242 



THE GARDENER. 



[May 



etaUnKan 



KITCHEN-GARDEN. 



The work in this department will be 

 increasing rapidly, so much will now 

 require attention at once. Surface- 

 etirring, planting out crops as soon as 

 the plants are of proper size (or prick- 

 ing them out into ground to keep them 

 dwarf and sturdy), is an excellent prac- 

 tice. Thinning of crops will require 

 attention in due time. If they are al- 

 lowed to become matted, much injury 

 will be sustained. Parsnips, if not al- 

 ready done, may be thinned from 1 foot 

 to 16 inches apart. We often have 

 them 2 feet each way. This root, like 

 Beet, is best for use when the ground 

 is neither extra rich nor poor, but deep 

 and free by working. Beet may be 

 thinned to about a foot apart. The 

 leaves should not be crowded when of 

 full size, otherwise bad-keeping roots 

 are the result. Another sowing may be 

 made. Turnips may be thinned a few 

 inches at first, to be gone over after- 

 wards. They will not stand long at 

 this season before running to seed ; fre- 

 quent sowings should be made. Cai-- 

 rots may be gone over twice or of- 

 tener, and the smaller early kinds left 

 thick for drawing young. Onions 

 may also be thinned by degrees, if 

 there is likely to be any danger from 

 grubs ; bat where there is no danger, 

 and bulbs of a good size are wanted, 8 

 inches apart is a fair distance ; but 

 many are contented with 4 or 6 inches. 

 Dustings of soot and guano in showery 

 weather are beneficial to growth, and 

 strengthen the plants against vermin. 

 Lettuces, if on good rich soil, may 

 be thinned out to 1 foot apart each 

 way, and the strongest of the thinnings 

 planted in a shady position for succes- 

 sion; more seed should he sown to keep 

 up supplies. Plant Scarlet Runners and 

 French Beans in well -prepared soil ; 

 single rows of the former yield best 

 crops, and ai'e useful for ornament in 

 places where anything unsightly may 

 be objectionable. Edgings of them 

 kept dwarf and topped yield heavy 

 crops. It is years since we grew them 

 on any other system. Sow Peas two or 

 three times in the month, if required ; 

 if the ground is dry, the drills should 

 be well watered before sowing, and 

 mulching would do much to aid suc- 



cess ; deep, well-manured soil, and the 

 seed not sown too thickly, seldom fail 

 to give plenty of good peas. Single 

 rows dividing oflf other crops are econo- 

 mical and more manageable. Dwarf 

 kinds, such as Tom Thumb, &c., may 

 be sown on any spare ground, bor- 

 ders, &c. Spinach must now be sown 

 frequently; rich well -moistened soil 

 will keep the crop longer from run- 

 ning to seed. We often, to economise 

 ground, keep up successions by sowing 

 the seed between rows of other crops, 

 such as Cauliflower, Cabbage, &c. Sow- 

 ings between fruit-bushes and Rasps, 

 where ground is good, will do much to 

 keep up supplies. Radishes, and all 

 salads, will now require to be sown 

 frequently. To keep Radishes crisp and 

 mild, abundance of water is necessary, 

 and a cool position. A little Endive 

 may be sown towards the end of the 

 month, if required early ; but it runs 

 quickly to seed till later in the season. 

 Premature seeding at this season is 

 caused chiefly by a check from drought 

 or haid surface - battered soil. Sow 

 more Cabbage and Caulifliower, and 

 plant out any which are ready ; the 

 former 1 foot apart each way, and every 

 alternate one to be cut out when fit for 

 use. Where ground is plentiful such 

 close planting is unnecessary. Cauli- 

 flower, if the ground is as it should be, 

 may net have less than 2 feet each way. 

 Drawing drills for all the Brassica tribe 

 is a good system ; and when the hoe is 

 pushed through among the plants, they 

 get "earthing up" enough. This ap- 

 plies to Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, 

 Savoys, Kale, and other autumn and 

 winter vegetable-", which all should be 

 planted before they get drawn up weak- 

 ly, or become stunted in the seed-bor- 

 ders. Where grubs are troublesome, a 

 little wood - ashes placed in with the 

 roots while planting is useful. Pud- 

 dling the roots and stems in soil, soot, 

 and a pinch of red-lead mixed in water 

 immediately before planting, is often 

 followed by good results. Prick out 

 Celery on a few inches of rotten man- 

 ure, covered with an inch of light earth ; 

 protect from sun for a time, and shelter 

 from cold winds. Water liberally as 

 the plants become established ; allow 



