The Garden.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 23, 17 December 1874, Page 3

The Garden.

FOR DECEMBER.

Pumpkins or Gourds.—May still be sown in good rich soil.

Radish.—Sow twice in a shady place, and water daily. The richer and lighter the soil the better. The turniprooted white varieties are the best for this season.

Pea.—Dwarf kinds should be sown, but only if you have a cool moist place for them. It would be a waste of seed to sow in a dry soil. The seed should be soaked and sown deep as recommended for beans.

Cauliflower.—Sow for main crop twice during the month. The beds require the same care as those for cabbage, and they will suffer by neglect or bad management, more than will cabbage, as they are less robust in the seed and seeding stage. Celery.—Sow a small quantity for late crop. The seed is difficult to raise now. The beds must be darkened and watered twice daily, or of tener in very, dry windy weather. You can scarcely water celery too much after the plants are above ground, of course they must not be rashly washed out of the ground. Squash.—The bush may now be gathered. It should be taken daily, even if not required for use. The time when it is most delicious is just before the flower falls away from the fruit. They are best boiled whole, when seeds and all the rest of the fruit may be mashed with cream, salt, pepper, &c. to taste. This gourd is generally preferred to vegetable marrow. But unless taken at the proper stage it is quite an inferir vegetable. The custard squash and other kinds of vegetable marrow may still be sown, if you have rich ground.

Cabbage.—Sow moderately quick growing sorts for late summer and autumn supply. Sow also largely of large kinds for winter use. This is also the proper time to sow for the main crop of large kinds of savoys. It is a good plan to make two sowings of all the kinds mentioned one at the beginning and the other near to the end of the month. A few dry ferns or brushwood should be placed on the seed beds for shade, and watering daily must be attended to, unless rain renders the necessary assistance. Both watering- and shading must be moderate but sufficient. Beans.—A small sowing of French beans may now be made to keep up with a regular supply. It is a good plan to steep the seed in water for about 24 hours prior to sowing it. A small sowing of broad beans may also be made if you have a pretty moist bed. They will do no good now in a dry place. They may be also sown more thickly than would be proper at the regular time. This seed should also be soaked previous to sowing. And in both cases the seeds may be put deeper in, the / ground than at other times, say lar inches, or even six, if the land be k. light quality. , Cucumber.—Some choose! the early It of this or the latter part of last [nth for large sowings of cucumbers. h growing vines should, be pinched Ik, and great benefit would be reaped I placing a few boughed hurdles longst them, both by way of shadeliter, and to climb over. By affordr this the crop will often be three or |r times greater than if left to run pn the beds. At the same time the Mity is improved. Watering should c'^be:'resorted to, unless very dry lather' necessitates .it.. When you ofin watering it is difficult to leave off tjhout a consequent lapse, of. growth, 3refore. withhold the water-pot as >g as you can.