lEISH GAKDENING 



39 



seeds, such as Early London cauliflowers, broccoli, 

 Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbages, A:c., for trans- 

 planting later on. Shallots and potato onions 

 may still be planted ; put these on ground wliich 

 has been extremely well manured and deeply 

 cultivated. The rows should be about 12 inches 

 apart and the bulbs from six to 9 inches apart 

 in the row. Press the bulbs into the ground so 

 that their necks or poixits just appear above the 

 ground ; and later on, when growth is going on 

 vigorously, the soil should be drawn away fronr 

 tlie Jjulbs so that they just sit on the soil ; this 

 enables them to grow larger. One bulb of eacli 

 will divide into four or more bulbs, which should 

 grow as big as those planted. Onion seeds 

 should also be sown on a similarly treated soil, 

 making the rows 12 in- 

 ches apart. Baby onions 

 — called onion sets — can 

 be planted instead ; these 

 should grow into large 

 onions, and are not so 

 liable to be attacked by 

 the onion fly maggot. 

 The larger bulbs, how- 

 ever, have a strong ten- 

 dency to run to seed. 

 P^ai'ly potatoes, previ- 

 ously put to sprout, 

 should be planted in a 

 130.sition facing the sun 

 (see last month's issue 

 re potatoes). Jeriisalem 

 artichokes, which form 

 the best substitute for 

 potatoes, should also be 

 planted on ground which 

 was previously well ma- 

 nured. Plant in rows 30 

 inches apart, tubers or 

 sets 12 to 15 inches 

 apart, at about four 

 inches deep. Plant out 

 a few more cabbage 

 plants; these should have 

 well manured ground, 

 which ought to have 

 a dressing of lime at the 

 surface at the rate of four 

 ounces to the square 

 yard. The plants should 

 be from IS to 24 inches 

 apart each way. 



The Flower Bordek. 

 — Early in the month 



make a sowing of Sweet Peas on the site pre- 

 viously prepared, placing the seeds as suggested 

 for green peas. Other hardy annual flowers 

 should also be sown towards the end of the 

 month. The soil need not be too rich, although 

 these plants, like most others, pay for liberal 

 treatment. When the soil has been raked fine 

 and comparatively flat sow the seeds thinly in 

 round patches or lines, as desired, then rake the 

 soil on each patch or scatter about a quarter of an 

 inch of flne soil over the patches. Useful kinds 

 to grow are Cornflower, Love-in-a-Mist, Candytuft, 

 Coreopsis, Lupins, Lavatera, Mignonette, Phacelia 

 Campanularia (this makes a delightful edging), 

 Shirley Poppy, Sunflower, Sweet Sultan, 



Digging* 



Photo by] 



Digging a Plot 



This is one of the most important operations 

 connected with gardening, and one which is far 

 too often imperfectly performed. The object of 

 digging is to pulverise and aerate the soil, and so 

 bring it into a condition suitable for the growth 

 of plants. It is not our present purpose to 

 explain the changes wrought in tlie soil itself by 

 the action of sunlight, air and rain, but rather 

 to emphasise the necessity of digging thoroughly. 

 In the first place, it is necessary to open a trench 

 at least one foot wide and the same deep. If the 

 area is small the soil from the trench may be 

 wheeled to the opposite end for filling in the last 

 trench ; if the area is fairly large it will be easier 

 to divide it into two and 

 simply transfer the soil 

 from the first opening 

 across to the end of the 

 other half, and so save 

 wheeling. If manure is 

 l)eing dug in it .should be 

 spread on previous to 

 beginning to dig. An 

 amount equal to the 

 width of soil about to be 

 moved should now be 

 shovelled into the first 

 opening and the soil from 

 the next trench carried 

 forward into the open- 

 ing and so covering the 

 manure. It is most im- 

 portant not to attempt 

 to lift more soil on the 

 spade than can be ea.sily 

 nianipulated, and it is 

 equally important, in- 

 deed essential, that the 

 spit of soil lifted should 

 be turned upside down 

 as it is thrown off the 

 spade. A width of six 

 inches will usually be 

 quite sufficient to lift, 

 and the spade should 

 be inserted as perpen- 

 dicular as possible and 

 pushed down to the 

 full length of the blade. 

 It is also important 

 to keep a straight 

 trench and throw the 

 soil well forward, other- 

 will find his trench clos- 

 the manure only half 



[/?. M. Pollocl: 



Virginian Stock, Collinsia Bicolor, 

 and Linaria maroccana. 



Gvpsophilia 

 W. H. J. 



wise the operator 

 ing in on, him and 

 buried. 



When digging m winter it is best to leave 

 the surface rough — that is, the soil need 

 not be further broken down when it is 

 thrown from the spade ; in this way a greater 

 surface is left exposed to the elements. When 

 digging in spring, however, or just before putting 

 in the crop it is well to break down the lumps and 

 level the surface as the work proceeds. In the 

 accompanying illustration we have endeavoured 

 to show what the A\ork should be like when the 

 digging has proceeded some distance. 



The plot .4iown in the illustration is not, of 

 course, a new one. 



Gardener, 



