506 
thp: cottage gaedener. 
]\rAKCH 31. 
I 
1 AVhen manure is required for the Oat crop, the best kind 
is guano. It is wonderful the effect of an application of 
' two hundredweight of Peruvian guano per acre, harrowed in 
^ with the seed. The writer has seen the crop increased by 
' this application from six quarters to nine quarters per acre, 
, with an increase in the value of straw sufficient to pay the 
‘ cost of the manure, thus leaving three quarters of corn per 
' acre as the prolit.* — J. Bi.undeli,. 
ALLOTMENT FARMING—Apeil. 
t AVe have once more arrived at that delightful period of 
spring, whom a peculiar buoyancy of spirit gives elasticity to 
j the step and au energy to the arm very different from that 
; of our dull winter mouths. The allotment holder, and the 
i gardening cottager, partake of this movement; and, like 
the bee, feel it necessary to bestir themselves with all possible 
activity, in order to provide, not only for daily sustenance, but 
1 stores for another winter. The past season has been so 
unfavourable to the due amelioraitihn of the soil that it is to 
be feared many soils are in but indifferent order. Those, 
however, who took my advice before the last severe and 
unusual frost, to dig deep and ridge their land, will now reap 
the benefit of that advice. AVe adopted that practice at the 
end of the rainy season with several plots, in anticipation of 
late frosts, and our land, at this period (March 1.5th), is in 
splendid order. AA''e have been sowing Onions, Parsnips, 
Horn Carrots, Peas, Beans ; and planting Raspberries, Straw¬ 
berries, Sea Kale, etc.; and we never got crops in more 
pleasantly. But the whole was ridged, and much of it 
trenched—some three spades deep, bringing up a little of 
the subsoil, a practice found to succeed on old and hard- 
worn garden soil. I will now proceed to consider the root- 
crops—at all times the most important. A poor man may 
manage tolerably well during summer and autumn with 
“ what he can catch,” with trifling extras, whicli may be 
called “stolen crops,” to use a farmer’s phrase; but in what 
position would he be in the following winter and early 
spring, if without roots; and Potatoes, may be, four shil¬ 
lings a bushel, as they are now in these parts? Our towns¬ 
men who earn a pound per week, or more, can, perhaps, 
afford to purchase them liberally : not so the ordinary 
labourer at ten shillings per week, with ofttimes a family of 
nearly lialf a score children. But how the case becomes 
altered, if the latter character, by great industry and economy, 
is enabled to sell half a score bushels of Potatoes at that 
price, which 1 have known many to do, by growing-and u.sing 
freely those other excellent roots, the Carrot and Parsnip, 
and by using boiled Peas as part diet. By such means he 
may soon cover the rent of his plot, and all the rest is clear 
profit; and, in addition, he has had no temptation to squat 
in beer-houses. 
lAlaiiy crops are by this time in the ground — such as 
Onions, Peas, Broad Beans, Ac.; and such being the case, 
let us ask about Potahtex first. Doubtless, some early ones 
have been jdanted, and now the sooner the main crops 
arc in, if not done, the better. No iflanting after the 
beginning of April for me. I may here observe on the 
licculiar habits of the Ash-li'<(vi'd Kidney. My remarks will, 
perhaps, astonish, if not alarm, some; but it matters not; my 
<luty must be performed : and what has been proved by sound 
experience, maj' surely be spoken boldly. For many years 
I used to plant this invaluable I’otato in February, and so, 
I indeed, did most of our farming folks; but, by degrees, wc 
were surprised to find a certain neighbour planting later 
every year; and as he did so, each year the more excelling, 
both in earliness and produce, until at last his planting 
time reached the first w'cede in April. 
I must confess that this made mo blush to think how it 
could be, and that a man not bred to the business, and 
whose other gardening 1 could afford to think lightly of, 
should thus discover a practice, which much real experience, 
backed by some scientilic knowledge, had failed to perceive; 
* Both rdtrate of soda, and sulphate of ammonia, applied as a top¬ 
dressing, also act very favourably for this crop, cither in moderate quan¬ 
tities, such as one hundredweight of either per acre, or in still smaller 
jiroportions combined with guano. If the existence of wireworm is 
j suspected, it is well to drill in with the seed two hundredweight of rape 
I cake per acre, as this is more effectual in destroying these pests than any 
' other application. or j 
but so it was. This man keeps his seed kidneys in baskets, 
hampers, Ac., until March, in a dry room, where frost cannot 
enter; they are thrown on the floor of a shed for two or 
three weeks, after getting them up for seed, and there they 
become greenish, and thence are transferred to the hampers 
in the loft. About the end of February they are placed out 
singly on the floor, over a warm stable, and here, by the end 
of March, they become sprouted—the sprouts nearly two 
inches long, and very stout. In the very opening of 
April, they are carefully planted on sloping w'arm banks, 
formed expressly, and well manured, and in the first week of 
May they burst through the soil, robust as strong Asparagus 
heads. Now, it is of no use desiring to have I’otatoes above 
ground until Alay arrives, unless they are protected ; earlier 
may do for a specidation, but there is little safety. 
I must now return to the main crops of Potatoes. I advise 
those about to plant to use very old manure where really 
requisite, and but a moderate amount of it. It is quite 
certain that disease will be better avoided by planting on 
very poor soils; but this is not the way to obtain a profitable 
crop. AVe have, this last year, found the crops of I’otatoes, 
in many instances, so small as to be almost unfit for table 
purposes; for in Cheshire, all Potatoes are pared before 
cooking, and when they are small and the eye-holes happen 
to be somewhat deep, the I’otatoe is reduced to a most 
inconvenient size, and occupies too much lime in paring. 
This smallness arises from the use of less manure than 
formerly, together with the use of ivhole seed ; a practice 
already beginning to bo abandoned by many, for the reasons 
stated. I, for one, intend returning to cut sets this season 
for the cooking Potatoes; but then, I shall certainly grow 
sPECiAijLY FOE SEED from whole Potatoes, in unmanured 
ground. 
It is, indeed, a pity that the latter practice is not more 
general; for by it, I am persuaded, the constitution of the 
root would be improved. My practice, in this respect, is to 
select whole Potatoes, well formed, nearly as large as a 
pullet’s egg, with rouyh shins; and to plant them on raised 
land of poor chai'acter, about nuie inches squai’e apart. 
Thus treated, they produce many Potatoes, pretty equal in 
size, and about as large as the seed itself. These, then, are 
excellent for planting whole, on pretty good soil, for a full 
crop, taking care to breed the following year’s stock from the 
pick of them in like manure. AA’e find the York Regents, 
j the Lancashire Kemps, the Radical, and the Pink eye, the 
most useful kinds, under present cu’cumstances. 
Caeeots. —I’reparation should be made to get in this va¬ 
luable root soon after the middle of the month. The large 
kinds, as the Altringham, must have the soil deep and well- 
broken. They require a generous sod, but by no means 
raw manure near the surface. If the ground is dug two 
good spades in depth, a good mat of haU’-rotten manure may 
be spread on the surface, and dug in with a full spit, not 
pared in ; the second spit will, of course, be clean soil: thus 
the surface will- not be rich, and it will be found good prac¬ 
tice to apply a mixed compost in the drills. Old leaf soil, or 
mellow, dark material, having some Peruvian guano, soot, 
Ac., stirred amongst it, and thoroughly divided, may be used : 
this will establish the young plant, and get it out of the way 
of slugs, their greatest enemies ; and by the time the com- 
j post is exhausted the tap root will be reaching the manure, 
j The large Carrots, may be in drills, about fourteen inches 
apart, and the Carrots, when up, thinned finally to about five 
inches; the final thinning, however, must be delayed as long 
as possible for fear of the grub. Horn Carrots may be sown 
in beds four feet in width ; shallow soil will do, but it must 
bo good; these are are not so liable to the grub, and they 
will produce a good crop if only three inches apart all over 
the bed. 
Mangold. —This sown about the third week, the ground 
w'ell-worked and deep; some manure added, by all means, 
and, as it is known to be partial to salt, it will be found a 
benefit to apply a thin dressing; this we would strew over 
the manuro before spreading it. I used soot and salt last 
year, and had a splendid crop; three barrows of soot to one 
of salt, well blended, and applied as before observed; the 
manuro being entirely from the pigs and tlie cow: this 
dressing was applied nearly half-an-inch in thickness all over 
the manure. Sow in drills, at from twenty to twenty-four 
inches, in patches (of three or four seeds in patch), about 
