206 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



accordance with the date fixed when each separate 

 one is to be ready for use. Any departure from 

 such a rule often entails disappointment. Accord- 

 ingly, successional crops must be the result of 

 successional sowings. 



When the first crop is required for use early in 

 September, or somewhat before, a slight sowing 

 should be made about the second week in February ; 

 the successional one about mid- March ; and the third 

 during April. Each will succeed best in a box of 

 rich, fine soil, placed under glass in a moderate 

 amount of heat. Though for the latter sowing, if it 

 were possible, the best place is to sow upon a fine bed 

 of soil, elevated up near to the glass, during the first 

 few days of the month ; covering the seed over very 

 slightly in this, as in all other cases, well watering 

 them and shutting the frame up close until germina- 

 tion takes place, when, by air-gi^dng, &c., a sturdy 

 and full growth is assured. 



From the moment when the seeds germinate until 

 such time as they are moulded up in the rows for 

 blanching, no check of any kind must be permitted, 

 or the result will be adverse to the whole future 

 growth, with a probability of bolting," or the too 

 early starting into seed-stalk, of some, which destroys 

 all tenderness. 



To insure a regular and iminterrupted growth from 

 the seed-bed onwards, the young seedling plants 

 must be " pricked " out, or transplanted singly into 

 other boxes or frames so soon as they are large 

 enough to handle, and be again transplanted, as 

 necessary, as they continue to grow and require 

 space. The best place wherein to transplant early 

 ones is a well-elevated bed of rich soil in a cold 

 frame, over which a mat can be placed during severe 

 frosty weather. For the permanent crop, a bed 

 should be made up in a warm sheltered place, con- 

 sisting of stable manure and tree-leaves. It need not 

 be more than two feet in depth, to insure the shght 

 fermentation giving the necessary amount of bottom 

 heat. Upon this, two or three inches at least of 

 good soil is placed, the plants pricked out in rows 

 an inch or two apart, well watered, and covered 

 over with bent sticks, upon which mats are firmly 

 fixed, untn they begin to raise their leaves, after 

 which the mats should be removed entirely, except 

 during cold nights and keen cold winds. Ultimately 

 they may be removed altogether, from which time 

 until the young plants are required for finally plant- 

 ing into the permanent trenches, copious supplies of 

 root-water must be regularly given to them. 



Trenches should be prepared for the reception of 

 such plants so soon as they have grown five or six 

 inches in height, and before there is any possibility 

 of their receiving a check owing to insufiiciency of 

 soil or room. The too general plan is to consult in- 



dividual convenience, the usefulness of crops occupy- 

 ing the ground whereon they are to be planted, or 

 other circumstances. It is imperative that the 

 trenches be ready for the plants as suggested. 



Choose a site whereon the soil is somewhat damp, 

 and of a good, deep, loamy nature. Mark out the 

 trenches, each a foot in width, with intervening 

 spaces of three to three and a half feet between each 

 trench. With a spade dig six or seven inches of the 

 soil out of each trench, lay it upon the intervening 

 spaces between the trenches, levelling it over neatly, 

 and cutting both sides of each trench smoothly and 

 evenly. Now place an inch or two of good manure, 

 thoroughly decayed, upon the soil within the trench, 

 and fork it over deeply, or otherwise, according to 

 the depth of subsoil, breaking it up finely, and 

 mixing the manure thoroughly up with it. The next 

 operation is to dig up the seedhng plants carefully ; 

 take each into the hands, retaining all the soil 

 possible around the roots, and remove all decayed or 

 injured leaves ; lay each on its side upon a hand- 

 barrow% or within a convenient basket, &c. Carry it 

 to the trench, and commence by planting one or two 

 plants with a trowel at one end. Face the trench to 

 be planted ; place one foot down firmly on either side 

 of those planted, and proceed to plant others; bring 

 the feet forward in such a way that each is trodden 

 firmly on either side, and so on until the whole row is 

 planted. The plants should be planted four to five 

 inches apart iu the trench. Immediately planting is 

 finished, water them in copiously in such manner as to 

 well settle the soil over the roots and around the base 

 of each plant. It is scarcely needful to remark that 

 a rainy period is the best for this operation, or, failing 

 such, the latter part of the day is best. Diiring very 

 hot sunny weather, shading with a few tree-branches, 

 or other mediums, will prove an advantage. 



For successional crops, a trench or two should be 

 planted out thus once in three weeks, or at the most 

 once a month. Regular waterings must be given 

 during arid weather, and in such manner that the 

 roots are never short of a proper supply of moisture. 



Towards the end of July, and following on in 

 regular succession, the first rows and others will 

 need hoeing carefully along on both sides, the banks 

 having meantime been kept free from weeds. 

 Immediately following, all the lesser useless leaves, 

 and all small side sucker shoots, must be removed. 

 To do this a sharp trowel will often be needed. 

 Having removed such, without in any degree in- 

 juring root or plant, hoe the sides along somewhat 

 deeply, and in such manner that an inch or two of 

 the soil will fall in'^o the trenches on both sides of 

 the rows of plants. Then traverse each row, collect 

 the leaves of each plant into one hand, and draw the 

 loose soil up around it with a trowel held in the 



