November 2, 1908 
a 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
The Vegetable Garden. 
Operations for the Month 
Beet, Silver.—Sow a row or two of 
‘seed in well dug up ground. 
Broccoli.—Sow a little seed and trans- 
plant any strong young plants you imay 
have large enough to put out. 
vegetable is very much like cauliflower, 
‘and may be grown in the same manner. 
Cabbage.—Sow a little seed occaision- 
ally, not much at a time, but just suffi- 
cient to keep up a continuous supply of 
plants. Plant out a few strong young 
cabbages from the seed-bed to some well- 
manured ground, ; 
Carrot.—Some seed may be sown in 
drills, and when the plants come up, and 
‘have attained a fair size, thin out con- 
siderably, 
Caulifiower.—A little seed may be 
‘sown, either ina box or seed-bed, to be 
protected from the hotsun. Mulch the 
surface with some finely broken up dry 
-cow-dung, and do not allow the soil to 
become dry. 
Cucumber.—Sow seed in ground tha 
has been well prepared by deep digging 
and rather heavy manuring. Draining 
should also be attended to, Any plant, 
that are up and making headway should 
be pinched back as they extend their 
‘spreading shoots, in order to keep them 
bushy and compact. Plants which arg 
now’ growing well should have some 
liquid manure from time to time, but 
this should be made very weak. 
This » 
Cress and Mustard,—Sow seed largely. 
During the hot weather frequent appli- 
cations of liquid manure will improve 
them and make them tender and crisp. 
Egg-plant.—Plants from seed sown 
some little time back should be ready to 
plant out in the garden, three feet or 
more apart every way. Seed may be 
cown, if plants have not been raised. 
Leek.—Sow a little seed in the seed- 
bed, for succession. It is always well to 
have a few young plants ready to put out 
when required. Plant ont a few strong 
Fair-sized 
well may be 
young leeks deep in the soil. 
plants that are growing 
earthed up to make the stalks white and 
tender. This vegetable can be strongly 
recommended as being most whole- 
some. 
Letiuce.—Plant out a few strong 
young lettuces from the seed-bed, but 
make the ground rich with well-rotted 
manure before planting. They should be - 
grown quickly at this time of the year, or 
they will probably run to seed. 
Melons.—Sow afew seeds in well- 
prepared ground, in the same manner 
recommended for cucumbers. The pie 
or preserving melon should not be for- 
gotten, as it is very productive and use- 
ful for preserve. The water melon isa 
much neglected fruit. Ona hct summer’s 
day there is nothing so agreeable, so 
refreshing, and thirst-quenching as a 
well-ripened scarlet-fleshed water melon, 
serving the double purpose of food and 
5 
drink. Adelaide seedsmen catalogue a 
dozen or so kinds, and itis difficult to 
say which are the best. Very large fruit- 
ing varieties are in most instances less 
desirable than the medium sized kinds. 
The fruit does not improve by keeping 
after being cut open. The plant needs a 
richer soil than that required for the 
rock melon, and as the vine is much more 
luxuriant in growth the seeds should be 
sown in patches, about 8 feet apart; sow 
about ten seeds in a patch, and thin out 
to two or three plants. The preserving - 
citron or pie melons should be treated 
similarly tothe water melon. 
Okra or Gumbo.—Plant out a few~ 
seedlings if any are available, but if not 
sow some seed. This vegetable is useful 
for stews and soups. Its young seed pods 
contain a considerable quantity of glutin- 
ous matter, which is said to be whole- 
some and nourishing. The flowers are 
pretty, and the plant may be grown for 
ornamental as well as useful purposes.. 
Oysier Plants.—Two delicious veget— 
ables, highly nutritious, but seldom 
grown in our gardens, are salsify and 
ScorZonera, sometimes called the oyster- 
plants, because when cooked like parsnips 
their flavour somewhat resembles that of 
the oyster. The seed should be sown 
now in drills about 18 inches apart, the 
seedlings to be thinned out to half the 
distance. Scorzonera roots do not grow 
- quite as large as those of salsify, and the 
- plants may stand a trifle closer. 
The 
soil should be deep and fairly rich, and 
like the carrot and parsnips, the roots 
should not come in contact with fresh 
manure. The young leaves, if blanched, 
may be used as a vegetable, but the 
plants are chiefly grown for their roots. 
Scorzonera has black roots and salsify 
white. 
Onion.— Sow a little seed, and keep 
the onion beds free from weeds, Scatter 
amongst any onions which you may have 
growing a mixture of soot and salt, half 
and half. This is a useful stimulant, 
and it will, ina great measure, prevent 
the attack of worms and insects. 
Peppers, Chilli or Capsicum.—Plant 
out a few seedlinus, and, if required, seed 
may be sown. A very few plants will 
serve for the purposes of a family. 
