THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
89 
May 8.] 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
j 
Every possible encouragement should now be given 
to all advancing crops. Seedling Carrots, Parsnips, 
\ Onions, Beets, and all other drilled crops, should be 
■ attended to in the dry part of the day, as soon as the 
plants make their appearance, by having the bound 
crust of the soil shallow-raked, and the Dutch hoe passed 
up in the same way between each row, not leaving an 
inch of soil unbroken throughout the whole length and 
breadth; and, as the crop advances, continue to hoe and 
surface-stir to a greater depth, so as to prevent any appear¬ 
ance of weeds, and at the same time to admit the bene¬ 
ficial influence of the atmosphere to the roots of the 
plant. If any vacancies occur, lose no time, when a 
favourable opportunity offers, in transplanting care¬ 
fully ; for not only has an uneven crop a very neglectful 
appearance, but the loss of space is also a great con¬ 
sideration. 
Brocolis, Borecoles, and, indeed, the seed-beds of all 
the brassica tribe, as well as other seed-beds, should 
have the bound surface carefully shallow-raked one way, 
but not when the soil is damp—neither when it is over- 
dry ; but choose that time when the surface will rake 
without pulling up into cakes or flakes. 
Sow again the various varieties of Brocolis, Coleworts, 
Caulijloivers, &c., as well as of late Peas and Beans. 
Protect the Kidney and Dwarf Beans transplanted from 
liot-beds, &c. Plant out, in shallow trenches, the Car- 
doons that have been raised in pots. Make another 
sowing of Celery. Transplant young plants, and put 
out a row or two of the early sown. Where fermenting 
materials can he spared, Dwarf Beans and Early Celery 
may be greatly forwarded by casting out trenches, and 
filling them with eighteen or twenty inches of the hot 
material, putting on it a few inches of rich soil, and 
leaving a ridge of earth on each side for protection, upon 
which turf or old boards may be placed, and poles 
or scantlings may be put from front to back, with mats 
or other coverings thrown over for night protection. 
Sow Parsley in full crop, if not already done. En¬ 
courage the growth of Angelica by liberal soakings of 
liquid manure, and take care that the stalks are cut for 
preserving previous to their becoming stringy and tough. 
Rhubarb, Sea-kale, and Globe Artichokes, should be 
liberally supplied with good liquid manure, and the 
suckers of the two latter thinned properly in due season. 
Make small sowings of the early varieties of Turnips; 
also, of round-seeded Spinach. Plant out Flanders 
Spinach on gentle heat, and cover with hand-glasses. 
Continue to sow Lettuce, and transplant out young plants 
in succession. 
Framing. —Assist the swelling of the Melon by the 
application of liquid manure; do not allow any plant 
to carry more fruit than it can bring to the full size, 
and the best quality; shut up early with a soft humid 
atmosphere; withhold water from full grown melons, 
and air freely at all times, giving air previously to 
the sun shining on the structure, which will prevent 
canker amongst the vine foliage, and prevent the fruit 
from cracking. Prepare ridges for a full crop of Ridge 
and Gerlcin Cucumbers. The fermenting materials may 
be spawned for a crop of late summer and autumn 
Mushrooms. Harden off Sweet Basil, Marjoram, Toma¬ 
toes, Capsicums, Chillies, &c., previous to their being 
placed out, to shift for themselves, in the open air. 
Encourage plenty of Toads about frames, pits, and other 
structures, and there will be no fear of the depredations 
of troublesome insects. This poor, inoffensive animal 
(the toad), we are particularly fond of, and we keep and 
preserve a large number of them. Few animals have 
suffered more undeserved persecution, as the victims of 
an absurd and ignorant prejudice, than the toad; con¬ 
demned by common consent as a disgusting, odious, 
and venomous reptile; but we have been for years per¬ 
fectly convinced of its usefulness, its harmless, in¬ 
offensive, timid manners, and also of its sagacious, 
discriminating attachment to those who treat it well. 
Our own little boy pets and caresses these poor in¬ 
offensive creatures, and some of these our old friends, 
that we have had for years, are large handsome fellows, 
particularly tame, and fond of being caressed. It is to 
us particularly interesting to watch their habits, when 
searching round at night with candle and lantern, 
watching for plant pests, and regulating the heat, &c., 
in the various structures, we observe the toads taking 
their station in some corner or thoroughfare, where 
various insects are likely to pass and repass, placing 
themselves remarkably stern and quiet,with their beau¬ 
tiful eyes so fixed, that they appear to see either right, 
left, or straight before them. We have observed them 
hundreds of times when so stationed, and seen that 
without moving their head at all, with their long red 
glutinous tongue they smack up the various insects in 
every direction within their reach as quick as lightning ; 
indeed, it requires close attention and quick perception 
to observe an hungry toad feed. With us, in Devonshire, 
the wood-lice abound in great quantities everywhere out 
of doors, both in the garden, the field, and the wood. 
We work most of our structures requiring fermenting 
materials with tree-leaves, many hundred loads of which 
are collected in the winter season; this season, we 
suppose through the late dry summer and succeeding 
mild autumn and winter, the wood-lice are more nu¬ 
merous than ever amongst the leaves when brought 
home; so much so, that in a pine pit, with a shelf all 
round for cultivating French beans, they became so 
numerous, after renewing the pit with fresh leaves, that 
all at once these insects attacked the beans, and, in a 
very short time, committed serious depredation by de¬ 
vouring the beans in every stage—the seed as it was 
vegetating, the young plant immediately it was up, and, 
in every stage of growth, the blossoms and the young 
beans. We offered a reward for one hundred toads, and 
soon obtained the desired quantity; in the meantime 
setting a quantity of traps—small pots, 60’s, and dry 
moss—and caught them by wholesale. Our friends, 
the toads, however, very soon eradicated the destructive 
army of depredators after introducing them to our enemy, 
which had, for two or three weeks previously, dimi¬ 
nished the number of forced beans full three hundred 
per week. James Barnes. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
HARDY BORDER FLOWERS. 
In the natural order of Labiates, or Lipworts, we have 
two plants under the name of Melitta, which are extremely 
beautiful when kindly treated in our flower-borders ; and, 
although they are native plants, they should not be less 
esteemed on that account; and they are deserving notice 
because they are rare English plants in a wild state, and 
almost as rare to be seen in our flower-gardens. 
Melitta melissophyllum. —This plant grows from one 
foot to fifteen inches in height, in a well-attended flower- 
border. Its flesh-coloured, or purplish flowers, are pro¬ 
duced in abundance from the axils of the leaves along a 
portion of the length of the stems; and the stems, leaves, 
flowers, and the plant altogether, assume a purplish hue. 
Once well planted, it may remain, as it is not a rapid 
spreader, many years in the same spot, if it is not injured 
with the hoe or spade. When the plant appears tired 
