liSbi. 



CALENDAR. 



337 



and prevent more frequent waterings. 

 A final watering should be given before 

 the fruit begins to colour, so that the 

 soil does not become over dry before 

 the fruits are all cut, Remove all 

 superfluous growth, and syringe the 

 foliage every fine afternoon up to the 

 time the fruit begins to ripen, after 

 which keep it dry, and expose the 

 fruit as much as possible to the sun. 

 Attend to the impregnation of succes- 

 sion crops, and plant and sow for late 

 crops. 



Cucumbers.— Water those in full 

 bearing with manure-water. Look 

 over them twice a- week, and remove 

 all supeifluous growths, and keep 

 youni^ growths constantly stopped. 

 Syringe freely on fine afternoons. Do 

 not allow the plants to bear too many 

 Cucumbers at one time, or the plants 



will suffer. Impregnate some of the 

 most handsome -looking young fruits 

 for producing seed. 



Strawberries in Pots.— Plants in- 

 tended for early forcing should be in 

 their fruiting-pots the first week of 

 this month. For the earliest lot 5- 

 inch pots are large enough, but for the 

 general stock of plants G-inch pots are 

 the best and most convenient size. 

 The soil used should be a rather strong 

 loam, with a third of such as old mush- 

 room-bed manure mixed with it. Pot 

 the plants firmly. Place them in a 

 sunny exposure, and on some mate- 

 rial that will prevent worms from 

 getting into the pots. Water freely, 

 and keep them free from runners. 

 Syringe the foliage about five o'clock 

 in the afternoon when the weather is 

 warm and dry. 



KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



The weather during the latter part of 

 May being very warm and dry, gave 

 many crops in vegetable gardens an 

 appearance of distress. Slight showers 

 have fallen at the end of the month 

 and refreshed various things ; but 

 with us no roots eight inches in the 

 soil have had rain since the first 

 week of March, and the ground now 

 turns up hard and dry at the middle of 

 June. Though water and hydrants are 

 at hand, we have not had time to use 

 moisture sufficient to give a thorough 

 soaking. We always advise leaving it 

 alone if it cannot be done effectually. 

 We know of much damage done already 

 by the inexperienced, by dribbling 

 surfaces frequently, while the feeders 

 were almost roasted. Potatoes are 

 well up and looking well. Onions, 

 Parsnij^s, and Beet, among roots, are 

 fair. Turnips and Radishes, among 

 Potatoes and other crops, are not amiss. 

 Spinach, between Potatoes, is extra 

 good. On very heavy land, the seed 

 covered with rich and fine soil and 

 afterwards dusted with fine ashes, has 

 been well protected. Lettuce between 

 Pea rows 10 feet apart, and the ground 

 extra rich, have been unusually fine. 

 Carrots are very shabby, and many 

 blanks among them. Cauliflowers 

 have been difiBcult to deal with. Celery 

 has been troublesome. Mulching with 

 grass-mowings and soakings of water 

 are telling well on the plants. 



No time need be lost in planting out 

 Broccoli, Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Sa- 

 voys, and all the Brassica in the 

 seed-list. If the ground has to be 

 cleared of Potato crops, &c,, it is well 

 to have the plants safe on any spare 

 ground, so that they may lift easily 

 and be transplanted firmly in their 

 permanent quarters. Cabbage may be 

 sown in late northern quarters — from 

 the middle to the end of the month is 

 early enough ; further south, a good 

 plantation tor autumn may be planted 

 out any time during the month. The 

 Eosette Colewort is always a favourite, 

 and very hardy. Celery for early 

 crops should be well earthed up and 

 have liberal soakings of water. Man- 

 ure - water will give crisp and ten- 

 der produce. Prick out latest suc- 

 cessions on firmly-beaten and well- 

 rotted manure, with two or three inches 

 of soil over the surface. Shade the 

 seedlings from strong sun : red kinds 

 are generally the most hardy, and the 

 flavour is considered by many to be 

 the best. Carrots of the "Horn" 

 class may be sown for drawdng young. 

 Endive and Lettuce may now be sown 

 for main crops. Plenty of Batavian 

 Endive is of much service. Sow 

 every fortnight in breadths equal to 

 the demand. These require deep, 

 rich, and well-broken soil to have them 

 fine. Sow Lettuce which are known 

 to be favourites : some prefer Cabbage 



