474 VILLA GARDENING PAKT v 



lime, soot, and wood-cOshes, given early in the morning before the 

 dew is dissipated are beneficial ; and frequent hoeings are, perhaps, 

 equal to anything in scattering and banishing the foe. There is 

 a cater])illar which attacks the young plants in summer by severing 

 the main root, so that the plant perishes. This caterpillar attacks 

 other plants in the same way when young, eating through the root 

 stems and giving a sudden termination to the life of the plant. 

 The best — in fact, the only — remedy is to find and destroy the 

 enemy by keeping a sharp look-out over every plant, and when 

 any flagging takes place clear away the earth and find the cater- 

 pillar before he has left the spot. " Ambury, or Finger and Toes," 

 is produced by the puncture of an insect, its eggs being deposited 

 in the wound. Change of soil is the best remedy. There is no 

 doubt, I think, that the best flavoured Tuniips are obtained 

 from the open field, where they are brought under a regular 

 rotation. In Norfolk, a Turnip-growing county, I always liked 

 the field Turnips better than those grown in the garden. 



Vapjeties. — The white Dutch and the Strap-leaved Stone are 

 best for forcing and very early sowing. Veitch's red Globe is an 

 excellent main-crop sort. Cattell's Silver Ball and Jersey Navet 

 are excellent varieties. For winter sowing the Golden Stone and 

 Chirk Castle Blackstone are very hardy. 



CHAPTER XX 



The Carrot. -^In the Villa Garden it is often more convenient 

 to obtain a constant succession of sweet young roots than to grow 

 a lot of large ones to store for Avinter. In a general way. Carrots, 

 for a winter supply, can be bought cheaper in autumn than they 

 can be grown ; and, being fresh from the fields, are usually of 

 better quality than if grown in a highly-manured garden. The 

 best kind of soil for Carrots is a sandy loam in good condition, 

 without fresh maniu-e. Soot, lime, and salt in moderate quantities 

 are excellent dressings for it, and they may be given in February 

 or March. Those who want large roots of the intermediate and 

 other kinds in field culture sow about the middle of March, 

 sometimes earlier. It is true that some of them will bolt, but 

 plenty of seeds are sown, and the general crop is larger when 

 sown in March than in April. The earliest crop in a long succes- 

 sion of young Carrots which I have just spoken of, will be forced 

 in a frame and slight hotbed ; the second will be sown on a warm 

 south border, towards the end of January, or as soon after as the 

 land can be got into suitable condition. These two sowings should 



