 
tendency of ,carrots to become green at 
the tops in the later stages of growth1 
thus spoiling them for show work1 may be
 prevented by lightly covering the      
protruding portion of the root with     
sifted fine earth4  ,destructive        
,enemies4--,the ,carrot maggot and the  
wire-worm are destructive enemies of    
this crop4 ,in a later chapter on #8,the
 ,pests of ,garden ,plants1' both these 
foes are referred to4 ,here it is only  
necessary to say that sound judgment as 
to the choice of ground1 deep digging1  
and the preparation of the beds in good 
time1 are the preventives of these as of
 many other garden plagues4 ,it is often
 observed that main crops sown early in 
,april suffer more than those sown late1
 and the lesson is plain4 ,it has also  
been noticed that where the crops have  

suffered most severely the land was made
 ready in haste1 and the wild birds had 
no time to purge it of the insects which
 they daily seek for food4              
,,cauliflower  ,brassica oleracea       
botrytis cauliflora  ,this fine         
vegetable is managed in much the same   
way as ,broccoli1 and it requires       
similar conditions4 ,but it is less     
hardy in constitution1 more elegant in  
appearance1 more delicate on the table1 
and needs greater care in cultivation to
 insure satisfactory results4 ,as       
regards soil1 the ,cauliflower thrives  
best on very rich ground of medium      
texture4 ,it will also do well on light 
land1 if heavily manured1 and quick     
growth is promoted by abundant watering4
 ,in ,holland1 ,cauliflowers are grown  
in sand with water at the depth of a    
foot only below the surface1 and the    
ground is prepared by liberal dressings 
of cow-manure1 which1 with the moisture 
rising from below1 promotes a quick     
growth and a fine quality4 ,in any case1

 good cultivation is necessary or the   
crop will be worthless2 and whatever may
 be the nature of the soil1 it must be  
well broken up and liberally manured4   
,in gardens where ,cauliflower are in   
great demand1 an unbroken supply of     
heads from ,may to ,november may be     
obtained by selecting suitable varieties
 and with careful management of the     
crop4 ,but in arranging for a succession
 it should be borne in mind that some   
varieties are specially adapted for     
producing heads in spring and summer1   
while others are only suitable for use  
in late summer and autumn4  ,for ,spring
 and ,early ,summer use4--,to have      
,cauliflower in perfection in spring and
 early summer1 seed should be sown in   
autumn4 ,the exact time is a question of
 climate4 ,in the northern counties the 
middle of ,august is none too early1 but
 for the south seed may be got in during
 ,august and ,september1 according to   
local conditions4 ,the most satisfactory
 course is to sow in boxes1 placed in a 

cool greenhouse or a cold frame1 or even
 in a sheltered spot out of doors4 ,for 
these sowings it is desirable to use    
poor soil of a calcareous nature1 as at 
this period of the year the seedlings   
are liable to damp off in rich earth4   
,from the commencement every endeavour  
must be made to keep the growth sturdy  
and to avoid a check of any kind4 ,when 
the plants have made some progress1     
prick them off three inches apart each  
way into frames for the winter4 ,no     
elaborate appliances are necessary4 ,a  
suitable frame may be easily constructed
 by erecting wooden sides around a      
prepared bed of soil1 over which lights1
 window frames1 or even a canvas        
covering may be placed4 ,brick pits1 or 
frames made with turf walls1 will also  
answer well4 ,the soil should not be    
rich1 or undesirable fleshy growth will 
result1 especially in a mild winter4 ,it
 is important to ventilate freely at all
 times1 except during severe weather    
when the structures should have the     

protection of mats or straw1 and        
excessive moisture must be guarded      
against4 ,as soon as conditions are     
favourable in ,february or ,march1      
transfer the plants to open quarters on 
the best land at command1 and give them 
every possible care4 ,for these         
early-maturing varieties a space of     
eighteen inches apart each way will     
generally suffice4 ,with liberal        
treatment1 vigorous healthy growth      
should be made and heads of the finest  
quality be ready for table from ,may    
onwards4  ,as we have already said1 the 
best results with early ,cauliflower are
 obtained from an autumn sowing1 but    
there are many growers who prefer to sow
 in ,january or ,february4 ,at this     
season the seed should be started in    
pans or boxes placed in a house just    
sufficiently heated to exclude frost4   
,prick out the plants early1 in a frame 
or on a protected border made up with   
light rich soil1 and when strong enough 
plant out on good ground4 ,spring       

sowings put out on poor land1 or in dry 
seasons1 are sometimes disappointing1   
because the heads are too small to      
please the majority of growers4 ,where1 
however1 the soil is rich and the       
district suitable there is this         
advantage in quick cultivation1 that    
while time is shortened and the worry of
 wintering is avoided1 the crop is safer
 against buttoning and bolting1 which   
will occasionally occur if the plants   
become too forward under glass and      
receive a check when planted out4  ,in  
well-prepared sheltered ground seed may 
also be sown in ,march and ,april1 from 
which the plants should be pricked out  
once before being transferred to        
permanent positions4 ,occasional hoeing 
between the plants and heavy watering in
 dry weather will materially tend to    
their well-doing1 the object being to   
maintain growth from the first without a
 check4 ,if the plants turn in during   
very hot weather1 snap one of the inner 
leaves without breaking it off1 and bend

 it over to protect the head4  ,for use 
in ,late ,summer and ,autumn4--,seed may
 be sown in ,april or very early in     
,may1 and where only one sowing is made 
the first week of ,april should be      
selected4 ,a fine seed-bed in a         
sheltered spot is desirable1 and as soon
 as the seedlings are large enough they 
should be pricked out1 three inches or  
so apart4 ,shift to final quarters while
 in a smallish state4 ,if the plants are
 allowed to become somewhat large in the
 seed-bed they are liable to #8button1' 
which means that small1 worthless heads 
will be produced as the result of an    
untimely check4 ,the distances between  
the plants may vary from one and a half 
to two feet or more1 and between the    
rows from two to two and a half feet1   
according to the size of the variety4   
,if put out on good ground1 the crop    
will almost take care of itself1 but    
should the plants need water it must be 
copiously given4  ,cutting and          
,preserving4--,the management of the    

crop has been treated so far as to      
growth1 but we must now say a word about
 its appropriation4 ,the two points for 
practical consideration are1 how to     
economise a glut1 and how to avoid      
destruction by frost4 ,cauliflowers     
should be cut at daybreak1 or as soon   
after as possible1 and be taken from the
 ground with the dew upon them4 ,if cut 
after the dew has evaporated1 the heads 
will be inferior by several degrees as  
compared with those cut at the dawn of  
the day4 ,when the heads appear at too  
rapid a rate for immediate consumption1 
draw the plants1 allowing the earth to  
remain attached to the roots1 and       
suspend them head downwards in a cool1  
dark1 dry place1 and every evening give 
them a light shower of water from a     
syringe4 ,the deterioration will be but 
trifling1 and the gain may be           
considerable1 but if left to battle with
 a burning sun the ,cauliflowers will   
certainly be the worse for it4 ,after   
being kept in this way for a week1 they 

will still be good1 although1 like other
 preserved vegetables1 they will not be 
so good as those freshly cut and in     
their prime4 ,it often happens that     
frost occurs before the crop is         
finished4 ,a similar plan of preserving 
those that are turning in may be        
adopted1 but it is better to bury them  
in sand in a shed or under a wall1 and1 
if kept dry1 they may remain sound for a
 month or more4  ,cauliflower for       
,exhibition4--,on the exhibition stage  
few vegetables win greater admiration   
than well-grown heads of ,cauliflower4  
,indeed1 ,cauliflower and ,broccoli1 in 
their respective seasons1 are           
indispensable items in the composition  
of any first-class collection4 ,by      
closely following the cultural          
directions contained in the foregoing   
pages no difficulty should be           
experienced in obtaining heads of the   
finest texture and spotless purity      
during many months of the year4 ,the    
degree of success achieved is generally 

in proportion to the amount of attention
 devoted to minor details4 ,select the  
most robust plants and treat them       
generously4 ,as soon as the heads are   
formed1 examine them frequently to      
prevent disfiguration by vermin4 ,the   
best period of the day for cutting has  
already been discussed4 ,do not allow   
the heads to stand a day longer than is 
necessary1 and if not wanted immediately
 the plants should be lifted and        
preserved in the manner described in the
 preceding paragraph4  ,,celery  ,apium 
graveolens  ,celery is everywhere       
esteemed1 not only as a salad1 but as a 
wholesome and delicious vegetable4 ,the 
crop requires the very best of          
cultivation1 and care should be taken   
not to push the growth too far1 for the 
gigantic ,celery occasionally seen at   
,shows has1 generally speaking1 the     
quality of size only1 being tough and   
tasteless4 ,nevertheless1 the sorts that
 are held in high favour by growers of  
prize ,celery are good in themselves    

when grown to a moderate size2 it is the
 forcing system alone that deprives them
 of flavour4 ,yet another precaution may
 be needful to prevent a mishap4 ,in a  
hot summer1 ,celery will sometimes      
#8bolt' or run up to flower1 in which   
case it is worthless4 ,this may be the  
fault of the cultivator more than of the
 seed or the weather1 for a check in    
many cases hastens the flowering of     
plants1 and it is not unusual for       
,celery to receive a check through      
mismanagement4 ,if sown too early1 it   
may be impossible to plant out when of  
suitable size1 and the consequent arrest
 of growth at a most important stage may
 result in a disposition to flower the  
first year1 instead of waiting for the  
second4 ,it should be understood1       
therefore1 that early sowing            
necessitates early planting1 and the    
cultivator should see his way clearly   
from the commencement4  ,sowing and     
,transplanting4--,the #ast of ,march is 
early enough for a first sowing anywhere

 of a small variety1 and this will      
require a mild hot-bed1 or a place in   
the propagating house4 ,sow on rich fine
 soil in boxes1 cover lightly1 and place
 in a temperature of #fj4 ,when forward 
enough prick out the plants on a rich   
bed close to the glass1 in a temperature
 of #fj to #fe1 keep liberally moist1   
and give air1 at first with great       
caution1 but increasing as the natural  
temperature rises until the lights can  
be removed during the day4 ,the plant   
may thus be hardened for a first        
planting on a warm border in a bed      
consisting of one-half rotten hot-bed   
manure and one-half of turfy loam4 ,the 
bed need not be deep1 but it must be    
constantly moist1 and old lights should 
be at hand to give shelter when needful4
 ,if well grown in trenches1 this first 
crop will be of excellent quality1 and  
will come in early4  ,for the general   
crop a second sowing may be made of the 
finest ,red and ,white varieties1 also  
on a mild hot-bed1 in the second week of

 ,march1 and have treatment similar to  
the first1 but once pricking out into   
the open bed will be sufficient1 the    
largest plants being put out first at   
six inches1 and to have shelter if      
needful2 other plantings in the same way
 to follow until the seed-bed is        
cleared4 ,by good management this sowing
 may be made to serve the purpose of    
three sowings1 the chief point being to 
prick out the most forward plants on    
another mild bed as soon as they are    
large enough to be lifted1 and to make a
 succession from the same seed-bed as   
the plants advance to a suitable size4  
,the third and last sowing may be made  
in the second week of ,april1 in an open
 border1 on rich light soil1 and should 
have the shelter of mats or old lights  
during cold weather4 ,from this1 also1  
there should be two or three prickings  
out1 the first to be transferred to a   
bit of hard ground1 covered with about  
three inches of rich mulchy stuff1 in   
the warmest spot that can be found1 and 

the last to a similar bed on the coldest
 spot in the garden4 ,in the final      
planting the same order should be       
followed4 ,the result will be a         
prolonged supply from one sowing1 and   
the first lot will come in early1 though
 sown late1 if the plants are kept      
growing without a check1 and receive    
thoroughly generous culture4  ,the      
planting out is an important matter1 and
 each lot will require separate         
treatment1 subordinate to one general   
and very simple plan4 ,celery must have 
rich soil1 abundant moisture1 and must  
be blanched to make it fit for table4   
,there are various ways of accomplishing
 these ends1 although they differ but   
slightly1 and common sense will guide us
 in the matter4 ,for the earliest crops 
the ground must be laid out in trenches1
 with as much rich stable manure dug in 
as can be afforded4 ,to overdo it in    
this respect seems impossible1 for      
,celery1 like ,cauliflower1 will grow   
freely in rotten manure alone1 without  

any admixture of loam4 ,the trenches    
should be eighteen inches wide at       
bottom1 ten inches deep1 and four feet  
from centre to centre1 and should run   
north and south4 ,the plants are to be  
carefully lifted with a trowel1 and     
placed six to nine inches apart in      
single or double rows1 and should have  
water as planted1 that there may be no  
check4 ,in a cold soil and a cold season
 the trenches may be less in depth by   
two or three inches with advantage4 ,if 
dry weather ensues1 water must be given 
ungrudgingly1 but earthing up should not
 commence until the plant has made a    
full and profitable growth1 for the     
earthing pretty well stops the growth1  
and is but a finishing process1         
requiring from five to seven weeks to   
bring the crop to perfection4 ,the      
second lot can be put out in the same   
way1 and other plantings may follow at  
discretion2 but as the season advances  
the trenches must be less deep4         
,earthing up is often performed in a    

rough way1 as though the plant were made
 of wood instead of the most delicate   
tissue4 ,the first earthing should be   
done with a hand-fork1 and quite        
loosely1 to allow the heart of the plant
 room to expand4 ,the result should be a
 little ring of light earth scarcely    
pressing the outside leaves1 and leaving
 the whole plant as free as it was      
before4 ,a fortnight or so later the    
earthing must be carried a stage further
 by means of the spade4 ,chop the earth 
over1 and lay it in heaps on each side  
of the plant4 ,then gather a plant      
together with both hands1 liberate one  
hand1 and with it bring the earth to the
 plant half round the base1 and1        
changing hands1 pack up the earth on the
 other side4 ,be careful not to press   
the soil very close2 also avoid putting 
any crumbs into the heart of the plant2 
and do not earth higher than the base of
 the leaves4 ,as soon as may be         
necessary repeat this process1 carrying 
the earth a stage higher2 and about a   

week from this finish the operation4    
,the top of the plant must now be       
closed1 and the earth carefully packed  
so high that only the very tops of the  
leaves are visible4 ,finish to a proper 
slope with the spade1 but do not press  
the plants unduly1 the object being     
simply to obtain a final growth of the  
innermost leaves in darkness1 but       
otherwise free from restraint4  ,the    
,bed ,system answers particularly well  
for producing a large supply of ,celery 
with the least amount of labour4 ,this  
method of cultivation is also especially
 suitable for raising ,celery intended  
to be served when boiled1 or for soups4 
,celery beds are made four and a half   
feet wide and ten inches deep1 the soil 
which is taken out being laid up in a   
slope round the outside of the bed1 and 
the bank thus formed may be planted with
 any quick crop1 such as ,dwarf ,beans4 
,the ground will need to be heavily     
manured in the same manner as for the   
trench system4 ,space the plants six    

inches apart in single or double lines1 
as may be preferred1 and allow not less 
than twelve inches between the rows4    
,water must be given to each row as     
planted2 afterwards the surface to be   
several times chopped over with the hoe 
or a small fork1 and watering repeated  
until the plants have made a start4 ,an 
easy means of blanching is by the use of
 stiff paper collars as described below2
 another simple method is to place mats 
over the tops of the plants when nearly 
full grown4 ,the bed system is not only 
economical1 but convenient for          
sheltering in winter1 and should have   
the attention of gardeners who are      
expected to supply abundance of ,celery 
throughout the winter and spring1 for in
 such cases a large sample is not       
required1 but quality and continuance   
are of importance4  ,it is a great point
 to keep ,celery unhurt by frost far on 
in the winter1 and the advantage of     
growing the late crops on dry light     
soil1 and on the bed system1 will be    

seen in the ease with which the plants  
can be preserved4 ,on heavy soil ,celery
 soon suffers from frost1 but not so    
readily on a soil naturally light and   
dry4 ,moreover1 the bed system allows of
 many methods of protection1 with       
whatever materials are at command4 ,in  
heavy soil fine crops of ,celery for    
autumn use may be grown1 but in         
consequence of the liability of the     
plant to suffer by winter damp1 it is   
advisable to plant late crops on the    
level1 and earth up from the adjoining  
plots in order to keep the roots dry in 
winter4 ,another step towards securing a
 late supply consists in bending the    
tops on one side at the final earthing1 
which prevents the trickling of water   
into the heart of the plant during heavy
 rain or snow4  ,celery for             
,exhibition4--,from the opening         
paragraph it will be gathered that to   
produce extra fine specimens of ,celery 
for exhibition very generous treatment  
of the plants is necessary4 ,apart from 

the choice of varieties--and only the   
finest strains should be                
considered--four points are of especial 
importance to the cultivator4 ,the      
ground must be liberally enriched2 at no
 period should the plant receive a check
 or suffer for want of water2 there must
 be the closest inspection at frequent  
intervals to prevent disfiguration of   
the stalks or leaves by slugs1 snails1  
or the ,celery fly2 and finally the     
operation of blanching will need great  
care and discretion4 ,these points have 
already been dealt with at some length4 
,but on the question of blanching it may
 be well to add that in order to insure 
perfect specimens1 free from blemish1   
artificial means of some kind must be   
adopted in place of earthing up in the  
ordinary way4 ,the use of strips of good
 quality brown paper will prove both    
simple and effectual4 ,these strips need
 not exceed a width of five or six      
inches1 fresh bands being added as      
growth develops4 ,tie them securely with

 raffia or twine1 making due allowance  
for expansion of the plant1 and when in 
position carefully draw the soil towards
 the base4  ,the numerous enemies of    
,celery1 such as slugs1 snails1 the     
mole-cricket1 and the maggot1 do not    
seriously interfere with the crop where 
good cultivation prevails1 but the      
,celery fly appears to be indifferent to
 good cultivation1 and therefore must be
 dealt with directly4 ,dusting the      
leaves occasionally with soot has been  
found to operate beneficially4 ,it      
should be done during the month of ,june
 on the mornings of days that promise to
 be sunny4 ,if the soot is put on       
carelessly it will do more harm than    
good2 a very fine dusting will suffice  
to render the plant distasteful to the  
fly4 ,syringing the leaves with water   
impregnated with tar has also saved     
plants from attack4 ,where the eggs are 
lodged the leaves will soon appear      
blistered1 and the maggot within must be
 crushed by pinching the blister between

 the thumb and finger4 ,leaves that are 
much blistered should be removed and    
burned1 but to rob the plants of many   
leaves will seriously reduce the vigour 
of growth4  ,celeriac1 or ,turnip-rooted
 ,celery1 is much prized on the         
,continent as a cooked vegetable1 and as
 a salad4 ,in ordinary ,celery the stem 
forms a mere basis to the leaves1 but in
 ,celeriac it is developed into a knob  
weighing from one to five pounds1 and   
the root is more easily preserved than  
,celery4 ,when cooked in the same manner
 as ,sea ,kale1 ,celery is well known as
 a delicacy at ,english tables1 and the 
cooked ,celeriac ranks in importance    
with it1 though it affords quite a      
different dish4 ,the stem or axis of the
 plant is used1 and not the stalks4 ,to 
grow fine ,celeriac a long season is    
requisite2 and therefore it is advisable
 to sow the seed in a gentle heat early 
in ,march1 and afterwards prick out and 
treat as ,celery2 but after the first   
stage the treatment is altogether       

different4 ,for the plantation a light  
and rich soil is required1 and where the
 staple is heavy1 a small bed can easily
 be prepared by spreading six inches    
depth of any sandy soil over the        
surface4 ,the plants must be put out on 
the level a foot and a half apart each  
way1 and be planted as shallow as       
possible4 ,before planting1 trim        
carefully to remove lateral shoots that 
might divide the stems1 and after       
planting water freely4 ,the cultivation 
will consist in keeping the crop clean1 
and frequently drawing the soil away    
from the plants1 for the more they stand
 out of the ground the better1 provided 
they are not distressed4 ,they must     
never stand still for want of water1 or 
the roots will not attain to a proper   
size4 ,the lateral shoots and fibres    
must be removed to keep the roots       
intact1 but not to such an extent as to 
arrest progress4 ,when a good growth has
 been made1 and the season is declining1
 cover the bulbs or stems with a thin   

coat of fine soil1 and in the first week
 of ,october lift a portion of the crop 
and store it in sand1 all the leaves    
being first removed1 except those in the
 centre1 which must remain1 or the roots
 may waste their energies in producing  
another set4 ,the portion of the crop   
left in the ground will need protection 
from frost1 and this can be accomplished
 by earthing them over with soil taken  
from between the rows4  ,celeriac is    
cooked in the same manner as ,beet1 and 
requires about the same length of time4 
,the stems1 bulbs1 or roots 7for the    
knobs1 which are true stems1 are known  
by various names7 are trimmed1 washed1  
and put into boiling water without salt 
or any flavouring1 and kept boiling     
until quite tender2 they may then be    
pared1 sliced1 and served with white    
sauce1 or left uncut to be sliced up for
 salads when cold4  ,,chicory           
,cichorium ,intybus  ,a valuable        
addition to the supply of winter and    
spring roots4 ,when stewed and served   

with melted butter1 ,chicory bears a    
slight resemblance to ,sea ,kale4 ,more 
frequently1 however1 it is eaten in the 
same manner as ,celery1 with cheese1 and
 it also makes an excellent and most    
wholesome salad4 ,all the garden        
varieties have been obtained from the   
wild plant1 and some of the stocks show 
a decided tendency to revert to the wild
 condition4 ,it is therefore important  
to sow a carefully selected strain1 or  
the roots may be worthless for producing
 heads4  ,seed should be sown in ,may or
 ,june1 in rows one foot apart1 and the 
plants thinned out to about nine inches 
in the rows4 ,the soil must be deep and 
rich1 but free from recent manure1      
except at a depth of twelve inches1 when
 the roots will attain the size of a    
good ,parsnip4  ,in autumn the roots    
must be lifted uninjured with the aid of
 a fork1 and only a few at a time1 as   
required4 ,after cutting off the tops   
just above the crown1 they can at once  
be started into growth1 and it is       

essential that this be made in absolute 
darkness4 ,french growers plant in a    
warm bed of the temperature suited to   
,mushrooms1 but this treatment ruins the
 flavour1 and has the effect of making  
the fibre of the leaves woolly4 ,it is  
far simpler and better to put the roots 
into a cellar or shed in which a        
temperature above the freezing point may
 be relied on1 and from which every ray 
of light can be excluded4 ,they can be  
closely packed in deep boxes1 with light
 soil or leaf-mould between4 ,if the    
soil be fairly moist1 watering will not 
be necessary for a month1 and had better
 not be resorted to until the plants    
show signs of flagging4 ,instead of     
boxes1 a couple of long and very wide   
boards1 stood on edge and supported from
 the outside1 make a convenient and     
effective trough4 ,the packing of the   
roots with soil can be commenced at one 
end1 and be gradually extended through  
the entire length1 until the part first 
used is ready for a fresh start4        

,breaking the leaves is better than     
cutting1 and gathering may begin about  
three weeks after the roots are stored4 
,from well-grown specimens1 heads may be
 obtained equal to a compact ,cos       
,lettuce1 and by a little management it 
is easy to maintain a supply from       
,october until the end of ,may4 ,the    
quantity of salading to be obtained from
 a few roots is really astonishing4     
,,corn ,,salad  ,valerianella olitoria  
,corn ,salad1 or ,lamb's ,lettuce1 so   
often seen on ,continental tables1 is   
comparatively unknown in this country4  
,the reason for this is1 perhaps1 to be 
found in the fact that1 as a raw        
vegetable1 it is not particularly       
palatable1 although when dressed as a   
salad with oil and the usual condiments 
it is altogether delicious1 and forms a 
most refreshing episode in the routine  
of a good dinner4 ,corn ,salad is a     
plant of quick growth1 and is valued for
 its early appearance in spring1 when   
elegant salads are much in request4 ,it 

may be mixed with other vegetables for  
the purpose1 or served alone with a     
little suitable preparation4  ,the most 
important sowings are made in ,august   
and ,september4 ,seed may1 however1 be  
sown at any time from ,february to      
,october1 but only those who are        
accustomed to the plant should trouble  
to secure summer crops2 when ,lettuces  
are plentiful ,corn ,salad is seldom    
required4 ,any good soil will grow it1  
but the situation should be dry and     
open4 ,sow in drills six inches apart1  
and thin to six inches in the rows4 ,the
 crop is taken in the same way as       
,spinach1 either by the removal of      
separate leaves or cutting over in      
tufts4  ,,couve ,,tronchuda  ,brassica  
oleracea costata  ,couve ,tronchuda1 or 
,portugal ,cabbage1 is a fine vegetable 
that should be grown in every garden1   
including those in which ,cabbages      
generally are not regarded as of much   
importance4 ,the plant is of noble      
growth1 and in rich ground requires     

abundant room for the spread of its     
great leaves1 the midribs of which are  
thick1 white1 tender1 and when cooked in
 the same manner as ,sea ,kale quite    
superb in quality4 ,when a fair crop of 
these midribs has been taken there      
remains the top ,cabbage1 which is      
excellent4  ,two or three sowings may be
 made in ,february1 ,march1 and ,april1 
and the early ones must be in heat4     
,transfer to rich soil as early as      
possible1 giving the plants ample room1 
from two to three feet each way1 and aid
 with plentiful supplies of water in dry
 weather4  ,,cress  ,lepidium sativum   
,cress is best grown in small lots from 
frequent sowings1 and the sorts should  
be kept separate1 and1 if possible1 on  
the same border4 ,fresh fine soil is    
requisite1 and there is no occasion for 
manuring1 in fact it is objectionable1  
but a change of soil must be made       
occasionally to insure a good growth4   
,the seed is usually sown too thick1 yet
 thin sowing is not to be recommended4  

,it is important to cut ,cress when it  
is just ready--tender1 green1 short1 and
 plump4 ,this it will never be if sown  
too thick1 or allowed to stand too long4
 ,immediately the plant grows beyond    
salad size it becomes worthless1 and    
should be dug in4 ,from small sowings at
 frequent intervals under glass a       
constant supply of ,cress may be kept up
 through the cold months of the year1   
for which purpose shallow boxes or pans 
will be found most convenient4 ,cress   
generally requires rather more time than
 ,mustard4  ,american or ,land ,cress   
7,barbarea prcox7 is of excellent       
quality when grown on a good border1 and
 two or three sowings should be made in 
the spring and autumn in shady spots4   
,if the site is not naturally moist1    
water must be copiously given4  ,water  
,cress 7,nasturtium officinale7 is so   
highly prized that many who are out of  
the reach of ordinary sources of supply 
would gladly cultivate it were there a  
reasonable prospect of success4         

,assertions have been made that it can  
be grown in any garden without water1   
but we have never yet seen a sample fit 
to eat which has been grown without     
assistance from the water can4 ,a       
running stream is not necessary4 ,make a
 trench in a shady spot1 and well enrich
 the soil at the bottom of it4 ,in this 
sow the seed in ,march1 and when the    
plants are established keep the soil    
well moistened4 ,the more freely this is
 done the better will be the result4    
,other sowings may be made in ,april1   
,august1 and ,september4 ,we have seen  
,water ,cress successfully cultivated in
 pots and pans immersed in saucers of   
water placed in shady positions4        
,,cucumber  ,cucumis sativus  ,the      
,cucumber is everywhere valued4 ,its    
exceeding usefulness explains its       
popularity1 and happily the plant is of 
an accommodating character4 ,in large   
establishments1 ,cucumbers are grown at 
all seasons of the year2 in medium-sized
 gardens1 summer ,cucumbers are         

generally deemed sufficient1 and there  
is no difficulty in growing an abundant 
and continuous supply of the finest     
quality4 ,the winter cultivation demands
 suitable appliances and skilful        
management2 but a very small house1 with
 an efficient heating apparatus1 will   
suffice to produce a large and constant 
supply1 and therefore winter ,cucumbers 
need not be regarded as beyond the range
 of practice of any ordinary well-kept  
garden4  ,frame ,cucumbers are the most 
in demand1 and the easiest to grow4 ,the
 very first point for the cultivator is 
to determine when to begin1 for the rule
 is to begin too early1 and to waste    
time and opportunity in consequence4 ,we
 will suppose the ,cucumbers are to be  
grown in a two-light frame1 for which   
will be required four good cartloads of 
stable manure4 ,this should be put in a 
heap three weeks before the bed is made 
up1 and the bed will have to last until 
the season is sufficiently advanced to  
sustain the heat without any further    

fermentation4 ,considering these points1
 it will be understood that it is a far 
safer proceeding to begin the first week
 in ,april than the first week in       
,march1 and unless the way is clearly   
seen1 the later date is certainly       
preferable1 for it reduces to a minimum 
the conflict with time in the matter of 
bottom heat4 ,make up the heap2 then1   
early in ,march1 turn it twice1 and at  
the end of the month prepare the bed1   
firming the stuff with a fork as the    
work proceeds1 but taking care not to   
tread on the bed4 ,put on the lights and
 leave the affair for five or six days2 
then lay down a bed of rich loamy soil  
of a somewhat light and turfy texture1  
about nine inches deep4 ,it is now      
optional to sow or plant as may be most 
convenient4 ,strong plants in pots1 put 
out at once1 will fruit earlier than    
plants from seeds sown on the bed4 ,but 
sowing on the bed is good practice for  
all that1 and if this plan is adopted a 
few more seeds must be sown than the    

number of plants required1 to provide a 
margin for enemies2 any surplus plants  
will generally prove useful1 for        
,cucumber plants seldom go begging4 ,if 
it is preferred to begin with plants1   
the question of providing them must be  
considered in good time4 ,the seed      
should be sown at least a month in      
advance1 and should be brought forward  
on a hot-bed or in a cool part of a     
stove4 ,many a successful ,cucumber     
grower has no better means of raising   
plants than by sowing the seeds in a box
 or pan of light rich earth1 kept in a  
sunny corner of a common greenhouse1    
with a slate or tile laid over until the
 seeds start1 and by a little careful   
management nice thrifty plants are      
secured in the course of about four     
weeks4 ,in some books on horticulture a 
great deal is said as to the soil in    
which ,cucumber seed should be sown4 ,we
 advise the reader not to make too much 
of that question4 ,any turfy loam1 or   
even peat1 will answer2 but a rank soil 

is certainly unfit4 ,the object should  
be to obtain short1 stout plants of a   
healthy green colour2 not the           
long-drawn1 pallid things that are often
 to be seen on sale1 and which by their 
evident weakness seem destined to       
illustrate the problems of ,cucumber    
disease4  ,having made a beginning with 
strong plants on a good bed1 the two    
matters of importance are to regulate   
the temperature and the watering4 ,in   
the first instance1 it will be necessary
 to shade the plants a little1 but as   
they acquire strength they should have  
more light and more air than are usually
 allowed to ,cucumbers4 ,a temperature  
averaging #fj by night and #hj by day   
will be found safe and profitable1 as   
promoting a healthy growth and lasting  
fruitfulness4 ,but the rule must be     
elastic4 ,you may shut up at #ij without
 harm1 and during sunshine the glass may
 rise to #ie without injury1 provided   
the plants have air and are not dry at  
the roots4 ,but it is of great moment   

that the night temperature should be    
kept near #fj and not go below it4 ,if  
the thermometer shows that the night    
temperature has been above the proper   
point owing to the heat of the bed1     
wedge up the lights about half an inch  
in the evening1 and as the season       
advances increase this supply of night  
air1 for it keeps the plants in health1 
provided there is no chill accompanying 
it4 ,as regards watering1 the important 
point is to employ soft water of the    
same temperature as the frame1 and      
therefore a spare can1 filled with      
water1 must be always kept in the frame 
ready for use1 and when emptied should  
be filled again and left for the next   
watering4 ,twice a day at least the     
plants and the sides of the frame should
 receive a shower from the syringe4 ,it 
is better to syringe three times than   
twice1 but this must be in some degree  
determined by the temperature4 ,the     
greater the heat1 the more freely should
 air and water be supplied2 on the other

 hand1 if the heat runs down1 give water
 with caution1 or disaster may follow4  
,in case of emergency the plants will go
 through a bad time without serious     
damage if kept almost dry1 and then it  
will be prudent to give but little air4 
,sometimes the heat of the bed runs out 
before there is sufficient sun heat to  
keep the plants growing1 but if they can
 be maintained in health for a week or  
so1 hot weather may set in1 and all will
 come right4 ,but to carry ,cucumbers   
through at such a time demands          
particular care as to watering and      
air-giving4  ,as regards stopping and   
training1 we may as well say at once1   
that the less of both the better4 ,free 
healthy natural growth will result in an
 abundant production of fruit1 and      
stopping and training will do very      
little to promote the end in view4 ,but 
there is something to be done to secure 
an even growth and the exposure of every
 leaf to light4 ,when the young plant   
has made three rough leaves1 nip out the

 point to encourage the production of   
shoots from the base4 ,when the shoots  
have made four leaves1 nip out the      
points to promote a further growth of   
side shoots1 and after this there must  
be no more stopping until there is a    
show of fruit4 ,the growth should be    
pegged out to cover the bed in the most 
regular manner possible1 and wherever   
superfluous shoots appear they must be  
removed4 ,any crowding will have to be  
paid for1 because crowded shoots are not
 fruitful4 ,if a great show of fruit    
appears suddenly1 remove a large portion
 of it1 as over-cropping makes a        
troublesome glut for a short time1 and  
then there is an end of the business2   
but by keeping the crop down to a       
reasonable limit1 the plants will bear  
freely to the end of the season4 ,every 
fruiting shoot should be stopped at two 
leaves beyond the fruit1 and as the crop
 progresses there must be occasional    
pruning out of old shoots to make room  
for young ones4 ,an error of management 

likely to occur with a beginner is      
allowing the bed to become dry below    
while it is kept quite moist above by   
means of the syringe4 ,many cultivators 
drive sticks into the bed here and      
there1 and from time to time they draw  
these out and judge by their appearance 
whether or not the bed needs a heavy    
watering4 ,to be dry at the root is     
deadly to the ,cucumber plant1 and to be
 in a swamp is not less deadly4 ,it must
 have abundance of moisture above and   
below1 but stagnation of either air or  
water will bring disease1 ending in a   
waste of labour4  ,the greenhouse       
cultivation of the ,cucumber for a      
summer crop only is the most profitable 
and simple as well as the most          
interesting of all the methods          
practised4 ,in many gardens the houses  
that have been filled during the winter 
with ,geraniums and other plants are    
very poorly furnished during the summer1
 and present a most unsightly           
appearance4 ,now1 it is a very easy     

matter to render them at once profitable
 and beautiful1 for when clothed with   
green vines bearing handsome ,cucumbers1
 such houses are attractive and pay     
their way amazingly well4 ,to carry out 
the routine properly1 the house should  
be cleared at the end of ,april1 the    
plants being removed to pits and frames4
 ,if possible1 make up the beds on      
slates laid close over the hot-water    
pipes1 and use a bushel or more of soil 
under each light to begin with4 ,first  
lay on the slate a large seed-pan1      
bottom upwards1 and on that a few flat  
tiles1 and then heap up a shallow cone  
of nice light turfy loam4 ,start the    
fire and shut up1 and raise the heat of 
the empty house to #hj or #ij for one   
whole day4 ,the next day plant on each  
hillock a short stout ,cucumber plant1  
or sow three seeds4 ,proceed as advised 
for frame culture1 keeping a temperature
 of #fj by night and #hj by day1 with a 
rise of #e to #aj during sunshine4 ,ply 
the syringe freely1 give air carefully1 

and use the least amount of shading     
possible4 ,it will very soon be found   
that by judicious management in shutting
 up and air-giving1 the firing may be   
dispensed with1 and then it remains only
 to syringe freely and train with care4 
,the plants should not be stopped at    
all1 but be taken up direct to the roof 
and be trained out on a few wires or    
tarred string1 in the first instance    
right and left1 and afterwards along the
 rafters to meet at the ridge1 and form 
a rich leafy arcade4 ,the fruits will   
appear in quantity1 and must be thinned 
to prevent over-cropping4 ,as the plants
 grow1 earth must be added to the       
hillocks until there is a continuous    
bed1 on which a certain number of shoots
 may be trained where there is          
sufficient light for them4 ,it is best  
to begin as advised above1 with the aid 
of fire heat to start the crop for the  
sake of gaining time2 but if this is not
 convenient begin without fire heat in  
the last week of ,may1 and the plants   

will produce fruit until the chill of   
autumn makes an end of them1 and the    
house is again required for the         
greenhouse plants4  ,winter ,cucumbers  
thrive best in lean-to houses with      
somewhat steep roofs1 as such houses are
 less liable to chill during cold windy 
weather1 and they catch a maximum of the
 winter sunshine4 ,in a mild winter1    
,cucumbers may be grown in any kind of  
house that can be maintained at a       
suitable temperature1 and the markets   
are supplied from rough constructions   
that do duty for many purposes4 ,but in 
hard weather1 the steep lean-to1 with   
bed along the front1 and tank to give   
equable bottom heat1 will prove the most
 serviceable1 as it will neither allow  
snow to lodge on the glass1 nor suffer  
any serious decline of temperature      
during the prevalence of sharp frost and
 keen winds4 ,for late autumn supply any
 kind of house will suffice1 but best of
 all an airy span4 ,a brick pit will    
answer every purpose from ,october to   

,march with good management1 and        
fermenting materials will afford the    
needful heat4 ,in such cases trenches   
should be provided for occasional       
renewal of the bottom heat4 ,but a roomy
 house and a service of hot water justly
 stand in favour with experienced       
cultivators1 as combining the necessary 
conditions with convenience of          
management4  ,for winter culture1 plants
 are raised from seeds and from         
cuttings4 ,seedling plants are the most 
vigorous1 but they require a little more
 time than cuttings to arrive at a      
fruiting state4 ,for pot culture        
cuttings are preferable1 as only a      
moderate crop is expected1 and quickness
 of production is of great importance4  
,it is usual to sow the first lot of    
seeds on the #ast of ,september1 and to 
sow again on the #ast of ,october and   
the #ast of ,november2 after which it is
 not advisable to sow again until the   
#ast of ,february for the spring crop4  
,if the management is good1 the first   

sowing will be in fruit by the time the 
third batch of seed is sown1 say1 by the
 first week of ,november1 and           
thenceforward throughout the winter     
there should be no break in the supply4 
,the management of ,winter ,cucumbers   
turns upon details chiefly1 and will be 
found in the end to depend rather upon  
care than skill4 ,the general principles
 are the same as in growing ,cucumbers  
in frames1 the task for the cultivator  
being to carry them out successfully4   
,begin by sowing the seed singly in     
small pots in light turfy loam1 or peat 
with which a fair proportion of sharp   
sand has been mixed4 ,these pots to be  
placed in a heat of #gj to #ge1 and for 
plants to last long the lower           
temperature is preferable4 ,as regards  
the next stage1 the plants may be       
trained up rafters1 or spread out on    
beds1 the first being always the better 
plan where it happens to be convenient4 
,but the prudent cultivator will not be 
tied to rules2 he will cut his coat     

according to his cloth1 and while he has
 a house of ,cucumbers trained to the   
roof1 he will1 perhaps1 also have a pit 
filled with plants on beds4 ,to stop    
severely is bad practice1 for vigorous  
growth is wanted2 but a certain amount  
of stopping must be done to promote an  
even growth1 and to distribute the fruit
 fairly both in space and time4 ,we have
 already admitted that in some books on 
gardening too much has been said about  
soil4 ,in many places a suitable turfy  
loam1 or a good fibrous peat1 may be    
obtained1 and the accidents that have   
befallen ,cucumbers have usually been   
the result of bad management in respect 
of heat1 water1 and air1 rather than the
 use of unsuitable soil4 ,but it must   
not be supposed that we are careless    
about this matter4 ,neither a pasty     
clay1 a sour sticky loam1 nor a poor    
sandy or chalky soil will produce fine  
,cucumbers4 ,on the other hand1 rank    
manure and poor leaf-mould are both     
unfavourable materials4 ,there is       

nothing like mellow loam1 which can be  
enriched and modified at discretion1    
without going to extremes4  ,ridge      
,cucumbers are grown in much the same   
way as recommended for ,vegetable       
,marrows4 ,they may be put on hillocks  
or beds1 and in either case a foundation
 of fermenting material is required to  
insure a crop in the early part of the  
summer4 ,for a late crop1 the natural   
heat of the soil will be sufficient     
should the summer prove to be fine1 but 
in a cold season ,ridge ,cucumbers are  
disappointing4 ,of the many methods of  
growing them1 one of the best is to lay 
out the ground in four-feet beds by     
taking out the soil to a depth of       
fifteen inches1 and spreading about that
 depth or more of half-rotted manure1 to
 which may be added any leaves and other
 litter that may be handy4 ,cover with a
 foot depth of good loam4 ,about        
mid-,april sow the seeds in three-inch  
pots or in boxes and place in a cool    
greenhouse4 ,after careful hardening1   

plant out about the third week of ,may4 
,if preferred1 seeds may be sown on the 
bed early in ,may4 ,give the plants the 
protection of a hand-light should the   
weather prove unfavourable1 and some    
care will be needed to keep them moving 
fairly until the season is so far       
advanced as to allow for the removal of 
the lights4 ,put the plants at thirty   
inches apart down the middle of the bed1
 and when growing freely1 nip out the   
points once only4 ,a crop of ,lettuce   
may be taken from the beds while the    
plants are advancing4  ,,dandelion      
,taraxacum officinale  ,as a salad      
,dandelion has won general esteem for   
its wholesome medicinal qualities4      
,nature teaches the way to grow this    
plant1 for she sows the seed in early   
summer1 and we find the finest plants on
 dry ground1 while there are none to be 
found in bogs and swamps4 ,any gravelly 
or chalky soil will grow good           
,dandelion1 one fair digging without    
manure being a sufficient preparation   

for it4 ,sow in ,may or ,june1 and thin 
to one foot apart every way1 keeping the
 crop scrupulously clean by flat hoeing4
 ,any time in the winter the roots may  
be lifted and forced in the same way as 
,sea ,kale1 or they may be covered with 
pots in spring to blanch where grown4   
,in any case the spring growth must be  
made in darkness1 for when green the    
flavour is bitter4 ,invalids who require
 this salutary salad may obtain early   
supplies by planting the roots in boxes 
in a cellar1 and covering with empty    
boxes4 ,only as much water should be    
given as will keep the roots reasonably 
moist4  ,,egg ,,plant 7,,aubergine7     
,solatium ,melongena1 ,s4 esculentum    
,in this country the ,egg ,plant is     
generally grown merely as an ornament1  
but it is a delicious vegetable when    
sliced and fried in oil1 the purple-and 
black-fruited kinds being especially    
serviceable for the table4 ,the common  
white1 which is best known1 is fairly   
good when cooked young1 though less rich

 in flavour than the purple4 ,the       
cultivation recommended for ,capsicum   
will suit the ,egg ,plant1 but little   
atmospheric moisture is needed or the   
seedlings may damp off4 ,they are not   
well adapted for planting out1 although 
in a warm season they will fruit freely 
under a sunny wall1 and will grow in a  
gravel walk if helped at first with a   
little good soil round the roots4 ,if   
required in quantity for the table1 the 
purple variety may be grown in a frame  
from plants raised on a hot-bed4        
,generally speaking1 a few plants in    
pots are all that are required where the
 fruit is not valued as an esculent4    
,,endive  ,cichorium ,endivia  ,as a    
result of the growing taste for         
wholesome salads ,endive has            
considerably advanced in public esteem4 
,the flavour of well-blanched ,endive   
suits most palates that have had        
experience of salads1 and of the        
salutary properties of the plant we have
 a hint in its close relation to the    

,chicory4  ,the selection of sorts is a 
question of importance1 because the     
handsome curled varieties that make the 
best appearance on the table1 and might 
be regarded as ornaments if they were   
not edible1 are the very finest for     
salads1 being tender1 with a fresh nutty
 flavour4 ,the broad-leaved sorts are   
not so well adapted for salads as for   
stews1 and they take the place of       
,lettuces when the latter are not       
available for soups and ragots4         
,however1 when an emergency occurs1 the 
curled varieties will be found suitable 
for cooking1 and the broad-leaved for   
salading1 and therefore there need be no
 waste where one sort predominates4     
,soil4--,a difficulty common to ,endive 
culture may be got over in the way      
advised for ,celeriac4 ,the plant       
requires a light1 dry1 sandy soil2 and a
 portion1 at least1 of the crop is      
expected to stand through the winter4   
,thus on a heavy soil there is a        
prospect of failure in respect of the   

late crop1 but that is obviated by      
adopting a made bed--one of smallish    
dimensions being sufficient to          
accommodate a large stock of plants4    
,select an open spot1 make a foundation 
of any hard rubbish that is at hand1 and
 on this put one to two feet of sandy   
soil4 ,this will form a raised bed of a 
kind exactly suited to the plant1 and   
will cost but little as compared with   
its ultimate value4 ,if regularly       
dressed with manure1 and otherwise well 
managed1 the bed will supply ,endive in 
winter and other salads in summer1 or it
 may be cropped with ,dwarf ,beans1     
which can be removed in ,august to make 
way for the usual planting of ,endive4  
,where the soil is naturally light and  
dry no such preparation is needed1 but  
,endive does not come to perfection     
without food1 and therefore the soil    
should be rich and deeply dug4  ,sowing 
and ,transplanting4--,the seed may be   
sown as early as ,march1 in a moderate  
heat1 but the latter part of ,april is  

early enough for most purposes1 and the 
main sowings are made in ,june4 ,later  
sowings may follow in ,july and ,august4
 ,but the ,june sowing is the most      
important1 as by a little careful       
management it will supply a few early   
heads and many late ones4 ,sow in       
shallow drills six inches apart1 and    
when the plants are an inch high draw   
the most forward1 and prick them out on 
a bed of rich light soil in the same way
 as ,celery1 and with a little nursing  
these will make a first plantation4 ,the
 plants in the seed-bed should be       
thinned to three inches1 and must have  
water in dry weather4 ,all the thinnings
 should be pricked out in the first     
instance to make them strong for        
planting1 but the last lot may go direct
 to the beds to finish4  ,the final     
planting must be on rich1 light1 dry    
soil1 and water given to encourage      
growth4 ,the distance for the curled    
varieties is a foot each way1 and for   
the broad-leaved fifteen inches4 ,in    

taking the last lot from the seed-bed1 a
 crop should be left untouched to mature
 at twelve to fifteen inches apart4     
,these plants will give a first and most
 excellent supply if carefully blanched4
  ,if more convenient1 seed may be sown 
where the crop is intended to stand1 the
 plants being thinned to the distances  
already given4  ,the blanching is an    
important business1 and is variously    
performed4 ,the customary mode is to tie
 the leaves together in the manner usual
 with ,lettuce and mould them up4 ,this 
method answers perfectly1 except in wet 
seasons1 when1 if the plants stand for  
some time1 the outer leaves begin to    
rot1 and the decay proceeds inwards1 to 
the deterioration or destruction of the 
plant4 ,a clean and effective process is
 to cover the heart of the plant with a 
flower-pot4 ,the hole is darkened with  
part of a tile or slate1 on which should
 be laid a piece of turf or a handful of
 mould4 ,a plate or clean tile placed   
over the centre of the plant will also  

blanch ,endives satisfactorily in       
autumn4 ,for winter supplies1 the plants
 may be lifted as wanted and placed in  
boxes or pots of soil1 these being      
covered with other boxes or pots to     
exclude light4 ,a ,mushroom-house1      
cellar1 or under a greenhouse stage1    
will serve for storing the lifted       
plants4 ,the blanching must be carried  
on in such a way as to insure a         
succession without a glut at any time1  
for when sufficiently blanched ,endive  
should be used1 or decay will soon set  
in4  ,,garlic  ,allium sativura  ,the   
mode of culture advised for ,shallots   
will suit ,garlic also1 except that the 
latter should be planted in ,february   
about two inches beneath the surface of 
the soil1 and the bulbs may be grown    
closer together1 about eight or nine    
inches apart each way4  ,when large     
bulbs are required for exhibition or    
other purposes1 the cloves--as the      
divisions of each root are              
called--should be planted separately2   

but for general use moderate-sized      
bulbs1 planted whole1 will produce a    
heavier crop4  ,,gourd and ,,pumpkin    
7,cucurbita7  ,gourds and ,pumpkins may 
be grown to perfection by precisely the 
same method recommended for ,ridge      
,cucumbers2 but as the plants occupy    
more space1 room must be left for them  
to extend south wards beyond the limits 
of the ridge4 ,it is well to put out    
strong plants from seeds sown in pots in
 ,april or ,may1 and protect them until 
established4 ,if these are not          
obtainable1 the seed may be sown where  
the plants are intended to stand1 and   
there will in time be plenty of produce1
 but of course somewhat later in the    
season than if strong plants had been   
put out in the first instance4 ,keep a  
sharp look-out for slugs1 which will    
flock in from all quarters to feast upon
 them1 but will scarcely touch them     
after they have been planted a week or  
so4 ,any rough fermenting material1 such
 as grass mowings1 may be used in making

 the hills1 to give them the aid of a   
warm bed for a brief space of time1 and 
it is a great gain if they grow freely  
from the first4 ,later on the natural   
heat will be enough for them4  ,the     
edible ,gourds are useful in all their  
stages and ages2 and if the cultivator  
has a fancy to grow large1 handsome     
fruits1 he can make the business answer 
by hanging them up for use in winter1   
when they may be employed in soups in   
place of ,carrots1 or in addition to the
 usual vegetables1 and may indeed be    
cooked in half a dozen different ways4  
,there remains yet one more purpose to  
which the plants may be applied3        
supposing you have a great plantation of
 edible ,gourds and ,marrows1 and would 
like a peculiarly elegant and delicious 
dish of ,spinach1 pinch off a           
sufficiency of the tops of the advancing
 shoots1 and cook them ,spinach fashion4
 ,if properly done1 it is one of the    
finest vegetables ever eaten4 ,as       
pinching off the tender tops of the     

shoots lessens the fruitfulness of the  
vines1 we only recommend this procedure 
where there is a large plantation4      
,gourds may be trained to trellises1    
fences1 and walls4 ,in all such cases1 a
 good bed should be prepared of any     
light1 rich loam1 and it will be none   
the less effective if made on a mound of
 fermenting material4  ,,herbs  ,with   
certain exceptions1 the growing of      
,sweet ,herbs from seeds is altogether  
advantageous4 ,the plants come perfectly
 true1 and are so vigorous that it is   
easier to raise them from seed than to  
secure a succession from slips or       
cuttings4 ,to meet a large and          
continuous demand in the kitchen there  
must be a proportionate plantation in   
the border2 but in gardens of medium    
size we do not advocate the culture of  
,herbs on an extensive scale1 unless    
there be a special object in view4 ,a   
moderate number of ,herbs will meet the 
necessities of most families4 ,still it 
is a fact that the tendency is always in

 the direction of increased variety1 and
 gardeners are called on to provide     
frequent changes of flavouring ,herbs1  
some of which are quite as highly prized
 in salads as they are for culinary     
purposes4  ,in the smallest gardens1    
,mint1 ,parsley1 ,sage1 and both ,common
 and ,lemon ,thyme1 must find a place4  
,in gardens which have any pretension to
 supply the needs of a luxurious table  
there should be added ,basil1 ,chives1  
,pot and ,sweet ,marjoram1 ,summer and  
,winter ,savory1 ,sorrel1 ,tarragon1 and
 others that may be in especial favour4 
,large gardens generally contain a plot1
 proportioned to demands1 of all the    
varieties which follow4  ,several of the
 most popular ,herbs1 such as ,chives1  
,mint1 ,tarragon1 and ,lemon ,thyme1 are
 not grown from seed--at all events1    
those who venture on the pastime might  
employ their labour to greater          
advantage4 ,but others1 such as ,basil1 
,borage1 ,chervil1 ,fennel1 ,marjoram1  
,marigold1 ,parsley1 ,savory1 c41 are   

grown from seed1 in some cases of       
necessity1 and in others because it is  
the quicker and easier way of securing a
 crop4  ,angelica and ,mint flourish in 
moist soil1 but the majority of aromatic
 ,herbs succeed on land that is dry1    
poor1 and somewhat sandy1 rather than in
 the rich borders that usually prevail  
in the ,kitchen ,garden4 ,happily they  
are not very particular1 but sunshine   
they must have for the secretion of     
their fragrant essences4 ,a narrow      
border marked off in drills1 and1 if    
possible1 sloping to the south1 will    
answer admirably4 ,thin the plants in   
good time1 and the thinnings of those   
wanted in quantity may1 if necessary1 be
 transplanted4 ,the soil must be kept   
free from weeds1 and every variety be   
allowed sufficient space for full       
development4  ,angelica 7,a4            
,archangelica74--,a native biennial     
which is not easily raised from seed    
treated in the ordinary way4            
,germination is always capricious1 slow 

and irregular4 ,it may be several months
 before the plants begin to appear4 ,the
 best results are obtained by placing   
the seed in sand1 kept moist for several
 weeks before sowing4 ,the leaves and   
stalks are sometimes blanched and eaten 
as ,celery1 and are also boiled with    
meat and fish4 ,occasionally the tender 
stems and midribs are coated with       
candied sugar as a confection4 ,angelica
 was formerly supposed to possess great 
medicinal virtues1 but its reputation as
 a remedy for poison and as a preventive
 of infectious diseases is not supported
 by the disciples of modern chemistry4  
,the seeds are still used for flavouring
 liqueurs4  ,balm 7,melissa             
officinalis74--,a perennial herb1 which 
can be propagated by cuttings or grown  
as an annual from seed4 ,an essential   
oil is distilled from the leaves1 but   
they are chiefly used1 when dried1 for  
making tea for invalids1 especially     
those suffering from fever4 ,the plant  
has also been used for making ,balm     

wine4 ,sow in ,may4  ,basil1 ,bush      
7,ocymum minimum74--,a dwarf-growing    
variety1 used for the same purposes as  
the ,sweet ,basil4 ,sow in ,april4      
,basil1 ,sweet 7,ocymum ,basilicum74--,a
 tender annual1 originally obtained from
 ,india1 and one of the most popular of 
the flavouring ,herbs4 ,seeds should be 
sown in ,february or ,march in gentle   
heat4 ,when large enough the seedlings  
must be pricked off into boxes until    
they are ready for transferring to a    
rich border in ,june1 or seed may be    
sown in the open ground during ,april   
and ,may4 ,a space of eight inches      
between the plants in the rows will     
suffice1 but the rows should be at least
 a foot apart4 ,the flower-stems must be
 cut as they rise1 and be tied in       
bundles for winter use4 ,this practice  
will prolong the life of the plant until
 late in the season4 ,many gardeners    
lift plants in ,september1 pot them1 and
 so maintain a supply of fresh green    
leaves until winter is far advanced4    

,borage 7,borago officinalis74--,a      
native hardy plant1 which thrives in    
poor1 stony soil4 ,the flowers are used 
for flavouring purposes1 especially for 
claret-cup4 ,borage is also a great     
favourite with bee-masters4 ,sow in     
,april or ,may in good loam1 and thin to
 fifteen or eighteen inches apart4 ,the 
rows should be from eighteen to         
twenty-four inches asunder1 for the     
plant is tall1 and strong in growth4    
,chervil1 ,curled 7,anthriscus          
,cerefolium74--,used for salads1        
garnishing1 and culinary purposes4 ,to  
secure a regular supply of leaves small 
successional sowings are necessary from 
spring to autumn1 and frequent watering 
in dry weather will prevent the plants  
from being spoiled by throwing up       
seed-stems4 ,for winter use1 sow in     
boxes kept in a warm temperature4       
,chives 7,allium ,schnoprasum74--,a mild
 substitute for the ,onion in salads and
 soups4 ,the plant is a native of       
,britain1 and will grow freely in any   

ordinary garden soil4 ,propagation is   
effected by division of the roots either
 in spring or autumn4 ,the clumps should
 be cut regularly in succession whether 
wanted or not1 with the object of       
maintaining a continuous growth of young
 and tender shoots4 ,at intervals of    
four years it will be necessary to lift1
 divide1 and replant the roots on fresh 
ground4  ,fennel 7,fniculum             
officinale74--,a hardy perennial which  
has been naturalised in some parts of   
this country4 ,it is grown in gardens to
 furnish a supply of its elegant        
feathery foliage for garnishing and for 
use in fish sauces4 ,occasionally the   
stems are blanched and eaten in the same
 way as ,celery1 and in the natural     
state they are boiled as a vegetable4   
,the seeds are also employed for        
flavouring4 ,sow in drills in ,april and
 ,may1 and thin the plants to fifteen   
inches apart4  ,finocchio1 or ,florence 
,fennel 7,fniculum dulce1 ,,dc74--,a    
sweet-tasting herb1 very largely grown  

in the south of ,italy1 where it is     
eaten both in the natural state and when
 boiled4 ,sow in the open ground during 
spring or early summer1 in rows about   
eighteen inches apart1 and thin or      
transplant to six or nine inches4 ,when 
the base begins to swell1 earth up the  
plants in the same manner as ,celery4   
,if transplanted1 pinch off the tips of 
the roots4  ,horehound 7,marrubium      
vulgare74--,a well-known medicinal herb1
 from which an extract is obtained for  
subduing irritating coughs4 ,sow in     
,april or ,may1 and thin the plants     
until they stand fifteen inches apart4  
,hyssop 7,hyssopus officinalis74--,the  
leaves and young shoots are used as a   
pot-herb1 and the leafy tops and        
flowers1 when dried1 are employed for   
medicinal purposes4 ,hyssop is also     
occasionally used as an edging plant4 ,a
 dry soil and warm situation suit it4   
,sow in ,april1 and thin the plants to a
 foot apart in the rows4  ,lavender     
7,lavandula74--,universally known and   

valued for its perfume4 ,although the   
plant is generally propagated from      
cuttings1 it can easily be grown from   
seed sown in ,april or ,may4 ,the plants
 attain a height of one or two feet1 and
 the stems should not be cut until the  
flowers are expanded4  ,marigold1 ,pot  
7,calendula officinalis74--,employed    
both in flower and vegetable gardens3 in
 the former as a bedding annual1 and in 
the latter that the flowers may be dried
 and stored for colouring and flavouring
 soups2 also for distilling4 ,in ,april 
or ,may sow the seed in drills one foot 
apart1 and thin the plants to the same  
distance in the rows4  ,marjoram1 ,pot  
7,origanum ,onites74--,one of the most  
familiar ,herbs in ,british gardens4    
,the aromatic leaves are used both green
 and when dried for flavouring4         
,strictly the plant is a perennial1 but 
it is readily grown as an annual4 ,sow  
in ,february or ,march in gentle heat1  
and in the open ground a month later4   
,the plants should be allowed a space   

often inches or a foot each way4        
,marjoram1 ,sweet ,knotted 7,origanum   
,majorana74--,this plant is used for    
culinary purposes in the same way as the
 ,pot ,marjoram1 and it is also regarded
 as a tonic and stomachic4 ,the most    
satisfactory mode of cultivation is that
 of a half-hardy annual4 ,sow in ,march 
or ,april and allow each plant a square 
foot of ground4  ,mint 7,mentha         
viridis74--,known also as ,spearmint4   
,it must be grown from divisions4       
,between the delicacy of fresh young    
green leaves and those which have been  
dried with the utmost care there is so  
wide a difference that the practice of  
forcing from ,november to ,may is fully 
justified4 ,this is easily accomplished 
by packing roots in a box and keeping   
them moist in a temperature of #fj4     
,where this is impossible1 stems must be
 cut1 bunched1 and hung in a cool store 
for use during winter and spring4 ,mint 
grows vigorously in damp soil1 and the  
bed should have occasional attention1 to

 prevent plants from extending beyond   
their proper boundary4 ,to secure young 
and luxuriant growth a fresh plantation 
should be made annually in ,february or 
,march4 ,if allowed to occupy the same  
plot of land year after year the leaves 
become small and the stems wiry4        
,parsley 7,carum ,petroselinum7 will    
teach those who have eyes exactly how it
 should be grown4 ,there will appear    
here and there in a garden stray or     
rogue ,parsley plants4 ,no matter how   
regularly the hoeing and weeding may be 
done1 a stray ,parsley plant will       
occasionally appear alone1 perhaps in   
the midst of ,lettuces1 or              
,cauliflowers1 or ,onions4 ,when these  
rogues escape destruction they become   
superb plants1 and the gardener         
sometimes leaves them to enjoy the      
conditions they have selected1 and in   
which they evidently prosper4 ,the      
lesson for the cultivator is1 that      
,parsley should have plenty of room from
 the very first2 and this lesson1 we    

feel bound to say1 cannot be too often  
enforced upon young gardeners1 for they 
are apt to sow ,parsley far more thickly
 than is wise1 and to be injuriously    
slow and timid in thinning the crop when
 the plants are crowding one another4   
,parsley1 like many other good things1  
will grow almost anywhere and anyhow1   
but to make a handsome crop a deep1     
rich1 moist soil is required4 ,it       
attains to fine quality on a well-tilled
 clay1 but the kindly loam that suits   
almost every vegetable is adapted to    
produce perfect ,parsley1 and every good
 garden should show a handsome sample1  
for beauty is the first required        
qualification4 ,to keep the house fairly
 well supplied sowings should be made in
 ,february1 ,may1 and ,july4 ,the first 
of these will be in gentle heat4 ,when  
large enough prick out the plants into  
boxes1 or on to a mild hot-bed1 and     
transfer to the open ground at the end  
of ,april1 allowing each plant a space  
of one foot each way4 ,in the open1 it  

is best to sow in lines one foot apart1 
and thin out first to three inches1 and 
finally to six inches1 the strongest of 
the seedlings being put out one foot    
apart4 ,by following this plan          
sufficient supplies for a small         
household may be obtained from one      
annual sowing made in ,april4 ,it should
 not be overlooked that ,parsley is     
indispensable to exhibitors of          
vegetables1 especially as a groundwork  
for collections1 and due allowance for  
such calls must be made in fixing the   
number and extent of the sowings4 ,when 
the plant pushes for seed it becomes    
useless1 and had best be got rid of2 but
 by planting at various times in        
different places a sufficiency may be   
expected to go through a second season  
without bolting1 after which it will be 
necessary to root them out and consign  
them to the rubbish-heap4 ,parsley is   
often grown as an edging1 but it is only
 in large gardens that this can be done 
advantageously1 and then a very handsome

 edging is secured4 ,in small gardens it
 is best to sow on a bed in lines one   
foot apart1 and thin out first to three 
inches1 and finally to six inches1 the  
strongest of the thinnings being planted
 a foot apart1 to last over as proposed 
above4 ,when ,parsley has stood some    
time it becomes coarse1 but the young   
growth may be renewed by cutting over2  
this operation being also useful to     
defer the flowering1 which is surely    
hastened by leaving the plants alone4   
,for the winter supply a late plantation
 made in a sheltered spot will usually  
suffice1 for the plant is very hardy2   
but it may be expedient sometimes to put
 old frames over a piece worth keeping1 
or to protect during hard weather with  
dry litter4 ,a few plants lifted into   
five-inch pots and placed in a cool     
house will often tide over a difficult  
period4 ,in gathering1 care should be   
taken to pick separately the young      
leaves that are nearly full grown1 and  
to take only one or two from each plant4

 ,it costs no more time to fill a basket
 by taking a leaf or two here and there 
from a whole row than to strip two or   
three plants1 and the difference in the 
end will be considerable as regards the 
total produce and quality of the crop4  
,pennyroyal 7,mentha ,pulegium7 is a    
native perennial which must be          
propagated by divisions1 and this can be
 done either in spring or autumn4 ,the  
rows may be twelve or fifteen inches    
apart1 but in the rows the plants do    
well at a distance of eight inches4 ,the
 taste for ,pennyroyal is by no means   
universal1 but some persons like the    
tender tops in culinary preparations4   
,the belief in its supposed medicinal   
virtues is slowly dying4  ,purslane     
7,portulaca oleracea74--,this annual    
plant thrives best in a sunny position4 
,seed should be sown from mid-,april    
onwards to insure a succession of young 
leaves and shoots which may be cooked as
 a vegetable or eaten raw as a salad4   
,space the rows nine inches apart and   

thin the plants to a distance of six    
inches4  ,rampion 7,campanula           
,rapunculus74--,both leaves and roots   
are used in winter salads2 the roots are
 also boiled4 ,if the seed be sown      
earlier than the end of ,may the plants 
are liable to bolt4 ,choose a shady     
situation where the soil is rich and    
light1 and do not stint water4 ,the rows
 need not exceed six inches apart1 and  
four inches in the rows will be a       
sufficient space between plants4        
,rosemary 7,rosmarinus officinalis74--,a
 hardy evergreen shrub easily grown from
 seed1 the leaves of which are used for 
making ,rosemary tea for relieving      
headache4 ,an essential oil is also     
obtained by distillation4 ,a dry1 warm1 
sunny border suits the plant4 ,sow in   
,april and ,may4  ,rue 7,ruta           
graveolens74--,a hardy evergreen shrub1 
chiefly cultivated for its medicinal    
qualities4 ,the leaves are acrid1 and   
emit a pungent odour when handled4 ,the 
plant is shrubby1 and as it attains a   

height of two or three feet it occupies 
a considerable space4 ,sow in ,april4   
,sage 7,salvia officinalis74--,although 
,sage can be raised from seed with a    
minimum of trouble1 yet this is one of  
the few instances where it is an        
advantage to propagate plants from a    
good stock4 ,the difference will be     
obvious to any gardener who will grow   
seedlings by the side of propagated     
plants4 ,still1 seedlings are often     
raised1 and as annuals the plants are   
quite satisfactory4 ,sow under glass in 
,february and ,march1 and in open ground
 during ,april and ,may4 ,prick off the 
seedlings into a nursery bed before     
transferring to final positions1 in     
which each plant should be allowed a    
space of fifteen inches4  ,savory1      
,summer 7,satureia hortensis74--,an     
aromatic seasoning and flavouring herb1 
which must be raised annually from seed4
 ,sow early in ,april in drills one foot
 apart1 and thin the plants to six or   
eight inches in the rows4 ,cut the stems

 when in full flower1 and tie in bunches
 for winter use4  ,savory1 ,winter      
7,satureia montana74--,a hardy dwarf    
evergreen which can be propagated by    
cuttings2 but it is more economically   
grown from seed sown at the same time1  
and treated in the same manner1 as      
,summer ,savory4  ,sorrel 7,rumex       
scutalus74--,the large-leaved or ,french
 ,sorrel is not only served as a        
separate dish1 but is mingled with      
,spinach1 and is also used as an        
ingredient in soups1 sauces1 and salads4
 ,leaves of the finest quality are      
obtainable from plants a year old1 and  
when the crop has been gathered the     
ground may with advantage be utilised   
for some other purpose4 ,light soil in  
fairly good heart suits the plant4 ,the 
seed should be sown in ,march or early  
,april1 in shallow drills six or eight  
inches apart1 and the seedlings must be 
thinned early1 leaving three or four    
inches between them in the rows4 ,to    
keep the bed free from weeds is the only

 attention necessary1 unless an         
occasional watering becomes imperative4 
,in ,september the entire crop may be   
transferred to fresh ground1 allowing   
eighteen inches between the plants1 or  
part may be drawn and the remainder left
 at that distance4 ,in the following    
spring the flower-stems will begin to   
rise1 and if these are allowed to       
develop they reduce the size of the     
leaves and seriously impair their       
quality2 hence the heads should be      
pinched out as fast as they are         
presented4  ,tarragon 7,artemisia       
,dracunculus74--,this aromatic herb is  
used for a variety of purposes1 but is  
most commonly employed for imparting its
 powerful flavour to vinegar4 ,the plant
 is a perennial1 and must be propagated 
by divisions in ,march or ,april1 or by 
cuttings placed in gentle heat in       
spring4 ,later in the year they will    
succeed under a hand-glass in the open4 
,green leaves are preferable to those   
which have been dried1 and by a little  

management a succession of plants is    
easily arranged4 ,for winter use roots  
may be lifted in autumn and placed in   
heat4 ,those who have no facilities for 
maintaining a supply of green leaves    
rely on foliage cut in autumn and dried4
  ,thyme1 ,common 7,thymus              
vulgaris74--,an aromatic herb1 well     
known in every garden1 and in constant  
demand for the house4 ,seedlings are    
easily raised from a sowing in ,april1  
or the plant can be grown from division 
of the roots in spring4 ,thyme makes a  
very effective edging1 and is frequently
 employed for this purpose on dry1      
well-kept borders4  ,thyme1 ,lemon      
7,thymus ,serpyllum vulgaris74--,this   
plant cannot be grown from seed2 only by
 division of the roots in ,march or     
,april4 ,it is an aromatic herb1        
generally regarded as indispensable in a
 well-ordered garden4  ,wormwood        
7,artemisia ,absinthium74--,an intensely
 bitter herb1 used for medicinal        
purposes4 ,the plant is a hardy         

perennial1 and is usually propagated in 
spring by taking cuttings or dividing   
the roots4  ,,horse-,,radish            
,cochlearia ,armoracia  ,this vegetable 
is highly prized as a condiment to roast
 beef1 but as a rule it is badly grown4 
,the common practice is to consign it to
 some neglected corner of the garden1   
where it struggles for existence1 and   
produces sticks which are almost        
worthless for the table4 ,in the same   
space a plentiful supply of large       
handsome sticks may be grown with as    
little trouble as ,carrots or ,parsnips4
 ,choose for the crop a piece of good   
open ground1 and in preparing it place a
 heavy dressing of rotten manure quite  
at the bottom of each trench4 ,early in 
the year select young straight roots    
from eight to twelve inches long1 each  
having a single crown1 and plant them   
one foot apart each way4 ,by the        
following autumn these will become      
large1 succulent sticks1 which will put 
to shame the ugly striplings grown under

 starving conditions4 ,the roots may be 
dug as required2 but we do not advocate 
that method4 ,it is better practice to  
clear the whole bed at once1 and store  
the produce in sand for use when wanted4
 ,this plan should be repeated each     
year1 and a fresh piece of land ought   
always to be found for the crop4        
,,kale--see ,,borecole1 page #bg  ,,kohl
 ,,rabi 7,,knol ,,kohl7  ,brassica      
oleracea ,caulo-rapa  ,kohl ,rabi1 or   
,knol ,kohl1 is comparatively little    
grown in this country1 because we can   
almost always command tender and tasty  
,turnips4 ,on the ,continent it is      
otherwise4 ,there ,kohl ,rabi may be    
seen in every market1 and on many a good
 table1 where it proves a most          
acceptable vegetable4 ,for all ordinary 
purposes the green variety is better    
than the purple4 ,a small crop of this  
root should be annually grown in every  
garden4 ,in case of failure with        
,turnips1 ,kohl ,rabi will take their   
place to tide over an emergency4 ,when4 

served it has the flavour of a ,turnip  
with a somewhat nutty tendency1 and may 
be prepared for table in the same       
manner4  ,kohl ,rabi is cultivated in   
much the same way as ,turnips4 ,seed may
 be sown at any time from ,march to     
,august in rows one and a half to two   
feet apart4 ,as soon as possible thin   
the seedlings to three inches apart in  
the rows1 and1 as the leaves develop1 to
 six inches apart4 ,by drawing every    
other plant some small roots may be     
obtained early1 and the remainder will  
be left to mature at twelve inches in   
the rows4 ,the seedlings may be         
transplanted1 if desired4 ,keep the     
ground clean and the surface open1 but  
care should be taken not to damage the  
leaves1 or in the least degree to earth 
up the roots4 ,any animal that can eat a
 ,turnip will prefer a ,kohl ,rabi1 and 
when substituted for the ,turnip in     
feeding cows1 it does not affect the    
flavour of the milk4 ,the plant is      
hardy1 and as a rule may stand1 to be   

drawn as wanted1 until the spring is far
 advanced1 when the remnant should be   
cleared off for the benefit of the      
animals on the home farm1 or be dug in  
as manure4  ,,leek  ,allium ,porrum     
,the leek is not so fully appreciated in
 the southern parts of ,england as it is
 in the ,north1 and in ,scotland and    
,wales4 ,it is a fine vegetable where it
 is well understood1 and when stewed in 
gravy there is nothing of its class that
 can surpass it in flavour and          
wholesomeness4 ,one reason of its fame  
in ,scotland and the colder parts of    
,wales is its exceeding hardiness4 ,the 
severest winters do not harm the plant1 
and it may remain in the open ground    
until wanted1 occasioning no trouble for
 storage4  ,times of ,sowing4--,to      
obtain large handsome specimens of the  
finest quality a start must be made in  
,january or early ,february1 and this   
early sowing is imperative for the      
production of ,leeks for exhibition1 as 
the roots must be given a longer season 

of growth than is generally allowed for 
ordinary crops4 ,it is usual to sow in  
pans or boxes of moistened soil1 placed 
in a temperature of about #ee4 ,the     
seeds need only a very light covering of
 fine soil4 ,when the seedlings are     
about two inches high transfer to       
shallow boxes of rich soil1 spacing them
 three inches apart each way1 or the    
finest may be placed in pots of the     
#cb-size1 taking care not to break the  
one slender root on which the plant     
depends at this stage4 ,grow on in the  
same temperature until mid-,march1 when 
they may be transferred to a cold frame 
to undergo progressive hardening in     
readiness for planting out at a         
favourable opportunity in ,april4       
,there may be three sowings of ,leek    
made in the open ground in ,february1   
,march1 and ,april1 to insure a         
succession1 and also to make good any   
failures4 ,but for most gardens one     
sowing about the middle of ,march will  
be sufficient4 ,from this sowing it will

 be an easy matter to secure an early   
supply1 a main crop1 and a late crop1   
for they may be transplanted from the   
seed-bed at a very early stage1 and     
successive thinnings will make several  
plantations2 and finally1 as many can be
 left in the seed-bed to mature as will 
form a proper plantation4  ,general     
,cultivation4--,the ,leek will grow in  
any soil1 and when no thicker than the  
finger is useful2 indeed1 in many places
 where the soil is poor and the climate 
cold it rarely grows larger1 but is1    
nevertheless1 greatly valued4 ,a rich   
dry soil suits the plant well1 and when 
liberally grown it attains to a great   
size1 and is very attractive1 with its  
silvery root and brilliant green top4   
,the economical course of management    
consists in thinning and planting as    
opportunities occur1 beginning as soon  
as the plants are six inches high1 and  
putting them in well-prepared ground1   
which should be thoroughly watered      
previously1 unless already softened by  

rain4 ,the distance for planting must   
depend upon the nature of the soil and  
the requirements of the cultivator4 ,for
 an average crop1 eighteen inches       
between the rows and six to nine inches 
between the plants is sufficient2 but to
 grow large ,leeks1 they must be allowed
 a space of twelve to eighteen inches in
 the rows4 ,in planting1 first shorten  
the leaves a little 7and very little71  
then drive down the dibber1 and put the 
plant in as deep as the base of the     
leaves1 and close in carefully without  
pressure4 ,water liberally1 occasionally
 stir the ground between plants1 and    
again cut off the tops of the leaves1   
when the roots will grow to a large     
size4 ,if the ground is dangerously damp
 or pasty1 make a bed for the crop with 
light rich soil1 plant on the level and 
mould up as the growth advances4 ,on    
light land1 however1 it is advisable to 
grow them in trenches1 prepared as for  
,celery4 ,the largest and whitest should
 not be left to battle with storms1 but 

those left in the seed-bed will take no 
harm from winter weather1 and will be   
useful when the grandees are eaten4 ,the
 finest roots that remain when winter   
sets in may be taken up in good time and
 stored in dry sand1 and will keep for  
at least a month4 ,any that remain over 
in spring can readily be turned to      
account4 ,as the flower-stems rise nip  
them out2 not one should be left4 ,the  
result of this practice will be the     
formation on the roots of small roundish
 white bulbs1 which make an excellent   
dish when stewed in gravy1 and may be   
used for any purpose in cookery for     
which ,onions or ,shallots are employed4
 ,they are called #8,leek ,bulbs1' and  
are obtainable only in early summer4    
,blanching4--,the edible part of the    
root should be blanched1 and this may be
 effected in various ways4 ,drain-pipes 
not less than two and a half inches in  
diameter1 and from twelve to fifteen    
inches in length1 answer well for large 
stems4 ,tubes of stiff brown paper are  

also very serviceable4 ,drawing up the  
earth to the stem as growth develops is 
a simple method of blanching1 and the   
edible portion may easily be increased  
according to the amount of earthing-up  
given4 ,perfect blanching is of first   
importance when specimens are wanted for
 the exhibition table1 and a            
commencement must be made as soon as the
 plants may be said to have thoroughly  
recovered from the effects of           
transplanting4  ,,lettuce  ,lactuca     
sativa  ,the lettuce is the king of     
salads1 and as a cooked vegetable it has
 its value2 but as it does not compete  
with the ,pea1 the ,asparagus1 or the   
,cauliflower1 we need not make          
comparisons1 but may proceed to the     
consideration of its uses in the        
uncooked state4 ,scientific advisers on 
diet and health esteem the ,lettuce     
highly for its anti-scorbutic           
properties1 and especially for its      
wholesomeness as a corrective4 ,it      
supplies the blood with vegetable juices

 that are needful to accompany flesh    
foods when cooked vegetables are        
unattainable4 ,our summers are usually  
too brief and too cool to permit us to  
acquire a knowledge of the real value of
 the ,lettuce1 but in ,southern ,europe 
and many parts of the ,east it becomes a
 necessary of life1 and those large red 
,lettuces that are occasionally grown   
here as curiosities are prized above all
 others because of their crisp coolness 
and refreshing flavour under a burning  
sun4  ,the numerous varieties may1 for  
practical purposes1 be grouped in two   
classes--,cabbage and ,cos ,lettuces4   
,they vary greatly in habit and are     
adapted for different purposes1 the     
first group being invaluable for mixed  
salads at all seasons1 but more         
especially in winter and early spring2  
the second group is most serviceable in 
the summer season1 and is adapted for a 
simple kind of salad1 the leaves being  
more crisp and juicy4 ,a certain number 
of the two classes should be grown in   

every garden1 both for their great value
 to appetite and health1 and their      
elegance on the table1 whether plain or 
dressed4 ,in the selection of sorts1    
leading types should be kept in view4   
,some of the varieties which have been  
introduced have no claim to a place in a
 good list1 because of their coarseness4
 ,although they afford a great bulk of  
blanched material1 it is too often      
destitute of flavour1 or altogether     
objectionable4 ,the best types are      
tender and delicately flavoured1        
representing centuries of cultivation1  
and the sub varieties of these types    
should retain their leading             
characteristics1 though perhaps they are
 more hardy and stand longer1 and are   
therefore much to be desired4           
,preparation of the ,soil4--,the        
,lettuce requires a light1 rich soil1   
but almost any kind of soil may be so   
prepared as to insure a fair supply1 and
 in places where fine ,cos ,lettuces are
 not readily obtained1 it may be        

possible to grow excellent ,cabbage     
varieties in place of them4 ,a tolerably
 good garden soil will answer for both  
classes1 and fat stable manure should be
 liberally used4 ,the best way to       
prepare ground for the summer crop is to
 select a piece that has been trenched1 
and go over it again1 laying in a good  
body of rough green manure1 one spade   
deep1 so that the plant will be put on  
unmanured ground1 but will reach the    
manure at the very period when it is    
needed1 by which time contact with the  
earth will have rendered it sweet and   
mellow4 ,by this mode of procedure the  
finest growth is secured1 and the plants
 stand well without bolting1 as they1   
are saved from the distress consequent  
on continued dry weather4 ,as regards   
drought1 it must be said that the       
red-leaved kinds stand remarkably well  
in a hot summer1 and although they do   
not rank high as table ,lettuces in this
 country1 were we to experience a       
succession of roasting summers they     

would rise in repute and be in great    
demand4 ,cabbage ,lettuces bear drought 
fairly well1 more especially the        
diminutive section2 but where water is  
available ,lettuces have as good a claim
 to a share of it in a dry1 hot season1 
as any crop in the garden4              
,blanching4--,a first-class strain of   
,white ,cos ,lettuce will produce tender
 white hearts without being tied1 and1  
as a rule1 therefore1 the labour of     
tying may be saved4 ,the section of     
which ,sutton's ,superb ,white ,cos is  
the type may be said to produce better  
samples without tying than with this    
imaginary aid to blanching4 ,the market 
grower is still accustomed to tie       
,lettuces because they are more easily  
packed and travel better when tied1 but 
when tying is practised it need not be  
done until one or two days before the   
,lettuces are cut4 ,the coarser market  
kinds certainly are improved by tying1  
and in this case the operation must be  
performed when the plants are quite dry1

 and not more than ten days in advance  
of the day on which it is intended to   
pull them4 ,the ,bath ,cos must be tied 
always1 and when well managed the heart 
is white1 with a pretty touch of pink in
 the centre4  ,spring-sown ,lettuces may
 be forwarded under glass from ,january 
to ,march1 from which time sowings may  
be made successively in the open ground4
 ,in any and every case the finest      
,lettuces are obtained by sowing in the 
open ground1 and leaving the plants to  
finish in the seed-bed without being    
transplanted4 ,it will1 of course1 occur
 to the practical cultivator that the   
two systems may be combined1 so as to   
vary the time of turning in1 and thus   
from a single sowing insuring a longer  
succession than is possible by one      
system only4 ,we will suppose small     
sowings made of three or four sorts in  
,january or early in ,february1 and put 
into a gentle heat to start them4 ,a    
very little care will keep them going   
nicely1 and of course they must have    

light and air to any extent commensurate
 with safety4 ,when about three weeks   
old1 it will be advisable to prick these
 out into a bed of light rich earth in  
frames2 or if the season is backward1   
and they need a little more nursing1    
prick them into large shallow boxes1    
containing two or three inches of soil1 
which will be sufficient provided it    
consists in great part of decayed       
manure1 kept always moist enough for    
healthy growing4 ,the next step will be 
to plant them out about six inches      
apart1 with a view to draw a certain    
number as soon as they are large enough 
to be useful1 leaving the remainder at  
nine to twelve inches1 taking care to   
thin out in time to prevent any leaves  
overlapping4 ,if ,peas are being grown  
under glass1 a few plants of an early   
,cabbage variety may be put out between 
the rows1 or they may be pricked out on 
the borders of a ,peach-house1 in either
 case spacing the plants nine inches    
apart4 ,successive sowings made in      

,february and ,march will be treated in 
the same way1 and will need less        
nursing4 ,in planting out1 it is        
important to have the seedlings well    
hardened1 for they are naturally        
susceptible to wind and sunshine1 and if
 suddenly exposed to either will be     
likely to perish4 ,again1 when first    
planted out their delicate leaves will  
attract all the slugs and snails in the 
garden1 and the discreet way of acting  
is to regard a plantation of ,lettuce as
 an extensive vermin trap1 and thus1    
knowing where the marauders are1 to be  
ready to catch and kill1 or to destroy  
them by sprinklings of lime1 salt1 or   
soot1 in all cases being careful to keep
 these agents at a reasonable distance  
from the plants4  ,sowings in the open  
ground from the end of ,march onwards   
should be made1 not on an ordinary      
seed-bed1 but on a plot loaded with rich
 manure at one spit deep1 and the seed  
should be put in shallow drills one foot
 apart4 ,from the time the young plants 

are two inches high they must be drawn  
freely for #8,cutting ,lettuce1' or for 
planting out elsewhere2 this thinning to
 proceed until a sufficient crop remains
 to finish off on the ground4 ,the value
 of #8,cutting ,lettuce' is better      
understood on the ,continent than in    
this country4 ,the small tender plants  
are in daily use1 and appear in the     
salad bowl with ,water ,cress and ,corn 
,salad1 delicately dressed with         
delicious flavourings4 ,after this brief
 digression it is necessary to add that 
a crowded ,lettuce crop is an           
encumbrance to the ground2 and one of   
the evils of the best system1 that of   
sowing where the crop is to finish1 is  
the tendency of the cultivator to be    
timid in the thinning1 which should be  
done with a bold hand1 and in good time4
  ,july and ,august ,sowing4--,from     
sowings made during these months the    
supply of ,lettuce from the open ground 
may be extended throughout the autumn1  
and even into ,december or ,january     

should the weather prove favourable4    
,the main conditions essential to       
success are1 the use of quick-growing   
varieties1 sowing in good soil where the
 heads are to mature1 and early and     
severe thinning4 ,the thinnings may be  
transplanted if required4  ,winter      
,lettuces are produced and provided for 
in various ways4 ,in some places        
,lettuces stand out the winter without  
covering1 and turn in early in the      
spring4 ,but in other districts they    
seldom survive the winter without       
protection1 even when the sparrows spare
 them4 ,the summer sowings will afford  
supplies to a late season of the year1  
and the crop that remains when frost    
sets in may be preserved with slight and
 rough protection4 ,but for the         
profitable production of ,winter        
,lettuces frames are a necessity1 and   
care must be taken not to promote a     
strong growth1 for after a term of mild 
winter weather a sudden and severe frost
 will probably annihilate those that are

 in a too thriving condition4 ,in the   
least likely places1 however1 it is well
 to have a small plantation of ,winter  
,lettuces in the open1 and to give some 
rough protection in bad times1 as these 
often prove of great advantage1 and even
 outlive frame crops which have been    
allowed to get too forward by the aid of
 warmth and a rich soil4  ,for winter   
and spring use sowings should commence  
in ,august and be continued1 according  
to requirements1 until the middle of    
,october1 after which it is waste of    
time and seed to sow any more4 ,the     
,august and ,september sowings may be   
made partly on an open border and partly
 in frames1 but the ,october sowings    
must be in frames only1 for winter may  
overtake them in the seed-leaf4 ,the    
seedlings must in all cases be thinned  
and pricked out as soon as large enough1
 and should be planted in fine soil1    
free from recent manure1 being carefully
 handled to avoid needless check4 ,some 
should be planted in frames on beds of  

light soil near the glass1 at three     
inches apart1 and when these meet they  
must be thinned for the house as may be 
necessary3 the remainder of the         
thinnings may be put out on warm borders
 at six inches1 and1 if quite           
convenient1 a crop should be left in the
 seed-bed at six inches4 ,from the      
frames1 the supplies will be ready in   
time to follow those from late summer   
sowings1 and thus through the winter    
until the frames are cleared out for the
 work of the spring4 ,the frame crop    
must have plenty of air1 and be kept as 
hardy as possible1 but with moisture    
enough to sustain a steady healthy      
growth4 ,if roughly handled in the      
planting1 or a little starved in respect
 of moisture1 the plants will rise from 
the centre just when they ought to begin
 to turn in1 and the first few days of  
warm sunshine will start them in the    
wrong way4 ,as to those wintered out1   
there are many ways of protecting them1 
and when success has crowned the effort 

there will be a crowded plant4 ,it will 
be necessary1 therefore1 to transplant  
at least half the crop by lifting every 
other one4 ,this must be done with care1
 as though they were worth a guinea     
each4 ,by transplanting early in ,march 
to a piece of rich light ground in a    
warm spot1 and doing the work neatly and
 smartly1 the result will be a valuable 
crop of early ,summer ,lettuce1 while   
those that remain will help through the 
spring4  ,forcing4--,lettuces do not    
force well2 but as they are so          
constantly in demand1 it is a matter of 
importance to grow them in every        
possible way4 ,nice promising plants    
from ,august and ,september sowings may 
be selected from the frames1 and planted
 on gentle hot-beds from ,november to   
,january1 and will do well if tenderly  
lifted4 ,the ,commodore ,nutt and       
,golden ,ball are the best of the       
,cabbage varieties for forcing4 ,the    
,cos varieties do not differ much as to 
forcing1 none of them being well adapted

 for the purpose2 but the ,superb ,white
 ,cos may be brought to fine condition  
by taking time enough1 so as to make a  
very moderate warmth suffice4 ,on sunny 
days the heat should not exceed #ge2 but
 #fe is sufficient1 with a night        
temperature of #deto #ej4  ,one other   
method of providing small delicate      
salading may be adopted to meet         
emergencies4 ,on the barrows of         
itinerant greengrocers in ,paris the    
thinnings of ,lettuce crops form part of
 the general stock1 and in this country 
we do not sufficiently utilise this     
young tender stuff4 ,but we have now in 
view the use of ,lettuce in a still     
earlier stage of growth4 ,by sowing     
rather thinly in boxes1 kept under      
glass1 a dense growth is produced in a  
short time which can be cut in the same 
manner as ,mustard4 ,for this purpose   
,sutton's ,winter ,gathering is         
especially valuable1 or one of the best 
,white ,cos varieties should be sown4   
,,maize and ,,sugar ,,corn  ,zea ,mays  

,maize is a tender plant of great beauty
 that may be grown as a table vegetable1
 a forage plant1 or a corn crop2 but in 
the last-named capacity it is rarely    
profitable in this country1 owing to the
 brevity of our summers4 ,as an         
ornamental plant it is entitled to      
consideration1 and the more so because1 
while adorning the garden with its noble
 outlines and splendid silken tufts1 it 
will at the same time supply to the     
table the green cobs that are so much   
valued when cooked and served in the    
same manner as ,asparagus4  ,there is a 
simple rough and ready way of growing   
,maize1 the first step towards which is 
to prepare a deep rich soil1 in a sunny 
and sheltered situation4 ,late in ,april
 or early in ,may dibble the seeds two  
inches deep1 in rows two feet asunder   
and one foot apart in the rows4 ,when   
the plants have made some progress1     
remove every other one1 these thinnings 
to be destroyed or planted at           
discretion4 ,plants may also be started 

under glass by sowing seeds in gentle   
heat in ,april4 ,prick off into pots and
 gradually harden for transfer to the   
open4 ,the crop will almost take care of
 itself when the weather is warm enough 
to suit it4 ,but a deluge of water may  
be given during the hottest weather4 ,in
 its native country1 and indeed wherever
 ,maize thoroughly thrives1 it is       
dependent on frequent storms4  ,,melon  
,cucumis ,melo  ,the popularity of this 
cool and delicious fruit has in recent  
years been greatly enhanced by increased
 knowledge as to the best method of     
treating the plant1 and also by the     
introduction of several varieties which 
are attractive in form and superb in    
flavour4 ,it would shock a modern ,melon
 eater to be advised to cook a ,melon1  
and flavour it with vinegar and salt1 as
 in the early days of ,english          
gardening4 ,a good ,melon of the present
 day does not even need the addition of 
sugar2 the beauty1 aroma1 and flavour   
are such that it is not unusual for the 

epicure to push the luscious ,pine aside
 in order to enjoy this cool1 fresh1    
gratifying fruit that delights without  
cloying the palate4 ,the newer varieties
 are remarkable alike for fruitfulness  
and high quality1 and are somewhat      
hardier than the favourites of years    
gone by4  ,the ,melon is grown in much  
the same way as the ,cucumber1 but it   
differs in requiring a firmer soil1 a   
higher temperature1 a much stronger     
light1 less water1 and more air4 ,it may
 be said that no man should attempt to  
grow ,melons until he has had some      
experience in growing ,cucumbers4 ,as   
regards this point1 the hard and fast   
line is useless1 but ,cucumber-growing  
is certainly a good practical           
preparative for the higher walk wherein 
the ,melon is found4 ,but ,cucumbers are
 grown advantageously all the winter    
through2 ,melons are not4 ,the former   
are eaten green1 and the latter are     
eaten ripe2 this makes all the          
difference4 ,melons that are ripened    

between ,october and ,may are seldom    
worth the trouble bestowed upon them2   
therefore we shall say nothing about    
growing ,melons in winter4  ,the ,frame 
,culture may with advantage begin about 
the middle of ,march by the preparation 
of a good hot-bed4 ,it is best to use a 
three-light frame1 as the heat will be  
more constant than with one of smaller  
size4 ,there should be six loads of     
stuff laid up for the bed1 and the      
turning should be sufficient to take out
 the fire1 without materially reducing  
the fermenting power4 ,begin a fortnight
 in advance of making up the bed1 and be
 careful at every stage to do things    
well1 as advised for the cultivation of 
frame ,cucumbers4 ,the best soil for    
,melons is a firm1 turfy loam1 nine     
inches of which should be placed on top 
of the manure4 ,in a clay district1 a   
certain amount of clay1 disintegrated by
 frost1 may be chopped over with turfy  
loam from an old pasture4 ,if the soil  
is poor1 decayed manure should be added1

 but the best possible ,melons may be   
grown in a fertile loam without the aid 
of manures or stimulants of any kind4   
,it is good practice to raise the plants
 in pots1 and have them strong enough to
 plant out as soon as the newly-made    
beds have settled down to a steady      
temperature of about #hj1 but below #gj 
will be unsafe4 ,if plants cannot be    
prepared in advance1 seed must be sown  
on the bed1 and as a precaution against 
accidents and to permit of the removal  
of those which show any sign of         
weakness1 a sufficient number of seeds  
should be sown to provide for           
contingencies4  ,as regards the bed1 it 
may be made once and for all at the time
 of planting1 a few days being allowed  
for warming the soil through4 ,but we   
much prefer to begin with smallish      
hillocks1 or with a thin sharp ridge    
raised so as almost to touch the lights1
 and to plant or sow on this ridge1     
which can be added to from time to time 
as the plants require more root room4   

,the soil1 coming fresh and fresh1      
sustains a vigorous and healthy root    
action4 ,the high ridge favours the     
production of stout leaves1 and the     
absorption by the soil of sun-heat is to
 the ,melon of the first importance4    
,the practice of pruning ,melons as if  
the plants were grown for fodder1 and   
might be chopped at for supplies of     
herbage1 must be heartily condemned4    
,melons should never be so crowded as to
 necessitate cutting out1 except in a   
quite trivial manner4 ,a free and       
vigorous plant is needed1 and under     
skilful attention it will rarely happen 
that there is a single leaf anywhere    
that can be spared4 ,we will propose a  
practical rule that we have followed in 
growing ,melons for seed1 of which a    
large crop of the most perfect fruits is
 absolutely needful to insure a fair    
return4 ,the young plants are pinched   
when there are two rough leaves4 ,the   
result is two side shoots4 ,these are   
allowed to produce six or seven leaves1 

and are then pinched4 ,after this1 the  
plants are permitted to run1 and there  
is no more pinching or pruning until the
 crop is visible4 ,then the fruits that 
are to remain must be selected1 and the 
shoots be pinched to one eye above each 
fruit1 and only one fruit should remain 
on a shoot2 the others must be removed a
 few at a time4 ,all overgrowth must be 
guarded against1 for crowded plants will
 be comparatively worthless4 ,it is not 
by rudely cutting out that crowding is  
to be prevented1 but by timely pinching 
out every shoot that is likely to prove 
superfluous4 ,from first to last there  
must be a regular plant1 and not a shoot
 should be allowed to grow that is not  
wanted4 ,cutting out may produce canker1
 and crowding results in sterility4  ,as
 the ,melon is required to ripen its    
fruits1 and the ,cucumber is not1 the   
treatment varies in view of this        
difference4 ,it is not necessary to     
fertilise the female flowers of the     
,cucumber1 but it is certainly          

desirable1 if not absolutely necessary1 
to operate on those of the ,melon to    
insure a crop4 ,the early morning1 when 
the leaves are dry and the sun is       
shining1 is the proper time for this    
task1 which is described in a later     
paragraph4 ,and the necessity for       
ripening the crop marks another         
difference of management1 for ,cucumbers
 may carry many fruits1 and continue    
producing them until the plants are     
exhausted4 ,but the production of       
,melons must be limited to about half a 
dozen on each plant1 and good management
 requires that these should all ripen at
 the same time1 or nearly so1 fully     
exposed to the sun1 and with plenty of  
ventilation4  ,the requisite supply of  
water is an important matter4 ,the plant
 should never be dry at the root1 and   
must have a light shower twice a day    
over the leafage1 but the moisture which
 is necessary for ,cucumbers would be   
excessive for ,melons4 ,it is a golden  
rule to grow ,melons liberally1 keeping 

them sturdy by judicious air-giving1 and
 to give them a little extra watering   
just as they are coming into flower4    
,then1 as the flowers open1 the watering
 at the root should be discontinued1 and
 the syringe should be used in the      
evening only at shutting up4 ,if        
discontinued entirely1 red spider will  
appear1 and the crop will be in         
jeopardy1 for that pest can be kept at a
 distance only by careful regulation of 
atmospheric moisture4  ,melons in frames
 do better spread out on the beds than  
when trained on trellises4 ,when so     
grown1 each fruit must be supported with
 a flat tile or an inverted flower-pot1 
and means must be taken1 by pegs or     
otherwise1 to prevent it from rolling   
off1 for the twist of stem that ensues  
may check the fruit or cause it to fall4
 ,when the fruits are as large as the   
top joint of a man's thumb1 watering may
 be resumed1 and the syringe used twice 
a day until the fruit begins to change  
colour1 when there must be a return to  

the dry system1 but with care to avoid  
carrying it to a dangerous extreme4     
,the ,melon-house1 heated by hot water1 
is adapted to supply fruit earlier than 
is obtainable by frame culture1 and is  
entirely superior to any frame or pit4  
,it appears1 however1 that in           
,melon-houses red spider is more        
frequently seen than in frames heated by
 fermenting material2 but this point    
rests on management1 and there can be   
nothing more certain than that a        
reasonable employment of atmospheric    
humidity may be made effectual for      
preventing and removing this pest4 ,for 
the convenient cultivation of the crop a
 lean-to or half-span is to be          
preferred4 ,the width should not exceed 
twelve feet1 and ten to twelve feet     
should be the utmost height of the roof4
 ,a service of pipes under the bed will 
be required2 but as ,melons are not     
grown in winter1 the heating of a       
,melon-house is a simple affair1 and1   
indeed1 very much of the cultivation as 

the summer advances will be carried on  
by the aid of sun-heat only4 ,the       
treatment of the plants in a house      
differs from the frame management1      
because a trellis is employed1 and the  
plants are taken up the trellis without 
stopping until they nearly reach the    
top1 when the points are pinched out to 
promote the growth of side shoots4 ,in  
setting the fruit1 the same principles  
prevail as in frame culture1 and it is  
advisable to #8set' the whole crop at   
once2 if two or three fruits obtain a   
good start1 others that are set later   
will drop off4 ,as the fruits swell1    
support must be afforded to prevent any 
undue strain on the vine1 and this      
should be accomplished by nets specially
 made for the purpose1 or by suspending 
small flat boards of half-inch deal with
 copper wires1 each fruit resting on its
 board1 until the cracking round the    
stem gives warning that the fruit should
 be cut and placed in the fruit room for
 a few days to complete the ripening for

 the table4 ,in houses of the kind      
described ,melons and ,cucumbers are    
occasionally grown together4 ,but       
although this may be done1 and there are
 many cultivators expert in the         
business1 the practice cannot be        
recommended1 for ships that sail near   
the wind will come to grief some day4   
,the moisture and partial shade that    
suit the ,cucumber do not suit the      
,melon1 and it is a poor compromise to  
make one end of the house shady and     
moist1 and the other end sunny and dry1 
to establish different conditions with  
one atmosphere4 ,a glass partition      
pretty well disposes of the difficulty1 
because it is then possible to insure   
two atmospheres suitable for two        
different operations4 7,see also pages  
#aeg1 #age1 and #ahd47  ,the            
,pollination of ,melons is performed by 
plucking the mature male blooms1 and    
after the removal of the petals1        
transferring the pollen of the male     
flower to the stigma of the female      

flower4  ,,mercury  ,chenopodium        
,bonus-,henricus  ,this perfectly hardy 
vegetable1 known also by the name of    
,good ,king ,henry1 is much grown in    
,lincolnshire4 ,the leaves are used in  
the same way as ,spinach1 and by        
earthing up the shoots they may be      
blanched as a substitute for ,asparagus4
 ,sow the seeds during ,april in drills 
twelve inches apart1 and in due course  
thin the seedlings to one foot apart in 
the rows4  ,,mushroom  ,agaricus        
campestris  ,the ,mushroom has many     
friends among all classes1 few          
benevolent neutrals1 and fewer still who
 are absolutely hostile to it as an     
article of food4 ,those who find1 or    
imagine they find1 that this delicacy   
does not agree with them1 might possibly
 arrive at another conclusion were a    
different mode of preparation adopted1  
or were the consumption of it           
accompanied with a full persuasion that 
the ,mushroom is not merely delicious in
 flavour1 but thoroughly wholesome1 rich

 in flesh-forming constituents1 and1 for
 a vegetable1 possessed of more than the
 average proportion of fat-formers and  
minerals4 ,these facts have been clearly
 established by chemical analysis1 and  
may dispose of timid misgivings1 always 
supposing the true edible ,mushroom1    
,agaricus campestris1 to be in question4
  ,hitherto the artificial production of
 ,mushrooms has never been equal to the 
demand4 ,notwithstanding the enormous   
quantities sent to ,covent ,garden by   
the growers around ,london1 many tons   
are imported from ,france1 although it  
is generally admitted that they are     
neither so fine nor so rich in flavour  
as those produced in this country4 ,if1 
however1 the large centres of population
 are inadequately supplied1 the scarcity
 of ,mushrooms is more keenly felt in   
the provinces1 except1 perhaps1 in      
certain favoured districts1 where1 after
 a few warm days in autumn1 an abundant 
crop may be gathered from the           
neighbouring pastures4 ,then there is a 

brave show in the greengrocers' windows 
for a brief period1 followed by entire  
dearth for weeks1 and perhaps months4   
,obviously1 therefore1 the demand1 large
 as it already is1 might be immensely   
augmented by a commensurate supply4 ,yet
 it is not only possible but quite easy 
to grow ,mushrooms for the greater part 
of the year in very small gardens1 even 
when such gardens are entirely destitute
 of the appliances usually considered   
necessary for the higher flights of     
horticulture4 ,the idea that            
,mushroom-growing is somewhat of a      
mystery1 forbidden to all but the       
strictly initiated1 has happily been    
dispelled4 ,if we examine the conditions
 under which ,mushrooms grow freely in  
pastures1 it is surprising how few and  
simple are the elements of success4 ,the
 crop generally appears in ,september1  
when temperature is genial and fairly   
equable1 with sufficient but not        
superabundant moisture4 ,the artificial 
production of ,mushrooms in the garden  

needs only reliable spawn1 a sweet      
fertile bed1 and some means of          
maintaining a steady temperature under  
varying atmospheric conditions4 ,when   
the principles of ,mushroom culture are 
thoroughly mastered1 they may be        
successfully applied in many different  
ways1 and they render the practical work
 easy and tolerably certain4  ,the      
,spawn4--,although the ,mushroom may be 
grown from seed1 it is seldom done      
except for strictly scientific purposes4
 ,the seeds are1 however1 largely       
disseminated by ,nature1 and1 having    
found a suitable home1 they germinate   
and produce an underground growth which 
at a hasty glance resembles mildew4 ,it 
really consists of white gossamer-like  
films1 which increase in number and     
distinctness as they develop1 until they
 push their way towards the surface1 and
 give rise to the growth above ground of
 the ,mushroom4 ,it follows that if we  
do not begin the cultivation with seeds 
or spores1 we must resort to the white  

films or #8mycelium1' that the growth of
 the plant may begin in ,nature's own   
way below ground4 ,what is called       
#8,mushroom ,spawn' consists of certain 
materials from the stable and the field1
 mixed and prepared in such a manner as 
to favour the development of the        
mycelium of the ,mushroom4 ,when dried1 
the cakes have the appearance of an     
unburnt brick4 ,the preparation of the  
spawn1 though a very simple matter1     
demands the skill and care of           
experienced operators4 ,if the work is  
not well done1 the spawn will be of poor
 quality1 and will yield a meagre crop1 
or perhaps fail to produce a single     
,mushroom4 ,whether the cakes or bricks 
are impregnated in the manner long      
practised in this country1 or direct    
from the tissue of the ,mushroom1 the   
culture remains the same4 ,provided that
 the spawn is good1 it has but to be    
broken into lumps of a suitable size1   
and inserted in the bed1 to impregnate  
the entire mass with the necessary white

 films4 ,these will take their time to  
collect from the soil the alkalies and  
phosphates of which ,mushrooms          
principally consist1 and this part of   
their work being done1 the fruits of    
their labours will be displayed above   
ground in the elegant and sweet-smelling
 fungus that few human appetites can    
resist when it is placed upon the table 
in the way that it deserves4 ,experts   
can readily form an opinion as to       
whether a cake of ,mushroom spawn is or 
is not in a fit state for planting1 and 
it will be a safe proceeding for the    
amateur to buy from a ,firm which has a 
large and constant sale2 otherwise1     
spawn may be purchased which was        
originally well made and properly       
impregnated1 but has lost its vitality  
through long keeping4  ,soil4--,as to   
soil1 it is well known that in a        
favourable autumn ,mushrooms abound in  
old rich pastures1 and those who have   
command of turf cut from a field of this
 character have only to stack the sods  

grass side downwards for a year or two1 
and they will be in possession of       
first-class material for ,mushroom beds 
either in the open or under cover4 ,but 
small gardens1 particularly in towns1   
have no such bank to honour their       
drafts1 and for these it becomes a      
question of buying a load or two of     
turfy loam1 or of making the soil of the
 garden answer1 perhaps with a          
preliminary enrichment by artificial    
manure4 ,in the general interests of the
 garden1 the money for a limited        
quantity of good loam would probably be 
well spent1 independently of the        
question of ,mushrooms4 ,no great bulk  
is necessary to cover a moderate-sized  
,mushroom bed1 but the quality of the   
soil will certainly have an influence on
 the number and character of the        
,mushrooms4 ,as a proof of the          
exhaustive nature of the fungus1 it     
almost invariably happens that when the 
soil is used a second time it tends to  
diminish the size and lower the quality 

of the crop4  ,manure4--,in the         
management of the manure two essentials 
must be borne in mind4 ,not only is     
nourishment for the plant required1 but 
warmth also4 ,probably a large          
proportion of the failures to grow      
,mushrooms might1 if all the facts were 
known1 be traced to some defect in the  
manure employed1 or to some fault in its
 preparation4 ,it must be rich in the   
properties which encourage and support  
the development of ,mushrooms1          
absolutely free from the least          
objectionable odour1 for the plant is   
most fastidious in its demand for       
sweetness1 although it can dispense with
 light2 and there must remain in the    
manure when made into a bed a sufficient
 reserve of fermentation to insure      
prolonged heat1 no matter what the      
temperature of the atmosphere may be4   
,of course1 the duration of the heat    
will depend very much on the care with  
which it is conserved by suitable       
covering and management4 ,these         

requirements1 formidable as they may    
seem1 can be insured with extreme ease2 
indeed1 the work is apparently far more 
difficult and complicated on paper than 
it proves to be in practice4            
,preparation of the ,bed4--,the manure  
should come from stables occupied by    
horses in good health1 fed exclusively  
on hard food4 ,the most suitable store  
is the floor of a dry shed1 or under    
some protection which will prevent the  
loss of vital forces4 ,ammonia1 for     
example1 is readily dissipated in the   
atmosphere or washed away by rain4 ,the 
manure should neither be allowed to     
become dust dry1 nor to waste its power 
in premature fermentation4 ,operations  
may be commenced with three or four     
loads4 ,a smaller quantity increases the
 difficulty of maintaining the requisite
 temperature when fermentation begins to
 flag4 ,the first procedure is to make  
the manure into a high oblong heap well 
trodden down4 ,if the stuff be somewhat 
dry1 a sprinkling of water over every   

layer will be necessary4 ,in a few days 
fermentation will make the heap hot all 
through1 and then it must be taken to   
pieces and remade1 putting all the      
outside portions into the interior1 with
 the object of insuring equal           
fermentation of the entire bulk4 ,this  
process will have to be repeated several
 times at intervals of three or four    
days until the manure has not only been 
fermented but sweetened4 ,when ready it 
will be of a dark colour1 soft1 damp    
enough to be cohesive under pressure1   
but not sufficiently damp to part with  
any of its moisture1 and almost         
odourless2 at all events the odour will 
not be objectionable1 but may be        
suggestive of ,mushrooms4 ,make a long  
bed1 having a base about four feet wide1
 and sides sloping to a ridge like the  
roof of a house1 with this              
difference--the narrow part of the ridge
 is useless1 and the top should1        
therefore1 be rounded off when about a  
foot across4 ,some growers prefer a     

circular bed of six or eight feet       
diameter at the bottom and tapering     
towards a point1 after the shape of a   
military tent2 but here again the point 
will be worthless1 and the bed may      
terminate abruptly4 ,either the long bed
 or the round heap answers admirably4   
,tread the manure down compactly1 and   
for the sake of appearances endeavour to
 finish it off in a workmanlike manner4 
,during the first few days there will be
 a considerable rise in the temperature1
 which will gradually subside1 and when 
the plunging thermometer shows that it  
has settled down to a comfortable       
condition of about #hj the bed must be  
spawned4 ,experienced men can determine 
by the sense of touch when the          
temperature is right1 but the           
inexperienced should rely entirely on   
the thermometer4 ,the question will     
arise as to the period of the year when 
operations should be commenced4 ,well1  
the experts who grow ,mushrooms in the  
open ground for market gather crops     

almost the year round2 but a beginner   
will do wisely to start under the most  
favourable natural conditions1 and these
 will be found about midsummer1 because 
the bed will commence bearing before    
winter creates difficulty as to         
temperature4  ,spawning and             
,after-management4--,break each cake of 
spawn into eight or ten pieces1 and     
force every piece gently a little way   
into the manure at regular intervals of 
six to nine inches all over the bed1    
closing the manure over and round each  
piece of spawn4 ,the practice of        
inserting spawn by means of the dibber  
is to be strongly condemned1 for it     
leaves smooth1 hollow spaces which      
arrest the mycelium2 and very small     
pieces of spawn should be avoided       
because they generally result in small  
,mushrooms4 ,immediately the spawning is
 completed1 a thick and even covering of
 clean straw or litter of some kind     
should be laid over the bed1 secured    
from wind by canvas1 mats1 hurdles1 or  

in some other way4 ,from good spawn the 
films of mycelium will begin to extend  
within a week4 ,in the contrary case an 
examination of the pieces will show that
 they have become darker than when put  
into the bed1 which means that they have
 perished4 ,then the question will arise
 as to whether the bed or the spawn is  
at fault1 and the former must either be 
spawned again or broken up4 ,supposing  
the spawn to show signs of vitality1 the
 time has come for covering the bed with
 a layer of rather moist soil1 pressed  
lightly but firmly on to the manure with
 the spade or fork1 so that the earth   
will not slip down4 ,at once restore the
 covering of litter1 c41 and wait       
patiently for about seven or eight weeks
 for the crop4 ,meanwhile the plunging  
thermometer ought to be consulted daily4
 ,until the ,mushrooms appear the       
instrument should not indicate less than
 #fj1 and while in bearing not less than
 #ee4 ,experience proves that the most  
violent alternations of temperature may 

be combated by regulating the thickness 
of the covering4 ,although it may       
possibly be necessary to resort to      
eighteen inches of litter or more during
 hard frost or the prevalence of a      
cutting east wind1 a much thinner       
covering will suffice in milder weather4
  ,should the temperature of the bed1   
through inexperience in the management  
of it1 sink below the point at which    
,mushrooms can grow1 we advise the      
exercise of a little patience4 ,we have 
known several instances of beds made in 
autumn producing no crop at the expected
 time1 but which have borne fairly in   
the following spring or summer4 ,but in 
the event of the first effort failing   
outright there is no great loss4 ,the   
manure1 which is the most costly item1  
will still be available for the garden1 
and an observant man will pretty well   
understand in what respect he must amend
 his course of procedure4               
,water4--,moisture is of great          
consequence1 for a dry ,mushroom bed    

will soon be barren also2 but whenever  
water is given it must be applied tepid 
and from a fine rose4 ,to slop cold     
water over a ,mushroom bed is about as  
reasonable a procedure as putting ice   
into hot soup4 ,water is best           
administered in the afternoon of a      
genial day1 and should be sufficient to 
saturate the bed4 ,immediately it is    
done the covering of litter and canvas  
must be promptly restored to prevent the
 temperature from being seriously       
lowered by rapid evaporation4 ,a couple 
of stakes driven from the crown to the  
bottom of the bed at the time of making 
up the heap are useful as indicators of 
moisture1 and may occasionally be drawn 
out and examined4  ,in gathering the    
crop1 only a small portion of the bed   
should be uncovered at a time4 ,this    
should be the rule at all seasons1 and  
the strict observance of it will prevent
 a mistake in cold weather1 for then1 if
 the bed is carelessly uncovered and    
much chilled1 the crop will come to an  

end1 when perhaps it would1 if properly 
handled1 be at high tide and full of    
profit4 ,another rule should be         
enforced1 to this effect1 that every    
,mushroom must be taken out complete1   
and if the root does not come with the  
stem1 it must be dug out with a knife4  
,any trifling with this rule will prove 
a costly mistake4 ,the stem of a        
,mushroom1 if left in the ground1 will  
produce nothing at all4 ,but it may     
attract flies1 and it certainly will    
interfere with the movements of the     
mycelium at that particular spot1 and   
actually prevent the production of any  
more ,mushrooms4 ,the old practitioners 
were accustomed to leave the stem in the
 ground1 and they were content with     
about one-third of the crop now produced
 on beds that are1 perhaps1 not better  
made than were theirs4 ,but they had a  
notion about the powers of the root     
which increased knowledge of the subject
 has shown to be fallacious4  ,in       
,pastures4--,as already indicated1      

,mushrooms are often to be found in     
abundance in well-stocked pastures      
during the late summer months1 and where
 favourable conditions exist it is an   
excellent plan to insert pieces of spawn
 two inches deep in the turf in ,june   
and ,july4  ,turf ,pits4--,the facility 
with which ,mushrooms may be raised     
under simple methods is illustrated by  
the practice of growing them inside the 
turf walls of cool pits4 ,in the country
 turf walls are common1 and they offer  
the advantage of growing ,mushrooms in  
addition to the purpose they usually    
serve4 ,after determining the size of   
the pit1 and accurately marking it on   
the ground1 cut the turf into narrow    
strips1 say three or four inches wide1  
and of exactly eighteen inches length4  
,the strips should be closely laid1     
grass side downwards1 across the width  
of the walls--not longitudinally--except
 at the corners1 where the layers should
 cross each other4 ,the front and back  
walls to be rather above the required   

height1 because the turf always scales  
down a little1 and the two ends must    
gradually rise from front to back4 ,the 
top layer may be right side up1 when it 
will keep green for a long time4 ,as the
 work proceeds insert lumps of spawn at 
intervals in every layer1 about three or
 four inches from the inside edge4 ,a   
wooden frame will be requisite on the   
top to carry the glass lights4 ,this    
structure makes a useful cool pit and a 
,mushroom bed from which supplies may   
sometimes be gathered for years4 ,in the
 summer it will be necessary to keep the
 walls moist by means of the syringe1 or
 they will cease bearing4  ,indoor      
,beds4--,mushrooms may be grown almost  
anywhere1 evenly in a cellar1 or on the 
wall of a warm stable1 provided only    
that the mode of procedure is in a      
reasonable degree adapted to the        
requirements of the fungus4 ,ordinary   
pits and frames are also serviceable1   
and many gardeners obtain good crops in 
autumn by the simple process of         

inserting a few lumps of spawn in a     
,cucumber or ,melon bed while the plants
 are still in bearing4 ,between spawning
 and cropping a period of six or eight  
weeks usually elapses1 so that if the   
plan just mentioned be adopted1 the     
spawn should be introduced in the height
 of summer1 both to insure it a warm bed
 and to allow time for the crop to      
mature before the season runs out4      
,sheds and outhouses not only afford    
shelter and space for beds on the floor1
 but the walls can be fitted with       
shelves on which ,mushrooms may be      
plentifully grown4 ,in all cases the    
shelves should be two feet apart        
vertically1 and each shelf should have a
 ledge nine inches deep4 ,the walls of a
 house may be quickly and cheaply fitted
 with woodwork for the purpose1 but     
brick is so much better than wood that  
whenever it is possible to employ brick 
it should have the preference4 ,as      
regards the ledges1 they should be of   
stout planking in any case1 and should  

not be fixed1 because of the necessity  
for clearing the shelves and renewing   
the soil periodically4 ,the details of  
cultivation are the same within doors as
 without1 but the roof gives valuable   
protection1 and helps to maintain the   
beds at a suitable temperature4  ,a     
proper ,mushroom-house for production   
during winter should be heated with hot 
water1 and have an opaque roof4 ,there  
is nothing so good for the crop as a    
roof of thatch1 but there are many      
objections to it1 and usually slate is  
employed4 ,a double roof will pay for   
its extra cost by promoting an equable  
temperature4 ,a few side lights fitted  
with shutters are necessary1 as there   
should be a good light for working      
purposes2 but the crop does not need    
light1 and a more steady temperature can
 be maintained in a dark house than in  
one which has several windows4 ,the most
 convenient dimensions for a            
,mushroom-house are3 length1 twenty-five
 feet2 width1 twelve feet2 height at    

sides1 six feet1 to allow of a bed on   
the floor1 and a shelf four feet above  
it2 the ridge rising sufficiently for   
head room1 and to shoot off water4      
,there will be room for a central path  
of four feet1 and a bed of four feet on 
each side4 ,an earth or tile floor and a
 slate or stone shelf will1 with one    
four-inch flow and return pipe1 complete
 the arrangements4 ,the less wood and   
the less concrete the better2 there is  
nothing like porous red tiles for the   
floor and stone for the shelves1 with   
loose planks on edge to keep up the     
soil1 a few uprights being sufficient to
 hold them in their places4             
,temperatures at every point are of     
great importance4 ,the bed should be    
near #hj when the spawn is inserted4    
,the air temperature requisite to the   
rising crop is #fj to #fe1 which is the 
usual temperature of the season when    
,mushrooms appear in pastures4 ,while   
the bed is bearing a temperature of #ee 
will suffice1 but at any point below    

this minimum production will be slow and
 may come to a stop4 ,when giving water1
 take care that it is at a temperature  
rather above than below that of the bed4
  ,,mustard  ,sinapis alba1 and ,s4     
nigra  ,mustard is much valued as a     
pungent salad1 and for mixing in the    
bowl it may take the place of ,water    
,cress when the latter is not at        
command4 ,mustard is often sown with    
,cress1 but it is bad practice1 for the 
two plants do not grow at the same pace1
 and there is nothing gained by mixing  
them4 ,the proper sort for salading is  
the common ,white ,mustard1 but ,brown  
,mustard may be used for the purpose4   
,rape is employed for market work1 but  
should be shunned in the garden4 ,as the
 crop is cut in the seed leaf1 it is    
necessary to sow often1 but the         
frequency must be regulated by the      
demand4 ,supplies may be kept up through
 the winter by sowing in shallow boxes1 
which can be put into vineries1 forcing 
pits1 and other odd places4 ,boxes      

answer admirably1 as they can be placed 
on the pipes if needful2 they favour the
 complete cutting of a crop without     
remainders1 and this is of importance in
 the case of a salad that runs out of   
use quickly and is so easily produced4  
,from ,lady ,day to ,michaelmas ,mustard
 may be sown on the open border with    
other saladings1 but as the summer      
advances a shady place must be found for
 it4   ,,onion  ,allium ,cepa  ,the     
onion has the good fortune to be        
generally appreciated and well grown    
almost everywhere4 ,it enhances the     
flavour and digestibility of many       
important articles of food that would   
fail to nourish us without its aid1     
while to others it adds a zest that     
contributes alike to enjoyment and      
health4 ,although there are but few     
difficulties to be encountered in the   
cultivation of the ,onion1 there is a   
marked difference between a well-grown  
crop and one under poor management4     
,there is1 moreover1 what may be termed 

a fine art department in ,onion culture1
 one result being special exhibitions1  
in which handsome bulbs of great weight 
are brought forward in competition for  
the amusement and edification of the    
sight-seeing public4 ,thus1 when the    
first principles have been mastered1    
there may be1 for the earnest cultivator
 of this useful root1 many more things  
to be learned1 and that may be worth    
learning1 alike for their interest and  
utility4  ,treatment of ,soil4--,the    
,onion can be grown on any kind of soil1
 but poor land must be assisted by      
liberal manuring4 ,a soil that will not 
produce large ,onions may produce small 
ones1 and the smallest are acceptable   
when no others are to be had4 ,but for  
handsome bulbs and a heavy crop a deep  
rich loam of a somewhat light texture is
 required1 although an adhesive loam1 or
 even a clay1 may be improved for the   
purpose2 while on a sandy soil excellent
 results may be obtained by good        
management1 especially in a wet season4 

,in any case the soil must be well      
prepared by deep digging1 breaking the  
lumps1 and laying up in ridges to be    
disintegrated by the weather1 and if    
needful its texture should be amended1  
as far as possible1 at the same time4 ,a
 coat of clay may be spread over a piece
 of sand1 to be thoroughly incorporated 
with it2 on the other hand1 where the   
staple is clay1 the addition of sand    
will be advantageous4 ,all such         
corrective measures yield an adequate   
return if prudently carried out1 because
 it is possible to grow ,onions from    
year to year on the same ground2 and    
thus in places where the soil is        
decidedly unsuitable a plot may be      
specially prepared for ,onions1 and if  
the first crop does not fully pay the   
cost1 those that follow will do so4 ,but
 the plant is not fastidious1 and it is 
easy work almost anywhere to grow useful
 ,onions4 ,the first step in preparing  
land is to make it loose and fine       
throughout1 and as far as possible to do

 this some time before the seed is sown4
 ,for sowing in spring1 the beds should 
be prepared in the rough before winter1 
and when the time comes for levelling   
down and finishing1 the top crust will  
be found well pulverised1 and in a      
kindly state to receive the seed4       
,stagnant moisture is deadly to ,onions1
 therefore swampy ground is most unfit2 
but a sufficient degree of dryness for a
 summer crop may often be secured by    
trenching1 and leaving rather deep      
alleys between the beds to carry off    
surface water during heavy rains4       
,manures4--,as almost any soil will suit
 the ,onion1 so also will almost any    
kind of manure1 provided that it be not 
rank or offensive4 ,this strongly       
flavoured plant likes good but sweet    
living1 and it is sheer folly to load   
the ground for it with coarse and       
stimulating manures4 ,yet it is often   
done1 and the result is a stiff-necked  
generation of bulbs that refuse to      
ripen1 or there may be complete failure 

of the crop through disease or plethora4
 ,but any fertiliser that is at hand1   
whether from the pigstye1 or the        
sweepings of poultry yards or pigeon    
lofts1 may be turned to account by the  
simple process of first making it into a
 compost with fresh soil1 and then      
digging it in some time in advance of   
the season for sowing1 and in reasonable
 but not excessive quantity4 ,all such  
aids to plant growth as guano1 charcoal1
 and well-rotted farmyard manure1 may be
 used advantageously for the ,onion     
crop2 but there are two materials of    
especial value1 and costing least of    
any1 that are universally employed by   
large growers1 both to help the growth  
and prevent maggot and canker4 ,these   
are lime and soot1 which are sown       
together when the ground is finally     
prepared for the seed1 and in quantity  
only sufficient to colour the ground4   
,they exercise a magical influence1 and 
those who make money by growing ,onions 
take care to employ them as a necessary 

part of their business routine4         
,spring-sown ,onions require to be put  
on rich1 mellow ground1 the top spit of 
which is of a somewhat fine texture1 and
 at the time of sowing almost dry4      
,having been well dug and manured in    
good time1 the top spit only should be  
dug over when it is finally made ready  
for the seed4 ,the work must be done    
with care1 and the beds should be marked
 off in breadths of four feet1 with     
one-foot alleys between4 ,break all     
lumps with the spade1 and work the      
surface to a regular and finely crumbled
 texture4 ,light soil should be trodden 
over to consolidate it1 and then the    
surface may be carefully touched with   
the rake to prepare it for the seed4    
,march and ,april are the usual months  
for spring sowing1 although in mild     
districts seed is sometimes put in as   
early as ,january4 ,space the rows from 
nine to twelve inches apart1 according  
to the character of the sort and the    
size of bulbs required4 ,the drills must

 be drawn across the bed1 at right      
angles to the alleys1 for when drawn the
 other way it is difficult to keep the  
ground properly weeded4 ,for a crop of  
,onions intended for storing1 the seed  
should be only just covered with fine   
earth taken from the alleys and thrown  
over1 after which the drills must be    
lightly trodden1 the surface again      
touched over with the rake1 and if the  
soil is dry and works nicely1 the       
business may be finished by gently      
patting the bed all over with the back  
of the spade4 ,if the ground is damp or 
heavy1 this final touch may be omitted1 
as the ,onion makes a weak grass that   
cannot easily push through earth that is
 caked over it4 ,but speaking generally1
 an ,onion bed newly sown should be     
quite smooth as if finished with a      
roller4 ,to the beginner this will      
appear a protracted and complicated     
story1 but the expert will attest that  
,onions require and will abundantly pay 
for special management4  ,as soon as    

possible after the crop is visible the  
ground between should be delicately     
chopped over with the hoe to check the  
weeds that will then be rising4         
,immediately the rows are defined a     
first thinning should be made with a    
small hoe1 care being taken to leave a  
good plant on the ground4 ,the next     
thinning will produce young ,onions for 
saladings1 and this kind of thinning may
 be continued by removing plants equally
 all over the bed to insure an even     
crop1 the final distance for bulbing    
being about six inches4 ,keep the hoe at
 work1 for if weeds are allowed to make 
way1 the crop will be seriously injured4
 ,when ,onions are doing well they lift 
themselves up and sit on the earth1     
needing light and air upon their bulbs  
to the very axis whence the roots       
diverge4 ,if weeds spread amongst them  
the bulbs are robbed of air and light1  
and their keeping properties are        
impaired4 ,but in the use of the hoe it 
is important not to loosen the ground or

 to draw any earth towards the bulbs4   
,when all the thinning has been done1   
and the weeds are kept down1 it will    
perhaps be observed that in places there
 are clusters of bulbs fighting for a   
place and rising out of the ground      
together as though enjoying the         
conflict4 ,with almost any other kind of
 plant this crowding would bode         
mischief1 but with ,onions it is not so4
 ,bulbs that grow in crowds and rise out
 of the ground will never be so large as
 those that have plenty of room1 but    
they will be of excellent quality1 and  
will keep better than any that have had 
ample space for high development4 ,it is
 almost a pity to touch these accidental
 clusters1 for the removal of a portion 
will perhaps loosen the ground1 and so  
spoil the character of those that are   
left4 ,really fine ,onions are rarely   
produced in loose ground1 hence the     
necessity for care in the use of the    
hoe4 ,watering is not often needed1 and 
we may go so far as to say that1 in a   

general way1 it is objectionable4 ,but a
 long drought on light land may put the 
crop in jeopardy1 unless watering is    
resorted to1 in which case weak manure  
water will be beneficial4 ,still1       
watering must be discontinued in good   
time1 or it will prevent the ripening of
 the bulbs1 and if a sign is wanted the 
growth will afford it1 for from the time
 the bulbs have attained to a reasonable
 size the water will do more harm than  
good4  ,the harvesting of the crop      
requires as much care as the growing of 
it4 ,if all goes well1 the bulbs will   
ripen naturally1 and being drawn and    
dried on the ground for a few days with 
their roots looking southward1 may be   
gathered up and topped and tailed or    
bunched as may be most convenient4 ,but 
there may be a little hesitation of the 
plant in finishing growth1 the result1  
perhaps1 of cool moist weather1 when dry
 hot weather would be better4 ,in this  
case the growth may be checked by       
passing a rod 7as the handle of a rake  

for example7 over the bed to bend down  
the tops4 ,after this the tops will turn
 yellow1 and the necks will shrink1 and 
advantage must be taken of fine weather 
to draw the ,onions and lay them out to 
dry4 ,a gravel path or a dry shed fully 
open to the sun will ripen them more    
completely than the bed on which they   
have been grown2 but large breadths of  
,onions must be ripened where they grew1
 and experience teaches when they may be
 drawn with safety4  ,as to keeping     
,onions1 any dry1 cool1 airy place will 
answer4 ,but if a difficulty arises     
there is an easy way out of it1 for     
,onions may be hung in bunches on an    
open wall under the shelter of the eaves
 of any building1 and thus the outsides 
of barns and stables and cottages may be
 converted into ,onion stores1 leaving  
the inside free for things that are less
 able to take care of themselves4       
,during severe frost they must be taken 
down and piled up anywhere in a safe    
place1 but may be put on their hooks    

again when the weather softens1 for a   
slight frost will not harm them in the  
least1 and the wall will keep them      
comparatively warm and dry4 ,when the   
best part of the crop has been bunched  
or roped1 the remainder may be thrown   
into a heap in a cool dry shed1 and a   
few mats put over them will prevent     
sprouting for at least three months4    
,but damp will start them into growth1  
and the only way to save them then is to
 top and tail them again1 and store as  
dry as possible in shallow baskets or   
boxes4  ,to grow large ,onions the      
principles already explained must be    
carried into practice in a more intense 
degree4 ,it will be necessary to devote 
extreme care to the preparation of the  
ground1 and to give the plants more time
 to mature2 much greater space must also
 be allowed than is usual for an        
ordinary crop4 ,a good open position is 
imperative1 and where the soil is       
sufficiently deep1 trenching is         
desirable4 ,shallow soil ought to be    

thoroughly dug down to the last inch1   
and it will be an advantage to break up 
the subsoil by pickaxe and fork4 ,cover 
the subsoil with a thick layer of rotten
 manure before restoring the top soil4  
,for light land farmyard manure is      
excellent1 but stable manure is         
preferable for stiff cold soil4 ,the    
usual time for trenching is ,october or 
,november1 leaving the surface rough for
 disintegration during winter4 ,nothing 
more need be done until the following   
,march4 ,early in that month break the  
soil down to a fine tilth and make it   
quite firm by treading1 or by rolling4  
,then broadcast over the plot a liberal 
dressing of ground lime and soot1 using 
about three pounds of each per pole4    
,rake both in and leave the bed until   
the time arrives for planting out3 this 
will depend on the weather4  ,those who 
are accustomed to exhibit ,onions at    
horticultural shows almost invariably   
sow very early in the year under glass  
and in due time transplant either from  

seed-pans or boxes4 ,of the two1        
properly prepared boxes are usually     
found most convenient4 ,the dimensions  
are optional1 but boxes about two feet  
long1 one foot wide1 and five inches    
deep answer admirably4 ,several holes   
are perforated in the bottom to insure  
efficient drainage4 ,in every box place 
a thick layer of rotten manure and then 
fill with thoroughly rich soil firmly   
pressed down1 leaving the surface quite 
smooth4 ,one of the most successful     
growers sows seed in rather small boxes 
early in ,january1 and about the middle 
of ,february the young ,onions are      
pricked into boxes of the size we have  
named4 ,only the finest and most        
promising seedlings are used4 ,when     
transferred1 each ,onion is allowed a   
space of three inches4 ,the boxes are   
kept in a greenhouse1 as near the glass 
as possible1 in a temperature of about  
#ej4 ,after sowing1 very little water is
 given2 but when transplanted1 finish   
with a sprinkling from a fine rose4     

,every morning the plants will require  
spraying1 but this must never be done at
 night or damping off may follow4 ,all  
through their time in the greenhouse it 
is important to keep the boxes near the 
glass4 ,towards the end of ,march remove
 to cold frames1 keeping the lights     
rather close for a few days1 but        
gradually giving more air until the     
lights can be taken off for a short time
 daily4  ,in the south1 about the middle
 of ,april is generally a suitable time 
for transplanting to open beds1 but in  
the event of a cold east wind prevailing
 a brief delay is advisable and it is   
always an advantage to plant out on a   
dull day or in showery weather4 ,space  
the rows twelve to eighteen inches      
apart1 and allow about fifteen inches   
between plants in the rows4 ,in the     
actual work of transplanting take care  
to insert only the fibrous roots in the 
soil4 ,to bury any portion of the stem  
results in thickened necks4 ,finish with
 a dusting of soot over the entire bed1 

including the ,onions1 and then well    
spray from a fine rose to settle the    
soil around the roots4 ,until the plants
 are established continue the spraying  
daily4 ,after the middle of ,may renew  
the dusting of the bed with soot and    
repeat at fortnightly intervals4 ,about 
the #bjth of ,june feeding the ,onions  
must commence4 ,peruvian guano and      
nitrate of soda are both excellent1 but 
these powerful artificials need using   
with discretion1 or the crop may be     
scorched instead of stimulated4 ,it is  
often safer to employ them in liquid    
form than dry1 and ten ounces of either1
 dissolved in ten gallons of water1 will
 suffice for thirty square yards4 ,use  
the two articles alternately at         
intervals of ten days and cease at the  
end of ,july4 ,if continued longer1 some
 of the finest bulbs will split4 ,the   
use of soot can1 however1 be regularly  
maintained4 ,should bulbs be required   
for autumn exhibition carefully lift    
them a week or ten days in advance of   

the show date4 ,this has the effect of  
making the bulbs firm and reducing the  
size of the necks4  ,supposing an attack
 of mildew to occur1 a dusting of       
flowers of sulphur will prove effective 
if applied immediately the disease      
appears4 ,sulphide of potassium1 one    
ounce to a gallon of water1 is also a   
reliable remedy4  ,july and ,august     
,sowing4--,during these months seed of  
the quick-growing types of ,onion may be
 sown for producing an abundant supply  
of salading and small bulbs during the  
autumn and onwards4 ,it is important to 
thin the plants early in order that     
those left standing in the rows may have
 every opportunity of developing        
rapidly4  ,autumn-sown ,onions1 intended
 for use in the following summer1 may   
also be sown in the same way as advised 
for spring sowing4 ,the time of sowing  
is important1 as the plants should be   
forward enough before winter to be      
useful1 but not so forward as to be in  
danger of injury from severe frost4 ,on 

well-drained ground all the sorts are   
hardy1 and the finest types1 which are  
so much prized as household and market  
,onions1 may be sown in autumn as safely
 as any others4 ,it may be well in most 
places to sow a small plot3 in the      
latter part of ,july1 and to make a     
large sowing of the best keeping sorts  
about the middle of ,august--say1 for   
the far north the first of the month1   
and for the far south the very last day4
 ,thin the plants in the rows and       
transplant the thinnings1 if required1  
as soon as weather permits in ,february4
 ,in places where spring-sown ,onions do
 not ripen in good time in consequence  
of cold wet weather1 autumn sowing may  
prove advantageous1 as the ripening will
 take place when the summer is at its   
best1 and the crop may be taken off     
before the season breaks down4          
,pickling ,onions may be obtained by    
sowing any of the white or              
straw-coloured varieties that are grown 
for keeping1 but the large sorts are    

quite unfit2 the best are the ,queen and
 ,paris ,silver-skin1 as they are very  
white when pickled and are moderately   
mild in flavour4 ,a piece of poor dry   
ground should be selected and made fine 
on the surface4 ,sow in the month of    
,april thickly1 but evenly1 cover       
lightly1 and roll or tread to give a    
firm seed-bed1 and make a good finish4  
,be careful to keep down weeds1 and do  
not thin the crop at all4 ,if sown very 
shallow the bulbs will be round3 if sown
 an inch deep they will be oval or      
pear-shaped4  ,the ,potato or           
,underground ,onion is not much grown in
 this country1 in consequence of        
occasional losses of the crop in severe 
winters4 ,in the ,south of ,england the 
rule as to growing it is to plant on the
 shortest day1 and take up on the       
longest4 ,it requires a rich1 deep soil1
 and to be planted in rows twelve inches
 apart1 the bulbs nine inches apart in  
the row4 ,some cultivators earth them up
 like ,potatoes1 but we prefer to let   

the bulbs rise into the light1 even by  
the removal of the earth1 so as to form 
a basin around each1 taking care1 of    
course1 not to lay bare the roots in so 
doing4 ,when the planted bulbs have put 
forth a good head of leaves1 they form  
clusters of bulbs around them1 and the  
best growth is made in full daylight1   
the bulbs sitting on and not in the     
soil4  ,the ,onion ,grub 7,phorbia      
cepetorum7 is often very troublesome to 
the crop1 especially in its early       
stages1 and its presence may be known by
 the grass becoming yellow and falling  
on the ground4 ,it will then be found   
that the white portion1 which should    
become the bulb1 has been pierced to the
 centre by a fleshy1 shining maggot1 a  
quarter of an inch in length1 this being
 the larva of an ashy-coloured1         
ill-looking1 two-winged fly4 ,where this
 plague has acquired such a hold as to  
be a serious nuisance1 care should be   
taken to clear out all the old store of 
,onions instantly upon a sufficiency of 

young ,onions becoming available in     
spring1 and to burn them without        
hesitation4 ,if left to become garden   
waste in the usual way1 these old       
,onions do much to perpetuate and       
augment the plague4 ,a regular use of   
lime and soot will be found an effectual
 preventive4 ,other remedies are        
suggested in the article on ,onion ,fly1
 ,page #dbj4  ,,parsley--see ,,herbs1   
page #fh  ,,parsnip  ,pastinaca sativa  
,the ,parsnip is one of the most        
profitable roots the earth produces4    
,probably its sweet flavour imposes a   
limit on its usefulness1 but bad cooking
 doubtless has much to answer for1 the  
people in our great towns being1 in too 
many instances1 quite ignorant of the   
proper mode of cooking this nourishing  
root4 ,when cut in strips1 slightly     
boiled and served up almost crisp1 it is
 a poor article for human food2 but when
 cooked whole in such a way as to appear
 on the table like a mass of marrow1 it 
is at once a digestible dainty and a    

substantial food that the people might  
consume more largely than they do1 to   
their advantage4  ,the ,parsnip requires
 only one special condition for its     
welfare1 and that is a piece of ground  
prepared for it by honest digging4 ,rich
 ground it does not need1 but the crop  
will certainly be the finer from a deep 
fertile sandy loam than from a poor soil
 of any kind4 ,but the one great point  
is to trench the ground in autumn and   
lay it up rough for the winter4 ,then at
 the very first opportunity in ,february
 or ,march it can be levelled down and  
the seed sown1 and the task got out of  
hand before the rush of spring work     
comes on4 ,a fine seed-bed should be    
prepared either in one large piece or in
 four-feet strips1 as may best suit     
other arrangements4 ,sow in shallow     
drills eighteen inches apart1 dropping  
the seeds from the hand in twos and     
threes at a distance of six inches      
apart2 cover lightly1 and touch over    
with the hoe or rake to make a neat     

finish4 ,as soon as the plants are      
visible1 ply the hoe to keep down weeds 
and thin the crop slightly to prevent   
crowding anywhere4 ,the thinning should 
be carried on from time to time until   
the plants are a foot apart2 or if the  
ground is strong and large roots are    
required1 they may be allowed fifteen   
inches4 ,good-quality roots may be grown
 on the worst types of clay and on stony
 soils by boring holes and filling them 
in with fine earth1 in the manner       
described for ,beet and ,carrot4 ,the   
holes for ,parsnip1 however1 should be  
rather larger and deeper1 with more     
space allowed between4 ,it may be well  
to lift some of the roots in ,november1 
a few spits of earth being removed first
 at one end or corner of the piece to   
facilitate removal without breaking the 
roots3 these may be put aside for       
immediate use1 but the general bulk of  
the crop should remain in the ground to 
be dug as wanted1 because the ,parsnip  
keeps better in the ground than out of  

it1 and in the event of severe frost a  
coat of rough litter will suffice to    
prevent injury4 ,whatever remains over  
in the month of ,february should be     
lifted and trimmed up and stored in the 
coolest place that can be found1 a coat 
of earth or sand being sufficient to    
protect the roots from the injurious    
action of the atmosphere4  ,,garden     
,,pea  ,pisum sativum  ,thanks to the   
skill and enterprise of enthusiastic    
specialists1 we have now the wrinkled as
 well as the round-seeded ,peas for the 
earliest supply of this favourite       
vegetable4 ,not only can we commence the
 season with a dish possessing the true 
marrowfat flavour1 but in the new       
maincrop varieties dwarf robust growth  
is combined with free-bearing qualities1
 while the size of both ,peas and pods  
has been increased without in the       
smallest degree sacrificing flavour4 ,on
 the contrary1 there has been a distinct
 and welcome advance in all the special 
characteristics which have won for this 

vegetable its popular position1 and so  
highly is the crop esteemed that it is  
usually regarded as a criterion by which
 the general management of a garden is  
judged4  ,as an article of food ,peas   
are the most nutritious of all          
vegetables1 rich in phosphates and      
alkalies1 and the plant makes a heavy   
demand on the soil1 constituting what is
 termed an exhausting crop4 ,for this   
reason1 and also because the time that  
elapses between sowing seed and         
gathering the produce is very brief1 it 
is imperative that the land should be   
well prepared to enable the roots to    
ramify freely and rapidly collect the   
food required by the plant4  ,treatment 
of ,soil4--,the soil for ,peas must be  
rich1 deep1 and friable1 and should     
contain a notable proportion of         
calcareous matter4 ,old gardens need to 
be refreshed with a dressing of lime    
occasionally1 or of lime rubbish from   
destroyed buildings1 to compensate for  
the consumption of calcareous matters by

 the various crops4 ,for early ,peas1 a 
warm dry sandy soil is to be preferred2 
for late sorts1 and especially for      
robust and productive varieties1 a      
strong loam or a well-tilled clay       
answers admirably1 and it is wise to    
select plots that were in the previous  
year occupied with ,celery and other    
crops for which the land was freely     
manured and much knocked about4 ,heavy  
manuring is not needed for the earliest 
,peas1 unless the soil is very poor1 but
 for the late supplies it will always   
pay to trench the ground1 and put a     
thick layer of rotten manure at the     
depth of the first spit1 in which the   
roots can find abundant nutriment about 
the time when the pods are swelling4 ,in
 all cases it is advisable not to enrich
 in any special manner the top crust for
 ,peas4 ,when the young plant finds the 
necessary supplies near at hand1 the    
roots do not run freely but are actually
 in danger of being poisoned2 but when  
the plant is fairly formed1 and has     

entered upon the fruiting stage1 the    
roots may ramify in rich soil to        
advantage4 ,hence the desirability of   
growing ,peas in ground that was heavily
 manured and frequently stirred in the  
previous year1 and of putting a coat of 
rotten manure between the two spits in  
trenching4 ,as regards the last-named   
operation1 it should be remarked that as
 ,peas require a somewhat fine tilth1   
the top spit should be kept on the top  
where the second spit will prove lumpy1 
pasty1 or otherwise unkind4 ,in this    
case bastard trenching will be          
sufficient2 but when the second spit may
 be brought up with safety1 it should be
 done for the sake of a fresh soil and a
 deep friable bed4 ,the use of wood     
ashes1 well raked in immediately in     
advance of sowing1 will prove highly    
beneficial to the crop1 for the ,pea is 
a potash-loving plant4  ,method of      
,sowing4--,it will always pay to sow in 
flat drills about six inches wide1 but  
the ,v-shaped drill in which the        

seedlings are generally crowded         
injuriously is not satisfactory4 ,two   
inches apart each way is a useful       
distance for the seed1 although more    
space may be given for the              
robust-growing maincrop and late        
varieties4 ,it is wise policy1 however1 
to sow liberally in case of losses      
through climatic conditions1 birds or   
mice2 and if necessary superfluous      
plants can always be withdrawn4 ,the    
depth for the seed may vary from two to 
three inches3 the minimum for heavy     
ground and the maximum for light land4  
,early ,crops 7sown outdoors74--,early  
,peas are produced in many ways4 ,the   
simplest consists in sowing one or more 
of the quick-growing round-seeded       
varieties in ,november1 ,december1 and  
,january1 on sloping sheltered borders  
expressly prepared for the purpose1 and 
provided with reed hurdles to screen the
 plants from cutting winds4 ,where the  
assaults of mice are to be apprehended1 
it is an excellent plan to soak the seed

 in paraffin oil for twenty minutes1 and
 then1 having sown in drills only one   
inch deep1 heap over the drill three    
inches of fine sand4 ,if this cannot be 
done1 sow in drills fully two inches    
deep1 for shallow sowing will not       
promote earliness1 but it is likely to  
promote weakness of the plant4 ,it is   
not usual to grow any other crop with   
first-early ,peas1 but the rows must be 
far enough apart to prevent them from   
shading one another1 and1 if possible1  
let them run north and south1 that they 
may have an equable enjoyment of        
sunshine4 ,as soon as the plant is      
fairly out of the ground1 dust carefully
 with soot1 not enough to choke the     
tender leaves1 but just sufficient to   
render them unpalatable to vermin4 ,when
 they have made a growth of about three 
inches1 put short brushwood to support  
and shelter them1 deferring the taller  
sticks until they are required4 ,then   
fork the ground between1 taking care not
 to go too near to the plant4 ,sticks   

must be provided in good time1 lest the 
plant should be distressed1 for not only
 do the sticks give needful support1 but
 they afford much shelter1 as is the    
case with the small brushwood supplied  
in the first instance4  ,on fairly warm 
soils the first opportunity should be   
taken to sow one of the early dwarf     
marrowfat varieties in the open ground4 
,this may be in ,february or early      
,march1 but it will be useless to make  
the attempt until the ground is in a    
suitable condition4 ,sow in flat drills 
as already described1 the distance from 
row to row depending upon future plans4 
,if no intercropping is to be done1     
eighteen inches between the rows will   
generally suffice for dwarf-growing     
,peas1 but many gardeners prefer to     
allow three feet and to take a crop of  
,spinach on the intervening space4      
,early ,crops 7sown under glass47--,we  
now come to the modes of growing early  
,peas by the aid of glass4 ,the surest  
and simplest method is to provide a     

sufficiency of grass turf cut from a    
short clean pasture or common4 ,there is
 in this case a risk of wireworm and    
black bot2 but if the turf is provided  
in good time and is laid up in the yard 
ready for use1 it will be searched by   
the small birds and pretty well cleansed
 of the insect larvas that may have     
lurked in it when first removed4 ,lay   
the turves out in a frame1 grass side   
downwards1 and give them a soaking with 
water in which a very small quantity of 
salt has been dissolved4 ,this will     
cause the remaining bots and slugs to   
wriggle out1 and by means of a little   
patient labour they can be gathered and 
destroyed4 ,in ,january or ,february sow
 the seed rather thickly in lines along 
the centre of each strip of turf1 and   
cover with fine earth4 ,by keeping the  
frame closed a more regular sprouting of
 the seed will be insured2 but as soon  
as the plants rise1 air must be given1  
and this part of the business needs to  
be regulated in accordance with the     

weather4 ,all now depends on the        
cultivator1 for1 having a very large    
command of conditions1 it may be said   
that he is removed somewhat from the    
sport of the elements1 which wrecks many
 of our endeavours4 ,there are now three
 points to be kept in mind4 ,in the     
first place1 a short stout slow-growing 
plant is wanted1 for a tall lean        
fast-growing plant will at the end of   
the story refuse to furnish the dish of 
,peas aimed at4 ,give air and water     
judiciously1 and protect from vermin and
 all other enemies4 ,a little dry lime  
or soot may be dusted over the plants   
occasionally1 but not sufficient to     
choke the leaves4 ,all going well1 plant
 out in the month of ,march or ,april1  
on ground prepared for the purpose1 and 
laying the plant-bearing turves in      
strips1 without any disturbance whatever
 of the roots4 ,then earth them up with 
fine stuff from between the rows1 and   
put sticks to support and shelter them4 
,a more troublesome1 but often a safer  

method1 is to raise plants in pots1 or  
in boxes about four and a half inches   
deep and pierced at the bottom to insure
 free drainage4 ,old potting soil will  
answer admirably1 and the seeds should  
be put in one inch deep and two inches  
apart4 ,place the pots or boxes in any  
light cool structure as near the        
roof-glass as possible1 but make no     
attempt to force either germination or  
the growth of the plants4 ,when fair    
weather permits1 transfer to the open in
 ,march or ,april4 ,a good succession   
may be obtained by sowing a first-early 
dwarf variety and a second-early kind   
simultaneously4  ,main crops require    
plenty of room1 and that is really the  
chief point in growing them4 ,supposing 
the ground has been well prepared as    
already advised1 the next matter of     
importance is the distance between the  
rows4 ,the market gardener is usually   
under some kind of compulsion to sow    
,peas in solid pieces1 just far enough  
apart for fair growth1 and to leave them

 to sprawl instead of being staked1     
because of the cost of the proceeding4  
,but the garden that supplies a         
household is not subject to the severe  
conditions of competition1 and ,peas may
 be said to go to the dinner table at   
retail and not at wholesale price4      
,moreover1 high quality is of           
importance1 and here the domestic as    
distinguished from the commercial       
gardener has an immense advantage1 for  
well-grown #8,garden ,peas' surpass in  
beauty and flavour the best market      
samples procurable4 ,to produce these   
fine ,peas there must be plenty of space
 allowed between the rows1 and it will  
be found good practice to grow ,peas and
 early ,potatoes on the same plot1 and  
to put short sticks to the ,peas as soon
 as they are forward enough4 ,by this   
management the first top-growth of the  
,potatoes may be saved from late ,may   
frosts1 and the ,peas will give double  
the crop of a crowded plantation4 ,the  
general sowings of ,peas are made from  

,march to ,june1 but as regards the     
precise time1 seasons and climates must 
be considered4 ,nothing is gained by    
sowing maincrop ,peas so early as to    
subject the plant to a conflict with    
frost4 ,it should be understood that the
 finest sorts of ,peas are somewhat     
tender in constitution1 and the wrinkled
 sorts are more tender than the round4  
,hence1 in any case1 the wrinkled seeds 
should be sown rather more thickly than 
the round to allow for losses2 but      
robust-habited ,peas should never be    
sown so thickly as the early sorts1 for 
every plant needs room to branch and    
spread1 and gather sunshine by means of 
its leaves for the ultimate production  
of superb ,green ,peas4  ,late          
,crops4--,to obtain ,peas late in the   
season sowings may be made in ,june and 
,july1 and preference should be given to
 quick-growing early varieties4 ,ground 
from which early crops of ,cauliflower1 
,carrot1 ,cabbage1 ,potatoes1 c41 have  
been removed is excellent for the       

purpose4 ,in dry weather thoroughly     
saturate the trench with water before   
sowing1 and keep the seedlings as cool  
as possible by screening them from the  
sun4  ,staking4--,this important        
operation must not be unduly deferred1  
as the plants are never wholly          
satisfactory when once the stems have   
become bent4 ,commence by carefully     
earthing up the rows as soon as the     
plants are about three inches high4 ,in 
the case of early varieties1 light bushy
 sticks of the required height1 thinly  
placed on both sides of the row1 will   
suffice4 ,maincrop and late ,peas1      
however1 should first be staked with    
bushy twigs about eighteen inches high1 
these to be supplemented with sticks at 
least one foot taller than the variety  
apparently needs1 as most ,peas exceed  
their recognised height in the event of 
a wet season4 ,no attempt should be made
 to construct an impenetrable fence1 for
 ,peas need abundance of light and air4 
,neither should the stakes be arched at 

the top1 but placed leaning outwards4   
,general ,cultivation4--,on the first   
appearance of the plant1 a slight       
dusting of lime or soot will render the 
rising buds distasteful to slugs and    
sparrows1 but this is more needful for  
the early than the later crops4 ,when   
maincrop ,peas have grown two or three  
inches1 they are pretty safe against the
 small marauders4 ,as the plant         
develops1 frequently stir the ground    
between the rows to keep down weeds and 
check evaporation4 ,the earthing up of  
the rows affords valuable protection to 
the roots of the plants1 and a light    
mulch of thoroughly decayed manure will 
prove very helpful in a dry season4 ,in 
the event of prolonged dry weather1     
however1 measures must be taken to      
supply water in good time and in liberal
 quantity4 ,the advantage of deep       
digging and manuring between the two    
spits will now be discovered1 for ,peas 
thus circumstanced will pass through the
 trial1 even if not aided by water1     

although much better with it2 whereas   
similar sorts1 in poor shallow ground1  
will soon become hopelessly mildewed1   
and not even water will save them4 ,in  
giving water1 it will be well to open a 
shallow trench1 distant about a foot    
from the rows on the shady side1 and in 
this pour the water so as to fill the   
trench2 by this method water and labour 
will be economised1 and the plant will  
have the full benefit of the operation4 
,the enemies ,of ,peas are fewer in     
number than might be expected in the    
case of so nutritive a plant4 ,against  
the weevil1 the moth1 and the fly1 we   
are comparatively powerless1 and perhaps
 the safest course is occasionally to   
dust the plants with lime or soot1 in   
which case the work must be carefully   
done1 or the leaf growth will be        
checked1 to the injury of the crop4     
,light dustings will suffice to render  
the plant unpalatable without           
interfering with its health1 but a heavy
 careless hand will do more harm than   

all the insects by loading the leafage  
with obnoxious matter4 ,the great enemy 
of the ,pea crop is the sparrow1 whose  
depredations begin with the appearance  
of the plant1 and are renewed from the  
moment when the pods contain something  
worth having4 ,other small birds haunt  
the ground1 but the sparrow is the      
leader of the gang4 ,ordinary           
frighteners used in the ordinary way are
 of little use2 the best are lines1 to  
which at intervals white feathers1 or   
strips of white paper1 or pieces of     
bright tin are attached4 ,in the        
seedling stage the plants may be        
protected by wire guards1 and even      
strands of black thread tied to short   
stakes will prove serviceable4 ,we have 
found the surest way to guard the crop  
against feathered plunderers is to have 
work in hand on the plot1 so as to keep 
up a constant bustle1 and this shows the
 wisdom of putting the rows at such a   
distance as will allow the formation of 
,celery trenches between them4 ,we want 

a crop to come off1 and another to be   
put on while the ,peas are in bearing2  
and early ,potatoes1 to be followed by  
,celery1 may be suggested as a rotation 
suitable in many instances4 ,even then  
the birds will have a good time of it in
 the morning1 unless the workmen are on 
the ground early4 ,however1 on this     
delicate point1 the #8early bird' that  
carries a spade will have an advantage1 
because the sparrow is really a late    
riser1 and does not begin business until
 other birds have had breakfast1 and    
have finished at least one musical      
performance4  ,early ,peas under        
,glass4--,so greatly esteemed are ,peas 
at table that in many establishments the
 demand for them is not limited to      
supplies obtainable from the open       
ground4 ,sowings may be made from       
mid-,november to mid-,february1         
according to requirements and the extent
 of accommodation available1 from which 
the crops may be expected to mature from
 mid-,march onwards4 ,where a large     

glass-house1 such as is used for        
,tomatoes1 c41 is at command1 early     
,peas may be grown without prejudice to 
other crops4 ,assuming that a good depth
 of soil exists1 thoroughly trench and  
prepare it as for outdoor ,peas4 ,select
 a tall-growing variety1 of which there 
are a number that do well under glass4  
,sow in a triple row1 placing the seeds 
about three inches apart each way1 and  
in due course support the plants with   
stakes4 ,a cool greenhouse or a frame   
will also carry through an early crop of
 ,peas1 but for these structures pots   
should be used and only dwarf-growing   
varieties sown4 ,a ten-inch pot will    
accommodate about eight seeds1 and these
 should be planted one and a half inches
 deep4 ,when a few inches high insert a 
few bushy stakes to carry the plants4 ,a
 compost consisting of two parts loam1  
one part leaf-soil or well-decayed      
manure1 with a small quantity of wood   
ashes1 will suit ,peas admirably4 ,at no
 time is a forcing temperature needed4  

,from #ej to #ee at night1 with a rise  
of about #aj by day will suffice1 and   
free ventilation must be given whenever 
possible with safety4 ,apply water      
carefully1 but never allow the roots to 
become dust-dry4  ,peas for             
,exhibition4--,on the exhibition table  
handsome well-grown ,peas always elicit 
unstinted admiration1 and the           
magnificent pods of the newer varieties 
are certainly worthy of the utmost      
praise bestowed upon them4 ,in all cases
 where vegetables are grown for         
competition at ,shows the amount of     
success achieved depends largely on the 
intensity of the cultivation adopted1   
and in this respect no other subject    
will respond more readily to liberal    
treatment than will the ,garden ,pea4   
,deep digging1 generous manuring1 and   
copious watering during dry weather1 in 
the manner already described1 are       
fundamental essentials4 ,another matter 
of no less importance is the selection  
of suitable varieties4 ,it is now the   

general custom to start the early sorts 
in pots or boxes under glass 7see page  
#ajd71 and some growers treat mid-season
 ,peas in the same manner4 ,of this     
system it may be said that it offers the
 fullest opportunity of giving attention
 to the young plants and allows of the  
strongest specimens being selected for  
transfer to open quarters4 ,the number  
of sowings will1 of course1 depend on   
individual requirements4 ,at the time of
 transplanting give each plant plenty of
 space for development1 and it will be  
well to stake the rows immediately4     
,keep the plants under constant         
observation1 especially while quite     
young1 when they are liable to          
destruction by garden foes4 ,the        
flowering should be limited to the      
fourth spike1 and from the time the pods
 appear assistance must be given in the 
form of liquid manure or a mulching of  
well-rotted dung4 ,remove all lateral   
shoots and promote vigorous healthy     
growth at every stage4 ,some means      

should be adopted to prevent injury of  
any kind to the pods1 which when        
gathered should be well filled1 carrying
 a fine bloom free from blemish4        
,,potato  ,solarium tuberosum  ,the     
potato has been designated the #8,king  
of the ,kitchen ,garden1' and perhaps   
#8the noble tuber' should be so         
regarded4 ,of its importance as an      
article of food it is impossible to     
speak too highly1 and the dietetic value
 of the ,potato appears to be always    
advancing4 ,the known deficiency of     
flesh-forming constituents naturally    
associates this vegetable with meat of  
various kinds1 poultry1 game and fish1  
and in this proper association the root 
is probably capable of superseding all  
other vegetable foods1 bread alone      
excepted4 ,it is far from our intention 
to recommend abstention from ,asparagus1
 ,cauliflower1 ,peas1 and ,sea ,kale1   
and to regard ,potatoes as a sufficient 
substitute for these and other table    
delicacies2 but it is well to remember  

that by virtue of its starchy compounds 
the ,potato has a direct tendency to    
promote health and that freshness of    
complexion that generally prevails among
 well-fed people4  ,forcing             
,potatoes4--,the demand for new         
,potatoes exists long before the first  
of the outdoor crops grown in this      
country can be lifted4 ,to meet such a  
demand is not a difficult matter where  
the necessary amount of glass is at     
command1 and by adopting the method here
 given supplies may be maintained       
through the winter and onwards until the
 first-earlies from the open ground are 
available4 ,it may be said at once that 
for culture in pots and boxes under     
glass a high temperature is neither     
requisite nor desirable4 ,sturdy healthy
 growth is essential to the formation of
 a crop of tubers1 and if the plants be 
forced into an attenuated condition the 
labour will have been in vain4 ,another 
matter which needs to be specially      
mentioned is the choice of suitable     

varieties4 ,only dwarf-growing kinds1   
thoroughly adapted for forcing1 should  
be considered4 ,the date of planting    
will necessarily be regulated by the    
time at which the crop is required4 ,but
 a few weeks in advance of planting1 the
 sets should be sprouted by placing them
 on end in shallow boxes1 packed with   
damp light soil and stood near the light
 in a slightly warm pit or house4 ,when 
the sprouts are formed rub off all but  
the two strongest4 ,good turfy loam1 a  
small quantity of manure from a spent   
,mushroom bed1 and a little bone meal1  
will make an excellent compost for the  
pots or boxes4 ,two sets will suffice   
for a ten-inch or twelve-inch pot1 or   
five tubers may be placed in a box      
measuring about four feet long by one   
foot wide4 ,perfect drainage must be    
insured4 ,plant the sets with care1     
taking up as much soil as possible with 
the mass of fibrous roots which will    
have formed during the period of        
sprouting4 ,the operation may best be   

accomplished by only half filling the   
pots or boxes at first1 and when the    
sets are in position add a further two  
inches or so of soil4 ,water sparingly1 
especially at the outset4 ,as root      
growth increases add more soil and give 
the plants an occasional application of 
tepid liquid manure4 ,at all times avoid
 excessive heat1 and if the crop can be 
finished off gradually in a cool house  
so much the better4  ,where sufficient  
accommodation cannot be found for       
forcing ,potatoes in pots or boxes1 an  
excellent crop may be grown on a gentle 
hot-bed made up in the usual manner1 and
 covered to a depth of at least nine    
inches with a compost of three parts    
light loamy soil to one part leaf-mould4
 ,after putting on the frame1 keep the  
lights closed for a few days4 ,but a    
great heat is not wanted1 and undue     
forcing at any stage will lead to       
disaster4 ,partially exhausted hot-beds 
which have been used for other purposes 
will also be found to answer admirably4 

,prepare the sets in the manner already 
advised for pots and boxes1 and plant   
them with the least possible disturbance
 to the fibrous roots1 three inches     
deep1 in rows fifteen inches apart1     
allowing twelve inches between the      
tubers in the row4 ,whenever the weather
 is fine afford the plants a little air4
 ,increase the amount gradually as      
growth develops1 but close the frames   
early in the afternoon and give them the
 protection of mats at night should the 
outside temperature be low4 ,water must 
be given in moderation4 ,it should      
always be of the same temperature as the
 frame1 and as soon as the haulm        
commences to turn yellow watering must  
be discontinued4 ,little earthing up is 
needed1 but when the foliage is about   
nine inches high the addition of a small
 quantity of warm soil along the rows   
will be beneficial4  ,early ,potatoes   
outdoors are produced in various ways1  
and by very simple appliances4 ,the     
,potato will not bear the slightest     

touch of frost4 ,it is a sub-tropical   
plant1 and will endure considerable heat
 if at the same time it can enjoy light1
 air1 and sufficient moisture4 ,in some 
respects it may be likened to the       
,lettuce1 for if crowded or overheated1 
or subjected to sudden checks1 it       
bolts--in other words1 it produces      
plenty of top and no bottom1 just as    
,lettuces similarly treated produce     
flowering stems and no hearts4 ,we will 
here propose a very simple and practical
 procedure for obtaining a nice crop of 
,potatoes in the month of ,june4 ,this  
system fairly mastered1 endless         
modifications will be easily effected as
 circumstances and judgment may suggest4
  ,begin by selecting an early variety  
of the best quality4 ,some time towards 
the end of ,january the sets are packed 
closely in shallow boxes1 one layer deep
 only1 and these are placed in full     
daylight safe from frost1 but are not   
subjected to heat in any way4 ,having   
started the sets into growth in full    

daylight1 proceed with the preparation  
of the ground4 ,this must be light1     
warm1 dry and rather rich without being 
rank4 ,if a length of wall is available1
 and perplexity arises concerning       
suitable soil for the early ,potatoes1  
seize all the sandy loam that has been  
turned out of pots1 and having mixed it 
with as much leaf-mould and quite rotten
 manure as can be spared1 lay the       
mixture in a ridge at the foot of the   
wall4 ,as walls do not anywhere run in  
such lengths as to provide for all the  
early ,potatoes that are wanted1 select 
a plot of ground lying warm and dry to  
the sun1 and having spread over it a    
liberal allowance of decayed manure1 and
 any light fertilising stuff1 such as   
the red and black residue from the      
burning of hedge clippings1 turf1 and   
weeds1 dig this in4 ,the ground being   
ready1 it is lined out in neat ridges   
two feet apart1 running north and south4
 ,these ridges must be shallow1 rising  
not more than six inches above the      

general level4 ,on every fourth ridge   
sow early ,peas that are not likely to  
grow more than two and a half to three  
feet in height4 ,this being done in     
,february1 the land is ready for        
,potatoes in the first week of ,march4  
,plant on the fine stuff laid up next   
the wall in the first instance1 and then
 on the ridges1 where there is room for 
three rows of ,potatoes between every   
two rows of ,peas4 ,in the process of   
planting1 it will be advisable to rub   
off all the weak eyes and thin out those
 on the crown1 two or three strong eyes 
being quite sufficient4 ,this can easily
 be accomplished as the sets are laid   
into their places in a shallow drill    
opened on the top of the ridge4 ,the    
sets may be put a foot apart1 and have  
four inches of fine soil over them4     
,prick the ground over with a fork      
between the rows1 leaving it quite      
rough1 but regular and workmanlike4 ,the
 ,peas will soon be visible and require 
attention4 ,draw a little fine earth to 

them1 and stake them carefully with     
small brushwood4 ,if snails and slugs   
appear1 give dustings of lime or soot1  
and as soon as possible supply stakes of
 sufficient height and strength to carry
 the crop4 ,by the time the ,potatoes   
begin to show their shaws the ,peas will
 constitute an effectual shelter for    
them against east winds1 and it will be 
found that the morning frosts that are  
often so injurious to ,potatoes in the  
month of ,may will scarcely touch a crop
 that has the advantage of this kind of 
protection4 ,but to that alone it is not
 wise to trust4 ,one serious freezing   
that blackens the shaws will delay and  
diminish the ,potato crop4 ,therefore1  
as the green tops appear1 cover them    
lightly with fine earth from between the
 rows1 and if necessary repeat this1    
always allowing the leaves to see       
daylight4 ,when a sharp frost occurs1 it
 will be advisable to cover the tops    
with a few inches of light dry litter in
 just the same way that a bed of        

,radishes is protected4 ,there are many 
other methods of saving the rising      
shaws4 ,a plank on edge on the east side
 of a row will suffice to tide through  
an ordinary white frost4 ,mats or reed  
hurdles laid on a few stout pegs will   
also answer admirably1 but care must be 
taken that the plant is not pressed     
down1 and the covering must be removed  
as soon as the danger is over4  ,crops  
grown under walls will be ready first1  
and those in the beds will follow4      
,spaces between the trees of a fruit    
wall may be planted with ,potatoes1     
without injury to the trees4 ,those     
grown on the south face of a good wall  
will be ready for table three weeks in  
advance of the earliest crops in the    
open quarters4 ,but east and west walls 
may be made to contribute1 and even     
north walls are useful1 if planted a    
week later and a little deeper4 ,in all 
cases the sets should be put close to   
the wall to enjoy the warmth1 and       
dryness1 and shelter it affords4 ,when  

the crop is lifted1 the soil specially  
laid up for it may be taken away1 or    
scattered over the border4 ,but the bulk
 will be so slight that it will not     
matter much what becomes of it4         
,however1 in a new place with a clay    
soil it may be prudent to remove it1 and
 keep it ready as an aid in seed sowing1
 for there are times and places where a 
little fine stuff is worth a great deal 
to give a crop of some kind a proper    
start4  ,the main crop1 as the source of
 supply for fully nine months out of    
twelve1 deserves every attention4       
,potatoes are grown with advantage on so
 many diverse soils1 and in such        
unlikely climates1 that the plant       
appears1 on a casual consideration1 to  
be altogether indifferent to its        
surroundings4 ,but it is none the less  
true that for the profitable cultivation
 of this crop certain conditions are    
absolutely essential4 ,among these an   
open situation and a well-drained soil  
are perhaps the most important4 ,to this

 might be added favourable weather1     
because a bad season frustrates every   
hope and labour4 ,having an open        
situation and a well-drained soil1 it is
 much to be preferred that the soil be  
of a deep1 friable1 loamy nature2 in    
other words1 a good medium soil1        
suitable for deep tillage1 but neither a
 decided clay1 chalk nor sand4 ,a       
fertile sandy loam1 lying well as       
regards sunshine and drainage1 may      
generally be considered a first-rate    
,potato soil1 and excellent crops have  
also been grown on thin soils overlying 
chalk and limestone4 ,so again1 fine    
crops are often taken from poor sandy   
soils1 and from newly-broken bog and    
moss1 as well as from clay lands that   
have had some amount of tillage to form 
a friable top crust4 ,but when all is   
said the fact remains that the ideal    
soil for ,potatoes is a deep mellow     
loam1 and1 failing this1 preference     
should be given to calcareous and sandy 
soils rather than to clays or retentive 

soils of any kind4  ,manures4--,much    
prejudice prevails against manuring land
 for ,potatoes1 and where the soil is   
good enough to yield a paying crop1 it  
will be prudent to do without manure1   
and to dress generously for the next    
crop to restore the land to a reasonable
 state4 ,still it is the practice of    
many of the most successful growers for 
the early market to manure for this     
crop1 and in some instances the manure  
is laid in the trenches at the time of  
planting4 ,generally speaking1 land     
intended for ,potatoes should be deeply 
dug1 and1 if needful1 manured in the    
autumn4 ,about twenty to thirty         
cartloads of half-rotten manure per acre
 may be dug or ploughed in to as great a
 depth as possible1 consistent with the 
nature of the subsoil and the appliances
 at command4 ,in breaking up pasture    
with the spade1 bastard trenching will  
as a rule prove advantageous4 ,the land 
is lined off in two-feet breadths1 and  
the top spit of the first piece is      

removed to the last piece1 which will   
often be close at hand by the rule of   
working a certain distance down and back
 again4 ,the under spit will then be    
well broken up1 the manure thrown in1   
and the top spit of the next piece will 
be turned in turf downwards1 making a   
sandwich of the manure4 ,if this is done
 in autumn1 there will be a mellow top  
crust produced by the spring1 and the   
best way to plant will be in trenches1  
unless the land is very light1 in which 
case the dibber may be used4  ,as light 
lands are often profitably devoted to   
,potato culture1 and more especially to 
the production of first-class early     
,potatoes for the markets1 a few words  
on their management may be useful here4 
,if on the light land there is a choice 
of aspects1 by all means select the     
plots that slope to the south-west2 the 
dangerous aspects are north and east4   
,the ground should be ploughed up in    
autumn and left rough1 but it is not    
economical to manure light lands in     

autumn4 ,at the time of planting1 the   
furrows should be cut with a plough     
fitted with a double mould-board1 and   
the manure spread evenly along them     
previous to laying in the sets4 ,a good 
dressing per acre will consist of       
fifteen loads of farmyard manure1 and   
four cwt4 of artificials1 consisting of 
one and a half cwt4 of guano1 two cwt4  
of superphosphate of lime1 and half a   
cwt4 of muriate of potash4 ,when the    
sets are laid1 cover them by splitting  
the ridges with the plough4 ,if planted 
early in ,march1 the crop should come   
off in time for ,turnips1 for which the 
land will be in good heart1 and the seed
 should be sown as quickly as possible  
after the clearing of the ,potatoes4    
,preparing the ,sets4--,among the many  
subjects that open out before us at this
 point are the selection and preparation
 of the sets4 ,why are smallish tubers  
chosen in one case and planted whole8   
and why1 in another case1 are large     
tubers chosen and divided before        

planting1 to make two or more sets of   
each8 ,because there is a principle on  
which sound practice rests1 and it is   
this3 the number of shoots starting from
 any one growing point must be limited1 
for if they become crowded the crop will
 be less than the land is capable of    
producing4 ,keeping this principle in   
view1 we proceed to remark1 in the first
 place1 that carefully selected seed of 
moderate size may be planted as it comes
 from the store without any preparation 
whatever1 and with a fair prospect of a 
profitable result4 ,but certain         
varieties produce few tubers of seed    
size1 and when large they must be       
divided in such a manner as to insure at
 least two eyes in each set4 ,as a      
matter of fact1 profitable crops are    
grown in the most simple way2 the seed  
is neither sprouted nor disbudded1 and  
with a well-made soil and a favourable  
season1 the return is ample1 and all    
claims are satisfied4 ,potato-growing   
entails much labour1 therefore it is    

important to distinguish between tasks  
that are necessary and those that are   
optional4  ,but where the time and      
strength can be found for first-class   
cultivation1 it should have the         
preference over the rough and ready     
methods that are satisfactory on a large
 scale4 ,exhibitions of ,potatoes are   
for the most part sustained by persons  
who can find the time to do things with 
extra care1 and they have their reward  
in their crops as well as in their      
prizes1 for what may be styled          
,exhibition culture consists simply in  
growing the crop in the best possible   
way1 and planting many sorts where in   
any other case a few would suffice4     
,here1 then1 on the best plan1 we begin 
with sets most carefully selected1 to   
insure true typical form and colour1 and
 these are1 some six weeks or so before 
planting time1 put in shallow boxes or  
baskets1 one layer deep1 to sprout in   
full daylight1 but quite safe from      
frost4 ,in the first instance a number  

of sprouts appear1 and a large          
proportion are rubbed off4 ,the object  
of the cultivator is to secure two or   
three stout1 short shoots of a green or 
purple colour2 the long white threads   
that are often produced in the store    
being regarded as useless4 ,when large  
sets are employed1 they are allowed to  
make three or four stout shoots1 and at 
the time of planting--not before--these 
sets are cut so as to leave to each     
large piece only one or two good sprouts
 or sprits4 ,as for the smaller sets    
that are not to be divided1 it is common
 practice to cut a small piece off each 
of these at the time of planting to     
facilitate the decay of the tuber when  
it has accomplished its work1 for having
 nourished the first growth the sooner  
it disappears the better4 ,thus1 with a 
little extra trouble1 sound tubers have 
been prepared for planting1 and the main
 reasons for taking this extra trouble  
are doubtless fully apparent4 ,the best 
seed possible is wanted and the most    

suitable soil2 these two items forming  
the first chapter4 ,by sprouting the    
seed time is gained1 which is equivalent
 to a lengthening of the season4 ,by    
limiting the number of shoots an excess 
of foliage is prevented4 ,where the     
shoots are crowded the tubers will not  
be crowded1 a few strong shaws with all 
their leaves exposed to the air and     
light being capable of producing better 
results than a large number contending  
for air and light that are insufficient 
for them all4 ,and finally1 by cutting  
the sets1 whether to divide them1 or    
simply to hasten their decay1 we insure 
that they will not reappear with the    
young crop as useless1 ugly things4     
,distances for ,planting4--,the distance
 at which the sets are planted is of    
importance1 for a crop too crowded will 
be of little value4 ,but the ground must
 be properly filled4 ,by wasting only a 
small space in each breadth1 or in the  
spaces between the sets1 the total crop 
will be many bushels short of the       

possible quantity4 ,the guiding         
principle must be to allow to each plant
 ample room to spread1 and absorb the   
air and sunshine1 in accordance with the
 character of the sort and the condition
 of the soil4 ,a considerable proportion
 of the losses from disease may be      
traced to overcrowding in the first     
instance2 the tangled haulm being       
rendered weak through want of air1 and  
then becoming loaded with water1 and in 
contact with wet ground1 the disease has
 made havoc where1 had the management   
been founded on sound principles1 there 
might have been a vigorous healthy      
growth4 ,if a doubt arises1 it is safer 
to allow too much rather than too little
 space1 and in this respect the         
exhibition growers are very liberal4    
,they often place the rows of           
strong-growing varieties four feet or   
more apart1 and allow a space of three  
and a half feet for the more moderate   
growers4 ,even then1 with good land1 in 
a high state of preparation1 the shaws  

sometimes meet across the rows1 and     
enormous crops are lifted4 ,for a very  
comprehensive rule1 it may be said that 
the distance between the rows may vary  
from fifteen inches for the early sorts 
of dwarf growth1 to forty inches for the
 vigorous-growing late sorts4 ,between  
these measurements1 for varieties       
producing medium haulm1 a distance of   
twenty-six to thirty-six inches may be  
allowed on good ground4 ,the distance   
between the sets must in like manner be 
determined by the growth1 and will range
 from nine inches for crops to be dug   
early1 to sixteen or twenty inches for  
the robust kinds4 ,the medium maincrop  
,potatoes will generally do well at     
twelve inches apart4 ,much1 however1    
depends on the season1 for when great   
space is allowed1 and the season proves 
warm and showery1 there will be more    
large tubers than the grower will care  
for2 whereas1 if planted somewhat       
closer1 the crop would be smaller and   
more uniform in size4 ,when planted1 the

 tops of the tubers should be about four
 inches below the surface4  ,time of    
,planting4--,under favourable           
conditions1 it is possible to plant on a
 warm dry border as early as            
mid-,february in very sheltered         
districts1 but a supply of protecting   
material must be instantly available in 
the event of severe weather4 ,as a rule1
 however1 the opening of ,march is soon 
enough to plant early crops out of      
doors1 always provided that the soil is 
light and the situation warm1 but where 
these conditions do not exist it will be
 safer to wait until the middle of the  
month4 ,maincrops may be got in at the  
end of ,march and during ,april1        
according to the locality and the       
character of the soil4 ,in any case1 it 
is better to defer the operation for a  
week or so than to plant in heavy wet   
ground which quickly consolidates1      
making it impervious to air and         
unsuitable for root-penetration4        
,excellent crops may also be obtained by

 planting in ,july1 preference being    
given to quick-growing early varieties4 
,old tubers only should be used and     
these must be carefully stored until    
required for planting4  ,method of      
,planting4--,on light soils1 in a       
sufficiently dry condition1 the dibber  
or planting stick may be used1 but on   
heavy ground it is not satisfactory4 ,a 
good method of planting for all classes 
of soil is to draw out a ,v-shaped drill
 of the requisite depth1 place the sets 
into position and lightly return the    
earth4 ,another plan which is largely   
adopted is to insert the sets in the    
trenches as made during the operation of
 digging the ground in spring1 a garden 
line being used to obtain the accurate  
alignment of the rows4  ,general        
,cultivation4--,as soon as the shaws    
appear the ground should be hoed between
 the rows1 and if there is any fear of  
frost the shaws should be lightly       
moulded over4 ,as the growth advances   
the crop must be earthed up1 care being 

exercised not to earth up too much1 for1
 taking six inches as the best average  
depth1 the crop will be diminished by an
 increase beyond this depth4 ,one urgent
 reason for early work between the rows 
is that a prosperous crop will soon put 
a stop to it4 ,the moment it becomes    
likely that the shaws will be bruised by
 traffic between the rows they must be  
left to finish their course in their own
 way1 because the formation of tubers   
below will be in the ratio of the       
healthy growth above ground4 ,the       
,potato may be said to be manufactured  
out of sunshine and alkaline salts4 ,the
 green leaves constitute the machinery  
of the manufacture1 for which the solar 
light from above1 and the potash1       
phosphate of lime1 phosphate of         
magnesia1 and phosphoric acid from below
 are the raw materials4  ,change of     
,ground and ,seed4--,in common with all 
other crops1 the ,potato needs as often 
as possible a fresh soil1 and a renewal 
of seed from some distant source4 ,the  

need for a change of soil is made       
apparent by an analysis of the root1    
which contains large proportions of     
potash1 phosphorus1 and sulphur1 with   
smaller proportions of magnesia and     
lime1 without which the plant cannot    
prosper4 ,a succession of heavy crops of
 ,potatoes on the same land may be said 
to take from the soil its available     
potash and phosphates1 and this crop    
will not1 like some others1 take soda   
instead of potash when the last-named   
alkali runs short4 ,here then is a      
chemical reason for change of soil4     
,another reason is found in the history 
of the species of fungi that prey on the
 ,potato when its growth is checked by  
heavy rains and a low temperature4      
,these leave their spores in the soil1  
like wolves hiding in ambush1 to destroy
 the next crop4 ,they are powerless to  
attack any other crop2 therefore a      
suitable rotation gives them time to die
 out and leave the land clean as regards
 the ,phytophthora and other parasites  

that destroy ,potato crops4 ,the        
necessity for an occasional change of   
seed rests on old experience1 and should
 scarcely need enforcing4 ,one word may 
be said here by way of explanation1 and 
it is this3 the seed house that aims to 
put a good article in the market adopts 
measures which altogether differ from   
those followed by the majority of       
persons who have not been trained to the
 business4 ,it is a common experience to
 find that those who save their own seed
 from year to year have as a result a   
constantly declining strain1 so that    
every year the growth is weaker1 less   
true1 and less profitable4 ,it is so all
 through1 but is especially the case    
with ,potatoes4 ,we do not say that all 
who save their own seed act unwisely1   
for some are most expert in the         
business4 ,but we do say that seed      
saving is not learned in a day1 and many
 who think they save shillings when they
 save seeds1 actually lose pounds by    
burdening themselves with a bad article4

 ,the art of #8roguing'--the elimination
 of plants which are untrue to type--is 
but one part of the seed-saving process4
 ,there is the proper storing1 the      
selecting and sorting operations1 to    
which eyes and hands must be trained1   
and there must be no scruple about the  
sacrifice of false1 immature or diseased
 samples4 ,the point we have in view is 
to advise the ,potato grower to be sure 
of his seed1 and when a doubt arises as 
to the purity and healthiness of the    
sample at command1 it may be remembered 
that the seed merchant practises methods
 of purgation for insuring perfectly    
true stocks1 while by growing in many   
different districts1 and on diverse     
soils1 he can furnish an admirable      
change of seed for any description of   
land4  ,the ,potato ,disease4--,the     
culture of ,potatoes cannot be dismissed
 without allusion to the destructive    
fungus which is never absent in dry     
seasons1 and in wet summers does its    
deadly work on a vast scale4 ,scientific

 men have acquainted us with the history
 of the ,potato fungus1 and this may    
eventually result in as efficient a     
remedy as that which renewed the        
vineyards of ,france4 ,such a remedy for
 the ,potato murrain has yet to be      
discovered4 ,meanwhile1 we must continue
 to resist the foe with the plough1     
spade1 draining tool1 and above all with
 a wise selection of sorts4 ,it is an   
acknowledged fact that many ,potatoes   
that have been cultivated for a long    
time appear to have lost their vigour1  
and are liable to succumb to the        
disease2 but several kinds that have    
been raised from seed in recent years   
possess a constitution which almost     
defies the virulent assaults of the     
,phytophthora infestans4 ,since the     
introduction of ,sutton's ,magnum ,bonum
 ,potato there has been a disposition to
 believe in #8,disease-proof ,potatoes4'
 ,there is no such thing absolutely1 and
 perhaps there never will be1 any more  
than there is a disease-proof wheat1 or 

dog1 or horse1 or man4 ,but some        
varieties of ,potatoes are known to be  
more susceptible to the ravages of      
disease than others1 and it has been one
 of our aims to secure seedlings which  
combine the highest cropping and table  
qualities with the least tendency to    
succumb in seasons when conditions      
favour the spread of the fungus4        
,scientific men have not yet explained  
why the varieties differ in this        
respect1 but practical men have         
discovered that initial vigour of growth
 is the main defence against the plague1
 and as the growing of a good ,potato   
costs no more than the growing of a poor
 variety1 the cultivator should bestow  
his care on the very best he can obtain4
 ,a little extra cost for seed in the   
first instance is as nothing to the     
multiplied chances of success a good    
variety carries with it4 ,to sum up this
 subject1 then1 we say that disease may 
be avoided in the early crops by        
cultivating sorts which may be lifted   

before the plague generally appears2 and
 on soils which will not produce an     
early crop1 only such varieties should  
be grown for the main crops as have been
 proved to be most capable of standing  
uninjured until late in the season4 ,let
 there be a dry1 warm bed1 sufficient   
food1 the fullest exposure to the       
life-giving powers of light1 and        
conditions favourable to early ripening4
  ,the ,wart ,disease 7,black ,scab7 of 
,potatoes 7,synchytrium endobioticum1   
,percival7 is dealt with in the chapter 
on #8,the ,fungus ,pests of certain     
,garden ,plants4'  ,,pumpkin--see       
,,gourd1 page #fc  ,,radish  ,raphanus  
sativus  ,the ,radish is often badly    
grown through being sown too thickly1 or
 on lumpy ground1 or in places not      
favourable to quick vegetation4         
,radishes grown slowly become tough1    
pungent and worthless4 ,on the other    
hand1 those which are grown quickly on  
rich1 mellow ground are attractive in   
appearance1 delicate in flavour1 and as 

digestible as any salad in common use4  
,it should be understood that earliness 
is of the very first importance1 and    
that large ,radishes are never wanted4  
,to insure a quick growth and a handsome
 sample the ground must not only be     
good1 but finely broken up4  ,frame     
,culture4--,for the earliest crops it is
 advisable to make a semi-hot-bed1 by   
removing a portion of the surface soil1 
and laying down about two-feet depth of 
half-rotten stable manure1 on which     
spread four inches of fine earth1 and   
then cover with frames4 ,sow the seed   
thinly1 and put on the lights4 ,when the
 plants appear1 give air at every       
opportunity to keep the growth dwarf1   
and cover with mats during frost1 always
 taking care to uncover as often as     
possible to give light1 for if the tops 
are drawn the roots will be of little   
account4 ,where the plants are crowded1 
thin them1 allowing every plant just    
room enough to spread out its top       
without overlapping its neighbour4      

,sowings made in this way in ,december1 
,january1 and ,february will supply an  
abundance of beautiful ,radishes in     
early spring1 when they are greatly     
valued4 ,to follow the outdoor crops    
frame culture will again be necessary in
 autumn4  ,outdoor ,culture4--,the      
second crop 7which in many gardens will 
be the first7 may be sown on warm1 dry  
borders in ,february4 ,within a few days
 after sowing1 collect a quantity of dry
 litter1 and lay it up in a shed ready  
for use4 ,it happens often that we have 
warm1 bright weather in ,february1 and  
the ,radishes start quickly and make    
good progress1 and then may come a      
severe frost1 when the litter must be   
spread as lightly as possible1 three or 
four inches thick4 ,these open-ground   
sowings will bear cold well1 but they   
should not be allowed to get frozen1 and
 therefore semi-hot-beds may be         
employed4 ,if time and materials appear 
excessive for such a purpose1 it should 
be remembered that this is a capital way

 of preparing for the next crop1        
whatever it may be1 and is a            
particularly good method of preparing   
for ,peas that are to be sown in the    
month of ,april1 by which time the      
earliest sown ,radishes will be off the 
ground4 ,successive sowings should be   
made from ,march to ,september in the   
coolest place that can be found for     
them1 and the usual practice of         
four-feet beds will answer very well4   
,in many gardens sufficient supplies of 
,radishes are obtained by sowing in the 
alleys between seed-beds1 but care must 
be taken that this plan does not        
interfere with the proper work of       
hoeing1 weeding1 thinning1 c4 ,when seed
 is sown on light soils a moderate      
firming with the back of the spade may  
be desirable1 but generally speaking it 
is sufficient to cover the seed lightly1
 and so leave it4 ,to thin the crop     
early is1 however1 of great importance1 
no matter how wasteful the process may  
seem1 for wherever the plants are       

crowded they will make large useless    
tops1 and small worthless roots1 and    
prove altogether unprofitable4 ,for the 
earliest sowings we have choice of many 
sorts1 round1 oval1 and long2 but the   
long ,radishes are not well adapted for 
late sowing1 whereas the round and oval 
sorts stand pretty well in hot weather1 
if on good ground in a cool situation1  
with the help of a slight amount of     
shade4 ,as the year advances we return  
to the practice recommended for the     
earliest crops4  ,winter                
,radishes4--,these large-growing kinds  
are much prized by those who use them in
 winter in the preparation of salads4   
,seed may be sown in the open from ,june
 to ,august1 in drills nine inches      
apart1 and the plants thinned to six    
inches in the rows4 ,the roots may be   
left in the ground and dug as required1 
or taken up and stored in sand4 ,these  
,radishes may also be cooked in the same
 manner as ,turnips and they make an    
excellent dish4  ,,rhubarb  ,rheum      

hybridum  ,,rhubarb is so much valued   
that we need not recommend it4 ,there   
are some remarkably fine sorts in       
cultivation1 adapted for early work1    
main-crop1 and late use4  ,although an  
accommodating plant1 ,rhubarb requires  
for profitable production a rich deep   
soil1 well worked1 and heavily dressed  
with rotten manure1 and a situation     
remote from trees1 but in some degree   
sheltered4 ,it will be observed that the
 markets are supplied from sheltered    
alluvial soils1 that have been much     
cultivated1 and kept in high condition  
by abundant manuring4 ,on the other     
hand1 the coarser kinds will make a free
 and early growth on a damp clay1 if    
sheltered from the east winds that so   
often damage early spring vegetation4   
,the shortest way to establish a        
plantation is to purchase selected roots
 of first-class named varieties1 and    
plant them in one long row1 three to    
four feet apart1 or in a bed or         
compartment four feet apart each way4   

,the smaller kinds will do very well at 
two and a half feet each way1 but for   
large-growing sorts this would be       
injuriously close4 ,plant with the top  
bud two inches deep1 tread in moderately
 firm1 then lightly prick the ground    
over1 and so leave it4 ,rhubarb may be  
planted at any time in spring or autumn 
but of the two the spring is preferable4
 ,in any case where a special           
cultivation is determined on1 it will be
 found that bone manure has a wonderful 
effect on the growth of ,rhubarb4  ,it  
is not sufficient to say that the       
plantation must be kept free from weeds1
 but the plant should be allowed to make
 one whole season's growth before a     
single stalk is pulled4 ,and the pulling
 in the second season1 and every season 
thereafter1 should be moderate and      
careful1 for every leaf removed weakens 
the plant1 and it must be allowed-time  
to regain strength for the next season4 
,some people know not when to leave off 
pulling ,rhubarb1 but appear unwilling  

to cease until there is none to pull2   
and it is a pity this should happen1    
especially as after the delicate        
supplies of early spring are past1      
,rhubarb is a comparatively poor thing1 
and to ruin a plantation to get stalks  
for wine is great folly4 ,for           
wine-making a special plantation should 
be made1 from which not one stick should
 be taken for table use4 ,the summer    
stalks will then be of a suitable       
character4  ,rhubarb is easily forced in
 any place where there is a moderate    
warmth1 and it is only needful to pack  
the roots in boxes with moss or any     
light soil1 or even rough litter4 ,the  
roots will push into any moist material 
and find sufficient food4 ,if entirely  
exposed to the light1 forced ,rhubarb   
has a full colour2 but the quality is   
better1 and the colour quite sufficient1
 if it is forced in the dark2 hence when
 put under the stage in a greenhouse1 or
 any other place where there is a fair  
share of daylight1 it is well to put an 

empty box or barrel over to promote a   
certain degree of blanching4  ,when     
raising ,rhubarb from seed sow in spring
 in light soil1 and the young plants    
should have frame culture until strong  
enough to plant out4 ,if a great number 
are grown1 they should all be kept in   
pots until the end of the season1 and   
then the common-looking and unpromising 
plants should be destroyed1 reserving   
the others for planting out in the      
following spring4 ,a new type of        
,rhubarb which is readily raised from   
seed will remain in bearing continuously
 if put out on good ground and given    
protection during severe winter weather4
 ,seed of this strain should be sown in 
,march or ,april1 in pots or boxes      
placed in a cold frame4 ,plant out the  
seedlings in ,may and these will        
generally yield sticks in the autumn4   
,seed may also be sown in the open      
ground in spring4  ,,salads  ,although  
the art of making ,salads is to some    
extent understood in this country1 it   

must be admitted that much has yet to be
 learned from the masters of            
,continental cookery1 who utilise more  
plants than are commonly used on this   
side of the ,channel1 and who impart to 
their ,salads an endless variety of     
flavourings4 ,here1 however1 we are only
 concerned with the plants that are1 or 
should be1 in requisition for the       
,salad-bowl at different seasons of the 
year4 ,but it will not be irrelevant to 
allude to the fact1 admitted by medical 
men of high reputation1 that the        
appetite for fresh1 crisp1 uncooked     
vegetables is a really healthy craving1 
and that free indulgence in ,salads is a
 means of supplying the human frame with
 important elements of plant-life4 ,in  
the process of cooking1 certain         
minerals1 such as salts of potash1 are  
abstracted from vegetables1 while in    
,salads they are available1 and         
contribute both to the enjoyment and the
 benefit of the consumer4  ,our present 
object is to offer a reminder of the    

plants that must be grown in order to   
supply such a variety of ,salads as will
 fairly meet the requirements of a      
generous table during the changing      
seasons of the year4 ,the culture of all
 the following subjects will be found   
under their proper headings4            
,beet4--,for its distinct flavour and   
splendid colour ,beet is highly valued  
as a component of ,salads4 ,as the roots
 are easily stored they are available   
for several months after the growing    
season has passed4  ,celeriac is much   
used in ,french ,salads1 and some       
appreciation is now shown for it in this
 country4 ,the roots or bulbs are       
trimmed1 washed1 and cooked in the same 
manner as ,beet4  ,celery4--,this       
delicious ,salad is in such general     
favour that no comment on its virtues is
 necessary4  ,chervil4--,the curled is  
far handsomer than the common variety1  
and is available for garnishing as well 
as for ,salads4  ,chicory4--,the common 
,chicory 7,barbe de ,capucin7 and the   

,brussels variety 7,witloof7 have       
attained to great popularity4 ,both are 
agreeable and wholesome1 and a supply   
should be maintained from ,october to   
,may4  ,chives find acceptance at times 
when the stronger flavour of ,onion is  
inadmissible4  ,corn ,salad4--,the      
leaves should be gathered separately in 
the same manner as they are collected   
from ,spinach4  ,cress should be in     
continual readiness almost or entirely  
through the year4                       
,cucumber4--,everybody appreciates the  
value of this fruit1 which is almost    
startling in its crisp coolness4        
,dandelion4--,the cultivated forms of   
this familiar plant are increasingly    
grown for use in the ,salad-bowl4       
,endive has a distinct flavour which is 
highly appreciated2 and in winter the   
plant occupies the important position   
that ,lettuce fills in summer and       
autumn4  ,lettuce4--,all the ,cabbage   
varieties are in great demand for       
,salads1 because they readily assimilate

 the dressing4 ,but for delicious       
crispness the ,cos varieties cannot fail
 to maintain their position of assured  
popularity4  ,mustard needs only to be  
named4 ,like ,cress1 it is in continuous
 demand4  ,nasturtium4--,a few flowers  
may always be employed to garnish a     
,salad1 for they are true ,salad plants1
 and may be eaten with safety by those  
who choose to eat them4  ,onion imparts 
life to every ,salad that contains it2  
but for the sake of the modest people   
who do not fail to appreciate the       
advantage of its presence1 although they
 scruple to avow their love1 there must 
be discretion in determining the        
proportion4  ,purslane4--,the leaves and
 shoots are used for ,salads1 and the   
former should be gathered while quite   
young4  ,radish finds a place on the    
tables of the opulent and of the        
humblest cottager4  ,rampion4--,the     
fleshy roots are employed in ,salads in 
the natural state1 and also when cooked4
  ,salsify is commonly known as         

#8,vegetable ,oyster1' and is an        
excellent component of a ,salad4 ,the   
roots may also be allowed to put forth  
leaves in the dark to furnish blanched  
material4  ,shallot4--,a delicate       
substitute for ,onion4  ,sorrel         
possesses a piquant flavour that can be 
used by the skilful with most agreeable 
results4  ,tomato has fought its way to 
popularity in this country1 and now     
holds a commanding position4  ,water    
,cress4--,when the tender tops can be   
had they are seldom allowed to be absent
 from first-class ,salads4  ,,salsify   
,tragopogon porrifolius  ,salsify may be
 sown from the end of ,march to ,may1   
but two sowings will in most cases be   
sufficient4 ,drill the seed in rows     
fifteen inches apart and one inch deep4 
,thin from time to time until the plants
 stand nine1 ten1 or in an extreme case 
twelve1 inches apart4 ,in ordinary soil 
nine inches will be sufficient4 ,hoe    
between frequently1 but do not use a    
fork or spade anywhere near the crop1   

for the loosening of the ground will    
cause the roots to branch4  ,a deep     
sandy soil with a coat of manure put in 
the bottom of the trench will produce   
fine roots of ,salsify4 ,but there      
should be no recent manure within       
fifteen inches of the surface1 or the   
roots will be forked and ugly4 ,in a    
soil that produces handsome roots       
naturally the preparation may consist in
 a good digging only1 but generally     
speaking the more liberal routine will  
give a better result4  ,in ,november dig
 a portion of the crop and store in     
sand1 and lift further supplies as      
required4 ,some roots may be left to    
furnish ,chards in spring4 ,these are   
the flowering-shoots which rise green   
and tender1 and must be cut when not    
more than five or six inches long4 ,they
 are dressed and served in the same way 
as ,asparagus4  ,salsify is a root of   
high quality1 the growing of which is   
generally considered a test of a        
gardener's skill4 ,perhaps the          

after-dressing and serving of ,salsify  
may be a test of the skill of the cook1 
but upon that point we will not insist4 
,it is a less troublesome root than     
,scorzonera1 and superior to it in      
beauty and flavour--in fact1 it is often
 dressed and served as #8,vegetable     
,oyster1' having somewhat the flavour of
 the favourite bivalve4  ,salsify roots 
require to be prepared for use by       
scraping them1 and then steeping in     
water containing a little lemon juice or
 vinegar4 ,they are boiled until tender1
 and served with white sauce4 ,to       
prepare them as the #8,vegetable        
,oyster' the roots are first boiled and 
allowed to get cold1 then cut in slices 
and quickly fried in butter to a light  
golden brown1 being dusted with salt and
 white pepper while cooking4 ,serve with
 crisped ,parsley and sauce made with   
butter1 flour1 and the liquor from      
tinned or fresh oysters4  ,,savoy--see  
page #ch  ,,scorzonera  ,scorzonera     
hispanica  ,scorzonera is not much grown

 in this country1 but as it is prized on
 the ,continent1 it might be introduced 
to many ,english tables with advantage4 
,the main point in the cultivation is to
 obtain large clean roots1 for          
carelessly grown samples will be small1 
forked1 and fibrous4 ,trench a piece of 
ground1 and mix a good dressing of      
half-rotten manure with the bottom spit1
 taking care that there is none in the  
top spit4 ,make a nice seed-bed1 and sow
 in the month of ,march in shallow      
drills fifteen inches apart1 and as the 
plants advance thin them until they     
stand a foot apart in the drill4 ,keep  
the crop clean1 and it will be fit for  
use in ,september4 ,lift as wanted in   
the same manner as ,parsnips4 ,seed may 
also be sown in ,april and ,may4  ,to   
cook the roots they must first be       
scalded1 then scraped and thrown into   
water in which there are a few drops of 
lemon juice4 ,let them remain half an   
hour2 boil in salted water in the same  
way as ,carrots until quite tender1 and 

serve with white sauce4 ,if left to get 
cold they can be sliced and fried in    
butter to make a good side dish4  ,,sea 
,,kale  ,crambe maritima  ,many persons 
prefer ,sea ,kale to ,asparagus1 but the
 two differ so widely in flavour and    
general character that no comparison    
between them is possible4 ,on two       
points1 however1 the advantage certainly
 rests with ,sea ,kale4 ,it can be more 
easily grown1 and1 regarded solely as an
 article of food1 it is the more        
profitable crop4 ,this comparison has   
therefore a practical bearing4 ,in      
forming a new garden1 and in cases where
 it may not be possible to grow both    
these esculents satisfactorily1 ,sea    
,kale should have attention first1 as a 
thing that will require but a small     
investment1 and that will surely pay its
 way1 with quick returns1 to the general
 advantage of the household4  ,outdoor  
,culture4--,sea ,kale requires strong   
ground1 fully exposed to the sun1 and   
enriched with any good manure1 that from

 the stable being undoubtedly the best4 
,the most satisfactory way to begin is  
with well-grown roots1 as they make a   
return at once with the least imaginable
 trouble4 ,let the ground be well dug   
two spits deep1 and put a coat of manure
 between2 or if it is a good substantial
 loam1 plant without manure1 and the    
results will be excellent4 ,as the      
thriving plant covers a considerable    
space1 and there must be a certain      
amount of traffic on the ground to      
manage it1 there should be one row in   
the centre of a four-feet bed1 with a   
broad alley on one side2 or1 better     
still1 mark out a ten-feet space1 with a
 three-feet alley on each side1 and in  
this space plant three rows two and a   
half feet apart1 and the roots one and a
 half to two feet apart4 ,the planting  
may be done at any time after the leaves
 have fallen1 late in autumn1 and during
 winter and early spring4 ,on warm1 dry 
ground1 winter planting answers         
perfectly1 and enables the gardener to  

complete the task1 for there is always  
enough to do in the spring months4 ,but 
on damp ground and in exposed situations
 the best time to plant is the month of 
,march4 ,put down the line1 and open a  
trench one foot deep2 plant the roots   
with their crowns two inches below the  
surface1 filling in and treading firmly 
as each trench is planted4 ,the         
precaution may be taken to pare off all 
the pointed prominent buds on each      
crown1 as this will prevent the rise of 
flower-stems2 but if this is neglected1 
the cultivator must take care to cut out
 all the flowering-shoots that appear1  
for the production of flowers will prove
 detrimental to the crop of ,sea ,kale  
in the following season4 ,our custom1   
when a plantation has been thus made1 is
 to grow another crop with it the first 
season4 ,the ground between the rows is 
marked out in narrow strips1 and lightly
 forked over1 and if a coat of rotten   
manure can be spared it is pricked in1  
and a neat seed-bed is made of every    

strip1 eighteen to twenty-four inches   
wide4 ,on this prepared bed sow ,onions1
 ,lettuces1 and other light crops1 and  
as the ,sea ,kale advances take care to 
remove whatever would interfere with    
their expansion1 for the stolen crop    
should not stand in the way of that     
intended for permanent occupation4 ,a   
crop of early ,cauliflower1 small       
,cabbage1 or even ,potatoes1 may be     
taken1 in which case there will be room 
for only one row alternately with each  
row of ,kale1 and perhaps one row also  
in the alleys4  ,the growth of the ,kale
 should be promoted by all legitimate   
means1 and in high summer it will take  
water1 liquid manure1 and mulchings of  
rich stuff1 to almost any extent1 with  
advantage4 ,the irrigation that suits   
the ,kale will probably also suit the   
stolen crop1 but irrigation is not good 
for ,onions or ,potatoes2 where these   
crops are grown care must be exercised  
to bestow the fluid on the ,sea ,kale   
only4  ,as the leaves decay in autumn   

they should be removed1 and the ground  
kept thoroughly clean4 ,when finally    
cleaned up1 let it be forked over1 but  
with care not to put the tool too near  
the plants2 and if manure is plentiful1 
lay down a coat for a finish1 or fork it
 in at the general clear up4 ,there     
should now commence a systematic saving 
of clean leaves4 ,mere vegetable rubbish
 is not to be thought of4 ,proceed to   
cover the ground with leaves in heaps or
 ridges sufficient to make a coat       
finally of about one foot deep1 or say  
nine inches at the very least4 ,if there
 is any store of rough planking on the  
premises1 let the planks be laid on the 
ridges of leaves on whichever side the  
prevailing wind may be4 ,this will      
prevent the leaves being blown away1 and
 the planks will be handy for the next  
stage in the business4  ,at the turn of 
the year put the planks on edge by      
driving posts down in any rough way that
 will hold them firmly for a brief      
season1 and then spread the leaves      

equally4 ,if there are not sufficient   
leaves to cover the bed for the         
requisite thickness1 raise a good heap  
over each crown1 and sprinkle a little  
earth to keep the heap together4 ,but a 
better mode of procedure is to have a   
sufficiency of ,sea ,kale pots with     
movable covers1 or in place of these    
large flower-pots1 or old boxes4 ,put   
these over the crowns1 and then heap the
 leaves over and around1 and the        
preliminaries are completed4 ,a very    
early growth will be the result1 and the
 quality will be finer than that of     
forced ,sea ,kale4 ,uncover occasionally
 to see how the crop goes on1           
remembering that perfect darkness is    
needed to blanch it completely1 and to  
produce a plump and delicate sample4    
,cut close over1 taking a small portion 
of the woody part of the crown1 and when
 all the growth of a crown is taken1    
remove the pot or box1 but leave a thin 
coat of leaves on the cut crown to      
protect it1 as at the time of cutting   

,sea ,kale keen east winds are          
prevalent1 and it is unfair to the      
plants to expose them suddenly4 ,when   
the crop has been taken1 remove the     
leaves and the planks1 and dig in       
between the rows a thick coat of fat    
manure4 ,the growth will be too strong  
now for a stolen crop1 and will so      
continue for many years4 ,after the crop
 has been secured1 each crown will throw
 out a number of buds or shoots4 ,these 
should all be removed except two or     
three of the strongest1 which will form 
the crowns for cutting in the following 
year4 ,at the same time take away any   
small blanched shoots that may have been
 left because they were too small or    
insignificant for table use4 ,this      
proceeding will prevent the production  
of flower-stems1 which is injurious to  
the plant1 and there never need be any  
fear that the crop will be diminished1  
because plenty of buds around the       
crowns1 that do not show themselves in  
the first instance1 will come forward in

 due time4  ,forcing4--,it is so easy to
 force ,sea ,kale that the cultivator   
may safely be left to his own devices4  
,but it will be well1 perhaps1 to say   
that perfect darkness is requisite1 and 
the temperature should not exceed #fj at
 any time1 this being the maximum       
figure4 ,a rise above #fj will produce a
 thin or wiry sample4 ,it is sufficient 
to begin with a temperature of #de1 and 
to rise no higher than #ee1 to insure a 
really creditable growth4 ,the market   
growers are not very particular as to   
temperature1 but then they do not eat   
the crop1 or know much of it after it   
has left their hands4 ,with the gardener
 in a domestic establishment the case is
 different2 and we venture to advise    
young men--to whom book advice is often 
valuable as entailing no                
obligations--that ,sea ,kale slowly     
forced may be nearly as good as that    
grown under pots in the open without any
 heat at all2 better it cannot be4 ,any 
spare pits or odd places may be made use

 of for this crop1 provided only that   
the heat is not too great4 ,pack the    
roots in mould or leaves1 or even       
half-rotten manure1 and shut them up to 
exclude light1 and the crop will be     
ready in five or six weeks1 unless      
forcing is commenced very early1 in     
which case seven weeks at least must be 
allowed from the time of planting to    
that of the first cutting4 ,roots that  
have been lifted for forcing should be  
thrown away when the crop has been      
secured1 but roots forced in the open   
ground suffer so little by the process  
that they may be forced for several     
years in succession ere it becomes      
necessary to renew the plantation1      
provided1 of course1 that the work is   
well done4 ,the outdoor forcing is      
accomplished in the way described for   
growing the crop1 with the aid of leaves
 only1 but with certain differences4 ,in
 the first place1 care must be taken to 
let the plants feel the cold1 but at the
 same time to prevent the ground        

becoming frozen4 ,a touch of frost will 
render them more ready to grow when the 
cultivator brings his persuasions to    
bear by heaping hot manure over the     
pots1 and covering the bed with a thick 
coat of the same4 ,this is all that can 
be done1 but it is sufficient4 ,in cases
 where leaves and other suitable        
materials are not available1 good ,sea  
,kale may be grown by simply raising    
over each crown a heap of sand or sifted
 coal ashes1 provided some clean        
material be interposed to keep the sand 
or ashes from actual contact with the   
plant4 ,when this heap begins to crack  
at the top it will be worth while to    
examine it at the bottom1 when there    
will be found a fine head of blanched   
,sea ,kale1 and the mound will have     
served its purpose4  ,to grow ,sea ,kale
 from seed is a simple matter enough1   
but there is a loss of a year as        
compared with growing it from roots4    
,the ground should be rich and well     
worked1 and the seed sown in ,march or  

,april in drills one foot asunder if for
 planting out1 or in patches about two  
and a half feet apart each way if to    
remain4 ,it is believed by many that    
,sea ,kale should stand where sown1 and 
we admit that analogies are in favour of
 the proposal4 ,but every year such fine
 produce is obtained from transplanted  
roots that we have not the courage to   
condemn a course of procedure which may 
not be theoretically correct4 ,the fact 
is1 the root is tough and enduring1 and 
suffers but little by moderate exposure 
to the atmosphere if handled in a       
reasonable manner4 ,but to return to the
 seeds3 they sprout quickly1 and1 soon  
after1 the plants make rapid progress4  
,let them have liberal culture1 keep    
them scrupulously clean1 and thin in    
good time4 ,if quite convenient1 give a 
light sprinkling of salt occasionally in
 the summer3 they will enjoy it1 and the
 leaves will not be injured in the      
least4  ,,shallot  ,allium ascalonicum  
,the old-fashioned mode of culture is to

 plant on the shortest1 and lift the    
crop on the longest1 day2 but that is   
only applicable to the milder parts of  
the country4 ,as a rule1 spring is the  
best time for planting1 and it should be
 done as early as the ground can be got 
into working order--certainly not later 
than the middle of ,april4 ,the soil    
should be in a friable condition1 and it
 must be trodden firmly1 after the      
manner usual for an ,onion bed4 ,merely 
press the bulbs into the soil to keep   
them in position1 and put them in rows  
one foot apart1 and nine inches apart in
 the rows4 ,they should not be earthed  
up1 but1 on the contrary1 when          
approaching maturity the soil should be 
drawn away so as to expose the bulbs1   
for this facilitates the ripening       
process4  ,to store the roots for any   
length of time it will be necessary to  
have them well ripened1 and this point  
demands consideration4 ,if dry weather  
could be insured for harvesting the     
crop1 it might be allowed to finish in  

the ground2 but as this cannot be relied
 on1 it is a wise precaution to lift the
 crop on some suitable opportunity      
before it is quite ready1 and allow the 
ripening to be completed in a protected 
airy place4  ,,spinach  ,spinacia       
oleracea  ,spinach plays an important   
part in the economy of the dinner table4
 ,there are unfortunate beings who      
cannot eat it1 for they describe it as  
bitter1 sooty1 and nauseous4 ,probably  
an equal number of persons entertain a  
very high opinion as to its value4 ,the 
rest of mankind proclaim it a wholesome1
 savoury1 and acceptable vegetable4     
,spinach will grow anywhere and anyhow2 
but some little management is needed to 
keep up a constant supply of large1 dark
 green leaves1 that when properly cooked
 will be rich in flavour as the result  
of good cultivation4 ,to produce        
first-class ,spinach a well-tilled rich 
loam is needed1 but a capital sample may
 be grown on clay that has been some    
time in cultivation4  ,summer           

,spinach4--,the early sowings of ,round 
or ,summer ,spinach should be in a      
sheltered situation1 but not directly   
shaded4 ,sow in drills twelve to fifteen
 inches apart1 and one inch deep1       
beginning in ,january1 although the     
first sowing may fail1 and continue to  
sow about every fortnight until the     
middle of ,may4 ,the earliest sowing    
should be on dry ground1 but the later  
sowings will do well on damp soil with a
 little shade from the midday sun4 ,it  
is important to thin the crop early1 as 
it should not be in the least drawn4    
,this is the only essential point in    
securing a fine growth1 for if the plant
 cannot spread from the beginning it    
will never become luxuriant1 and will   
soon run up to seed4 ,thin at first to  
six inches1 and if large enough for use1
 send the thinnings into the house4     
,before the leaves overlap thin finally 
to twelve inches4 ,every plant will     
cover the space1 and it will suffice to 
take the largest leaves1 two or three   

only from each plant1 and thus a basket 
may be filled in a few minutes with     
really fine ,spinach4  ,as the heat of  
the summer increases1 the crop will be  
inclined to bolt4 ,the starved plant    
will bolt first2 the plant in rich moist
 soil1 with plenty of room to spread1   
will be more leisurely about it1 and    
will give time for the production of a  
succession crop to take its place4 ,the 
sowings from ,may to ,july should be    
small and numerous1 and on rich moist   
land1 to be aided1 if needful1 with     
water4 ,in many gardens there is a      
sufficient variety of vegetables after  
the middle of ,june to render it        
unnecessary to keep up the supplies of  
,spinach1 and it is best to dispense    
with it1 if possible1 during ,july and  
,august4  ,winter ,spinach4--,the sowing
 of ,winter ,spinach should commence in 
,july1 and be continued until the end of
 ,september1 subject to the capabilities
 of the place4 ,in gardens near towns1  
where the land is at all heavy1 it is   

generally useless to sow after ,august1 
as the autumnal fogs are likely to      
destroy a plant that is only just out of
 the seed-leaf4 ,but in favoured        
localities1 with a warm soil and a soft 
air1 seed may be sown up to the very end
 of the year with but little risk of    
loss4 ,the winter crops are sometimes   
sown broadcast1 but drilling is to be   
preferred1 and the rows may be twelve to
 fifteen inches apart4 ,thin at first to
 three inches1 and afterwards to six    
inches1 and leave them at this distance1
 for ,winter ,spinach may be a little   
crowded with advantage1 because the     
weather and the black bot will now and  
then remove a plant4 ,should ground     
vermin claim attention1 the best way to 
proceed will be to scratch shallow      
furrows very near the plants1 taking    
care not to injure them4 ,this may be   
done with the hoe1 but if time can be   
spared it will be better to do it with a
 short pointed stick1 having at hand1 as
 the work progresses1 a vessel into     

which to throw the grubs as they come to
 light when the earth is disturbed4     
,where small birds are in sufficient    
numbers1 they will observe the          
disturbance of the earth1 and diligently
 search for the grubs at hours when the 
cultivator is no longer on the search   
himself4  ,the ,july sowings will be    
useful in the autumn and throughout the 
winter1 as the weather may determine2   
the later sowings will be useful in     
spring4 ,plants may be drawn where they 
can be spared to make room for the      
remainder1 but leaves only should be    
taken when the plant is large enough to 
supply them4 ,when symptoms of bolting  
become visible in the spring1 cut the   
plants over at the collar1 and at once  
prepare the ground for another crop4    
,new ,zealand ,spinach 7,tetragonia     
expansa74--,gardeners are only too well 
acquainted with the difficulty of       
maintaining an unbroken supply of true  
,spinach during the burning summer      
months4 ,but the weather which makes it 

almost impossible to produce a          
satisfactory crop of ,spinacia oleracea 
brings ,new ,zealand ,spinach to        
perfection4 ,the latter is prized by    
some persons because it lacks the       
peculiar bitterness of the former4 ,the 
plant is rather tender1 and therefore to
 obtain an early supply the seed must be
 raised in heat4 ,it may be sown in pots
 or pans at the end of ,march or        
beginning of ,april4 ,transfer the      
seedlings to small pots immediately they
 are large enough1 and gradually harden 
in preparation for removal to the open  
ground towards the end of ,may4 ,they   
should be put into light soil in a sunny
 position1 and be allowed three or four 
feet apart each way4 ,it is not unusual 
to grow them on a heap of discarded     
potting soil1 where they can ramble     
without restraint4 ,the growth is rapid1
 and there must be no stint of water in 
dry weather4 ,in five or six weeks the  
first lot of tender shoots will be ready
 for pinching off4 ,those who do not    

care to incur trouble under glass may   
sow in the open in the early part of    
,may1 and thin the plants to the        
distance named4  ,perpetual ,spinach1 or
 ,spinach ,beet 7,beta ,cicla74--,a     
valuable plant for producing a regular  
supply of leaves which make an excellent
 ,spinach at a period of the year when  
the ordinary ,summer ,spinach is past   
its prime4 ,although it is a true ,beet1
 the roots are worthless1 and there     
should be liberal treatment to insure an
 abundant growth of leaves4 ,seed may be
 sown from ,march to the end of ,july or
 beginning of ,august1 in rows one foot 
apart4 ,thin the plants to a distance of
 six or eight inches in the rows4 ,when 
the leaves are ready for gathering1 they
 must be removed1 whether wanted or not1
 to promote continuous growth4  ,orache 
is frequently used as a substitute for  
,spinach where the ordinary variety     
fails4 ,seed should be sown during the  
spring months1 and as the plant         
frequently attains a height of five feet

 allow a distance of at least three feet
 in each direction for development4 ,red
 ,orache is useful for growing in       
ornamental borders1 but it is not so    
suitable for culinary purposes as the   
white variety4 ,the leaves only are     
eaten4  ,,stachys ,,tuberifera  ,this   
vegetable is commonly known as the      
,chinese ,artichoke1 and from the       
peculiar form it is also called         
,spirals4 ,a wide difference of opinion 
exists as to its value1 but in its      
favour the fact may be stated that      
tubers are often exhibited in the finest
 collections of vegetables staged for   
competition4  ,the time for planting is 
early spring1 in rows eighteen inches   
apart1 allowing a distance of nine      
inches in the rows4 ,the proper depth is
 four inches4 ,the roots are quite hardy
 and the crop gives no trouble4 ,after  
planting it is only necessary to keep   
the plot free from weeds4  ,the tubers  
do not mature until late in autumn1 and 
as far as possible it is advisable to   

lift them when they are wanted4 ,should 
it be necessary for any reason to clear 
the ground1 the ,stachys must be covered
 with soil4 ,when exposed to light and  
air they soon become discoloured and are
 then unfit for cooking4 ,it is usual to
 boil them in the same manner as        
,potatoes1 but the finish must be by    
steam alone4 ,an agreeable variation    
consists in frying the boiled roots with
 butter until slightly brown1 when the  
dish is considered by many connoisseurs 
to be very delicious and suitable for   
serving with poultry or joint4          
,,strawberry  ,fragaria  ,probably the  
first thought will be that the          
,strawberry is a fruit1 and that the    
consideration of its treatment is out of
 place in a series of articles on the   
culture of vegetables4 ,the answer is   
that the plant forms an essential       
feature in every good ,kitchen ,garden1 
and the general routine of work has to  
be arranged with due regard to this     
crop1 so that we need make no apology   

for alluding to it here4  ,when to      
,plant4--,the ,strawberry is the most   
certain of all our hardy fruits1 and is 
much valued both for eating fresh as a  
summer luxury and as a preserve for     
winter use4 ,although it deserves the   
best of cultivation1 its demands are    
few1 for under the poorest system of    
management it is often extremely        
prolific1 and not unseldom the most     
profitable crop in the garden4 ,we have 
choice of seeds1 divisions1 and runners 
in making a plantation of ,strawberries4
 ,the universal way is the best way1 and
 it consists in planting rooted runners 
of named sorts in an open sunny spot in 
well-prepared ground any time during    
spring or autumn1 when fresh and good   
runners are obtainable2 but late        
planting is undesirable1 for when the   
plants have not time to establish       
themselves before winter sets in many   
are lost4 ,if1 therefore1 the planting  
cannot be accomplished at the latest by 
the beginning of ,october1 it is better 

to defer the task until the spring4     
,plants put in at the latter time should
 have the flower-stems removed1 and will
 then yield a heavy crop in the         
succeeding season4  ,treatment of       
,soil4--,the best soil for ,strawberries
 is a rich1 moist1 sandy loam1 but a    
heavy soil will answer perfectly if it  
is well prepared4 ,the ground should be 
trenched and liberally enriched with    
rotten manure placed between the top and
 bottom spits1 where the plants will    
reach it when they are most in need4 ,in
 a new soil that is rather stiff it will
 be advisable1 when the trenching has   
been completed1 to put down the line and
 cut shallow trenches1 which should be  
filled with any rather fine kindly stuff
 that may be at hand1 such as old       
hot-bed soil1 leaf-mould1 or a mixture  
of material turned out of pots1 with    
some good decayed manure4 ,in this the  
young plants will root freely and       
quickly without becoming gross1 for they
 should attain a certain degree of      

vigour2 but an excessive leaf growth may
 result in losses during winter1 and a  
small crop of fruit in the following    
year4 ,well-cultivated soils need no    
such special preparation1 but in any    
case a good digging and a liberal       
manuring are absolutely necessary4 ,and 
here it may be well to state that after 
the plants have obtained a firm hold on 
the soil it matters not how hard the    
ground becomes4 ,the practice of some   
growers in running a plough lightly     
between the rows either for a mulch1 or 
to give the plants the full benefit of  
rain1 does not in the least degree upset
 this conclusion1 for this only creates 
a loose and friable surface1 and the    
operation is so managed that the soil   
near the roots remains undisturbed4 ,it 
may be accepted as a secret of          
successful ,strawberry culture that the 
bed should be firm and compact1 and1 in 
forcing1 this principle is so far       
recognised that the soil is positively  
rammed into the pots4  ,method of       

,planting4--,if ,strawberry plants come 
to hand somewhat dry1 unpack them       
quickly1 and spread them in small lots  
in a cool shady place1 and sprinkle     
lightly with water to refresh them4 ,a  
deluge of water is not needed1 and in   
fact will do harm1 but enough to moisten
 them will put them in a condition to   
begin growing as soon as they are       
properly located4 ,in planting1 a little
 extra care in the disposition of the   
roots in the soil will be well repaid1  
for plants merely thrust into the ground
 cannot develop that robust root growth 
on which the future of the crop largely 
depends4 ,when preparing the positions  
it is an excellent plan to build in the 
centre of each excavation a mound of    
earth over which to spread the fibrous  
roots4 ,then return the soil and firmly 
tread down4 ,as a finish give each plant
 a copious watering4 ,on no account     
should the plant be deeply buried1 but  
the crown should be left just clear of  
the surface level4 ,the distances in    

planting will have to be determined by  
the relative vigour of the varieties and
 the nature of the ground4 ,as a rule   
the rows should be two feet apart1 and  
the plants eighteen inches in the rows1 
but some varieties require fully two and
 a half feet between the rows4 ,it is   
good practice to leave a three-feet     
space between every two rows for        
necessary traffic4 ,a modification of   
the plan consists in planting a foot    
apart each way2 and immediately the     
first crop of fruit is off every        
alternate row is removed1 and then every
 alternate plant in each row is also    
taken out4 ,this places the remainder at
 two feet every way4 ,the ground is then
 lightly forked and a heavy coat of     
manure put on4  ,the general management 
comprises keeping down weeds1 supplying 
water abundantly in dry weather1        
especially when the berries are         
swelling1 and removing runners as fast  
as they appear1 for to allow them to get
 ahead is most injurious1 and any       

serious neglect of this rule is likely  
to ruin the plantation4 ,the ,strawberry
 plant makes no proper return on a dry  
lumpy soil4 ,large plantations that     
cannot be watered must be aided in the  
height of the season by covering the    
ground with any light material which    
will prevent evaporation4 ,as to        
obtaining runners1 that is easy enough1 
but there is a good way and a bad way4  
,to allow them to spread and root       
promiscuously is the bad way2 it injures
 the plants1 makes the bed disorderly1  
and does not produce good runners4 ,at  
the time when runners begin to push1 dig
 and manure the surrounding spaces1 and 
allow a certain number of runners to    
come out from each side of the rows4 ,as
 they approach maturity and are disposed
 to make roots1 lay tiles or stones upon
 the runners near to the young plants to
 favour the process1 but a neater way   
will be to peg them down4 ,or they may  
be fixed by short pegs in small pots1   
filled with light rich earth and plunged

 in the soil4  ,to keep the crop clean  
many plans are adopted1 and the plant   
probably takes its name from the old    
custom of covering the ground with straw
 for the purpose4 ,the cultivator must  
be left to his own devices1 because of  
the difficulty in many places of        
obtaining suitable material4 ,but we    
must warn the beginner in ,strawberry   
culture against grass mowings as more or
 less objectionable4 ,they sometimes    
answer perfectly1 and at other times    
they encourage slugs and snails to spoil
 the crop1 and if partially rotted by   
wet weather communicate to the fruit a  
bad flavour4 ,there is a very simple    
means of feeding the crop and making a  
clean bed for the fruit4 ,it consists in
 putting on a good coat of long1 strong 
manure in ,february1 and in doing this  
it is no great harm if the plants are in
 some degree covered4 ,they will soon   
push up and show themselves1 and by the 
time the fruit appears the straw will be
 washed clean1 and the crop being thus  

aided will be a great one1 weather      
permitting4 ,as regards cutting off the 
leaves1 we advise the removal of old    
large leaves as soon as the crop is     
gathered4 ,but this should be done with 
a knife2 to use a scythe amongst        
,strawberries is to ruin the plantation4
 ,the object of removing old leaves is  
to admit light and air to the young     
leaves1 for on the free growth of these 
the formation of good crowns for the    
next year's use depends4 ,by encouraging
 the young leaves to grow1 root action  
is promoted1 and the embryo buds are    
formed that will1 in the next summer1   
develop into ,strawberries4  ,some      
gardeners recommend the removal of the  
,strawberry plantation every three      
years4 ,it is a better plan to make a   
small plantation annually1 and at the   
same time destroy an old plantation that
 has served its turn4 ,but we are bound 
to say that ,strawberry plantations1    
well made and well kept1 will often last
 and prove profitable for six or even   

more years4 ,but this will never be the 
case where there is a stint of manure or
 water1 or where the runners are allowed
 to run in their own way to make a      
,strawberry mat and a jam of the wrong  
sort4 ,the ,strawberry fancier does not 
wish to keep a plantation any great     
length of time1 and he must plant       
annually to taste the new sorts4 ,this  
to many people is one of the chief      
delights of the garden1 and it certainly
 has its attractions4  ,forced          
,strawberries4--,the high price realised
 on the market for the earliest supply  
of forced ,strawberries is a sufficient 
proof that society is prepared to pay   
handsomely for this refreshing luxury4  
,as the season advances and competition 
becomes keen the figure rapidly         
declines1 but #8,strawberries at a      
guinea an ounce' has more than once     
appeared as a sensational head-line in  
the daily press4  ,the fruiting of      
,strawberries in pots is part of the    
annual routine of nearly all large      

establishments1 but even with the most  
perfect appliances it must be admitted  
that to produce berries which win       
appreciation for their size1 colour1 and
 flavour demands both skill and         
patience1 especially patience4  ,strong 
well-rooted plants are essential to     
success1 and no trouble should be spared
 to secure them from robust             
free-fruiting stocks4 ,the earliest     
runners must either be layered on square
 pieces of mellow turf or over thumb    
pots filled with a good rich compost4   
,when the runners are fairly rooted in  
the layers of turf or the thumb pots    
they should be transferred to pots of   
the fruiting size4 ,no4 #cb is generally
 used for the purpose4 ,after the pots  
have been crocked some growers add a    
layer of half-inch bones1 which aid the 
plants and insure free drainage4 ,the   
most satisfactory soil is a rich fibrous
 loam1 with the addition of one-fourth  
of well-rotted manure and a small       
proportion of sand1 and the compost must

 be well firmed into the pots with the  
ramming stick4  ,the best place to keep 
the plants is an open airy situation1   
easily accessible1 where the pots can   
stand on a bed of ashes4 ,on the        
approach of frost they can be           
transferred to a cold frame1 keeping    
them close to the glass1 or they may be 
plunged in ashes in some sheltered      
position4  ,when the time arrives for   
forcing1 it is usual to commence by     
plunging the pots in a bed of warm      
leaves or in a mild half-spent hot-bed4 
,immediately the plants show sign of    
blooming they must be shifted to warmer 
quarters4 ,a shelf at the back of an    
early vinery or ,peach-house1 quite near
 the glass1 is a suitable position4 ,the
 temperature at starting should be #ee  
,fahr41 rising gradually to #fj by the  
time the leafage is thoroughly          
developed4  ,the appearance of the      
flower trusses is a critical period4    
,liquid manure should then be given     
freely1 and at the same time the plants 

must have abundance of light and a warm 
dry atmosphere4 ,the blossoms need to be
 artificially fertilised with a         
camel's-hair pencil1 choosing midday as 
the best time for this operation4  ,when
 the crop has set it must be thinned to 
about nine berries on each plant1 and in
 due time the fruits should have the    
support of forked sticks4 ,care will be 
necessary to prevent injury to the      
stalks1 or the flow of sap to the       
berries may be arrested4 ,syringe twice 
a day in dry weather2 and on the first  
show of colour discontinue the          
manure-water and use pure soft water    
only4 ,at this stage a night temperature
 of #fe must be maintained1 giving all  
the air and light possible4  ,more      
failures in the pot culture of          
,strawberries are attributable to       
neglect in watering than to any other   
cause4 ,the soil must never be allowed  
to become dry4 ,should the leaves once  
droop they seldom recover4 ,at least    
twice a day the plants will need        

attention1 and it is important that the 
water should be of the same temperature 
as the atmosphere4 ,always leave the    
cans full in readiness for the next     
visit4  ,alpine ,strawberries are very  
largely grown in ,france1 probably more 
so than the large-fruited varieties     
which are popular in this country4 ,the 
best method is to sow the seeds in      
,january1 in pans filled with a light   
rich compost and placed in a gentle     
heat4 ,prick out the plants on to a bed 
of light soil in a frame1 or on a nearly
 exhausted hot-bed1 whence they should  
be taken to the open ground4 ,from these
 sowings fine fruits may usually be     
gathered in the following ,september4   
,seeds may also be sown outdoors in     
spring or in ,september in shallow      
drills1 six inches apart1 on a bed of   
light soil4 ,transplant in due course   
for fruiting in the succeeding          
,strawberry season4 ,when a full crop   
has been gathered the plants should be  
destroyed1 a succession being kept up by

 sowing annually4 ,by slowly growing the
 plants from spring-sown seeds and      
potting in autumn1 it is not a difficult
 matter to have ,alpines in fruit under 
glass at ,christmas4  ,,sunflower       
,helianthus annuus  ,although the       
,sunflower is not utilised as food for  
man1 the plant is frequently grown in   
the ,kitchen ,garden1 partly as an      
ornament1 and also for the production of
 seeds which are given to poultry4  ,as 
regards cultivation1 sow in pans in     
,april1 and put on a gentle hot-bed1 or 
shut up close in a sunny frame4 ,the    
plants will soon appear4 ,give them     
light and air1 and plant out when they  
are two or three inches high4 ,but      
,sunflowers can be grown without any    
kind of artificial aid4 ,a simple and   
effectual method is to make the spot    
intended for them very rich1 and dibble 
the seed an inch deep on the first day  
of ,may4  ,,tomato  ,lycopersicum       
esculentum  ,the taste for ,tomatoes    
often begins with a little antipathy1   

but it is soon acquired1 and not        
infrequently develops into decided      
fondness for the fruit both cooked and  
in its natural condition4 ,as a         
necessary article of food the call for  
it in this country is no longer limited 
to a select circle of epicures1 for the 
value of its refreshing1 appetising1 and
 corrective properties is now widely    
recognised1 and its advance in public   
favour has been accelerated by the      
improved quality1 enhanced beauty1 and  
increased variety effected by expert    
raisers4  ,the ,tomato is a tender1 but 
not a tropical plant1 and it requires a 
moderately high temperature1 free access
 of air1 and above all a full flood of  
solar light to bring it to perfection4  
,the necessary heat is easily managed in
 any garden equipped with ordinary      
forcing appliances2 so also is a current
 of air in properly constructed         
buildings2 but the deficiency of light  
during the darker months renders the    
task of producing fruit in midwinter    

less easy than at other seasons4 ,by the
 introduction of varieties possessing   
increased powers of crop-setting1       
however1 the difficulty of winter       
fruiting has been largely overcome1 so  
that1 with efficient management1 it is  
now possible to send ,tomatoes to table 
throughout the year4  ,almost every     
imaginable glass structure can be       
employed for growing ,tomatoes1 from the
 small suburban greenhouse to the vast  
span-roof1 hundreds of feet in length1  
devoted to their culture in the ,channel
 ,islands4 ,and it is not essential that
 the crop should be grown alone4        
,potatoes1 ,french ,beans1              
,strawberries1 and ,vines may be forced 
in the same building1 provided there be 
no obstruction to light and air1 nor any
 interference with the conditions which 
experience has proved to be imperative  
for sustaining the plants in vigorous   
health4 ,for winter and spring gathering
 there must be a service of hot-water   
pipes1 but as the season advances it is 

easy to ripen fruit in cool houses1 and 
later on plants outdoors will in        
favourable seasons yield an abundant    
return without artificial protection of 
any kind4  ,,indoor ,,culture--,sowing  
and ,transplanting4--,seed may be sown  
at almost any time of the year1 but the 
most important months are ,january to   
,march1 ,august and ,september4 ,in     
gardens favourably situated in the      
,south of ,england and furnished with   
the most perfect appliances1 seed is    
sown in all these months1 and in others 
also2 but in smaller gardens sowings are
 generally restricted to ,february and  
,march4 ,whenever a start is made sow   
thinly and about half an inch deep1 in  
pans or boxes1 and do not allow the     
seedlings to remain in them for an      
unnecessary day4 ,immediately two or at 
most four leaves are formed either prick
 off into other pans or boxes1 or       
transfer singly to thumb pots1 and as a 
rule the pots will be found preferable4 
,the soil for these pans or pots should 

be stored in the greenhouse a few days  
in advance of the transfer1 so that the 
compost may acquire the proper          
temperature and save the plants from an 
untimely check4 ,in small houses place  
the plants near the glass that they may 
remain short in the joint1 but on cold  
nights they must be taken down to avoid 
injury from fluctuations of temperature4
 ,in large houses1 where the light is   
well diffused1 there is no need to incur
 this trouble1 for the seedlings will do
 equally well on the ground level4 ,in  
due time shift into six-inch pots1 from 
which they can go straight to borders1  
or into a larger size if they are to be 
fruited in pots4 ,about fourteen weeks  
will be required to prepare the plants  
for borders in the winter season1 but a 
shorter period will suffice in spring   
and summer4 ,plants from an ,august or  
,september sowing will not mature fruit 
in much less than six months1 while a   
,march sowing will yield a return in    
four months or less4 ,a great deal      

depends on the character of the season1 
and more on skill and attention4 ,those 
who sow in ,january or ,february should 
sow again a fortnight later1 and onwards
 until the end of ,april1 according to  
requirements4 ,for winter supplies a    
first sowing may be made in ,june1 in a 
cold frame1 and prepared for transfer to
 fruiting pots in ,september4           
,treatment of ,soil4--,in the first     
instance there need be no anxiety about 
soil4 ,any fairly good sandy loam will  
answer for the seed-pans1 and if too    
stiff it may be freely mixed with sharp 
sand or the sifted sweepings from roads 
and gravel walks4 ,a fibrous loam1 cut  
from a rich pasture1 and laid up in a   
heap for twelve months1 will1 with an   
addition of wood ashes and grit1 make an
 ideal soil for pots or borders4 ,as the
 plants advance1 leaf-mould or          
thoroughly decayed manure in moderate   
quantity should be supplied2 but1       
instead of incorporating it with the    
loam in the usual way1 it will be found 

advantageous to place the manure        
immediately above the crocks1 and the   
roots will find it at the right time4   
,but the quantity of manure must not be 
overdone1 especially in the earlier     
stages of growth1 because excessive     
luxuriance neither promotes fruitfulness
 nor conduces to early ripening4 ,after 
the fruit has set1 a mulch of decayed   
manure will aid the plants in finishing 
a heavy crop4 ,manure which is only     
partially fermented will not do at all4 
,the ammonia it liberates exerts so     
deadly a power that the plants are      
quickly scorched4  ,in its demand for   
potash the ,tomato closely resembles the
 ,potato1 and of the two the former is  
the more exacting4 ,so quickly does this
 crop exhaust the soil1 that in small   
houses it is usual to take out the earth
 to a depth of fifteen or eighteen      
inches every second or third year1 and  
replace it with virgin loam4 ,others    
grow the ,tomatoes alternately in the   
bed and in pots1 but this is only a     

partial remedy4 ,constant dressings of  
farmyard or stable manure result in the 
formation of humus1 which1 as it becomes
 sour1 has to be sweetened by the       
solvent influence of lime4 ,the chief   
objection to the use of stable manure1  
however1 even when well rotted1 is that 
it induces a free growth of foliage     
instead of promoting an early           
development of fruit4 ,the most enduring
 method is that which is based on       
chemical knowledge of the constituents  
of the soil1 and the relation which the 
plant bears to it4 ,one of the most     
successful growers for the ,london      
market almost entirely avoids the use of
 stable manure1 and he is able1 by      
applications of nitrate of potash1      
dissolved bones1 and the occasional use 
of lime1 to grow splendid crops in the  
same houses year after year4  ,all the  
conditions which answer for border work 
are applicable to pots1 and a limited   
number of plants brought forward in     
succession will supply the requirements 

of a small household from early spring  
until near ,christmas4 ,the pot system  
is conducive to free setting and to     
early ripening1 and for these reasons it
 is worth attention4 ,the plants should 
be kept short in the joint by frequent  
shifts until the twelve-inch pot is     
reached1 and this size will accommodate 
two cordons or one plant having two     
branches1 each of which will require a  
separate stake for its support4         
,plunging the pots can be adopted to    
save labour in watering4                
,temperatures4--,no advantage is to be  
gained by attempting to force ,tomatoes 
in a higher temperature than is         
consistent with healthy progress1       
although in winter there is great       
temptation in the direction of          
overheating4 ,full time for development 
in moderate heat will bring stout       
joints1 and impart a vigorous           
constitution that materially aids the   
plants in resisting the insidious       
attacks of disease4 ,the waning autumn  

and dull winter days are the most       
troublesome periods of management1 and  
it is remarkable that of two days equal 
in duration and apparently in other     
conditions1 the autumnal appears to be  
less favourable than the spring day4    
,but if1 on the one hand1 a high        
temperature is injurious1 a low         
temperature must be avoided2 although   
for a time it may not appear to be      
harmful4 ,a temperature of #fj or #fe   
suits the seed-pans1 and after transfer 
to pots and the roots have become       
established1 the thermometer should not 
register less than #ee during the night4
 ,it may rise #aj by means of fire heat 
in the daytime1 and during bursts of    
sunshine another #aj or #ae will be     
quite safe1 always assuming that the    
roots are not dry1 and that the plants  
have free ventilation4  ,watering4--,the
 judicious administration of water forms
 an important feature in the culture of 
the ,tomato4 ,the plant is too succulent
 to endure drought with impunity1 and it

 is mere folly to toy with the          
water-can4 ,saturate down to the roots1 
and then leave the plants alone until   
more water is wanted4 ,no hard and fast 
rule can be stated as to frequency4 ,it 
depends on the condition of the soil1   
the period of the year1 and the age of  
the plants4 ,borders and soil for pots  
should be made sufficiently moist in    
advance1 so that watering will not be   
necessary immediately after the plants  
are transferred4 ,the prevalent opinion 
that excessive watering generates       
disease is not confirmed by our         
experience4 ,of course the watering     
should not be excessive for many        
reasons1 but the diseases which are     
often attributed to over-watering are   
the result of atmospheric mismanagement4
  ,general ,treatment4--,authorities are
 not agreed as to whether branched      
plants or simple cordons yield the      
better results4 ,in our judgment the    
single stem deserves preference1 and it 
is now more extensively grown than any  

other form1 although plants having two  
branches are almost equally popular4    
,certainly the cordon can be managed    
with extreme ease2 it is admittedly the 
earliest producer1 and there is a       
general consensus of opinion that the   
fruit it produces is unsurpassed in size
 and quality4 ,the doubtful point is    
quantity1 but even here the difference1 
if any1 is too trifling to be worth the 
consideration of private growers4       
,cordons are formed by removing the     
laterals as fast as they appear1 and    
when the fruit has set1 or the requisite
 height is attained1 the top is also    
pinched out4  ,the space allowed for    
each plant varies greatly1 especially   
among growers for market4 ,under glass  
every branched ,tomato should be allowed
 at least three feet each way4 ,for     
cordons we advocate a distance between  
the rows of three feet1 and a space of  
two feet in the row is not too much4    
,the stems require support of some kind1
 and stakes are preferable to string2   

but of course the stems may be secured  
to wires whenever it is convenient to   
run the plants immediately under the    
glass4  ,another point upon which       
authorities differ is the extent to     
which ,tomatoes should be denuded of    
their foliage4 ,some growers condemn the
 procedure entirely2 others reduce their
 plants to skeletons4 ,both extremes are
 objectionable1 for when all the leaves 
are permitted to remain there is delay  
or partial failure in colouring the     
fruit1 and the almost entire removal of 
foliage checks the root action          
injuriously4 ,in practice it answers    
well to wait until the fruit has set1   
then by pinching out the leading point  
of each leaf1 commencing at the bottom1 
ripening and colouring are promoted1 and
 the health of the plant remains        
unimpaired4  ,in dull weather1 and      
especially in short days1 a difficulty  
is sometimes experienced in setting the 
fruit1 particularly the first bunch4    
,after fruit has begun to swell on one  

bunch1 the remainder set with           
comparative ease4 ,a rather higher      
temperature than usual combined with    
free movement of the atmosphere is      
generally sufficient to insure          
fertilisation4 ,if assistance is        
necessary1 however1 water the plants    
early in the afternoon1 and close the   
house rather before the usual time4 ,the
 warm atmosphere will develop plenty of 
pollen1 and a gentle shaking of the     
flower bunches with a slight touch from 
a hazel twig will liberate visible      
clouds1 which will effectually set the  
fruit4 ,another method is to lift a flat
 label or paper knife against the       
flowers4 ,the label becomes covered with
 pollen1 and by gently touching each    
flower with a slight upward pressure a  
great number can be fertilised in a few 
minutes4 ,a soft brush passed over the  
flowers daily has the same effect4      
,plants in the open ground need no such 
attention if they are in good health and
 the season is at all genial4 ,when a   

bunch of flowers contains one that is   
fasciated or confused1 the flower should
 be pinched out to prevent the formation
 of large and ugly fruit4 ,the remainder
 of the bunch will be the finer for its 
absence4  ,,outdoor ,,culture4--,for the
 open ground it is important to choose a
 variety that ripens early4 ,the plants 
should be vigorous1 and they must be    
carefully hardened before they are put  
out4 ,sow the seed in heat in ,february 
or ,march1 and when large enough        
transfer the seedlings to single pots   
until wanted4 ,every effort should be   
made to avoid giving the plants a check1
 and if room is available they may be   
potted on to the six-inch size and      
allowed to form one truss of bloom      
before planting out1 thus saving        
valuable time4 ,the end of ,may is      
usually the right time for transfer to  
the open1 but ,tomatoes will not endure 
a keen east wind or nipping frost4      
,during the prevalence of unfavourable  
weather it is advisable to wait a week  

or more rather than risk the destruction
 of the plants4 ,when the temperature   
appears to be fairly reliable1 put them 
into holes a foot deep and eighteen     
inches across1 filled with light soil   
not too rich4 ,for a few nights until   
the roots take hold slight protection   
should be at hand to assure safety2 ,sea
 ,kale pots answer admirably1 and are   
easily placed in position4 ,in addition 
to beds all sorts of places are suitable
 for ,tomatoes1 such as under warm      
palings or walls1 on sloping banks and  
in sheltered nooks1 where they will     
thrive and yield valuable fruit4 ,stout 
stakes are required and should be       
promptly provided4 ,pinch out the       
lateral shoots1 and as soon as the      
fruits commence to colour some of the   
largest leaves may be partially removed4
 ,early in ,august nip out the tips of  
the leaders in order to encourage       
ripening4 ,thus in the open garden a    
supply of this delicacy may be insured  
for part of the year equal in quality to

 fruit which is grown under glass4 7,see
 also page #aha47  ,the diseases of the 
,tomato are dealt with in the chapter on
 ,the ,fungus ,pests of certain ,garden 
,plants4  ,,turnip  ,brassica ,rapa     
,the ,turnip is not a difficult garden  
crop2 indeed1 the simplest management   
will produce an ample supply1 and any   
fairly good ground will suffice for it4 
,but whatever is worth doing is worth   
doing well1 and a gardener may be       
pardoned for taking an especial pride in
 producing a sufficiency of handsome and
 tender ,turnips4 ,the great point is to
 insure a succession through a long     
season1 or1 say1 the whole year round1  
for ,turnips are always in request1 and 
at certain periods of the year delicate 
young roots are greatly valued for the  
table4  ,the finest ,turnips are grown  
in deep1 sandy loam1 kept in a high     
state of cultivation4 ,useful ,turnips  
may be grown on any soil1 but a handsome
 sample of the finest quality cannot be 
produced on heavy clay or thin          

limestone4 ,in common with other        
fast-growing plants of the cruciferous  
order1 ,turnips must have lime in some  
form1 and in many gardens it will       
occasionally be necessary to give a     
dressing of lime in addition to the     
ordinary manure4 ,superphosphate1 bone1 
and old plaster or mortar from destroyed
 buildings1 are all valuable in         
preparing the soil for this crop4       
,times of ,sowing4--,an early crop of   
small bulbs may be grown by sowing in   
,january on a very gentle hot-bed as    
prescribed for early ,radishes1 and it  
may be well to add1 that in an emergency
 white ,turnip ,radishes may be made to 
take the place of ,turnips1 both to     
flavour soups and to appear as a dish in
 the usual way4 ,fast-growing ,turnips  
may be sown on a sheltered warm border  
in ,february and ,march1 to be carefully
 watched and protected when unkind      
weather prevails4 ,in ,april and ,may   
sowings should be made consistently with
 the probable wants of the household1   

but the ,may sowings should comprise two
 or three sorts in the event of hot dry 
weather spoiling some of them4  ,the    
principal sowings for autumn and winter 
supplies are made in ,june and ,july1   
but seed may also be sown in ,august4   
,ground from which some crop1 such as   
,peas1 has just been cleared generally  
needs little preparation beyond breaking
 the surface with a hoe1 followed by a  
good raking4 ,thin the plants early and 
let them stand finally at six to nine   
inches apart in the rows4 ,for late     
crops seed is often sown broadcast1 the 
roots being pulled as they mature4      
,general ,culture4--,it is advisable to 
sow ,turnips in drills on a fine tilth1 
and it is an advantage to have a        
sufficiency of some stimulating manure  
near the surface to hurry the growth of 
the young plant1 for the danger of fly  
belongs to the seed-leaf stage4         
,generally speaking1 the ,turnip fly    
does but little harm in gardens2 but    
where it is much feared1 the seed should

 be sown in prepared drills to encourage
 a quick growth4 ,draw the drills twelve
 to fifteen inches apart1 three inches  
deep1 and about the same width1 and     
almost fill them with rotten manure1 or 
with a mixture of earth and guano1 or   
wood ashes2 cover this with a little    
fine soil to prevent injury to the seed2
 then sow1 and lightly conceal the seed 
with earth as a finish4 ,if the ground  
is sufficiently moist1 growth will      
commence almost immediately1 and the    
plant will come up strong1 and very     
quickly put forth rough leaves4 ,in the 
general management more depends on      
timely and judicious thinning than upon 
any other point4 ,if ,turnips are not   
well thinned1 so that each plant can    
spread its green head unimpeded by the  
leaves of a neighbour1 a good growth    
cannot be expected2 and thinning by the 
hoe should be commenced as soon as the  
rough leaves appear4 ,the operation must
 be repeated until the plants are at a  
suitable distance1 and then comes the   

process of singling1 which should be    
done by hand4 ,it will be found that in 
many cases two or three little plants   
stand together looking like one4 ,there 
must be only one left at each station1  
and that should be the shortest4 ,the   
distances may vary from four to ten     
inches1 according to the vigour of the  
variety and the kind of ,turnips        
required4 ,an easy and profitable plan  
is to allow a certain number of bulbs to
 swell to supply young ,turnips1 and1 by
 drawing these1 leave room for the      
remainder of the crop to attain its     
proper size for storing4  ,the ,turnip  
likes a light soil1 but does not well   
endure the occasional dryness to which  
light soils are subject4 ,this fact     
accounts for many failures of the crop  
in a hot dry season1 for sunshine suits 
the ,turnip1 but it must have moisture  
or suffer deterioration in some way4    
,if1 therefore1 the soil becomes dry1   
and there is no prospect of rain1 the   
,turnips should have water1 not simply  

to moisten the surface1 but to go to the
 roots1 for frequent watering is not    
good for the crop1 as it tends to spoil 
the beauty of the bulbs1 and promotes a 
rank leaf-growth which is not wanted4   
,an occasional heavy watering in dry    
weather will also do much towards the   
repression of the many enemies that     
beset this useful root--the jumpers1 the
 grubs1 the weevils1 and the rest of the
 vermin will be routed out of their snug
 hiding-places in the dusty soil when   
the watering takes place1 and the death 
of many will follow4 ,but so long as the
 soil is fairly moist at the depth the  
roots are ranging1 there is no need for 
watering1 and the time it would consume 
may be utilised for other work4         
,lifting and ,storing4--,on the approach
 of winter a certain portion of the     
,turnip crop should be lifted and       
stored4 ,in doing this the tops must be 
cut off1 not too close1 but just leaving
 a slight green neck1 and the roots     
should be rather shortened than removed2

 at all events1 to cut the roots off    
close is bad practice3 when so treated  
the bulbs do not keep well4 ,any rough  
storage answers for ,turnips1 the object
 being to keep them plump by excluding  
the atmosphere1 and at the same time    
render them safe against frost4 ,the    
portion of the crop left in the ground  
may be lifted as wanted in the same way 
as ,parsnips1 but this should be done   
systematically1 so that the ground which
 is cleared may be dug over and ridged  
up before winter4 ,those that remain    
will be in a piece1 and will give a good
 crop of spring greens1 after which they
 may be made use of as manure by putting
 them at the bottom of a trench4  ,some 
of the foes that war against the ,turnip
 crop are alluded to at greater length  
later on4 ,happily1 the gardener has    
many friends that are insufficiently    
known to the farmer1 not the least      
important being the starlings1 song     
birds1 and occasionally 7but not often7 
the sparrows4 ,where the cultivation is 

good and small birds abound1 the ,turnip
 crop is pretty safe1 and the general   
routine of culture sketched above will  
certainly promote1 if it does not       
absolutely secure1 its safety4 ,the     
worst foes of the ,turnip in the field  
are the fly and the caterpillar2 but in 
the garden1 and more especially the old 
garden1 anbury is the most to be feared4
 ,when this happens the cultivator may  
rest satisfied that the soil is in      
fault1 and this may be owing to a bad   
routine of cropping4 ,wherever anbury   
appears1 whether on ,cabbages or        
,turnips or any other cruciferous plant1
 there should be worked out a complete  
change in the order of cropping1 taking 
care not to put any brassicaceous plants
 on the plots where the disease has     
occurred for two or three seasons1 and  
allowing at least one whole year to pass
 without growing any of the cruciferous 
order upon them4 ,in the meantime1 for  
other crops the land should be well     
trenched and limed1 and generously      

tilled4 ,the result will be profitable  
crops of other kinds of vegetables and a
 refreshing of the soil that will enable
 it to carry brassicaceous plants again1
 with but little risk of the recurrence 
of anbury4 ,good cultivation is the only
 panacea known against the plagues that 
assail our crops4 ,this does not surely 
secure them1 for the elements are       
capricious and beyond our control2 but  
where good cultivation prevails the     
failures are few1 and even unfavourable 
seasons do not utterly obliterate the   
benefits of past labour4                
,swede4--,there are several advantages  
in growing ,swedes as one of the garden 
crops4 ,they are hardy in constitution  
and prolong the supply of a wholesome   
vegetable4 ,in districts where ,turnips 
are unsatisfactory1 ,swedes prove       
successful1 and are appreciated for     
their delicacy of flavour when grown    
from stocks which have been carefully   
selected for the purpose4 ,the culture  
is in all respects the same as for      

,turnip4 ,the date of sowing depends on 
the district4 ,in the north it is safe  
to sow at the beginning of ,may1 but in 
the midlands and southern counties of   
,england the end of ,may or beginning of
 ,june is early enough4  ,,vegetable    
,,marrow  ,cucurbita ,pepo ovifera  ,the
 ,vegetable ,marrow does not1 in a      
general way1 obtain the right kind of   
attention in gardens4 ,it is very       
generally grown and is much valued as a 
summer vegetable4 ,but too often the aim
 of the cultivator is to obtain large   
,marrows1 that at the very best are     
coarse and troublesome to the cook and  
are always wanting in substance and     
flavour1 instead of smallish ,marrows1  
which are easily dressed1 elegant on the
 table1 and combine with a substantial  
and somewhat glutinous pulp a most      
delicious flavour4 ,two fears beset the 
average gardener3 he is afraid to grow  
small sorts1 and he is afraid to cut    
them when quite young4 ,when he can     
overcome these fears he will appreciate 

the smaller ,marrows that have of late  
years been secured by patient labour in 
cross-breeding1 for while they are of   
the highest quality1 they are also early
 and productive1 far surpassing all the 
larger ,marrows in quickness and        
usefulness4 ,the market grower we do not
 pretend to advise1 for he must grow    
what he can sell2 and if the smaller    
,marrows are insufficiently appreciated 
in gardens1 we cannot hope to see them  
on sale in shops4  ,the ,vegetable      
,marrow will grow in any good soil1 and 
although a tender plant1 it is so       
accommodating that if the seed is sown  
on a piece of newly dug clay land in the
 latter part of ,may1 or early in ,june1
 the plants will thrive and produce a   
heavy crop the same season4 ,we put this
 as an extreme case1 but we do not      
recommend such a careless mode of       
growing this valuable vegetable4 ,the   
fact is1 it pays better to grow it well 
than to grow it ill2 and in a country   
where land and labour are costly1 and   

the summer very uncertain1 it is best to
 take such a thing in hand              
scientifically1 and provide for it as   
many favourable conditions as possible4 
,three conditions are imperative3 a     
moderate bottom heat from fermenting    
material2 a kindly1 loamy soil1 quite   
mellow1 in which the roots can run      
freely2 and a sufficiency of water1 for 
this is a thirsty plant4 ,but the       
excessive use of manure is undesirable1 
as this only forces a rank growth of    
foliage at the expense of the fruit4    
,frame culture is of some importance1   
because early ,marrows are highly valued
 at good tables4 ,for this business the 
neat-growing1 small-fruited kinds should
 be chosen1 as they yield a great crop  
in a small compass4 ,the best place for 
an early crop of ,marrows is a brick    
pit1 with hot-water pipes for top heat1 
and a bed of fermenting materials for   
bottom heat4 ,it is no difficult matter 
to obtain a supply in a house with      
,cucumbers1 but it is better to grow the

 ,marrows apart1 as they require less   
heat and less moisture than ,cucumbers4 
,in making up the bed1 it is well to    
employ leaves largely1 say to the extent
 of one-half1 the remainder being stable
 manure that has been twice turned4     
,such a bed will give a mild heat for a 
great length of time1 and the plants can
 be put out upon it within three days of
 its being made up4 ,when grown in a    
common frame1 the arrangements are much 
the same as advised for the frame       
cultivation of the ,cucumber1 the chief 
points of difference being that ,marrows
 should have less heat and more air4    
,the temperature for ,marrows under     
cover may range from #ee the minimum1 to
 #hj the maximum2 the safe medium being 
about #fe when the weather is cold and  
dull2 running to #hj when strong        
sunshine prevails1 and the plants are   
growing freely with plenty of air4 ,as  
for the general management1 a bed nine  
inches deep of good fibrous loam is     
required1 with regular supplies of water

 of the same temperature as the pits1 so
 that the bed is always reasonably      
moist1 and every evening a slight       
syringing over the leaves and the walls 
before shutting up4 ,the training out is
 a very simple matter4 ,let the vines   
run in their own way until they have    
made shoots eighteen inches long1 then  
nip out the points4 ,after this there   
must be no more stopping1 but           
occasionally the laterals must be       
suppressed to prevent crowding4 ,give   
air freely at every opportunity1 and be 
careful not to administer too much      
water1 or the blunder will result in a  
deficiency of fruit4  ,to grow ,marrows 
in the open air1 the best course of     
procedure is to remove a portion of the 
top soil1 to form a shallow trench four 
feet wide4 ,into this carry one foot to 
eighteen inches depth of half-rotten    
manure1 or a mixture of equal parts of  
manure and leaves1 and cover with the   
soil that was taken out4 ,this will     
produce a very gentle hot-bed that will 

last until the natural ground heat is   
sufficient to keep the plants in        
vigorous health4 ,the middle of ,may is 
quite early enough to make up the bed1  
and in the course of two or three days  
the plants may be put out4 ,cover with  
hand-lights or small frames1 which on   
the following day should be tilted at   
bottom to admit a little air1 and if    
strong sunshine occurs1 a ,rhubarb leaf 
may be laid over to subdue the glare    
upon the young plants4 ,we will suppose 
these plants to have been raised in a   
,cucumber frame from seeds sown in      
,april4 ,if plants are not available1   
sow seeds in patches of two or three on 
the bed1 and cover with inverted large  
flower-pots1 and with a piece of tile to
 stop the hole4 ,this plan hastens      
germination4 ,pots may also be used as  
protectors if glass frames are not at   
command1 being taken off during the day 
and put on at night1 the hole being left
 open to give a little air4 ,during bad 
weather the pots should remain all day  

over the plants1 but as soon as possible
 must be again taken off to keep the    
growth short1 green1 and vigorous4 ,the 
plants should be put singly down the    
centre of the bed1 three feet apart1 and
 as a matter of course the seeds should 
be sown at the same distance1 and each  
clump of two or three should be reduced 
to one when the plants are somewhat     
forward4 ,it is advisable not to be in a
 hurry in thinning the plants1 for the  
slugs will probably compel some         
modification of arrangements1 so that   
sometimes it will be necessary to lift a
 clump1 and divide the plants1 to fill  
up gaps where the slugs have made a     
clearance4 ,an occasional inspection in 
the after part of the day1 and again in 
the early morning1 will be the best     
course to keep down the slugs1 as they  
may then be caught and disposed of2 but 
a dusting of soot around each clump will
 do much to protect the plants against  
silent marauders4 ,as for               
after-management1 there is no occasion  

whatever for any stopping or training1  
but now and then a stout peg may be     
placed to keep some strong vine in      
order4 ,the necessity for moisture must 
not be overlooked4 ,if the ground       
becomes dry the plants will suffer1 but 
with sufficient moisture they will      
continue growing and bearing until the  
frost destroys them4 ,cut the ,marrows  
when quite young1 for not only are they 
more useful on the table when small and 
tender1 but the plants will bear five   
times as many as when a few are         
permitted to attain their full size4    
,the explanation of the case is very    
simple4 ,the production of the young    
fruits does not in any appreciable      
degree exhaust the plants2 but when the 
fruits are allowed to develop1 the plant
 is too severely taxed1 and a succession
 is pretty well brought to a stop4 ,the 
most delicately flavoured ,marrows1 as a
 rule1 are the smallest2 these when     
cooked should be served whole1 or at    
most only cut into halves1 and of course

 there is no occasion to remove the     
seeds4     ,a ,,year',s ,,work ,,in     
,,the ,,vegetable ,,garden   ,the       
following monthly notes are not intended
 to supersede the detailed instructions 
on the several kinds of ,vegetables     
which appear in the preceding pages4    
,the present object is to call attention
 to the work that must be done1 and the 
work that must be prepared for1 as the  
changes of the seasons require and the  
state of the weather may permit2 yet    
some amount of detail is included4      
,merely to offer reminders would be to  
exclude the great mass of amateurs1 and 
the less experienced of practical       
gardeners1 from participation in the    
advantages of these monthly notes1 and  
to restrict their use to a few practical
 men who are masters of every detail of 
the business of gardening4 ,the routine 
under each month is generally in        
harmony-with that already recommended1  
but certain variations of practice are  
suggested which may prove of service in 

some districts and under particular     
circumstances4  ,a work on gardening    
demands of the reader the exercise of   
judgment4 ,if blindly followed1 it may  
prove as often wrong as right2 for it is
 not in the power of the authors to     
influence the weather in favour of their
 directions1 or to insure to those who  
may follow their guidance a single one  
amongst the many conditions requisite to
 success4 ,although the times named for 
certain operations are the best as an   
average1 peculiarities of climate and of
 season will require some modifications1
 which each one must discover for       
himself2 and after the seed of any      
vegetable has been sown it is not always
 needful to give subsequent reminders of
 successional sowings4 ,these naturally 
follow in accordance with the           
requirements of each particular garden4 
,with such allowances duly made1 these  
notes will1 it is hoped1 prove          
thoroughly practical1 and tend          
materially to aid the cultivator in     

obtaining from the vegetable garden an  
abundance of everything in its season1  
and of a quality of which he need not be
 ashamed4   ,,january  ,work in the     
garden during the opening month of the  
year is entirely dependent on the       
weather1 and it is futile to enter on a 
vain conflict with ,nature4 ,when heavy 
rains prevail keep off the ground1 but  
immediately it will bear traffic without
 poaching be prepared to take advantage 
of every favourable hour4 ,much may be  
done in ,january to make ready for the  
busy spring1 and every moment usefully  
employed will relieve the pressure later
 on4 ,survey the stock of pea-sticks1   
haul out all the rubbish from the yard1 
and make a #8smother' of waste prunings 
and heaps of twitch and other stuff for 
which there is no decided use4 ,if      
properly done1 the result will be a     
black ash of the most fertilising       
nature1 such as a mere fire will not    
produce4 ,should the soil be frost-bound
 wheel out manure and lay it in heaps   

ready to be spread and dug in where     
seed-beds are to be made4 ,if the       
weather is open and dry1 trench spare   
plots and make ready well-manured plots 
for sowing ,peas and ,beans4 ,so far as 
may be convenient1 all preparatory work 
should be pushed on with vigour1 and    
every effort must be made to lay up as  
much land in the rough as possible2 for 
the more it is frozen through the       
greater will be its fertility1 and the  
more beautiful1 as well as more         
abundant1 the crops4  ,it is a matter of
 the most ordinary prudence to be       
prepared to resist the shock of a severe
 frost4 ,when this event occurs1 many   
suffer loss because they are not        
prepared for it4 ,good brick walls and  
substantial roofs are needed for the    
safe keeping of fruits and the more     
valuable kinds of roots2 but when rough 
methods are resorted to1 such as        
clamping and pitting1 there should be a 
large body of stuff employed1 for a     
prolonged frost will find its way       

through any thin covering1 no matter    
what the material may be4 ,as there is  
not much to do now out of doors1 it is a
 good time to look over the notes which 
were made concerning various crops in   
the past season1 and to attend to the   
seed list4  ,seed sowing should be      
practised with exceeding caution2 but   
great things may be done where there are
 warm1 sheltered1 dry borders1 and      
suitable appliances for screening and   
forwarding early crops4 ,under these    
favourable conditions1 we advise the    
sowing of small breadths of a few choice
 subjects towards the end of the month2 
and1 this being done1 every care should 
be taken to nurse the seedlings through 
the trying times that are before them4  
,such things as tender young ,radishes1 
,onions1 small ,salads1 ,spinach1       
,cabbage1 and ,carrots never come in too
 early2 the trouble often is that they  
are seen in the market while as yet they
 are invisible in the garden4 ,hedges of
 ,hornbeam1 ,laurel1 or ,holly1 to break

 the force of the wind1 are valuable for
 sheltering early borders1 and walls are
 great aids to earliness by the warmth  
they reflect and the dryness they       
promote4  ,the soil for these early     
crops should be light and rich1 and the 
position extra well drained1 to prevent 
the slightest accumulation of water     
during heavy rains4 ,supposing you have 
such a border1 sow upon it1 as early as 
weather will permit1 any of the smaller 
sorts of ,cabbage ,lettuce1 ,onion1     
,long ,scarlet ,radish1 ,round ,spinach1
 ,cabbage1 and ,carrot4 ,all these crops
 may be grown in frames with greater    
safety1 and in many exposed places the  
warm border is almost an impossibility4 
,reed hurdles and loose dry litter      
should be always ready when early       
cropping is in hand2 and old lights1 and
 even old doors1 and any and every kind 
of screen may be made use of at times to
 protect the early seed-beds from snow1 
severe frost1 and the dry blast of an   
east wind4  ,forcing is one of the fine 

arts in the ,english garden4 ,it is an  
art easily acquired up to a certain     
point1 but beyond that point full of    
difficulty4 ,every step in this business
 is a conflict with ,nature1 and in such
 a conflict the devices of man must     
occasionally fail4 ,a golden rule is to 
be found in the proverb #8,the more     
haste the less speed4' ,whatever the    
source of heat1 it should be moderate at
 first1 and should be augmented slowly4 
,the earlier the forced articles are    
required the more careful should be the 
preparation for them1 and the more      
moderate the temperature in the first   
instance4 ,there must be at command a   
constant as well as sufficient          
temperature3 when a forced crop has made
 some progress a check will be fatal to 
success4 ,the beginner should acquire   
experience with ,rhubarb and ,sea ,kale1
 then with ,asparagus and ,mushrooms and
 ,dwarf ,french ,beans1 and so on to    
#8higher heights' of this branch of     
practical gardening4  ,artichokes1      

,globe1 are not quite hardy1 and must be
 protected with litter4  ,asparagus beds
 to be heavily manured1 if not already  
done1 but the beds need not be dug4 ,be 
content to lay the manure on1 and the   
rains will wash the stimulant down to   
the roots in due time4 ,in gardens near 
the coast seaweed is the best of manure 
for ,asparagus1 and the use of salt can 
then be dispensed with4  ,beans1 ,broad1
 may be sown in frames1 and towards the 
end of the month in open quarters4 ,for 
early crops select the ,longpod         
varieties4 ,sow on ground deeply dug and
 well manured4  ,cabbage may be planted 
out at any time when weather permits1   
provided you possess1 or can obtain1 the
 plants2 and it is of the utmost        
importance to secure them from a        
reliable source1 or varieties may be    
planted which will in a few weeks send  
up flower-stems instead of forming      
tender hearts4 ,at every season of the  
year vacant plots should be kept going  
with a few breadths of ,cabbage4 ,with  

our variable climate they may be        
acceptable1 even in the height of       
summer1 if there has been a hard run    
upon other vegetables1 or some important
 crop has failed outright4  ,cauliflower
 may be sown on a gentle hot-bed1 or in 
a pan in the greenhouse1 or even in a   
frame1 to make a start for planting out 
in ,march or ,april4  ,cress1 to be     
enjoyed1 must be produced from a        
constant succession of small but        
frequent sowings4 ,all the sorts are    
good1 but different in flavour1 and they
 should be used only while young and    
tender4 ,sow at intervals of a few days 
in pans1 as in the case of ,mustard1    
until it is possible to cultivate in the
 open air1 and then give a shady        
position during summer on a mellow and  
rather moist soil4  ,cucumbers are never
 ready too soon to meet the demand in   
early spring4 ,they are grown in houses 
more or less adapted to their           
requirements1 and also in frames over   
hot-beds4 ,at this time of year1        

however1 frames are somewhat troublesome
 to manage1 and in trying weather they  
are a little hazardous1 although later  
in the season there is no difficulty    
whatever with them4 ,for the present1   
therefore1 we shall confine our remarks 
to house culture4 ,almost any greenhouse
 may be made to answer1 but the work can
 be carried on most successfully and    
with the greatest economy in houses     
which are expressly constructed for     
,cucumbers4 ,for winter work a lean-to1 
facing south1 possesses special         
advantages4 ,but for general utility1 if
 we had to erect a building on a        
well-drained soil1 it should be dwarf1  
sunk three feet in the ground1 with     
brick walls up to the eaves1 and lighted
 only from the roof4 ,such a structure  
is less influenced by atmospheric       
changes than a building wholly above    
ground4 ,the size1 of course1 is        
optional2 and quite a small house will  
supply an ordinary family with          
,cucumbers4 ,but a small house is not   

economical either in fuel or in labour4 
,a building thirty feet long by twelve  
feet wide1 six feet high at the sides1  
and eight and a half feet high at the   
ridge1 will not only grow ,cucumbers and
 ,melons1 but will also be of immense   
service for many other plants4 ,a       
division across the middle by a wall    
rising four feet1 surmounted with a     
glass screen fitted to the roof1 and    
finished with a door partially of glass1
 will greatly augment its usefulness4   
,there should be an alley down the      
centre four or five feet wide1 bounded  
by walls reaching four feet above the   
floor4 ,these walls should be nine      
inches thick for two feet six inches of 
their height1 but for the upper parts   
the brickwork need only be four and a   
half inches thick4 ,this arrangement    
will provide a ledge on the inner side  
of each wall1 and the main walls should 
also have ledges corresponding in       
height1 on which to lay slates to carry 
the soil4 ,to insure drainage1 allow a  

space of about an inch between the      
slates1 and place tiles or an inverted  
turf over every opening to prevent the  
soil being washed away4 ,the hot-water  
pipes will be in chambers immediately   
beneath the plants4 ,openings in the    
alley walls1 fitted with sliding doors1 
will admit the heat direct into the     
house whenever it may be desirable4     
,ventilation should be provided for     
under the ridge at each end1 as well as 
in the roof4 ,in such a house it is easy
 to grow ,cucumbers all the year round1 
except1 perhaps1 in the dead of winter1 
when the short1 dark days render the    
task difficult1 no matter how perfect   
the appliances at command4 ,the division
 in the centre will be found valuable at
 all times1 and especially when one set 
of plants is failing2 for another set   
can be brought into bearing exactly when
 wanted4 ,but whatever the structure may
 be1 the mode of culture remains        
substantially the same in any case4     
,now1 as to soil1 a compost made of     

mellow turfy loam and leaf-mould in     
equal parts will be effective and sweet4
 ,in the absence of leaf-mould1 use two 
parts of loam and one of thoroughly     
decayed manure with a few pieces of     
charcoal added4 ,sweetness is not       
absolutely necessary for success1 but   
nevertheless we like to have it1 so that
 a visit to the ,cucumber-house may be a
 source of pleasure4 ,this it cannot be 
if rank manure has been used4 ,raise the
 seed singly in small #fj-pots1 and sow 
enough1 for however good the seed may be
 a proportion will almost certainly fail
 from some cause at this critical       
period4 ,give the plants one shift into 
the #dh-size1 to keep them going until  
they are ready for putting into the     
beds4 ,cucumbers grow with great        
rapidity1 and should never know a check1
 least of all by starvation4 ,upon the  
slates make as many heaps of soil as are
 required1 and in the centre of each    
heap put one plant4 ,as the roots       
extend1 add more soil until the heaps   

meet and finally become level with the  
top of the brickwork4 ,this treatment   
will supply food as the roots develop1  
and help to maintain the plants in      
bearing for a long period4 ,stout wires 
running parallel with the length of the 
house1 a foot below the glass1 will     
carry the vines4 ,temperature should    
never fall below #fj at night2 but as   
the season advances1 if the thermometer 
registers #ij on sunny days1 no harm    
will be done1 provided the roots are not
 dry1 and the air be kept properly moist
 by plying the syringe4 ,on dull days   
one good sprinkling over the foliage    
will suffice1 and it should be done in  
the morning4 ,in warm sunny weather1    
however1 two or three syringings will be
 beneficial2 but the work must not be   
done so late as to risk the foliage     
being wet when night comes on4 ,there   
will be occasions when it may be        
advisable to avoid touching the leaves  
with water1 if there is no probability  
of their drying before nightfall4 ,in   

such a case the moisture can be kept up 
by freely sprinkling the floor and      
walls4 ,cucumbers cannot thrive if they 
are dry at the roots1 but although there
 should be no stint of water1 it must be
 given with judgment2 and it is of the  
utmost importance that the drainage     
should be effectual1 for stagnant water 
is even more injurious than a dry soil4 
,a few sticks placed in various parts of
 the bed1 reaching down to the slates1  
will serve as indicators4 ,draw and     
inspect them occasionally1 and a pretty 
correct idea of the condition of the    
soil will be obtained4 ,the water should
 be of the same temperature as the      
house2 if applied cold the plants will  
sustain a serious check4 ,in the event  
of the bed falling somewhat below the   
proper temperature1 the water may with  
advantage be a few degrees higher than  
usual4  ,horse-radish should be planted 
early1 to insure fine roots for next    
,christmas beef4  ,leek4--,those who    
wish to produce stems of superb size and

 beautiful texture must sow in heat     
during this month or early in ,february1
 for a longer period of growth is       
requisite than for ordinary crops4 ,when
 sufficient root growth has been made1  
transplant into larger pots1 and in due 
course transfer these to a frame where  
the plants may be gradually hardened off
 for putting out into specially prepared
 trenches in ,april4  ,lettuces will    
soon be in demand1 and the early hearts 
will be particularly precious4 ,sow a   
few sorts in pans1 in frames1 or on     
gentle hot-beds1 to be ready for        
planting out by-and-by4                 
,melon4--,although the ,melon is a      
fruit1 its culture naturally forms part 
of the routine of a vegetable garden4   
,up to a certain point it may be grown  
in the same house with ,cucumbers2 but  
after that point is reached1 the two    
plants need widely different treatment4 
,cucumbers are cut when young1 and must 
be grown in a warm and humid atmosphere 
from beginning to end4 ,melons need     

warmth1 and at the commencement moisture
 also2 but the fruit has to be ripened1 
and after it is set dry treatment       
becomes essential for the production of 
a rich flavour with plenty of aroma4 ,in
 large gardens1 three crops of ,melons  
are usually grown in the same house in  
one season4 ,a light soil is advisable  
at the beginning of the year1 but later 
in the season a heavier compost may be  
employed4 ,for the first sowing select  
an early variety1 and at the beginning  
of this month put the seed in separate  
pots4 ,re-pot the plants once1 and they 
will be ready for the beds by the first 
week of ,february4 ,melons from this    
sowing should be fit for table in ,may1 
which is quite as early as they can be  
produced with any sugar in them4 ,until 
the fruits begin to swell the treatment 
advised for ,cucumbers will suit ,melons
 also4 ,afterwards the watering will    
need careful management4 ,it would be an
 advantage if the fruit could be        
finished off without a drop of water    

from the time they are about two inches 
in diameter1 but the hot pipes render it
 almost impossible4 ,still1 water must  
not be given more frequently than is    
actually necessary to keep the plants   
going1 and when it is applied let there 
be a thorough soaking4 ,at the same time
 ventilation will demand constant       
attention1 and1 provided the temperature
 can be maintained1 it is scarcely      
possible to give air too freely4 ,in the
 early stage of growth1 and in mild     
weather1 if the thermometer registers   
#fe at #i ,p4,m41 the cultivator may    
sleep peacefully so far as ,melons are  
concerned4 ,as the season advances1 the 
temperature may be increased to #gj by  
night1 and #ge to #ij by day4 ,with     
reference to stopping1 it may be        
sufficient to say that it is a waste of 
energy to allow the plant to make a     
large quantity of vine1 which has       
afterwards to be cut away4 ,by          
judiciously pinching out the shoots1 the
 plant can be equally spread over the   

allotted space4 ,the flowers must be    
fertilised1 and in this respect the     
treatment differs from that advised for 
,cucumbers4 ,the practice has the       
advantage of allowing the fruits to be  
evenly distributed over the vine1 and   
from four to six1 according to the size 
of the variety1 will be enough for each 
plant to ripen4  ,mustard4--,those who  
care for salads need a supply of        
,mustard almost all through the year1   
and to secure a succession it will be   
necessary to sow at regular intervals4  
,it is a good plan to keep a few boxes  
in use for the purpose in a plant-house 
or pit1 sowing one or two at a time as  
required1 and taking care not to sow    
wastefully4 ,the seed may be sown out of
 doors all the summer1 on a shady       
border1 but nothing surpasses boxes or  
large pans under glass4 ,mustard and    
,cress should never be sown in the same 
row or in the same pan1 but separately1 
because they do not grow at the same    
pace1 and the former may be fit for use 

a week or so before the latter4 ,do not 
be content to use ,rape1 or any other   
substitute1 but sow the genuine article4
  ,onion4--,the modern practice of      
sowing ,onion seed in boxes under glass 
is to be commended for several reasons4 
,it insures a long season of growth and 
results in handsome bulbs far above the 
average in size4 ,transplanting affords 
the opportunity of selecting the        
strongest seedlings and of placing them 
at exact intervals in the bed4 ,as a    
crowning advantage this system1 to a    
large extent1 prevents attack from the  
,onion ,fly4 ,sow in boxes filled with  
rich soil and see that the plants have  
sufficient water1 although very little  
is necessary until after transfer to    
other boxes4  ,peas of the round-seeded 
class may be sown in open quarters1 and 
the driest and warmest places must be   
selected4 ,it is next to impossible to  
grow them too well2 for if the haulm    
runs up higher than usual1 the produce  
will be the finer4 ,remember1 too1 that 

if deep trenches are dug and a lot of   
manure is put in for ,peas1 the ground  
is so far prepared for ,broccoli1       
,celery1 and late ,cauliflowers to      
follow2 for the early-sown ,peas will be
 off the ground in time for another     
paying crop4 ,as everybody wants an     
early dish of ,peas1 sow one of the     
forward marrowfat varieties in pots1 or 
on strips of turf laid grass-side       
downwards in boxes having movable       
bottoms that can be withdrawn by a      
dexterous hand when the transfer is made
 from frames to the open ground4        
,troughs for ,peas can be made in very  
little time out of waste wood that may  
be found in the yard2 or a few lengths  
of old zinc spouting blocked up at the  
ends will answer admirably4 ,in the     
absence of such aids1 flower-pots may be
 used4 ,the seed should have the shelter
 of a frame or pit1 but should have the 
least possible stimulus from artificial 
heat1 except in cases where there is all
 the skill at command to promote very   

early production4  ,potatoes are prized 
when they come in early1 and may be     
forwarded on beds of leaves and         
exhausted hot-beds by covering with     
light rich soil1 and employing old      
frames for protection1 with litter handy
 in case of frost4 ,for this early work 
select the earliest ,kidneys and        
,rounds2 the main-cropping varieties are
 not quick enough4  ,radishes are more  
or less in demand for the greater part  
of the year4 ,the early crops are1      
however1 especially valued1 and there   
need not be the least difficulty in     
producing a supply4 ,a half-spent       
hot-bed1 or1 indeed1 any position that  
affords shelter and warmth1 will answer 
admirably for raising this crop until it
 may be trusted to a suitable position  
in the open4  ,sea ,kale may be covered 
with pots or a good depth of litter1 or 
a combination of pots and litter4 ,this 
should be done early1 as at the first   
move of vegetation this delicious       
vegetable will come into use1 and will  

generally be of finer quality than if   
forced4 ,it happens1 however1 to be the 
easiest of all things to force1 and so1 
wherever it is cared for1 a plentiful   
supply may be maintained from ,christmas
 7or earlier7 until ,may4 ,as the       
leaf-stems must be thoroughly blanched1 
covering is needful in all cases4       
,spinach may be sown in open quarters4  
,if the frost destroys the plant1 sow   
again4 ,some risk must be encountered   
for an early dish of this highly-prized 
vegetable4 ,keep the autumn-sown        
,spinach clear of weeds1 and in         
gathering 7if it happens to be fit to   
supply a gathering71 pick off the leaves
 separately with a little care4         
,strawberries4--,seed of the ,alpine    
varieties sown in pans this month1 for  
transfer later to the open ground1      
usually produce fine fruits in          
,september4  ,tomato4--,of the immense  
value of the ,tomato as an article of   
diet we need say nothing1 but we may    
confidently affirm that its merits for  

decorative purposes have not as yet been
 fully recognised4 ,long racemes of     
brilliant glossy fruit are sometimes    
employed with striking effect in        
pergnes1 and there is a natural fitness 
in using them for decorating the dinner 
table4 ,all the ,tomatoes can be grown  
and ripened under glass in almost any   
fashion which may suit the cultivator's 
convenience4 ,pits1 frames1 vineries1   
and ,peach-houses will bring the fruit  
to perfection1 either in pots or planted
 out4 ,magnificent crops are also grown 
in the manner usual with ,cucumbers1 but
 in a lower temperature2 and those who  
have an early ,cucumber house at liberty
 during the summer may turn it to good  
account for ,tomatoes4 ,the soil should 
be prepared and laid up in the autumn4  
,it must not be too rich1 or there will 
be much foliage and little fruit1 and   
the flowering will also be late4 ,a     
compost of leaf-mould and loam with an  
addition of sand suits ,tomatoes        
admirably2 but raw manure should be     

regarded as poison4 ,sow thinly in      
well-drained pots firmly filled with    
soil1 and place in a temperature of #fj 
or #fe4 ,when large enough to handle1   
transfer the seedlings to small pots1   
and1 if necessary1 shade them for a few 
days4 ,keep them near the glass until   
the roots are established1 and allow    
them to suffer no check from first to   
last4   ,,february  ,the work of this   
month is to be carried on as weather    
permits1 but with greater activity and  
more confidence1 for the sun is fast    
gaining power4 ,earnest digging1 liberal
 manuring1 and scrupulous cleansing are 
the tasks that stand forward as of      
pre-eminent importance4 ,many weeds1    
groundsel especially1 will now be coming
 into flower1 and if allowed to seed    
will make enormous work later on4 ,it is
 well1 however1 to remember--what few   
people do remember1 because the fact has
 not been pressed upon their            
attention--that weeds of all kinds1 so  
long as they are not in flower1 are     

really useful as manure when dug into   
the soil4 ,therefore a weedy patch is   
not of necessity going to ruin2 but if  
the weeds are not stopped in time1 they 
spread by their seeds and mar the order 
of the garden4 ,dig them in1 and their  
decay will nourish the next crop4 ,if   
early sowing is practised1 and the      
earliest possible produce of everything 
is aimed at1 there must be always at    
hand the means of protection1 such as   
litter1 spruce branches1 mats1 or other 
material1 as circumstances require4 ,the
 vigilant gardener is not surprised by  
the weather1 but is always armed for an 
emergency4 ,read the notes for ,january 
before proceeding further2 and in       
respect of what remains undone1 spare   
the necessity of reminders here4  ,frame
 ,ground should be kept scrupulously    
clean and orderly4 ,many things will    
require watering now1 but water must not
 be carelessly given1 because damp is   
hurtful during frosty weather4 ,take    
care that the plants are not crowding   

and starving1 or they will come to no   
good4  ,artichoke1 ,globe4--,plants from
 a sowing made now in a frame1 and      
transferred to the open at the end of   
,april1 will generally produce heads in 
the following ,august1 ,september1 and  
,october4  ,artichokes1 ,jerusalem1 may 
be planted this month where it has been 
possible to prepare the ground4 ,use    
whole sets if convenient1 or plant cut  
sets with about three eyes in each4     
,beans1 ,broad1 may be sown both for    
early and main crops now1 and with but  
little risk of damage by spring frosts4 
,the driest and warmest situation should
 be selected for the early sorts1 and   
the strongest land for the late ones4   
,if sowings were made in frames last    
month1 take care to harden the plants   
cautiously preparatory to planting out2 
if caught by a sharp frost1 every one   
will perish4  ,beans1 ,french4--,to     
precede the outdoor crops make a sowing 
of ,dwarf ,french ,beans in frames1 and 
of the ,climbing ,french varieties in   

orchard-houses or other available spaces
 under glass4  ,beet4--,sowings of the  
,globe variety may be made this month   
and in ,march1 on a gentle hot-bed under
 frames1 to provide roots in advance of 
the outdoor supplies4  ,broccoli4--,sow 
on a warm sheltered border1 and also in 
a frame4 ,with such an important crop at
 this time of year1 there should be at  
least two strings to the bow4  ,brussels
 ,sprouts4--,for an early gathering of  
large buttons a sowing should be made   
now on the warm border4 ,this vegetable 
requires a long period of growth to     
attain perfection1 and those who sow    
late rarely obtain such fine buttons as 
the plant is capable of producing4      
,cabbage may be sown in pans or boxes   
placed in a frame1 to be planted out in 
due time for summer use1 and from a     
quick-growing variety tender hearts may 
be cut almost as early as from          
autumn-sown plants4 ,where plantations  
stand rather thick1 draw as fast as     
possible from amongst them every        

alternate plant1 to allow the remainder 
ample space for hearting4 ,it is well to
 remember that the small loose hearts of
 immature ,cabbages make a more delicate
 dish than the most complete white      
hearts2 but when grown for market1 or to
 meet a large demand1 there must be bulk
 and substance4 ,cabbages are in        
constant request to mend1 and to make   
stolen crops1 or take the place of      
anything that fails past recovery4      
,capsicum and ,chili should be sown now 
or in ,march on a hot-bed1 and be potted
 on until the plants are fit to be      
placed in the greenhouse or             
conservatory4  ,cauliflower4--,another  
sowing should be made under glass to    
supply a succession of plants4  ,corn   
,salad thrives well in any soil not     
particularly heavy1 the best being a    
sandy fertile loam4 ,sow in drills six  
inches apart2 keep the hoe well at work1
 and when ready thin the plants out to  
six inches apart4 ,they should be eaten 
young4  ,couve ,tronchuda produces two  

distinct dishes4 ,the top forms a       
,cabbage of the most delicate flavour   
and colour1 and furnishes the best      
possible dish of greens in autumn2 and  
the midribs of the largest leaves may be
 cooked in the manner of ,sea ,kale1 and
 will be found excellent4 ,this         
delicious vegetable may be secured for  
use in summer and autumn and far on into
 the winter by successive sowings in    
,february1 ,march1 and ,april2 the first
 sowings to be assisted with heat4 ,the 
plants should be put out as early as    
possible on rich soil at from two to    
three feet each way2 they must have     
plenty of water in a dry summer4 ,the   
season of ,portugal ,cabbage may be     
prolonged by taking up what plants are  
left before severe frost occurs1 and    
heeling them into a bank of dry earth in
 a shed or outhouse4  ,egg ,plant4--,the
 fruits of ,egg ,plants play a more     
important part in the cookery of the    
,french and ,italians than with us1 and 
they make a delicious dish when properly

 cooked4 ,seed may be raised in heat1   
but when summer comes the plants thrive 
in rich soil at the foot of a wall      
facing south4 ,the white and purple     
varieties are grown for ornament as well
 as for cooking4 ,sow now or in ,march  
in heat1 and in ,june the plants should 
be ready for transferring to rich soil  
in a sheltered spot1 allowing each one a
 space of two feet4  ,garlic to be      
planted in rows1 nine inches apart each 
way1 and two inches deep in rich mellow 
soil4  ,lettuce4--,sow again on a warm  
border and in frames4 ,plant out in mild
 weather any that are fit from frames   
and hot-beds1 first making sure that    
they are well hardened4  ,mustard4--,it 
is easy work with a frame to have       
,mustard at any time2 and many small    
sowings are better than large ones1     
which only result in waste to-day and   
want to-morrow4  ,onion4--,there is     
still time for sowing seed in boxes     
preparatory to planting out in ,april4  
,parsley to be sown in the latter part  

of the month4  ,parsnip should be sown  
as early as possible1 on the deepest and
 best ground as regards texture2 but it 
need not be on the richest1 for if the  
roots can push down they will get what  
they want from the subsoil1 and         
therefore it is of great importance to  
put this crop on ground that was dug    
twice in the autumn4  ,pea4--,sow early 
sorts in quantity now1 in accordance    
with probable requirements2 but there   
will be a loss rather than a gain of    
time if they are sown on pasty ground or
 during bad weather4 ,there are now many
 excellent sorts of moderate height1 and
 these give the least trouble in their  
management2 but a few of the taller     
varieties still remain in favour1       
because of their fine quality4 ,however1
 there is time yet for sowing mid-season
 and late ,peas2 but the sooner some of 
the first-earlies are in1 the better4   
,it is customary to sow many rows in a  
plot rather close together1 but it is   
better practice to put them so far apart

 as to admit of two or three rows of    
early ,potatoes between every two rows  
of ,peas4 ,this insures abundance of    
light and air to the ,peas1 and the     
latter are of great value to protect the
 ,potatoes from ,may frosts that often  
kill down the rising shaws4 ,a warm1    
dry1 fertile soil is needed for         
first-early ,peas4 ,those already up and
 in a bad plight should be dug in and   
the rows sown again4 ,it is worthy of   
note that if ,peas are thoroughly       
pinched and starved by hard weather1    
they rarely prove a success2 therefore1 
if they go wrong1 sacrifice them without
 hesitation and begin again4 ,where     
early rows are doing well put sticks to 
them at once1 as the sticks afford      
considerable protection1 and the effect 
may be augmented by strewing on the     
windward side small hedge clippings and 
other light dry stuff4  ,radishes1 to be
 mild1 tender1 and handsome1 must be    
grown rapidly4 ,if checked1 they become 
hot1 tough1 and worthless4 ,much may be 

done to forward a crop by means of dry  
litter and mats to protect the plants   
from frost1 removing the protection in  
favourable weather to give the crop the 
fullest possible benefit of air and     
sunshine4 ,old worn-out frames that will
 scarcely hold together will pay their  
first cost over again1 with the aid of a
 little skill1 in growing ,radishes4    
,rhubarb should be taken up and divided1
 and planted again in rich moist soil1  
every separate piece to have only one   
good eye4 ,do not gather this season    
from the new plantation1 but always have
 a piece one year old to supply the     
kitchen4 ,this method will insure sticks
 to be proud of1 not only for size1 but 
for colour and flavour4  ,savoys are    
valued by some when small1 and by others
 they are prized for size as much as for
 their excellent flavour when well      
frosted4 ,large ,savoys must have a long
 season of growth2 therefore sow as soon
 as possible1 either in a frame1 or on a
 rich1 mellow seedbed1 and be ready to  

prick them out before they become       
crowded4  ,sea ,kale4--,the plantations 
reserved for latest supplies should not 
be covered until they begin to push     
naturally1 and then the coverings must  
be put on to blanch the growth          
effectually4 ,open-ground ,sea ,kale may
 be uncovered as soon as cut1 but a     
little litter should be left to give    
protection and help the young shoots to 
rise1 because after blanching the       
cutting is a severe tax on the plant1   
and it has to begin life afresh and     
prepare for the work of the next season4
  ,shallot4--,when well grown the clumps
 are bigger than a man's fist1 and each 
separate bulb thicker than a walnut4 ,to
 grow them well they must have time2 so 
plant early1 on rich ground1 in rows one
 foot apart and the bulbs about nine    
inches asunder4 ,press them into the    
earth deep enough to hold them firmly1  
but they are not to be quite buried4    
,spinach4--,sow the ,round-seeded       
plentifully2 if overdone the extra crop 

can be dug in as manure1 and in that way
 will pay4  ,tomato4--,in many gardens  
the first sowing is made this month1 and
 when treated fairly1 the plants come   
into bearing in about four months4 ,use 
good porous soil for the seed-pans4 ,sow
 very thinly in a temperature of #fj or 
#fe1 and get the plants into thumb pots 
while they are quite small4  ,turnip may
 be sown on warm borders1 but it is too 
early for large breadths in open        
quarters4   ,,march  ,this is the great 
season for garden work1 and the gardener
 must be up with the lark and go to bed 
with the robin1 which is the latest of  
birds to bid farewell to a sunny day4   
,the first care should be to make good  
all arrears1 especially in the          
preparation of seed-beds1 and the       
cleaning of plots that are in any way   
disorderly4 ,where early-sown crops have
 evidently failed1 sow again without    
complaining2 seed costs but little1 and 
a good plant is the earnest of a good   
crop2 a bad plant will probably never   

pay the rent of the ground it occupies4 
,keen east winds may cause immense      
damage1 but a little protection provided
 in time will do wonders to ward off    
their effects1 and the sunny days that  
are now so welcome1 and that we are     
pretty sure to have1 will afford        
opportunity for giving air to plants in 
frames1 for clearing away litter1 and   
for the regular routine work of the     
season4  ,seed of almost every vegetable
 grown in the garden may be sown in the 
month of ,march4 ,make successional     
sowings of whatever it may be advisable 
to put under cover or on heat1 and then 
proceed with open-ground sowings as     
weather and circumstances permit4 ,the  
weather is the master of outdoor work1  
and it is sheer waste of time to fight  
against it4 ,it is better to wait to the
 end of the month1 or even far into the 
next1 before sowing a seed than to sow  
on pasty ground4 ,but it matters not how
 dry the ground may be1 and if the wind 
blows keenly1 that should only be an    

inducement to brisk action2 for seeds   
well sown have everything in their      
favour if they are not too early for the
 district4 ,very important indeed it is 
now to secure a ,hot-bed4--,to make one 
is easy enough1 but it is of no use to  
half make it2 for half-acres in this    
department do not bear good corn4 ,in   
the first place1 secure a great bulk of 
manure1 and if it is long and green1    
turn it two or three times1 taking care 
that it is always moderately moist1 but 
never actually wet4 ,if the stuff is too
 dry1 sprinkle with water at every turn1
 and let it steam away to take the      
rankest fire out of it4 ,then make it up
 where required in a square heap1       
allowing it to settle in its own way    
without treading or beating4 ,put on a  
foot-depth of light1 rich soil after the
 frames are in their places1 and wait a 
few days to sow the seed in case of a   
great heat rising4 ,when the temperature
 is steady and comfortable1 sow seeds in
 pots and pans1 as needful1 the quantity

 required of each separate crop1 and    
stand them on bricks above the bed1 and 
the heat will then be none too much for 
them4 ,in the course of a few days      
finish the work by putting in a body of 
earth4 ,do not attempt to hurry the     
growth of anything overmuch1 for undue  
haste will produce a weak plant2 rather 
give air and light in plenty1 but with  
care to prevent injurious check1 and the
 plants will be short and healthy from  
the first4  ,artichokes1 ,globe1 to be  
cleared of protecting material as soon  
as weather permits1 and fresh           
plantations made ready for suckers to be
 put in next month4 ,a new plantation   
may also be formed by sowing seeds2 in  
fact1 a sowing ought to be made every   
year4 ,where early produce is required1 
the plants should be protected during   
winter to supply suckers in the spring2 
but1 if late supplies suffice1 the      
sowing of a few rows every year will    
reduce the labour1 and render the       
production of ,globe ,artichokes a very 

simple affair4  ,artichokes1 ,jerusalem1
 may be planted now advantageously4     
,strong1 deep soil produces the best    
crop1 and large roots are always        
preferred by the cook1 because of the   
inevitable waste in preparing this      
vegetable4 ,the ,jerusalem ,artichoke is
 certainly not properly appreciated1 and
 one reason is that it is often         
carelessly grown in any out-of-the-way  
starving corner1 whereas it needs a     
sunny1 open spot1 and a strong1 deep    
soil1 and plenty of room4 ,to hide an   
ugly fence during summer no more useful 
plant is grown4  ,asparagus4--,little   
attention is required as yet1 except to 
remove every weed as soon as it can be  
seen4 ,if the beds are dry1 and there   
are no indications of coming rain1 one  
good soaking of water or weak sewage    
will be very beneficial4 ,mark out and  
make beds for sowing seed next month4   
,bean1 ,broad4--,plant out those raised 
in frames1 and earth up those from early
 sowings that are forward enough4 ,sow  

for main crops and late supplies4 ,in   
late districts a few of the earliest    
sorts may be sown to come in before the 
,windsor section4  ,beet4--,sow a little
 seed for an early supply1 in well-dug  
mellow soil4 ,the crop will need        
protection in the event of frost4       
,broccoli for autumn use to be sown     
early2 and at the end of the month sow  
again in quantity for winter supplies4  
,in mild weather1 put out the plants    
from the earlier sowings made in frames 
as soon as they are fit and well        
hardened4  ,brussels ,sprouts4--,look   
after the bed sown last month1 and sow  
again for the main crop4 ,the best      
possible seed-bed is wanted and a rich  
well-tilled soil for the plants when put
 out4  ,cabbage of two or three kinds   
should be sown now to supply plants for 
filling up as crops are taken off1 and  
also to patch and mend where failures   
happen4 ,where the owner of a garden has
 opportunities of helping his poorer    
neighbours1 he may confer a real benefit

 by supplying them with ,cabbage and    
,winter ,greens for planting in their   
garden plots4 ,cottagers too often begin
 with bad stocks--very much to their    
discouragement in gardening1 and to the 
loss of wholesome food the garden should
 supply4 ,the rankest manure may be     
employed in preparing ground for        
,cabbage1 reserving the well-rotted     
manure for seed-beds and other purposes 
for which it will be required4 ,a sowing
 of ,red ,cabbage now will insure heads 
for pickling in autumn4  ,carrot4--,sow 
one of the quick-growing varieties at   
the first opportunity1 but wait for     
signs of settled spring weather to sow  
the main crops of large sorts4          
,cauliflower4--,plant out as weather    
permits from hand-lights and frames1    
choosing the best ground for this       
vegetable4 ,in preparing a plot for     
,cauliflower1 use plenty of manure2 and 
if it is only half-rotten1 it will be   
better than if it were old and mellow4  
,celeriac4--,so far as seed sowing is   

concerned1 ,celeriac may be treated in  
the same way as ,celery4  ,celery4--,for
 the earliest supply1 sow on the first  
of the month a pinch of seed of one or  
more of the smaller red or white sorts  
on a mild hot-bed1 or in an early       
vinery4 ,as soon as the plants are large
 enough to handle1 prick them out three 
inches apart on a nice mellow bed of    
rich soil on a half-spent hot-bed2 give 
them plenty of light1 with free         
ventilation as weather allows1 and      
constant supplies of water4 ,about the  
middle of the month sow again and prick 
out as before2 but if no hot-bed is     
available1 a well-prepared bed in a     
frame in a sunny position will answer2  
or1 if the season is somewhat advanced1 
a bed of rotten manure1 two or three    
inches deep1 on a piece of hard ground1 
will suffice1 if the plants are kept    
regularly watered4 ,from this bed they  
will lift with nice roots for planting  
out1 scarcely feeling the removal at    
all4  ,chives to be divided and         

re-planted on a spot which has not      
previously been occupied with the crop4 
,cucumber4--,the vines should now be in 
a flourishing condition1 but it is      
necessary to look forward to the day    
when they will fall into the sere and   
yellow leaf4 ,more seed sown singly in  
pots will provide a succession of       
plants4 ,re-pot them once or twice if   
desirable1 and when large enough turn   
them out between the first lot4 ,as the 
old plants fail1 the new-comers will    
supply their places4 ,setting the bloom1
 as it is called1 is not only useless1  
but is a mischievous procedure4 ,it     
results in the enlargement of one end of
 the fruit1 and ruins its appearance4   
,if seed be the object1 of course the   
process is justifiable2 but for the     
table a #8bottle nose' cannot be        
regarded as an ornament4 ,besides1 the  
ripening of seed in a single fruit will 
materially diminish the usefulness of   
the plant1 and perhaps entirely end its 
career4 ,stopping the vine is a         

necessity1 but it should not be done too
 soon4 ,in the early stage of growth1 it
 reduces the vigour of the plant and    
retards its fruiting2 but when the fruit
 is visible1 stopping aids its          
development and at the same time tends  
to regulate and equalise the growth4    
,frame culture of ,cucumbers is usually 
begun in ,march4 ,there are men who can 
produce fruit from hot-beds all the year
 round1 but it is a difficult task1 and 
as a rule ought not to be expected4 ,at 
this time of year1 however1 success is  
fairly within reach of ordinary skill4  
,in quite the early part of the month   
put seed singly into pots which must be 
kept in a warm1 moist place4 ,the plants
 will then be ready for frames at the   
end of the month4 ,the most important   
business is the preparation of the bed1 
and in this1 as in all else1 there is a 
right and a wrong way of doing the work4
 ,accurately set out the space on which 
it is to be made4 ,if there is plenty of
 manure1 make the bed large enough to   

project eighteen inches beyond the      
lights all round4 ,but if manure is     
scarce1 cut the margin closer1 and trust
 to a hot lining when the heat begins to
 flag4 ,commence with the outside of the
 bed1 employing the long stuff in its   
construction2 and keep this part of the 
work a little in advance of the centre  
until the full height is reached4 ,a bed
 made in this way will not fall to      
pieces1 and the heat will be durable in 
proportion to its size and thickness4   
,where fallen leaves are abundant1 they 
should be used for the middle of the    
bed1 and they will give a more lasting  
heat than short manure4 ,when the bed   
has settled down to a steady            
temperature1 add six or nine inches of  
mellow loam over the entire surface1    
upon which place the frames4 ,to insure 
drainage1 it is an excellent plan to lay
 common flake hurdles on the top of the 
heap before adding the soil4 ,these do  
not in the least interfere with the free
 running of the roots4 ,it is usual to  

have two plants under each light1 but   
where the management is good1 one is    
quite enough4 ,the subsequent work      
consists of shading and sheltering1 to  
prevent any serious check from trying   
weather1 and in giving just water enough
 and no more4 ,the fermenting material  
should sustain the temperature of the   
frame1 even during frosty nights1 and   
mats will screen off strong sunshine as 
well as cold winds4 ,the plants will    
need stopping earlier than those grown  
in houses1 and as there are no hot-pipes
 to dissipate the moisture1 rather less 
water will be necessary1 both in the    
soil and from the syringe4 ,but the     
water employed should always be of the  
same temperature as the bed4 ,this is   
easily managed by keeping a full can    
standing with the plants4 ,in large     
frames1 where there is a good body of   
manure and the loam is mellow and turfy1
 pieces of ,mushroom spawn can be       
inserted all over the bed4 ,the         
,mushrooms may appear while the bed is  

in full bearing2 but if they do not they
 will come when the plants are cleared  
out1 and pay well to keep the lights in 
use another month or so4  ,garlic may   
still be planted1 but no time is to be  
lost4  ,herbs of many kinds may be sown 
or divided1 and it will be necessary to 
look over the ,herb quarter and see how 
things stand for the supplies that will 
be required4 ,a little later1 excess of 
work may prevent due attention to this  
department4  ,horse-radish to be        
planted1 if not done already4  ,kohl    
,rabi1 or ,knol ,kohl1 to be sown in    
small quantity at the end of the month1 
and onwards to ,august1 as required4 ,if
 cooked while young1 the bulbs are an   
excellent substitute for ,turnips in a  
hot1 dry season4  ,leek4--,sow the main 
crop in very rich1 well-prepared soil1  
and rather thickly1 as the seedlings    
will have to be planted out4 ,with a    
little management this sowing will yield
 a succession of ,leeks4                
,lettuce4--,plant out and sow again in  

quantity4 ,all the kinds may be sown    
now1 but make sure of enough of the ,cos
 and smaller ,cabbage varieties4 ,in    
hot1 dry soils1 where ,lettuces usually 
run to seed early1 try some of the      
red-leaved kinds1 for though less       
delicate than the green and white1 they 
will be useful in the event of a        
scorching summer4 ,lettuces require a   
deep free soil with plenty of manure4   
,melon4--,raise a few seeds singly in   
pots1 in readiness for putting under    
frames on hot-beds next month4 ,re-pot  
the plants1 and repeat the process if   
the beds are not ready1 for ,melons must
 not be starved1 especially in the early
 stage of growth4 ,some growers make up 
the beds in ,march1 and sow upon them   
when the heat becomes steady1 but the   
practice is somewhat precarious4 ,in a  
cold1 late spring the heat may not last 
a sufficient time to carry the plants   
safely into warm weather4 ,hence it is  
more reliable to raise them now in a    
warm house1 and make the bed at the     

beginning of ,april4  ,onion4--,the     
plants already raised in boxes to be    
removed to cold frames4 ,if necessary1  
they should be pricked off into other   
boxes in order to avoid overcrowding4   
,keep the frames close at first1 but    
give air with increasing freedom as the 
time approaches for transfer to the open
 ground4 ,sow the main crop in drills   
nine inches apart1 and tread or beat the
 ground firm4 ,this crop requires a rich
 soil in a thoroughly clean and mellow  
condition1 and it makes a capital finish
 to the seed-bed to give it a good coat 
of charred rubbish or smother ash before
 sowing the seed4  ,parsnip4--,sow main 
crop in shallow drills eighteen inches  
apart in good soil deeply dug4 ,the seed
 should be lightly covered1 and new seed
 is indispensable4  ,pea4--,sow the     
finest sorts of the ,marrowfat class4   
,take care to put them on the best      
seed-bed that can be made1 and allow    
sufficient room between the taller sorts
 for a few rows of ,cabbage1 ,broccoli1 

or ,potatoes4 ,a crowded quarter of     
,peas is never satisfactory2 the rows   
smother each other1 and the shaded parts
 of the haulm produce next to nothing4  
,potato4--,a small quantity for early   
use should be planted at the opening of 
the month when the ground is dry and the
 weather soft4 ,if planted when frost or
 cold winds prevail1 sets may become    
somewhat shrivelled before they are     
covered1 and every care should be taken 
to prevent such a check to the initial  
vigour of the plant4 ,the first-early   
sorts will necessarily have the chief   
attention now1 and warm sheltered spots 
should be selected for them4 ,any fairly
 good soil will produce a passable crop 
of ,potatoes2 but to secure a           
first-class sample of any early sort1   
the ground should be made up with the   
aid of turfy soil and charrings of hedge
 clippings and other light1 warm1       
nourishing material4 ,strong manures are
 not to be desired1 but a mellow1       
kindly1 fertile soil is really          

necessary1 and it will always pay well  
to take extra pains in its preparation1 
because all the light rubbish that      
accumulates in yards and outhouses can  
be turned to account with only a        
moderate amount of labour1 and the      
result of careful appropriation of such 
rubbish will be thoroughly satisfactory4
 ,burn all the chips and sticks and     
other stubborn stuff1 and lay the       
mixture in the trenches when planting1  
so that the roots may find it at their  
first start4 ,as the ,potato disease    
does not usually appear until late in   
summer1 early planting is a safe        
precaution1 for it insures early        
ripening of the crop4 ,the planting of  
main crops may commence towards the end 
of ,march and be completed during       
,april1 according to the locality and   
the condition of the soil4              
,radish4--,from ,march to ,september    
make successive sowings in the coolest  
place that can be found for them4       
,scorzonera to be treated much the same 

as ,salsify4 ,see note on the latter    
under ,april4  ,sea ,kale to be sown in 
well-prepared beds2 or plantations may  
be made of the smaller roots of the     
thickness of a lead pencil1 and about   
four inches in length4 ,plant them top  
end uppermost1 and deep enough to be    
just covered4  ,spinach4--,sow in       
plenty4 ,the ,perpetual or ,spinach     
,beet should not be forgotten4 ,this is 
one of the most useful vegetables known1
 as it endures heat and cold with       
impunity1 and when common ,spinach is   
running to seed the ,perpetual variety  
remains green and succulent1 and fit to 
supply the table all the summer long4   
,spinach1 ,new ,zealand1 is another     
excellent vegetable in high summer when 
the ,round-seeded variety is worthless4 
,the plant is rather tender1 and for an 
early supply the seed must be sown in   
moderate heat1 either in this month or  
in ,april4 ,when large enough1 get the  
seedlings into small pots1 and gradually
 harden them before planting in the open

 about the end of ,may4                 
,strawberries4--,spring is undoubtedly  
preferable to autumn for planting1 and  
results in a finer crop of fruit in the 
following year4 ,just as growth is      
commencing is the most favourable time1 
and this1 of course1 depends on the     
character of the season4 ,alpine        
,strawberries may be sown outdoors this 
month or in ,september for fruiting in  
the succeeding year4  ,tomato4--,in     
ordinary seasons and in the southern    
counties there is no difficulty in      
producing handsome ,tomatoes in the open
 border2 but to ripen the fruit with    
certainty it is imperative that an early
 variety be chosen4 ,with the rise of   
latitude1 however1 the crop becomes     
increasingly precarious1 until in the   
,north it is impossible to finish       
,tomatoes without the aid of glass4 ,for
 plants which are to ripen fruit in the 
open1 a sowing should be made early in  
the month1 in the manner advised under  
,january4 ,plants which are ready should

 be transferred to small thumb pots4    
,put them in so that the first leaves   
touch the rim of the pot1 and place them
 in a close frame or warm part of the   
greenhouse for a few days until the     
roots take hold4 ,to save them from     
becoming leggy1 give each plant ample   
space1 and avoid a forcing temperature4 
,a shelf in a greenhouse is a good      
position1 and plants in a single row    
upon it will grow stout and             
short-jointed4 ,thrips and aphis are    
extremely partial to ,tomatoes4         
,frequent sprinklings in bright weather 
will help to keep down the former1 and  
will at the same time benefit the       
plants4 ,both pests can be destroyed by 
fumigating with tobacco1 and when the   
remedy is to be applied water should be 
withheld on that day4 ,a moderate amount
 of smoke in the evening and another    
application in the morning will be more 
destructive to the vermin1 and less     
injurious to the plants1 than one strong
 dose4 ,the usual syringing must follow4

 ,plants for the open ground must not be
 starved while in pots2 they will need  
potting on until the #d-a_/b-;inch or   
#f-;inch size is reached1 and it is     
important that they should never be dry 
at the roots4 ,shading will only be     
necessary during fierce sunshine2 in    
early morning and late in the afternoon 
they will be better without it4  ,water 
,cress4--,it is quite a mistake to      
suppose that a running stream is        
requisite for growing this plant1 and it
 is equally a mistake to suppose that   
the proper flavour can be secured       
without the constant use of water4 ,sow 
in a trench1 water regularly and        
copiously1 and mild and tender ,water   
,cress will reward the labour4  ,winter 
,greens of all kinds to be sown in      
plenty and in considerable variety2 for 
in the event of a severe winter some    
kinds will prove hardier than others4   
,,april  ,vegetation is now in full     
activity1 the temperature increases     
rapidly1 frosts are less frequent1 and  

showers and sunshine alternate in their 
mutual endeavours to clothe the earth   
with verdure and flowers4 ,the gardener 
is bound to be vigilant now to assist   
,nature in her endeavours to benefit    
him2 he must promote the growth of his  
crops by all the means in his power2 by 
plying the hoe to keep down weeds and   
open the soil to sunshine and showers2  
by thinning and regulating his          
plantations1 that air and light may have
 free access to the plants left to      
attain maturity2 by continuing to       
shelter as may be needed2 and by        
administering water during dry weather1 
that vegetation may benefit to the      
utmost by the happy accession of        
increasing sunlight4  ,artichoke1       
,globe4--,suckers to be put in the      
plantations prepared for them last      
month1 in rows three to four feet apart 
each way4  ,asparagus4--- ,rake off into
 the alleys the remnant of manure from  
the autumn dressing1 and as soon as the 
weather is favourable give the beds a   

light application of salt4 ,if new beds 
are required1 there must be no time lost
 either to sow seed or get in plants4   
,our advice to those who require only   
one small plantation is to form it by   
planting strong roots2 but those who    
intend to grow ,asparagus largely may   
sow down a bed every year1 until they   
have enough1 and then leave well alone2 
for a bed properly made will last ten   
years at the very least1 if taken care  
of4 ,it has been clearly demonstrated   
that this much-esteemed vegetable may be
 grown to perfection in any garden with 
little more expense than attends other  
crops1 provided only that a reasonable  
amount of skill is brought to bear upon 
the undertaking4 ,a deep1 rich1 sandy   
loam suits it4 ,dig in a good body of   
manure1 and provide a mellow seed-bed4  
,this being done1 care must be taken to 
sow thinly1 and1 in due time1 to thin   
severely2 for a crowded plant will never
 supply fat sticks4 ,beds may be made by
 planting roots instead of sowing seeds1

 but the roots must be fresh1 or they   
will not prosper4 ,the advantage of     
using plants is that #8grass' may be cut
 earlier than when produced from seed4  
,bean1 ,broad4--- ,sowings may be made  
until the middle of this month1 after   
which time they are not likely to pay1  
especially on hot soils4 ,it is         
customary to top ,beans when in flower1 
and the practice has its advantages4 ,in
 case the black fly takes possession1   
topping is a necessity1 for the insect  
can only subsist on the youngest leaves 
at the top of the plant1 and the process
 pretty well clears them away4  ,beans1 
,dwarf ,french1 may be sown outdoors at 
the end of the month1 but not in        
quantity1 because of the risk of        
destruction by frost4 ,much may be done1
 however1 to expedite the supply of this
 popular vegetable1 and sowings in boxes
 placed in gentle heat or under the     
protection of a frame will furnish      
plants which may be gradually hardened  
off for transfer to the open in ,may4   

,in proportion to the means at command1 
early sowings outdoors will live or die1
 as determined by the weather1 although 
a very little protection is sufficient  
to carry the young plants through a bad 
time in the event of late frosts and    
storms4 ,but sowings made at the end of 
the month will probably prosper4  ,bean1
 ,climbing ,french4--,sowings of the    
,climbing ,french ,bean may be made this
 month as directed for the ,dwarf       
,french class3 the earliest in gentle   
heat for transplanting1 and later on in 
open quarters for succession crops4     
,beet4--,at quite the end of the month  
sow in drills1 a foot or fifteen inches 
apart1 on deep1 well-dug ground1 without
 manure4 ,large ,beets are not desired  
for the kitchen2 but rather small1      
deeply coloured1 handsome roots are     
always valued1 and these can only be    
grown in soil that has been stirred to a
 good depth1 and is quite free of recent
 manuring4  ,broccoli4--,make another   
sowing of several sorts1 giving         

preference as yet to the early          
varieties4 ,in particularly late        
districts1 and1 perhaps1 pretty         
generally in the ,north1 the late       
,broccoli should be sown now1 but in the
 ,midlands and the ,south there is time 
to spare for sowing4 ,be particular to  
have a good seed-bed1 that the plants   
may grow well from the first2 if the    
early growth be starved1 the plants     
become the victims of club and other    
ruinous maladies4  ,brussels            
,sprouts4--,in many households late     
supplies of ,brussels ,sprouts are much 
valued1 and as the crop is capable of   
enduring severe weather1 a supplemental 
sowing should always be made during this
 month4 ,rich soil and plenty of room   
are essential4  ,cabbage4--,sow the     
larger kinds for autumn use1 and one or 
two rows of the smaller kinds for       
planting in odd places as early crops   
are cleared off4 ,cows1 pigs1 and       
poultry will always dispose of surplus  
,cabbage advantageously1 so there can be

 no serious objection to keeping up a   
constant succession4 ,plant out from    
seed-beds as fast as the plants become  
strong enough1 for stifling and starving
 tend to club1 mildew1 and blindness4   
,where ,red ,cabbage is in demand for   
use with game in autumn1 seed should be 
sown now4  ,cardoons to be sown on land 
heavily manured in rows three or four   
feet apart1 the seeds in clumps of three
 each1 eighteen inches apart4 ,they are 
sometimes sown in trenches1 but we do   
not approve of that system1 for they do 
not require moisture to the extent of   
,celery1 and the blanching can be       
effectually accomplished without it4    
,our advice is to plant on the level1   
unless the ground is particularly dry   
and hot1 and then trenches will be of   
great service in promoting free growth4 
,to insure their proper flavour1        
,cardoons must be large and fat4        
,carrot4--,sow the main crops and put   
them on deeply dug ground without       
manure4  ,cauliflowers to be planted out

 at every opportunity1 warm1 showery    
weather being most favourable4 ,if cold 
weather should follow1 a large          
proportion of the plants will be        
destroyed unless protected1 and there is
 no cheaper protection than empty       
flower-pots1 which may be left on all   
day1 as well as all night1 in extreme   
cases when a killing east wind is       
blowing4 ,sow now for late summer and   
autumn use1 prick the plants out early  
to save buttoning1 and they will make a 
quick return4  ,celery4--,sow in a warm 
corner of the open ground on a bed      
consisting largely of rotten manure4 ,it
 may happen in a good season that this  
outdoor sowing will prove the most      
successful1 as it will have no check    
from first to last1 and will be in just 
the right state for planting out when   
the ground is ready for it after ,peas  
and other early crops4 ,if ,celery      
suffers a serious check at any time1 it 
is apt to make hollow stems1 and then   
the quality is poor1 no matter to what  

size the sticks may attain4 ,prick out  
the plants from seed-pans on to a bed of
 rotten manure1 resting on a hard       
bottom1 in frames or in sheltered nooks1
 and look after them with extra care for
 a week or two4 ,good ,celery cannot be 
grown by the haphazard gardener4        
,endive4--,sow a small quantity in      
moderate heat for the first supply1 in  
drills six inches apart1 and when an    
inch high prick out on to a bed of rich 
light soil4  ,herbs4--,chervil1 ,fennel1
 ,hyssop1 and other flavouring and      
medicinal ,herbs1 may be sown now better
 than at any other time1 as they will   
start at once into full growth1 and need
 little after-care other than thinning  
and weeding4 ,rich soil is not required1
 but the position must be dry and sunny4
  ,leek to be sown again if the former  
sowing is insufficient or has failed4   
,lettuce to be sown for succession1 the 
quick-growing1 tender-hearted kinds     
being the best to sow now4 ,plant out   
from frames and seed-pans4 ,a few       

forward plants may be tied1 but as a    
rule tying is less desirable than most  
people suppose4 ,certainly1 after tying1
 the hearts soon rot if not quickly     
eaten2 and ,lettuces as fine as can be  
desired may now be grown without tying1 
the close-hearting sorts being very much
 improved in that respect4              
,melon4--,sow again for a second crop in
 houses1 and grow the plants in pots    
until they reach a foot high4 ,the early
 crop will then be ripe1 and the house  
can be cleared and syringed for a fresh 
start4 ,from this sowing fruit should be
 ready about the beginning of ,july4    
,the frame culture advised for          
,cucumbers will be right for ,melons1   
until the fruits attain the size of a   
small orange4 ,then a thorough soaking  
must be given1 and under proper         
management no more water should be      
necessary4 ,a dry atmosphere and free   
ventilation are essential to bring the  
fruit to perfection4 ,stopping must be  
commenced early by pinching out the     

leader1 and only one eye should be      
allowed beyond the fruit which are to   
remain4 ,six will be enough for one     
plant to carry1 and they should be      
nearly of a size1 for if one obtains a  
strong lead1 it will be impossible to   
ripen the others4 ,the remainder should 
be gradually removed while young4 ,the  
worst foe of the ,melon is red spider1  
and it is difficult to apply a remedy   
without doing mischief4 ,water will     
destroy it1 but this may have disastrous
 results on the fruit4 ,the most certain
 preventive is stout well-grown plants4 
,weakly specimens appear to invite      
attack1 and are incapable of struggling 
against it4 ,where plants are           
occasionally lost through decay at the  
collar1 small pieces of charcoal laid in
 a circle round the stem have proved a  
simple and effectual antidote4          
,onion4--,the plants raised under glass 
in ,january or ,february should be ready
 for planting out on some favourable day
 about mid-,april4 ,if any mishap has   

befallen the sowings made in the open in
 ,march there must be no delay in       
resowing early in the present month1 for
 ,onions should have good hold of the   
ground before hot weather comes4 ,onions
 for pickling should be grown thickly on
 poor ground made firm4 ,the plants are 
not to be thinned1 but may be allowed to
 stand as thick as pebbles on the       
seashore4 ,the starving system produces 
abundance of small handsome bulbs that  
ripen early1 which are the very things  
wanted for pickling4 ,the ,queen and    
,paris ,silver-skin are adapted for the 
purpose4  ,parsley to be sown in        
quantity for summer and autumn supply2  
thin as soon as up1 to give each plant  
plenty of room4  ,peas to be sown again 
for succession4  ,potato4--,take the    
earliest opportunity of completing the  
planting of main crops4                 
,salsify4--,this delicious root1 which  
is sometimes designated the #8,vegetable
 ,oyster1' requires a piece of ground   
deeply trenched1 with a thick layer of  

manure at the bottom of the trench1 and 
not a particle of manure in the body of 
soil above it4 ,the roots strike down   
into the manure1 and attain a good size 
combined with fine quality4 ,if         
carelessly grown1 they become forked and
 fibrous1 and are much wasted in the    
cooking1 besides being of inferior      
flavour4 ,sow in rows fifteen inches    
apart1 any time from the end of ,march  
to the beginning of ,may4 ,two sowings  
will generally suffice4  ,spinach4--,sow
 the ,long-standing variety1 which does 
not run so soon as the ordinary kind4   
,if a plantation of ,spinach ,beet has  
not been secured1 sow at once1 as there 
is ample time yet for a free growth and 
a valuable plant4  ,turnip to be sown in
 quantity4  ,vegetable ,marrow4--,an    
early sowing to be made in pots1 in     
readiness for planting out immediately  
weather admits of it4 ,three plants in a
 pot are enough1 and they must not be   
weakened by excessive heat4  ,winter    
,greens4--,a sowing of ,borecole should 

be made1 and if a supply is required in 
spring1 it will be well to sow again in 
the first week of ,may4   ,,may         
,high-,pressure times continue1 for the 
heat increases daily1 and the season of 
production is already shortened by two  
months4 ,the most pressing business is  
to repair all losses1 for even now1 if  
affairs have gone wrong1 it is possible 
to get up a stock of ,winter ,greens1   
and to sow all the sorts of seeds that  
should have been sown in ,march and     
,april1 with a reasonable chance of     
profitable results4 ,it must not be     
expected1 however1 that the most brisk  
and skilful can overtake those who have 
been doing well from the first dawn of  
spring1 and who have not omitted to sow 
a single seed at the proper time from   
the day when seed-sowing became         
requisite4 ,the heat of the earth is now
 sufficient to start many seeds into    
growth that are customarily sown in heat
 a month or two earlier2 and1 therefore1
 those who cannot make hot-beds may grow

 many choice things if they will be     
content to have them a week or two later
 than their more fortunate neighbours4  
,in sowing seeds of the more tender     
subjects1 such as ,capsicums1 ,marrows1 
and ,cucumbers1 it will be better to    
lose a few days1 in order to make sure  
of the result desired1 rather than to be
 in undue haste and have the seed       
destroyed by heavy rains1 or the young  
plants nipped off by frost4 ,do not1    
therefore1 sow any of these seeds in the
 open ground until the weather is       
somewhat settled and sunny1 for if they 
meet with any serious check they will   
scarcely recover during the whole of the
 season4  ,asparagus in seed-beds to be 
thinned as soon as possible1 so that    
wherever two or three plants rise       
together1 the number should be reduced  
to one4 ,but there is time yet for      
seedlings to appear4 ,the bearing beds  
are more attractive1 for they show their
 toothsome tops4 ,the cutting must be   
done in a systematic manner1 and if     

practicable always by the same person4  
,it is better to cut all the shoots as  
fast as they attain a proper size1 and  
sort them for use according to quality1 
rather than to pick and choose the fat  
shoots and throw the whole plantation   
into disorder4 ,green-topped ,asparagus 
is in favour in this country2 but those 
who prefer it blanched have simply to   
earth it up sufficiently1 and cut below 
the surface1 taking care to avoid       
injuring the young shoots which have not
 pushed through4 ,it is not for us to   
decide on any matter of individual      
taste1 but we will give a word of       
practical advice that may be of value to
 many4 ,it is not the custom to protect 
,asparagus in open beds1 but it should  
be2 for the keen frosts that often occur
 when the sticks are rising destroy a   
large number4 ,this may be prevented by 
covering with any kind of light1 dry    
litter1 which will not in the least     
interfere with that full greening of the
 tops which ,english people generally   

prefer1 because the light and air will  
reach the plant2 but the edge of the    
frost will be blunted by the litter4 ,if
 there is nothing at hand for this      
purpose1 let a man go round with the    
sickle and cut a lot of long grass from 
the rough parts of the shrubbery1 and   
put a light handful over every crown in 
the bed4 ,the sticks will rise with the 
litter upon them like nightcaps1 and    
will be plump and green and unhurt by   
frost4  ,bean1 ,dwarf ,french4--,the    
main crops should be got in this month1 
and successional sowings may be made    
until the early part of ,july4 ,dwarf   
,beans are but seldom allowed as much   
space as they require1 and the rows     
therefore should be thinned early1 for  
crowded plants never bear so well as    
those that enjoy light and air on all   
sides4 ,in ,continental cookery a good  
dish is made of the ,beans shelled out  
when about half ripe4 ,these being      
served in rich gravy1 are at once       
savoury and wholesome4 ,almost all the  

varieties of the ,dwarf and ,climbing   
sections may be used in this way1 and   
the ,beans should be gathered when full 
grown1 but not yet ripe4 ,the           
self-coloured varieties are also grown  
for use as dry ,haricots1 in which case 
the pods should not be removed until    
perfectly ripe4  ,bean1 ,climbing       
,french4--,sow this month for the main  
crop1 and onwards until ,june according 
to requirements4 ,in a general way the  
treatment usual for ,runners will answer
 well for outdoor crops of the ,climbing
 ,french ,bean4  ,bean1 ,runner4--,in   
the open ground sowings may be made as  
soon as conditions appear safe1 but it  
is well to sow again at the end of the  
month or in ,june4  ,beet4--,the main   
crop should be sown in the early part of
 the month4 ,thin and weed the early    
sown1 and if the ground has been        
suitably prepared1 it will be needless  
to give water to this crop4 ,as ,beet is
 not wanted large1 it is not advisable  
to sow any great breadth until the      

beginning of ,may1 or it is liable to   
become coarse4  ,broccoli to be sown for
 succession4 ,plant out from frames and 
forward seed-beds at every opportunity4 
,about the middle of the month sow for  
cutting in ,may and ,june of next year4 
,brussels ,sprouts4--,for the sake of a 
few fine buttons in the first dripping  
days of autumn1 when ,peas and ,runners 
and ,marrows are gone1 put out as soon  
as possible some of the most forward    
plants1 giving them a rich soil and     
sunny position4  ,cabbage4--,plant out  
from seed-beds at every opportunity1    
choosing1 if possible1 the advent of    
showery weather4 ,sow the smaller sorts 
and ,coleworts1 especially in favoured  
districts where there is usually no     
check to vegetation until the turn of   
the year4  ,capsicum can be sown out of 
doors about the middle of the month1 and
 nice green pods for pickling may be    
secured in the autumn4  ,carrot4--,thin 
the main crops early1 and sow a few rows
 of ,champion ,horn or ,intermediate1   

for use in a small state during late    
summer1 when they make an elegant and   
delicate dish4  ,cauliflowers must have 
water in dry weather2 they are the most 
hungry and thirsty plants in the garden1
 but pay well for good living4 ,plant   
out from frames as fast as ready1 for   
they do no good to stand crowded and    
starving4  ,celery trenches must be     
prepared in time1 though1 strange to    
say1 this task is generally deferred    
until the plants have really become weak
 through overcrowding4 ,in a small      
garden it is never advisable to have    
,celery very forward1 for the simple    
reason that trenches cannot be made for 
it until ,peas come off and other early 
crops are over4 ,to insure fine ,celery 
the cultivator must be in advance of    
events rather than lag behind them4     
,plenty of manure must be used2 it is   
scarcely possible1 in fact1 to employ   
too much1 and liberality is not waste1  
because the ground will be in capital   
condition for the next crop4 ,there are 

many modes of planting ,celery1 but the 
simplest is to make the trenches four   
feet apart and a foot and a half wide1  
and put the plants six to nine inches   
apart1 according to the sorts4 ,this    
work must be done neatly1 with an       
artistic finish4 ,in planting take off  
suckers1 and if any of the leaves are   
blistered1 pinch the blisters1 and      
finish by dusting the plantation with   
soot4 ,as ,celery loves moisture1 give  
water freely in dry weather4  ,cucumbers
 of excellent quality may be grown on   
ridges or hills1 should the season be   
favourable4 ,suppose the cultivator to  
have the means of obtaining plenty of   
manure1 ridges1 which are to run east   
and west1 are preferable to hills4 ,the 
soil should be thrown out three feet    
wide and two feet deep1 and be laid up  
on the north side4 ,then put three feet 
of hot manure in the trench1 and cover  
with the soil that was taken out1 so as 
to form an easy slope to the south1 and 
with a steep slope on the north side    

carefully finished to prevent its       
crumbling down before the season ends4  
,the plants should be put out on the    
slope as soon as possible after the     
ridges are made ready1 under the        
protection of hand-lights1 until there  
is free growth and the weather has      
become quite summery4 ,it is a good plan
 to grow one or two rows of ,runner     
,beans a short distance from the ridge  
on the north side to give shelter1 and  
in case of bad weather after the plants 
are in bearing1 pea-sticks or dry litter
 laid about them lightly will help them 
through a critical time1 but stable     
manure must not be used4 ,in case manure
 is not abundant1 make a few small hills
 in a sheltered1 sunny spot1 with       
whatever material is available in the   
way of turf1 rotten manure1 or          
leaf-mould1 taking care that nothing    
injurious to vegetation is mixed with   
it4 ,put several inches of a mixture of 
good loam and rotten manure on the      
hills1 and plant and protect as in the  

case of ridges4 ,if plants are not at   
hand1 sow seeds2 there will still be a  
chance of ,cucumbers during ,july1      
,august1 and ,september2 for if they    
thrive at all1 they are pretty brisk in 
their movements4 ,three observations    
remain to be made on this subject4 ,in  
the first place1 what are known as      
#8,ridge' ,cucumbers only should be     
grown in the open air2 the large sorts  
grown in houses are unfit4 ,in the      
second place1 the plants should only be 
pinched once1 and there is no occasion  
for the niggling business which         
gardeners call #8setting the bloom4'    
,provide for their roots a good bed1 and
 then let them grow as they please4 ,in 
the third place1 as encouragement1 we   
feel bound to say that1 as ,cucumbers   
are grown to be eaten as well as to be  
looked at1 those from ridges are less   
handsome than house ,cucumbers1 but are 
quite equal to them in flavour4         
,dandelion somewhat resembles the       
,endive1 and is one of the earliest and 

most wholesome additions to the         
salad-bowl4 ,sow now and again in ,june1
 in drills one foot asunder1 and thin   
out the plants to one foot apart in the 
rows4 ,these will be ready for use in   
the following winter and spring4  ,gourd
 and ,pumpkin4--,an early show of fruit 
necessitates raising seeds under glass  
for planting on prepared beds1 and the  
plants must be protected by means of    
lights or any other arrangement that can
 be improvised as a defence against late
 frosts4 ,of course the seeds can be    
sown upon the actual bed1 but it is a   
loss of time4 ,the rapidity with which  
the plants grow is a sufficient         
indication that generous feeding and    
copious supplies of water in dry weather
 are imperative4  ,lettuce4--,sow for   
succession where the plants are to      
remain1 and plant out the earlier       
sowings at every opportunity4 ,to insure
 a quick growth1 and prevent the plants 
from running to seed1 extra care in     
giving water and shade will be necessary

 after transplanting4 ,the larger       
,cabbage ,lettuces will prove useful if 
sown now4  ,maize and ,sugar ,corn may  
be grown in this country as an ornament 
to the garden1 and also for the green   
cobs which are used as a vegetable4 ,sow
 early in the month on rich light soil1 
and in a hot season1 especially when    
accompanied by moisture1 there will be  
rapid growth4 ,the cobs to be gathered  
for cooking when of full size1 but while
 quite green4  ,melon4--,it is not too  
late to grow ,melons in frames1 provided
 a start can be made with strong plants4
  ,pea4--,sow ,peas again if there is   
any prospect of a break in the supply4  
,it is a good plan to prepare trenches  
as for ,celery1 but less deep1 and sow  
,peas in them1 as the trenches can be   
quickly filled with water in case of dry
 weather1 and the vigorous growth will  
be proof against mildew4  ,savoy sown   
now will produce small useful hearts for
 winter use4 ,by many these small hearts
 will be preferred to large ones1 as    

more delicate1 and therefore a sowing of
 ,tom ,thumb may be advised4  ,spinach1 
,new ,zealand1 can be sown in the open  
ground in the early part of this month  
and should be thinned to about a yard   
apart4 ,the growth somewhat resembles   
that of the ,ice ,plant4 ,the tender    
young tops are pinched off for cooking1 
and they make an elegant ,spinach1 which
 is free from bitterness1 and is        
therefore acceptable to many persons who
 object to the sooty flavour of ordinary
 ,spinach4  ,tomato4--,by the third week
 in ,may the plants for the open border 
should be hardened4 ,in a cold pit or   
frame they may be gradually exposed     
until the lights can be left off        
altogether1 even at night4 ,a thick     
layer of ashes at the bottom of the     
frame will insure drainage and keep off 
vermin4 ,if the plants are allowed      
plenty of space1 and are well managed1  
they will possess dark1 healthy foliage1
 needing no support from sticks until   
they are in final quarters4 ,do not put 

them out before the end of the month or 
the beginning of ,june1 and choose a    
quiet day for the work4 ,if possible1   
give them a sunny spot under the shelter
 of a wall having a southern or western 
aspect4 ,on a stiff soil it is advisable
 to plant on ridges1 and not too deeply2
 for deep planting encourages strong    
growth1 and strong growth defers the    
production of fruit4 ,tomatoes are      
sometimes grown in beds1 and then it is 
necessary to give them abundant room4   
,for branched plants three feet between 
the plants in the rows1 and the rows    
four feet apart1 will afford space for  
tying and watering4 ,each plant should  
have the support of a stout stake firmly
 fixed in the soil1 and rising four feet
 above it2 and once a week at least the 
tying should be attended to4 ,as to     
stopping1 the centre stem should be     
allowed to grow until the early flowers 
have set4 ,it is from these early       
flowers that outdoor ,tomatoes can be   
successfully ripened1 and the removal of

 the main shoot delays their production4
 ,but after fifteen or twenty fruits are
 visible the top of the leading stem may
 be shortened to the length of the      
stake4 ,the fruiting branches should    
also be kept short beyond the fruit1 and
 large leaves must be shortened to allow
 free access of sunshine4 ,should the   
single-stem system be adopted1 three    
feet between the rows and two feet      
between plants in the rows will suffice4
 ,on a light soil and in dry weather    
weak liquid manure may1 with advantage1 
be alternated with pure water1 but this 
practice must not be carried far enough 
to make the plants gross1 or ripening   
will be delayed4 ,fruit intended for    
exhibition must be selected with        
judgment1 and with this end in view four
 to six specimens of any large variety  
will be sufficient for one plant to     
bring to perfection4  ,turnip to be sown
 for succession4 ,it is well now to keep
 to the small white early sorts4        
,vegetable ,marrow4--,in cottage gardens

 luxuriant vines may every year be seen 
trailing over the sides of heaps of     
decayed turf or manure4 ,all forward    
vegetables are prized1 and ,marrows are 
no exception to the rule4 ,an early     
supply from the open ground is most     
readily insured by raising strong plants
 in pots and putting them on rich warm  
beds as early as the season and district
 will permit4 ,late frosts must be      
guarded against by some kind of         
protection1 and slugs must be deterred  
from eating up the plants4   ,,june  ,to
 some extent the crops will now take    
care of themselves1 and we may consider 
the chief anxieties and activities of   
the season over4 ,our notes1 therefore1 
will be more brief4 ,we do not counsel  
the cultivator to #8rest and be         
thankful4' ,it is better for him to     
work1 but he must be thankful all the   
same1 if he would be happy in his       
healthy and entertaining employment4    
,watering and weeding are the principal 
labours of this month1 and both must be 

pursued with diligence4 ,but ordinary   
watering1 where every drop has to be    
dipped and carried1 is often injurious  
rather than beneficial1 for the simple  
reason that it is only half done4 ,in   
such cases it is advisable to withhold  
water as long as possible1 and then to  
give it in abundance1 watering only a   
small plot every day in order to        
saturate the ground1 and taking a week  
or more to go over a piece which would  
be done in a day by mere surface        
dribblings4  ,asparagus should be in    
full supply1 and may be cut until the   
middle or end of the month4 ,when       
cutting should cease depends on the     
district4 ,in the ,south of ,england the
 #adth is about the proper time to make 
the last cut2 north of the ,trent1 the  
#bjth may be soon enough2 and further   
north1 cutting may be continued into    
,july4 ,the point to be borne in mind is
 that the plant must be allowed time to 
grow freely without any further check1  
in order to store up energy for making  

robust shoots next year4 ,it is a good  
plan to insert stakes1 such as are used 
for ,peas1 in ,asparagus beds1 to give  
support to the green growth against     
gales of wind2 for when the stems are   
snapped by storms1 as they often are1   
the roots lose their aid1 and are       
weakened for their future work4  ,beans1
 both ,dwarf and ,runner1 may be sown   
about the middle of the month1 to supply
 tender pods when those from the early  
sowings are past4 ,a late crop of       
,runners will pay well almost anywhere1 
for they bear until the frost cuts them 
down1 which may not happen until far    
into ,november4  ,broccoli4--- ,take    
advantage of showers to continue        
planting out4  ,cabbage4--,towards the  
end of the month sow a good breadth of  
small ,cabbages and ,coleworts4 ,they   
will be immensely valuable to plant out 
as the summer crops are cleared away4   
,capsicums may be planted out in a sunny
 sheltered spot4  ,cauliflowers that are
 transferred now from seed-beds must    

have plentiful supplies of water1 and be
 shaded during midday for a week4 ,when 
the heads are visible it is customary to
 snap one of the inner leaves over them 
for protection4  ,celery to be planted  
out without loss of time1 in showery    
weather if possible2 but if the weather 
is hot and dry1 shade the plants and    
give water4 ,the work must be well done1
 hence it is advisable to lift no more  
plants than can be quickly dealt with1  
for exposure tends to exhaustion1 and   
,celery ought never to suffer a check in
 even the slightest degree4 ,when       
planted1 dust lightly with soot or      
wood-ashes4 ,pea-sticks laid across the 
trenches will give shade enough with    
very little trouble4  ,chicory4--,this  
wholesome esculent is used in a variety 
of ways1 and is very much prized in some
 households4 ,the blanched heads make an
 acceptable accompaniment to cheese1 and
 are much appreciated for salading2 they
 may also be stewed and served with     
melted butter in the same manner as ,sea

 ,kale4 ,to grow large clean roots a    
deep rich soil is required4 ,if manure  
must be added1 use that which is well   
decayed1 and bury it at least twelve    
inches1 for near the surface it will    
produce fanged roots4 ,prepare the      
seed-bed as for ,parsnips1 sow in drills
 twelve inches apart1 and thin the      
plants to nine inches in the rows4 ,in  
,october the roots will be ready for    
lifting1 preparatory to being packed in 
dark quarters for blanching4  ,cucumbers
 for ,pickling may be sown on ridges4   
,endive is not generally wanted while   
good ,lettuces abound1 but it takes the 
place of ,lettuce in autumn and winter1 
when the more delicate vegetable is     
scarce4 ,sow in shallow drills six      
inches apart4 ,thin the plants1 and     
transfer the thinnings to rich light    
soil4 ,they must be liberally grown on  
well-manured land1 with the aid of water
 in dry weather4  ,lettuce to be sown   
and planted at every opportunity4 ,a few
 rows of large ,cos varieties should be 

sown in trenches prepared as for        
,celery1 there to be thinned and allowed
 to stand4 ,they will form fine hearts1 
and be valued at a time when ,lettuces  
are scarce4  ,melon4--,for a final crop 
in houses sow as previously directed1   
and grow the plants on in pots1 until   
the house can be cleared of the former  
set for their reception4 ,the growth    
should be pushed forward to insure ripe 
fruit before the end of ,september4 ,in 
the event of dull weather at the finish1
 there will be all the greater need of  
abundant but judicious ventilation1 and 
of a warm dry atmosphere at night4      
,before they become heavy every fruit   
should have the support of nets or thin 
pieces of board suspended by wires from 
the corners4  ,mushrooms may be prepared
 for now4 ,the first step towards       
success is to accumulate a long heap of 
horse-droppings with the least possible 
amount of litter4 ,let this ferment     
moderately1 and turn it two or three    
times1 always making a long heap of it1 

which keeps down the fermentation4 ,when
 the fire is somewhat taken out of it1  
make up the bed with a mixture of about 
four parts of the fermented manure and  
one part of turfy loam1 well            
incorporated4 ,beat the stuff together  
with the flat of the spade as the work  
proceeds1 fashioning the bed in the form
 of a ridge about three feet wide at the
 base1 and of any length that may be    
convenient4 ,give the work a neat       
finish1 or the ,mushrooms will certainly
 not repay you4 ,put in rather large    
lumps of spawn when the bed is nicely   
warm1 cover with a thin layer of fine   
soil1 and protect with mats or clean    
straw4 ,this is a quick and easy way of 
growing ,mushrooms1 and by commencing   
now the season is all before one4 ,nine 
times in ten1 people begin preparations 
for ,mushroom growing about a month too 
late1 for the spawn runs during the hot 
weather1 and the crop rises when the    
moderate autumnal temperature sets in4  
,onions to be sown for salading4        

,forward beds of large sorts to be      
thinned in good time4 ,the best ,onions 
for keeping are those of moderate size1 
perfectly ripened2 therefore the        
thinning should not be too severe4      
,peas may still be sown1 and as the     
season advances preference should be    
given to quick-growing early varieties4 
,turnips may be sown in variety and in  
quantity after ,midsummer ,day4 ,sow on 
well-prepared ground1 and put a sprinkle
 of artificial manure in the drills with
 the seed4 ,by hastening the early      
growth of the plant the fly is kept in  
check4   ,,july  ,for gardeners ,july is
 in one respect like ,january2          
everything depends on the weather4 ,it  
may be hot1 with frequent heavy rains1  
and vegetation in the most luxuriant    
growth2 or the earth may be iron and the
 heavens brass1 with scarcely a green   
blade to be seen4 ,the light flying     
showers that usually occur in ,july do  
not render watering unnecessary2 in     
fact1 a heavy soaking of a crop after a 

moderate rainfall is a valuable aid to  
its growth1 for it requires a           
long-continued heavy downpour to        
penetrate to the roots4  ,summer-sown   
,vegetables for ,autumn and ,winter use4
 ,as the month advances early crops will
 be finished and numerous plots of      
ground become vacant4 ,in many gardens  
it is now the practice to sow in ,july  
and ,august seeds of quick-growing      
varieties of ,vegetables and ,salads to 
furnish supplies through the autumn and 
early winter months1 and this system is 
strongly to be commended4 ,these sowings
 not only increase the cropping capacity
 of the garden but they extend the use  
of many favourite ,vegetables which from
 spring sowings customarily cease at the
 end of summer4 ,two things are         
essential to success4 ,early-maturing   
varieties only should be sown and the   
plants must be thinned immediately they 
appear 7thus avoiding transplanting71 so
 that they receive no check in growth4  
,the following subjects are especially  

suited for the purpose3 ,dwarf ,french  
,beans 7sow early in ,july71 ,beet1     
,cabbage1 ,carrot1 ,cauliflower 7sow    
early in ,july71 ,italian ,corn ,salad1 
,cress1 ,endive1 ,kohl ,rabi1 ,lettuce1 
,onion1 ,parsley1 ,peas1 ,radish1       
,spinach1 and ,turnip4 ,potatoes may    
also be planted in ,july1 but only      
tubers of early varieties saved from the
 preceding year should be used4  ,garden
 ,rubbish is apt to accumulate in odd   
corners and become offensive4 ,the      
stumps of ,cabbages and ,cauliflowers   
give off most obnoxious odours1 and     
neighbours ought not to be annoyed by   
want of thought in one particular       
garden4 ,the short and easy way with all
 soft decaying rubbish is to put it at  
the bottom of a trench when preparing   
land for planting4 ,there it ceases to  
be a nuisance and becomes a valuable    
manure4  ,beans4--,a few ,dwarf ,french 
,beans may still be sown to extend      
outdoor crops to the latest possible    
date4 ,for autumn and winter supplies   

sowings of the ,dwarf and ,climbing     
classes may be made from mid-,july to   
mid-,september1 the dwarfs in cold      
frames and the climbers on narrow       
borders in any house that can be spared 
for the purpose4  ,broccoli to be       
planted out as before2 many of the      
plants left over from former plantings  
will now be stout and strong1 and make  
useful successions4  ,cabbage4--,the    
sowing of ,cabbage seed at this period  
of the year entails consequences of such
 grave importance as to merit           
reconsideration4 ,when the crop has     
passed the winter there is a danger that
 the plants may bolt1 instead of forming
 hearts4 ,in the great majority of such 
cases the loss is attributable to an    
unwise selection of sorts4 ,for sowing  
in spring there is quite a long list of 
varieties1 many of them possessing      
distinctive qualities which meet various
 requirements4 ,it is otherwise now4    
,the ,cabbages that can be relied on to 
finish well in spring are comparatively 

few in number4 ,but repeated experiments
 have demonstrated that loss and        
disappointment can be avoided by sowing 
only those varieties which show no      
tendency to bolt4 ,another1 but minor1  
cause of ,cabbages starting seed-stems  
is premature sowing4 ,the exact date for
 any district must be determined by the 
latitude and the aspect of the place4   
,in the ,north sowing will1 of          
necessity1 be earlier than in the       
,midlands or the ,south4 ,assuming1     
however1 that suitable varieties are    
chosen1 the whole difficulty can be     
disposed of1 even on soils where        
,cabbages show an unusual tendency to   
send up seed-stems prematurely1 by      
sowing in ,august instead of in ,july4  
,the seed-bed should be nicely prepared1
 and any old plaster1 or other rubbish  
containing lime1 should be dug in4 ,sow 
thinly1 for a thick sowing makes a weak 
plant1 no matter how severely it may be 
thinned afterwards4  ,cardoons to be    
thinned to one plant in each station1   

and that1 of course1 the strongest4     
,carrot4--,frame culture of small sorts 
should commence1 to produce a succession
 of young ,carrots for table4  ,celery  
to be planted out in showery weather4   
,it is too late to sow now1 except for  
soups1 and for that purpose only a small
 sowing should be made1 as it may not   
come to anything4  ,chards4--,those who 
care for ,chards must cut down a number 
of ,globe ,artichokes about six inches  
above ground1 and1 if necessary1 keep   
the plants well watered to induce new   
growth1 which will be ready for         
blanching in ,september4  ,cucumbers on 
ridges generally do well without water1 
but they must not be allowed to suffer  
from drought4 ,if watering must be      
resorted to1 make sure first of soft    
water well warmed by exposure to the    
sun1 and water liberally three or four  
evenings in succession1 and then give no
 more for a week or so4  ,endive to be  
sown for winter4 ,it will be well to    
make two sowings1 say on the first and  

last days of the month4  ,garlic and    
,shallots to be taken up in suitable    
weather1 and it may be necessary to     
complete the ripening under shelter4    
,leeks to be planted out2 and on dry    
soils1 in trenches prepared as for      
,celery4  ,parsley to be sown for winter
 use4 ,it is a most important matter1   
even in the smallest garden1 to have a  
constant supply4  ,peas4--,only         
quick-growing early varieties should be 
sown now4  ,potatoes4--,where there is a
 good crop of an early variety it should
 be lifted without waiting for the shaws
 to die down4 ,the tender skins will    
suffer damage if the work is done       
roughly1 but will soon harden1 and the  
stock will ripen in the store as        
perfectly as in the ground4 ,it needs   
some amount of courage to lift ,potatoes
 while the tops are still green and     
vigorous1 and it should not be done     
until the roots are fully grown and     
beginning to ripen4 ,quick-growing sorts
 may be planted to dig as new ,potatoes 

later in the year4  ,radish4--,sow the  
large-growing kinds for winter use4     
,spinach4--,sow the ,prickly-seeded to  
stand the winter1 selecting for the     
seed-bed ground lying high and dry that 
has been at least twice dug over and has
 had no recent manure4 ,the twice       
digging is to promote the destruction of
 the #8,spinach ,moth' grub1 which the  
robins and thrushes will devour when    
exposed by digging4 ,these grubs make an
 end of many a good breadth of ,winter  
,spinach every year1 and are the more to
 be feared by the careless cultivator4  
,turnips to be sown in quantity in the  
early part of the month2 thin advancing 
crops1 and keep the hoe in action       
amongst them4  ,winter ,greens of all   
kinds to be planted out freely in the   
best ground at command1 after a good    
digging1 and to be aided with water for 
a week or so should the weather be dry4 
,,august  ,the importance of summer-sown
 ,vegetables and ,salads is dealt with  
under ,july1 and seeds of most of the   

subjects there named may still be put in
 as ground becomes vacant4 ,the supplies
 of the garden during the next winter   
and spring will in great part depend    
upon good management now1 and the utmost
 must be made of the few weeks of       
growing weather that remain4 ,one great 
difficulty in connection with sowing    
seed at this period of the year is the  
likelihood of the ground being too dry2 
yet it is most unwise to water seeds1   
and it is always better if they can be  
got up with the natural moisture of the 
soil alone4 ,however1 in an extreme case
 the ground should be well soaked before
 the seed is sown1 and after sowing     
covered with hurdles1 pea-sticks1 or    
mats until the seeds begin to sprout4   
,artichokes1 ,globe1 to be cut down as  
soon as the heads are used4  ,broccoli  
to be planted out4 ,as the ,sprouting   
,broccoli1 which belongs to the class of
 #8,winter ,greens1' does not pay well  
in spring unless it grows freely now1   
plant it far enough apart2 if crowded   

where already planted to stand the      
winter1 take out every alternate plant  
and make another plantation4            
,cabbage4--,in many small gardens the   
,august sowing of ,cabbages is made to  
suffice for the whole year1 and in the  
largest establishments greater breadths 
are sown now than at any other period4  
,but whether the garden be small or     
large1 it is not wise to rely           
exclusively on the sowing of any one    
kind4 ,at least two varieties should be 
chosen1 and as a precaution each variety
 may be sown at two dates1 with an      
interval of about a fortnight between4  
,the wisdom of this arrangement will be 
evident in nine seasons out of ten4 ,it 
allows for contingencies1 prolongs the  
season of supply1 and offers two        
distinct dishes of a single             
vegetable--the mature hearts1 and the   
partially developed plants1 which       
differ1 when served1 both in appearance 
and in flavour4 ,where the demand is    
extensive1 or great diversity is        

required1 three or four kinds should be 
sown1 including ,red ,cabbage to produce
 fine heads for pickling next year4     
,cardoon4--,commence blanching if the   
plants are ready4  ,cauliflower4--,seed 
sown now will produce finer heads in    
spring and early summer than are        
generally obtained from a ,january or   
,february sowing4 ,the time to sow must 
be determined by the climate of the     
district4 ,in cold1 late localities1 the
 first week is none too early2 from the 
#aeth to the #beth is a good time for   
all the ,midland districts2 and the end 
of the month1 or the first week of      
,september1 is early enough in the      
,south4 ,in ,devon and ,cornwall the    
sowing is later still4 ,but whatever    
date may suit the district1 the seed    
should be sown with care1 in order that 
a healthy growth may be promoted from   
the first4 ,winter the plants in frames 
or by other convenient means1 but it is 
important to keep them hardy by giving  
air at every favourable opportunity4    

,celery to be carefully earthed up as   
required4 ,it takes five weeks or more  
to blanch ,celery well1 and as the      
earthing up checks growth1 the operation
 should not be commenced a day too soon4
 ,take care that the earth does not get 
into the hearts4  ,corn ,salad should be
 sown during this month and ,september  
to produce plants fit for use in early  
spring4 ,in the summer months the whole 
plant is edible1 but in winter or spring
 the outer leaves only should be used4  
,cucumber4--,for a supply of ,cucumbers 
during the winter months the general    
principles of management are identical  
with those given under ,january and     
,march1 with one important exception4   
,at the commencement of the year a      
continued increase of light and warmth  
may be relied on4 ,now there will be a  
constant diminution of these vital      
forces4 ,hence the progress of the      
plants will gradually abate as the year 
wanes1 and due allowance must be made   
for the fact4 ,so much depends on the   

character of the autumn and winter that 
it will be unwise to risk all on a      
single sowing4 ,seed put in on two or   
three occasions between the end of      
,august and the end of ,october will    
provide plants in various stages of     
growth to meet the exigencies of the    
season4 ,the production of ,cucumbers   
will then depend on care and management4
 ,in very dull cold weather it may be   
dangerous to syringe the foliage1 but   
the necessary moisture can be secured by
 sprinkling the floor and walls4        
,endive4--,make a final sowing1 and     
plant out all that are large enough1    
selecting1 if possible1 a dry1 sloping  
bank for the purpose4  ,lettuce to be   
sown to stand the winter1 choosing the  
hardiest varieties4 ,in cold districts  
the middle of the month is a good time  
to sow2 in favoured places the end of   
the month is preferable4  ,onion4--,for 
many years the ,tripoli section enjoyed 
pre-eminence for sowing at this season1 
the opinion prevailing that other kinds 

were unsuitable4 ,but it is found that  
several varieties which may with        
propriety be described as ,english      
,onions are as hardy as the ,tripolis1  
and therefore as well adapted for sowing
 at this season4 ,thus1 instead of sorts
 that must be used quickly1 we may      
command for summer sowing the best of   
the keepers1 and the result will be     
heavier crops and earlier ripening1 with
 plentiful supplies of #8thinnings' for 
salads all through the autumn and       
winter4 ,two sowings--one at the        
beginning1 the other at the end of the  
month--may be adopted with advantage4   
,the storage of ,onions is often faulty1
 and consequently losses occur through  
mildew and premature growth4 ,if any are
 as yet unripe1 spread them out in the  
sun in a dry place1 where they can be   
covered quickly in case of rain4 ,in    
wet1 cold seasons1 it is sometimes      
necessary to finish the store ,onions by
 putting them in a nearly cold oven for 
some hours before they are stored away4 

,pea4--,crops coming forward for late   
bearing should have attention1 more     
especially to make them safe against    
storms by a sufficiency of support1 and 
in case of drought to give abundance of 
water4  ,strawberry ,plants may be put  
in should the weather prove favourable2 
but next month will answer4 ,in burning 
weather it is well worth while to bed   
the plants closely in a moist shady     
place until rain comes1 and then plant  
out4  ,tomatoes to be gathered as soon  
as ripe4 ,if bad weather interferes with
 the finishing of the crop1 cut the     
full-grown fruit with a length of stem  
attached1 and hang them up in a sunny   
greenhouse1 or some other warm spot in  
full daylight4 ,seed sown now or in     
,september will produce plants that     
should afford fine fruit in ,march1 and 
it will need care and judgment to carry 
them safely through the winter4  ,turnip
 may be sown in the early part of the   
month4 ,the best sorts now are ,white   
,gem1 or ,snowball4 ,all the ,year      

,round will please those who like a     
yellow ,turnip4   ,,september  ,weeds   
will be troublesome to the overworked   
and the idle gardener1 while the        
best-kept land will be full of seeds    
blown upon it from the sluggard's       
garden1 and the first shower will bring 
them up in terrific force4 ,all that we 
have to say about them is that they must
 be kept down1 for they not only choke  
the rising crops in seed-beds and spoil 
the look of everything1 but they very   
much tend to keep the ground damp and   
cold1 when1 if they were away1 it would 
get dry and warm1 to the benefit of all 
the proper crops upon it4 ,neglect will 
make the task of eradication simply     
terrible1 and1 in the meantime1 every   
crop on the ground will suffer4 ,the two
 great months for weeds are ,may and    
,september2 but often the ,september    
weeds triumph1 because the mischief they
 do is not then so obvious to the casual
 eye4 ,as there are now many used-up    
crops that may be cleared away1 large   

quantities of ,cabbage1 ,endive1        
,lettuce1 and even thinnings of ,spinach
 may be planted out to stand the winter4
  ,cabbage4--,we advocate crowding the  
land now with ,cabbage plants1 for      
growth will be slow and the demands of  
the kitchen constant4 ,crowding1        
however1 is not quite the same thing as 
overcrowding1 and it is only a waste of 
labour1 land and crop to put the plants 
so close together that they have not    
space for full development4 ,the usual  
rule in planting out the larger sorts of
 ,cabbage at this time of the year is to
 allow a distance every way of two feet 
between the plants4 ,the crowding       
principle may be carried so far as to   
put miniature ,cabbages between them1   
but only on the clear understanding that
 the small stuff is all to be cleared   
off before spring growth commences1 and 
the large ,cabbages will then have      
proper space for development4           
,cauliflower4--,sow again in a frame or 
in a pan in the greenhouse4             

,celery4--,continue to earth up1        
selecting a dry time for the task4      
,chards take quite six weeks to blanch  
by means of straw1 covered with earth4  
,cucumbers for the winter need careful  
management and suitable appliances4 ,see
 the remarks on this subject under      
,august4  ,endive to be planted out as  
directed last month4 ,plant a few on the
 border of an orchard-house1 or in a    
ground vinery1 or in old frames for     
which some lights1 however crazy1 can be
 found4  ,lettuces should be coming in  
from the garden now in good condition1  
but the supply will necessarily be      
running short4 ,sowings of two or three 
sorts should be made partly in frames   
and partly on a dry open plot from which
 a crop has been taken4 ,the ground     
should be well dug but not manured4 ,sow
 thinly1 so that there will not be much 
need for thinning1 and confine the      
selection to sorts known to be hardy4   
,the ,august sowings will soon be       
forward enough for putting out1 and it  

will be advisable to get the work done  
as early as possible1 to insure the     
plants being well established before    
winter4  ,parsley4--,the latest sowing  
will require thinning1 but for the      
present this must not be too strictly   
carried out2 between this and spring    
there will be many opportunities4 ,thin 
the plot by drawing out complete plants 
as ,parsley is demanded for the kitchen4
 ,if no late sowing was made1 or1 having
 been made1 has failed1 cut down to the 
ground the strongest plants1 that a new 
growth may be secured quickly4 ,a few   
plants potted at the end of the month1  
or lifted and placed in frames1 may     
prove exceedingly valuable in winter4   
,potatoes that are ready should be taken
 up with reasonable care4 ,it is not    
wise to wait for the dying down of the  
shaws1 because1 when the tubers are     
fully grown1 they ripen as well in the  
store1 out of harm's way1 as in the     
ground1 where they are exposed to       
influences that are simply destructive4 

,spinach4--,in favourable seasons and   
forward localities ,winter ,spinach sown
 in the first half of this month will   
make a good plant before winter4 ,thin  
the plants that are already up to six   
inches apart4   ,,october  ,weeds and   
falling leaves are the plagues of the   
season4 ,it may seem that they do no    
harm1 but assuredly they are directly   
injurious to every crop upon the ground1
 for they encourage damp and dirt by    
preventing a free circulation of air    
amongst the crops1 and the access of    
sunshine to the land4 ,keep all clean   
and tidy1 even to the removal of the    
lower leaves of ,cabbages1 where they   
lie half decayed upon the ground4  ,the 
heavy rains of this month interfere in a
 material degree with outdoor work1 and 
are often a great impediment to the     
orderly management that should prevail4 
,the accumulation of rubbish anywhere1  
even if out of sight1 is to be deplored 
as an evil altogether4 ,the injury to   
vegetation is as great as that inflicted

 on our own health when dirt poisons the
 air and damp hastens the general       
dissolution4 ,it is therefore above all 
things necessary to keep the garden     
clean from end to end4 ,all decaying    
refuse that can be put into trenches    
should be got out of sight as soon as   
possible1 to rot harmlessly instead of  
infecting the air1 and leaves should be 
often swept up into heaps1 in which form
 they cease to be injurious1 although1  
when spread upon the ground and trodden 
under foot1 they are breeders of        
mischief4 ,if in want of work1 ply the  
hoe amongst all kinds of crops1 taking  
care not to break or bruise healthy     
leaves1 or to disturb the roots of any  
plant4 ,dig vacant plots1 and lay the   
land up in ridges in the roughest manner
 possible4 ,heavy land may be manured   
now with advantage1 but it is not       
desirable to manure light land until    
spring4  ,cabbages to be planted out as 
advised last month4                     
,cardoon4--,blanching must be continued4

  ,carrots4--,lift the roots and store  
in sand4  ,cauliflowers to be prepared  
for the winter4  ,celeriac4--,part of   
the crop should be lifted and stored in 
sand2 the plants left in the ground to  
be protected by earthing over4  ,celery 
must be earthed up1 and protecting      
material got ready to assure its safety 
during frost4  ,chicory4--,raise about a
 dozen plants at a time as required1 cut
 or wrench off the foliage1 and pack the
 roots1 crown upwards1 in boxes with    
moist leaf-mould or soil4 ,they must be 
stored in absolute darkness in some     
cellar or ,mushroom-house which is safe 
from frost1 but a forcing temperature is
 detrimental to the flavour4 ,gathering 
may commence about three weeks after    
storing4 ,the yield is abundant1 and is 
of especial value for salading through  
the autumn and winter months4  ,endive  
to be blanched for use as it acquires   
full size1 but not before1 as the       
blanching makes an end of growth4       
,lettuce4--,continue to plant as before 

advised1 and make a final sowing in     
frames not later than the middle of the 
month4  ,parsnips may be dug all the    
winter as wanted4 ,although a slight    
frost will not injure them when left in 
the ground1 protection by rough litter  
is needful in very severe weather4 ,it  
often happens that they grow freely soon
 after the turn of the year1 and then   
become worthless4  ,potatoes to be taken
 up and stored with all possible speed4 
,rhubarb for forcing should be taken up 
and laid aside in a dry1 cool place1    
exposed to the weather4 ,this gives the 
roots a check1 and constitutes a kind of
 winter1 which in some degree prepares  
them for the forcing pit4  ,roots1 such 
as ,beet1 ,salsify1 and ,turnip1 to be  
taken up as soon as possible1 and stored
 for the winter4  ,winter ,greens may   
still be transplanted1 and it is often  
better to use up the remainder of the   
seed-beds than to let the plants stand4 
,in the event of a severe winter1 these 
late-planted ,greens may not be of much 

value2 but in a mild growing winter they
 will make some progress1 and may prove 
very useful in the spring4   ,,november 
,the remarks already made on the        
necessity for tidiness and the quick    
disposal of all decaying refuse apply as
 forcibly to this month as to ,october4 
,the leaves are falling1 the atmosphere 
is moist1 and there should be the utmost
 care taken not to make things worse by 
scatterings of vegetable rubbish4 ,now  
we are in the #8dull days before        
,christmas' the affairs of the garden   
may be reviewed in detail1 and this is  
the best period for such a review4      
,sorts that have done well or ill1 wants
 that have been felt1 mistakes that have
 been made1 are fresh in one's memory1  
and in ordering seeds1 roots1 plants1   
c41 for next season's work1 experience  
and observation can be recorded with a  
view to future benefit4 ,consistently   
with the revision of plans by the       
fireside1 revise the work out of doors4 
,begin to prepare for next year's crops 

by trenching1 manuring1 planting1 and   
collecting stuff to burn in a           
#8smother4' ,land dug now for spring    
seeds and roots1 and kept quite rough1  
will only require to be levelled down   
and raked over when spring comes to be  
ready for seed1 and will produce better 
crops than if prepared in a hurry4      
,protecting material for all the needs  
of the season must be in readiness1 in  
view of the fact that a few nights of   
hard frost may destroy ,lettuces1       
,endives1 ,celery1 and ,cauliflowers    
worth many pounds1 which a few          
shillings'-worth of labour and litter   
would have saved4 ,earthwork can        
generally be pushed on1 and it is good  
practice to get all road-mending and the
 breaking up of new ground completed    
before the year runs out1 because of the
 hindrance that may result from frost1  
and the inevitable pressure of other    
work at the turn of the spring4 ,the    
weather is an important matter2 but     
often the month of ,november is         

favourable to outdoor work1 and labour  
can then be found more readily than at  
most other seasons4  ,artichokes1       
,globe1 must be protected ere frost     
attacks them4 ,cut off the stems and    
large leaves to within a foot of the    
ground2 then heap up along each side of 
the rows a lot of dry litter consisting 
of straw1 pea haulm1 or leaves1 taking  
care in so doing to leave free access to
 light and air4 ,the hearts must not be 
covered1 or decay will follow4          
,artichokes1 ,jerusalem1 may be dug as  
wanted1 but some should be lifted and   
stored in sand for use during frosts4   
,asparagus beds not yet cleaned must    
have prompt attention4 ,cut down the    
brown grass and rake off all the weeds  
and rubbish1 and finish by putting on a 
dressing of seaweed1 or half-rotten     
stable manure4  ,bean1 ,broad4--,it is  
customary on dry warm soils to sow      
,beans at the end of ,october or during 
,november for a first crop1 and the     
practice is to be commended4 ,on cold   

damp soils1 and on clay lands           
everywhere1 it is a waste of seed and   
labour to sow now1 but every district   
has its peculiar capabilities1 and each 
cultivator must judge for himself4 ,in  
any case1 ,beans sown during this month 
should be put on well-drained land in a 
sheltered spot4  ,broccoli4--,in        
inclement districts lay the plants with 
their heads facing the north4  ,carrot  
to be sown in frames1 and successive    
sowings made every three or four weeks  
until ,february4  ,cauliflowers will be 
turning in1 and possibly those coming   
forward will be all the better off for  
being covered with a leaf to protect the
 heads from frost4 ,if the barometer    
rises steadily and the wind goes round  
to north or north-east1 draw all the    
best ,cauliflowers1 and put them in a   
shed or any out-of-the-way place safe   
for use4  ,celery4--,hard frost coming  
after heavy rain may prove destructive  
to ,celery2 and it is well1 if there is 
a crop worth saving1 to cut a trench    

round the plantation to favour escape of
 surplus water4 ,if taken up and packed 
away in a dry shed1 the sticks will keep
 fresh for some time4  ,horse-radish to 
be taken up and stored ready for use1   
and new plantations made as weather     
permits and ground can be spared4       
,pea4--,the sowing of ,peas outdoors now
 is not recommended for general         
practice1 but only for those who are so 
favourably circumstanced as to have a   
fair prospect of success4 ,if it is     
determined to sow1 select for the       
purpose a dry1 light1 well-drained sunny
 border1 and make it safe from mice1    
slugs1 and sparrows4 ,the quick-growing 
round-seeded varieties must be chosen   
for the purpose1 and it will be         
advisable to sow two or three sorts     
rather than one only4 ,peas to be grown 
entirely under glass may be started now4
  ,sea ,kale to be lifted for forcing4  
,this delicious vegetable may1 indeed1  
be forced for the table in this month2  
but it is not advisable to be in such   

haste1 for a fine sample cannot be      
secured so early4 ,sea ,kale is the     
easiest thing in the world to force2 the
 only point of importance is to have    
strong roots to begin with4 ,any place  
such as ,mushroom-houses1 cellars1 pits1
 or old sheds1 where it is possible to  
maintain a temperature of #de to #ee1   
may be utilised for the purpose4 ,put   
the plants thickly into pots or boxes1  
or plant them in a bed1 and it is       
essential to exclude light to insure    
blanching4 ,by these simple means a     
regular supply may be obtained until the
 permanent beds in the open ground come 
into use4   ,,december  ,the best advice
 that can be given for this month is to 
be prepared for either heavy rain or    
sharp frost1 so that extreme variations 
of temperature may inflict the least    
possible injury in the garden4 ,let the 
work be ordered with reference to the   
weather1 that there may be no           
#8poaching' on wet ground1 or absurd    
conflict with frost4 ,accept every      

opportunity of wheeling out manure2 and 
as long as the ground can be dug without
 waste of labour1 proceed to open       
trenches1 make drains1 and mend walks1  
because this is the period for          
improving1 and the place must be very   
perfect which affords no work for winter
 weather4 ,dispose of all rubbish by the
 simple process of putting it in        
trenches when digging plots for early   
seeds4 ,in sheds and outhouses many     
tasks may be found1 such as making large
 substantial tallies for the garden2 the
 little paltry things commonly used     
being simply delusive1 for they are     
generally missing when wanted1 from     
their liability to be trodden into the  
ground or kicked anywhere by a heedless 
foot4 ,make ready pea-sticks1 stakes of 
sizes1 and at odd times gather up all   
the dry stuff that is adapted for a     
grand #8smother4' ,a careful forecasting
 of the next year's cropping will show  
that even now many arrangements may be  
made to increase the chances of success4

  ,warm ,border to be prepared for early
 work by digging and manuring4 ,all the 
refuse turf and leaf-mould from the     
potting-shed and the soil knocked out of
 pots may be usefully disposed of by    
adding it to this border1 which cannot  
be too light or too rich1 and a good    
dressing of manure will give it strength
 to perform its duties4  ,beans1 ,broad1
 to be earthed up for protection and    
support4  ,celery to be earthed up for  
the last time4 ,in case of severe       
weather1 have protecting material at    
hand in the shape of dry litter or mats4
 ,pea-sticks make a capital foundation  
on which to throw long litter1 mats1 c41
 for quickly covering ,celery1 the      
protection being as quickly removed when
 the frost is over1 and costing next to 
nothing4  ,endive will be valued now1   
and must be blanched as required4 ,place
 a few in frames and other protected    
spots4 ,in the unused corners of sheds  
and outhouses they may be safer than out
 of doors4  ,parsley4--,in all cold     

districts it is wise to secure a bed of 
,parsley1 in a frame or pit1 or if a few
 plants were potted in ,september1 they 
may be wintered in any place where they 
can have light and air freely4 ,it is so
 important to have ,parsley at command  
as wanted1 that it may be worth while to
 put a frame over a few rows as they    
stand in the open quarter1 rather than  
risk the loss of all in the event of    
severe weather4  ,radish4--,sow one of  
the long sorts for a first supply in    
some warm spot1 to secure quick growth4 
,underground ,onions to be planted in   
rows one foot apart4 ,they should not be
 earthed up1 for the young bulbs form   
round the stems in full daylight4       
,,the ,,rotation ,,of ,,crops ,,in ,,the
 ,,vegetable ,,garden   ,this is a      
subject worthy the attention of those   
who aim at the largest possible         
production and the highest possible     
quality of every kind of kitchen-garden 
crop1 for it concerns the natural       
relations of the plant and the soil as  

to their several chemical constituents4 
,the principle may be illustrated by    
considering the demands of two of the   
most common kitchen-garden crops4 ,if we
 submit a ,cabbage to the destructive   
agency of fire1 and analyse the ashes   
that remain1 we shall find in them1 in  
round numbers1 eight per cent4 of       
sulphuric acid1 sixteen per cent4 of    
phosphoric acid1 four per cent4 of soda1
 forty-eight per cent4 of potash1 and   
fifteen per cent4 of lime4 ,it is       
evident that we cannot expect to grow a 
,cabbage on a soil which is destitute of
 these ingredients1 to say nothing of   
others4 ,the obnoxious odour of sulphur 
emitted by decaying ,cabbages might     
indicate1 to anyone accustomed to       
reflect on ordinary occurrences1 that   
sulphur is an important constituent of  
,cabbage4 ,if we submit a ,potato tuber 
to a similar process1 the result will be
 to find in the ashes fifty-nine per    
cent4 of potash1 two per cent4 of soda1 
six per cent4 of sulphuric acid1        

nineteen per cent4 of phosphoric acid1  
and two per cent4 of lime4 ,the lesson  
for the cultivator is1 that to prepare a
 soil for ,cabbage it is of the utmost  
importance to employ a manure containing
 sulphates1 phosphates1 and potash salts
 in considerable quantity2 as for the   
lime1 that can be supplied separately1  
but the ,cabbage must have it4 ,on the  
other hand1 to prepare a soil for       
,potatoes it is necessary to employ a   
manure strongly charged with salts of   
potash and phosphates1 but it need not  
be highly charged with soda or lime1 for
 we find but a small proportion of these
 ingredients in the ,potato4 ,there are 
soils so naturally rich in all that     
crops require1 that they may be tilled  
for years without the aid of manures1   
and will not cease to yield an abundant 
return4 ,but such soils are exceptional1
 and those that need constant manuring  
are the rule4 ,one point more1 ere we   
proceed to apply to practice these      
elementary considerations4 ,in almost   

every soil1 whether strong clay1 mellow 
loam1 poor sand1 or even chalk1 there   
are comminglings of all the minerals    
required by plants1 and1 indeed1 if     
there were not1 we should see no herbage
 on the downs1 and no ,ivies climbing1  
as they do1 to the topmost heights of   
limestone rocks4 ,but usually a         
considerable proportion of those mineral
 constituents on which plants feed are  
locked up in the staple1 and are only   
dissolved out slowly as the rain1 the   
dew1 the ever-moving air1 and the       
sunshine operate upon them and make them
 available4 ,as the rock slowly yields  
up its phosphates1 alkalies and silica  
to the wild vegetation that runs riot   
upon it1 so the cultivated field 7which 
is but rock in a state of decay7 yields 
up its phosphates1 alkalies and silica  
for the service of plants the more      
quickly because it is the practice of   
the cultivator to stir the soil and     
continually expose fresh surfaces to the
 transforming power of the atmosphere4  

,it has been said that the air we       
breathe is a powerful manure4 ,so it is1
 but not in the sense that is applicable
 to stable manure or guano4 ,the air may
 and does afford to plants much of their
 food1 but it can only help them to the 
minerals they require by dissolving     
these out of pebbles1 flints1 nodules of
 chalk1 sandstone1 and other substances 
in the soil which contain them in what  
may be termed a locked-up condition4    
,every fresh exposure of the soil to the
 air1 and especially to frost and snow1 
is as the opening of a new mine of      
fertilisers for the service of those    
plants on which man depends for his     
subsistence4  ,the application to       
practice of these considerations is an  
extremely simple matter in the first    
instance1 but it may become very        
complicated if followed far enough4     
,here we can only touch the surface of  
the subject1 yet we hope to do so       
usefully4 ,suppose1 then1 that we grow  
,cabbage1 or ,cauliflower1 or ,broccoli1

 on the same plot of ground1 one crop   
following the other for a long series of
 years1 and never refresh the soil with 
manure1 it must be evident that we      
shall1 some day or other1 find the crop 
fail through the exhaustion of the soil 
of its available sulphur1 phosphates1   
lime1 or potash4 ,but if this soil were 
allowed to lie fallow for some time1 it 
would again produce a crop of ,cabbage1 
owing to the liberation of mineral      
matters which1 when the crops were      
failing1 were not released fast enough1 
but which1 during the rest allowed to   
the soil1 accumulated sufficiently to   
sustain a crop4 ,obviously this mode of 
procedure is unprofitable and tends of  
necessity to exhaustion1 although it    
must be confessed that utter exhaustion 
of any soil is a thing at present almost
 unknown4 ,but1 instead of following a  
practice which impoverishes1 let us     
enrich the soil with manure1 and change 
the crops on the same plot1 so that when
 one crop has largely taxed it for one  

class of minerals1 a different crop is  
grown which will tax it for another     
class of minerals4 ,take for a moment's 
consideration one of the necessary      
constituents of a fertile soil1 common  
salt 7chloride of sodium74 ,in the ash  
of a ,cabbage there is about six per    
cent4 of this mineral1 in the ,turnip   
about ten per cent41 in the ,potato two 
to three per cent41 in the ,beet        
eighteen to twenty per cent4 ,on the    
other hand the ,beet contains very      
little sulphur1 but both ,turnip and    
,beet agree in being strongly charged   
with potash and soda4 ,it follows that  
if we crop a piece of ground with       
,cabbage1 and wish to avoid the failure 
that may occur if we continue to crop   
with ,cabbage1 we may expect to do well 
by giving the ground a dressing of      
common salt and potash salts1 and then  
crop it with ,beet4  ,the whole subject 
is not exhausted by this mode of viewing
 it1 for all the facts are not yet fully
 understood by the ablest of our        

chemists and physiologists1 and crops   
differ in their methods of seeking      
nourishment4 ,we might find two distinct
 plants nearly agreeing in chemical     
constitution1 and yet one might fail    
where the other would succeed4 ,suppose1
 for instance1 we have grown ,cabbage   
and other surface-rooting crops until   
the soil begins to fail1 even then we   
might obtain from it a good crop of     
,parsnips or ,carrots1 for the simple   
reason that these send their roots down 
to a stratum that the ,cabbage never    
reached2 and it is most instructive to  
bear in mind that although the ,parsnip 
will grow on poor land1 and pay on land 
that has been badly tilled for years1   
yet the ashes of the ,parsnip contain   
thirty-six per cent4 of potash1 eleven  
per cent4 of lime1 eighteen per cent4 of
 phosphoric acid1 six per cent4 of      
sulphuric acid1 three per cent4 of      
phosphate of iron1 and five per cent4 of
 common salt4 ,how does the ,parsnip    
obtain its mineral food in a soil which 

for other crops appears to be exhausted8
 ,simply by pushing down for it into a  
mine that has hitherto been but little  
worked1 though ,cabbage might fail on   
the same plot because the superficial   
stratum has been overtaxed4  ,having    
attempted a general1 we now proceed to a
 particular application4 ,in the first  
place1 good land1 well tilled and       
abundantly manured1 cannot be soon      
exhausted2 but even in this case a      
rotation of crops is advisable4 ,it is  
less easy to say why than to insist that
 in practice we find it to be so4 ,the  
question then arises--,what is a        
rotation of crops8 ,it is the ordering  
of a succession in such a manner that   
the crops will tax the soil for mineral 
aliments in a different manner4 ,a good 
rotation will include both chemical and 
mechanical differences1 and place       
tap-roots in a course between surface   
roots1 as1 for example1 ,carrot1        
,parsnip1 and ,beet1 after ,cabbage1    
,cauliflower1 and ,broccoli2 and light1 

quick surface crops1 such as ,spinach1  
to serve as substitutes for fallows4    
,the cropping of the kitchen garden     
should be1 as far as possible1 so       
ordered that plants of the same natural 
families never immediately succeed one  
another2 and1 above all things1 it is   
important to shift from place to place1 
year after year1 the ,cabbages and the  
,potatoes1 because these are the most   
exhaustive crops we grow4 ,in a ton of  
,potatoes there are about twelve pounds 
of potash1 four pounds of sulphuric     
acid1 four pounds of phosphoric acid1   
and one pound of magnesia4 ,we may      
replace these substances by abundant    
manuring1 and we are bound to say that  
the best rotation will not obviate the  
necessity for manuring2 but even then it
 is well to crop the plot with ,peas1   
,spinach1 ,lettuce1 and other plants    
that occupy it for a comparatively brief
 space of time1 and necessitate much    
digging and stirring2 for these         
mechanical agencies combine with the    

manure in preparing the plot to grow    
,potatoes again much better than if the 
land were kept to this crop only from   
year to year4 ,if we could mark out a   
plot of ground into four parts1 we      
should devote one plot to permanent     
crops--such as ,asparagus1 ,sea ,kale1  
and ,rhubarb--and on the other three    
keep the crops revolving in some such   
order as this3 ,no4 #a1 ,potatoes1      
,celery1 ,leek1 ,carrot1 ,parsnip1      
,beet1 c4 ,no4 #b1 ,peas1 ,beans1       
,onions1 ,summer ,spinach1 c41 followed 
by ,turnips for winter use1 ,cabbage for
 spring use1 and ,winter ,spinach4 ,no4 
#c1 ,brassicas1 including ,broccoli1    
,brussels ,sprouts1 ,kale1 c4 ,in the   
following year the original ,no4 #a     
would be cropped as ,no4 #b1 and ,no4 #b
 as ,no4 #c4 ,in the third season       
corresponding changes would be made1    
constituting a three-course system4 ,the
 cultivator must use discretion in      
cropping vacant ground4 ,as an example  
it will be obvious that land cleared of 

,early ,potatoes will be very suitable  
for planting ,strawberries4 ,another    
point is worth attention3 ,peas sown on 
the lines where ,celery has been grown  
will thrive without any preparation     
beyond levelling the ground and drawing 
the necessary drills4 ,this is a ,west  
of ,england custom1 and it answers      
exceedingly well4     ,,the ,,chemistry 
,,of ,,garden ,,crops   ,a              
,consideration of the chemistry of the  
crops that engage attention in this     
country will afford an explanation of   
one great difference between farming and
 gardening4 ,and this difference should 
be kept in mind by all classes of       
cultivators as the basis of operations  
in tillage1 cropping1 and the order and 
character of rotations4 ,the first thing
 to discover in the cropping of a farm  
is the kind of vegetation for which the 
land is best adapted to insure1 in a run
 of seasons1 fairly profitable results4 
,if the soil is unfit for cereals1 then 
it is sheer folly to sow any more corn  

than may be needful for convenience1 as1
 for example1 to supply straw for       
thatching and litter1 and oats for      
horses1 to save cost of carriage1 c4 ,on
 large farms that are far removed from  
markets it is often necessary to risk a 
few crops that the land is ill fitted   
for1 in order to satisfy the            
requirements of the homestead1 and to   
save the outlay of money and the        
inconvenience of hauling from distant   
markets4 ,but everywhere the cropping   
must be adapted to the soil and the     
climate as nearly as possible1 both to  
simplify operations and enlarge to the  
utmost the chances of success4 ,in the  
cropping of a garden this plain         
procedure cannot be followed4 ,we are   
compelled certainly to consider what the
 soil and climate will especially favour
 amongst garden crops1 but1             
notwithstanding this1 the gardener must 
grow whatever the household requires4   
,he may have to grow ,peas on a hot     
shallow sand2 and ,potatoes and ,carrots

 on a cold clay2 and ,asparagus on a    
shallow bed of pebbles and potsherds4   
,to the gardener the chemistry of crops 
is a matter of great importance1 because
 he cannot restrict his operations to   
such crops as the land is particularly  
adapted for1 but must endeavour to make 
the land capable of carrying more or    
less of all the vegetables and fruits   
that find a place in the catalogue of   
domestic wants4 ,that he must fail at   
certain points is inevitable2           
nevertheless his aim will be1 and must  
be1 of a somewhat universal kind1 and a 
clear idea of the relations of plants to
 the soil in which they grow will be of 
constant and incalculable value to him4 
,we are bound to say at the outset that 
a complete essay on the chemistry of    
vegetation is not our purpose4 ,we are  
anxious to convey some useful           
information1 and to kindle sufficient   
interest to induce those who have       
hitherto given but slight attention to  
this question to inquire further1 with a

 view to get far beyond the point at    
which we shall have to quit the subject4
  ,plants consist of two classes of     
constituents--the ,inorganic1 which may 
be called the foundation2 and the       
,organic1 which may be considered the   
superstructure4 ,with the former of     
these we are principally concerned here4
 ,a plant must derive from the soil     
certain proportions of silica1 lime1    
sulphur1 phosphates1 alkalies1 and other
 mineral constituents1 or it cannot     
exist at all2 but1 given these1 the     
manufacture of fibre1 starch1 gum1      
sugar1 and other organic products       
depends on the action of light1 heat1   
atmospheric air1 and moisture1 for the  
organic products have to be created by  
chemical 7or vital7 action within the   
structure1 or1 as we sometimes say1 the 
tissues of the plant itself4 ,to a very 
great extent the agencies that conduce  
to the elaboration of organic products  
are beyond our control 7though not      
entirely so71 whereas we can directly1  

and to a considerable degree1 provide   
the plant with the minerals it more     
particularly requires2 first1 by        
choosing the ground for it1 and next by 
tilling and manuring in a suitable      
manner4 ,a clay soil1 in which1 in      
addition to the predominating alumina1  
there is a fair proportion of lime1 may 
be regarded as the most fertile for all 
purposes2 but we have few such in       
,britain1 our clays being mostly of an  
obdurate texture1 retentive of moisture1
 and requiring much cultivation1 and    
containing1 moreover1 salts of iron in  
proportions and forms almost poisonous  
to plants4 ,but there are profound      
resources in most clays1 so that if it  
is difficult to tame them1 it is also   
difficult to exhaust them4 ,hence a clay
 that has been well cultivated through  
several generations will generally      
produce a fair return for whatever crop 
may be put upon it4 ,limestone soils are
 usually very porous and deficient of   
clay1 and therefore have no sustaining  

power4 ,many of our great tracts of     
mountain limestone are mere sheep-walks1
 and would be comparatively worthless   
except for the lime that may be obtained
 by burning4 ,on the other hand1 chalk1 
which is a more recent form of carbonate
 of lime1 is often highly productive1   
more especially where1 through long     
cultivation1 it has been much broken up1
 and has become loamy through           
accumulation of humus4 ,between the     
oldest limestone and the latest chalk   
there are many intermediate kinds of    
calcareous soils1 and they are mostly   
good1 owing to their richness in        
phosphates1 the products of the marine  
organisms of which these rocks in great 
part1 and in some cases wholly1 consist4
 ,for the growth of cereals these       
calcareous soils need a certain         
proportion of silica1 and where they    
have this we see some of the finest     
crops of ,wheat1 ,trifolium1 ,peas and  
,beans in these islands4 ,if we could   
mix some of our obdurate clays with our 

barren limestones1 the two comparatively
 worthless staples would probably prove 
remarkably fertile4 ,although this is   
impossible1 a consideration of the      
chemistry of the imaginary mixture may  
be useful1 more especially to the       
gardener1 who can in a small way        
accomplish many things that are         
impracticable on a great scale4 ,sandy  
soils are characterised by excess of    
silica1 and deficiency of alumina1      
phosphates and potash4 ,here the        
mechanical texture is as serious a      
matter as it is in the case of clay4    
,the sand is too loose as the clay is   
too pasty1 and it may be that we have to
 prevent the estate from being blown    
away4 ,it is especially worthy of       
observation1 however1 that sandy soils  
are the most readily amenable of any to 
the operation of tillage4 ,if we cannot 
take much out of them1 we can put any   
amount into them1 and it is always      
necessary to calculate where the process
 of enrichment is to stop4 ,it is not   

less worthy of observation that sandy   
soils can be rendered capable of        
producing almost every kind of crop1    
save cereals and pulse1 and even these  
can be secured where there is some basis
 of peat or loam or clay with the sand4 
,the parks and gardens of ,paris1       
,versailles1 and ,haarlem are on deep   
sands that drift before the wind when   
left exposed for any length of time with
 no crop upon them2 and not only do we  
see the finest of ,potatoes and the most
 nutritious of herbage produced on these
 soils1 but good ,cauliflowers1 ,peas1  
,beans1 ,onions1 fruits1 and big trees  
of sound timber4  ,garden soils usually 
consist of loam of some kind1 the       
consequence of long cultivation4        
,natural loams are the result of the    
decay and admixture of various earths1  
and they are mostly of a mellow texture1
 easily worked and highly productive4   
,they are1 as a rule1 the best of all   
soils1 and their goodness is in part due
 to the fact that they contain a little 

of everything1 with no great            
predominance of any one particular      
earth4 ,cultivation also produces loam4 
,on a clay land we find a top crust of  
clayey loam1 and on a lime or chalk land
 a top crust of calcareous loam4 ,where 
cultivation has been long pursued the   
staple is broken and manures are put on1
 and the roots of plants assist in      
disintegration and decomposition4 ,thus 
there is accumulation of humus and a    
decomposition of the rock proceeding    
together1 and a loam of some sort is the
 result4 ,hence the necessity of caution
 in respect of deep trenching1 for if we
 bury the top soil and put in its place 
a crude material that has not before    
seen daylight1 we may lose ten years in 
profitable cropping1 because we must now
 begin to tame a savage soil that we    
have been at great pains to bring up1 to
 cover a stratum of a good material     
prepared for us by the combined         
operations of ,nature and ,art during1  
perhaps1 several centuries4 ,but deep   

and good garden soils may be safely     
trenched and freely knocked about1      
because not only does the process favour
 the deep rooting of the plants1 but it 
favours also that disintegration which  
is one of the causes of fertility4      
,every pebble is capable of imparting to
 the soil a solution--infinitesimal1    
perhaps1 but not the less real--of      
silica1 or lime1 or potash1 or          
phosphates1 or perhaps of all these2 but
 it must be exposed to light and air and
 moisture to enable it to part with a   
portion of its substance1 and thus it is
 that mechanical tillage is of the first
 importance in all agricultural and     
horticultural operations4  ,the         
principal inorganic or mineral          
constituents of plants are potash1 soda1
 lime1 iron1 phosphorus1 sulphur1       
chlorine1 and silica4 ,clays and loams  
are generally rich in potash1 sulphur1  
and phosphates1 but deficient in soluble
 silica and lime4 ,limestone and chalk  
are usually rich in lime and phosphates1

 but deficient in humus1 silica1        
sulphur1 and alkalies4 ,sandy soils are 
rich in silica1 but are generally poor  
in respect of phosphates and alkalies4  
,therefore1 on a clay or loam1 farmyard 
manure is invaluable1 because it        
contains ingredients that all crops     
appreciate1 and also because it is      
helpful in breaking up the texture of   
the soil4 ,the occasional application of
 lime also is important for its almost  
magical effect on garden soil that has  
been liberally manured and heavily      
cropped for a long term of years4       
,calcareous soils are greatly benefited 
by a free application to them of manure 
from the stable and cow-byre2 but as a  
rule it would be like carrying coals to 
,newcastle to dress these soils with    
lime4 ,clay may be put on with          
advantage2 and nothing benefits a hot   
chalky soil more than a good dose of mud
 from ponds and ditches1 which supplies 
at once humus1 alumina1 and silicates1  
and gives #8staple' to the soil1 while  

preventing it also from #8burning4' ,in 
the manuring of sandy soils great care  
is requisite1 because of their absorbing
 power4 ,in the bulb-growing districts  
of ,holland1 manure from cowsheds is    
worth an enormous price for digging into
 loose sand for a crop of ,potatoes1 to 
be followed by bulbs4 ,sandy soils are  
generally deficient in phosphates and   
alkalies2 hence it will on such soils be
 frequently found that kainit 7a crude  
form of potash7 and superphosphate of   
lime will conjointly produce the best   
results1 more especially in raising     
,potatoes1 ,onions1 and ,carrots1 which 
are particularly well adapted for sandy 
soils4 ,probably one of the best        
fertilisers is genuine farmyard manure  
from stall-fed cattle1 for it contains  
phosphates1 alkalies1 and silicates in  
available forms4 ,for similar reasons   
,peruvian ,guano is often useful on such
 soils4 ,artificial manure should be    
selected with a view to correct the     
deficiencies of the soil1 and to satisfy

 the requirements of the crops to be    
grown on it4  ,while we have thus dealt 
principally with the ,inorganic or      
mineral constituents of plants1 and the 
way in which the deficiencies of the    
soil in respect of any of them may be   
supplied by artificial applications1 we 
must not ignore the other class of      
constituents1 the ,organic4 ,these are  
supplied almost entirely from the       
atmosphere itself1 though1 to a limited 
extent1 the presence in the soil of     
humus or vegetable matter contributes   
also4 ,yet this latter1 as seen in the  
case of land heavily dressed with       
farmyard or stable manure1 vegetable    
refuse1 c41 exercises important         
functions in other directions4 ,not only
 are mineral constituents1 in forms     
available for assimilation1 supplied1   
but soils so treated derive peculiar    
advantages as regards their mechanical  
state and improved physical conditions1 
chiefly in respect of retention of      
moisture1 warmth1 c4 ,thus1 sandy soils1

 which are very apt1 through poverty in 
humus1 to lose their moisture readily   
and to #8burn1' are rendered more       
retentive of moisture and fertilising   
constituents by the use of farmyard     
manure1 c41 and have more #8staple' or  
substance given to them1 while heavy1   
tenacious clays are opened out1         
lightened1 and rendered more amenable to
 the influences of drainage1 aeration1  
c41 and so become less cold and         
inactive4  ,for the present purpose the 
principal garden crops may be grouped in
 two classes1 in accordance with their  
main characteristics and the            
predominance of certain of their mineral
 elements4 ,the figures given on the    
following page show the average         
percentage proportions of the several   
minerals in the ashes of the different  
plants4  ,in ,class ,i4 ,phosphates and 
,potash predominate4 ,this class        
consists of the less succulent plants1  
and includes the following3 ,the ,pea3  
containing1 in #ajj parts of the ashes1 

phosphates1 thirty-six2 potash1 forty4  
,bean3 phosphates1 thirty2 potash1      
forty-four4 ,potato 7tubers only73      
phosphates1 nineteen2 potash1           
fifty-nine2 soda1 two2 lime1 two2       
sulphuric acid1 six4 ,parsnip3          
phosphates1 eighteen2 potash1           
thirty-six2 lime1 eleven2 salt1 five4   
,carrot3 phosphates1 twelve2 potash1    
thirty-six2 soda1 thirteen2 sulphuric   
acid1 six4 ,jerusalem ,artichoke3       
phosphates1 sixteen2 potash1 sixty-five4
  ,in ,class ,,ii4 ,sulphur1 ,lime and  
,soda ,salts are predominant4 ,this     
class consists of the more succulent    
plants1 and includes the following3     
,cabbage3 containing1 in #ajj parts of  
the ashes1 phosphates1 sixteen2 potash1 
forty-eight2 soda1 four2 lime1 fifteen2 
sulphuric acid1 eight4 ,turnip3         
phosphates1 thirteen2 potash1           
thirty-nine2 soda1 five2 lime1 ten2     
sulphuric acid1 fourteen4 ,beet3        
phosphates1 fourteen2 potash1           
forty-nine2 soda1 nineteen2 lime1 six2  

sulphuric acid1 five4  ,as a matter of  
course1 ,lentils and other kinds of     
pulse agree more or less with ,peas and 
,beans in the predominance of phosphates
 and potash4 ,so1 again1 all the        
,brassicas1 whether ,kales1             
,cauliflower1 or whatever else1 agree   
nearly with the ,cabbage in the         
prominent presence of lime and sulphur2 
ingredients which fully account for the 
offensive odour of these vegetables when
 in a state of decay4 ,fruits as a rule 
are highly charged with alkalies1 and   
are rarely deficient in phosphates2     
moreover1 stone-fruits require lime1 for
 they have to make bone as well as flesh
 when they produce a crop4 ,as regards  
the alkalies1 plants appear capable of  
substituting soda for potash under some 
circumstances1 but it would not be      
prudent for the cultivator to assume    
that the cheaper alkali might take the  
place of the more costly one as a       
mineral agent1 for ,nature is stern and 
constant in her ways1 and it can hardly 

be supposed that a plant in which potash
 normally predominates can attain to    
perfection in a soil deficient in       
potash1 however well supplied it may be 
with soda4 ,the cheaper alkali in       
combination as salt 7chloride of sodium7
 may1 however1 be usually employed in   
aid of quick-growing green crops2 and   
more or less with tap-roots and         
,brassicas4 ,salt1 too1 is very useful  
in a dry season by reason of its power  
of attracting and retaining moisture4   
,as regards ,potatoes1 it is worthy of  
observation that they contain but a     
trace of silica1 and yet they generally 
thrive on sand1 and in many instances   
crops grown on sand are free from       
disease and of high quality1 although   
the weight may not be great4 ,the       
mechanical texture of the soil has much 
to do with this2 and when that is aided 
by a supply of potash and phosphates1   
whether from farmyard manure or         
artificials1 sandy soils become highly  
productive of ,potatoes of the very     

finest quality4 ,on the other hand1     
,potatoes also grow well on limestone   
and chalk1 and yet there is but little  
lime in them4 ,here1 again1 mechanical  
texture explains the case in part1 and  
it is further explained by the          
sufficiency of potash and phosphates1 as
 also of magnesia1 which enters in a    
special manner into the mineral         
constitution of this root4  ,thus far we
 have not even mentioned nitrogen1 or   
its common form of salts of ammonia2 nor
 have we mentioned carbon1 or its very  
familiar form of carbonic acid4 ,these  
are important elements of plant growth2 
and they account for the efficacy of    
manures derived directly from the animal
 kingdom1 as1 for example1 the droppings
 of animals1 including guano1 which     
consisted originally of the droppings of
 sea-birds4 ,some of the nitrogen in    
these substances1 however1 is of an     
evanescent character1 and rapidly flies 
away in the form of carbonate of        
ammonia2 hence1 a heap of farmyard      

manure1 left for several years1 loses   
much of its value as manure1 and guano  
should be kept in bulk as long as       
possible1 and protected from the        
atmosphere1 or its ammonia will largely 
disappear4 ,one difficulty experienced  
by chemists and others in preparing     
artificial manures is that of #8fixing' 
the needful ammonia1 so that it may be  
kept from being dissipated in the       
atmosphere1 and at the same time be     
always in a state in which it can be    
appropriated by the plant4 ,in all good 
manures1 however1 there is a certain    
proportion of it in combination1 and in 
many instances the percentage of        
nitrogen is made the test of the value  
of a manure4  ,the importance of        
humus--the black earthy substance       
resulting from the decay of             
vegetation--in a soil is that it        
contains in an assimilable form many of 
the ingredients essential to plant life4
 ,humus when it decomposes gives off    
carbonic acid1 which breaks up the      

mineral substances in the soil and      
renders them available as plant food4   
,when vegetable refuse is burned1 the   
nitrogen--one of the costliest          
constituents--is dissipated and lost4   
,but by burying the refuse the soil gets
 back a proportion of the organic       
nitrogen it surrendered and something   
over in the way of soluble phosphatic   
and potassic salts2 and as this organic 
nitrogen assumes ultimately the form of 
nitric acid1 it can be assimilated by   
the growing plant1 to the great benefit 
of whatever crop may occupy the ground4 
,the practical conclusion is1 that in   
the treatment of the soil a skilful     
gardener will endeavour to promote its  
fertility by affording the natural      
influences of rain1 frost and sun full  
opportunity of liberating the           
constituents that are locked up in the  
staple2 by restoring in the form of     
refuse as much as possible of what the  
soil has parted with in vegetation2 and 
by the addition of such fertilising     

agents as are adapted to rectify the    
natural deficiencies of the soil4 ,thus1
 instead of following a process of      
exhaustion1 the resources of the garden 
may be annually augmented4              
,,artificial ,,manures ,,and ,,their    
,,application ,,to ,,garden ,,crops     
,plants1 like animals1 require food for 
their sustenance and development1 and   
when this is administered in            
insufficient quantities1 or unsuitable  
foods are supplied1 they remain small1  
starved1 and unhealthy4  ,the chemical  
elements composing the natural food of  
ordinary crops are ten in number1       
viz4--carbon1 hydrogen1 oxygen1         
nitrogen1 sulphur1 phosphorus1          
potassium1 calcium1 magnesium1 and iron4
 ,these are obtained from the soil and  
air1 and unless all of them are         
available plants will not grow4 ,the    
absence of even one of them is as       
disastrous as the want of all1 and a    
deficiency of one cannot be made up by  
an excess of another2 for example1 if   

the soil is deficient in potassium the  
crop suffers and cannot be improved by  
adding iron or magnesium4 ,all the      
food-elements are found in adequate     
quantities in practically all soils and 
the surrounding air1 except             
three--nitrogen1 potassium1 and         
phosphorus4 ,these are often present in 
reduced amount1 or in a state unsuited  
to plants2 in such cases the deficiency 
must be made up before remunerative     
healthy crops can be grown1 and it is   
with this express object that manures   
are added to the soil4  ,one of the best
 known substances employed in this way  
is farmyard manure1 which is indirectly 
derived from plants and contains all the
 elements needed for the growth of      
crops4 ,it is1 however1 of very variable
 composition and rarely1 or never1      
contains these elements in the most     
suitable proportions1 and its value can 
always be greatly improved by           
supplementing its action with one or    
other of the so-called artificial       

manures or fertilisers4 ,although it is 
strongly advisable to add farmyard      
manure or vegetable composts to the soil
 of all gardens now and again1 in order 
to keep the texture of the soil in a    
satisfactory condition1 excellent crops 
can be grown by the use of artificial   
fertilisers alone4 ,to obtain the best  
results from these some experience is of
 course necessary1 but the following    
details regarding the nature and        
application of the commoner and more    
useful kinds should prove a serviceable 
guide in the majority of cases4         
,artificial manures may be divided into 
three classes3--  #a4 ,the ,nitrogenous 
class1 of which nitrate of soda and     
sulphate of ammonia are examples4  #b4  
,the ,phosphatic class1 such as         
superphosphate1 basic slag1 and steamed 
bone flour4  #c4 ,the ,potash class1    
including kainit and sulphate of potash4
 ,the several examples of each class    
contain only one of the three important 
plant food-elements1 and as a single    

element can only be of use when the     
others are present in the soil1 it is   
generally advisable to apply one from   
each class1 either separately or mixed1 
in order to insure that the crop is     
supplied with nitrogen1 phosphates1 and 
potash4  ,nitrogenous manures specially 
stimulate the growth of the foliage1    
stems1 and roots of plants1 and are     
therefore of the greatest benefit to    
,carrots1 ,parsnips1 ,turnips1 ,beet1   
,celery1 ,asparagus1 ,rhubarb1 all the  
,cabbage tribe1 and leafy crops         
generally4  ,nitrate of soda supplies   
the single plant food-element1 nitrogen1
 and the soda for all practical purposes
 may be disregarded4 ,it dissolves very 
easily in water and is taken up         
immediately by growing plants1 its      
effect being plainly seen a few days    
after application4 ,as this artificial  
readily drains away from uncropped land 
it should only be administered to       
growing plants4 ,it is best applied in  
spring and summer and in small          

quantities2 for example1 at the rate of 
one pound per square rod1 repeated at   
intervals of two or three weeks1 rather 
than in a single large dose4 ,nitrate of
 soda must not be mixed with            
superphosphate1 but it may be added to  
basic slag and the potash manures4      
,sulphate of ammonia is another         
nitrogenous fertiliser1 similar in its  
effects to nitrate of soda1 but slower  
in action since its nitrogen must       
undergo a change into nitrate before it 
is available for plants4 ,it is held by 
the soil1 and can therefore be applied  
earlier in spring than nitrate of soda  
without fear of loss4 ,the continued use
 of this manure1 however1 is liable to  
make the soil sour1 and consequently it 
should only be employed on ground       
containing lime1 or to which lime has   
been added4 ,never mix sulphate of      
ammonia with basic slag or with lime1   
but it may be mixed with superphosphate 
and the potash manures4  ,phosphatic    
manures have the opposite effect to the 

nitrogenous fertilisers1 checking       
rampant growth and encouraging the early
 formation of flowers1 fruit1 and seeds4
 ,they are comparatively inexpensive and
 should be liberally applied to all     
soils for all crops4 ,superphosphate is 
an acid manure and best suited for use  
on soils containing lime4 ,basic slag is
 a better material for ground deficient 
in lime1 or where #8club-root' is       
prevalent4 ,it is less soluble and      
therefore slower in action than         
superphosphate4 ,both these fertilisers 
should be dug into the soil some time   
before the crop is planted or seed      
sown--superphosphate at the rate of two 
to three pounds per square rod2 basic   
slag in larger amount1 five to six      
pounds per square rod4 ,superphosphate  
may also be employed as a top-dressing  
and worked into the surface around      
growing plants with the hoe4 ,steamed   
bone meal or flour is another useful    
phosphatic fertiliser1 valuable on the  
lighter classes of soil4  ,potash       

manures are of benefit to plants in all 
stages of growth4 ,they are particularly
 valuable to ,potatoes1 leguminous      
crops1 ,carrots1 ,parsnips1 ,turnips1   
and ,beet4 ,like the phosphatic manures 
they should be worked into the soil     
before seeds are sown or plants are put 
out4 ,kainit is best applied in autumn1 
for it contains a considerable amount of
 common salt and magnesium compounds    
which are sometimes deleterious and best
 washed away in the drainage water      
during winter4 ,it should be dug in at  
the rate of about three pounds per      
square rod4 ,sulphate of potash is three
 or four times as rich in potash as     
kainit1 and is correspondingly more     
expensive2 apply in spring and summer1 a
 little in advance of sowing or         
planting1 at the rate of about one pound
 per square rod4  ,lime4--- ,a word or  
two must be said about lime1 which is a 
natural constituent of all soils4 ,in   
many instances there is sufficient for  
the needs of most plants1 but where lime

 is deficient in quantity it must be    
added before healthy crops can be       
raised4 ,old gardens to which dung has  
been freely applied annually require a  
liberal dressing of lime every few      
years1 or the ground becomes sour and   
incapable of growing good crops of any  
kind4 ,to insure the proper action of   
whatever manures are used and to secure 
healthy crops1 an application of slaked 
quicklime1 at the rate of fourteen to   
twenty pounds per square rod1 is        
strongly recommended4 ,as a remedy      
against #8clubbing' or #8finger-and-toe'
 disease of the ,cabbage tribe of plants
 it is indispensable2 it also           
neutralises the baneful acidity of the  
land1 and opens up stiff soils1 making  
them more easily tilled1 more readily   
penetrated by the air1 and warmer by the
 better drainage of water through them4 
,the following suggestions for the      
manuring of the different crops         
mentioned will be found effective4 ,it  
is1 however1 not intended that they     

should be slavishly followed1 for useful
 substitutions may be made in the formul
 given1 if the nature of the various    
fertilisers is understood and an        
intelligent grasp is obtained of the    
principles of manuring enunciated in    
this and the preceding chapter4  ,in    
place of nitrate of soda1 a similar     
quantity of sulphate of ammonia may be  
used4  ,instead of superphosphate1 the  
following may be advantageously         
employed3 phosphatic guano1 or mixtures 
of basic slag and superphosphate1 or    
bone meal and superphosphate2 or basic  
slag may be applied alone on land       
deficient in lime4  ,four pounds of     
kainit may also take the place of one   
pound of sulphate of potash in the      
suggested mixtures mentioned below4     
,where dung is recommended1 twenty to   
twenty-five loads per acre is meant2    
larger quantities are frequently        
applied1 but these are uneconomical and 
much less efficient than more moderate  
amounts supplemented with artificial    

fertilisers4  ,all the manures should be
 worked into the soil before sowing or  
planting out1 except the nitrate of     
soda1 which is best applied separately  
to the growing plants1 preferably in    
small doses at intervals of two to four 
weeks4  ,in all cases the quantities of 
artificials named are intended for use  
on one square rod or pole of ground4    
,,peas ,,and ,,beans4--,these leguminous
 plants are able to obtain all the      
nitrogen they need from the air4 ,they  
should1 however1 be amply supplied with 
potash and phosphates1 a good dressing  
being3--  #b-c_/d to #c-a_/b lb4        
superphosphate #c_/d lb4 sulphate of    
potash  ,,dwarf ,,beans are sometimes   
benefited by the addition of #a_/b-lb4  
to #a lb4 of nitrate of soda4           
,,asparagus4  ,a dressing of dung #b lb4
 nitrate of soda #c-a_/b to #d lb4      
superphosphate #c lb kainit  ,the kainit
 contains a considerable amount of salt1
 which is of value to this crop4        
,,beet4--,for a fine crop a moderate    

amount of well-decayed dung applied in  
autumn is almost essential1 as well as  
#c to #d lb4 of superphosphate per      
square rod in spring4 ,on land          
previously dressed with dung for a      
former crop1 the following may be used1 
especially on the lighter class of      
soils3--  #a-a_/b lb4 nitrate of soda   
when the plants are well up1 and a      
similar amount a fortnight after        
singling #d to #e lb4 superphosphate #d 
lb4 kainit  ,,broccoli ,,and            
,,cauliflower4  ,with dung4 #b to #c lb4
 nitrate of soda #b to #c lb4           
superphosphate #c_/d lb4 sulphate of    
potash  ,without dung4 #d to #e lb4     
nitrate of soda #d to #e lb4            
superphosphate #c_/d lb4 sulphate of    
potash  ,,cabbage1 ,,kale1 ,,and        
,,brussels ,,sprouts4--,these ,brassicas
 require considerable quantities of     
nitrogen and phosphates4 ,for spring    
,cabbage planted in autumn1 land well   
dunged for the previous crop gives good 
results with the addition of the        

artificials mentioned below3 for the    
autumn crop1 dung should be applied     
before planting out in the early part of
 the year4  ,with dung4 #b to #c lb4    
nitrate of soda #d to #e lb4            
superphosphate #c_/d lb4 sulphate of    
potash  ,without dung4 #d lb4 nitrate of
 soda #e to #f lb4 superphosphat #c_/d  
lb4 sulphate of potash  ,,carrot ,,and  
,,parsnip4--,a good dressing of dung    
applied to the previous crop is a       
valuable preparation where ,carrots and 
,parsnips are to be grown4 ,in addition1
 one of the following mixtures should be
 used3--  7#a7 #c_/d lb4 nitrate of soda
 #c to #d lb4 superphosphate #c_/d lb4  
sulphate of potash  7#b7  #c_/d lb4     
nitrate of soda #b lb4 superphosphate #a
 to #b lb4 basic slag #c lb4 kainit     
,,celery requires the use of dung more  
than almost any other crop1 and it is   
little affected by artificial manures1  
except phosphates1 which may be given in
 the form of superphosphate at the rate 
of #b-a_/b to #c-a_/b lb per square rod4

  ,,lettuce4  ,with dung4 #c to #d lb4  
superphosphate #a_/b to #a lb4 nitrate  
of soda  ,without dung4 #c to #d lb4    
superphosphate #a to #a-a_/b lb4 nitrate
 of soda #a lb4 sulphate of potash      
,,onions never succeed without an ample 
supply of potash4 ,this crop should     
therefore have farmyard dung1 or the    
special potash fertilisers in adequate  
quantity4  ,with dung4 #c_/d lb4 nitrate
 of soda #d to #e lb4 superphosphate    
#c_/d lb4 sulphate of potash  ,without  
dung4 #a-a_/b to #b-a_/b lb4 nitrate of 
soda #e lb4 superphosphate #a lb4       
sulphate of potash  ,,leeks require the 
same fertilisers as ,onions1 but will   
need little or no nitrate if good dung  
is used4  ,,potato4--,for good yield1   
high quality1 and freedom from disease1 
,potatoes are dependent upon a good     
supply of potash4 ,they do best when    
supplied with a moderate amount of      
farmyard manure1 supplemented by        
suitable artificials1 but can be grown  
on some soils with artificials alone4   

,with dung4 #c_/d lb4 sulphate of       
ammonia #c lb4 superphosphate #c_/d lb4 
sulphate of potash  ,without dung4      
#a-a_/b lb4 sulphate of ammonia #c-a_/b 
lb4 superphosphate #a to #a-a_/b lb4    
sulphate of potash  ,instead of         
superphosphate1 a mixture of this       
fertiliser with an equal amount of bone 
meal or basic slag may be used1 and     
either #d lb4 of kainit and #a lb4 of   
muriate of potash instead of #a lb4 of  
sulphate of potash4  ,,rhubarb4--,an    
annual dressing of dung is beneficial1  
together with #f lb4 of basic slag1 #a  
lb4 of sulphate of potash1 and #d lb4 of
 nitrate of soda1 half the nitrate being
 applied when growth commences and the  
remainder a fortnight later4  ,,spinach4
  ,with dung4 #c to #d lb4              
superphosphate #b to #c lb4 nitrate of  
soda  ,without dung #d to #e lb4        
superphosphate #a lb4 sulphate of potash
 #c to #d lb4 nitrate of soda           
,,tomatoes need large supplies of potash
 and phosphates to induce stocky growth 

and abundance of flowers and fruit4     
,nitrogenous manures should be withheld 
until the flowering stage1 for they     
stimulate the production of rank        
succulent stems and leaves which are    
specially liable to attacks of fungus   
pests4 ,after the fruit is set the      
application of small doses of nitrate of
 soda1 or sulphate of ammonia1 as       
advised below1 greatly assists the      
swelling of the crop4 ,the following    
mixtures worked into the soil will be   
found beneficial for ,tomatoes3--  #e to
 #f lb4 superphosphate            #g to 
#h lb4 basic slag #a lb4 sulphate of    
potash  or  #a lb4 sulphate of potash   
,nitrate of soda1 or sulphate of        
ammonia1 at the rate of #a-a_/b to #b   
lb4 per square rod1 may be given with   
advantage as soon as the fruit is set4  
,,turnip ,,and ,,swede4--,for the       
development of fine roots a liberal     
supply of phosphates is essential4      
,with dung4 #a lb4 nitrate of soda #c to
 #d lb4 superphosphate #c_/d lb4        

sulphate of potash  ,without dung #b lb4
 nitrate of soda #d to #e lb4           
superphosphate #a lb4 sulphate of potash
     ,,the ,,culture ,,of ,,flowers     
,,from ,,seeds   ,whether the modern    
demand for flowers has created the      
supply1 or the supply has found an      
appreciative public1 we need not stay to
 discuss4 ,the fact remains that the    
last four or five decades have witnessed
 a phenomenal extension in the use of   
flowers by all classes of the community1
 for the decoration of the house no less
 than for beautifying the garden4       
,primarily1 this advance of refinement  
in the popular taste is traceable to the
 skill and enthusiastic devotion of the 
florists who have supported in all their
 integrity the true canons of floral    
perfection1 and whose labours will      
continue to be imperative for           
maintaining the standards of quality4   
,by their severe rules of criticism the 
florists further the ends of            
floriculture subjectively1 and by the   

actual results of their labours they    
render objective aid1 their finest      
flowers serving not only as types1 but  
as the actual stud for perpetuating each
 race4 ,hence the decline of            
floriculture would imply the            
deterioration of flowers1 and the       
prosperity of floriculture involves     
progress not only in those subjects     
which lie within the florists' domain1  
but of many others to which they have   
not devoted special attention4 ,yet the 
acknowledgment must be made that1       
brilliant as their triumphs have been1  
the methods they practised have in some 
instances entailed very severe          
penalties4 ,continuous propagation for  
many generations1 under artificial      
conditions1 so debilitated the          
constitution of ,hollyhocks1 ,verbenas1 
and some other subjects1 that the plants
 became victims of diseases which at one
 time threatened their existence4 ,to   
save them from annihilation it was      
necessary to desert the worn path of    

propagation1 and raise plants possessing
 the initial vigour of seedlings4 ,in   
stamina these seedlings proved eminently
 satisfactory1 although in other        
respects they were at first sadly       
disappointing4 ,it then became clear    
that before show flowers could be       
obtained from seedlings judgment and    
skill must be devoted to the art of     
saving seed4 ,this was necessarily a    
work of time1 demanding great patience  
and rare scientific knowledge4 ,the task
 was undertaken with enthusiasm in many 
directions1 and the results have more   
than justified this labour of love4     
,formerly1 the universal mode of        
perpetuating named ,hollyhocks was by   
the troublesome process of cuttings1 or 
by grafting buds on roots of seedlings  
in houses heated to tropical            
temperature4 ,in many places it was the 
custom to lift the old plants1 pot them1
 and keep them through the winter in    
pits4 ,all this was found requisite to  
insure fine flowers4 ,while the burden  

of the work was thus rendered heavy1 the
 constitution of the plant became       
enfeebled1 and at one time the fear was 
entertained that its extinction was at  
hand4 ,but the new system has preserved 
the ,hollyhock1 and at the same time    
afforded a striking example of the      
principle that seed saved scientifically
 is found to reproduce the varieties it 
was taken from4 ,seedling ,hollyhocks   
now give double flowers of the finest   
quality2 and the seedling plants are    
less liable to disease4 ,so with the    
,verbena4 ,from suitable seed plants can
 be raised that will produce the most   
resplendent flowers1 and instead of     
propagating a stock to keep over winter1
 to be stricken with mildew and cost no 
end of care1 only to become diseased at 
last1 a pinch of seed is sown in        
,january or ,february1 and soon there is
 a stock of healthy plants possessing   
the vigour peculiar to seedlings4       
,these1 being bedded out at a proper    
time1 flower far more freely than plants

 from cuttings1 and produce trusses     
twice the size4  ,to illustrate the     
change of method still further we may   
instance the ,cineraria4 ,formerly this 
was a troublesome plant to grow1 because
 it was considered necessary to         
propagate named varieties by divisions  
and suckers4 ,the restricted system was 
reflected in limited cultivation4 ,few  
were willing to venture on a task known 
to be hedged about with difficulties4   
,by degrees it was discovered that the  
finest ,cinerarias might be secured by  
simply sowing seed1 and giving the      
plants the usual cultivation of tender  
annuals4 ,this has brought the          
,cineraria within the reach of thousands
 who would not attempt to grow it under 
the old system1 and the consequent gain 
to society is immense4  ,what has been  
done with the ,cineraria has its        
parallel in quite a number of the most  
elegant decorative flowers4 ,brilliant  
results have been achieved with         
,begonias1 ,calceolarias1 ,cyclamens1   

,gloxinias1 ,primulas1 and ,schizanthus4
 ,it has also ceased to be needful to   
keep such large stocks of bedding and   
other plants through the winter1 for    
,ageratums1 ,lobelias1 and ,pansies have
 proved amenable to the new treatment1  
and very much of the accustomed labour  
in striking and potting cuttings1 as    
well as the expense of glass1 fuel1 and 
the frequent purchase of high-priced    
plants1 have been rendered unnecessary4 
,even among the flowers which are       
properly designated annuals1 new and    
delightful variations have been obtained
 from original types4 ,of these we have 
examples in ,aster1 ,godetia1 ,larkspur1
 ,mignonette1 ,phlox ,drummondii1       
,poppy1 ,stock1 ,sweet ,pea1 and many   
others4 ,in some instances the increase 
in the size of the flowers is           
remarkable1 and in others the           
development of new tints will surprise  
those who are not familiar with the     
labours of modern hybridisers4  ,thus a 
revolution has been accomplished in the 

economy and complexion of the ,english  
,flower ,garden1 a revolution which has 
reduced and simplified the gardener's   
labours1 augmented the number and       
enhanced the beauty of many flowers1    
effected a marked saving in the cost of 
garden pleasures1 and brought the       
culture of a large number of the most   
attractive subjects within the means of 
those who had neither the facilities nor
 the knowledge requisite for pursuing   
the florist's methods4 ,there appear to 
be no limits to further progress4 ,all  
that we can do is to experiment and     
gather knowledge1 and those who love    
gardening may assist in extending the   
area of this new and cheap system of    
producing some of the most elegant      
garden flowers in one season from seed  
alone4  ,the time and the method of     
sowing flower seeds must in each case be
 regulated by considerations as to their
 nature4 ,seeds of tender plants are    
usually sown in pots or pans and placed 
on a moderate hot-bed or in a           

propagating house early in spring1 and  
in this case the plants have greenhouse 
cultivation until the time arrives for  
hardening them off preparatory to final 
planting4 ,but seeds of many hardy      
flowers may be treated in the same way1 
when a long season of growth is         
necessary for their development4 ,thus  
,phloxes1 ,verbenas1 and ,hollyhocks1   
plants that differ immensely in habit   
and constitution1 may all be sown in    
,february1 and put side by side in the  
same warm pit or vinery1 or even in the 
warmest corner of any greenhouse1 and   
the very same treatment will suit them  
equally well4 ,the soil should be       
principally loam and sand1 with a little
 old thoroughly well-rotted manure from 
a hot-bed or compost heap2 and light1   
air1 and moisture must be regulated with
 a view to insure a free and vigorous   
growth from the first1 with the least   
possible amount of artificial heat4 ,in 
some cases1 however1 the sowing should  
be deferred to ,march or ,april1 and the

 result will be far more satisfactory   
than the growth made under the stimulus 
of artificial heat earlier in the       
season4 ,but in every case the plants   
must have sufficient time2 for although 
the rapid system has been developed1 the
 constitution of the plants remains     
unchanged1 and those which have         
heretofore been classed as biennials and
 perennials need a long season when     
treated as annuals4  ,a considerable    
proportion of the finest flowers may be 
raised from seed by the aid of a frame  
and a little careful management4 ,we    
will take as an example a very          
restricted garden4 ,here is a small     
frame and some packets of seed1 and the 
month of ,february or ,march has        
arrived4 ,the pans and pots are made    
ready with sweet sandy compost1 and the 
seeds are sown and labelled1 and the    
pans and pots are packed together in the
 frame on a bed of clean coal ashes1 or 
some slates1 or tiles1 or bricks laid on
 the soil1 to promote warmth and        

cleanliness and to prevent the intrusion
 of worms among the seeds4 ,by simple   
management almost as quick a growth of  
seeds can be insured in this frame as   
with the aid of a hot-bed1 and the      
secret consists in careful storage of   
the heat of the sun4 ,lay over the      
seed-pans sheets of glass to prevent    
evaporation1 and let the sun shine full 
upon them4 ,be careful as to moisture3  
they must never be wet1 never dry1 and  
the water must not be slopped about     
carelessly4 ,it is a good rule to       
immerse the pots or pans in a vessel    
containing soft water1 slightly tepid4  
,when the seedlings begin to appear1    
give a little air and lay sheets of     
paper tenderly over them during the hour
 or two at midday when the sun may be   
shining brightly4 ,but keep them from   
the first as #8hard' as possible with   
plenty of light and air1 always taking  
care that they are neither roasted1 nor 
blown away by the cruel east wind1 nor  
nipped at night by a killing frost4 ,a  

few old mats or light loppings of trees 
laid over the frame from sundown to     
sunrise will be sufficient protection at
 those trying times2 and when spring    
frosts are making havoc with the tender 
sprouting leaf and bloom in every part  
of the garden those little things will  
be safe under their glass cover1 and    
slight experience will show that a      
common frame may become a miniature     
hot-house in the hands of one who has   
learned to make failure the             
stepping-stone to success4 ,we must not 
omit to mention that the owner of such a
 garden1 or1 indeed1 of any garden1 will
 be prudent to take advantage of the    
first fine weather to sow in the open   
ground whatever flower or vegetable     
seeds should be sown at that season4    
,the frame garden can be reserved1 if   
needful1 for wet weather1 because it is 
of the utmost importance to sow a good  
breadth of seeds in the open ground as  
early as possible in the month of       
,march4  ,turning from this small       

example to the great garden1 it will be 
obvious that to those who always have   
heavy work on hand the advantages of    
this transference1 of labour from the   
old system to the new are immense4 ,both
 to employers and gardeners the         
advantages are of importance2 the       
propagation of bedders by cuttings1 and 
of florists' flowers by suckers and     
divisions and layers and pipings1 will  
not1 of course1 be completely abolished2
 but for all ordinary purposes the ends 
in view may be accomplished more simply1
 more expeditiously1 and more cheaply   
than heretofore4 ,the pits hitherto     
appropriated to bedders1 and the like1  
may to a great extent be liberated1 and 
there will be no difficulty in finding  
for them more profitable occupants4     
,while ,mushrooms and early ,potatoes   
and winter salads are in request1 it    
will be a gain to many a garden to have 
reduced the summer display of flowers to
 a simple system of seed-sowing1 at an  
expense that may be described as merely 

nominal4  ,before dealing specifically  
with certain flowers1 it may be         
advisable to say a few words generally  
concerning the culture of               
,annuals--,hardy1 ,half-hardy1 and      
,tender--and also on hardy ,biennials   
and ,perennials4  ,annuals4--,although  
the most popular kinds of annuals are   
largely employed in the embellishment of
 flower gardens1 they are adapted for   
many uses to which they may with        
advantage be more frequently applied4 ,a
 few misconceptions prevail as to the   
relative merits of this class of plants4
 ,by some they are regarded as #8weedy' 
and #8short-lived4' ,their very         
cheapness1 and the relatively small     
amount of skill required in their       
cultivation1 tend in some degree to     
detract from their value in public      
estimation4 ,we will not be so rash as  
to say that a more extended use of      
annuals would render unnecessary the    
cultivation of what are especially known
 as #8bedding plants'2 but there is     

something to be said on behalf of       
annuals that may be worth the           
consideration of all who are interested 
in the development of freshness1        
variety1 and richness of colour in the  
flower garden4 ,in the first place1     
these plants come into flower within a  
comparatively short period of time from 
the sowing of the seed1 and it is a     
matter of considerable importance that a
 large proportion of the best continue  
beautiful until the very close of the   
season4 ,sometimes in the autumn        
,geraniums become literally washed out1 
while ,tom ,thumb ,nasturtiums may be   
ablaze with colour1 and continue so when
 the ,geraniums are housed for the      
winter4 ,a large number of showy and    
long-lasting annuals are adapted for    
employment in bedding1 and by a little  
management those that do not last the   
season out may be replaced by others for
 succession2 thus affording the         
advantage of increased variety1 and     
making no demand for glass and fuel to  

keep them through the winter as do the  
ordinary bedders4 ,we have had great and
 glorious sheets of ,candytufts1        
snow-white1 rich crimson1 and bright    
carmine2 and when they began to wane    
they were removed1 and the ground       
planted with ,asters1 and very soon     
there was another display1 so fresh and 
bright and various that no greenhouse   
bedders could surpass them4 ,great      
hungry banks1 that would have swallowed 
many pounds' worth of greenhouse plants 
to cover them1 have been made           
delightfully gay at a very trifling cost
 by sowing upon them ,tropolums1 ,tom   
,thumb ,nasturtiums1 ,bartonia aurea1   
the dwarf varieties of ,lupinus1        
,virginian ,stock1 ,collinsia bicolor1  
,convolvuluses1 ,candytufts1            
,eschscholtzias1 ,poppies1 and          
,clarkias2 and damp1 half-shady borders 
have been delicately tessellated by     
means of ,forget-me-nots1 ,venus'       
,looking-glass1 ,pansies1 the ,rosy     
,oxalis1 ,nemophilas1 ,godetias1        

,silenes1 ,coreopsis1 and ,scabious4    
,for the more important positions in the
 flower garden we have choice of many   
really sumptuous subjects1 such as      
,stocks1 ,asters1 ,balsams1 ,drummond's 
,phlox1 ,lobelias1 the lovely new       
varieties of ,antirrhinums1 ,dianthus1  
,portulacas1 ,zinnias1 tall             
,stock-flowered ,larkspurs1 ,nemesias1  
and many other flowers equally beautiful
 and lasting4 ,we do not hope by these  
brief remarks to change the prevailing  
fashion--indeed1 we have no particular  
wish that way--but we feel bound to     
observe that it is sufficient for the   
beauty of the garden that the greenhouse
 bedders should be confined to the      
parterre proper4 ,it is waste of space  
and opportunity to place them in the    
borders everywhere1 as is too commonly  
done4 ,in sunny borders1 annual and     
perennial herbaceous plants are far more
 appropriate4  ,some time since1 while  
walking over a large garden1 we left the
 rich colouring of the geometric beds to

 discover what should make the wondrous 
glow of crimson on a border far away2   
and to our surprise it proved to be a   
clump of the ,indian ,pink1 which had   
been sown as an annual with other       
annuals1 and was there shining in the   
midst of a constellation of the         
loveliest flowers of all forms and hues1
 the result simply of sowing a few      
packets of seed4 ,no one can despise the
 ,wallflower in the spring1 and the     
heavenly-blue flowers of ,nemophila     
insignis in early summer will tempt many
 a one to walk in the garden who would  
care little for sheets of scarlet and   
yellow that in full sunshine make the   
eyes ache to look upon them4 ,it must be
 remembered1 too1 that among annuals are
 found many most richly-scented flowers2
 others1 like the everlastings and the  
grasses1 are valuable to dry for winter 
use for employment in bouquets1 and     
garlands in ,christmas decorations2 and 
the ,sweet ,peas1 and ,tropolum         
canariense1 and climbing ,convolvulus   

may be employed to cover arbours and    
trellises with the best effect possible1
 and may even be allowed to hang in     
festoons about the sunny parts of       
rockeries1 or trail over the ground to  
make genuine bedding effects4 ,another  
important matter must have mention here1
 and we commend it to the consideration 
of gardeners who are severely taxed to  
secure extensive displays of flowers    
during the summer season4 ,it is that a 
number of plants of highly ornamental   
character1 usually treated as           
perennials1 are really more effective1  
besides occasioning less labour to      
produce them1 when cultivated as        
annuals4 ,the ,dianthus and its several 
splendid varieties do better as annuals 
than biennials4 ,for all the ordinary   
purposes of display1 ,lobelias may be as
 well grown from seed as from cuttings1 
and in every garden will be found proof 
of the small amount of care they        
require2 for we find stray1 self-sown   
plants in pots of ,geraniums and other  

places1 and these1 if left alone1 become
 perfect bushes1 and are a mass of      
flowers all the summer4 ,many annuals   
commonly reputed to be tender and       
usually raised in heat do very well     
indeed on a more rough and ready method4
 ,in proof of this1 sow ,perilla        
nankinensis in the first week of ,may   
where it is required1 and in the month  
of ,july you will probably be convinced 
that ,perilla does not always need      
careful nursing in heated houses through
 the spring4 ,even the really tender    
,castor-oil ,plant will thrive if sown  
in the open ground the first week in    
,may4 ,having no check1 as plants put   
out from pots must have1 the growth will
 be regular and sturdy1 and attain      
magnificent dimensions4  ,perhaps the   
most effective way of growing annuals is
 to arrange them in harmonious blendings
 or contrasts of colour4 ,the wide      
choice of varieties available admits of 
an almost endless number of             
combinations1 and the following tables1 

classified according to colour1 will no 
doubt afford some serviceable           
suggestions1 although these by no means 
exhaust the list4 ,the height is        
indicated in feet and ,climbers as      
#8,cl4'  ,,white1 ,,and ,,cream         
,,shades4  ,,tall4                      
,chrysanthemum     coronarium1          
,princess ,may     #c ,chrysanthemum    
coronarium1     ,double white     #c    
,cornflower1     ,white          #c     
,helichrysum1     ,silver ,globe        
#c ,larkspur1     ,stock-flowered1      
,white     #c ,lavatera     alba        
splendens     #c ,poppy1     ,giant     
,double1     ,white     #c ,poppy       
,giant ,single1     ,white     #c       
,scabious1     ,snowball          #c    
,chrysanthemum     carinatum     album  
#b-a_/b ,chrysanthemum     ,dunnetti1   
,double white     #b-a_/b ,nasturtium1  
,tall1     ,pearl     ,cl4 ,,medium4    
,clarkia     elegans1     ,snowball     
#b ,lupinus     ,hartwegii1     ,white  
#b ,malope1     ,white          #b      

,poppy1     ,white ,swan          #b    
,shirley1     ,double ,white          #b
 ,calendula     pluvialis               
#a-a_/b ,chrysanthemum     inodorum     
plenissimum ,clarkia1     ,double ,white
          #a-a_/b ,gilia     nivalis    
#a-a_/b ,gypsophila     elegans         
#a-a_/b ,hawkweed1     ,white           
#a-a_/b ,hawkweed     ,silver           
#a-a_/b ,jacobea1     ,double1          
,white     #a-a_/b ,sweet ,sultan1      
,giant     ,white     #a-a_/b           
,chrysanthemum     coronarium1 ,dwarf   
double     white     #a-a_/d ,,dwarf4   
,acroclinium1     ,single ,white        
#a ,candytuft1     ,improved     ,white 
,spiral     #a ,clarkia1     ,dwarf     
white          #a ,clarkia     ,double  
dwarf white     #a ,convolvulus         
minor1     ,white     #a ,eschscholtzia 
crocea     alba     #a ,godetia1        
,duchess     of ,albany     #a ,layia   
elegans     alba     #a ,linaria1       
,snow-white          #a ,nasturtium1    
,dwarf1     ,pearl     #a ,platystemon  

californicus          #a ,viscaria1     
,pure ,white          #a ,alyssum1      
,sweet          #c_/d ,chrysanthemum    
inodorum     plenis-simum1 ,bridal ,robe
               #c_/d ,collinsia         
candidissima          #c_/d ,godetia1   
,dwarf ,white          #c_/d ,swan      
,river     ,daisy1     ,white     #c_/d 
,swan ,river     ,daisy     ,star ,white
     #c_/d ,venus'     ,looking-glass1  
,white     #c_/d ,venus'     ,navel-wort
          #c_/d ,virginian ,stock1      
,white          #c_/d ,candytuft1       
,little ,prince          #a_/b          
,nemophila     insignis     alba        
#a_/b ,alyssum     minimum              
#a_/c ,silene1     ,dwarf ,white        
#a_/c ,,yellow ,,and ,,orange ,,shades  
,,tall4                ,sunflower1      
,giant ,yellow          #aj ,sunflower  
,primrose     ,perfection     #f        
,sunflower     ,miniature          #d   
,sunflower     ,stella          #d      
,sunflower     ,primrose ,stella        
#d ,chrysanthemum     coronarium1       

,chrysanthemum     ,double yellow       
#c ,chrysanthemum1     ,golden ,queen   
#c ,coreopsis     tinctoria          #c 
,helichrysum1     ,golden ,globe        
#c ,sunflower1     ,dwarf ,double       
#c ,sunflower     ,single ,dwarf        
#c ,chrysanthemum     ,dunnettii1       
,chrysanthemum     ,double ,golden      
#b-a_/b ,marigold1     ,african         
#b-a_/b ,nasturtium1     ,ivy-leaved    
,golden ,gem     ,cl4 ,nasturtium1      
,tall1     ,yellow     ,cl4 ,,medium4   
,hibiscus     africanus     major     #b
 ,bartonia     aurea          #a-a_/b   
,chrysanthemum1     ,star     varieties 
#a-a_/b ,coreopsis     ,drummondii      
#a-a_/b ,coreopsis     coronata         
#a-a_/b ,erysimum1     ,orange ,gem     
#a-a_/b ,hawkweed1     ,yellow          
#a-a_/b ,leptosyne     ,stillmani       
#a-a_/b ,lupinus     ,menziesii         
#a-a_/b ,sweet ,sultan1     ,yellow     
#a-a_/b ,,dwarf4                        
,calendula1     ,orange ,king           
#a ,calendula     ,lemon ,queen         

#a ,cheiranthus     ,allionii           
#a ,chrysanthemum     coronarium1       
,chrysanthemum     coronarium1          
,dwarf double yellow     #a             
,dimorphotheca     aurantiaca           
#a ,eschscholtzia     californica       
#a ,escholtzia1     crocea          #a  
,escholtzia1     crocea     fl4 pl4     
#a ,eschscholtzia1     ,mikado          
#c_/d ,layia     elegans          #a    
,lupinus1     ,dwarf yellow          #a 
,nasturtium1     ,dwarf1     ,cloth of  
,gold     #a ,nasturtium1     ,dwarf1   
,yellow     #a ,tagetes     signata     
pumila     #a ,tagetes     ,mandarin    
#c_/d ,linaria1     ,golden ,gem        
#c_/d ,marigold1     ,miniature         
orange     #c_/d ,marigold              
,miniature     orange     #c_/d         
,eschscholtzia1     ,miniature ,primrose
          #a_/b ,limnanthes             
,douglasii          #a_/b ,sanvitalia   
procumbens1     ,single     #a_/b       
,sanvitalia     ,double          #a_/b  
,leptosiphon     aureus          #a_/d  

,,blue1 ,,mauve1 ,,and ,,purple         
,,shades4  ,,tall4                      
,cornflower1     ,blue          #c      
,larkspur1     ,stock-flowered1         
,blue     #c ,larkspur1                 
,stock-flowered1     ,pale ,mauve     #c
 ,lupinus1     ,tall dark blue          
#c ,poppy1     ,giant ,double1 ,mauve   
#c ,scabious1     ,mauve          #c    
,,medium4                ,godetia1      
,double ,mauve          #b ,lupinus     
,hartwegii1     ,azure ,blue     #b     
,poppy1     ,mauve ,queen          #b   
,sweet ,sultan1     ,purple          #b 
,xeranthemum     superbissimum          
#b ,xeranthemum     imperiale           
#b ,anchusa1     ,annual ,blue          
#a-a_/b ,gilia     capitata             
#a-a_/b ,gilia     tricolour            
#a-a_/b ,jacobea1     ,double1 ,purple  
#a-a_/b ,nigella1     ,miss ,jekyll     
#a-a_/b ,phacelia     tanacetifolia     
#a-a_/b ,salvia1     ,blue ,beard       
#a-a_/b ,sweet ,sultan1     ,giant      
,delicate ,mauve          #a-a_/b ,sweet

 ,sultan1     ,giant ,mauve             
#a-a_/b ,,dwarf4                        
,asperula     azurea     setosa     #a  
,candytuft1     ,lilac          #a      
,convolvulus     minor1     ,dark blue  
#a ,convolvulus          ,sky-blue      
#a ,cornflower1     ,king of     ,blue  
,bottles     #a ,eutoca     viscida     
#a ,linaria1     ,mauve          #a     
,lupinus1     ,dwarf     rich blue      
#a ,mathiola     bicornis          #a   
,phacelia     congesta          #a      
,viscaria1     ,bright ,blue          #a
 ,whitlavia     gloxinioides          #a
 ,cornflower1     ,victoria1     ,dwarf 
blue     #c_/d ,leptosiphon             
androsaceus          #c_/d ,nigella1    
,double dwarf          #c_/d ,phacelia  
campanularia          #c_/d ,swan       
,river ,daisy1     ,blue     #c_/d ,swan
     ,river ,daisy1     ,star ,blue     
#c_/d ,campanula     attica             
#a_/b ,nemophila     insignis           
#a_/b ,,pink ,,and ,,rose ,,shades      
,,tall4                ,cornflower1     

,pink          #c ,larkspur1            
,stock-flowered1     ,rosy ,scarlet     
#c ,lavatera     rosea     splendens    
#c ,lupinus     mutabilis1     ,cream   
and ,pink     #c ,poppy1     ,giant     
,double1     ,chamois-rose     #c       
,scabious1     ,pink          #c        
,nasturtium1     ,salmon ,queen         
,cl4 ,nasturtium1     ,rosy ,queen      
,cl4 ,,medium4                ,clarkia  
elegans1     ,double ,salmon          #b
 ,clarkia elegans1     ,double ,delicate
 ,pink          #b ,godetia1     ,double
 ,rose          #b ,jacobea1            
,single1     ,bright ,rose     #b       
,poppy1     ,pink ,gem          #b      
,poppy1     ,cardinal1     ,salmon-pink 
#b ,poppy1     ,shirley1     ,single    
,rose-pink     #b ,poppy1     ,shirley1 
,double ,pink     #b ,saponaria         
,vaccaria1     ,pink     #b ,clarkia1   
,double ,rose          #a-a_/b          
,hawkweed1     ,pink          #a-a_/b   
,jacobea1     ,double1     ,rose        
#a-a_/b ,silene ,armeria1     ,rose     

#a-a_/b ,statice     ,suworowi          
#a-a_/d ,,dwarf4                        
,acroclinium1     ,double rose          
#a ,acrolinium1     ,single rose        
#a ,convolvulus minor1     ,pink        
#a ,eschscholtzia1     ,frilled ,pink   
#a ,escholtzia1     ,rosy ,queen        
#a ,escholtzia1     ,rose cardinal      
#a ,gypsophila elegans1     ,delicate   
pink          #a ,lupinus1     ,dwarf   
delicate pink     #a ,nasturtium1       
,dwarf1     ,salmon ,pink     #a        
,nasturtium1     ,dwarf1     cruleum    
roseum     #a ,silene1     ,double      
,salmon ,pink     #a ,silene1           
,double     ,delicate ,pink     #a      
,silene1     ,bonetti          #a       
,silene1     ,pseudo-,atocion           
#a ,statice     spicata          #a     
,viscaria1     ,delicate ,pink          
#a ,cornflower1     ,victoria1          
,dwarf rose     #c_/d ,godetia1         
,dwarf ,pink          #c_/d ,godetia1   
,satin-rose          #c_/d ,abronia     
umbellata          #a_/b ,candytuft1    

,dwarf ,pink          #a_/b ,saponaria  
calabrica          #a_/b ,silene1       
,double ,dwarf     ,delicate ,pink      
#a_/c ,silene1     ,double ,dwarf       
,brilliant ,rose     #a_/c ,silene1     
,bonetti1     ,dwarf ,pink     #a_/c    
,leptosiphon     roseus          #a_/d  
,,crimson ,,and ,,scarlet ,,shades1     
including ,carmine and ,ruby4 ,,tall4   
,coreopsis     atrosanguinea          #c
 ,helichrysum1     ,fireball          #c
 ,poppy1     ,giant ,double1            
,scarlet     #c ,polygonum1     ,ruby   
,gem          #b-a_/b ,malope1     ,red 
#b ,nasturtium1     ,tall1     ,improved
 ,lucifer     ,cl4 ,nasturtium1         
,tall1     ,black ,prince     ,cl4      
,,medium4                ,chrysanthemum 
atrococcineum          #b ,clarkia      
elegans1     ,salmon scarlet          #b
 ,clarkia elegans1     ,firefly         
#b ,godetia1     ,double ,crimson       
#b ,poppy1     ,cardinal          #b    
,cacalia     coccinea          #a-a_/b  
,coreopsis     cardaminigolia     ,dwarf

     #a-a_/b ,,dwarf4                   
,candytuft1     ,improved ,carmine      
#a ,candytuft1     ,dark crimson        
#a ,centranthus     macrosiphon         
#a ,godetia1     ,crimson ,king         
#a ,godetia1     ,scarlet ,queen        
#a ,godetia1     ,lady ,albemarle       
#a ,linum     grandifiorum     rubrum   
#a ,nasturtium1     ,dwarf1     ,scarlet
 ,queen     #a ,nasturtium1     ,dwarf1 
,king ,theodore     #a ,naturtium1      
,king of     ,tom ,thumbs     #a        
,viscaria     cardinalis          #a    
,collomia     coccinea          #c_/d   
,coreopsis1     ,dwarf ,crimson         
#c_/d ,eschscholtzia1     ,ruby ,king   
#c_/d ,godetia1     ,afterglow          
#c_/d ,godetia1     ,lady ,albemarle1   
dwarf     #c_/d ,saponaria1     ,scarlet
 ,queen          #a_/b ,virginian       
,stock1     ,crimson ,king              
#a_/b ,viscaria1     ,dwarf ,carmine    
#a_/b  ,yet one other method of growing 
annuals calls for special mention4 ,it  
is not fully recognised that a number of

 subjects1 usually associated only with 
beds and borders1 may also be flowered  
with the greatest ease under glass in   
winter and early spring4 ,those who have
 not hitherto attempted the culture of  
annuals in this way will be delighted   
with the charming effects produced4     
,among the subjects most suitable for   
the purpose are ,alonsoa2 the ,star and 
,dunnettii varieties of ,annual         
,chrysanthemum2 ,clarkia elegans2       
,dimorphotheca2 ,gypsophila elegans2    
,linaria2 ,nemesia ,suttoni2 ,nicotiana1
 ,miniature ,white and ,n4 affinis2     
,phlox1 ,purity1 one of the most lovely 
pot plants for the conservatory and of  
especial value for decorative work at   
,easter2 ,salpiglossis2 and the pretty  
blue1 ,cineraria-like1 ,swan ,river     
,daisy4 ,from the fact that these       
annuals are of the hardy or half-hardy  
types it will be readily understood that
 no great amount of heat is required to 
bring them to maturity2 indeed1 the more
 hardy the treatment the better for     

their well-doing4 ,seed should be sown  
during ,august or ,september in pots or 
pans placed in a cool frame1 the        
seedlings being pricked off into other  
pots as soon as they have attained a    
suitable size4 ,as colder weather       
approaches1 transfer to the greenhouse  
or conservatory1 and provided the night 
temperature is not allowed to fall below
 #de all should be well4 ,during the day
 give the plants the maximum of air     
whenever weather permits4  ,hardy       
,annuals4--,the seeds should be sown on 
a carefully prepared surface from which 
large stones have been removed1 and the 
clods must be broken1 but the soil      
should not be made so smooth as to      
become pasty under rain4 ,sow thinly1 in
 rows spaced to agree with the height of
 the plant1 cover with a very slight    
coat of fine dry earth--the smallest    
seeds needing but a mere dusting to     
cover them--and1 from the first1 keep   
the plants thinned sufficiently to      
prevent overcrowding4 ,spring-sown      

annuals are worthy of a better soil than
 they usually have allotted them1 and   
also of more careful treatment4 ,it is  
not wise to sow earlier than ,march or  
later than the middle of ,april4 ,in the
 after-culture the most important matter
 is to keep the clumps well thinned4    
,not only will the bloom of crowded     
plants be comparatively poor and brief1 
but by early and bold thinning the      
plants will become so robust1 and cover 
such large spaces of ground with their  
ample leafage and well-developed        
flowers1 as really to astonish people   
who think they know all about annuals1  
and who may have ventured after much    
ill-treatment to designate them         
#8fugacious and weedy4' ,although the   
sowing of hardy annuals direct on to    
beds and borders where the plants are   
wanted is economical in labour and      
avoids the check which transplanting    
occasions1 the practice of raising      
annuals on specially prepared seed-beds 
and pricking out the plants to blooming 

quarters is sometimes followed4 ,the    
soil into which they are transferred for
 flowering should be deeply dug1        
thoroughly broken up1 and1 if at all    
poor1 liberally manured4 ,it is an      
excellent plan also to sow hardy annuals
 outdoors in autumn1 but it is needless 
to say more on this subject here1 as it 
is dealt with fully at page #cac4       
,half-hardy ,annuals4--,give these as   
long a period of growth as possible to  
insure a vigorous plant before the      
season of flowering4 ,the best time for 
sowing is ,february1 or the beginning of
 ,march2 for although some kinds may    
with advantage be sown earlier1 it is   
safer1 as a rule1 to wait for sunshine  
and full daylight1 so as to keep up a   
steady and continuous growth4 ,the soil 
for the seed-pans should be rich and    
fine4 ,good loam1 improved by the       
addition of thoroughly decayed manure   
and leaf-mould1 with sufficient sand to 
render the texture porous1 will suit all
 kinds of annuals that are sown in pans 

under glass4 ,sow the seed thinly1 cover
 very slightly1 and lay squares of glass
 over to keep a uniform degree of       
moisture without the necessity of       
watering4 ,should watering become       
necessary1 take care to avoid washing   
the seeds out4 ,if the pans or pots are 
stood in a vessel containing several    
inches depth of water until sufficient  
has been absorbed1 there will be no     
occasion to pour water on the surface4  
,a gentle heat is to be preferred2 when 
germination is too rapid it tends to the
 production of weak plants4 ,as soon as 
the young plants appear1 remove the     
glasses and place the seed-pans in the  
fullest light1 where air can be given   
without danger to them4 ,a dry east wind
 blowing fiercely over them will prove a
 blast of death4 ,if they have no air at
 all1 they will be puny1 rickety things1
 scarcely worth planting out4 ,choice   
varieties should be carefully pricked   
out into pans and pots as soon as large 
enough2 this will promote a fine1 stocky

 growth and a splendid development of   
flowers4 ,take care not to plant out    
until the weather is favourable1 for any
 great check will undo all your work1   
and make starvelings of your nurslings4 
,if you cannot command heat for         
half-hardy annuals1 sow in the first    
week in ,april1 put the pans in a frame 
facing south1 and the seeds will soon   
grow and do well4 ,if that is too much  
trouble1 sow in the open border early in
 ,may1 making the border rich and       
friable1 that they may have a good      
chance from the first4  ,tender         
,annuals4--,these require the same      
general treatment as advised for        
half-hardy annuals4 ,but it is desirable
 to sow in a stronger heat than is      
necessary for annuals that are to be    
planted out4 ,it is also requisite to be
 in good time in pricking out the       
seedlings1 for if they get much drawn   
they cannot make robust pot plants4 ,a  
light1 rich1 perfectly sweet soil1      
containing a fair proportion of sharp   

sand1 is necessary to insure plants     
worth having4 ,it is also important to  
get them into separate small pots as    
soon as possible1 and to shift them on  
to larger and larger pots1 until they   
have sufficient pot room for flowering1 
after which shift no more4 ,as soon as  
these pots are filled with roots1 give  
very weak manure water constantly until 
the plants are in flower1 and then      
discontinue it1 using instead pure soft 
water only4  ,hardy ,biennials and      
,perennials4--,these are often sown in  
pans or boxes1 and are pricked off when 
large enough into other pans or pots    
before they are transferred to beds or  
borders4 ,the system has certain        
advantages in insuring safety from      
vermin and proper attention1 for it is  
an unfortunate fact that too many       
cultivators consider it needless to thin
 or transplant sowings made in beds or  
borders4 ,the plants are frequently     
allowed to struggle for existence1 and  
the result is feeble attenuated         

specimens which1 with trifling care and 
attention1 might have become robust and 
capable of producing a bountiful bloom  
in their season4 ,still1 it should be   
clearly understood that all the hardy   
biennials and perennials may be grown to
 perfection by sowing on a suitable     
seed-bed in the open ground1 protecting 
the spot from marauders of all kinds1   
and by early and fearless thinning or   
transplanting4 ,as a rule1 we advocate  
one shift before placing the plants in  
final positions4  ,,abutilon            
,half-hardy greenhouse perennial        
,handsome plants1 two feet or more in   
height1 can be produced from seed and   
flowered in a single season4 ,they are  
useful for training to greenhouse walls1
 and they may also be transferred to    
open borders for the summer4 ,when      
employed for the latter purpose1 the    
plants should be lifted and put into    
pots about the end of ,august1 after    
there has been a penetrating shower4 ,in
 the absence of rain a soaking of water 

on the previous day will prevent the    
soil from falling away from the roots4  
,february and ,march are the right      
months for sowing seed1 and for the pots
 any fairly light compost will answer4  
,prick off the seedlings when about an  
inch high1 putting the plants in down to
 the seed-leaves4 ,they must never be   
allowed to suffer for want of water1 nor
 should they be starved in small pots4  
,the growth had better not be hurried at
 any stage2 the plants will then develop
 into shapely specimens with very little
 care4  ,,achimenes  ,greenhouse or     
stove perennials  ,although ,achimenes  
can be propagated by division of the    
tubers1 the simpler method of raising a 
supply from seed has become a common    
practice4 ,during ,march or ,april sow  
in pots or pans1 and while quite small  
transfer the seedlings to separate pots4
 ,it is important to insure free        
drainage1 especially as frequent        
watering is a necessity while the plants
 are in active growth4 ,achimenes are   

generally kept in a high temperature2   
but they do not really need so much heat
 as ,gloxinias1 and in a warm greenhouse
 they can be flowered without the least 
difficulty4 ,this is one of the finest  
subjects for growing in hanging-baskets4
  ,,alonsoa  ,these popular half-hardy  
flowers are not only valuable for a     
summer display in borders1 but they make
 charming subjects for the conservatory 
in the spring months4 ,for blooming     
outdoors seed may be sown in pans in    
,march and the plants treated in the    
manner usual for half-hardy annuals1 or 
a sowing can be made in the open towards
 the end of ,april4 ,plants for         
flowering indoors in ,april and ,may    
should be raised from seed sown in the  
preceding ,august and ,september4 ,grow 
on the seedlings steadily in pots1 but  
do not force them in any way4 ,in fact1 
the treatment should be as nearly hardy 
as possible1 a night temperature of #de 
being generally sufficient to carry them
 through the winter4  ,,amaryllis       

,hippeastrum  ,the majority of the named
 varieties are expensive1 and a very    
considerable saving is effected by      
raising plants from seed4 ,thanks to the
 skill of the hybridiser1 the seedlings 
not only compare favourably with flowers
 grown from costly bulbs1 but they have 
been successful in winning certificates 
and awards of merit4  ,the germination  
is so irregular that it is well to put  
only one seed in each small pot4 ,the   
most suitable soil is a mixture of two  
parts loam and one of leaf-mould1 with  
sufficient coarse grit to insure free   
drainage4 ,the proper temperature is    
about #fe4 ,after the seedlings are     
established follow the treatment advised
 on page #cdj4  ,,anemone  ,the         
,windflower4 ,hardy perennial  ,the     
discovery that it is easy to flower the 
popular ,st4 ,brigid and similar        
,anemones from seed in about seven      
months from the date of sowing has given
 a great impetus to the culture of this 
plant1 especially as it possesses a high

 value for decorating vases1 in addition
 to its usefulness in beds and borders4 
,from seed sown in ,february or ,march  
the plants should begin to bloom in     
,september or ,october of the same year1
 and continue to flower until the       
following ,june1 when it is unprofitable
 to retain them longer4 ,no coddling of 
any kind is necessary4 ,dig a trench in 
a sheltered1 sunny spot1 and fill it    
with rich soil freely mingled with      
decayed cow-manure4 ,if the land happens
 to be somewhat tenacious1 ,anemones    
will take kindly to it1 but it should be
 well worked1 and it may be needful to  
add a little fine sandy compost at the  
top as a preparation for the seed4 ,the 
woolly seed should be rubbed with sand1 
and the two may be sown together thinly 
in lines4 ,as a finish the ground should
 be lightly beaten with the back of a   
spade4 ,germination is decidedly slow1  
so that until the seedlings appear the  
removal of weeds requires care4 ,the    
plants should be thinned until they     

stand six inches apart4 ,seed may also  
be sown in ,june or ,july for plants to 
flower in the following year1 and the   
results will probably be even more      
satisfactory than from the spring       
sowing4  ,,antirrhinum  ,snapdragon4    
,hardy perennial  ,in bygone years      
,antirrhinums were seldom seen beyond   
the limits of old-fashioned cottage     
gardens4 ,but even then the ,snapdragon 
was a popular flower1 and it was        
generally perpetuated by subdivision of 
the plants4 ,now1 in common with a large
 number of perennials and biennials1 the
 ,antirrhinum is almost exclusively     
grown from seed4 ,this altered method of
 culture has resulted in a marked       
advance in the size and colour of the   
spikes of bloom1 and has also increased 
the vigour and floriferous character of 
the plants4 ,in the process of raising1 
selecting and re-selecting the stocks1  
experts have found it possible to       
develop three distinct classes--,tall1  
,intermediate1 and ,dwarf--so that the  

value of the plant as an ornament in the
 garden has been advanced beyond the    
dreams of a former generation of        
gardeners4 ,the ,tall varieties attain a
 height of about three feet2 the        
,intermediates generally range between  
twelve and eighteen inches1 and the     
,dwarf or ,tom ,thumb section seldom    
exceeds six inches4 ,all three classes  
have a distinct value for different     
positions in the garden4  ,antirrhinums 
are not fastidious as to soil and may be
 relied on to give satisfaction in      
almost any spot chosen for them4 ,still1
 it must be admitted that they are      
conspicuously successful on dry soils   
and in sunny positions4 ,this will      
account for the surprising displays     
occasionally seen on old walls and in   
large wild rockeries1 where they are    
perfectly at home1 apparently           
indifferent to the starving conditions  
in which their lot is cast4  ,the fact  
that the plant possesses such sturdy    
independence of character greatly       

enhances its value and usefulness4      
,nothing more handsome can be imagined  
in a border than the gigantic spikes of 
the ,tall varieties1 and they make a    
magnificent decoration for vases at a   
season when flowers suitable for cutting
 are much needed4 ,the ,intermediate    
,antirrhinums1 like the ,tall class1    
combine advantages for both bedding     
purposes and for cutting1 perhaps in a  
still greater degree4 ,the varieties are
 so numerous and charming that an       
enthusiast has suggested the            
desirability of devoting a garden to    
,antirrhinums alone4 ,although the ,tom 
,thumb section is also frequently       
employed for bedding1 these             
dwarf-growing varieties are better      
adapted for ribbon borders1 or as an    
edging to carriage drives4              
,antirrhinums may be grown as half-hardy
 annuals or as perennials1 but the      
former is the simplest course for       
obtaining plants for summer bedding4    
,sow the seeds in pans or boxes from    

,january to ,march1 and prick off the   
seedlings as soon as large enough to    
handle4 ,grow on steadily and gradually 
harden off in readiness for planting out
 after the ,wallflowers and other spring
 bedders have been removed4 ,after      
flowering it will save trouble to       
consign the plants to the waste heap and
 again raise a sufficient supply to fill
 their places in the following spring4  
,when grown as perennials1 seed should  
be sown in ,july or ,august4 ,leave the 
plants in the seed-bed until ready for  
transfer to final positions4 ,these will
 stand the winter and come into flower  
earlier than plants from spring-sown    
seed4  ,,aquilegia  ,columbine4 ,hardy  
perennial  ,since the introduction of   
the long-spurred hybrid varieties the   
,aquilegia has become exceedingly       
popular4 ,like the ,nasturtium1 it is   
particularly accommodating in character1
 and will thrive on poor soil and amid  
surroundings altogether uncongenial to  
many other subjects4 ,several of the    

fine varieties which have been recently 
introduced are1 however1 worthy of a    
place in the best of borders4 ,sow in   
,february or early in ,march in a frame1
 and plant out when strong enough1 or   
sow in ,june in an open border4 ,if the 
season is favourable1 those sown early  
may bloom the first year2 the remainder 
will flower in the year following4      
,,asparagus  ,greenhouse foliage        
varieties4 ,half-hardy perennials  ,the 
finely laciniated foliage of ,a4        
plumosus is greatly prized for bouquets1
 and the plant invariably commands      
attention as a decorative subject on the
 table or in the conservatory4 ,a4      
decumbens has long tremulous branches of
 elegant dark green foliage1 and the    
plant is admirably adapted for          
hanging-baskets4 ,a4 ,sprengeri is      
distinct from both1 but is also very    
ornamental in baskets4 ,sow all three   
varieties in pans during ,february or   
,march1 in heat2 prick off the seedlings
 immediately they are large enough to   

handle1 and grow on in gentle heat until
 the beginning of ,june1 when cool-house
 treatment will suit them4  ,,aster     
,callistephus sinensis4 ,half-hardy     
annual  ,in high summer so many flowers 
are available that no difficulty arises 
in making a varied display4 ,the real   
trouble is in discarding1 especially for
 a limited area4 ,but when summer begins
 to merge into autumn the choice is not 
so extensive1 and among the annuals     
which then adorn the garden ,asters are 
indispensable4 ,this superb flower has  
been developed into many forms1 and each
 class affords a wide range of          
magnificent colours4 ,yet it must be    
admitted that in the majority of gardens
 ,asters are seldom grown in sufficient 
numbers1 and it is not unusual to find  
the flowers small in size and poor in   
colour4 ,in many cases we believe the   
reason to be that the culture of ,asters
 is often commenced too late4           
,preparations should therefore be made  
in good time1 and apart from providing  

the requisite number of plants for      
filling beds and borders1 and for       
supplying cut blooms1 others should be  
raised for flowering in pots4 ,for      
indoor decoration full use is rarely    
ever made of ,asters1 although the      
colours include many delightful shades  
which may be employed with most telling 
effect4  ,to secure a long-continued    
display of bloom there must be several  
sowings1 and the earliest will need the 
aid of artificial heat4 ,one secret of  
successful culture is to give no check  
to the plant from its first appearance  
until the time of flowering2 and a      
suitable bed must be prepared1 whether  
the seed be sown on the spot or plants  
are transferred from other quarters4    
,asters do not readily accommodate      
themselves to violent alternations of   
heat and cold1 particularly in the early
 stage of growth1 and therefore the most
 sheltered position in the garden should
 be chosen for them2 but avoid a hedge  
or shrubbery1 where strong growing trees

 rob the soil of its virtue4 ,begin the 
preparation of beds during the previous 
autumn by deep digging1 and incorporate 
a liberal dressing of well-rotted manure
 as the work proceeds4 ,on light and    
shallow soils it will do more harm than 
good to bring the raw subsoil to the    
surface1 but the subsoil may with       
advantage be stirred and loosened by the
 fork1 and if a little loamy clay can be
 worked into it the land will be        
permanently benefited4  ,a very stiff   
soil will1 however1 present greater     
difficulties2 but if by free working it 
can be made sufficiently friable1       
,asters will revel in it1 and produce   
flowers of a size and colour that will  
reward the cultivator for all his       
trouble4 ,throw the ground up roughly in
 ,october4 ,the more it is exposed to   
the action of wind1 snow and frost1 the 
more thoroughly will the winter         
disintegrate its particles and render it
 fertile4 ,early in spring give another 
digging1 and then work in a good supply 

of decayed manure1 together with grit1  
charcoal1 wood ashes1 or other material 
that will help to render the soil rich  
and free4 ,aim at inducing the roots to 
go down deep for supplies--there will   
then be a cool moist bottom even in dry 
weather1 and these conditions will do   
much toward the production of fine      
stocky plants capable of carrying an    
imposing display of flowers4  ,for      
sowings from the end of ,march to the   
middle of ,april prepare a compost      
consisting principally of decayed       
leaf-mould1 with sufficient loam to     
render it firm1 and sharp sand to secure
 drainage4 ,either pots or seed-pans may
 be used4 ,place these in a cool        
greenhouse1 or in a ,cucumber or ,melon 
pit1 or even on a half-spent hot-bed4   
,sow thinly2 a thick sowing is very     
likely to damp off4 ,just hide the seed 
with finely sifted soil1 and place      
sheets of glass at the top to prevent   
rapid evaporation4 ,give no water unless
 the soil becomes decidedly dry1 and    

then it is better to immerse the pot or 
pan for half an hour than to apply water
 on the surface4 ,when the plants attain
 the third leaf they can be pricked off 
into shallow boxes or round the edges of
 #c-a_/b inch pots4 ,from these they    
either may have another shift singly    
into small pots1 or may be transferred  
direct to blooming quarters4 ,a high    
temperature is not requisite at any     
stage of growth1 indeed it is distinctly
 injurious4 ,from #ee to #fe is the     
extreme range1 and the happy medium     
should1 if possible1 be maintained4     
,give air on every suitable occasion1   
and as the time for transferring to the 
open ground approaches1 endeavour to    
approximate nearly to the outside       
temperature4 ,the plants will then      
scarcely feel the removal4  ,another and
 simpler proceeding produces fairly good
 results1 and we describe it for the    
benefit of those whose resources may be 
small1 or who do not care to adopt the  
more troublesome method4 ,in some spot  

shaded from the sun make a heap of      
stable manure1 rather larger than the   
light to be placed upon it4 ,level the  
top1 and cover with four or five inches 
of rich soil4 ,place a frame upon it    
with the light a trifle open4 ,when the 
thermometer indicates #fj1 draw drills  
at six inches apart2 sow the seed1 and  
cover with a little sifted soil4 ,the   
light had better not be quite closed1 in
 case of a rise of temperature4 ,as the 
plants thrive1 gradually give more air1 
until1 in ,april1 the showers may be    
allowed to fall directly upon them in   
the daytime4 ,when the ,asters are about
 three inches high they will be quite   
ready for the open ground1 and a showery
 day is favourable to the transfer4     
,after the bed has served its purpose1  
the manure will be in capital condition 
for enriching the garden4  ,in the event
 of there being no frame to spare1 drive
 a stake into each corner of the bed4   
,connect the tops of the stakes1 about  
one foot from the surface of the bed1   

with four rods securely tied1 and upon  
these place other rods1 over and around 
which any protecting material at command
 may be used4 ,with this simple         
contrivance it is quite possible to grow
 ,asters in a satisfactory manner4  ,the
 finest ,asters are frequently grown in 
the open air1 entirely without the aid  
of artificial heat1 and indeed without  
any special horticultural appliances4   
,those who possess the best possible    
resources will find additional advantage
 in resorting also to this mode of      
culture4 ,it gives another string to the
 bow1 and prolongs the season of        
flowering4 ,for open-air sowings in     
,april make the soil level and fine1 and
 about the middle of that month draw    
drills three inches deep4 ,in these     
place an inch of finely prepared rich   
soil1 and if it is largely mixed with   
vegetable ashes1 so much the better4    
,the distance between the drills should 
be regulated by the variety4 ,for       
tall-growing ,asters twelve to fifteen  

inches between the rows will not be too 
much4 ,ten inches will suffice for the  
dwarfs4 ,sow the seed thinly and evenly1
 and cover carefully with fine soil4    
,commence early to thin the plants1     
always leaving the strongest1 and       
arrange that they finally stand at from 
eight to fifteen inches apart according 
to the sort4  ,keep the ground clean1   
and before the flowering stage is       
reached gently stir the surface1 but not
 deep enough to injure the roots4 ,an   
occasional application of weak manure   
water will be advantageous1 but it must 
not be allowed to touch the foliage4    
,for tall varieties it may be needful to
 provide support4 ,if so1 place a neat  
stick on that side of the plant towards 
which it leans1 as this takes the strain
 off the tying material1 and saves the  
plant from being cut or half-strangled4 
,in a dry season1 and especially on     
light soils1 there must be a bountiful  
supply of soft water1 alternated every  
few days with the manure water already  

alluded to4 ,evening is the best time to
 apply it4  ,for show purposes rather   
more room is required than we have      
stated4 ,only about five buds should be 
matured by each plant1 and these1 of    
course1 the finest4 ,to prepare flowers 
for exhibition is in itself an art1 and 
each cultivator must be guided by his   
own resources and experience4  ,asters  
in pots make excellent decorative       
subjects4 ,it is only necessary to lift 
them carefully from the borders with    
balls of earth surrounding the roots1   
and pot them just before the buds       
expand1 or they may be potted up while  
in full flower without flagging4  ,the  
plants are liable to the attacks of     
aphis1 both green and black4 ,while     
under glass the pests can be destroyed  
by fumigation2 but in the open a        
solution of some good insecticide may be
 administered with the syringe at       
intervals of about three days1 until a  
clearance is effected4 ,other foes are  
the various grubs which attack plants at

 the collar4 ,on the first sign of      
failing vigour1 gently remove with a    
pointed stick the soil around the plant1
 and in doing this avoid any needless   
disturbance of the roots4 ,do not be    
satisfied until the enemy is destroyed4 
,,aubrietia  ,hardy perennial  ,in the  
early months of the year few subjects in
 the garden present so gay an appearance
 as ,aubrietias1 for with the first     
approach of genial weather the          
cushion-like plants burst into a mass of
 delightful blossom4 ,for spring        
bedding1 edgings1 and the rock garden   
,aubrietias are indispensable1 and they 
make a particularly effective show when 
grown in conjunction with ,yellow       
,alyssum and ,white ,arabis4 ,aubrietias
 are easily grown from seed sown in ,may
 and ,june4 ,the plants are best raised 
in pans of light rich soil and may be   
put out in autumn where required to     
flower in the following spring4         
,,auricula  ,primula ,auricula4 ,hardy  
perennial  ,keen is the enthusiasm of   

the ,auricula amateur4 ,the only        
complaint we ever heard about the flower
 is that its most devoted admirer cannot
 endow it with perpetual youth and      
beauty4  ,it is well to bear in mind    
that seed from a worthless strain       
requires just as much attention as that 
which is saved with all a florist's     
skill from prize flowers4 ,some growers 
advocate sowing immediately the seed is 
ripe1 but this intensifies the irregular
 germination that characterises seed of 
all the ,primula species4 ,either       
,february1 ,march1 or ,april may be     
chosen1 and we give preference to the   
end of ,february4 ,use six-inch pots1   
and as there must be no doubt about     
drainage1 nearly half-fill the pots with
 crocks1 cover with a good layer of     
rough fibrous loam mingled with broken  
charcoal1 and on the top a mixture of   
loam1 decayed leaves1 and sharp sand4   
,press the soil firmly down2 sow thinly 
and regularly1 putting the seeds in     
about half an inch apart2 just cover    

them with fine soil1 and place the pots 
in a cool frame or greenhouse1 with     
sheets of glass over to prevent         
evaporation4 ,watering in the ordinary  
way is apt to wash out the seeds1 and it
 is therefore advisable to immerse the  
pots in a vessel containing water until 
the soil has become saturated4 ,wait    
patiently for the plants4 ,when they    
show four or six leaves1 prick out into 
pans or boxes about two inches apart1   
and before the seedlings touch each     
other transfer to small pots4 ,the      
surface soil in the pots may be lightly 
stirred occasionally to keep it free    
from moss4 ,the plants must never be    
allowed to go dry1 but as winter        
approaches water should be given more   
sparingly1 and during sharp frosts it   
may be wise to withhold it entirely4    
,there really is no need of artificial  
heat1 for the ,auricula is a            
mountaineer1 and can endure both frost  
and snow4 ,but we prize its beauty so   
highly that frames and greenhouses are  

properly employed for protecting it from
 wind1 heavy rain1 soot1 dust1 and all  
the unkind assaults of a lowland        
atmosphere1 to which it is unaccustomed 
in a natural state4 ,still1 the plants  
should be kept as nearly hardy as       
possible4  ,the ,auricula is a          
slow-growing plant1 and although there  
will probably be some flowers from      
seedlings in the second year1 their     
value must not be judged until the      
following season4 ,to the trained eye of
 the florist the ,show ,auriculas take  
precedence over the ,alpine section2 but
 for general usefulness the ,alpines    
hold the first place4 ,they may be      
fearlessly put into the open border1 and
 especially the north border1 where1    
with scarcely any care at all1 they will
 endure the winter1 and freely show     
their lovely flowers in spring4         
,,balsam  ,impatiens ,balsamina4        
,half-hardy annual  ,the older methods  
of growing ,balsams prescribed a false  
system1 comprising disbudding1 stopping1

 and other interferences with the       
natural growth of the plant4 ,the rule  
of pinching back the leader to promote  
the growth of side shoots1 and removing 
the flower buds to increase the size of 
the plants1 was altogether vicious1     
because the natural growth is more      
elegant and effective4 ,the finest      
flowers are produced on the main stem1  
and these are completely sacrificed by  
disbudding4  ,it is desirable to make   
two or three sowings of ,balsam1 say    
from the middle of ,march to the middle 
of ,may1 the earlier sowings to be put  
on a sweet hot-bed1 although ,march     
sowings will soon germinate in a frame1 
and the ,may sowing may be made in the  
open ground on a prepared bed4 ,the soil
 at every stage should be rich and      
light1 but not rank in any degree4      
,prick out the plants from the seed-pans
 directly the first rough leaves show1  
and soon after shift them again to      
encourage a stout dwarf habit4 ,a sunny 
position should be chosen for the bed1  

in which they may be planted out about  
the first week of ,june1 or earlier if  
the weather is particularly favourable4 
,heat1 moisture1 and a strong light     
favour a fine bloom1 and1 therefore1    
water must be given whenever dry weather
 prevails for any length of time4 ,if   
kept sturdy while under glass1 they will
 need no support of any kind1 and       
although they are peculiarly fleshy in  
texture1 it is seldom they are injured1 
even by a gale4 ,when grown in pots     
throughout1 the chief points are to     
shift them often in the early stages1 to
 promote free growth in every reasonable
 way1 and to cease shifting when they   
are in pots sufficiently large to       
sustain the strength of the plants4     
,generally speaking1 eight-inch pots    
will suffice for very fine ,balsams1 but
 ten-inch pots may be used for plants   
from an early sowing4 ,they will        
probably not show a flower-bud while    
increased pot room is allowed them2 but 
as soon as their roots touch the sides  

of the pots the bloom will appear4 ,it  
is occasionally the practice to lift    
plants from beds when pot ,balsams are  
wanted4 ,this method has the advantage  
of being the least troublesome1 and as  
the plants need not be lifted until the 
flowers show1 favourite colours can be  
chosen4  ,,begonia1 ,,tuberous-,,rooted 
,begonia hybrida4 ,half-hardy perennial 
,one of the most remarkable achievements
 in modern horticulture is the splendid 
development of single and double        
,tuberous-rooted ,begonias from the     
plant as first introduced from the      
,andes4 ,originally the flowers were    
small1 imperfect in form1 and deficient 
in range of colour4 ,but experts were   
quick in apprehending the capabilities  
of this graceful plant1 and it proved to
 be unusually amenable to the           
hybridiser's efforts4 ,now the large    
symmetrical blossoms of both single and 
double flowers challenge attention for  
beauty of form and an almost endless    
variation of tints peculiar to the      

,tuberous-rooted ,begonia4 ,the plants  
are conspicuous ornaments of the        
conservatory and greenhouse for several 
months1 and experience has proved that  
they make unique bedders1 enduring      
unfavourable conditions of weather which
 are fatal to many of the older bedding 
subjects4  ,from the best strains of    
seed it is easy1 with a little patience1
 to raise a fine stock of plants1       
possessing the highest decorative       
qualities4 ,under generous treatment the
 seedlings from a ,january or ,february 
sowing come into bloom during ,july and 
,august4 ,the seed should be sown in    
well-drained pots containing a good     
compost at the bottom1 with fine sandy  
loam on the surface1 pressed down4      
,before sowing sprinkle the soil with   
water1 and sow the seed evenly1 barely  
covering it with fine earth4 ,a         
temperature of about #fe is suitable4   
,germination is both slow and irregular1
 and the plants must be pricked off into
 pans or small pots as fast as they     

become large enough to handle4 ,this    
process should be followed up so long as
 seedlings appear and require           
transferring4 ,they may be shifted on as
 the growth of the several plants may   
require4 ,begonias need more attention  
with reference to an even temperature   
during this stage than at any other     
period4  ,the merits of ,begonias as    
bedding plants are now recognised in    
many gardens1 and they deserve to be    
still more widely grown4 ,it is wise to 
defer planting out until ,june4 ,in the 
open ground they produce abundant       
supplies of flowers for cutting at the  
end of ,september and early in ,october1
 when many other flowers are over4 ,the 
plants should be put out when they show 
themselves sufficiently strong1 and it  
is better to be guided by the plants    
than by any fixed date4 ,the beds must  
be freely enriched with well-rotted     
manure and decayed vegetable matter2 it 
can scarcely be overdone1 for ,begonias 
are gross feeders4  ,the earliest plants

 to flower will often be retained in the
 greenhouse1 as they follow in          
succession the ,cinerarias and          
,calceolarias4 ,those that start later  
may be turned out as they come into     
bloom1 which will probably be in ,june4 
,by deferring the planting out until    
there is a show of bloom a selection of 
various shades of colour is possible1   
and this will greatly enhance the beauty
 of the beds4 ,begonias are hardier than
 is generally supposed2 they need no    
protection1 and require no heat1 except 
in the stage of seedlings1 when first   
forming their tubers4  ,for autumn      
decoration ,begonias should be taken up 
from the beds during ,september and     
potted1 when they will continue to bloom
 in the greenhouse or conservatory for a
 considerable time1 and form a useful   
addition to the flowering plants of that
 period4  ,if not required for autumn   
decoration1 let the plants remain out as
 long as may be safe2 then pot off1 and 
place in the greenhouse4 ,be careful not

 to hasten the drying of the bulbs4     
,when the stems fall ,begonias may be   
stored for their season of rest1        
allowing them to remain in the same     
pots4 ,they can be put away in a dry    
cellar1 or on the ground1 covered up    
with sand1 in any shed or frame where   
the bulbs will remain dry and be        
protected from frost4 ,both damp and    
cold are very injurious to them4 ,the   
temperature during their season of rest 
should be kept as near #ej as possible4 
,when they show signs of growth in      
spring they must be put into small-sized
 pots1 almost on the surface of the     
soil4 ,as growth increases shift into   
larger sizes1 inserting the bulb a      
little deeper each time until the crown 
is covered4  ,,begonia1                 
,,fibrous-,r,o,o,t,e,dl  ,begonia       
semperflorens4 ,half-hardy perennial    
,fibrous-rooted ,begonias are           
exceedingly valuable for either bedding 
in summer or greenhouse decoration      
during the autumn and winter4 ,they     

produce a continual succession of       
flowers1 rather small in size1 but very 
useful for bouquets1 and the plants are 
charming as table ornaments4 ,the       
directions for sowing and               
after-treatment recommended for the     
,tuberous-rooted class will be suitable 
also for the ,fibrous-rooted varieties1 
except that the latter must always be   
kept in a growing state1 instead of     
being dried off at the end of the       
flowering season4 ,sow seed at the end  
of ,january or in ,february1 and again  
at the beginning of ,march4 ,under fair 
treatment the first batch of plants will
 come into flower for bedding out in    
,june4  ,,calceolaria1 ,,herbaceous     
,calceolaria hybrida4 ,greenhouse       
biennial  ,the present magnificent race 
of ,herbaceous ,calceolarias1 both as to
 constitution and the beauty of its     
flowers1 is the result of much          
cross-fertilisation of the finest types1
 so that the best strains are capable of
 affording ever-new surprise and        

delight4 ,the superb collections        
exhibited in recent years1 which have   
made lasting impressions on the public  
by their form and brilliancy of colour1 
have invariably been raised from seeds  
of selected varieties1 saved on         
scientific principles that insure       
vigour1 variety1 and splendour in the   
progeny4  ,calceolarias thrive under    
intelligent cool-house culture1 but it  
must be clearly understood that in every
 stage of growth they are quick in      
resenting neglect or careless treatment4
 ,the work must be carried out with     
scrupulous attention1 and the result    
will more than justify the labour4      
,extreme conditions of temperature are  
distinctly injurious1 and the plants are
 especially susceptible to a parched1   
dry atmosphere4  ,may is early enough to
 commence operations1 and ,july is the  
limit for sowing4 ,as a rule1 the ,june 
sowing will produce the quickest1       
strongest1 and most robust plants4  ,the
 soil1 whatever its composition1 should 

be rich1 firm1 and1 above all1 porous4  
,press it well into the pots or pans1   
and make the surface slightly convex and
 quite smooth4 ,a compost that has been 
properly prepared will not need water2  
but should water become needful1 it must
 be given by partially submerging the   
pans4 ,the seed is as fine as snuff1 and
 requires delicate handling4 ,it is     
easily lost or blown away1 and therefore
 it is wise not to open the packet until
 perfectly ready to sow4 ,distribute the
 seed evenly and sift over it a mere    
dusting of fine earth4 ,place a sheet of
 glass upon each pot or pan1 and the    
glass must be either turned or wiped    
daily4 ,this not only checks rapid      
evaporation1 but prevents the attacks of
 vermin4 ,germination is always slower  
on an open than on a close stage4       
,perhaps the best possible position is a
 moist shady part of a vinery1 if care  
be taken when syringing the vines to    
prevent the spray from falling upon the 
seed-pans4  ,under favourable           

circumstances1 from seven to nine days  
will suffice to bring the seedlings up  
in force1 and very few will appear      
afterwards4 ,when they are through the  
soil remove the sheet of glass1 and give
 them prompt attention1 or they will    
rapidly damp off4 ,immediately the      
second leaf appears1 tiny as the plants 
may be and difficult to handle1 commence
 pricking them off into other pots      
prepared to receive them1 for it is     
unsafe to wait until they become strong4
 ,allow about two inches between the    
plants4 ,the occupants of each pan may  
generally be pricked off in about three 
operations1 and there should be only the
 shortest possible intervals between4   
,with many subjects it is a safe rule to
 use the robust seedlings and throw the 
weakly ones away4 ,this practice will   
not do in the case of ,calceolarias1 or 
some of the most charming colours that  
can grace the conservatory or greenhouse
 will be lost4 ,the strongest seedlings 
generally produce flowers in which      

yellow largely predominates1 a fact that
 can easily be verified by keeping the  
plants under different numbers4 ,but it 
must not be inferred that because the   
remainder are somewhat weaker at the    
outset they will not eventually make    
robust plants4  ,freely mix silver sand 
with the potting mould1 and raise the   
surface higher in the centre than at the
 edge of the pot4 ,from the first       
appearance of the seedlings shading is  
of the utmost importance1 for even a    
brief period of direct sunshine will    
certainly prove destructive4 ,do not    
allow the plants to become dry for a    
moment1 but give frequent gentle        
sprinklings of water1 and rain-water is 
preferable4 ,as the soil hardens1 stir  
the surface with a pointed stick1 not   
too deep1 and give water a few hours    
after4 ,about a month of this treatment 
should find each plant in the possession
 of four or five leaves4 ,then prepare  
thumb pots with small crocks1 cover the 
crocks with clean moss and fill with    

rich porous soil4 ,to these transfer the
 plants with extreme care1 lifting each 
one with as much soil adhering to the   
roots as a skilful hand can make them   
carry4 ,place them in a frame1 or in the
 sheltered part of a greenhouse1 quite  
free from dripping water4 ,always give  
air on suitable days1 and on the leeward
 side of the house4  ,keep a sharp      
look-out for aphis1 to the attacks of   
which ,calceolarias are peculiarly      
liable4 ,fumigation is the best remedy1 
and it should be undertaken in the      
evening2 a still atmosphere renders the 
operation more certain4 ,water carefully
 on the following morning1 and shade    
from the sun4  ,by ,september the plants
 should be in large #fj-pots1 and it is 
then quite time to begin the preparation
 for wintering4 ,some growers put them  
in heat1 and are successful1 but the    
heat must be very moderate1 and even    
then we regard the practice as          
dangerous4 ,place the plants near the   
glass1 and at one end of the house where

 they will obtain plenty of side light1 
as well as light from above4 ,during    
severe frosts it may be well to draw    
them back or remove them to a shelf     
lower down and towards the centre of the
 house1 but they must be restored as    
soon as possible to the fullest light   
obtainable1 as they have to do all their
 growth under glass4 ,the more air that 
can safely be given1 the better1 and    
dispense with fire-heat if a temperature
 of #de to #ee can be maintained without
 it4  ,when growth commences in spring1 
which will generally be early in ,march1
 give each plant its final shift into   
eight-or ten-inch pots4 ,this must be   
done before the buds push up1 or there  
will be more foliage than flowers4  ,the
 following is the compost we advise3 one
 bushel good yellow loam1 half-bushel   
leaf-soil1 one gallon silver sand1 a    
pound of ,sutton's ,a #a ,garden        
,manure1 and a pint of soot1 well mixed 
at least ten days before use4 ,any      
sourness in the soil will be fatal to   

flowering4 ,the compost must be         
carefully #8firmed' into the pots1 but  
no severe pressure should be employed1  
or the roots will not run freely4       
,neglect as to temperature or humidity  
will have to be paid for in long joints1
 green fly1 red spider1 or in some other
 way4 ,but there are no plants of high  
quality that grow more thriftily if     
protected from cold winds and kept      
perfectly clean4 ,a light airy          
greenhouse is their proper place1 and   
they must have ample headroom4  ,after  
the pots are filled with roots1 not     
before1 manure water may be administered
 until the flower-heads begin to show   
colour1 when pure soft water only should
 be used4 ,about a fortnight in advance 
of the full display the branches must be
 tied to supports4 ,if skilfully managed
 the supports will not be visible4  ,it 
may be that a few large specimens are   
required4 ,if so1 shift the most        
promising plants into #f-size pots4     
,these large ,calceolarias will need    

regular supplies of liquid manure until 
the bloom is well up1 and if the pots   
are efficiently drained and the plants  
in a thriving condition1 a rather strong
 beverage will suit them4 ,for all      
ordinary purposes1 however1 plants may  
be allowed to flower in eight-or        
ten-inch pots1 and for these one shift  
after the winter is sufficient4  ,new   
,types of ,calceolaria4--,there are now 
available a number of hybrid half-hardy 
perennial varieties1 of which ,c4       
profusa 7,clibrani7 is the most popular1
 that bear the same relation to the     
,large-flowered ,calceolaria as the     
,star ,cineraria does to the ,florist's 
,cineraria4 ,in point of size the blooms
 produced by these new types are smaller
 than those of the ,large-flowered      
section1 but the tall graceful sprays   
are extremely beautiful and of the      
greatest decorative value4 ,except that 
seed should be sown earlier 7,february  
and ,march are the proper months71 the  
plants should receive precisely the same

 treatment as that already described for
 ,herbaceous ,calceolaria4              
,,calceolaria1 ,,shrubby  ,calceolaria  
rugosa4 ,half-hardy perennial           
,notwithstanding the ease with which    
cuttings of the ,shrubby ,calceolaria   
can be carried through a severe winter1 
there is a growing disposition to obtain
 the required number of plants from seed
 sown in ,february2 and seedlings have  
the advantage of great variety of       
colour4 ,a frame or greenhouse1 and the 
most ordinary treatment1 will suffice to
 insure a large stock of attractive     
healthy plants for the embellishment of 
beds and borders4  ,,campanula and      
,,canterbury ,,bell  ,hardy annual1     
hardy biennial1 and hardy perennial     
,among the numerous and diverse forms in
 the order ,campanulace are many flowers
 of great value in the garden1 including
 ,single1 ,double1 and ,cup and ,saucer 
strains of the popular ,canterbury ,bell
 7,c4 medium74 ,the impression that some
 ,campanulas are shy growers and require

 exceptionally careful treatment may    
arise from the frail habit of certain   
varieties1 or from the fact that some of
 them occasionally fail to bloom within 
twelve months from date of sowing4 ,the 
idea is not worth a moment's            
consideration4 ,in moderately rich1     
well-drained soil the finest ,campanulas
 not only prove to be thoroughly hardy1 
but they are most graceful in herbaceous
 borders or beds1 and they may also be  
used alone in bold clumps with splendid 
effect4 ,for instance1 the handsome     
,chimney ,campanulas 7,c4 pyramidalis   
and ,c4 pyramidalis alba7 frequently    
attain a height of six feet or more1 and
 sturdy spikes occasionally measure     
eight and even ten feet from base to    
tip4 ,such specimens are magnificent    
ornaments in conservatories and         
corridors1 and cannot fail to arrest    
attention at the back of herbaceous     
borders1 or when used as isolated plants
 on lawns4 ,when grown in pots use a    
light rich compost1 taking care to      

insure perfect drainage4 ,the plants    
must never be allowed to become dry1 as 
this not only checks growth but renders 
them liable to attack by red spider or  
green fly4 ,another distinctive subject 
for the decoration of the conservatory  
is ,c4 grandis1 which may be described  
as a dwarf ,chimney ,campanula4 ,the    
freely branching plants1 covered with   
attractive flowers1 also form a striking
 group when grown in the open border4   
,altogether different in character is   
,c4 persicifolia grandiflora1 or the    
,peach-leaved ,bell-flower as it is     
sometimes called4 ,this plant is lighter
 and more graceful than the ,canterbury 
,bell4 ,it throws up handsome stems1 two
 feet high1 clothed from the ground with
 lance-like leaves and elegant bells    
which quiver in the slightest breeze4   
,an interesting plant is the ,giant     
,harebell1 a dainty flower on a slender 
stem1 resembling the wild variety in    
form1 but larger1 richer in colour1 and 
a more profuse bloomer4 ,c4 glomerata is

 one of the hardiest plants that can be 
grown in any garden1 and the large close
 heads of deep blue bells have long been
 familiar in herbaceous borders4 ,for   
its very fine glistening1 deep blue1    
erect flowers1 ,c4 grandiflora is also a
 great favourite4  ,campanulas were     
formerly propagated by division1 but    
this treatment has created the          
impression that they are unworthy to be 
ranked among the perennials4 ,from seed1
 the plants are extremely robust4 ,c4   
persicifolia grandiflora resents        
division1 which frequently results in   
weakened growth and a tendency1         
especially in poor or badly drained     
soil1 to dwindle away4 ,the only        
satisfactory method of growing          
,campanulas is to raise plants annually 
from good strains of seed4 ,if sown in  
gentle heat early in the year--,february
 is the usual month--many of the        
varieties flower the same season4 ,when 
they are well started1 plenty of light  
and air must be admitted4 ,unless       

intended for potting they should be     
planted out in good soil where they will
 require no more care than is bestowed  
on the borders generally4 ,seed can also
 be sown in the open ground from ,may to
 ,july2 transplant in autumn for        
flowering in the following season4      
,during hot weather1 particularly on    
light soil1 the plants need to be well  
watered1 but in retentive ground        
thorough drainage must be insured4      
,should signs of debility appear1       
transplant to rich soil1 where they will
 soon regain vigour4  ,a popular        
half-hardy ,campanula is ,c4 fragilis1  
of trailing habit4 ,the starry pale blue
 flowers are seen to most advantage in  
hanging-baskets4 ,the charm of these    
flowers is wholly lost if they are      
placed on a stage in the greenhouse2 and
 they are not entirely satisfactory in a
 window where the light is transmitted  
through the petals1 as this robs them of
 colour and substance4 ,but hanging in a
 conservatory with plenty of air and    

space their slender drooping stems are  
very graceful1 and the light reflected  
from the flowers does full justice to   
their beauty4 ,sow in pans during       
,february or ,march and pot on as       
required4  ,all the foregoing are       
perennials1 but two little hardy annual 
,campanulas are ,attica and ,a4 alba1   
growing about six inches high4 ,they    
make useful foreground plants1 and are  
quite at home in rock gardens4 ,sow in  
,april on light soil4  ,the ,canterbury 
,bell has already been alluded to2 it is
 a charming hardy biennial forming a    
valuable feature of the mixed border4   
,the large semi-double blooms of the    
,cup and ,saucer class and the double   
varieties are modern introductions which
 have become extremely popular2 the     
range of colours now includes the most  
delicate shades of pink1 mauve1 and     
blue1 in addition to pure white4 ,seed  
may be sown from ,april to ,july4 ,when 
the seedlings are large enough          
transplant them where required for      

flowering in the summer of the          
succeeding year4 ,but ,canterbury ,bells
 are also interesting in the greenhouse 
during spring2 for this work pot them in
 ,october and on to ,december4 ,so      
treated1 they bloom even more generously
 than in the garden4 ,there can be no   
more beautiful adornment for a hall or  
large drawing-room than a well-placed   
group of the fine white flowers1 backed 
by a mass of dark-foliaged plants4      
,,canna  ,indian ,shot4 ,half-hardy     
perennial  ,cannas have ceased to be    
regarded simply as sub-tropical foliage 
plants1 adapted only for the adornment  
of beds and borders4 ,they have not lost
 their merits for this purpose1 although
 in all probability the taller forms    
will be less grown than formerly1       
because the new dwarf varieties1 which  
maintain a high standard of beauty in   
the foliage1 include a diversity of rich
 tints previously unknown1 and they     
possess the additional merit of         
producing flowers that have lifted the  

race into prominence as brilliant       
decorative subjects for the garden and  
the greenhouse4  ,the popular name is   
descriptive of the seed1 which is almost
 spherical1 black1 and so hard that it  
has been used in the ,west ,indies      
instead of shot4 ,hence it will occasion
 no surprise that the germs burst       
through the strong covering with        
difficulty1 and that sometimes weeks    
elapse before the seedlings appear1 one 
or two at a time4 ,to facilitate        
germination some growers file the seed1 
others soak it until the skin becomes   
sufficiently soft to permit of the      
paring away of a small portion with a   
sharp knife4 ,in either case caution    
must be exercised to avoid injuring the 
germ4 ,a safer mode of attaining the    
object is to soak the seeds in water1   
placed in a greenhouse or stove1 for    
about twenty-four hours before sowing4  
,after soaking the seeds it is necessary
 to keep the soil constantly moist1 or  
the germs will certainly suffer injury4 

,the number of seeds sown should be     
recorded1 so that it may be known when  
all are up4 ,the first sowing should be 
made in ,january1 in a temperature of   
about #ge1 and as fast as the seedlings 
become ready transfer singly to small   
pots4 ,as ,cannas are gross feeders they
 must have a rich1 porous compost1 and  
an occasional dose of liquid manure will
 prove beneficial1 especially when the  
pots are full of roots4 ,if the         
seedlings from the ,january sowing are  
regularly potted on and properly managed
 they will begin to flower in ,june or  
,july4 ,either the plants may be turned 
out into a rich soil1 or the pots can be
 plunged1 and after flowering in the    
open until late in autumn the plants can
 be lifted for another display of bloom 
in the greenhouse4 ,in warm districts   
and in dry1 sheltered situations1 the   
roots may be left in the open ground all
 the winter under a covering of ashes2  
but they must be lifted from a damp1    
cold soil1 and stored in a frame during 

the winter months4 ,we have only        
mentioned ,january as the month for     
sowing1 but seed may be put in up to    
midsummer1 or even later1 following the 
routine already indicated4  ,,carnation 
,dianthus ,caryophyllus fl4 pl4 ,hardy  
perennial  ,the ,carnation belongs to   
the aristocracy of flowers and has      
attained the dignity of an exclusive    
exhibition4 ,but in addition to their   
merits as show flowers1 ,carnations make
 conspicuous ornaments in the garden and
 the home1 and it has been found that   
seed saved with skill from the finest   
varieties will produce plants yielding  
hundreds of flowers of which the grower 
need not feel ashamed4 ,since the       
introduction of the early-flowering     
class1 which can easily be had in bloom 
within six months from date of sowing1  
an immense impetus has been given to the
 culture of ,carnations from seed1 and  
with judicious management it is not a   
difficult matter to insure a succession 
of these delightful subjects almost the 

year through4 ,for the decoration of    
greenhouses and for providing cut       
flowers1 seedling ,carnations have a    
special value1 which has only to be     
known to be universally appreciated4 ,no
 trouble should be experienced with     
high-class seeds1 which germinate freely
 and save much time and labour in       
comparison with the more tedious process
 of propagation2 while an occasional new
 break may at times reward the raiser4  
,the proverb that what is worth doing is
 worth doing well is peculiarly         
exemplified in the cultivation of       
,carnations1 the difference between the 
results of good and bad work being      
immense4 ,we therefore advise the       
preparation of a compost consisting of  
about three parts of turfy loam1 to one 
part each of cow-manure and sweet       
leaf-mould1 with a small addition of    
fine grit4 ,a compost that has been laid
 up for a year1 according to the        
orthodox practice of florists1 is very  
much to be desired2 but it may be       

prepared off-hand if care be taken to   
have all the materials in a sweet1      
friable state1 free from pastiness1 and 
as far as possible free from vermin4 ,by
 laying it in a heap1 and turning two or
 three times1 the vermin will be pretty 
well got rid of4 ,sow from ,april until 
,august in #d-a_/b inch pots1 which must
 be thoroughly drained4 ,the seed must  
be very thinly covered1 and sheets of   
glass should be laid over to check      
evaporation4 ,place the pots in a closed
 frame1 or if the season be genial a    
sheltered border will suffice4          
,immediately the plants are large enough
 to handle1 prick them off into         
seed-pans1 or round the edge of #dh-size
 pots4 ,place these in a cold pit or in 
the greenhouse4 ,give shade and water   
until the plants have formed six or     
eight leaves1 and then choose a moist   
day for planting out4  ,to insure       
flowering plants in the following summer
 it is necessary to have them strong and
 robust before the winter sets in4 ,as  

the blooming stems rise they must be    
carefully tied to tall sticks1 stout    
enough to carry a cover for the bloom1  
if the plants are not flowered under    
glass4 ,when the buds show they should  
be thinned1 leaving as a rule the top1  
third1 and fourth buds4 ,the second is  
often too near the first1 and some will 
not carry the fourth with vigour4 ,when 
the petals nearly fill the calyx1 each  
one must be carefully tied with a thin  
strip of material a little more than    
halfway down1 to prevent the calyx from 
bursting1 which disqualifies the flower 
for exhibition4  ,the early-flowering   
class is extremely valuable for the ease
 with which it can be grown4 ,the       
seedlings offer the advantage of being  
far more floriferous than plants that   
have been propagated by the orthodox    
method1 and they are quite immune from  
the disease which often decimates stocks
 raised from layers and cuttings4 ,two  
strains--,vanguard and ,improved        
,marguerite--possess these              

characteristics in a very high degree4  
,all the usual colours are included1 and
 they not only make a very imposing     
display in the borders but are of great 
value for table decoration4 ,within     
about six months from the time seed is  
sown an admirable form of delightfully  
scented ,carnation is at the command of 
every gardener1 and a succession of     
these popular flowers is available long 
after the perennial varieties have      
ceased to bloom4 ,plants from seed sown 
in gentle heat in ,january or ,february 
will flower freely in the autumn of the 
same year1 and if lifted and potted they
 will continue in bloom during the      
winter as ornaments of the greenhouse or
 conservatory4 ,from another sowing in  
autumn there will be a display in the   
following spring4  ,,celosia ,,plumosa  
,plumed ,cockscomb4 ,greenhouse annual  
,the conditions which suit a liberally  
grown ,cockscomb will produce long      
graceful plumes of ,celosia plumosa1 but
 the starving system will not answer    

with this plant4 ,sow in ,february or   
,march1 and by means of a steady heat1  
regular attention with water1 and a     
rather moist atmosphere1 the specimens  
should be grown without a check from    
beginning to end4 ,when they reach the  
final pots an occasional dose of weak   
manure water will help them1 both in    
size and colour1 but it must be         
discontinued when the flowers begin to  
show their beauty4 ,as a rule it will be
 found more easy to manage this plant on
 a moderate-sized hot-bed than in a     
greenhouse4 ,repotting should always be 
done in time to prevent the roots from  
growing through the bottom of the pots4 
,,celosia ,,cristata--see ,,cockscomb1  
page #bed  ,,chrysanthemum  ,hardy      
perennial and hardy annual  ,the tedious
 method of propagating ,begonias1       
,gloxinias1 and ,primulas by cuttings or
 layers has been replaced by the simpler
 and more satisfactory procedure of     
sowing seeds1 which insures all the     
finest flowers in far greater variety   

than were obtained under the obsolete   
treatment4 ,a similar revolution is now 
proceeding in the culture of            
,chrysanthemums4 ,many growers are      
relying entirely on seedlings raised    
from sowings early in the year for their
 autumn display4 ,the culture of ,c4    
indicum from seed is as simple as that  
of ,primulas or ,stocks1 and the variety
 and delicate charm of the seedlings far
 surpass the formal plants of years ago4
 ,gardeners who require large numbers   
for decorative purposes may use seedling
 ,chrysanthemums with excellent effect4 
,seed should be sown in ,january or     
,february1 using a compost consisting of
 two parts leaf-soil to one part of     
loam4 ,place the pots or pans in a      
temperature of #fe to #gj4 ,as soon as  
the seedlings appear they should be     
moved to a somewhat lower               
temperature--about #ee to #fj4 ,when the
 young plants are large enough to       
handle1 prick off into trays at about   
three inches apart1 using a little more 

loam in the soil4 ,the most convenient  
size for the purpose is fifteen inches  
long by nine inches wide and three      
inches deep4 ,these trays produce a     
quicker root action than pots4 ,after   
growth has started1 place them in cold  
frames4 ,immediately the plants have    
made five or six leaves transfer singly 
to three-inch pots1 and when nicely     
rooted they may be stopped once4 ,about 
,june shift into six-inch pots1 adding a
 small quantity of coarse silver sand to
 the potting soil4 ,ten days later place
 them out of doors on a bed of ashes4   
,towards the end of ,july transfer to   
#i-a_/b inch pots for flowering1 using  
soil of the composition already advised4
 ,keep them standing on ashes or boards1
 if possible at the north side of a     
hedge or house4 ,when thoroughly rooted 
a little manure water may be given once 
a week4 ,in ,october stand the plants in
 a cool house1 and in the first week of 
,november move them to flowering        
quarters1 keeping the temperature from  

#ee to #fj4  ,if required for blooming  
in the open1 prick the seedlings off as 
soon as they will bear handling1 and in 
,may have them planted out in final     
positions1 giving a little protection at
 first4 ,they will yield a profusion of 
bloom which will prove invaluable for   
decorative purposes throughout the      
autumn months4  ,the ,perennial         
,chrysanthemums include the well-known  
,marguerite1 or ,ox-eye ,daisy 7,c4     
leucanthemum71 of which several new     
varieties have been introduced in recent
 years4 ,not only have these flowers    
been greatly improved in size and form1 
but there are now early-and             
late-flowering varieties which will give
 a succession of bloom from ,may until  
early autumn4 ,the seed may be sown at  
any time from ,april to ,july on a      
carefully prepared bed of light fertile 
soil1 and when the seedlings are large  
enough they should be transferred to    
permanent quarters for flowering in the 
following year4 ,in the perennial border

 the plants make handsome specimens1 and
 the long-stemmed flowers are also      
invaluable for vase decoration when cut4
  ,several of the ,annual               
,chrysanthemums make superb displays in 
borders1 especially when planted in     
large clumps1 and they deserve to be    
grown extensively in odd corners to     
furnish a supply of charming flowers for
 bouquets and arrangement in vases4     
,there is a considerable choice of      
colours1 which come quite true1 and the 
plants may be treated in all respects as
 hardy annuals4 ,when grown in pots1 the
 ,star and ,dunnettii varieties make    
most attractive subjects for the        
decoration of the greenhouse in winter  
and early spring4 ,for this purpose seed
 should be sown in ,august and          
,september4  ,,cineraria  ,greenhouse   
annual  ,the comparative ease with which
 the ,cineraria can be well grown1      
together with the exceeding beauty and  
variety of its flowers1 will always     
insure for it a high position in public 

favour4 ,it is now so generally raised  
from seed that no other mode of culture 
need be alluded to4 ,the plant is rapid 
in growth1 very succulent1 thirsty1     
requires generous feeding1 and will not 
endure extremes of heat or cold4 ,a     
compost of mellow turfy loam1 either    
yellow or brown1 with a fair addition of
 leaf-mould1 will grow it to perfection4
 ,if leaf-mould cannot be obtained1     
turfy peat will make a fairly good      
substitute4 ,soil from an old ,melon bed
 will also answer1 with the addition of 
sharp grit such as the sifted sweepings 
from gravel walks2 the disadvantage of a
 very rich soil is that it tends to the 
production of too much foliage4  ,the   
usual period for sowing is during the   
months of ,may and ,june1 and1 as a     
rule1 the plants raised in ,may will be 
found the most valuable4 ,a ,june sowing
 must not be expected to produce flowers
 until the following ,march or ,april4  
,it is quite possible to have           
,cinerarias in bloom in ,november and   

,december1 and those who care for a     
display at that early period should sow 
in ,april4  ,cinerarias grow so freely  
that it is not necessary to prick the   
seedlings off round the edges of pots or
 pans2 but immediately the plants begin 
to make their second leaves1 transfer   
direct to thumb pots1 using rather      
coarse soil1 and in doing this take care
 not to cover the hearts of the plants4 
,place the pots in a close frame2 attend
 to shading1 and sprinkle with soft     
water both morning and evening until    
well established4 ,in the second week   
after potting1 gradually diminish the   
heat and give more air4 ,too high a     
temperature1 and even too much shade1   
will produce thin and weak leaf-stalks4 
,if the plants are so crowded that they 
touch one another it will almost        
certainly be injurious1 and render them 
an easy prey to some of their numerous  
enemies4 ,it is far better to grow a few
 really fine specimens that will produce
 a handsome display of superb flowers1  

than to attempt a large number of feeble
 plants that will prove a constant      
source of trouble1 and in the end yield 
but a poor return in bloom4 ,endeavour  
to grow them as nearly hardy as the     
season will allow1 even admitting the   
night air freely on suitable occasions4 
,immediately the thumb pots are filled  
with roots1 shift to a larger size1 and 
it is important that this operation     
should not be delayed a day too long4   
,to the practised eye the alteration of 
the colour of the leaves to a pale green
 is a sufficient intimation that        
starvation has commenced1 and that      
prompt action is necessary to save the  
plants4 ,it is the custom of some       
growers to transfer at once to the size 
in which they are intended to bloom4    
,there is1 however1 some danger to the  
inexperienced in over-potting1 and      
therefore one intermediate shift is     
advisable4 ,as a rule #cb-size pots are 
large enough1 but the #bd-or even the   
#af-size is allowable when very fine    

specimens are required4 ,the seedlings  
should be in their final pots not later 
than the end of ,november4  ,it will    
help to harden and establish the plants 
if they are placed in the open air      
during ,august and ,september4 ,a north 
border under the shelter of a wall or   
building is the most suitable spot1 but 
avoid a hedge of any kind4 ,clear away  
suckers1 and if many buds are presented1
 every third one may be removed when    
very fine blooms are wanted4 ,from the  
first appearance of the buds1 manure    
water can be given with advantage once  
or twice a week until the flowers show  
colour1 and then it should be           
discontinued4  ,although ,cinerarias are
 thrifty plants1 they are fastidious    
about trifles4 ,if possible give them   
new pots1 or see that old ones are made 
scrupulously clean4 ,even hard water    
will retard free growth1 oftentimes to  
the perplexity of the cultivator4  ,a   
host of enemies attack ,cinerarias2     
indeed1 there is scarcely a pest known  

to the greenhouse but finds a congenial 
home upon this plant4 ,mildew is more   
common in some seasons than in others4  
,as a rule1 it appears during ,july and 
,august1 especially after insufficient  
ventilation1 or when the plants have    
been left too long in one place or too  
near to each other4 ,obviously weakness 
invites attack1 and the necessity of    
robust and vigorous growth is thus      
effectually taught4 ,on the first       
appearance of a curled leaf1 dust the   
foliage and soil with sulphur1 and give 
no water overhead until a cure has been 
effected4 ,the aphis is easily killed by
 fumigation carried out on a quiet      
evening4 ,some gardeners prefer to give 
an hour or two once a week to the       
removal of the pest by means of a soft  
brush4 ,from three to four dozen plants 
are easily cleansed by hand in the time 
named4  ,star ,cinerarias 7,c4 stellata7
 are grown under precisely the same     
conditions as the ,florists' or ,show   
,cinerarias1 and this type of flower is 

highly valued for its singular          
gracefulness and beautiful decorative   
effect4 ,in the conservatory and on the 
table it is an indispensable plant4 ,the
 sprays admit of most charming          
arrangements in vases with any kind of  
ornamental foliage1 and maintain their  
beauty for a long time in water4        
,intermediate ,cinerarias4--,these new  
types of ,cineraria1 which in habit are 
intermediate between the ,large-flowered
 and ,stellata classes1 make admirable  
subjects for table decoration1 as well  
as for the adornment of the conservatory
 or greenhouse4 ,in this class the      
,feltham ,beauty strain undoubtedly has 
a great future before it4 ,originated at
 the ,feltham ,nurseries1 this strain   
has attracted considerable attention at 
the numerous horticultural meetings     
where it has been exhibited1 and since  
it passed into our hands a few years ago
 some very beautiful colours not to be  
found among the ordinary ,stellata      
varieties have been added to it4 ,the   

distinctive feature of the flowers is   
the white centre1 which greatly enhances
 the vividness of the colouring of the  
petals4 ,for the ,intermediate section  
the same methods of culture as advised  
for the other classes of ,cineraria will
 apply4  ,,clarkia  ,c4 elegans4 ,c4    
pulchella4 ,hardy annuals  ,the two     
distinct classes of ,clarkia named above
 include several varieties that have    
long been freely grown in gardens as    
summer annuals4 ,but the very beautiful 
recent introductions in the ,elegans    
class have lifted these flowers to a    
higher plane of usefulness for producing
 brilliant sheets of colour in beds1    
borders1 shrubberies1 and beside        
carriage drives4 ,although all the      
,clarkias bloom profusely in ordinary   
garden soil they well repay liberal     
treatment4 ,seed may be sown from ,march
 to ,may1 or in ,september if an early  
display is wanted4 ,in good ground each 
plant of the ,pulchella varieties should
 be allowed a space of eight or ten     

inches1 but rather more room must be    
given to the ,elegans class to do the   
plants justice4  ,the ,elegans varieties
 are of special value when treated as   
pot plants for conservatory decoration  
in ,may and ,june4 ,from seed sown in   
,august or early in ,september the      
plants can be slowly grown into         
magnificent specimens four feet high and
 almost as much in diameter4 ,our own   
practice is to sow thinly in clean      
well-drained #dh-size pots4 ,these are  
placed in a temperature of from #ej to  
#ee1 and when the seedlings are large   
enough to handle they are pricked off   
into shallow boxes about three inches   
apart1 the base of the boxes being      
freely perforated to insure ample       
drainage4 ,the most suitable soil is    
composed of equal parts of sound loam   
and leaf-mould1 with the addition of a  
gallon of coarse sand to each bushel of 
the mixed soil4 ,after the plants are   
well established1 ventilate freely to   
secure robust growth4 ,when three inches

 high pinch out the points1 and a little
 later transfer separately to small     
pots1 keeping them close for a few days 
and as near the glass as possible4 ,as  
the roots develop1 transfer again to    
larger pots1 and then the second and    
final stopping of the shoots must be    
done4 ,should very large plants be      
wanted they can be flowered in #af-size 
pots1 using a compost slightly heavier  
than that advised at a younger stage of 
growth4 ,the night temperature during   
winter should be about #de1 giving air  
freely by day whenever possible to do so
 with safety4 ,as the branches need     
support1 sticks of a suitable length    
must be provided1 and the stems tied out
 in good time to prevent them from      
breaking off4  ,,clerodendron ,,fallax  
,stove shrub  ,a very handsome erect    
shrub1 which is extensively grown in    
tropical gardens4 ,in this country it   
attains a height of about two feet1 and 
is easily raised from seed in a warm    
greenhouse or conservatory1 where it    

proves to be a really beautiful and     
striking plant4  ,sow in pots or pans in
 ,march or ,april and transfer to single
 pots while small4 ,from the            
commencement a very rich soil is        
necessary to insure robust growth and   
intense colour in the panicles of       
brilliant scarlet flowers4 ,the plants  
bloom in ,august or ,september of the   
same year4 ,when the leaves fall1 if the
 intention be to store through winter1  
remove to a temperature of #ee2 but     
raising plants annually is more         
satisfactory and entails less trouble   
than storing4  ,like many other tropical
 plants1 ,clerodendron fallax is subject
 to attack by mealy bug1 and this pest  
may be dealt with by hand picking or by 
washing the leaves with insecticide two 
evenings in succession4 ,aphis are also 
troublesome and should be cleared by    
fumigation4  ,,cockscomb  ,celosia      
cristata4 ,tender annual  ,this fine    
old-fashioned flower has won renewed    
popularity of late years1 probably as   

the result of a number of well-grown    
plants exhibited at horticultural shows4
 ,those who can produce handsome        
,cinerarias1 ,balsams1 and              
,calceolarias1 will be likely to turn   
out grand ,cockscombs1 strongly coloured
 and on dwarf1 leafy plants4 ,liberal   
culture is essential1 and the first     
start should be made in a compost       
consisting mainly of rich light friable 
loam4 ,sow the seeds on a rather brisk  
heat in ,february or ,march1 a          
newly-made but sweet hot-bed being the  
best place for the seed-pans4 ,prick out
 early into very small pots1 and shift  
on so as to encourage growth without a  
check1 and keep the plants on the       
hot-bed until the combs are formed4 ,it 
is well not to shift beyond the         
#h-a_/b-;inch size2 then1 by allowing   
the roots to become pot-bound1 the combs
 are soon produced4 ,it matters not how 
select the seed1 or how careful the     
culture1 a certain proportion of        
unsymmetrical combs will appear2 but    

these1 if richly coloured1 will be      
useful for decorative purposes1 and     
should have all the attention needed to 
keep their leaves fresh and the combs   
pure in colour4  ,,coleus  ,stove       
perennial  ,there is so much difficulty 
in carrying ,coleus through the winter  
in vigorous health that the modern plan 
of treating it as an annual is          
advantageous for the saving of trouble  
and fire-heat in winter1 and also       
because it offers the charm of constant 
diversity4 ,the fact is that our winter 
days are too short and gloomy to        
maintain the splendour of colouring     
which makes ,coleus so attractive and   
valuable2 and seed from a good strain   
may be relied on to produce plants which
 will delight the eye all through the   
summer and autumn4 ,some experienced men
 sow in ,february and succeed1 but the  
majority of cultivators will show       
prudence by waiting until ,march1 when  
increased daylight favours the rapid    
growth of the plants4 ,flowerpots are   

better than pans1 as the greater depth  
affords opportunity of securing         
effectual drainage4 ,the pots should be 
nearly half-filled with crocks1 covered 
with a layer of moss to prevent the soil
 from being washed away4 ,fill them with
 light turfy loam1 mingled with almost  
an equal bulk of sharp sand4 ,make an   
even surface1 on which sow thinly1 and  
shake over the seed a slight covering of
 fine soil4 ,place the pots in a        
temperature of not less than #fe4       
,watering needs particular care1 because
 of the peculiar liability of the young 
plants to damp off1 especially in dull  
weather4 ,the strongest seedlings are   
pretty certain to be those in which     
green and black predominate1 and they   
may without scruple be removed to make  
way for the slower-growing but          
better-coloured specimens4 ,these should
 be transplanted round the edges of pots
 while quite small2 and such as show    
delicate tints1 especially those having 
pink markings on a golden ground1 are   

worth nursing through the early stage   
with extra care4 ,the pots must be      
shaded from direct sunshine1 but should 
be kept near the glass4 ,in ,may the    
plants will be large enough for         
#dh-sized pots1 beyond which there is no
 occasion to go4 ,when the pots become  
full of roots the foliage increases in  
brilliancy1 whereas larger pots         
encourage free growth to the detriment  
of colour4 ,a dry atmosphere is         
particularly injurious1 while an        
occasional dose of manure water will    
maintain the plants in health4          
,,columbine--see ,,aquilegia  ,,cosmea  
,cosmos4 ,half-hardy annual  ,cosmeas   
make a striking show in the mixed       
border1 and the flowers are also in     
large request for indoor decoration4    
,disappointment is often caused1        
however1 through the plants failing to  
bloom until late in the season1 and     
therefore it is important to grow an    
early-flowering strain in order to      
insure a long-continued display4 ,the   

most successful method of raising plants
 is to sow the seed in pots during      
,february1 pricking off the plants as   
soon as large enough4 ,when the first   
flowers appear in ,may1 transplant to   
positions in the open immediately danger
 from frost is past4  ,,cyclamen        
,half-hardy perennial  ,gardeners of    
experience will remember the time when  
the predominant colours of ,cyclamen    
were purple and magenta1 and it was     
impossible for the most friendly critic 
to feel enthusiastic concerning these   
flowers4 ,but the new colours--,salmon  
,pink1 ,salmon ,scarlet1 the intense    
,vulcan1 ,rose ,queen and ,cherry ,red1 
together with ,giant ,white and ,white  
,butterfly--are now regarded as the     
brightest and most beautiful decorative 
subjects for the long period of dark    
winter days of which ,christmas is the  
centre4 ,as cut flowers for the         
dinner-table ,cyclamens have no rival at
 that period of the year1 and as        
specimen plants in the home they are    

delightful for their free-flowering     
habit1 compact form1 and elegant        
foliage4  ,seed may be sown at any time 
during autumn or the early part of the  
year1 and the plants will not only      
flower within twelve months1 but if     
properly grown will produce more bloom  
than can be obtained from old bulbs4 ,we
 do not advise more than three sowings1 
the first and most important of which   
should be made in ,august or the        
beginning of ,september4 ,to obtain a   
succession of plants1 sow again in      
,october and for the last time early in 
the new year4 ,those who have not       
hitherto grown ,cyclamen for midwinter  
blooming will be well pleased with the  
result4 ,it is quite as easy to flower  
them in the winter as in the longer     
days1 and this is more than can be said 
about most plants4  ,the best soil for  
,cyclamen is a rich1 sound loam1 with a 
liberal admixture of leaf-mould1 and    
sufficient silver sand to insure free   
drainage4 ,press this mixture firmly    

into pots or seed-pans1 and dibble the  
seed about an inch apart and not more   
than a quarter of an inch deep4 ,cover  
the surface with a thin layer of leaves 
or fibrous material to check rapid      
evaporation1 and later on keep the soil 
free from moss4 ,the autumn sowings may 
at first be placed in a frame having a  
temperature of not less than #de4 ,at   
the end of a fortnight transfer the pans
 to any warm and moist position in the  
greenhouse or propagating house4        
,although the ,cyclamen is a tender     
plant1 it does not need a strong heat1  
and will not endure extremes of any     
kind4 ,sudden changes are always fatal  
to its growth4 ,in winter the           
temperature should not be allowed to    
fall below #ef1 or to rise above #gj at 
any time4 ,the more evenly the heat can 
be maintained the better1 and it is     
desirable to give all the light         
possible4 ,in summer1 however1 although 
a warm and humid atmosphere is still    
necessary1 the light may with advantage 

be somewhat subdued1 but shading must   
not be overdone1 or the constitution of 
the plant will suffer4  ,cyclamen seed  
not only germinates slowly1 but it also 
grows in the most capricious manner2    
sometimes a few plants come up long     
after others have made a good start4 ,do
 not be impatient of their appearance1  
but when some seedlings are large enough
 for removal transfer to thumb pots1    
taking care not to insert them too      
deeply4 ,as the plants develop1 shift   
into larger pots1 ending finally in the 
#dh-size4 ,in the later stages mix less 
sand with the soil1 and when potting    
always leave the crown of the corm      
clear4 ,keep the plants near the glass1 
and as the sun becomes powerful it will 
be necessary to provide shade and       
prevent excess of heat4 ,never allow the
 seedlings to suffer from want of water1
 or to become a prey to aphis4 ,to avoid
 the latter1 occasional1 or it may be   
frequent1 fumigations must be resorted  
to4 ,about the end of ,may should find  

the most forward plants ready for       
shifting into #fj-pots4 ,give all the   
air possible to promote a sturdy growth4
 ,in doing this1 however1 avoid draughts
 of cold air4 ,from the end of ,june to 
the middle of ,july the finest plants   
should be ready for their final shift   
into #dh-pots1 in which they will flower
 admirably4 ,the growth during ,august  
and ,september will be very free1 and   
then occasional assistance with weak    
manure water will add to the size and   
colour of the flowers4 ,as the evenings 
shorten1 save the plants from chills1   
which result in deformed blossoms4  ,the
 whole secret of successful ,cyclamen   
culture may be summed up in a few words3
 constant and unvarying heat1 a moist   
atmosphere1 and abundant supplies of    
water without stagnation2 free          
circulation of air1 avoiding cold       
draughts2 light in winter1 and shade in 
summer1 with freedom from insect pests4 
,these conditions will keep the plants  
in vigorous growth from first to last1  

and the result will be so bountiful a   
bloom as to prove the soundness of the  
rapid system of cultivation4 ,this      
routine may be varied by the experienced
 cultivator1 but the principles will    
remain the same in all cases1 because   
the natural constitution of the plant   
gives the key to its management4        
,,dahlia  ,half-hardy perennial  ,both  
the double and the single classes of    
,dahlia are increasingly grown as       
annuals from seed1 and this practice has
 the great advantage of being economical
 in time and in the saving of space     
during winter4 ,the seedlings grow      
freely and quickly1 and will flower     
quite as early as those grown by the    
more lengthy and troublesome method from
 tubers4 ,even those who possess a stock
 of named sorts may with advantage raise
 a supply from seed1 especially as there
 is a probability of securing some      
charming novelty1 which is in itself no 
small incentive4  ,although the ,dahlia 
is a tender plant1 it is easily managed 

in a greenhouse1 or in a frame resting  
on a hot-bed4 ,the seed may be sown as  
early as ,january1 but unless sufficient
 space is at command to keep the plants 
stocky as they develop1 it will be wise 
to wait until ,february4 ,a sowing in   
the month last named will produce plants
 forward enough to bloom at the usual   
time4 ,even ,march will not be too late2
 but whatever time may be chosen1 when  
the start has been made it must be      
followed up with diligence1 so as to    
avoid giving any check from first to    
last4 ,sow thinly in pots or pans filled
 with ordinary light rich compost1 and  
cover the seed with a mere sprinkling of
 fine earth4 ,when the first pair of    
leaves attain the height of an inch1 pot
 off each plant singly close up to the  
base of the leaves4 ,it is not advisable
 to throw the weakly seedlings away2    
these are the very plants which are most
 likely to display new shades of colour 
and they are worth some additional      
trouble4 ,although weak at the outset1  

they may1 by judicious treatment1 be    
developed into a thriving and healthy   
condition4  ,when potted1 place the     
plants in heat1 giving a little extra   
care until growth is fairly started4 ,in
 due time shift into larger sizes as may
 be necessary1 and then it will be wise 
to consider whether there is space to   
grow the whole stock well4 ,if not1 do  
not hesitate to sacrifice the surplus1  
and in doing so reject the              
rankest-growing specimens1 for these are
 least likely to produce a fine display 
of bloom4 ,it is mistaken practice to   
take out the top shoot1 as this checks  
the plant for no good end2 but when     
about six inches high1 each one will    
need the support of a stick4 ,give water
 freely1 and air on all suitable        
occasions4 ,the least tendency to curled
 leaves indicates something amiss1 and  
demands immediate attention4 ,a cold    
blast may have stricken the plants1 or  
the soil may be poor2 lack of sufficient
 water will produce the mischief1 or it 

may arise from the presence of aphis4   
,if the last-named assumption prove     
correct1 fumigate on the first quiet    
evening1 and omit watering on that day4 
,the mere mention of the other points   
will be sufficient to show the remedy   
for them4  ,as the time for transfer to 
the open air approaches1 all that is    
possible should be done to harden the   
plants for the change4 ,they may be     
placed for a few days under the shelter 
of a wall or hedge1 but on the least    
sign of frost be prepared to protect    
with hurdles or mats4 ,full exposure    
during genial showers and fair weather  
is advisable1 and an occasional         
examination of the plants will prevent  
their rooting through the pots into the 
soil4  ,the border for ,dahlias can     
scarcely be made too rich1 for they are 
hungry and thirsty subjects1 and will   
amply repay in a profusion of bloom the 
manure that may be lavished upon them4  
,slugs and snails are unfortunately too 
partial to newly planted ,dahlias1 but  

the vermin soon cease to care about     
them2 therefore it is advisable to plant
 ,lettuces plentifully at the same time1
 or previously1 on the same ground1 and 
to dust around the ,dahlias with lime4  
,insert at least one stake1 about a yard
 long1 near each plant1 to give support1
 and two or three others will have to be
 given before the branches spread far4  
,secure the first shoot when planting is
 completed1 and follow up the tying as  
growth demands4  ,dahlias bloom         
continuously for a long time1 and appear
 to be especially at home in the        
shrubbery border1 or in the centre of a 
bed4 ,they are also valuable for        
training against buildings having a     
southern aspect1 and here the flowering 
period is much prolonged1 for an early  
frost will scarcely reach them4 ,a light
 wall is an admirable background for    
deep-coloured varieties1 and the white  
or yellow flowers are displayed to      
advantage against a dark building4      
,dahlias may be used either alone or in 

company with the climbing plants which  
are usual in such positions4  ,the      
flowers possess a special value for     
indoor decoration1 and any odd corner of
 the garden can be utilised for         
producing a supply for this purpose4    
,cutting should invariably be done in   
the early morning1 while yet the dew is 
upon them4 ,they will then retain their 
beauty for a longer period than those   
taken at a later hour from the same     
plants4 ,this remark is true of all     
flowers1 but it applies with especial   
force to the ,dahlia4  ,,daisy1 ,,double
  ,bellis perennis fl4 pl4 ,hardy       
perennial  ,the remarkable development  
of the ,double ,daisy in recent years   
has raised this simple garden subject to
 the foremost rank of spring bedding    
plants4 ,so pronounced has been the     
improvement achieved in the size and    
form of the flowers1 that plants raised 
from a reliable strain of seed will now 
produce blooms which may well be        
mistaken for specimens of finely shaped 

,asters4 ,when massed in a large bed the
 flowers present one of the most        
striking sights to be seen anywhere in  
the spring garden4 ,but apart from their
 use in formal beds and borders1 ,double
 ,daisies make a pleasing break among   
,wallflowers1 and are particularly      
attractive when grown as an edging to   
bulbous flowers and other               
spring-blooming subjects such as        
,polyanthus1 ,myosotis1 c4 ,plants from 
a sowing made in pans in ,april and put 
out when large enough1 may be flowered  
in the autumn of the same year4 ,but the
 method more generally practised is to  
sow on prepared beds in the open during 
,june or ,july1 and to transfer the     
seedlings when sufficiently developed to
 positions for blooming in the following
 season4  ,,delphinium  ,hardy perennial
  ,nearly all the perennial varieties   
may be raised from seed1 and where large
 numbers are required this is the best  
method of obtaining them4 ,they make    
handsome border flowers1 and are        

extremely valuable during the early     
months of summer4 ,sow in ,may1 ,june or
 ,july1 in the open ground1 and         
transplant in autumn4 ,if mixed seed has
 been sown1 it will not be wise to thin 
out all the weakly plants1 or it may    
happen that some of the choicest shades 
may be lost4 ,the first flowers will be 
over by midsummer1 but if the stalks are
 promptly cut down instead of being     
allowed to seed1 there will be a second 
display later in the year4  ,three      
varieties1 ,queen of ,blues1 ,dwarf     
,porcelain ,blue1 and ,blue ,butterfly1 
may be flowered as annuals1 by sowing in
 pans in ,march and transplanting to the
 open as soon as the seedlings are      
ready4 ,they also make particularly     
charming pot plants1 for which purpose  
it is advisable to sow seeds in ,march4 
,the scarlet variety 7,d4 nudicaule7 is 
rather more delicate than the others1   
and it is wise to raise the plants in   
well-drained seed-pans1 and to take care
 of them through the first winter in a  

cold frame2 indeed1 in a heavy soil     
there is a risk of losing them in any   
winter which is both cold and wet4 ,it  
is not necessary to employ pots1 but    
immediately after flowering take them up
 and store in peat until the following  
,april1 when they can be returned to the
 open ground4  ,d4 sulphureum4 ,the seed
 takes a very long time to germinate1   
and severely taxes the patience of the  
sower4 ,but otherwise there is no       
difficulty in raising plants1 and the   
long spikes of beautiful clear          
sulphur-yellow flowers are well worth   
the extra time the seedlings need4 ,the 
best plan is to sow in autumn in the    
open ground1 cover with a frame1 and    
avoid disturbing the soil1 except for   
weeding1 until the next autumn1 when the
 plants should be put into position for 
flowering in the following summer4  ,as 
slugs are exceedingly partial to        
,delphiniums1 the crowns should be      
examined in spring1 and the seed-beds   
may be dressed with soot and surrounded 

with ashes to save the seedlings from   
injury4  ,the annual ,delphiniums are   
dealt with under ,larkspur1 page #bgd4  
,,dianthus  ,pink4 ,biennials1 hardy and
 half-hardy  ,many varieties of         
,dianthus claim attention for their     
elegant forms and splendour of          
colouring4 ,they have been so           
wonderfully improved by scientific      
growers that they almost supersede the  
old garden ,pinks1 and have the great   
advantage of coming true from seed4 ,d4 
,heddewigii 7,japan ,pink7 and its      
varieties1 ,d4 chinensis 7,indian ,pink7
 and ,d4 imperialis1 make interesting   
and sumptuous beds1 and may all be      
flowered the first year from sowings    
made in heat in ,january or ,february4  
,immediately the seedlings are through  
the soil it is important to shift them  
to a rather lower temperature than is   
necessary for insuring germination1 or  
the plants become soft and worthless4   
,be very sparing with water1 especially 
if the soil is at all retentive4 ,when  

two leaves are formed1 transfer to pans1
 allowing about an inch between each    
plant1 and place in a sheltered         
position4 ,gradually introduce to cool  
treatment1 and when ready prick off     
again1 allowing each plant more space4  
,they will thus have a much better      
start1 when planted out in ,may1 than if
 taken from the seed-pans direct4       
,dianthus make a most attractive display
 in pots1 and a number of seedlings     
should be potted on for flowering in    
this manner4  ,where there are no       
facilities for raising ,dianthus in     
heat1 it is quite easy to grow plants in
 an open spot from a sowing in ,june or 
,july1 and they will flower freely in   
the following year4 ,prepare drills     
about six inches apart and line them    
with sifted soil2 sow thinly1 and       
carefully cover the seed with fine soil4
 ,shade must be given during            
germination1 but it should be gradually 
withdrawn when the seedlings are up4    
,transfer to final positions in ,august4

 ,should this be impossible1 prick the  
plants out1 and shift them again a      
little later4 ,it will only do harm to  
leave them crowded in the seed-bed1 and 
the second move will better enable them 
to withstand winter frosts4 ,the        
,dianthus thrives in a sandy or loamy   
soil1 with full exposure to sunshine1   
and the plants scarcely need water or   
any attention the whole season through4 
,,digitalis  ,foxglove4 ,hardy biennial 
,besides the native ,purple ,foxglove1  
largely grown in gardens1 there are     
several very handsome varieties that are
 valuable for adorning borders1         
shrubberies and woodland walks4         
,specially worthy of attention are      
,giant ,primrose1 a beautiful variety   
with rich cream or buff flowers2 the    
,giant ,spotted1 which produces handsome
 flowers1 rich and varied in colour2 and
 the white variety with its abundance of
 charming ivory-white bells1 which are  
occasionally slightly spotted4  ,any    
deep rich soil suits ,digitalis1 and    

seed sown in ,may1 ,june1 or ,july will 
produce seedlings which1 with very      
little attention1 will yield a fine     
display of flowers in the following     
summer4 ,sow in the open in pans1 or on 
a prepared border1 and put the young    
plants into permanent positions1        
choosing showery weather in ,august or  
,september4  ,,dimorphotheca            
,half-hardy annual  ,the ,dimorphotheca1
 also called the ,star of the ,veldt1   
was introduced into this country from   
,south ,africa and1 like the ,nemesia1  
also a native of that ,dominion1 it has 
become one of the most valuable of our  
summer annuals4 ,under favourable       
conditions plants may be flowered in six
 weeks from time of sowing and they will
 continue to bloom in profusion until   
cut down by frost4 ,in addition to the  
striking orange flower1 ,d4 aurantiaca  
7,orange ,daisy71 a wide range of       
colours1 including many delicate tints1 
has been evolved by careful             
hybridisation4  ,those who wish to      

obtain forward plants should sow during 
,march or ,april in pans of light soil  
placed in a cold frame1 and the         
seedlings will be ready for transfer to 
open quarters in ,may4 ,or seed may     
safely be sown in the open ground in    
,may and ,june4 ,as suggested by its    
native habitat1 the ,dimorphotheca loves
 a warm sunny position and grows to the 
greatest perfection in a light soil or a
 well-drained loam4  ,the practice of   
flowering half-hardy annuals in pots is 
rapidly increasing1 and among this class
 of plants the ,dimorphotheca has few   
rivals as a decorative subject for the  
conservatory4 ,it is more effective to  
grow three or four plants in a pot than 
one only1 and the best specimens are    
obtained by sowing direct into the pots 
and thinning the seedlings to the       
required number4 ,use a light rich      
compost containing a fair proportion of 
silver sand1 and do not let the plants  
suffer for the lack of water4           
,,eschscholtzia  ,hardy perennial  ,a   

decade or so ago the predominant colours
 found in ,eschscholtzias were yellow   
and orange1 but in recent years a number
 of new and very attractive shades have 
been introduced1 with the result that   
this plant is now regarded as           
indispensable for summer bedding and for
 borders4 ,the modern practice is to    
grow ,eschscholtzias as annuals1 sowing 
in the open during ,march and ,april4   
,as the seedlings do not readily        
transplant1 the seed should be put in   
where the flowers are wanted4 ,thin out 
in due course1 allowing each plant ample
 space for development4 ,sowings may    
also be made during ,september1 from    
which the plants will bloom in advance  
of those raised in spring4  ,,freesia   
,half-hardy perennial  ,the ,freesia is 
another of the bulbous flowers easily   
raised from seed1 and it may be had in  
bloom within six months from date of    
sowing4 ,use a rich compost1 and sow    
under glass in ,january1 ,february1 or  
,march1 as may best suit convenience4   

,seed should be sown again in ,august1  
to supply flowers in spring or summer of
 the following year4 ,the brittleness of
 the roots makes re-potting a hazardous 
operation4 ,it is therefore wise to sow 
in #dh-pots and thin to four or five    
plants in each1 thus avoiding the need  
for shifting until after flowering has  
taken place4 ,when re-potting becomes   
imperative1 it must be done with a      
gentle hand1 and the bulbs ought to be  
carefully matched for each pot4 ,the    
position chosen for ,freesias should be 
light and freely ventilated in mild     
weather1 but they will not endure a     
cutting draught4 ,for further cultural  
notes see page #cbh4  ,,fuchsia         
,half-hardy perennial  ,to raise        
,fuchsias from seed will be new practice
 to many2 but it is both interesting and
 inexpensive1 and every year it secures 
an increasing number of adherents4 ,seed
 may be sown at almost any time of the  
year2 if a start be made in ,january or 
,february1 the plants will bloom in     

,july or ,august4 ,soil for the         
seed-pots should be somewhat firm in    
texture1 but a light rich compost ought 
to be employed when the plants come to  
be potted off1 and the final shift      
should be into a mixture containing     
nearly one-third of decayed cow-manure4 
,for the early sowing we have named1 a  
rather strong heat will be necessary to 
bring up the seed4 ,when large enough to
 handle1 prick off the seedlings round  
the edges of #fj-pots1 putting about six
 plants into each pot4 ,shade and       
moisture are requisite to give them a   
start after each transfer4 ,subsequently
 they must be potted on as growth       
demands1 until the final size is        
reached2 and flowering will not commence
 so long as increased pot-room is given4
 ,the growth must not be hurried1 and   
the plants should at all times be kept  
free from vermin4 ,seedlings having     
narrow pointed leaves may be consigned  
to the waste heap without scruple2 but  
plants with short rounded foliage1      

especially if dark in colour1 are almost
 certain to prove of high quality4      
,,gaillardia  ,half-hardy perennial     
,all the ,gaillardias are most          
conveniently grown as annuals from seed4
 ,the plants remain in bloom for a long 
period1 and for their gorgeous colouring
 the flowers are as highly prized for   
arranging in bowls and vases as for     
garden decoration4 ,the best month in   
which to sow seed is ,march1 and the    
plants will then be ready for putting   
out in ,may4 ,any good compost will     
answer1 and only a moderate temperature 
is necessary to bring up the seedlings4 
,the usual course of procedure in       
pricking off must be adopted to keep    
them short and stout4  ,,geranium       
,pelargonium4 ,half-hardy perennial     
,geraniums of all kinds are most        
valuable if treated as annuals4 ,in     
their seedling state the plants are     
peculiarly robust and charmingly fresh  
in leafage and flowers1 even if amongst 
them there does not happen to be one    

that is welcome as a novel florist's    
flower4 ,when grown from first-class    
seed1 however1 a large proportion of    
fine varieties and a few real novelties 
may be expected4 ,the seed may be sown  
on any day throughout the year1 but     
,february and ,august are especially    
suitable4 ,sow in pans filled with a    
good mixture1 in a somewhat rough state4
 ,cover with a fair sixteenth of an inch
 of fine soil4 ,put the seed-pans in a  
temperature of #fj to #gj if sown in    
,february1 but heat will not be         
necessary at all unless it is desired to
 bring the plants into flower early in  
the ensuing summer4 ,we are accustomed  
to place the seed-pans on a sunny shelf 
in a cool greenhouse1 and have fine     
plants by the end of ,june1 many of     
which begin to flower in ,august4       
,,gerbera  ,half-hardy perennial  ,the  
,gerbera1 also known as the ,barberton  
or ,transvaal ,daisy1 is a native of    
,south ,africa4 ,under cool greenhouse  
treatment it may be grown to perfection 

in pots1 and a charming display of bloom
 can also be obtained in the open border
 from plants put out in a well-drained  
sunny position and given slight         
protection in winter4 ,the flowers      
somewhat resemble a ,marguerite in form1
 having a number of long pointed petals 
radiating from a small centre4 ,in      
addition to the brilliant ,g4           
,jamesonii1 sometimes called the        
,scarlet ,daisy of the ,cape1 many      
hybrid flowers having a wide range of   
delightful colours are also available4  
,although seed is often sown in spring1 
the best results are probably obtained  
from an ,august sowing1 in pans placed  
in a gentle heat4 ,prick off the        
seedlings when large enough1 and if     
required for the greenhouse or          
conservatory transfer to pots1 or       
gradually harden off for planting in the
 open as soon as weather permits in the 
following spring4  ,,gesnera  ,ngelia4  
,tender perennial  ,an extremely        
beautiful ornament for stove or         

conservatory4 ,the new hybrids freely   
produce spikes of bright pendulous      
flowers of many charming colours4       
,although the ,gesnera is a perennial1  
it is sound practice to treat the plant 
as an annual4 ,seedlings from a ,january
 sowing will commence flowering in about
 nine months4 ,very rich soil1 a warm   
and even temperature1 and plenty of     
water1 are requisite to promote         
luxuriant growth4 ,the culture advised  
for ,gloxinias will exactly suit the    
,gesnera also4  ,,geum  ,hardy perennial
  ,the introduction of the well-known   
double variety1 ,mrs4 ,bradshaw1 which  
may easily be flowered from seed in the 
first season1 has brought the ,geum into
 prominence in recent years4 ,seed of   
the above-named variety should be sown  
in pans in ,march or ,april and the     
seedlings pricked off into boxes of rich
 soil when large enough4 ,put out in    
,may or ,june and do not let the plants 
suffer for want of water4 ,geums may    
also be raised from sowings made in     

,june or ,july1 and transplanting in due
 course to permanent quarters1 in the   
manner usual with hardy perennials4     
,,gladiolus  ,corn ,flag4 ,half-hardy   
perennial  ,formerly the ,gladiolus was 
seldom raised from seed1 probably       
because the seed obtainable was not     
worth sowing4 ,now it is saved with so  
much care that it will give a splendid  
display of flowers1 a large proportion  
of which will be equal to named sorts1  
and some may show a decided advance4    
,the use of large pots--the #cb-size    
will answer--is advantageous for many   
reasons1 and they should be either new  
or scrupulously clean1 for they will    
have to remain unchanged for many       
months1 so that a fair start is the more
 necessary4 ,for the same reason special
 care should be taken to insure free    
drainage4 ,over the usual crocks place a
 layer of dry moss1 and fill with a     
compost of fibrous loam and leaf-mould  
in equal parts1 with sufficient sharp   
sand added to make it thoroughly porous4

 ,press the soil firmly into the pots1  
making the surface quite even1 and in   
,february dibble the seeds separately   
about an inch apart1 and half an inch   
deep4 ,this will render it needless to  
disturb the seedlings during the first  
season4 ,put the seed-pots in a steady  
temperature not exceeding #fe or #gj4   
,after watering1 it will help to retain 
the moisture if the top of each pot is  
covered with a layer of old moss1 until 
the plants show4 ,when the seedlings are
 about an inch high remove to a lower   
temperature1 and begin to harden off by 
giving air on suitable occasions4 ,take 
care1 however1 that in the process no   
check is given to growth4 ,soon after   
the middle of ,may the seedlings should 
be able to bear full exposure1 and it   
will then be time to renew the surface  
soil4 ,gently remove the upper layer1   
and replace it with rotten cow-manure1  
or some other rich dressing4 ,water must
 be given regularly until about         
midsummer1 when the pots may be plunged 

to the rim in a shady border1 and this  
will keep them tolerably moist until1 in
 ,september1 the seedlings begin to     
ripen off1 which they must be allowed to
 do4 ,when the leaves have died down1   
shake out the bulbs and place them on a 
shelf to dry4 ,a mixture of equal parts 
of peat and pine sawdust1 placed in a   
box or seed-pan1 will make the best     
possible store for them2 the box or     
seed-pan to be kept in any spot which is
 safe from heat and frost4 ,after about 
six weeks1 each bulb should be examined1
 and decayed specimens removed4 ,if any 
of them have commenced growing1 pot them
 and place in a pit or greenhouse4 ,in  
,march take the bulbs out of store1 pot 
each one singly1 and prepare for        
planting out4 ,the transfer to the open 
must not be made until the danger of    
frost is past1 even though it be        
necessary to wait until the first week  
of ,june4  ,further remarks on          
,gladiolus will be found at page #cbi1  
under #8,the ,culture of ,flowering     

,bulbs4'  ,,gloxinia  ,tender perennial 
,gloxinias can now be flowered in the   
most satisfactory manner within six     
months from the date of sowing seed4    
,hence there is no longer the least     
temptation to propagate these plants by 
the lengthy and troublesome method      
formerly in vogue1 especially as        
seedlings raised from a first-class     
strain produce flowers of the finest    
quality1 both as to form and style of   
growth4 ,one great advantage to be      
obtained from seedlings is an almost    
endless variety of colour1 for the      
careful hybridisation of the choicest   
flowers not only perpetuates those      
colours1 but yields other fine shades   
also4 ,those who have never seen a large
 and well-grown collection of seedling  
,gloxinias have yet to witness one of   
the most striking displays of floral    
beauty4  ,quite as much has been done   
for the foliage of the ,gloxinia as for 
its flower1 and the best strains now    
produce grand leaves which are reflexed 

in such a manner as almost to hide the  
pot1 so that the foliage presents an    
extremely ornamental appearance4  ,by   
successive sowings and judicious        
management it is possible to flower     
,gloxinias almost the year through4 ,the
 most important months for sowing seed  
are ,january1 ,february1 and ,march1 and
 to secure an early display in the      
following spring some growers sow again 
in ,june or ,july4  ,the soil most      
suited to ,gloxinias is a light porous  
compost of fibrous loam4 ,if this is not
 obtainable1 leaf-mould will answer1    
mixed with peat and silver sand in about
 equal parts4 ,new pots are advisable1  
or old ones must be thoroughly cleansed1
 and free drainage is essential to      
success4 ,fill the pots to within half  
an inch of the top4 ,sow thinly1 and    
slightly cover the seed with very fine  
soil4 ,place the pots in a warm1 moist  
position1 carefully shading from the    
sun4 ,a light sprinkling of water daily 
will be necessary4 ,immediately some    

plants are large enough for shifting1   
lift them tenderly from the seed-pot1 so
 as scarcely to disturb the rest1 and   
prick off into large #fj-pots in which  
the soil has a convex surface4 ,follow  
this process as plants become ready     
until all the seedlings have been       
transferred4 ,when potting on allow the 
leaves to rest on the soil1 but avoid   
covering the hearts4 ,on the first warm 
day give air on the leeward side of the 
house1 briefly at first1 and increase   
the time as the plants become           
established4 ,a clear space between the 
plants is necessary to prevent the      
leaves of neighbours from meeting4 ,the 
final shift should be into #dh-pots1    
unless extra fine specimens are         
required1 and then one or two sizes     
larger may be used4 ,an occasional dose 
of weak manure water will prove         
beneficial1 taking care that the foliage
 is not wetted4 ,a moist atmosphere1    
with the temperature at about #fj to    
#fe1 greatly facilitates the growth of  

,gloxinias4 ,with care1 however1 they   
may be well grown in greenhouses and    
pits heated by hot water4 ,although the 
plants love a humid atmosphere while    
growing1 this ceases to be an advantage1
 and1 in fact1 becomes injurious when   
the flowers begin to expand4 ,at that   
time1 also1 the manure water should be  
discontinued4  ,under #8,the ,culture of
 ,flowering ,bulbs1' page #cca1 further 
instructions are given4  ,,godetia      
,hardy annual  ,so far as the culture of
 ,godetias is concerned1 the usual      
spring sowing and the regular treatment 
of hardy annuals will satisfy those who 
are content with a display entailing the
 least possible trouble4 ,but the       
,godetia is no ordinary annual4 ,the    
plants flower with such amazing         
profusion1 and the colours are so       
magnificent1 that those who wish to     
produce striking effects in beds or     
borders in ,july and ,august will find  
,godetias of the highest value4 ,all the
 varieties come perfectly true to colour

 and admit of numerous contrasts and    
harmonies4 ,as an example1 we suggest   
the following combination for a long    
border1 or beside a carriage drive4 ,sow
 two rows of ,alyssum minimum1 allowing 
twelve inches between the rows2 one row 
of ,dwarf ,pink ,godetia fifteen inches 
from the ,alyssum2 two rows of ,g4      
,dwarf ,duchess of ,albany eighteen     
inches apart2 one row of ,g4 ,scarlet   
,queen eighteen inches from the         
preceding variety1 and one row of       
,double ,rose at the back4 ,the result  
will astonish those who have not        
previously seen a really fine exposition
 of this flower4 ,many other            
combinations will occur to those who    
carefully study colour schemes4  ,there 
are few annuals more greatly valued for 
cutting than the taller varieties of    
,godetia4 ,these mainly produce double  
flowers in sprays two feet or more in   
length which develop into full beauty   
after being placed in water4  ,march and
 ,april are the months for sowing seed  

in the open for a summer display1 and   
,september for spring flowering4 ,good  
effects1 however1 are obtained by       
raising a sufficient number of plants in
 boxes and pricking off in readiness for
 putting out after bulbs and spring     
bedders have been cleared away4 ,under  
this practice there need not be a blank 
or a defective specimen4  ,dwarf        
,godetias make exceedingly symmetrical  
and attractive pot plants4 ,for this    
purpose sow seed in ,october in pans and
 place them in a temperature of #ee     
until the seedlings appear1 then remove 
to a cooler place4 ,as soon as possible 
prick off three in each #dh-pot and when
 established grow on during winter in   
cold frames1 giving air daily except in 
frosty weather1 when the frames must    
remain closed and can be protected with 
whatever covering may be at hand4 ,here 
it may be well to point out that even   
when touched by frost the plants will   
recover if they are shaded from the     
sun's rays until the pots are quite     

clear of frost4 ,godetias flowered in   
pots make bright groups in              
conservatories1 and occasionally do good
 service where failures occur in beds4  
,,grevillea ,,robusta  ,australian ,oak4
 ,greenhouse shrub  ,in its native      
country1 ,new ,south ,wales1 this is a  
stately tree4 ,here it is grown as a pot
 plant1 and the finely cut1 drooping1   
fern-like foliage produces one of the   
most graceful decorative subjects we    
possess4 ,its value is enhanced by the  
fact that it withstands the baneful     
influences of gas1 dust1 and changes of 
temperature better than the majority of 
table plants4  ,seedlings are easily    
raised by those who can exercise        
patience2 and afterwards the simplest   
cool culture will suffice to grow       
handsome specimens4 ,but we do not know 
any seed--not even the ,auricula--which 
takes more time and is so capricious in 
germinating4 ,in all cases where seed is
 sown in fairly rich soil1 which has to 
be kept constantly moist and undisturbed

 for a long period1 there is a tendency 
to sourness1 especially on the surface4 
,free drainage will do something towards
 preventing this4 ,another aid in the   
same direction is to cover the seed with
 a layer of sand1 and the sand with a   
thin coating of ordinary potting soil4  
,when the surface becomes covered with  
moss1 the coating of soil can be gently 
removed down to the sand1 and be        
replaced with fresh earth1 without      
detriment to the seeds4  ,sow at any    
time of the year1 in #dh-sized pots     
filled with rather firm soil2 and as the
 seedlings straggle through and show two
 pairs of leaves1 pot them off singly1  
and give the shelter of a close pit or  
frame until they become established4    
,they must not be allowed to suffer for 
lack of water1 but there is no necessity
 to give them manure water at any stage 
of growth4 ,an occasional re-potting is 
the only other attention they will      
require until they reach the final size1
 and the pots need not then be large4   

,,hollyhock  ,altha rosea4 ,hardy       
perennial  ,generations of unnatural    
treatment had so debilitated the        
,hollyhock that disease threatened to   
banish it from our gardens4 ,just at the
 critical time it was discovered that   
the plant could be grown and            
satisfactorily flowered from seed4      
,florists at once turned their attention
 to the production of seed worth        
growing1 and with marked success4 ,the  
best strains may now be relied on to    
produce a large proportion of perfectly 
formed double flowers1 imposing in size1
 colour1 and substance4 ,the seedlings  
also possess a constitution capable of  
withstanding the deadly ,puccinia       
malvacearum1 and there is no longer a   
danger that this stately plant will     
become merely one of the pleasures of   
memory4  ,in growing the ,hollyhock it  
is necessary to remember that a large   
amount of vegetable tissue has to be    
produced within a brief period1 so that 
the treatment throughout its career     

should be exceptionally liberal4 ,some  
gardeners are successful in flowering   
,hollyhocks as annuals4 ,where this     
course is adopted it is usual to sow in 
,january in well-drained pots or        
seed-pans filled with rich soil freely  
mixed with sand1 covering the seed with 
a slight dusting of fine earth4 ,a      
temperature of #fe or #gj is necessary1 
and in about a fortnight the plants     
should attain a height of one inch1 when
 they will be ready for pricking off    
round the edges of #d-a_/b-;inch pots1  
filled with a good porous compost4 ,put 
the seedlings in so that the first      
leaves just touch the surface4 ,at the  
beginning of ,march transfer singly to  
thumb pots1 and immediately the roots   
take hold remove to pits or frames1     
where they can be exposed to genial     
showers and be gradually hardened4      
,defer the planting out until the       
weather is quite warm and settled4  ,the
 shrubbery border is the natural        
position for the ,hollyhock1 but the    

regular occupants keep the soil poor1   
and for such a rapid-growing plant as we
 are now considering there is obviously 
all the greater need for deep digging   
and liberal manuring4 ,if put out during
 dry weather1 complete the operation    
with a soaking of water1 and repeat this
 twice a week until rain falls4 ,give   
each plant a clear space of three or    
four feet to afford easy access for     
staking and watering4 ,by midsummer     
offshoots will begin to push through the
 soil4 ,the removal of these will throw 
all the strength of the plant into one  
stem4 ,to insure its safety a strong    
stake will be required1 which should be 
firmly driven into the ground1 and rise 
six or seven feet above it4 ,in case of 
an accident at any time to the central  
stem the hope of flowers for that year  
is gone1 and it is therefore worth some 
pains to prevent a mishap4 ,the tying   
must be done with judgment1 and as the  
plants increase in size an occasional   
inspection will save the stems from     

being cut4 ,several inches of           
half-decayed cow-manure placed round the
 stems1 with a saucer-like hollow in the
 centre to retain water1 will be helpful
 to the roots1 and if the flowers are   
intended for exhibition1 the treatment  
can scarcely be too generous4  ,it is1  
however1 easy to grow and flower        
,hollyhocks without the aid of          
artificial heat4 ,on a south border in  
,june prepare drills about two inches   
deep and a foot apart4 ,place an inch of
 rich sifted soil in each drill1 and    
upon this sow the seed very thinly1     
covering it about a quarter of an inch4 
,if the weather be dry1 give a gentle   
soaking of water1 and finish with a     
dusting of soot to prevent vermin from  
eating the seedlings4 ,thin the plants  
to six inches apart1 and they may remain
 in the seed-rows until the end of      
,september4 ,whether they are then      
transplanted straight to blooming       
quarters1 or put into a cold frame for  
the winter1 depends on soil and climate4

 ,in the southern counties1 and on light
 land1 it will generally be safe to     
winter ,hollyhocks in the open1 with    
merely a shelter of dry fern or litter4 
,but in heavy loam or clay the risk is  
too great1 and the cold frame must be   
resorted to4 ,in this they will be      
secure1 and can be ventilated as weather
 permits4 ,as the season advances give  
more air1 until they are planted out in 
,may4 ,seed may also be sown in pans in 
,july or ,august1 the seedlings being   
transferred in due course to pots for   
the winter4 ,the protection of a frame  
will suffice1 provided that frost is    
kept away1 and the plants may be put out
 in spring as already advised4          
,,impatiens  ,sultan's ,balsam4 ,tender 
perennial  ,early sowing should be      
avoided for two reasons4 ,the seed      
germinates but slowly in dull weather1  
and the seedlings when raised are almost
 certain to damp off4 ,we do not advise 
a start before ,march1 and not until    
,april unless a steady heat of #fj or   

#fe can be maintained4 ,sow in          
well-drained pots1 filled with soil     
composed of two parts of turfy loam and 
one part of leaf-soil1 with very little 
sand added4 ,the seedlings are          
exceedingly brittle at the outset1 and  
re-potting should not be attempted until
 they are about an inch high4 ,even then
 they need delicate handling1 and after 
the task is accomplished they should be 
promptly placed in a warm frame or      
propagating pit for a few days4 ,in     
,june or ,july the plants should reach  
#dh-sized pots1 but they must not be    
transferred to the conservatory without 
careful hardening1 or the whole of the  
flowers will fall4 ,i4 ,holstii also    
succeeds well when bedded out in summer 
in the same manner as ,begonias4        
,,jacobea--see ,,senecio  ,,kochia      
,,trichophylla  ,half-hardy annual      
,this remarkable variety of ,k4 scoparia
 is a miniature annual shrub1 which is  
also known as ,summer ,cypress1 or      
,belvidere4 ,it is singularly           

attractive1 of rapid growth and graceful
 habit4 ,in a very brief time the finely
 cut foliage forms a compact cylindrical
 plant1 beautifully domed at the top1   
and the tender green changes to a rich  
russet-crimson in autumn4  ,seed may be 
sown in slight heat during ,february or 
,march to provide early plants for pots1
 or for setting out in the open         
immediately the bedding season          
commences4 ,it is important not to crowd
 the seedlings1 and every precaution    
should be taken to prevent them from    
becoming thin1 leggy1 or wanting in     
symmetry4 ,each plant must be allowed   
sufficient space to develop equally all 
round4 ,an ,april sowing can be made in 
the open where the plants are intended  
to remain1 and beyond regular thinning  
they will give very little trouble4  ,as
 a conspicuous dot plant in beds this   
,kochia is extremely useful1 or it can  
be massed in borders1 and it also forms 
an admirable dividing line in the flower
 garden4 ,for the decoration of         

conservatories a number should be       
specially reserved4 ,specimens may be   
employed with striking effect on flights
 of steps1 in halls1 and many other     
positions where a plant of perfect      
outline will serve as an ornament4      
,height1 #b to #c feet4  ,,larkspur     
,hardy annual  ,the cultivation of the  
annual ,delphiniums1 more familiarly    
known as ,larkspurs1 is so simple in    
character that it calls for little      
comment4 ,but these handsome subjects   
are so widely grown1 and so greatly     
appreciated1 that they are fully        
deserving of special mention here4 ,the 
taller varieties1 of which the          
,stock-flowered strain is the most      
popular1 are best grown in large beds1  
borders and shrubberies1 and the dwarfer
 kinds in small beds4 ,apart from their 
usefulness in the garden1 however1 the  
taller sorts of ,larkspur are much in   
request for providing cut material1     
particularly for the decoration of the  
dinner-table1 and a number of plants    

should always be grown in reserve for   
this purpose4 ,it is usual to put in the
 seed where the plants are intended to  
stand1 and ,march and ,april are the    
best months for sowing4 ,thin out the   
seedlings promptly1 and give each plant 
ample room for development1 especially  
when grown on good ground4  ,larkspurs  
may also be sown in ,september for      
producing an earlier display in the     
following year than is possible from    
spring-sown seed4  ,,lavatera  ,mallow4 
,hardy annual and hardy perennial       
,countryside gardens owe not a little of
 their floral brightness to the         
,mallows4 ,the modern varieties of      
,lavatera1 however1 far surpass in      
effectiveness the flowers commonly met  
with and are regarded as among the      
finest subjects for creating an imposing
 display in tall borders and large beds4
 ,for this purpose the annual varieties1
 ,loveliness1 ,rosea splendens1 and     
,alba splendens1 are the most popular4  
,as transplanting is not to be depended 

upon1 seed should be sown thinly in     
,march1 ,april or ,may where the plants 
are wanted to flower4 ,if the ground has
 been generously prepared fine specimens
 will result1 and each plant should be  
allowed a spacing of at least two feet  
for development4  ,the perennial        
variety1 ,l4 ,olbia1 makes a bold       
subject for herbaceous borders and      
shrubberies4 ,seed may be sown in pans  
any time from ,march to ,august1 putting
 out the plants when large enough for   
flowering in the following season4      
,small plants of this variety may with  
advantage be potted for conservatory    
decoration4  ,,lobelia  ,annual and     
perennial2 half-hardy  ,there are       
several distinct classes of ,lobelia1   
differing materially in height and      
habit4 ,for dwarf beds or edgings the   
compact varieties should alone be used4 
,these grow from four to six inches     
high1 and form dense balls of flowers4  
,the spreading or gracilis class1       
including ,l4 speciosa and ,l4          

,paxtoniana1 is in deserved repute for  
positions which do not demand an exact  
limit to the line of colouring4 ,the    
plants also show to advantage in        
suspended baskets1 window boxes1 rustic 
work1 vases1 and any position where an  
appearance of graceful negligence is    
aimed at4 ,the ramosa section grows from
 nine to twelve inches high1 and        
produces much larger flowers than the   
classes previously named4  ,all the     
foregoing can be treated as annuals2 and
 from sowings1 made in ,february or     
,march plants may be raised in good time
 for bedding out in ,may4 ,use sandy    
soil1 and place the seed-pans in a      
temperature of about #fj1 taking care to
 keep them moist4 ,by the end of ,march 
or beginning of ,april the seedlings    
will be ready for transferring to pots1 
pans1 or boxes4 ,the last named are very
 serviceable for this flower1 for they  
afford opportunity of giving the        
seedlings sufficient space to produce a 
tufty habit of growth4 ,a gentle heat   

will start them1 and they will give no  
trouble afterwards1 except on one point1
 which happens to be of considerable    
importance4 ,it is that the plants      
should never be allowed to produce a    
flower while in pots or boxes4 ,pick off
 every bud until they are in final      
positions1 and then1 having taken hold  
of the soil1 they will bloom profusely  
until the end of the season4  ,lobelias 
make elegant pot plants1 yet1 with the  
exception of the ramosa varieties which 
are excellent for the purpose1 they     
cannot be grown satisfactorily in pots4 
,the difficulty is easily surmounted by 
putting them out a foot apart in a good 
open position1 and if possible in a     
rather stiff soil4 ,when they have      
developed into fine clumps lift them    
with care and place them in pots1       
avoiding injury to the roots4 ,this     
method will produce a display of colour 
which cannot be attained by exclusive   
pot culture4  ,from the best strains of 
seed it is possible that a few plants   

may revert to long-lost characters4     
,florists are striving to obviate this1 
but it will require time4 ,meanwhile    
there are two ways of dealing with the  
difficulty4 ,some growers prefer to     
raise plants from seed1 and take        
cuttings from approved specimens for the
 next season4 ,this plan insures        
exactitude in height and colour1 with   
almost the robust growth and            
free-flowering qualities of seedlings4  
,but it necessitates holding a stock    
through the winter1 and this may be a   
serious matter to many4 ,the simpler    
proceeding1 and one which answers well  
in practice1 is to raise seedlings      
annually and to remove from the pans or 
boxes any plants which show the least   
deviation from the true type4 ,a few    
kept as a reserve will replace faulty   
specimens which may be detected after   
planting out4  ,the handsome perennial  
section of ,lobelias obtains less       
attention than it deserves1 especially  
as the most ordinary routine culture    

will suffice for these plants4 ,they are
 partial to moisture1 and also to a deep
 rich loam4 ,a sowing on moderate heat  
in ,february or ,march will secure      
plants fit for bedding out in ,may4     
,they may also be grown entirely without
 the aid of artificial heat from sowings
 in ,june or ,july4 ,employ pots or     
seed-pans1 and pot off singly           
immediately the plants are large enough 
to handle4 ,the protection of a cold    
frame or hand-light is all that is      
necessary during winter1 and the        
planting out may be done in ,may4 ,these
 ,lobelias reach two feet in height1 and
 make excellent companions to such      
flowers as ,anemone japonica alba and   
,hyacinthus candicans4 ,the dark        
metallic foliage and dazzling scarlet   
flowers also have an imposing effect as 
the back row of a ribbon border4        
,,lupinus  ,lupine4 ,hardy annual and   
hardy perennial  ,both the annual and   
the perennial ,lupines are extremely    
valuable for garden decoration and for  

supplying an abundance of cut blooms4   
,each class includes a number of        
charming colours and many of the flowers
 are delightfully scented4 ,not the     
least of their merits is the fact that  
,lupines are not particular as to soil2 
indeed1 the annual sorts will often     
thrive on ground that is too poor for   
other and more fastidious subjects4     
,the annual varieties should be sown    
where intended to flower1 as they do not
 transplant well4 ,sow the seed in      
,march1 ,april1 or ,may1 and            
subsequently allow each specimen a space
 of about eighteen inches for           
development4  ,l4 polyphyllus is a      
valuable race of perennial ,lupines     
which1 from a sowing made in ,march or  
,april and treated as annuals1 will     
produce a fine show in the following    
autumn4 ,in order to insure a display   
earlier in the season1 however1 many    
growers of these flowers prefer to sow  
in ,june and ,july of the preceding     
year4 ,two varieties of ,l4 arboreus    

form large bushes which are distinctly  
ornamental when in full bloom4 ,the seed
 should be sown in ,june or ,july and   
the seedlings transplanted to flowering 
positions before they become very large4
  ,,marigold  ,tagetes4 ,half-hardy     
annual  ,marigolds of several classes   
are valued for the profuse display of   
their golden flowers in the later summer
 months4 ,the choicest are the so-called
 ,french1 or ,tagetes patula1 which have
 richly coloured flowers1 and some of   
the varieties are beautifully striped4  
,for their high quality these ,marigolds
 are judged by the florists' standards4 
,the ,african1 or ,tagetes erecta1 make 
large bushy plants with flowers #8piled 
high' in the centre2 the colours are    
intense orange and yellow4 in various   
shades4 ,the bedding section is         
represented by the dwarf varieties of   
,tagetes patula1 or ,dwarf ,french      
,marigolds2 also by ,tagetes signata1 a 
very neat plant with fine foliage and   
rather small orange-coloured flowers1   

produced in great abundance4 ,in hot    
seasons and on dry soils this proves an 
admirable substitute for the            
,calceolaria1 which does not thrive when
 short of food1 whereas the ,tagetes    
bears drought1 the shade of trees1 and a
 poor soil with patience1 and up to a   
certain point with advantage4 ,sow all  
these in ,march in a moderate heat1 and 
prick the plants out in the usual way1  
taking care finally to allot them sunny 
positions4 ,seed may also be sown in the
 open ground at the end of ,april or    
early in ,may4  ,the section of ,pot    
,marigolds1 ,calendula officinalis1     
includes two remarkably handsome        
varieties1 ,orange ,king and ,lemon     
,queen2 the flowers of both are large1  
double1 perfectly formed1 and are worth 
a place in the choicest garden4 ,these  
may be sown on the open border in       
,march1 ,april1 and ,may1 and the best  
place for them is in the full sun on a  
rather dry poor soil1 but they are not  
particular1 provided they are not much  

shaded4  ,,marvel ,,of ,,peru           
,mirabilis ,jalapa4 ,half-hardy         
perennial  ,this flower may be treated  
either as an annual or as a biennial4   
,as an annual the plants are very       
compact and effective1 the leaves and   
flowers forming round glittering masses 
in the late summer and autumn months4   
,when the roots are saved through the   
winter and planted out in ,april larger 
plants are obtained1 but there is no    
advance in quality over the very neat   
and sparkling specimens raised from seed
 in spring4 ,sow in heat in ,march and  
,april1 and treat in the same manner as 
,balsams until the time arrives for     
planting out4 ,a rich sandy loam suits  
them1 and they like full exposure to    
sunshine4  ,,mignonette  ,reseda        
odorata4 ,hardy annual  ,mignonette is  
so much prized that we must devote to it
 a paragraph1 although there is little  
to be said4 ,in many gardens plants     
appear year after year from self-sown   
seeds1 and it will therefore be evident 

that ,mignonette may be grown with the  
utmost simplicity4 ,as a border plant we
 have but to sow where it is to remain1 
at different times from ,march to       
midsummer2 the one important point is to
 make the bed very firm2 in fact the    
soil should be trodden hard4 ,it is     
imperative to thin early and severely1  
for any one plant left alone will soon  
be a foot in diameter1 and in some      
circumstances cover a much larger area4 
,where bees are kept and space can be   
afforded1 seed should be sown in        
quantity1 for ,mignonette honey is of   
the finest quality in flavour and       
fragrance4 ,in pot culture it should be 
remembered that ,mignonette does not    
transplant well2 therefore1 having sown1
 say1 a dozen seeds in each of a batch  
of #dh-or #cb-sized pots1 firmly filled 
with rich porous soil to which a little 
lime or mortar rubble has been added1   
the young plants must be thinned down to
 five1 or even three1 in each pot1 as   
soon as they begin to grow freely4 ,if  

small plants are wanted early1 leave    
five in a pot2 if larger specimens are  
wanted later1 leave only three1 or even 
only one4 ,for winter and spring1 sow in
 ,august and ,september and keep them as
 hardy as possible until it becomes     
necessary to put them under glass for   
the winter4 ,a further sowing for       
succession may be made in ,january or   
,february4 ,several strains of different
 tints are now at the command of        
cultivators of this favourite flower4   
,,mimulus  ,monkey ,flower4 ,hardy      
perennial  ,this flower will grow in    
almost any soil1 although a moist       
retentive loam and a shady situation are
 best adapted for it4 ,there are many   
varieties1 differing in height1 and all 
are worth growing1 both in pots and     
borders4 ,if sown in ,february or       
,march1 and treated as greenhouse       
annuals1 they will flower in the first  
year4 ,it is easy to raise a large      
number of plants in a cold frame1 and   
they make a rich display in borders and 

beds later in the year4 ,sowings in the 
open ground during summer will supply   
plants for blooming in the following    
season1 but the most satisfactory course
 is to grow them as annuals1 and at the 
end of the summer consign them to the   
waste heap4 ,the ,mimulus is quite      
hardy1 and the most ordinary care will  
suffice for it4 ,water in plenty it must
 have1 or the flowering period will be  
curtailed4  ,the well-known ,musk is a  
,mimulus 7,m4 moschatus71 and is as     
easily grown from seed as other         
varieties4 ,it makes a valuable pot     
plant4  ,,myosotis  ,forget-me-not4     
,perennials1 hardy and half-hardy  ,,at 
one time an impression prevailed that   
all the varieties of ,myosotis were     
semi-aquatic1 and could only be grown   
satisfactorily in very damp shady       
places4 ,and it is quite true that most 
of them bloom for a longer period in a  
moist than in a dry soil4 ,still1 they  
all flower freely1 and last a           
considerable time in any garden border4 

,the only half-hardy variety that need  
be referred to is ,sutton's ,pot        
,myosotis1 which is a delightful subject
 for flowering indoors at ,christmas    
time2 and as ,forget-me-nots are        
everywhere welcome1 the practice of     
growing plants in pots is rapidly       
increasing4 ,seed should be sown in a   
cold frame in ,june1 and the seedlings  
can be potted on as required1 taking    
care from the commencement to avoid     
crowding as a precaution against mildew1
 to which the plants are very liable4   
,the strain referred to produces fine   
free-growing specimen plants1 and a     
batch should always be in reserve for   
cutting4 ,for table decoration in winter
 ,forget-me-nots are very telling4  ,all
 the hardy varieties may be sown from   
,may to ,july for a brilliant display in
 the following spring4 ,the seed should 
be put into a prepared seed-bed under   
the shelter of a wall or hedge2 and in  
autumn the plants must be transferred to
 blooming quarters at the earliest      

opportunity4  ,myosotis make an         
extremely effective groundwork for      
spring bulbs1 for which purpose ,m4     
dissitiflora is the most valuable4      
,,nasturtium--see ,,trop,,olum          
,,nemesia ,,strumosa ,,suttoni          
,half-hardy annual  ,,this beautiful    
,south ,african annual is remarkable for
 its floriferous character1 long        
duration of bloom1 and diversity of     
colour4 ,since we introduced it to this 
country in #ahhh it has attained great  
popularity as a pot plant for table     
decoration1 and some of the most        
resplendent bedding effects in public   
parks and gardens have been secured with
 this flower4  ,for an early show of    
bloom sow in pots or pans in ,march     
under glass1 using a compost consisting 
largely of good fibrous loam1 with the  
addition of a small proportion of wood  
ashes4 ,no more heat than necessary     
should be used1 and when the seedlings  
are large enough to handle prick them   
off and gradually harden for planting   

out in ,may4 ,other sowings may be made 
in ,may and ,june1 and at this period of
 the year the seed germinates most      
quickly in boxes placed in a cool shady 
spot out of doors4 ,in early summer seed
 may also be sown in the open border1   
and by thinning to a distance of six or 
eight inches sturdy plants will be      
secured1 which will remain in bloom     
until quite late in autumn4  ,for winter
 and early spring flowering in pots seed
 should be sown in ,august or           
,september4 ,there must be no attempt at
 forcing1 or attenuated worthless plants
 will result4 ,a further sowing may be  
made in ,january for blooming in the    
later spring months4  ,like the seed of 
,verbena1 ,furze1 and some other        
subjects1 the germination of ,nemesia   
under artificial conditions is somewhat 
capricious1 but no difficulty will be   
experienced with open-air sowings4      
,,nicotiana  ,tobacco4 ,half-hardy      
annual  ,the delicious fragrance of the 
,tobacco plant1 especially during the   

morning and evening1 has made it a great
 favourite in the greenhouse and        
conservatory1 as well as in beds and    
borders near frequented paths4  ,as a   
pot plant too1 the ,nicotiana is        
exceedingly useful1 the large           
sweet-scented white1 soft pink1 and rich
 red coloured flowers being very        
attractive4 ,a group of plants placed in
 the porch will1 in the earlier and     
later hours of the day1 as the door is  
opened1 fill the house with their       
delightful perfume4 ,seed may be sown   
from ,january to ,june1 and a           
continuance of bloom may thus be secured
 during nearly nine months of the year4 
,prick off the seedlings as soon as they
 are fit to handle1 for if sown too     
thickly they are liable to damp off     
rapidly4 ,gradually harden off if       
required for planting out in ,may or    
,june4 ,in some places1 more especially 
in the ,south of ,england1 ,tobacco seed
 sown on an open sunny border early in  
,may will produce fine plants that will 

flower freely in ,august4  ,,pansy      
,viola tricolor4 ,hardy perennial  ,the 
popularity of this flower has been      
greatly extended and the culture        
simplified since it became the practice 
to raise the required number of plants  
every year from seed4 ,for all ordinary 
purposes the trouble of striking        
cuttings and keeping stocks in pots     
through the winter is mere waste of     
labour and pit-room4 ,the ,pansy is a   
little fastidious1 but not severely so4 
,it thrives in a cool climate1 with     
partial shade in high summer1 and in a  
rich1 moist1 sandy soil4                
,notwithstanding all this1 the ,pansy   
will grow almost anywhere and anyhow2   
but as fine flowers of this old         
favourite are highly prized1 the plant  
should be treated with reasonable care  
to do justice to its great merits4  ,a  
thick sowing is very liable to damp off3
 therefore sow thinly1 either in pots or
 boxes1 in ,february and ,march4 ,the   
thin sowing1 moreover1 renders it       

possible to take out the forward plants 
without disturbing the remainder4 ,in   
due course transplant into pans or boxes
 of good soil1 and place in some cool   
spot where the plants may gradually     
harden off4 ,when they have become      
stocky1 remove to beds or borders1 with 
balls of earth attached to the roots4   
,should the surrounding soil become set 
by heavy rain or by watering1 a slight  
stirring of the surface will prove      
beneficial4  ,seed sown in the open     
ground during the summer months will    
readily germinate1 and the seedlings    
need no attention beyond thinning to    
about six inches apart until they are   
ready for transferring to their proper  
positions1 where they will produce a    
mass of bloom in the following spring4  
,the ,pansy puts forth its buds very    
early in the year4 ,whether they are    
particularly tasty1 or the scarcity of  
young vegetable growth gives them undue 
prominence1 we know not1 but certain it 
is that sparrows show a marked          

partiality for them4 ,and having once   
acquired a taste for the buds1 these    
impudent marauders will not leave them  
alone2 they evidently regard ,pansies as
 the perfection of a winter salad4      
,their depredations can be prevented by 
an application of water flavoured with  
quassia or paraffin oil1 which must be  
repeated after rain4  ,,pelargonium     
,greenhouse perennial  ,all kinds of    
,pelargonium may be raised from seed    
with the certainty of giving            
satisfaction if the work be well done4  
,an amateur1 who contributed to the     
production of symmetrical flowers in the
 ,zonal section1 found that under       
ordinary treatment ,zonals began to     
bloom in one hundred days from the date 
of sowing the seed1 and some of those   
that flowered earliest proved to be the 
finest4 ,the cultivator will soon       
discover that one rule is important1 and
 that is to sow seed saved from really  
good strains4 ,the simplest greenhouse  
culture suffices to raise ,pelargoniums 

from seed4 ,some growers sow in ,july or
 ,august2 others in ,january or         
,february4 ,the summer sowing           
necessitates careful winter keeping1 and
 the flowers appear earlier than those  
from spring-sown seed4 ,but the spring  
sowing is the easier to manage1 and is  
recommended to all beginners4 ,any      
light1 sandy loam will serve for these  
plants1 and it is well to flower the    
principal bulk of them in #dh-;and      
#cb-sized pots1 for if grown to a great 
size the date of flowering is deferred  
without any corresponding advantage4    
,,pentstemon  ,hardy perennial          
,penstemons when grown as half-hardy    
annuals are a valuable addition to beds 
and borders1 where they produce a       
brilliant effect in summer4 ,in borders 
it is not advisable to plant singly1 but
 they should be employed in groups of   
not less than one dozen4 ,it is also    
important to sow a strain consisting    
principally of scarlet and pink shades  
with white markings1 as well as white   

flowers2 under fair conditions there    
will be a profusion of richly coloured  
blooms on stately spikes about two feet 
high4 ,sow in heat during ,february or  
,march and plant out in genial weather4 
,it is not necessary to keep them after 
flowering has finished1 although        
seedling ,pentstemons on comparatively  
dry soil in favourable districts        
scarcely feel the winter4 ,seed may also
 be sown in ,june1 in the manner usual  
with hardy perennials1 and the plants   
will bloom in advance of those which are
 spring-sown4  ,,petunia  ,half-hardy   
perennial  ,the ,petunia affords another
 example of the immense strides         
accomplished in the art of seed-saving4 
,formerly the colours were few1 and the 
blossoms comparatively insignificant4   
,now the single strains produce large   
flowers1 beautiful in form1 including   
self colours and others which are       
striped1 blotched1 and veined1 in almost
 endless diversity4 ,some are           
plain-edged1 others elegantly fringed4  

,the double varieties also come so      
nearly true to their types that there is
 little necessity for keeping a stock   
through the winter4 ,plants raised from 
seed of the large-flowered strain       
embrace a wide range of resplendent     
colours1 and the doubles are perfect    
rosettes1 exquisitely finished in form  
and marking4  ,the only way of obtaining
 double seedlings is to save seed from  
the finest single blooms fertilised with
 pollen of good double flowers4 ,plants 
raised from such seed may be relied on  
to produce a fair proportion of double  
flowers of great beauty1 and those which
 come single will be of the             
large-flowered type4  ,the dwarf        
varieties attain the height of five to  
eight inches only1 and make admirable   
edging and bedding plants4 ,the taller  
strains range from one to two feet1 and 
are handsome subjects for border and    
shrubbery work4 ,both dwarf and tall    
sections are sufficiently brilliant and 
free-flowering to produce a beautiful   

display as pot plants in the greenhouse 
and conservatory4  ,for indoor          
decoration1 the third week in ,january  
will be early enough to commence        
operations4 ,two parts of leaf-mould1   
one of loam1 and one of sharp sand1 make
 an excellent soil for them4 ,fill the  
pots or seed-pans within half an inch of
 the rim1 and press the soil firmly     
down4 ,sow thinly on an even surface1   
and cover the seed with almost pure     
sand4 ,keep the pots or pans uniformly  
moist with a fine rose and a light hand1
 and in a temperature of about #fj4     
,greater heat will render the seedlings 
weak and straggling4 ,from this         
condition it will take some skill and   
much time to redeem them2 indeed1 they  
may not produce a good display of       
flowers until the season is well-nigh   
over4 ,just as the seed is germinating  
is a critical time for ,petunias1 and a 
little extra watchfulness then will be  
fully repaid4  ,in ,february the sun has
 not sufficient power to do mischief1 so

 that shading is generally unnecessary4 
,an even temperature and freedom from   
draughts should insure seedlings strong 
enough to prick off by the end of that  
month4 ,put the plants into seed-pans   
about an inch apart1 so that the first  
leaves just touch the soil1 still using 
a light compost4  ,in ,april they should
 be ready for transferring to small     
#fj-pots4 ,subsequently they must be    
potted on as growth demands1 until they 
reach the #dh-or even the #cb-size4     
,after re-potting place the plants in a 
sheltered part of the house or frame1   
where shade can1 if necessary1 be given 
until the roots are established4        
,frequent sprinklings of water1 and a   
temperature of #fj or #fe1 will give    
them a vigorous start4 ,the lights ought
 to be put down in good time in the     
evening1 but this must be done with     
judgment1 or the plants will lose their 
healthy colour and assume a yellowish   
tinge4 ,insufficient drainage has a     
precisely similar effect4 ,in about ten 

days air may be given more freely1 and  
then no suitable opportunity of exposure
 should be lost4  ,in raising ,petunias 
for bedding1 the same conditions are    
applicable2 but as it is useless to put 
them into the open ground until the     
weather is warm and settled1 the sowing 
need not be made until the end of       
,february or the beginning of ,march4   
,and for bedding there is no occasion to
 put the plants into larger pots than   
the #fj-size4 ,it will be necessary to  
give these seedlings shade in their     
young state1 after they have been       
pricked off or potted4  ,the beds or    
borders intended for ,petunias will be  
better without recent manure1 for this  
tends to the excessive production of    
foliage and defers the flowering until  
late in the season4 ,do not be tempted  
by the first sunny day to put them out1 
but wait for settled weather4 ,a cutting
 east wind1 such as we sometimes have in
 ,may1 will ruin them irretrievably4    
,each plant of the tall class will      

occupy a space of two feet1 and the     
dwarfs may be one foot apart4  ,in      
potting ,petunias1 those which are      
weakly among the singles will probably  
produce the most valued colours1 and    
from seed sown for doubles it may be    
accepted as a rule that from the feebler
 seedlings the finest rosette-shaped    
flowers may be expected4  ,all ,petunias
 are impatient of being pot-bound1 and  
this applies especially to the double   
varieties4 ,they will1 if treated       
generously1 do ample justice to the     
#h-or even the #aj-;inch size4 ,the     
growth should not be hurried at any     
stage1 and if the foliage has a dark1   
healthy1 green colour1 free from blight1
 there will be magnificent flowers four 
or five inches across4 ,the final shift 
should be into a sound compost1         
consisting1 if possible1 of good loam   
and leaf-mould in equal parts1 with     
sufficient sand added to insure         
drainage4 ,about a fortnight later      
commence giving weak manure water once a

 week instead of the ordinary watering1 
and as the buds appear it may be        
increased in strength1 and be           
administered twice a week until the     
flowers expand4  ,petunias are          
accommodating in their growth1 and may  
be trained into various forms4 ,the     
pyramid and fan-shape are most common1  
and the least objectionable4 ,we        
confess1 however1 to a feeling of       
antipathy to fanciful shapes in plants1 
no matter what they may be4 ,it is a    
necessity of our artificial conditions  
of culture that many of them should be  
trained and tied to produce shapely     
specimens1 but the more nearly the      
gardener's art approaches ,nature1 the  
greater pleasure we derive from his     
labours4  ,,phlox ,,drummondii          
,half-hardy annual  ,those who are      
acquainted with the older forms of this 
annual might fail to recognise a friend 
under its new and improved appearance4  
,there are now several beautiful types1 
each possessing characteristics of its  

own1 and all producing flowers that are 
perfect in form and brilliant in colour4
 ,the large-flowered section produces   
splendid bedding plants1 but the dwarf  
compact varieties are also highly prized
 for effective massing and general      
usefulness4 ,the latter attain a height 
seldom exceeding six inches1 and are    
therefore eminently suitable for edgings
 and borders1 as well as for bedding4   
,they bloom profusely for a long period1
 not only in the open ground1 but also  
as pot plants in the greenhouse or      
conservatory1 where they are conspicuous
 for the richness of their display4     
,for early flowering sow seed of all the
 varieties in ,february or ,march in    
well-drained pans or shallow boxes4 ,any
 good sifted soil1 made firm1 will suit 
them1 and every seed should be          
separately pressed in1 allowing about an
 inch between each2 then cover with fine
 soil4 ,this will generally give        
sufficient space between the plants to  
save pricking off2 but if the growth    

becomes so strong as to render a        
transfer necessary1 lift every alternate
 plant1 fill the vacant spots with soil1
 and those left will have room to       
develop4 ,pot the plants that are taken 
out1 give them a start in a frame1 and  
shade from direct sunshine4 ,phloxes    
should not be coddled2 the best results 
are always obtained from sturdy plants  
which have been hardened as far as      
possible by free access of air from     
their earliest stage of growth4 ,this   
does not imply that they are to be      
rudely transferred from protection to   
the open air4 ,the change can easily be 
managed gradually until some genial     
evening makes it perfectly safe to      
expose them fully4 ,a space of about two
 feet each way is required for each     
plant of the large-flowered class1 but a
 more modest allowance of nine or twelve
 inches will suffice for the dwarf      
varieties4 ,before they are put out the 
plants must be free from aphis2 if not1 
fumigation should be resorted to once or

 twice until there is a clearance of the
 pest4 ,seed of the annual ,phlox may   
also be sown in the open ground during  
the latter part of ,may1 and the plants 
will flower abundantly from mid-,august 
until frost destroys them4  ,the        
employment of ,phlox as pot plants has  
already been alluded to1 but special    
mention must be made of ,purity1 which  
is by far the most valuable of all the  
varieties for blooming indoors4 ,the    
pure white flowers1 which are sweetly   
scented1 may be produced at almost any  
period of the year4 ,they are1 perhaps1 
more highly appreciated at ,easter than 
at any other time1 and to insure a      
display at that season seed should be   
sown in ,september or ,october4 ,the    
plants will do well if grown on in a    
cold frame1 the final shift being into  
pots of the #dh-size4 ,when grown under 
glass1 ,phlox should be given treatment 
as nearly hardy as possible1 all that is
 necessary in regulating temperature    
being the exclusion of frost from the   

greenhouse or frame4  ,,phlox1          
,,perennial  ,hardy perennial  ,the seed
 of perennial ,phlox is very slow and   
erratic in germinating1 and from a      
sowing made in ,september the seedlings 
may not appear until the following      
spring4 ,seed may also be sown in the   
first week of ,march in shallow boxes1  
and put into moderate heat4 ,in due time
 prick out into boxes filled with light 
rich soil1 and having hardened them in  
the usual way1 plant out a foot apart in
 a good bed1 and help1 if needful1 with 
an occasional watering4  ,,picotee      
,dianthus ,caryophyllus fl4 pi4 ,hardy  
perennial  ,seedling ,picotees are      
extremely robust and free-flowering1 and
 seed saved from the best types will    
produce handsome specimens4 ,the        
instructions for growing                
,carnation--sowing in pans from ,april  
to ,august and transplanting when large 
enough--are equally applicable to the   
,picotee4  ,,pink  ,dianthus plumarius4 
,hardy perennial  ,this old ,english    

flower is valued in every garden4 ,both 
the double and single varieties are     
easily raised from seed and the plants  
bloom with the greatest freedom4 ,seed  
may be sown any time from ,april to     
,august4 ,treat the seedlings in the    
manner advised for ,carnations1 and in  
due course transfer to open quarters4   
,the foliage maintains its colour during
 the severest winter1 and is therefore  
worth consideration for furnishing the  
border1 to say nothing of the abundant  
display of perfumed flowers which the   
plants afford in early summer4          
,,polyanthus  ,primula 7veris7 elatior4 
,hardy perennial  ,a sowing in ,february
 or ,march in pans will produce strong  
specimens for flowering in the following
 year4 ,or seed may be sown from ,may to
 ,july on a shady border4 ,prick off the
 seedlings when large enough to handle4 
,the plants should never flag for want  
of water1 and green fly must be kept    
down by syringing4 ,some good solution  
will be necessary against red spider if 

through starvation in a dry situation it
 has been permitted to gain a footing4  
,all the varieties can be grown in a bed
 with a cool shaded aspect4 ,they do not
 require a rich soil2 a strong and      
fibrous loam with a little leaf-mould is
 sufficient4 ,on passing out of flower  
the plants will split up into several   
heads1 when they may be separated and   
potted singly4 ,exquisite colour effects
 can be created by planting ,polyanthus 
in association with beds of ,tulips for 
flowering in ,april4  ,,poppy  ,papaver4
 ,hardy annual and hardy perennial  ,the
 recent developments of this flower have
 brought it into great and deserved     
popularity1 and it may be safely        
affirmed that few other subjects in our 
gardens afford a more imposing display  
of brilliant colouring during the       
blooming period4 ,the delicate beauty of
 the ,shirley ,poppies is alone         
sufficient to create a reputation for   
the entire class1 and the huge flowers  
of the double varieties make a gorgeous 

show4 ,all the varieties are eminently  
adapted for enlivening shrubbery borders
 and the sides of carriage-drives4      
,seeds of ,annual ,poppies should be    
sown where the plants are intended to   
flower1 because it is difficult to      
transplant with any measure of success4 
,during ,march or ,april sow in lines or
 groups1 and thin to about a foot apart4
 ,large clumps of some of the bolder    
colours should be sown in spots that are
 visible from a distance1 and they will 
present glowing masses of flowers4  ,by 
sowing seeds of ,perennial ,poppies in  
pans in ,march1 and putting out the     
seedlings when large enough1 the plants 
will flower the same year4 ,the more    
general practice1 however1 is to sow    
very thinly on a well-prepared border   
any time from ,may to ,august4 ,keep the
 seedlings free from weeds1 and thin out
 if necessary4 ,the plants may be       
transferred to permanent quarters early 
in autumn or in the spring months4      
,,portulaca  ,purslane4 ,half-hardy     

annual  ,this is a splendid subject when
 the weather favours it4 ,in a dry hot  
season1 and on a sandy soil1 ,portulacas
 can be grown as easily as ,cress4      
,sowings are sometimes made early in the
 year in greenhouses or frames2 but as a
 rule it is a vain attempt4 ,wait until 
,may or ,june1 when the weather appears 
settled2 then put the seed into the open
 border1 and the lighter the soil1 and  
the hotter the season1 the more         
brilliant will be the display of        
flowers4 ,sow on raised beds1 in rows   
six or nine inches apart1 and cover the 
seed with sand or fine earth4 ,if the   
plants appear to be injuriously close   
they must be thinned4 ,should a period  
of rain ensue1 the raised beds have a   
distinct advantage over a flat surface1 
and rows afford opportunity for stirring
 the soil and keeping down weeds4       
,,primrose  ,primula vulgaris4 ,hardy   
perennial  ,the mere name of this flower
 is sufficient to recall visions of     
spring and perhaps of happy visits to   

its haunts in days gone by4 ,but many   
ardent lovers of the ,primrose may not  
know that the strains which are now in  
favour embrace a wide range of colour1  
from pure white to deep crimson or      
maroon1 various shades of yellow and    
orange1 and rich blue4 ,in fact1 in a   
batch of seedlings nearly every plant   
may differ from its companions4 ,they   
all agree1 however1 in possessing the   
delicate perfume which is characteristic
 of the hardy woodland favourite4 ,fancy
 ,primroses are prized as pot and border
 flowers1 and they fully reward florists
 for all the care which has been devoted
 to their improvement4 ,they will bloom 
satisfactorily in any shady spot2 but to
 grow them to perfection requires a     
stiff moist loam1 on the north side of  
some hedge or shrubbery1 where glimpses 
of sunshine occasionally play upon them4
 ,here large flowers1 intense in colour1
 will be abundantly produced far into   
the spring4  ,the finest plants are     
generally obtained from a ,february or  

,march sowing made in pans or boxes4    
,seed may also be sown from ,may to     
,july in carefully prepared ground in   
the open4 ,if inclined to take some     
pains in raising the plants--and they   
are certainly worth it--make the summer 
sowings in seed-pans in ordinary potting
 soil2 sprinkle a little sand over the  
seed1 and as a finish press firmly down4
 ,sheets of glass laid over the pans and
 turned daily will prevent rapid        
evaporation and help to keep the soil   
uniformly moist4 ,the seedlings either  
may be potted once1 and then be planted 
out1 or1 if strong enough1 they may be  
transferred straight to flowering       
positions4 ,should this mode of         
procedure be considered too troublesome1
 prepare a shady patch of ground by deep
 digging2 make it firm and level1 and on
 this sow in shallow drills1 covering   
the seed very lightly4 ,a dressing of   
soot over the surface1 and a cordon of  
ashes round it1 will keep off slugs4    
,thin if necessary1 and when the plants 

are strong enough1 remove to their      
proper quarters4 ,in ,february the buds 
will begin to show1 and those intended  
for pots should be allowed to reveal    
their colours before they are taken up1 
so that a variety may be obtained4 ,from
 a retentive soil each plant with its   
surrounding earth may be taken out      
almost exactly of the size required1 and
 it should be rather smaller than the   
pot which has to accommodate it4 ,a     
light soil must be watered the day      
before the operation1 or the roots will 
be injuriously exposed4 ,when potted1   
place the plants in a shaded cold frame 
or greenhouse1 allowing them plenty of  
space1 and withhold water until it is   
absolutely necessary4 ,at first they    
should be kept close1 but as the roots  
become established gradually give air   
more and more freely4 ,cool1 slow       
treatment is all that is required4 ,any 
attempt to hurry the growth will only   
weaken the plants and ruin the colour of
 the flowers4 ,just before the buds     

open1 one or two applications of manure 
water will be beneficial4 ,when the     
display in pots is over1 if the plants  
are put out in a shady border1 they may 
flower again late in the season4        
,,primula ,,sinensis  ,chinese          
,primrose4 ,greenhouse annual  ,the     
history of the ,chinese ,primula since  
it first reached this country has an    
almost romantic interest4 ,as originally
 received the flower was1 and now is1   
insignificant in size and miserably poor
 in colour4 ,but florists at once       
perceived in it immense possibilities4  
,the result of their labours1 extending 
over many years1 may be seen in the     
magnificent ,single1 ,double1 and ,star 
,primulas which now adorn               
conservatories1 greenhouses1 and homes4 
,from so small a beginning the range of 
colours is amazing2 there are           
snowy-white flowers in several beautiful
 forms1 a pure ,cambridge blue1 rich    
violet-blue1 many shades of rose1 pink1 
scarlet1 and gorgeous crimson4 ,almost  

equally striking is the improvement in  
the foliage1 especially the introduction
 of the fern-leaf1 with its diverse     
shades of green and richly toned        
under-surface4  ,to enjoy the bloom for 
a long period make successive sowings in
 ,may and ,june4 ,a further sowing may  
be made in ,july if necessary4 ,use new 
pots which have been soaked in water2   
but if these are not at hand1 scrub some
 old pots clean1 for ,primulas are      
fastidious from the outset1 and it is by
 apparent trifles that some growers     
produce plants so immensely superior to 
others treated with less care4 ,provide 
free drainage1 and place a little dry   
moss over the crocks4 ,any fairly good  
rich soil will be suitable1 but a       
mixture of equal parts of sound fibrous 
loam and leaf-mould1 with a small       
addition of silver sand1 is best4 ,press
 this compost firmly into the pots to   
within half an inch of the top4 ,water  
before sowing1 and sprinkle sufficient  
sand over the surface to cover the soil4

 ,on this sand sow evenly and thinly1   
for it is well known that the finest new
 ,primula seed comes up irregularly1 and
 a thin sowing admits of the removal of 
plants that may be ready1 without       
disturbing the remainder4 ,cover the    
seed with just enough fine soil to hide 
the sand1 and gently press the surface4 
,place the pots in a sheltered part of  
the greenhouse1 protected from draughts 
and direct sunlight2 a small glazed     
frame will be useful for this purpose4  
,while the seed is germinating the      
temperature should not rise above #gj1  
or fall below #ej4 ,immediately the     
plants are large enough1 prick off round
 the rim of small pots1 and if          
convenient place them in a propagating  
box4 ,water with care1 and shade if     
necessary4 ,when established give air1  
which should be daily increased until   
the plants will bear placing on the     
greenhouse stage4 ,transfer singly to   
thumb pots1 and subsequently shift into 
larger sizes as may be requisite1 but   

never do this until the pots are filled 
with roots1 and always put the plants in
 firmly up to the collar4 ,during ,july1
 ,august1 and up to the middle of       
,september expose freely to the air in  
any convenient position where shelter   
can be given in unfavourable weather4   
,where there is no greenhouse1 but only 
a hot-bed1 it is still possible to grow 
good ,primulas1 with care and patience4 
,the instructions given for treatment in
 the greenhouse may easily be adapted to
 the pit or frame1 only there must be a 
little more watchfulness in affording   
shade on sunny days to prevent          
overheating4  ,endeavour to give the    
plants a robust constitution from the   
first1 for weak1 rickety things cannot  
produce a satisfactory bloom4 ,primulas 
need a long period of growth before they
 flower2 hence they should never be     
subjected to a forcing temperature4     
,sufficient heat must be provided to    
raise the plants1 but afterwards the aim
 should be to render ,primulas as nearly

 hardy as possible before cold weather  
sets in4 ,there must1 however1 be ample 
protection against frost1 damp1 and     
cutting winds4  ,primula stellata 7,star
 ,primula74--,this elegant strain of    
,primula1 introduced by us in #ahie1 has
 attained a high position in popular    
favour4 ,although it is not intended to 
supersede or compete with the splendid  
strains of ,p4 sinensis1 it is a most   
valuable addition to the conservatory1  
and will be found indispensable for     
general decorative work4 ,the plants are
 unusually floriferous and continue in  
bloom for a long time4 ,when cut1 the   
sprays travel well and remain fresh in  
water many days4 ,for table adornment   
,star ,primulas are unsurpassed by any  
other greenhouse flower at their own    
period of the year4 ,the culture is     
precisely the same as for ,p4 sinensis4 
,half-hardy ,primula4--,this section1   
which embraces a number of very charming
 species1 includes the well-known ,p4   
obconica grandiflora1 which is almost   

perpetual-blooming under glass4 ,seed of
 this ,primula may be sown from         
,february to ,july1 from the earliest of
 which the plants will flower in autumn 
and continue to bloom throughout the    
winter4 ,in the early stages the        
seedlings may be managed as already     
directed for ,p4 sinensis1 bearing in   
mind that excessive watering should be  
avoided4 ,cool greenhouse treatment will
 suit the plants well4  ,another        
half-hardy variety which has recently   
attained wide popularity is ,p4         
malacoides4 ,the dainty flowers are     
produced tier upon tier to a height of  
about two feet and are very sweetly     
perfumed4 ,for a winter display sow in  
,february1 and successional sowings may 
be made until ,july4 ,p4 malacoides     
especially resents a forcing            
temperature4 ,therefore the culture     
should be as nearly hardy as possible1  
and even in the seedling stage the      
plants must have free access of air on  
all suitable occasions1 or they are very

 liable to damp off4  ,hardy            
,primula4--,a number of very elegant    
garden ,primulas are worthy of          
attention4 ,the majority answer well    
when grown in borders1 but they are     
especially at home in rock or ,alpine   
gardens4 ,the family is now so large and
 so variable in time of blooming that it
 is possible to have the different      
species in flower during almost every   
month of the year4 ,as a rule1 it is    
advisable to raise the seedlings in pots
 or pans placed in a frame or           
greenhouse1 and to transfer them to the 
open ground when thoroughly hardened    
off4  ,,ranunculus  ,half-hardy         
perennial  ,the ,ranunculus can be grown
 either from seed or from roots4 ,the   
seed is thinly sown from ,january to    
,march1 in boxes four to six inches     
deep1 filled with good soil4 ,a cool    
greenhouse or frame is the proper place 
for the boxes until the spring is       
somewhat advanced4 ,a little extra care 
is requisite to insure free growth and a

 hardy constitution1 and the roots      
should not be turned out of the boxes   
until they have ceased growing and are  
quite ripe2 then they may be stored for 
planting in ,november or ,february4 ,for
 particulars on the treatment of roots1 
see page #cdh4  ,,ricinus  ,castor-oil  
,plant4 ,half-hardy annual  ,although   
this plant flowers freely1 it is grown  
in the sub-tropical garden principally  
for its noble ornamental foliage1 and   
also in the shrubbery border1 either    
alone or in conjunction with other fine 
subjects1 such as ,canna1 ,solanum1     
,nicotiana1 and ,wigandia4 ,plants of   
the dwarfer varieties may also be used  
with very decorative effect in          
conservatories and greenhouses during   
the summer and autumn months4  ,to have 
plants ready for making a show in early 
summer they must be raised as half-hardy
 annuals in ,february or ,march4 ,from  
the commencement a rich soil and        
abundant supplies of water are necessary
 for the production of stately          

specimens4 ,the seed is large1 and may  
be put singly into pots1 or three or    
four in each1 and the latter is the     
usual practice4 ,a temperature of about 
#fj will bring them up4 ,if several     
plants are grown in a pot1 they must be 
separated while quite young1 and put    
into small pots filled with very rich   
soil4 ,it is almost impossible to have  
the compost too rich1 so long as        
drainage is quite safe4 ,when the pot is
 full of roots1 shift to a larger size1 
and commence the process of hardening1  
in readiness for planting out in ,june4 
,this is worth some care1 for if the    
plant receives a check when put out1 it 
may take a long time to recover1 and    
then part of the brief growing season   
will be wasted4 ,many gardeners never   
raise ,ricinus in heat1 but trust       
entirely to a sowing in the open on the 
first day of ,may4 ,the seeds are put in
 three inches deep1 in groups of three  
or four1 and finally the plants are     
thinned to one at each station4         

,prepare the soil in advance by deep    
digging and the incorporation of an     
abundant supply of manure4 ,the most    
effectual way of doing it is to take out
 the earth to a depth of eighteen inches
 or two feet1 and fill in with decayed  
manure and loam1 chiefly the former4    
,upon this put out the plant1 or sow    
seed as may be determined4 ,if this is  
too great a tax on resources1 or the    
near presence of shrubs renders the     
proceeding impossible1 drive a bar into 
the soil1 which1 if light1 can be       
readily worked into a fair-sized hole4  
,fill this with rich stuff nearly to the
 top1 and over it either put the plant  
or sow seed4 ,a heavy top-dressing round
 each stem is also desirable1 and the   
application of copious supplies of water
 will carry the nourishment down to the 
roots4 ,sub-tropical plants are only a  
source of disappointment under niggardly
 treatment1 but they amply repay all the
 care and generosity which a liberal    
hand may lavish upon them4 ,the plants  

will need the support of stakes to save 
them from injury in a high wind4        
,,saintpaulia  ,greenhouse perennial  ,a
 very remarkable perennial1 only four   
inches high1 obtained from eastern      
tropical ,africa4 ,the plant has fleshy 
leaves1 and the flowers1 which are      
produced in clusters1 somewhat resemble 
the ,violet1 but are much larger4       
,saintpaulia makes a beautiful table    
ornament1 and a row of pot plants in    
full bloom forms a charming margin in   
conservatories1 either for a stage or on
 the ground4 ,the seedlings flower      
freely in about six months from date of 
sowing1 and continue in bloom through   
the winter4 ,sowings may be made from   
,january to ,march1 in well-drained pots
 placed in a temperature of #fj to #fe4 
,on no account should the soil be       
allowed to become dry4 ,subsequently the
 plants may be treated as recommended   
for ,gloxinias4  ,,salpiglossis         
,half-hardy annual  ,a highly ornamental
 half-hardy annual4 ,the finest strains 

have large1 open flowers1 exhibiting    
extraordinary combinations of colours   
which range from the palest             
sulphur-white to orange1 scarlet1 and   
purple-violet1 all being more or less   
pencilled and veined with some strong   
contrasting colour4  ,if an early       
display is wanted1 a start should be    
made at the end of ,february or         
beginning of ,march1 by sowing on a     
moderate hot-bed4 ,in ,may the plants   
will be ready for flowering quarters4   
,or sow in ,april in the open ground    
where the plants are to remain1 taking  
care to thin severely1 and the thinnings
 will be useful for dibbling in         
out-of-the-way comers1 where they will  
furnish acceptable material for table   
decoration1 for which purpose this      
striking flower is well adapted4        
,salpiglossis make charming pot plants  
for the greenhouse and conservatory4    
,for this purpose seed should be sown in
 ,august or ,september1 and under       
cool-house treatment the plants will    

bloom profusely in the following spring4
  ,,salvia  ,hardy annual and half-hardy
 perennial  ,from a genus including #dej
 species a small number of ,salvias have
 won deserved popularity for beds and   
borders4 ,in summer and early autumn the
 long spikes of brilliant flowers       
produced by ,fireball and ,scarlet      
,queen make an extremely attractive     
display1 and ,s4 patens is one of the   
most superb pure blue flowers seen in   
gardens4 ,as a bedding plant ,s4        
argentea is extensively grown for its   
silvery-white foliage1 which completely 
covers the ground4 ,these and other     
perennial varieties may be sown in pans 
during ,february and ,march for transfer
 to the open in ,may1 and the plants    
need the usual treatment of half-hardy  
perennials4  ,a favourite annual variety
 is ,blue ,beard1 growing eighteen      
inches high and presenting long spikes  
of bright purple bracts4 ,the annual    
,salvias should also be sown in pans in 
,february or ,march and transplanted in 

,may2 or seed may be sown in the open   
border during ,april4  ,,schizanthus    
,the ,butterfly ,flower4 ,half-hardy    
annual  ,at many leading horticultural  
displays in recent years masses of      
,schizanthus of extraordinary beauty    
have been exhibited with striking       
success4 ,in conservatories1            
greenhouses1 and on dinner-tables the   
plants form conspicuous ornaments and   
they should be freely grown for general 
decorative purposes4 ,on special        
occasions the pots may be plunged to    
create a brilliant show of bloom as     
temporary beds and they are also        
extremely attractive in hanging-baskets4
  ,the usual time for sowing seed to    
insure fine specimens is the end of     
,august or early in ,september4 ,either 
well-drained pots or shallow boxes1     
filled with a good potting compost1 will
 answer for raising the seedlings4 ,sow 
thinly1 on a smooth surface1 and cover  
the seeds with finely sifted soil4 ,when
 the young plants appear place the pots 

or boxes near the glass where they can  
have abundance of light and air1 so that
 from the start the plants may be short 
and healthy4 ,seedlings that are thin   
and drawn are never worth the space they
 occupy4 ,immediately they are large    
enough to handle1 transfer to shallow   
boxes1 allowing a space of three inches 
to each plant4 ,the compost to consist  
of sound loam and leaf-soil in equal    
proportions1 with the addition of       
sufficient coarse sand to render the    
mixture porous4 ,for two or three days  
keep the boxes in a frame1 which must   
remain closed and be shaded from        
sunshine until the seedlings are        
established1 but remove the shading     
whenever possible2 then give air freely1
 and on attaining a height of three     
inches the first stopping may be done4  
,a fortnight later the plants will be   
ready for pots of the #fj-size4 ,treat  
them as nearly hardy as weather may     
permit4 ,stop the shoots a second time  
when about six inches high1 with the    

object of forming bushy plants capable  
of yielding a bountiful bloom4 ,when the
 #fj-pots are filled with roots transfer
 to the #dh-size1 and in due time the   
final shift should be into pots of the  
#bd-size4 ,larger pots may1 of course1  
be employed for very fine specimens4    
,the compost for this final shift ought 
to consist of two parts of rich loam1   
one part of leaf-soil1 and one part of  
thoroughly decayed manure2 the addition 
of sharp sand will be necessary4 ,the   
stems to be tied out to stakes in good  
time to prevent injury4 ,just before the
 flowering period and while the plants  
are actually in bloom1 weak liquid      
manure1 instead of water1 once or twice 
a week will be beneficial4 ,a high      
temperature is not required1 even in the
 winter months1 to maintain ,schizanthus
 in healthy condition4 ,from #ce to #dj 
is all the heat they need2 in fact1 it  
is only requisite to keep frost at bay1 
and this near approach to hardy         
treatment will result in fine robust    

plants4  ,the ,schizanthus may also be  
sown during ,march and ,april in pans   
placed in gentle heat1 the seedlings    
being potted on for flowering in the    
conservatory or they may be put out in  
the open border4 ,towards the end of    
,april or in ,may seed may be sown out  
of doors4  ,one point in the successful 
culture of ,schizanthus should never be 
forgotten4 ,the roots must not be       
allowed to become pot-bound4 ,where this
 is permitted at any stage of growth it 
is fatal to the development of a        
handsome show of bloom4  ,,senecio      
,,elegans  ,jacobea4 ,hardy annual      
,among the double varieties1 the        
crimson1 purple1 rose and white         
,senecios take the lead for beauty and  
usefulness4 ,they are remarkably        
accommodating plants1 adapted for beds  
or the greenhouse4 ,sow early in pans or
 boxes1 give the seedlings liberal      
treatment1 and when bedded out the      
plants will produce myriads of bright   
flowers1 until frost puts a stop to     

them4 ,any good soil which does not     
become pasty will suit1 and full        
exposure to sunshine is essential to the
 production of a rich display of colour4
 ,in ,march or ,april seed may safely be
 sown in the open ground4  ,the ,tall   
,single ,bright ,rose ,jacobea is       
invaluable as a cut flower for table    
decoration under artificial light4 ,it  
rivals the ,star ,cineraria in form and1
 being a hardy annual1 it may be grown  
with the utmost ease4  ,,silene         
,catchfly4 ,hardy annual  ,not one of   
the hardy annuals has established a     
better claim to be sown in autumn than  
the ,silenes4 ,alone1 they make a very  
attractive display1 and they can be used
 with especial effect in beds planted   
with ,daffodils1 ,hyacinths1 and        
,tulips4 ,while the ,daffodils are in   
full beauty the ,silenes clothe the     
ground with a carpet of green1 and after
 the foliage of the bulbs has been cut  
off or pinned down the ,silenes furnish 
a fresh display of floral beauty in     

advance of the summer bedders4  ,silenes
 do not thrive on heavy damp soils1 but 
the difficulty can be surmounted by     
keeping the plants in pans or boxes     
under a cold frame until growing weather
 sets in4 ,the plants do very well in   
loam1 and best of all in a dry sandy    
soil4 ,the spring sowing should be made 
in ,march or ,april2 the autumn sowing  
in ,august or early in ,september4      
,,solanum  ,annual and perennial2       
half-hardy  ,solanums are of importance1
 some as greenhouse plants1 and others  
as sub-tropical bedders4 ,they are      
somewhat tender in constitution1 and    
must have good cultivation in a light   
rich soil4 ,a sharp look-out for red    
spider is necessary1 for this pest is   
very partial to ,solanums4 ,march is    
early enough to sow the seed1 but for   
ordinary purposes ,april is to be       
preferred4 ,by the middle of ,june the  
plants should be strong enough to put   
out1 and with genial weather will make  
rapid progress4 ,those grown for their  

berries may be sown from ,february      
onwards1 as it is important to secure   
bushy plants before they begin to       
flower1 and an early start insures an   
early ripening of the bright1 handsome  
fruit4  ,,statice  ,sea ,lavender4      
,hardy and half-hardy annuals and hardy 
perennial  ,it would be difficult to    
decide whether the ,sea ,lavenders are  
more highly valued as border flowers or 
as cut material for use indoors4        
,certain it is that the light and       
graceful sprays of delicately coloured  
flowers are indispensable for house     
decoration1 either when freshly cut or  
when dried for mixing with ,helichrysums
 and other everlastings in winter4 ,yet 
,statice are very attractive when       
growing in the border1 the varieties of 
branching habit giving a long-continued 
display of beautiful flowers4  ,the     
half-hardy varieties should be sown from
 ,january to ,march in pans placed on   
bottom heat4 ,when large enough prick   
off the seedlings into boxes of good    

light soil1 and gradually harden off in 
readiness for planting out in ,may4 ,the
 hardy annual kinds also answer best    
when started in pans during ,march or   
,april and transferred to the open in   
due course4 ,seed of the hardy perennial
 varieties should be sown in a nice     
light compost any time from ,april to   
,july4 ,put out the plants into         
flowering positions when they have      
attained a suitable size4  ,when grown  
on in pots1 the half-hardy sorts make   
exceedingly pretty subjects for house or
 conservatory decoration4  ,,stock      
,mathiola4 ,annual and biennial         
half-hardy  ,from the botanical         
standpoint ,stocks comprise two main    
classes--the ,annual and the ,biennial4 
,so accommodating as to treatment is    
this extensive family1 however1 that by 
selecting suitable sorts and sowing at  
appropriate periods1 it is not difficult
 to obtain a succession of these        
delightful flowers the year through4    
,with this object in view1 our notes are

 divided into four sections covering the
 cycle of the seasons1 as follows3      
,summer-flowering1 or ,ten-week2        
,intermediate varieties1 for            
autumn-flowering2 ,winter-flowering2 and
 ,spring-flowering4  ,summer-flowering1 
or ,ten-week ,stocks4--,these annual    
varieties include a wonderful range of  
colours1 as well as considerable        
diversity in the habit of growth4 ,for  
their brightness1 durability1 and       
fragrance they are deservedly popular4  
,it is usual to sow the seed under glass
 from the middle to the end of ,march4  
,pans or shallow boxes1 filled with     
sweet sandy soil1 make the best of      
seed-beds1 and it may be well to say at 
once that no plants pay better for care 
and attention than the subjects now     
under consideration4 ,sow thinly1 that  
the plants may have room to become stout
 while yet in the seed-bed1 and from the
 very outset endeavour to impart a hardy
 constitution by giving air freely      
whenever the weather is suitable4 ,this 

does not mean that they are to be       
subjected to some cutting blast that    
will cripple the plants beyond          
redemption1 but that no opportunity     
should be lost of partial or entire     
exposure whenever the atmosphere is     
sufficiently genial to benefit them4 ,if
 a cold frame on a spent hot-bed can be 
spared1 it may be utilised by pricking  
off the seedlings into it1 or the pans  
and boxes may simply be placed under its
 protection4 ,the nearer the seedlings  
can be kept to the glass1 the less will 
be the disposition to become leggy4 ,in 
transplanting to the open ground1 it is 
worth some trouble to induce each plant 
to carry a nice ball of soil attached to
 its roots4  ,on light1 friable land1   
,ten-week ,stocks can be successfully   
grown from sowings made in the open     
about the end of ,april4 ,the character 
of the season must be some guide to the 
time chosen1 and the sowing in this case
 should be rather thicker than in the   
seed-pans4 ,should the seed germinate   

well1 severe thinning will have to be   
practised as growth demands4 ,this      
method of culture entirely prevents loss
 by mildew1 which so often proves fatal 
to young transplanted seedlings4 ,it is 
difficult to make the soil too good for 
them1 and there is no comparison between
 ,stocks grown on a poor border and     
those grown in luxuriance4 ,some growers
 make a little trench for each row of   
seed1 and this affords a certain degree 
of protection from cutting winds1 and   
also forms a channel for water when     
there is a necessity for administering  
it4 ,in a showery season1 the plants    
will appear in about twelve days1 but in
 dry weather it will be longer1 and one 
or more gentle morning waterings may be 
necessary to bring them up4 ,the        
distance between the rows must be       
determined by the variety4 ,nine inches 
is sufficient for the dwarf sorts2      
twelve or fifteen inches will not be too
 much for medium and tall kinds4  ,slugs
 may be kept off by a dusting of soot or

 wood-ashes1 and some precaution must   
also be adopted to prevent birds from   
disturbing the seed-bed4  ,here it may  
be well to mention a fact which is not  
always remembered1 although the         
knowledge of it is generally assumed4   
,seed can only be saved from single     
flowers1 but those who have made a study
 of the business find little difficulty 
in selecting plants1 and treating them  
in such a manner that seed obtained from
 them will produce a large percentage of
 double blossoms in the following       
generation4 ,but the experience of the  
most skilled growers has not enabled    
them to save seed which will result     
entirely in double-flowering plants2 and
 this is scarcely to be regretted1 for  
the perpetuation of the race is         
dependent on single flowers4 ,in keeping
 the various colours true there is one  
very awkward fact4 ,certain sorts       
invariably produce a difference in      
colour between the double and single    
flowers4  ,intermediate ,stocks form a  

valuable succession to the              
,summer-flowering1 or ,ten-week         
varieties4 ,from seed sown in gentle    
heat in ,february or ,march1 the plants 
usually commence flowering when the     
earlier varieties are beginning to fade1
 and will continue to bloom until winter
 sets in4 ,it is also easy to grow the  
,intermediate section in pots for spring
 decoration1 if the protection of a     
house or pit can be given during the    
winter to preserve them from frost4 ,a  
simple plan is to sow in ,august or     
early in ,september five or six seeds in
 #dh-sized pots4 ,thin to three plants  
in each1 and of course a larger pot with
 more plants can be used when desirable4
 ,give air whenever possible1 and water 
regularly4 ,there is no need for        
artificial heat2 indeed1 it is not well 
to hurry the plants in any way4 ,a good 
top-dressing of rich soil is advisable  
before flowering1 and as the buds       
appear1 manure water1 weak at first1 but
 gradually increased in strength1 may be

 given once a week until in full bloom4 
,winter-flowering ,stocks4--,during the 
winter months ,stocks afford an immense 
amount of pleasure4 ,they are           
particularly welcome at ,christmas1 and 
to insure flowering plants at that      
season of the year suitable varieties1  
such as ,christmas ,pink or ,beauty of  
,nice1 should be selected1 and a start  
made in ,june4 ,as soon as the first    
leaf is attained1 prick off three       
seedlings in a three-inch pot2 place in 
a cool frame under a north wall1 keeping
 the light off all day until they are   
ready for another shift into six-inch   
pots4 ,use three parts of good yellow   
loam and one part of leaf-soil--no sand4
 ,pot firmly and restore to the frame   
until the plants start growing1 when    
they may be removed to the greenhouse4  
,manure water1 not too strong1 once a   
week is beneficial1 and pure water      
should be given sparingly4 ,keep near   
the glass and ventilate freely4 ,further
 sowings made in ,july and ,august will 

extend the supply of flowers4           
,spring-flowering ,stocks1 which include
 the popular ,brompton strain1 come into
 flower in spring and early summer4     
,although in some seasons it may answer 
to sow where the plants are required to 
bloom1 the practice is too precarious to
 be risked generally4 ,a safer method is
 to sow in seed-pans in ,june or ,july4 
,place these under shelter until the    
plants are an inch high1 then stand them
 in the open for a week before          
transplanting4 ,have ready a piece of   
freshly-dug soil1 and on a dull day put 
them out at eight to twelve inches      
apart4 ,if the growth is too rapid      
during ,september1 it may be advisable  
to lift them and plant again1 for the   
winter must not find them soft and      
succulent4 ,there should be hard stems  
and sturdy growth to carry them through 
the cold weather4 ,in districts that are
 specially unfavourable it may be       
necessary to pot each plant singly in   
the #fj-size1 and plunge these in ashes 

in a cold frame1 or under the shelter of
 a south wall1 until severe weather is  
past1 and they can then be turned out   
into the borders4  ,,streptocarpus      
,cape ,primrose4 ,tender perennial  ,the
 hybrids are a very striking race1      
invaluable for greenhouse and           
conservatory decoration1 producing a    
continuous succession of large          
trumpet-shaped flowers1 embracing       
colours ranging from pure white1 through
 lavender1 purple1 violet1 rose1 and    
red1 to rich rosy-purple4 ,sow very     
thinly from ,january to ,march in       
well-drained pots1 and a dusting of fine
 soil will sufficiently cover the seed4 
,place the pots in a temperature of #fj 
to #fe1 and take care that the soil is  
not allowed to become dry4 ,prick off   
the seedlings when large enough to      
handle1 keeping them in the temperature 
named until the final potting4 ,when    
established they thrive with ordinary   
attention in a greenhouse1 and they     
winter well in a temperature ranging    

between #dj and #ej4 ,seed sown in      
,january and ,february will produce     
plants which will come into bloom during
 the following ,june and ,july4         
,streptocarpus ,wendlandii is a         
singularly interesting variety4 ,only   
one immense leaf is produced1 which     
frequently attains a width of two feet1 
with a proportionate length4 ,this leaf 
is reflexed1 completely hiding the pot  
on one side1 and from its midrib scapes 
of elegant violet-blue flowers with     
white throat are thrown up to a height  
of eighteen inches4 ,the seeds should be
 sown in a warm greenhouse early in the 
year4 ,the plants will begin to flower  
in the winter and continue in bloom for 
about six months4 ,the temperature which
 is suitable for ,gloxinias will answer 
for this plant also4  ,,sunflower       
,helianthus annuus4 ,hardy annual  ,the 
utility of the ,sunflower has been      
alluded to in a former page4 ,here we   
have only to regard the plant in its    
ornamental character1 as an occupant of 

the shrubbery or flower border4  ,in    
addition to the common species1 there   
are several strains which are adapted   
for special purposes4 ,the dwarf        
varieties grow about three to four feet 
high1 and produce fine heads of bloom4  
,the #8giant' attains the enormous      
height of eight or ten feet in a        
favourable season1 and the flowers are  
of immense size4 ,the double strain     
generally reaches six feet in height1   
and is valuable for its fine show of    
colour and enduring quality4 ,there is  
no difficulty1 therefore1 in making a   
selection to suit the requirements of   
any border4 ,the ,sunflower can also be 
employed in one or more rows to make a  
boundary or to hide an unsightly fence1 
and some growers use it as a screen for 
flowers which will not bear full        
sunshine4  ,seed may be sown very early 
in the season1 and the plants can be    
brought forward in the manner usual with
 half-hardy annuals1 but there is no    
necessity for this mode of growing them4

 ,sow in ,april or ,may where the plants
 are to flower1 on soil which has been  
abundantly manured to a depth of        
eighteen inches1 and they will bloom in 
good time4 ,to maintain the rapid       
growth1 water must not be stinted in dry
 weather4  ,,sweet ,,pea  ,lathyrus     
odoratus4 ,hardy climbing annual  ,the  
history of the ,sweet ,pea can be traced
 back for more than two hundred years2  
and it is almost as fascinating as an   
exhibition of the flowers4 ,recent      
improvements in this highly popular     
subject include an amazing diversity of 
colours1 a marked increase in the number
 of flowers on each stem1 and an        
extraordinary enlargement in their size4
 ,a modern list may run into hundreds1  
but those who grow every known variety  
find that there are many close          
resemblances1 arising no doubt from     
simultaneous introductions by hybridists
 who have experimented on similar lines4
 ,enthusiastic growers of ,sweet ,peas  
are no longer content with a limited    

number of named varieties1 for it is    
obvious that in competitions where fifty
 or a hundred bunches have to be staged 
for certain prizes1 a large and         
representative collection must be grown4
 ,for general garden decoration1        
however1 and to provide sprays for the  
adornment of homes1 the ,giant-flowered 
class1 offered under colours only1 will 
continue to be extremely popular4  ,the 
change in character and the increased   
usefulness of ,sweet ,peas have         
necessitated a revolution in the methods
 of culture4 ,the freer growth and more 
robust habit demand greater space than  
was formerly allowed4 ,instead of       
crowded rows of attenuated plants1      
producing a meagre return of small      
flowers1 poor in colour1 it is now the  
practice to prepare the ground by deep  
trenching and liberal manuring1 and to  
give every plant ample space for full   
development both in rows and in clumps4 
,in the ensuing paragraphs we outline   
the cultural routine which should be    

followed as nearly as possible by those 
who desire to insure a long-continued   
supply of the very finest flowers4 ,but 
where circumstances do not permit of    
these recommendations being adopted in  
full1 the details may be modified       
according to the materials at command   
and the requirements of the cultivator4 
,it is usual to commence the preparation
 of the ground in autumn4 ,trenching is 
of paramount importance1 for the roots  
of the ,sweet ,pea require a            
considerable depth of good soil in which
 to ramify for the support of robust    
healthy plants capable of producing     
handsome flowers over a long season4    
,where the surface soil is shallow1 care
 must be exercised to avoid bringing    
uncultivated subsoil to the top1 and it 
is well worth incurring a little extra  
trouble to provide a sufficient depth of
 fertile material for full root         
development4 ,therefore dig out a wide  
trench and place the good top soil on   
one side4 ,then remove and discard the  

subsoil to a depth of twelve inches and1
 after breaking up the bottom of the    
trench with a fork or pickaxe1 replace  
with an equal quantity of decayed       
manure1 leaves1 old potting soil or any 
other suitable stuff that may be on     
hand4 ,finally return the top soil to   
its original position4  ,the use of     
manure needs discrimination1 and in     
fixing the quantity1 as well as in      
selecting the most suitable kinds1 due  
consideration must be given to the      
character of the soil4 ,for light land1 
four barrow-loads of well-rotted        
farmyard manure per square pole will    
make an excellent dressing1 but a rather
 smaller amount will suffice for heavy  
ground4 ,in place of farmyard manure an 
unlimited quantity of leaf-soil1 if     
obtainable1 may be used1 and it is also 
a good plan to dig in any available     
green refuse4 ,garden ground which for  
some years previously has been kept in a
 state of high cultivation by the       
liberal use of natural manure will not1 

as a rule1 need further help in this    
direction1 but it should receive a good 
dressing of lime4 ,indeed1 any soil in  
which ,sweet ,peas are to be grown      
should contain not less than two per    
cent4 of lime4 ,the employment of       
artificial1 as well as organic1 manures 
is essential in any first-class scheme  
of cultivation4 ,but here a word of     
warning is necessary4 ,nitrogenous      
manures in any form are harmful to the  
plant when applied in large quantities1 
and are liable to predispose it to      
disease1 except on extreme types of     
sandy soil4 ,heavy ground should be     
dressed with seven pounds of basic slag 
in autumn and two pounds of sulphate of 
potash in spring4 ,on light soils apply 
in spring four pounds of superphosphate 
of lime and two pounds of sulphate of   
potash4 ,the quantities stated in each  
case are sufficient for a square pole of
 ground4 ,wood ashes 7in a dry state7   
are also of great value1 and these      
should be raked in a little in advance  

of planting out4  ,the special          
preparation of the soil just described  
entails the raising of plants in pots or
 boxes in readiness for transfer to the 
open as early as weather permits in     
spring4 ,the finest flowers are         
undoubtedly obtained from an autumn     
sowing1 and about the middle of         
,september may be regarded as the best  
period for putting in the seed4 ,this   
early commencement possesses the        
advantage of allowing ample time for the
 development of sturdy1 well-rooted     
plants1 which will not only bloom in    
advance of those sown in spring but will
 remain in flower for an unusually long 
period4 ,sow in light porous soil1 and  
either three-inch pots1 pans or boxes   
may be used4 ,place in a cold frame and 
keep the lights down until the seeds    
have germinated1 but afterwards the     
frame should never be closed except     
during severe weather4 ,there must be no
 misunderstanding on the question of    
air-giving4 ,the ,sweet ,pea is almost  

hardy1 and robust healthy seedlings1    
grown as nearly as possible under       
natural conditions1 are wanted4         
,therefore to subject the plant to      
artificial heat will only defeat the    
object in view4 ,a current of air should
 be admitted to the frame day and night1
 and the lights may be entirely removed 
on all favourable occasions4 ,but the   
seedlings will need protection from     
excessive moisture1 for if too wet at   
the roots they are liable to injury from
 frost4 ,when four pairs of leaves are  
formed1 stop each plant once1 and after 
a little further progress has been made 
transplant singly into three-inch pots4 
,keep the pots in the frame1 giving only
 such protection from hard weather as   
may be absolutely necessary1 and plant  
out on the first suitable opportunity4  
,in the ,south transplanting may be     
possible late in ,february or at the    
opening of ,march1 but a month later    
will be safer in districts north of the 
,trent4  ,those who for any reason do   

not find it convenient to sow in autumn 
may start the seed early in the         
year--from mid-,january onwards1        
according to the district4 ,the general 
principles described in the preceding   
paragraph apply equally to spring       
sowings1 but it may be well to say that 
there must be no attempt to hasten      
growth by the application of a high     
temperature4 ,a frame will afford all   
the protection necessary1 and even a box
 covered with glass and placed in a     
sheltered spot will be found serviceable
 for raising seedlings4  ,before        
planting out1 the top soil of the ground
 prepared in autumn must be well worked 
and made friable4 ,the disposition of   
the plants1 and the method adopted for  
staking them1 will1 to a great extent1  
depend on the precise purpose for which 
the flowers are required4 ,for garden   
decoration single rows answer well1 and 
the plants should be spaced one foot    
apart4 ,or1 if preferred1 put out in    
clumps of three to five plants1 allowing

 a diameter of from nine to fifteen     
inches4 ,carefully remove the plants    
from the pots or boxes in which they    
were raised1 disentangle the roots and  
shake them quite free from soil4 ,make a
 hole of the necessary depth1 and allow 
the roots to descend into the ground to 
their full extent1 which may be as much 
as two feet in the case of well-grown   
specimens from autumn-sown seed4 ,give  
support immediately with well-branched  
twigs1 and it is important that the     
plants be kept perfectly upright4       
,finally stake with bushy hazel sticks  
eight to ten feet in height1 or taller  
still where the ground has been         
generously prepared4  ,long-stemmed     
flowers free from blemish are essential 
for show work and for the highest forms 
of house decoration1 and to insure an   
adequate supply over an extended period 
the following method1 which is adopted  
by some of the most successful          
exhibitors1 is strongly to be           
recommended4 ,the plants are put out in 

double rows one foot apart1 and spaced a
 foot apart in the lines4 ,each plant   
should carry two shoots only1 both of   
which must be provided with a rod of    
bamboo1 ash1 or hazel1 ten to twelve    
feet in length4 ,for this double cordon 
system the rods will stand six inches   
apart in the rows1 and it is desirable  
to make them secure against damage from 
high winds4 ,insert a stout pole at each
 end of the row1 and about seven feet   
from the ground-level fix to each pole a
 substantial wooden crosspiece a little 
more than a foot in length4 ,from these 
cross-pieces tightly stretch strands of 
wire1 to which securely tie the rods4   
,as growth develops commence disbudding 
promptly1 regularly remove all laterals 
and tendrils1 and tie each cordon to its
 supporting rod with raffia as often as 
may be necessary4  ,after transfer to   
the open ground the plants must never be
 allowed to become dry at the roots4    
,keep the hoe going between the rows1   
especially after the soil has been      

beaten down by rain4  ,the blooming     
period can be prolonged by the simple   
expedient of daily removing the dead or 
faded flowers4 ,the ripening of only a  
few seed-pods speedily puts a stop to   
flowering4  ,in the open ground seed may
 be sown in spring from ,february to    
,may1 and successional sowings at       
intervals of a fortnight will extend the
 supply of flowers far into autumnal    
days4 ,even where a few clumps only can 
be grown it is unwise to depend on a    
single sowing4 ,autumn sowings outdoors 
are often made in ,september or ,october
 where a warm soil and favourable       
situation can be insured4  ,sweet ,peas 
have two principal foes1 the slug and   
the sparrow4 ,against the former the    
usual precautions1 such as ashes1 old   
soot1 lime1 and various traps1 are      
available2 and the latter must by some  
means be prevented from doing mischief4 
,after the buds show through the soil1  
it is generally too late for the        
adoption of remedies4 ,nearly all the   

heads will be found nipped off and laid 
ready for inspection4 ,one could almost 
forgive the marauders were food the     
object1 but the birds appear to commit  
havoc from pure wantonness1 and whole   
rows are sometimes destroyed in a single
 morning4  ,early sprays are so much    
prized that the practice of flowering   
,sweet ,peas in pots under glass is     
yearly increasing1 and for this purpose 
seed must be sown in ,august or         
,september2 the plants to be kept slowly
 moving during the dark days4 ,in       
,february the growth will be more rapid1
 but it is important to give the plants 
the hardiest possible treatment4 ,in    
,april1 if properly managed1 there will 
be a brilliant display4  ,the           
winter-flowering race blooms freely at a
 still earlier period1 although the     
plants are less vigorous than other     
varieties4  ,,sweet ,,william  ,dianthus
 barbatus4 ,hardy biennial  ,sweet      
,william belongs to the same genus as   
the ,pink4 ,the finest strains produce  

superb heads of flowers1 some of them   
intensely rich in colour1 while others  
have a contrasting edge4 ,the new       
varieties are so marked an advance on   
older colours that they have created a  
fresh interest in this favourite garden 
flower4  ,in several instances we have  
advised that biennials and perennials   
should be treated as annuals1 both on   
the ground of economy and for the       
excellent results obtained by this      
practice4 ,but the ,sweet ,william is   
not amenable to any treatment which     
reduces the natural period of growth4   
,seed may be sown in ,may1 ,june or     
,july for transplanting in autumn1 and  
the numerous colours afford opportunity 
of obtaining a great diversity of       
splendid effects in beds and borders4   
,,tobacco--see ,,nicotiana  ,,torenia   
,greenhouse annual  ,sow in a warm      
temperature in ,march or ,april4 ,prick 
off while small into pots1 and          
subsequently pot the seedlings singly4  
,any fairly good compost will suit them4

 ,the branches need support1 and the    
plants must be kept free from green fly4
 ,the ,torenias make very elegant pot   
plants1 and they are also well adapted  
for hanging baskets and other ornamental
 contrivances4  ,,trop,,olum            
,nasturtium1 or ,indian ,cress4 ,hardy  
and half-hardy annuals  ,the ,tropolum  
tuberosum is treated under the          
#8,culture of ,flowering ,bulbs1' so    
that here we have only to consider the  
varieties that are grown from seed4     
,there are two distinct classes1 both   
widely cultivated1 for the seed is      
inexpensive1 and the plants extremely   
showy durable1 and easily raised4       
,tropolum majus is the climbing         
,nasturtium1 or great ,indian ,cress4   
,the flower as originally obtained from 
,peru was a rich orange1 marked with    
deep reddish-brown1 but it has been     
developed into various shades of yellow 
and red1 culminating in a tint which is 
almost black4 ,the leaves are nearly    
circular1 and are attached to the long  

footstalks by the centre instead of at  
the margin4 ,loudon fancifully compares 
the leaf to a buckler1 and the flower to
 a helmet4 ,the ,lobbianum section is   
close in habit1 with smaller foliage    
borne on somewhat woolly stems4 ,all the
 varieties bloom freely1 and constitute 
a brilliant class of climbers of great  
value for brightening the backs of      
borders or hiding unsightly objects4    
,after the seeds have been dibbled about
 an inch deep in either ,april or ,may1 
the only attention the plants require is
 to nip out a straggling shoot          
occasionally1 or prevent a stray branch 
from reaching over and smothering some  
plant which will not endure its         
embraces4  ,the well-known ,canary      
,creeper 7,t4 canariense7 is a perfectly
 distinct variety1 and as a half-hardy  
annual should be raised under protection
 and planted out in ,may1 although      
sowings in the open ground in ,april and
 ,may often prove satisfactory4 ,unlike 
the others1 it needs a rich soil to     

insure vigorous growth4 ,when liberally 
treated the entire plant will be covered
 with its bright fairy-like flowers1    
until frost ends its career4  ,tropolum 
majus nanum4--,the ,tom ,thumb1 or      
,dwarf varieties1 make excellent bedding
 plants1 blooming far on into the autumn
 after many of the regular bedders have 
faded and become shabby4 ,there is an   
extensive choice of colours in reds1    
yellows1 and browns1 which come         
perfectly true from seed1 and all       
possess the merit of flowering freely on
 very poor soil4 ,they grow luxuriantly 
on rich land1 but then the foliage      
becomes a mere mask under which the     
flowers are concealed4 ,there is not one
 of the ,tom ,thumb class that may not  
be treated as a hardy annual1 and all   
afford opportunity of making a gorgeous 
show of colour at a cost ridiculously   
disproportionate to the effect obtained4
 ,they are also admirably adapted for   
pot culture1 making shapely plants      
covered with bloom for a long period4   

,many of the later introductions in     
,nasturtium are notable for their       
refined and delicate colouring1 and are 
extremely desirable subjects for the    
decoration of the dinner-table and small
 vases in the drawing-room4  ,as the    
flavour of the flowers and leaves       
somewhat resembles that of common       
,cress1 they are frequently used in     
salads1 and are accounted an excellent  
anti-scorbutic4 ,the flowers are        
legitimately employed in decorating the 
salad-bowl1 because they are not only   
ornamental but strictly edible4  ,in a  
green state the seeds of both tall and  
dwarf varieties make an excellent pickle
 which is occasionally used as a        
substitute for capers4  ,,verbena       
,hardy and half-hardy perennials        
,,verbenas raised from the best strains 
of seed come true to colour and the     
plants are models of health and vigour1 
and make resplendent beds4 ,it is of the
 utmost importance to remember that the 
,verbena requires very little of the    

artificial heat to which it is commonly 
subjected1 and which fully accounts for 
the frequency of disease among plants   
propagated from cuttings4 ,seed may be  
sown in boxes in ,january1 ,february1   
and ,march1 the earlier sowings         
naturally requiring more heat than the  
later ones4 ,as the seedlings become    
large enough1 they should be potted on  
and planted out in ,may1 when they will 
flower throughout the summer1 and far   
into the autumn4  ,verbenas may also be 
sown in ,march or ,april in boxes1 put  
into a frame1 and if kept moist a lot of
 plants will appear in about a month4   
,when large enough these must be        
carefully lifted and potted4 ,a rich1   
mellow1 and very sweet soil is needed by
 the ,verbena4 ,many of the failures    
that occur in its cultivation are not   
only traceable to the coddling of the   
plant under glass1 but also to the      
careless way in which it is often       
planted on poor worn-out soil that has  
been cropped for years without manure1  

or even the sweetening effects of a good
 digging4 ,raising ,verbenas from seed  
has restored this plant to the list of  
easily grown and thoroughly useful      
flowers for the parterre4  ,the hardy   
perennial ,v4 venosa also comes         
perfectly true and uniform from seed4   
,,viola  ,tufted ,pansy4 ,hardy         
perennial  ,this plant well merits its  
popularity for use in beds and borders4 
,it is perfectly hardy1 the habit is    
good1 and it continues in bloom for     
several months in the year4 ,the        
treatment prescribed for ,pansy is also 
suitable for ,viola4  ,,wallflower      
,cheiranthus ,cheiri4 ,hardy biennial   
,wallflowers are often sown too late4   
,as a result the growth is not          
thoroughly matured1 and the plants      
present but a feeble show of bloom4     
,they should in their season be little  
mounds of fire and gold1 exhaling a     
perfume that few flowers can equal in   
its peculiar freshness4 ,sow the seed in
 ,may or ,june1 in a sunny place1 on    

rather poor1 but sweet and well-prepared
 soil favourable to free rooting4 ,when 
the plants are two inches high1         
transplant into rows six inches asunder1
 allowing three inches apart in the row1
 and as soon as the plants overlap      
transplant again1 six or nine inches    
apart every way1 aiding with water when 
needful to help them to new growth4 ,or 
lift every other row and every other    
plant1 leaving the remainder untouched  
to supply flowers for cutting4 ,when the
 beds are cleared of their summer       
occupants1 they may be filled with the  
best plants of ,wallflower1 to afford   
cheerful green leafage all through the  
winter and a grand show of bloom in the 
spring1 as frost will not hurt the      
single varieties2 but the doubles will  
not always endure the rigours of a      
severe winter4  ,early-flowering        
,varieties4--,by selection and          
cross-fertilisation an early-flowering  
race of ,wallflowers has been obtained1 
and it is now possible to enjoy for many

 months of the year a fragrance which   
has hitherto been associated exclusively
 with spring4 ,from a sowing made in    
,may or ,june the plants commence       
flowering in autumn and continue        
throughout the winter1 unless checked by
 frost4 ,with the advent of spring      
weather1 however1 they burst into full  
bloom1 making a delightful display in   
advance of the ordinary varieties4      
,,wigandia  ,half-hardy perennial  ,this
 plant is grown for its foliage1 and is 
extensively used in sub-tropical        
gardening4 ,the instructions given for  
raising ,ricinus in heat apply equally  
to this subject2 but it is not wise to  
rely on an open-air sowing for a supply 
of ,wigandias4  ,,zinnia  ,zinnia       
elegans4 ,half-hardy annual  ,,the      
double varieties of ,zinnia have        
entirely eclipsed the single form of    
this flower4 ,they grow to an immense   
size and are extremely valuable for beds
 and borders1 the plants remaining in   
bloom for a considerable period4 ,double

 ,zinnias are so varied in colour and   
beautiful in form that they deserve to  
take high rank as exhibition flowers4   
,the ,zinnia is delicate1 and should not
 be sown too soon4 ,march is quite early
 enough to commence operations1 and the 
first week in ,april will be none too   
late for sowing4 ,a compost that suits  
,asters will answer admirably for       
,zinnias4 ,sow in #d-a_/b inch pots1    
which should have very free drainage1   
and cover the seed thinly with fine     
soil4 ,plunge the pots at once in a     
temperature of about #fj1 when the seed 
will germinate quickly1 and the plants  
on attaining one inch in height can be  
potted off separately4 ,place them in a 
close frame1 shade from sunshine1 and   
when well established1 gradually give   
air and harden off4 ,it will not be safe
 to transfer to the open until the first
 week in ,june1 unless the position is  
exceptionally sheltered and the soil    
very dry4 ,a shrubbery border is a      
suitable spot1 and the more scorching   

the season the finer will be the        
flowers4 ,there must1 however1 be       
shelter from the wind1 for the stems of 
,zinnias are hollow1 and easily damaged 
by a storm4  ,a satisfactory display of 
this flower may be obtained without the 
aid of heat by sowing in the open ground
 about the middle of ,may4 ,select a    
sunny sloping border or bed for sowing1 
enrich the soil1 and make it fine4      
,press this down rather firmly1 then    
drop three or four seeds at intervals of
 from fifteen to eighteen inches between
 each group1 and lightly cover them4 ,in
 due time thin to one plant at each     
station4 ,if they thrive the branches   
will not only meet but overlap1 and     
produce a grand display4 ,in the event  
of very dry weather at sowing time the  
ground may be watered before the seed is
 put in1 and then be covered with dry   
fine soil4  ,zinnias do not transplant  
well1 except as small seedlings4 ,when  
it is necessary to undertake the task1  
choose1 if possible1 a showery day1 and 

shade each plant with an inverted       
flower-pot for a few days1 but take off 
the pots in the evening4  ,zinnias      
intended for exhibition must be treated 
in a more generous fashion than plants  
that are grown for border decoration1 or
 for the sake of yielding cut flowers4  
,the seed may be raised in heat as      
already directed1 but the border will   
need to be prepared with special care   
and liberality4 ,should the soil be     
heavy1 it must be reduced to a friable  
state during winter4 ,before the plants 
are put in1 raise the land into ridges  
about four or five inches high4 ,plant  
on the top of the ridge1 and then an    
application of soot or lime 7not too    
near to inflict injury7 may be used as a
 precaution against slugs4 ,in a wet    
season the plants will stand a better   
chance than if put on the flat1 and if a
 scorching summer comes they will be    
none the worse for it4 ,as the flowering
 time approaches mulch the ground with  
well-decayed manure4  ,the plants must  

be carefully staked and tied out4 ,it is
 not merely necessary to secure the main
 stem1 but the branches should also be  
supported1 or when weighted with flowers
 they will be very liable to give way   
under a moderate wind4 ,superfluous     
branches may be removed1 but not so     
severely as to start new growth to the  
detriment of the flowers4 ,disbudding   
also will have to be practised for the  
highest class of flowers4 ,only one     
bloom should be allowed to develop on   
each branch at a time1 and this must be 
protected from sun and rain after it is 
about half grown4  ,,spring ,,flowers   
,,from ,,seeds  ,it is the spring       
flowers that perhaps give the greatest  
charm and interest to the ,english      
garden4 ,commencing with the flowering  
trees1 the ,almond1 ,double ,peach1     
,prunus ,pissardi1 and many others1 we  
soon have the ,daffodils1 ,wallflowers1 
and ,pansies1 making the ground bright  
and gay after the long dreary winter4   
,it may promote economy in the          

production of these brilliant and       
charming displays if we offer a few     
remarks on the employment of            
spring-flowering plants which can easily
 be raised for the purpose from seeds4  
,it will1 of course1 occur to the reader
 that a considerable proportion of the  
annuals that are usually sown in autumn 
are particularly adapted for producing  
rich and varied displays in spring4 ,a  
type of this class is found in the      
well-known ,erysimum1 ,orange ,gem1 one 
of the cheapest1 hardiest1 and most     
resplendent plants of the kind1 cheap   
enough for the humblest amateur to      
employ freely in his borders and beds1  
and at the same time so effective in its
 colouring as to be adapted for the most
 complex and highly finished examples of
 geometric work4 ,another striking      
subject is the ,siberian ,wallflower    
7,cheiranthus ,allionii71 so nearly     
allied to the ,erysimum1 ,orange ,gem1  
the gorgeous orange flowers adding a    
fresh colour to the many new shades     

given us in recent years by the old     
,english ,wallflower4 ,among the annuals
 are several valuable spring            
flowers--such as1 for example1          
,nemophila insignis1 well known for its 
lovely blue blossoms1 and the white     
variety1 alba1 of the same2 ,saponaria  
calabrica1 exquisite rosy pink2 ,silene1
 rose1 dwarf rose1 and dwarf white2     
,virginian ,stock1 of which the distinct
 varieties are remarkably well adapted  
to form bands and masses of red1 white1 
and yellow1 and also to make a          
delightful groundwork for enhancing the 
splendour of late ,tulips2 and clumps of
 ,aubrietia1 ,yellow ,alyssum1 and other
 of the more distinctive plants that are
 employed in high colouring in          
first-class geometric gardening4 ,a list
 of such plants will at once indicate   
that there is a field of enterprise for 
the practitioner of spring flower       
gardening2 and while cheap and effective
 materials are thus brought into the    
service1 there is no interference with  

the later summer bedding1 because1 if   
the annuals are well managed1 they will 
give their plentiful bloom when the     
garden is most in need of colour1 and   
may be cleared off in time to make way  
for the plants that are generally       
employed in the summer display and which
 are known as #8bedding plants' par     
excellence4  ,in the management of      
annuals for an early bloom1 it is of    
great importance to sow them at a proper
 time1 so that they will be strong      
enough to perform what is required of   
them1 and yet not so forward 7or        
#8winter proud'7 as to suffer from the  
severity of the weather4 ,in the ,north 
the middle of ,august is none too early 
for a general sowing in beds1 and in the
 ,south the middle of ,september is none
 too late4 ,in some few sheltered spots 
in the extreme ,south-,west seed may be 
got in at the middle of ,october4 ,as a 
rule1 however1 the sowing should be made
 as late as those familiar with the soil
 and climate of the place may deem safe1

 the main point being to have the       
seedlings in a short-jointed condition1 
close to the ground1 in which state they
 are least likely to be injured by      
frosts4 ,we prefer sowing in drills on a
 rather poor soil well broken up to a   
kindly state1 and if the weather happens
 to be dry1 the drills should be freely 
watered before the seed is sown1 and    
there will be no more watering needed4  
,the after-management is extremely      
simple3 the plants must be kept clear of
 weeds1 and be slightly thinned out if  
much crowded1 for a few sturdy specimens
 are of more value than any number that 
have run up weak and wiry through       
overcrowding4  ,in sheltered gardens1   
having dry chalk or sandy soils1 the    
greater part1 or perhaps the whole      
stock1 might be transplanted from the   
seed-beds to the flower-beds and borders
 as soon as sufficient growth has been  
made2 but on heavy soils and in exposed 
places it will be advisable to delay the
 removal until ,march4 ,this part of the

 work must be nicely done1 the plants   
being lifted in clumps and no attempt   
made to single them1 and they must be   
carefully pressed in and aided with     
water1 if necessary1 to promote a quick 
#8taking hold' of their new quarters4   
,those planted out in ,october on a dry 
soil will not only bloom early and      
gaily1 but will be beautiful in their   
different tints of green all the winter 
through4  ,but we are not restricted to 
annuals in seeking for spring flowers   
from seeds4 ,with very few exceptions1  
all the favourite plants of the spring  
garden may be grown from seeds at a cost
 almost infinitesimal as compared with  
the raising of named varieties from     
cuttings and divisions4 ,daisies1 some  
of them now almost as large as ,asters1 
are not only suited to the ribbon       
border1 but make an amazingly brilliant 
show when the white1 pink1 and crimson  
are planted in masses or in separate    
beds4 ,seedlings flower with far greater
 freedom and produce much larger blooms 

than divided plants1 and even after the 
first few weeks1 when the later flowers 
become smaller and less perfect in form1
 a brilliant display is maintained till 
late in the summer if the beds are not  
wanted for other things4 ,pansies1 which
 are still unsurpassed for beds and     
borders1 are easily raised from seed4   
,what is more interesting than a long   
row of plants of ,perfection ,pansy     
beside the pathway8 every step brings   
one to a flower of perfect charm1 quite 
different in marking or colour from any 
other4 ,the several species and         
varieties of ,arabis1 ,alyssum1         
,aubrietia1 ,viola1 ,polyanthus1        
,iberis1 and ,forget-me-not also come   
quite true from seed4 ,the precision of 
style and colouring that results from   
raising these from cuttings is1 of      
course1 admitted2 but in forming masses 
and ribbon lines1 minute individual     
characters are of less consequence than 
a good general effect1 and this may be  
insured by raising the plants from seed 

in a manner so cheap and expeditious    
that we feel assured spring bedding     
would be more often seen in its proper  
freshness and fulness were the system we
 now recommend adopted in place of the  
tedious one of multiplication by offsets
 and cuttings4  ,wallflowers cannot be  
grown in too great numbers in any       
garden1 for either their delightful     
perfume or charming colour effect4 ,the 
striking displays to be seen in some of 
our public parks and on seaside fronts  
have done much to popularise this old   
favourite flower4 ,since the first      
edition of this book was issued1 many   
new and remarkable colours in           
,wallflowers have been introduced1 among
 the last1 but by no means least1 being 
the ,fire ,king and ,orange ,bedder4 ,it
 is by the blending of the colours that 
the most telling effects can be         
produced4 ,probably ,blood ,red1 a very 
inadequate name1 and ,cloth of ,gold    
will always be the most favourite       
combination1 and when planted together  

one sets off the other to a degree      
little thought of when these varieties  
are grown separately4 ,purple and the   
other yellows 7,faerie ,queene and      
,monarch7 also make a pleasing bed4     
,fire ,king and ,orange ,bedder should  
be grown in masses1 separately or       
together1 and when seen in the late     
afternoon or early evening their vivid  
and gorgeous colouring is almost        
unsurpassed by any other flower4 ,the   
early-flowering ,wallflowers will1 in   
mild winters1 bloom from ,january till  
,april1 or even as early as ,christmas4 
,it should not be forgotten that these  
biennial and perennial plants require   
more time to prepare themselves for     
flowering than do the annuals4 ,if sown 
in ,august they may not bloom at all the
 next season1 or the bloom may be late  
and insignificant4 ,but if sown in ,may 
and ,june they have a long season of    
growth before winter sets in1 and at the
 turn of spring the plants will be      
matured and strongly set for bloom4     

,the sowing of biennial and perennial   
plants for a display of spring flowers  
must be carefully done4 ,the ground     
should be moderately rich and quite     
mellow through being well broken up2 in 
other words1 a good seed-bed must be    
prepared4 ,if the weather is dry1 the   
drills should be watered before the seed
 is sown2 and in the event of a drought1
 the young plants must have the aid of  
water to keep them going through the    
summer4 ,the seed should be sown thinly1
 and1 as soon as the plants are large   
enough1 they should be thinned out if at
 all crowded1 and the thinnings can be  
planted in rows and shaded for a while4 
,as a rule1 the whole of the work will  
be comprised in sowing1 thinning1 and   
weeding4 ,in average seasons they will  
not require watering1 and in this matter
 alone will be seen the advantage of    
raising from seeds instead of cuttings4 
,ordinary care1 with such plants as we  
have named1 will insure a splendid      
display of spring flowers2 and they are 

worth whatever attention may be         
necessary to promote complete and early 
development4 ,it may happen that plants 
from early sowings will show a few      
flowers in autumn if neglected4 ,this is
 easily prevented1 to the great         
advantage of the plants1 by the simple  
process of #8stopping' or nipping out   
the points of the leading shoots to     
cause the production of side shoots4 ,if
 a sturdy growth is thus secured1 and   
the plants are transferred to the       
flower-beds in ,october1 the result will
 justify the labour4  ,practical        
gardeners will not need to be informed  
that the system we now propose is       
capable of many applications and        
expansions2 but it may be suggested to  
amateurs who lament the dreary aspect of
 their beds and borders in the month of 
,may and early part of ,june1 that the  
plants we recommend for the formation of
 masses in the geometric garden are     
equally well adapted to form beautiful  
clumps and sheets on borders1 banks1 and

 rockeries1 as well as in many instances
 to serve as a groundwork to ,hyacinths1
 ,tulips1 ,narcissi1 and other splendid 
hardy spring flowers4  ,sweet ,peas     
deserve to be considered separately4    
,these flowers are now so varied and    
exquisitely beautiful that they never   
appear in the garden too early4 ,from   
autumn sowings not only are the most    
forward blooms obtained1 but for size   
and intensity of colour the flowers are 
unsurpassed by the later displays from  
spring sowings4     ,,the ,,culture ,,of
 ,,flowering ,,bulbs   ,our popular     
flowering bulbs are obtained from many  
lands2 they are exceedingly diversified 
in character1 and they bloom at         
different periods of the year4 ,each    
variety has a value of its own1 and     
answers to some special requirement in  
its proper season under glass or in the 
open ground4 ,in the darkest winter days
 we prize the glow of ,tulips and       
,hyacinths for brightening our homes4   
,and bleak days are not all past when   

,aconites and ,snowdrops sparkle in beds
 and borders4 ,the ,anemones follow in  
,march1 and during the lengthening days 
of spring there are sumptuous beds of   
,hyacinths1 ,narcissi1 and ,tulips4     
,when high summer begins to decline we  
have stately groups of ,gladioli and    
many beautiful ,lilies in the shrubbery 
borders4  ,not least among the merits of
 ,dutch ,bulbs is the ease with which   
they can be forced into flower at a     
period of the year when bright blossoms 
are particularly precious1 and they are 
equally available for the grandest      
conservatory or the humblest cottage    
window4 ,they are attractive singly in  
pots or vases1 or they can be arranged  
in splendid banks and groups for the    
highest decorative purposes4 ,another   
advantage is that bulbs endure treatment
 which would be fatal to many other     
flowers4 ,they can be grown in small    
pots1 or be almost packed together in   
boxes or seed-pans2 and when near       
perfection they may be shaken out and   

have the roots washed for glasses1      
ferneries1 and small aquaria2 or they   
can be replanted close together in sand1
 and covered with green moss4 ,their    
hardiness1 too1 permits of their being  
grown and successfully flowered without 
the least aid from artificial heat4     
,small beds and borders may be made     
brilliant with these flowers1 and the   
number of bulbs that can be planted in a
 very limited space is somewhat         
astonishing to a novice4 ,unlike many   
other subjects1 bulbs may be rather     
crowded without injury to individual    
specimens4  ,for the decoration of      
windows no other flowers can compare    
with ,dutch ,bulbs in variety and       
brilliancy of colour4 ,some of them are 
not particularly long-lived1 and this   
need occasion no regret1 for it affords 
opportunity of making constant changes  
in the character and colour of the      
miniature exhibition1 which may easily  
be extended over many weeks4 ,and a     
really beautiful display is within reach

 of those who have not a scrap of garden
 in which to bring an ordinary plant to 
perfection4 ,unused attics and lead     
flats can1 with a little skill and      
attention in the case of bulbs1 be made 
to answer the purpose which pits and    
greenhouses serve for many of our showy 
plants4 ,some of the most attractive    
flowering plants cannot be successfully 
grown in large centres of population1   
but bulbs will produce handsome blossoms
 even in smoky towns4  ,we do not       
recommend the attempt to grow bulbs in  
the actual window-boxes4 ,it is seldom  
entirely satisfactory4 ,they should be  
treated in the manner advised under the 
several varieties in the following      
pages1 and just as the colours are      
becoming visible1 a selection can be    
made from pots or boxes for crowding    
closely in the ornamental arrangements  
for the window4 ,when the first         
occupants show signs of fading1 others  
can be brought forward to fill their    
places1 and this process may be repeated

 until the stock is exhausted4 ,winter  
,aconites1 ,snowdrops1 ,squills1 and    
,glory of the ,snow furnish the earliest
 display2 these to be followed by       
,crocuses1 ,tulips1 ,hyacinths1 and the 
many forms of the great ,narciss family1
 until spring is far advanced4  ,the    
secret of their accommodating nature    
lies in the fact that within the        
,hyacinth or ,tulip every petal of the  
coming flower is already stored4 ,during
 the five or six years of its           
progressive life the capacities of the  
bulb have been steadily conserved1 and  
we have but to unfold its beauty1 aiming
 at short stout growth and intensity of 
colour4 ,of course there is an immense  
difference in the quality of bulbs1 and 
they necessarily vary according to the  
character of the season4 ,the most      
successful growers cannot insure        
uniformity in any one variety year after
 year1 because the seasons are beyond   
human control4 ,but those who regularly 
visit the bulb farms can obtain the     

finest roots of the year1 although it   
may be necessary to select from many    
sources4  ,such bulbs as ,lilies1 ,iris1
 ,montbretia1 ,hyacinthus1 and          
,alstroemeria suffer no deterioration   
after the first year's flowering4       
,indeed1 it will be the cultivator's    
fault if they do not increase in number 
and carry finer heads of bloom in       
succeeding years4 ,as outdoor subjects  
some of them are not yet appreciated at 
their full value4 ,magnificent as       
,lilium auratum and ,l4 lancifolium must
 ever be in conservatories1 they exhibit
 their imposing proportions to greater  
advantage1 and their wealth of perfume  
is far more acceptable1 when grown among
 handsome shrubs in the border4 ,very   
little attention is needed to bring them
 up year after year in ever-increasing  
loveliness4  ,growing ,bulbs in         
,moss-fibre4--,a most interesting method
 of growing bulbs is to place them in   
bowls and jardinires filled with        
prepared moss-fibre1 and far better     

results for home decoration may be      
obtained in this way than by using      
ordinary potting soil in vases1 c4 ,for 
this system of culture no drainage is   
necessary1 and the bowls and vases which
 are specially made for the purpose are 
not pierced with the usual holes for the
 escape of water4 ,the receptacles are  
non-porous and may be placed on tables  
and columns1 or they can be employed in 
halls and corridors without the         
slightest risk of injury4 ,the fibre is 
perfectly clean to handle1 odourless1   
and remains sweet for an indefinite     
period4  ,vases of any kind may be used1
 provided they are non-porous1 but the  
bulbs to be planted in them should be of
 a suitable size4 ,for quite small      
jardinires1 white and purple ,crocuses1 
,scillas1 ,snowdrops1 and ,grape        
,hyacinths are available1 also the      
smaller varieties of ,narcissi4 ,larger 
vases will accommodate ,hyacinths1      
,narcissi1 ,tulips1 c4 ,it is better not
 to mix different kinds of bulbs in one 

bowl unless simultaneous flowering can  
be insured4 ,the specially prepared     
fibre needs only to be moistened before 
use4 ,having selected suitable          
receptacles for the bulbs to be grown1  
place a few pieces of charcoal at the   
bottom of each bowl4 ,then cover the    
charcoal with one to three inches of    
moistened fibre according to the depth  
of the bowl1 placing the bulbs in       
positions so that their tips reach to   
within half-inch of the rim4 ,the spaces
 between and around the bulbs to be     
filled with moistened fibre1 carefully  
firmed in by hand4 ,the bulbs will      
require practically no attention for the
 first few weeks and may be stood in a  
warm1 airy position1 but on no account  
must they be shut up in a close         
cupboard4 ,if the fibre has been        
properly moistened there will be no need
 to give water until the shoots are an  
inch or so long1 but the fibre must not 
be allowed to go dry1 or the flower-buds
 become #8blind4' ,the surface of the   

fibre should always look moist1 but if  
too much water has been given the bowl  
may be held carefully on its side so    
that the surplus water can drain away4  
,as the growth increases more water will
 be required and all the light possible 
must be given to insure sturdy foliage4 
,this fibre also answers admirably      
instead of water for ,hyacinths grown in
 glasses1 but care should be taken to   
fill the glasses as lightly as possible 
with the compost2 if crammed in tightly 
the root growth is liable to lift the   
bulbs out of position4  ,,achimenes     
,showy stove bulbs remarkable for their 
beauty4 ,given a sufficiency of heat1   
the cultivation is of the easiest       
nature1 for they grow rapidly and flower
 freely1 if potted in sandy peat1 and   
kept in a warm greenhouse or the coolest
 part of a stove1 in a somewhat humid   
atmosphere4 ,it needs only the simplest 
management to have these plants in bloom
 at almost any season of the year1 for  
the bulbs may be kept dormant for a     

considerable length of time without     
injury1 and may be started into growth  
as required to keep up a long succession
 of flowers4 ,they are occasionally well
 grown in common frames over hot-beds4  
,for suspended baskets ,achimenes are   
invaluable4  ,,agapanthus  ,in favoured 
districts on the ,south coast this noble
 plant succeeds admirably if planted out
 between ,september and ,march in a     
rich1 deep1 moist loam1 either in full  
sun or in partial shade4 ,when grown in 
pots it requires a strong loamy soil1   
with plenty of manure1 and throughout   
the summer the pots should be allowed to
 stand in pans of water4 ,as the        
,agapanthus is a gross-feeding plant1 it
 should be re-potted annually in autumn1
 and be wintered in a cool pit or frame4
 ,in transferring to new pots a little  
care must be taken to avoid injuring the
 mass of fleshy roots4  ,,allium  ,the  
,allium neapolitanum is the finest      
white-flowered variety1 and is          
exceedingly valuable for bouquets and   

vase decoration4 ,the large umbels of   
blossoms are of the purest white4 ,it is
 one of the earliest spring-flowering   
bulbs1 and1 although quite hardy1 it    
comes forward quickly and easily in a   
cool house4  ,,alstroemeria  ,an elegant
 plant which belongs to the nearly hardy
 group referred to in the notice of     
,ixia4 ,in autumn it may be safely      
planted out in almost any part of the   
,united ,kingdom1 provided it is planted
 nine inches deep1 and can have a sunny 
position on a dry soil1 for damp is more
 hurtful to it than frost4 ,as a pot    
plant it is comparatively useless1 but  
if allowed to remain several years in a 
dry border1 a large clump of any of the 
varieties presents a brilliant          
appearance when in flower4  ,,amaryllis 
,see remarks under ,lilies at page #cdj4
  ,,anemone  ,windflower  ,our          
observations on this flower will be     
limited to the tuberous varieties2 but  
even with this restriction1 the range of
 form and colour is exceedingly wide4   

,the ,anemone is an accommodating plant1
 and can be successfully flowered either
 in pots or in beds1 at the option of   
the cultivator4  ,the most natural place
 for it is near shady woodland walks1   
where it can be seen to the greatest    
advantage4 ,but it is also a splendid   
subject for masses in the mixed border1 
or in front of shrubberies2 and alone in
 beds it makes a brilliant and lasting  
show4 ,for all the purposes of garden   
decoration to which the ,crocus1        
,hyacinth1 and ,tulip are applied1 the  
,windflower is equally well adapted4 ,we
 do not advise planting singly1 but the 
,anemone answers admirably in lines1    
groups1 or beds1 and the colours admit  
of numberless harmonies and contrasts4  
,the commoner ,anemones need only to be 
planted about three inches deep1 with   
the eyes upwards1 at any time between   
,september and ,march1 and they will    
require little or no attention          
afterwards4 ,under trees1 instead of    
planting in a formal pattern1 it is     

worth while to put them in with some    
attempt at natural grouping1 and not too
 close together--say from six inches to 
a foot apart4 ,in such positions they   
may be left undisturbed for years2 and  
if the soil happens to be a good sandy  
loam1 they will thrive and increase4 ,in
 masses or beds within the garden1      
however1 a richer effect is wanted1 and 
the distance between the roots should   
not exceed from four to six inches4  ,a 
choice collection of roots is worth more
 care1 and florists are accustomed to   
prepare the beds for their reception    
with fastidious exactness4 ,the soil1 if
 not considered suitable1 is taken out  
to the depth of two feet1 and is        
replaced by a rich and specially        
prepared compost4 ,although the         
individual flowers produced by this     
method are generally very fine1 and the 
total effect of the bed is exceedingly  
beautiful1 yet the truth must be        
confessed that for ordinary gardening   
the system is extravagant and           

unnecessary4 ,as a hobby1 it is1 of     
course1 justifiable enough2 but         
,anemones of high quality can be grown  
by a much simpler mode of procedure4    
,one deep digging there certainly should
 be1 and a layer of manure at the bottom
 of each trench is sound treatment1 for 
it supplies the roots with food and a   
cool subsoil4 ,poor land should also be 
enriched by incorporating a dressing of 
decayed manure as the work proceeds4    
,subsequently one or two light surface  
forkings will help to make the bed      
mellow4 ,a rough plan1 showing the name 
and position of every root1 will be a   
safer record than labelling in the usual
 way1 and it also prevents the          
disfigurement of the bed4 ,there should 
be a distance of six inches between the 
roots2 and they may be put in singly by 
means of the trowel1 or in drills drawn 
three inches deep4 ,the former method is
 generally adopted for groups2 but to   
insure regularity in flowering the      
planting must be uniform in depth4 ,for 

beds1 drills are more reliable1 and they
 are speedily made4  ,the time of       
planting determines to a considerable   
extent the date of flowering2 and1 as   
the roots may be put in during autumn1  
winter1 and early spring1 it is easy to 
secure a succession of ,anemones from   
,january until ,may4 ,but this flower is
 of so much more value early in the year
 than at a later period1 when many other
 subjects brighten the garden1 that it  
is scarcely worth while to plant so late
 as ,march4  ,the ,anemone is well worth
 growing in pots1 both for its foliage  
and flowers4 ,it does not resent forcing
 to the same extent as the ,ranunculus2 
nevertheless1 cool treatment is almost  
essential to do it full justice4 ,the   
potting should be done in batches to    
insure a succession of flowers1 and the 
first lot may be put in at the end of   
,august1 or beginning of ,september4    
,they should have the benefit of really 
good soil2 a mixture of leaf-mould and  
loam1 with the addition of a little     

powdered charcoal1 will suit them       
exactly4 ,in preparing the pots1 place a
 layer of light manure above the crocks1
 which will assist the drainage and     
benefit the plants4 ,then fill with     
compost to within two inches of the top1
 and lay in the roots2 add soil to a    
level with the rim1 and press lightly   
down4 ,the strongest roots should1 of   
course1 be selected for potting1 and it 
will need more than a hasty glance to   
put them in with the eyes upwards4 ,one 
or more roots may be planted in each    
pot1 according to the size of the       
latter4  ,the early plantings can be    
placed in any warm position out of      
doors1 such as under a south wall2 but  
after the middle of ,october remove to a
 cold pit1 or on to the greenhouse      
stage4 ,watering is all the attention   
they will require1 and of this there    
must be no stint1 especially during the 
blooming period4 ,a high temperature at 
any stage is needless1 and if they are  
just kept out of the reach of frost they

 will take excellent care of themselves4
  ,anemones are adapted for many        
decorative purposes2 they make capital  
window plants1 and their sharply cut    
foliage is very ornamental in the       
drawing-room or on the dinner-table4    
,,babiana  ,babianas are delicately     
constituted1 but extremely elegant      
plants when well grown4 ,though far from
 showy1 they appeal to the educated eye 
for appreciation of their blue and      
purple oculate flowers4 ,the culture is 
the same as for the ,ixia1 and we       
incline strongly to the practice of     
keeping the bulbs at least two seasons  
in the same pots4  ,,begonia1           
,,tuberous-,,rooted  ,few flowers have a
 greater claim on the attention of      
horticulturists than the                
,tuberous-rooted ,begonia1 either for   
the ease with which it can be grown1 or 
for the many valuable purposes to which 
the plant may be applied4 ,it can be    
flowered at any time from ,february     
until ,october1 and is available for all

 kinds of indoor decoration1 and also   
for growing in the open ground during   
the summer months4  ,instead of allowing
 the plants to be rudely dried off1 it  
is worth a little trouble to reduce them
 slowly to the dormant state by         
gradually withholding water4 ,they      
should still be retained in pots1 which 
may be stored under a thick layer of    
ashes or dry peat in any cellar1 frame1 
or shed where the thermometer stands    
pretty uniformly at about #ej4 ,the     
store should also be dry1 for damp is   
quite as injurious to these roots as    
cold4 ,generally speaking1 it may be    
said that any store which is safe for   
,dahlias will also preserve             
,tuberous-rooted ,begonias4  ,after the 
winter's rest the bulbs are invariably  
saucer-shaped1 and in the event of their
 being watered before growth has        
commenced1 sufficient water will remain 
in the hollow to destroy the bulb4 ,this
 peculiarity makes it dangerous to start
 the plant before activity is evident4  

,in ,january or ,february1 as the bulbs 
show signs of life1 pot them almost on  
the surface of a rich loamy soil1 and   
employ the smallest pots possible4      
,nurse them with a little care in a warm
 place for about ten days1 and they     
should then be very gradually hardened4 
,a regular system of potting on will be 
necessary until the final size is       
reached2 and at each operation the      
plants should be inserted rather deeper 
than before4 ,if re-potting is deferred 
too long1 the foliage will turn         
yellow--a sure sign that the plant is   
starving4 ,no flowers should be allowed 
in the early stages of growth1 and this 
rule is imperative if fine specimens are
 wanted2 but when the plants are        
transferred just as the pots are full of
 roots1 there will be little disposition
 to bloom prematurely4 ,while growing1  
the ,tuberous ,begonia delights in a    
humid atmosphere1 but this should be    
avoided after flowering has commenced4  
,when sticks are inserted for tying out 

the flowers1 the bulbs must not be      
wounded4  ,the erect-growing varieties  
are valuable for low conservatory       
stages1 and they form splendid groups in
 corners of drawing-rooms4 ,the drooping
 kinds are seen to advantage on         
brackets1 shelves1 and in suspended     
baskets2 and the short-jointed plants of
 the drooping class are specially       
adapted for rockeries and beds4 ,they   
must not be put into the open until the 
danger of a nipping east wind is past4  
,the early part of ,june is generally   
about the right time4  ,in the autumn it
 is usual to lift and pot the plants1   
although in mild districts1 and in a    
light soil1 they may safely be left out 
all the winter under the shelter of a   
heap of ashes or decayed manure4 ,in    
beds this plan is scarcely worth        
adoption1 because it leaves the ground  
bare for several months2 but where      
,begonias are grown in the reserve      
border to furnish a supply of flowers   
for cutting1 it may be a considerable   

advantage to leave them until the       
following year4  ,a word is necessary as
 to soil4 ,the ,begonia is a gross      
feeder1 and to develop its fine         
qualities there must be a liberal       
employment of manure4 ,as a matter of   
fact1 it is scarcely possible to make   
the soil too rich for this flower4      
,,chionodoxa  ,glory of the ,snow  ,the 
varied blue tints of the ,chionodoxa1   
its more open blossoms1 and larger size1
 distinguish this flower from its older 
and justly prized rival1 the ,scilla4   
,indeed1 the ,chionodoxa is exquisitely 
beautiful1 and of great value for pot   
culture1 beds1 or borders4 ,five bulbs  
may be grown in a #dh-sized pot1 and in 
the border not less than half a dozen   
should be planted in a group4 ,employed 
as a single or double line1 it also     
produces a striking bit of colouring4   
,the bulbs should be planted in autumn  
four inches deep1 the distance between  
being not more than three inches4 ,any  
ordinary garden soil will grow this     

flower1 and it is advisable to allow the
 bulbs to remain undisturbed for several
 years1 as the effect will be the       
greater in each succeeding spring4      
,,crocus  ,this brilliant harbinger of  
spring will thrive in any soil or       
situation1 but to be brought to the     
highest possible perfection it should be
 grown in an open bed or border of deep1
 rich1 dry sandy loam4 ,the bulbs should
 be planted during ,september1 ,october1
 and ,november4 ,if kept out of the     
ground after the end of the year they   
will be seriously damaged1 and however  
carefully planted1 will not flower in a 
satisfactory manner4 ,plant three inches
 deep in lines1 clumps1 or masses1 as   
taste may suggest1 putting the bulbs two
 inches apart4 ,if convenient1 let them 
remain undisturbed two or three years1  
and then take them up and plant again in
 well-prepared and liberally manured    
soil4 ,a bed of mixed ,crocuses has a   
pleasing appearance1 but in selecting   
bulbs for the geometric garden it is    

more effective to employ distinct       
colours1 reserving the yellow for the   
exterior parts of the design to define  
its boundaries1 and using the blue and  
the white in masses and bands within4   
,in districts where sparrows attack the 
flowers1 they may be deterred from doing
 mischief by stretching over the beds a 
few strands of black thread1 which will 
not interfere with the beauty of the    
display1 and will terrify the sparrows  
for a sufficient period to save the     
flowers4  ,the named varieties are      
invaluable for pot and frame culture1   
and to force for decorative purposes2   
for though the individual flowers are   
short-lived1 the finest bulbs yield a   
long succession of bloom1 and in        
character ,crocuses are quite distinct  
from all other flowers of the same early
 season4 ,when grown in pots and        
baskets1 the bulbs should be placed     
close together to produce a striking    
effect4 ,a light1 rich soil is          
desirable1 but they may be flowered in a

 mixture of charcoal and moss1 or in    
fibre1 or moss alone4 ,when required in 
quantity for ornamental baskets and     
similar receptacles1 it is wise to plant
 them in shallow boxes filled with      
rotten manure and leaf-mould1 and to    
lift them out separately1 and pack them 
when in flower in the ornamental        
baskets4 ,a perfect display of flowers  
in precisely the same stage of          
development can thus be secured1 and    
successional displays may follow as long
 as supplies remain in the boxes4       
,,crown ,,imperial  ,fritillaria        
imperialis  ,a noble plant which needs a
 deep1 rich1 moist soil1 and an open    
situation1 to insure the full degree of 
stateliness1 but it will make a very    
good figure in any border where it can  
enjoy a glimmer of sunshine4 ,there are 
several distinct varieties1 the flowers 
of which range in colour from palest    
yellow to the deepest shade of orange   
and reddish buff1 and there are others  
which have variegated leaves4 ,they     

should be planted in autumn eighteen    
inches apart1 allowing from four to six 
inches of soil above the crowns4        
,,cyclamen  ,although it is advisable to
 raise ,cyclamens from seed every year1 
occasions arise when it is necessary to 
store the bulbs for a second season1 and
 the best method of treating them during
 the period of rest must be considered4 
,as the production of seed weakens the  
corms1 preference should be given to    
those which have not been subjected to  
this tax on their energies4  ,at the    
close of the flowering season the bulbs 
should be gradually reduced to a resting
 state by withholding moisture4 ,when   
the foliage turns yellow the pots may be
 laid on their sides in a cold frame1 if
 available1 or in any other convenient  
place where they will not be forgotten1 
until about the middle of ,july4 ,they  
should then be placed upright1 and have 
a supply of water4 ,after fresh growth  
has fairly commenced1 shake the bulbs   
out of the pots1 remove most of the old 

soil1 and re-pot in a compost consisting
 of mellow turfy loam and leaf-mould1   
with a sufficient admixture of silver   
sand to insure drainage4 ,the corm      
should be so placed in the pot as to    
bring the crown about level with the    
rim1 and every care must be taken to    
avoid injuring the young roots4 ,place  
the pots in a close frame for a few     
days1 after which ample ventilation     
should be given to maintain a robust    
condition4 ,the lights may remain       
constantly open until there is danger   
from autumn frosts4 ,specimens that show
 a great number of flower-buds should be
 assisted occasionally with weak manure 
water4  ,c4 ,coum and ,c4 europum are   
rarely well grown1 for although quite   
hardy1 the climate of this country does 
not suit them in their season of        
flowering1 which is the early spring4   
,the cool greenhouse is the safest place
 for them1 except in sheltered spots1   
where they may be planted out on a      
border of peat1 or amongst ferns in a   

rockery4 ,when grown in pots1 light     
turfy loam and peat in equal quantities1
 with a fourth part of cow-manure and a 
liberal addition of sand1 will form an  
excellent compost for them4 ,the pots   
should never be exposed to the drying   
action of the sun or wind1 but should be
 plunged to the rim in coal-ashes4 ,the 
best time for potting or planting them  
is ,september or ,october4              
,instructions on raising ,cyclamens from
 seed will be found at page #bef4       
,,daffodil--see ,,narcissus1 page #cdd  
,,dog',s-,,tooth ,,violet  ,the red and 
white varieties are as hardy as any     
plant in our gardens1 and by their neat 
habit and elegant leaves and flowers    
they are admirably adapted to plant in  
quantities in the front of a rockery1 in
 either peat or sandy loam and          
leaf-mould4 ,they are equally suitable  
for edging small beds in gardens where  
spring flowers are systematically grown2
 in fact1 they are true #8spring        
bedders4' ,autumn is the proper time to 

plant the bulbs4 ,but ,dog's-tooth      
,violets are also worth growing in pots1
 especially where an unheated #8,alpine 
house' is kept for plants of this class4
 ,several bulbs may be put in a pot of  
the #dh-size4  ,,ferraria--see          
,,tigridia1 page #cej  ,,freesia  ,the  
singularly graceful form1 wide range of 
beautiful colours1 and delicious perfume
 of this flower have made it an immense 
favourite2 and happily there is no ,cape
 bulb which can be grown with greater   
ease in the frame or cool greenhouse4   
,one characteristic is very marked1 and 
it is the disproportion between the     
small bulb and the fine flowers produced
 from it4  ,procure the bulbs as early  
in the autumn as possible1 and lose no  
time in potting them4 ,any light rich   
soil will answer1 but that which suits  
them best is composed of two parts of   
loam1 one of leaf-mould1 and one of     
peat1 with enough sand or grit added to 
insure drainage4 ,commence with pots of 
the right size1 for the roots are       

extremely brittle1 and there must be no 
risk of injuring them by re-potting4    
,the #dh-size will accommodate several  
bulbs4 ,place under a south wall1 and   
cover with leaf-mould until top growth  
commences1 and then remove the covering4
  ,at the end of ,september transfer the
 pots to a cold frame1 and when the     
plants attain a height of four inches1  
support them with neat sticks1 which    
should not be inserted too near the     
bulbs4 ,watering will require judgment1 
for too much moisture turns the foliage 
yellow4 ,when the pots are full of      
roots1 liquid manure twice a week will  
be helpful4  ,after the blooming season 
has passed1 encourage the foliage to    
wither by withholding water4 ,the roots 
may be stored away in their own pots    
until the following ,august4            
,,fritillaria  ,fritillarias produce    
bell-shaped flowers1 varying in colour1 
but generally of a purplish tint1 and   
beautifully spotted4 ,they thrive in a  
good deep loam1 but may be grown in     

almost any soil1 and do well under the  
shade of trees4 ,they are quite hardy1  
and1 like most other bulbs1 should be   
planted in autumn4 ,fritillarias are    
occasionally grown in pots kept in a    
cold frame1 but they will not endure    
forcing in the least degree1 and the    
mixed border is the best position for   
them4 ,these flowers make a charming    
ornament when grown in bowls filled with
 moss-fibre4  ,,gladiolus  ,the         
,gladiolus is adapted for many important
 uses and it associates admirably with  
,dahlias1 ,hollyhocks1 ,pyrethrums1 and 
,phloxes in the furnishing of clumps on 
the lawn and in the mixed border4 ,it is
 perfectly in harmony with surroundings 
when planted in ,american beds or in the
 shrubbery4 ,for supplying cut flowers  
it is invaluable1 as they retain their  
freshness in a vase for many days1 and a
 plentiful supply should be grown in    
reserved spots expressly for this       
purpose4  ,culture in ,pots4--,the      
early-flowering varieties are of        

especial value for decorating           
greenhouses and conservatories during   
spring and early summer4 ,the corms of  
these ,gladioli are small1 and a        
#cb-sized pot will accommodate several4 
,the soil should be decidedly rich1 and 
it must be porous1 because water has to 
be given freely when the plants are in  
full growth4 ,pot the corms in autumn1  
and cover with leaf-mould until the     
roots are developed1 when successive    
batches can be brought forward and      
gently forced for a continuous supply of
 elegant flowers during ,april and ,may4
 ,a mild temperature of about #ee is    
quite sufficient for them4  ,culture in 
the ,open ,ground4--,the                
autumn-flowering ,gladioli are grown in 
the open ground1 and preparations should
 begin well in advance of planting time4
 ,almost any soil can be made to answer1
 but that which suits them best is a    
good medium1 friable loam with a cool   
rich subsoil1 and each grower must      
decide for himself how far this is      

within reach naturally1 or can be       
secured by resources at command4 ,thus1 
a light soil may be made suitable by    
placing a thick layer of rotten         
cow-manure a foot below the surface1 and
 a heavy1 retentive loam can be reduced 
to the proper state by the admixture of 
lighter material4 ,on the surface spread
 a liberal quantity of manure and dig it
 in1 leaving the soil in a rough state  
to be disintegrated by frosts4 ,before  
the planting time arrives it is worth   
some trouble to free the ground from    
wire worms1 or they will play havoc with
 the growth just as it is appearing     
above ground4 ,potatoes serve admirably 
as traps for these pests4  ,gladioli are
 peculiarly liable to injury from wind1 
so that a sheltered1 but not a shaded1  
position should1 if possible1 be chosen 
for them4 ,the time of planting depends 
partly on the district1 partly on the   
season2 but the soil must be in suitable
 condition and fine weather is          
necessary4 ,from the middle of ,march to

 the middle of ,april should afford some
 suitable opportunity of getting the    
bulbs in satisfactorily4 ,give the land 
a light forking1 not deep enough to     
bring up the manure1 and make the       
surface level4 ,the rows may be twelve  
or eighteen inches apart2 we prefer the 
greater distance1 because of the        
convenience it affords in attending to  
the plants when growing2 nine inches is 
sufficient space in the rows4  ,there   
are two methods of putting in the bulbs1
 each of which has advocates among      
practised growers4 ,one is to take out  
the soil with a trowel to the depth of  
six or seven inches for each corm1 then 
insert about two inches of mixed sand   
and powdered charcoal or wood ashes2 lay
 the root upon it1 and carefully cover  
with fine soil4 ,if that process is     
considered too tedious1 draw a deep     
drill with a hoe1 and at the bottom put 
the light mixture already named2 place  
the roots at regular distances upon it1 
and lightly return the top soil4 ,the   

operation should be so performed as to  
leave the crown of the corm four inches 
below the surface4 ,when planting is    
completed1 give the bed a finishing     
touch with the rake4  ,an eminent grower
 strips off the outer coat or skin of   
each bulb before planting to ascertain  
that there is no disease2 and this      
cannot otherwise be discovered4 ,no     
doubt the procedure prevents the bed    
from showing blanks1 but that object can
 be more safely attained by growing a   
reserve in pots4 ,there is1 however1    
another practice which possesses very   
decided advantages1 and it is to break  
the skin at the crown of the bulb to    
allow the foliage free exit4 ,the skin  
is so tough that it is frequently the   
means of distorting the plant in its    
attempt to force an opening4  ,the bed  
for a time needs little attention1      
except to keep it free from weeds1 and  
this is best done by hand4 ,when the    
shoots reach about a foot high1 tying   
must be resorted to in earnest4 ,the    

most effectual plan1 of course1 is to   
put a separate stake to each plant1 and 
for exhibition specimens this is        
certainly advisable4 ,but rows can be   
secured by a stake at each end1 with two
 or three strands of strong material    
carried across1 to which each flower    
must be tied4 ,whatever method is       
adopted1 care should be taken to avoid  
cutting the plant1 while holding it     
secure from damage in a high wind4 ,let 
the material which is placed round the  
flowering-stem be soft and wide1 such as
 list1 which answers admirably4  ,water 
must be freely and regularly given      
during dry weather1 either in the       
morning or in the evening2 and a mulch  
of old manure spread over the bed will  
prevent evaporation1 and save the ground
 from caking hard4  ,another important  
matter is shading4 ,for ordinary        
purposes this is not essential2 but as  
it very much lengthens the duration of  
the flower1 it is worth attention on    
that ground alone1 and for exhibition it

 is indispensable4 ,whether shading is  
provided by separate protectors made    
expressly for the purpose1 or by        
home-made contrivances of canvas or     
wood1 the point to be quite certain     
about is security1 or an accident may   
wreck well-grounded hopes4  ,the lifting
 and storing of the corms affect the    
quality of the next year's flowers so   
much that it is important to accomplish 
lifting at the most suitable time1 and  
the storing in the best manner4 ,by the 
middle or end of ,october1 on some fine 
day1 take up the roots1 even if the     
foliage be still green2 tie a label to  
each variety1 and hang them in some airy
 place until they can be cleared of soil
 and leaves4 ,remove each stem with a   
sharp knife1 and lay out the bulbs to   
dry for another fortnight4 ,they can    
then be stored in paper bags or in boxes
 on any dry shelf which is safe from    
vermin and frost4  ,an article on the   
culture of the ,gladiolus from seed will
 be found on page #bfg4  ,,gloxinia     

,gloxinias may be had in bloom almost   
all the year by judicious management4   
,when required for early flowering1     
those that start first should be        
selected and carefully shifted into     
other pots1 and be kept near the glass1 
as they depend much on light for rapid  
and luxuriant growth4 ,a moist          
atmosphere1 with the temperature about  
#fj to #fe1 greatly facilitates the     
growth of ,gloxinias1 but they may be   
grown well in greenhouses or in pits    
heated by hot water4 ,the most suitable 
soil is a light fibrous loam1 combined  
with a little peat and silver sand4     
,manure water during the growing period 
twice a week is helpful1 but it should  
be discontinued when the flowers show   
colour4 ,the plants love shade1 and at  
no time should suffer from drought4     
,storing ,gloxinias for their season of 
rest1 i4e4 the winter1 must be carefully
 attended to1 as losses frequently occur
 during this stage4 ,it is also         
important that the plants should not be 

#8dried off' too quickly2 place them in 
a light1 airy position1 and by a gradual
 reduction of moisture the leaves will  
fall off naturally4 ,the bulbs may then 
be stored away on a shelf1 in an even   
temperature of about #ej1 each bulb     
being closely surrounded by cocoa-nut   
fibre and peat in equal parts to prevent
 excessive dryness1 which1 like too much
 damp1 often causes the loss of the     
bulb4  ,besides growing the same plants 
from year to year1 it is always         
desirable to have a fresh stock coming  
on1 as the old bulbs may deteriorate    
after two or three years4 ,this can     
easily be managed by successive sowings 
of seed1 as advised at page #bfh4       
,,hemerocallis--see under ,,lilies1 page
 #cdc  ,,hyacinth  ,one of the most     
valuable characteristics of the         
,hyacinth is the ease with which it can 
be flowered in a variety of ways by very
 simple modes of treatment4 ,it may be  
employed as a hardy1 rough-weather plant
 for the garden border1 or as a grand   

exhibition and conservatory flower4 ,the
 bulbs may be planted at any time from  
,september to the middle of ,december1  
with the certainty of their blooming    
well1 if properly cared for2 but the    
prudent cultivator will plant them as   
early as possible in the autumn1 and so 
manage them afterwards as to secure the 
longest period of growth previous to    
their flowering4 ,they can be forced to 
flower at ,christmas1 but the more      
slowly the flowers are developed the    
finer in the end will they be4 ,to      
obtain good bulbs is a matter of the    
utmost importance1 and it may be useful 
here to remark that the mere size of a  
,hyacinth bulb is no criterion of its   
value--nor1 indeed1 is its neatness of  
form or brightness of appearance4 ,the  
two most important qualities are        
soundness and density4 ,if the bulbs are
 hard and heavy in proportion to their  
size1 they may be depended on to produce
 good flowers of their kind4 ,the bulbs 
of some sorts are never large or        

handsome1 while1 on the other hand1 many
 others partake of both these qualities 
in a marked degree4  ,one other matter  
in general relating to the treatment of 
,hyacinths needs to be referred to4     
,harm has often been done by the        
practice of massing the flowers1 whether
 in pot groups or in garden beds1       
without consideration of colour         
harmonies4 ,yet no other bulbous flower 
offers such a wide choice of delightful 
colours1 or is so eminently adapted to  
artistic blending1 as the ,hyacinth4 ,by
 eschewing the dull blues and allied    
shades and by bringing into association 
exquisite tones of mauve1 pink1 apricot1
 salmon1 pale yellow1 rich lilac1 bright
 red1 c41 it is easy to demonstrate that
 there are possibilities in ,hyacinths  
which may never have been suspected     
before4 ,the following are a few of the 
charming blends which may be made1 and  
will especially appeal to those who grow
 ,hyacinths indoors3 7i7 ,apricot1      
cream1 and pale blue2 7#b7 cream1 pale  

pink1 and rose-pink2 7#c7 bright pink   
and pale blue2 7#d7 bright red1 rich    
blue1 and pure white2 7#e7 rose-pink and
 rich blue2 7#f7 pale yellow and rich   
blue2 7#g7 deep mauve and pale mauve2   
7#h7 cream and pale blue2 7#i7 bright   
blue shades 7dull1 washy1 and           
nondescript blue1 purple1 and violet    
tints must be avoided72 7#aj7 blush pink
 and rose-pink2 7#aa7 apricot and cream2
 7#ab7 pale lavender1 cream1 and        
apricot4 ,these examples will show that 
charming effects can be secured either  
with two or with three varieties4       
,colour-grouping may also be carried out
 in the garden1 but in this case great  
care must be exercised to get varieties 
of clear1 bright hues which flower at   
the same time1 such as ,inimitable      
,bedding ,hyacinths4 ,modern taste      
further dictates that the bare soil     
shall be hidden1 and this end is best   
served by providing a groundwork of     
dwarf plants1 such as ,daisies1         
,forget-me-nots1 double white ,arabis1  

and mauve ,aubrietia4 ,another course is
 to mix ,hyacinths with ,daffodils of   
the ,chalice or ,star section2 there is 
no better variety than ,sir ,watkin1 but
 others may be used4  ,culture in       
,pots4--,it is not necessary to use     
large pots1 or pots of a peculiar shape1
 for ,hyacinths4 ,there is nothing      
better than common flower-pots1 and in  
those of #fj-size single bulbs may be   
flowered in a most satisfactory manner4 
,the pots usually employed are the      
#dh-;and #cb-sizes1 the last-named being
 required only for selected bulbs grown 
for exhibition4 ,we advise the use of   
small pots where ,hyacinths are grown in
 pits and frames for decorative         
purposes1 because they can be           
conveniently placed in ornamental       
stands1 or packed close together in     
baskets of moss1 when required for the  
embellishment of the drawing-room4 ,as  
the use of new pots for ,hyacinths is   
often the cause of failure1 they should 
not be employed if well-cleansed old    

pots are available4 ,the tender roots of
 the bulbs frequently become too dry    
owing to the absorbent nature of the new
 pots4 ,a rich1 light soil is           
indispensable1 and it should consist    
chiefly of turfy loam1 with leaf-mould  
and a liberal allowance of sharp sand4  
,the mixture ought to be in a moderately
 moist condition when ready for use4 ,in
 small pots one hollow crock must       
suffice1 but the #dh-;and #cb-sized pots
 can be prepared in the usual way1 with 
one large hollow crock1 and a little    
heap of smaller potsherds or nodules of 
charcoal over it4 ,fill the pots quite  
full of soil1 and then press the bulb   
into it1 and press the soil round the   
bulb to finish the operation4 ,if potted
 loosely1 they will not thrive2 if      
potted too firmly1 they will rise up as 
soon as the roots begin to grow1 and be 
one-sided4 ,in large pots the bulbs     
should be nearly covered with soil1 but 
in small pots they must be only half    
covered1 in order to afford them the    

largest possible amount of root-room4   
,when potted1 a cool place must be found
 for them1 and unless they go absolutely
 dry1 they should not have a drop of    
water until they begin to grow freely   
and are in the enjoyment of full        
daylight4 ,the pots may be stored in a  
dark1 cool pit1 or any out-of-the-way   
place where neither sun1 nor frost1 nor 
heavy rains will affect them2 but it is 
advisable to plunge them in coal-ashes  
and also to cover them with a few inches
 of the ashes4 ,as to their removal1    
they must be taken out as wanted for    
forcing1 and certainly before they push 
up their flower spikes1 as they will do 
if they remain too long in the bed4 ,the
 cultivator will be guided in respect of
 their removal from the bed by          
circumstances2 but when they are        
removed1 a distinct routine of treatment
 must be observed1 or the flowering will
 be unsatisfactory4 ,for a short time   
they should be placed in subdued        
daylight1 that the blanched growth may  

acquire a healthy green hue slowly2 and 
they need to be kept cool in order that 
they shall grow very little until a     
healthy colour is acquired4 ,the floor  
of a cool greenhouse is a good place for
 them when first taken out of the bed   
and cleaned up for forcing4 ,another    
matter of great importance is to place  
them near the glass immediately their   
green colour is established1 and to grow
 them as slowly as the requirements of  
the case will permit4 ,if to be forced  
early1 allow plenty of time to train    
them to bear a great heat1 taking from  
bed to pit1 and from pit to cool house1 
and deferring to the latest possible    
moment placing them in the heat in which
 they are to flower4 ,those to bloom at 
,christmas should be potted in          
,september1 those to follow may be      
potted a month later4 ,if a long        
succession is required1 a sufficient    
number should be potted every two or    
three weeks to the end of the year4     
,those potted latest will1 of course1   

flower in frames without the aid of     
heat4 ,in any and every case the highest
 temperature of the forcing-pit should  
be #gj2 to go beyond that point will    
cause an attenuated growth and poverty  
of colour4 ,if liquid manure is employed
 at all1 it should be used constantly   
and extremely weak until the flowers    
begin to expand1 and then pure soft     
water only should be used4 ,no matter   
what may be the particular constitution 
of the liquid manure1 it must be weak1  
or it will do more harm than good4 ,the 
spikes should be supported by wires or  
neat sticks in ample time1 and a        
constant watch kept to see that the     
stems are not cut or bent1 as they      
rapidly develop beyond the range allowed
 them by their supports4  ,culture in   
,glasses4--,it is of little consequence 
whether rain1 river1 or spring water be 
employed in this mode of culture1 but it
 must be pure1 and in the glasses it    
should nearly but not quite touch the   
bulbs4 ,store at once in a dark1 cool   

place1 to encourage the bulbs to send   
their roots down into the water before  
the leaves begin to grow4 ,when the     
roots are developed1 bring the glasses  
from the dark to the light1 in order    
that leaves and flowers may be in       
perfect health4 ,let them have as much  
light as possible1 with an equable      
temperature1 and provide supports in    
good time4 ,hyacinths are often injured 
by being kept in rooms that are at times
 extremely cold and at others heated to 
excess4 ,those who wish to grow the     
bulbs to perfection in glasses should   
remove them occasionally as             
circumstances may require1 to prevent   
the injury that must otherwise result   
from rapid and extreme alternations of  
temperature4 ,it is not desirable to    
introduce to the water any stimulating  
substance1 but the glasses must be kept 
nearly full of water by replenishing as 
it disappears4 ,if the leaves become    
dusty1 they may be cleansed with a soft 
brush or a sponge dipped in water1 but  

particular care must be taken not to    
injure them in the process4  ,culture in
 ,moss-fibre4--,while ,hyacinths1       
differing from ,daffodils and ,tulips1  
are perhaps relatively better in pots of
 soil than in bowls of moss-fibre1 they 
may still be grown successfully in bowls
 provided a fairly deep receptacle is   
chosen and care is taken to avoid making
 the fibre hard4 ,with a shallow bowl   
and very firm fibre it may be found that
 the roots strike upward and the plant  
does not get that abundant supply of    
moisture which is essential to its      
welfare4 ,for this method of culture    
preference should be given to the       
,roman1 ,giant ,italian1 ,christmas     
,pink1 ,miniature and ,grape ,hyacinths1
 which look particularly charming in    
bowls and similar contrivances4         
,detailed directions are given on page  
#cai4  ,culture in ,beds4--,the         
,hyacinth will grow well in any ordinary
 garden soil1 but that which suits it   
best is a light rich loam4 ,the bed     

should be effectually drained1 for      
though the plant loves moisture it      
cannot thrive in a bog during the       
winter4 ,it is advisable to plant early1
 and to plant deep4 ,if a rich effect is
 required1 especially in beds near the  
windows of a residence1 the bulbs should
 be six inches apart1 but at a greater  
distance a good effect may be produced  
by planting nine inches apart4 ,the time
 of blooming may be to some extent      
influenced by the time and manner of    
planting1 but no strict rules can be    
given to suit particular instances4     
,late planting and deep planting both   
tend to defer the time of blooming1     
although there will not be a great      
difference in any case1 and as a rule   
the late bloom is to be preferred1      
because less liable to injury from      
frost4 ,the shallowest planting should  
insure a depth of three inches of earth 
above the crown of the bulb1 but they   
will flower better1 and only a few days 
later1 if covered with full six inches  

of earth over the crowns4 ,the ,hyacinth
 is so hardy that protection need not be
 thought of1 except in peculiar cases of
 unusual exposure1 or on the occurrence 
of an excessively low temperature when  
they are growing freely4 ,under any     
circumstances1 there is no protection so
 effectual as dry litter1 but a thin    
coat of half-rotten manure spread over  
the bed is to be preferred in the event 
of danger being apprehended at any time 
before the growth has fairly pushed     
through4  ,the bulbs may be taken up as 
soon as the leaves acquire a yellow     
colour1 so that the brilliant display of
 spring may be immediately followed by  
another1 equally brilliant perhaps1 but 
in character altogether different4 ,when
 grown in beds1 ,hyacinths do not       
require water or sticks2 all they need  
is to be planted properly1 and they will
 take care of themselves4  ,miniature   
,hyacinths4--,these charming little     
sparkling gems are invaluable for       
baskets1 bowls and other contrivances   

which are adapted for the choicest      
decorative purposes4 ,in quality they   
are excellent1 the spikes being         
symmetrical1 the flowers well formed1   
and the colours brilliant4 ,but they are
 true miniatures1 growing about half the
 size of the other kinds1 and requiring 
less soil to root in4 ,they will flower 
well if planted in a mixture of         
moss-fibre and charcoal1 kept constantly
 moist1 and covered with the greenest   
moss1 to give to the ornament containing
 them a finished appearance4  ,feather  
and ,grape ,hyacinths will grow in any  
good garden soil1 and are admirably     
adapted for borders that are shaded by  
trees4 ,they should be planted in large 
clumps1 and be allowed to remain several
 years undisturbed4 ,both classes are   
beautiful--the ,feather ,hyacinth       
emphatically so2 indeed1 numerous as    
beautiful flowers are1 this1 for        
delicacy of structure1 has peculiar     
claims to our admiration1 when          
presenting its feathery plumes a foot or

 more in length1 all cut into curling   
threads of the most elegant tenuity4    
,grape ,hyacinths make a charming       
ornament for the drawing-room when grown
 in bowls of moss-fibre4  ,roman        
,hyacinth4--,this flower is particularly
 welcome in the short1 dark days of     
,november1 ,december1 and ,january4 ,for
 placing in glasses to decorate the     
drawing-room or dinner-table the spikes 
of bloom are largely grown2 and the     
separate flowers1 mounted on wire1 form 
an important feature in winter bouquets1
 for which purpose their delicious      
perfume renders them especially         
valuable4  ,the bulbs can be grown with 
the utmost ease4 ,pot them immediately  
they can be obtained in ,august or      
,september1 and stand them in some spare
 corner in the open ground1 where they  
can be covered with a few inches of     
leaf-mould4 ,this will encourage the    
roots to start before there is any top  
growth4 ,in ,october remove the         
covering1 and transfer the pots to a pit

 or frame1 or they may be placed under  
the greenhouse stage for a time1        
provided they will not be in the way of 
dripping water4 ,a little later1 room   
should be found for them upon the stage1
 or the foliage may become drawn4 ,when 
the buds are visible1 plunge the pots in
 a bottom heat of #fe or #gj1 and in a  
week the flowers will be fit for use4   
,like its more imposing prototype1 the  
,roman ,hyacinth may have its roots     
gently freed from soil for packing in   
bowls or vases filled with wet moss or  
sand2 but they ought not to be subjected
 to a violent change of temperature4 ,if
 wanted in glasses1 they can be grown in
 water after the usual fashion1 but the 
flower is scarcely adapted for this mode
 of treatment4 ,they will1 however1 grow
 well in bowls filled with moss-fibre4  
,italian ,hyacinth4--,although rather   
later in flowering than the ,roman      
variety1 the ,italian ,hyacinth deserves
 to be grown as a pot plant1 especially 
for its more lasting quality4 ,the      

graceful flowers are carried on long    
stout stems which are most effective for
 the decoration of vases4 ,the bulbs are
 perfectly hardy1 and may be planted in 
clumps in the open border1 where they   
will bloom in ,april and afford abundant
 sprays for cutting4 ,the habit is less 
formal than that of the ,dutch ,hyacinth
 and the flowers exhale a sweet delicate
 perfume4 ,as previously stated1 the    
,italian ,hyacinth is especially        
suitable for growing in moss-fibre4     
,,hyacinthus ,,candicans  ,an excellent 
companion to ,delphiniums1 ,salvias1 and
 perennial ,lobelias in the mixed       
border4 ,the stately spikes of this     
flower also associate well with shrubs1 
and help to enliven a bed of            
,rhododendrons at a period of the year  
when the latter is uninteresting4 ,roots
 may be planted in any soil from        
,november to ,march2 and1 as they are   
perfectly hardy1 they can be left in the
 open ground all the year without the   
least misgiving as to their safety4 ,a  

strong root will produce a succession of
 flower-spikes1 and this tendency will  
be assisted by cutting off each spike   
immediately it has ceased to be         
attractive4  ,,iris  ,the common        
varieties of ,iris are well-known       
favourites of the border1 and the whole 
family have claims on the attention of  
amateurs1 on account of their excellent 
faculty of taking care of themselves if 
properly planted in the first instance4 
,the tuberous or bulbous rooted kinds do
 not require a rich soil2 a sandy loam  
suits them1 and they thrive in peat4    
,such beautiful species as ,reticulata1 
the ,chalcedonian1 and the ,peacock are 
worth growing in pots placed in frames  
or in a cool greenhouse4 ,the ,english1 
,dutch1 and ,spanish varieties should be
 planted in clumps in front of a        
shrubbery border1 where they may be seen
 to advantage4 ,the crown of the bulb   
must not be more than three inches below
 the surface4 ,from ,september to       
,december will answer for planting1 and 

the roots may be taken up when the      
flowering period is over1 or if the     
space is not wanted they can be allowed 
to remain for the following season4     
,bulbs of the ,english class should     
never be kept out of the ground longer  
than can be helped1 but they ought not  
to be grown in one spot for more than   
three years2 after that time the clumps 
must be divided and a fresh position    
found for them4  ,,ixia and ,,sparaxis  
,these attractive ,cape bulbs are hardy 
in favoured districts1 and may be left  
out for years in a sheltered border4 ,in
 places where none but the hardiest     
plants pass through the winter safely1  
they must be grown in the greenhouse or 
the frame1 and any good sandy soil will 
suit them1 whether peat or loam4 ,they  
should be potted early in the autumn1   
and have plenty of air at all times when
 the weather is favourable1 especially  
when they are growing freely in spring4 
,if carefully managed1 they may remain  
two seasons in the same pots4 ,use the  

#dh-size1 and plant four or five bulbs  
in each4 ,a dry1 deep1 sandy border     
under a wall in any of the warmer       
western and southern districts might be 
furnished with such plants as ,ixias1   
,sparaxis1 ,alstroemerias1 ,oxalis1     
,tritonias1 ,babianas1 and the choicest 
of the smaller kinds of ,iris4 ,it would
 constitute a garden of the most        
interesting exotics4  ,,jonquil  ,for   
its delicious fragrance and exquisite   
beauty the ,jonquil has long been       
considered one of the most valuable of  
the ,narciss family for cultivation in  
pots1 and it is also a first-rate border
 and woodland flower4 ,when forced1 the 
treatment should agree as nearly as     
possible with that prescribed for the   
,narcissus4 ,four or five bulbs may be  
planted in one pot4  ,,lachenalia  ,an  
elegant plant which is not quite hardy  
enough to be trusted in the open ground2
 but it is the easiest matter possible  
to grow it well in the greenhouse4 ,the 
bulbs should be potted as soon as they  

begin to grow in the autumn1 and several
 bulbs may be put into each pot4 ,there 
can be no better soil than turfy loam1  
without manure or sand4 ,it is of the   
utmost importance that the plants should
 have abundance of water1 when they will
 produce leaves two inches across1 and  
spikes of flowers fully double the size 
of those commonly met with4 ,an         
admirable use for these bulbs is to     
insert them all over the outside of     
hanging-baskets1 which they will cover  
with the most graceful display of arial 
vegetation imaginable1 the flower-spikes
 turning upwards1 and the leaves hanging
 down4  ,,leucojum  ,the ,spring        
,snowflake 7,l4 vernum7 blooms as early 
as ,february or ,march1 and the ,summer 
,snowflake 7,l4 stivum7 comes into      
flower in ,may and ,june4 ,they closely 
resemble the ,snowdrop1 but are much    
larger than that well-known spring      
favourite4 ,the bulbs are perfectly     
hardy1 and will grow in any garden soil4
 ,plant in clumps three inches deep1 any

 time from the end of ,september until  
the middle of ,november4  ,,lilies      
,hardy border ,lilies are among the most
 useful garden plants known4 ,they are  
peculiarly hardy and robust1 requiring  
no support from sticks or ties2 several 
of them remain green all the winter1 and
 are capable of resisting any amount of 
frost4 ,if left alone1 they increase    
rapidly1 and become more valuable every 
year4 ,we will say nothing of their     
beauty1 for that is proverbial2 but it  
may be useful to observe that many of   
the most lovely ,lilies1 usually        
regarded as only suitable for the       
greenhouse1 and grown with great care   
under glass1 are really as hardy as the 
old common white ,lily1 and may be grown
 with it in the same border4 ,to grow   
,lilies well requires a deep1 moist1    
rich loam4 ,a stubborn clay may be      
improved for them by deep digging1 and  
incorporating with the staple plenty of 
rotten manure and leaf-mould4 ,they all 
thrive in peat1 or rotten turf1 or1     

indeed1 in any soil containing an       
abundance of decomposing vegetable      
matter4 ,the autumn is the proper time  
to plant ,lilies1 but they may be       
planted at any season1 if they can be   
obtained in a dormant state or growing  
in pots4 ,they should be planted deep   
for their size1 say1 never less than six
 inches4 ,after they have stood some    
years it is necessary to lift and part  
the clumps1 when the borders should be  
deeply dug and liberally manured before 
replanting4 ,if the stems of ,lilies    
become leafless and unsightly before the
 flowers are past1 it is a sign that the
 roots are too dry1 or that the soil is 
impoverished2 and therefore1 as soon as 
the stems die down1 they should be      
lifted1 and perhaps transferred to a    
more favourable spot4                   
,amaryllis4--,these magnificent plants  
do not require the high temperature in  
which they are usually grown1 nor should
 they be allowed to remain for a great  
length of time dust-dry1 as we sometimes

 find them4 ,it is important to remember
 that they have distinct seasons of     
activity and rest1 but must not be      
forced into either condition by such    
drastic measures as are occasionally    
resorted to4 ,the proper soil for them  
is turfy loam1 enriched with rotten     
manure1 and rendered moderately porous  
by an admixture of sand4 ,the light soil
 in which many plants thrive will not   
suit them2 the soil must be firm1 and   
somewhat rough in texture4 ,when first  
potted1 give them very little water1 and
 promote growth by means of a bottom    
heat of #fe4 ,increase the supply of    
water as the plants progress1 and shift 
them into #f-;inch pots for flowering4  
,while they are in flower they may be   
placed in the conservatory1 or wherever 
else they may be required for decorative
 purposes4 ,when the flowers have faded 
take them to the greenhouse to complete 
their growth1 after which dry them off  
slowly1 but with the clear understanding
 that they are never to be desiccated4  

,they may be wintered in the greenhouse1
 and should certainly be placed where   
they will always be slightly moist1 even
 if a few leaves remain green throughout
 the winter4 ,frequent disturbance of   
the roots is to be particularly avoided 
in the cultivation of ,amaryllis1 and   
therefore it is desirable to allow them 
to remain in the same pots two or three 
years2 or if they are shifted on1 it    
should be done in such a way that the   
roots are scarcely seen in the process4 
,top dressing and liquid manure will    
help them when they have been some time 
in the same pots4  ,lilium              
auratum4--,this magnificent ,lily has   
proved to be as hardy as the white      
garden variety1 and is now freely       
planted in borders and shrubberies where
 the noble heads of bloom always command
 admiration4 ,but the splendour of the  
flower will continue to insure for it a 
high degree of favour as a decorative   
subject for the conservatory4 ,when     
grown in a pot the best soil is sandy   

peat1 but it will flower finely in a    
rich light mixture1 such as ,fuchsias   
require4 ,it is advisable to begin with 
the smallest pot in which the bulb can  
be placed1 and then to shift to larger  
and larger sizes as the plant           
progresses1 taking care to have the bulb
 two inches below the soil when in their
 flowering pots1 because roots are      
thrown out from the stem just above the 
bulb1 and these roots need to be        
carefully fed1 as they are the main     
support of the flowers that appear      
later4 ,when the flower-buds are        
visible1 there should1 of course1 be no 
further shifting4 ,in respect of        
temperature1 this is an accommodating   
,lily2 but as a rule a cool house is    
better for the plant than one which is  
maintained at a high temperature4 ,the  
supply of water should be plentiful     
during the period of growth and         
flowering1 but afterwards it can be     
reduced4  ,lilium ,harrisii 7,the       
,bermuda1 or ,easter ,lily7 is of the   

longiflorum type1 but the flowers are   
larger1 and are produced with greater   
freedom than by the ordinary ,l4        
longiflorum4 ,moreover1 the ,bermuda    
,lily flowers almost continuously4      
,before one stem has finished blooming  
another shoots up4 ,this perennial habit
 gives it a peculiar value for the      
greenhouse1 and renders forcing possible
 at almost any season4  ,immediately the
 bulbs are received they should be      
potted in rich fibrous loam--the more   
fibrous the better--and be placed in a  
cold frame4 ,they need little water     
until growth has fairly commenced1 after
 which more moisture will be necessary4 
,so far as safety is concerned1 they    
only require protection from frost2 but 
for an early show of bloom artificial   
heat is imperative4 ,the temperature    
should1 however1 be very moderate at    
first1 and rise slowly4 ,when the buds  
show1 a top-dressing of fresh loam and  
decayed manure will be helpful1 and to  
allow for this the soil must be two     

inches from the tops of the pots when   
the bulbs are first potted4 ,after      
producing two or three flowering stems1 
it will be wise to place the pots out of
 doors and give less water1 or the bulbs
 will be exhausted4 ,but they must never
 be allowed to become quite dry1 and    
after a partial rest of six weeks or two
 months they may be re-potted in fresh  
soil and started for another show of    
bloom4  ,we do not recommend the        
planting of this ,lily in open borders  
during autumn1 for growth will commence 
immediately1 and a severe frost will cut
 it down2 but if planted in spring1 it  
succeeds admirably1 and will produce a  
long succession of its handsome         
trumpet-shaped flowers4 ,for the        
following winter it can be either       
protected1 or lifted for storing in a   
frame4  ,lilium lancifolium4--,a        
graceful and highly perfumed ,lily1     
which is perfectly hardy1 and will grow 
in good loam1 though peat is to be      
preferred for pot culture4 ,to produce  

handsome specimens the same routine must
 be followed as directed for the        
cultivation of ,l4 auratum4 ,it scarcely
 need be added that1 instead of growing 
the bulbs separately in pots1 several   
may be grown in a large pot to produce a
 richer effect4 ,but it is not advisable
 to place the bulbs in a large mass of  
earth in the first instance4 ,it is     
better that they should commence their  
growth in small pots1 and be shifted on 
as they require more room4 ,aphis is    
extremely partial to these ,lilies1     
particularly if they are badly grown and
 allowed to suffer for the want of      
water4 ,the simplest way to remove the  
pest is to dip the plants in pure water1
 taking care1 of course1 to prevent them
 from falling out of the pots in the    
operation4  ,lily of the ,valley4--,the 
popular name of this native plant is a  
misnomer4 ,botanically it is known as   
,convallaria majalis1 and structurally  
the roots differ from those which are   
characteristic of the whole tribe of    

,liliums4 ,however1 we have no quarrel  
with a charming name for a most dainty  
flower of fairy-like proportions4 ,the  
sprays of pure white pendulous bells    
have captivated the popular fancy1 and  
they are in public demand from the      
moment florists are able to place them  
on the market4  ,whether for early or   
late spring forcing1 or for planting in 
the open ground1 the most vigorous      
strain should be chosen1 and there is   
one which is incomparably superior to   
all others1 producing finer spikes and  
larger individual flowers4 ,as a rule   
these roots are obtainable in ,november1
 but1 if necessary1 it is far better to 
wait a week or two than attempt to force
 such as have been lifted prematurely4  
,the crowns may be potted1 and where few
 are grown this is the usual course4    
,the large growers pack them in boxes1  
with a little fine soil1 and cover the  
tops with about four inches of cocoa-nut
 fibre4 ,for the earliest supply a      
temperature of #ij is necessary1        

accompanied with plenty of moisture4    
,after the spikes of bloom show1        
slightly reduce the temperature1 and    
remove the fibre to afford the leaves an
 opportunity of maturing4 ,when         
sufficiently advanced transfer the      
plants to pots for the conservatory or  
the decoration of windows4 ,successive  
supplies can be brought forward with    
less heat4  ,in the open1 ,lily of the  
,valley require a partially shaded      
position4 ,the soil must be freely      
manured1 and a good proportion of       
leaf-mould worked in4 ,plant single     
crowns at a distance of six inches from 
each other1 and supply them with liquid 
manure during the growing period4 ,after
 four1 or at most five years1 they will 
become too crowded1 when they should be 
lifted1 and the largest and finest      
crowns be selected for the formation of 
a fresh bed4  ,japanese ,day ,lily      
7,hemerocallis ,kwanso fl4              
pl474--,admirably adapted for pot       
culture to decorate the conservatory1   

the rich variegation of its graceful    
curling leaves affording an elegant     
display of colour in the early months of
 the year1 and its fine double flowers  
being extremely showy during their short
 blooming season4 ,as this variety is   
quite hardy1 it may be planted in the   
select border with perfect safety1 and1 
in common with other ,day ,lilies1 it   
bears the shade of trees remarkably     
well4 ,this is certainly one of the     
handsomest hardy plants in cultivation4 
,,montbretia  ,of this useful           
autumn-flowering bulb there are several 
varieties1 ,m4 crocosmiflora probably   
being the most popular4 ,in the warm and
 sheltered gardens of the ,south and in 
light well-drained soil the roots pass  
the winter safely4 ,but where frost     
prevails some protection1 such as a     
small mound of litter1 must be provided2
 the covering to be removed immediately 
the danger of frost is past4 ,the most  
favourable time for planting is the     
autumn1 but during open weather the     

roots may be put in up to the end of    
,march4 ,it is usual to plant in clumps 
at a depth of about three inches1       
allowing a distance of six inches       
between the corms4 ,as they may remain  
undisturbed for several years the       
spacing will permit them to spread and  
produce masses of their graceful        
flowers4  ,,narcissus  ,narcissi and    
,daffodils differ from ,hyacinths1      
,tulips1 and some other bulbs in one    
particular which is important1 because  
it furnishes the key to the management  
of these flowers4 ,the rootlets do not  
perish during the season of rest1 and   
this fact clearly indicates that the    
bulbs should not remain out of ground   
for a day longer than is necessary4     
,culture in ,pots4--,all the ,polyanthus
 class1 and almost all the ,garden      
varieties1 thrive in pots1 and can be   
forced with extreme ease4 ,pot them     
early in any rich1 porous compost1 and  
put them into the soil a little deeper  
than is usual for ,hyacinths4 ,for a few

 weeks keep them in a cool spot in the  
open ground under a thick covering of   
ashes to promote root-growth without    
prematurely starting the tops4 ,with all
 bulbs this is an important point1      
especially for such as are intended to  
be brought forward in heat4 ,when the   
pots are full of roots1 leaf-growth will
 commence1 and the covering should be   
removed4 ,a cool pit is then the best   
place for them4 ,the after-treatment    
will depend entirely on the date the    
flowers are wanted4 ,a low temperature1 
long continued1 means late flowering1 so
 that within reasonable limits the      
grower can control the time of their    
appearance4 ,for the earliest display   
select the ,roman and ,paper ,white1    
which are naturally early-blooming      
varieties4 ,after a few days in a cool  
pit1 transfer to the greenhouse1 and    
about a week or ten days before they are
 needed in flower plunge them in a brisk
 bottom heat1 and give plenty of water  
of the proper temperature4 ,the forcing 

should not begin until the plants are   
sufficiently advanced1 or it will injure
 the flowers in both size and colour4   
,weak manure water will be beneficial   
occasionally1 but when the blossoms     
begin to open this must be discontinued1
 and at the same time the heat should be
 diminished4  ,a succession of ,narcissi
 for indoor decoration can be secured by
 starting batches at intervals of two or
 three weeks2 and by moderating the     
treatment as the season advances1 the   
last lot will flower naturally without  
artificial stimulus4 ,large bulbs should
 be potted singly1 but several roots of 
the smaller sorts may be put into one   
pot4 ,heavy heads of bloom will need    
support1 and there is nothing neater    
than the wires which are made expressly 
for the purpose4  ,culture in           
,moss-fibre4--,the lightsome charm of   
,narcissi and ,daffodils is never seen  
to greater advantage than when these are
 grown in bowls of fibre for the        
decoration of rooms4 ,well-filled bowls 

of ,daffodils are as delightful indoors 
as are sturdy clumps nodding over grass 
or ,polyanthuses in the open air4 ,the  
cultural routine is clean1 pleasant1 and
 full of interest4 ,the bowls are chosen
 with care1 the fibre is well saturated 
by repeated turning and moistening 7this
 is essential to success71 enough       
crushed oyster shell is incorporated to 
make the compost glisten brightly       
through and through1 the mixture is     
pressed into the bowl until it is firm  
without being hard1 the bulbs are half  
embedded1 a few pieces of charcoal are  
pushed in here and there1 the bowls are 
put in a dark place for six weeks or so1
 and the rest is merely to see that the 
fibre never gets dry4  ,culture in      
,water4--,for growing in glasses no     
other bulbous flower is equal to the    
,narcissus4 ,darkness at the outset is  
not essential to it1 and therefore the  
gradual development of the roots may be 
observed from the time they start2 and  
contact with water will do no harm to   

the bulb4 ,the glasses should1 however1 
be kept in a low and fairly uniform     
temperature1 to discourage the growth of
 foliage until the bulbs have fully     
formed their roots4 ,pure rain water is 
desirable1 but it is not actually       
necessary2 and for the sake of          
appearances1 as well as on the score of 
health1 it should be changed immediately
 it ceases to be quite transparent4     
,those who do not care to observe the   
growth in glasses1 but like to have the 
plants in water during the blooming     
period1 may grow the bulbs in pots in   
the usual way1 and wash off the soil    
when wanted4 ,in this case the roots    
will not be quite so regular as those   
which have been wholly grown in water4  
,perhaps we need scarcely say that it is
 possible to utilise this flower in many
 other ways--such1 for instance1 as in  
decorating pergnes1 glass globes1 and   
fancy vases4 ,they may also be made to  
float on a small fountain or aquarium2  
indeed1 it is surprising to what varied 

and effective purposes a little         
ingenuity will adapt them4  ,culture in 
,open ,ground4--,for this purpose the   
,narcissus will always command attention
 for its graceful appearance2 and this  
observation applies with as much force  
to the ,polyanthus section1 when thus   
used1 as to the varieties which are     
specially recognised as ,garden         
,narcissus4 ,the latter class includes  
many old favourites1 among which is the 
,pheasant's ,eye--one of the most       
exquisite flowers grown in our gardens4 
,the ,narcissus is often used for       
bedding with superb effect4 ,the        
graceful habit1 which is one of its     
principal charms1 is very striking in   
large masses1 and its elegant appearance
 in the positions for which it is       
naturally suited cannot fail to arrest  
attention4 ,beneath trees1 by the side  
of a shady walk1 in front of            
shrubberies1 or in the mixed border1 the
 ,narcissus is thoroughly at home4  ,if 
possible1 choose a position where the   

bulbs need not be disturbed for several 
years1 and plant them early4 ,when the  
spot they are to occupy happens to be   
full1 pot the bulbs until the ground is 
vacant1 and in due time turn them out4  
,a southern or western aspect is        
desirable1 but the nature of the soil is
 comparatively unimportant1 provided it 
is dry when the bulbs are in their      
resting state4 ,in sour land or in      
stagnant water they will certainly rot1 
but a touch of sea spray will not injure
 them4 ,if the soil needs enriching1    
there is no better material than decayed
 cow-manure1 which may be incorporated  
as the work goes on1 or it can be       
applied as a top-dressing4 ,those which 
are evidently weak may be assisted with 
a few doses of manure water1 not too    
strong4  ,in planting groups1 put the   
smaller bulbs four or five inches1 and  
the larger sorts from six to nine inches
 apart2 depth1 six to nine inches1      
according to size4 ,where exposed to a  
strong wind1 it may be necessary to give

 the flowers some kind of support to    
save them from injury4  ,the ,double and
 ,single ,daffodils are now in marked   
public favour and their bright colours  
make them extremely useful for beds and 
borders4 ,for planting under and among  
trees they are invaluable1 and a        
sufficient number should always be put  
in to produce an immediate effect4 ,they
 thrive in damp1 shady spots1 and every 
three or four years it will be necessary
 to divide and replant them4  ,the      
,chinese ,sacred ,lily 7,narcissus      
,tazetta74--,the popular name of this   
flower is misleading4 ,it is not a      
,lily1 but a ,narcissus of the          
,polyanthus type1 and1 like others of   
the same class1 the bulbs may be        
successfully grown in soil or in water4 
,but ,narcissus ,tazetta has proved to  
be singularly beautiful in water1 and   
the management of it entails very little
 trouble4 ,a wide bowl of ,japanese     
pattern is appropriate for the purpose1 
and to obtain the best effect the bowl  

should be partially filled with a number
 of plain or ornamental stones1 with a  
few pieces of charcoal to keep the water
 sweet4 ,on the top1 and so that they   
will be held by the stones1 place one or
 more bulbs3 pour in water until it     
covers the base of the bulbs4 ,store in 
a dark cool cellar until the roots have 
started and the leaves begin to appear2 
then remove to the room where the       
ornament is wanted4 ,occasionally the   
water must be replenished4 ,the         
development of the flower-heads is      
surprisingly rapid1 and a large bulb    
generally produces several clusters of  
sweetly scented flowers4 ,but if the    
bulbs are forced too quickly the        
blossoms are sometimes crippled4        
,,ornithogalum  ,star of ,bethlehem     
,during the month of ,june ,o4 arabicum 
produces heads of pure white fragrant   
flowers1 each having a green centre4    
,the roots are large and fleshy1 and    
should be planted in the autumn six     
inches deep4 ,a sheltered position1 such

 as under a south wall1 is desirable for
 them1 and some protection in the form  
of dry litter1 or a heap of light       
manure1 will be necessary to carry the  
roots safely through severe winter      
weather4 ,the bulbs are frequently      
potted for indoor decoration4 ,another  
variety1 ,o4 umbellatum1 with pure white
 starry flowers1 makes an attractive    
show in ,may1 and is valuable for       
naturalising in clumps or masses in the 
border4  ,,oxalis  ,these frame plants  
are suitable for the cool greenhouse or 
for forcing1 and they are adapted also  
for the open border in peculiarly       
favourable districts4 ,they are         
particularly neat and cheerful1         
flowering abundantly1 and requiring only
 the most ordinary treatment of frame   
plants4 ,in winter they should be kept  
dry4 ,the #dh-sized pot is suitable1 and
 about five bulbs may be planted in     
each1 using light soil freely mixed with
 sand4  ,,ranunculus  ,to maintain a    
collection of named ,ranunculuses       

demands skill and patience1 but a few of
 the most brilliant self-coloured1      
spotted and striped varieties may be    
easily grown1 if a cool1 deep1 rich1    
moist soil can be provided for them4    
,the best soil for the ,ranunculus is a 
loam or clay in which the common field  
,buttercup grows freely and plentifully4
 ,the situation should be open1 the bed 
well pulverised1 and the soil           
effectively drained1 both to promote a  
vigorous growth and1 as far as possible1
 to save the plants from injury by      
wireworms1 leather-jackets1 and other   
ground vermin4 ,elaborate modes of      
manuring1 such as mixing several sorts  
of manure together in mystical          
proportions1 are altogether unnecessary1
 but a good dressing of rotten manure   
and leaf-mould should be dug in before  
planting1 and if the soil is            
particularly heavy1 sharp sand must be  
added4 ,the roots may be planted in     
,november and ,december in gardens where
 vegetation does not usually suffer from

 damp in winter2 but where there is any 
reason to apprehend danger from damp1   
the planting should be deferred until   
,february1 and should be completed      
within the first twenty days of that    
month1 if weather permit4 ,prepare a    
fine surface to plant on1 and draw      
drills six inches apart and two inches  
deep1 and place the tubers1 claws       
downwards1 in the drills1 four inches   
apart1 covering them with sifted soil   
before drawing the earth back to the    
drill4 ,rake the bed smooth1 and the    
planting is completed4 ,to keep free    
from weeds1 and to give plentiful       
supplies of water in dry weather1 are   
the two principal features of the summer
 cultivation4 ,when the flowers are     
past1 and the leaves begin to fade1 take
 up the roots1 dry them in a cool place1
 and store in peat or cocoa-nut fibre4  
,turban ,ranunculus4--,this class is    
remarkably handsome1 of hardier         
constitution and freer growth than the  
edged and spotted varieties4 ,for the   

production of masses of colour1 and to  
form showy clumps in the borders1 the   
,turban varieties are of the utmost     
value4 ,they require a good loam1 well  
manured1 and the general treatment      
advised for the named varieties2 but as 
they are not so delicate they will      
thrive under less congenial conditions4 
,,scilla  ,the ,blue ,squill may be     
grown in exactly the same manner as the 
,roman ,hyacinth for indoor decoration1 
and it makes a charming companion to    
that flower4 ,it is perfectly hardy1 and
 for its deep1 lovely blue should be    
largely grown in the open border1 where 
it appears to especial advantage in     
conjunction with ,snowdrops4 ,it is also
 valuable for filling small beds1 and   
for making marginal lines in the        
geometric garden4  ,the ,scilla prcox1  
or sibirica1 thrives on the mountains of
 ,north ,italy1 where masses of it may  
be seen growing close to the snow1 and  
in this country it withstands wind and  
rain which would be the ruin of many    

another flower4 ,still we like to see it
 in a sheltered border1 where it has a  
fair chance of displaying its beauty    
without much risk of injury4 ,in such a 
position it will flower in ,february1   
and in the bleakest quarter it will open
 in ,march4 ,it is not at all fastidious
 as to soil1 but when planted will give 
no further trouble until the foliage    
withers1 and it is time to lift the     
bulbs to make way for other occupants4  
,if convenient1 the roots may remain for
 years in one spot4  ,the ,scilla       
campanulata deserves more attention than
 it has hitherto received4 ,after almost
 all other spring-flowering bulbs are   
over1 it makes a beautiful display1     
which lasts until nearly the end of     
,may4 ,it somewhat resembles the wild   
,blue-bell1 but is much larger than that
 woodland flower4  ,,snowdrop           
,snowdrops are among the hardiest       
flowers known to our gardens1 and are   
invaluable for their welcome snow-white 
bells in the earliest days of the       

opening spring4 ,they should be planted 
in clumps1 and left alone for years4    
,the double-flowering variety is        
exquisitely beautiful3 we might1 indeed1
 speak of it as a bit of floral         
jewellery4 ,the flowers are bell-shaped1
 closely packed with petals1 like so    
many microscopic petticoats arranged for
 the #8tiring' of a fairy3 they are     
snow-white and sometimes delicately     
tipped with light green4 ,this variety  
is as hardy as the single1 and the best 
for growing in baskets and pots4 ,when  
employed in lines the planting ought to 
be very close together1 and the line    
should be composed of several rows1     
making1 in fact1 a broad band4 ,such a  
ribbon when backed with ,scilla sibirica
 is very beautiful4 ,the best way of    
displaying the ,snowdrop alone is in    
large groups densely crowded together4  
,the effect is much more telling than   
when the same number of bulbs is spread 
over a larger area4 ,put the roots in   
drills1 two inches deep1 and if possible

 in a spot where they need not be       
disturbed for two or three years4       
,snowdrops may be grown in pots1 and be 
gently forced for ,christmas4 ,but      
unless wanted very early1 it will answer
 to lift clumps from the border in      
,november and pot them4  ,,sparaxis     
,see instructions under ,ixia at page   
#cch4  ,,tigridia1 or ,,ferraria  ,the  
short-lived blossoms of the ,tiger      
,flower are most gorgeously painted1 and
 differ from everything else of the     
great family of ,irids to which they    
belong4 ,much finer flowers are produced
 in the border than when grown in pots1 
and they present great variety1 scarcely
 any two amongst hundreds showing       
flowers exactly alike4 ,the usual time  
of planting outdoors is ,march or       
,april1 at a depth of three or four     
inches1 and the flowers appear in ,june4
 ,sandy loam and peaty soils are        
especially suitable4 ,although          
,tigridias are not quite hardy they will
 on a dry border pass the winter        

securely beneath a protection of litter4
 ,but where the soil is damp it is safer
 to lift them in ,october and store in  
the same manner as ,gladioli4 ,a bed of 
,tigridias makes an agreeable ornament  
in front of the window of a             
breakfast-room1 as the flowers are in a 
brilliant state in the early hours of   
the day4  ,,triteleia ,,uniflora  ,this 
little gem belongs to the spring garden1
 and should be the companion of the     
,dog's-tooth ,violet1 the ,crocus1 and  
the ,snowdrop4 ,it will grow in any     
soil1 and will produce an abundance of  
its violet-tinted white flowers1 which1 
when handled1 emit a faint odour of     
garlic4 ,as a pot plant for the ,alpine 
house it is first-rate4 ,in the open1   
plant in ,october two inches deep4      
,,tritonia  ,tritonias are more showy   
than the ,ixia or ,sparaxis1 but belong 
to the same group of ,south ,african    
,irids1 and require the same treatment4 
,they may be planted out in ,april1 if  
prepared for that mode of cultivation by

 putting them in small pots in ,november
 or ,december4 ,it is not advisable to  
tie them to sticks1 for they are more   
elegant when allowed to fall over the   
edge of the pots1 and suggest the       
#8negligence of ,nature4'  ,,trop,,olum 
,t4 tuberosum4--,a few of the           
tuberous-rooted ,tropolums are hardy1   
but it is not wise to leave them in the 
ground1 for damp may destroy them1 if   
they are proof against frost4 ,they are 
all graceful trailing plants1 adapted   
for covering wire trellises1 and may be 
flowered at any season if required1     
though their natural season is the      
summer4 ,the compost in which they      
thrive best is a light rich loam1       
containing a large proportion of sand4  
,the stems are usually trained on wires1
 but they may be allowed to fall down   
from a pot or basket with excellent     
effect1 to form a most attractive       
tracery of leafage dotted with dazzling 
flowers4 ,the sunniest part of the      
greenhouse should be devoted to the     

,tropolums1 and special care should be  
taken in potting them to secure ample   
drainage4  ,t4 speciosum4--,this showy  
variety is quite hardy1 and is largely  
grown in ,scotland where it may         
frequently be seen on cottage walls4    
,the roots may be planted in either     
spring or autumn1 and a moist1 somewhat 
shaded position best suits the plant4   
,,tuberose  ,polianthes tuberosa  ,this 
bulb is extensively grown in the ,south 
of ,france for the delicious perfume    
obtainable from its numerous pure white 
flowers4 ,in this country it is widely  
known1 but considering the beauty and   
exceeding fragrance of the blossoms it  
is astonishing that a greater number are
 not planted every season4 ,perhaps the 
fact that the bulbs are valueless after 
the first year may in a measure account 
for the comparatively limited culture4  
,they are easily flowered as pot plants 
in a mixture of loam and leaf-mould1    
plunged in a bottom heat ranging between
 #fj and #gj4 ,the growth is rather     

tall1 and unless kept near the glass the
 stems become unsightly in length4      
,,tulip  ,culture in ,pots4--,when grown
 in pots1 ,tulips are treated in        
precisely the same manner as the        
,hyacinth1 but several bulbs1 according 
to their size and the purpose they are  
intended for1 are placed in a pot4 ,when
 required to fill pergnes and baskets1  
and other elegant receptacles1 it is a  
good plan to grow them in shallow boxes1
 as recommended for ,crocuses1 and      
transfer them when in flower to the     
vases and baskets4 ,this mode of        
procedure insures exactitude of height  
and colouring1 whereas1 when the bulbs  
are grown from the first in the         
ornamental vessels1 they may not flower 
with sufficient uniformity to produce a 
satisfactory display4 ,in common with   
the ,hyacinth and ,crocus1 ,tulips may  
be taken out of the soil in which they  
have been grown1 and after washing the  
roots clean1 they can be inserted in    
glasses for decorating an apartment4    

,early ,tulips are often employed in    
this way to light up festive gatherings 
at ,christmas and the early months of   
the year4 ,but the pot culture of       
,tulips need not be restricted to the   
early varieties4 ,the ,darwin and       
,may-flowering classes are also         
admirable when grown in this way1 but it
 is important they should not be hurried
 into bloom4 ,if placed in moderate heat
 and allowed ample time to develop1     
beautiful long-stemmed flowers may be   
had in ,march which will make a charming
 decoration for the drawing-room or the 
dinner-table4  ,culture in              
,moss-fibre4--,no bulb excels the ,tulip
 in adaptability for bowl culture1 given
 the treatment suggested for ,narcissi  
and ,daffodils on page #cde1 and        
particularly with respect to moisture4  
,culture in the ,open ,ground4--,for    
general usefulness the early ,tulips are
 the most valuable of all1 because of   
their peculiarly accommodating nature1  
their many and brilliant colours1 and   

their suitability for the formation of  
rich masses in the flower garden4 ,any  
good soil will suit them1 and they may  
be planted in quantities under trees if 
the position enjoys some amount of      
sunshine1 because they will have        
finished their growth before the leafage
 of the trees shades them injuriously4  
,if it is necessary to prepare or       
improve the soil for them1 the aim      
should be to render it rich and sandy1  
and sufficiently drained to avoid a     
boggy character in winter4 ,plant in    
,october or ,november1 four or five     
inches deep1 and six inches apart4 ,the 
roots require no water and no supports1 
and may all be taken up and stored away 
in good time for the usual summer       
display of bedding plants4 ,for         
geometric planting it is important to   
select the varieties with care1 but a   
most interesting border may be made by  
planting clumps of all the best sorts of
 the several classes4 ,the result will  
be a long-continued and splendid        

display1 beginning with the #8,van      
,thols' 7which are as hardy as any71    
following with the early class in almost
 endless variety1 and finishing with the
 noble ,darwin and ,may-flowering       
sections4 ,the last named include a very
 large number of extremely handsome     
flowers1 and their lasting beauty is of 
especial value at a season of the year  
when spring blooms are over and summer  
plants have scarcely begun to make a    
show4  ,as cut flowers ,tulips are      
worthy of special attention4 ,with very 
little care they not only maintain their
 full beauty in vases for a fortnight1  
but some of them actually increase in   
brilliancy of colouring4 ,the           
,may-flowering classes are perhaps the  
most appreciated for cutting1 because of
 their great length of stem and the     
enduring character of the flowers4 ,they
 are extremely beautiful in tall vases4 
,,vallota ,,purpurea  ,this brilliant   
plant is nearly hardy in the ,southern  
counties1 and a cool greenhouse plant   

where it cannot be grown in the open    
border4 ,to produce fine specimens a    
firm loamy soil is necessary1 with      
abundance of water all the summer1 and  
moderate supplies all the winter4 ,the  
bulbs flower more freely when somewhat  
pot-bound4 ,therefore they should not be
 re-potted too often4 ,under these      
conditions feeding with clear liquid    
manure is necessary once a week from the
 time the flower-buds show until they   
begin to open4 ,to dry off the bulb may 
weaken or kill it4 ,those who cannot    
cultivate the ,amaryllis will find the  
,vallota an excellent substitute4       
,,violet1 ,,dog',s-,,tooth--see page    
#cbg  ,,winter ,,aconite  ,the ,winter  
,aconite is the very #8firstling' of the
 year1 for it blooms in advance of the  
,snowdrop1 covering the ground with gilt
 spangles in the bleakest days of       
,february4 ,any soil or situation will  
suit it1 and it should be planted in    
large patches where a winter's walk in  
the garden affords pleasure4 ,it should 

also be grown in quantity within view   
from the windows1 for the benefit of    
those who1 in the dreary season1 cannot 
get out4 ,the bulbs may be left in the  
ground for several years1 or they may be
 taken up and stored after the leaves   
have perished4  ,,zephyranthes ,,candida
  ,flower of the ,west ,wind  ,a dwarf  
white ,crocus-like flower1 with foliage 
resembling the common ,rush on a small  
scale4 ,plant in clumps from ,november  
to ,march in borders1 and it will       
commence blooming about the end of      
,july1 and continue in flower until     
frost cuts it down4 ,any soil will suit 
this plant1 and it thrives for several  
years if left undisturbed4     ,,flowers
 ,,all ,,the ,,year ,,round ,,from      
,,seeds ,,and ,,roots   ,before         
proceeding to the duties which need     
attention in successive months of the   
year1 it may be worth while to consider 
some of the points which constitute the 
alphabet of flower culture4 ,to grow any
 plant in a pot is an artificial        

proceeding1 and the conditions for its  
sustenance and health have to be        
provided4 ,among these conditions are   
temperature and accommodation4 ,it is   
useless to attempt to grow flowers which
 require heat unless that necessity can 
be met4 ,and it is equally useless to   
pot more plants than the space will     
accommodate when they attain their full 
size4 ,a limited number1 well grown1    
will produce a greater wealth of bloom1 
of finer quality1 than a larger number  
which become feeble from deficiency of  
space for development4 ,nevertheless1   
there are many varieties raised in heat 
in the early months of the year which   
can be grown and flowered in the most   
satisfactory manner1 without any kind of
 artificial aid1 from sowings made in   
the open ground during ,april or ,may4  
,the flowering will be somewhat later   
than from plants brought forward under  
glass2 but as they receive no check from
 the very commencement1 they will not be
 greatly behind their nursed relations2 

and they may even excel them in robust  
beauty1 if they are treated             
intelligently and with a generous hand4 
,good ,soil for pot plants is not always
 obtainable at a reasonable cost1 and   
sometimes the materials at hand must be 
made to serve the purpose4 ,none the    
less is it true1 that in proportion to  
the skill and experience of the         
cultivator will be his desire to secure 
a supply of loam1 peat1 and leaf-mould4 
,those who are capable of turning poor  
soil to the best account are precisely  
the men who will be most anxious to     
obtain the materials which are known to 
promote the luxuriant growth of pot     
plants4  ,the top spit of an old pasture
 makes capital potting soil4 ,if taken  
from light land1 it need only be stacked
 for one year before use4 ,a heavy loam 
should be kept for at least two seasons1
 and in any case the heap should be     
turned and re-made several times4 ,a    
slight sprinkling of soot between the   
layers of soil will be beneficial1 and  

help to make it distasteful to grubs1   
wireworms1 and other vermin4 ,the       
frequent turning of the heap will not be
 wasted labour1 for it equalises the    
quality1 and tends to sweeten the whole 
by exposing new surfaces to the         
atmosphere2 and this is a great aid to  
healthy growth4  ,many plants thrive in 
peat1 or in soil of which peat is a     
constituent1 and some flowers cannot be 
grown without it4 ,the peat may have to 
be purchased from a distance1 but there 
is no difficulty in obtaining it4  ,a   
constant supply of decayed leaf-mould   
may possibly be arranged on the spot by 
sweeping up leaves and making a fresh   
heap every fall4 ,in due time these     
leaves will decay and make useful       
potting soil4 ,if this is out of the    
question1 the requisite quantity must be
 purchased4  ,the preparation of soil   
for pot plants is frequently postponed  
until the day on which it is actually   
required4 ,this is a bad practice1 and  
results too often in the use of an      

improper proportion of the materials1   
and perhaps in their defective          
admixture4 ,in this1 as in all other    
operations connected with horticulture1 
the men who make all requisite          
arrangements in advance will achieve the
 highest results4 ,in no pursuit of life
 is it more necessary to forecast coming
 wants than in the culture of flowers4  
,we will suppose that three or four     
weeks hence many pots are to be filled  
with ,primulas4 ,the man who grows this 
flower with any degree of enthusiasm    
will not defer the preparation of the   
soil until the day arrives for potting  
the plants4 ,he will determine in       
advance the proportions of loam1        
leaf-mould1 and sand1 have the whole    
thoroughly incorporated1 and possibly   
sifted to remove stones4 ,with these may
 come away some undecayed fibres1 which 
make excellent material for laying over 
the crocks at the bottom of each pot4   
,forethought of this kind is certain of 
an ample reward4  ,potting soil should  

also be in the right condition as to    
moisture4 ,this is not easy to describe1
 but it must handle freely1 and yet     
there should be no necessity for the    
immediate application of water after    
sowing seeds or planting bulbs4 ,in the 
event of the compost being too dry1 give
 it a soaking and allow it to rest for  
one or more days1 according to the time 
of year and the state of the atmosphere4
  ,pots1 new or old1 should be soaked in
 water before use4 ,they are very       
porous1 and by absorbing moisture from  
the soil they may at once make it too   
dry1 although in exactly the right      
condition before being placed in the    
pots4 ,and old pots ought never to be   
used until they have been scrubbed quite
 clean4 ,these may appear to be trivial 
matters1 unworthy of attention4 ,they   
have1 however1 an influence on the      
health of plants1 and experienced       
growers know that a few apparent trifles
 make all the difference between success
 and failure4 ,pots which are dirty1 or 

covered with green moss1 prevent access 
of air1 and tend to bring about a sickly
 growth4 ,cleanliness in horticulture is
 valuable for its own sake1 and for the 
orderly routine it necessitates on the  
part of the cultivator4  ,pots are known
 both by number and by size4 ,they are  
sold by the #8cast1' and a cast always  
consists of the distinguishing number4  
,the following are the numbers and      
sizes3--  ,number in ,cast              
,inches #gb     ,inside diameter        
across top     #b-a_/b ,small     #fj   
0     0     #b-c_/d ,mid4     #fj     0 
0     #c ,large     #fj     0     0     
#c-a_/b ,small     #ed     0     0      
#d ,large     #ed     0     0           
#d-a_/d ,small     #dh     0     0      
#d-c_/d ,large     #dh     0     0      
#e #dj     0     0     #e-a_/b #cb     0
     0     #f-a_/d #bh     0     0      
#g #bd     0     0     #g-a_/b #af     0
     0     #h-a_/b #ab     0     0      
#i-a_/b #h     0     0     #aa #f     0 
0     #ab-a_/b #d     0     0     #ad #b

     0     0     #ae-a_/b #a     0     0
     #ah  ,watering is sometimes        
conducted on the principle that the     
usual time has arrived1 and therefore   
the plants must have water4 ,but do they
 need it8 ,press the fingers firmly on  
the surface2 if particles of soil adhere
 it is too dry4 ,or tap the pots smartly
 with the knuckles or with a stick1 when
 a clear and unmistakable answer will be
 obtained4 ,plants differ widely in     
their demand for water4 ,some are very  
thirsty1 others require less frequent   
attention4 ,the season of the year and  
the state of the atmosphere have also to
 be considered1 as well as the fact that
 a heavy soil is more retentive of      
moisture than a lighter compost4 ,a     
watchful eye and a willing hand will    
seldom err on this point4 ,the water    
should always be of the same temperature
 as the house1 otherwise the plants will
 be constantly checked4 ,a tank in the  
greenhouse meets this requirement4 ,in  
its absence1 the watering-pots should be

 kept full under the stage1 and they    
will be ready when wanted4  ,in the open
 ground1 it is better to water a few    
plots thoroughly for two or three       
successive evenings1 and then have an   
interval1 rather than moisten the       
surface daily4 ,the effect of constantly
 applying small quantities of water is  
to encourage the surface growth of      
roots4 ,then1 if the sun shines fiercely
 on the soil1 the first day of neglect  
results in immense mischief4  ,drainage 
is easily managed4 ,into each pot put a 
crock almost the size of the bottom1    
with the convex side upwards4 ,there    
need be no niggling to remove sharp     
angles1 or to make the fragment shapely4
 ,cover this with smaller crocks1 and   
these with moss1 or in some cases with  
small pieces of charcoal4 ,if the       
compost has a proper admixture of sharp 
sand or grit1 free drainage will be     
insured1 and yet the soil cannot be     
washed through the pot4 ,silver sand is 
often employed1 and there is nothing    

better for the purpose4 ,but the        
sweepings from gravel walks1 finely     
sifted1 may be substituted4 ,road grit  
is often infested with weed seeds4      
,ventilation is important1 for a house  
full of plants cannot long be kept      
closed with impunity4 ,the lights should
 be opened whenever the state of the    
weather may permit1 and by doing this on
 the side opposite to the quarter whence
 the wind blows it is frequently safe to
 give air when it may be dangerous from 
other points of the compass2 and it     
should be done early in the day1 before 
the sun gets hot4 ,often the lights     
remain closed on a sunny morning until  
the atmosphere becomes stifling2 and    
then perhaps plants which have been made
 sensitive by excess of heat are        
subjected to a killing draught4  ,in    
managing ,temperature1 there should be  
no violent alternations of heat and     
cold1 for these bring speedy disaster2  
and1 it is unwise to employ more heat   
than is actually necessary4 ,deviations 

from this rule are generally traceable  
to neglect4 ,if the proper season for   
sowing seed of some important flower has
 been allowed to pass1 an attempt is    
made to compensate for lost time by     
hurrying the growth in a forcing        
temperature4 ,every needless degree of  
heat will be harmful1 and result in     
attenuated growth1 poverty of colour1 or
 in the attack of some insect plague    
which the weakly plant seldom invites in
 vain4 ,it is wise always to employ the 
lowest temperature in which plants will 
flourish4 ,this necessitates the proper 
time for their full development1 and    
will result in a sturdy growth capable  
of yielding a bountiful display of      
bloom4 ,occasionally it is requisite to 
force some special subject1 such as     
bulbs for ,christmas festivities4 ,even 
then it is advisable to augment the     
temperature very gradually1 and to defer
 the employment of its highest power    
until the latest possible moment4       
,plants are frequently taken straight   

from the forcing pit into a cold room1  
to their utter ruin4 ,a moment's        
reflection will show the folly of such a
 proceeding4 ,they should be prepared   
for the change by gradual transfer      
through lower temperatures2 and if only 
a few hours are occupied in the process 
it will help them to pass the ordeal    
with less injury4  ,it should be an     
established custom to examine the       
seed-pans at least once every day1 and  
morning is the best time for the task4  
,if work has to be done1 there is the   
whole day to arrange for its            
accomplishment4 ,whereas1 if the visit  
is not made until evening1 there may not
 remain sufficient daylight to do what  
is necessary4 ,just as seedlings are    
starting1 a few hours' neglect will     
render them weak and leggy4  ,when      
transferring plants from seed-pans1 it  
is usual to put them round the edges of 
pots4 ,this is no mere caprice1 but is  
founded on the well-ascertained fact    
that seedlings establish their roots    

with greater readiness near the edge of 
the pot than away from it4  ,in the     
following monthly notes1 our principal  
object is to offer a series of reminders
 which will insure the sowing of various
 flower seeds and the planting of bulbs 
at their proper periods1 and thus save  
the disappointment of losing some       
important display for a whole season4   
,those who have command of large        
resources will sow certain seeds a month
 earlier than we recommend1 and their   
intimate knowledge and abundant         
facilities justify their practice4 ,but 
we have especially in view the          
possibilities for an amateur1 and of    
gardens moderate in extent1 where       
appliances may not be of the most       
perfect kind4  ,when seeds are once sown
 or bulbs potted1 the work is before the
 cultivator1 and appeals mutely for     
attention4 ,therefore it is not our     
purpose to give detailed and continuous 
instructions month by month for every   
flower4 ,our remarks are limited to     

hints at the time for sowing or         
planting1 and to some few points which  
may subsequently appear to demand       
notice4  ,for convenience of reference1 
the subjects are presented              
alphabetically under each month4        
,,january4  ,in the open ground there is
 little or nothing of interest in the   
way of flowers1 but the greenhouses and 
pits are full of promise4 ,a constant   
watch must be kept on the barometer1 and
 the materials for repelling frost or   
bleak winds should be at perfect        
command1 so that there may be ample     
provision for saving plants from biting 
weather4  ,achimenes are stove bulbs and
 cannot be grown without a sufficiency  
of heat4 ,a warm greenhouse will answer 
for them1 and some gardeners produce    
fair specimens in frames over hot-beds4 
,the bulbs will lie dormant for a       
considerable time1 so that it is easy to
 have a succession of flowers4 ,a few   
should be started in ,january1 employing
 sandy loam for the pots4 ,follow up    

with others at intervals4  ,amaryllis   
may be sown in any month of the year1   
but the most satisfactory period is     
immediately after the seed is ripened1  
and it is advisable to put one seed only
 in each small pot4 ,the slow and       
irregular germination of the finest new 
seed makes the separate system almost a 
necessity4 ,a rich compost1 well-drained
 pots1 and a temperature of about #fe   
suit these plants4  ,anemone4--,see     
remarks under ,october4  ,antirrhinums  
raised in heat now will flower from     
,july onwards4 ,prick off the seedlings1
 and gradually harden for planting out  
in ,may4 ,there are dwarf1 medium1 and  
tall varieties1 of many beautiful       
colours4  ,begonia1                     
,tuberous-rooted4--,the grace and beauty
 of this plant have placed it in the    
front rank of popular favourites4 ,for  
the foliage alone it is worth growing1  
and the flowers are unique in both form 
and colour4 ,raising plants from seed is
 not only the least expensive process1  

but it possesses all the charm arising  
from the hope of some novelty which     
shall eclipse previously known          
varieties4 ,as a matter of fact1 new    
attractions either in colour or in habit
 are introduced almost every year4 ,from
 a sowing made now plants should flower 
in ,july and ,august4  ,the seed is     
small1 and requires careful handling4   
,it is also slow and capricious in      
germinating1 and many growers have their
 own pet methods of starting it4 ,good  
results are obtained by insuring free   
drainage1 and partly filling the pots   
with rather rough fibrous compost1      
covered with a layer of fine sandy loam 
made even for a seed-bed4 ,this is      
sprinkled with water1 and the seed is   
sown very thinly4 ,some experienced     
growers make a rather loose surface1    
press the seed gently into it1 and do   
not finish with a covering of soil4 ,the
 majority1 however1 will find it safer  
to give a slight sifting of fine earth  
over the seed4 ,then comes a trial of   

patience1 and as the seedlings appear at
 intervals1 the wisdom of thin sowing   
will be apparent1 for each one can be   
lifted and potted as it becomes ready1  
without wasting the remainder4 ,an even 
temperature of about #fe is essential   
during germination4  ,begonia bulbs     
which have been stored through the      
winter will need careful watching4 ,not 
until they start naturally should there 
be any attempt to induce growth1 or in  
all probability it will result in the   
destruction of the bulb4 ,such as show  
signs of life should be potted in good  
soil1 commencing with small pots1 and   
shifting into larger sizes as the pots  
become full of roots4 ,until the final  
size is reached1 remove all flowers4 ,a 
warm humid atmosphere is favourable to  
them while growing1 but when flowering  
begins moisture will be injurious4      
,begonia1 ,fibrous-rooted1 may also be  
sown at the end of this month or in     
,february1 and again early in ,march4   
,under similar treatment to that advised

 for ,tuberous-rooted ,begonias1 the    
plants will be ready in ,june for       
transfer to beds or as an edging to     
borders4  ,canna4--,from the popular    
name of ,indian ,shot it will naturally 
be inferred that the seed is extremely  
hard and spherical4 ,it needs soaking in
 water for about twenty-four hours      
before sowing4 ,even then it will       
probably be a considerable time in      
germinating1 and there will also be     
variable intervals between the          
appearance of the seedlings4 ,a high    
temperature is necessary to insure a    
start2 but after the young plants are   
transferred to single pots1 they should 
be kept steadily going in a more        
moderate heat until ready for the border
 or sub-tropical garden in ,june4       
,meanwhile they will need re-potting two
 or three times1 and should have a rich 
and rather stiff compost4               
,carnation4--,seed of the               
early-flowering class should be sown in 
heat during this month and again in     

,february4 ,with very little trouble1   
plants can be brought forward and       
transferred to the open ground1 where   
they will give a splendid display in    
about six months from the date of       
sowing4  ,chrysanthemums of the         
large-flowering perennial type can      
easily be raised from seed4 ,if sown    
during this month or in ,february in a  
moderate heat1 the plants will flower   
the first season4 ,pot the seedlings    
immediately they are ready1 then harden1
 and put them out of doors as early as  
may be safe4 ,this treatment will keep  
them dwarf and robust4 ,seedlings should
 not be stopped1 but be allowed to grow 
quite naturally4  ,cinerarias should    
have air whenever it is possible4       
,choose the middle of the day for       
watering1 and do not slop the water     
about carelessly1 or mildew may result4 
,in houses which are not lighted all    
round1 the plants should be turned      
regularly to prevent them from facing   
one way4 ,such specimens are worthless  

for the dinner-table1 and will be       
diminished in value for decorating the  
drawing-room4  ,cyclamens are still in  
the height of their beauty4 ,the pots   
have become so full of roots that       
ordinary watering partially fails of its
 purpose4 ,an occasional immersion of   
the pots for about half an hour will    
result in marked benefit to the plants4 
,the flowers1 when taken from the corm1 
should be lifted by a smart pull4 ,if   
cut1 the stems bleed and exhaust the    
root4  ,where a succession of this      
flower is valued1 a sowing should be    
made in this month4 ,dibble the seed1 an
 inch apart and a quarter of an inch    
deep1 in pots or pans firmly filled with
 rich porous soil2 and place in heat of 
not less than #ef and not exceeding #gj2
 the less the temperature varies the    
better4 ,cyclamen seed is both slow and 
irregular in germinating1 and sometimes 
proves a sore trial even to those who   
are blessed with patience4 ,as the      
seedlings become ready transfer to small

 pots1 and shift on as growth demands1  
always keeping the crown of the corm    
free from soil4 ,the increasing power of
 the sun will render shading essential2 
yet a position near the glass is most   
advantageous to the plants4             
,freesia4--,this elegant and delicately 
perfumed flower is annually raised in   
large numbers from seed4 ,from this     
month to ,march sowings may be made in  
heat1 and as the roots are extremely    
brittle1 re-potting is a delicate       
operation4  ,gesnera4--,those who have  
once grown this handsome conservatory   
plant will not afterwards consent to be 
without it4 ,the richly marked foliage  
contrasts admirably with the flowers4   
,sow in the manner advised for          
,gloxinia1 and the two plants may be    
grown in the same house4                
,gloxinia4--,from two or three sowings1 
and by a little management1 it is easy  
to have a supply of this magnificent    
flower in every month of the year4 ,sow 
thinly in new pots filled with a light  

porous compost1 and see that the        
drainage is exceptionally good4 ,give   
the pots a warm moist position1 and a   
light sprinkling of water daily will    
assist germination4 ,the first seedlings
 that are ready should be lifted and    
pricked off without disturbing the      
remainder of the soil4 ,follow up the   
process until all are transferred4      
,although the leaves may rest on the    
surface1 the hearts should never be     
covered4 ,pot off singly when large     
enough1 and shift on until the #dh-size 
is reached4 ,for ordinary plants this is
 large enough1 but extra fine specimens 
need more pot room1 and so long as      
increased space is given the flowering  
will be deferred4 ,between the plants   
there must be a clear space or the      
leaves will decay through contact4      
,while growing1 a moist atmosphere1 with
 a temperature of #fj or #fe 1 will suit
 them2 but immediately flowering        
commences1 humidity is a source of      
mischief4 ,the most forward plants from 

this month's sowing will1 if well       
treated1 begin to flower in ,june4      
,grevillea robusta4--,seed of this      
exceedingly handsome shrub may be sown  
at any time of the year1 and the pots   
containing it must be kept moist until  
the seedlings appear4 ,how long it will 
be before they become visible we cannot 
tell4 ,germination may not occur until  
hope has died1 and the pots have been   
contemptuously relegated to some obscure
 corner4 ,but after the young plants are
 pricked off1 they will give no trouble1
 except to re-pot them two or three     
times1 and to take care that they do not
 perish for want of water4              
,hollyhock4--,this stately border flower
 is occasionally grown and flowered as  
an annual1 and some gardeners succeed in
 producing satisfactory plants1 carrying
 fine double blossoms1 superb in colour 
and of noble proportions4 ,where this   
method is possible it is necessary to   
sow in the opening month of the year1   
and to use well-drained pots or         

seed-pans4 ,cover the seed with a       
sprinkling of fine soil1 and place in a 
temperature of #fe or #gjj4 ,in about a 
fortnight the seedlings will be ready   
for pricking off round the edges of #d  
#a_/b-;inch pots4 ,but as a rule the    
finest spikes are obtained from a sowing
 in ,july or ,august4  ,petunia4--,about
 the third week of this month a sowing  
should be made to produce plants for    
indoor decoration4 ,late in ,february or
 early in ,march will be soon enough to 
prepare for bedding stuff4 ,sow thinly  
in good porous soil1 and give the pots  
or pans a temperature of about #fj4     
,they should have a little extra        
attention just as the seed is           
germinating1 for that is a critical time
 with ,petunias4 ,uniformity in         
temperature and moisture1 with shade    
when necessary1 and plenty of pot room1 
are the secrets of success in growing   
these plants4  ,statice4--,the ,sea     
,lavenders make attractive border       
subjects1 but the sprays of flowers are 

probably still more valued for cutting  
and1 when dried1 for the winter         
decoration of vases in association with 
,everlastings4 ,seed of the half-hardy  
varieties may be sown from ,january to  
,march in gentle heat1 transferring the 
plants to the open in due course4       
,verbena4--,this flower should be grown 
with as little artificial aid as        
possible4 ,in fact1 the more nearly it  
is treated as a hardy plant the more    
vigorous and free blooming will it be4  
,a temperature of #fj is sufficient to  
raise the seed at this period of the    
year2 and after the plants are          
established in pots1 heat may be        
gradually dispensed with4 ,sow in pans  
or boxes filled with rich1 mellow1 and  
very sweet soil4 ,transfer to thumb pots
 when large enough1 and give one more   
shift as growth demands1 until the      
plants are ready for bedding out in     
,may4 ,there is a choice of distinct    
colours1 which come true from seed4     
,green fly is very partial to the       

,verbena1 especially while in pots2 it  
must be kept down1 or the seedlings will
 make no progress4  ,,february  ,a      
,considerable number of important       
flowers should be sown during this      
month4 ,the precise dates depend on the 
district1 the character of the season1  
and the resources of the cultivator4    
,should the month open with frost1 or   
with rough1 wet weather1 it will be wise
 to exercise a little patience4 ,where  
there are insufficient means for        
battling with sudden variations of      
temperature1 choose the end rather than 
the beginning of the month for starting 
tender subjects4 ,govern the work by    
intelligent observation1 instead of     
following hard and fast rules4 ,but in  
no case should fear of the weather form 
an excuse for the postponement of       
necessary work4  ,annuals and           
,biennials1 ,hardy4--,it is one of the  
merits of hardy annuals and biennials   
sown in late summer for blooming in the 
following spring that they need very    

little attention4 ,still1 they ought not
 to be entirely neglected4 ,they should 
be kept scrupulously free from weeds1   
and it may be evident that a mulch of   
decayed manure is necessary to protect  
and strengthen them for a rich display  
of colour in the spring4 ,such varieties
 as have to be transplanted should be   
watched1 and the first suitable         
opportunity seized for transferring them
 to flowering positions4  ,abutilon is a
 flowering greenhouse shrub which       
answers well under the treatment of an  
annual4 ,it does not need a forcing     
temperature at any stage1 nor is the    
plant fastidious as to soil4 ,the seed1 
which is both slow and irregular in     
germinating1 may be sown in pots4 ,as   
the young plants become ready they      
should be pricked off and kept steadily 
growing4 ,when leaves drop1 it indicates
 mismanagement1 perhaps starvation4 ,a  
well-grown specimen1 when the buds show1
 will be two feet high1 and bear        
examination all round4                  

,anemone4--,against the practice of     
planting roots of this elegant flower we
 have not a word to say4 ,on the        
contrary1 there is much to be advanced  
in its favour4 ,arrangements of colour  
can be secured which are impossible of  
attainment from seedlings4 ,still1 there
 can be no doubt that the supposed      
necessity of depending alone on bulbs   
has proved a barrier to the growth of   
,anemones in many gardens1 and on a     
large scale4 ,the culture from seed is  
of the simplest character1 no appliances
 whatever beyond those at the command of
 the cottager being needed4 ,the prime  
requisite is a rich moist soil4 ,where  
this does not exist naturally1 a liberal
 dressing of mellow cow-manure1 and1 in 
dry weather1 a diligent employment of   
the water-can1 will render it possible  
to grow superb flowers of brilliant     
colour4 ,the best way of making the     
seed-bed is to open a trench1 putting a 
layer of decayed manure at the bottom1  
and mingling a further quantity with the

 soil when it is returned4 ,the addition
 of some light compost or sand to the   
surface may or may not be necessary to  
prepare it for the seed4 ,we prefer     
sowing in rows and lightly scratching   
the seed in4 ,some growers only sift a  
little sand over1 and the practice      
answers well4 ,weeds must be removed    
with care until the seedlings appear1   
and these are a long time in coming4    
,thinning to six inches apart1 and      
keeping the bed clean and moist1        
constitute the whole remainder of the   
work of growing ,anemones4  ,aquilegia  
sown this month in a frame will produce 
plants which may flower later in the    
year1 provided the season is favourable2
 but they will certainly pay for this   
early sowing in the succeeding spring4  
,the plant is quite hardy1 therefore    
seed may be sown later on in the open   
for a display in the following year4    
,asparagus 7,greenhouse foliage         
varieties74--,the finely feathered      
sprays of ,a4 plumosus have become      

indispensable for bouquets1 buttonholes1
 and general decorative purposes4 ,a4   
decumbens and ,a4 ,sprengeri are most   
graceful plants in hanging-baskets4     
,seed of the three varieties should be  
sown in heat in either ,february or     
,march4  ,auricula4--,the ,show         
,auricula is one of the reigning        
beauties of the floral world1 and1 like 
the ,rose1 has its own special          
exhibitions4 ,although the flower merits
 all the admiration it receives1 yet it 
must be confessed that some amateurs    
indulge in a great deal of needless     
coddling in the work of raising it4 ,one
 quality there must be in the grower1   
and that is patience2 for seed saved    
from a single plant in any given season1
 and sown at one time1 will germinate in
 the most irregular manner4 ,months may 
elapse between the appearance of the    
first and the last plant4 ,the lesson to
 sow thinly is obvious1 so that the     
seedlings may be lifted as they become  
ready1 without disturbing the           

surrounding soil4 ,both the ,show and   
the ,alpine varieties should be sown in 
pans filled with a mixture of sweet     
sandy loam and leaf-mould4 ,they may be 
started in gentle heat1 but this is     
quite optional4 ,the ,auricula is       
thoroughly hardy against cold1 and glass
 is only employed as a protection       
against wind1 heavy rain1 and           
atmospheric deposits4  ,begonia1        
,tuberous-rooted4--,seed may still be   
sown for a summer display4 ,transplant  
seedlings which are ready1 and later on 
pot them singly4  ,calceolaria1         
,shrubby4--,seeds sown in pans placed in
 a frame or a greenhouse of moderate    
temperature will insure plants for      
outdoor summer decoration4 ,transfer the
 seedlings to pots quite early4         
,campanula4--,by sowing seed in gentle  
heat during ,february many of the       
,campanulas will flower the same season4
 ,these hardy plants require but little 
heat1 and they should be given as much  
light and air as possible4 ,they may be 

grown on in pots for the decoration of  
rooms or the conservatory1 or planted   
out on good ground in the open border4  
,the half-hardy trailing variety1 ,c4   
fragilis1 is specially adapted for      
suspended baskets or large vases4 ,seed 
is generally sown in ,february or       
,march2 when ready the seedlings are    
transferred to pots4  ,celosia          
plumosa4--,seed may be sown either now  
or in ,march1 and the routine           
recommended for ,cockscombs will develop
 splendid plumes4 ,re-pot in good time  
to prevent the roots from growing       
through the bottoms of the pots4        
,cockscomb4--,the ideal ,cockscomb is a 
dwarf1 well-furnished plant1 with large1
 symmetrical1 and intensely coloured    
combs4 ,seed of a first-class strain    
will produce a fair proportion of such  
plants in the hands of a man who        
understands their treatment4 ,sow in    
seed-pans filled with rich1 sweet1      
friable loam1 and place in a brisk      
temperature4 ,transfer the seedlings    

very early to small pots1 and shift on  
until the size is reached in which they 
are to flower4 ,directly they become    
root-bound the combs will be formed4    
,cosmea4--,to prevent the disappointment
 which is sometimes experienced by      
growers of this attractive half-hardy   
annual1 it is essential to sow a        
reliable early-flowering strain4 ,start 
the seed on a gentle hot-bed in         
,february and plant out the seedlings in
 ,may or ,june when the danger from     
frost is past4  ,dahlia4--,both the     
double and single classes can be grown  
and flowered from seed as half-hardy    
annuals4 ,a sowing in this month will   
supply plants sufficiently forward to   
bloom at the usual time4 ,some growers  
begin in ,january1 and provided they    
have room and the work can be followed  
up without risking a check at any stage1
 no objection can be raised to the      
practice4 ,for most gardens1 however1   
,february is safer1 and ,march will not 
be too late4 ,sow thinly in pots or pans

 filled with light rich soil1 and finish
 with a very thin covering of fine      
leaf-mould4 ,when the seedlings are     
about an inch high1 pot them separately1
 taking special care of the weakly      
specimens1 for these in point of colour 
may prove to be the gems of the         
collection4 ,after transplanting1 a     
little extra attention will help them to
 a fresh start4  ,dianthus4--,from      
sowings made this month or in ,january1 
all the varieties may be raised in about
 #ee or #fj of heat1 but immediately the
 seed has germinated it is important to 
put the pots in a lower temperature1 or 
the seedlings will become soft4 ,they   
should also be transferred to seed-pans 
when large enough to handle4            
,fuchsia4--,it is now widely known that 
,fuchsias can be satisfactorily flowered
 from seed in six or seven months1 and  
from a good strain there will be        
seedlings well worth growing4 ,sow      
thinly on a rich firm soil1 and give the
 pots a temperature of about #gj4 ,while

 quite small transfer the plants to the 
edges of well-drained pots1 and later on
 pot them singly into a compost         
consisting chiefly of leaf-mould until  
the flowering size is reached1 when a   
proportion of decayed cow-manure should 
be added4 ,the ,fuchsia is a gross      
feeder1 and must have abundance of food 
and water4 ,aphis and thrips are        
persistent enemies of this plant1 and   
will need constant attention4  ,geranium
 seed may be sown at any time of the    
year1 but there are good reasons why the
 months of ,february and ,august should 
be chosen4 ,seedlings raised now will   
make fine plants by the end of ,june1   
and begin to flower in ,august4 ,they   
are robust in habit1 and from a reliable
 strain there will be a considerable    
proportion of handsome specimens4 ,sow  
in pans filled with soil somewhat rough 
in texture1 and the surface need not be 
very smooth4 ,lightly cover the seed    
with fine loam4 ,to have plants ready   
for flowering in the summer it will be  

necessary to give the seed-pans a       
temperature of #fj or #gj1 and follow   
the usual practice of pricking off and  
potting the seedlings4  ,gladiolus4--,it
 is not common to grow this noble flower
 from seed1 but the task is simple1 and 
seed good enough to be worth the        
experiment is obtainable4 ,in large     
pots1 well drained and filled with      
fibrous loam and leaf-mould1 dibble the 
seeds separately an inch apart and half 
an inch deep4 ,a temperature of #fe or  
#gj will bring them up1 and when they   
reach an inch high the heat should be   
gradually reduced4 ,the seedlings need  
not be transplanted1 but may remain in  
the same pots until the grass dies down1
 and the corms are sifted out in        
,september or ,october4                 
,gloxinia4--,the directions under       
,january are applicable1 but it will be 
necessary to provide shade for the      
seedlings as the sun becomes hot1       
especially after they have been         
re-potted4  ,kochia trichophylla4--,a   

beautiful half-hardy ornamental annual  
shrub1 symmetrical in form4 ,from seed  
sown during this month or in ,march     
plants can easily be raised for indoor  
decoration or to furnish a supply for   
beds and borders4 ,when well grown and  
allowed plenty of space from the        
beginning1 each specimen forms a dense  
mass of bright green foliage which      
changes to russet-crimson in autumn4    
,lobelias occupy a foremost place for   
bedding1 and are sufficiently           
diversified to meet many requirements4  
,indeed1 there is no other blue flower  
which can challenge its position4 ,the  
compact class is specially adapted for  
edgings2 the spreading varieties answer 
admirably in borders where a sharply    
defined line of colour is not essential2
 the gracilis strain has a charming     
effect in suspended baskets1            
window-boxes1 and rustic work2 and the  
ramosa section grows from nine to twelve
 inches high1 producing large flowers4  
,all these may be sown now as annuals1  

to produce plants for bedding out in    
,may4 ,put the seed into sandy soil1 and
 start the pans in a gentle heat4       
,mimulus1 if sown now and treated as a  
greenhouse annual1 will flower in the   
first year4 ,it is one of the thirstiest
 plants grown in this country1 and must 
have unstinted supplies of water4       
,nicotiana4--,where sub-tropical        
gardening is practised the ,tobacco     
plant is indispensable4 ,to develop its 
fine proportions there must be the      
utmost liberality of treatment from the 
commencement4 ,either in this month or  
early in ,march sow in rich soil1 and   
place the pans in a warm house or pit4  
,put the seedlings early into small     
pots1 and promote a rapid but sturdy    
growth1 until the weather is warm enough
 for them in the open ground4 ,the      
,nicotiana also makes an admirable pot  
plant for the conservatory or           
greenhouse1 where it is especially      
valued for its delightful fragrance4    
,pansy4--,although the ,pansy will grow 

almost anywhere1 a moist1 rich soil1    
partially shaded from summer sun1 is    
necessary to do the plant full justice4 
,many distinct colours are saved        
separately1 and the quality of the      
seedlings is so good that propagation by
 cuttings is gradually declining4 ,sow  
thinly in pots or pans1 and when the    
young plants have been pricked off1 put 
them in a cool1 safe corner until large 
enough for bedding out4 ,the soil should
 be plentifully dressed with decayed    
cow-manure4  ,pelargonium4--,in raising 
seedling ,pelargoniums1 it is well to   
bear in mind that worthless seed takes  
just as much time and attention as does 
a first-class strain4 ,the simplest     
greenhouse culture will suffice to bring
 the plants to perfection4 ,a light     
sandy loam suits them1 and the pots need
 not go beyond the #dh-or at most the   
#cb-size4 ,flowering will be deferred   
until re-potting ceases4                
,petunia4--,towards the end of the month
 the seedlings raised in ,january for   

pot culture will be ready for           
transferring to seed-pans4 ,it will also
 be time to sow for bedding plants1     
although the beginning of ,march is not 
too late4  ,phlox ,drummondii4--,the    
attention devoted to this flower has    
made it one of the most varied and      
brilliant half-hardy annuals we possess4
 ,the grandiflora section includes      
numerous splendid bedding subjects which
 flower freely1 and continue in bloom   
for a long period4 ,these and others are
 also valuable as pot plants1 and even  
in the greenhouse or conservatory they  
are conspicuous for their rich colours4 
,all the varieties may be sown now in   
well-drained pans or shallow boxes4     
,press the seeds into good soil about an
 inch apart1 and as a rule this will    
save transplanting2 but if transplanting
 becomes necessary1 take out alternate  
plants and put into other pans1 or pot  
them separately4 ,the remainder will    
then have room to grow until the time   
arrives for bedding out4                

,polyanthus4--,either now or in ,march  
sow in pans filled with any fairly good 
potting soil1 and do not be impatient   
about the germination of the seed4 ,many
 sowings of good seed have been thrown  
away because it was not known that the  
,polyanthus partakes of the slow and    
irregular characteristics of this class 
of plants4 ,as the seedlings become     
ready1 lift them carefully and          
transplant into pans or boxes1 from     
which a little later they may be moved  
to any secluded corner of the border1   
until in ,september they are put into   
flowering quarters4 ,while in the       
seed-pans they must be kept moist1      
although excessive watering is to be    
avoided4 ,should the summer prove dry1  
they will also need water when in the   
open ground4  ,primroses of good colours
 are admirably adapted for indoor       
decoration1 and there is no occasion to 
grow them in pots for the purpose4 ,lift
 the required number from the reserve   
border without exposing the roots2 pot  

them1 and place in a cool frame until   
established4 ,plenty of space1 no more  
water than is absolutely essential1 and 
progressive ventilation1 comprise all   
the needful details of cultivation4     
,seed sown in this month or in ,march1  
in pans or boxes1 will produce fine     
plants for flowering in the succeeding  
year4  ,primula4--,the elegant          
half-hardy varieties ,p4 obconica       
grandiflora and ,p4 malacoides may be   
sown any time from ,february to ,july1  
the earliest of which will commence     
flowering in the succeeding autumn and  
winter4 ,the aim should be to keep the  
plants as hardy as possible1 giving them
 air whenever conditions are favourable4
  ,ranunculus4--,although it is not     
usual to grow this flower from seed1 it 
is both easy and interesting to do so4  
,sow in boxes containing from four to   
six inches of soil1 and as there need be
 no transplanting1 each seed should be  
put in separately1 about an inch and a  
half apart4 ,a cool greenhouse or frame 

will supply the requisite conditions for
 growing the seedlings4 ,when the       
foliage has died down1 sift out the     
roots1 and store in dry peat or         
cocoa-nut fibre for the winter4  ,to    
secure an immediate display of          
,ranunculuses it is necessary to plant  
mature roots4 ,the soil in which they   
especially thrive is an adhesive loam or
 clay4 ,this happens to be unfavourable 
to their safety in the winter1 and      
therefore it is wise to defer planting  
in such soils until this month4 ,a very 
simple procedure will suffice to produce
 handsome1 richly coloured flowers4 ,if 
possible1 choose for the bed a heavy    
soil in an open situation1 and dress it 
liberally with decayed manure4 ,give the
 land a deep digging1 and lay it up     
rough1 that it may be benefited by      
frosts4 ,in ,january and ,february fork 
it lightly over several times1 with the 
double purpose of making it mellow and  
of enabling birds to clear it of vermin4
 ,traps made of hollowed ,potatoes will 

also assist the latter object4 ,not     
later than the third week of ,february  
the roots should be planted in drills   
drawn six inches apart and two inches   
deep4 ,put them at intervals of four    
inches in the rows1 with the claws      
downwards1 and cover with fine soil4    
,keep the bed free from weeds1 and give 
abundant supplies of water in dry       
weather4 ,when the foliage is dead1 lift
 the roots and store for the next       
season4  ,the ,turban ,ranunculus is    
less delicate than the named varieties1 
and there need be less hesitation about 
autumn planting4  ,ricinus4--,the       
,castor-oil ,plant is largely cultivated
 for its striking ornamental foliage1   
and under generous treatment it will    
attain from four to six feet in height4 
,it is a half-hardy annual1 and should  
be grown in the same manner as          
,nicotiana4  ,salpiglossis merits its   
increasing popularity4 ,a sowing at the 
end of this month or the beginning of   
,march will insure plants in condition  

for the open ground in ,may4 ,a moderate
 hot-bed is requisite now1 but in ,april
 the seed may be sown on prepared       
borders for a summer display of the     
veined and pencilled flowers4           
,solanum4--,the varieties which are     
grown for winter decoration are much    
prized when laden with their            
bright-coloured berries4 ,sow the       
several kinds in heat1 and transfer the 
seedlings straight to single pots filled
 with very rich soil4  ,stock1          
,intermediate4--,to form a succession to
 the ,summer-flowering1 or ,ten-week1   
varieties in ,july and ,august1 seed of 
the ,intermediate ,stocks should be sown
 in gentle heat during ,february or     
,march4 ,the treatment accorded to      
,ten-week ,stocks1 described on page    
#cgi1 will suit the ,intermediate       
varieties also4  ,sweet ,peas have in   
recent years become such an important   
ornament to the garden and the flowers  
are so highly prized for household use  
that no effort is spared to insure a    

long-continued display4 ,with this      
object in view seeds are sown in pots   
and the seedlings transplanted1 as soon 
as weather permits1 to the ground       
specially prepared in the preceding     
autumn4 ,those who did not sow in       
,september should do so in the latter   
part of ,january or during ,february4 ,a
 forcing temperature is injurious1 and  
the plants thrive best when given       
practically hardy treatment4  ,vallota  
purpurea4--,this handsome bulbous plant 
is not quite hardy1 but in several of   
the ,southern counties it may be grown  
in the open ground1 with only the       
shelter of dry litter or a mat4 ,in pots
 the bulbs should not be allowed to go  
dry through the winter2 and when growth 
commences in spring1 water must be given
 freely4 ,good loam suits the ,vallota1 
and it is desirable to avoid re-potting 
until the flowering period has passed3  
when a transfer becomes necessary1      
disturb the roots as little as possible4
  ,verbena1 if not sown last month1     

should be got in promptly1 for it is    
important not to hurry the growth of    
this plant by excessive heat4  ,wigandia
 is a half-hardy perennial1 grown       
exclusively for its noble tropical      
foliage4 ,if started now1 it will attain
 a large size as an annual4 ,it is      
impossible to grow this plant too well4 
,a lavish employment of manure and water
 will secure stately specimens4 ,the    
instructions given for ,ricinus apply   
equally to the ,wigandia4  ,,march  ,the
 first duty is to ascertain that there  
are no arrears to make good or          
failures-to replace4 ,if any sowing has 
gone wrong1 do not waste time by        
repining over it1 but sow again4        
,growing flowers under artificial       
conditions is a prolonged struggle with 
,nature1 in which the most experienced  
and skilful gardener need not be ashamed
 of an occasional failure4 ,but the     
cause of the failure should1 if         
possible1 be ascertained for future     
guidance4 ,we say if possible1 because  

the secret cannot always be discovered4 
,there may have been every apparent     
condition of success1 and yet1 for some 
inexplicable reason1 there has been     
disappointment4 ,as a rule1 however1 the
 cause will be found by the man who is  
determined to make every failure the    
stepping-stone to future success4  ,the 
lengthening days and the growing power  
of the sun demand increased vigilance   
and activity4 ,danger of frost remains1 
and1 worse still1 there may come the    
withering influence of the north-east   
wind1 which scorches delicate seedlings 
as with a breath of fire4  ,annuals1    
,hardy1 may be sown in the open from    
,february to ,may4 ,perhaps a list of   
the principal flowers comprised under   
this denomination may aid the memory4   
,several of the following are not       
strictly hardy1 but for practical ends  
they may be so regarded4  ,abronia      
,acroclinium 99,alyssum 99,asperula     
,bartonia 99,cacalia ,calandrinia       
,calendula ,candytuft ,centranthus      

,chrysanthemum1 annual ,clarkia         
,collinsia ,collomia ,convolvulus minor 
,coreopsis ,cornflower ,dimorphotheca   
,erysimum ,eschscholtzia ,eutoca ,gilia 
,godetia 99,gypsophila ,hawkweed        
,helichrysum ,hibiscus ,jacobea         
,kaulfussia 99,larkspur 99,lavatera     
,layia 99,leptosiphon ,leptosyne        
,limnanthes ,linaria ,linum             
,love-lies-bleeding 99,lupinus ,malope  
,marigold 99,mathiola 99,mignonette     
,nasturtium ,nemophila ,nigella         
,phacelia ,platystemon 99,poppy         
,prince's ,feather ,rudbeckia           
,salpiglossis ,sanvitalia ,saponaria    
,silene ,sunflower ,swan ,river ,daisy  
,sweet ,pea ,sweet ,sultan ,venus'      
,looking-glass ,venus' ,navel-wort      
99,virginian ,stock ,viscaria ,whitlavia
 ,xeranthemum  ,hardy annuals are worth 
better treatment than they sometimes    
receive4 ,they may be sown at once where
 they are intended to bloom1 and for the
 varieties preceded by an asterisk this 
method is a necessity1 because they do  

not well bear transplanting4 ,in every  
case sow thinly1 and afterwards thin    
boldly1 for many of the flowers named   
will occupy a diameter of one or even   
two feet if the soil is in a condition  
to do them justice4 ,give the ground a  
deep digging and incorporate plenty of  
manure1 except where ,nasturtium is to  
be sown4 ,a rather poor soil is         
necessary for this annual1 or the       
flowers will be hidden by excessive     
foliage4  ,abutilon4--,there is yet time
 to raise plants for blooming in the    
current year4 ,the seedlings must be    
potted on regularly to render them      
robust and free-flowering4              
,aster4--,only those who are closely    
acquainted with the modern development  
of this handsome flower can have any    
conception of its varied forms and      
colours4 ,there are dwarf1 medium1 and  
tall varieties in almost endless        
diversity1 and nearly all of them will  
be a credit to any garden if well grown4
 ,too often1 however1 flowers are seen  

which are a mere caricature of what     
,asters may become in the hands of men  
who understand their requirements4 ,to  
grow them to perfection the ground      
should be trenched in the previous      
autumn1 where the soil is deep enough to
 justify the operation4 ,if not1 the    
digging must be deep1 and plenty of     
decayed manure should be worked in4     
,leave the ground roughly exposed to the
 disintegrating effects of winter       
frosts2 and in spring it should be      
lightly forked over once or twice to    
produce a friable condition1 in which   
the roots will ramify freely and go down
 to the buried manure for stimulating   
food4 ,if by such means stiff land can  
be made mellow1 it will grow ,asters of 
magnificent size and colour4  ,in sowing
 it is not wise to rely on a single     
effort4 ,we advise at least two sowings2
 and three are better1 even if only a   
few plants are wanted4 ,this diminishes 
the risk of failure and prolongs the    
flowering season4 ,prepare a compost of 

leaf-mould and loam1 mixed with sharp   
sand to insure drainage4 ,towards the   
end of the month sow in pots or in      
seed-pans on an even surface2 and we lay
 stress on a thin sowing1 to avoid the  
danger of the seedlings damping off4    
,barely cover the seed with finely      
sifted soil1 and place sheets of glass  
on the pans or pots to check rapid      
evaporation4 ,if water must be given1   
immerse the pots for a sufficient time1 
instead of using the water-can4 ,a cool 
greenhouse1 vinery1 or a half-spent     
hotbed is a good position for the pans1 
and a range of temperature from #ee to  
#fe should be regarded as the outside   
limits of variation4  ,auricula4--,seed 
may still be sown2 indeed1 ,april will  
not be too late4 ,partially submerging  
the pans when water is needed saves many
 seeds from being washed out and wasted4
  ,balsam4--- ,although this flower     
comes from a tropical climate1 it is not
 very tender2 a gentle hot-bed is quite 
sufficient to bring up the seed4 ,two or

 three sowings are advisable to secure a
 succession of bloom1 and for the first 
of them the middle of this month is the 
proper time4 ,it is important that the  
soil for this plant should be light1    
rich1 and very sweet4 ,when the         
seedlings show their first rough leaves1
 lose no time in pricking them off1 and 
they should afterwards be potted early  
enough to promote a dwarf habit4        
,calceolaria4--- ,plants from last      
year's sowing will begin to move1 and   
should be shifted into their final pots 
before the buds show4 ,the eight-inch   
size ought to contain very fine         
specimens4 ,the compost for them should 
be prepared with care several days      
before use4 ,put the plants in firmly1  
and place them in a light airy          
greenhouse4 ,as soon as the pots are    
filled with roots an occasional dose of 
manure water will be beneficial until   
the flowers begin to show colour1 when  
pure soft water alone will be required4 
,tie out the plants some time before the

 buds attain full size4  ,clerodendron  
fallax4--,a charming stove plant1       
producing large heads of bright scarlet 
flowers suitable for greenhouse         
decoration4 ,from seed sown in ,march or
 ,april there should be a show of bloom 
in ,august or ,september following4     
,coleus is strictly a stove perennial4  
,but our short winter days do not       
maintain a rich colour1 and it will in  
almost every instance give more         
satisfaction if treated as an annual1   
enjoying the beautiful and varied       
foliage during summer and autumn1 and   
consigning the plants to the waste-heap 
as wintry days draw near4 ,we do not    
advise the sowing of seed earlier than  
,march1 because a considerable amount of
 daylight is necessary to the           
development of rich tints and           
diversified markings in the foliage4    
,the essentials for raising plants from 
seed are good drainage1 a temperature   
which does not fall below #fe1 the      
careful employment of water1 and the    

early transfer of the seedlings4 ,the   
green plants may be thrown away         
immediately they reveal their character1
 but those which show delicate tints in 
the small leaves will abundantly        
compensate for all the care bestowed    
upon them4  ,dianthus4--,put the        
seedlings into single pots1 and harden  
in readiness for transplanting to the   
open in ,may or ,june4                  
,dimorphotheca4--,this valuable         
half-hardy annual1 a native of ,south   
,africa1 known also as the ,star of the 
,veldt1 may be flowered within six weeks
 from time of sowing4 ,plants may be    
raised by starting seed this month or in
 ,april1 in pans of light soil given the
 protection of a frame4 ,transplant in  
,may1 in well-drained soil1 choosing a  
warm sunny spot4 ,in the open1 seed may 
safely be sown in ,may or ,june4 ,plants
 potted on from the early sowing will   
make a most attractive show in the      
conservatory1 or seed may be sown in    
pots and the seedlings thinned to three 

or four in each4  ,gaillardia4--,to     
secure a supply of plants for the open  
ground in ,may1 seed of all the         
varieties may be sown during this month4
 ,prick off early and keep them dwarf4  
,geum4--,from seed sown this month or in
 ,april1 the popular double variety1    
,mrs4 ,bradshaw1 may be brought into    
flower in the first year4 ,the seedlings
 should be pricked off into boxes and   
gradually hardened for putting out in   
,may or ,june4  ,gladiolus4--,this is   
one of the most stately and beautiful   
flowers grown in our gardens4 ,some of  
the varieties are strikingly brilliant2 
others are exceedingly delicate in tint 
and refined in their markings4 ,the     
culture may be of the most primitive    
kind1 or it may become one of the fine  
arts of horticulture4 ,simply put into  
the ground and left to fight their own  
battle1 the corms sometimes produce     
splendid spikes of flower1 although not 
so imposing as better culture might have
 made them4 ,under skilful care the     

flowers are magnificent in size and     
colour4  ,the main work of preparing the
 ground should be done in autumn4 ,now  
it is only necessary to give the soil   
two or three light forkings1 and those  
not deep enough to bring the buried     
manure to the surface4 ,this frequent   
stirring is beneficial in itself1 and it
 promotes the destruction of the foes   
which prey upon ,gladiolus roots4 ,small
 ,potatoes1 roughly hollowed out1 or    
pieces of ,carrot1 may be used as traps 
for wireworm and other vermin4 ,planting
 is sometimes done at the end of this   
month1 but as a rule it is better to    
wait until the beginning of ,april4     
,gloxinia4--,there is yet time to secure
 a brilliant summer display from seed4  
,bulbs which have been stored through   
the winter need attention4 ,where these 
flowers are wanted early1 and there is  
plenty of room1 a commencement will     
probably be made in ,february2 but in   
the greater number of gardens ,march is 
soon enough4 ,assuming the bulbs to be  

sound1 they should be potted in a       
mixture of loam1 peat1 and sand4 ,those 
which start first must be re-potted for 
a forward supply4 ,while growing1 manure
 water twice a week will help to produce
 fine flowers1 intense in colour2 but   
when the flowers open1 the liquid manure
 must be abandoned1 and pure soft water 
be given as often as necessary1 for     
,gloxinias cannot endure drought4       
,shading is an important matter from the
 commencement1 and particularly during  
the flowering period4  ,hollyhock       
seedlings will be ready for putting into
 thumb pots4 ,directly they are         
established1 begin to prepare them for  
planting out in ,may4                   
,impatiens4--,some growers find a little
 difficulty in raising this elegant     
flower from seed4 ,probably it arises   
from sowing too early4 ,where there is a
 command of sufficient heat no trouble  
should be experienced in ,march1 and it 
is essential to sow very thinly for two 
reasons4 ,crowded seedlings are liable  

to damp off1 particularly in dull1 moist
 weather1 and they are so fragile that  
it is well-nigh impossible to transfer  
them from the seed-pots until they are  
about an inch high4  ,lavatera4--,as the
 ,mallows do not transplant well it is  
desirable to sow in the flowering       
positions4 ,good ground is necessary to 
insure fine specimens1 and ample space  
must be allowed for the plants to       
develop4 ,the seed may be sown from     
,march to ,may4  ,lobelia4--,the        
perennial varieties make splendid border
 plants1 and are easily grown from seed4
 ,sow during ,february or ,march1 in    
moderate heat1 and in due time transfer 
to a deep rich loam4 ,their dark        
metallic foliage and brilliant flowers  
are most conspicuous1 and admirably fit 
them for the back row of a ribbon       
border1 or for groups in the mixed      
border4  ,lupinus4--,seed of the annual 
varieties may be put in from ,march to  
,may1 and it is necessary to sow where  
required for flowering1 as transplanting

 is not satisfactory4 ,the perennial    
,lupines may also be flowered as annuals
 by sowing seed in ,march or ,april4    
,marigold4--,both the ,african and      
,french varieties are of importance late
 in the season1 for they continue to    
bloom until cut down by frost4 ,the     
former reaches the height of from       
eighteen to thirty inches1 and the      
colour is limited to yellow in several  
shades1 from pale lemon to deep orange4 
,the latter is more varied in habit as  
well as in colour1 and the ,miniatures  
make excellent bedding plants4 ,in hot  
dry seasons ,marigolds entirely eclipse 
,calceolarias1 because they can well    
endure drought and a short supply of    
food2 whereas the ,shrubby ,calceolaria 
does not thrive under such conditions4  
,all the varieties of ,tagetes may be   
sown now on a moderate heat1 and they   
should be pricked off into pans or boxes
 in readiness for transferring to the   
open ground in ,may4  ,marvel of        
,peru4--,the treatment prescribed for   

,balsam will suit this plant4 ,in the   
first year it will grow to a            
considerable size1 but will not1 as a   
rule1 attain to its full dimensions     
until the second season4 ,it is a       
half-hardy perennial1 and when saved    
through the winter will need protection 
from frost4  ,mignonette finds a welcome
 in every ,english garden2 and to add to
 its attractiveness there are now       
yellow1 red1 and white varieties1 in    
addition to such forms as dwarf1        
pyramidal1 and spiral4 ,mignonette can  
be grown without the least difficulty2  
indeed1 it will reproduce itself from   
seed shed in the previous year4         
,nevertheless1 it is true that in the   
majority of gardens justice is seldom   
done to this flower1 for the simple     
reason that there is not sufficient     
faith in its capabilities4 ,each plant  
will cover a space of at least one foot1
 and we have seen specimens a yard      
across1 bristling with flower-spikes    
which are delightfully fragrant4 ,the   

soil for it should be made firm1 just as
 an ,onion bed is treated4 ,except for  
this one point1 the culture of a hardy  
annual is all that is necessary4        
,mignonette does not transplant         
successfully1 but otherwise it is very  
accommodating4 ,the seedlings are       
frequently taken off by fly as fast as  
they appear above ground4 ,soot and     
wood-ashes applied in good time are the 
best preventives2 but a second sowing   
may be necessary1 and it should be made 
immediately the loss is discovered4     
,nemesia4--,for the earliest display of 
this beautiful annual the first sowing  
should be made in pots under glass      
during this month4 ,in the open border  
seed may be sown in both ,may and ,june4
 ,occasionally a little difficulty is   
experienced in raising plants under     
artificial conditions1 but those who sow
 in beds or borders from the same packet
 of seed during the months named1 will  
find that the culture is quite easy4    
,pentstemon4--,the treatment recommended

 for the perennial section of ,lobelias 
will exactly suit this flower4  ,phlox  
,drummondii4--,there is still time to   
sow4 ,established seedlings should be   
gradually hardened by free access of    
air1 until they are ready for the open  
ground4  ,phlox1 ,perennial1 may be     
raised from seed sown in shallow boxes  
in the early part of this month1 and    
placed in moderate heat4 ,transplant the
 seedlings when ready1 gradually harden1
 and plant out in rich soil one foot    
apart1 or put them into vacant places in
 the shrubbery4 ,aid with water if      
necessary4  ,poppy4--,the annual        
varieties do not well bear              
transplanting1 especially from light    
soils1 and therefore1 as a rule1 it is  
advisable to sow where the plants are   
intended to bloom4 ,they make           
conspicuous lines and clumps among      
shrubs2 and this is especially the case 
with the huge flowers of the double     
class4 ,sow in ,march and ,april1 and   
commence thinning the seedlings while   

they are small4 ,they should ultimately 
be left about one foot apart4 ,the      
perennial ,poppies may also be flowered 
as annuals if sown in this month and    
transferred to open quarters when large 
enough4  ,schizanthus4--,elegant        
half-hardy annuals1 which can be grown  
as specimens for the conservatory1 or in
 quantity for open borders4 ,sow in     
gentle heat1 and pot on the seedlings4  
,solanum4--,for a succession of the     
varieties which are grown for their     
berries1 sow again in heat1 and make a  
sowing of the ornamental-foliaged kinds 
for sub-tropical gardening4 ,the latter 
are rather more tender1 and need a      
somewhat higher temperature than the    
former4 ,they must all have liberal     
culture to bring out their fine         
qualities4  ,statice4--,the hardy annual
 varieties of ,sea ,lavender may be sown
 during ,march or ,april1 and the best  
results are obtained by starting the    
seed in pans and planting out when the  
seedlings are far enough advanced in    

size4 ,seed of the hardy perennial kinds
 should be sown from ,april to ,july on 
light soil1 and transplanted later on to
 flowering quarters4  ,stock1           
,ten-week4--,the increasing favour shown
 for ,annual ,stocks is in part no doubt
 attributable to the growing            
appreciation manifested for all kinds of
 flowers4 ,but it is traceable in a     
still greater measure to the augmented  
purity1 brilliance1 and variety in      
colour of modern ,ten-week ,stocks1 as  
well as to the enhanced reliability of  
seed in producing double flowers4 ,we   
need say nothing of its perfume1 for    
this is a quality which the most        
unobservant can scarcely fail to notice4
  ,although the ,ten-week ,stock is     
half-hardy1 it must not receive the     
treatment of a tender annual2 indeed1   
one of the most important points in     
growing it is to avoid any excess of    
artificial heat4 ,a little assistance at
 the commencement it must have2 but the 
aim should be to impart a hardy         

constitution from the moment the        
seedlings appear4 ,we are not advocating
 reckless exposure to chill blasts1 but 
the necessity of giving air freely      
whenever there may be a fair            
opportunity4 ,the best of seed-beds can 
be made in pans or shallow boxes filled 
with sweet1 sandy soil4 ,in these sow   
thinly1 so that the young plants may    
have abundant room4 ,even a little      
apparent wastefulness of space will be  
repaid by stout and vigorous growth4    
,from the middle to the end of the month
 is a suitable time for sowing4  ,sweet 
,pea4--,this flower is so much in demand
 for decorative purposes that a         
prolonged display should be secured by  
successive sowings1 commencing in this  
month and continuing until ,may1 or even
 to ,june1 where the soil and           
circumstances are specially favourable4 
,the value of groups of ,sweet ,peas in 
borders and for enlivening shrubberies  
is now thoroughly appreciated1 and it is
 not uncommon to see fine clumps among  

dwarf fruit trees4  ,tigridia1 or       
,ferraria4--,finer flowers are generally
 obtained from the open border than from
 pots1 and the bulbs should be planted  
out three or four inches deep in ,march 
or ,april4 ,sandy loam and peat suit    
them admirably4 ,on a dry border these  
bulbs will pass the winter safely1 but  
in wet land it will be perilous to leave
 them out4  ,verbena4--,it is possible  
to raise ,verbenas in the open from seed
 sown in drills on light soil1 but the  
attempt is a little hazardous4 ,there   
is1 however1 no danger at all in sowing 
in pans placed in a cool frame4 ,the    
plants should be potted immediately they
 are large enough to handle4 ,the       
flowering from this sowing will be      
rather late1 but not too late for a good
 show of bloom4  ,zinnia4--,the double  
varieties are now grown almost to the   
exclusion of single flowers1 and the    
former are so incomparably superior1    
that they are judged by the severe rules
 of the florist4 ,with this plant it is 

useless to start too early4 ,towards the
 end of the month a commencement will be
 made by experienced growers1 but the   
comparative novice will be wise to wait 
until the beginning of ,april4 ,sow in  
pots filled with a compost of           
leaf-mould1 loam1 and sand1 and be quite
 sure there is effectual drainage4      
,plunge the pots in a temperature of    
about #fj4  ,,april  ,many half-hardy   
flowers1 such as ,acroclinium1          
,convolvulus major1 ,linum rubrum1      
,nemesia1 ,salpiglossis1 ,schizanthus1  
and others1 which at an earlier period  
can only be sown with safety under      
protection1 may now be consigned to the 
open ground without the least misgiving4
 ,a knowledge of this fact is of immense
 value to owners of gardens that are    
destitute of glass1 for it enables them 
to grow a large number of flowers which 
would otherwise be impracticable4 ,of   
course1 the flowering will be a little  
later than from plants raised earlier in
 heat4  ,annuals1 ,hardy1 which were not

 sown in ,march should be got in during 
this month and in ,may4 ,a large number 
of beautiful subjects are available for 
the purpose1 the most popular of which  
are named on page #cgc4  ,aster4--,when 
the seedlings attain the third leaf1    
they should be pricked off round the    
edges of #fj-sized pots2 later on put   
them singly into small pots1 from which 
the transfer to the open ground will not
 cause a perceptible check4 ,as the     
plants do not thrive in a close         
atmosphere1 it is important to give air 
freely on every suitable occasion1 or   
they cannot be maintained in a healthy  
growing condition4 ,a second sowing     
should be made about the middle of the  
month1 following the routine already    
advised4 ,a sowing in drills on a       
carefully prepared bed in the open      
ground is also desirable1 and in some   
seasons it may produce the most valuable
 plants of the year4 ,asters come so    
true from seed that the bed may be      
arranged in any desired pattern4 ,thin  

the plants early1 and continue the      
process until they are far enough apart 
for flowering4 ,a distance of eight     
inches is sufficient for the miniatures1
 ten inches for the dwarfs1 and twelve  
or fifteen inches for the tall          
varieties4  ,balsam4--,about the middle 
of this month will be the time for a    
second sowing1 and the seed may be      
raised in a frame without artificial    
heat4  ,canterbury ,bell4--,sow in good 
soil from ,april to ,july and transplant
 when ready4 ,under generous treatment  
these hardy biennials make a beautiful  
display in borders and the pure colours 
show with striking effect against the   
dark foliage of shrubs4                 
,carnation4--,any time from now until   
,august will be suitable for sowing1 and
 if the seed has been saved from a      
first-class strain1 a good proportion of
 very fine flowers will be produced in  
the following year4 ,for these plants   
florists have always considered it      
important that the potting soil should  

be prepared months before use1 and there
 are good reasons for the practice4 ,if 
this is impossible1 see that the compost
 is sweet1 friable1 and1 above all1 free
 from that terrible scourge of          
,carnations1 the wireworm4 ,even sifting
 will not rid the soil of its presence  
with certainty1 but by spreading thin   
layers of the mould evenly upon a hard1 
level floor1 and passing a heavy roller 
over it east and west1 then north and   
south1 the wireworm will be disposed of4
 ,or dressing the soil with ,vaporite   
two or three weeks in advance of potting
 will often prove effectual4 ,turfy loam
 three parts1 leaf-mould one part1      
decayed cow-manure one part1 with an    
addition of sharp sand1 make a          
first-class compost4 ,sow in            
well-drained #dh-sized pots1 cover the  
seed very lightly1 and place in a frame4
 ,transplant the seedlings immediately  
they can be handled1 when a cool1 shaded
 pit will keep them in hard condition4  
,after six or eight leaves are formed it

 will be time to plant them out4 ,in the
 following spring the usual routine of  
staking and tying must be followed4     
,chrysanthemum leucanthemum             
7,marguerite1 or ,ox-eye ,daisy74--,seed
 of these well-known perennial varieties
 may be sown any time from ,april to    
,july4 ,there are several greatly       
improved forms of this popular flower   
which may now be had in bloom from ,may 
until early autumn4 ,start the seedlings
 on a bed of light soil1 and when large 
enough transplant them to positions for 
flowering in the following year4        
,cyclamen4--,the bulbs which have been  
flowering in pots through the winter are
 now approaching their period of rest1  
and they must not be neglected if they  
are to make a satisfactory display next 
season4 ,water should be gradually      
diminished until the foliage dies off1  
and then the corms will require shade1  
or they will crack4 ,dry treatment      
generally results in an attack of       
thrips1 and each root must be painted   

with some good insecticide to destroy   
the pest4 ,cyclamen should never be     
allowed to become actually dust-dry2 but
 if the pots can be plunged in a shaded 
moist pit1 watering will rarely be      
necessary4 ,in ,june the pots may be    
buried to the rim in a shady spot until 
,august1 when it will be time to re-pot 
and start the bulbs into growth4 ,the   
chief enemies of ,cyclamen are aphis and
 thrips4 ,fumigation will settle the    
former2 for the latter1 dip the plants  
in a solution of tobacco-water and soft 
soap4  ,dahlia1 seedlings must have     
plenty of water1 and be kept free from  
aphis while in pots4 ,instead of taking 
out the leading shoot1 as is often done1
 give it the support of a neat stick4   
,the plants should also be potted on as 
growth demands1 the important point     
being to maintain steady progress       
without a check until they can be       
planted out4 ,at the same time they must
 be hardened in readiness for removal to
 the open ground2 and if the work is    

carried on with judgment1 the plants    
will be dwarf1 and possess a robust     
constitution capable of producing a     
brilliant display of flowers until frost
 appears4  ,gladiolus4--,assuming that  
the beds have been properly prepared1 we
 have now only to consider the question 
of planting1 and no better time can be  
chosen than the beginning of ,april4    
,some eminent growers are at the trouble
 of taking out the soil with a trowel   
for each bulb4 ,in the opening1 a bed of
 sand and wood-ashes or powdered        
charcoal is made1 on which the root is  
placed4 ,others lay them in deep drills1
 partly filled with a similar light     
mixture4 ,whichever method is adopted1  
the crown of the corm should be left    
about four inches beneath the surface4  
,the distance between them may vary from
 twelve to eighteen inches1 and the     
greater space is a distinct advantage   
when attending to the plants            
subsequently4 ,the same rules apply to  
the planting of clumps4  ,kochia        

trichophylla4--,sow seed where the      
plants are to stand1 or in a prepared   
bed from which they can be transferred  
to make clumps1 lines1 or single        
specimens where the attractive foliage  
will be most effective4                 
,lobelia4--,early in the month transfer 
the seedlings to pans or boxes1 but the 
latter are preferable4 ,not a single    
flower should be allowed to show until  
the plants are established in the open  
ground4 ,although ,lobelias are very    
attractive in pots1 they cannot be      
satisfactorily grown in them1 with the  
exception of the ramosa varieties4 ,but 
the object is easily attained by potting
 plants from a reserve bed after they   
have developed into good tufts4 ,from a 
stiff soil they can be lifted and potted
 with facility2 and a light soil will   
cause no difficulty if the bed be soaked
 a short time in advance4 ,after        
potting1 the plants will give no        
trouble1 except to supply them with     
water4  ,marigolds can be raised in a   

cold frame1 and towards the end of the  
month there will be no risk in sowing in
 the open ground4 ,the plants thrive in 
a sunny position1 even in scorching     
seasons4  ,marvel of ,peru4--,if not    
sown last month1 there is no time to    
lose2 and with a little care seed can   
now be germinated without artificial    
heat4 ,when the plants come to be       
transferred to the open1 put them1 if   
possible1 in sandy loam1 exposed to full
 sunshine4  ,mignonette4--,successional 
sowings may be made up to the end of    
,june4 ,give each plant plenty of room4 
,by removing the seed-pods as fast as   
they are formed flowering is greatly    
prolonged4  ,nasturtium4--,both dwarf   
and tall varieties are usually treated  
as hardy annuals1 with the exception of 
the date of sowing4 ,none of the        
,nasturtiums are quite hardy1 and if    
sown in ,march the plants are liable to 
destruction by late frosts4 ,it is      
therefore usual to sow in ,april or     
,may1 according to the district1 and the

 growth is so rapid that the plants are 
full of bloom before the summer has far 
advanced4 ,sow on poor soil always4     
,the ,tropolum canariense 7,canary      
,creeper7 may be raised in pans from a  
,march sowing for planting out in ,may1 
or seed can be sown in the open during  
,april4  ,petunia4--- ,plants from the  
first sowing will be ready for small    
pots1 and they must be kept going until 
the #dh-or #cb-size is reached4 ,all    
,petunias rebel if root-bound1 and the  
double varieties are especially         
impatient in this respect4 ,after each  
transfer give them a sheltered1 shady   
position and attention with water until 
they start again4 ,good drainage and    
careful ventilation are essential1 or   
the foliage will lose colour4 ,seedlings
 intended for beds may be transferred   
direct from the seed-pans into #fj-sized
 pots4  ,picotee and ,pink4--,see the   
culture prescribed for ,carnation4      
,ricinus4--,at quite the end of the     
month or the beginning of ,may1 seed put

 into the open ground will produce      
splendid specimens if treated with a    
lavish hand4 ,take out the soil for a   
depth of eighteen inches or two feet1   
and fill the space to within three      
inches of the surface with a mixture of 
rich soil and well-decayed manure4 ,upon
 each bed thus made place three ,ricinus
 beans in a triangle1 and when they are 
up1 thin to one plant at each station1  
and this1 of course1 the strongest4     
,this mode of growing ,ricinus will     
astonish those who have been accustomed 
to allow the plant to struggle through  
existence in the ordinary soil of a     
garden border4 ,plentiful supplies of   
water must be given in dry weather1 and 
stakes will be necessary to save the    
specimens from injury by wind4 ,it is   
too early for putting out those raised  
in heat4  ,stock1 ,ten-week4--,where the
 requisite quantity of seed has not been
 sown1 it must be done promptly4 ,if    
there happens to be a cold frame on a   
spent hot-bed to spare1 it will exactly 

suit the seedlings when they are ready  
for transferring4 ,make the surface     
fresh by adding a little rich soil1 and 
put the plants in rows three or four    
inches apart1 allowing three inches     
between them in the rows4 ,in seed-pans1
 however1 space cannot be afforded in   
this liberal fashion1 but they will make
 a full return for rather more than the 
usual spacing4 ,to maintain a dwarf     
habit1 it is imperative that the plants 
should be kept near the glass4  ,where  
there are no facilities for growing     
,stocks in the manner described seed may
 be sown at the end of the month in the 
open ground1 and with a little care     
there will be a handsome show of bloom4 
,the seedlings are subject to the       
attacks of turnip fly1 which is a       
terrible foe to them in the seed-leaf   
stage2 in fact1 the plants are sometimes
 up and gone before danger is suspected4
 ,a light sprinkling of water1 followed 
immediately by a dusting of wood-ashes1 
just as they are coming through1 will   

save them1 but it may be necessary to   
repeat the operation two or three times 
until they are out of peril4 ,a rich and
 friable seed-bed is one remedy for the 
fly1 for it promotes rapid growth1 which
 speedily places the plant beyond the   
power of its insect adversary4 ,but if  
open-ground culture exposes ,stocks to  
one hazard1 it saves them from another1 
as mildew does not attack them unless   
they have been transplanted4 ,stocks    
come so true from seed that it is easy  
to arrange a design in any desired      
colours4 ,sow in drills from nine to    
fifteen inches apart1 according to the  
height of the variety1 and cover the    
seed very lightly with fine soil4 ,the  
bed must be protected from birds1 and a 
dressing of soot will keep off slugs4   
,begin to thin the plants early1 but do 
not forget that some single specimens   
will have to be taken out when the      
flowers show1 and that is the time for  
the final thinning4  ,sunflowers do not 
well bear transplanting1 hence the seed 

should be sown where the plants are     
intended to flower4 ,during its brief   
season of growth1 the ,sunflower taxes  
the soil very severely1 and to develop  
its full proportions decayed manure must
 be freely employed to a good depth1 and
 unstinted supplies of water will be    
necessary in dry weather4  ,zinnia4---  
,the first week of this month is as good
 a time as any to sow seed1 and the     
conditions named under ,march should be 
followed4 ,when the seedlings are an    
inch high1 pot them separately1 and     
place in a close1 shaded frame until    
they are established4 ,then give air    
more and more freely while the plants   
are being trained to bear full exposure4
  ,,may  ,this is the chief month for   
bedding1 and the crowded state of pits  
and houses creates a natural anxiety to 
push forward the work2 yet the exercise 
of a little patience may save many a    
valuable lot of plants from being       
injured past recovery4 ,although the    
days are long1 and perhaps sunny1 the   

nights are often treacherous1 especially
 in the early part of the month4 ,the   
first business is to prepare the plants 
gradually for transfer to the open      
ground by free exposure whenever there  
is a favourable opportunity4 ,take off  
the lights on genial days1 and by       
degrees open them at night1 until they  
can be dispensed with altogether4 ,about
 the second week of the month it will   
generally be safe to put the most hardy 
subjects on a bed of ashes1 under the   
shelter of a hedge or wall1 before      
planting them4 ,begin with ,antirrhinum1
 ,dianthus1 ,phlox ,drummondii1 ,stock1 
and ,verbena4 ,a little later on1 others
 which are rather more delicate1 as1 for
 instance1 ,balsam1 ,begonia1 ,dahlia1  
,petunia1 ,zinnia1 c41 can be treated in
 the same way1 until the great bulk of  
them are in final quarters4             
,sub-tropical plants1 such as           
,nicotiana1 ,ricinus1 ,solanum1 and     
,wigandia1 had better be kept under     
control till the first or second week of

 ,june4  ,annuals4--,there is still an  
opportunity of sowing many varieties1   
and also to make further sowings of     
others that are already showing signs of
 promise4 ,the practice of insuring a   
succession of all flowers much in demand
 for vases1 of which ,sweet ,peas are an
 example1 is on the increase1 and       
deserves to be further extended4        
,another point is that many annuals     
which require heat in earlier months may
 with confidence be sown during ,may in 
the open ground4  ,hardy ,biennials and 
,perennials4--,seed of many favourite   
biennials and perennials may be safely  
sown in the open ground during ,may1    
,june1 and ,july1 and as a general rule 
the finest plants for flowering in the  
following season are obtained from the  
earliest sowings4 ,the bed for the seed 
should be prepared with care and a      
friable loam is the best for the        
purpose4 ,immediately the seedlings are 
large enough to handle1 transplant to   
small rich nursery beds and shift to    

flowering positions in the autumn4 ,a   
number of these subjects are dealt with 
individually in the calendars for the   
months named1 and others which are      
suitable for the purpose are3  ,anchusa 
italica ,aster sub-cruleus ,aubrietia   
,candytuft 7,iberis7 ,cheiranthus       
,allionii ,chrysanthemum leucanthemum   
,coreopsis grandiflora ,cynoglossum     
,digitalis ,gaillardia ,galega          
officinalis ,gaura ,lindheimeri ,geum   
,gypsophila paniculata ,heuchera        
,lupinus ,cenothera ,poppy1 perennial   
,pyrethrum ,saxifrage ,thalictrum       
,verbascum ,viola  ,antirrhinum is      
admirably adapted for a dry and sunny   
position1 in which it will thrive and   
flower freely4  ,balsam4--,towards the  
middle of the month a final sowing may  
be made with safety in the open ground4 
,former seedlings will need potting on  
until they reach the eight-inch size1   
and at each transfer put the plants in  
rather deeper than before2 this         
encourages the growth of roots from the 

stems4 ,while increasing the pot-room   
not a bud will show2 but immediately the
 roots are checked by the pots1         
flowering will commence4 ,the old method
 of stopping and disbudding not only    
spoiled the plants1 but robbed them of  
the finest flowers1 which are invariably
 produced on the main stem4 ,since the  
natural method of growing ,balsams has  
been in favour it is usual to see grand 
specimens covered with immense flowers4 
,campanula4--,the hardy perennial       
varieties may be sown in the open during
 the present month to provide seedlings 
for transplanting to flowering positions
 in autumn4 ,should there be any good   
reason for delay it will not be too late
 to sow in ,june or ,july1 but the      
finest specimens are generally produced 
from ,may sowings4 ,the best results can
 always be obtained by raising the      
required number annually and discarding 
the plants after they have flowered in  
the following season4                   
,cineraria4--,those who care to have    

,cinerarias in bloom during ,november   
and ,december may do so from a sowing   
made at the beginning of ,april1 but it 
is not usual to start so early4 ,our own
 practice is to sow twice1 during the   
present month and again in ,june1 to    
insure a succession4 ,from this month's 
sowings we look for our finest plants4  
,the ,cineraria is easy to raise and to 
grow1 but it will by no means take care 
of itself4 ,it has so many enemies that 
unusual vigilance is necessary to flower
 it to perfection4 ,it thrives in a     
compost of turfy loam1 with a little    
leaf-mould added2 but the soil should   
not be over-rich1 or there will be much 
foliage and few flowers4 ,still1 as the 
plant is a rapid grower1 it must not be 
starved1 neither must it suffer for lack
 of water4 ,pots or pans may be employed
 for the seed2 and as the young plants  
grow freely1 they may go straight to    
thumb pots without the usual            
intermediate stage of pricking off4     
,coleus should be finally shifted into  

#dh-sized pots4 ,if signs of decline    
become manifest1 weak liquid manure     
water given occasionally will revive the
 plants and intensify their colours4    
,during the summer any ordinary         
greenhouse or conservatory will suit    
them1 provided they are shaded from     
fierce sunshine4  ,cyclamen4--,the      
strongest seedlings should now be ready 
for #fj-sized pots4 ,abundant but       
judicious ventilation1 plenty of water1 
and freedom from aphis1 are the         
conditions to be secured4               
,dahlia4--,make the ground on which this
 flower is to be planted thoroughly     
rich4 ,it is a rapid grower1 and cannot 
attain to fine proportions on a poor    
soil4 ,if the plants are carefully      
prepared for the change by free exposure
 on genial days1 and also during warm   
nights1 they will scarcely feel the     
removal4 ,when first put out1 dress the 
surrounding soil with soot to prevent   
injury by slugs1 which show a decided   
partiality for newly planted ,dahlias4  

,give water freely when requisite1 and  
in staking the plants take care that the
 ties do not cut the branches4 ,these   
ties will require attention occasionally
 during the summer and autumn4          
,delphinium4--,sow the perennial        
varieties on a prepared bed4 ,thin      
early1 without removing all the weaker  
seedlings1 and when sufficiently        
advanced to bear removal1 transfer to   
borders where the plants are to flower4 
,hollyhocks may be put into the borders 
when the weather is quite warm4 ,wait   
until the end of the month1 or even the 
beginning of ,june1 rather than have    
them nipped by an untimely frost4 ,like 
the ,dahlia this plant must have        
unstinted supplies of water and         
abundance of manure4 ,a tall stake1     
firmly fixed1 will also be necessary for
 each plant4  ,nicotiana4--,seed may be 
sown on an open1 sunny border1 but it is
 a waste of seed and labour to put it   
into poor soil4 ,prepare the ground     
beforehand by deep digging1 and by      

incorporating plenty of manure4 ,if the 
near presence of other plants renders   
this impossible1 drive a bar into the   
soil and work a good-sized hole4 ,fill  
it with rich stuff to within a few      
inches of the surface1 and finish with  
fine soil1 on which sow the seed4 ,this 
method can only be adopted for light    
land4 ,in the event of a cutting east   
wind after the seedlings are up1        
improvise some kind of shelter until the
 danger is past4  ,petunias are very    
sensitive under a frost or cold wind4   
,therefore be in no hurry to bed the    
plants until quite the end of the month 
or beginning of ,june1 especially if the
 weather appears to be at all           
threatening4 ,a good mellow soil1 free  
of recent manure1 suits them4 ,if unduly
 rich1 it will strengthen the foliage at
 the expense of the flowers1 and will   
also postpone the blooming until late in
 the season4  ,portulaca4--,it is       
useless to sow until the temperature is 
summerlike4 ,if necessary1 wait until   

the close of the month1 or longer1      
before putting in the seed4 ,this flower
 will endure neither a moist atmosphere 
nor a retentive soil4 ,sow on raised    
beds of light soil1 the more sandy the  
better2 and in seasons which speedily   
burn the life out of other plants1      
,portulacas will display their beauty1  
no matter how fiercely the sun may beat 
upon them4 ,water will occasionally be  
necessary1 but it should never be given 
until there is obvious need for it4     
,portulacas are easily grown in pots or 
window-boxes1 and they will bloom       
profusely where many other flowers only 
wither and die4  ,primula4--,almost     
every season witnesses the advent of    
some novelty in this flower1 either in  
colour or in form4 ,and the plant is now
 worth growing for the beauty and       
diversity of its foliage alone4 ,the    
flowers range from pure white through   
all shades of tender rose up to a deep1 
rich crimson4 ,after years of earnest   
effort1 two beautiful blue flowers have 

been obtained4 ,there are also several  
elegant double strains1 and these       
possess a special value for bouquets1   
because of their enduring quality4 ,all 
the varieties1 including the popular    
,star ,primulas1 can be grown with ease 
in any soil which is fairly rich and    
friable4 ,equal parts of leaf-mould and 
loam1 with a little sand1 will suit them
 to perfection4 ,fill the pots firmly1  
taking precautions to insure effective  
drainage4 ,a thin layer of silver sand  
sifted over the soil will aid an even   
sowing by showing up the seed4 ,as a    
finish1 shake over just enough fine soil
 to hide the sand4 ,thin sowing is      
important1 because the most reliable new
 seed is almost certain to germinate at 
intervals1 and the plants which come    
first can then be lifted without        
imperilling the remainder4 ,prick off as
 fast as ready round the edges of small 
pots1 and shade until established4 ,then
 give air more and more freely4  ,stock1
 ,ten-week4--,the preparation of the    

soil is the first business1 and whether 
the ,stocks are intended to be grown in 
small groups or alone in beds1 the      
treatment should be the same in either  
case4 ,with light land there is no      
difficulty2 it is only needful to dig it
 well1 and to incorporate a sufficient  
quantity of decayed manure4 ,if disposed
 to incur a little extra trouble to give
 the plants a start1 take out some soil 
with a trowel1 and fill the hole with   
compost from the potting shed4 ,this    
course is indispensable on heavy land2  
and assuming it to be rich enough1 the  
quickest and most effectual way is to   
make drills six inches deep at the      
proper distances1 and nearly fill them  
with prepared soil1 in which the ,stocks
 can be planted4 ,for a short time      
afterwards provide shelter from the     
midday sun1 but do not keep them covered
 a moment longer than is necessary4 ,in 
planting it must not be forgotten that  
an uncertain proportion of single       
specimens will have to come out4 ,on    

this account it is advisable to put them
 in small groups1 and remove the surplus
 even if they are double1  ,sweet       
,william4--,the introduction of several 
new varieties has created a fresh       
interest in this fine old garden        
favourite4 ,this is one of the hardy    
biennials that will not be hustled4 ,on 
a nicely prepared bed in the open sow   
thinly in drills either during this     
month or up to ,july4 ,in due time      
transplant in rows1 affording sufficient
 space for each specimen to become      
stocky1 and in autumn transfer to       
flowering quarters4  ,verbena4--,beds   
for ,verbenas should be rich1 mellow1   
and very sweet4 ,a poor soil not only   
produces poor flowers1 but it materially
 shortens the blooming period4 ,peg the 
plants down from the outset1 and allow  
them to cross and recross each other    
until there is a sheet of glowing       
colour4  ,wallflower4--,this fragrant   
spring flower is not always grown as    
well as it might be4 ,it is often sown  

too late to become established before   
winter sets in4 ,sow now in drills nine 
inches apart on friable loam4 ,thin to  
three inches apart1 and transplant the  
thinnings4 ,a little later repeat the   
operation1 so as to leave the plants at 
a distance of six inches in the rows4   
,assist them with water if necessary4   
,zinnia4--,a sowing in the open ground  
about the middle of the month will      
provide plants in gardens where there   
are no means of raising them            
artificially at an earlier date4 ,even  
those who possess a stock will be wise  
to put a final sowing in the open4 ,if  
possible1 choose a sunny border sloping 
to the south1 and make the soil rich1   
fine1 and rather firm4 ,drop seeds in   
little groups of three or four at each  
spot1 allowing fifteen or eighteen      
inches between the groups4 ,cover       
lightly1 and eventually thin the plants 
to one at each station4  ,,june  ,the   
days are now at their longest1 and      
plants in pits and houses should have   

the full benefit of it4 ,by opening the 
lights early1 and shading in good time1 
the flowering period will be greatly    
prolonged4 ,ply the syringe over plants 
infested with aphis until they are quite
 clean4 ,in some instances1 it may even 
be wise to pinch off young shoots which 
are covered with the fly4  ,keep        
,verbenas1 ,petunias1 and the taller    
varieties of ,phlox ,drummondii pegged  
down2 this furnishes the beds and helps 
to check evaporation4  ,rain and        
watering alike tend to harden the       
ground2 and as this condition does not  
favour growth1 the surface should be    
frequently broken with the hoe4         
,anemone4--,those who grow this flower  
from seed should make another sowing now
 or in ,july1 even if they have thrifty 
plants from the ,february sowing4 ,by   
this arrangement the flowering period is
 prolonged1 and the finer blossoms will 
probably come from this month's sowing4 
,aquilegia seed will germinate now in   
the open ground1 and the plants need no 

protection during winter4  ,balsam4--,as
 a rule1 it is unwise to put ,balsams   
into beds or borders before the first   
week of this month4 ,the plant revels in
 warmth and light1 and should have an   
open1 sunny position4 ,its succulent    
nature will indicate the necessity of   
giving abundant supplies of water4 ,for 
so fleshy and apparently fragile a      
plant1 it is astonishing how well it    
stands in a strong wind4 ,from good     
strains the separate colours come so    
true that the design of a bed can be    
accurately arranged4 ,as pot plants     
,balsams need no support1 provided they 
are kept dwarf and stout1 and they make 
admirable decorative subjects4 ,but for 
indoor use it is easy to grow them in   
the open ground1 and when well advanced 
they can be lifted with care and potted4
 ,this procedure offers the advantages  
of a choice of colours even from mixed  
seed and a selection of the most robust 
plants4  ,begonia1                      
,tuberous-rooted4--,this has proved to  

be one of the most elegant and refined  
bedding subjects we possess1 and it     
appears to become more popular every    
year4 ,the plant is also freely grown in
 the reserve border to produce flowers  
for cutting4 ,employ specimens that are 
large enough to make a show at once1 and
 select plants of the short-jointed     
class for outdoor work4 ,they must have 
unusually rich soil4                    
,calceolaria4--,for wealth of bloom1    
combined with richness and intensity of 
colouring1 the ,herbaceous ,calceolaria 
has no rival among biennials4 ,a large  
greenhouse filled with fine specimens in
 their full splendour is a sight which  
will not soon be forgotten4 ,one great  
source of interest lies in the annual   
changes in shades of colour1 and the    
variations in the markings of individual
 flowers4 ,from a first-class strain of 
seed1 high expectation will not be      
disappointed4 ,indeed1 the excellence of
 seedlings is so fully recognised1 that 
there is not the smallest advantage in  

propagating the plant by the tedious    
method of cuttings4 ,but ,calceolarias  
will not be trifled with4 ,they must    
have an even temperature and unremitting
 attention to maintain a thriving       
condition4 ,fill the seed-pans or pots  
firmly with a compost which is both rich
 and porous2 the last point is of great 
consequence in helping to secure free   
drainage4 ,make the surface perfectly   
even1 and whiten it with silver sand2   
this answers the double purpose of      
revealing the seed and afterwards of    
showing when it is sufficiently dusted  
over with fine soil4 ,whether or not    
this method be adopted1 the sowing must 
be thin and even1 and as the seed is    
exceedingly fine1 the task is rather a  
delicate one4 ,sheets of glass placed   
over the pans and turned daily will     
check rapid evaporation4 ,place the pans
 in a moist1 shady spot1 where the      
temperature is constant1 and germination
 will take place in from seven to nine  
days1 when the glass must be promptly   

removed4 ,then comes a critical stage1  
and a little neglect may result in the  
loss of past labour1 and necessitate a  
fresh start4 ,still keep the pans in    
some sheltered corner which can be      
thoroughly shaded from the sun4 ,this   
question of shade needs much vigilance4 
,so also does the supply of water1 which
 must not be administered wholesale1 but
 rather by frequent gentle sprinklings4 
,on the appearance of the second leaf1  
promptly prick off the seedlings in     
carefully prepared pots1 allowing about 
two inches between them4 ,they will need
 dexterous manipulation because of their
 small size1 but a skilful hand will    
transfer them without injury1 and       
perhaps with a little soil adhering to  
the roots4 ,as all the seedlings will   
not be ready at one time1 it will       
probably require about three operations 
to clear the seed-pans1 and the early   
removals should be so made as to avoid  
injuring the remainder4 ,a pen1 with the
 point firmly pressed into the holder1  

makes a small handy implement for the   
task4 ,retain the seedlings in a        
sheltered position1 and continue the    
attention as to shade and watering4 ,in 
about a month the plants will be ready  
for thumb pots4  ,canna4--,in the mixed 
border1 and also in the sub-tropical    
garden1 ,cannas are much valued for the 
exceeding grace and beauty of their     
foliage4 ,they should be put into very  
rich soil2 and1 like all other plants of
 rapid growth1 they will need copious   
supplies of water in dry weather4 ,in   
mild districts and on dry soils the     
plants may remain out all the winter1   
under the protection of a heap of ashes4
 ,but1 as a rule1 it will be necessary  
to store them in frames until spring2   
and they may be finer in the second than
 in the first season4  ,cineraria4--,to 
insure a succession1 and where a        
sufficient stock is not already         
provided1 another sowing should be made1
 following the method advised last      
month4 ,the seedlings1 when transferred 

to small pots1 should be put into a     
close frame1 and be sprinkled with water
 morning and evening until the roots    
take hold4 ,at first it is desirable to 
keep them fairly warm1 but in a         
fortnight the heat may be gradually     
reduced and more air be given until cool
 treatment is reached4 ,the plants will 
need potting on up to ,november1 when   
they should go into the final size2 and1
 except for special purposes1 #f-a_/d-  
or #g-a_/b-;inch pots are large enough4 
,cinerarias are sought after by every   
pest which infests the greenhouse4 ,we  
need only say that by fumigation1       
sulphur1 or by syringing with a suitable
 insecticide1 the plants must be kept   
clean1 or they cannot be healthy4       
,daisy1 ,double4--,the finest blooms are
 obtained from seedlings raised         
annually1 and the general practice is to
 sow in the open ground during this     
month or ,july4 ,when large enough      
transplant to good ground for blooming  
in the following season4 ,the new ,giant

 forms of the ,double ,daisy are of     
superb size1 closely resembling finely  
shaped ,asters in form4                 
,dianthus4--,for a display next summer1 
sow in drills drawn six inches apart in 
an open situation1 and cover the seed   
lightly with fine soil4 ,shade the spot 
until the plants show4                  
,geranium4--,sometimes a difficulty is  
experienced in bringing ,geranium       
seedlings into flower4 ,they possess so 
much initial vigour that the production 
of wood continues to the very end of the
 season4 ,plants which show signs of    
excessive growth should be put into the 
border without removing the pots4 ,this 
check to the roots will throw the plants
 into luxuriant bloom4  ,gladioli are   
very liable to injury by high wind1 and 
stakes should be put to them in good    
time4 ,each plant may have a separate   
support1 and this is the most perfect   
treatment2 or the stakes may be at      
intervals1 or at the ends of rows1      
connected by lengths of strong1 soft    

material1 to which intervening stems can
 be secured4 ,the work should be done   
carefully1 and if the flowers are       
intended for exhibition they must also  
be shaded by some means4 ,this may be a 
cheap or a costly proceeding2 but in    
whatever manner it is carried out1      
security is essential1 or the whole bed 
may be ruined4  ,hollyhock4--,a sowing  
in the open ground will produce plants  
for wintering in the cold frame2 and if 
generously treated1 they will make a    
fine show in the following year4        
,myosotis4--,during this month sow      
,sutton's ,pot ,myosotis and bring      
forward in a cold frame for winter      
decoration1 for which purpose this plant
 is rapidly increasing in favour4 ,seed 
of the hardy varieties may also be sown 
now or in ,july1 choosing a shady spot  
in the open ground4 ,transplant when    
large enough4  ,nicotiana4--,to expose  
,tobacco plants before warm weather is  
established will give them a check from 
which they may not recover until the    

summer is half over1 if they recover at 
all4 ,spare frames with movable lights  
will prepare them admirably and save    
labour4 ,the second week of this month  
is generally warm enough for the        
planting4 ,the seedlings must have a    
very rich soil1 and abundance of water  
in dry weather4 ,a heavy mulch of       
decayed manure will supply them with    
food and check evaporation4             
,pansy4--,from the end of ,may to the   
end of ,july seedlings may be raised in 
the open ground4 ,thin and transplant   
when ready4  ,polyanthus to be sown from
 ,may to ,july on a shaded border4 ,thin
 the seedlings boldly1 and bed the      
thinnings4 ,those raised early will     
flower next spring1 but the later       
seedlings cannot be depended on for     
blooming in the first year4             
,portulaca4--,the weather may have been 
too cold and wet for sowing in ,may1 or 
seed then sown may have failed2 happily1
 there is yet ample time for raising    
this flower1 in either beds or pots4    

,primrose4--,this fine old favourite may
 be grown from seed in various tints of 
yellow and almost any shade of colour   
from white to deep crimson2 an effective
 blue has also been achieved4 ,primroses
 make beautiful pot and border flowers4 
,seed may be sown from ,may to ,july4   
,seed-pans can be used1 or the sowing   
may be made in drills in the open4 ,in  
the latter case1 a free dressing of soot
 must be employed to render the spot    
distasteful to slugs4 ,when             
transplanting1 give the plants a deep   
retentive loam if possible1 and a shady 
position4  ,primula4--,to insure a      
succession of flowers next spring1 make 
another sowing as advised under ,may4   
,seedlings which are ready should be got
 into small pots1 and afterwards they   
must be re-potted when necessary2 but   
never shift them until the pots are full
 of roots1 and always put them in firmly
 up to the collar4  ,solanum4--,the     
berried varieties may be grown entirely 
in pots1 or they can be put into beds   

for the summer1 from which they will    
lift for potting again just as the      
handsome berries are turning colour4    
,the spiny-leaved varieties are valuable
 for sub-tropical gardening4 ,small     
plants are of little worth1 hence they  
should be put into very rich soil1 with 
a thick layer of manure on the surface1 
and have copious supplies of water to   
induce free growth4  ,stock1            
,spring-flowering4--,this valuable      
section1 which includes the popular     
,brompton strain1 usually comes into    
bloom in ,may and ,june4 ,seed is       
sometimes sown where the plants are to  
flower1 but a certain degree of risk    
attends this mode of procedure1 and     
,spring-flowering ,stocks are so        
valuable that they are worth more       
careful treatment4 ,either now or in    
,july sow in pans1 and place them under 
shelter until the plants are an inch    
high2 then stand them in the open for a 
week before planting out4  ,stock1      
,winter-flowering4--,for their          

refreshing colours and delightful       
perfume ,stocks are highly prized during
 the winter months4 ,to have them in    
flower at ,christmas1 seed of ,christmas
 ,pink or ,beauty of ,nice should be    
sown in ,june4 ,it is usual to grow     
three or more plants in a pot1 according
 to size4 ,at the fall of the year place
 them in the conservatory or a cool     
greenhouse1 and give assistance in the  
form of weak liquid manure as soon as   
the buds appear4 ,other suitable        
varieties1 of which there are a number1 
may be sown in ,july or ,august for     
flowering indoors through the winter and
 spring months4  ,wallflower4--,if no   
seed was sown in ,may the task ought not
 to be neglected this month4            
,zinnia4--,the first week of ,june is   
about the right time to bed ,zinnias1   
and there are three facts to be borne in
 mind concerning them4 ,they do not     
transplant well1 and therefore a showery
 day should1 if possible1 be selected   
for moving them4 ,in the absence of     

rain1 be liberal with water4 ,they are  
very brittle1 and should have a position
 somewhat sheltered from the full force 
of the wind2 and as they revel in       
sunshine1 the more roasting the season  
the finer will be the flowers4  ,,july  
,antirrhinum4--,a sowing in drills      
during the present month or ,august will
 supply plants for flowering next year4 
,transfer direct from the seed-bed to   
the positions where they are intended to
 bloom4  ,calceolaria4--,if more plants 
are wanted1 sow again4 ,among the       
seedlings which we left last month just 
as they had been pricked off1 it will   
soon be evident that there is a wide    
difference between the strength of the  
plants4 ,as a rule1 the most robust are 
those in which yellow largely           
predominates4 ,these make bright and    
showy decorative plants1 but the colours
 that are especially valued by florists 
will probably come from the seedlings   
which are weakly in the early stage4    
,hence these should be specially prized1

 and under skilful management they may  
be grown into grand specimens4 ,the     
thumb pots for ,calceolarias need       
careful preparation with crocks covered 
with clean moss or vegetable fibre1 and 
they must be filled with rich porous    
compost4 ,transfer the plants with      
extreme care1 and place them in a       
sheltered part of the greenhouse or in a
 shaded frame1 allowing free access of  
air on the leeward side4 ,if aphis has  
to be dealt with--and it is very partial
 to ,calceolarias--fumigation is the    
best remedy4 ,choose a quiet evening for
 the operation2 on the following day    
carefully water the plants and shade    
them from the sun4  ,campanula4--,the   
perennial varieties may still be sown1  
either in pans or in the open4 ,give    
them a good light soil1 and do not stint
 the supply of water4  ,cyclamens which 
are forward enough should be shifted    
into #dh-sized pots4 ,follow up the     
process until all are re-potted4        
,lobelia4--,in pots or pans sow seed of 

the perennial varieties to provide      
plants for the borders next year4 ,pot  
off singly when ready1 and protect in a 
cold frame through the winter4  ,mimulus
 sown in the open ground will flower in 
the following spring4 ,if possible1 make
 the seed-bed in a moist retentive soil 
and in a shaded situation4              
,primula4--,to force the growth of this 
plant is to ruin it4 ,the most          
satisfactory results are invariably     
obtained from specimens which have      
matured slowly1 and have been treated as
 nearly hardy after the seedling stage4 
,from this month up to the middle of    
,september it will be quite safe to     
expose them freely1 day and night1      
except in inclement weather4 ,even in   
the winter protection is only needed    
from frost1 damp1 and keen winds4       
,,august  ,annuals and ,biennials1      
,hardy4--,in the majority of ,english   
gardens the spring display of bulbous   
flowers is too often followed by a      
dreary blank1 which is almost unredeemed

 by a touch of colour1 except that      
afforded by the late ,tulips and a few  
other flowers which are relatively      
unimportant4 ,the brilliance of the     
,crocuses1 ,hyacinths1 and early ,tulips
 serves to throw into relief the        
comparative barrenness which follows4   
,and the contrast is rendered all the   
more striking by the cheerful spring    
days4 ,it is at this juncture that      
annuals and biennials from summer or    
early autumn sowings light up the garden
 with welcome masses and bands of fresh 
and vivid colouring4 ,they are then so  
valuable that it is surprising they are 
not more commonly grown1 especially as  
the cost of seed is very trifling4 ,even
 the transitory character of some of    
them is an element in their favour1 for 
they do not interfere with the summer   
bedding arrangements4 ,such flowers as  
,pansy and ,viola1 however1 produce a   
long-continued show of bloom4  ,the     
following list contains the varieties   
which are best adapted for the          

purpose3--  ,alyssum1 ,sweet            
,antirrhinum ,asperula azurea setosa    
,calandrinia umbellata ,calendula       
officinalis fl4 pl4 ,candytuft          
,cheiranthus ,allionii ,chrysanthemum1  
,morning ,star ,chrysanthemum1 ,evening 
,star ,chrysanthemum inodorum           
plenissimum ,chrysanthemum segetum gr4  
,clarkia ,collinsia ,coreopsis          
,cornflower ,erysimum ,eschscholtzia    
,gilia tricolor ,godetia ,iceland ,poppy
 ,larkspur1 dwarf rocket ,leptosiphon   
,limnanthes ,douglasii ,linaria1 pink   
,nemophila ,nigella1 ,miss ,jekyll      
,papaver glaucum ,phacelia tanacetifolia
 ,poppy1 ,shirley ,saponaria calabrica  
,scabious ,silene ,sweet ,sultan ,venus'
 ,looking-glass1 purple ,virginian      
,stock ,viscaria ,whitlavia  ,sow       
thinly1 not later than the middle of the
 month in cold districts1 but ,september
 will be early enough in the ,southern  
counties4 ,drills are preferable to     
broadcasting1 because the beds are more 
easily weeded and kept in order4 ,thin  

the rows early1 so that the plants may  
become stout and hard before winter     
overtakes them4 ,early in the new year  
transplanting must be resorted to during
 open weather if the plants are to be   
flowered in heavy soil2 but on light1   
rich land1 sow where they are intended  
to bloom4  ,annuals under ,glass4--,the 
flowers available for winter and spring 
blooming are naturally few in number    
compared with those which fill gardens  
and conservatories during the summer    
months4 ,but it is not generally        
realised that several favourite outdoor 
annuals are as serviceable for flowering
 under glass in the short days of the   
year as they are for growing in the open
 ground in summer1 and they are the more
 valuable for winter and spring use as  
no elaborate system of cultivation is   
needed4 ,any greenhouse or conservatory 
from which frost can be excluded will   
grow these annuals well4 ,seed should be
 sown in ,august or ,september1 in pots 
or pans placed in a cool house or frame4

 ,when the seedlings have made some     
progress1 prick them off into the pots  
in which they are wanted to flower1 and 
grow steadily on1 bearing in mind always
 that the most important point is to    
keep the plants as hardy as possible by 
giving air at every favourable          
opportunity4 ,the following varieties   
are especially suitable for winter and  
spring flowering under glass3--,alonsoa2
 ,the ,star and ,dunnettii varieties of 
,annual ,chrysanthemum2 ,clarkia        
elegans2 ,dimorphotheca2 ,gypsophila    
elegans2 ,linaria2 ,nemesia ,suttoni2   
,nicotiana1 ,miniature ,white and ,n4   
affinis2 ,phlox1 ,purity2 ,salpiglossis2
 and ,swan ,river ,daisy4  ,asters for  
indoor decoration should now be lifted  
from beds or borders and potted4 ,it is 
worth a little trouble to accomplish the
 task with the least possible injury or 
disturbance to the roots4 ,light soils  
should have a good soaking of water on  
the previous evening1 to prevent the    
mould from crumbling away4              

,carnation4--,seed may still be sown as 
advised in ,april2 but to carry the     
plants safely through the winter it is  
necessary to have them strong before    
cold weather sets in4  ,chionodoxa can  
be forced with the same ease as ,roman  
,hyacinths4 ,a #dh-sized pot will       
accommodate several bulbs4  ,cinerarias 
are frequently placed in the open during
 this month and ,september1 and as it   
tends to impart a hardy constitution1   
the practice is to be commended4 ,a     
north border under a wall will suit     
them1 but the proximity of a hedge      
should be avoided4 ,before the plants   
are put out see that they are quite     
clean1 or it may be necessary to restore
 them to the house in order to rid them 
of some troublesome pest4               
,clarkia4--,the varieties of the        
,elegans class make very handsome pot   
plants1 and to insure the requisite     
number seed must be sown in well-drained
 pots during this month or early in     
,september4  ,cyclamen4--,where         

,cyclamens are extensively grown it is  
usual to make the first sowing in       
,august1 and many gardeners regard this 
as the most important period for        
securing healthy young seedlings4 ,a    
common mistake with beginners is to     
raise them in too high a temperature4   
,on this and other points useful        
suggestions will be found in the article
 commencing on page #bef4               
,dianthus4--,either now or a little     
later transfer seedlings to flowering   
quarters1 and if possible put them into 
sandy loam in a sunny spot4             
,freesia4--,few and simple are the      
conditions necessary to the well-being  
of this beautiful and delicately scented
 flower4 ,the fine specimens to be seen 
occasionally in cottagers' windows in   
the ,isle of ,wight attest the ease with
 which it can be grown in a congenial   
atmosphere4 ,the bulbs are exceedingly  
small in proportion to the flowers1 and 
the rootlets are so fragile that potting
 on is to be avoided4 ,a #dh-sized pot  

will hold five or six bulbs1 and the    
soil should consist largely of decaying 
vegetable fibre1 such as peat1          
leaf-mould1 and turfy loam4 ,the pots   
can be stood in any sheltered position  
out of doors1 under a covering of       
cocoa-nut fibre or other light material1
 until the foliage begins to grow4      
,geranium4--,a sowing in ,august will   
supply plants for flowering next summer1
 and the directions given in ,february  
are suitable1 save that heat can now be 
dispensed with4 ,these late seedlings   
will need more care to carry them       
through the winter than plants raised   
earlier in the year4  ,gerbera4--,these 
charming flowers make admirable subjects
 for the greenhouse and conservatory1   
and an excellent display may also be    
obtained outdoors if a sunny            
well-drained part of the garden be      
selected for the plants4 ,august is the 
best month for sowing seed4 ,plants     
required for indoor blooming should be  
potted on as may become necessary4      

,those for the open ground must be      
thoroughly hardened off for planting out
 in the early summer of the succeeding  
year4  ,hyacinths1 ,italian and         
,roman4--,obtain the bulbs as early as  
possible1 and pot them promptly4 ,place 
them in any spare corner of the open    
ground1 where they can be covered with  
cocoa-nut fibre or leaf-mould until the 
roots are formed4 ,a child can grow     
these flowers2 and they should be       
largely employed for bouquets and for   
indoor decoration during the dark winter
 days4  ,mignonette4--,for winter       
flowering sow in #dh-or #cb-sized pots1 
filled with light rich soil4 ,put the   
seed in little groups1 thin to three or 
five plants in each pot1 and give them  
the benefit of full daylight close to   
the glass4 ,when flowering commences do 
not allow seed to form4 ,if the spikes  
which have passed the heyday of         
perfection are cut off1 the plants will 
break again and flower a second time4   
,narcissi4--,the first potting of early 

varieties is made this month as soon as 
the bulbs can be obtained4              
,pelargonium4--,the remarks under       
,geranium apply to this flower also4    
,picotee4--,follow the instructions     
given for ,carnation4                   
,schizanthus4--,to do full justice to   
this flower seed should be sown now for 
plants to be kept through the winter in 
any house which is sufficiently warm to 
exclude frost4  ,scilla prcox1 or       
sibirica4--,the treatment which suits   
,roman ,hyacinths will answer for this  
bulb also1 when required for flowering  
indoors4 ,the two form an admirable     
harmony in blue and white4              
,silene4--,all the most useful varieties
 of ,catchfly are hardy against cold1   
but not entirely so against damp4 ,they 
possess a special value for their       
sparkling appearance in spring4 ,sow in 
light sandy soil1 in which they will    
pass the winter safely4 ,on a heavy loam
 the transplanting system must be       
resorted to in ,february or ,march4     

,stock1 ,intermediate4--,this section is
 valuable for indoor decoration in      
spring4 ,no artificial heat is necessary
 to raise the seed2 in fact1 it is not  
wise to employ it4 ,either in this month
 or early in ,september sow the required
 number of pots and plunge them in ashes
 in a frame until ,march4 ,thin the     
seedlings to three in each pot4 ,before 
flowering1 a rich top-dressing will be  
beneficial2 and manure water--weak at   
first1 but stronger by degrees--will    
intensify the colours4  ,stock1         
,spring-flowering4--,a bed prepared     
under trees or shrubs will afford some  
shelter from winter frost4 ,make it     
thoroughly rich1 and in it plant the    
seedlings4 ,should the growth be very   
rapid in ,september1 the plants will    
probably become too succulent to endure 
the stress of winter4 ,if so1 lift them 
and plant again on the same spot4       
,sweet ,pea4--,the modern culture of    
this delightful flower includes deep    
trenching and the liberal use of manure4

 ,those who intend to sow during        
,september in the open must get the     
trenched ground into perfect order early
 in the present month4 ,the details are 
important and are fully described in the
 article commencing on page #cjc4       
,,september  ,agapanthus taxes the soil 
severely1 and must have ample           
nourishment in pots4 ,it is also one of 
the thirstiest bulbs known1 but is quite
 hardy1 and will thrive in the open if  
planted in a deep rich loam at any time 
from ,september until ,march4           
,alstroemeria4--,although related to the
 ,ixia1 this bulb may be trusted to the 
open ground in all but the coldest      
districts of the country4 ,it is not    
suitable for pot culture1 but in a dry  
border it may be allowed to remain      
undisturbed for years4 ,plant quite nine
 inches deep4  ,amaryllis4--,the proper 
time to commence operations with these  
superb flowers is during their season of
 rest1 which ranges from ,september to  
,march4 ,pot them in firm loam1 enriched

 with leaf-mould1 and containing a fair 
proportion of sand4 ,very little water  
is required until growth begins1 and    
then it must be increased with the      
progress of the plant4 ,start them by   
plunging the pots in a temperature of   
about #fe1 and when they are coming into
 bloom1 remove to a warm greenhouse or  
conservatory4 ,after the flowers have   
faded1 allow the plants to complete     
their growth1 and then slowly reduce    
them to a resting condition without     
permitting the bulbs at any time to     
become quite dry4  ,anemone4--,the      
tuberous varieties are valuable as pot  
plants1 not only for their flowers1 but 
also for the distinctive character of   
the foliage4 ,the roots may be potted   
from now up to the end of the year1 so  
that a succession of flowers can be     
easily insured4 ,when plunged in a pit  
or frame to preserve them from frost1   
watering is all the attention they will 
need1 but of this there must be plenty1 
particularly when the plants begin to   

flower4 ,pot the roots between one and  
two inches deep1 in rich soil1 and with 
the eyes upwards4 ,a large pot will     
accommodate several roots4              
,babiana4--,treat in the same manner as 
the ,ixia4  ,begonia1                   
,tuberous-rooted4--,lift the plants     
which are in the open ground1 and pot   
them to complete their season in the    
greenhouse2 but if they are not wanted  
for this purpose1 they may remain in the
 beds until ,october4 ,when the stems   
fall1 still retain the bulbs in their   
own pots1 and store them in a dry cellar
 or shed1 under a layer of cocoa-nut    
fibre4 ,they need protection from both  
damp and cold4 ,neither hurry the drying
 off of the roots1 nor attempt to force 
the growth in spring1 but wait until    
they start naturally4  ,calceolarias    
ought now to be in large #fj-pots1      
placed close to the glass to insure a   
dwarf habit4 ,during sharp weather they 
may be taken down1 but should be        
restored immediately the danger is past4

 ,much heat in winter will be injurious2
 a range of #de to #ee should be        
considered the limits of variation in   
temperature4 ,pot the plants on as      
growth demands4  ,crocus4--,for indoor  
decoration1 two or three separate lots  
should be potted at intervals of a      
fortnight2 and the named varieties are  
worth this mode of treatment1 both for  
the size of their flowers and for the   
exceptional brightness and diversity of 
their colours4 ,use a light rich soil1  
and put six to eight corms in a         
#dh-sized pot4 ,they may also be grown  
in quantity in large seed-pans or in    
shallow boxes4 ,when coming into flower1
 the roots may be freed from soil to    
facilitate the packing into ornamental  
baskets or vases4  ,crown               
,imperial4--,this bulb requires a rich  
loamy soil and an open position to bring
 it to perfection4 ,still1 it will      
flower satisfactorily in a shrubbery1 or
 under the shade of trees2 and1 so far  
as the roots are concerned1 there is no 

occasion to divide them more than once  
in three seasons4 ,plant during this    
month1 and on to the beginning of       
,november4  ,cyclamens in pots will pay 
for an occasional dose of weak manure   
water4 ,shut the plants up in good time 
on chilly evenings4 ,if a sowing of seed
 was not made last month it should be   
put in without delay4  ,the hardy       
varieties1 such as ,c4 europum and ,c4  
,coum1 are cultivated out of doors2 and 
in some of the warmer districts of the  
,south of ,england the ,persian         
varieties can also be successfully grown
 in the open4 ,they are suitable for    
rockwork1 or for little nooks and       
sheltered corners1 in which some gardens
 abound4 ,for their success good        
drainage1 a warm position1 and plenty of
 water in dry weather are essential4    
,september and ,october are the best    
months for planting out4  ,dog's-tooth  
,violet4--,for small beds1 or in front  
of a rockery1 these compact and         
interesting little plants are valuable  

for spring flowering1 and are worth     
cultivating for their foliage alone4    
,they also succeed in pots1 and thrive  
in peat1 or in sandy loam and           
leaf-mould4 ,a #dh-sized pot will       
accommodate five bulbs4                 
,freesia4--,towards the end of the month
 these bulbs will be ready for removal  
to a cool greenhouse or cold pit4 ,no   
heat is required--merely protection from
 frost and excessive moisture4 ,the     
stems are so slender that support must  
be given early4 ,as the plants do not   
bear re-potting1 the danger of exhausted
 soil can be met by administering weak  
manure water occasionally4              
,fritillarias belong to the same order  
as the ,crown ,imperial1 and the        
conditions which suit that plant will   
answer for all the ,fritillarias4 ,the  
bulbs thrive in a deep loam1 and they   
are quite hardy4  ,gladiolus4--,the     
potting of the early-flowering varieties
 should be commenced this month and     
continued according to requirements4 ,as

 the corms of these ,gladioli are small1
 several may be placed in a #cb-sized   
pot4 ,no great amount of heat is wanted 
for these flowers1 a temperature of     
about #ee being quite sufficient for    
them4  ,gloxinia4--,as the season of    
rest approaches1 place the plants in any
 airy position1 and gradually reduce the
 supply of water until the leaves fall  
off4 ,the bulbs may be stored for the   
winter in peat or in dry moss4 ,the     
majority of growers1 however1 never     
store a bulb1 but rely entirely on      
seedlings raised annually4              
,hyacinth4--,to grow this flower        
successfully in glasses demands no      
horticultural skill1 for children often 
produce very creditable specimens4 ,it  
only requires the intelligent           
application of certain well-understood  
principles4 ,like all other bulbs1 the  
,hyacinth should form its roots before  
top-growth begins4 ,the flower is       
cultivated in water for two reasons3 the
 pleasure derived from seeing the entire

 plant1 and the decorative value insured
 by this mode of treating it4 ,as       
darkness retards top-growth1 but does   
not delay the production of roots1 it is
 usual to place the glasses in a cool   
cellar2 and if this happens to be airy  
as well as cool and dark1 there is no   
better place in which to start the      
bulbs4 ,still1 it must be admitted that 
darkness is not essential for the       
development of roots4 ,but darkness and 
coolness alike tend to delay the growth 
of foliage until roots are formed4      
,therefore1 if the cultivator resolves  
to have the plants in view from the     
commencement1 he must place them in a   
low and uniform temperature4 ,the water 
should always be pure and bright1       
although it must not quite touch the    
bulb1 or the latter will rot4 ,wires to 
support the flowers are necessary1 and  
those which are manufactured expressly  
for the purpose are both neat and       
effective4 ,a rather low temperature1   
and free access of pure air1 should be  

regarded as necessary conditions of     
health in all stages of growth4 ,hence  
it will be obvious that a mantelpiece1  
with its fluctuations of heat and cold1 
is a most unsuitable position for the   
glasses4 ,we should like to add1 that   
notwithstanding the high qualities of   
the ,hyacinth1 it is quite a cottager's 
flower4  ,for pot culture the ,hyacinth 
is a grand subject4 ,prepare the pots   
carefully as to drainage1 and fill them 
with a light1 rich1 porous compost4     
,remove a little soil from the central  
surface1 and into this hollow lightly   
press the bulb1 and press the soil      
somewhat firmly round it1 leaving about 
half the bulb visible4 ,if too much     
power is employed1 the soil will be so  
compact that when the roots begin to    
grow1 instead of penetrating1 they will 
lift the bulb out of its proper         
position4 ,there is always some risk of 
this1 and it accounts for the practice  
of heaping over the pots a considerable 
weight of ashes4 ,of course this        

covering serves a second purpose in     
checking leaf-growth until the roots are
 established4 ,any cool and safe        
position will answer for storing the    
pots at this stage4 ,for the earliest   
supply of flowers select single         
varieties1 as these naturally come into 
bloom somewhat in advance of the        
doubles4 ,when the tops begin to grow1  
remove the pots to a greenhouse or      
frame1 and subdue the light for a brief 
period until the natural colour is      
gained4 ,thence transfer to the         
forcing-pit as requirements demand2 and 
they will need a week or ten days to    
prepare them for use4 ,it is easy to    
secure a continuous supply of ,hyacinths
 from ,christmas onwards by forcing     
successive batches of roots until the   
final display will come into flower     
without artificial assistance4 ,to      
augment the beauty of the flowers employ
 as little heat as may be necessary1 and
 defer the finishing temperature until  
the latest moment possible4 ,for general

 decorative purposes1 small pots will be
 found extremely convenient when a      
brilliant display is wanted in a limited
 compass2 good specimens can be grown in
 the #dh-size1 but for exhibition the   
#cb-size must be resorted to4 ,neither  
in pots nor in glasses should the bulbs 
be allowed to send up leaves from       
between the outer scales2 these rob the 
central growth1 and they should be      
carefully removed with a sharp knife4   
,hyacinths1 ,italian and ,roman1 should 
be potted in successive batches to      
provide a continuous supply4 ,when the  
roots are formed the pots may be removed
 to a pit or frame1 and to the forcing  
temperature as the buds show4 ,if they  
have been brought on gradually1 a very  
few days in a warm pit or house will    
throw them into bloom4 ,it is a source  
of astonishment to us that these flowers
 are not more extensively grown in      
private gardens4 ,immense numbers are   
annually consigned to the ,london       
markets1 and find a ready sale for      

bouquets and table decoration4 ,of      
course these ,hyacinths will not bear   
comparison with the splendid named      
varieties which come later1 but the     
,italian and ,roman classes are ready at
 a time when flowers are scarce and     
valuable4 ,like other bulbs of the same 
class1 they may be shaken out of their  
own pots and transferred to ornamental  
contrivances4  ,iris4--,the tuberous    
varieties are all perfectly hardy1 and  
may be planted at any time from ,august 
to ,december4 ,put into light soil three
 inches deep and nine inches apart they 
will give no trouble1 except to lift and
 divide them every second or third      
season4  ,ixia4--,babianas1 ,ixias1 and 
,sparaxis may all be treated in         
precisely the same manner4 ,in sheltered
 districts in the ,southern counties    
they can be grown in the open ground2   
but otherwise the culture must be in    
pots under the shelter of a frame or    
greenhouse4 ,a #dh-sized pot will hold  
four or five bulbs1 and they will thrive

 in any soil which contains a large     
proportion of sand4 ,in spring they may 
be transferred to a sandy border1 or    
they can be kept in pots for a couple of
 years when well managed4               
,jonquil4--,the treatment recommended   
for ,narcissus will suit this highly    
perfumed flower1 both for forcing and in
 the open ground4  ,narcissus4--,it is  
undesirable to hold these bulbs in a dry
 condition longer than is necessary1 and
 those intended for pot culture should  
be got in promptly4 ,a low temperature  
must be relied on for keeping back such 
as are intended to flower late4 ,the    
,double ,roman and the ,paper ,white    
naturally come into bloom in advance of 
other sorts1 and these should be        
selected for the earliest display4 ,give
 them a rich porous soil1 and pot them  
rather firmly1 but not so firmly as to  
render it impossible for the roots to   
penetrate1 or the bulb will be raised   
above the soil4 ,place them in a cool   
spot1 covered with suitable material to 

keep the bulbs in their places1 and to  
prevent the foliage from starting       
prematurely4 ,when top-growth commences1
 the pots must go into some house or    
frame where they can progress slowly    
until the moment arrives for forcing    
them4 ,if the buds just show1 about a   
week in a bottom heat of #fe will       
suffice to bring them to perfection4 ,a 
succession can be brought forward at    
intervals by the same means1 until the  
final lot will flower without artificial
 aid4 ,and for the comfort of those who 
do not possess heating apparatus1 we may
 add that the flowers grown naturally   
will probably be finer than those which 
have been forced4  ,narcissus may also  
be grown in glasses in the manner       
recommended for ,hyacinths1 or in bowls 
and other suitable receptacles filled   
with moss-fibre4  ,in the open ground   
,narcissus should be planted in         
quantity1 especially in spots where it  
appears to be naturally at home1 and one
 of the most charming effects is        

obtained by putting them in the rough   
grass adjoining shrubbery borders4      
,instead of cutting the grass1 it must  
be allowed to throw up flower-heads1 and
 this affords the bulbs time to mature  
in readiness for the following season4  
,the many forms of ,double and ,single  
,daffodil are effective border flowers1 
and the numerous varieties of ,narcissus
 should be grown in clumps and patches  
in every spot which is suitable and     
vacant4 ,in the reserve border of many  
gardens large numbers of ,pheasant's    
,eye and other ,narcissus are planted to
 supply flowers for cutting4 ,they are  
peculiarly valuable for the purpose1 and
 if cut when scarcely ready they will   
develop in water1 and last for many     
days4 ,in planting1 be guided as to     
distance by the size of the bulb1       
allowing four or five inches between    
small sorts1 and six to nine inches for 
large varieties2 depth1 six to nine     
inches4  ,oxalis4--,except in a few     
sheltered districts1 it will be         

necessary to cultivate this exceedingly 
pretty flower in frames1 or in a sunny1 
airy greenhouse4 ,it may also be forced 
in the stove with success4 ,put several 
bulbs in a pot1 and give them a light   
soil with plenty of sand in it4         
,snowdrop4--,it does not improve the    
roots of this exquisite little favourite
 to keep them out of the ground1 and    
they should1 if possible1 be planted    
early4  ,sparaxis needs the same        
treatment as advised for the ,ixia4     
,sweet ,pea4--,exhibitors of ,sweet     
,peas and those who endeavour to secure 
the finest sprays for decorative        
purposes1 commence the preparation of   
the ground during the present month and 
incur whatever expense may be necessary 
to insure a deep bed of rich friable    
loam in which the roots can ramify      
freely4 ,it is also the practice to sow 
seeds about the middle of ,september in 
order to provide sturdy well-rooted     
plants in readiness for transfer to the 
prepared plots in early spring4 ,either 

pots or boxes may be used1 and a frame  
is sufficient to bring the seedlings    
safely through the winter4 ,the method  
is dealt with in detail on page #cje4   
,from mid-,september to the end of      
,october1 according to the locality1 is 
an excellent time for sowing ,sweet     
,peas outdoors where the soil is light  
and the situation fairly warm4 ,plants  
from autumn-sown seed are generally more
 robust and produce finer flowers than  
those raised from seed sown in the open 
in spring4  ,tropolum tuberosum4--,in   
potting the tuberous varieties1 insure  
efficient drainage1 and use a compost of
 rich light loam mixed with sand4 ,the  
foliage will trail over the sides of    
wire baskets with graceful effect1 but  
it may be trained around balloon-shaped 
wires specially made for these flowers4 
,the bulbs remain dormant all through   
the winter1 and may be started at any   
time from ,september to ,march4         
,tulip4--,the early class of ,tulips is 
of great value for forcing because of   

their brilliant colours and elegant     
forms4 ,they take kindly to a high      
temperature1 but forcing should not be  
commenced too early1 nor should the heat
 be allowed to exceed #fe at the finish4
 ,plunging is the most satisfactory     
method4 ,several bulbs may be put into  
one pot1 but it is more convenient to   
grow them singly1 so that flowers in    
exactly the same stage of development   
may be selected for use at one time4 ,a 
continuous supply may be secured by     
potting batches at short intervals4     
,when in bloom the roots can be washed  
free from soil for placing in vases4    
,decayed turf1 with decomposed          
cow-manure and a proportion of sand1    
make an excellent potting soil for      
,tulips1 and it will be all the more    
suitable if laid up in a heap for twelve
 months after being mixed4  ,,october   
,anemone4--,the tuberous-rooted         
,anemones may be planted in the open at 
any time from ,september to ,march1 and 
from successive plantings a continuous  

display will be obtained from ,february 
until far into spring4 ,for the choice  
named varieties it is customary for     
specialists to make elaborate           
preparations1 into which we need not    
enter here4 ,splendid flowers can be    
grown in clumps and beds in ordinary    
gardens by deep digging1 and the        
employment of a liberal dressing of     
decayed cow-manure4 ,plant the roots    
from four to six inches apart1 and at a 
uniform depth of about three inches4 ,in
 a heavy1 retentive soil it is not      
advisable to risk a collection of named 
,anemones until ,january1 unless a deep 
layer of light compost can be placed in 
the drills where the roots are to be    
planted4  ,annuals1 ,hardy4--,on light  
soils it will be safe to transplant     
these now2 but on heavy land the risk is
 too great1 and we advise waiting until 
,february or ,march4 ,lift the plants   
with as much soil attached to the roots 
as possible4  ,crocus4--,several flowers
 bloom in advance of1 or as early as1   

the ,crocus2 but no other bulb of its   
own period can compare with it for      
brightness and effective colouring4     
,plant during this month and ,november1 
in groups and patterns wherever there is
 a vacant plot and bulbs can be found to
 fill it4 ,put them in at a uniform     
depth of about three inches4 ,drills are
 easy to draw1 and are better for the   
bulbs than the objectionable plan of    
dibbling4  ,cyclamen seed may be sown   
again this month4 ,if properly grown1   
seedlings raised now will bloom         
splendidly next autumn4                 
,ferraria4--,see ,tigridia1 page #cgi4  
,gladiolus4--,by the end of the month   
lift roots which have flowered1 even if 
the stems are still green4 ,label them1 
and hang in an airy place to dry4 ,a    
little later remove the foliage with a  
sharp knife4 ,then lay out the roots for
 about a fortnight1 and when ready store
 them in paper bags or boxes placed on a
 dry shelf1 secure from vermin4         
,hollyhock4--,in favoured districts and 

in light soil it will be safe to winter 
this plant in the open ground with      
merely the protection of a little dry   
litter4 ,but in damp adhesive land it is
 perilous1 and a cold frame will afford 
the requisite protection until ,may     
returns4  ,hyacinth4--,considering the  
magnificent appearance of this flower1  
its culture is most simple4 ,any fairly 
good garden soil which is not too damp  
in winter will grow it2 and the bulbs   
may be planted in clumps or beds in any 
design or arrangement of colour that    
taste may dictate4 ,at six inches apart 
there will be a brilliant display1 but  
the distance is quite optional4 ,the    
crowns of the bulbs should not be less  
than four or more than six inches below 
the surface2 the greater depth will     
slightly retard the flowering4 ,when    
planted they will give no more trouble  
until the time arrives for lifting them 
to make room for other occupants4       
,hyacinth1 ,feather1 is an exceedingly  
beautiful border flower during ,may and 

early in ,june4 ,the stems are from nine
 to fifteen inches high1 and carry      
flowers whose petals are cut into       
slender filaments4 ,it will grow in pots
 and in the open1 in any soil which     
suits ,hyacinths4 ,plant a good number  
in each group4  ,hyacinth1 ,grape4--,an 
interesting dark blue flower1 which     
should be freely grown in mixed borders 
to bloom in ,april4 ,singly it is       
useless2 plant good-sized clumps in soil
 which answers for bulbs4  ,hyacinths1  
,miniature1 are the delight of children1
 in whose honour many of the varieties  
are named4 ,except for their diminutive 
size1 they are in all respects equal to 
their larger relations4 ,the culture in 
pots1 glasses1 and beds is similar to   
that advised for the full-sized roots1  
save that the planting in open ground   
need not be quite so deep1 three inches 
of soil over the crowns being           
sufficient4  ,hyacinths1 ,italian and   
,roman4--,uncover the pots containing   
the earliest planting1 and at first     

place them in a dimly lighted position4 
,the application of heat will depend on 
the time the flowers are wanted2 but    
when the plants are forward enough1     
plunge them in a temperature of #fe1 and
 in about a week they will be ready for 
use4  ,lachenalias rarely attain the    
proportions they are capable of for want
 of water in their growing state4 ,they 
thrive in peat1 and may be forced into  
flower at almost any season4 ,except in 
warm and sheltered gardens1 they must   
not be planted in the open4 ,yet only   
sufficient warmth is required to keep   
frost at bay4  ,leucojums are perfectly 
hardy bulbs which will grow in any      
garden4 ,the flowers resemble           
,snowdrops1 but are much larger4 ,plant 
in dense groups4  ,narcissus4--,from the
 natural characteristics of this bulb it
 is desirable that it should be planted 
early4 ,sometimes1 however1 it is       
impossible1 consistently with other     
arrangements1 either to pot or to plant 
,narcissus before ,october or ,november4

 ,in such cases it is consoling to know 
that from sound1 well-ripened roots good
 flowers may be confidently anticipated1
 even from late plantings4              
,ornithogalum4--,in the open this bulb  
must have some protection during winter1
 to save its large fleshy roots from    
injury by frost4 ,a heap of light manure
 or dry litter will answer the purpose4 
,plant six inches deep4  ,scilla prcox  
can be grown almost anywhere1 and in a  
light rich soil it blooms profusely4    
,the bulbs will safely pass the severest
 winter in the open ground1 and flower  
in ,february or ,march4 ,the exact time 
depends on the climate and position4 ,in
 sheltered spots and mild districts they
 will naturally bloom earlier than in   
bleak and exposed quarters4 ,plant in   
masses or lines1 and the bulbs may      
remain undisturbed for years4 ,a dense  
row makes an exceedingly beautiful      
background to ,snowdrops4 ,the other    
,scillas are equally hardy and valuable1
 and they all flower with great freedom4

  ,triteleia uniflora is a handsome     
white-flowering hardy bulb1 which will  
grow freely in any garden4 ,it is       
adapted for the company of any of the   
dwarf-growing bulbs1 and may be employed
 in either lines or clumps4 ,plant the  
roots three inches apart and two inches 
deep4  ,tuberoses are valued for the    
purity of their white flowers1 and for  
the agreeable perfume they exhale4 ,the 
bulbs may be potted singly or three in a
 pot4 ,they thrive in a compost of loam 
and leaf-mould1 and need a bottom heat  
ranging between #fj and #gj to bring    
them to perfection4 ,the ,african bulbs 
are generally ready in ,september and   
the importations from ,america arrive in
 ,december and ,january4  ,tulips may be
 planted in the open ground at any time 
during the month4 ,we shall say nothing 
as to the arrangement of colours1 nor as
 to the form of the beds1 for both      
points admit of endless diversity4 ,the 
mixed border may be enlivened with      
groups of many varieties1 and if they   

are judiciously selected1 there will be 
a succession of flowers for several     
weeks in the spring4                    
,wallflower4--,after the summer bedding 
plants are cleared1 ,wallflowers may be 
usefully employed to fill beds with     
green foliage all the winter4 ,they will
 flower freely in spring1 when their    
colour and fragrance will be especially 
welcome1 and they can be removed in time
 to make way for a different display for
 the summer4  ,winter ,aconite is not   
dismayed by frost or snow1 but will put 
forth its golden blossoms in the        
dreariest days of ,february1 and after  
the flowers have passed away the foliage
 will remain as an ornament4 ,to put in 
single roots is useless2 it is far      
better to plant a few large patches than
 to fritter away the flower in a number 
of small and inconspicuous groups4      
,,november  ,cyclamen4--,where there is 
a large demand for this flower1 another 
sowing may be made this month1 unless it
 was done in ,october4 ,with so         

important a subject it is not wise to   
depend on a single venture4 ,the        
seedlings will afford a valuable        
succession to those started in ,august4 
,gladiolus4--,the soil which answers    
best for the autumn-flowering section is
 a medium friable loam1 with a cool rich
 subsoil4 ,a light loam can be made     
suitable by trenching1 and putting a    
thick layer of cow-manure at the bottom 
of each trench4 ,and a heavy soil may be
 reduced to the proper condition by the 
free admixture of light loam or sand4   
,autumn is the proper time for doing    
this work1 and the ground should be left
 rough1 so that it may benefit by winter
 frosts4 ,wireworms are deadly enemies  
to the ,gladiolus corms1 and an effort  
should be made to clear them out4       
,happily1 they will flock to traps such 
as ,potatoes and ,rape cake1 and their  
destruction is a mere question of daily 
attention4 ,planting must1 of course1 be
 deferred until spring4  ,hyacinthus    
candicans is generally grown in the     

company of other flowers which attain to
 something like its own imposing        
proportions4 ,in good soil the spikes   
grow three feet high4 ,it may be planted
 from this time until ,march4  ,lilies  
are an ornament to the cottage garden1  
and they grace the grandest             
conservatory4 ,many of the most superb  
varieties1 including the king of all the
 race1 ,l4 auratum1 can be magnificently
 flowered in the open border2 and we    
have seen fine specimens of the         
,lancifolium varieties grown in pots    
without the aid of pit or frame4 ,it is 
therefore obvious that there are no     
difficulties in the culture of ,lilies4 
,in borders the best soil for them is a 
deep1 rich1 moist loam4 ,peat and       
leaf-mould also answer2 but a stiff clay
 will not do unless it has been         
cultivated and mixed with lighter stuff4
 ,plant the roots at least six inches   
deep1 at any time they are in a dormant 
state1 or can be obtained in pots4      
,their position in the border should be 

clearly marked1 or the roots may sustain
 injury when the soil is forked over4   
,the noble appearance of ,l4 auratum    
will always command for it a prominent  
place in the conservatory or greenhouse4
 ,it will grow in sandy peat1 or in a   
mixture of loam1 leaf-mould1 and sand4  
,the bulb should be put into a small pot
 at first4 ,when this is full of roots1 
transfer to a larger size1 and shift    
occasionally until the flower-buds      
appear1 when re-potting must cease4 ,a  
cool house will bring the plant to      
perfection1 although it will bear a high
 temperature if wanted early4 ,during   
growth water must be given freely and be
 gradually reduced when the flowering   
season is over4  ,the ,lancifolium      
varieties require the same treatment1   
but it is usual to put several in one   
large pot4 ,after the flowering is      
ended1 instead of allowing the bulbs to 
become quite dry1 keep them moist enough
 to prevent the fibrous roots from      
perishing1 and they will start with all 

the greater vigour when the time arrives
 for repotting next season4  ,lily of   
the ,valley4--,the forcing of this      
favourite flower generally begins in    
,november1 and it is important to secure
 roots which are thoroughly matured for 
the purpose4 ,they must be finished in a
 high temperature1 and if managed with  
judgment there will be plenty of foliage
 to set off the long spikes of charming 
white bells4 ,when planted in the open  
ground a shaded spot should be chosen1  
which must be freely enriched with      
leaf-mould1 and the plants will not need
 to be lifted for four or five years4   
,ranunculus4--,on a light dry soil1     
where there is no danger of the roots   
sustaining injury during winter1 this is
 a suitable time for planting all the   
varieties4 ,to do them justice the land 
must be liberally dressed with decayed  
manure1 and the longer the bed can be   
made ready before planting1 the better  
will it answer4 ,put the roots in drills
 drawn six inches apart and two inches  

deep and cover with fine soil4 ,for     
retentive land it is advisable to defer 
planting until ,february4               
,tritonia4--,perhaps the best way of    
treating this flower is to pot the bulbs
 now or in ,december1 and keep them in  
frames until ,april1 when they may be   
transferred to the open ground4 ,a dry  
soil and a sunny spot should be found   
for them4  ,tulip4--,there is no better 
time for planting ,tulips in beds than  
the first half of this month4 ,the bulbs
 should be covered with four or five    
inches of soil according to size1 and it
 is important that each kind should be  
put in at a uniform depth to insure a   
simultaneous display4 ,on a heavy soil  
draw deep drills1 and partially fill    
them with light compost1 on which the   
roots should be planted4 ,the late      
single varieties are the ,tulips which  
were formerly so highly prized by       
florists4 ,for these bulbs it was the   
custom to prepare the soil with         
extraordinary care when the ,tulip craze

 was at its height4 ,after the amazing  
folly of paying #cjjl4 for a single     
bulb1 the minor folly of extravagance in
 preparing the soil may be readily      
pardoned4 ,happily that phase of the    
business has passed away1 and handsome  
,tulips are now grown without such a    
prodigal expenditure of money and       
labour4 ,the site for this flower should
 be sunny1 the soil fairly rich1 and the
 drainage good4 ,with these conditions  
insured1 and roots which are sound and  
dense1 it is easy to obtain a           
magnificent show of ,tulips4            
,zephyranthes ,candida can be grown in  
any soil1 and if possible the bulbs     
should be planted in some spot where    
they may remain unmolested through      
several seasons4 ,the flowers appear    
about the end of ,july1 resembling a    
,white ,crocus in form1 and the blooming
 continues until cold weather sets in4  
,planting may be done between ,november 
and ,march4  ,,december  ,only the idle 
or the half-hearted gardener will       

complain that he has no work to do in   
the short dark days of this month4      
,although there may be little or nothing
 to plant or sow1 and few flowers need  
repotting1 yet there are soils to obtain
 and store for future use2 former heaps 
to turn over and remake2 dead leaves to 
remove from plants in pits and houses2  
stakes and neat sticks to prepare for   
subjects which will need support        
by-and-by2 beds and borders to enrich1  
and many other duties to perform4 ,in   
the evenings1 too1 there are new        
combinations and fresh harmonies in     
colour to be designed for beds and      
groups in borders2 the requirements for 
the coming season to consider while     
experience gained during the closing    
year is still fresh in the memory2 the  
position of plants in pits and frames   
and houses to forecast1 so that the plan
 of the summer campaign may be clearly  
understood1 and all the resources of the
 garden be under intelligent control4   
,the fluctuations of the thermometer    

have also to be watched1 and means      
adopted to save plants from injury by a 
sudden fall of temperature4 ,altogether1
 there are abundant sources of          
profitable employment for those who have
 a mind to work4  ,bulbs1 such as       
,hyacinths1 ,tulips1 ,crocuses1 c41     
which have not been planted1 will have  
commenced growing1 notwithstanding the  
precautions taken to prevent it1 thus   
showing that they ought to be in the    
ground4 ,the growth has been made at the
 expense of the bulb itself1 for there  
are no fibrous roots from which to draw 
support4 ,therefore it can scarcely be  
expected that the flowers from very late
 plantings will be quite so good as the 
same bulbs would have produced had they 
been put in at an earlier period4 ,still
 there are cases when the delay is      
unavoidable1 and it is reassuring to    
know that sound bulbs carefully set at  
the proper depth will produce flowers   
only in a degree inferior to those from 
earlier plantings4  ,bulbs in store1    

such as ,begonia1 ,dahlia1 ,gladiolus1  
and ,gloxinia1 should be passed in      
review4 ,examination will almost        
certainly reveal some unsound specimens1
 and their removal may save valuable    
companions from their contaminating     
influence4 ,this practice should be     
followed up about once a fortnight until
 all are eventually planted4     ,,the  
,,pests ,,of ,,garden ,,plants   ,the   
life-history of plant pests and ground  
vermin1 with the best means of saving   
various crops from their ravages1 are   
dealt with in a series of valuable      
leaflets issued by the ,ministry of     
,agriculture and ,fisheries4 ,these     
leaflets embrace a very large number of 
subjects1 several of which belong to the
 farm and the orchard and are beyond the
 scope of the present volume4 ,others   
are rarely met with1 but concerning     
those which are common to the majority  
of gardens we offer information which   
will1 we hope1 enable readers to        
safeguard their crops from disaster4    

,when adverse weather operates          
injuriously on vegetation the plagues   
that infest garden plants usually       
acquire increased power in proportion to
 the degree of debility to which        
vegetation is reduced4 ,this            
circumstance perfectly accords with the 
general law of ,nature1 and is full of  
instruction as to the means of saving   
plants from serious injury by vermin4   
,the keen1 dry east wind that so often  
jeopardises fruit crops is usually      
followed by visitations of fly and      
maggot1 and in this case the cause is   
beyond human power or forethought4 ,but 
neglect of watering and air-giving to   
pot plants can be avoided4 ,good        
cultivation not only insures fine       
specimens1 but is often the means of    
preventing the plants from failing under
 the attacks of ,aphis1 ,mealy ,bug1 and
 other enemies against which the        
gardener has to fight an unceasing      
battle4  ,insects are among the frailest
 of living creatures and they perish at 

a touch4 ,as they breathe through the   
pores of the skin1 water alone--the     
promoter of life and cleanliness--is    
death to them2 and they are still more  
subject to sure destruction when to the 
water is added an active poison1 such as
 tobacco1 or a substance that adheres to
 them and stops the process of          
breathing1 such as glue1 clay1 sulphur1 
soft soap1 and the numerous preparations
 that are specially made to annihilate  
insect hosts4  ,the various stages      
through which the larger insects pass   
place them within our power at some     
period of their existence4 ,the         
butterfly may float beyond the reach of 
harm1 but in the caterpillar or the     
chrysalis state it can be dealt with    
effectually4 ,again1 we may be powerless
 to destroy the ,chafer grubs as they   
feed or hibernate beneath turf1 but in  
their perfect state as ,cockchafers or  
,rose ,chafers many may be beaten down  
during quiet evenings1 and others can be
 shaken from ,roses at dawn or sunset4  

,a knowledge of the life-history of     
injurious insects will suggest what is  
to be done and the right time for doing 
it1 so that often by simple treatment   
they may be destroyed4  ,the expense of 
preparing mixtures and washes may be in 
some degree lessened by economy of      
application4 ,a drenching-board fitted  
on a firm frame1 should be provided in  
every place where plant-growing is      
carried on to any extent4 ,the board    
should slope from a resting ridge at the
 base4 ,the plant in its pot may be laid
 on the board1 with the bottom of the   
pot against the resting ridge1 and a    
pail should be put to catch the liquid  
used as it drains from the plant after  
syringing4 ,every general washing or    
fumigating should be followed by another
 at an interval of from a week to a     
fortnight1 because1 although the first  
operation may kill every insect1 there  
will be many living eggs left1 and these
 renew the race1 and very soon bring the
 plants into as bad a state as ever1    

unless consigned to a happy despatch as 
their parents were4 ,in some cases it   
will be more economical to feed than to 
destroy the vermin2 and1 as a rule1     
feeding vermin does not add to their    
numbers1 in the same or any future      
season1 for insect life is so strangely 
dependent on certain conditions of      
temperature1 c41 that if the season is  
not favourable to a particular kind it  
will be scarce1 no matter how plentiful 
it may have been in a previous year4 ,in
 the case of the ,turnip ,fly1 feeding  
is frequently the cheapest and surest   
way of saving the crop4 ,it is customary
 with ,dahlia-growers1 and1 indeed1 with
 the growers of florists' flowers       
generally1 to sow ,lettuces where the   
flowers are to be planted1 for so long  
as ,lettuces are on the spot ,slugs and 
,snails will prefer them to other food4 
,as the ,lettuces themselves serve the  
purpose of traps1 the ,snails and ,slugs
 congregated about them may1 towards    
evening1 be caught and destroyed4  ,in  

using a mixture for the first time1 it  
is advisable to try it on one plant     
only1 and that1 of course1 the worst in 
the collection affected4 ,if the        
preparation is too strong1 the truth    
will be declared by the state of the    
plant within twenty-four hours2 thus a  
little caution may prevent a great loss4
 ,another good rule is to employ the    
several remedies in a rather weak state 
until experience has been gained1 for   
not only has the strength of the        
medicine to be considered1 but the      
management of the patient before and    
after it is administered4 ,it is above  
all things important to be thorough in  
the cleansing of plants1 because they   
succumb rapidly to the attacks of       
insects1 and should be effectually and  
promptly cleaned or consigned to the    
fire4 ,if left in a foul state they     
spread the infection to all around4 ,in 
the space at our command it is only     
possible to notice a few of the garden  
pests1 and we begin with one of the most

 frequent and troublesome of plant foes4
  ,aphis in some form or other is the   
most persistent and perplexing of plant 
pests4 ,the ,green ,fly is the enemy of 
the softer kinds of vegetation1 and the 
,blue and the ,black ,fly are common    
plagues of the ,peach-house and the     
orchard4 ,the tender body of the ,aphis 
is instantly affected by conditions     
unfavourable to its life1 and it is     
therefore easily killed2 but its        
marvellous power of reproduction renders
 its extinction impossible1 for in every
 instance a few escape1 and very soon   
re-establish their race4 ,two methods   
for the destruction of ,aphis are in    
vogue4 ,one is fumigation by tobacco1   
either pure or in some of the numerous  
preparations offered1 including several 
popular insecticides which have nicotine
 as a basis4 ,these are both clean and  
effective4 ,when a houseful of plants is
 infested no time should be lost1 and   
the evening is most suitable for dealing
 with the pests4 ,the plants ought to be

 quite dry and the house closely shut4  
,a dense cloud of smoke without flame is
 required4 ,allow the smoke to do its   
deadly work during the night4 ,early    
next morning syringe the plants freely1 
and in the course of an hour or so give 
air4 ,the other remedy is to use one of 
the many liquids which are inimical to  
the life of ,aphis and other insect     
pests4 ,to economise the liquid it is   
advisable to fill a pail or tub and     
immerse the plants individually4 ,take  
one in the right hand and spread the    
fingers of the left hand over the       
surface of the soil to prevent an       
accident2 then turn the plant over and  
plunge the foliage in the liquid1 moving
 it up and down briskly two or three    
times4 ,if this is not practicable      
syringe the plants1 taking care to wet  
the leaves on both sides4 ,on the       
following day syringe with pure soft    
water4  ,rose trees may generally be    
cleansed of fly by means of the garden  
engine and pure water only1 the         

essential point being to direct the     
water on the trees with some amount of  
force for several evenings in succession
 whenever the fly threatens to obtain   
the mastery4  ,soft soap dissolved in   
water makes a cheap and effectual wash  
for exterminating all kinds of ,aphis1  
and to these ingredients quassia may    
with advantage be added4 ,one pound of  
soft soap will suffice for ten gallons  
of water1 into which stir the extract   
obtained by boiling one pound of quassia
 chips in water4 ,pot plants can be     
dipped in it as already advised1 or the 
solution may be applied by means of the 
syringe4 ,on the following day the      
plants should be cleansed with pure soft
 water4  ,the ,bean ,aphis1 also known  
as the ,bean ,plant ,louse1 or ,black   
,dolphin 7,aphis rumicis74 ,our         
illustration shows the wingless female  
and pupa natural size and magnified4    
,the pupa is black with greyish white   
mottlings1 while the female is deep     
greenish black in colour4 ,this insect  

commonly attacks the young shoots and   
tops of ,broad ,beans4 ,it is well to   
cut off the infected tops and burn them4
 ,should the attack be repeated spray   
the ,beans with a solution of soft soap 
and quassia4  ,illustration3 ,bean      
,aphis ,,bean ,,aphis ,aphis fab 7pupa  
and female7  ,the ,pea ,siphon-,aphis   
7,siphonophora pisi1 ,kalt74--,among the
 aphides peculiar to vegetables this is 
one of the most common4  ,illustration3 
,pea ,siphon-,aphis ,,pea               
,,siphon-,,aphis ,siphonophora pisis    
,our illustration shows the natural size
 and an enlarged figure of the          
greenish-winged and green-tinted        
wingless females1 as produced1 not from 
eggs1 but alive and developed4 ,this    
insect is occasionally very destructive 
to ,pea crops4  ,american ,blight1 or   
,woolly ,aphis1 generally appears first 
on trees grafted on dwarfing stocks1    
particularly the bad forms of the       
,paradise ,apple4 ,rapidly the mischief 
spreads1 healthy trees become infested1 

and unless checked an orchard is        
speedily ruined4 ,andrew ,murray says   
that in bad cases of ,american ,blight  
it is sometimes necessary to root up and
 burn all the trees1 and let the ground 
remain unplanted for a year or two4     
,fruit trees should be examined         
periodically for this pest1 and         
immediately the woolly spots are        
detected small tainted boughs should be 
pruned away1 and from the mainstems and 
large branches diseased spots can be    
pared off4 ,the operation may need a    
bold and vigorous hand if the trees are 
to be saved1 and it is important that   
every scrap should be burned4 ,there is 
almost certain to be a further          
appearance of the ,blight1 which should 
be destroyed by one of the many remedies
 known to be effectual4 ,fir ,tree ,oil 
,insecticide has proved to be an        
excellent remedy4 ,gishurst ,compound1  
in the proportion of eight ounces to a  
gallon of water1 with sufficient clay   
added to render it adhesive1 makes a    

capital winter paint for ,apple trees4  
,but there is no cheap remedy equal to  
soft soap for smothering ,american      
,blight in the crannies of the bark4    
,the soap may be rubbed into the        
diseased spots1 or as a wash it can be  
brushed into the boughs4  ,illustration3
 ,american ,blight ,,american ,,blight  
,schizoneura lanigera  ,our illustration
 shows a piece of ,apple twig with the  
aphides and their woolly material       
natural size4 ,the enlarged figures     
represent the winged female and the     
wingless larva of the ,apple ,blight    
,aphis 7,schizoneura lanigera74 ,the    
insect is deep purplish brown in colour1
 and the well-known bluish white cottony
 material naturally exudes from it4     
,the ,carrot ,fly 7,psila ros1 ,fab471  
with its larva1 pupa1 and perfect       
insect1 is illustrated natural size and 
enlarged4 ,the ochreous shining larv    
live upon the tap-roots of the ,carrot1 
and by eating into them cause them to   
rot4 ,in colour the body of the fly is  

an intensely dark greenish black1 with a
 rusty ochreous head4 ,the presence of  
the larv in the root is made known by   
the change in the colour of the leaves  
from green to yellow1 and the attacked  
plants should be promptly forked out    
entire and burned4  ,illustration3      
,carrot ,fly ,,carrot ,,fly ,psila ,ros 
7with maggot and chrysalis7  ,it is well
 to dig the ground in autumn1 so that   
the earth may be exposed to the frosts  
of winter and the pup to the attention  
of birds4 ,after sowing1 spray the      
,carrot bed with paraffin emulsion4     
,spray again after germination1 and a   
third time when thinning is finished4   
,the emulsion to be made by dissolving  
half a pound of soft soap in a gallon of
 boiling water4 ,while still boiling1   
pour the liquid into two gallons of     
paraffin and churn thoroughly until a   
buttery mass results4 ,this will keep   
for a long time in tins4 ,before use1   
dilute with twenty times the quantity of
 water--soft water if possible4 ,this is

 an excellent preventive4 ,after the    
work of thinning1 the fly may also be   
kept off the plants by scattering over  
them ashes1 sand1 or earth1 impregnated 
with paraffin4 ,carbolic powder and soot
 are both disagreeable to the insect4   
,it has been observed that when singling
 the disturbance of the soil is         
favourable to the operations of the     
,carrot ,fly4 ,a copious watering when  
the task is ended will firm the earth   
round the remaining roots1 and prevent  
the fly from easily getting down to     
deposit eggs4  ,carrots and ,parsnips   
are often attacked by the larva of a    
,carrot ,moth 7,depressaria cicutella71 
which spins webs for security while     
feeding1 and sometimes works havoc among
 the foliage4 ,a simple remedy is to    
shake the caterpillars from the leaves  
of the plants1 when they can be         
destroyed by the use of lime4  ,celery  
,fly4--,the apparent blisters in ,celery
 leaves are spots deficient of          
leaf-green1 which the larva of the      

,celery ,fly has eaten4 ,dusting        
newly-planted ,celery with lime or soot 
may do something to prevent the fly from
 laying its eggs1 but the most certain  
preventive is to boil half a pound of   
coal tar in one gallon of water for     
twenty minutes1 add fifty gallons of    
clear water1 and syringe the plants     
about noon once or twice from the middle
 to the end of ,june4 ,when once the    
grub has made a home1 it should be      
crushed by pinching the leaf between the
 finger and thumb1 or the injured       
portions of the leaves should be cut out
 and burned4 ,in doing this it must     
always be remembered that the leaves are
 as much needed by the plant as the     
roots1 and every leaf removed tends to  
diminish the vigour of the plant4 ,our  
illustration shows the ,celery ,fly     
7formerly known as ,tephritis           
onopordinis1 but now called ,acidia     
heraclei7 natural size and magnified4   
,this fly is also destructive to the    
leaves of ,parsnips1 and is named       

onopordinis from its habit of           
frequenting the ,cotton ,thistle        
7,onopordon ,acanthium74 ,the larva is  
white to very pale green1 the fly is    
shining tawny4 ,an ,ichneumon ,fly      
detects the larva of the ,celery ,fly in
 the ,celery and ,parsnip leaves1 and   
lays its eggs in the body of the larva4 
,these parasites1 named ,alysia apii1   
assist in reducing the numbers of the   
,celery ,fly4  ,illustration3 ,celery   
,fly ,,celery ,,fly ,,and ,,larva       
,tephritis onopordinis  ,all ,celery    
refuse should be destroyed by fire4     
,infested ground may1 if suitable1 be   
trenched1 bringing the subsoil to the   
surface and burying the top soil        
containing the pup4 ,frequent rough     
digging and the exposure of fresh       
surfaces to be searched by birds will   
also do something to abate the number of
 this pest4 ,but in bad cases it will be
 necessary to resort to gas-lime1 which 
poisons the pup and eventually benefits 
the soil1 although in the season        

immediately following its use crops may 
be less satisfactory than usual4  ,onion
 ,fly4--,onions are frequently attacked 
by the larv of the ,onion ,fly1 and in  
some instances the entire crop is       
destroyed4 ,our illustration shows the  
natural size of the fly and maggot1 with
 magnified representations of both4 ,the
 fly lays six to eight eggs on an ,onion
 plant1 generally just above the ground4
 ,these eggs hatch in from five to seven
 days1 according to the temperature1 and
 the maggots at once burrow into the    
,onion4 ,the result is soon visible in  
the discoloration of the leaves which   
turn yellow and begin to decay4 ,several
 generations of the insect1 the         
scientific name of which is ,phorbia    
cepetorum1 appear in the course of a    
single season4 ,a close ally is the     
,cabbage ,root ,fly 7,p4 brassic71 the  
destroyer of ,cabbage roots4            
,illustration3 ,onion ,fly ,,onion ,,fly
 ,,and ,,larva ,anthomyia ceparum       
,among the numerous methods of          

preventing attack and of destroying the 
grubs the following are worth           
attention3--  ,where this pest proves   
very troublesome it may be desirable to 
transfer ,onion growing to new ground   
until the infested land has been purged 
of the pup4 ,instead of throwing useless
 ,onion material on the waste heap to   
afford the fly a home for its eggs1     
every scrap should be burned4 ,as the   
preparation of an ,onion bed approaches 
completion1 powdered lime well mixed    
with soot1 in the proportion of two     
bushels of the former to one of the     
latter1 may be sown evenly over the     
surface and raked in4 ,sand impregnated 
with paraffin sown along the drills has 
answered as a preventive4 ,vaporite is a
 destroyer of the pup2 this preparation 
has proved deadly to ground vermin      
generally4 ,earthing up the ,onions was 
proved by ,miss ,ormerod's experiment to
 be effective4 ,the objection to this   
procedure is the probability of enlarged
 necks which are not wanted4 ,an        

emulsion1 composed of one pint of       
paraffin1 one pound of soft soap mixed  
with ten gallons of water1 thoroughly   
churned by a hand syringe and sprayed   
over the young plants in a fine mist1 is
 a valuable preventive4 ,the dose may be
 repeated after rainfall1 if necessary4 
,the quantities named suffice for a     
small plot only4 ,soapsuds are          
destructive to the maggots1 disagreeable
 to the fly1 and beneficial to the young
 plants4 ,the suds should be sprayed    
over the bed from a watering can on the 
first appearance of a yellow colour in  
the grass4 ,as a final suggestion       
reference may be made to a singular fact
 which we do not profess to explain1    
viz4 that transplanted ,onions are very 
seldom touched by grub4 ,the modern     
practice of raising seedlings under     
glass in ,january or ,february1 and     
planting out in open beds in ,april1    
offers the advantage of a long season of
 growth combined with comparative       
immunity from attack by the ,onion ,fly4

  ,turnip ,fly1 or ,flea1 is well known 
to the gardener1 and is the most        
troublesome of all the arial pests of   
the farm1 and one with which it is most 
difficult to cope1 not only because of  
its general diffusion and numbers1 but  
because it produces a succession of     
broods throughout the summer1 and is    
therefore always in force1 ready to     
devour the crop immediately it appears4 
,the so-called #8,fly' is a small beetle
 named ,haltica 7,phyllotreta7 nemorum1 
strongly made1 and decidedly voracious4 
,the larv are not to be feared1 except  
that1 of course1 they in due time become
 beetles4 ,in the perfect state this    
winged jumping insect makes havoc of the
 rising plant of ,turnips1 but the crop 
is only in danger while in the seed-leaf
 stage4 ,it is in the spring and early  
summer chiefly that the ravages of these
 insects occasion perplexity1 for they  
awaken from their winter torpor active  
and hungry1 and have a ready appetite   
for almost any cruciferous plant4 ,hence

 we see the leaves of ,radishes pierced 
by them1 and all such weeds as          
,charlock1 ,cuckoo ,flower1 ,hedge      
,garlic1 and ,water ,cress serve them   
for food until the ,turnip crops are on 
the move1 when they will travel miles1  
even against the wind1 to wreck the     
farmer's hopes4 ,the ,cabbage ,flea     
7,haltica oleracea7 in some districts is
 equally troublesome1 if not more so4   
,whole ,cabbages may be destroyed by    
this pest1 and even ,hops are often     
ruined by it4  ,illustration3 ,turnip   
,fly ,,turnip ,,fly ,,or ,,beetle       
,haltica nemorum 7with larva and        
chrysalis7  ,preventive and remedial    
measures that can easily be carried out 
in a garden may be impracticable on a   
farm4 ,we propose to enumerate them     
briefly as they occur to us1 leaving the
 ultimate choice of weapons to those who
 may unfortunately find occasion to use 
them4  ,one precaution is to insure a   
quick germination of the seed and strong
 growth of the plant in its seed-leaf   

stage4 ,the cotyledons are tender and   
tasty1 perhaps sugary from ,nature's    
process of malting2 and while the       
seed-leaf is assailable the ,haltica    
makes the best of the shining hour4 ,the
 seed sown should be all of one age1 and
 the newest possible1 because of the    
need for a quick and strong growth4     
,when a powerful artificial is sown with
 the seed1 the quantity of seed must be 
increased1 as a proportion may be killed
 by the manure4 ,it is important always 
to drill ,turnip seed2 broadcasting     
seems to invite the ,fly--at all events1
 a drilled crop is generally safer4     
,before sowing1 the seed may be soaked  
in paraffin or turpentine4 ,of the two  
the latter appears to be the more       
successful in keeping the insects at    
bay4  ,rolling an infested plant        
disturbs and weakens the insects and    
stimulates the young plant4  ,the       
sprinkling of slaked lime over the      
seedlings is at once a safe and an      
efficient process1 and possesses the    

additional advantage of being beneficial
 to the plant4 ,we are aware that it    
does not always succeed1 but we are     
inclined to attribute the failure to a  
bad quality of the lime1 or a careless  
method of employing it4 ,there should be
 enough put on to make the plants white1
 and they will be none the worse for the
 whitening4 ,dustings of fine ashes or  
soot are scarcely less effective1 but   
salt must not be used1 for it injures   
the plants and does not hurt the beetle4
 ,all such dustings should be done in   
the early morning1 while the plants are 
wet with dew4 ,to apply a dusting at    
midday1 when the sun shines gaily1 is to
 waste time1 and probably many of the   
recorded failures might be explained if 
we knew at what hour and in what sort of
 weather the work was done4 ,nets and   
sticking boards have been tried and     
found effectual1 and yet such things are
 rarely used4 ,a board thickly covered  
with white paint1 drawn over the plot on
 a still1 sunny day1 soon becomes a     

black board by the myriads of ,halticas 
that jump at and remain attached to it1 
the victims of their extravagant love of
 light4 ,old sacks soaked in paraffin   
and drawn over the drills impart a      
disagreeable flavour to the leaves1 and 
a very fine spray of paraffin           
distributed by a machine specially      
constructed for the purpose has proved  
effective4  ,finally1 this1 in common   
with all other insects in the winged    
state1 needs a dry air and some degree  
of warmth for its health and happiness4 
,many kinds of larv need moisture1 but  
no winged insect can abide moisture     
long1 and herein is a clue to the       
eradication of ,turnip ,fly4 ,by the    
simple process of spraying the plant    
three or four times a day1 until it is  
out of the seed-leaf1 and the danger is 
over1 it is possible in the garden to   
wash out the ,haltica2 and any kind of  
insecticide or flavouring1 such as      
quassia1 may be mingled with the water  
to render the plants distasteful to the 

insects4  ,the illustration on page #dbb
 shows the ,turnip ,fly in its three    
stages1 and in each case of the natural 
size and magnified seven diameters4     
,illustration3 ,daddy ,longlegs ,,daddy 
,,long ,,legs ,tipula 7in various       
stages7  ,daddy ,longlegs1 or ,crane    
,fly1 in its perfect form of a fly      
7,tipula oleracea7 does no harm1 but the
 grubs1 known by the familiar name of   
#8leather-jackets' owing to the         
toughness of their skins1 are terribly  
destructive4 ,during late summer and    
autumn the female fly deposits its eggs 
in large numbers in turf1 in garden soil
 and amongst garden refuse4 ,the eggs   
are hatched in a fortnight or so and the
 dark grubs lie in the ground through   
the winter1 inflicting their maximum1   
amount of injury to young crops in      
spring and early summer4 ,where song    
birds are scarce the ,tipula is capable 
of utterly destroying grass and of      
seriously ravaging the ,kitchen ,garden2
 but cultivation1 aided by the robins1  

thrushes1 nightingales1 and other birds1
 will keep the insect within bounds1    
even after a hot summer favourable to   
its increase4 ,where this pest is known 
to exist1 an application of ,vaporite at
 the time of preparing ground for sowing
 or planting will destroy many of the   
grubs4 ,the regular use of the hoe is   
also to be recommended1 for by the      
disturbance of the soil the enemy is    
exposed to the sharp eye of the robin   
and other feathered gardeners4          
,root-knot ,eelworm4--,one of the worst 
pests that a ,cucumber-grower has to    
deal with manifests itself by the       
presence of minute warts or nodosities1 
chiefly on the rootlets4 ,these warts1  
which are caused by the action of       
innumerable small thread-like worms     
named ,heterodera radicicola1 range from
 the size of a pin's head to that of a  
pea1 and when they are present in large 
numbers the total failure of the        
,cucumber crop is the invariable result4
 ,the eelworms are probably introduced  

to ,cucumber-houses in infected water4  
,each worm is about one-seventyfifth of 
an inch in length and is at first coiled
 up inside a transparent egg4 ,at       
maturity the eggs crack open1 and the   
worms on emerging bore into the most    
tender rootlets1 and there lay their    
eggs4 ,these eggs speedily hatch inside 
the plant and new eelworms are produced1
 which traverse the rootlets in every   
direction4  ,illustration3 ,cucumber    
,eel-worms and eggs ,,cucumber          
,,eel-,,worms ,,and ,,eggs ,anguillul   
,these ,heterodera are by no means      
peculiar to the ,cucumber2 they attack  
the roots of ,tomatoes and ,melons1 and 
the roots1 stems1 and foliage of many   
other plants4 ,our illustration shows   
some very small ,cucumber rootlets1     
natural size1 with the eelworms in the  
eggs1 and also emerging from and free of
 the empty eggshell 7enlarged eighty    
diameters74  ,immediately symptoms of   
the pest are apparent from the wilting  
of the foliage and stems1 all infected  

plants should be removed and burned4    
,the soil must also be cleared out and  
the interior of the house thoroughly    
washed with a solution of carbolic acid 
in water3--one part of the former to    
eight parts of the latter4 ,to purify   
the infected soil1 use a solution of    
carbolic acid 7one part7 and water      
7twenty parts7 and saturate three times1
 at intervals of a fortnight4 ,another  
remedy is to mix weathered gas-lime     
freely with the soil4 ,in either case   
the soil will be unfit for use for at   
least six weeks after treatment4 ,when  
the house has been well cleansed1 fresh 
compost should be used1 to which the    
addition of lime and soot1 mixed with   
the soil1 will be beneficial4           
,illustration3 ,mealy ,bug ,,mealy ,,bug
 ,dactylopius odonidum  ,mealy          
,bug4--,this plague is by no means      
confined to plants under glass4 ,in the 
case of a lot of stove plants badly     
affected1 the desperate course of       
committing the whole to the fire1 and   

then repairing and painting the house1  
is often the cheapest in the end4 ,we   
have known a ,pine-grower compelled to  
destroy a houseful of plants that have  
been infested by the introduction of a  
plant from a buggy collection4 ,mealy   
,bug may be known by its mealy1 floury1 
or cottony appearance4 ,it has a great  
fancy for ,grape vines4 ,one of the best
 remedies is ,gishurst ,compound1       
prepared at the rate of eight ounces to 
a gallon of water1 with clay added to   
give it the consistence of paint4       
,miscellaneous stove plants may be      
cleansed by washing with a brush and    
soft soap4 ,our illustration shows a    
group of ,mealy ,bugs natural size1 with
 one insect magnified4  ,illustration3  
,red ,spider ,,red ,,spider ,tetranychus
 telarius  ,red ,spider is present in   
almost every vinery1 however well       
managed4 ,a moist atmosphere is a great1
 though not a certain preventive2 but it
 is not possible1 without injury to the 
vines1 to keep the air of the house     

always so humid that the ,spider is     
unable to obtain a lodgment4 ,syringing 
promotes a moist atmosphere1 and is     
unfavourable to the ,red ,spider1 which 
thrives best in heat and dryness4 ,but  
the most decided repellent of ,spider is
 the use of sulphur on the hot-water    
pipes4 ,this may be managed by          
sprinkling dry sulphur on the pipes1 or 
by making a thick solution of sulphur1  
clay1 and water1 with which the pipes   
should be painted4 ,be careful not to   
raise the heat at the same time1 for if 
the pipes are hotter than the hand can  
bear fumes destructive to vegetation    
will be given off4 ,melons and          
,cucumbers may generally be kept clear  
of ,spider by means of the syringe only2
 but when ,melons are ripening they must
 be kept rather dry1 and it is very     
difficult indeed to finish a crop       
without having the plants attacked by   
,red ,spider4 ,gishurst ,compound       
answers admirably to remove ,spider from
 house plants4 ,the mixture should      

consist of one and a half or two ounces 
to one gallon of water1 and should be   
applied with a sponge4 ,the scientific  
name of the ,red ,spider is ,tetranychus
 telarius4 ,our illustration shows one  
of these destructive red mites natural  
size1 and two individuals greatly       
magnified4  ,scale4--,a very common     
species1 found on many kinds of stove   
and other plants1 is the ,lecanium      
hibernaculorum1 here illustrated on a   
twig1 natural size1 and magnified4 ,it  
is brown1 tumid1 and commonly somewhat  
more than hemispherical in shape4       
,besides this species there is the ,l4  
filicum of ,ferns1 the ,l4              
hemisphoericum of ,dracnas1 the ,l4     
rotundum of the ,peach1 and the common  
,l4 hesperidum1 or ,orange-tree ,bug1   
which is one of the flat species1 and it
 spreads to a great variety of plants4  
,the ,scale insect sucks the sap from   
plants1 and in some instances the ground
 beneath the foliage is wet and soddened
 by the falling sap4 ,spirit of         

turpentine applied with a soft brush is 
considered to be a good remedy for      
,scale4 ,it is1 however1 advisable 7as  
in other remedies7 to test this on a    
small number of plants at first4 ,a near
 relative1 a large brown ,coccus1       
infests pomaceous trees1 and is         
especially partial to the ,pyracantha1  
which it often kills outright4 ,the     
,scale of the ,vine is ,pulvinaria or   
,coccus vitis4 ,careful washing with    
soap and water1 and the destruction of  
each separate ,scale as soon as seen1   
can be recommended for the extirpation  
of this pest4  ,illustration3 ,common   
,scale ,,common ,,scale ,lecanium       
hibernaculorum 7natural size and        
enlarged7   ,illustration3 ,thrips      
,,thrips ,thrips minutissima  ,thrips   
may pursue their mischief to a great    
extent before they are discovered by the
 novice1 for their minute size and their
 habit render them inconspicuous4 ,but  
the black deposit they make reveals     
their existence to the experienced eye1 

and the debilitated condition of the    
plants they have attacked would soon    
compel attention were there no such     
deposit to tell the tale4 ,the ,indian  
,azaleas are apt to be beset by ,thrips1
 as the ,grape-vine is by ,scale1 the   
,pineapple by ,mealy ,bug1 and the ,rose
 by ,green ,aphis4 ,atmospheric humidity
 is a powerful preventive1 as is also   
the promotion of vigorous growth by a   
plentiful supply of water to the roots  
of the plants2 in fact1 starvation and a
 dry1 hot air will soon bring an attack 
of ,thrips4 ,generally speaking1 the    
best remedy is fumigation with tobacco4 
,or tobacco water and a solution of soft
 soap1 together or separately1 if       
carefully applied1 speedily make an end 
of this troublesome pest4 ,a special    
preparation may be made as follows3     
,take six pounds of soft soap1 and      
dissolve in twelve gallons of water1 add
 half a gallon of strong tobacco water1 
and dip the plants in the mixture4      
,before they become dry1 dip again in   

pure rainwater to remove the mixture4   
,if too large to dip1 apply the mixture 
with the syringe1 and in the course of a
 quarter of an hour or so syringe with  
pure rainwater4 ,our illustration shows 
the ,thrips in the larval and winged    
state1 natural size and greatly         
magnified4  ,ants4--,these extremely    
interesting insects are frequently      
troublesome in gardens1 and in the      
spring of the year the small red species
 mars the appearance of lawns by        
throwing up numerous heaps of fine soil4
 ,it is easy to destroy them by dropping
 a mixture of ,paris ,green and sugar   
near their runs4 ,but as ,paris ,green  
is a poison1 animal life must be        
considered4 ,we recommend a simple      
remedy which entails no danger1 but it  
must be followed up persistently4       
,purchase a few common sponges1 as large
 as a man's fist4 ,dissolve one pound of
 ,demerara sugar in two quarts of warm  
water4 ,immerse the sponges1 wring out  
nearly all the liquid1 and place them   

near the ant runs4 ,twice daily throw   
the sponges into hot water1 and repeat  
the process until the ants are cleared4 
,nests located under walls can be       
destroyed by boiling water4             
,caterpillars cannot often be treated in
 a wholesale way without injury to the  
plant4 ,hence it is usual to rely on    
hand-picking1 and1 tedious as this may  
be1 a little perseverance will          
accomplish wonders4 ,we have seen a     
fruit garden1 literally hideous with    
clusters of ,caterpillars in spring1    
completely cleared by a few days' steady
 work1 costing but a trifle1 and only   
needing to be conducted so that in      
removing the vermin there should be no  
harm done to the crops4 ,in the same way
 the ,gooseberry grub should be disposed
 of4 ,precautions cannot be taken       
against ,caterpillars1 but the careful  
cultivator will in good time look for   
patches of eggs and clusters of young   
,caterpillars on the under sides of     
leaves1 and will carefully nip off the  

leaves on which the colonies are        
feeding1 and make an end of them4 ,this 
enemy cannot be raked in rank and file1 
but must be taken in detail1 as in      
guerilla warfare4  ,earwigs are the     
dread of the florist1 for they spoil his
 best ,dahlias and ,hollyhocks1 and are 
too partial to ,chrysanthemums4 ,they   
are readily trapped1 as they like to go 
up to a high1 dry1 dark retreat2 hence a
 bit of dry moss in a small flower-pot1 
inverted on a stake1 will entice them   
into your hands2 and if you are         
determined to keep down ,earwigs1 this  
way is sure1 though1 perhaps1 not easy1 
because it must be followed up morning  
and evening from the beginning of ,june 
onwards4 ,the hollow stems of the ,bean 
make good traps1 as indeed do hollow    
stems of any kind1 for ,earwigs love to 
creep into close1 dark shelters after   
their nocturnal meal2 and the cultivator
 who has resolved that he will not be   
eaten up by them needs only to          
persevere1 and he may depend on trapping

 every ,earwig within the boundaries4   
,unfortunately1 they use their wings    
freely1 and so travel from the          
sluggard's garden to find #8fresh woods 
and pastures new4'  ,illustration3      
,earwig ,,earwig 7with wings spread1    
magnified7  ,slugs are serious plagues  
to the gardener1 and they sometimes     
appear in large numbers so suddenly as  
to suggest the idea that the little     
,slugs have come down in showers4 ,young
 crops are especially liable to injury  
from these vermin1 and it is not easy1  
even in well-kept gardens1 to keep them 
down4 ,constant attention is necessary1 
particularly in wet seasons4 ,but here1 
as in the case of many other kinds of   
vermin1 means may be adopted that will  
accomplish the double purpose of        
destroying the plague and benefiting the
 land2 for lime1 salt1 soot1 and nitrate
 of soda are certain ,slug-killers1 and 
will usually pay for their employment by
 their enrichment of the ground4 ,the   
nice point always is to employ them     

advantageously4 ,it should further be   
borne in mind that a ,slug slightly     
touched by lime or salt has the power of
 throwing it off by means of the slimy  
exudation with which the creature is    
endowed4 ,but if again quickly assailed 
in a similar manner death is certain to 
follow4 ,land made ready for sowing may 
be pretty well cleared of ,slugs by     
broadcasting it with salt4              
,unfortunately1 these destroyers are    
only effective in fine weather4 ,in     
rainy seasons1 or when a crop is rising1
 it is necessary to resort to trapping1 
and many kinds of vegetable refuse make 
tempting baits for ,slugs4 ,pieces of   
,orange peel1 suitably placed1 are soon 
covered with the vermin1 especially in  
the winter during intervals of frost4   
,cabbage leaves1 sliced ,turnips and    
,potatoes1 or almost any waste vegetable
 may be used4 ,the traps should be      
scattered about at dusk1 and be gathered
 up in the morning1 and buried in pits1 
or destroyed by fire4  ,gas-lime is     

highly destructive to ,slugs1 but when  
first applied it is poisonous to plant  
life4 ,an excellent method of using it  
is to dress the surface in autumn at the
 rate of from four to six cwt4 per acre1
 and to dig the ground deeply four weeks
 later4  ,rows of ,peas are easily      
protected by a covering of barley       
sweepings1 or by charcoal broken very   
small and flavoured with paraffin4      
,slaked lime1 carefully used1 is also   
employed with satisfactory results4     
,snails4--,in their methods of attacking
 garden vegetation1 and in the extent of
 damage they cause1 ,snails may be      
placed in the same category as ,slugs4  
,during the day the ,snail usually      
remains in hiding1 emerging from        
rockeries and creeper-covered walls in  
the evening or after a shower of rain4  
,they may be trapped by one of the      
methods suggested for ,slugs1 and       
preference should be given to the use of
 ,cabbage leaves4 ,it will1 however1 be 
safer to protect young plants by giving 

heavy dressings of lime or soot4 ,hand  
picking is the surest means of dealing  
with them1 and in the winter months     
large numbers may be collected from     
among box edgings1 the base of          
ivy-covered walls and similar shelters4 
,birds1 especially thrushes1 show a     
marked partiality for ,snails4  ,wasps  
are a terrible scourge in some gardens4 
,they spoil a large quantity of fruit1  
and jeopardise the remainder by forcing 
the harvest before the crops are ready  
for gathering4 ,when the localities of  
the ,wasps' nests are known1 it is a    
simple task to dispose of them4         
,turpentine and gunpowder were formerly 
in vogue1 especially among the younger  
members of the community1 to whom a     
spice of danger is always an attractive 
element in the fun4 ,but these are      
clumsy methods of destruction and will  
not compare with the far easier remedy  
of poisoning the colonies by means of   
cyanide of potassium4 ,dissolve one     
ounce of the drug in a quarter of a pint

 of water4 ,this will be sufficient to  
destroy several nests1 but it is a      
deadly poison1 and must be kept in a    
place of safety4 ,soak a piece of rag in
 the fluid1 and lay it over the entrance
 to the nest4 ,there is no occasion to  
run away2 not a ,wasp will venture out1 
and those which return from foraging    
will not lose their tempers and find    
yours1 but at each successive attempt to
 enter their home they will become      
feebler1 until they fall near or beneath
 the drugged rag4 ,after an hour or two 
the nest may be dug out1 when every     
insect1 including queen and pup1 will be
 found dead4  ,if the colonies lie      
beyond your frontier1 or their positions
 cannot be ascertained1 the enemy must  
be disposed of by stratagem and in      
detail4 ,one of the best modes of       
trapping them is to put some injured    
fruit beneath one of the trees1 and over
 it a hand-light raised about three     
inches above the ground by stones or    
pieces of wood placed at the four       

corners4 ,this light must have a rather 
large hole at the top4 ,upon it should  
rest another light from which egress is 
prevented1 except through the apex of   
the lower light4 ,after the ,wasps have 
visited the fruit1 they will rise into  
the first light1 and gradually find     
their way through the opening into the  
one above1 from which not one insect in 
a hundred will escape4 ,in a trap of    
this kind we have seen an enormous      
number of ,wasps and ,hornets which had 
been lured to death within a few hours4 
,another simple and effective method of 
destroying these pests is to pour a     
small quantity of ale mixed with sugar  
into glass jars and suspend them from   
branches of ,pear or ,plum trees4 ,the  
vessels must be emptied every few days  
and the liquid renewed4  ,illustration3 
,wireworm ,,wireworm 7natural size and  
magnified7  ,wireworm is the most       
persistent and destructive of all the   
ground vermin4 ,there are fully a dozen 
species of beetles the larv of which are

 known as #8,wireworms1' and of these   
the #8,spring-,jacks1'                  
#8,click-,beetles1' and                 
#8,blacksmiths'--,elater obscurus1 ,e4  
lineatus1 and ,e4 ruficaudis--are the   
most prevalent4 ,the female beetle      
deposits her eggs in the earth in the   
height of the summer1 and in due time   
the worms emerge and commence their     
depredations4 ,these worms have a tenure
 of three to five years in their        
subterranean homes1 during which time   
they feed voraciously1 and are not very 
particular as to what they eat4 ,their  
muscular power renders them expert in   
burrowing1 and they are well protected  
by their horny jackets4 ,when their term
 of feeding is completed1 they descend  
to a considerable depth and change into 
the chrysalis state1 from which they    
come forth as jumping beetles in the    
course of ,july and ,august1 a certain  
proportion remaining in the ground to   
complete their final change in spring4  
,their power of destruction is then at  

an end4 ,they resort to flowers1 lead a 
merry life for a short time1 and when   
they pass away leave plenty of eggs to  
continue the race of ,wireworms4  ,for  
practical purposes the ,wireworm may be 
regarded as inhabiting every kind of    
soil and consuming every kind of crop4  
,the crops it is most partial to are    
,grass1 ,potatoes1 ,turnips1 and the    
juicy stems of all kinds of cereals4    
,the larv may be trapped by burying in  
the ground pieces of ,potato1 or better 
still thick slices of ,beet root2 the   
spots to be marked1 and the traps       
examined every few days1 when the       
,wireworms can be destroyed4            
,superphosphate sown along the drills   
with seed has saved spring-sown crops   
from destruction2 and ,vaporite1 a      
proprietary article1 has also been used 
with marked success4 ,the latter gives  
off a gas smelling of naphthalene which 
kills the ,wireworms4 ,soot is a        
well-known remedy1 and by its use the   
crops are also benefited4  ,woodlice are

 very destructive but easily caught1 and
 they may be completely eradicated by   
perseverance4 ,when a frame or pit is   
infested1 they can be destroyed         
wholesale by pouring boiling water down 
next the brickwork or the woodwork in   
the middle of the day4 ,if this         
procedure does not make a clearance1    
recourse must be had to trapping4 ,in   
common with ,earwigs1 they love dryness1
 darkness1 and a snug retreat2 but while
 a mere home suffices for ,earwigs1 a   
home with food is demanded by ,woodlice4
 ,take a thumb pot1 quite dry and clean4
 ,in it place a fresh-cut slice of      
,potato or ,apple1 fill up with dry     
moss1 and turn the whole thing over on a
 bed in a frame or pit4 ,thus you have  
devised a ,woodlouse trap1 and next     
morning you may knock the vermin out of 
it into a vessel full of hot water1 or  
adopt any other mode of killing that may
 be convenient4 ,fifty traps may be     
prepared in a hundred minutes2 and those
 who are determined to get rid of       

,woodlice may soon make an end of them4 
,rats and ,mice4--,traps are efficient  
while they are new1 and almost any      
reasonably good contrivance will answer 
for a time1 but will fail at last1 or at
 least for a season4 ,to keep down ,rats
 and ,mice effectually there must be    
invented a succession of new modes of   
action1 for these creatures--,rats      
especially--are so clever that they soon
 see through our devices1 which then    
fail of effect4 ,generally speaking1 two
 rules may be prescribed4 ,in the first 
place it is imprudent to fill up their  
holes or stop their runs2 let them have 
their way4 ,if you stop them1 they will 
make new thoroughfares1 to the further  
injury of the foundation2 and1 besides1 
when you are acquainted with their runs1
 you know where to put traps and poison 
for the vermin4 ,as to the best poison1 
there is nothing so effectual as        
arsenic2 but it should be employed with 
great care1 and before it is brought on 
the premises the question of safe       

storage must be considered4 ,a fat      
bloater split down and well rubbed with 
common white arsenic will kill a score  
of ,rats1 provided only that they will  
eat it4 ,cut it into four parts1 and    
place these in or near their runs1 and  
cover with tiles or boards to prevent   
dogs and cats obtaining them4 ,if this  
fails1 try bread and butter dressed with
 oil of rhodium and phosphorus4 ,the oil
 of rhodium seems to possess an         
irresistible attraction for these       
vermin4 ,when dry food is preferred1    
there is nothing so good as oatmeal2 and
 it is a golden rule to feed the ,rats  
for a few days with pure oatmeal1 and   
then to mix about a fourth part of      
arsenic with it4 ,several proprietary   
articles are offered for the destruction
 of ,rats4 ,before resorting to these   
means of annihilating vermin it is      
necessary to take steps to prevent the  
bodies from proving a nuisance after    
death4 ,a good fox-terrier will keep a  
large garden free from ,rats and ,mice4 

,,the ,,fungus ,,pests ,,of ,,certain   
,,garden ,,plants   ,many of our garden 
plants are liable to the attacks of     
fungi4 ,cures are in most instances     
unknown1 but in some cases              
preventives--which are better--have been
 adopted with partial or entire success4
 ,plants raised from robust stocks1     
grown in suitable soil and under        
favourable conditions1 are known to be  
less liable to disease than seedlings   
from feeble parents1 or those which have
 been rendered weakly by deficiencies in
 the soil or faulty cultivation4        
,whether weakness is hereditary1 or is  
attributable to a bad system1 the fact  
remains that disease generally begins   
with unhealthy specimens1 and these form
 centres of contamination from which the
 mischief spreads4 ,it is1 therefore1   
important that seed from healthy stocks 
should be sown1 and that a vigorous     
constitution should be developed by good
 cultivation4  ,anbury1 ,club1 or       
,finger-and-toe4--,the disease known by 

these various names is common in the    
roots of cultivated cruciferous plants  
such as ,cabbages1 ,kohl ,rabi1         
,radishes1 ,swedes1 ,turnips1 c41 and   
also in many cruciferous weeds1         
including ,charlock and ,shepherd's     
,purse4 ,the cause of this disease is an
 extremely minute fungus1 which may lie 
dormant in the soil for several years   
for want of a comfortable home1 and when
 a cruciferous plant becomes available  
the fungus fastens on the fine roots1   
multiplies rapidly in the tissues1 and  
produces malformation and decay4 ,after 
the disease has made some progress      
insect agency frequently augments the   
mischief1 so that on cutting open a     
large decaying root it is not unusual to
 find the interior packed with          
millipedes1 weevils1 wireworms1 and     
other ground vermin4  ,unlike the       
,potato disease1 which spreads from     
plant to plant through the atmosphere1  
the fungus of ,finger-and-toe infects   
the ground1 and from the first spot     

attacked the disease spreads rapidly in 
all directions and in various ways4 ,it 
may be carried by the soil adhering to  
implements or the boots of labourers4   
,and each patch becomes a new centre of 
infection which is spread by digging or 
raking4 ,every scrap of infected soil1  
or of diseased fibre which may be added 
to the manure-heap1 distributes the     
virus over a wider area1 so that        
,finger-and-toe may suddenly appear in  
parts of the garden which have hitherto 
been free from this troublesome pest4 ,a
 very simple experiment will prove the  
certainty and ease with which the spores
 may be introduced to fresh land4       
,macerate the tissue of old             
,finger-and-toe in water2 use this on   
young isolated plants of ,cabbage or    
,turnip and in a short time the plants  
will be infected4  ,the fungus which    
produces ,finger-and-toe is known as    
,plasmodiophora brassic1 and it belongs 
to the ,myxomycetes1 or #8slime-fungi1' 
which1 as a rule1 live upon decaying    

vegetable material4 ,the protoplasm of  
the fungus ramifies among and within the
 tissues of the roots of attacked       
plants1 and eventually produces an      
amazing number of spores so small that  
more than thirty millions would be      
required to cover a superficial inch4 ,a
 microscope of great power is necessary 
to reveal them to human vision4         
,illustration3 ,fungus of               
,finger-and-,toe ,disease ,,fungus ,,of 
,,finger-,,and-,,toe ,,disease          
,plasmodiophora brassic  ,the spores are
 capable of resting in a state of       
vitality for a long time1 and can easily
 withstand the frosts of winter4 ,the   
illustration shows at ,a the fungus in  
its protoplasmic condition1 and at ,b   
its ultimate sporiferous or             
#8seed'-producing stage1 after the      
protoplasm has changed to a mass of     
minute spores 7enlarged five hundred and
 twenty diameters74 ,when a spore in due
 course germinates1 its protoplasmic    
contents escape through a small aperture

 in its wall and begin moving about of  
their own accord in a slow writhing     
manner4 ,the movement is so much like   
that of the microscopic animal organism 
found in ponds1 and called ,amba1 that  
this tiny mass of moving protoplasm is  
called ,myxamba1 to denote that it is an
 amba-like form produced by one of the  
,myxomycetes4 ,each myxamba is drawn out
 at one spot into a fine delicate tail  
or cilium1 as at ,c1 ,d1 ,e1 and is     
capable of a creeping motion in         
moisture4 ,when quite free from the     
spores1 transparent expansions or limbs 
extend from the bodies of the myxamb1 as
 at ,f1 ,g1 and when these organisms1   
after existing in the soil for a longer 
or shorter time1 reach the roots of     
cruciferous plants1 which they          
apparently enter through the root-hairs1
 they again assume the protoplasmic     
condition shown at ,a1 and live within  
the cells1 at the expense of the        
nurse-plant4 ,other cruciferous plants  
are less seriously damaged by the pest  

than are ,turnips and ,cabbages2 but it 
is evident that if diseased ,charlock is
 near ,turnips1 the latter are very     
likely to fall a prey to the disease4   
,we advise the sowing of the best seeds1
 the eradication of cruciferous weeds1  
and the destruction by fire of all      
decaying ,finger-and-toe material1 for  
it is in this material that the spores  
of the disease rest ready for continuing
 the disease in the following season4   
,it is also desirable that cruciferous  
plants should not be continuously grown 
in the same quarter--in other words1 it 
would be prudent after an attack of     
,anbury not to repeat a cruciferous crop
 on the same ground1 but to follow on   
with a crop of some other class4        
,numerous experiments have shown that   
slaked lime can be relied on to destroy 
the spores of ,finger-and-toe in        
infested land4 ,an application of from  
fourteen to twenty-eight pounds per pole
 may suffice in the case of light soils1
 but fifty-six pounds per pole will not 

be too much on heavy land1 and the      
dressing should be given either six or  
eighteen months before a ,cabbage or    
,turnip crop is sown2 the longer period 
is the more certain in its effect4      
,preference should be given to stone or 
rock lime over chalk lime4 ,the former  
is much more powerful and efficient4 ,it
 may be necessary to repeat the dressing
 twelve months after the first          
application4 ,as regards the occurrence 
of ,anbury in seed-beds1 frequent       
transplantation is a very effectual mode
 of stopping its progress1 for the      
little galls can be pinched off by the  
workman1 and burned as he proceeds2 and 
the plant1 being invigorated by change  
of soil1 will soon grow away from the   
affection4 ,in transplanting ,cabbages  
it is a good plan to discard and burn   
such plants as are obviously affected   
with ,anbury4 ,it is worthy of remark   
that in market-gardens this disease is  
by no means so prevalent as to interfere
 with the routine of cultivation1       

although the ,cabbages1 ,broccoli1 and  
,cauliflowers grown in these grounds    
are1 under other circumstances1         
especially liable to attack4 ,by #8other
 circumstances' we mean that            
market-gardens are generally kept under 
high cultivation1 the land being        
perpetually turned and heavily manured2 
and these measures appear to be a       
preventive of ,anbury1 while they result
 in heavy crops4 ,but on land less      
energetically tilled ,anbury may prevail
 to such an extent as to interfere      
seriously with the order of cropping4   
,another very important mode of keeping 
down the pest consists in burning       
instead of burying the stumps and all   
other refuse of the crop that cannot be 
turned to account4  ,confusion may be   
prevented if we point out that          
,club-root1 ,anbury1 or                 
,finger-and-toe--whichever name may be  
used--is quite distinct from an         
apparently similar malformation of the  
root which is sometimes induced by      

certain characteristics of soil1 seed1  
or manure1 and is in fact a case of     
reversion to the original wild type4    
,instead of a shapely1 solid ,turnip1   
the bulb is divided into a number of    
coarse1 worthless tap-roots1 caused by  
either poverty of the soil1 careless    
cultivation1 or a degenerated stock of  
seed4 ,those who save their own seed    
continuously for years are almost       
certain to become well acquainted with  
this malady4 ,they will find a change of
 seed necessary1 and at the same time an
 alteration in the routine of culture4  
,a healthy1 vigorous plant1 derived from
 a pure seed-stock1 does not easily make
 ,finger-and-toe1 but a sound root that 
stands for food and money4              
#8,grub4'--,the wart-like growths formed
 upon the roots of ,turnip and ,cabbage 
by the little hard beetle known as the  
,turnip-gall ,weevil1 ,ceutorhynchus    
pleurostigma1 are also quite distinct   
from ,finger-and-toe4 ,by cutting across
 a malformed root of ,turnip or ,cabbage

 it is usually not difficult to         
determine the cause of the mischief4 ,if
 it is ,finger-and-toe the root will be 
found filled with decaying matter2 in   
the case of ,weevil attack the small    
legless maggots1 commonly called        
#8,grub1' will be brought into view2 and
 if it is merely an instance of         
reversion the cut root will appear to be
 healthy4  ,potato ,disease4--,the      
fungus which causes the ,potato         
,disease1 or #8,blight' as it is        
sometimes called1 was formerly known as 
,peronospora infestans2 now it is       
recognised by scientific authorities as 
,phytophthora infestans4 ,the mark of   
its pestilent touch on the foliage1 and 
its destructive effect on the tubers1   
are unfortunately too familiar in       
gardens and on farms4 ,in dry seasons   
its energies are restricted1 but the    
scourge is never absent1 and during wet 
summers the parasite may do its deadly  
work on such a vast scale as to cause a 
,potato famine4 ,moisture is a necessity

 of its existence1 and in rotting haulm1
 decayed tubers1 and damp soil the      
spores remain in a resting condition    
until they are afforded an opportunity  
of multiplying with the marvellous      
rapidity that invests the disease with  
its terrible power4 ,a series of six    
illustrations1 five of which are highly 
magnified1 will enable the reader to    
follow the development of ,phytophthora 
infestans4#a  ,illustration3 ,no4 #a4   
,no4 #a4  ,the illustration ,no4 #a     
shows a ,potato leaf on a reduced scale 
disfigured by the attack of the fungus4 
,the ,phytophthora is sending mycelial  
threads 7called hyph7 in all directions 
through the substance of the leaf1      
feeding on the protoplasm of the cells  
and destroying the chlorophyll1 or      
leaf-green1 in those cells4             
,illustration3 ,no4 #b4 and #c4 ,no4 #b4
  ,no4 #c4  ,no4 #b shows the fungal    
threads at work4 ,in a diseased ,potato 
plant these threads1 or mycelial hyph1  
make their way through the substance of 

the leaves1 and down the haulm into the 
tubers1 from which they consume the food
 stored there4  ,no4 #c exhibits the    
various stages of germination of one of 
the conidia of ,phytophthora infestans3 
7a7 the ripe conidium in water2 7b7     
protoplasmic contents breaking up into  
blocks1 which separate and escape 7c and
 d7 as minute kidney-shaped zoospores   
7e7 each with two cilia2 7f and g7 the  
zoospore coming to rest and losing its  
cilia2 7h1 i1 j1 and k7 successive      
stages of germination of the zoospore4  
,illustration3 ,no4 #d4 ,no4 #d4  ,no4  
#d represents a longitudinal section of 
,potato-stalk with germinating zoospore1
 the germ-tube of which has pierced the 
cell-wall1 and is growing inside the    
cell1 as shown at 4  ,illustration3 ,no4
 #e4 and #f4 ,no4 #e4  ,no4 #f  ,no4 #e 
affords a view of another piece of      
tissue of the stem of a ,potato plant1  
and shows the hyph of ,phytophthora     
infestans running in the cell-walls2 7a7
 nucleus of a cell2 the other contents  

shown are crystals and chlorophyll      
corpuscles4  ,no4 #f is a section of a  
,potato tuber3 ,a1 the cell-walls2 ,b1  
the starch grains2 ,c1 the mycelial     
hyph4  ,spraying ,potato plants twice or
 thrice with ,bordeaux mixture has      
proved effective in warding off the     
attack of ,phytophthora infestans1 and  
the practice is now freely adopted1     
especially in humid districts4 ,the     
first application should be given       
towards the end of ,june or early in    
,july1 immediately the haulm is         
sufficiently developed4 ,the ,bordeaux  
mixture is made in the proportion of    
four pounds of pure copper sulphate and 
two pounds of quicklime to forty gallons
 of water4 ,the foregoing quantities    
will give what is known as the one per  
cent4 mixture4 ,for the two per cent4   
mixture the quantities of copper        
sulphate and quicklime must be doubled1 
but the amount of water should remain at
 forty gallons4 ,in its effect on the   
fungus1 however1 little difference is to

 be found between the two solutions4    
,the copper sulphate is stirred into a  
few gallons of hot water placed in a    
wooden tub or earthenware vessel4 ,when 
quite dissolved1 add twenty or thirty   
gallons of cold water4 ,the lime1 which 
must be freshly burnt quicklime1 is then
 slaked in another vessel and thoroughly
 stirred with two or three gallons of   
water until it is of the consistency of 
thin cream4 ,as soon as the liquid is   
quite cold1 filter it through coarse    
sacking into the copper sulphate        
solution and add water to make a total  
of forty gallons4 ,to be effective1     
,bordeaux mixture must be applied in the
 form of a fine spray1 and not with a   
coarse-holed syringe4  ,the ,burgundy   
mixture1 the use of which is preferred  
by some1 acts in a very similar manner  
to the ,bordeaux mixture1 and is made in
 the same way as the latter1 except that
 washing soda 7five pounds7 is          
substituted for quicklime4  ,those who  
leave ,potatoes to rot in the ground    

because the crop is not worth digging1  
or who bury diseased haulm and tubers in
 a shallow trench1 under the impression 
that it is a safe way of getting rid of 
worthless vegetation1 are simply storing
 ,phytophthora for another attack in the
 event of ,potatoes being planted in the
 same land again4 ,if buried at all1 it 
must be at a considerable depth1 but the
 effectual method is to destroy all     
,potato refuse by fire4  ,wart ,disease 
7,black ,scab7 of ,potatoes             
7,synchytrium endobioticum1             
,percival74--,this extremely infectious 
and destructive disease of the ,potato  
has been given a variety of names in    
different parts of the country1 but it  
is now generally known as the ,wart or  
,cauliflower ,disease1 the latter term  
being attributable to the               
,cauliflower-like appearance of the     
outgrowth of the fungus4 ,this outgrowth
 first shows in the eyes of the young   
,potato in the form of small wrinkled   
warts4 ,these multiply and combine1 thus

 creating a dark spongy scab which      
eventually decomposes4 ,where the       
disease is very rife it attacks haulm as
 well as tubers1 and a yellowish-green  
mass may sometimes be found just above  
or just below the surface of the soil4  
,as a rule1 however1 no outward         
indication of its existence is to be    
seen in the crop during the early stages
 of growth1 but towards the end of the  
season the haulm of badly diseased      
plants often retains a fresh green      
appearance when the foliage of others1  
which are healthy or only slightly      
attacked1 is dying off4  ,infection is  
perhaps most commonly spread by the     
planting of diseased tubers4 ,another   
frequent means of dissemination is      
caused by consigning infected haulm to  
the waste heap instead of to the fire4  
,the spores may also be introduced in   
manure from animals fed on diseased     
,potatoes in a raw state1 and they may  
even be carried from one plot to another
 on garden implements or the boots of   

those who walk across infected ground4  
,immediately any sign of the disease is 
observed it should be dealt with        
promptly and in no uncertain manner4    
,every particle of the infected material
 must be carefully collected and burned4
 ,dig out the soil around all diseased  
plants and burn this also4 ,on infected 
land it is important that some crop     
other than ,potatoes be taken in the    
season following the outbreak1 and1 if  
possible1 such land should not be used  
for ,potatoes for at least five or six  
years4 ,but where garden space is       
limited1 a contaminated plot may have to
 be requisitioned for ,potatoes within  
two or three years4 ,in such cases it is
 an excellent plan to dust the sets     
freely with sulphur at the time of      
planting and to repeat the application  
before earthing up4  ,although for some 
years the unremitting labour of experts 
has been devoted to the investigation of
 ,wart ,disease1 and innumerable        
experiments have been undertaken1 no    

effectual remedy has yet been           
discovered4 ,it has been found1 however1
 that certain ,potatoes are resistant to
 the disease1 and by order of the       
,ministry of ,agriculture and ,fisheries
 none but #8immune' varieties may be    
planted in districts scheduled as       
infected areas4 ,a notification of the  
existence of ,wart ,disease must be made
 to the ,ministry immediately it is     
observed4  ,leaf ,spot of               
,celery4--,this disease1 which is caused
 by a minute fungus 7,septoria apii1    
,chester71 is capable of inflicting     
serious damage to the ,celery crop      
unless prompt measures are taken to     
exterminate it4 ,the first sign of its  
appearance is to be found in the leaves 
in the form of small brown patches4     
,these are1 however1 quite distinct from
 the spots deficient of leaf-green due  
to the attack of the ,celery ,fly larv1 
and on close examination may be         
recognised by the presence of a number  
of very small black points4 ,from the   

leaves the fungus quickly spreads over  
the leaf-stalks and finally to the heart
 of the plant1 ending in its total      
collapse4 ,so rapid is the              
multiplication of the spores1 especially
 in moist weather1 that a few diseased  
plants are capable of infecting a large 
plot within two or three weeks4         
,immediately discoloration of a leaf is 
noticed the affected portion of the     
plant should be picked off4 ,if the     
stage of the disease is so far advanced 
that the outer leaf-stalks have become  
decayed1 the entire plant should be     
removed and destroyed4 ,it is of the    
utmost importance that every particle of
 diseased material be consigned to the  
fire and not to the waste heap4         
,spraying three or four times with      
,bordeaux mixture at intervals of two or
 three weeks may be helpful in the case 
of a light attack1 but the safest course
 always is to remove and destroy any    
plant on which the fungus is found4 ,one
 of the most frequent means of          

introducing ,leaf ,spot of ,celery is   
through the use of infected seed1 and   
therefore only seed which has been      
treated for the destruction of the      
fungus should be sown4  ,lettuce        
,mildew4--,this fungus is named ,bremia 
lactuc1 formerly known as ,peronospora  
ganglioniformis1 and is sometimes of the
 most destructive character4 ,it covers 
,lettuce leaves with a fine white bloom1
 which decomposes the leaves1 and makes 
them adhere together in one putrescent  
mass4 ,it should be looked for in its   
earliest stages1 and be hand-picked and 
burned4 ,old ,lettuce stumps should     
likewise be pulled and burned1 otherwise
 they may harbour the disease4  ,onion  
,mildew is caused by the fungus         
,peronospora ,schleideni1 which is      
occasionally disastrous in its effects1 
more especially in cold1 wet seasons4   
,it occurs at uncertain intervals of    
time with extraordinary virulence1 and  
then utterly destroys the crops4 ,autumn
 sowing is considered a good preventive 

by many growers1 as the disease is      
frequently fatal to spring seedlings4   
,in its early stages the mildew may be  
successfully dealt with by freely       
dusting the plants with flowers of      
sulphur when wet with dew1 or by the    
application of sulphide of potassium in 
the proportion of one ounce to a gallon 
of water4 ,otherwise all diseased       
material should be removed and burned4  
,pea ,disease4--,although garden ,peas  
often suffer badly from the attacks of  
,peronospora vici1 which is the cause of
 ,pea ,mould1 yet the most deadly foe to
 ,peas1 especially late ,peas1 is a     
fungus of a totally different character4
 ,to such an extent does the ,pea       
,blight sometimes devastate the later   
,peas1 particularly in dry summers1 that
 the whole crop is in some gardens      
completely annihilated4 ,the name of the
 fungus of the ,pea ,blight or ,mildew  
is ,erysiphe ,martii4 ,its attack is    
often made suddenly2 the leaves then    
lose their natural green colour1 and    

become yellowish and densely coated with
 a fine white bloom2 this bloom becomes 
at length dusted over with innumerable  
minute black bodies1 which look1 under a
 lens1 like tiny spiders'-eggs in the   
web4 ,these little black bodies are     
filled with extremely small transparent 
vessels1 and each vessel contains from  
four to eight spores or seeds4 ,our     
illustration shows this ,erysiphe       
enlarged one hundred diameters1 with two
 of the vessels containing the spores   
removed from the globular spots and     
further enlarged4 ,the only safe way of 
dealing with infested ,pea plants is to 
burn them4 ,many other species of fungi 
belonging to the same genus attack fruit
 trees1 vegetables1 and garden flowers4 
,it is1 however1 unnecessary to         
illustrate them1 as they more or less   
resemble the fungus of ,pea ,blight4    
,they all arise from an ,odium          
condition1 similar to the ,odium or     
,mildew of the ,vine1 and it is in this 
condition alone1 as in the case of the  

,vine1 that they can be reached by any  
fungicide4  ,illustration3 ,fungus of   
,pea ,,fungus ,,of ,,pea ,,mildew       
,erysiphe ,martii  ,tomato              
,diseases4--,the ,tomato1 like its near 
relative1 the ,potato1 is subject to a  
number of destructive diseases which    
spread rapidly if allowed to become     
established4 ,the most serious of these 
epidemics are found among crops         
cultivated under glass1 where the       
forcing treatment which they often      
receive1 and the soil and atmospheric   
conditions1 render the plants abnormally
 susceptible to the attacks of fungi and
 insect pests4 ,perhaps the most        
virulent forms of disease with which the
 ,tomato-grower is troubled arise from  
the attacks of parasitic fungi and      
bacteria1 among which the following are 
most frequently met with3--  ,,sleepy   
,,disease1 or ,,tomato ,,wilt4--,in its 
outward symptoms and effects this       
disease somewhat resembles an attack of 
,root-knot ,eelworm1 but the swellings  

are absent from the root4 ,the plants   
for a time appear quite vigorous and    
healthy1 but when full-grown they       
suddenly wilt and die within a few days4
 ,the malady is caused by the fungus    
,fusarium lycopersici1 which first      
invades the roots and ultimately eats   
its way through the substance of the    
collar or stem near the surface of the  
soil1 in consequence of which the supply
 of water taken up by the roots is cut  
off from the leaves above ground and the
 plant collapses4 ,there is no remedy   
for the ,sleepy ,disease of ,tomato1 and
 plants which bear evidence of infection
 should be carefully dug up and burned4 
,,tomato #8,,stripe4'--,this disease of 
the ,tomato is comparatively common1 and
 although the attacks are sometimes     
slight its ravages may be disastrous    
when conditions are favourable for its  
development4 ,the presence of ,tomato   
,stripe is usually first noticed about  
the time fruit is forming4 ,the stems of
 the diseased plants then exhibit dark  

spots and elongated sunken stripes of a 
brown tint1 and yellow patches1 which   
turn brown later1 appear on the leaves4 
,brown pits or depressions develop on   
the fruits and spoil their appearance4  
,the disease has been traced to the     
action of a bacterium which closely     
resembles1 or is identical with1 that   
causing ,stripe among ,sweet ,peas4     
,this organism probably resides in the  
soil1 and the signs of its attack are   
often visible in young plants4 ,in      
severe cases the soil of the house      
should be removed and replaced with     
fresh loam4 ,but when only slight traces
 of the disease are apparent1 partial   
sterilisation of the soil by means of   
carbolic acid1 as recommended for       
,root-knot ,eelworm on page #dbe1 may be
 adopted4 ,one of the surest means of   
guarding against losses by ,stripe      
disease1 is to promote robust healthy   
growth1 and to avoid extreme forcing    
conditions1 particularly by the         
excessive use of nitrogenous manures4   

,where1 however1 forcing manures may    
have been employed in too large a       
quantity1 an application of potash 7in  
the form of kainit or sulphate of       
potash7 and phosphatic fertilisers      
should be given to counteract the effect
 of the nitrogen4 ,immediately any trace
 of the disease is found1 remove the    
affected part of the plant1 if it is    
possible to do so without serious       
injury1 but otherwise the entire plant  
should be uprooted and destroyed by     
fire4 ,it should be remembered that the 
organism can be carried on the fingers  
and on tools1 and therefore knives with 
which affected plants have been trimmed 
should be sterilised with lysol or some 
other antiseptic solution before being  
used on healthy plants4  ,,tomato-,,leaf
 ,,rust4--,the leaves of the plant      
attacked by this disease rapidly become 
covered with a dull brownish velvety    
mould1 or fungus1 known as ,cladosporium
 fulvum4 ,from the mouldy spots and     
patches thousands of spores are readily 

carried by a slight current of air to   
the surrounding healthy crop1 and unless
 prompt measures are taken to check the 
pest the whole house is rapidly         
involved4 ,excessive atmospheric        
moisture encourages the mould1 and it is
 spread extensively if diseased plants  
are sprayed with water in the presence  
of healthy ones4 ,judicious management  
in air-giving1 which is one of the      
fundamental principles of successful    
,tomato culture1 will do much to prevent
 the attack of ,cladosporium fulvum4    
,under regular examination the presence 
of the disease will be revealed before  
considerable damage can be inflicted1   
and when only a few leaves are affected1
 carefully remove and consign them to   
the fire4 ,spraying with the ,bordeaux  
mixture at half the usual strength is   
recommended when the disease is first   
noticed4 ,when the plants are bearing   
flowers or fruit1 fungicides containing 
copper must not be used1 but a solution 
of liver of sulphur1 one ounce dissolved

 in six gallons of water1 employed      
instead4  ,,root-,,knot ,,eelworm4--,a  
dangerous insect pest which frequently  
attacks the ,tomato1 in common with the 
,cucumber and ,melon1 is the ,root-knot 
,eelworm 7,heterodera radicicola74 ,the 
root on which the swollen pea-like knots
 develop do not carry on their ordinary 
functions1 and the leaves droop1 the    
stem becomes limp1 and the whole plant  
soon collapses and dies if the trouble  
is severe4 ,the treatment suggested on  
page #dbe should be adopted4  ,sometimes
 the outdoor ,tomato crop is attacked by
 ,phytophthora infestans1 the fungus    
responsible for the ,potato ,disease3   
,bordeaux mixture should be used to     
check it4  ,directions for preparing the
 ,bordeaux mixture are given on page    
#ddj4  ,another useful preparation which
 checks many fungus diseases may be made
 by dissolving one ounce of potassium   
sulphide 7liver of sulphur7 in three or 
four gallons of water1 to which should  
be added an ounce or two of soft soap4  

,the last named greatly assists in the  
complete and uniform wetting of all     
parts of the foliage4     ,,the ,,fungus
 ,,pests ,,of ,,certain ,,flowers       
,cineraria and ,senecio                 
,disease4--,senecio pulcher1 soon after 
its introduction into ,england1 was     
attacked1 and in some gardens completely
 destroyed1 by a fungus named ,puccinia 
glomerata1 or rather the ,uredo stage of
 this fungus with simple1 not compound1 
spores4 ,the fungus is well known1 being
 closely allied to that which causes the
 rust or mildew of corn crops4 ,it is   
very common on the wild species of      
,groundsel in ,england1 being especially
 frequent and virulent on the ,ragwort  
,groundsel1 ,senecio ,jacobea1 from     
,august to ,october4 ,the leaves of     
infected plants are covered with        
rust-coloured dusty pustules1 the ,uredo
 condition of the fungus1 and known in  
this stage as ,uredo senecionis1        
sometimes termed ,trichobasis           
senecionis4 ,the fungus has a ,puccinia 

stage of growth very similar to that of 
the ,hollyhock fungus1 ,puccinia        
malvacearum4  ,illustration3 ,fungus of 
,senecio ,disease ,,fungus ,,of         
,,senecio ,,disease ,uredo senecionis   
,at ,a is illustrated a fragment of a   
leaf of ,senecio pulcher1 natural size1 
and covered with the orange-coloured    
fungus2 at ,b a small part of a ,uredo  
pustule as seen bursting through the    
cuticle of the ,senecio leaf4  ,no      
remedial measures for the extirpation of
 this fungus are known1 but as garden   
,senecios and ,cinerarias are infected  
by diseased plants of ,wild ,groundsel1 
it is desirable that plants of the      
latter 7especially when diseased7 should
 be destroyed4 ,weeds in and about      
gardens are a common cause of disease in
 cultivated plants4 ,it often happens   
that a weed1 being sturdy1 is only      
slightly inconvenienced when attacked1  
whilst a cultivated plant will speedily 
succumb if attacked by the same fungus4 
,this is the case in the ,sempervivum   

disease4 ,in this country the common    
,house ,leek is the nurse-plant1 and is 
seldom much injured2 but if the disease 
,endophyllum sempervivi gets among      
greenhouse species1 every plant may be  
utterly destroyed4  ,illustration3      
,fungi of ,gladioli1 ,lilies1 etc4      
,,fungi ,,of ,,gladioli1 ,,lilies1      
,,etc4 ,urocystis gladioli and ,ovularia
 elliptica  ,gladiolus1 ,crocus1        
,narcissus1 and ,lily ,diseases4--,in   
certain soils and situations where the  
ground is heavy and the atmosphere      
inclined to be humid the ,gladiolus is  
very subject to a destructive fungoid   
disease4 ,this is especially the case   
during unusually wet summers4 ,the      
disease attacks the corm1 and corrodes  
and decomposes the tissues1 so that on  
cutting open a corm the whole interior1 
or such parts as are diseased1 will be  
found permeated with a deep1 foxy       
colour4 ,it is believed by some persons 
that one stage of this disease is       
identical with the disease named        

#8,tacon' by the ,french1 and in this   
country known as #8,copper ,web1'       
,rhizoctonia crocorum4 ,this            
,rhizoctonia is a mere spawn or         
mycelium1 a mass of rusty-brown material
 like a thick coating of spider's web of
 a red tint4 ,this parasite attacks the 
,crocus 7especially ,c4 sativus71 the   
,narcissus1 ,asparagus1 ,potato1 and    
other plants4 ,immersed in the softer   
and damper portions of the red substance
 of the corm may frequently be found    
great numbers of large compound spores1 
as illustrated at ,a 7enlarged two      
hundred and fifty diameters74 ,these    
bodies belong to the fungus named       
,urocystis gladioli2 but whether they   
really belong to the spawn named        
,rhizoctonia there is no conclusive     
evidence1 as the spores have never been 
seen on the threads or upon any spawn4  
,the spores are very ornamental objects1
 consisting of from three to six        
compacted inner brown bodies1 surrounded
 by an indefinite number of transparent 

cells4 ,at maturity these spores break  
up as at ,b1 and are the means of       
reproducing the fungus4  ,the ,colchicum
 is attacked by a closely allied but    
different species of ,urocystis--viz4   
,u4 colchici4 ,the ,ranunculace are     
attacked by another ally in ,u4         
pompholygodes and ,rye is attacked by a 
third in ,u4 occulta4 ,no method of cure
 has yet been published for this pest2  
it is1 however1 desirable that only     
sound and good corms should be planted1 
for if infected corms are placed in the 
ground it is one certain means of       
propagating the disease4 ,the bars shown
 across the illustration of this disease
 are magnificent crystals1 very common  
in ,gladiolus corms4  ,lilies are very  
subject to a disease in early summer3   
the leaves get spotted and damp1 and rot
 off2 the flower buds speedily follow1  
and leave the bare stalk4 ,the disease  
of ,lilies is caused by a fungus closely
 allied to the fungus of the ,potato    
disease1 and named ,ovularia elliptica1 

known also as ,botrytis elliptica 7see  
illustration ,c74 ,the spores are large1
 and produce zoospores1 or spores with  
hair-like tails 7cilia71 capable of     
swimming about in water or upon moist   
places4 ,this pest attacks a large      
number of species of ,lilium1 both      
before and after flowering4 ,hyacinthus 
candicans and some ,tulips suffer from a
 very similar1 if not the same1         
organism4 ,this fungus has been         
described as a true ,peronospora4 ,bulbs
 are subject to many fungus growths as  
,volutella hyacinthorum1 ,didymium      
,sowerbei1 c42 many fungi follow the    
decay of the bulb1 others undoubtedly   
produce or greatly accelerate decay4 ,no
 remedy is known1 but we advise the     
purchase of the soundest and best bulbs4
 ,good drainage and sufficient air are  
indispensable4 ,all infected foliage and
 stems should be burned4  ,disease of   
,hollyhocks and ,malvaceous             
,plants4--,in some parts of ,england the
 cultivation of the ,hollyhock had at   

one time quite ceased owing to the      
attacks of a microscopic fungus named   
,puccinia malvacearum4 ,in gardens and  
nurseries1 where years ago ,hollyhocks  
were one of the chief ornaments of the  
place1 it became impossible to grow a   
single plant4 ,the disease is not       
confined to the ,hollyhock1 for it      
attacks many malvaceous plants1 notably 
the ,mallows of our hedgesides4 ,we have
 seen plants of the white variety of the
 ,musk ,mallow 7,malva moschata7 totally
 destroyed by this parasite4 ,the home  
of the ,hollyhock fungus is ,chili1     
whence the ,potato fungus reached us4   
,the ,hollyhock fungus first attacked   
the malvaceous plants of ,australia1 and
 then reached ,england in #ahgc by the  
continent of ,europe4 ,the best and     
cleanest seeds of the ,hollyhock should 
be purchased4  ,illustration3 ,fungus of
 ,hollyhock ,,fungus ,,of ,,hollyhock   
,,disease ,puccinia malvacearum  ,a     
fragment of a ,hollyhock leaf is        
illustrated at ,a1 dotted with the      

characteristic brown pustules2 these    
pustules cover the stems as well as the 
leaves4 ,at ,b is shown the edge of a   
pustule enlarged one hundred diameters  
and seen in section2 to show the whole  
of a pustule in section from six inches 
to a foot of space would be required4   
,bursting through the skin of the plant 
may be seen a dense forest of threads1  
each thread bearing a spore with a joint
 across the middle4 ,one pustule alone  
will produce thousands of these double  
spores4 ,at ,c some of the threads and  
spores are still further enlarged to two
 hundred diameters1 and at ,d one ripe  
spore is shown falling from the thread  
and breaking asunder--each piece is a   
reproductive body or spore4 ,when       
mature1 these minute spores or #8seeds' 
are carried in the air by millions4 ,at 
,e one of the compound spores is        
enlarged to four hundred diameters4 ,as 
this disease is seated within the       
tissues of the plant1 remedies are      
difficult of application1 and in many   

cases attempts at cure have failed4 ,no 
doubt the fungus is nursed by malvaceous
 weeds4 ,infected ,hollyhock plants and 
allied weeds should be destroyed by fire
 or by deep burying4  ,poppy            
,disease4--,garden ,poppies are often   
attacked by a fungus pest closely allied
 to the fungus of the ,potato disease1  
and named ,peronospora arborescens4 ,it 
grows sometimes in abundance on the     
common ,red ,poppy of cornfields        
7,papaver ,rhoeas71 and it badly attacks
 ,p4 somniferum and all its garden      
varieties4 ,the fungus grows within the 
leaves1 and emerges with a tree-like    
growth through the organs of            
transpiration 7the stomates7 on the     
under side of the leaves4 ,like the     
fungus of the ,potato disease1 it       
speedily sets up decomposition1 and     
destroys the host-plant4  ,illustration3
 ,fungus of ,poppy ,,fungus ,,of ,,poppy
 ,,disease ,peronospora arborescens  ,at
 ,a is illustrated one of the stems of  
the ,poppy ,peronospora emerging from   

the leaf1 enlarged seventy-five         
diameters4 ,the fungus of the ,poppy is 
very much more branched than that of the
 ,potato1 and every minute branchlet    
carries a spore4 ,to save confusion1 a  
large number of spores are omitted from 
the branchlets in the illustration1 and 
the branches growing from the stem both 
before and behind are for the same      
reason left out4 ,at ,b a tip of a      
single branch is shown further enlarged 
to four hundred diameters4 ,the spores  
in the ,poppy fungus are unusually large
 and numerous3 an infected plant will   
throw off many millions of such spores4 
,all the putrefactive spawn of this     
fungus is inside the host-plant2 cure1  
therefore1 is difficult4 ,this disease1 
like every other plant disease1 is      
always at its worst in ill-kept places  
where red field ,poppies are abundant4  
,field ,poppies are often sown with     
unclean corn4 ,as prevention is better  
than cure1 all we can advise is1 buy the
 best and cleanest garden and field     

seeds1 cultivate in the best way1 and   
look out for and burn1 or deeply bury as
 soon as detected1 all disease-stricken 
plants1 whether wild or cultivated4     
,when diseased plants of any sort are   
left to decay on the refuse-heap1 it is 
the most certain way of propagating a   
plant disease for the next year4        
,diseases of ,violets4--,violets are    
subject to fungoid diseases1 both in    
spring and autumn4 ,the disease of      
autumn is caused by the brown ,puccinia 
viol1 allied to the ,p4 graminis of     
,corn and to the ,p4 malvacearum of     
,hollyhocks and various malvaceous      
plants4 ,the ,puccinia of ,violets has  
its yellowish or orange-coloured stage2 
it is then known as ,trichobasis1 or    
,uredo violarum4 ,in spring and early   
summer ,violets are often badly affected
 by a fungus named cidium viol1 which is
 apparently identical1 however1 with    
,puccinia viol4 ,this disease attacks   
leaves1 stems1 and sepals1 and it is    
best examined on the leaves4 ,in this   

position it is seen to consist of a     
considerable number of minute yellow    
pustules1 each pustule less in size than
 a pin's head1 and all congregated into 
one flat circular mass of about a       
quarter of an inch in diameter4 ,this   
pest is very frequent on the ,dog       
,violet1 but it is perhaps equally      
common on the ,sweet ,violets of our    
gardens in early spring1 and it not     
infrequently spreads to other species of
 ,viola4 ,one of the most destructive   
pests of ,violas is found in cidium     
depauperans1 so called because its      
effect is first to starve and attenuate1
 and then to totally destroy1 plants of 
,viola cornuta4 ,it is a close ally of  
,ae4 viol1 but it differs in having its 
minute cups or pustules irregularly     
distributed all over the green parts of 
the host-plant instead of being         
congregated in circular patches1 as in  
,ae4 viol4 ,our illustration shows1 at  
,a1 a small portion of the stem of      
,viola cornuta attacked by cidium       

depauperans4 ,the minute pustules are   
seen 7natural size7 distributed all over
 the stem1 leaf-stalks1 and ruined      
leaves2 the effect of the fungus growth 
is to decompose the tissues of the      
plant4 ,at ,b1 a transverse section     
through the stem is illustrated and     
magnified twenty diameters4 ,the section
 cuts through several of the            
abscess-like pustules1 and it is seen   
how completely embedded they are in the 
flesh of the plant4 ,at ,c1 a pustule is
 seen in section1 enlarged sixty        
diameters to show more clearly the      
innumerable spores1 or #8seeds1'        
disposed in necklace-like fashion1 which
 are destined to reproduce the pest in  
future seasons4 ,another disease of     
,violets in autumn is caused by a fungus
 named ,urocystis viol4 ,this fungus    
causes gouty swellings to form on the   
stalks and principal veins4 ,these      
swellings at length burst1 exhibit black
 patches1 and discharge sooty spores4   
,the fungoid disease named ,phyllosticta

 viol is frequently common on ,violet   
leaves in ,june4 ,in this the spots are 
whitish4 ,no cure is known1 and it is   
always well to burn or deeply bury all  
infected leaves or plants4              
,illustration3 ,violet ,disease ,,violet
 ,,disease cidium depauperans           
,,index   ,abronia1 #cgc  ,abutilon1    
#bbh1 #cfe1 #cgc  ,achimenes1 #bbh1     
#cbj1 #cfj  ,acidia heraclei1 #dbj      
,aconite1 ,winter1 #cec1 #daj           
,acroclinium1 #cgc  cidium depauperans1 
#deb --viol1 #dea  ,agapanthus1 #cbj1   
#djj  ,agaricus campestris1 #hd         
,allium1 #cba --ascalonicum1 #abi       
--,cepa1 #ib --,porrum1 #gc --sativum1  
#fc --,schoenoprasum1 #ff  ,alonsoa1    
#bbi1 #cih  ,alpine ,strawberry1 #acg1  
#aei1 #agj  ,alstroemeria1 #cba1 #djj   
,altha rosea1 #bga  ,alyssum1 #cgc1 #cig
  ,amaryllis1 #bbi1 #cdj1 #cfj1 #dja    
,american ,blight1 #dah --,cress1 #ed   
,anbury1 #adf1 #dcd  ,anchusa1 #chf     
,anemone1 #bbi1 #cba1 #cfe1 #cij1 #dja1 
#djg  ,angelica1 #fe --,archangelica1   

#fe  ,annuals1 #bbj1 #che --classified  
according to colour1 #bbb --,half-hardy1
 #bbf --,hardy1 #bbf1 #cfd1 #cgb1 #chj1 
#cif1 #djg --,tender1 #bbg --under      
glass1 #bbe1 #cig  ,annual              
,chrysanthemum1 #bej1 #cgc1 #cig1 #cih  
,anthriscus ,cerefolium1 #ff            
,antirrhinum1 #bcj1 #cfj1 #chf1 #cie1   
#cig  ,ants1 #dbh  ,aphis1 #daf --,bean1
 #dag --,pea1 #dag --rumicis1 #dag      
,apium graveolens1 #dg  ,april work     
among ,flowers1 #chj --in the ,vegetable
 ,garden1 #agb  ,aquilegia1 #bca1 #cfe1 
#cij  ,artemisia ,absinthium1 #ga       
--,dracunculus1 #ga  ,artichoke1        
,chinese1 #acb --,globe1 #d1 #aec1 #afj1
 #afe1 #agb1 #ahh1 #aid --,jerusalem1   
#f1 #afa1 #afe1 #aid  ,artificial       
,manures1 and their application to      
,garden ,crops1 #baj  ,asparagus1 #g1   
#aed1 #aff1 #agb1 #agg1 #ahb1 #aid      
--,greenhouse ,foliage varieties1 #bcb1 
#cff --officinalis1 #g  ,asperula1 #cgc1
 #cig  ,aster1 #bcb1 #cgc1 #chj1 #cih   
--sub-cruleus1 #chf  ,aubergine1 #fa    

,aubrietia1 #bce1 #chf  ,august work    
among ,flowers1 #cif --in the ,vegetable
 ,garden1 #ahh  ,auricula1 #bcf1 #cff1  
#cgd  ,australian ,oak1 #bga  ,autumn   
,broccoli1 #ca   ,babiana1 #cbc1 #dja   
,balm1 #ff  ,balsam1 #bcg1 #cgd1 #cha1  
#chf1 #cij --,sultan's1 #bgc  ,barbarea 
prcox1 #ed  ,barbe de ,capucin1 #abb    
,barberton or ,transvaal ,daisy1 #bff   
,bartonia1 #cgc  ,basil1 ,bush1 #ff     
--,sweet1 #ff  ,bastard ,trenching1 #aab
  ,bean ,aphis1 #dag  --,broad1 #af1    
#aed1 #afa1 #aff1 #agb1 #aie1 #aif      
--,butter1 #bd  --,climbing ,french1    
#ba1 #afa1 #agc1 #agh1 #ahc1 #ahf       
--,dwarf ,french #ag1 #afa1 #agc1 #agg1 
#ahc1 #ahe1 #ahf  --,flageolets1  #bj1  
#agh  --,haricot1 #bb1 #agh  --,runner1 
#bb1 #agh1 #ahc  --,waxpod1  #bd  ,beet1
 ,garden  #bd1 #abb1 #afa1 #aef1 #agc1  
#agh1 #ahe1 #aic  --,silver1 or ,sea    
,kale1 #bg  --,spinach1 #acb1 #agj1 #agf
  ,begonia1 ,fibrous-rooted1 #bdj1 #cfa 
--,tuberous-rooted #bch1 #cbc1 #cfj1    
#cff1 #cia1 #dja  ,bell ,flower1 #bdd   

,bellis perennis1 #bfj  ,belvidere1 #bgd
  ,bermuda ,lily1 #cda  ,beta ,cicla1   
#acb  --vulgaris1  #bd  ,biennials1     
,hardy1 #bbg1 #cfd1 #chf1 #cif  ,bird   
,pepper1 #dj  ,black ,bot1 #aca  --,fly1
 #daf  --,scab of ,potatoes1 #ddj       
,blacksmiths1 #dca  ,blight1 ,american4 
4  4#dah  ,blue ,fly1 #daf  --,squill1  
#cdh  ,borage1 #ff  ,borago officinalis1
  #ff  ,bordeaux mixture1 #ddj  ,border1
 ,warm1 #aif  ,borecole1 #bg1 #agf      
,brassica oleracea acephala1 #bg        
--botrytis asparagoides1  #bi           
--caulifiora1 #dd --bullata1 #ch        
--gemmifera1 #cc --capitata1 #ce        
--,caulo-rapa1 #gb --costata1 #ec       
--,rapa1 #add  ,bremia lactuc1 #ddb     
,broad ,bean1 #af1 #aed1 #afa1 #aff1    
#agb1 #aie1 #aif  ,broccoli1  #bi1 #afa1
 #aff1 #agc1agh1 #ahc1 #ahf1 #ahh1 #aie 
,brompton ,stock1 #cja1 #cid  ,brussels 
,sprouts1 #cc1 #afa1 #aff1 #agc1 #agh   
,bug1 ,mealy1 #dbe  ,bulbs1 ,flowering1 
,culture of1 #cag  --growing in         
,moss-fibre1 #cai1 #cce1 #cde1 #ceb     

--in ,store1 #dac  ,burgundy mixture1   
#ddj  ,bush ,basil1 #ff  ,butter ,bean1 
#bd  ,butterfly ,flower1 #bif           
,cabbage1 #ce1 #aed1 #afa1 #aff1 #agc1  
#agh1 #ahc1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #ahh1 #aia1 #aic
  --,flea1 #dbb  --,lettuce1  #ge1 #afi1
 #ahj  --,portugal1 #ec1 #afb  --,red1  
#ch1 #aff1 #agd1 #ahh  --,root ,fly1    
#dba  --,savoy1 #ch1 #afc1 #aha         
,cacalia1 #cgc  ,calandrinia1 #cgc1 #cig
  ,calceolaria1 ,herbaceous1 #bdj1 #cgd1
 #cia1 #cie1 #dja  --,shrubby1 #bdc1    
#cff  ,calendula1 #cgc  --officinalis1  
#fg1 #bgh1 #cig  ,callistephus sinensis1
 #bcb  ,campanula1 #bdc1 #cff1 #chf1    
#cif  --,rapunculus1 #gj  ,canary       
,creeper1 #cjh1 #chc  ,candytuft1 #cgc1 
#chf1 #cig  ,canna1 #bdf1 #cfa1 #cib    
,canterbury ,bell1 #bde1 #cha  ,cape    
,primrose1 #cjb  ,capsicum1 #ci1 #afa1  
#agh1 #ahc  --annuum1 #ci  --baccatum1  
#ci  ,cardoon1 #dj1 #agd1 #ahf1 #ahh1   
#aic  ,carnation1 #bdg1 #cfb1 #cha1 #cih
  ,carrot1 #da1 #aff1 #agd1 #agh1       
#ahe1ahf1 #aic1 #aie  --,fly1 #dai      

--,moth1 #dai  ,carum ,petroselinum1 #fh
  ,castor-oil ,plant1 #bic1 #cga        
,catchfly1 #bih1 #djj  ,caterpillars1   
#dbh  ,cauliflower #dd1 #aed1 #afa1     
#aff1 #agd1 #agh1 #ahc1 #ahe1 #ahh1     
#aia1 #aic1 #aie  ,cayenne ,pepper1 #dj 
,celeriac1 #ea1 #abb1 #aff1 #aic        
,celery #dg1 #abb1 #aff1 #agd1 #agi1    
#ahc1 #ahf1 #ahi1 #aia1 #aic1 #aie1 #aif
 --,fly1 #ea1 #dai --,leaf ,spot of1    
#ddb  ,celosia cristata1 #bed --plumosa1
 #bdh1 #cfg  ,centranthus1 #cgc         
,ceutorhynchus pleurostigma1 #dcg       
,chards1 #e1 #abd1 #ahf1 #aia           
,cheiranthus ,allionii1 #chf1 #cig      
--,cheiri1 #caj  ,chemistry of ,garden  
,crops1 #bjb  ,chenopodium              
,bonus-,henricus1 #hd  ,chervil1 #abb1  
#agd --,curled1 #ff1 #abb  ,chicory1    
#eb1 #abb1 #ahc1 #aic  ,chili1 #ci1 #afa
  ,chimney ,campanula1 #bdd  ,chinese   
,artichoke1 #acb --,primrose1 #bia      
--,sacred ,lily1 #cdf  ,chionodoxa1     
#cbe1 #cih  ,chives1 #ff1 #abb1 #afg    
,chrysanthemum1 #bdi1 #cfb1 #cgc1 #cha1 

#chf1 #cig1 #cih  ,cichorium ,endivia1  
#fa --,intybus1 #eb  ,cineraria1 #bej1  
#cfb1 #chg1 #cib1 #cih --,disease1 #ddg 
--,intermediate1 #beb --stellata1 #beb  
,cladosporium fulvum1 #dde  ,clarkia1   
#bec1 #cgc1 #cig1 #cih  ,cleaning ,old  
,pots1 #ceg  ,clerodendron fallax1 #bed1
 #cge  ,click-,beetle1 #dca  ,climbing  
,french ,bean1 #ba1 #afa1 #agc1 #agh1   
#ahc1 #ahf  ,club1 #dcd  ,cochlearia    
,armoracia1 #gb  ,cockscomb1 #bed1 #cfg 
--,plumed1 #bdh  ,coleus1 #bee1 #cge1   
#chg  ,coleworts1 #cf1 #agh1 #ahc       
,collinsia1 #cgc1 #cig  ,collomia1 #cgc 
,columbine1 #bca  ,common ,thyme1 #ga   
,convallaria majalis1 #cdb  ,convolvulus
 minor1 #cgc  ,coreopsis1 #cgc1 #chf1   
#cig  ,corn ,flag1 #bfg --,salad1 #ec1  
#abb1 #afa1 #ahe1 #ahi  ,cornflower1    
#cgc1 #cig  ,cos ,lettuce1 #ge1 #afi1   
#ahd  ,cosmea1 #bef1 #cfg  ,cosmos1 #bef
  ,couve ,tronchuda1 #ec1 #afb  ,crambe 
maritima1 #abe  ,crane ,fly1 #dbd       
,cress1 #ed1 #abc1 #aed1 #ahe           
--,american1 #ed --,indian1 #cjh        

--,land1 #ed --,water1 #ed1 #abc1 #aga  
,crocus1 #cbe1 #dja1 #djg --,disease1   
#ddh  ,crops1 ,garden1 ,chemistry of1   
#bjb --,rotation of1 #aih  ,crown       
,imperial1 #cbf1 #djb  ,cucumber1 #ee1  
#abc1 #aed1 #afg1 #agi1 #ahc1 #ahg1     
#ahi1 #aia --,pickling1 #ahc --,ridge1  
#fj1 #agi1 #ahg --,root-knot ,eelworm1  
#dbd --,winter1 #eh  ,cucumis ,melo1 #hj
 --sativus1 #ee  ,cucurbita1 #fc --,pepo
 ovifera1 #adg  ,culture of ,flowering  
,bulbs1 #cag --of ,flowers from ,seeds1 
#baf --of ,vegetables1 #a  ,curled      
,chervil1 #ff1 #abb  ,cutting ,flowers1 
#bfj  ,cyclamen1 #bef1 #cbf1 #cfb1 #chb1
 #chg1 #cif1 #cih1 #djb1 #djg1 #daj     
,cynara ,cardunculus1 #dj --,scolymus1  
#d  ,cynoglossum1 #chf   ,dactylopius   
odonidum1 #dbe  ,daddy ,longlegs1 #dbd  
,daffodils1 #cdd1 #dje  ,dahlia1 #beh1  
#cfg1 #chb1 #chg  ,daisy1 ,barberton or 
,transvaal1 #bff --,double1 #bfj1 #cib  
--,orange1 #bfc --,ox-eye1 #bej1 #cha   
,dandelion1 #fj1 #abc1 #ahj  ,daucus    
,carota1 #da  ,day ,lily1 ,japanese1    

#cdc  ,december work among ,flowers1    
#dab  --in the ,vegetable ,garden1 #aif 
,delphinium1 #bfa1 #chg  ,depressaria   
cicutella1 #dai  ,dianthus1 #bfb1 #cfg1 
#cge1 #cic1 #cih  --barbatus1 #cjg      
--,caryophyllus fl4 pl41 #bdg1 #bhg     
--plumarius1 #bhh  ,digitalis1 #bfb1    
#chf  ,dimorphotheca1 #bfc1 #cgc1 #cge1 
#cih  ,disease1 ,cineraria1 #ddg        
--,crocus1 #ddh  --,gladiolus1 #ddh     
--,hollyhock1 #ddi  --,lily1 #ddh       
--,narcissus1 #ddh  --,pea1 #ddc        
--,poppy1 #dej  --,potato1 #aag1 #dcg   
--,senecio1 #ddg  --,tomato1 #ddc       
--,violet1 #dea  --,wart1 of ,potatoes1 
#dd  ,dog's-tooth ,violet1 #cbg1 #djb   
,double ,daisy1 #bfj1 #cib  ,drainage of
 ,pots1 #ceh  ,dwarf ,french ,bean1 #ag1
 #afa1 #agc1 #agg1 #ahc1 #ahe1 #ahf     
,earwigs1 #dbh  ,easter ,lily1 #cda     
,eelworm1 ,root-knot1 #dbd1 #dde  ,egg  
,plant1 #fa1 #afb  ,elater lineatus1    
#dca  --obscurus1 #dca  --ruficaudis1   
#dca  ,endive1 #fa1 #abc1 #agd1 #ahc1   
#ahe1 #ahg1 #ahi1 #aia1 #aic1 #aig      

,erysimum1 #cgc1 #cig  ,erysiphe        
,martii1 #ddc  ,eschscholtzia1 #bfd1    
#cgc1 #cig  ,eutoca1 #cgc   ,faba       
vulgaris1 #af  ,feather ,hyacinth1 #ccf1
 #djh  ,february work among ,flowers1   
#cfd  --in the ,vegetable ,garden1 #afj 
,fennel1 #ff1 #agd  ,ferraria1 #cej1    
#cgi  ,fibrous-rooted ,begonia1 #bdj1   
#cfa  ,finger-and-toe1 #dcd  ,finocchio1
 #fg  ,flageolets1 #bj1 #agh  ,flea1    
,cabbage1 #dbb  ,florence ,fennel1 #fg  
,flower of the ,west ,wind1 #ced        
,flowering ,bulbs1 ,culture of1 #cag    
,flowers all the ,year ,round1 #cee     
--from ,seeds1 ,culture of1 #baf  ,fly1 
,black1 #daf  --,blue1 #daf  --,cabbage 
,root1 #dba  --,carrot1 #dai  --,celery1
 #ea1 #dai  --,crane1 #dbd  --,green1   
#daf  --,onion1 #dbj  --,turnip1 #dbb   
,fniculum duke1 #fg  --officinale1 #ff  
,forced ,strawberries1 #acf  ,forcing in
 ,january1 #aec  ,forget-me-not1 #bhj   
,foxglove1 #bfb  ,fragaria1 #acc  ,frame
 ,cucumber1 #ee  --,ground1 #afj        
,freesia1 #bfd1 #cbh1 #cfb1 #cih1 #djb  

,fritillaria1 #cbf1 #cbh1 #djb          
,fuchsia1 #bfd1 #cfg  ,fungicide1 #ddj1 
#ddf  ,fungus ,pests of certain         
,flowers1 #ddg  --of certain ,garden    
,plants1 #dcd  ,fusarium lycopersici1   
#ddd   ,gaillardia1 #bfe1 #cge1 #chf    
,galega officinalis1 #chf  ,garden      
,beet1 #bd1 #abb1 #afa1 #aff1 #agc1     
#agh1 #ahe1 #aic  --,crops1 ,chemistry  
of1 #bjb  --,pea1 #aja1 #aeh1 #afb1     
#afi1 #agf1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #ahe1 #ahg1     
#aij1 #aie  --,rubbish1 #ahe  --,vermin1
 ,eradication of1 #dad  ,garlic1 #fc1   
#afb1 #afh1 #ahg  ,gaura ,lindheimeri1  
#chf  ,geranium1 #bfe1 #cfh1 #cic1 #cii 
,gerbera1 #bff1 #cii  ,gesnera1 #bff1   
#cfb  ,geum1 #bfg1 #cge1 #chf  ,gilia1  
#cgc1 #cig  ,gladiolus #bfg1 #cbi1 #cfh1
 #cgf1 #chb1 #cic1 #djb1 #d,o#g1 #daj   
,globe ,artichoke1 #d1 #aec1 #afj1 #afe1
 #agb1 #ahh1 #aid  ,glory of the ,snow1 
#cbe  ,gloxinia1 #bfh1 #cca1 #cfc1 #cfh1
 #cgf1 #djb  ,godetia1 #bfi1 #cgc1 #cig 
,good ,king ,henry1 #hd  ,gourd1 #fc1   
#ahj  ,grape ,hyacinth1 #ccf1 #djh      

,green ,fly1 #daf  ,grevillea robusta1  
#bga1 #cfc  #8,grub'1 #dcg  ,gypsophila1
 #cgc1 #chf1 #cih   ,half-hardy         
,annuals1 #bbf  ,haltica 7,phyllotreta7 
nemorum1 #dbb --oleracea1 #dbb  ,hardy  
,annuals1 #bbf1 #cfd1 #cgb1 #chj1 #cif1 
#djg --,biennials1 #bbg1 #cfd1 #chf1    
#cif --,perennials1 #bbg1 #chf  ,haricot
 ,bean1 #bb1 #agh  ,hawkweed1 #cgc      
,helianthus annuus1 #ach1 #cjb          
--tuberosus1 #f  ,helichrysum1 #cgc     
,hemerocallis ,kwanso fl4 pl41 #cdc     
,herbaceous ,calceolaria1 #bdj1 #cgd1   
#cia1 #cie1 #dja  ,herbs1 #fd1 #afh1    
#agd  ,heterodera radicicola1 #dbd1 #dde
  ,heuchera1 #chf  ,hibiscus1 #cgc      
,hippeastrum1 #bbi  ,hollyhock1 #bga1   
#cfc1 #cgf1 #chh1 #cic1 #djh --,disease1
 #ddi  ,horehound1 #fg  ,horse-radish1  
#gb1 #aef1 #afh1 #aie  ,hot-bed1 #afe1  
#afg  ,humus1 #bjh  ,hyacinth1 #ccb1    
#djc1 #djh --,feather1 #ccf1 #djh       
--,grape1 #ccf1 #djh --,italian1 #ccg1  
#cii1 #djd1 #djh --,miniature1 #ccf1    
#djh --,roman1 #ccg1 #cii1 #djd1 #djh   

,hyacinthus candicans1 #cch1 #daj       
,hyssop1 #fg1 #agd  ,hyssopus           
officinalis1 #fg   ,iberis1 #chf        
,iceland ,poppy1 #cig  ,impatiens1 #bgc1
 #cgf --,balsamina1 #bcg  ,indian       
,cress1 #cjh --,pink1 #bfb --,shot1     
#bdf1 #cfa  ,intermediate ,cineraria1   
#beb --,stock1 #cja1 #cga1 #djj         
,introductory ,remarks to ,culture of   
,flowering ,bulbs1 #cag --of ,flowers   
from ,seeds1 #baf --,all the ,year      
,round1 #cee --of ,vegetables1 #a       
--,pests of ,garden ,plants1 #dad --to a
 ,year's ,work in ,vegetable ,garden1   
#aea  ,iris1 #cch1 #djd  ,italian       
,hyacinth1 #ccg1 #cii1 #djd1 #djh       
,ixia1 #cch1 #djd   ,jacobea1 #big1 #cgc
  ,january work among ,flowers1 #cfj    
--in the ,vegetable ,garden1 #aeb       
,japan ,pink1 #bfb  ,japanese ,day      
,lily1 #cdc  ,jerusalem ,artichoke1 #f1 
#afa1 #afe1 #aid  ,jonquil1 #cci1 #dje  
,july work among ,flowers1 #cie --in the
 ,vegetable ,garden1 #ahe  ,june work   
among ,flowers1 #cij --in the ,vegetable

 ,garden1 #ahb   ,kale1 #bg1 #agf --,sea
 ,kale1 #abe1 #aei1 #afc1 #agj1 #aie    
,kaulfussia1 #cgc  ,knol ,kohl1 #gb1    
#afh  ,kochia trichophylla1 #bgd1 #cfh1 
#chb  ,kohl ,rabi1 #gb1 #afh1 #ahe      
,lachenalia1 #cci1 #djh  ,lactuca       
sativa1 #ge  ,lamb's ,lettuce1 #ec      
,land ,cress1 #ed  ,larkspur1 #bgd1     
#cgc1 #cig  ,lathyrus odoratus1 #cjc    
,lavandula1 #fg  ,lavatera1 #bge1 #cgc1 
#cgg  ,lavender1 #fg  ,layia1 #cgc      
,leaf-mould1 #cef  ,leaf ,rust of       
,tomato1 #dde  --,spot of ,celery1 #ddb 
,leather-jacket1 #dbd  ,lecanium        
hibernaculorum1 #dbf  ,leek1 #gc1 #aef1 
#afh1 #age1 #ahg  --,bulbs1 #ge  ,lemon 
,thyme1 #ga  ,lepidium sativum1  #ed    
,leptosiphon1 #cgc1 #cig  ,leptosyne1   
#cgc  ,lettuce1 #ge1 #abc1 #aef1 #afb1  
#afi1 #age1 #ahj1 #ahd1 #ahe1 #ahi1     
#aia1 #aic  --,lamb's1 #ec  --,mildew1  
#ddb  ,leucojum1 #cci1 #djh  ,lilies1   
#cdj1 #daj  ,lilium auratum1 #cda1 #daj 
--,harrisii1 #cda  --lancifolium1 #cdb1 
#daj  ,lily1 ,bermuda1 #cda  --,chinese 

,sacred1 #cdf  --,disease1 #ddh         
--,easter1 #cda  --,japanese ,day1 #cdc 
--of the ,valley1 #cdb1 #daa  ,lime1    
#bab  ,limnanthes1 #cgc1 #cig  ,linaria1
 #cgc1 #cig1 #cih  ,linum1 #cgc         
,lobelia1 #bge1 #cfh1 #cgg1 #chc1 #cif  
,love-lies-bleeding1 #cgc  ,lupine1 #bgg
  ,lupinus1 #bgg1 #cgc1 #cgg1 #chf      
,lycopersicum esculentum1 #ach   ,maize1
 #hj1 #ahj  ,mallow1 #bge1 #cgg         
,malope1 #cgc  ,manures1 ,artificial1   
and their application to ,garden ,crops1
 #baj  ,march work among-,flowers1 #cgb 
--in the ,vegetable ,garden1 #afd       
,marguerite1 #bej1 #cha  ,marigold1     
#bgg1 #cgc1 #cgg1 #chc  --,pot1 #fg1    
#bgh  ,marjoram1 ,pot1 #fg  --,sweet    
,knotted1 #fg  ,marrow1 ,vegetable1     
#adg1 #agf1 #ahb  ,marrubium vulgare1   
#fg  ,marvel of ,peru1 #bgh1 #cgg1 #chc 
,mathiola1 #bii1 #cgc  ,may work among  
,flowers1 #che  --in the ,vegetable     
,garden1 #agf  ,mealy ,bug1 #dbe        
,melissa officinalis1 #ff  ,melon1 #hj1 
#aeg1 #afi1 #age1 #ahj1 #ahd            

,melon-house1 the1 #hc  ,mentha         
,pulegium1 #fi  --viridis1 #fh          
,mercury1 #hd  ,mice1 #dcb  ,mignonette1
 #bgi1 #cgc1 #cgg1 #chc1 #cii  ,mildew1 
,lettuce1 #ddb  --,onion1 #ddb          
,mimulus1 #bgi1 #cfi1 #cif  --moschatus1
 #bhj  ,miniature ,hyacinth1 #ccf1 #djh 
,mint1 #fh  ,mirabilis ,jalapa1 #bgh    
,monkey ,flower1 #bgi  ,montbretia1 #cdc
  ,moss-fibre1 growing bulbs in1 #cai1  
#cce1 #cde1 #ceb  ,mushroom1 #hd1 #ahd  
,musk1 #bhj  ,mustard1 #ib1 #abc1 #aeg1 
#afb  ,myosotis1 #bhj1 #cic   ,ngelia1  
#bff  ,narcissus1 #cdd1 #cii1 #dje1 #dji
  --,disease1 #ddh  --,tazetta1 #cdf    
,nasturtium1 #abc1 #cjh1 #cgc1 #chc     
--officinale1 #ed  ,nemesia1 #bhj1 #cgh1
 #cih  ,nemophila1 #cgc1 #cig  ,new     
,zealand ,spinach1 #aca1 #agj1 #aha     
,nicotiana1 #bha1 #cfi1 #chh1 #cic1 #cih
  ,nigella1 #cgc1 #cig  ,nitrogenous    
manures1 #baa  ,november work among     
,flowers1 #daj  --in the ,vegetable     
,garden1 #aid  ,oak1 ,australian1 #bga  
,october work among ,flowers1 #djg  --in

 the ,vegetable ,garden1 #aib  ,ocymum  
,basilicum1 #ff  --minimum1 #ff         
,oenothera1 #chf  ,onion1 #ib1 #abc1    
#aeh1 #afb1 #afi1 #age1 #ahd1 #ahe1 #ahi
  --,fly1 #dbj  --,grub1 #ii  --,mildew1
 #ddb  --,pickling1 #ii1 #age           
--,potato1 #ii  --,salading1 #ahd       
--,underground1 #ii1 #aig  ,orache1 #acb
  ,orange ,daisy1 #bfc  ,origanum       
,majorana1 #fg  --,onites1 #fg          
,ornithogalum1 #cdg1 #dji  ,ovularia    
elliptica1 #ddh  ,oxalis1 #cdg1 #djf    
,ox-eye ,daisy1 #bej1 #cha   ,pansy1    
#bhb1 #cfi1 #cic  ,papaver1 #bhh1 #cig  
,parsley1 #fh1 #afb1 #agf1 #ahe1 #ahg1  
#aia1 #aig  ,parsnip1 #ajj1 #afb1 #afi1 
#aic  ,pastinaca sativa1 #ajj  ,pea1    
#aja1 #aeh1 #afb1 #afi1 #agf1 #ahj1     
#ahd1 #ahe1 #ahg1 #aij1 #aie            
--,disease1 #ddc  --,siphon-,aphis1 #dag
  --,sweet1 #cjc1 #cga1 #cgc1 #cgi1     
#djj1 #djf  ,peat for ,pot ,plants1 #cef
  ,pelargonium1 #bfe1 #bhc1 #cfi1 #cii  
,pennyroyal1 #fi  ,pentstemon1 #bhc1    
#cgh  ,pepper1 ,bird1 #dj  --,cayenne1  

#dj  ,perennial ,phlox1 #bhg1 #cgh      
,perennials1 ,hardy1 #bbg1 #chf         
,perilla nankinensis1 #bbb  ,peronospora
 arborescens1 #dej  --infestans1 #dcg   
--,schleideni1 #ddb  --vici1 #ddc       
,perpetual ,spinach1 #acb1 #agj1 #agf   
,pests of ,garden ,plants1 #dad         
--,fungus1 of certain ,flowers1 #ddg    
--of certain ,garden ,plants1 #dcd      
,petunia1 #bhd1 #cfc1 #cfi1 #chc1 #chh  
,phacelia1 #cgc1 #cig  ,phaseolus       
multiflorus1 #bb  --vulgaris1 #ag       
,phlox ,drummondii1 #bhf1 #cfi1 #cgh1   
#cih  --,perennial1 #bhg1 #chg  ,phorbia
 brassic1 #dba  --cepetorum1 #ii1 #dba  
,phosphatic manures1 #baa  ,phytophthora
 infestans1 #aag1 #dcg1 #dde  ,pickling 
,cucumber1 #ahc  --,onion1 #ii1 #age    
,picotee1 #bhg1 #chc1 #cii  ,pink1 #bfb1
 #bhh1 #chc  ,pisum sativum1 #aja       
,plasmodiophora brassic1 #dcd           
,platystemon1 #cgc  ,plumed ,cockscomb1 
#bdh  ,polianthes tuberosa1 #cea        
,pollination of ,melons1 #hd            
,polyanthus1 #bhh1 #cgj1 #cid           

--,narcissus1 #cdd  ,poppy1 #bhh1 #cgc1 
#cgh1 #chf  --,disease1 #dej            
--,iceland1 #cig  --,shirley1 #cig      
,portugal ,cabbage1 #ec1 #afb           
,portulaca1 #bhi1 #chh1 #cid            
--oleracea1 #fi  ,potash manures1 #bab  
,potato1 #ajh1 #aeh1 #afi1 #agf1 #ahe1  
#ahg1 #aib1 #aic  --,disease1 #aag1 #dcg
  --,onion1 #ii  --spraying1 #ddj       
--,wart ,disease of1 #ddj  ,pot         
,marigold1 #fg1 #bgh  --,marjoram1 #fg  
,pots1 cleaning1 #ceg  --sizes of1 #ceg 
,potting soil1 #cee  ,primrose1 #bhi1   
#cgj1 #cid  --,cape1 #cjb  --,chinese1  
#bia  ,primula ,auricula1 #bcf          
--,half-hardy1 #bib1 #cgj  --,hardy1    
#bic  --sinensis1 #bia1 #chh1 #cid1 #cif
  --stellata1 #bib  --7veris7 elatior1  
#bhh  --vulgaris1 #bhi  ,prince's       
,feather1 #cgc  ,psila ros1 #dai        
,puccinia malvacearum1 #ddi  ,pumpkin1  
#fc1 #ahj  ,purslane1 #fi1 #abc1 #bhi   
,pyrethrum1 #chf   ,radish1 #aah1 #abc1 
#aei1 #afc1 #agj1 #ahe1 #ahg1 #aig      
,rampion1 #gj1 #abc  ,ranunculus1 #bic1 

#cdh1 #cgj1 #daa  ,raphanus sativus1    
#aah  ,rats1 #dcb  ,red ,cabbage1 #ch1  
#aff1 #agd1 #ahh  --,spider1 #dbf       
,reseda odorata1 #bgi  ,rheum hybridum1 
#abj  ,rhubarb1 #abj1 #afc1 #aic        
,ricinus1 #bic1 #cga1 #chd  ,ridge      
,cucumber1 #fj1 #agi1 #ahg  ,roman      
,hyacinth1 #ccg1 #cii1 #djd1 #djh       
,root-knot ,eelworm1 #dbd1 #dde  ,roots1
 ,storing1 #aic  ,rosemary1 #gj         
,rosmarinus officinalis1 #gj  ,rotation 
of ,crops1 #aih  ,rubbish1 ,garden1 #ahe
  ,rudbeckia1 #cgc  ,rue1 #gj  ,rumex   
scutatus1 #gj  ,runner ,bean1 #bb1 #agh1
 #ahc  ,ruta graveolens1 #gj   ,sacred  
,lily1 ,chinese1 #cdf  ,sage1 #gj       
,saintpaulia1 #bie  ,salad1 ,corn1 #ec1 
#abb1 #afa1 #ahe1 #ahi  ,salads1 #abb   
,salpiglossis1 #bie1 #cga1 #cgc1 #cih   
,salsify1 #abc1 #abd1 #agf1 #aic        
,salvia1 #gj1 #bie  ,sanvitalia1 #cgc   
,saponaria1 #cgc1 #cig  ,satureia       
hortensis1 #gj  --montana1 #gj  ,savory1
 ,summer1 #gj  --,winter1 #gj  ,savoy   
,cabbage1 #ch1 #afc1 #aha  ,saxifrage1  

#chf  ,scabious1 #cig  ,scale1 #dbf     
,schizanthus1 #bif1 #cgh1 #cii          
,schizoneura lanigera1 #dah  ,scilla1   
#cdh1 #djj1 #dji  ,scorzonera1 #abe1    
#agj  --hispanica1 #abe  ,sea ,kale1    
#abe1 #aei1 #afc1 #agj1 #aie  --,beet1  
#bg  ,sea ,lavender1 #bih1 #cfd1 #cgi   
,seed ,sowing in ,january1 #aeb         
,senecio1 #big  --,disease1 #ddg        
,september work among ,flowers1 #djj    
--in the ,vegetable ,garden1 #aij       
,septoria apii1 #ddb  ,shallot1 #abc1   
#abi1 #afd1 #ahg  ,shrubby ,calceolaria1
 #bdc1 #cff  ,silene1 #bih1 #cgc1 #cig1 
#djj  ,silver1 or ,sea ,kale1 ,beet1 #bg
  ,sinapis alba1 #ib  --nigra1 #ib      
,siphonophora pisi1 #dag  ,sizes of     
,pots1 #ceg  ,sleepy ,disease of        
,tomato1 #ddd  ,slugs1 #dbi  ,snails1   
#dcj  ,snapdragon1 #bcj  ,snowdrop1     
#cdi1 #djf  ,snowflake1 ,spring1 #cci   
--,summer1 #cci  ,soil for ,pot ,plants1
 #cee  ,solanum1 #bih1 #cga1 #cgh1 #cid 
--esculentum1 #fa  --,melongena1 #fa    
--tuberosum1 #ajh  ,sorrel1 #gj1 #abc   

,sparaxis1 #cch1 #djf  ,sparrows1 #ajf1 
#bhb1 #cbf  ,spearmint1 #fh  ,spider1   
,red1 #dbf  ,spinach1 #acj1 #aei1 #afd1 
#agj1 #agf1 #ahe1 #ahg1 #aib  --,beet1  
#acb1 #agj1 #agf  --,moth ,grub1 #ahg   
--,new ,zealand1 #aca1 #agj1 #aha       
--,perpetual1 #acb1 #agj1 #agf          
,spinacia oleracea1 #acj  ,spirals1 #acb
  ,spraying ,potatoes1 #ddj  ,spring    
,broccoli1 #ca  --flowering ,stock1     
#cja1 #cid1 #djj  --,flowers from       
,seeds1 #cac  ,spring-,jack1 #dca       
,spring ,snowflake1 #cci  ,sprouting    
,broccoli1 #cc1 #ahh  ,sprouts1         
,brussels1 #cc1 #afa1 #aff1 #agc1 #agh  
,squill1 ,blue1 #cdh  ,stachys          
tuberifera1 #acb  ,star of ,bethlehem1  
#cdg  --,cineraria1 #beb  --,primula1   
#bib  --of the ,veldt1 #bfc1 #cge       
,static1 #bih1 #cfd1 #cgi  ,stock1 #bii 
--,intermediate1 #cja1 #cga1 #djj       
--,spring-flowering1 #cja1 #cid1 #djj   
--,summer-flowering1 or ,ten-week1 #bii1
 #cgi1 #chd1 #chi  --,winter-flowering1 
#cja1 #cid  --,virginian1 #cgc1 #cig    

,stored ,bulbs1 #dac  ,storing ,roots1  
#aic  ,strawberry1 #acc1 #aei1 #agj1    
#aij  --,alpine1 #acg1 #aei1 #agj       
--,forced1 #acf  ,streptocarpus1 #cjb   
--,wendlandii1 #cjb  #8,stripe' of      
,tomato1 #ddd  ,sugar ,corn1 #hj1 #ahj  
,sultan's ,balsam1 #bgc  ,sultan1       
,sweet1 #cgc1 #cig  ,summer ,broccoli1  
#cb  --,cypress1 #bgd  --flowering1 or  
,ten-week ,stock1 #bii1 #cgi1 #chd1 #chi
  --,savory1 #gj  --,snowflake1 #cci    
--sown ,vegetables for ,autumn and      
,winter use1 #ahe1 #ahh  ,sunflower1    
#ach1 #cjb1 #cgc1 #che  ,swan ,river    
,daisy1 #cgc1 #cih  ,swede1 #adg  ,sweet
 ,basil1 #ff  --,herbs1 #fd1 #afh1 #agd 
--,knotted ,marjoram1 #fg  --,pea1 #cjc1
 #cga1 #cgc1 #cgi1 #djj1 #djf           
--,sultan1 #cgc1 #cig  --,william1 #cjg1
 #chi  ,synchytrium endobioticum1 #ddj  
,tagetes1 #bgg  ,taraxacum officinale1  
#fj  ,tarragon1 #ga  ,temperature of    
,greenhouses1 #ceh  ,tender ,annuals1   
#bbg  ,ten-week ,stock1 #bii1 #cgi1     
#chd1 #chi  ,tetragonia expansa1 #aca   

,tetranychus telarius1 #dbf             
,thalictrum1  #chf  ,thrips1 #dbg       
,thyme1 ,common1 #ga  --,lemon1 #ga     
,thymus ,serpyllum vulgaris1 #ga        
--vulgaris1 #ga  ,tigridia1 #cej1 #cgi  
,tipula oleracea1 #dbd  ,tobacco1 #bha1 
#cfi1 #chh1 #cic  ,tomato1 #abc1 #ach1  
#aei1 #afd1 #aga1 #aha1 #aij            
--,diseases1 #ddc  ,torenia1 #cjh       
,tragopogon porrifolius1 #abd  ,traps   
for ,vermin1 #dae  ,trichobasis         
senecionis1 #ddg  ,triteleia uniflora1  
#cej1 #dji  ,tritonia1 #cej1 #daa       
,tropolum1 #cjh1 #cea  --canariense1    
#cjh1 #chc  --majus1 #cjh  --nanum1 #cji
  --speciosum1 #cea  --tuberosum1 #cea1 
#djf  ,tuberose1 #cea1 #dji             
,tuberous-rooted ,begonia1 #bch1 #cbc1  
#cfj1 #cff1 #cia1 #dja  ,tufted ,pansy1 
#caj  ,tulip1 #ceb1 #djf1 #dji1 #daa    
,turban ,ranunculus1 #cdh1 #cgj         
,turnip1 #add1 #afd1 #agf1 #ahb1 #ahe1  
#ahg1 #aij1 #aic  --,fly or ,flea1 #dbb 
,turnip-gall ,weevil1 #dcg              
,turnip-rooted ,celery1 #ea             

,underground ,onion1 #ii1 #aig  ,uredo  
senecionis1 #ddg  ,urocystis gladioli1  
#ddh   ,valerianella olitoria1 #ec      
,vallota purpurea1 #cec1 #cgb           
,vegetable ,garden1 ,a ,year's ,work in1
 #aea  --,rotation of ,crops in1 #aih   
--,marrow1 #adg1 #agf1 #ahb  --,oyster1 
#abc1 #abd1 #agf  ,vegetables1 ,the     
,culture of1 #a  ,ventilating           
,greenhouses and ,frames1 #ceh  ,venus' 
,looking-glass1 #cgc1 #cig              
--,navel-wort1 #cgc  ,verbascum1 #chf   
,verbena1 #cji1 #cfd1 #cgb1 #chj1 #chi  
,vermin1 ,garden1 ,eradication of1 #dad 
--,traps1 #dae  ,viola1 #caj1 #chf      
--tricolor1 #bhb  ,violet ,diseases1    
#dea  --,dog's-tooth1 #cbg1 #djb        
,virginian ,stock1 #cgc1 #cig           
,viscaria1 #cgc1 #cig   ,wallflower1    
#caj1 #cij1 #cie1 #dji  ,warm ,border1  
#aif  ,wart ,disease of ,potatoes1 #ddj 
,wasps1 #dcj  ,water ,cress1 #ed1 #abc1 
#aga  ,watering ,pot ,plants1 #ceg      
,waxpod ,bean1 #bd  ,weeds1 #aij        
,weevil1 ,turnip-gall1 #dcg  ,whitlavia1

 #cgc1 #cig  ,wigandia1 #caa1 #cgb      
,windflower1 #bbi1 #cba  ,winter        
,aconite1 #cec1 #daj  --,broccoli1 #ca  
,winter ,cucumber1 #eh  --flowering     
,stock1 #cja1 #cid  --,greens1 #aga1    
#agf1 #ahg1 #aic  --,radish1 #abj       
--,savory1 #gj  ,wireworm1 #dc1 #ccj1   
#cha1 #dca  ,witloof1 #abb  ,woodlice1  
#dcb  ,woolly ,aphis1 #dah  ,wormwood1  
#ga   ,xeranthemum1 #cgc   ,year's ,work
 in the ,vegetable ,garden1 ,a1 #aea    
,zea ,mays1 #hj  ,zephyranthes ,candida1
 #ced1 #dab  ,zinnia1 #caa1 #chj1 #che1 
#cij1 #cie ,permanent and ,temporary    
,pastures4  ,by ,,martin ,,sutton1      
,f4,l4,s4  ,,popular ,,edition4 ,in     
paper cover1 price #as4  #88,,permanent 
,,and ,,temporary ,,pastures40--,mr     
,martin ,sutton speaks with authority on
 this absorbing subject1 and his book   
should be in the hands of every farmer  
who desires to make the most of his     
opportunities2 the information it       
affords is of the utmost practical      
advantage4 ,here will be found ample    

instruction1 the results of knowledge   
acquired by experience and exhaustive   
experiment4'--,,estates ,,gazette4      
,lawns1  ,including ,cricket ,grounds1  
,putting ,greens and ,bowling ,greens4  
,by ,,sutton  ,,sons1 ,reading4         
,,thirteenth ,,edition4 ,price #bs4     
#f;d4 net4  ,containing full particulars
 on preparing the ground1 sowing seed1  
and after-management4 ,illustrated with 
numerous reproductions from beautiful   
photographs of ,lawns1 and including    
plans of ,tennis ,lawn and ,croquet     
,ground4  ,may be obtained through all  
,booksellers1 from the ,publishers1     
,,simpkin1 ,,marshall1 ,,hamilton1      
,,kent  ,,co41 ,,ltd41 ,,london4   ,the 
,book of the ,links4  ,by ,,martin      
,h4,f4 ,,sutton1 ,f4,l4,s4  ,royal #hvo4
 ,price #aes4 net4  ,the book           
indispensable1 from all points of view1 
to those concerned in the management of 
,golf ,clubs4  ,illustrated with        
numerous excellent ,photographs1 and    
some striking original ,cartoons by ,tom

 ,wilkinson4  ,,sutton  ,,sons1         
,,reading1  ,,seedsmen ,,to ,,his       
,,majesty ,,the ,,king4  ,,works        
,,issued ,,by ,,sutton  ,,sons4         
,sutton's ,amateur's ,guide in          
,horticulture and ,general ,garden ,seed
 ,catalogue4  ,containing ,descriptive  
,lists of the finest strains of         
,vegetables1 and the most beautiful     
,flowers for the greenhouse1            
conservatory and garden4  ,,published   
,,annually ,,in ,,january4  ,sent       
,gratis to regular ,customers4          
,sutton's ,farmers' ,year-,book and     
,graziers' ,manual4  ,containing        
,information on ,permanent and          
,temporary ,pastures and ,leys1 ,lists  
of ,natural ,grasses and ,clovers2      
,descriptions of ,turnips1 ,mangolds1   
and other ,farm ,crops4  ,gratis and    
,post ,free to ,customers4  ,,published 
,,annually ,,in ,,february4   ,sutton's 
,bulbs4  ,containing ,descriptive ,lists
 of ,hyacinths1 ,narcissi1 ,tulips1     
,lilies and other ,flowering ,bulbs4    

,beautifully ,illustrated1 and sent     
,free to ,regular ,customers for ,bulbs4
  ,,published ,,annually ,,in ,,august4 
,bulletins4  ,no4 #a4 ,brassica         
,cresses4 0#b4 ,tuber-bearing ,solanums4
 0#c4 ,experiments in ,crossing a ,wild 
,pea from ,palestine with ,commercial   
,peas4 0#d4 ,results obtained by        
,crossing a ,wild ,pea from ,palestine  
with ,commercial ,types and ,pisum      
sativum umbellatum4 0#e4 ,the ,progress 
in ,vegetable ,cultivation during ,queen
 ,victoria's ,reign4 0#f4 ,the ,effects 
of ,radio-active ,ores and ,residues on 
,plant ,life4 7,first ,series47 0#g4    
,the ,effects of ,radio-active ,ores and
 ,residues on ,plant ,life4 7,second    
,series47 0#h4 ,experiments with        
,humogen in comparison with other       
,fertilisers4 0#i4 ,do ,potatoes give   
rise to ,new and ,distinct ,varieties by
 ,bud-,variation8 0#aj4 ,how ,amateurs  
may secure three successive crops of    
,vegetables in twelve months without the
 aid of glass houses or of heat4 0#aa4  

,the ,electrification of ,seeds by the  
,wolfryn ,process4  ,nos4 #a1 #b1 #c1   
#d1 #e1 #i and #aj by ,,arthur ,w4      
,,sutton1 ,f4,l4,s41 ,v4,m4,h4  ,nos4   
#f1 #g1 #h and #aa by ,,martin ,h4,f4   
,,sutton1 ,f4,l4,s4  ,price #bs4 #f;d4  
net each4  ,,sutton  ,,sons1 ,,reading1 
,,seedsmen ,,to ,,his ,,majesty ,,the   
,,king4   #a ,for permission to         
reproduce the engravings numbered #a1   
#c1 #d1 and #e  from ,professor         
,marshall ,ward's #8,diseases of        
,plants1' we gladly  acknowledge our    
indebtedness to the ,society for        
,promoting ,christian  ,knowledge4      
,professor ,w4 ,carruthers has kindly   
allowed us to use the  illustrations    
numbered #b and #f4