iSyi.] 



CALENDAR. 



339 



any other, and it is useless to apply it 

 to the kitchen-garden if a good soaking 

 cannot be given. Mulching with litter, 

 grass, &c., will in a measure prevent 

 evaporation : a loose open surface will 

 do much to save the watering - pot. 

 Salads and Peas are among the first 

 crops which suffer from drought, but 

 when the ground has been well pre- 

 pared with plenty of manure and deep- 

 trenching before sowing, comparatively 

 little difficulty is experienced. If man- 

 ure is limited, everything in the shape 

 of mowings of grass, edgings of roads, 

 refuse of vegetables, &c., should be 

 harvested all through the season to mix 

 with fallen leaves, and when well rot- 

 ted will form an excellent dressing for 

 vegetable crops. Where drills have been 

 used when planting winter crops, the 

 hoe should be used among them, level- 

 ling the soil round the stems of the plants. 

 If this is done after a good shower or 

 "artificial watering," the moisture will 

 be long retained about their roots. Con- 

 tinue to plant crops as ground becomes 

 vacant. Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Broc- 

 coli, Cauliflower, Savoys, and Cabbage 

 for autumn and winter, may be got in 

 without delay. A store of Kale or Cab- 

 bage plants on hand ready to fill up 

 ground after Potatoes, and planting 

 them rather thickly, will do much to 

 keep up supplies of tender produce. 

 Sow more seed soon. Cabbage left to 

 sprout should have the fork used free- 

 ly among them, and mulching given. 

 This practice is only advantageous 

 where ground cannot be spared for 

 young successions. Top Beans in 

 flower to hasten podding. Peas of 

 an early kind may be tried in suitable 

 localities ; and where late kinds are 

 coming in prematurely, the flowers may 

 all be picked off and well topped back, 

 and root action encouraged. This 

 practice, when the soil at the roots 

 is parched, is useless. Sow a good 

 breadth of Turnips — such as Red and 

 White Stone. Laing's Swede may still 

 be sown, which is a valuable kind in 

 winter. Leeks and Celery should be 

 planted without delay. Early Celery 

 may have a little soil placed among 

 the plants, after the soil has been well 

 stirred and a good soaking of water 

 given : mulching can also be done with 

 advantage among Celery, especially 

 where the "one -earthing" system is 

 practised. With early Celery, " earth- 

 ing-up," as growth progresses, unques- 

 tionably gives the finest-flavoured pro- 



duce. Blanching is not so easily done 

 in the hot dry season as with late crops. 

 Sow a good breadth of Pai'sley for win- 

 ter, and thin out crops as they advance. 

 The thinnings of Parsley, if carefully 

 selected, give good supplies, and stand 

 the winter well. In low damp locali- 

 ties good Parsley may be had in winter 

 by planting on ridges thrown up sharply 

 like the letter A, thus giving a deep soil, 

 on which water will not be too long re- 

 tained. Dampness and late luxuriant 

 growth in autumn are greater evils to 

 manj'^ kinds of winter vegetables than 

 frost. Plenty of Salads for autumn sup- 

 ply should be sown or planted in quan- 

 tity- — Endive and Lettuce especially. 

 American Land Cress and Golden Cress 

 are generally esteemed, and they stand 

 the winter well ; but August and Sep- 

 tember is soon enough (according to 

 locality) for main supplies. Spinach 

 may be sown in quantity : well-worked 

 ground is necessary to grow it well ; 

 poor sandy soil gives tough produce. 

 Prickly Spinach may be sown at the 

 end of the mouth. There is seldom 

 too much of this in the winter months. 

 New Zealand Spinach should not be 

 neglected now. Manure - water and 

 mulching the roots will do much to 

 give large tender leaves in autumn. 

 Seakale and Asparagus will be much 

 improved if sprinkled with salt in 

 moist weather ; however, late growth 

 should not be encouraged, as the roots 

 would be in danger if the winter should 

 prove damp and cold. Though these 

 are hardy vegetables, uimatural luxu- 

 riance and damp rich soil destroy 

 them in severe weather. Tomatoes 

 should have useless growths taken off. 

 Keep the plants from being matted. A 

 single cordon run up a wall, rubbing oS 

 the laterals as they appear, is a good 

 practice to secure plenty of large fruit. 

 They flower abundantly at each joint. 

 Thinning is often necessary. We get 

 plenty of early supplies from these cor- 

 dons when trained up the rafters of late 

 Cucumber-pits, in which the Cucum- 

 bers are allowed to grow on the beds ; 

 and on rafters in pits, under which Fi^-s 

 are planted out, plenty of Tomatoes are 

 gathered. The little shade does no 

 harm, Ptidge Cucumbers require fre- 

 quent attention. Lai'ge quantities of 

 growths taken off at once encourages 

 the disease, which some suffer severely 

 from. Cold water used after a hot day 

 is a great evil ; tepid water is necessary 

 where disease is prevalent. M. T. 



