546 Notice of a Visit to Bicton Gardens. 



the Horn for framing and all early purposes. Never sow them 

 till the latter end of March or beginning of April, for a general 

 crop, and sow in drills 1 ft. apart ; and hoe in the same sort of 

 way as for the onions, taking them in time as soon as seen 

 above ground. 



Parsneps will grow good with the above management, but 

 like a richer and heavier soil, and should be sown in drills. 



Sjjinach I always sow in drills the same distance, making a 

 good preparation, and sowing the principal winter crop about 

 the 12th of August; indeed, I sow every thing in drills. 



Lettuce all the summer months I sow in drills, and thin and 

 hoe out, as they are so apt to get checked when planted out in 

 hot weather, and to run to seed; but sowing in drills, with 

 constant hoeing, keeps them growing healthily. 



I think I shall not dwell longer at present on kitchen- 

 gardening, but give you an occasional letter on any subject 

 that I may hereafter consider useful. To sum up all in a few 

 words, trench the ground and throw it into rough ridges imme- 

 diately after any crop is done with; choose good and proper 

 seasons for every crop, that is, the right season for putting it 

 into the ground. Hoe and fork the ground at every oppor- 

 tunity ; but never get trampling on it when in a very wet 

 state, or it will soon become soured and unkind. By following 

 the above method you will never be troubled much with slugs, 

 snails, or any other sort of vermin, but have all vegetables sweet, 

 clean, and wholesome. 



Bicton Gardens, Nov. 30. 1842. 



[In answer to several enquirers, we beg to state that Mr. 

 Barnes's mode of pine-growing will be given in the December 

 or January Number, we are not certain which. A gardener, 

 who writes to us on this subject, says that he was at Bicton on 

 the 8th of September, and saw queen pine- apples which num- 

 bered sixteen pips in depth ! ! He fully corroborates all Mr. 

 Cruickshank says (p. 547.) as to the vigour of the greenhouse 

 and hothouse plants ; and he mentions a musa sucker, which 

 had grown 33 ft. high between January and June last.] 



Art. IV. Notice of a Visit to Bicton Gardens in August IS^S, with 

 Remarks on the Culture practised there, and on the State of some of 

 the Plants. By James Cruickshank, Gardener to the Right 

 Honourable the Earl of Lonsdale, at Lowther Castle. 



Through the kind permission of my present employer, the 

 Earl of Lonsdale, I have lately visited Bicton Gardens, so fully 



