1869.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 213 



any injury done to tlie most tender kinds. They are placed in sunk pits 

 with boarded covers, which are removed by degrees till the plant will 

 stand sun and air ; but when wind is cold and biting, little air only is 

 given, and that from the opposite side from where the wind comes. 

 Glass, as a matter of course, would save much trouble and labour in such 

 cases ; but in its absence many makeshifts can be of tolerable service. 

 When flower-pots or similar coverings are used for protection, they should 

 stand clear of the leaves, otherwise they would be worse than useless. 

 The main early crops of Scarlet Runners and French Beans may now 

 be sown. The former do well as a blind from anything unsightly, or 

 in a row similar to Peas. However, they require good deep soil, other- 

 wise they would seed prematurely and run themselves done ; but by 

 mulching, watering, and keeping the pods well picked off, they would 

 keep on bearing all the season ; but it is safe to have two or three 

 successions. They may be planted 3 or 4 inches apart in the rows, 

 and stake them before the wind destroys the foliage. They can be 

 kept dwarf and in full bearing by topping them in. They thus form 

 neat edgings to other crops. French Beans, being dwarf, are of little 

 trouble, but the rows should be at least 2 feet apart. In Scotland or 

 the colder parts of England this crop should be sown in the most 

 sheltered parts of the garden, as in cold seasons they often do not 

 come to much. Peas for succession should be sown at least twice or 

 three times in the month; and if these are in properly-prepared ground, 

 they will give pickings till frost takes them ; this applies to Scotland. 

 In England we always could sow a month later with success ; but if 

 watering, mulching, and the crop kept cleanly picked before the pods 

 become old, are neglected, no other attention will secure success. Peas 

 delight in deep well-cultivated soil, and the seed should not be too 

 thickly sown. Stake them in time, as the breaking at the necks of 

 the plants causes premature fruiting. We top strong-growing kinds 

 back, which causes them to break out and pod freely. Mildew is 

 often the result of ground left untrenched, the roots going only to the 

 hard bottom, and therefore cannot escape drought. The warmer soil 

 and climate in the south give greater facilities for close cropping 

 than in the north. Early and late crops are more easily secured, and 

 more abundant supplies can be taken out of less ground, than in the 

 north. Judicious manuring, winter trenching, itc, must in every case 

 be carried out. Allowing change of crop is also of great importance. 

 We make this an easy matter with Peas, as they are sown in single 

 rows, dividing off other crops ; and though in the same quarters of the 

 garden every season, are seldom near the same place. Small succes- 

 sions frequently sown are necessary to keep up regular supplies of 

 most things. We have seen in market-gardens near London three 



