SUPPLY OF FRESH VEGETABLES 377 



become crowded, thin them so that they may spread over 

 the bed quite clear of each other. They will probably 

 bear delicious young fruits in April and May. When the 

 weather is warm and settled the frames may be taken 

 away and the same plants used for the summer supply, 

 because if a coat of fertile soil is spread among them, 

 particularly round the main stem, they will continue 

 to extend and produce fresh fruit over a period of many 

 weeks. 



Onions. Although young Onions will be in demand 

 it is not necessary to sow them under glass, because a 

 suitable supply can be maintained from the open ground 

 by sowing seed in August. Almost any white variety 

 will do ; in case of doubt the White Lisbon may be 

 chosen. 



Cabbages. Young green Cabbages are also very 

 popular early in spring, but these also are best grown 

 out of doors, as even if they do not run to seed in hotbed 

 frames they do not form the firm white hearts which are 

 required. These come readily enough in the open ground 

 if a suitable variety, such as Flower of Spring, is sown 

 in early August and planted on rich but firm ground in 

 October. 



Broad Beans are sometimes forced in a similar way to 

 Peas, but this rather coarse vegetable is not in general 

 demand as an early table delicacy, and it suffices to sow 

 a quick-growing hardy variety like Beck's Dwarf Gem 

 or Early Mazagan out of doors in October for the first 

 crop of the year. 



Celery, again, is sometimes forced in frames and 

 blanched with brown paper, but generally the early 

 supply is grown on a warm border out of doors. 



Tomatoes are a recognized winter crop in large estab- 

 lishments, but they are generally grown in pots in a lofty 



