Januaiy 4, 1877. ) 



JOURNAL OF HOBTI1.ULTOBB AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



emblem of " oki Eoglaud." Now I have been thinking lately, 

 that if a flower which only blooms with most people for sbont 

 two months out of the twelve, is ni:der the neoeseity cf being 

 ao prominently brought befcre the publie, surely the space eonld 

 not be considered ill applied that brought a few good vegetables 

 under the notice cf jour reader?. I have beard most entku- 

 Biastic admirers of flowers confess, that after all wa? eaid and 

 done about their pets, the flower they esteemed most in the 

 garden was the Cauliflower. 



At the present time, when your advertising columns advise 

 the pablication of seed catalogues and many will be receiving 

 their annual seed list, it may seem unnecessary to call atten- 

 tion to any particular class or variety of vegetable ; but many 

 would no doubt feel thankful enough to have some " practical 

 hand " to look over and mark the best varieties from amongst 

 the hosts in the catalogues. I have received my seed list to- 

 day, and with the exception of a few new things I will mark 

 the same this time as I have dona on former occasions, aad it 

 is these I have selected .n years past that I now wish to recom- 

 mend to others ; and I 'particularly wish it to be understood 

 thiit every one of them has proved to bo of a very superior 

 deae iptiun under no very "highly favourable " oiroumetances, 

 but jnat with the attention given in au ordinary kitchen garden. 



I will begin with what are always soeeptahle to everybody — 

 Potatoes. For earlies I plant the folloniog kidneys : — Hyatt's 

 Prolific, Early Sandringham, and Kivers' Royal Ashleaf. Se- 

 cond early — Huntingdon Kidney and Rrctor of Woodstock. 

 Late— Red-skinned Flourball, the Old Regent, and Porter's 

 Excelsior. Of the newer American varieties I mean to devote 

 a good breadth of ground tbis incoming season to Soi.w- 

 flake. I am fully convinced this is an excellent "poor man's" 

 Potato, as it bears enormously, and the produce is of superior 

 quality. 



The most profitable crop of Cabbage I find to be that pro- 

 duced from seed sown in the autumn. Wheeler's Cocoa Nut 

 and the old Early York are eown in August, planted out when 

 reedy, and cut for use in May and June. The stems are left 

 in the ground, when they throw out many small sprouts, 

 which are much thought of in the kitchen in auturaii and 

 winter. Drumhead stands the weather well, but it is coarse. 

 Bed Dutch is the only sort grown for pickling. 



Early Loudon is the variety of Canliflowar used for early 

 produce, and after midsummer it is succeeded by Veitch's 

 Autumn Giant, which is still fit for use out ef doors, and is 

 nndonbtedly the best Cauliflower extant. Snow's Superb 

 Winter White and Waloheren are two excellent Broooolis. 

 Dalmeny and Scrymger's Giant Brussels Sprouts when true 

 are always worth their ground. The best Celeria.? aro Major 

 Clark's, Leicester Red, ami Sandringham Dwarf White. Early 

 Horn Carrot Ehould always be sown for the first crop, and 

 •James's Intermediate Scarlet or Altrinoham to coma in late. 

 Dell's Crimson Beet is not only the best for culinary purposes, 

 but its foliage is more attractive than any other sort, and it 

 does quite well to associate with flowering plants. The Student 

 Parsnip is the only sort I find it neoess.ary to grow. When 

 Myatt'fl Garnishing Parsley can be had true ih is unsurpassed 

 by any other I have seen. Onions are genfrally coneidc-red an 

 important crop. The sorts of these I will name aro James's 

 K'^eping and Nuneham Park for summer sowing, Silver- 

 Bkianed for pickling, and Tripoli and Giani Kocca for autumn 

 sowing. 



Peas are always an important crop in ail gardens. I will 

 only name six sorts out of the many varieties now in cultiva- 

 tion. Early — Sangster'a No. 1 end William I. General 

 crop — Yeitoh's Perfection and Champion of England. L.ite 

 — Ne Plus Ultra and Maclean's Premier. Dwarf Kidney Beans 

 — Canadian Wonder end Osborn's New Forcing. The latter I 

 find excellent for either forcing or growing in the open air. 

 Broad Beans — -Windsor Green and Btck'a Dwarf Green Gem, 

 and there are few which surpass the old Scarlet as a tall or 

 running Bean for general usefulness, but Carter's Champion 

 has larger pods. Small gardens should always be well pro- 

 vided with salads. The best way of doing this is to grow 

 Lettuces of the All-the-year-round, Hardy White Dutch, and 

 Victoria varieties in the Cabbage section, and Bath and Paris 

 Green among the Cos or tall-growing sorts. Endive — Green 

 Curled. Turnips— Early Snowball and Golden Ball. Spinach 

 — Prickly. Rhubarb — Royal Albert and Myatt's Victoria. 

 Leek.s — Henry's Prize and Musselburgh. Radish — French 

 Breakfast ami Wood's Early Frame. Savoy — Drumhead and 

 Tom Thumb. Vegetable Marrow — Custard and Moore's Vege- 

 table Cream. Tomatoes — Hathaway's F.scelsior and New 



Green Gage. Cucumber — for early spriuf, Telegraph ; for 

 summer. Telegraph; for winter, Telegraph. — A Kitchen 

 Gaedeser. 



THE NEW EOSE YEAR. 



" The harvest now is ended; the summer days are gone," 

 and yet every heart is joyous, every mouth uttering good 

 wishes. 



And why? At a time of the year when all nature is dead, 

 when the sky is lowering, and the daylight eo dim that the 

 room in w'aioh I write is in semi-darkutss ; when snow or sleet 

 is falling, and except in the conservatories of the rich no 

 flowers are to be seen ; — why should we be thus glad at heart ? 

 It is because at this season were brought gifts, the value of 

 which is more than tongue can tell or voice express ; flowers 

 that never fade, but bloom on and on through all eternity. 

 Yes, it needs not flowers to make our homes gay at this season ; 

 the evergreens do this, and also remind us of the life that 

 never ends. And besides, now the darkest and gloomiest 

 months of the winter season are over, the shortest day is past, 

 and each day we live brings us nearer to the time when our 

 Roses again will bloom, and onr woods and lanes be carpeted 

 with those wild flowers which Nature gives with so hounteona 

 a hand to this favoured land of ours. When, therefore, I wish 

 our readers a happy new year, I do so with all the heartiness 

 with which this most hearty of ell seasons inspires us. 



This Journal has ever had a more personal and closer con- 

 nection with its subscribers than most others can boast of. 

 It has ever tried, and I think has succeeded in the attempt, 

 to make it a friend and adviser to each one of its readers. ItB 

 colnmns will attest that there is no subject in horiiculture, or 

 indeed in any other department with which the Journal has to 

 do, on which advice is not sought for, and the best assistance 

 that is procurable is given with readiness and pleasure. But 

 more particularly have I welcomed all contributions and 

 questions upon the subject of the queen of flowers. I think 

 that it has earned, as indeed it possesses, the name of " The 

 Rose Journal," although that name is not emblazoned on your 

 coat of arms (the writer of this most heartily wishes it was). 

 There is scarcely a number issued which does not contain an 

 article or letter upon that subject of eubjeots — the queen of 

 flowers, and I consider it a very black Thursday indeed when 

 the Rose is not mentioned in our loyal Journal. To rosarians, 

 then, and others also, I offer sincerest good wishes, and 

 also congratulations. I consider that the last year saw a 

 very great increase in the number of the cultivators of this 

 lovely flower, and from t'ao letters I receive I think I am 

 entitled to form a good judgment on this point. 



The horizon for Roees is very clouded, for somo of the great 

 companies who used to entertain the worshippers of Rosa have 

 closed their doors, and for a time a deluge of insolvency ,=.eemed 

 to be sweeping all Rose Ehows away ; but the storm has lifted, 

 and the dawn suddenly brijihtencd. Loudon will not be with- 

 out its Rose show, and the Rose's liege and loyal subjects will 

 not have to be contented with paying their addresses in pro- 

 vincial courts. 



Undoubtedly the event of the Rose year has been the forma- 

 tion of the National Rose Society. I never remember to 

 have attended a meeting where mora unanimity of feeling and 

 enthusiasm was evoked than at the Rose conference held on 

 that gloomy day in December at iha Horticultural Club ; and 

 the mention of this Club reminds us that another step has 

 been taken in advancing horticnllure, which it v?ould be diffi- 

 cult to overvalue. It will be evident to all how useful and 

 convenient it must be for horticulturists from all parts of 

 England to have a placo in the metropolis where they can 

 meet and discuss horticultural matters or arrange shows ; and 

 a most telling proof of its value was afforded by the very meet- 

 ing of which I am speaking. If the Club had not opened ita 

 doors to us on that occasion we should have had to engage a 

 room, and at the very outset a difficulty would have been felt 

 in the worst of all troubles — who is to pay ? But now we 

 always shall have a Club where we can meet, converse, and 

 enjoy ourselves, as well as hold committee and annua! meet- 

 ings. I wish, therefore, every eaccesa to the Horticultural 

 Club. 



Once more,'then, let me wish you all a very happy new year. 

 I thank yonr contributors, and hopo they will continue to 

 instruct and entertain us. Nor do I forget your staff, and 

 all the rest who have helped to make this Journal what it now 

 ia ; and I hope that it may long continue to bear the name of, 



