56 THE GARDENER. |F EB - 



HINTS FOR AMATEURS.— FEBRUARY. 



It may not be out of place at this season to mention a few of the 

 most useful sorts of vegetables for the benefit of the inexperienced, 

 and others who have to make their choice from catalogues for the first 

 time. I would first remark that the descriptions generally given 

 are, I believe, done honestly, but as soil, culture, and situation make 

 such a difference in the quality and general appearance of some veget- 

 ables, seed sown from sample, and treated under various circum- 

 stances, can be made to assume entirely different habits. As an ex- 

 ample, Peas sown on poor, shallow, and light soil, may only attain 

 the height of 3 feet, with the straw weakly and pods small; but if 

 sown on deep, strong land, and allowed plenty of room, they might 

 grow to 5 or 6 feet. Out of many kinds (old and new) which we have 

 grown here, and seen elsewhere, the following sorts are favourites : — 

 Among broad Beans, Johnston's Wonder and Broad Windsor are good; 

 and Dwarf Fan, for filling up small borders, is useful. Beet, Sang's own 

 selected, if well thinned and not sown too early, is extra fine. Dewar's 

 is very handsome and free from fibre. Dell's or Osborn's is also good, 

 and has extra-fine foliage. Broccolis, I find, are very numerous under 

 different names, and difficult to get true. Among the best we have seen 

 are Walcheren, coming in from September to mid-winter. Snow's Su- 

 perb, Backhouse's Protecting, Knight's Protecting, Carter's Champion, 

 and Gordon's Protecting, ought to give a supply till the middle of June. 

 A kind we are growing this year named Lauder's Superb, late Goshen, 

 offers well : it seems very hardy, dwarf, and compact. Among Cauli- 

 flowers, early London, Stadtholder, and Walcheren are very good. 

 We fail to see any difference between the latter and Walcheren 

 Broccoli. Cabbage are very difficult to secure true ; Early York, 

 M'Ewan's, and Vanack are good. Carrots for early work ; French 

 Horn is the best ; James Scarlet and Red Surrey are good for general 

 use. In Celery, for fine flavour, dwarf habit, and hardy constitution, 

 Sandringham with us has outdistanced all others ; however, it is identi- 

 cal with the first sample we received of Turner's Incomparable. Years 

 have passed since then, and we have only seen that variety once during 

 that time. Ivery's Nonsuch Pink and Cole's Dwarf Red are always good 

 with us. Out of some eight or ten kinds of Cucumbers, Lord Kenyon's 

 and Highland Mary (Cuthil's) have borne the heaviest crops of fine 

 crisp fruits ; Telegraph, Pearson's Long Gun, and Cox's Volunteer are also 

 first-rate where good quality is valued. Leeks are now grown under 

 many names ; we found three kinds last year the same as Aytoun 

 Castle, which is a very good one. Good kinds of Lettuce are numer- 

 ous : among Cabbage kinds, Drumhead and All the Year Round are 



