1870.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 571 



as of course the first heavy rains will place the roots in a medium about as con- 

 genial to their wants as if they were planted in the salt sea. If walks are well 

 gravelled, picking them is not a very troublesome operation ; but after a season 

 or two the gravel gets infested with a myriad of small weeds. Human patience 

 nas not been made sufficiently elastic to enable us to pick out these, and there- 

 fore such must be turned over in spring, and a coating of new gravel applied. 

 Salt may be applied to walks cut in the turf. 



Kalmia Latifolia. — I have two fine bushy plants of Kalmia latifolia that 

 have never shown bloom since they left the nursery seven years ago. I have 

 grown them in peat along with Khododendrons, which do well with me. Can 

 you advise me of any compost or treatment that will induce them to bloom ? 

 A reply in your December number will greatly oblige. Ballinasloe. 



[The non - blooming of Kalmia latifolia must, I think, be caused by a too 

 vigorous growth — most likely the climate is very moist and genial just at the 

 time the shoot - growth should be ripened, and instead of flower - buds being 

 formed, the energies of the plants go to form a second wood-growth. If this 

 be the case, a copious addition of sand to well - drained peat - earth may be 

 made, and placed about the roots of the plants ; and if they do not then set 

 their flowers, I would further advise that they be replanted every season, 

 reducing the balls of earth . slightly : or another plan might be tried, of lifting 

 the plants and leaving them for a day or two upon the ground, about the months 

 of July and August, just as the shoots have made a few inches of growth, 

 and show indications of the rest-period being about to commence. — Charles 

 Noble, Sunningdale Nursery, Bagshot.] 



Heatherside Eival Cucumber. — "We have received from Messrs Peter Law- 

 son & Son a new Cucumber w T ith the above name, which appears to be as near 

 perfection as a Cucumber can be. It grows from 18 to 24 inches long, very 

 round and perfectly smooth, spineless, and of a dark-green colour. The rind is 

 very thin and the seed-vessels are very small; the flesh solid yet tender, and in 

 flavour what a Cucumber should be. The heel, often a great defect in Cucumbers, 

 is in this variety perfect. It is a seedling from a variety known as Dean's 

 Early Prolific, which Mr William Thomson described as "the most perfect 

 Cucumber he had seen." Both deserve extensive cultivation, and are extremely 

 valuable — winter kinds being so very prolific — and are equally desirable for 

 summer work. 



Quince Jam. — The following is an excellent method of making Quince jam, 

 and a very simple one : — Take 12 lb. of Quinces, pared and cored; cut them into 

 small pieces ; put 12 lb. of white sugar into a preserving-pan, with about a quart 

 of water ; set the sugar and water on the fire; when they come to the boil, put the 

 Quinces in gradually without taking off the pan ; let them boil until the fruit is 

 all soft and of a bright-red colour. Be sure to take off the scum as it rises. A 

 little essence of lemon or cloves will improve the flavour. This jam, if properly 

 boiled, will turn out of the jars when wanted, and may be cut with a knife. 



Cooking Potatoes. — The humble art of cooking this valuable esculent may be 

 by some held in contempt ; but I hold to the opinion that it requires more than 

 ordinary care and attention to boil a Potato well. And it is not improbable that 

 six dishes of the same variety of Potato, if cooked by six different persons, would 

 all present diverse features in appearance and fitness for table. So much am I 

 impressed with this idea, that when in the course of my Potato experiences 



