i88i.] WALL-BORDERS IN KITCHEN -GARDENS. 105 



tubers, especially with the kidney varieties, than early planting ; home- 

 grown seed being preferable, as that bought is seldom so well kept. 

 If the central shoot be uninjured in any way, and all side shoots either 

 rubbed off or picked out with a knife, an evener growth and an 

 earlier and heavier crop will be secured than would otherwise be the 

 case. Some carefully preserve these shoots till planting-time, only to 

 be damaged by careless planting; and for this reason I advocate draw- 

 ing drills, and moulding over lightly with the hand, prior to a general 

 levelling of the soil. Both the south and west borders are suitable for 

 these early crops, and the soil should be as light and open as possible 

 — heavy soils repaying for a good dressing of leaf or other light soils. 

 I still recommend a liberal dressing of half-decayed manure, burying 

 it in slightly below the tubers. Coarse tubers may result, which are 

 objected to by many, and rightly so, perhaps ; but unless a few are 

 obtained, the crop, as a rule, will be a light one. Manure freely used 

 for Potatoes, will also be found sufficient for most of the successional 

 crops. On light soils the rows may be placed 2 feet apart, and the tubers 

 9 inches asunder in the rows ; on heavier soils the rows should be 

 30 inches apart, and the tubers from 10 to 12 inches asunder, planting 

 deeply in the former instance, and shallowly in the latter. Moulding 

 up is necessary where shallow planting is resorted to, and it should be 

 practised where deeply planted, if the locality is liable to late frosts. 



Good varieties to succeed either Veitch's Ashleaf or Mona's Pride 

 are Early Hammersmith and Rivers's Royal Ashleaf, both of which 

 crop heavily and are usually of good quality. Extra-early Vermont, 

 which much resembles Early Rose, but is superior to that variety, is 

 recommended for light soils, as it crops heavily, is early, and good in 

 quality. Of round varieties, I prefer Fox's Seedling ; and Alpha is 

 also early and good. Early Oxford is of excellent quality, but the 

 crops with me have been light. Early Coldstream makes too much 

 haulm to please me, but is very good in other respects. Porter's 

 Excelsior is an extraordinary cropper, but the quality, unfortunately, 

 is generally inferior. 



Carrots and Radishes. — A sowing of either Early Scarlet Horn or 

 Nantes Horn, should be made on a south or west border, the first 

 favourable opportunity, to succeed those grown in frames, or those of 

 the latter sown at the foot of a wall. A light sandy soil is suitable ; 

 and the shallow drills for Carrots may be drawn 10 inches apart, 

 working in a row of Radishes between each. Sow rather thinly, and 

 thin out early. 



Turnips. — The earliest and most profitable crop of these will be 

 obtained from an east border, the soil of which should be rich and 

 firm. On the first favourable opportunity in March seed should be 

 sown of the Early Munich, and more of the same variety, and also of 

 a good selection of Snowball towards the end of March or early in 

 April. It is a great mistake to crowd Turnips ; and to induce early 



