i8 79 .J 



CALENDAR. 



533 



<Kalcntrai\ 



KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



The present time is favourable for 

 noting the kinds of vegetables which 

 have proved satisfactory during the 

 past season. They may be committed 

 to paper systematically, and when the 

 seed -list is formed, those which are 

 most worthy may be retained as the 

 favourites for next season. A scheme 

 may also be formed so that arrange- 

 ments may be made for next year's 

 cropping — trenching and manuring 

 accordingly. The haphazard method 

 of manuring and cropping gardens is 

 very objectionable : by it a less supply 

 is obtained, labour is increased, and 

 disorder is a sure accompaniment. 



Trenching may now begin, ridging 

 up the soil to the weather. If the 

 subsoil is tenaceous clay, it should be 

 well turned over in the bottom, and 

 not brought to the surface, except 

 the latter be rich and light soil ; 

 the stronger soil would then be an 

 advantage if brought up in small pro- 

 portion — and so would sand be to 

 strong clay. But in well - cropped 

 gardens there will be little vacant 

 ground to turn up for some time to 

 come. A general preparation may 

 now be made to meet all requirements 

 during sudden changes of weather, as 

 it often happens after a wet season 

 severe frost sets in suddenly. We re- 

 member what followed the cold and 

 wet summer of 1860 — a season only 

 second to 1879 for untoward weather, 

 — the intensity of the frost became a 

 household word ; but the great mis- 

 chief was from unripened growth ; 

 and the softness and juicy nature of 

 all vegetable productions succumbed 

 to the severe and sudden change 

 which took 'place at the end of the 

 year. A quantity of Fern -litter, hay- 

 bands, old mats, wooden shutters, 

 frames, and every kind of protector, 

 may be ready for use at the shortest 

 notice, as frost gives so little warning. 

 Lettuce and Endive may be lifted into 

 frames, with good balls of earth at 

 their roots, placed closely together, the 

 roots covered nicely with soil, giving 

 water as planting goes on, and plac- 

 ing dry soil over the surface. They 

 will keep in this way for many weeks 

 and give little trouble. Young planta- 



tions or successions in the ground 

 should be in a dry position, as damp 

 does more harm than frost. Celery, 

 after being earthed up, may have a 

 quantity of litter or Fern placed over 

 and among them, without breaking 

 the stems or leaves ; but only while 

 frost lasts should the covering remain 

 on, as damp harboured about Celery 

 rots it very quickly. Artichokes 

 (Globe) should have litter placed round 

 the collars and over the roots of the 

 plants : the Jerusalem kind may have 

 litter thrown over a portion in the 

 ground, so that they may be lifted 

 when wanted during severe weather. 

 Parsnips may also be covered in this 

 way ; but a few weeks' supply of both, 

 lifted and placed in a shed or under 

 cover elsewhere, and a quantity of 

 straw thrown over, will keep them in 

 a come-at-able state till a thaw sets 

 in. But roots of these, and even Beet 

 and Carrots, are better flavoured when 

 dug fresh from the ground. The latter 

 should be under a covering of litter, 

 sand, or ashes, as they would not be 

 benefited by frost. 



Asparagus beds should be trimmed 

 as soon as the stems are ripe. If there 

 is any fear of the crowns not being 

 matured, let the stems at first be cut 

 only half their length. Heavy coat- 

 ings of manure placed over unripened 

 crowns are likely to do them more harm 

 than good; dry litter or sand would 

 be safer, and before growth commences 

 it could be removed and a coating of 

 rich manure forked into the surface of 

 beds, leaving crowns and roots un- 

 touched. 



Beans and Peas may be sown any 

 time this month, when preferred to 

 raising them under glass in pots, 

 boxes, or otherwise. The ground 

 should be thoroughly trenched, and 

 the surface levelled for the seed-rows ; 

 indeed, the trenches may remain ridged 

 between the Peas, to act as drainage if 

 ground is wet and cold. When the 

 seeds are sprinkled in rows on the 

 surface of the soil they may have red- 

 lead sprinkled over them, and where 

 the land is heavy, a fine coating of dry 

 soil should be laid over them before the 

 general covering is made. Beans may 



