444 VILLA GARDENING 



CHAPTER XI 



Spinach and its Substitutes. — The Round or Summer 

 Spiuach is usually sown in succession every fortnight or three 

 weeks from the middle of March till the middle of July. In dry 

 hot situations, the summer sowings are not of much use ; they are 

 generally discontinued, and one or more substitutes introduced. 

 The early sowings should be made in a warm situation. Spiuach 

 is often sown as a catch -crop between the rows of early Peas. 

 Sow in drills 1 inch deep, and thin out the young plants to 4 inches 

 apart. In May sow the seeds on the coolest spot in the garden, 

 and thin early, keeping the soil freely and frequently stirred, this 

 being better than watering. In many establishments Spinach is 

 a necessity. Never a week — indeed, scarcely a day — passes with- 

 out its being asked for by the cook. Hence, if from the nature of 

 the soil and situation the Roimd Spinach wdl not succeed, some 

 substitute must be groAvn to take its place during the hot days of 

 summer. The best one I know of is 



The New Zealand Spinach. — When cooked it has just the 

 deep-green colour of the real Spinach, which other substitutes have 

 not. The seeds should, twenty-four horn's before sowing, be soaked 

 in lukewarm water. Sow in March in small pots, three or four 

 seeds in each ; place the pots in a hotbed, and grow them on 

 steadily after they germinate. If all the seeds grow, remove all 

 plants but one. When the plants are getting strong (they do not, 

 however, grow with very great luxuriance in their youth) remove 

 to a cool frame or pit to harden them off, and when all danger of 

 frost is over plant them out 2 feet apart in the warmest and richest 

 coi'ner of the garden. Once the plants get well established the 

 growth wiU be rapid, and a bed 5 or 6 yards square will fur- 

 nish a large supply, for the plant does not seem to suffer much 

 from the loss of leaves, but continues its rapid progress. Neither 

 the weather nor situation can be too hot or dry for it. Another 

 useful substitute I have had in the 



Spinach Beet. — This also is a continuous bearer, one sowing 

 yielding an immense number of leaves, and it shows no disposition 

 to bolt till the proper season comes round the following year. The 

 seeds shoidd be sown thinly in April, in driUs 15 inches ajiart and 

 1 inch deep. Thin out the yotmg plants to 6 inches when large 

 enough. Picking may begin as soon as the true Spinach faUs. It 

 is always best to keep this in reserve, and to use the real Spinach 

 as long as it can be obtained, for, although the Spinach Beet is an 



