JulyJuly in the 18th centuryLots of hoeing to keep down weeds and break up surface of the ground. Plentiful food crops include cabbages, cauliflower, lettuce (Cos named as a favourite = romaine nowadays). Cucumber, onions beginning. With care, celery and endive. Trinachia? Spinach, various herbs. Carrots, turnips, onions, garlic, rocambole, salsify, beetroot, horseradish and some potatoes. Beans, peas, kidney beans, artichokes, cucumbers, melons. Tomatoes are listed by The British Housewife but "used by many in soups and very well deserving to be brought into universal practice". Sew winter spinach and onions and carrots for the spring. Colworts and turnips.Spring greens will be going to seed. Gather and dry. Also spring broccoli. Sew French beans in sheltered place for beans up into winter. Clear away spring vegetables. Cherries at their best, apricots, early peach, "nutmeg peach", early for nectarines, but "Fairchild's early nutmeg nectarine". Early plums, still some strawberries, Codling apple, summer codling and summer pearmain. Stone pippin and oaken pippin. Jargonelle pear and Orange Musk pear, primitive pear, robin pear and muscady -- small but agreeable. Preserving: Cucumbers. Slice cucumbers and onions. Layer in dish with salt. Set by for a day or two. Drain in a colander, put it a jar and cover with best white wine vinegar etc. Can pickle radish seed pods, also cauliflowers, nasturtium buds. Preserve gooseberries in syrup. Orchard. Take off suckers from roots, and foreshoots from espaliers. Kill snails. |