APRIL 161 



has been clearly demonstrated that this elegant and much-esteemed 

 vegetable may be grown to perfection in any garden with little more 

 expense than attends other crops, provided only that a reasonable 

 amount of skill is brought to bear upon the undertaking. A deep, 

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

 garden of an experimental horticulturist who had for a 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 reasonably 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 so much 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. It is. 

 well, however, to bear in mind that, apart from their value as orna- 

 mental plants, 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 both for ornament and 

 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 of 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 



M 



