Maich 13, 1873. ) 



JOURl^AL OF HORtlCULtURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



220 



Boles or bottoms, and giving rich mulcliings and manure water- 

 ings. By such a mode we have obtained successions from each 

 set of leaves on the flower stems until the autumn. This 

 method of preventing the maturation of old heads and giviug 

 uourishmenl tj the roots is worthy of the attention of those 

 who like the vegetable and yet can only afford space for a few 

 stools. Of course, if they prefer bottoms or soles from older 

 lieads, they will not be able to get so many young heads for the 

 t ible. It would be well if the fact, simple though it is, were 

 thoroughly understood, that everything approachiug the per- 

 fecting of seed-vessels greatly exhausts the vital energies of a 

 plant. Three heads left large for bottoms on an Artichoke 

 plant, will exhaust it more than a dozen and a half of heads cut 

 when young to bo sent as dishes to table. Where the extra care 

 and extra manuring cannot be given, and yet a continuauce is 

 desirable, then the fresh planting of some ground every yeai is, 

 perhaps, the simplest mode of attaining the desired object. 



We have never seen much to admire in the chants of earthed- 

 up Cardoons, or those resulting from earthing-up the leaf-stalks 

 of the (jlobe -Vrtichoke, if anything we prefer the latter ; but if 

 plants are devoted to that object a good number must be grown, 

 as after the plants are thus blanched they are of little use after- 

 wards. Several great cooks have told us that the heads used young 

 for table are greatly improved by the plants receiving liberal 

 treatment after the flower stalks appear. 



Jerusalem Artichokes. — These have no connection but in name 

 with the Globe -\rtichoke, in fact the plant is a Sunflower Potato, 

 the tubers resembling Potatoes more than any other vegetable, 

 and being relished by many as a dainty dish, and by many more 

 as forming a chief part in a rich soup. In a very .small garden 

 lately we found fully cue half of the vegetable department 

 occujiied with this tuber. The proprietor was not only very 

 fond of it, Ijut he told us that as most of his friends visited him 

 in winter, the tuber was of great importance to him, as his 

 friends never forget his delicious Artichoke soup. This jjlant, 

 though holding its own when once established, yet to be made 

 the most of, should be raised and planted every year like the 

 Potato. The tubers then are of the same age — a matter of im- 

 portance when they are used for dishes, though not of bo much 

 importance when used for soups. When planted the sets should 

 be about 2 feet apart, and the rows 3 feet asimder. We have 

 known a plantation last fifteen years, but when quality is re- 

 quired a little should be planted every year. We have never 

 found the sUghtest difficulty in cultivated gronud with this 

 plant, but we have known some singular caprices When it was 

 turned out to look after itself in a comparatively wild state. 

 When otherwise not too much fed, pheasants will find it out, 

 and partake of it mth the gusto of an epicure. We have recom- 

 mended it, seen it, and helped to introduce it into covers 

 extensively, first as cover and then as food, but whilst in some 

 places it has grown luxuriantly wherever it had light enough, 

 in other cases where the soil was fair it almost refused to exist, 

 and bo far did not answer the purpose. In all exposed cultivated 

 soil, whntever its natm-e, we have never known tliis tuber to 

 fail. When a good boiled Potato is to be had we prefer it to the 

 Artichoke, bnt there is something pleasing and rich iu it, never- 

 theless. -Vs to soup, that well made is like nectar, but then a 

 clever cook coidd wash a number of pebble stones and make ex- 

 cellent soup if there were plenty of other wherewithals. 



Rhubarb. — We transplanted a lot of ours, as it had been 

 much injured by intruders. For this valuable plant the soil can 

 scarcely be too deep nor too rich. We never yet knew a Rhu- 

 barb plant have enough of rich sm-face-mulching. -VU the best 

 kinds may be raised from seed, and good produce obtained iu 

 two years. We depend chiefly on dividing and replanting what 

 we force ; and that, though it is little better- — hardly so good as 

 seedlings the fi rst year, is fit to take up again after two summers. 

 We are glad to see that Rhubarb is now, more than ever, 

 ticcupying a jdace in the smallest cottage gardens. In such 

 cases, were we to offer our advice, it would be. Plant on a little 

 knoll instead of sinking the plant too much ; then collect and 

 place ronud it any manure, house sweepings, even a few ashes ; 

 and as the Khubarb begins to grow give a fair allowance of dish- 

 washings, soapsuds, itc, so that the rich water may pass away 

 and not lodge around the jilants. For general purposes, as for 

 pies, puddings, i'c, iu i .ittage famibes, we recommend the 

 btrong-gi'owing kinds, as the Oiant and the Victoria. One huge 

 leafstalk ;> to 1 feet in length, and almost the girth of a man's 

 wrist, would do for a fair-sized family, and the simplest way of 

 using it is the best — cutting up without peeling off the skin. Arc ; 

 but stalks of the above size can only be obtained by high culture, 

 we question if any soil would produce them naturally. Though 

 pleasing to look at, we rather question the economy of these 

 huge stalks; they contain more juice, and require, if it can be 

 had, more sugar than smaller stalks, because the latter are 

 firmer. 



We believe that, when duly appreciated, Rhubarb will become 

 more prominent as a preserve, and will make ns more indepen- 

 uent of Gooseberries and Currants. Now, some first-rate pre- 

 servers in the way of jam and jelly have assured us that 



firm stalks of small Rhubarb, such as Buck's Elford, &c., not 

 larger in diameter than one's thumb, far surpass the huge stalks 

 of the Victoria, &c., requiring much less boiling and much less 

 sugar, weight for weight, and remaining much firmer afterwards. 



Whilst on this point, though it is now somewhat unseasonable, 

 wo may say that when Rhubarl) is to be preserved it should 

 bo slipped-off, not after wet, but after several days of bright 

 sunuy weather, as even that will make a great difference in the 

 consistency of the plant and its freedom from extra moisture. 

 We have lately alluded to some of the simplest modes of forcing 

 this vegetable in winter and early spring. 



Sea-kale. — After hardening it oft we commenced planting out 

 that which we have used for forcing, placing the crowus in one 

 row, and cut pieces of the roots iu another. Wc prefer pieces 

 of the roots to young seedlings, if we can get them 6 inches 

 long, and from a quarter to half an inch in diameter. The top 

 end soon forms buds when planted, and all that is ^s'auted is to 

 thin the buds, .\nyone who has a small garden and a kitchen 

 may enjoy this deheious vegetable in the wiuter months. Some 

 of the best Khubarb we have seen in January was iu an old 

 barrel in a kitchen. The bottom of the barrel was tolerably 

 watertight, but a good watering before introducing the barrel to 

 the kitchen was nearly all that was required. Such Rhubarb, 

 grown even in the dark, was more tender, and tlic)ngh not e«i 

 firm, required less sugar, thau that grown in the open air. We 

 have no fear of the effeminating or lowering influence of a taste 

 for such little luxuries. We have great faith in everything, 

 however seemingly trivial, that concentrates the feelings of a 

 man in his home and family. 



yBUIT DEr.UlTHEST. 



We must proceed with out-door work, as we are much behind- 

 hand with it. There have been gi-eat complaints of early Pcacliei 

 not seftiuj well, partly owing to the dark weather, partly to 

 exciting them too much with heat when there was no counter- 

 balanciug influence from the. sun, partly to the buds being im- 

 perfectly matured last autumn, partly to thickets of bloom 

 being left to open when less thau half the rjnantity would have 

 had a better chance, partly to the roots being too diy, and 

 partly to the roots being surrounded with stagnant water. It is 

 often very difficult to decide on the true cause iu such matters 

 without careful attention and strict examination. Some years 

 ago we had a fine tree that showed abundance of bloom, but on 

 examining it closely there were hardly a score of flowers in 

 which there were perfect pistils. We attriliuted the failure to 

 an over-heavy croji the previous year, aud imperfectly ripened 

 wood. The following year, and "afterwards, there was no re- 

 petition of the evil. In several cases tlie blooms have fallen in 

 consequence of too much dryness at the roots, and mere surface 

 appearances should not be depended on. A somewhat dry at- 

 mosphere is also a great help in setting the bloom. When set, 

 evaporating- pans containing soot water will be vei-y useful ; the 

 slirht fumes from the soot will assist iu keeping insects away. 

 A paint of sulphur and soft-soap water daubed ou opeu spaces 

 of the waU wherever the sun will strike, will also help to kee)i 

 away the red spider, aud precaution in all such cases is better 

 than cure. 



Vineries. — As we have not commenced forcing so early this 

 season, we have just kept the Vines moving gently. Outside 

 borders shoidd be carefully covered where the forcing has been 

 early. For later houses now, if the borders are well drained, 

 such coverings will be little required. 



Straicbrrries iu bloom will be aU the better of having a dry 

 hand or a bimch of fine feathers ilrawn through them. Those 

 coming on aud showing the flower-trusses should be carefully 

 watered. As yet avoid watering the centre of the plant or bud. 

 Better sail the pot from a small watering-pot with a spout rather 

 than a rose ; aud again, if saucers are used, wdiich they must be 

 in some ca.ses, allow no water to remain in the saucer. When 

 these little matters arc not attended to, the centre of the plant, 

 even after it shows, will often be destroyed by a sort of damping 

 gangrene. It requires time and labour to obtain good plants in 

 pots, and a little attention afterwards is anything but labour lost. 



ORN.VMENTAL DEr.VBTMENT. 



As a proof of what the sun -null now do, we had a down-pour- 

 ing on the 7th up to midday, such as no workmen could staud 

 unless thoroughly waterproofed; we had showers, too, on the 

 f<th; but the gleams of sun and the wind were so drying, that 

 we were able not only to sweep aud roll lawns, bnt also to sweep 

 and pull the back of a rake over walks, and roll them, too, in 

 the after part of the day. Heavy rain, it is true, is faUing ou 

 the evening of the 8th, but the walks wUl not only look clean 

 but be all the firmer and drier owing to the rolHug, as the heavy 

 rains will pass at once to the sides from the firm surface. We 

 kuow that walks can be made pretty and waterproof too ; but 

 takiug the year through, and the comfort of the feet in walking, 

 we question if anything on the whole is better thau a somewhat 

 smooth, firm gravel walk. 



We prepared hotbeds of a slight nature for Bowing seeds and 

 propagating by cuttings. Repotted Fuchsias and Begonias, and 

 put Poiusettias into a slate of rest when done blooming, giving 



