462 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



warmth to the root, taking up much moisture, which in other instances proved 

 so disastrous to the Pea crop. Celery often follows Cabbage, and is planted 

 direct from the seed bed into trenches principally prepared by horse power. 

 The sides of the trench is made sloping, and oftentimes are planted with Let- 

 tuce or Coleworts. A line of Kidney Beans is sown between the trenches 

 (which are about 4 feet apax*t) and on each side of these a row of Lettuce. 

 Kidney Beans are grown principally for the large firms of pickle makers, as 

 they wont sell when Runner Beans are plentiful. The best for market pur- 

 poses is the Negro Longpod, and the Newington Wonder for pickling. For 

 the latter purpose one grower contracts to supply 60 tons of beans, but I 

 very much question his ability to grow them this season. Many more facts 

 and hints might be included, but I have already taken up more room than I 

 anticipated, and will therefore as briefly as possible give a few notes on fruit 

 growing. 



Essex is not so much a fruit growing county as is Kent on the opposite side 

 of the Thames, but there are many excellent orchards, and many others are 

 fast being planted. Black Currants and Damson always sell well, the latter 

 if only for making a dye ; and the former is perhaps the greatest favourite of 

 any fruit for making into jam. This season, too, a large quantity of Black Cur- 

 rants were exported. As a consequence men "with their wits about them " 

 are planting both extensively, as they don't believe in the chance of the mar- 

 kets being overdone with them. There is a great difference in the varieties of 

 Damson; although apparently alike, some being much more prolific than others. 

 If this was not so, the above mentioned practical men would not go to the ex- 

 pense of having them from near Maidstone in Kent when they could get them 

 so much cheaper nearer home. The same men buy Black Currant bushes rather 

 than lose time by propagating their own, and nurserymen in these districts 

 annually sell large quantities of them. A strong clayey loam appears to suit 

 them best, and on such soil the growers find it necessary to cut back the first 

 year, as they invariably push up plenty of young growth from the stem, and 

 also produce nearly enough fruit the first year to pay for the plant. Goose- 

 berries are usually a good paying crop, most importance being attached to the 

 prices realised for them when picked in a green state. Opinions vary as to the 

 advisability of having long or short stems, some considering the latter less 

 liable to canker ; but the fruit is much cleaner on the former, and in this dis- 

 trict they do not canker. Strong pithy growth is discarded at propagating 

 time, moderate, well-ripened growth being found to make the best and most 

 productive bushes. The varieties most commonly grown are Whitesmith, 

 Warrington, Crown Bob, and Golden Drop. Bullfinches are kept down with 

 the gun. Red and Black Currants, Gooseberries, Raspberries, and sometimes 

 Strawberries and Asparagus are all grown between the lines of Standard 

 Apples, Pears, &c. , and apparently are none the worse in that they are under- 

 growth. Of course the overhanging trees are not allowed to get very large, 

 and the bushes are kept well thinned out, and, what is of primary importance, 

 receive liberal mulchings of good manure — a proceeding too often neglected in 

 private where fortunately there is a properly arranged fruit quarter. The 

 lines of standard trees are about 18 feet apart, and are planted the same dis- 

 tance apart in the row\ Three rows of bushes are planted between these lines, 

 and the intervening spaces between each tree are also planted. The Asparagus 

 is planted also in lines, without any extra preparation, but liberal mulchings 

 are given, and the produce is equal to that grown on expensively prepared 

 beds. Asparagus is a very remunerative crop. Fruit of all descriptions as a 



