1869.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 309 



crop in the south ; but in more northern districts, where nights are 

 cold at any period of the year, protection as recommended for dwarf 

 Pease is necessary. We seldom ever did much with those sown after 

 June, but have in Wiltshire, Suffolk, Berks, and Middlesex seen good 

 crops from August sowings. Mild autumns have much to do Vv'ith 

 this. We often have a frame sown, so that late gatherings may be had. 

 Turnips may be sown in quantity on firm ground. If the weather 

 should be dry and hot, the drills should be well watered before the seed 

 is cast in, and the whole space may require a soaking (with a rose on 

 the pot) if rain does not fall. Potatoes require to be kept thor- 

 oughly clean, and if the young tubers are too near the surface a little 

 earth should be drawn over them ; but we have long since lost faith 

 in drawing earth up in sharp ridges to the stems of Potatoes or any 

 other crops, except in wet low-lying localities. Cabbage which have 

 been cut can be left to sprout. It is an old plan to give a good top- 

 dressing of manure and plenty of water, and allow the Cabbage to 

 remain for an autumn supply ; but where ground can be spared, planting 

 frequently is most satisfactory. The middle of this month and next is; 

 usually considered a good time to sow (in the north) for winter and 

 spring supplies, and those planted out now will come in useful through 

 the autumn. Three weeks or so later (in each case) answers in the 

 south. We sow from the middle of July to the end of August, which 

 keeps up a supply all the season ; and a sowing in March and April 

 will keep up a continued succession of young sweet heads. A sowing 

 of Early Horn Carrots may be made now, if they are required for 

 drawing young. Tomatoes require going over frequently, taking off 

 useless growths. When they are kept dwarf, stopping the shoots above 

 the flowers must be practised, but prevent them from being crowded. 

 When the main shoot can be allowed to run, and the side shoots kept 

 off, abundance of fine fruit can be had. Free quick growth gives the 

 finest produce. Those grown in pots require mulching and manure- 

 water. The flowers should be thinned when they are too thick. 

 To prevent bad setting and deformed fruit, thinning is of great 

 importance. 



Attention to fruit-trees must now be given in earnest, especially 

 where the trees are young and not come to the desired size and shape. 

 Stop strong growths, and remove those not required. This is neces- 

 sary for those on walls and standards both. The more attention given 

 in the early stages of growth, the sooner will the trees be in a bearing 

 state. It is desirable to get Pears, Apples, and Cherries studded with 

 fruit-spurs. We have before hinted that some do nothing to their 

 trees till the end of the season, and success is pretty sure ; but in 

 these cases, wherever we have seen such trees, they have exhausted all 



