494 VILLA GARDENING part v 



October sow iu the open air. As the leaves are cut in a young 

 state the seeds should be sown thickly. Some cover the seeds 

 lightly with fine sandy soil, but, if kept moist, they will grow 

 on the surface witliout any covering. I have seen them grown 

 on moist flannel wrapped round a bottle of warm water. The 

 American Cress, which is used as a substitute for Water-cress, 

 should be sown in April and August, and the Golden or Aus- 

 trahan Cress in March and April. 



Mustard. — This is a most useful salad plant, and as it can 

 only be used in a young state it should be sown weekly where a 

 regular supply is required. Sow it thickly like Cress, and the 

 seeds need not be covered. From November to April sow under 

 glass in heat ; and from April to November sow in the open air. 

 The first batches in spring, and the last in autumn, may be sown 

 under handlii4hts. 



Horse-radish. — -This is usually relegated to some out-of-the- 

 way corner, and left there. I confess tliat the temptation to do 

 this is very great, for when once into the soil it is only got out 

 with difficulty, and tliis makes it an awkward plant to fit into any 

 particular rotation. Wherever grown there is no excuse for not 

 starting right, and a comparatively small bed, if well done, will 

 produce a good many sticks, as they are commonly called. On 

 the whole, it pays better to deepen the soil in one particular spot, 

 plant the Horse-radish there, dividing the plot into three parts, 

 trench one part each year, and pick out all large enough for use. 

 In three years' time the pieces left in the bottom of the trench 

 will have formed crowns, and grown large enough for use. The 

 soil should be fairly light, for it is very diificult to dig the 

 Horse-radish out of clay. In the beginning, if the land is not 

 quite right it may be made so by adding ashes ; burnt earth or 

 soil may be brought from any other part of the garden to give the 

 requisite depth. Light stuft' may be wheeled on the Horse-radish 

 bed any time when it can be obtained, as the crowns will soon 

 push through. In making new plantations, the crowns may be 

 planted a foot deep with a crowbar and the holes filled with light 

 rich soil. Another way is to plant the long straight pieces selected 

 for the purpose when the old plantation is trenched over, and 

 plant them in rows 18 inches ai)art and 9 inches from each other 

 in the row. Before planting, all small fibrous roots should be 

 rubbed or cut off", as long straight stems without forks are the 

 best. Horse-radish may be planted any time between November 

 and March. The stems or sticks selected for use should be laid 

 in thickly in a cool piece of land, where it can bo drawn and used 

 as required. 



