THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 29 



a number of new flowers and vegetables are oftered. Glancing 

 through the lists of new vegetables, I find a few really good things 

 that must be noticed. Heatherside Rival and Blue Gown cucumber 

 are both good ; the former for frame-work, and the latter for exhi- 

 bition. Blue Gown is one of the handsomest cucumbers in cultiva- 

 tion, and the fruit averages twenty-six inches in length, and of a 

 uniform diameter throughout. The Chinese Mustard is a valuable 

 addition to our list of salad plants ; the seed-leaves are fully twice 

 the size, and it is ready for use two or three days before the mus- 

 tard usually grown. It is also more pungent in flavour. ISTew peas 

 are offered in considerable numbers, but the only one I should care 

 to speculate in is McLean's " Best of All " It is a wrinkled variety, 

 having large well-filled pods, and usually attaining a height of 

 about two and a-half to three feet. Easte's Kentish lnvicta is cheap 

 and worth trying. It is a round blue pea, said to be earlier than 

 Daniel O'Rourke, and very prolific. Why do the raisers, in enume- 

 rating its good qualities, say, " and being a blue pea, it is superior 

 in flavour to any white variety," when it is well known that blue 

 peas are decidedly inferior in flavour to the white varieties ? There 

 are, of course, people who look upon blue peas as luxuries, in just 

 the same manner as others prefer the watery taste of the first earlies 

 to the sweet, buttery taste of the wrinkled marrow's. Several new 

 tomatoes are also offered, but the only claim they have consists in 

 their being rather larger in size than those already in cultivation ; 

 and for exhibition purposes will no doubt be much appreciated. The 

 most valuable new vegetable for exhibition offered this season is 

 Veitch's Giant Autumn Caulijloiver, which is also of great value for 

 the table. The heads are of the most gigantic size, even in out- 

 line, and perfectly hemispherical, of the purest white and the finest 

 flavour ; they are well protected by the leaves, and under ordinary 

 cultivation will average, when perfectly solid, twelve inches in 

 diameter ; but by having a little extra care bestowed upon them, they 

 may be had much larger. People who prefer small cauliflowers, can 

 easily overcome all difficulty respecting the size by planting them 

 rather close together. G. G. 



THE GABDEN GUIDE EOE JANUAEY. 



Elowee Gaeden. — During the present month very little work 

 of importance can be done in this department. The lawn should be 

 thoroughly swept and rolled, to keep a good firm bottom, and to 

 give it a clean and cheerful appearance. Gravel walks may now be 

 turned. This should be done without disturbing the rough stuff 

 underneath, for that is not wanted on the surface. Walks when 

 first made should always have a sufficient depth of fine gravel on the 

 surface to admit of their being turned over every other year, if re- 

 quired. By turning them in a proper' and workmanlike manner, 

 they can be kept clean and in a good condition for a long time. 



Kitchen Gabden. — Take advantage of frosty weather ,to wheel 

 manure and dressings of other materials on quarters from which the 



