Jaotury T, 1869. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTUEE AND OOTTAQB GABDENBB. 



in extent, there wore six thouBand of those cloohea, nnd thoy 

 were in the winter the protectors of twenty-four thousanJ Let- 

 tuces, for the plan is to plant three CabbaRO Lettuces and one 

 Cob Lettuce under each. The cloche ia made of very rough 

 and coarse Rlasg — iu fact, what remains in the vat after the 

 finer material is run off ; they are consequently very cheap, 

 coating not HI) centimes a-piece— that is, about 7J<L, and are 

 about as wide as high — vi?,., about 10 inches. The plan which 

 I have seen most generally adopted is to make beds 4 feet wide, 

 the length varying according to tho character of the ground, 

 and then to place these cloches across, and so continue until 

 the bed is full. For tho production of the salads in the depth 

 of winter great nicety is required. The cloches are really her- 

 metically sealed, for they are pressed firmly in the ground and 

 a large quantity of manure placed round them. The height 

 of this will vary according to the severity of the weather, but 

 they rarely have to be heaped up more than half way. There 

 is no damping or foggiag-o£f, and nothing can exceed the crisp- 

 ness and delicacy of salads thus produced. As they are wanted 

 the three Cabbage Lettuces, the true " lailue," are gathered; 

 and the Cos, or "romainc," left to grow, where, under the 

 influence of the rich light soil in which they are planted, they 

 attain a very considerable size, and are of the most delicious 

 crispnesa and flavour. These come in later, for as a rule the 

 French prefer the Cabbage Lettuce in the winter months. 

 "Why, then," exclaims some puggish Bull, "do not the 

 London market gardeners produce the same ? Why cannot my 

 friend Boodles have my cloches, and grow winter salads that 

 shall astonish my neighbours the Snookses?" On my return 

 from Paris last summer I went to Phillips's in Bishopsgate 

 Street on this subject, but I found that the cost of packing the 

 cloches would be more than the cost of the cloches themselves, 

 and that, consequently, it would not pay them to make them. 

 They would he glad to do so, as it would get rid of the refuse 

 material ; and as I have already said, the demand is not suffi- 

 cient to induce the market gardeners to go in for cloches to 

 that extent, or to grow salads to the exclusion of other crops, 

 more paying because more generally used. Nothing, it seems 

 to me, can be more absurd than to point to these fine winter 

 salads of the French market gardeners, and say how very much 

 superior to the English they are. As well might I take a 

 Frenchman through the rows of splendid Celery around Ful- 

 ham and say, " See what poor gardeners the French are ! 

 Why, yon see nothing of this kind around Paris." Or, suppose 

 .you were to take him through Mr. Myatt's Ehubarb gardens, 

 and say, "Where is there anything like this about Paris?" 

 There ibis wholesome vegetable fruit is unknown. A French- 

 man would as soon think of eating it as he would of taking a 

 cold bath, which he regards as a special mania of the English. 

 No, it is simply demand and supply that rule these matters ; 

 and if ever winter salad become as plentiful in England as it 

 is in France, I venture to say that our market gardeners will 

 soon show that whether with or without cloches they will quite 

 equal their foreign brethren. 



Barbe dc capucin is almost unknown in England, yet I 

 can testify that it is a most exeelleut adjunct to a winter salad, 

 although it hardly forms one of itself, but with the addition of 

 Celery or Beetroot it is very good. It is, as X have previously 

 said, simply the common Chicory, perfectly hardy and most 

 easily grown. The seed should be sown at difierent times in 

 the summer, and the plants transplanted into rows in good 

 deep soil, taking care in doing so not to break the tap roots. 

 The plants may then be allowed to grow, and may be treated 

 in one of two ways, each of which will answer — either to 

 dig the roots up and start them in a dry place in sand like 

 Carrots, or else to leave them in the ground. In either case 

 you may take at different times, according to your wants, some 

 roots, place them in deep pots filled with any kind of soil, and 

 then put them iu a dark place, cellar or Mushroom house. 

 The roots will then soon begin to shoot, and the blanched 

 leaves, when about a foot long, are cut off, and the roots thrown 

 away. I have this year, notwithstanding the dry seasou, grown 

 it remarkably fine, and am now using it, having blanched it in 

 an underground cellar. The French in their love for salads 

 press many things into their service, but few of them can 

 compare, 1 think, with this. 



The production of summer salads is also carried on success- 

 fully about Paris, as, indeed, we know it is about London ; 

 but of this I hope to treat iu a separate paper in considering 

 the rotation of crops, in which there is a marked difference in 

 the two countries ; and I am inclined to think, after all that 

 has been said and written, that in the matter of handling the 



ground and obtaining the most from it, our market gardeners 

 have little to learn from their French brethren. But of this 

 more anon. — i>.. Veal. 



CULTIVATION OF EPIPHYI-LUM TRUNCATUM. 

 I LOOK upon Epiphyllum truncatum and its varieties as the 

 most useful of the extensive family of Cactaccm. The beauty 

 of its flowers, the adaptability of the plant to a variety of de- 

 corative purposes, its tractability to almost any form, and the 

 certainly of its giving a good return for any care bestowed on 

 its culture, are recommendations which shouM insure it a place 

 wherever flowers are cherished. The period during which it is 

 in beauty, gives it an additional claim on our attention. From 

 Christmas to Easter is a season when the ordinary charms of 

 flowers seem doubly charming, yet during every day of this 

 period by having a sufficiency of plants, and, of course, corre- 

 sponding convenience, and by a little management, its beauti- 

 ful flowers may be had in plenty. To grow this plant to the 

 greatest perfection, well-heated structures specially erected for 

 plant growing, are no doubt requisite. These erections are 

 by no means common. It is to the great majority of the plant- 

 loving world, whose gardens rejoice in but a vinery and green-' 

 house, that these hints on the cultivation of this plant are 

 specially offered. 



The plant is propagated by cuttings, which may be put in as 

 early as possible in summer, when a night temperature of 60' 

 can be secured. Select for this purpose small brancblets from' 

 2 to 3 inches long, and sever them from the plant at a point 

 where the flesh is somewhat hard, and presents a brownish 

 appearance. It very succulent, it is well to lay them on a shelf 

 for an hour or two, to let the wound dry. Soil for the cuttings 

 should consist of nodules of peat, rough leaf mould, broken 

 crocks, and charcoal, well mixed with silver sand. The material 

 cannot be too open for this purpose. Insert one cutting in the 

 centre of a small not, or several round the sides of larger pots, 

 securing them at "once to small sticks to keep them firm. Place 

 the pots in saucers, and set them on a shelf in the sun ; keep 

 in the saucers a little, but only a little water, which will rise 

 by capillary attraction, and will afford sufficient moisture for 

 the rooting. When the cuttings have rooted pot them singly 

 in 3-inch pots, using the same compost, only it may be a little 

 finer. If a Cucumber or Melon frame is at work, a place in the 

 frame will be very suitable. They will soon be established, 

 and if put in early in the spring, and their growth encouraged 

 until the middle of August, and then ripened by withholding 

 water, and placing them in the full sun, many of the plants 

 will produce from four to six flowers during the winter and 

 spring months. 



Few plants are more suitable than these little Epiphyllums, 

 for use as a fringe round suspended baskets filled with bulbs 

 for room decoration. When this was a part of my duties, I 

 grew them by dozens for the purpose, and they were always 

 much admired. If not required to bloom in such a small state 

 it is well to keep them growing as long as possible, drying them 

 only to pass them through the winter months. 



In the spring, when fairly in growth, not before, the plants 

 may be shifted into 5 or 6-inch pots, enriching the compost by 

 one-fourth of thoroughly decayed well-aired oowdung, using 

 plenty of rough charcoal round the collar of the plant to allow 

 of the water passing this part freely, the plant being there 

 somewhat susceptible of injury, by any lodgement of water. 

 Stand the plants in a position where they can receive the 

 benefit of heat and light, and water sparingly until the roots 

 reach the sides of the pots, but when fairly established, and in 

 full growth, they will require copious supplies. Occasional 

 syringings, when iu the most vigorous growth, will benefit 

 them. 



Towards the middle or end of August, and at a time when 

 the terminal leaflets are on the point of being fully developed, 

 gradually withhold water, and stand the plants in the full blaze 

 of the sun, but protecting the pots from its direct and burning 

 rays. Mere extension is no longer required, but a secretion o£ 

 organisable matter preparatory to the formation of flower buds. 

 Syringe overhead at times in preference to giving much water 

 at the roots, and this only to keep the plants from shrivelling. 

 House the plants before heavy rains— that is, if they have been 

 turned out, for it is immaterial whether they are in-doors or 

 out, BO long as they are exposed to intense sun, and they will 

 begin immediately to knot for bloom. When in this condition, 

 by keeping them dry and cool, they may be maintained in a 



