CHAP. II VILLA GARDENING 399 



when the weather settles. If need be, Lettuces can be raised hi a 

 box in heat, and jDlanted out when large enough. Excellent results 

 are obtained in this way, and still further to hasten such things as 

 early Horn Carrots, or Turnips, etc., the earth may be taken out 

 and the trench filled with hot manure, the soil being replaced and 

 the seeds sown. A good deal may be done in this direction where 

 the necessary judgment and care are forthcoming. If we have 

 plenty of hot stable manure, in January open a trench, 3 or 4 feet 

 wide and 2 feet deep, fill it in with stable manure, tread it down, 

 and re-turn all the best soil. 



As soon as the earth gets warm sow the Carrot seeds, and cover 

 the bed with two thicknesses of fishing-net. There is a great deal 

 of warmth in a covering of old fishing-nets — more than is commonly 

 imagined. The same process will secure early Turnips or Potatoes. 

 Such a border may be thought too valuable for early Cabbages, but 

 a very early spring Cabbage is always appreciated, and a week in 

 point of forwardness is worth trying for. One of the early kinds, 

 such as Atkins's Matchless, should be planted about 1 foot apart 

 each way. A very small bed will sufiice. The rows of early 

 Potatoes may be hooped over, and covered with mats sewn together, 

 so as to be drawn on and ofi" quickly. Canvas would answer the 

 same purpose. Radishes and small salads can be located in nooks 

 and corners. If birds or mice are troublesome among the seeds, 

 dress them with red-lead ; they will not touch them then ; and no 

 remedy is more easily applied or less costly. The seeds are poured 

 into a basin damped slightly with water, then the red-lead (a dry 

 powder) is scattered over them, and the seeds are stirred about till 

 each has taken on the coat of lead and becomes dry. They are then 

 in a fit condition for sowing. As fast as the early crops are cleared 

 off, summer crops will follow, such as Tomatoes, New Zealand 

 Spinach, Vegetable Marrows, Cucumbers, Capsicums ; herbs, such 

 as Basil and Marjoram. The border should never be idle, and as 

 far as possible a suitable rotation should be kept up. 



Watepjng. — There is no question about the value of water to 

 a thirsty land. The withered jilaut immediately recovers under 

 the invigorating influence of the gentle shower ; but artificial 

 watering is seldom so thorough as to be really serviceable. In 

 this little island home of ours we rarely regard this question from 

 a really practical and economical point of view. The reason per- 

 haps is that hot dry summers have of late years been the ex- 

 ception, not the rule. Dragging water by hand labour is not only 

 very hard work, but, judged by results, is not economical. In 

 these days of improved machinery, the distribution of water over 

 the land in a dry time should not be a question of waterpots. 



