1869.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 77 



formed bulbs sbould be selected, and planted in good ground, with a 

 good exposure, so tliat riDening early seed may be practicable : that 

 which is ripened late is generally inferior, and often much is wasted. 

 The same applies to Leek-seed growing. A bed or a few rows of 

 Onions may be sown about the third week of the month for early use ; 

 and if the weather is fine and the ground dry, and otherwise in 

 order, by the last week of the month the main crop of Onions might 

 be sown. When they are got in thus early, and other necessary atten- 

 tion given, they invariably do well ; but we avoid sowing, if possible, 

 till we can secure a dry mealy surface, and on stiff ground we use fine 

 dry soil from under cover, treading the whole surface thoroughly, then 

 drawing drills about 9 inches to 1 foot apart. Very little covering is 

 necessary; an inch or less will do. The seed should be sown thinly and 

 regularly along the drills. It is no loss to leave every sixth row unsown, 

 to prevent breaking the tops when cleaning and surface-stirring are per- 

 formed. Some still prefer " broadcast " and beds, which is, treading 

 out alleys 4 feet apart, sprinkling the seed regularly over the surface, 

 and covering over with soil from the alleys, throwing it regularly to 

 right and left, then levelling with a rake, and beating the beds firm, or 

 treading them well. We think this old system inferior in every respect 

 to sowing in rows ; indeed we seldom use beds for anything now, pre- 

 ferring rows for everything. Young seedlings do not become so quickly 

 drawn up, and cleaning is more easily performed. Parsnips may also 

 be sown at the end of the month. Deep ground is necessary to secure 

 fine straight roots ; but we find, when the soil is very rich and heavy, 

 the flavour and keeping qualities are inferior to those grown on poorer 

 and lighter soil. Rows drawn from 15 to 18 inches apart, and about 

 2 inches deep, will do ; sprinkle the seed in thinly, or place it in 

 "pinches" about a foot or 14 inches apart; cover it regularly, tread 

 moderately, and make the surface fine with a rake, but avoid tearing 

 up the newly-sown seed. Parsnips still in the ground may be lifted 

 soon and allowed to become dry on their surfaces ; they may then be 

 placed in a shed thinly, and some dry straw thrown over them. 



Cabbage may be planted when the weather is open and mild ; they 

 may be planted twice as thick as they are to remain ; every other head 

 can be cut out for use, and a full crop allowed to remain. However, 

 the smaller kinds can be planted more thickly than the larger sorts. 

 Those which form nice hearts with few outside leaves are generally 

 esteemed. When planting, make drills as for Peas, and plant the larger 

 kinds a foot each way, so that when the main crop is left they will 

 stand 2 feet apart each way. The quality of the ground is a guide for 

 distance. In highly-manured soil the size of Cabbage increases doubly. 

 In planting all kinds of plants, it is of great importance to press the 



