22 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



the spinach never being allowed to remain too long, 

 but cut as ready, and the roots cleared. If allowed to 

 seed, it robs the pea crop, and looks very unsightly. 

 Later sowings are best made in the open. Here we 

 sow in rows a yard apart, and later on plant between 

 the rows a row of Brussels sprouts for early winter 

 supplies. 



Another sowing, say in May, should be made on a 

 north border, and after that is past the New Zealand 

 will give a supply. It will thus be noted that, 

 to get a succession, several sowings are made from 

 February to June, say every three weeks, and for 

 winter use a large sowing is made in August on an 

 open quarter in land free from wire worm or grub, 

 and well enriched with manure. A good distance for 

 planting is eighteen inches between the rows, half that 

 distance being allowed in the row. Few plants do 

 better if the soil is made suitable. The use of salt, 

 soot, and lime will give a clean root run, and in poor 

 soils such aids as nitrates, potash and other foods may 

 be used to advantage. The old plan of sowing the 

 Prickly-leaved Spinach for winter and spring supplies is 

 not followed nearly as much as it used to be. The 

 round-leaved and the others named above are equally 

 hardy if sown early enough to make strong plants. In 

 the northern part of the country it is well to sow in 

 July. I have also grown spinach under glass for early 

 spring supplies. The plant illustrated is the new Carter, 

 a very fine fleshy-leaved variety. Another variety, the 

 Spinach Beet or the Perpetual Spinach, is invaluable for 

 cold soils or late districts. This grows like a beet, and 

 the leaves are good though lacking the quality of the 

 other varieties. To get the best leaves, sow in May or 

 June for a winter and spring supply in rows eighteen 

 inches apart, thin the plants to nine inches, give good 

 land to get large leaves, cut over frequently, and do not 



