VEGETABLES ALL THE YEAR ROUND FOR A PRIVATE FAMILY. 359 



called ' Beddard's Improved ' is distinct in foliage from either of the 

 above, and promises to be a great improvement. 



Shallot (Allium ascalonicum) is used for flavouring soups and sauces, 

 and for pickling. It may be had in condition from July until April, and is 

 of easy culture. 



Spinach (Spinacia oleracea). — This is always in request, and with 

 the aid of 1 Spinach Beet ' may be had throughout the year without much 

 difficulty. A sowing is always made about the middle of August ; this is 

 ready for use early in October ; another sowing is made about ten days 

 later, and these carry on the supply throughout the winter (if the weather 

 is not extra severe), and continue to yield a supply until the last week in 

 May. By sowing in March we get a commencement with the summer 

 crops as soon as the autumn sowings run to seed ; these spring sowings 

 are made once a fortnight until the end of May, and continue the supply 

 until the 1 Spinach Beet ' is ready, which is about the middle of July, 

 having been sown in the middle of May. This ' Spinach Beet ' is really 

 an excellent vegetable, and is of better flavour than the true Spinach 

 when cooked ; it is not a favourite with the cooks because it takes a little 

 more preparation before cooking. ' New Zealand Spinach ' (Tetragonia 

 expansa) is sometimes recommended for the summer supply ; it requires 

 raising under glass and planting out, and is not much grown. 



Tomato (Lycopcrsicum esculentum). — Keally a fruit, but included here 

 because generally used as a vegetable. It is a native of a much warmer 

 and drier climate than ours ; it is not always possible to ripen it in the 

 open air. In gardens enclosed with walls it may be planted in any 

 available space between the fruit-trees, where it can get a fair amount of 

 sunshine. I have known good crops ripened on warm borders, trained on 

 stakes, in the midland counties in hot seasons. The chief aim of the 

 cultivator should be to sow early in February, and grow the plants large 

 before planting them outside ; this sowing, whether for growing outdoors 

 or under glass, will carry on the supply until the middle of November. 

 For the winter supply a good house, well heated and facing the south, is 

 necessary. The seed for this crop should be sown in June, and grown all 

 the time in pots ; and in order to have the fruit ripe early in the year 

 they must be set before the dark days of winter, and kept steadily growing 

 afterwards. For outdoor culture and summer crops under glass I grow a 

 selection from ' Hathaway's Excelsior ' called 1 Gilbert's Surpasse ' ; for 

 winter-fruiting a smaller variety, such as ' Lady Bird ' or ' Winter Beauty,' 

 is preferable. 



Turnips (Brassica Bapa). — This vegetable maybe had throughout the 

 year, but in the early months it will only be fit for flavouring purposes. 

 By sowing 'Early Milan ' in the middle of January on hotbeds they will 

 be ready for use in the middle of April. They must have careful attention 

 while growing, as they are very liable to run to seed without forming 

 roots ; this, too, is often the case with the earliest sowings outside. Early 

 Turnips, as a rule, are a very capricious crop, and cannot be depended 

 upon if sown before April. I find the large well-matured seeds are the 

 best, and are not so liable to succumb to attacks of the Turnip fly or 

 beetle. For sowing early ' Sutton's Scarlet Perfection ' is one of the best, 



