140 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



PURSLANE. 



Purslane may be sown now, if warm dry weather, on a bed 

 of light rich earth, in the common ground. Sow it either in 

 drills six inches asunder, or on the surface, and rake it in 

 lightly and regularly. Water the bed often in dry weather, 

 and shade it from the hot sun till the plants have acquired a 

 little strength. 



But if cold or very wet weather, sow some either in a hot- 

 bed, under the shelter of glasses, or in a warm dry border 

 and defended from cold, &c. This plant is by many people 

 much esteemed in summer salads. 



SOWING ONIONS. 



Where circumstances prevented the principal crops of onions 

 from being sown last month, let that now be done ; for the 

 distance between the drills, and preparation of the ground, see 

 March. However, in strong wet soils, onions may be still 

 sown with better success, than if sown earlier, particularly if 

 the ground were wet. 



TRANSPLANTING ONIONS. 



Onions may be successfully transplanted, particularly the 

 crops sown in autumn. Prepare a piece of ground moderately 

 rich, which has been well manured for the preceding crop. 

 Let it be well dug, and rendered fine with the spade. As the 

 process of digging is carried on, draw drills an inch and a half 

 deep, and twelve inches apart. Having drawn the first drill, 

 proceed to di'aw from the autumn crop, a sufficient number of 

 plants, so as to leave a crop on the gi'ound ; let them be drawn 

 carefully. If the ground be hard, loosen the whole ; this will 

 not only enable you to thin out the crop, without injuring the 

 plants, but will materially promote the growth of those which 

 remain. Having drawn a number sufficient to plant one drill, 

 proceed to lay them regularly into the same, observing not to 

 cover the bulb of them too much. The fibrous roots are all 

 that ought to be covered, and this should be done to the thick- 



