96 



JOUKNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Febraory 4, 1875. 



variety above named, which I should have noted sooner only 

 it offered no advantages over runners or dwarfs, though very 

 prolific. In flavour it was a French Bean, but the pods too 

 Boon became old and stringy. 



Beet. — The Chelsea is a flat-topped kind, the leaves lying 

 almost flat upon the ground, has a medium-sized and fine- 

 shaped root entirely below ground ; in colour very deep crim- 

 son, free from whitish streaks in the flesh, and has no stringi- 

 ness, the flavour being very fine and distinct. Those wanting 

 uniform fine flavour will find it in this Beet. Dewar's Dwarf 

 Red is the earliest, its roots attaining to a useable size by the 

 middle of July, so that Beet may be had the year round. 

 Whyte's Black is deeper in colour and larger than most, and 

 when not sown too early — not before the middle of May nor 

 later — is not subject to grow coarse, and is then a good kind. 

 Those were all good the last season, Dell's Crimson losing 

 none of its grand foliage-colouring from the drought, and it is 

 a kind that has never yet run to seed with me the first season. 

 Its roots, as also those of Pine-Apple Short-top, keep long 

 into summer, but neither grow sufficiently large-rooted with 

 me to be profitable. They may need more warmth. 



Borecole ok Kale. — These are not in request, only the 

 Dwarf Curled (Veitch's) variety, and Cottager's are grown, 

 both very hardy, the former having very fine, large, fleshy 

 leaves, grand crowns, strong side shoots, and stand a long 

 time before running to seed. Of Cottager's Kale the Green 

 variety gives the best sprouts, and is most tender and pleasing. 

 Variegated or Garnishing is very beautiful about Easter, the 

 colour being so variable, and neatly curled. Prejudice, I sup- 

 pose, hinders it finding favour for garnishing, and how de- 

 sirable it is we should have easement from Parsley in early 

 spring ! The Borecoles are chiefly useful as affording greens 

 in very severe weather, and a supply of their tender sprouts in 

 spring. In cold parts they require to be planted-out early, so 

 as to have them strong before winter. 



Bboccoli. — Snow's Winter is every season destroyed by 

 frosts — i.f., the spring frosts, and has been so four seasons 

 consecutively. On warm borders it fares no better. The only 

 way to have them here is to take np when the size of a teacup 

 and lay-in in frames. It is as tender as a Cauliflower, and 

 not far removed from one. Backhouse's Winter comes in 

 after it, is hardier, and the leaves protect the head better. 

 Veitch's Spring White has a nice close head, white, and de- 

 licions flavour, heading in March or early April. Cooling's 

 Matchless comes in about the same time, the heads well pro- 

 tected, large and white. Mammoth I like for its dwarf growth, 

 large and campact heads ; but the leaves not covering the 

 head it is high-coloured, and the flavour strong. Cattell's 

 Eclipse has large compact heads, as have also Carter's Cham- 

 pion, but Lauder's Late White Goshen yields to no late variety 

 in largeness, compactness, whiteness and flavour of head, and 

 I have cut them on June 6th. The latest Broccoli of all is, 

 perhaps. Late Queen (Sutton8'),of very dwarf compact growth, 

 and good compact heads. Perfection sent out by the same 

 firm is of strong, self-protecting growth, having large compact 

 heads, white, and good flavour. It is in season about April. 

 Broccoli the past three seasons have done indifferently. This 

 season they are on ground which has known no Brassica crop, 

 and the result is not likely to be good. The first heads were 

 cut March 2nd ; in 1873, April 3rd, and the last June 11th; 

 in 1873, June 5th. 



Bkdssels Sprocts were miserable this season. The plants 

 grew wretchedly before as well as after planting out, and the 

 produce has been corresponding. In 1873 they were remark- 

 ably good. The difference is to be accounted for in their being 

 put out in freeh soil and poor, coupled with the drought. The 

 first were had November 15th ; in 1873, October 13th ; and 

 the last March 30th, 1871. The kinds are Imported, and 

 Scrymger's Giant. 



Cabbage very good, and came in quickly in spring, and in 

 autumn were fine from spring-sown seed. Hill's Dwarf In- 

 comparable is hardy, early, and hearts quickly as well as 

 firmly. Cattell's Reliance, also early and good ; Wheeler's 

 Imperial very fine and early, these being followed by Enfield 

 Market and Nonpareil Improved, having fine hearts, very 

 tender and good. Red Dutch is grown for pickling, and for 

 autnmn and early winter Hill's Incomparable, Nonpareil, and 

 St. John's Day Drumhead, and Early Drumhead (Suttons'), 

 the last two being valuable for their earliness and hardiness, 

 not being so soon acted upon injuriously by frost as other sorts. 

 Early Dwarf York is also a good sort for sowing in April for 

 heading in autnmn, being very sweet. Cabbage was first cut 



May 4th, and ever since up to the present. In 1873 the first 

 were cut May 7th, and last November 21st. 



Carrot. — Early Horn and Early Nantes, which is a capital 

 second early, having a very smaU heart or yellow core, very 

 tender. James's Intermediate Scarlet and Red Surrey are the 

 sorts grown, the two first for summer, and two last for autumn 

 and winter. The earUer become very maggotty after August, 

 and the others did not escape. The first were drawn June 

 22nd ; in 1873, July 14th. The best for frames, French Forcing. 



Cauliflowers. — Except a few running to seed of the autumn 

 crop prematurely this vegetable was very good, and yet our 

 soil is light but full of " muck." Dwarf Erfurt Mammoth is 

 a fine dwarf grower, early with fine close heads. Early London, 

 early, and more tall, but very good ; Walcheren being unsur- 

 passed ; King of Cauliflowers had very fine large close heads, 

 as had also Large Asiatic and Stadtholder ; Veitch's Autumn 

 Giant under hand-Ughts disappointed, but for autumn and for 

 taking up for protecting in frames is magnificent. The first 

 heads were cut June 11th, the last December 29th. In 1873 

 the first were cut June 30th, and last, March 6th, 1874. 



Celery. — Sulham Prize Pink (Suttons'), a capital sort, of 

 moderate size ; Williams's Matchless Red, stiff growth, very 

 good, and keeps well; Major Clarke's Red, medium size, excel- 

 lent; Sandringham Dwarf White, stout in growth and very 

 good ; Veitch's Silver White failed, bolting to a great extent, 

 in 1873 this variety was good. The leaflets are very much 

 serrated. Leicester Red need not be named, the difference 

 between it and Major Clarke's Red, if any, is slight. The 

 Turnip-rooted, or Celeriac, turned out a white sort with no root 

 at all, and it came from Vienna, about a pound weight ! So 

 much for foreign seed nomenclature. It is a good white kind, 

 not unlike Seeley's Leviathan. We use Celery only for soups 

 before October ; the last we had in 1874, April 24th, and last 

 1873, April 2l6t. 



Chicory. — This sown early in April in rows a foot apart and 

 thinned to 6 inches in the rows gives in autumn good roots, 

 which are cut off about an inch above the root and stored in 

 sand along with other roots in November, and as wanted at 

 intervals of about a fortnight are placed in soil kept moist to 

 the crown, burying the whole of the root part in a Mushroom 

 house, and there give leaves in a fortnight equal to any Endive 

 for salad. Any dark place will do if there is a gentle heat. 

 The Large-rooted is the best, having broad fleshy leaves, and 

 nothing near so bitter as the narrow scalloped purplish-midrib 

 kind, which is only a slight remove from Dandelion. Chicory 

 helps well in midwinter to fill the salad bowl. December 2lBt, 

 it was first used last year ; in 1873 the same time, and up te 

 April. 



Chervil and Cress. — I shall only remark that these are 

 always expected to be at command winter and summer. A 

 sowing of Chervil in early April and August wiU suffice, and if 

 a hard winter it may be sown in pans or boxes, and grown in 

 any light airy house where forcing is going on. Cress and 

 Mustard should be sown every week from April to October out- 

 doors, and the other half of the year under glass. Curled 

 Chervil and Curled Cress are best. 



Cucumbers. — Cox's Volunteer and Blue Gown were both 

 good, preferably Blue Gown. Marquis of Lome was also 

 grown. It is a large and fine kind, but too large for everyday 

 use. Tender and True has been added, also Duke of Edin- 

 burgh (Munro's) for this year ; Ridge kinds do no good here. — 

 G. Abbey. 



(To be continued.) 



BAINPALL IN 1874. 

 OsMiNGTON Lodoe, Weymouth, Dorset. — January, 2.94 

 inches ; February, 2.42 ; March, 0.6G ; April, 2.26 ; May, 0.61 ; 

 June, 1.50; July, 0.08; August, 2.80 ; September, 3.74 ; Octo- 

 ber, 5.81 ; November, 3.38 ; December, 4.16. Total, 31.26.— 

 C. T. Hall. 



Effects of the Frost. — We are now beginning to see some 

 of the effects of the late winter, especially among the winter 

 greens. Though partly covered with snow Savoys, Cabbages, 

 Brussels Sprouts, Curled Kale, and Broccoli have suffered 

 severely, and are emitting a not very pleasant odour. Lettuces 

 and Endive, though covered, have come in for a share of 

 injury. Laurels with us have put on quite a brown appear- 

 ance, and will not look themselves again until they have shed 

 their leaves. Variegated Hollies have suffered much, and 

 many of the common Hollies are shedding their leaves. Ever- 



