1870.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 395 



harvest in cool dry quarters; if placed in close drawers, &c, when 

 damp, they will soon become mouldy. There is no profit in saving 

 ordinary seeds where garden ground is limited ; good rare kinds are 

 always worth the trouble. When weather is unfavourable for outdoor 

 work, all the seeds which have been left over may be examined, dis- 

 carding those (such as French Beans, &c.) which are useless for next 

 year : a note of them may be taken, which will keep the seed-bill less 

 next season. Brassica seed will keep good for a number of years : use- 

 less kinds, however, should be discarded. If Carrots are being attacked 

 with grubs, &c, they may be lifted at once, and covered with sand in 

 a cool place : better to lose some by early lifting than have the crop 

 destroyed in the ground. On damp heavy ground, earthing up winter 

 crops may be done with advantage, as there is no fear of them being 

 too dry. However, in our deeply-trenched rather light ground we 

 seldom ever earth anything up. Blanch Endive by tying it up, or 

 placing flower-pots over the plants. Tie up Lettuce if they don't heart 

 well ; and all small salads will require attention, now the season is 

 getting late. Golden and American Cress should be plentiful : sow it 

 in sheltered positions, and it may give a supply all the winter. Radishes 

 may still be tried out of doors, especially in warm southern locali- 

 ties. Where there are good supplies of French Beans, they may be 

 kept on bearing by having hoops bent over them, to be covered with 

 mats or other material when there is danger from frost. Plantations 

 of Strawberries may now be made, well watering them if weather is 

 dry : all that are intended to bear fruit next season should be kept free 

 from runners and weeds, saving the healthy leaves. The roots should 

 not be disturbed, especially on weakly growers — though we may mention 

 that we have seen old gardeners who practise heavy draining and deep 

 digging between their Strawberries in winter very successful in produc- 

 ing fine fruit, probably the extra manuring making up in a measure for 

 the destruction of roots. We never have advocated this system, but 

 rather kept the roots entire. One season we had a number of Keen's 

 Seedling which grew to a great size, and smothered many of the 

 flowers when they opened. In the following autumn every plant was 

 cut round their collars with a spade, cutting the roots unmercifully: 

 the result was a finer crop on that sort than we ever had before. 

 However, we never recommend root-cutting for any fruits unless the 

 whole energies of the plant are making growth of foliage or wood, and 

 no fruit. Root-pruning may be practised on gross fruit-trees which 

 have no fruit on them : by doing it early, new roots get hold of the 

 fresh soil before winter, but partial root-pruning is the safest method 

 of doing it. Cutting one side this season and the other the next will 

 gradually bring the tree into a healthy bearing state, without giving a 



