June 24. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
195 
and dressed stone-kerbing is often thought too expensive 
for all purposes, and as Strawberries, as an edging, arc 
in too exposed a place to receive any benefit from their 
produce, while Thyme, Chamomile, and Chives, are too 
clumsy and unsightly to be tolerated, recourse must be 
bad to some other kind of edging. 
It often happens where box will not thrive, Gentianella 
is as untractable, otherwise a good marginal outline of 
the latter is, we think, preferable to box. Thrift will do 
on dry situations, only it requires replanting once every 
two years, if not yearly, as we have done some; only we 
beg to observe that when it, or anything else that 
way, is replanted yearly, their roots ought to be laid 
into the border, and not into the walk, as is the case 
generally with box, &c. Double Daisies have gone 
much out of fashion lately, unless the taste for them 
be revived in those Belgian varieties we have been 
told so much about; but, we must confess, we failed to 
discover anything novel or striking amongst some shown 
to us as belonging to that class, so that as far as edgings 
are concerned, the old quilled red and white, and the 
rose-leaved of the same colours, mixed as well as sepa- ' 
; rately, present as good a selection as those imported ; 
from our enterprising neighbours ; but we are not ad¬ 
mirers of daisy edging for a garden of any extent. Box 
is the only live edging we do like in a kitchen-garden; 
its sturdiness enabling it to endure encroaching crops 
; better than others do ; that where box, and its compeer 
Gentianella, will not thrive, and Thrift be objected to, we 
see no alternative but having recourse to a permanent 
edging of some undecaying material. 
We long sought for some cheap, durable, and efficient 
article as an edging to walks uuderneath trees, and 
j where no live edging would grow, and, like others 
■ similarly placed, have tried flints, or pebbles, or rough 
1 stones, partly sunk in the earth, but somehow or other, 
they too often got out of place, by the broom catching 
them; besides, flints and pebbles, however pretty at first, 
! soon get discoloured, and as dressed stone kerbing 
cannot always bo had, we at last had recourse to an 
i article the most common and cheap of any, yet at the 
same time, neat and durable, and which is within the 
| reach of all, it being, in fact, only common bricks! 
| Condemn us not, gentle reader. The mode we lay them 
down, is, we believe, not generally known, at least we 
have never seen it elsewhere ; it is neither edge nor end 
up, but is so laid down, that its edge presents an angle 
of 45° to the walk-side, and of course its flat surface will 
present the same on the border-side; being laid, in fact, 
with its angle-edge up. Some care is required to lay 
i the bricks accurately, but a little practice will enable 
any handy workman to lay them as well as a mechanic, 
and often better, where a curve instead of a straight 
line is to be done, and when nicely finished, many 
a looker-on would be calling it a prepared kerbing, 
instead of only common brick, as it should be let into 
the ground so low as to hide the under edge of the 
brick on the walk-side. A little ramming soon tightens 
it, so that no ordinary operation is likely to loosen it. 
and it forms an excellent barrier for the broom to rub 
against. 
Now, though we have not ourselves tried the above 
j for edging to walks in a kitchen-garden, we have ample 
experience of its utility and appearance in the darkened 
j shrubbery, that we strongly advise those of our readers 
who are averse to box to give it a trial. 
W T e have seen garden-walks edged all round with 
! icooden planks, laid edgeways up, and fastened to stakes, 
&c., like a continuous line of railway; but assuredly 
bricks form a more enduring material than timber, and 
we think look better; another advantage they have, 
even over live edgings, they do not harbour slugs, and 
other vermin, and that is no inconsiderable object, where 
the welfare of tender plants is at stake, and the expense 
of doing a given length of walk may be calculated on 
to a sixpence, by any one who knows the juice of bricks, I 
which latterly have been very reasonable, except so far 
i as an increased demand has kept up the price. 
It easily will be seen that one of the principal reeom- 
j mendations to an edging as above, is that it requires no 
after trimming, clipping, or relaying—three operations 
which too often disturb the walk, when box or other 
plants are used, are here entirely avoided, and their 
operations and their consequences, are evils of greater 
amount than is often thought of; and unless some un 
skilful hand loosens or alters the bricks in digging the 
border, there is every probability of their remaining in 
good order for half a century, supposing the bricks to 
be good, and serious accidents guarded against. 
Sundries. —Sow more Turnips, choosing rather poor 
ground, but not shaded by trees; the richly-manured 
ground of kitchen gardens rarely produce good sweet 
turnips, except those drawn early in the season : in such 
a place they become gross and spongy. It is better, 
therefore, to keep the above in mind when the time 
comes to sow the principal winter crop ; and if the gar¬ 
den does not present a suitable plot, it is better to make 
friends with the farm bailiff, who may have a spare 
corner better adapted to them. Sow a little of the Green 
and White curled Endive; and, of course, Lettuce, of the 
best Cabbage and Cos kinds. Radishes can only now be 
sown in moist places, as on a north border. French 
beans may now be sown for a late crop, and the same 
may be said of Scarlet Runners; attend to the staking 
of those now wanting it, and the same may be said 
of Peas, the latest crop of which may be sown as lute 
as the beginning of July in the South of England. 
Attend to all progressing crops, not forgetting to thin 
those requiring it. Hoe, stir, and work the ground 
amongst all crops in rows, and take advantage of fine 
weather to plant out the various members of the Cab- 
baye-worts which ave now ready for that operation. On 
the whole, we prefer dull dry weather for that duty : as 
when moist and showery, the slugs commit sad havoc 
amongst them, while a little flagging is soon overcome. 
A little more seed of the Walcheren Brocoli may be sown 
on a favourable border, but if there be a crop just 
showing itself, sufficient plants may there be had to 
furnish all that it is prudent to plant at so advanced a 
season as it will be when they are ready. Sow a few 
Carrots, to draw young in autumn; and the same may 
be said of Onions, when such are wanted for salads, or 
such purposes. J. Robson. 
ALLOTMENT FARMING.— July. 
We are not aware how the rest of the country has fared 
of late as to weather, hut here (Cheshire) after one of the 
driest springs on record, we have had the most abundant 
and genial rains. The ground is at last fairly moistened 
through, and that too by rains almost as soft as dew. This 
is, indeed, a boon ; for we have known dashing storms so 
saturate and choke the soil, that drought would have been 
preferable. Crops in general are exceedingly luxuriant; 
potatoes particularly so ; we have never before seen the early 
kinds so luxuriant as in this neighbourhood, although we 
hear that in many parts of Lancashire they are seriously 
injured by a frost, which occurred so late as the last week in 
May. It becomes all parties, however, to be grateful to God 
in a high degree for such continued blessings, and the poor 
especially; they suffer not by famine in these plentiful times 
as their forefathers did. The consideration of this ought to 
lead to increased exertion, not only for their own families’ 
sakes, hut as a duty they owe their country; remembering * 
Nelson’s signal, “England expects every man to do his 
duty.” 
And now let us examine the position of allotments at the 
very beginning of the month :— 
1. Is your ground all cropped ? 
2. Have you any blanks in existing crops ? 
