August #

The uniformity of work in a French garden is so important that everything must be done automatically; a delay in the work caused by either accident or negligence will very often spoil a crop or the rotation of crops for the whole year. It must be borne in mind that the material is costly, and that current expenses are very heavy, and it is therefore necessary to obtain from the frames, the lights, and cloches the best results, and have them at liberty in time to be utilised for another crop. The only plants grown under the lights and clochts during the summer are Melons and Cucumbers. The crops grown previously under them must either be cleared off the ground or be strong enough to grow in the open. A grower must also consider in making out his programme for the season:

First, his market a very important point in England, where many vegetables grown under the French system are little known, or not known at all. Certain varieties of vegetables find a better market in some localities and over a longer period. Secondly, what he is more apt at growing; and thirdly, what suits his ground best. Though Turnips and Carrots are extensively grown in a French garden, these crops could hardly be successfully cultivated in heavy ground, especially in the first few years; whilst Tomatoes, Melons, Cucumbers, Cauliflowers, and Salads will flourish in soil of a heavy nature. With the early Cabbages and Winter Onions the Turnips and Carrots will constitute the main crops in a French garden in the spring in light ground; but the Cauliflowers and Cucumbers can only be grown with great difficulty and where water and manure are plentiful. The horticultural year commences in August, and by the middle of that month the plan of work for the following twelve months must be arranged and well decided.

Onions #

The only varieties grown in a French garden are the Early Parisian or the Early Vaugirard. They are sown from the I5th to the 2Oth of the month. The seeds ought not to be more than twelve months old. Previous to the sowing, the ground should be well dug and manured, trodden down, and levelled with the rake. A layer of well-decayed manure should be spread all over the bed, and a good watering given if necessary. The seeds should be inserted broadcast and very thickly, covering them with another layer of decayed manure. The ground should be kept damp during germination by frequent waterings, which must be suspended when the young plants are coming through, to prevent any tendency to " damping off.”

Saladings—Endive #

The main batch of Endive, either La Ruffec or the Batavian, should be planted in the middle of August in well prepared ground. This batch was sown early in July in a nursery-bed. The plants should be set 10 in, to 12 in, apart each way in heavy ground and closer in poor soil; they should be well watered in and the ground kept damp by frequent waterings, so as to get the plants well established by the end of the month. The batch of Endive La Rouennaise planted early in July on the old manure-beds will be ready by the middle of August. When the leaves are very dry they should be brought together towards the centre and tied up with rye-straw or raffia, in order to bleach them. They will be marketable in five or six days after the tying. When tied they must be closely watched and pulled out when ready, or they would soon decay. They are generally tied in three or four batches, to obtain a succession.

Lettuces #

The batch of Cabbage Lettuce Vauxhall Defiance or All The Year Round, and of Cos Lettuce Paris Grey, sown early in July, should be planted out loin, apart in a bed 4ft. 6in. wide early in the month. The ground should be kept damp, to facilitate a quick growth and to avoid any possibility of a check. A small batch of Cabbage Lettuce Little Black Gott and Cos Lettuce Paris Grey should be sown at the end of the month under a few cloches. The number of seeds for every cloche must not exceed 250, as at that time of the year the young plants would soon damp off if they were sown any thicker. The ground is generally well watered previous to the sowing and kept damp by covering the cloches with mats. The Cos Lettuces planted in the old beds early in July will require ample watering, which must be done in the early morning or late at night, as if done during the day the leaves are liable to be scorched by the sun. The Cabbage Lettuces planted as an intercrop in July among the Celery Cos Lettuces, or Endive will be ready early this month. They must be cut as soon as possible, or they will run to seed. When the ground is cleared, a good hoeing and watering should be given.

Corn Salad or Lamb’s Lettuce #

Seed of this salading, so much appreciated during winter, should be sown broadcast in beds either 4ft. 6in. or loft, wide, one batch early in the month and two others at an interval of a fortnight. This plant does not require freshly dug ground: a good hoeing and levelling with the rake are preferable. The seeds should be sown thickly, as the germination, especially in dry weather, is very difficult. The ground must never be dry till the plants are well up. Afterwards no special care is called for other than the watering should the weather be too dry in September.

Celery #

The Celery planted as a main crop will be well established this month and must receive frequent waterings. Owing to its strong and numerous roots the beds must not be allowed to go dry; constant watering is therefore necessary to prevent this happening and checking the growth. In private establishments, when Celery has been sown very early, a few plants will be ready in August; these may be blanched by spreading mats on the top of the plants.

Carrots #

The batch sown in July will be growing fast; the plants will require thinning and weeding before they occupy all the room. Ample watering will be found beneficial at this period, especially when the place is intended for the pricking-off of the Cabbages early in October. A sowing of the Early Parisian Carrot can be made in August in a well sheltered position for winter use.

Cauliflowers #

Cauliflowers planted as an intercrop among the Melons can now receive all the water they require. Caterpillars of the White Butterflies will be troublesome to this crop; they must be picked off by hand early in the morning and destroyed.

Melons #

The first batch of Melons planted early in April will be practically over. The ground must be cleared of the old vines and leaves and receive a good hoeing for the Cauliflowers planted there early in July. The second and third batch will be in full bearing; the plants must on no account be allowed to get dry at the roots, or the fruit will remain small. The fourth batch, planted late in May or early in June under the cloches, will have fruit set early in the month. The first fruits appearing must be kept, and the growth must not slacken or the fruits will not have time to ripen. When possible, the cloches will be removed from the last batch of Melons, to be replaced with frames and lights, to increase the room for the good growth of the side-shoots and to hasten the cultivation of the crop. The frames and lights will be obtained from the Melons planted early in April.

Cucumbers #

This crop requires heavy watering nearly every day. The fruit must be picked every two or three days. The lights should be set on four bricks to give them ample ventilation. It would be unwise to take away the lights altogether, as the young fruits cannot swell in the open, and the crops would consequently suffer.

Cabbages #

One of the most important crops in a French garden in the spring is the Cabbage Ox-heart, dwarf strain, which should be sown at the end of the month. The seeds must be obtained from a reliable source, and better results will be obtained if these are two or three years old, as plants from young seeds readily bolt. They should be sown in a nicely prepared bed, well dug and levelled; the ground should be covered with a layer of well sifted manure. They are generally sown in a frame, to be covered with lights should the weather prove unfavourable to their growth. Germination must be stimulated by light waterings once or twice a day if necessary.

Spinach #

Winter crops of this vegetable are sown from the i5th to the 2Oth of the month in the open in well prepared ground. It should be sown broadcast in beds 4ft. 6in. wide when it is intended to cover it with frames and lights during the severe weather to obtain a constant supply, or in beds loft, wide for picking early in the spring. Some growers sow the seeds in drills between the last batch of Endives which were planted as intercrop between the early potatoes. The best variety is Monstrous of Viroflay. The seeds will require light waterings till the end of September. Picking can start in October.

Beans #

French Beans sown late in July will require a good hoeing a week after the germination of the seeds. Late in the month the plants should be earthed up and spread out from the centre with a little soil. This operation is to check the growth of the foliage and to ensure the breaking of fresh roots on the part of the stem covered.

Chicory #

Chicory Witloof sown in May will develop a mass of leaves in August. The biggest of these should be removed once every fortnight. A sprinkling of nitrate of soda 2oz. per square yard will greatly stimulate the growth of the roots.

Strawberries #

Runners potted in " forty-eights " in July will require frequent spraying to get them well established. When the plants are growing, spraying with a mixture of flowers of sulphur and water (loz. sulphur to one gallon of water) will be found an excellent preventive against attacks of mildew and red spider. When the space is available the runners of Strawberries for the following year’s stock can be planted at the end of the month in a bed 4ft. 6in. wide, richly manured and well dug. The plants should be set ift. apart in two rows and ift. 3in. from each side of the bed. They must be well watered in and receive the necessary attention. The variety grown for forcing in frames is Docteur Morere, named after a medical practitioner of Palaiseau, a district where a great area of ground is devoted to Strawberry culture. This variety is irregular in shape but a good grower, producing first quality fruit, and an excellent traveller. The Royal Sovereign is also a very good sort for forcing.

Cardoons #

The ground must be hoed well and topdressed with rich manure. The plants will require abundant waterings this month, and for this purpose it is advisable to make a shallow trench round the stump of the plants, to hold the water.

General Work #

Apart from the few sowings and planting, the chief work this month will consist of watering, which must not on any account be overlooked, especially among Cauliflowers, Carrots, and Celery. Melons will need to be looked over very frequently for the picking of the fruits; during the hot weather they must be examined at least twice a day. Cucumbers will be in full bearing, and care must be taken not to overlook a fruit ready to cut, or it will soon absorb the sap, to the disadvantage of the young fruits. The lights under cover in the shed can receive a coat of paint, which will dry before the wet weather sets in. In a garden the painting and glazing of lights must be well advanced so that such structures may be available when they are required.

September #

Onions #

Onions sown in August will be ready to be pricked off from the 2Oth to the 25th of this month. When they are well up they should be kept somewhat dry in the seedling bed, to get them clean and hardy when planting them. Pricking-off should be done in beds loft, wide in a well sheltered part of the garden. The ground must have been previously well prepared by heavy manuring and careful digging. The plants should be carefully lifted from the seedling bed, the tips of the leaves trimmed, and the roots cut Jin, from the collar. They should be pricked off 3in. or 4in. apart, care being taken to press the soil firmly against the roots to prevent worms from " lifting " them. They should be well watered-in and receive the necessary moisture if the weather is fine and warm.

Endive #

Plants set at the end of August should now be well established; the ground must be kept clean and well open, and the plants must not suffer through dryness at the roots, or, later on, the centre of the leaves will decay. The plants set late in July will be ready this month. If a heavy watering is given before the tying of the leaves no other care will be needed before dispatching to market.

Lettuce #

Plants sown at the end of August will be ready to be pricked off early this month thirty under a cloche. The ground should be well prepared and covered with a layer of fine decayed manure. When this has been spread over the bed the soil should be pressed down with a flat piece of wood, to obtain a levelled surface on which to set the bell-glasses. They should be set three rows per bed, with an inch between each cloche. If the sun is too hot the mats should be spread over the glass, to keep the ground sufficiently moist. When the plants are well established, ventilation in moderation can be afforded. Another plot similarly prepared must be ready at the end of the month for the final planting four plants per cloche. This batch of Lettuce is grown first, when there are many bell-glasses at liberty and not needed for the pricking-off of Lettuces in October; secondly, to utilise the bell-glasses which will be wanted for the second transplanting of Cos Lettuces in November, as this batch of Lettuces is marketable by the middle of that month.

Corn Salad #

A last batch can be sown early in the month if the seeds sown previously have not done well, or where a great quantity is required. The beds of the young plants as well as the seedling beds must receive all the moisture needed at that period.

Carrots #

Carrots sown in July must receive ample watering during this month, in order to assist growth and prevent the cracking of the roots, which always happens when the plants have been kept too dry, and their growth is stimulated by a watering or heavy rain.

Celery, #

This crop will require heavy watering at least every two days. The early Celery Chemin; may be bleached from the loth of the month by spreading mats across the beds over the plants. The mats will have to remain at least three weeks on the plants before they are bleached sufficiently.

Melons #

The last fruits will be ripe early this month. As soon as the crop is finished, all the vines must be cleared off the ground. The fruits ready after the i5th of the month are generally small and lacking in flavour.

Cucumbers #

After the middle of the month, unless the weather is fine, the cucumbers can be thrown away, as the nights get too cold for them to swell.

Cauliflowers #

Cauliflowers planted in July as an intercrop among the Melons will be in full bearing during this month. They will require abundant watering, and the hearts must be covered, to keep them perfectly white. When this crop has been well grown they must be cleared off the ground this month, as later on market growers send Cauliflowers grown in the field. The main batch of Cauliflowers for the following spring should be sown in the middle of this month in frames prepared in a similar way to those in which Ox-heart Cabbages were sown in August. Practical French gardeners who grow their own seeds, or get them from reliable sources, sow 1500 seeds per fram.e, to obtain a sturdy growth from the beginning. The bed may require light watering at that period, but this must not be over-done.

Cabbages #

Seedling beds must be kept moist in order to obtain good-sized plants for the pricking-off in October.

Spinach #

These plants will be growing fast this month; if the weather is favourable they will require frequent but very light waterings, early in the morning if possible. One good hoeing and weeding will be greatly beneficial to the crop, especially if it is wanted in October. Another lot of seeds may be inserted during this month, as the plants from this batch are not so liable to decay in damp and mild weather.

Beans #

This crop is kept thoroughly clean by frequent hoeing. As the nights are getting colder during this month, and the dew is sometimes heavy, care must be taken to attend to this crop, but only when the leaves are thoroughly dry. As the frames from the Melons will be at liberty they should be set with the Beans, and the lights kept close at hand in case an early frost be expected.

Chicory #

Attention to this crop will be the same as in August, where this culture is a feature of the winter crop. The roots may be watered with liquid manure once or twice in the month. The growth of the leaves should be kept under control without unduly checking that of the plant.

Strawberries #

These will now be well established in their winter quarter. In France they are set pot to pot in frames and covered with lights, with ample ventilation, except in case of frost, when they are covered with mats. If runners have not been previously planted out, this must be done without delay, in order to get them well rooted before the cold weather sets in.

Cardoons #

As these vegetables are gross feeders, it is necessary to water them with liquid manure at least once a week during this month. They will reach a big size by the end of the month and, when it is needed, a few plants may be blanched by wrapping them with straw. It generally takes three weeks from the time bleaching is commenced until the plants are ready for consumption. Being a winter vegetable, Cardoons are not often blanched before November.

General Work #

Winter digging generally starts this month as the ground is cleared of the different crops, especially in heavy soil, as this allows of winter frosts and rains acting beneficially upon it. When, in a new garden, the supply of decayed manure is short, the old melon-beds should be emptied on a heap, which should be broken up twice or thrice for the pricking-off of the Lettuces in October. The ground for these Lettuces must be prepared at the end of the month. For this batch a place is generally chosen where the ground will not be needed before the following March or April. The ground should be well dug and exposed to the air and the decayed manure brought close and handy; the cloches must also be near, so as to facilitate the routine work when it commences. Glazing and painting of lights must be proceeded with, as this is the last favourable month for the work. In a new garden the cloches must be received in September at the latest, as they will be needed early the following month. During the year’s operations many improvements will have been wanted either to the ground, the material, or the irrigation, and everything that can be done ought to be done in September, as the crops require very little attention. The weather is on the whole favourable to any such undertakings. Manure must also be collected as fast as possible during the month on account of the good state of the roads for quick carting and the dry state of manure at that time, which greatly prevents decay and unnecessary fermentation. There is also an average reduction of one-tenth in the weight of the manure in the bulk when bought in dry weather, which is worthy of the attention of the careful grower.

October #

Onions #

Onions must be well established in their new quarter. Whenever the weather permits it will be advantageous to hoe the ground, in order to keep it open. When this culture is undertaken on a large scale some growers keep plants in their seedling beds to prick off the following spring to form a succession to this batch.

Endive #

Endive will now be ready for consumption; the plants must be tied in batches to obtain a constant succession. This work must always be done on a fine day. In private places a few hundred plants may be lifted and set in frames fifty to sixty plants per light. They should receive ample ventilation whenever possible. This batch will be found useful in bad weather and can be kept longer, as the plants can be sheltered in frosty weather. To bleach them, spread a mat on the light, which should be left until the plants are ready for use. The Batavian Green variety generally does well in October. Care must be taken to shelter it in frosty weather by spreading mats, hay, or leaves on the beds. It follows from Christmas onwards as it gets a very fine flavour after a few frosts and keeps better than the curled-leaved variety.

Lamb’s Lettuce #

The early batch of this favourite salad sown in August will be ready this month. It makes an agreeable change, but is chiefly kept to the last, when no other salad is obtainable.

Lettuces #

Lettuces planted under the cloches in September will be doing well this month. If the weather permits they can receive ventilation, but allowance must be made if the plants do not grow as desired. All decayed leaves must be taken away whenever possible. In the fully equipped gardens a sowing of Lettuce Little Black Gott should be made on the ist of the month, to be grown on a hotbed in November as described below. From the 6th of this month the sowing of all the varieties of Lettuces for the following spring should be started. The first variety sown should be the Little Black Gott, while the second batch should consist of the three varieties of Cos Lettuce: first, Green Flat of Paris; second, Grey of Paris; and third, Hardy White of Paris; and the last batch of first, Passion, and second, Palatine. All these varieties should be sown 450 seeds per cloche. The soil must be in good condition at the time and be kept fairly damp by spreading mats on the cloches in the middle of the day if the sun is too hot. In ordinary time the sowing bed is sufficiently damp for the germination of the seeds, and we always avoid watering if possible; but we have known occasions when we have had to infringe the rule by watering the beds. This is only resorted to in very hot weather. The seeds of the Lettuces should be sown at an interval of twenty-four hours over a period of a fortnight, to prevent them from being ready together. The ground prepared in September must be well raked over and topdressed with a good coat of finely-decayed manure or sifted soil, which should be levelled and pressed down before setting the cloches in beds of three rows and forty-two in a row. When the number of cloches is limited, frames and lights may be used for the purpose; in this case they will be prepared for the pricking-off of the Passion and Palatine Lettuces, hardier and quicker growers. As soon as the seeds have produced their cotyledons and are big enough to be handled, the seedlings should be pricked off twenty-four to thirty per cloche; when transplanting care must be taken to keep the outside plants an inch within the edge of the cloches, as these plants may later on touch the glass and get damaged by the frost. This work being tedious and slow, it must be done whenever possible, and all other work suspended for this purpose, especially when a large number of plants is needed.

Carrots #

Carrots sown in July on the old manure-beds will be ready for market early this month. They should be pulled out to clear the ground for pricking off the Ox-heart Cabbages. The batch of Carrots sown in August will require some watering this month if the weather is fine. The ground should also be kept very clean to obtain a good crop during the winter months.

Celery #

The main batch of Celery will require heavy watering during October, as the plants will double their size in that month if well watered. The Celery Chemin covered in September will be ready early in October. When a constant supply is required to form a succession another lot can be covered to bleach.

Cauliflowers #

The last Cauliflowers will be dispatched to market early this month, before those grown in the fields are sent in. The varieties grown under this system cannot stand the cool and changeable weather, and, as a rule, keep very badly. The young plants sown in September will be ready for pricking in frames about the loth of the month, 225 to 250 plants per light. The plants should be kept closed for eight or ten days; after this time they may receive some ventilation. A batch may be sown early in October under the lights, but this is only done when the batch in September has not done well, or when a large number of plants is required.

Ox- Heart Cabbages #

Cabbages sown at the end of August will have developed the first leaf and should be pricked off on an old manure-bed generally where the carrots were grown late in the season. They should be pricked off 3in. apart. These Cabbages must be planted as deeply as possible, in order to induce the growth of young roots on the stem and to strengthen the collar. All degenerate specimens must be eliminated.

Beans #

Plants will be in bloom very early in October and the lights ought to be placed on the frames, leaving ample ventilation day and night wherever possible. Beans are very sensitive to frost, and the mats must be spread when needed. Picking may commence late in October, but at that period of the year the Beans will not get hard, and it is preferable to wait till November.

Chicory #

These plants will require no attention till the end of the month, when the leaves will have decayed and should be removed with the rake.

Strawberries #

The plants must now be in their winter quarters and covered with lights, which should be kept open day and night when it is not freezing. The only precaution needed is to avoid extra dampness at the roots.

Cardoons #

Where this vegetable is grown the plants must be tied up to bleach. When the variety grown is thorny, like the Violet de Tours, it is rather a difficult task; we get over the work by using two pieces of wood as handles with a piece of strong string between the sticks. By passing the sticks around the plants the leaves can be gathered together by twisting them. The leaves should be wrapped with straw or hay. When the weather is genial the plants should be left in the ground, but when frost sets in they must be brought into a cellar and the roots plunged in sand or good soil. If the place is very dark the wrapper may be taken off.

General Work #

The season of heavy digging commences this month. Any improvements or alterations in the garden must also be carried out, in order to have time to get all the important work done during the winter. Trenches where the Melons were grown should be emptied. The manure of one trench should be put on the ground, to be evenly spread and dug in later on. The manure from the other trenches should be carted away to where it is needed. The ground for the final planting of the Ox-heart Cabbages must be prepared in a sheltered part (chiefly in the Costieres). A heavy manuring will be needed for a good result. The manure from the old hotbeds should be prepared for the following spring during October, as follows: The four outside paths and the first old bed should be carted away. When this is done, the plot should be divided thus: first, on the east side, perpendicularly to the original position of the bed, one width of 4ft. should be carted away; second, one width of gft. should be left on the spot; third, one width of 4ft. should be carted away; fourth, one width of gft. should be left again, to continue with another band of 4ft. to the end of the plot. The width of 4ft. carted away represents the surplus of manure available for other parts of the garden, and the bands of gft. will form the soil to put in the frames the following spring. What is left on the ground should be forked and well broken up twice and placed in ridges. Part of the manure for the making of the hotbeds the following January will be received this month, and should be stacked as is explained in another chapter (see page 24). Half of the supply for the spring ought to be on the ground in October, to be in good condition when it is required. All the frames, lights, and mats must be ready and in good order by the end of this month.

November #

Endive #

All the Endives must be cleared off the ground early this month, unless they are placed in the frames, as the leaves get spotted by the damp and cold. The Batavian Green will look well in the beds during this month if they are sheltered from the frost. A first batch may be bleached for consumption by spreading mats on them or by lifting the plants and setting them in a dark shed. They may also be tied up, but this plan is rarely resorted to at this time on account of the bad weather.

Lettuces #

The pricking-off of the Lettuces must be finished early this month. We generally prick off the Lettuce Passion and Palatine last of all. The Lettuces planted in September will be ready for market in the middle of November, and the cloches under which they were grown can be utilised for the second pricking-off of the Cos Lettuces. If all the young plants under the cloches are doing well they should receive some ventilation, to harden them in case of severe frosts later on in the season. Cos Lettuce require more room from the middle of November. They should be pricked off the second time fourteen per cloche and the plants kept close for a few days after which some ventilation may be given when the weather permits. Ventilation is a very important detail in the culture of the Lettuces during November. They must be hardened to stand against the frosts later on in the season, but if air is given too liberally they are liable to be infested with the " Mildew.”

The first forcing of Cabbage Lettuce Little Black Gott starts in some gardens in the middle of November. The hotbeds should be made where it is intended to force the Cos Lettuces under the cloches at the end of the following January, as at that time the manure used in November will be turned over and utilised again for that purpose. This manure must be very long and very dry to prevent the possibility of damping-off of the Lettuces occurring under the lights. The beds should be i8in. thick when trodden down; the frames should be set straight and level, and each one should contain six barrows of dry soil. The lights should be put on the frames and kept closed. When fermentation of the manure has begun, the Lettuces which were sown on the ist of October should be pricked off thirty-six plants per light. The Lettuces should be kept very clean, and manure should be brought round the frames to keep up the temperature. The greatest care must be taken to prevent dampness, by spreading the mats at night only in case of frost, and if the beds are very warm it will be advantageous not to cover the lights at night if the frost is not likely to exceed two or three degrees. This method of cultivation is not much practised, as it requires a sound experience and the return hardly pays the expenses, but it is done chiefly to have all the manure and the soil on the ground ready for a period when the work is at a high pressure.

Ox- Heart Cabbage #

These Cabbages should be planted in the middle of November on the ground prepared in October. They should be planted in drills 3in. deep and i8in. apart each way. The plants must be thoroughly examined prior to planting, and all bad specimens rejected. They should be set very deeply, to protect the collar against the frost.

Cauliflowers #

If the weather is mild Cauliflowers must receive ample ventilation day and night; if they grow too rapidly, which is often the case, the lights should be set on bricks to establish a draught.

Celery #

At the end of this month some Celery should be lifted from the ground and set in frames (for this purpose we use two frames one on the top of the other). They should be covered with lights and receive ventilation to prevent the decay of the leaves. This batch should be kept for a supply after Christmas.

Beans #

This crop will be ready this month. They should be picked twice at an interval of a fortnight. When picking the first time light may be admitted by taking away part of the leaves. When possible ventilation should be afforded to prevent the decay of the younger pods.

Chicory #

The Chicory is lifted from the ground about the middle of the month and the roots placed in trenches 3ft. 6in. wide, allowing a space of 3in. or 4in. between each row. The roots should be covered lin. deep with decayed manure or fine soil. If the soil is heavy clay, it is preferable to place the roots on the ground and to cover them with soil. If frame lights are placed over the roots they will serve to shelter them from rains. The forcing of Chicory roots at the earliest should not start till the end of the present month. Part of the bed should be covered with a layer of good manure, i5in. to i8in. thick, and also with mats. The crown will require four weeks to grow to a marketable size, and when a succession is wanted another part of the bed should be covered each week.

Strawberries #

Frames for forcing must be closed at night in November, and should the weather be too wet they should remain closed all the time.

Cardoons #

These must be brought into a cellar if this has not already been done. Some plants will be ready for market this month.

General Work #

Digging operations must be pushed very forward during the month if the weather permits to give to the ground all the benefit of the frost. The seeds for the following spring must be ordered at the first opportunity, care being taken in regard to the choice of the variety, the reliability of the strain, and the quality, or disappointment will follow. No more water being wanted till the end of January, the tank and the pipes should be emptied, to prevent frost from causing damage. Opportunity may be taken to tar the tank after it is emptied. At the end of this month the new manure for the making of the hotbeds may be received. Great advantages accrue when it can be stacked for a few weeks, as it sweetens and all the Cryptogams grow out of it without any detriment to its quality.

December #

Endive #

The last Endives will be despatched to the market early this month, as they decay very quickly at this time of the year. The Batavian Green will be at their best in December, and if they are clean and healthy they may be kept for four or five more weeks if they are sheltered from the frost.

Lamb’s Lettuce #

This salad is in great demand in December and onwards. The plants require no shelter during the frost, but they must not be picked when frozen or they will turn black.

Lettuces #

If the weather is genial the Lettuces under the cloches will grow well in December, and they may receive ventilation whenever possible. Slugs will do harm in some plantations; a visit early in the morning will repay the grower, as the pests are always on the glass inside, where they can be collected and destroyed. If there is any symptom of mildew the cloches or the lights containing the diseased plants must be kept closed. The plants may be sprayed with sulphate of copper in powder form. It is seldom that the plants can be freed from this fungus, and the spraying is to prevent the mildew from spreading.

Some growers sow this month in frames and hot-beds seeds of Cos Lettuce Hardy White, and Cabbage Lettuce Palatine. This plan is resorted to, firstly, when the first sowing has not been very successful; and secondly, to form a succession to the batch sown in October. The plants sown this month are smaller, but are in very good condition when planting them out in March. Lettuces planted on hotbeds in the middle of November will require cleaning twice or thrice this month, according to the weather. This work must not be omitted, or the plants would soon decay. The paths between the frames must be filled with dry and long manure at least once in the month.

Carrots #

Carrots sown in August will be found useful this month. They can easily be sheltered with mats or straw spread over the beds in case of frost.

Celery #

Celery put in the frames last month will require cleaning in December. The lights must be kept open day and night if possible.

Chicory #

The forcing of this plant should be pushed forward this month and the first lot will be ready by Christmas. When picking the crown, the manure is taken out and the crowns are cut Jin. under the collar. They are tied in bunches, weighing lib. each. The roots may be thrown away after they have been forced.

General Work #

Any digging and alterations must be finished entirely by Christmas, because there will never be another opportunity for this work when once the making of the hotbeds is started. Where it is intended to force Lettuces without hot manure, frames should be set on the ground previously well prepared, leaving a path from loin, to i2in. between each row of frames. We call this operation " Cold Work.”

Two sorts of Lettuces are grown on the cold work: Passion and Little Gott. The present generation of gardeners prefer Passion to Little Gott, as the former can be planted earlier than the latter and does not require the shelter of the glass so long. But Little Gott has also staunch supporters, as it is always available when there is shortage in the market in April, when it is too late for the hotbed Lettuces and too early for those grown in the open. The experience of the past seasons has, however, demonstrated that the Little Gott is more remunerative than White Passion, as this latter sort requires hearting in the open, and the removal of the glass early in April greatly impedes the growth for two or three weeks a great loss at that time of the year. About Christmas the manure which has been collected before October should be brought first where the first hotbed will be, and secondly, between the ridges of the soil made in October. This manure should be spread all over the ground, to keep away the frost or to prevent the soil from getting too wet. The frames should also be brought where they will be needed, leaving the room for making the first hotbed (Fig. 14).

The lights will be brought out from the shed and set in heaps of thirty, made on the east and west sides of the ground intended for the hotbeds. This will tend to reduce to a minimum the labour when making the hotbeds by allowing the work to proceed as speedily as possible, and to get a batch of produce ready at the same time, which is a great point in the rotation of crops. To make the hotbeds as quickly as possible is desirable, as the weather in January may force the cultivator to suspend work altogether for a time.

January #

Lettuces #

These are planted out in hotbeds as an intercrop among the Carrots, thirty-six to forty-two per light. Previously to this every plant should be carefully examined and cleaned and any doubtful specimens rejected. The Lettuces should only be planted in the hotbeds three or four days after they have been made when the heat has dried the glass of the lights. When planting, care must be taken not to fix the Lettuces too deeply: the plants must swing freely when touching them with the fingers. If this precaution is not taken the bottom leaves soon decay, rendering the cleaning in February and March very difficult.

Early this month three barrow-loads of well-decayed manure should be put in each of the frames intended for cold work if the Lettuce Passion is to be grown, or six to nine barrow-loads for the Lettuce Little Black Gott. The lights should be next placed on the frames, giving a little ventilation if the weather permit. About the 2oth of the month the Lettuces should be planted, after having been cleaned. Passion being a strong grower, twenty-five plants will be sufficient for every light, but in the case of Little Gott thirty plants per light may be allowed. They should be kept very hardy, though they must be covered by mats in case of heavy frost.

In the " Costieres,” plants of the Passion variety should also be planted at the end of January, loin, apart each way. The ground, which has been previously raked and levelled, should be covered with 2in. of well-decayed manure. The plants should be set in the ground deeper than those in the lights, to withstand the wind. It is important not to harden this batch previous to the planting: the check they receive when set is a safeguard against disease and frost.

Lettuce Passion grown in the early spring is not always very remunerative for the London markets, as the early batch of Cos Lettuces arrive about the same time. In the provinces they may, however, be grown very largely. There are two varieties with brown and white leaves respectively. The latter strain is preferable. Cos Lettuces under the cloches will require a third transplanting as soon as some Cabbage Lettuces have been planted in the frames; five Cos Lettuces should be planted under each cloche; this operation tends to promote a very sturdy growth. When they are established in their new quarter a little ventilation may be given, increasing the amount with the growth and the fine weather. A sowing of Cabbage Lettuces All Year Round, or La Percheronne, also one of Cos Lettuce White Paris, can be made by sowing a few seeds of each sort among the carrots in the hotbeds early in January. If a large quantity is required a hotbed for three lights should be made for the purpose. When the plants are big enough for handling they must be pricked off in a cold frame or under the cloches ijin. apart each way. When a succession of saladings is required, a second sowing should be made at the end of January in a cold frame, the varieties being the same as those previously mentioned.

Radishes #

Radishes are a delicacy always in demand on the Paris market. Though there are many varieties, the maraichers only grow the Early French Breakfast all the year round. From a financial point of view Radishes grown on hotbeds as an intercrop are rather poor, as they are an impediment to the other crops. The French growers very rarely sow Radishes on hot-beds before the i5th of this month, as at that time the beds are no more than i4in. high, and only give a mild heat. They should be sown very thinly only 100 to 1 20 seeds per light in the hotbeds prepared for the Carrots and Lettuces. If the beds are well built the Radishes will not require special care, but they will soon get drawn if too much fresh manure has been used. This can be stopped by giving a little ventilation. This is the reason why growers do not like to sow them among Lettuces and Carrots, as the Lettuces do not require any ventilation. An easy way to obtain them is to make a hotbed 6in. thick and to cover it with 3in. or 4in. of well-decayed manure and sow the Radishes broadcast. The only precaution to be observed will be to cover the bed with mats in case of frost. They should be sown as an intercrop in the cold frames where the Lettuces Little Black Gott and Passion are grown. They do well with these plants, which receive ventilation when the weather permits. They should also be sown in the " Costieres " before planting the Lettuce Passion in the open. These different sowings form a complete succession of Radishes from the middle of February till the middle of May.

Carrots #

These should be sown as the main crop in the hot-beds as soon as these are made. The only variety grown is the Early Round Parisian. It is very important to sow the seeds thinly 200 to 250 seeds per light in order to save the thinning operation, which is very tedious work later in the season, and also because when pulling out the surplus one is liable to disturb the young plants left to form the crop. When a garden is well situated, a sowing may be made in a cold frame at the end of January; the ground must have previously been well prepared. The variety sown is Bellot, very early and of medium size.

Cauliflowers #

Cauliflowers sown in September and pricked off in October must receive, when the weather permits, ample ventilation, and be sheltered only in case of severe frost. If the growth is too forward they can be pulled up and transplanted again in the same place, but if the growth is poor they will have to be kept close for some time.

Strawberries #

A first batch of plants should be started this month for fruiting. A hotbed half hot manure, half dry manure or leaves should be made about i8in. thick.

When the frames have been set a barrow-load of soil should be put in every light and the bed should be covered at night with mats. When the heat is slightly going down, the plants should be plunged into the soil, which should be brought level with the rim of the pot in which they have been planted, according to directions given on p. 128. Forty-five plants per light are sufficient. Previous to the setting the plants should be thoroughly cleansed and the top soil replaced with fresh, mixed with a small proportion of bone-meal—one pint to a barrow load of soil. The plants should be kept close for a few days unless the heat is over 5odeg. Fahr., when gentle ventilation may be afforded. The covering at night is essential. If the heat goes down to 4odegs. Fahr. fresh manure must be brought between the frames, in order to raise the temperature. The dampness of the ground and of the manure is sufficient for the starting of the growth of strawberries at least for a fortnight, when the watering may be carefully done with tepid water.

General Work #

January is responsible for the failure as well as the success of the whole year’s operations. The making of the hotbeds for frames and the planting of cold work, upon which depend the good management of the working of the material, is in progress from the middle of this month. The amount of time required for these operations is very limited, and as ample allowance must be made for the weather, often unfavourable, the cultivator must have prepared everything beforehand, so as to minimise the labour.

Where the lights intended for hotbeds do not exceed 150 in number one bed may be made each day, but when this number is exceeded not less than two beds should be laid down daily. The frames for cold work ought to have been laid down late in December, the ground levelled, and a crop of Radishes sown this month. The Lettuces should be planted in them during the last fortnight whenever time and weather permit.

Ground intended for early crops must be dug and thoroughly prepared this month, so as to allow of the setting of seeds and plants as early as possible in February. A good grower always gets everything in readiness beforehand, so as to take advantage of his opportunities for an early production. The cloche-beds where the Lettuce plants have been grown, also the hotbeds and the cold work, all require to be covered on every frosty night. The weather must constantly enter into the cultivator’s consideration, as unnecessary covering is as harmful to the crops as no shelter, to say nothing of the cost of extra labour. All packing material, paper, labels, empties, &c., must be in stock late this month, to avoid trouble and waste of time when the crops are ready. All the manure necessary for the spring work must also be in hand, and, where there is not a regular supply coming in, arrangements for the quantity needed for the Melons must be contemplated from now, as it is always more advantageous to have it some time beforehand. The amount required for each melon-bed of fifteen lights is about three tons.

February #

Lettuces #

The planting of Lettuces under the lights on the hotbeds and in the cold frames should be pushed forward so as to start the making of hotbeds for cloches in the middle of this month. The Lettuces set early in January will have grown, and care must be taken to clean them whenever the weather permits. The Cos Lettuces and Cabbage Lettuces sown in January will require pricking off in frames or under cloches. The latter are more suitable, especially when this batch is wanted late in March. They should be pricked off 140 to 150 per light or twenty-four per cloche.

When a batch of Cos Lettuces has been sown on hotbeds in December they will require a second pricking off at the end of February, to obtain good sturdy plants when planting in the open at the end of March. The Cabbage Lettuce Passion or Palatine sown at the same period will require ample ventilation whenever possible.

As soon as the hotbeds for the frames are completed, the hotbeds for cloches should be started for forcing the Cos Lettuces sown in October. A few years back special hotbeds containing three rows of cloches were prepared for this culture, space being left between two beds for the path. This system has, however, been abandoned, and the beds are now made next to one another as for the frames. The Cos Lettuces require a very mild and constant heat; therefore the hotbeds should be formed of one-third fresh manure and two-thirds dry manure. The beds need not exceed gin. in depth when finally trodden down. The necessary soil should be placed on the bed in ridges till the adjoining bed is finished before levelling it. When this is completed, short and broken manure is placed in the pathway to the level of the soil to prevent the latter from becoming displaced. A line should be placed to mark the position of the outside row of cloches, which should be placed at a distance of i in. apart. The second row should be placed likewise, and the cloches of the third row alternate with those of the second. Three or four days after the cloches have been placed in their position, one Cos Lettuce Green Flat of Paris should be planted in the centre of the bell-glass, with three Cabbage Lettuces in a triangle around it. After these have been planted another Cos Lettuce should be set in the angles of the cloches, as shown in Fig. 15. A small aperture for admitting fresh air to the cloche is made by pressing the soil in one spot just under the rim of the glass with the closed fist.

Cold work under cloches is not generally practised where manure can be had at a reasonable charge. When such is not the case it must be done as follows: First: The ground having been previously well manured and prepared, beds of 4ft. 6in. should be marked out. Before placing the cloches, seeds of Radish Early Breakfast should be sown broadcast, then the cloches should be set in three rows on each bed angle-wise. Secondly: Lettuce Little Gott and one Cos Lettuce in the centre should be placed under each cloche. Another method is to sow broadcast seeds of Carrot Bellot, and after the cloches are placed on the beds two Lettuces White Passion should be planted under each cloche. A fortnight later a Cos Lettuce should be set in the centre, as the Passion Lettuce will remain in the ground a fortnight longer than the variety Little Gott. The Passion Lettuce does well under the cloches providing it receives ample ventilation. When a succession of Lettuces is required, another batch should be sown in February in a cold frame. The varieties for this season are Cos Lettuce White of Versailles and Cabbage Lettuce La Percheronne.

Endive #

The first sowing of this salading should be made in the middle of February. A bed made with three-quarters good hot manure and one-fourth of dry manure should be prepared a few days previously. When the fermentation begins the seeds should be sown broadcast and thickly, the variety for this batch being La Parisienne or La Rouennaise, the latter being a little coarser and bigger than the former. The seeds should be covered very slightly certain growers simply leave the mats till the germination begins. The seedlings should appear within two or three days. If they do not it would be preferable to make a thicker bed and insert another batch of seeds instead of waiting for the first lot to germinate, as when the seeds take more than four days to germinate they never give favourable results later on. At the end of the month fresh manure must be brought round the frames to maintain the temperature, and a little ventilation may be given in the middle of the day when weather permits. This culture is difficult and must receive all necessary attention; it is only done in small gardens when there is time to attend to it thoroughly.

Celery #

The first batch of early Celery Chemin may be inserted in the middle of February on a good bed. The seeds must be reliable, as the germination is very slow. This crop is not very profitable as a market product, as it is ready early in August when there is very little demand. It also requires special attention and is only undertaken when there is ample time to devote to it.

Carrots #

Carrots sown on the hotbeds in January will germinate early this month; they require no special attention whilst the Radishes and Lettuces are in the lights. Old gardeners are chary about sowing Carrots on the hotbeds for cloches; but when the Cos Lettuces are good and sturdy insertion of a few Bellot Carrot seeds will give with some extra care a profitable catch-crop. We should not advocate the sowing of the above crop in the first year’s working of a garden as weeds would greatly impede the growth, the elimination of which would hardly repay the cost of labour expended. In well situated gardens a batch of Bellot Carrot a very early variety and with a medium size root should be sown in the open, the ground having been previously well prepared.

Radishes #

This succulent vegetable is always grown as an intercrop among Carrots and Lettuces, either sown on hotbeds or in the open. When sowing Radishes as an intercrop among the Cos Lettuces, the variety National is preferable. It is of quite recent introduction and has become a great favourite among growers. It is of round shape, white tipped, medium size, and remains firm longer than any other variety. When sown early in the open they must be sown very thickly as the birds are, at this time of the year, eagerly seeking food of that description and frequently take a heavy toll of the seeds.

Cabbages #

A batch of Cabbage Ox-heart or Early of Etampes may be sown on the hotbed among the Carrots, to be pricked off in cold frames as soon as the cotyledons are well developed.

Cauliflowers #

A batch of Cauliflower Driancourt should be sown on a hotbed made up of half hot manure and half dry manure in the first days of the month. They should be sown thinly, and as soon as the seedlings appear they must receive ventilation whenever possible. The batch sown in September will be grown very hardy during this month if they are planted late in March. When the hotbeds for Lettuces and Carrots have been made early in January a lot of Cauliflowers may be planted among them late in February, four plants per light. The plants should be set very deeply and made firm at the roots.

Melons #

When there are a few frames and lights to spare, or when the Lettuce Passion has been planted in cold frames late in January, a batch of Melons may be inserted in the middle of the month, so as to have plants ready for setting out early in April in the frames where the Lettuces Passion have been grown. A bed consisting of three-fourths hot manure and one-fourth dry manure should be built up very carefully in a well sheltered place. The bed must be i8in. thick when trodden down. Some fine soil should be placed in the frame and the light kept covered with two or three mats. When the heat is about yadeg. Fahr., the seeds should be inserted one inch apart each way in a tray of fine loam; this should be plunged in the soil of the frame. The variety sown is the Little Parisian Prescott. Germination takes from six to eight days. The mats must be taken away at daytime, and a little ventilation may be given half an hour daily to sweeten the atmosphere and strengthen the plants. Much trouble and disappointment will be spared when a greenhouse is available in which to sow the seeds. They should be inserted in trays covered with a pane of glass. When the soil is sufficiently moist at sowing, the germination at this time of the year will take place without any other watering.

Strawberries #

Another batch of plants should be started this month as has been explained in the paragraph for January. The plants set in January will have started their growth: the temperature should be kept up by bringing fresh manure round the frames. They \vill not require watering this month: the dampness of the beds and of the outside will be amply sufficient for their needs. On every bright day ventilation should be given to obtain a sturdy growth of the floral stem. The plants must also be kept clean, and it will be necessary to look through them and to remove the old decayed leaves, and also the " blind " parts, if any.

General Work #

The making of the hotbeds will require the attention of the gardeners all this month, and should the weather be favourable this work must be pushed very forward. The numerous sowings will want great care to give them air or to bring fresh manure round the frames to keep up the temperature. The mats will be all brought out this month. All the seedlings and young plants should be covered at night, but the beds of Carrots and Lettuces will only require sheltering in case of frost. When the mats are dry they should be rolled and left at the top of the lights until required again, but they must be spread out when they are wet to get dry, or they soon wear out; moreover, they are not such a good shelter when wet. Whenever the weather and time permit, Lettuces in the frames will want cleaning at least twice during their growth on the hotbeds. The ground for the open crop must be levelled and ready to receive the young plants or the seeds whenever the weather is favourable for such work.

March #

Lettuces #

Cabbage Lettuces when planted early in January will be marketable this month. They should be cut level with the ground and packed in hampers, head downwards, so as not to soil the leaves, and be carried to the shed for the packing. If the weather is dry they will require a slight watering, which must be done with great care at this time of the year. All the Cabbage Lettuce; Passion or Palatine must be planted by the first week of this month. The birds will be found very troublesome and playing havoc with the fresh green leaves. Lettuce Passion and Little Black Gott grown under cold frames will require air whenever possible, especially the former, which is very hardy. Cos Lettuces grown under the cloches will require careful attention during this month. The mats must be spread when the sun shines brightly, and again when the thermometer falls to the freezing-point. Experienced growers only spread the mats when the bell-glasses turn white with the frost, and take them away as soon as the glass is thawed. This method gives a crispness to the leaves but requires a lot of attention, as very often this has to be done during the night. To save trouble of shading with mats, certain growers prefer shading with limewash; this saves labour, but is harmful to the growth of the plants should the weather prove dull.

Cos Lettuce is very difficult to force, and good results will only be obtained when the plants receive sufficient heat to push their growth. The attention and culture given must be such as to correspond as closely is possible with the natural conditions obtaining when they are grown in the open.

Cos Lettuce White of Paris should be set in the open, i8in. apart, in rich ground, from the middle of the month. Four rows of Cos Lettuces should be set at equal distance between the cloches on the cold work. This will form a succession to the Cos Lettuces planted under them in the early part of March.

Onions #

Onions planted in September will require hoeing and cleaning. When the culture is on a large scale part of the sowing should be left in the seed-bed and pricked out this month, to form a succession to the batch planted out before the winter.

Endive #

The batch sown last month will be pricked off (180 plants per light) on a hotbed Qin. thick when trodden down. The plants should be set when the first normal leaf begins to grow. The temperature must be very even and the lights kept closed for eight to ten days, care being taken to shade the plants when necessary. Other sowings may be made this month in the melon-beds and pricked off four weeks after the insertion of the seeds.

Carrots #

Carrots sown on the hotbeds in January will have developed two leaves, and care must be taken to remove the Lettuces in time to prevent the Carrots from getting " drawn.” As soon as the Carrots occupy the whole space in the frames they must be thinned out and weeded. Some very finely-sifted soil should be spread to cover the collar of the young Carrots, in order that they may retain the red colour so much appreciated. After this operation a good watering must be given t6 wash the foliage and make the soil firm at the roots. A batch should be sown early in March in the open in deeply dug ground. The best sorts for this sowing are either Bellot or Chatenay.

Cauliflowers #

The batch sown in September should be pricked off among the Carrots in the middle of March, four plants per light. The plants should be set very deeply and the soil made firm at the roots. When the plants are weak they may be planted sooner, and the reverse when they are very strong or when the Carrots are not well established. Cauliflowers may also be planted among the Lettuces grown in the cold frames in the way already explained. The batch sown in February should receive ample ventilation whenever possible. The watering should be moderate, to prevent conditions often favourable to Black Leg on the stem, and to harden the plants. Parisian growers do not prick out the spring-sown Cauliflowers, but the unsettled weather in England during March often tends to the appearance of the disease already mentioned, and it will repay the English cultivator to prick out the batch sown on hotbeds in February into cold frames, 200 per light, or under the cloche, twenty per cloche. About the middle of the month a second sowing of Cauliflowers should be made in a cold frame. The best variety at this time is Lenormand. This sowing should be made at the end of April among the first batches of Lettuces grown in the open.

Celery #

The main batch of seeds should be inserted late this month in a hotbed 6in. thick and well trodden down. Many growers only sow this batch and grow two varieties: Chemin for early and Long Green of Paris for late supplies. In France they also sow a batch of Celeriac Little Parisian Improved. This deserves to be widely known, as it is a succulent vegetable during the winter either as a salading or cooked. It is an excellent keeper, and when the roots are clamped like mangels or swedes in the fields they can easily be kept till the following March. The seeds should be sown thinly and slightly covered. Germination is very slow, and the mats should be kept on all day, especially during bad weather. As soon as the young plants get through the ground, a little ventilation should be given every day, to prevent damping off.

Cabbages #

Ox-heart Cabbages planted out in November will require hoeing and cleaning as soon as the ground is dry. The soil, too, should be brought round the stems to keep the roots moist. They may also want watering, which must be done early in the morning. Plants from seeds sown early in February should be set out i8in. apart each way in good ground.

Melons #

Plants from seed sown in the middle of February should be potted in “sixties” about the 8th of the month in good loamy soil; the plants must not be pressed hard on the roots, and the pot should be filled to the rim to prevent the extra dampness at the roots. The pots must be plunged in a good hotbed i8in. thick and manure brought level to the top of the frames outside. The fermentation of the manure must be well started before placing the plants in the frames.

The main batch of Melons to be planted in the frames where the Carrots were grown should be sown between the I5th and the 3ist of the month. It is not advisable to insert seeds after the latter date, especially in England, as the fruits coming from these plants would never give satisfactory results. This sowing is done as is explained in the special chapter devoted to this fruit. To avoid disappointment, it is advisable to sow double the quantity of seeds that is necessary, with an interval of forty-eight hours between each sowing.

Cardoons #

This winter vegetable should be sown this month. Three seeds should be placed in a " sixty " pot and placed at the top of a frame where Melons are grown. When the seedlings appear, one should be kept per pot and be placed in a cooler frame.

Strawberries #

Plants started in February will require ventilation during the present month and to be watered according to their growth and the state of the weather. They must be kept rather dry till the floral stem appears. The last batch of plants should be started at the beginning of March. A bed loin, thick should be prepared and the frames filled with two barrow-loads per light of a good rich compost. The plants should be taken out of the pot and set forty-five per light directly in the soil when this is warmed through. Care must be taken to keep the plants dry; they may be sprayed with some water if the sun shines brightly. Ventilation may be given as soon as the plants throw a new crown. This batch when well grown gives very good results, and the fruits are well flavoured.

Tomatoes #

Tomatoes are sown at the beginning of March on a medium hotbed. There are so many good sorts that it would be unwise to name the variety. The best cropper, the hardiest grower, and the one giving the best-shaped fruits should be chosen. About the 25th the plants should be pricked off 250 per light on a bed where other crops have previously been grown, after the manure has been turned over and the frames and soil have been replaced in their original position. Ventilation should be given as soon as the plants are well established. The mats must be spread at night to prevent a check, so prejudicial later in the season.

Turnips #

French growers grow either Turnips or Carrots on the hotbeds, but it is advisable to cultivate these two vegetables in England to facilitate the marketing of both. When it is intended to force Turnips in frames, a batch of Lettuces is grown on the hotbeds in January and marketed early this month, leaving the frames at liberty for the Turnips. This vegetable requires a very mild heat, and does better on a spent bed. The soil in the frames is raked over and pressed down lightly. The variety grown for this purpose is Turnip Long White or Milan Round Flat. It should be sown in rows, eleven rows to each light, and three seeds should be dropped together at an interval of 3in. in the row. The lights should be kept closed till the cotyledons come through the ground. Ventilation should be given gradually, as the weather permits, day and night if possible. Light waterings should be given when necessary. At the end of this month, when some frames and lights are at liberty, they should be set on good ground and a batch of Turnips Croissy White or White Hammer should be sown as already mentioned for hotbeds. This batch in cold frames will form a succession to these from the hotbeds.

General Work #

During the present month the attention of the gardeners will be necessary in every part of the ground. The hotbeds must be constantly visited and no trouble must be spared in any detail to obtain favourable results. Ventilation, watering, and shading must be given and attended to at the proper time. The cleaning of the plants under lights must be done in a thorough manner, as dampness is prevalent in dull weather. The packing of the Radishes and Lettuces must be done very carefully and quickly, as time is precious, while the planting and sowing in the open must be pushed forward so as to get the crops as early as possible.

April #

Lettuces #

Cabbage Lettuces planted on the hotbeds must be marketed as soon as possible, to make room for the Carrots and the Cauliflowers. Those grown under cloches will also be ready in an ordinary season about the loth of the month. When well grown they should be of an exceptional quality and well hearted. The Passion Lettuces in cold frames can be left growing in the open early in April by taking away the frames and lights which are generally used for the first batch of Melons. The Little Black Gott Lettuces also grown in cold frames will require ample ventilation in the daytime; but the lights must remain on the plants till they are ready for market. Care must be taken to guard against late frosts, and the lights or cloches must be covered at night when necessary, as the frost will cause the leaves to be spotted, and this will only be noticed a few days after the frost. The planting of Cabbage Lettuces sown in January should be done early this month if the plants are of a good size. They should be planted by themselves gin. apart each way, or as an intercrop among Cos Lettuces or Cauliflowers. It is customary to sow some Radishes or Spinach before planting Lettuces, as these crops are ready for market before the Lettuces require the room. The Cos Lettuces in the cloches will require great care this month. When the plants are of a good size in February they may be marketed in the middle of this month. They should be tied the day before pulling to keep the leaves together and to avoid breakages when packing. This batch should be pulled all together, good and bad plants, and the cloches should be removed on the ist, 4th, and yth row of Cos Lettuces as soon as possible (Fig. 16).

When this second batch is well forward, and when the weather permits, the plants will require a good watering, which will still further hasten the growth and allow the second removal of the cloches on the third batch, which will get full benefit of the shelter of the bell-glass, as sometimes this third lot forms a heart before the second removal of the cloches. Particular attention must be given to the shading this month, as the plants are very tender and are soon scorched. The planting of the Cos Lettuces must be done in the open very early this month, the plants having been sown in October or December. The plants sown in January can be put in later in the month i Sin. apart each way.

Onions #

The ground must be stirred by a careful hoeing early this month. When the soil is in good condition Cauliflowers are planted as an intercrop among the Onions five rows in a full size bed and lift. wide. This crop must be very early to be remunerative, and it may be necessary in light land to water it twice or thrice during the month. In sheltered corners some Onions may be ready late this month, though it is preferable to wait till about the loth of May, when the batch can be pulled all at once.

Endive #

Endive sown in February should be ready to be planted early in the month under lights (thirty-five plants per light) or four per cloche. The plants should be shaded and kept close till they are well established. Ventilation can be given gradually. The plants will also require light waterings. At the end of this month the Endive can be safely planted in the open loin, apart. The ground must be damp when setting the plants, to avoid watering till they are well established. Another sowing can be made on a hotbed this month. The seeds must be sown very thinly, as the plants resulting therefrom are put out directly in the open four or five weeks after the sowing of the seeds. The only variety grown in the French garden till August is La Rouennaise.

Carrots #

Carrots on the hotbeds will require a thorough watering, 6galls. per light at two different times, as soon as the Lettuces are gone. They should be weeded and thinned in the middle of the month, and must receive ample ventilation day and night, especially in the last fortnight. The batch sown in the open will also require light and frequent waterings, more particularly in hard ground. In private gardens the main batch for the summer may be sown in April, the best varieties being La Chatenay and La Guerande. French growers do not sow any Carrots this month, as those grown in the field are plentiful in the summer.

Radishes #

When these are in constant demand, seeds can be inserted weekly among other crops. The plants require frequent watering to forward the growth and stop the development of the fibrous roots, which renders the Radishes pithy and strong.

Cauliflowers #

Cauliflowers planted among the Carrots will require no special care this month, except when the leaves touch the glass; in this case the frames must be lifted to give more head-room. The planting in the open must be pushed very forward early this month. If some cloches are available they may be used in covering a few Cauliflowers planted outside. As soon as the first batch of Cos Lettuces are marketed from under the cloches, a Cauliflower should be set exactly in the place previously occupied by the Cos on the outside rows of the bed only. The plants used for this purpose were sown in February. Another sowing of Cauliflowers should be made this month to be ready to occupy the ground that carried the first batch of Cos Lettuces in the open. Cauliflowers do not require heavy watering in April. To obtain nice heads the plants must be kept hardy and form good stump and leaves, and this is only obtained by setting them in good ground and by keeping them rather dry before the showing of the bud.

Celery #

Plants sown in February may be pricked off in cold frames 140 plants per light. The plants must be kept close till well established, which will take from twelve to fifteen days. They must be shaded when the sun shines brightly. The main batch sown in March will require careful ventilation and watering in April, to avoid damping off. When a constant supply of this vegetable is needed, a sowing of the variety Red of Aylesbury, or Leicester Red, should be made in a cold frame or under cloches during this month. The Red varieties are better keepers than the White and the Green, to which they form a succession. Another sowing of Long Winter Green may be made early this month, especially when the old manure-beds are not likely to be at liberty before the 2Oth July. It is preferable to work with late sowings of Celery, especially in light land, as early batches often run to seed.

Melons #

When the weather permits, the frames and lights from the Passion Lettuces should be used for the hotbeds of Melons, built as described in the special chapter devoted thereto. The Melons must be planted when the bed is sufficiently warm, and must be shaded for the first eight or ten days. If the ground is very dry when planting, the plants may be watered with tepid water. The main batch sown in March will require potting early in April. When the plants have been shifted, they must be sheltered from the hot sun. The youngest plants may receive gentle ventilation in the middle of the day whenever possible. Some growers insert a few more seeds early in April in case the earlier plants fail. As a rule this batch does not grow satisfactorily late in the season, and the fruits do not ripen well. As the weather in April is very changeable, the gardener will have to shade, to give air, and to shut the lights at frequent intervals of time. The mats must be spread at night very carefully, so as not to change the atmosphere under the lights.

Cardoons #

The plants will have developed their first leaf in April. One should be kept for every pot, and these should be put in a colder frame as the outside temperature is warmer. They will not require much watering this month to keep them clean and healthy.

Turnips sown in March in old manure-beds will require thinning. One plant should be left for every three seeds that were put in. The ground must be kept sufficiently damp to prevent them from running to seed. Ventilation must be given freely, and when the weather is favourable the lights may be opened one one way and the next the other side, to promote a draught. In good ground a batch may be sown in the open, broadcast if the ground is clean, and in drills when a lot of weeds are expected. The seed may want frequent and light waterings to keep the " fly " away. The first sowing of Turnips, especially in heavy land, is of precarious germination, and when the young leaves appear hard and of a pale green it is absolutely necessary to re-sow the beds a second time, or the first sowing would unavoidably go to seed.

Tomatoes #

The pricking-off of the young seedlings must be pushed forward. Ventilation should be given freely, according to the weather and the growth. At the end of the month the strongest plants may be lifted and planted at the rate of 100 per light in cold frames which have been filled with at least 6in. of soil.

Cabbage* #

Ox-heart Cabbages planted in November will require ample watering, and in a favourable season they will have a nice heart at the end of the month.

Beans #

Though the constant and early importation of these from Jersey and Algeria prohibits their cultivation as a paying crop in England, it is, however, a useful one to grow, especially in the provinces. Early in the month frames should be set on well dug ground where some other crops have been previously grown. The lights should be placed on the frames for at least a week to warm and dry the soil. When the ground is in good order, three rows of four holes each should be made at equal distances in every light, and six to eight beans of the varieties Little Nigra or Canadian Wonder should be placed in each hole. The seeds should be very lightly covered and the lights kept closed till the cotyledons are well developed, when moderate ventilation can be afforded, and increased with the growth. Another method is to sow from four to six beans in large " sixties,” and to place them in tne tomato-house to germinate. At the end of the month the plants should be set on a south border and covered with the cloche.

Strawberries #

The earliest batch forced in January or beginning of February will be fruiting this month. The plants must be watered frequently, and twice a week some liquid manure may be added to the water, increasing the proportion every time. When the fruits turn white the manuring must cease, and the ventilation should be increased till they are ready to pick. The batch planted direct in the frames in March will flower this month, and will require similar care to that given to the first lot. Some time this month the plants set outside in the autumn for runners will want hoeing and the application of a good mulch of heavy manure to stimulate their growth.

General Work #

The French garden is in full activity in April. The ground, except the portion left for the main batch of Melons, will be occupied by different crops, which will require all the gardeners’ attention.

The manure-beds will receive abundant watering and ample ventilation whenever the weather permits, and special care must be taken to avoid checking the growth, especially during showers or cold nights. The cloches will also claim attention by reason of the covering and uncovering with mats that will be entailed. Watering in the open may be necessary on a few occasions, but it must be borne in mind that the ground is still cold and damp, and gives sufficient moisture to the plants set in February or March. The sowings and the pricking-off of the numerous plants which will succeed those planted earlier, must be well attended to, to avoid disappointment and delay. Weeding will also be necessary, especially in the lights and cloches. The packing and despatch of the goods must be done, taking care first to collect the plants in the proper time to sell them to the best advantage; and, secondly, not to interfere with the other work in the garden.

May #

Lettuces #

The Passion and Little Black Gott Lettuces grown in the cold frames will be ready early this month. When they have been cleared off the ground the place must be hoed and raked for the benefit of the Cauliflowers. The Passion Lettuces grown in the open will also be ready from the 8th or loth of the month, especially when the growth has been stimulated by a good hoeing and two or three waterings. The batch is generally ready within a week or ten days, and the grower who has a few thousands will do well to make provision for their quick despatch to market, as they soon run to seed after hearting. Parisian growers sell their own produce, and when they notice a short supply of Lettuces on the market they despatch them very early just when the heart is forming. Lettuces from the sowings made in January will require frequent waterings; they should form a succession to those sown in the autumn when well grown. The last Cos Lettuces under the cloches should be marketed by the loth of the month. The grower must exercise considerable discretion in regard to the cutting of the second batch. Very often he has to cut it before they are well formed, so as to be able to shift the cloches from the ist, 4th, and 7th rows to the 3rd, 6th, and Qth rows (Fig. 17).

As soon as the Cos Lettuces are gone, the ground should be hoed and cleaned for the crop of Cauliflowers, which will be a fair size by this time. The Cos Lettuces grown under the cloches in the cold work are generally ready a few days before the third batch grown in the hotbeds. They generally form fine specimens, and, when they have received the necessary attention, prove a very remunerative crop. A great drawback to this system of cultivation under the cloches in the cold work is the frequent attacks of Aphis (Green or Black Fly). Unfortunately, hidden between the leaves, these pests are hardly noticeable. There is no remedy that can be applied without at the same time spoiling the Lettuces. The best preventive is ample ventilation, and shading when necessary.

Around Paris the growing of Lettuces is a very important industry, and constant sowings are made to have a succession. English growers are handicapped in this direction, as salads are not so popular as on the other side of the Channel; but in private places the gardeners will have to sow seeds of Cabbage Lettuces, which are always grown as an intercrop among Cos Lettuces or Cauliflowers. The sowings must be very thin and receive frequent and light waterings. The plants should be put out into their final quarter direct from the seed-bed. Varieties are very numerous, but La Perichonne and La Batavia are those chiefly grown, owing to their slowness in running to seed. The Cos Lettuces will require frequent waterings or they will soon go to seed. The best sort for summer work is La Versaillaise. To avoid the spotting of leaves, so prevalent during the summer, the plants must be watered early in the morning in time for the leaves to get dry before the sun gets too hot.

Endive #

Endives planted in the lights or under cloches may be safely grown in the open during this month. They will require light waterings to prevent them from running to seed. Some plants may be tied up for blanching. At the end of the month a good watering should be given previous to this operation, and the moisture will then be sufficient till the plants are ready for market. The tying must be done as required, unless all the batch can be marketed at one time. Further sowings of La Rouennaise should be made in the beds where the Melons are planted, or in small hotbeds specially made for the purpose.

Carrots #

The Carrots on the hotbeds can be grown in the open by taking away the frames and lights which are used for the Melons. They will require very heavy waterings, as they are gross feeders, and they must be ready at the end of this month, to make room for the Cauliflowers. The batch sown in the open will require thinning and weeding whenever possible, and the ground must now be kept damp to avoid the cracking of the roots, which is caused by a drought followed by a heavy rain or watering. A sowing can be made this month where there is a constant demand for tender and young Carrots. The germination must be helped by light and frequent waterings. This batch is liable to the attacks of the Carrot Fly, so prevalent from the end of May. This explains the reason why this sowing is so seldom made.

Cauliflowers #

The batch planted among the Carrots will show bud early this month, and they will require ample waterings with the hose at least every two days. At the end of the month these Cauliflowers will have developed some fair-sized heads; these must be carefully covered by leaves broken from the base of the plants, to keep the inflorescence white and smooth. The two batches of Cauliflowers planted either among the cold work or the cloches will require very little watering early in the month; but a careful inspection must be made of the growth and heavy waterings started as soon as the plants get a fair size. The planting of Cauliflowers may be continued in spare ground or among the Lettuce plantation. The setting must be made three weeks after the insertion of the Lettuces or Endives, or the Cauliflowers would overtake them in their growth and occupy all the room, with disastrous results.

An important sowing of Cauliflowers Driancourt or Lenormand must be made in a well prepared bed by the loth of the month, to be transplanted in the Melons from ist July. The seeds must be sown very thinly, and ample allowance must be made for good plants. At this time of the year, especially in light soil, the young plants in the seed-bed are liable to go " blind,” and it is necessary to make the losses good. Some old growers attribute it to the larva of some insect, but the cause has yet to be ascertained.

When a small variety such as Little Solomon or Early London has been grown a few heads may be ready at the end of the month.

The cutting of Cauliflowers requires an experienced hand, for when cut too early the inflorescence withers very quickly, and when cut too late it breaks away and gets very coarse.

Celery #

Early in the month, where there are cloches or lights at liberty, the strongest plants may be pricked off i Jin. apart under glass, in order to obtain an early batch for planting outside at the middle of June. At the end of the month the main batch should be pricked off 2in. apart each way in spare old manure-beds where Melons and Endives were grown. If no ground is at liberty beds may be prepared for the purpose. A layer of 3in. or 4in. of decayed manure and 2in. or 3in. of soil, well raked and levelled, will be suitable. The beds must be in good condition when pricking-off is undertaken, and must be kept damp by spraying them once or twice daily, according to the weather.

The Celeriac may be pricked out early this month to obtain very good specimens, when setting the plants in their final quarter. This vegetable has also the advantage of not running to seed quickly.

It will not be too late to sow a few more seeds of late Celery early this month. This batch will produce fine specimens and is a good keeper when the weather is favourable to its growth in October. The batch sown in February and pricked out in April will be ready to be planted in its final quarter late this month. The Celery should be set very thickly in a heavily manured bed in the open, roin. to i2in. apart each way. The plants must be well watered and the ground kept moist till they are well established.

Melons #

The making of hotbeds for the main batch of Melons, and their planting, will be the chief and most important work. Fresh manure must be had as the work proceeds, and this will want a good soaking when in position in the beds, to assist fermentation. The plants should be set whenever the heat has warmed the soil; they must be shaded for at least eight or ten days, when ventilation may be given. The batch planted in April will grow well and form a quantity of wood, which will require thinning, as explained in the special chapter. Watering must be moderate until the female flowers are well set, when it may be given more freely. Ventilation should be given according to the weather and the growth. The mats must also be carefully spread at night so as to avoid any check to the growth.

Cardoons #

The plants must be gradually hardened off early in May for the final planting at the end of this month. Whenever possible the ground should be well dug and heavily manured. Holes should be made 2ft. 6in. to 3ft. apart each way and filled with garden refuse or ordinary manure, which should be covered with 4in. or sin. of soil. At the end of the month the plants should be set and well watered in.

Turnips #

During the first days of the month the lights and frames may be removed from the Turnips and used for the Melons. The soil at the roots must be kept damp, otherwise the Turnips will not be tender. This batch is generally ready by the I5th of the month. Those grown in the open must be well watered and thinned out whenever necessary. In good ground the plants where crowded should be pulled as soon as possible after germination. Moreover, when the Turnips are ready, the biggest should be pulled out to give room for the smaller ones. This, when done in proper time, ensures a more profitable crop. Another sowing of Turnips (New Model or Round Croissy) may be made early this month when there is a market for this vegetable in July. The germination of the seeds is very troublesome on account of the Turnip Fly. The seed-beds must be sprayed twice or thrice daily to induce a quick growth of the first leaves, when the plants will be free from the attacks of this beetle.

Tomatoes #

Very early this month the plants should be lifted and pricked off a second time 100 per light. When preparing the bed necessary for the extra room needed no fresh manure must be used, as in fermenting it would burn the roots. The plants should be set very deep and kept close and shaded for a few days. After this, ventilation should be increased gradually and left at night till the i5th of the month, when the lights may be removed altogether. The frames must be left so that the lights could be replaced in case of late frosts before the planting. The plants in the frames must not receive any water this month, especially when the soil is very rich; this will tend to harden them and to force the growth of the first truss.

The final planting should be made from the I5th of the month in sheltered positions, and earlier when the plants can be covered with bell-glasses. In the open field or in heavy ground this operation can be delayed for ten or twelve days. The plants should be set i8in. apart in the row and 2ft. between the rows. When there is a great number of plants to be put out it is usual for a man to open the ground with a spade whilst a boy slips the plants into the aperture. The soil should be made firm at the roots by pressing it with the foot. More care and time may with advantage be taken when only a few plants are required by making a hole with a spade and bringing some loose soil round the roots. The ground must be very clean and well prepared previous to the planting. Tomatoes do better in firm, heavy ground; they require no stable manure. A sprinkling of basic slag or of potash will be found very beneficial. These manures must be in the ground a certain period before they can be assimilated by the plants; this enables the Tomatoes to form trusses of blossom before the plants receive any benefit from these dressings.

The tying of the Tomatoes is sometimes done on wire, running i2in. to I4in. over the row of plants. This system is cheap and quick, but unfortunately the plants must have been in the ground a certain time before they can be tied on the wire. Moreover, this operation must also be done within one week and at a time when the attention of the grower is needed all over the garden. The tying on bamboo canes is preferable, as the plants are thus secured when they have grown a few inches. The outlay may be greater, but these bamboo canes last many years. In staking the plants the canes are inclined row to row, and only one space between two rows is used as a path; this gives more room for going up and down with baskets when picking the fruits.

Cabbages #

The Ox-heart Cabbages must receive plenty of water in May. All of them ought to be despatched to market this month. When the ground is at liberty it will require heavy watering before preparing it for the insertion of another crop, as Cabbages tend to dry the ground to such an extent as to make it unsuitable for a proper tilth until it has been well soaked.

Beans #

Beans sown in April will require ample ventilation during the daytime, while the necessary covering must be carefully done at night in case of frost. In genial weather the glass should be removed at the end of May, when the plants should receive a good hoeing. This crop does not require watering this month.

Chicory #

This salading, grown chiefly in Belgium, is a very good crop for the winter when bleached. It should be sown on a ground well manured and well prepared late this month. The best variety is Chicory Witloof. The seeds should be sown in drills loin, apart and covered with finely sifted soil. They will require some watering in case of dry weather. The only other care necessary will be to keep the ground clean. The plants should be thinned out 6in. or 8in. apart. The “thinnings” may be pricked out in bare places. In July or August the leaves will need trimming; only the outsides must, however, be cut. If the leaves were cut short the growth obtained when bleaching would consist of small narrow leaves and no heart.

Strawberries #

The plants will be fruiting freely this month and will require liquid manure twice weekly, which should be discontinued when the fruits change in colour. Ventilation must be given freely in the daytime when weather permits, and air may be left at night to prevent the damping of the fruit. The plants set in the open for the runners must be well watered and kept clean. They will show buds, which must be removed, as no fruiting must be allowed on them. However, every plant growing blind viz., without any inflorescence must be destroyed, as the runners obtained from such never produce fruit.

General Work #

This is the busiest month of the year in the French garden, and to be successful the work must be done methodically. The most important detail is the making of the beds and the planting of the Melons, which must be done in the shortest time. For this the gardener must have prepared everything necessary for the work in the last days of April such as manure, fine soil, frame, and lights. The planting of saladings must be done with care, and preferably late in the evening or in dull weather, to prevent flagging. The watering work will greatly increase this month, and the importance of the perfect irrigation will be greatly appreciated and fully experienced at this period of the year. The ventilation and shading will also require careful attention. Packing, again, will be one of the chief items in the routine work Saladings, Radishes, and Carrots will be ready. They should be despatched as soon as of suitable size, especially Sadadings, which soon run to seed when left too long.

Apart from the making of the hotbeds for Melons, the w r ork will be very light, but it must be done very quickly if everything is to receive attention at the proper time. We may give here the routine of a day’s work in a business garden with three men and one woman packing.

One man is working all day at the making of the hotbeds for Melons, receiving the necessary help for carting of the manure, the shifting of the frames and lights when needed. The two men gather first thing in the morning the vegetables ready for market and bring them to the shed before 8 a.m. The uncovering of the lights and the ventilation are also done before 8 a.m.; from breakfast till 10.30 a man does the necessary watering and afterwards joins the other attending to the numerous crops. The woman packs all day and receives the necessary help for the tying of the hampers, labelling, &c., shortly before the dispatch of the goods.

June #

Lettuces #

The spring batch of Cabbage Lettuce will have been cleared off the ground. When plants are needed for intercropping among the last crops on the hotbeds in July they can be sown four weeks before they are required. The best varieties are Batavia, Palatine, Perrichone, and All the Year Round. Seed should be sown very thinly in a spare bed in the open, and the ground kept damp by light and frequent waterings, early or late, but never in the middle of the day.

The Cos Lettuce White of Paris will be ready late in May and early in the present month. The soil must receive heavy waterings, to keep the plants tender and to prevent them from running prematurely to seed. A few plants must be examined inside the heart, which sometimes decays without indications appearing on the outside. When Cos Lettuces are to be grown as a main crop on the old hotbeds in July, they must be sown as was explained for the Cabbage Lettuce. The best variety is Hardy White of Paris. The young plants must be thinned out to keep them in condition, hardy, and stumpy.

Endives #

Plants set out in April may be marketed early this month. When tying for bleaching the raffia must be left loose, as the heart gets bigger after the plants are tied. Another batch should be planted outside, allowing loin, each way. The most important item in their culture is the frequent and light watering. Endives should be grown as a main crop on the hotbeds in July. If it is sown in the open very thinly La Rouennaise is the best variety for the purpose. The seeds must be inserted very early this month. A few seeds of Endive La Ruffec may be sown this month for planting in the open ground among the early potatoes or by themselves.

The Endive Batavian Green should be also sown this month when it is intended to be planted in heavy ground. This salading is a very good doer, and is grown on a very large scale in France; but for quality the principal batch is sown in July. It is necessary to sow the Endive under glass till late in June, as these plants require a quick germination; they are liable to run to seed when sown in the open before that date.

Carrots #

Early this month the last Carrots will be ready for market. These must be pulled all at once, large and small, as those left would never give satisfactory results. As soon as the plants are lifted the ground should be cleared, hoed, and raked over for the benefit of the Cauliflowers. When Carrots have been sown among the cloches they will require abundant watering early this month, as they should form a succession to those grown in the frames. The batch sown in the open will require ample watering at this time, especially if Cauliflowers have been grown amidst it as an intercrop.

Cauliflowers #

Cauliflowers planted in March either on hotbeds or in the open will be forming their inflorescence during June. They will require abundant waterings daily. When the Cauliflowers show the buds they must on no account get dry at the roots, or the buds will remain small and uneven. The inflorescence must be carefully shaded from the light to keep it white. For this purpose it is advisable to use the bottom leaves of the plants. The young plants in the seedling-beds must be kept very damp by light but frequent waterings. They must be pricked off when they are the proper size. This explains the reason for the frequent sowings. It is far better to destroy a batch of unsuitable plants at once than to keep them, as the loss is then restricted to a minimum.

Celery #

Plants set in store should now receive all the necessary waterings. " Fly " may attack the young Celery this month, and as soon as their presence is noted the affected leaves must be picked and burned. Further, the plants may be sprayed once a week at night only with paraffin and water one 2in. potful in 3galls. of water.

A batch of Celery Chemin may be set at the end of June, i8in. apart. The plants must be watered in, but though the ground must not go dry the watering must be done with care for at least four weeks after planting. Cabbage Lettuces and Endives may be planted and Radishes or Spinach may be sown as an intercrop.

Melons #

All the Melons will now be fruiting, a few of which will ripen at the end of the month. The plants must on no account get dry. A light watering daily is preferable. Care must, however, be taken to suspend the watering if the weather should get cold or dull. Ventilation can now be given freely whenever possible. The fruits will stop the growth of the wood to a certain extent, though it will be necessary to examine the plants and remove all extra growth.

The second batch planted from early in May will require ventilation daily; the watering is very important this month, as the plants must ripen the wood properly if good and sound fruit is to be obtained. The grower will have to pay all his attention to this item as some female flowers will be set during the last fortnight in June, and the watering must be done according to the stage of growth of the plants. In heavy ground the natural moisture before the setting would be practically sufficient, especially when the plants have been mulched. In case of storm the lights must be closed and mats spread at night as the Melons are liable to be attacked by La Nhuile, a predisposing cause of which is a brisk change in the temperature.

Cardoons #

The plants will now be well rooted and will require ample watering. At Gennervilliers, a suburb of Paris, where they are grown chiefly, the ground is flooded at intervals. When the plants are allowed to get dry they are liable to run to seed. At the end of June they may be watered weekly with liquid manure, the strength of which may be increased with the growth.

Turnips #

The first batch of Turnips sown in the open will be ready early in the month, especially where water can be freely had. A sowing can be made this month, but this must only be undertaken in very friable land and where the seed-bed can be watered twice or thrice daily. The " Fly " is very troublesome at this time of the year, and sometimes the sowing will have to be repeated three or four times to obtain good results.

Tomatoes #

All the plants will be well established and will require sticking early in June. The Tomatoes must be tied to the stick as soon as this operation can be done. When the plants are 6in. high they must be sprayed with Bordeaux Mixture or Strawsonite as a preventive of the diseases so prevalent in this crop. The side-shoots will want to be removed as soon as they appear, as they are detrimental to the growth of the trusses of blooms. The ground should be kept clean by frequent hoeings to induce by every means the health and growth of the Tomatoes.

Beans #

The glass should be removed from the Beans early in June and the plants should receive a good hoeing. In favourable weather some Beans will be ready for picking late this month.

Chicory #

Chicory will now be well up and the ground must be kept damp and hoed when needed. The plants should be thinned out and some thinnings may be pricked off where bare patches are showing. If they are growing too freely the bottom leaves may be removed by hand.

Strawberries #

Plants grown for runners will require hoeing and tidying whenever necessary. The bed must be kept damp, to induce a good growth in the young runners, which must be fixed firmly in the ground. Some growers plunge in the bed " sixty " pots filled with good sandy soil where the runners are placed. This system, though very slow, will be well repaid, as the plants do not receive a check when potted in July. The potting soil must be prepared if this has not been done already. The specialists around Paris prepare the soil as follows: A layer of well broken sandy loam, a layer of decayed manure, and so on. The heap is turned over every three or four weeks and watered with liquid manure.

General Work #

Watering will be the chief occupation this month. Where the irrigation has been well laid, this work will be an easy matter, and the grower will reap the benefit of his forethought by obtaining his crops earlier and will be able to set plants or sow seeds whenever his ground is unoccupied. The hose should be chiefly employed in the open, but this must be very pliable, to allow the workman to move it whenever necessary without spoiling the beds. The copper reel should be fixed at the corner of the bed to prevent the hose from cutting the crops. The rose must be very fine, having about 500 holes with a diameter of 3in.

Melons should always be watered with the cans so as the better to distribute the water; they must, too, be watered before 8 a.m., before the sun gets too hot.

Endives and Lettuces must be watered either early or very late, as when the water lies on the leaves these are liable to get spotted under the action of the sun. When cloches are used for Melons they must be shaded with limewash on the outside.

When an increase of material to be used in the garden is contemplated, the orders, especially in the case of bell-glasses, must be sent in this month, to avoid the delay which occurs very often later in the season.

When another plot of ground is to be added to the French garden this ought to be cleared late this month, especially if the land is of a heavy nature. This can be ploughed and harrowed at least twice before the following October. When a grass land is to be broken up this ought to be done early after the haymaking, and the ground must receive a layer of gaslime four tons to the acre or Vaporite 2 cwt. per acre to destroy any of the pests that may be prevalent. When the ground has been well worked, it can be laid out with pipes and well manured to be ready for use by Christmas.

July #

Lettuces #

As soon as the Cauliflowers are marketed from the manure-beds these should be forked down. Then two beds should be made into one by doing away with each alternate path, which becomes part of the bed. This path being removed, the soil therefrom should be spread on each side and dug in. The old path should be made level with the bed by bringing fresh soil from the sides. This must be done with great care, as the old trodden manure is unsuitable for the future crops.

The ground should be levelled with a rake and heavily watered before planting. To mark the rows it is a good plan to place a line on the outside row and tread it. One foot remains against the line and the other foot makes the second drill. The third row is marked by keeping the foot in the second row, turning round to make the third row in the same manner, the second row being used as a guide. This method brings the rows exactly parallel and the line can be discarded (Fig. 18).

The Cos and Cabbage Lettuces are planted as follow: One of the outside rows is set first to the exact distance. Then a board laft. long is placed horizontally on edge by the row, one end being even with a plant of the outside row. One plant is then set against the board on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, Qth and nth row. The board is then turned over against the second plant of the outside row. The odd rows are set as already explained, and the even rows, the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, loth, i2th, are set diagonally with the odd rows, at a distance of gin. for the Cos Lettuces from the board, or set with Cabbage Lettuces if they are to be grown concurrently with the former as an intercrop.

The plants when all set are well watered in and the bed must on no account get dry. A batch of seeds of Cos Lettuce Winter Red or Hardy White may be sown early in the month, to be planted late in the month for cropping at the end of September. Cabbage Lettuce Perichonne or White Passion may also be inserted at the same period for marketing at the end of August or during September. These crops must only be grown when plenty of water can be obtained and where the ground is of a heavy nature.

Endives #

Endives sown early last month for planting on the old manure-beds should be set in the same way as explained for the Cos Lettuces. It must be borne in mind that the old manure is very dry at this time of the year after the Cauliflowers, and heavy waterings must be given till the soil is in good condition for planting. The main batch for the winter crop should be sown about the loth or i2th of July, and earlier in the month in the northern districts in the open. The varieties for this crop are La Ruffec and La Meaux. Endive Batavian Green should be sown at the same time. These crops are to be planted in the open ground. They would grow too soft in the old manure-beds, and these will be required before the Endives are ready for market.

Carrots #

Carrots sown during spring in the open will be ready early this month. Many growers sow Carrots behind the Cauliflowers grown on the old manure-beds of the cloches. These beds are prepared as already explained for the Lettuces. The germination of the seeds must be hastened by frequent waterings if good results are to be expected, and to clear the ground in time early in October. The best variety for this purpose is La Bellot, a cross between the Early Parisian and the Nantaise. It is not advisable to sow the Carrots where a batch has been sown on the hotbeds in January.

Cauliflowers #

The Cauliflowers planted in the early spring should now be ready; but experience and judgment are required in their marketing. When pulled out too early they soon wither, anol when left in the ground too long the inflorescence bursts and gets bitter. After a heavy rain or a storm a great number of Cauliflowers will be ready within the course of a few hours and would soon get spoilt if not pulled in time. A fully grown Cauliflower will keep fresh two or three days after pulling if it is stored in a cool and dark cellar.

The batch of Cauliflower planted after the first batch of Cos Lettuces in the cloches at the end of April will require heavy watering early in July till they are ready some time this month. The Cauliflowers from the seed sown in May can now be planted out among the Melons, four per light. We never advocate planting Cauliflowers among the Melons before these have been at least ten to eleven weeks in the frames, as one crop would be injurious to the other. The Melons require less ventilation than the Cauliflowers, and their growth must be on the decline before the latter are set. The last Cauliflowers are set not later than the end of July.

Melons #

Early this month the first batch of Melons will be in full bearing, to be followed very shortly by the main lot planted at the beginning of May. The watering must be continued with the same punctuality one can of water of 3galls. daily all the plants to be watered before 8 a.m. The wood will not grow much when the fruits are swelling, but it may be necessary, especially in heavy soil, to remove the extra growth and also the dead leaves. When the weather is very favourable the lights may be removed altogether from the loth of the month, exception being made in the case of the plants last set out. In small gardens the lights may be left close at hand to be replaced should the weather get cool or stormy. Round Paris they are usually packed in the shed for the remainder of the season.

Cardoons #

These plants will be growing freely, and they must on no account be kept short of water or they may run to seed. Liquid manure may be given weekly, increasing the dose with the growth.

Celery #

Celery should be planted in its final quarters as soon as the ground is available for the purpose on the old manure-beds, which should be prepared as explained for the Lettuces. They should be planted i8in. apart each way. The plants will not flag if the roots are dipped in water previous to the planting and afterwards well watered in. As an intercrop either Cabbage Lettuce, Spinach, or Radish should be chosen. Celery will not require much watering in July before it gets well established or it would soon decay round the collar. This crop is not very often grown in new gardens as it is a gross feeder and takes all the goodness out of the decayed manure, which in a new place is always limited.

Turnips #

Where ground is at liberty and plenty of water is obtainable a sowing of Turnips may be made this month. White or Rose Turnip, the Hammer Strain, or the Turnip of Croissy are varieties which can be recommended. The seeds should be sown broadcast and the beds kept constantly damp by two or three waterings daily till the first leaves are well developed. The first stage of growth of the Turnip is always the most trying for the grower at this time of the year. This crop is very successful in fine, damp, sandy soil. In clay ground the Turnip gets very strong and is not much valued by the consumers.

Tomatoes #

This crop will be at its best this month, and will claim all the spare time of the gardener in removing the laterals, tying the stems, and spraying the plants at least once with Strawsonite. When the first truss of fruit is well set a dressing of sulphate of ammonia loz. for every square yard will be beneficial, followed by a good watering. It is preferable to use a small quantity of this manure and repeat the dose fortnightly. In heavy ground this crop does not require much watering, but we recommend not letting the ground get too dry, as the plants would remain inactive too long and the skin of the fruits would get hard, with liability to crack later on when the growth would restart.

From the 2oth to the 25th of the month the Tomato plants should be " stopped " at one leaf over the last truss of blooms. Though the date seems to be very early for this operation, it leaves just sufficient time for the last truss to set and the fruits to mature before the cold nights of the last fortnight of September.

Strawberries #

From the i4th of the month the grower starts his work for the next season. The soil previously prepared should be well turned over and broken up and passed through a Jin. screen. The plants after the bed has been watered thoroughly should be lifted and potted in " forty-eights. " They should be set in frames, pot to pot, and mats may be spread over for a few days for the plants to get well established. The soil must on no account get dry, and the foliage should be damped over at least once a day.

Another bed should be prepared, well manured and dug, to receive the Strawberries in the open to supply runners for a future crop for forcing. The plants should be set in two rows in a bed 4ft. 6in. wide, leaving an interval of 2ft. 6in. between the rows in the centre of the bed. The plants should be set i8in. in the row. This operation should be done after all the plants have been potted, using for the purpose the runners left in the bed.

Chicory #

This crop will require watering and the bed to be kept clean when needed. A dressing of nitrate of soda loz. for two square yards will be beneficial to the crop and assist the growth of the roots.

General Work #

The programme of the gardener this month is always a very full one. Watering will take but half labour where the irrigation has been well installed; but where the water is obtained with difficulty the workmen are kept watering practically all day, or failure will follow. The digging of the old manure-beds and their replanting will be the chief item in the first fortnight. The Melons will also entail a good deal of work. Many fruits will be ready this month and will require inspection at least once and sometimes twice or thrice a day. The watering of the Melons will take at least two hours every morning, and must on no account be neglected. The Cauliflowers will also be ready in quantity in July. They must be looked over at least daily, and in the morning preferably. A quantity of empties must be at hand, as often after a storm in July the Cauliflowers will be ready for market within twenty-four hours. In the last fortnight the gardener must think and decide where to grow his crops the following year, to allow him to do his sowings and prickings off in places which would leave his ground for his spring crops at liberty early in October. The contract for manure for hotbeds the following January must also be sent in, so as to have the first lot coming late in August and in September while the roads are hard and dry.