CORRESPONDENCE.

A LONDONER'S ALLOTMENT DIARY.

ITO THE EDITOR Of THE " SPECTATOR.")

Stn,—A few weeks ago I described how J. and I acquired a War Allotment and our labours upon it down to Saturday, April 21st, by which date a little under a quarter of the ground had been cleared and dug. I now give a further account of our work ;- Sunday, April 22nd.—Allotments very " full of folk." For the first timo we remembered the pail, and we set out, J. carrying that long-desired article, together with coil of twine and bits of wood far measuring and staking, a big bag of seed potatoes and spade, and I laden with fork and rake. J. occupied for some time in final pre- paration of ground for planting. I at my old job of carrying turfs and stones to the bank. Later leaving about 2 ft. between the bank and first row of seed for runner beans, J. began planting. Ho dug the trenches two spits deep and planted the potatoes 10 in. apart with' 20 in. between the rows. The soil being much better at this part of the allotment than any other J. put in his beloved Up-to-dates hors —nine rows—leaving the smooth pinkness of the despised King Edward for the chalk, gravel, and cinder portions. During the day I was delighted by the sight of an " allotteo " with his spade elegantly covered, like a huge tennis racquet, with a neat canvas cover. In the afternoon a good lady came over with a huge jug of tea for the refreshment of her menfolk. J. not inclined to copy this rusticity_ J. again encouraged to try onions, as the Super-Fork man told-hips that the loose fine soil close under the turfs made a good bed for thorn.

Monday, 23rd.—Nothing done.

Tuesday, 24th.—Arrived to find a new neighbour, the allotment on our left only taken up that day. " Allottee " no doubt a worthy man, but I do wish he had not brought his whole family and his neigh- bour's with him—five small boys, two small girls, and a baby Evidently, as J. says, a Family Man. The girls and the baby stare very hard and make me nervous. Clearing, digging, and forking more ground. Very slow work, and we heap maledictions on our predecessor, who turned up the turfs and then left them lying to be trodden in by passing people. It would have been a simpler job just to clear grassland. J. envious of the help of the five small boys..

Wednesday, 25th.,---J. more and more appalled by condition of soil, and wondering what will grow in chalk and brick. Manure must ba

got from somewhere. The five small boyabraught along a mail-cart for carrying turf. Competition most unequal. What arc two against eight (not counting the baby !) ?

Thursday, 26th.—J. turf-carrying.

Friday, 2711t.--T. forking, I following to clear ground of .stones and bits of grass. J. definitely decided to try Onions. Ardour of the Small Boys declining.

Saturday, 28111.—j. bought Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and Borecole

seed, which he intends planting out first in boxes. Planted four rows more of Up-to-date potatoes, last of the stock. Prepared sifted earth, tempered with soot and potato manure, for onions, and planted half a row of Spring Onions, half a row of White Tripoli, and a row of Bedfordshire Champions. Wonder what effect potato manure will have on onions Will the potato onion (whatever that is) come up ? An Elegant Allottee arrived wearing snow-white sweater over his grey suit. The Polite Agriculturist has several things coming up—among them something that looks suspiciously !ike grass ! Or is it wheat ? A neighbour patiently watering cabbage seedlings from a tin mug. I have started a turf bank at the western end of our ground.

Sunday, 29th.—J. planted five rows of King Edward VII. Digging and forking more ground. Apparently visiting-day on the Allot- ments ; proud "allottees" introducing relays of relations and friends to cabbage seedlings and bean-sticks. Family Man brought qs a friend to help. Tendency on part of Small Boy to play with the

Baby while the small girl works. Is this prophetic J. decided to plant Parsnips.

Monday, 30th.—No work on Found. T. planted Borecole,

Cabbage, and Brussels Sprouts seeds in boxes. Brought home Duke of York seed potatoes, reputed to be an early variety. By the irony of fate they are sown last ! Will they race the Up-to-date and the King Edward ? J. has turned the little room used as a study into a forcing-house.

Tuesday, May 1.st.—Put in an hour at turf clearing and digging. First appearance of the Critic, a kindly old gentleman who reminded me at once of the Golden Dustman. He made a tour of the allot- ments, with a word of comment for each. Watched my digging with • interest, though not with entire approval, and criticized J.'s spade. Wednesday, 2nd.—Planted row of dwarf beans, " Canadian Wonders," and two rows of summer spinach. Putting potato manure with everything. J. delighted by receipt of box of seeds of all kinds from the country. • Thursday, 3rd.—Nothing done on allotment. J. sent for -a sack of Hop Manure.

Friday, 4:h.—Digging and clearing.

Saturday, 5th.—Planted four rows of Duke of York potatoes.

Have now cleared and planted more than half allotment. Turf bank at western end rapidly growing. Have lost count of the family of t he Family Man—two more daughters and a "Tommy " appeared. I am however losing my nervousness of them and work doggedly on regardless of audience. The F. M. himself a very pleasant neighbour. Despite the strength of his forces he has not out-distauced J. yet.

Sunday, 6th.—Planted two rows of scarlet runner beans at top of allotment ; also two rows of peas next to Duke of York's and two rows of King Edward, the last very promising seed. A row of bean-

. sticks and another of bushy twigs for peas give the ground a more .finished appearance. Many of the allotments showing touches of ereen. Have not discovered yet what the P. A. has coming up. 'Pleasant rural picture of F. M. seated on turf bank drinking hot cocoa. Allottee in distance with a crowd of friends also having refreshment—not cocoa. Took home our first feed from allotment --dandelion leaves for salad.

Monday, 7th.—Nothing done on ground.

Tuesday, 8th.-----Digging and foTking. Hop Manure arrived— odour of outhouse anything but suggestive of ' Down Glasses." J. bought artichoke seed. Has discovered absorbing new book which explains how to grow your own potato seed. J. already enthusiastic on the. oint He is anxious to grow tomatoes, being optimistically of opinion that after-such a winter the summer must be-consistently hot. I remind him the English climate is not logical.

Wednesday, 9/11.-Turf-carrying and -digging. -Where are the Allotment artists ? J. and myself, leaning on spades, in a revised version of " The Angelus " ; frieze for Municipal buildings, "-Allottce " and family returning home in following order—Father with spade, boy with rake, smaller boy with hoe, friend with fork, girl with basket, smallest boy with watering-can.

Thursday, 1-01.h.—Nothing done.

Friday, 1114.—Turf-elearing—great tufts of twitch grass which call for the most strenuous of efforts.

Saturday, 12th.—J. forking and planting four rows of King Edward—the last of the potato seed. Used Hop -Manure for the Gist time. This batch-of seed remarkably precocious: J. convinced it will he up before any of the other, though planted last. F. M. has spinach showing already. The ardour of the Small Boys evaporated. Family now reduced to one, who, as I observe, works for hirea.nd not too eagerly at that. Several allotments agriculturally most attractive—the neatest of rows of cabbage seedlings, onion setts and bean shoots. " Allottees " now—like farmers—never satisfied with weather. They now pray for rain. Affecting to be weatherwise, they stand gazing up into the sky, shake their Heads and say, " There's rain coming "—but it doesn't. P. A.'s ground very green inclined to agree with me that it is corn !

Sunday, 13th.—Planted three more rows of onion. Hot work turf-clearing, but air pleasant. Digging very difficult, this part of grotind consisting largely of chunks of gravel embedded in chalk— as F. M. puts it, " bits of okl Chiswick." Had the .assistance of a Fair Helper, who caused liveliest interest among neighbouring

Allotteee. J. complimented upon his " mates."

Monday, 14th.—Nothing done on ground. Intense excitement on disnwering first appearance of cabbage seedlings in the seed box.

Tuesday, 15th.--Nothing done, J. displaying much anxiety for Jain. Wednesday, 16th.—Planted row of Artichokes. Agitation beginning among " Allottees " for a supply of water by local authority. Much energy -at present consumed in making journeys with pails to distant houses. -Local blackbirds and sparrows showing great interest in the Allotments.

Thursday, 17th.—Agitation for water temporarily suspended owing to rain. Impossible to work on ground.

Friday, 18th.—I made a tour of Allotments when no one else was about. Caused much disturbance among the blackbirds. Rain has brought many things up—ineluding weeds. F. M. has neat row of spinach. P. A.'s wheat or whatever it is spreading rapidly.

Saturday, 19th.—I worked on ground in the morning before arrival of allottees." Rain has made turf lifting comparatively easy work. I cleared a good patch, holding silent communion with Nature meanwhile. Allotments very quiet except for the excited; twitter of birds. Later two Small Boys arrived next door. I find' they are more shy than even I am—which is well. They spent' most of their time arguing over ginger-beer. Beans and peas have made an appearance.

Sunday, 201h.-3. not being available, I and two Fair Helpers attack turf-clearing and digging. Made wonderful progress with the grassland. We are now near enough the turf bank to throw the turfs on to it and so are saved numberless journeys with the pail. As before, Fair Helpers make a great impression on ' Allottees,' num- bers of whom appear to be making a tour of the holdings. The F. M. gave one F. H. a lesson in digging—" Push the fork deeper, missie —which " missie " found difficulty in doing, having already, as she explained, pushed it as far as her foot would go. F. M. planting lettuces for his " old girl." In the absence of J. he regards me as in authority and addresses me—to my intense interest— alternately as " missis," " warm," and " mother " 1 J. arriving later to inspect, was excited to discover first appearance of Potatoes 1 Monday, 21st.—Nothing done.

Tuesday, 22nd.—I work alone at digging. Find it very much harder than turf-clearing, for I have become skilled in the latter and can now work (especially after the rain) with the minimum of back- ache. J. and I asking where has our Spinach gone ? It ought to be showing. Total disappearance of small boy. F. M. now ploughs a lonely furrow.

Wednesday, 23rd.—J. and I made a tour of inspeetion of the allot. rnents and -discovered the Landscape Gardener. His Found is planted with an eye to effect as well as utility and his marrow bed is bordered with flowers. He has built an excellent little refuse bin with walls of turf neatly cut to size and a floor of paving-stones.

Thursday, 24th.—Nothing done.

Friday, 25th.—Planted two rows of Turnip seed.

We were compelled to be away for a few days, but on returning on June 5th I found everything most flourishing, particularly the Potatoes. The Duke of Yorks (the Early variety, planted late) have very nearly raced the King Edwards and J.'s beloved Up-to- dates. The plants are sturdy and healthy and there are very few gaps. The Artichokes are well up and will soon make en effective screen at the top end of-the allotment. -The Beans, both tall and dwarf, are in good condition, and the Peas also. The Turnips, planted about a week ago, are well up and very thick ; the Onions just show

a faint green. The one disappointment is the Spinach, but I thought I discovered a few tips. The remaining grassland will not

be touched yet. A portion of it is to be marked off for a refuse bin (J. has been inspired by the Landscape Gardener's efforts)- and the rest will be dug up later and planted with theC abbage and Borecole

seedlings and Parsnips for the winter. In the meantime I find it is being used as a feeding-ground for the Allotment Goat, which I

;found in contented possession on my return. Our grass, in the words of the F.M., is " a nice bit.of clover." The immediate future will see J.

and me occupied in the strenuous work of weeding and in fighting the Fly-and his fellow-Tests. A beneficent Local Authority is helping the

Aflottees " in the latter by arranging for the spraying of the potato crops.—I may add a final word, that the mysterious growth on the Polite Agriculturist's land has proved to be not wheat but

grass and has now been removed.—I am, Sir, Ac., E. B.