THE CULTURE OF VEGETABLES. 



487 



root room for house Cucumbers, the plants being 

 trained upon trellises fixed about I2in. under the glass 

 roofs; ihe brunches must be kepi well thinned. Dung 

 beds, properly made up, on which frames are placed, do 

 very wi ll to force plants in from March onward, but they 

 do not retain enough warmth in the winter. In these 

 frames the Cucumber plants are put out in pairs on 

 mounds of loam, and then ramble over the soil in the 

 bed. Having so much root room it is needful to keep 

 the shoots well thinned. A little ventilation is essential 

 in considerable warn th 

 Peas. — Very Dwarf Peas grown in pots or long boxes 

 can be induced to pod fairly well if kept on shelves near 

 the glass and given ample light. Sowings may be made 

 in January and February, for this purpose, of Chelsea 

 Gem and American Wonder, both quite dwarf kinds. The 

 best position is on a back shell very near the roof, on 

 which boxes 6in. deep and as wide inside, and filled 

 with good loamy soil, may be stood alter a row of 

 Peas has been sown in them. As growth ensues the 

 haulm hangs down in front of the boxes, and thus pods 

 freely. 



Potatoes are commonly forced for very early consump- 

 tion in brick pits, heated by hot-water pipes, or in hot- 

 beds of manure covered by large frames. Sometimes 

 they may be very successfully grown in loin, pots, stood 

 on the floor of an early warm vinery or other warm 

 house. For forcing only first early varieties, such as the 

 Ashleaf, Ringleader, Victor, or other Potatoes, are 

 employed. Planting often takes place as early as 

 December, but as a rule the middle of January is early 

 enough. It is well to have several frames planted at 

 intervals of ten to fourteen days to keep up a succession 

 of tubers until there are others fit to lift on warm 

 borders outdoors. 



Rhubarb. — Roots of this useful product, lilted in the 

 winter, and placed in any dark enclosure where some 

 warmth is furnished, and with soil about them, then 



watered, soon push stems, and in about three weeks have 

 plenty, from I2in. to 15m. in height, to draw for use. 

 It is needful to plant young, small roots or divided crowns 

 every year, then old roots of about four years can be lifted 

 and treated as advised. But if forcing begins early, 

 plenty ol roots should be available to give a good 

 supply of Rhubarb until steins are lit to pull 

 outdoors. 



Seakale. — Where roots of this valuable vegetable 

 have been grown in quantity lor lilting and forcing, as 

 previously described, it is easy in any dark place, where 

 gentle warmth is furnished, to have blanched heads of 

 Seakale all the winter. The roots need to be set thickly 

 into soil, then well watered, and shut up verv close 

 and dark. With a temperature of from 6odeg. to 65deg. 

 there should be an abundance of heads, 7in. long, fit to 

 cut for table in about three weeks. Once the tops are 

 cut the roots are of no further use. 



Tomatoes. Whilst these are habitually grown under 

 glass they bear forcing in strong heat indifferently. 

 During the winter a temperature of from 6odeg. to 

 65deg. usually suffices, but the plants are apt to become 

 drawn and weak, unless they can have plenty of light 

 and air, and those essentials cannot be well furnished in 

 mid-winter. Plants from a July sowing get well into 

 fruit in October, and will ripen very well in mid- 

 winter. It is difficult to get fruits in February and 

 March, but January-sown plants should begin to fruit in 

 May if in gentle warmth. 



The forcing of vegetables is not difficult, as the fore- 

 going notes show. It is pleasant also to get a change in 

 the vegetable diet by introducing wholesome Seakale, 

 early Rhubarb, and, where possible, Asparagus, though 

 this requires a more elaborate system of culture than 

 the other kinds. In many small gardens early Rhubarb 

 could be obtained at small cost, and it is surprising that 

 it is noc more grown in this way for the sake of its juicy 

 stems. 



A RIVERSIDE GARDEN, IIEDSOR WHARF, MAIDENHEAD. 



