S M A 



s r.i a 



arising in the bed, as well as to indulge the- plants 

 with plenty of Free air daily, either by tilting the 

 lights in the back or front, according to the 

 temperature of the weather, or by drawing the 

 lights a little down, or taking them quite oft 

 occasionally in mild days at first ; for the hot- 

 bed bcinir vet new, there will lie a considerable 

 steam arising ; and the salading coming up 

 very thick, unless due vent be given to pass off 

 the steam and admit fresh air, they will be apt 

 either to bum or fog (as the gardeners term i f )> 

 and mould oft" as fast as they come up. Such 

 hot-beds, however, as are not fresh made, do 

 not require this precaution ; but in new-made 

 beds it must be strictly observed till the salad- 

 ing is all fairly come up, and as long as the strong 

 steam continues : the plants will mostly he fit 

 for use in a week or ten or twelve days from the 

 time of so wine; the seed. 



In order to have a proper succession, the sow- 

 ing in the hot-beds should be repeated every 

 week or fortnight during the cold weather ; the 

 same hot-bed sometimes retaining its heat will 

 admit of two sowings, by sowing again as soon 

 as the first crop is gathered : however, to obtain 

 a regular supply dailv, it is necessary to continue 

 making fresh hot-beds occasionally. 



Where only a small quantity may be wanted 

 at a time, and there is the convenience either of 

 cucumber and melon hot-beds, or a hot-house, 

 &c., some seed of each sort may be sown in 

 pots or boxes, and placed in these hot- beds or 

 the stove, just to bring up the plants fit for use. 

 Where there are not frames and glasses, hand- 

 or bell-glasses may be used, or the bed be arched 

 over with low hoop-arches, in order to cover 

 with mats every night, and in bad weather. 



And where there are no hot-beds, in cold 

 weather, early in the spring, part of a warm 

 border, or abed of light earth in a sunny situation 

 may be prepared, for garden-frames and lights, 

 hand-glasses, See. raising the ground somewhat 

 to the sun ; and having dug it, and raked it 

 fine, sow the seed as above, covering it lightly 

 with earth ; and having set on the frames and 

 glasses, the seeds will soon come up, and the 

 salading be ready a considerable time sooner 

 than in the open ground. 



Culture in the full Ground. — From about the 

 end of February, or beginning of March, ac- 

 cording to the forwardness or mildness of the 

 season, Small Salading may be sown in the 

 open ground, repeating the sowings every week 

 or ten days ; the first sowing being performed 

 on a warm border ; continuing the sowings in that 

 situation till the beginning or middle of April, 

 when it may be sown in any of the open quar- 

 ters, and in which the sowings may be repeated 



weekly, or once a fortnight, as required ; but 

 according as the -hot weather approaches, sowing 

 in a somewhat shady situation. 



The ground for each sowing in the different 

 situations should be properly dug, and the sur- 

 face raked smooth and even. 



These sowings are mostly made in shallow 

 drills, which should be drawn with a small hoe 

 cither with the corner, or held edge-ways ciown- 

 waial, horizontally, drawing the drills along 

 evenly, as shallow as possible, and flat or level 

 at bottom, at three or four inches asunder, in 

 which ihe seed should be put evenly all along 

 the bottom, each sort separate, and very thick, 

 covering them in evenly with the finest of the 

 mould, not more than a quarter of an inch deep; 

 or if the smaller seeds are but just covered, it is 

 sufficient ; for when sown very thick, if deeply co- 

 vered with mould, the plants do not rise regularly. 

 In these early spring sowings, on cold nights 

 and all bad weather it is proper to cover the 

 ground, both before and after the plants begin 

 to rise, with large mats, which will be better 

 if supported on low hoop-arches, or ranges of 

 pegs stuck in the ground just high enough to 

 support the mats a little from the earth, by 

 which a more effectual as well as forward crop 

 is produced. 



In tlie later sowings, when dry warm weather 

 commences, it is proper to give occasional wa- 

 terings. 



It is likewise sometimes necessary, where the 

 surface of the ground becomes crusted, from 

 wet, &c. as the plants rise thick, to slightly brush 

 over the surface with the hand or a soft broom, 

 so as to reduce the surface mould a little, and 

 promote their coming up. 



Summer Sowings. — When the so wings are prac- 

 tised in summer, they should be made more fre- 

 quently, and the ground be kept watered occasion- 

 ally, both before and after the plants are come up. 

 Autumn Sowings. — The sowings may be con- 

 tinued in the open ground all September and 

 October, also occasionally in November in mild 

 seasons ; and until towards the middle of Octo- 

 ber they may be made in any open situation ; 

 but from the middle or latter end of Octo- 

 ber and in November they must be on warm 

 south borders, performing the sowings as above; 

 and in cole nights bestowing a covering of mats, 

 or hand-glasses, he. repeating the sowings every 

 week or ten days, or a fortnight, as required. 



In gathering young salading, it should be cut 

 carefully close to the ground while quite young, 

 in performing which, a large pair of scissars is 

 very convenient. 



In order to have good seed, some plants should 

 be preserved annually for the purpose. 



