Manual of Gardening Part 70

(11) Plant outdoors on prepared beds.

(12) Sow every week in greenhouse or frame, to have a good succession.

VEGETABLES IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Artichoke, American - - - (0) (0) - - - - - - - French - (4) - (1) (1) - - - - - - - Beans, Bush (6) (6) (6) (0) (2) (2) (2) (0) - - - - Beans, Pole & Lima - - - - (0) (0) - - - - - - Beets - - (4) (4) (0) (0) (0) (0) - - - - Borecole, Kale - - - - (1) (1) (1) - - - - - Broccoli - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - (7) (7) - - Brussels Sprouts - - - - (1) (1) - - - - - - Cabbage, all sorts - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - (7) (7) - - Cardoon - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Carrot (6) (6) (5) (0) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - Cauliflower (6) (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Celeriac - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Celery - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Chicory - - (5) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Collards - - - - - - (0) (0) (0) - - - Corn, field - - - (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Corn, Sweet - - - (2) (2) (2) (2) (0) - - - - Corn, Pop - - - (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Corn, Salad - - (5) (0) (0) (0) - - (8) - - - Cress (12) (12) (12) (12) (0) (0) - - (12) (12) (12) (12) Cuc.u.mber (6) (6) (6) (4) (0) (0) - (6) (6) - - - Egg Plants - (6) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Endive - - - (1) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - Kohlrabi (6) (6) (4) (1) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - Leek - (4) (4) (1) (1) (1) - - - - - - Lettuce (6) (4) (4) (1) (2) (2) (2) (0) (9) (9) (7) - Mangel - - (5) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Melon (6) (6) (6) (4) (0) (0) (9) (6) - - - - Mushroom (10) (10) (11) - - - - (11) (10) (10) (10) (10) Mustard (12) (12) (12) (0) (0) (0) - (0) (0) (12) (12) (12) Nasturtium - - - (0) (0) - - - - - - - Okra - - (4) (4) (2) (2) (2) - - - - - Onion - (4) (4) (1) (1) - - - - - - - Parsnips - - (5) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Parsley (6) (6) (4) (0) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - Peas - - (5) (2) (2) (2) (2) (0) - (0) - - Pepper - (4) (4) (4) (1) - - - - - - - Potatoes - - - (0) (0) - - - - - - - Pumpkin - - - (4) (0) (0) - - - - - - Radish (12) (12) (12) (3) (3) (3) - - (9) (9) - - Rutabaga - - - - - - - (0) (0) - - - Salsify - - (5) (0) - - - (0) (0) - - - Seakale - - (5) (0) (0) (0) - - - - - - Spinach - - (5) (0) (0) - - - (2) (8) - - Squash - - (4) (4) (0) (0) - - - - - - Tomato (6) (6) (4) (1) (1) (1) - (6) (6) (6) - - Turnips - - - - - - - (0) (0) - - -

N.B.--For last planting of Beans, Sweet Corn, Kohlrabi, Peas and Radishes, or even Tomatoes, take the earliest varieties, just the same as are used for first planting.

--The late sowings of Salsify are intended to remain undisturbed over winter. Roots from these sowings will, the next year, attain a size double that usually seen.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 318. Bird's-eye view of the seasons in which the various garden products may be in their prime.]

SUGGESTIONS AND REMINDERS.--I. FOR THE NORTH

JANUARY

_Cabbage plants_ in frames need free airing whenever the temperature is above the freezing point, or so long as the soil of the bed is not frozen. Snow, in that case, should be removed soon after its fall. As long as the soil is frozen the snow can safely be left on for a number of days. Cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce seed should be sown at intervals to secure plants for extra-early sales or setting. A month later they will be ready to transfer to boxes, which should go to the coldframe and be given protection by mats or shutters.

_Coldframes_ must be well ventilated on warm, sunny days; leave the sashes off as long as is possible without injury to the plants. Keep the soil in a friable condition, and look carefully to any possible places where water can stand and freeze. If the frames seem too cold, bank up around them with coa.r.s.e manure.

_Hotbeds._--Look up and repair the sashes. Save the horse-manure from day to day, rejecting dry litter, and piling up the droppings and urine-soaked bedding in thin layers to prevent violent heating.

_Lettuce_ in frames treat as advised for cabbage plants.

_Pruning_ should now be considered. Perhaps it is best to prune fruit-trees in March or April, but grapes and currants and gooseberries may be pruned now. January and February are good months in which to prune peach trees. Thin out the peach trees well, taking care to remove all the dead wood. If you have much pruning to do in apple, pear, or plum orchards, you will save time by utilizing the warm days now. Study well the different methods of pruning. Never let an itinerant pruner touch your trees until you are satisfied that he understands his business.

_Tools_ should now be inspected and repaired, and any new ones that are needed made or ordered.

FEBRUARY

_Cabbage._--Sow seed of Jersey Wakefield in flats filled with light loamy soil, the last week of this month. Sow thinly, cover lightly, and place the boxes in a gentle hotbed or any warm, sunny situation. When the plants are strong, transplant them into flats 1-1/2 in. apart each way. As growth begins, gradually expose them to the open air on all favorable occasions. Late in March remove them to a coldframe, and properly harden them off before setting them in the open ground.

_Celery._--We urgently advise every one who has a garden, large or small, to make a trial of the new celery-culture. You need, first, good plants. Get some seed of White Plume or Golden Self-blanching, and sow it thickly in flats filled with fine loam. Cover by sifting a thin layer of sand or fine soil over it, and firm well. Keep in a moderately warm place, watering as needed, until plants appear. If you have a number of flats, they may be placed on top of one another. At the first sign of plant-growth, bring the flats gradually to the light. When the plants are 1-1/2 or 2 in. high, transplant them into other flats, setting them in rows 2-1/2 in. apart, the plants half an inch apart in the rows. Then set the flats in a coldframe until the plants are large enough to plant out in the open ground.

_Hotbeds_ for raising early plants should be made this month. Always break the manure up fine and tread it down well. Be sure to put enough in the center of beds, so that there will be no sagging. Fresh manure of hard-worked and well-fed horses, free from dry litter, is best. An addition of leaves used for bedding will serve to produce a more moderate but more lasting heat. Sheep-manure may also be added to the horse-manure, should there be a scant supply of the latter on hand.

_Onions._--We urgently advise giving the new onion-culture a trial. For seed, buy a packet or an ounce of Prizetaker, Spanish King, White Victoria, or some other large kind of globe onion. Sow the seed in flats, in a hotbed, or in a greenhouse late in the month, and transplant the onions to the open ground as soon as the latter is in working condition. Set the plants in rows 1 ft. apart and about 3 in. apart in the row.

_Plums._--Make a thorough inspection of all plum and cherry trees, wild and cultivated, for plum-knot. Cut and burn all the knots found. Remove all "mummy" plums, for they spread the fruit-rot.

_Rhubarb._--Give the plants in the garden a heavy dressing of fine old compost. If you wish a few early stalks, place kegs or boxes over some of the plants, and heap over them some heating horse-manure.

MARCH

_Beets._--A few seeds may be sown in the hotbed.

_Cabbage, cauliflower, and celery_ seeds may be sown for the early crop.

_Egg-plants._--Seeds should be sown. Take care that the young plants are never stunted.

_Grafting_ may be done in favorable weather. Cherries and plums must be grafted early. Use liquid grafting-wax in cold weather.

_Hotbeds_ may be made at any time, but do not grow impatient about the work, for there will be cold weather yet. Clean, fresh manure is necessary, and a layer 2 ft. thick should be tramped hard. When once started and the seeds sown, do not let the beds get too hot. Give them air on fine days and give the seedlings plenty of water. Use two thermometers--one to test the atmosphere and the other the heat of the soil.

_Lettuce_ should be sown in the hotbed for an early crop.

_Onion_ seed for the new onion-culture may be sown at the close of the month.

_Peas._--Sow now, if the ground can be worked.

_Peppers_ may be sown late in the month.

_Potatoes_ kept for seed must not be allowed to sprout. Keep them in a temperature near freezing point. Rub off the sprouts from potatoes kept for eating, and pick out all decayed specimens.

_Spinach._--Sow some seeds for an early crop.

_Tomato_ seeds may be sown in the hotbeds.

APRIL

_Artichokes._--Sow the seeds for next year's crop. A deep, rich, sandy loam is best. Fork in a dressing of well-rotted manure around the old plants.

_Asparagus._--Spade in some good manure in the bed, and give the soil a thorough working before the crowns start. Sow seeds in the open ground for young plants for a new bed.

_Beans._--Limas may be started on sods in a hotbed or a coldframe towards the last of the month.

_Beets._--The ground should be prepared and the seed sown for beets for cattle as soon as the weather will permit. Put them in before planting corn. They will stand considerable cold weather, and should be planted early to get a start of the weeds.

_Blackberries_ should be pruned, the brush drawn off, piled, and burned.

If it is necessary, to stake them, try a wire trellis, the same as for grapes, putting on one wire 2-1/2 ft. high. The young plants should be dug before the buds start.

_Cabbage_ seed may be sown in the open ground, in coldframes, or in pans or boxes in the house. Early varieties should be started at once.

Cabbages like a rich and heavy loam, with good drainage. Give them all the manure you can get.

_Cauliflower_ seeds may be sown toward the last of the month. They should never have a check from the time the seed is sown until harvested.

_Carrot._--Sow the seed of early sorts, like Early Forcing, as soon as the ground can be worked.

_Celery._--Plan to grow celery by the new method. Plenty of manure and moisture are required to do this. Sow the seed in light, rich soil in the house, hotbed, coldframe, or open ground. Transplant the plants once before setting them in the field. Page 505.

_Cress._--Sow early and every two or three weeks. Watercress should be sown in damp soil or in streams. The outer edges of a hotbed may also be utilized. Cress is often a profitable crop when rightly handled.

_Cuc.u.mber_ seeds may be sown on sods in the hotbed.

_Egg-plant._--Sow in the hotbed, and transplant when 2 in. high to other beds or pots. They must have good care, for a check in their growth means all the difference between profit and loss.

_Lettuce._--Sow the seeds in the hotbed, and in the open ground as soon as it can be worked. Plants sown a month ago should be transplanted.