26 THE GARDENER. [Jan. 



THE KITCHElSr-GAIlDElSr. 



No. I. 



It may possibly appear to some a work of supererogation to "-ATite a 

 systematic series of articles on kitclien-gardening at this advanced 

 period in the history of horticulture. And while confessing that, if 

 the choice of a subject rested entirely with the writer, vegetable culture 

 would not be his theme on the present occasion — more especially as it 

 is one which to some extent he has attempted to discuss some years 

 ago in the ' Scottish Gardener,' and with which effort some of his readers 

 may be already acquainted — he would much prefer a sort of roving 

 commission for his pen, than to be tied down to what many may, no 

 doubt, look upon as a sober set of subjects — Cabbages, Onions, and 

 Cauliflowers. This is not said, however, under the slightest impres- 

 sion that the kitchen-garden is an unimportant department ; far from it. 

 And if any who have carefully watched the course of gardening litera- 

 ture for the last quarter of a century, and perhaps particularly of the 

 present time, were called upon to say which of the various branches of 

 gardening has attracted the least share of the attention of those 

 who devote their spare moments to gardening literature, the vegetable 

 department could scarcely fail to be fixed upon. All the outs and ins 

 connected with the cultivation of flowering and exotic plants, the pro- 

 j)agation and arrangement of bedding plants, and of all sorts of 

 florists' flowers ; the cultivation of Pines, Grapes, and Peaches, and 

 other tender and hardy fruits — have been discussed and written about 

 until they are freely talked of as threadbare subjects. Amongst these 

 various subjects some have found hobbies to canter on till they are 

 out of wind, and have been compared to Tarn o' Shanter's mare, having 

 " fient a tail to shake at alL" There are Rose men, Orchid men, Cam- 

 ellia men, flower-garden men, orchard-house men, and ground-vinery 

 men, and men of all sorts ; but where shall we look for an Onion, or a 

 Cabbage, or Cauliflower man 1 



There is no fault to be found with all this devotedness and enthu- 

 siasm in all or any of these branches. Enthusiasm has done much, 

 nearly all, for practical gardening. Enthusiasts are the men for dis- 

 covery and dash, as well as unflagging perseverance. They are the Dr 

 Livingstones of horticulture, and could ill be spared by the growing 

 hosts who follow in their footsteps ; and perhaps the gardening press 

 would miss them most of all. In fact, if we are to have a press at all, 

 these are indispensable men, and so are their subjects. This, however, 

 is no reason why the vegetable department should be slighted, or 

 treated with the cold shoulder. It cannot be that the kitchen-garden 

 can fairly be considered either the least important or the easiest to 



