1869.] THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 263 



they are in autumn, while they continue to make growth, the better 

 will be their condition to stand the winter, should it be severe, and 

 come away bold and strong in spring ; consequently the tops of the 

 lights should be kept off, except to throw off heavy rains. When the 

 winters are severe, they should be kept closely shut up while the frost 

 continues, and should be screened from sudden bursts of sunshine. If 

 severe frosts take place after the sun gains sufficient power to thaw 

 them quickly, they are more likely to suffer from sudden alternations 

 of temperature than from continued severe frost. Generally this is 

 all the shelter found necessary for moderate-sized plants that have 

 not been crowded, and rendered tender thereby. In mild weather 

 slugs are the principal devourers that must be looked after and de- 

 stroyed in the usual way. If the surface of the soil is covered with 

 the siftings of burned earth or charcoal, it is good for the plants, 

 and prevents slugs from harbouring so much. If more have been 

 wintered in the hand-glasses than can be left to come to maturity, 

 they should be removed by the middle of March. If the hand- 

 glasses are of the largest sizes, one plant in each corner and one 

 in the middle may be left, as nice compact early heads are re- 

 quired rather than large ones ; but if the glasses are smaller, one 

 in each corner is enough. The surface of the soil should then be 

 well stirred, all dead leaves removed, and a slight earthing -up of 

 a few inches of light rich soil applied. On fine days a free exposure to 

 air must be followed out, shutting them up at night to prevent the soil 

 from losing the heat absorbed by day. They soon make rapid pro- 

 gress, and April adds greatly to their size and strength, and they are 

 generally far ahead of spring -transplanted crops. The glasses should 

 be removed entirely as soon as the plants outgrow them. A top-dress- 

 ing of well-rotted manure should then be laid over the surface of the 

 ground among and around the plants, and over all a covering of soil. 

 This moulds up the plants and keeps them steady. In performing this 

 operation the corner plants should be pressed away from the centre, to 

 further prevent them from becoming crowded. This moulding-up must 

 be efficiently and firmly done, so that the plants do not get blown about 

 and loosened at the neck by high winds, and a basin should be left all 

 around them to hold manure-water. When from dry weather it be- 

 comes necessary to help them on with water, let it be a thorough 

 soaking once a-week in preference to smaller quantities more frequently. 

 A mulching should be applied after the first watering, and nothing is 

 better for this than old hotbed manure. 



In very cold damp situations it is advisable to pot up in October as 

 many plants as are required for the desired number of glasses, in case, 

 in the event of severe weather, they get crippled. In pots they can be 



