io8o 



Gardening for Amateurs 



in September, the Onions should be taken 

 up and spread over the surface of the ground, 

 being well exposed to the sun to complete 

 their ripening, and turned over every three 

 or four days. In a fortnight or three weeks 

 they may be stored in a cool loft or out- 

 house, where they are safe from frost. 



Autumn-sown Onions. These are sown 

 about the middle of August on land that has 

 grown early Potatoes or Peas. Sow thinly 

 in drills 10 inches apart, and plant out the 

 seedlings during autumn or winter in rows 

 2 inches asunder, allowing 10 inches between 

 each plant. These will come in for use in 

 spring when the supply of spring-sown 

 Onions is exhausted. 



Onions for pickling are sown rather thickly 



Only by thinning the seedlings, as shown on the left, can fine 

 Onions be grown. 



in drills 10 inches apart in April. The variety 

 named The Queen is one of the best, being 

 small and white. These Onions should not 

 be thinned, or they are apt to grow too large. 

 During summer the hoe must be frequently 

 plied in the rows amongst all Onion crops to 

 promote free growth and to keep down the 

 weeds. 



Varieties are numerous and of various 

 colours. The white ones a,re of mild flavour, 

 the red sorts being more pungent. Good 

 Onions for spring sowing are Bedfordshire 

 Champion, James's Long Keeping, Blood 

 Red and Giant Zittau. For autumn sowing 

 choose Globe Tripoli, Giant Rocca, White 

 Spanish and Brown Spanish. 



Among the insect enemies of the Onion, 

 the Onion fly does most mischief. The best 



way to prevent an attack is to give an occa- 

 sional light dressing of soot and lime in equal 

 quantities, with a slight addition of nitrate of 

 soda. Give a very light dressing to the soil 

 as soon as the young plants are up, and 

 continue to do so at intervals of ten days 

 or six weeks. 



Parsnip. The Parsnip is a useful and 

 nutritious root, perfectly hardy, and avail- 

 able nearly all the year round. It may be 

 employed for making a pleasant and in- 

 expensive wine. The roots are left in the 

 ground and dug up as wanted. It is one of 

 the deepest rooting of all vegetables, and 

 consequently needs deeply -dug soil ; light 

 sandy loam suits it best. Seeds are sown 

 the last week in February, 1 inch to 2 inches 

 deep, in drills 18 inches 

 apart. When large 

 enough to handle the 

 seedlings are thinned 

 to 10 inches apart, 

 or if fine roots are 

 desired, to 12 inches 

 apart. The details 

 of treatment described 

 on p. 1067 in dealing 

 with the Carrot are 

 applicable to the 

 Parsnip. 



Good varieties are 

 The Student and Hol- 

 low Crown ; the latter 

 is the best for general 

 purposes. 



Pea. No vegetable is more popular 

 among amateurs than the garden Pea in 

 its numerous varieties. The Pea will grow 

 in almost any sort of cultivated soil, but if 

 the produce is to be of good quality and 

 abundant, the soil must be deeply stirred 

 and generously manured. Trench the ground 

 in autumn or winter at least 2 feet deep, 

 and manure freely. It is an advantage to 

 give a dressing of lime or chalk at the time 

 of trenching, forking it into the soil. 



The First Out-of-door Crop. -Winter sow- 

 ing is not much practised now, but in a mild 

 winter and on fairly light soil the crop is 

 a success, and most acceptable, as it comes 

 in earlier than those sown in spring. Sow 

 a round-seeded early variety (Marrowfats are 

 too tender for this purpose) on a warm, 



