Egg Plants, Capsicum, And Chilies

Although these plants have their culinary uses, principally in condiments, British gardeners use them more as ornamental plants. They all bear attractive fruits, and may be mixed with flowering plants in greenhouses. The seed can be sown in a greenhouse now.

Endive

Plants sown in the previous summer, with Lettuces, to yield spring salads, may now be encouraged to grow by hoeing. Fresh seed may be sown if an early summer supply is wanted, but it should be sown in a greenhouse or frame, and the seedlings planted out later on.

Gourds And Pumpkins

Gourds and Pumpkins are sometimes grown in gardens with an eye to both ornament and use - the former predominating. The plants are often trained on rustic fencing, or arches, or pergolas, and when well furnished with large leaves, and carrying a number of large, handsome, and perhaps highly-coloured fruits, they have an effective and uncommon appearance. The fruits may be cooked and eaten in the same way as Vegetable Marrows, if desired.

Herbs

All of what are known as "Sweet and Pot Herbs" may be sown in spring. A few of the most popular kinds are: Angelica, which is cooked, and the seeds used for flowering; Balm, for use as a decoction in fevers; Sweet and Bush Basil, used for flavouring; Borage, employed for flavouring beverages; Curled Chervil, mainly used for salads; Fennel, used in sauces; Lavender, mainly for making Lavender water; Pot and Sweet Marjoram, both used for flavouring; Parsley, for garnishing; Rampion, employed as a winter salad; Sage, used for flavouring; Summer and Winter Savory, both used for flavouring; Sorrel, used for salads and flavouring; Thyme, used for flavouring. It is best to get roots of Mint, Lemon Thyme, and Tarragon.

All the herbs which are raised from seed may be sown in a sunny spot, not too damp. In wet soil and in shady places the plants grow, but do not mature well. The seeds of most kinds may be sown in drills a foot apart, and the plants subsequently thinned and hoed.

Corn Salad is useful in winter salads, and may be raised from seed in spring.

Kohl Rabi is generally regarded as a farm crop, but seedsmen supply selected varieties that are well worth growing in the kitchen garden. They are similar to Turnips, but the flavour is distinct, and is highly agreeable. The plant has one great advantage over the Turnip, that it will generally succeed in dry, light soil in hot seasons, when turnips would run to seed, or be hot and strong in flavour. The seed may be sown thinly in drills eighteen inches apart, and the plants thinned to a foot apart. The leaves spring from the body of the bulb on various parts of the upper half.

Leeks

I have already said that it is a good plan to sow Leeks under glass in winter, and to transplant them later on, like Celery. Many people will hardly consider the crop worthy of this, and others will lack sufficient room. The seed may be sown an inch deep out of doors in spring in drills a foot apart, in a spare plot, the rows hoed, thinned, and the plants put out when ground becomes vacant in summer. Musselburgh is a reliable variety.