HOW TO SECURE THREE SUCCESSIVE CROPS, 



to-day. I must, however, caution those who would follow this course 

 that it is essential to sow in July only early varieties of Peas, but as 

 we now have by cross-breeding obtained the true marrowfat qualities 

 in many of the earliest peas, we are no longer limited to the rela- 

 tively tasteless varieties formerly known as early Peas. In the round- 

 seeded types we found 'Bountiful,' 'Pilot,' 'Earliest Blue,' and 

 ' Ringleader ' to be most useful, whilst in the first early marrowfats, 

 'World's Record,' 'First of All,' 'Ideal,' 'Little Marvel,' all gave 

 excellent results. Sown in April all these varieties would have taken 

 eleven or twelve weeks to come to perfection. 



Several varieties were included in the bed of Lettuces, but we 

 found the best to heart up were ' Golden Ball,' ' Ai,' and ' Stand- 

 well,' in the Cabbage section ; our ' Little Gem,' ' Peerless,' and 

 ' White Heart ' in the Cos. 



Figure 4 illustrates the ' White Heart ' Lettuce when fully grown. 

 Had all these varieties been transplanted they would not have hearted 

 till the spring, but by the method adopted Lettuces fit for the ex- 

 hibition table were ready in seven weeks from the date of sowing. 

 A large number were exhibited by my firm both on September 10 

 and 24 in this Hall. 



Spinach. — Fig. 3 shows a portion of the bed of Spinach seven 

 weeks after sowing. How often would our cooks like to have fresh 

 succulent spinach in August, September, and October, long after the 

 spring-sown crops have run to seed ! On September 10 we staged 

 Spinach finer in quality than any which could be gathered in June 

 and July, and the bed has remained in bearing up till the present 

 time, very few of the plants having run to seed as they do so quickly 

 when sown in the spring. Either the round or prickly seeded varieties 

 can be grown, but of the two the round is preferable for this method 

 of cultivation. 



Spinach Beet. — This made marvellous growth as will be seen by 

 the photograph (fig. 5) which represents plants only seven weeks 

 from sowing. A very large quantity indeed can be gathered and 

 the plants will continue bearing for months unless the winter be very 

 severe. But even in such case a little protection will ensure a supply 

 up till the spring. 



Endives. — Both the curled types and the plain (Batavian or 

 Scarole) answer admirably when grown under this system. The 

 plants can, of course, be blanched by any of the usual methods. 



Figure 6 is from a photograph of a good type of Curled Endive, 

 the ' Exquisite,' when fully developed and blanched. 



Dwarf Beans. — Those who have learned the French method of 

 serving Haricots Verts will never be fully satisfied with the English 

 Scarlet Runner, however invaluable a vegetable it may be for general 

 use where large households have to be supplied. In favourable 

 seasons abundant crops of Dwarf French Beans may be raised, if 

 the right varieties are sown by the middle of July. In our exhibit 

 on September 24 we were able to include Dwarf Beans ten weeks 



VOL. XXIV. c 



