April 



rich, sandy loam suits it, but we have seen thriving beds in the 

 garden of an experimental horticulturist who had for the basis of his 

 work an untamed clay that became a swamp during a wet winter. 

 In making these beds he purchased builders' rubbish at a trifling out- 

 lay, and having sorted out the ' hard stuff ' for road-making, mixed 

 the small stuff with turf, hedge and ditch parings, and whatever old 

 hot-bed soil could be spared, and made his beds upon and above the 

 clay, and laid narrow walks and cheap tiles between them. Finer 

 ' grass ' than these beds supplied has not been seen in the market ; 

 and the grower declared that the cost was scarcely more than making 

 a seed-bed for Cabbages. Where the staple is sandy or a light loam, 

 Asparagus may be reckoned on to thrive if well prepared for. A 

 good body of manure should be dug in, and a mellow seed-bed 

 should be secured. This being done, care must be taken to sow 

 thinly, and, in due time, to thin severely ; for a crowded plant will 

 never supply fat sticks. Beds may be made by planting roots 

 instead of seeds, but the roots must be fresh, or they will not prosper. 

 The advantage of using plants is that ' grass ' may be cut earlier than 

 when produced from seed. 



Aubergines the fruits of Egg-plants play a more important 

 part in the cookery of the French and Italians than with us, and 

 they make a delicious dish when properly cooked. Seed may be 

 raised in heat, but when summer comes the plants thrive in rich soil 

 at the foot of a wall facing south. The white and purple varieties 

 are grown for. ornament as well as for cooking. Sow now in heat, 

 and in June the plants should be ready for transferring to rich soil 

 in a sheltered spot, allowing each one a space of two feet. 



Beans, Kidney, may be sown towards the end of the month, 

 but not in quantity, because 01 the risk of destruction by frost. Very 

 much may be done, however, to expedite the supply of this valuable 

 vegetable, a very little protection being sufficient to carry the young 

 plants through a bad time in the event of late frosts and storms. In 

 proportion to the means at command, sowings made early will live or 

 die, as determined by the weather. But sowings made at the end of 

 the month will probably prosper. These esculents are of the greatest 

 value, for they neither require a rich soil nor a good season. In 

 years of excessive drought that have put Cauliflowers, Broccoli and 

 many other summer vegetables hors de combat^ the Kidney Beans of 

 all sorts braved the weather and bore abundantly. 



Beet. At quite the end of the month sow in drills, a foot or 

 fifteen inches apart, on deep, well-dug ground, without manure. 



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