Gardening for Amateurs 



557 



tions of manure water assist the fruits to 

 swell rapidly. 



Sowing Cauliflowers. This is a good 

 period the exact date will necessarily depend 

 on the locality in which to make a sowing 

 of Cauliflower seed to provide the earliest 

 produce in the succeeding year. Sow in 

 drills on a warm border ; some of the plants 

 should be transplanted in cold frames for 

 the winter, and put out of doors in early 

 spring. This is especially advisable in cold 

 districts ; in milder parts Cauliflowers gener- 

 ally pass the winter outside unharmed. 

 Early London is a good variety for the 

 purpose, and another that may be mentioned 

 is Walcheren. 



Lettuce for Winter. For winter and 

 spring use sow All the Year Round Cabbage 

 and Black-seeded Bath Cos Lettuce now. 

 Sow in drills, and transplant the seedlings 

 as soon as they are large enough. 



Potatoes. If mid-season varieties are 

 grown in addition to early and late sorts 

 they are ready to lift by now, and nothing 



is gained by leaving the tubers in the ground 

 once they are fit for lifting. Spread them 

 in an open shed for a few days to dry, 

 previous to storing. 



Spinach. Make the final sowing of 

 Spinach for standing through the winter, and 

 thin the plants from earlier sowings to 4 

 inches apart. It is not advisable to thin 

 more severely than this just now, as losses 

 will probably occur during the winter ; if 

 they do not, it is possible to finish the 

 thinning process in the spring. 



Cabbage. Where convenient it is an 

 excellent plan to prick out the seedlings of 

 Spring Cabbages as soon as rough leaves are 

 formed. In this way the plants are much 

 sturdier, and lift far better for the final 

 planting than when they are left to fight 

 for existence in the seed-bed. They must, 

 of course, be well watered until the roots 

 take hold, while shading provided by bushy 

 sticks or branches proves of considerable 

 assistance. A trowel is far superior to the 

 dibber so generally used for planting. 



Repotting Ferns and Aspidistras. 



March is the month for repotting ferns, 

 Aspidistras, and such plants as are used for 

 decorative purposes inside the rooms or 

 in the greenhouse. When they are removed 

 from the old pots, take a large iron nail and 

 pick the ball of soil with it until it loses its 

 rounded shape ; the roots are then pulled 

 free of each other, and they pass more readily 

 into the fresh compost which will be placed 

 around them, while soured, barren soil among 

 the old roots is largely removed. By this 

 practice, too, it is possible to use a smaller 

 size pot than would otherwise be needed, a 

 point often worth consideration. A good 

 soil for common ferns consists of 4 parts 

 lumpy turf, 2 parts leaf -mould, 1 part peat, 

 and 1 part sand or grit. When composts 

 are made up, it is often advantageous to 

 mix them some time before they are needed, 

 and to turn the heap over occasionally. 

 This has a sweetening effect, and at the same 

 time ensures a more thorough mixture of the 

 various ingredients, a very essential point 

 when plants are to be undisturbed for a 

 long time. Always mix the sand with the 



loam first, and add the other items to the 

 sandy soil. 



Mushrooms in Fields. Elaborate pre- 

 parations for growing Mushrooms in the 

 field are not necessary, nor has one long to 

 wait for a crop, for if spawn is planted at 

 the end of June or early in July, under 

 favourable conditions, a fair supply will be 

 forthcoming in the autumn. Well drained 

 soil is necessary, and cool and moist con- 

 ditions are most favourable when the spawn 

 becomes active. The herbage will ensure the 

 latter. The spawn should, if possible, be 

 inserted after heavy rain. Break it into 

 pieces the size of a hen's egg, raise the turf 

 with a spade, and place a lump underneath 

 about 3 inches from the surface. Beat down 

 the turf with the back of the spade, or well 

 tread it, otherwise the spawn may fail en- 

 tirely. It can be inserted at intervals of 

 2 or 3 yards. If all goes well a crop of 

 Mushrooms will be produced for years 

 afterwards. Horse droppings are sometimes 

 spread over the turf, and a dressing of 

 agricultural salt in the spring will be of 

 much benefit. 



