PRODUCTIVE FAMILY GARDENING. 
363 
BROAD BEAN. 
A few rows of these may be grown with 
advantage ; let the beans be planted about six 
or eight inches apart in an open situation. 
When they are well up, the earth must be 
drawn to their stems, and as soon as they are 
in bloom, their tops must be taken off. They 
require to be gathered at two or three different 
gatherings, because the lower ones will fill 
out before the others, and when large enough 
to pick, their removal will strengthen the 
others. The seasons for sowing are from 
November to March, but as the economy of 
the ground on the one hand, and the chances 
of injury by frost on the other, render spring 
planting best for the cottager, it is better to 
insert them in the ground about March ; there 
is less risk of disappointment. There are 
many sorts or varieties of these beans ; Marshall's 
prolific is a sweet eating and heavy bearing 
variety, but not large ; other good ones are 
Wonderful Longpod, improved thick Wind- 
sor, green Windsor, and Toker. 
CELERY. 
Although not always the most economical 
way of disposing of ground, if celery be 
grown in the ordinary way, a piece should 
always be spared for a supply for soups ; celery 
for this purpose may be sown in a warm 
border in February, and as soon as it is large 
enough to prick out, it should be put 
two or three inches apart, only in a bit of 
good rich soil, to grow into strength. When 
it has advanced so as to stand the removal well, 
it may be planted in the common surface in 
rows three feet apart, so that any crop that 
comes off pretty early may be planted between. 
As the celery advances in growth, draw the 
earth up the stems, and continue this as long 
as it is in the ground. It will be found quite 
as useful in soup as if it had been grown in 
the trenches, and with not a tenth part of the 
trouble, and in time it will be large enough to 
eat as salad ; the only thing it requires is 
constantly earthing up as it advances ; there 
will be a sufficient quantity blanched to make 
it eatable, but a few plants for soups are as 
necessary as onions, and as wholesome. 
LEEK. 
Perhaps, looking at the utility of this escu- 
lent, boiled, stewed, or in soup, there are few 
more useful vegetables, and it has the advan- 
tage of taking but little room; it may be planted 
anywhere ; it can be used in an alternate row 
with almost any thing, and not require more 
than a six inch extra allowance between the 
rows ; or if they are planted in rows two feet 
apart, any crop you please may be planted 
between them, especially any kind of winter 
green. Sow the seed in a patch in February, 
when it comes up keep it very clear of weeds; 
as soon as large enough, prick out six inches 
apart in a piece of well dressed ground, and 
when it has acquired good strength, plant nine 
inches apart in the row and the rows two feet 
asunder for a crop between, or one foot 
asunder if no other crop is to be introduced, 
but lettuces may be planted in the alternate 
rows, and the alternation of crops looks well 
if nicely managed. It is as well to earth up 
leeks as you would celery, that is, sufficient 
to blanch about three inches or so of the plant. 
Boiled in salt and water till they are tender, 
and eaten with melted butter like asparagus or 
sea-kale, the water being changed when half 
done, the leek is excellent, and when used in 
soup they should be boiled, cut into two inch 
lengths, and used in plenty by stewing them 
afterwards with the soup itself. The leek is 
not sufficiently cultivated among cottagers; and 
some object to them on account of their very 
strong flavour, while boiling them and throwing 
the first water away just before they are quite 
done, renders them as mild as a Spanish onion; 
whereas there are many advantages in their 
culture that should induce them to be adopted 
to a great extent, if not preferred for the pur- 
poses to which onions are generally devoted. 
ASPARAGUS. 
Here we are getting to something rather 
extravagant, but there is nothing but economy 
to prevent its culture, and our business is to 
show how easily it can be done if wanted. 
Trench a row of soil eighteen inches wide 
across or along any quarter of the garden 
that is open, put a good four inches thickness 
of dung between the lower and upper spits of 
earth and tread it in, then throw in the top 
spit, which should be of itself in good heart. 
In the centre of this trenched ground draw a 
line tight, and within a circle of six inches 
place half a dozen seeds every eighteen inches 
along the row ; four feet from this, do an- 
other, and so occupy as much ground as you 
like with rows at these distances. The ob- 
ject of placing them at such a distance is to 
have crops between. This sowing to take 
place in February, March or April. When 
the seed vegetates, the place may be kept 
clear of weeds, and when it can be seen which 
of the plants take the lead, leave the strongest, 
two in a place, and keep them very clear 
from weeds. In the mean time the ground 
between these rows may be cropped with any- 
thing that may be required, so that there be 
room left for the young plants of asparagus 
to gi*ow. When the haulm turns yellow it 
may be cut down, and in cropping the inter- 
mediate ground, care must be taken to avoid 
injuring the roots, which will be found near 
the surface ; a little soil may be hoed towards 
