February 11, 1869. ] 



JOUKNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEF, 



103 



tiou to the cultivation of Potatoes for many years. The Victoria is an 

 aiumlant cropper, of llm very hi^hiiHt quality, and lioopn well uutil 

 the uew supply coiiil.-, louud. It should ho ^rowu iu every gardeu 

 where there ia room lor lute Potatoes; while it is just the soit which 

 ■was wanted for held cultivation, where most iuferior varieties have hoon 

 too long tolerated, as those whu dwell or dine in towns well huow. lit 

 fact, the Victoria in already tiudiiig its way into penenil cultivation in 

 our Bouthern counties, and will he most extensively planted iu other 

 parts of the country duriu;^ the present season. 



The last named on the list is the Skerry Blue, not a bamlsorac, but 

 a very useful nort, and piirtimlarly for f-rowiiifj on a larj^e scale. It 

 keeps well, boils white, and has been freqnontly reported upon ns ro- 

 eisting the disease hetter tbau any other Potato. There arc some 

 other valuable varieties in cultivation besides tlione we have enumerated, 

 some of them of lonj; standiui;. amongst whicii wo maymention Myatt's 

 Ashleaf Kidney and ^Vellington, whiirh is useful as a second early. 



The Miscellaneous Class at the late Khow for otlier named sorts 

 was an interesting collection, twenty-three lots being entered. Tlie 

 Judges had two first and two second prizes at their disposal in this 

 division. One of the first prizes went to Messrs. Sutton S: Sons' 

 iJerkshiro Hero, a kiduey Potato which will, we have no doubt, be- 

 conio a general favourite. It appears to be of vigorous habit, (for wo 

 have not grown it, being, like many others, too late in applying for 

 seed last year); its quality ani productiveness are highly spoken of ; 

 and the two samples sent were remarkably true to the engraving in 

 Snttons' " Amateur's tJuide." The other first prize was given for a 

 round white seedlini,'. shown by Mr. J. K. Fowler, of the Prebcudal 

 Farms, Aylesbury, about wbiih wo should be glad to have further 

 informaticn. We should judge it to be a second early, of good quality, 

 while in appearance it is all that could be desired. One of the 

 second prizes went to Mr. George Dunkley, Kingstborpe, Northampton, 

 for Johnson's Seedling Kidney, which was also very promising. The 

 other second prize was given to a lot named " Shackel's Conqueror,' 

 very good, but improperly named ; they were like the Wellington, but 

 rounder in shape than we ever saw any specimens of that sort. 



The question — Can we have Potatoes iu fine condition all the year 

 round ? has often been asked, and, we think, it may bo answered in 

 the afiirmativo if proper care is used in the selection of varieties and 

 in cultivation. To ensure this result some one or more of the kidney 

 Potatoes we have named should be chosen for the first crop ; and we 

 have always thought that more kidneys might be grown with advantage 

 than is generally the case, such as Eivers'a and Gloucestershire, 

 which, are large croppers, and keep well for some considerable time. 

 We say nothiug about which sorts arc the earliest, as the- race for veiy 

 early Potatoes is simply a race for an irdiijestion ; most of the earliea are 

 much more wholesome and much hetter in quality if gathered when 

 perfectly ripe and kept for a couple of months before cooking. Daiu- 

 tree's First Early would follow the kidneys ; and, as we have said, in 

 the Milky White we have all that could be dcsii-ed for a second crop. 

 With regard to late Potatoes, there is now no difficulty whatever in 

 making a satisfactory selection, Paterson's Victoria, Dalmahoy, the 

 Fluke, Skerry Blue, and some of the other blue varieties, affordiag 

 ample means of doing so. The Victoria and the Fluke are, perhaps, 

 the most reliable, the latter, if of a good strain, improving ia con- 

 dition the longer it ia kept. — {Midland Counties Herald.) 



SELECT KITCHEN GARDEN SEEDS. 



In naming what I consider the best varieties of kitchen 

 garden seeds, I am guided solely by my own experience, and I 

 have endeavoured to enumerate as few sorts as possible ; but 

 though I would gladly have named but one variety of each 

 description of vegetable, I fiud it better to grow two or even 

 more of some, as, fiom the difference in the seasons, there is a 

 great difference iu the produce. In some seasons an old 

 variety never known to fail will be surpassed by one, the pro- 

 duce of which is not always good. I grow two or more varie- 

 ties which I have proved, and if in one I have less than the 

 standard of excelleijce, it is generally found in the other ; but 

 in the following list I have not named any but those which are 

 good. Those marked * I consider the best, and to be relied on ; 

 those marked \ are best suited for small gardens. 



Peas. — First Early. — *Dicksou'a First and Best and Uin{,leader 

 (Sutton's), for the first crop, being the earliest of all. Daniel 

 O'Rourke (Sangster's No. 1) and ♦Esses Rival are very good for sow- 

 ing at the same time, and, coming in a few days after the two first- 

 named, make a good succession. -tTom Thumb, the best very dwarf 

 early Pea for small gardens and forcing. 



Early or Sramd Crops. — These succeed the first-early Peas, and 

 should be sown at the same time as the last sowing of such. +Ad- 

 vancer (wrinkled Marrow). tLittle Gem (wiinkled Marrovv), fBishop's 

 New Long-podded, »Phzetaker, * Champion of England (wrinkled 

 Marrow, also good for third crops), andKarly Favourite. 



MainajidLate Crops. — *fHairs' Dwarf Mammoth (Lord Raglan). 

 -vYorkshire Hero, very like Veiteh's Perfection, but dwarfer ; Veitch .; 

 Perfection, British Cjueen, and *Ne plus Ultra, the hardiest and per- 

 haps the best Pea in cultivation. 



Xo pterent an interval occurring between the second and main crop.^, 



I usually BOW, when the latt of the second-early Peas are sown, a like 

 quantity of Scimitar Improved and Victoria Marrow, the first ol 

 these being a fine cropper. 



Bno.VD Bkans. — ^Beck's Gem, 'Early Long-pod for first and second 

 sowing. If very early Beans are wanted, Early Mazagan. Mackie's 

 Monarch and 'Taylor'a Improved Windsor for main crops; and tRoyal 

 Dwarf Cluster or Fan. 



Kidney Bk.\ns. — *Cantorbury, Cliineao or Robin's Egg for first 

 sowing. •Cream-coloured, 'Silver-coloured, or Dark Dun (best 

 cropper), and Ncwington Wonder if a sort le required for cooking 

 with the pods whole. Ji'innurs. — Scarlet, the best and most prolific. 



Bkkt. — Dwarf Purple-top (Cattell'sj, and •Pino Aiqde Short-top. 

 Whyte'a Black, if a sort be wanted for bulk, it being of good colour, 

 hut rather coarse. 



BoitEcoLE. — Asparagus Kale, •Cottagers' Kale (very hardy), and 

 *Dwarf Curled. Melville's Treble-curled Variegated Garnishing. 



BuuHSKLS Si'iiuuTH.- — •Scrj'mgcrs and Rosoberry. 



Bkoc'colt. — *Waleheren, best for summer and autumn. Grange's 

 Autumn White for succeeding Caulillower. ♦Suowa Winter White 

 and Osborn's New Winter White for December, January, and Febru- 

 ary cutting. Penzance (Mitchcnson's), *DUcock's Bride, and *Frog- 

 moro J*rotecting for Fehruai7, March, and April cutting. Eclipse 

 (CatteU'fl), *Ellet8on's Mammoth, and *Melvillo'R White May for 

 April and May. Snow's Nonpareil is, perhaps, the best late Broccoli, 

 being vei-y hardy. 



C-vnB.VGE. — 'Catteirs Early Dwarf Barnes best for sowing for first 

 crop, not running when sown by the middle of July. Enfield Market 

 for second crop, and *Nonsuch ( Dickson's) for summer ; also Shilling's 

 Queen and Large York if summer Cahbages arc required- iAtkins's 

 Matchless and *+Little Pixie, pBloodRed, and Mammoth Red, thelast 

 two for pickling. 



Savoy. — *Drumhead for autumn use ; Dwarf Green Curled for 

 winter, it being very hardy, and *f Early Dwarf TJlm, fine for early 

 autumn use. 



CouvE TRONcnuDA. — This excellent vegetable is but little grown. 

 It forms an excellent substitute for Sea-kale, but requires to bo sown 

 in heat and brought forward. 



CAUTiU'-LowKit. — *Frogmore Forcing, Early London, best for August 

 and first spring sowings ; Asiatic and Stadtholder for summer and 

 autumn. The W^alcheren Broccoli or Caulitiower is, perhaps, the 

 hardiest for sowing to stand the winter, and is good for summer, but 

 very liable to run to seed in drj', hot weather. 



Caeuot. — *Improved Altrincham and ♦Long Red Surrey aro the 

 best for the general crop ; Improved French Horn for early crops. 



Cardoon. — Smooth Solid. 



Celery. — * + Ineomparable Dwarf White, the best late white. 

 +Matchles3 Red (Williams's). *-*-Manchester Champion Solid Red, 

 a good late sort, keeping well up to April. *Champion White Solid. 

 (Dickson's), early, and perhaps the best white for exhibition. 



Cress. — *Curled, best for general use. 



Cucumber. — »Telegraph, perhaps the best Cucumber in cultivation; 

 Lord Kenyon's Favourite, good either for summer or winter ; and 

 *Newton Hero, Beeston's Prolific, and Dale's Conqueror are also good. 

 Bedfordshire Ridge, Long Prickly, best for Gherkins. 



Chicory.— Improved Large, for blanching and use as Endive for 

 salads. 



Endi\t3. — Batavian, best for first crops, but liable to rot. *+SmalI 

 Green Curled, the best cnrled early. Large Green Curled, the best 

 for winter on account of its not being liable to rot like many of the 

 others. 



Leek. — Large Musselburgh and *Henry's Ayton Castle Giant. 



Lettuce. — *Bath (Brown) Cos. best for spring use. being very 

 hardy. Ivery's Nonsuch, *Paris White, and Wheeler's Imperial for 

 winter or summer use. Drumhead. *Neapolitan. and *+Tom Thumb. 

 Hardy Green for winter. The last four are Cabbage varieties. 



T0.M.4.T0. — PoweU's Eaily and Oraugefield Dwarf Prolific. 



Mustard. — White. 



Melon. — ♦Beechwood and Conqueror of Europe, both green-fleshed. 

 *Malvern Hall and Willss Oulton Park Hybrid, both scarlet-fleshed. 



Onion. — *Whito Spanish or Portugal. Reading White, best whites. 

 Brown Spanish or Portugal, 'James's Keeping, and Deptford, *Blood 

 Red and Strasburg. The last are the longest keepers, but strong- 

 fiavoured ; *Tripoli Itahau for autumn sowing, and the Nocera for 

 pickling. 



Parsley. — Myatfs Garaishing. 



Pausnip. — *Hollow-crowued. 



Radibu. — «Early Scarlet Short -top, host for general crop. French 

 Breakfast and * Wood's Frame for frame culture. *Red and 'White 

 Turnip for summer and autujim. Black Spanish, best for autumn 

 sowings. 



Spinach. — * Round, best for summer ; *PricLly for winter. The 

 New Zealand Spinach is good, not being liable to sufifer from drought, 

 but it requires to be sown in heat and transplanted. 



Turnip. — 'Melbourne Early White and Snowball, both white, for 

 early use; »Mousetail, Orange Jelly. j;ood yellow; Chirk Castle 

 Black Stone, *Altrincham Yellow, and' 'White Stone for late rowings. 



Veokt.vble Marrow. — 'Custard and 'Long White. 



I have omitted all the perennials, as Sea- kale, &c., and some 

 annuals that are not generally cultivated, but I give them below. 



Corn Salad. — Italian seed is best. 



