MISCELLANEOUS CROPS 179 



Do not sow considerable areas at a time, but make 

 successional sowings every fortnight ; this will avoid a 

 glut of produce at any given period. Also, when space 

 is limited, sow between the rows of the earliest peas. 

 Cut out any buds that are about to burst into flower, as 

 these latter attract green fly. 



Winter Spinach is usually of the prickly variety. Sow 

 from the beginning of August to the first week in October, 

 in ground as before but more sheltered. In all cases 

 give sufficient water and liquid manure at intervals. An 

 application of sulphate of ammonia, two pounds to the 

 rod, will prove beneficial when the shoots are about three 

 inches high. Gather the largest leaves when ready and 

 do not cut off the whole of the plant, as suggested for the 

 summer kinds. 



Spinach Beet is an accommodating form of beetroot 

 which has an abundance of leaves suitable for cooking as 

 spinach. Sow during late March or April, one and a half 

 inches deep, in rows fifteen inches apart, the ground 

 being prepared as for ordinary beetroots. Drastic thin- 

 ning is necessary when the seedlings are four inches high. 

 Gather the leaves singly, always picking the outer ones 

 first. 



Varieties worth noting are : Longstanding, New Zea- 

 land, and Thick Leaved Round for summer sowings, and 

 Giant Leaved Winter and Common Prickly for winter. 

 Also Perpetual Spinach or Spinach Beet. 



Asparagus. It is doubtful whether we ought to grow 

 this delicious vegetable now, as it requires much room 

 and calls for plenty of attention. For those who are not 

 restricted in space and wish to grow a crop, we give the 



