Mustard (Sinapis Alba

Those who appreciate salads should be always well provided with this plant, of a proper age and tenderness. It is a very good plan to keep a few boxes in use for the purpose in a pit or frame, sowing occasionally to insure a succession, but not with a view to creating waste. It may also be sown in the open air all the summer through on a shady border. There is one thing I would suggest to my readers, and that is, never to sow this and cress at the same time; on the contrary, the latter may be sown at least a week before the former, as it does not grow so fast as the mustard.

Onion (Allium Cepa)

This root not only requires, but must have, good, rich, loamy soil, deeply dug, sweet, and well pulverized. Lay out whatever quantity of ground you intend to devote to this crop in four-feet beds, nicely finished off, and slightly convex. In March or April, or as early as the state of the weather will permit, sow the seed in drills nine inches apart, cover the same half an inch, and beat or tread firmly. Thin them in good time, and clear them of weeds at all times, by keeping the hoe constantly on the move between them. As soon as the leaves turn yellow (which will be somewhere about August) the crop should be lifted, after which the onions should be placed in a dry, airy place. When thoroughly ripe every leaf ought to be removed with the exception of those required for roping. If you have any reason to suppose that there is the slightest danger of the crop turning out badly through wet weather, have the bulbs drawn at once, lay them on the surface of the ground for a day or two, and then put them into a cool oven for an hour or two to finish them off. By care in this manner good store onions may be secured in a season anything but favourable to their ripening properly.

Pickling onions, or rather those intended for pickling - for any kind will do if properly grown - should be sown in April or May on poor ground, very thick, and do not thin the crop at all. Where extra large onions are required, seed should be sown in August, and the produce planted out the following spring, one foot apart in every direction, in rich soil; from which time they must be liberally supplied with water or liquid manure until midsummer.

Parsley (Petroselinum Sativum)

Once a year will be found quite sufficient to sow this in small gardens, because a portion can be cut over in the autumn to insure a new growth before winter; but it is advisable to make a couple of sowings, as it is a thing constantly in demand for a well-ordered kitchen. The best times to sow are March and June, in deeply-dug, well-manured soil. Thin out the plants as soon as they are large enough for the purpose, in order to promote a vigorous, healthy growth. In August, or September, at the latest, a plantation should be made from the June sowing in a frame, or on a warm, sheltered border, where the plants will have a chance of surviving the winter.

Parsley, Hamburg Or Tuberous-Rooted (Petroselinum Tuberosa)

Any common soil that is deep and dry will suit this plant. March or April is the proper time to sow the seed, either in drills or broadcast, in beds four or five feet wide, to be afterwards raked in evenly. As soon as the plants are well up they should be cleared of weeds, and thinned out to six or eight inches apart in every direction, so as to give the root room to swell by the autumn, when it will be ready for use, and last in perfection till the following spring.

Parsnip (Pastinaea Saliva)

A most valuable root, full of nutritious properties, and will make a good return on poor ground, but will pay well for liberal treatment, nevertheless. To insure large, tender roots, it will be necessary to trench the ground two spits deep, and put a good dressing of manure at the bottom of each trench as you proceed. As the time of sowing depends chiefly on the weather, we recommend you to get in the seed either in February or March, in drills from a foot to fifteen inches apart; and when sufficiently advanced thin out to nine or twelve inches asunder in the rows. If the space they occupy is required in the winter, take up and store in sand or dry earth in a shed; but if not wanted, only take up a few at a time, as frost tends to improve rather than injure them; and they are not only better flavoured, but as tender again cooked direct from the ground.