Gardening for Amateurs 



apart, and thin the plants when large enough 

 to 6 inches apart. Run the hoe between 

 the drills frequently. 



Spraying Potatoes. The work of spray- 

 ing maincrop Potatoes should be carried 

 out wherever possible, for in some seasons 

 the loss by disease is enormous, and a good 

 deal of this could probably be prevented. 

 Bordeaux mixture should be used for the 

 purpose, and, commencing now, three spray- 

 ings are advisable at fortnightly intervals. 

 Provided the work is thoroughly done there 

 can be no question as to its value. 



Turnips. Another sowing of Turnips 

 ought to be made for autumn and winter use, 

 and for this purpose Orange Jelly and Snow- 

 ball are reliable varieties. Encourage quick 



growth by early thinning and dustings of 

 soot hoed in between the drills at intervals. 



Weeding. At this season weeds grow 

 rapidly and unremitting attention is necessary 

 if they are not to get the upper hand. Hoe- 

 ing frequently in dry weather is effectual, 

 as it destroys weeds when they are very 

 small, apart from the benefit it does to 

 growing crops. When weeds have become 

 large they should be pulled up by hand and 

 burnt, for, frequently, hoeing them up does 

 not prevent their seeding. 



Watering. Peas, Beans, Celery, and 

 recently planted Winter Greens need fre- 

 quent soakings of water at this season, mere 

 sprinklings are worse than useless ; they chill 

 the soil without moistening it thoroughly. 



Enriching a Sandy Soil. If sandy soil 

 lies vacant for any length of time much of 

 the manurial matter is quickly washed into 

 the drains and lost. To conserve these 

 valuable fertilisers, and at the same time to 

 add humus to the soil, make it an invariable 

 rule never to have a border standing idle, 

 but to make it produce some leafy crop 

 which can be dug into the ground at any 

 convenient time. Of all that may be grown 

 the members of the Pea and Bean family 

 of plants are best ; these plants are leafy, 

 and enrich the soil by increasing its store 

 of nitrates, and their deep root ramifications 

 help to lock up all soluble matter for a time, 

 so preventing it from getting washed away. 

 As to the best crop to grow, it is purely a 

 matter of cheapness and choice ; clovers are 

 excellent, while tares are very good ; field 

 vetches may be sown, or even lucerne, but 

 of all probably the Lupins are best. Many 

 kinds of Lupin are to be had, but the cheapest 

 is the best in this case. Sow the seeds at any 

 time, rake them in, protect them from birds, 

 and they will soon produce plenty of vege- 

 tation ; no manure should be given. The 

 best time to turn them in is just as the 

 flowering spikes are developing ; tramp or 

 roll the herbage flat, then dig it out of sight. 

 Mustard seed is also cheap and the plants are 

 leafy, so that one often sees this as a " catch " 

 crop, but grass seed or any quick-growing 

 crop is most satisfactory. Although the 



above practice is strongly urged when the 

 garden soil is light, it can quite well be 

 adopted in any garden, to the material benefit 

 of all kinds of soil ; the smallholder can make 

 use of the herbage, too, for cattle delight to 

 feed on such green produce, so that this 

 " green manuring " has everything to re- 

 commend it. 



The Shady Front Garden. A frequent 

 complaint respecting the front garden is 

 that plants will not thrive because it faces 

 north, north-east, or north-west. Too often 

 the cause of this is because the wrong kinds 

 are planted- Though the house may prevent 

 the sun reaching the plants, if the ground is 

 not actually overhung with trees the garden 

 may be kept bright and interesting from 

 spring to late autumn. For a spring effect 

 plant Daffodils, Snowdrops, London Pride, 

 Scillas, and Doronicum Harpur Crewe ; for 

 the summer Foxgloves, Calceolarias, Primula 

 japonica, Violas, Fuchsias, and Snapdragons 

 will be found useful ; while in autumn the 

 Japanese Anemone, varieties of Lobelia 

 cardinalis and L. fulgens, Sedum spectabile, 

 Tobacco Plants, and Michaelmas Daisies 

 may be had. As the sun cannot reach the 

 soil to dry it up, the ground must be well 

 drained. If at all heavy, plenty of old 

 mortar rubble, road grit, and wood ashes 

 should be dug in, while if water-logged much 

 sterner measures must be taken, such as 

 putting in 6 inches of drainage. 



