April May 



they must be cut out, or the leaves will come small and be of in- 

 different quality. Yearling plants are always the most productive, 

 and it is therefore advisable to destroy each crop after it has served 

 its purpose. 



Spinach. Sow the Long-standing variety, which does not run so 

 soon as the ordinary kind. If a plantation of Spinach Beet has not 

 yet been secured, sow at once, as there is ample time yet for a free 

 growth and a valuable plant. 



Turnip to be sown for succession, and the plantations advanc- 

 ing to be freely hoed between and severely thinned. 



Vegetable Marrow. An early sowing to be made in pots, 

 in readiness for planting out immediately weather admits of it. 

 Three plants in a pot are enough, and they must not be weakened 

 by excessive heat. 



Winter Greens. A sowing of Borecole should be made, and if 

 a supply is required in spring, it will be well to sow again in the first 

 week of May. 



MAY 



HIGH-PRESSURE times continue, for the heat increases daily, and 

 the season of production is already shortened by two months. 

 The most pressing business is to repair all losses, for even now, if 

 affairs have gone wrong, it is possible to get up a stock of Winter 

 Greens, and to sow all the sorts of seeds that should have been sown 

 in March and April, with a reasonable chance of profitable results. 

 It must not be expected, however, that the most brisk and skilful 

 can overtake those who have been doing well from the first dawn of 

 spring, and who have not omitted to sow a single seed at the proper 

 time from the day when seed-sowing became requisite. The heat of 

 the earth is now sufficient to start many seeds into growth that are 

 customarily sown in heat a month or two earlier ; and, therefore, those 

 who cannot make hot-beds may grow many choice things if they will 

 be content to have them a week or two later than their wealthier 

 neighbours. In sowing seeds of the more tender subjects, such as 

 Capsicums, Marrows, and Cucumbers, it will be better to lose a few 

 days, in order to make sure of the result desired, rather than to be in 

 undue haste and have the seed destroyed by heavy rains, or the young 

 plants nipped off by frost. Do not, therefore, sow any of these seeds 

 in the open ground until the weather is somewhat settled and sunny, 



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