26 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



in November, bringing up a little of the stiff subsoil, it is now breaking 

 down like powder, and on these quarters were wheeled large quantities 

 of old Vine-border soil, rich and free — which, mixed with the heavier 

 fresh soil, will make an excellent preparation for almost any crop — 

 Parsnips, Carrots, and Beet especially ; and, if the surface is turned 

 when frozen with a steel fork, and finely broken over when dry for 

 seed sowing, we need fear no difficulty in getting the seeds to ger- 

 minate freely. We never found that extra trenching and working the 

 soil was labour thrown away ; but, when advising deep tilth, we would 

 object to bringing up the bottom if it was poor, and the main body of 

 the land kept on short supplies of manure. After heavy rains and 

 snow-storms, defective drainage will show itself. A wet badly-drained 

 garden gives poor supplies of vegetables in winter. Celery rots quickly, 

 and Brocolis are destroyed by an ordinary frost. Much of the ordi- 

 nary operations will be influenced by the prevailing weather. Snow 

 and rain will put a stop to ground work, but in most gardens there is 

 much which can be done under cover at this season — such as preparing 

 stakes, pegs, and shreds, where they are used ; looking over roots in 

 store — such as Dahlias, Gladioli, and Ranunculuses, the latter picked 

 over and prepared for planting, keeping the best roots for show-beds, 

 and the smaller ones to be planted for keeping up stock. Old soil 

 from under potting benches or other places might be cleaned by sifting 

 out the rubbish and placing it in a heap for ordinary purposes — such 

 as covering over seeds in heavy wet soil, covering Peas and Beans to 

 protect them if they are coming through the ground when weather is 

 severe. We have seen in nurseries, where good soil was not easily 

 secured, large quantities of common plants grown in the waste soil, 

 which, when all prepared and mixed, was very good for many things, 

 the mixture being generally composed of loam, peat, and sand : a little 

 charcoal added was of great service. We have known many amateurs 

 about towns have no other potting-soil than they took from their gar- 

 dens, and the greatest difficulty in dealing with such material is its 

 being liable to become waterlogged and full of worms. When such 

 make-shifts have to be depended on, the best and cleanest of the soil 

 should be taken and spread out thinly on a hard surface, there exposed 

 to frost, taking it under cover in frozen cakes, to be afterwards kept 

 dry. The parings of walk-edgings, when partially rotten, or any old 

 turf from road- sides, should be added to, and well mixed with, the 

 heap. Charred prunings are also very useful in such cases. Early 

 Peas should be sown on an early spot towards the end of the month. 

 This sowing often comes in as early as, and produces finer crops than, 

 the seed sown in November. Mazagan or Dwarf -fan Beans should 

 be sown in rows from 2 to 3 feet apart. If Potatoes are wanted early, 



