iSSi.J WALL -BORDERS. 291) 



available, will be soaked with it prior to planting, and failing liquid 

 manure, with water. This will enable us to plant with a trowel — 

 our plants being previously pricked out, — and therefore in the hottest 

 of weather, without any very serious check to their growth. The 

 drills can easily be filled with water when necessary ; afterwards, when 

 the Broccoli is well established, the soil, immediately after the last 

 watering, can be returned to the drills, thereby enclosing the moisture 

 and steadying the plants. To crowd Broccoli, wherever grown, is 

 a decided mistake ; and in the above case our drills will be drawn 

 about 3 feet apart, the plants of Snow's variety will be 24 inches 

 asunder in the drills, and Osborn's somewhat thicker. Kone of these 

 will be lifted, at all events till the heads have formed — the aim being 

 to get them as early as possible, preferring to lay in and thereby 

 check those grown in the open. 



It is scarcely possible to crop a garden as one would wish during 

 the first, or even the second, year of management. And here, for in- 

 stance, on taking charge, I found the wall-border so occupied, that it 

 was impossible to plant, as I like to do, a good length of early Pota- 

 toes. These, by being cleared off early, liberate a good piece of 

 border for such crops as early Strawberries, late Cauliflowers, Carrots, 

 Tripoli Onions, &c. When lifting, the ground is forked over, levelled, 

 and all clods broken — this preventing undue drying, and also preserv- 

 ing neatness. 



Few require to be told that the earliest Strawberries are usually to 

 be had on a south border : but if it is generally known that the 

 youngest plants give the earliest pickings, the knowledge is not always 

 acted upon. According to my experience, it is unprofitable to crop 

 Strawberries a second season on a sheltered border : invariably 

 plant afresh, thereby securing valuable early fruit, and also a quantity 

 of strong early runners. Some of the strongest of the latter, when 

 well established in the pots, layered in, are taken off, and at once 

 planted on part of the ground previously occupied by the Potatoes. It 

 cannot be too often stated that the soil for Strawberries should be 

 made as firm as possible ; loose planting on light poor soil resulting 

 in weakly growth, and on rich soils exuberance of growth — of course 

 at the expense of the crops in both instances. Plants to be fruited for 

 one year only are disposed in lines 2 feet apart, and 12 or 15 inches 

 asunder in the rows, and the soil is rammed firmly about them, as with 

 plants potted for forcing. In dry seasons it is advisable to water the 

 ground some hours prior to planting, and to frequently water the 

 plants till well established. They will repay the trouble taken. The 

 site of the old bed is not dug, but prepared and planted as advised in 

 the case of the Pea ground. Savoys succeed admirably when planted 

 in this fashion. 



The autumn-sown Spinach with me is frequently most profitable 

 w^hen sown in succession to Potatoes, an^l on a rai.-ed soutli border. 



