l in favourable seasons yield an abundant return
without artificial protection of any kind.

==INDOOR CULTURE--Sowing and Transplanting.==--Seed may be sown at almost
any time of the year, but the most important months are January to
March, August and September. In gardens favourably situated in the South
of England and furnished with the most perfect appliances, seed is sown
in all these months, and in others also; but in smaller gardens sowings
are generally restricted to February and March. Whenever a start is made
sow thinly and about half an inch deep, in pans or boxes, and do not
allow the seedlings to remain in them for an unnecessary day.
Immediately two or at most four leaves are formed either prick off into
other pans or boxes, or transfer singly to thumb pots, and as a rule the
pots will be found preferable. The soil for these pans or pots should be
stored in the greenhouse a few days in advance of the transfer, so that
the compost may acquire the proper temperature and save the plants from
an untimely check. In small houses place the plants near the glass that
they may remain short in the joint, but on cold nights they must be
taken down to avoid injury from fluctuations of temperature. In large
houses, where the light is well diffused, there is no need to incur this
trouble, for the seedlings will do equally well on the ground level. In
due time shift into six-inch pots, from which they can go straight to
borders, or into a larger size if they are to be fruited in pots. About
fourteen weeks will be required to prepare the plants for borders in the
winter season, but a shorter period will suffice in spring and summer.
Plants from an August or September sowing will not mature fruit in much
less than six months, while a March sowing will yield a return in four
months or less. A great deal depends on the character of the season, and
more on skill and attention. Those who sow in January or February should
sow again a fortnight later, and onwards until the end of April,
according to requirements. For winter supplies a first sowing may be
made in June, in a cold frame, and prepared for transfer to fruiting
pots in September.

==Treatment of Soil.==--In the first instance there need be no anxiety
about soil. Any fairly good sandy loam will answer for the seed-pans,
and if too stiff it may be freely mixed with sharp sand or the sifted
sweepings from roads and gravel walks. A fibrous loam, cut from a rich
pasture, a