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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTUBB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Deeemler 31, 1971 



meni on the subject.* What diiierencea of opinion may exist 

 as to the effect prodnced on climate and the supply of water by 

 the destruction of timber, all must agree as to the impolicy of 

 permitting the indiscriminate destruction of valuable forests. 

 There are, of course, instances where the progress of civili- 

 sation renders the destruction of forests necessary ; but there 

 are also cases where such should be preserved, and which, 

 if ably supervised, would afford unfailing supplies of valuable 

 timber. I may add, that there are some ninety-six species of 

 timber trees found in Ceylon. — E. Rawdos Powee, F.R.G.S., 

 Cetjlon Civil Service (^Retired), Tenby, South Wales, 



NOTES CK VILLA and SUBURBAN GARDENING. 

 ■With a sharp frost every night, and the ground still covered 

 with snow, induces one's attention to be turned to thioga under 

 cover, and one of the first things that suggests itself to those 

 with time on their hands is the fruits and vegetables in store. 

 Amateurs are many times not so well supplied with storage- 

 room as the professional man, and therefore the produce is 

 often by compulsion thrown into a heap, and through that 

 the necessity of frequently looking over them is the more 

 apparent, because they are much more liable to decay from 

 heating or sweating; and Potatoes, for instance, when laid in a 

 heap often, to look at the outside, appear to be keeping well 

 irom disease as well as sprouting, but pull the heap to pieces, 

 and it may be that some of them are rotting and others making 

 shoots, to the great injury of the tubers, whether for eating 

 or for seed ; hence my reason for saying that this is a very 

 proper time to go through everything of the vegetable kind, 

 as well £is that of the fruit ; and even if no decay or sprout- 

 ing is found, the fact that they are moved out of one position 

 into another, so long as that be done properly and carefully, is 

 much to the good of all, and if they could by any means be 

 spread out upon the floor foi; a few hours the benefit they 

 receive will be greater still. 



_ Salading of Sorts. — There is such a demand for salads at all 

 times of the year, even m the smallest of families, that the work 

 of raising them may be safely alluded to here, especially now 

 that Lettuces and one or two other of the principal things re- 

 quired to make up a salad are short or wanting altogether. In 

 my case it is necessary that a small salad shotild be supplied 

 every day, and just now, besides Celery, it is made up of late 

 Endive which was stored away in cold frames, and though 

 kept as dry as possible, it has just been examined on account of 

 some of it rotting, and some Com Salad, which was planted 

 thickly in boxes and put into a very mild heat, and Mustard and 

 Cress, and last, but not least, some forced Chicory. When 

 Endive is over more of the other things will be required, and 

 consequently any addition in the way of Radishes ; these are 

 sown among the Early Horn Carrots in a frame, with a bed of 

 mild-heating leaves under them. The sorts sown are the French 

 Breakfast and Wood's Early Frame. The Carrots are sown in 

 rows, and the Radishes also in rows, alternately one with the 

 other. The Mustard and Cress is sown in shallow boxes, and 

 with the seeds not covered, but pressed into the soil, watered, 

 and placed over the boiler in the stokehole. After they have 

 vegetated they are brought into the vinery at work, or in the 

 absence of that the greenhouse will answer well. It may be 

 mentioned that these things may be sown and reared in several 

 different places where there is heat sufficient (and very little is 

 needed) to cause the seeds to vegetate. I have been so far par- 

 ticular over what appears to many a very simple thing, but I 

 may say that it is not at all times an easy matter for an amateur 

 to get a supply of this part of a salad, and if he can be helped 

 out of his difficulty by letting him know of an easy common 

 method he will be the more likely to once more try to enjoy 

 ■some from his own growing. Then as to Chicory. At this time 

 of the year it is indispensable in a salad, and I believe very 

 wholesome. The roots are grown from seed sown in May on 

 rich ground, and in a similar manner to Carrots, and the rows 

 the same distance apart ; they are thinned out in doe time, and 

 kept growing as fast as possible during the season. The roots 

 may be taken up in November, and the tops cut off and stored 

 away the same as Carrots. When required for forcing, some of 

 the roots are planted in a frame with a gentle heat where the 

 light is kept from them. In a short time they commence to 



* I find eome years ago that I alao addressed a letter to the Government of 

 Ceylon, of which the following is an extract : " The subject of timber in the 

 central province, and indeed thronghont the island, i3 becoming so very 

 important, that I think the appointment of a separate officer as Inspector of 

 Crown Forests, .ic, is well worthy of His Eicellency'a consideration as both 

 an economical and very detiirable measure. With an active and efficient 

 oflBcer in such a post — and I may add that in every lar(?e district in British 

 India such an officer is to be foond — we might hope also to encourage the 

 planting of valaable yoong trees in favourable localities, and thereby remedy 

 in course of time the evil involved in the reckless destruition of valuable 

 timber which haa taken place for many years pa?t in this colony." I have 

 eason to believe that the Ceylon Government have taken action on this im- 

 portant subject. 



grow at the crown, which produces tender and fleshy leaves 

 perfectly blanched, of a yellow colour, and a most excellent 

 addition it is to a salad. Now, Chicory is a very easy thing to 

 force, and may be done in several ways. For instance, if the 

 roots are planted in some sandy soil in a cellar, or planted in 

 pots thickly and covered with another one to keep them dark, 

 a good result may be expected. It is very easUy started into 

 growth, and does not require the attention that many things do 

 to bring them to perfection, and which an amateur can generally 

 ill afford to give it. — Thomas Record. 



DOINGS OF THE LAST AND PRESENT WEEKS. 



The weather is still such that no work can be done in the 

 kitchen garden different from that of last week. One thing we 

 were enabled to do, and that was to write out the seed order. 

 Some few sorts of vegetables we save seeds of otirselves, but we 

 long ago discovered that it does not pay to make a general 

 practice of this. We do not, therefore, feel inclined to take the 

 trade out of the hands of the seedsmen. They have consider- 

 able advantages over gardeners, as they can have the different 

 classes of seeds saved in the districts and soils best adapted to 

 them. Indeed, some of our best vegetable and flower seeds 

 require to be saved in France or other warmer countries of the 

 south of Europe ; and even if a gardener does prefer to save a 

 certain favourite vegetable for seeding purposes, it is frequently 

 desirable to change it to another district to prevent degeneration. 



There are a few of the new vegetables being sent out this 

 season which certainly deserve a trial, but it is best to stick to 

 our old friends, which have proved constant to us whether the 

 seasons be wet or dry, cold or hot. To begin with Potatoes, one 

 or two of the new American sorts deserve a fair trial. They 

 are distinct from any of the English-raised varieties, and are 

 enormous croppers in some soils and favourable seasons. The 

 flavour is fairly good, but at their very best not equal in this 

 respect to the best of our own kidney and round varieties. 

 Snowflake is one of the best white sorts, and Vermont or 

 Brownell's Beauty the best of the reds. The varieties of Pota- 

 toes are very numerous now. Some persons grow over a htm- 

 dred distinct sorts ; but, of course, this is a mere whim or fancy, 

 as for all useful purposes half a dozen are sufficient. We grow 

 in the garden Myatt's Prolific Ashleaf and Veitch's Improved 

 Early Ashleaf ; and for a round sort, though that has been given 

 up for the last year or two, the Early Coldstream. The beat 

 field sorts are Dalmahoy, an early Regent, Walker's Regent; 

 and for late, the Red-skinned Flourball. 



Amongst the new Peas Dr. Hogg will probably hold the first 

 place ; it is the earliest wrinkled Marrow, and a good cropper. 

 William I., Alpha, Champion of England, G. F. Wilson, and 

 Veitch's Perfection are the favourites. The Seville Long-pod 

 Bean is a very distinct and desirable sort ; it is not quite new, 

 but is not grown to a large extent in England. We grow but 

 one sort, and that is the Broad Windsor. Dwarf Kidney Bean, 

 Newington Wonder; and Negro Long-pod Scarlet Runners. 

 Beet, Dell's Crimson. Broccoli, Snow's Winter White, Wal- 

 cheren. Knight's Protecting, and Perkins' Leamington ; the last 

 is a fine new variety. Brussels Sprouts (imported seed) and 

 Scrymger's Giant. Cabbage, Early Dwarf, York, and Enfield 

 Market. Carrot, French Forcing, James's Intermediate Scarlet, 

 and Red Surrey. Cauliflower, Early London andLenormand's. 

 Celery, Williams's Matchless Red and Sandringham Dwarf 

 White. Cucumber, Tender and True, Telegraph. Endive, 

 Batavian (Fraser's Improved), Green Curled. Lettuce, Cabbage, 

 Drumhead, Hicks' Hardy White Cos. Melon, Scarlet Gem and 

 Gilbert's Victory of Bath. Onion, Brown Globe, James's Keep- 

 ing, and White Spanish ; also Two-bladed for pickling. Parsnip, 

 Hollow-crowned Improved. Badish, Red 'Turnip and French 

 Breakfast. Satioi/.Drumhead and Dwarf Green-curled. Spinach, 

 Round or Summer, Prickly or Winter. Tomato, Orangefield 

 Dwarf. Turnip, Early White Stone and Veitch's Red Globe. 

 Vegetable Marrow, Short-jointed Long White. The above 

 selection of vegetable seeds have been proved to be the best for 

 our district, and our soil is very unsuitable for vegetable culture. 



Covered Rhubarb with some rough manure from the farm- 

 yard ; this protects the crowns from frost and causes the leaves 

 to start into earlier growth. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



Daring severe frosts there is much danger to be apprehended 

 from the hot-water pipes, and much more so in structures heated 

 by the old-fashioned flues. During the winter season, when the 

 heating apparatus is not in use, the plants may not require any 

 water for a whole week. We look over our plants about twice a 

 week, but not more than half of them will require water ; but 

 suddenly a severe frost sets in, the fires are lighted up, and should 

 any plants be near the pipes they become dry and are sometimes 

 neglected. During a frost it is necessary to look over the plants 

 every day. Careful watering, especially in the winter season, is 

 an indispensable agent to successful culture. Much of our time 

 is still employed cleaning the wood and glasswork of the houses, 

 and also the plants. 



