Hints on Vegetable and Fruit-Farminy. 
83 
ready in May, and almost invariably make long prices. It 
would answer well to shake a little rough litter over them during 
the worst winter months. Enterprising men might invest in 
bell-glasses, which would ensure the preservation of the plants, 
and very early readiness for market. Lettuces for summer use are 
transplanted from frames or seed-beds in May, June, and July, 
with due regard to the succession of sorts and supply. Lettuces 
imported from France from January to June, make from 9(/. to 
I5. '2d. per dozen. English lettuces coming to market in the 
latter part of May make from 8c?. to Is. 3c?. per score, and an 
average crop is about 1400 score per acre. Autumn-sown 
lettuces may follow onions, or late cabbages that have been 
heavily manured. Those planted in May and June might come 
after coleworts or spring cabbage. 
Radishes are much cultivated by market-gardeners. The 
turnip-radishes, of which the best kind is the French Breakfast 
radish, are sown broadcast upon beds five feet wide, with a space 
between each, either in the late autumn or in the early spring. 
In the former case the plants must be lightly covered with litter. 
Spring radishes are only a short time on the ground, and would 
come off together with autumn-sown radishes in time for 
lettuces, French beans, or marrows. They are sent to London 
in bunches, each containing a large handful, and are sold at 
from 4c?. to 8c?. per dozen bunches. There is a great demand 
for well-grown tlnglish radishes throughout the spring and 
early summer, especially after the season of those imported 
from France is over. It is not suggested that radishes should 
be universally grown. They may, however, occasionally be 
taken as a crop by farmers who have land of fine tilth particu- 
larly adapted for market-garden culture, and they are just one 
of the subjects for cultivation in the home garden. 
French Beans and Scarlet Runners are grown exten- 
sively upon market-garden farms in Essex and Surrey. Both 
these are delicate plants, and require a fine tilth. The land is 
ploughed twice, manure not being directly applied. The seed 
is dropped by hand in drills made with a hand-plough. French 
beans are set 2^ feet apart, and 8 inches or 9 inches in the drill. 
Scarlet-runner rows are put 3 feet apart, and the seeds are dropped 
into these about a foot distant. These are very delicate plants, 
and are cut up by the least frost, and, when the plants are young, 
are injured by excessive wet. Slugs do great harm to them. 
Stakes are not put to scarlet runners in the field. Their habit 
is dwarfed and made upright by cutting off the tops of the 
shoots. It should be borne in mind that French beans have 
not much chance of ready sale when there are plenty of scarlet 
runners ready. 
G 2 
