80 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



IJan. 



early radishes should be continued occasionally, until the rough 

 leaves of the plants have appeared. This is the common prac- 

 tice of gardeners, who thereby have them ready to draw for 

 market in March. 



PLANTING POTATOE-ONIONS. 



If the potatoe-onions have not been planted in December, 

 they may be now planted if the weather be open. For which, 

 see December, 



WORK TO BE DONE IN THE CULINARY GARDEN. 



All vacant pieces of ground should at this time be either 

 trenched or deeply dug, according to the purposes for which 

 they may be intended; but this should not be done, if the 

 ground be wet, or if snow be lying on it. The rougher the 

 surface can be made, whether the ground be trenched, or dug, 

 the better. If dug, it is better to form it into ridges of any 

 convenient size, so that the frost may act upon as large a 

 surface as possible. The gravel -walks of the culinary garden 

 should be dug up, and the gravel left in a neat ridge in the 

 middle of the walk, leaving the sides as smooth as possible 

 for the convenience of wheeling upon : this will destroy the 

 roots of the weeds ; and if the gravel be again laid down in 

 March, the walks will have a neat and clean appearance for 

 the season. The several heaps of composts, dung, &c., should 

 in frosty weather be turned over, and well mixed, to render 

 them fit for use when they may be wanted in the spring or 

 summer. 



If there be any hedges of any kind, evergreens excepted, 

 in the kitchen-garden, or surrounding it, they should be now 

 cut, so as to leave as little to do in the succeeding months as 

 possible, that can, with propriety, be done in this. Pea-stakes 

 should be di'awn to the garden, and made and neatly tied up 

 in bundles; it will save time when they may be wanted in 

 spring. The outer fences of the garden, if hedges or pales, 

 should be examined now, and put in repair, if necessai'y. In 

 bad weather, labels of all sorts ought to be made, and numbered 



