JOS 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



rule. These cannot well have too much manure of 

 any kind. Good loamy soils of moderate consistency 

 should not receive such in excess. For this grade a 

 moderate dressing often, is preferable to very heavy 

 dressing at any time. Excepting in the case of the 

 very light soils, previously referred to, fermented or 

 thoroughly decomposed manures are always pre- 

 ferable, and they should be well divided before 

 being dug into the ground, so that perfect mixing 

 with the soil in process of digging or forking be 

 assured. It is preferable, in connection with all 

 areas under able culture, to dig the manure into the 

 ground during the winter, or at least some time 

 before the period for actual planting arrives. This 

 can be better done, besides, in relation to the 

 soil and its needful mechanical firmness, which has 

 been treated of under its proper head previously. 

 Some crops, such as Onions, Peas, Potatoes, &c., 

 having the space prepared for them roughly dming 

 the winter, would also receive great assistance from 

 a thin mulching of thoroughly decomposed manure 

 scattered over the surface of the soil, immediately 

 before the superficial forki/ig up, which should 

 invariably take place when seed-sowing is about to 

 be done. Too much manure in any ground, it may 

 be observed, finally destroys its mechanism, causes 

 it to become soddened and sour, whilst giving 

 increase to worms and innumerable minor insect 

 pests. Certainly, a very dry hot season may correct 

 this ; but should a rainy one take its place, a loss of 

 quantity, as well as a great lowering of quality, will 

 result to all crops. Artificial manures are generally 

 beneficial to all soils, especially during rainy seasons. 

 It must not be overlooked, however, that they do not 

 possess the moisture-retaining power, with the root- 

 food-in-readiness capacity, which all stable manures 

 retain, even during arid periods, and when of so 

 great import to all crops. 



THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES. 



Bean, Kidney Dwarf {Phaseolus vulgaris). 

 French, Sarlcot ; German, Bohn ; Spanish, Fri- 

 jorenano. — The Dwarf Kidney Bean, often impro- 

 perly called " French Bean," a tender annual plant, 

 introduced from India, is one of the most productive 

 and useful within the range of cultivated plants 

 used for food in a green state. Requiring little 

 culture, provided the land is well drained, moder- 

 ately light, and enriched, it produces heavy crops 

 of its seed-pods on dwarf plants grown very closely 

 together with very limited attention. This species 

 is so tender that the slightest frost will injure or 

 destroy it. For this reason it should not be sown or 

 planted before the end of April, or the first week in 

 May; the object being to defer germination and 



subsequent groM'th until perfect security against late 

 spring frosts exists. Such late frosts often occur on 

 May 18th to 20th; sowings made as above will 

 therefore escape them. 



So valuable is this crop, however, that sowings are 

 made in pots or boxes, and the plants grown on 

 therein to the third leaf by the latter date named, 

 when they are transplanted into favourable sites for 

 fruiting; such a favourable site bein?; one on the 

 southern aspect of wall or fence, having protection 

 from east winds. For the earliest crop the soil 

 cannot be too light and dry. Later or summer 

 sowings succeed better in somewhat stiffer loams 

 and more exposed sites. The seeds should be sown 

 in rows two feet apart, the seeds to be two inches 

 apart in the row and two inches deep. 



So soon as the seedlings appear above ground and 

 begin to form the third leaf, well mould them up on 

 both sides, by dra wing an equal quantity of soil to 

 each, after having first well hoed between them. 

 The only subsequent attention they require is an 

 occasional hoeing between, an operation which 

 should not be undertaken whilst the plants are damp 

 either with rain or dew, as they are very susceptible 

 of injury from bruising, and most so at such a 

 time. 



For successional crops, sow more rows according 

 to demand, immediately preceding sowings are w^ell 

 above ground. The last sowing should be made not 

 later than the first week in August. The two best 

 sorts are Canadian Wonder^ strong, tall, and mid- 

 season, and Negro, which is a very prolific one and 

 dwarf. 



Dwarf French Beans force well, and are gener- 

 ally utilised in this manner where convenient glass 

 structures exist. The practice is to sow three or 

 four seeds in sixty-sized pots to the number requi- 

 site. First crock and three-parts fiU each pot with 

 turfy loam and leaf-mould, or decomposed manure ; 

 press it down firmly, drop the seeds thereon^ and 

 cover over with more soil an inch or two deep. 

 So soon as germination takes place, and the young 

 plants appear above ground, place the pots near to 

 the glass in a light place. "V^^hen the third leaf is 

 formed, procure large thirty-two or twenty-foiir- 

 sized pots, three-parts fill with similar soil, but more 

 turfy or in lumps, and firmly plant the young plants 

 therein, without in any way breaking the ball of 

 soil, or injuring the young roots. Tie each plant 

 separately to a stake, and keep freely watered and 

 syringed overhead, maintaining a moist temperature 

 of 60'^ to 75°, with air as freely about midday as 

 possible. When flowering takes place and pods 

 form, give manurial waterings alternately. The 

 variety named Newington Wonder is adapted for 

 this purpose. 



