314 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



venient. Choose a warm sunny border for the pui'- 

 pose, and where the soil is naturally dry and light. 

 It should not be unduly manured. William I. and 

 improved forms of Dilliston's Early, &o., may he 

 sown. A border at the foot of a south-aspect wall 

 will be the most suitable place for this purpose. 

 Whilst in cold northern parts of the country these 

 early sowings require much care to bring them, for- 

 ward successfully, nevertheless, more south, &c., 

 there need be little difficulty with them. Broad 

 Beans may in like manner be sown across any ex- 

 posed open quarter of the garden. Care will be ne- 

 cessary to protect both from a variety of enemies, 

 which prey upon the seeds and the tender plants of 

 each subsequently when above ground, to which ex- 

 tended reference need not here be made. 



Watch the weather, and transpose successional 

 batches of Lettuces and Endive from the open ground 

 to frames, as former crops are being used, and room 

 is thus made for them. Give air to such frames, as 

 a deterrent of decay alone, should such exist ; the 

 produce will grow as well, and be crisper, when tept 

 in airless frames, when no such symptoms of decay 

 occur. It is desirable always to tread the ground 

 firmly between such plants when lifted from the 

 open ground, with balls of earth attached as they 

 should be, and transplanted therein. 



Look occasionally into the hearts of Waleheren 

 and Snow's Broccolis and Veitch's Cauliflower, to 

 ascertain whether any are showing symptoms of 

 flowering ; taking care to well bend the leaves over 

 the centres where signs of such occui', and puU any 

 plants bodily where the flowers are moderately 

 advanced, putting them into a cool place beyond 

 reach of frost until required for use. 



Take advantage of the first hard groimd-frost to 

 wheel manure on to all vacant spaces, and subse- 

 quently proceed with the work of digging and 

 trenching with expedition. The chief object should 

 be to have all vacant spaces, whereon crops do not 

 exist, turned up as early as possible, so that it may 

 receive the full benefits of long and free exposure. 

 In turning it up, do not chop it to pieces, but let 

 each spitful Ke. as roughly as possible. Subsequent 

 frost, air, &c., will thoroughly desicpate the lumps, 

 and level all in superior mellowness. Additions of 

 fresh soil, &c. , may well be made to any parts of the 

 kitchen garden at this season : fences, ditches, 

 drainage, and so on, attended to, walks turned, Box 

 edgings re-planted, and all similar work performed, 

 at this less busjf period of the year. 



Look over stores of Potatoes, Onions, and all 

 other root-crops, removing all signs of decay, and 

 sorting to suit future intentions in regard to each. 

 Make up the Mushroom -beds, and collect materials 

 tor successional beds as necessary. 



Where forced vegetables are required early, or a» 

 near to Christmas and the new year as possible, it 

 will be necessary to commence forcing such during 

 the month of November. Sea-kale and Ehubarb 

 forced under fermenting materials out of doors, 

 should have such fermenting materials collected and 

 placed over the stools or crowns about the middle 

 of the month. First, however, look over the stools, 

 remove aU Utter from around the crovras, especially 

 any form of decay, and place a small heap of cinder- 

 ashes over each. Upon it place the forcing-pots 

 and their covers. The, fermenting materials will be 

 best if placed in a, heap and permitted to ferment 

 before they are neatly packed over a given space, or 

 number of such stools. By .this means heat will be 

 quicker and more uniform. See that the pots fit 

 down tightly on the ground, and that the lids are 

 tight, &c., else the excessive steam in association 

 with great heat may injure and rot the crowns 

 before they commence to move. Do not omit to 

 place test -sticks in this material, and to examine 

 them frequently to ascertain whether the heat is 

 ample, or fluctuations of too great extent occur. 

 Hoots of Sea-kale, and of Rhubarb, may also be 

 carefully dug up .and placed in heat, for a like pur- 

 pose. Both air and light must be scrupulously ex- 

 cluded from the former, to insure perfect whiteness. 

 Chicory and Dandelion roots should be placed 

 in warm Mushroom-houses, to force a growth for 

 salading. Such houses should be kept dark, and air 

 should be excluded from them, or they will not be 

 properly blanched for use. 



December. 



In connection with the ground work, such as 

 digging, trenching, &c., it is often convenient to 

 renew or enlarge plantations of Rhubarb, Sea-kale, 

 &c. For instance, the old bed- space of these and 

 of Horse-radish can often at this period of the year 

 be better trenched and prepared for such than 

 during other more busy seasons. As concerns the 

 Sea-kaJe and Horse-radish, the old growth may 

 be severally and variously utilised. The roots of 

 Sea-kale so taken up should have the crown portions 

 cut into lengths fit for present forcing, or to be re- 

 dibbled into the ground, on the principles advised 

 under the head of its general culture. All lesser 

 roots may be cut into three-inch lengths, and buried 

 up to the upper apices in rows, in a convenient 

 place for forming young plants for the future. The 

 larger base of each stool of Horse-radish, store for 

 use, cutting ofE crowns also with short lengths of 

 root-base for planting in the proper way. Di 

 vide Rhubarb if the stools have more than three 

 crowns each. Take care to elevate all such dormant 

 subjects somewhat, when re-planting them at such a 



