SOWING IN AUTUMN 97 



cases where the conditions are very favourable ; however, 

 those who wish to try it should have the ground prepared 

 early in September (as will be advised later), so as to sow 

 the seeds at the beginning of October. Many failures 

 occur through the seeds being sown too early, for the 

 plants then get so tall that they are easily injured by frost. 

 Two drills should be drawn from 2 to 3 inches deep, 

 and about i foot asunder, placing the seed, which must 

 be coated with red lead, about 2 inches apart in the drills, 

 and covering it carefully with fine soil ; if this is of a very 

 light nature it may be trodden lightly over. 



As soon as the young plants appear through the ground 

 they must be dusted over with soot to ward off slugs, and 

 this must be done frequently right through the winter. 

 Wire guards must be put over them to keep off birds ; or 

 benders with fish-netting will answer quite as well. 



A keen look-out must be kept for mice, or they will 

 eat the young plants off close to the ground. Pieces 

 of bread covered with phosphorus paste should be put 

 frequently here and there along the rows. Trapping may 

 also be employed, and I have found nothing better than 

 the old figure 4 trap in conjunction with two slates. 



When possible the soil must be kept lightly stirred with 

 a small hand-hoe, taking care to have the surface quite fine, 

 as the coarser the soil round the plants, the more harbour 

 there is for slugs. 



