March, 1907 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



67 



fertilizers are also essential to insure success. 

 Sow in drills which are four inches apart, 

 cover and firm the soil with a board, in order 

 that it shall retain the moisture. As soon 

 as the young onions appear above the soil 

 ventilate the frames giving an abundance of 

 air on all fair days. Frequently stir the 

 surface of the soil and remove all weeds as 

 they appear. As the onions increase in size, 

 give them air at night, and if the weather 

 is mild, the sash may be left off entirely. 

 When about the size of a lead pencil, trans- 

 plant to open ground, which will be about 

 May ist. Put them in rows, setting the 

 plants three inches deep, five inches apart 

 and sixteen inches from row to row. Onions 

 may also be sown outdoors and thinned to 

 three inches apart. The young onions can 

 be used as they are, or the thinning trans- 

 planted to other rows, as has been described. 

 Onions may also be grown from sets planted 

 one inch deep, three inches apart and one 

 foot from row to row. Sow the seed, or 

 plant the sets, in March, as soon as the ground 

 can be worked. 



For a more detailed description of how to 

 grow the best onions see the January Garden 

 Magazine, page 306. 



LEEKS 



Sow March 10th. Varieties: .American 

 Flag and Large Carentan. 



Leeks are greatly prized for soups and 

 when cut into small pieces and cooked as 

 onions they make a delicious vegetable. Sow 

 in coldframes and give the same care as 

 recommended for onions. They will be 

 ready for use in September. Transplant 

 when the size of an ordinary lead pencil to 

 trenches which have been dug eight inches 

 deep and one foot wide, into which has been 

 put a 3 -inch layer of manure and one and 

 one-half inches of soil to plant in. Set them 

 about two inches deep, so that the neck is 

 covered, and draw a little soil up to them 

 from time to time, as they grow, to blanch 

 them. They may be grown in a double row, 



the individual rows being nine inches apart, 

 and the plants six inches apart in the row. 



BEANS 



Sow March 20th, and for succession 

 every two weeks. Varieties: Triumph of the 

 Frames, and Early Mohawk. 



Beans require a light, not over-rich soil. 

 For early use, sow Triumph of the Frames 

 in coldframes, in drills two inches deep and 

 one foot apart. Maintain a close atmosphere 

 until the young plants show through the soil, 

 then air and water carefully, and on no 

 account let cold draughts strike them. Beans 

 require a night temperature of 6o°, with a 

 rise of ten degrees on bright days. They 

 should be ready for use in six weeks from the 

 date of sowing. Pick when young and tender. 

 From about April 10th, on, make the succes- 

 sional sowings in open ground, planting seeds 

 of Early Mohawk in rows eighteen inches 

 apart and two inches deep until August 15th. 



PARSLEY 



Sow March ist. Varieties: Moss-curled, 

 Fern-leaved. 



Sow the seeds rather thickly in drills one- 

 half inch deep, which are three inches apart. 

 Parsley germinates very slowly. When two 

 inches high, transplant to the open ground. 

 For succession, sow April ist and again on 

 July 15th, in drills one-half inch deep and 

 one foot apart. The latter sowing can be 

 kept over winter by covering with salt hay, 

 or leaves, when cold weather set in. 



SPINACH 



Sow March ist, and for succession every 

 two weeks until May 15th. Varieties: Prickly, 

 and Savoy Leaved or Bloomsdale. 



The early sowings of spinach in the frames 

 should be in drills which are one-half inch 

 deep and six inches apart. Keep the soil 

 on the dry side until the seeds germinate, as 

 they are liable to rot if kept too wet. A 

 temperature of from 45 to 50 is sufficiently 

 high. As soon as the seeds are up nicely, 



Showing how coldframes are ventilated— by raising top end of sash with a wooden blocK 



Celery. At right, plant twice transplanted and ready 

 to set outdoors. At left, plant has not been trans- 

 planted. Centre plant ready for second transplanting 



give plenty of air; and a light dressing of 

 nitrate of soda strewn over the surface will 

 hasten growth. It should be ready for use 

 in six weeks from planting. For succession, 

 sow every two weeks until May 15th. As 

 soon as the ground can be worked, make the 

 successional sowings outdoors in drills which 

 are one inch deep and one foot apart. For 

 summer use, sow New Zealand spinach June 

 ist in hills at least four feet apart, and one 

 inch deep. For fall use, sow Bloomsdale 

 again on August ist and 15th, and for late 

 fall use, make a sowing in the coldframes on 

 September 8th. This last sowing will make 

 good spinach for Christmas. Another sowing 

 may be made about September 21st, this 

 can be wintered over and will be ready to 

 gather the following March. 



CELERY 



Sow April ist. Varieties: early, White 

 Plume; second early, Fin de Siecle; mid- 

 season, Giant Pascal; late, New Rose. 



Sow the seed in finely raked soil in drills 

 which are four inches apart. Firm the soil 

 well with board by walking on it. Give 

 an abundance of water, and as soon as the 

 plants are two inches high, transplant in 

 other frames, in soil that has been enriched 

 with a layer of manure, three inches deep, 

 and which has been thoroughly dug into 

 the soil. Set the plants four inches apart, 

 alternate them in the rows and do not plant 

 too deep, firm the earth well about the 

 roots, water thoroughly to settle the soil, and 

 shade for a day or two, until the plants 

 have taken root in the new soil. They will 

 now grow very fast and will need an abund- 

 ance of water at least once a day. The first 

 sowings will be ready for the trenches, or 

 cultivation on the level, about July ist. 



Dig trenches fifteen inches wide and eight 

 inches deep and four feet apart. Put about 



