1 10 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Leeks. — If these are in demand, sow some 
thickly for transplanting when large enough. 
Lettuce. — Sow a little seed of the Brown 
Cos, in heat, and get the plants pricked out, 
and hardened off, to plant out on warm borders 
or sloping hanks as soon as they are large 
enough: also sow some on a warm border. 
Lettuces should be sown a few at a time, and 
very often. 
Mint. — Make new plantations of this useful 
herb ; small portions of the roots should be 
planted in drills at six inches apart. 
Mushrooms. — Collect short dung and 
horse-droppings, and get them into a heap, 
(which must be turned over every second 
day, to prevent it heating violently,) ready for 
forming into a ridge in some dry sheltered 
spot, or in a shed : the bed may be got ready 
when sufficient is collected, and the violent 
heat of the whole mass subsided into a steady 
genial warmth. 
Nasturtiums, (Tropceolum maj us, or Indian 
cress,) should be sown. It forms a fine summer 
hedge, and is very ornamental ; the green 
seeds are used for pickles, and the flowers for- 
merly in salads and for garnishing; the young 
leaves wei-e also formerly used in salads. 
New Zealand Spinach may be sown in 
heat, and a few plants planted out on a rich 
piece of ground. It is sometimes useful in 
affording variety in summer. 
Onions. — Those sown last month may be 
transplanted ; but be careful to plant on the 
surface. Sow the principal crops on well-pre- 
pared ground, in drills a foot apart. 
Parsley. — If a good deal of parsley is re- 
quired, a little may be sown ; it makes good 
edgings for the kitchen-garden quarters. Select 
some of the best curled plants, and plant them 
out for seed. 
Parsnips. — Sow towards the end of the 
month, in the same way as carrots. 
Peas. — Very early peas are best obtained 
by sowing in pots in a warm place, and trans- | 
planting in the month during favourable | 
weather, on a warm border. Continue sue- I 
cessional sowings every two or three weeks, 
according to the demand, or when those pre- 
viously sown have come up : draw the earth 
about those which are above ground, espe- 
cially on the exposed side of the rows; it is 
a great protection. Stick those that require it. 
Potatoes. — Plant the chief early and second 
early crops during this month. Use whole 
" seed," as the planted tubers are called, and 
do not plant too deeply. Those in frames 
require plenty of light and air. 
Radishes and Salading may be sown every 
fortnight in frames, and on warm borders, in 
the latter place protected by loose litter, or, if 
the beds are small, by hoops and mats. 
Med Beet. — A little seed may be sown 
for an early supply towards the. end of the 
month. 
Salsafy and Scorzonera should be sown 
towards the end of the month in small quan- 
tities. 
Savoys, Brussels sprouts, and Borecole 
should be sown in small quantities. 
Sea Kale must be covered up in succession; 
likewise Rhubarb : if there is a forcing-house, 
both these may be grown under the stages in 
the dark: a mushroom-house suits them very 
well. 
Silver Beet. — Sow a little to plant out, and 
blanch as celerv. It forms an interesting 
addition to our vegetables. 
Spinach. — Sow a little frequently — say once 
in two or three weeks, according to demand, 
all through the summer : it may be sown 
between the rows of peas. 
Tomatos and Capsicums must be sown in 
heat, and treated for some time as tender 
annuals. 
CUCUMBER AND MELON FRAMES. 
Cucumbers. — Those who begin to plant out 
this month, must follow the directions given 
at p. 65. Plants in a free growing state must 
be stopped freely, or the frames will get 
crowded, and in this state the plants cannot be 
expected to bear satisfactorily. "Whenever a 
fruit shows, pinch off the shoot beyond it as 
soon as the fruit blossom is set : continue to 
" stop" the shoots at every joint. Use tepid 
water in watering ; and admit air somewhat 
freely, though cautiously. The heat of the bed 
must be kept up to an average of 70 or 75 
degrees. 
Melons. — Seeds of melons may be sown. 
Where there is a plant-stove, a few early ones 
may be grown in pots, and trained up the 
rafters. Except in requiring a stronger heat 
than cucumbers, their treatment does not mate- 
rially differ. Do not stop them so incessantly, 
but at the same time the frames are not to be 
allowed to get crowded. When they begin to 
bloom and show fruit, get a sufficient number 
of blooms open at one time, and set to form a 
crop, and remove all straggling fruit blossoms 
both before and after ; unless the fruit are 
nearly equal in this respect, the largest get the 
lead, and frequently the later blooms will not 
set at all. 
FRUIT-GARDEN. 
The ground between all plantations ot 
fruits should be constantly stirred with crane- 
necked hoes, and no weeds suffered to grow 
among them. 
Disbudding, or the taking off the super- 
fluous buds of wall and other fruit trees, must 
be attended to ; the choicer wall fruits espe- 
cially deserve this care. It consists simply in 
