1870.] HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 57 



very good. Bath Brown Cos and Paris White Cos are very useful 

 kinds. Onions : we tried fifteen or sixteen kinds last season on various 

 soils- and situations, and the two best for general use and keeping are 

 Danver's Yellow and James's Keeping. Reading is very good ; we have 

 grown Nuneham Park three seasons and find it good, but not equal to 

 some others. Giant Madeira is useful where size is the only object ; 

 it does not keep well : White Lisbon and Strasburg are suitable for 

 autumn sowing. Among the best Radishes are French Breakfast, 

 Olive Shape, and for summer use Red and White Turnip Radish still 

 hold their own. The best Savoys we have grown are, for first, Pan- 

 calier Joulin, Dwarf Green Curled for general crop, and Drumhead for 

 size. Turnip for first crop, old White Dutch ; for summer use, Snow- 

 ball : Red and White American Stone are very useful as late sorts. It 

 is very difficult to decide on varieties of Potatoes, and perhaps there 

 is no vegetable changes its character (when grown in various soils) 

 more than the Potato. Veitch's Ashleaf and Mona's Pride are 

 good among early Kidneys ; the latter is liable to come up blanky. 

 Smith's early Milky White and Dalmahoy are very good as first, 

 second, and third early round kinds. Fortyfold, when grown widely 

 apart on good dry soil, is still one of the best, and crowded on damp 

 ground it is one of the worst. The Pea crop is always an interesting 

 one. Among many which we gave a trial last season, Dillistone's Early, 

 Sangster's No. 1., and Little Gem (for borders, &c), are first-rate for early 

 work; Dickson's Favourite, Laxton's Prolific, Prince, and Supreme were 

 good seconds; M'Lean's Wonderful, Champion of England, and Veitch's 

 Perfection, are excellent on rich ground, sown thinly, and plenty of room 

 between the rows. Jaye's Conqueror we observed in the leading collec- 

 tion of vegetables at the late International Show held in Edinburgh, 

 and to all appearance it was the best Pea in the room. Some Peas we 

 have seen this season bearing excellent crops, but of very poor flavour. 

 In most gardens attention will soon be given to sowing a few seeds, 

 such as early Carrots, Radishes, Brown Cos Lettuce, Cauliflower, and 

 early Cabbage, — the last three under protection, such as handglasses, 

 hoops and mats, or in boxes of earth placed under glass. The two 

 first, to have a chance at all, must be kept from frost, covering and 

 uncovering when necessary. Where frames are at command, much 

 labour will be saved. A pinch of Kale, Brussels Sprouts, and Red Dutch 

 Cabbage may be sown : though spring sown, and smaller than that sown 

 in autumn, they are finer in quality. Beans and Peas may be sown 

 every three weeks in succession as required. In very small gardens 

 limited quantities only should be sown early, so that a regular succes- 

 sion may be kept up, to prevent a glut at one season and short- 

 coming at another. The sowing of Peas very wide apart (allowing the 



