352 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



No. XI. 



{Continued from page 23.) 



SPINACH. 



To supply Spinach in first-rate condition all the year round is not 

 always an easy matter, especially in dry liot localities and in poor 

 sandy soils. At the same time it is a vegetable which is almost daily 

 in demand ; hence, although in some respects a simple enough crop to 

 produce at certain seasons, it is of importance to be well versed in the 

 best way of keeping up a supply at times when it is not so easily 

 accomplished. 



It being from autumn sowings that the winter and spring supply 

 of this vegetable is got, and as the proper seasons for these sowings 

 are at hand, we will discuss them first. Circumstances must in this 

 case, as in most garden operations, determine the exact time to sow. 

 On late soils and in cold localities, the first sowing for late autumn 

 and winter use should be made early in August ; but in the warmer 

 and more genial districts the middle of August is sufficiently early, 

 for it is not so likely to stand the winter so w^ell if too strong before 

 frosts set in. It is, however, best not to trust to one sowing ; and a 

 portion should be sown the first week in August, and another ten or 

 twelve days later; so that the first, if too strong for standing the winter, 

 can be more liberally gathered, and the later sowing left for later and 

 early spring supplies. The best variety to sow at this season is the 

 prickly-seeded. The ground should be light and dry rather than the 

 reverse, and deeply trenched and well manured. On damp soils it is 

 an excellent plan to run the ground off into 4-feet beds, and raise 

 them by throwing the soil out of the paths between the beds on to 

 their surface. The seed should be sown in drills about 14 inches 

 apart ; and should the soil be very dry at the time of sowing, steep the 

 seeds for twelve hours in water ; and after sowing it, w^ater the drills 

 before closing them. This causes an early and more regular vegeta- 

 tion. Keep the surface of the soil well stirred with the hoe as soon 

 as ever the seed appears above ground ; and as soon as it forms the 

 rough leaf, and can be handled, thin it out to 6 inches between plants. 

 The practice of leaving it unthinned, as is often the case, causes the 

 plants to draw up in a weakly state, and is very objectionable, inasmuch 

 as it is never so productive of fine large succulent leaves, and it never 

 stands the winter so well. The ground between the rows should be 

 kept well stirred and fresh throughout the autumn. In taking sup- 

 plies from it before severe weather, the leaves should be carefully 



