1052 



Gardening for Amateurs 



depends on the quality and the season at 

 which it is ready. 



Shallot. A number of these come on 

 the market from time to time, but as the 

 price is only about |d. per pound it can- 

 not be said there is a fortune to be made 

 from them. However, they are only on the 

 ground from March to July, and in some 

 localities growers might by selling them 

 retail at better prices make them pay. 

 Plant out in March in rows 9 inches apart, 

 and keep hoed and free from weeds. Lift 

 and dry when growth ceases ; the bulbs 

 should be cleaned and made presentable 

 for market. 



Thyme. This herb finds a place in our 

 markets nearly every day in the year. It 

 may be planted much closer together than 

 the Sage. It is sold by the dozen, in the 

 same way, except that the bunches of this 

 are much smaller. The price also is much 

 less than for Sage, as a rule about Id. to 

 lid. per dozen wholesale being a usual 

 quotation. 



Tomato. This crop grown out of doors 

 in this country is rather unreliable in regard 

 to profit-bearing. Some years the returns 

 are really good. For instance, on one 

 occasion 1 ton of Tomatoes was gathered 

 from a chain of ground. As there are ten 

 chains in an acre, this is at the rate of 10 

 tons per acre. The Tomatoes averaged 

 Id. per pound wholesale when sold. This 

 represents roughly over 90 per acre gross 

 return. There is a good deal to set off, it 

 is true, in the shape of labour and manure, 

 and the cost of raising the plants. Allowing 

 for all this, the returns are most tempting ; 

 but then there is another side. There are 

 some years when the outdoor Tomato crop 

 is only a source of loss to the grower. The 

 most successful combination of Tomatoes 

 with another crop is with early Potatoes on 

 a warm border. The Potatoes are planted 

 early in March 1 yard apart in the rows. 

 After the Potatoes, are earthed up, and when 

 the young Tomato plants are read}*, they 

 are put out in the furrows, '2 feet 6 inches 



Pea Senator, a profitable late sor 



