On Cottage Gardening. 



333 



they are more commonly called — must be put in, next to the 

 peas if any are sown, between the cabbage and parsnips, pull- 

 ing up a row of the former to make room. The ground for 

 the runners must be dug ; and a drill or furrow opened by 

 line, in which the beans are dropped, 2 inches apart, and covered 

 about 1 inch. When the plants have risen 2 or 3 inches they 

 must be earthed up as high as the lower leaves. If rods can be 

 had for this crop 6 or 7 feet in length, so much the better ; but 

 long rods are not absolutely necessary ; low branches, stuck regu- 

 larly along the row, about 3 feet high, are quite sufficient, pro- 

 viding the leading shoots are kept stopped — that is, pinching the 

 points off — this causing a branchy growth and great fruitfulness. 

 But the runner is not nice as to station ; they climb up the side of 

 a hedge or paling, cover a porch or arbour, with very little assist- 

 ance. There is one thing relative to the rough runner which be- 

 hoves every grower to know ; it is, that if the pods be not regularly 

 gathered as they become fit for use, the plants cease to be fruitful ; 

 or if they get too dry at the root, the topmost flowers drop with- 

 out setting pods. But a few of the first pods should always be 

 allowed to ripen as seed for the next year. Attention to these 

 particulars will render the plants fruitful for the whole season. 

 A handful more may be planted about the middle of June, and 

 will grow till they are killed by the frost. The dwarf sort of 

 kidney-bean are not worth the cottager's notice, unless he grows 

 them to sell for pickling. 



The broad beans that were sown in January or February, 

 among the cabbage, may now want topping, especially if the 

 black fly has attacked them ; this will at once encourage the pods 

 to fill, and get rid of the insects. 



The seed-bed of cabbage which was sown in March must be 

 looked to : and as the pieces of radish and turnip which were 

 sown at the same time will now be used, a barrowful or two of 

 dung should be laid on and dug in, and immediately planted 

 with cabbage-plants from the seed-bed. 



The Silesia lettuce sown in March should be thinned by draw- 

 ing part, to be stuck in round the edge of the onion-bed. The 

 plants will be ready for the purpose about the 1st of May : those 

 left in the bed should not be nearer than 12 inches from each 

 other, it being a very large growing sort. 



No directions are required by the cottager concerning cauli- 

 flower, broccoli, celery, &c., these not being either necessary or 

 profitable to him. In April, however, he may sow a small bed 

 of Scotch kail ; which, if planted on the onion-ground, with- 

 out digging, in July, will be very useful stuff, if the winter happen 

 to be severe. Two or three rows of savoys may be dibbed in 

 among or between other crops about the same time. 



