188 



HOCKINGS' GARDEN MANUAL. 



mustard, cress, lettuce, endive, onion, peas for main 

 crop, parsnips, radish, prickly spinach, and turnips. 

 Former sowings should be carefully thinned out and 

 kept clear of weeds, that the air may pass freely 

 through. Mulch round the melon and cucumber 

 holes, to the depth of five or six inches, with a good 

 dressing of long stable manure ; draw a small ridge 

 of earth round them, at about two feet from the stem, 

 to prevent the water running away ; a,nd, if the wea- 

 ther is very dry and the plants appear to suffer, give 

 about ten to twenty gallons of water in the evening 

 to each hole. This will probably not have to be re- 

 peated during the season. It is easier and cheaper 

 to do the work effectively at once. Light waterings 

 are generally very injurious in dry weather ; either 

 water copiously or not at all. It is better to depend 

 entirely on mulching than to give a mere sprinkling 

 of water to plants exposed to the sun at this season. 

 Seeds of plants previously selected should be collected 

 as they ripen, and before the pods are too brittle. 

 Cucumbers, melons, French beans, &c, should be looked 

 over every day and gathered as soon as they are ready, 

 whether they are required or not ; for, if left on to 

 perfect their seeds, the plants soon cease to be produc- 

 tive, or form only ill -shaped inferior fruit. 



Orchard. — Tie up loose shoots of the vine, ex- 

 tending them out to the sun. If the points are 

 gathered up to a stake (a very bad practice), be care- 

 ful that the foliage is not bruised or injured. In 

 banana plantations, see that all the plants are cut to 

 the ground when the fruit is taken, and remove all 

 dead leaves and superfluous suckers, that there may 

 be a free circulation of air among them. Prop up 

 such plants as require support. If young trees are 

 to be planted out during the approaching season, pro- 

 cure a good supply of leaf mould, or fine virgin soil, 

 for placing among the roots 3 lay it up in heaps to 

 sweeten. 



