Asparagus

Let this, for your own eating, grow three inches above the ground before you cut it. As a rule, it is better to cut the whole of the shoots as fast as they are of a proper size, than to select the strongest and leave the worst to go to seed. They are all good eating if cut young.

Beans, Broad

Sow more of any kind if it be desir-able to have successive crops, though few care to have a continuance. Top those in flower, and draw earth to the stems of those recently up. Topping early has the effect of clearing away black-fly, or otherwise there would be no necessity for the operation.

Beans, French Or Dwarf

These may be sown for a principal crop, in drills eighteen inches apart, and the beans three to four inches asunder in the rows. Earth up any sufficiently advanced for the purpose.

Beans, Scarlet-Runner

Make another sowing of these, six inches apart in drills three feet asunder, and stick and earth up any that require it.

Beet

Sow in the same way that you would carrots, the main crop, in the early part of the month. Thin and weed the early sown, and if there be a scarcity of them, those taken up in thinning may be transplanted elsewhere.

Broccoli

Seed may be sown this month; and it is better to sow two or three kinds, and at two separate seasons, a fortnight apart. Plant out from frames and seed-beds whenever the weather is favourable to the work.

Brussels Sprouts

A few of the most forward plants may be put out on a sunny compartment where the soil is rich, in rows eighteen inches asunder, and the plants a foot apart in the rows.

Cabbages

Transplant a quantity of the spring-sown ones in rows eighteen inches apart every way. Tie up some of those that are forward enough, so that the hearts may be whitened; earth up such as are advancing, loosening the soil and drawing it up to the stems. Sow more seed of any desirable kinds, for you should never be short of plants.

Capsicums

Put a few plants out under a south wall, or at the foot of a south bank, at the end of the month, having pricked them out two in a pot at the beginning, and grown them in the cucumber bed. Turn the balls out whole, and water to settle the ground round them. Seed may be sown out of doors about the middle of the month, by which means good-sized green pods may be secured for pickling in the autumn.

Carrots

Thin these out as soon as they are large enough, eight inches apart in every direction, and sow more seed for succession.

Cauliflowers

Those protected with hand-glasses are now beginning to show flower, and when this is the case, break down one or two leaves to cover them from the wet and sun. If the weather prove very dry, the plants must be watered. Transplant others from the seed-bed, and sow again for succession.

Celery

The March-sown will be large enough to prick out. Take the largest, and contrive to thin the seed-bed all over, rather than clear it in any particular part. Prick them out three to four inches apart, on a piece of rich ground, there to strengthen six weeks, where you can cover them if required. Water them to settle their roots. In a small garden it is not advisable to have celery too forward, as trenches cannot well be prepared until some of the early crops are over.

Cucumbers

Level the soil in the bed, and lay the branches out of each other's way; pinch off the ends of vigorous shoots, so as to throw strength into the bearing portion of the vine.

Gourds

These may be grown to perfection in pre-cisely the same manner as advised for ridge cucumbers, but as they take up more room, space must be left for them to extend beyond the limits of the ridge. It is advisable to put out strong plants from pots, affording them protection until such time as they are well established; but if you are unable to obtain plants, you may sow seed where the plants are to stand, and, although the produce will be somewhat later, it will be good.

Herbs

Sow seed of angelica, borage, curled chervil, dill, fennel (also increase by division of the roots), purslane, rosemary, and rue (also increase by cuttings and offsets), on the open border. Balm, burnet, hyssop, lavender, pot marjoram, mint, pennyroyal, sage, tarragon, common thyme and lemon thyme, may be increased by cuttings and offsets of the root.

Lettuces

Transplant some of the strongest, thinning the place they were sown in, that the rest may perfect their growth in the seed-bed. Sow some of the different sorts for succession, where the plants are to remain. Shade and water after planting to insure a quick growth and prevent them from running to seed.

Melons

These require constant attention, both to the heat and the fruit. Not more than two or three melons ought to be grown on each plant at one time for general purposes, and a less number of fruit would be better where they are required for exhibition.

Onions

These must be hoed and cleared. The plants for bulbing must not be closer than four or five inches; if, however, any be left, they may be drawn for salads, but it is better not to have the bed trampled upon oftener than is necessary; therefore it should be cleared of all weeds and properly thinned at once. Those intended for pickling should be sown thick, on poor ground, and well trodden in. These should not be thinned; the thicker they stand the better, the starving system conducing to make small handsome bulbs that ripen early.

Parsnips

Seed may be sown for succession, and the advancing crop, as soon as large enough, thinned out to eight inches apart in every direction.

Peas

Sow some twice in the month. Peas should be sown right through the season, every fortnight or three weeks, and not in large quantities. Earth may be drawn to the stems of those which are up and advancing, and such as are forward enough should have sticks placed to them.

Pumpkins

These may have precisely the same treatment as that recommended for gourds, and as such there will be no necessity for us to repeat the advice.

Radishes

Another sowing of these may be made by way of succession, but in so doing it is advisable to vary the sorts by way of a change.

Savoys

As seed sown now will produce plants inclined to make smaller hearts than those sown earlier in the season, we recommend our readers to get in a supply at once, and thus make sure of a good crop of little, tender cabbages.

Small Salad

Make a moderate sowing of cress, radish, rape, and mustard, to succeed that sown last month.

Spinach

The sowing of this must depend entirely on the supply required; if it be wanted in any quantity it must be sown once a fortnight, as it should be pulled and eaten before it runs up to seed. It may be either sown evenly all over a piece of ground allotted to it, or even in drills a foot apart, and be thinned out to the same distance asunder, as soon as the plants are large enough to cut; for this purpose half-a-dozen leaves to each plant are necessary, and those which are left may be cleared of their leaves twice a week.

Spinach, New Zealand

In favourable weather this should be planted out, on poor dry soil, in a sunny situation, a foot apart in every direction.

Tomatoes

A limited number of these plants may be put out under a south wall, or at the foot of a south bank, in the same manner as recommended for capsicums, and be afterwards treated in a similar way.

Turnips

Make another good sowing of these, and with the hoe thin out such as are forward enough to six. or eight inches apart in every direction.

Vegetable Marrows

These require similar culture to that advised for cucumbers, with the exception that they need more room; this being the case you must plant them accordingly, and watch them carefully. Seed may be sown of any approved sorts, to succeed such, if any, as are advancing in growth.

Words Of Advice

This month, like the last, necessitates active measures; in a word, the heat increases hourly, and with it the necessity for watering. Then, again, losses, should there be any, must be repaired, and at once; for with activity it is quite possible to make good all arrears in the shape of sowing such seeds as have not been got in, and which should have been sown during the months of March or April. The heat of the earth is now sufficiently powerful to start those seeds which needed a hot-bed two months ago, and consequently those who had no such convenience will be able to grow many choice things a little bit later, that is all.