270 THE GARDENER. [June 



Lettuce, sown in rows thinly on the tops of the ridges, is a suitable 

 crop for such spaces. "When fit to handle, they may be thinned to one 

 foot apart. Imperial white Cos is still one of the best for summer 

 crops. Lettuce, like most other kinds of vegetables, are difficult to 

 get true. 



Asparagus should not be cut too late in the season, which would 

 weaken the roots considerably: dustings of salt will help them. 

 French Beans and Scarlet Runners may be sown now for a full crop. 

 Negroe's old dun-coloured are still favourites for late crops. Tulmer's 

 and Sion House are also good. Newington Wonder, to be sown often 

 and used quickly, is one of the best, the pods being small, round, and 

 crisp : they come in great quantities at one time. Ridge Cucumbers 

 may now be planted out, preparing beds of dung in the ground, throw- 

 ing the soil right and left, then covering it over the ridge of manure 

 nearly the thickness of a foot : a little light turfy soil starts the plants 

 off into free growth. The stems should be trained regularly over the 

 surface of the ridge, preventing them from becoming matted, pinch- 

 ing out the tops above the fruit. Similar treatment is required for 

 Vegetable Marrows. They require less attention. Tomatoes plant 

 out against walls to be trained w^here space occurs. If a number of 

 the latest are kept in pots, they will be useful for taking in-doors 

 when frost shows itself, though they do almost as well in the south, 

 planted out like potatoes, as on walls, &c. The latter is a simple 

 method of growing them, and space may be profitably occupied wdth 

 them. 



Strawberries may now be increased by pegging down the layers in 

 small pots, to be grown on into larger pots, or planted out when suffi- 

 ciently rooted. A little attention at the beginning will secure an 

 early and vigorous growth, and fine fruiting plants will be prepared for 

 bearing next season. Mulch, if not already done, the fruiting plants 

 for this season. Clean straw is the best material for keeping the fruit 

 clean, but few are ready to afford it for this purpose. We use the 

 clean wasted straw from the stable-yard — when well washed by rains, 

 it is little inferior to ordinary unused straw. Grass is used by some, 

 but it brings with it endless crops of weeds, and is a harbour for slugs, 

 &c. The thinning of fruit on walls may be proceeded with now wdth 

 some degree of safety, but going several times over is much safer 

 than doing it all at once. Among stone-fruits, the best-exposed and 

 most vigorous -looking fruits should be left, and if spread regularly 

 over the whole surface of the tree, so much the better; but where wood 

 and foliage are strongest, the crop should be left thickest. Peaches 

 left at the rate of 1 foot apart all over the trees (and much less on 

 weakly ones) will be a good crop : 9 inches apart is enough for 



