THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 



185 



THE KITCHEN GAEDEN. 



By William Eaeley. 



SIMULTANEOUS CROPPING. 



SIMULTANEOUS Cropping is no new plan 

 or practice, the exigencies of space having 

 forced many growers to adopt its principle in con- 

 nection with a limited number of subjects. In the 

 following remarks I explain how more than one crop 

 can be grown together on given areas with reason- 

 able success. 



Asparagus and Lettuces. — Asparagus-beds 

 are generally maintained so rich by surface mulch- 

 ings, &c., with decomposed manures, as often during 

 rainy seasons to cause a soured soil. An excel- 

 lent corrective of this is to grow a crop of surface- 

 rooting vegetables thinly upon it. As few subjects 

 suffer so much from the occasional droughts of early 

 summer as do Lettuces, these -latter also succeed 

 wonderfully well sown upon such a rich surface. It 

 is a profitable practice, therefore, to sow seeds of the 

 Paris White Cos Lettuce broad-cast over the beds 

 during the last week of March in each year. When 

 the young seedlings are large enough, thin them out 

 greatly, and in such manner that only a single plant 

 remains at even spaces all over each bed, and as far 

 as possible between the exact crowns of each Aspara- 

 gus-plant. Very fine-hearted Lettuces will form, but 

 it will be absolutely necessary to pull them imme- 

 diately they are ready for use, or a greatly additional 

 and unnecessary tax will be made upon the beds. 



Asparagus and Radishes. — The several 

 forms of Turnip Iladishes, but more especially the 

 more highly appreciated Olive-shaped or French 

 breakfast Radishes, will succeed admirably as a 

 second early spring-sown crop upon Asparagus-beds. 

 The seeds must be sown thinly; or if they come 

 up too thickly or irregularly, must be immediately 

 thinned out. Whilst the crop does not greatly tax 

 the bed, it develops quickly into crisp succulency, 

 owing to the open, airy, exposed sites of Asparagus- 

 beds. It is important, however, that the entire crop 

 be drawn immediately it is large enough for use. 



In very limited gardens, a thin sprinkling of Let- 

 tuces and Radishes may indeed be made together, 

 w hich, with reasonable and proper thinning out and 

 quick use, would yield a welcome supply of both. 



Beans (Broad) and Potatoes. — It is a very 

 old practice to grow Broad Beans thinly in or along 

 with Potatoes in the row — a plan which, owing to 

 the downward-rooting habit of the Broad Bean, de- 

 tracts very little from the Potato crop. The Broad 

 Beans should be planted thinly, to avoid shading the 



Potatoes. At the time of planting the Potatoes, 

 dibble in the seeds between the sets in the row at 

 distances of about fourteen inches apart, or rather 

 more, and along every other row only. It will be 

 desirable when dibbling each seed in to beat the soil 

 down over it firmly with the dibble, as this parti- 

 cular crop is partial to a firmer root- hold than is 

 desirable for the Potatoes. 



Immediately Broad Beans show flower, remove the 

 upper end of the shoots— that is, top them. This 

 simple process will give encouragement to the crop, 

 whilst it will throw less shade upon the Potatoes. 

 By this method the Dwarf Mazagan Broad Bean 

 may be sown and grown along with the earliest 

 kidney or round Potato crop on the south aspect, 

 giving to all who are partial to such produce an 

 early and plentiful return from a limited area. 



Beans (Broad) and Seed-beds.— With many 

 market-garden farmers a belief exists that the Broad 

 Bean proves, when grown between the young plants 

 in seed-beds, consisting of any variety of the exten- 

 sive family of Brassicas, a sure antidote against the 

 Turnip fly, which very often, and especially during 

 periods of aridity, devotn^s and is very injurious to 

 them. Whether this be so or not, certain it is that 

 such things may be conveniently grown together, on 

 the score of greater economy of space, and in the 

 early months of the year to insure earliness by pro- 

 tection to young seedling plants. 



For instance, Broad Beans may be sown in any 

 limited-size bed, eight inches asunder all ways, either 

 in the autumn or diu-ing the month of January. 

 Thus a bed about three feet wide by five feet long 

 would take thirty plants or more, which is about the 

 number required in practice to give a dish of pro- 

 duce at a gathering. 



Subsequently, or early in the month of March, 

 sow seeds, as requisite, amongst this young Bean 

 plantation, of Cabbages, Coleworts, Brussels Sprouts, 

 Bioccoli, &c., of the tenderest kinds. First deeply 

 hoe the ground, sow such seeds as are desirable, and 

 sprinkle over with a little rich soil. The growing 

 Bean plants will prove a protection from cold winds 

 and late spring frosts. 



Beans (Broad) and Radishes. — By an ar* 



rangement similar to the above, the earliest out- 

 door Radish-bed may be greatly protected. It is 

 remarkable how great a protection such a system of 

 studded uprights affords. 



Both in this instance and in connection with the 

 seed-beds above explained — especially in allotment 

 grounds, or where protected sunny southern aspects 

 do not exist — it will be good practice in connection 

 with all to sow during either November or January 



