310 



CASSELL'S POPULAE GARDENING. 



final sowing of the following also about the third 

 week in the month, viz. : — Ne Plus Ultra, Day's 

 Eai-ly Sunrise, and John Bull. It is excellent prac- 

 tice during a dry summer to mulch late Peas. By 

 its aid moisture is kept in the ground, and the action 

 of the sun's rays upon the surface of the soil is neu- 

 tralised, to say nothing of the assistance it affords 

 in connection with all artificial waterings. 



At no other season of the year is it so important 

 to give free use to the hoe as during this month of 

 June. By keeping the surface soil loose and free, 

 the heneficial action of the dews at night is accele- 

 rated. Equally important are hoeings following all 

 heavy rains, which level or beat down the sui'face 

 of the soil and so neutralise such results. Beyond 

 which, seedling weeds form very rapidly at such a 

 season, following all rains, and hence hoeing has a 

 dual or triple merit. 



Where the most tender vegetables are in constant 

 demand, it will be desirable during a showery 

 period in the month to make again small sowings 

 of the following: — Early Horn Carrots, Turnips, 

 Spinach, Radishes, Lettuces, Endive, and such small 

 salading as Mustard, Cress, Onions, &c., for drawing. 

 A damp cool soil is the most desirable at this season 

 for aU kinds of salad plants. 



Any temporary covering such as hand-lights placed 

 over Ridge Cucumbers, Vegetable Marrows, &c., 

 gradually remove ; cut, dry, and harvest all kinds of 

 herbs immediately any show signs of blooming, at 

 which time they are ripe for the process. 



Artificial waterings are very important during 

 the month. Unfortunately, it so happens that every 

 part of the garden calls loudly for extra attention 

 at this particular season, hence the great assistance 

 such artificial waterings are capable of cannot in some 

 cases be properly rendered. I would remark, never- 

 theless, that should dry weather intervene, no other 

 extra labour that could be applied would give better 

 results than such as may be applied to this one of 

 the artificial root-watering in season ; and to hire a 

 man, or two, for a day about twT.ce in the month 

 for this purpose would greatly repay the small outlay. 

 It may be added in connection with this subject that 

 weak manurial waterings, being so exceptionally 

 helpful to the roots, should be applied in all instances 

 where practicable. If but a bag of horse- droppings 

 be placed in a tub whence the water is drawn it 

 will afford good assistance in this respect. 



Give more and more air by day to Cucumbers, even 

 towards the end of the month to tilting the sashes 

 of frames on their sides, by inserting wedges under 

 the opposite side. Always so raise each, however, 

 that any winds blow over and not directly into the 

 frames. Add manurial watering to the usual root- 

 waterings. These should be given every other day 



during very hot drying weather; but only every 

 third or fourth day when the weather is heavy and 

 dull, though superficial sprinklings will be required 

 daily at this date at 3.30 p.m. Take care to give 

 root- waterings at the same hour, upon sunny days 

 only ; so that the heat of the sun's rays, subsequently 

 boxed up by closing the lights down tightly, aid in 

 renovating the heat lost in process of watering. To 

 insure that a moderate warmth pervades the water 

 used, make a point of filling all water-pots with 

 water as soon as the general morning waterings are 

 finished, and place them in full sun previous to 

 the periodical waterings. Continue to look through 

 the plants. Pinch back lateral shoots upon which 

 embryo Cucumbers form, at one leaf beyond such 

 tender fruits. Remove all tendrils wherever they 

 form. Stop the points of strong shoots (which it is 

 well to let grow occasionally, to insure better root- 

 action) when they approach the outer sides of frame 

 or proper limits, removing all aged leaves and 

 freshening up the surface of the soil, to neutralise 

 the formation of noxious fungoid growths, &c. 



Mushroom-beds, which have been spawned five or 

 six weeks, should have the surface covering carefully 

 removed, giving waterings as may be necessary. 

 Well shake up the material used as a covering, and 

 replace it over the bed lightly, and as circumstances 

 suggest less densely also. Collect more materials and 

 make up successional beds out of doors, for cropping 

 during September onwards. Such materials will dry 

 well spread out in the sun during dry weather, and 

 prove better than such as are prepared by process of 

 fennentation. It is important that the droppings be 

 such as are formed by horses fed upon dry- food, and 

 not from such as are pasturing, as many horses are 

 at this season. Take care to remove all vegetable 

 crops immediately they have ceased to be young and 

 useful, especially of the Brassica tribe. Spinach, &c. 

 To permit these to stand upon the ground but a 

 few days subsequently, is to greatly and needlessly 

 rob the ground of its best constituents. 



July. 



Even during the month known as arid July, 

 cropping must be continued by all who would have 

 vegetables subsequently "in season." As spring- 

 sowa crops come into bearing and exhaust them- 

 selves, they must in rapid succession be uprooted, the 

 ground "repaired," and other crops made to take their 

 place, as by a wizard's hand. Too much attention 

 cannot therefore be given to the immediate digging 

 up of all ground, when crops thereon become ex- 

 hausted. It is highly desirable likewise to add 

 manure to all such ground as is dug up at this 

 season. Following former crops it is generally very 

 dry, and unless heavy rains fall it will continue so. 



