HARVEST MONTH IN THE GARDEN 



for Lettuces in winter and spring Salads. Seeds for Aug", 

 that purpose may be sown now in drills nine inches 16-31 

 apart. 



Leeks. — Growers of Leeks must blanch the stems, 

 just as in the case of Celery. There is no need to 

 earth up at present, so far as plants grown for general 

 use in winter and spring are concerned, but if a few 

 specimens have been grown in a trench for exhibition 

 in late summer or autumn, they may be earthed 

 up. Blanched stems about a foot long and two inches 

 thick throughout — not bulbous at the base and thin 

 above — find favour with judges. 



Potatoes. — All the early crops, and perhaps some of 

 the second earlies, may be lifted now. The tubers 

 should be allowed to lie on the ground for twenty-four 

 hours Tor the skin to set and get dry. Later crops are 

 hardly likely to be ready for lifting yet, and so long 

 as the tops are green and growing they may be left in 

 the ground. It is not a bad plan, however, to lift a few 

 roots while the plants are still green if sets are wanted 

 for planting next year, because it has been found that 

 immature Potato sets make better seed than ripe ones. 

 They are not so good for eating, of course. The 

 Potatoes which are to be cooked may be put in a 

 store and covered with straw, or placed in a mound in 

 a well-drained spot in the garden, surfaced with a 6-inch 

 thickness of straw, and the whole covered with soil. 

 There should be a vent-hole, stuffed with straw, to 

 permit of moisture escaping. 



Tomatoes, — From now onwards all the energies of 

 the plants ought to be concentrated on developing the 

 crop. The tips should be pinched out if the plants 

 are still growing, and the lower leaves trimmed or 

 removed. Water and liquid manure will be helpful. 

 321 X 



