The Vegetable Garden. 199 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



May, 1920. 



By H. B. Terky, Cert. R.H.S.. Lecturer in Horticulture, School of Agriculture, 



Potchefstroom. 



Much can be done to augment the supply of vegetables for winter and spring use- 

 Digging, trenching, and manuring are of the greatest importance at this lime of the year. 

 All decaying matter from passing crops should be destroyed and buried to prevent the 

 breeding of insect pests. 



The following may be sown in open ground, not to be transplanted : — 



Bkoad Beans. — Sow in drills 2 feet 6 inches apart and place the beans 12 inches apart in 

 the rows. They like a fairly heavy soil that has been well manured. Do not attempt 

 to cramp this crop otherwise the pods will not set. 



Lettuce. — Cos varieties such as White Paris, etc., should be sown. This popular salad 

 requires rich moist ground and cannot be well grown without. Do not sow too 

 thickly and thin out to about 9 inches apart. 



Parsnip. — A small sowing may be made. Deep well worked soil is essential ; thin out the 

 seedlings before they choke one another by overcrowding. 



Peas. — May continue to be sown. Stratagem, Pride of the Market, Dr. McLean, Sutton's 

 Matchless are all useful. Where very severe frosts are experienced, the peas are liable 

 to become frosted. 



Radish. — Make continuous sowing of Turnip Rooted, French Breakfast, and other quick 

 maturing sorts. The reason radishes become puffy, hollow, and hot is because they 

 are not used fast enough. 



Spinach. — Given some well manured ground and a plentiful supply of water, together with 

 plenty of hoeing later, a sowing of Prickly Winter may be made. 



Turnips. — Make good sowings of Six Weeks, Red Top White Globe, Jersey Lily; thin 

 the seedlings out when strong enough to prevent them falling over ; failure to thin out 

 ruins the crop. 



Onions. — Transplant seedlings from sowing made in February or March ; the ground should 

 have been prepared some time ago. Before planting, the soil should be made firm as 

 onions dislike a spongy soil to root in. Make the rows 15 inches apart, and set the 

 plants 6 to 8 inches apart in the rows. Do not plant deeper than 1 inch, as good 

 bulbs are only produced at or on the surface. 



Leeks. — If available may be transplanted in a similar manner to onions. 



Celert. — Should be making good progress, and will need to be tied up with paper 

 before earthing up to blanch the stalks. Water should be generously given to enable 

 this crop to become crisp. 



Cabbage. — May still be transplanted, and provided the soil is rich they will make good 

 growth during the winter and provide a certain crop for spring use when most 

 vegetables aie scarce. 



Cauliflowers. — Will soon be tit for cutting, that is the early sorts ; as the heads appear 

 it is advisable to break in a few of the inner leaves to protect the flower from the 

 weather. Provide copious supplies of water if good heads are desired. 



Mustard and Cress. — May be sown in tins and boxes under cover or on the stoep. When 

 grown in the open it does not attain sufficient length for cutting, but under partial 

 shade it easily reaches 3 to 4 inches quickly. 



(The writer will be pleased to give further information on application to him.) 



