garden plant is 
j^o garden IS 
tbout its 
SEASONABLE HINTS. 
pore liot On ™™ n, tertuSore 
„a to preptre » ' toportol ! 
they overlook entirely the very V , 
.,o^,n ol rereO... “ 
the soil the fertilizers applied to the lan 
would remain inert, and the feeding i 
would he deprived of f ® 
indispensable to the growth of ^ „ 
For these reasons it is of the ntmos P 
tanoe to break up, meUow and 
soil as much as possible before Pl« ^ 
to keep it in an open and loose condition 
throughout the growing season. 
Spading Forks, if not entirely unknown, 
are used too little in many gardens. In 
small inclosures where plowing is not prac¬ 
ticable, and for the preparation of a perfect 
seed-bed, a fork is as superior to a common 
spade, as a saw is preferable to a knife for 
cutting a log in two. The only difficulty 
with spading forks is to find a perfect one; 
most of them are so poorly made that they 
break under the slightest strain. In buying 
one take only the best, even at double the 
cost of a poor one, which is too dear at any 
price. 
Sweet Fofaloes.— The generally prevailing 
idea that Sweet Potatoes can be grown on 
sandy land only, deters many from attempt¬ 
ing to raise this excellent vegetable. There 
is no doubt that certain sandy soils produce 
tubers of better quality than others, but if 
the ground is only thoroughly drained and 
properly prepared, satisfactory crops may be 
grown on comparatively heavy soils. 
Baising of plants has developed into so 
considerable an industry that they are now 
furnished by all seed and plant dealers, and 
for small quantities it will be found cheaper 
to buy than to raise them. Those who wish 
to grow their own plants may easily do so 
by placing the tubers — generally cut in 
two lengthwise, with cut side down — in a 
moderate hot^bed, and covering them with 
two to three inches of light soil. Half a 
dozen tubers are enough for a family garden. 
The sprouts will be fit for planting in about 
a month from the time of starting them. 
The first of June is early enough for plant¬ 
ing the sprouts in the open ground. It is 
not necessary that the soil should be very 
rich, but it must be well worked and mel¬ 
lowed, especially if of a clayey constitution. 
In the garden we prefer to plant them in rows 
four feet apart, and about eighteen inches 
in the rows. In field-culture, three by three 
feet is the usual distance of planting. 
Sugar Corn.—There is nothing gained by 
planting Com before the ground is thoroughly 
dry and warmed. If planted sooner the 
seed will frequently rot, and if it should 
sprout, the growth will be sickly and puny, 
and inferior to that planted later under more 
favorable conditions. The chief aim to have 
in view is to provide a continuous succession 
of ears fit for use throughout the summer. 
To secure this, a very early, a medium and a 
late variety have to bo planted at the first 
planting, to bo followed by other plantings 
of the medium or later kinds every two 
weeks up to the latter part of July. 
IiBTTtrOE 
SO small or so laig«_ ^ the 
Lettuce bed, 
kempt garden ot ‘ ^vealthy -amateur. 
Lettuce last season, looking like little o 
bages, with their leaves covering a cfri 
full foot in diameter, remarked that thevk “ 
such large and 
symmetric u-*;--- of spring, 
One of the earliest sal j^ggeptable as 
and tender leaves ai y of 
a grateful change from the 
black-seeded 
jiever seen sucn large and 
, plants before. The secret of it 
We find it as often in me i cultivation, and giving the pi2 
.^tfacrer as on i ^^g^ty of room. The seeds were planted*^* 
1 . 0 WS, fourteen inches apart, and the pw? 
-nrere thinned ’in the rows by degrees, as ft** 
were wanted for use, until the last ones we? 
twelve inches apart. Of these large plant* 
a single one was sufficient to supply o® 
family for a meal. It is a gain' to thin oJ 
Lettuce in this way, because, the later plajtg 
having a chance to develop to their full 
fiu-nish a more abundant crop from the 
bed than if all were left crowded together 
so that none could gi’ow as large as they 
will. Some gardeners think that Lettuce 
will not head well unless the plants are first 
sown in a seed-bed and afterward trans¬ 
planted. Possibly ours might have headed 
Perhaps it is this cir 
butter lettuce. 
I'cumstanco that 
universally esteemed, for it must ■ ^ad they been grown in this way. 
fare. 
rSnS^d'ihat its succulentleaves possess 
very little nutriment, 
Althoui 
Lettuce thrives best on 
careful culture, it will grow and yaeld a pass¬ 
able crop in almost any location, provided 
only that the seed is sown early in the spring. 
le iiiitrimeiir. 
ugh, like almost all garden plants, the 
fl,rives best on rich soil; and, with 
CURLED BUTTER LETTUCE. 
so that the plants may gi-ow during the cool 
season. Indeed, the Lettuce thrives remark¬ 
ably well without culture. Last season we 
fertilized a newly made lami with compost 
from a heap on which had been thrown the 
refuse from the previous summer’s Lettuce 
bed. The result was thrifty plants of Lettuce, 
that were scarcely behind those from eare- 
fully sown seed in the garden plot, out- 
COS LETTUCE. 
Stripped the gi-ass and weeds. Some of tlmun 
plants, gathered for tho table, wore found to 
bo tender and of fine flavor 
But, are headed plants better for use 1 
others, do you ask ? Yes, they are better, be¬ 
cause the inner leaves, being blanched, are 
more tender and delicate in flavor than the 
outer ones. As the plants become large the 
outer leaves become bitter, while the inner 
ones remain as tender and sweet as were the ‘ 
outer ones when first fit for use. 
The varieties of Lettuce are very numer¬ 
ous, though all may be referred to three gen¬ 
eral classes: those that have comparatively 
smooth leaves, with straight margins; those 
that have crimped and ruffled leaves, and 
those that have long, pointed, upright leaves. 
The varieties of the first class head best, 
though all of these do not form heads; those 
of the second class are most beautiful in 
appearance. The third class, the Eoman or 
Cos Lettuces, though much grown in Europe, 
are not much prized in this country. 
Out of about sixty varieties of Lettuce 
tested last season, we found the French 
Imperial head, the Deacon, and the Sala¬ 
mander produced the finest heads. The Black 
Seeded Butter, Golden Stone Head, India 
Head, and White Cabbage all formed very 
fine heads. 
The most beautiful varieties were Green 
Fringed and Boston Curled. The first of 
those has a very finely-ruffled boi’der; while, 
of the second, the whole leaf is a mass of the 
most intricate ruffles and convolutions. There 
are several red varieties, but their color is 
too dull to be attractive. 
Among the oaidiest sorts were the Tennis 
Ball, of wliich there are two varieties; t 
White Forcing Head, the Prize Head, #n 
Curled Simpson. These were very little rf 
advance of many others, however. ^”^®® ’ 
twenty-two sorts were all called fit fe'^ 
table the saino day as Tvoro these. The ne^^ 
American Gathoi’ing, Prize Hoad, and Ferr) 
Idarly Pri/.o Hoad wore, to all appearance , 
tho same ; also tho Curled Simpson ®®®''' 
tho same as tho Porpotual, and the He 
niorsniitli Hard.y Green was not distingn' 
able from tho Hardy Groon Winter. 
'I’lio Door Tonguo, a new variety, 
last season, is remarkably distinct. ^ 
dontly belongs to tlio Cos family,^ 'inss. 
quite nnliko tho other varieties of tW* ®' 
It lias very long, pointed leaves, wide i 
nearly nyiright. In flavor it is very s' ^ 
and tender, and with us it retained 
qualities until almost all tho other van 
sent out 
It ovi- 
woro quite bitter. 
EtW. 
