24 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Jaunary 13, 1876. 



whfn euttiEg the Mistlttoe with the poldeu knife. No pro- 

 fane hand could pretume to cut the Mistletoe; nor were all 

 timcB and seafots proper for the performance of this rite. 

 The If gend of Friga acd other Saxon deities connected with 

 the Mistletoe is too long for repetition in our pages. The 

 suppoEed magical properties of the Mistletoe are referred to 

 by many writers. Lilius mentions the Mistletoe as one of the 

 things necesEBiy to make a man a magician or Druid. In the 

 dark ages a similar belief prevailed, and even to very recent 

 days the peaeants of Holstein and eome other countries call 

 the Mistletoe the " Spectre's Wand," fxom a supposition that 

 holding a branch of Mistletoe in the hand will not only enable 

 a man to see ghosts, but to force them to speak to him. A 

 writer in the year 1791 stated that the Gnidbel or Mistletoe 

 was tuppoEed by some to have been the forbidden tree in the 

 garden of Eden, and adding that hence, probably, arose the 

 custom of kissing under it at Christmas ; but it is more pro- 

 bable that the custom has been handed down to us from our 

 Saxon ancestors, who dedicated the plant to their Venue, 

 Friga, the goddess of Love, so as to place it entirejy under 

 her control, and prevent it fiom being used against her as an 

 instrument of mischief. In feudal times the Mistletoe was 

 gathered on Christmas eve with great solemnity, and hung up 

 in the great hall with loud shouts and rejoicing. This has 

 been the theme of many a poem. 



" Foith to tie woods did merry men go 

 To gather-in the Mistlttoe. 

 Then opened wide the baron's hall 

 To vassal, tenant, serf, and all." 



From then till now Mistletoe has been considered part of our 

 Christmas adornings. 



The most certain mode of increasing the Mistletoe is by 

 affixing the berries to the smooth young bark of Apple or 

 other suitable trees, and a portion of them are tolerably 

 certain to germinate if not devoured by birds. In districts 

 where the Mistletoe is scarce the berries cannot be too thickly 

 sown, and some of them may escape the sharp eyes of the 

 feathered tribe. Failnres arise mainly by inserting the seed 

 into crevices of the old bark or not protecting the berries from 

 birds. The plant may be increased by grafting, but not nearly 

 so satisfactorily as by seed. A good plan is to gather the 

 berries at this period and preserve them until the trees are 

 breaking into leaf, and then smear them thickly on the .>ouBg 

 branches. Some have found it better to raise a flap of baik 

 in the shape of an inverted a., ^^^ place cne or two seeds 

 beneath it, and thus protect them from the birds. 



PEAS NEW AND OLD. 



Peas are the princes of summer vegetables. They have in 

 the garden the best ground and the most favoured situation. 

 On exhibition tables they every year make finer displays and 

 absorb a greater amount of public attention than any other 

 green vegetable. In trade catalcgues they are given the post 

 of honour, and in the advertisement columns of the garden- 

 ing press they have the prominence of which they are worthy. 

 "Peas is Peas all I' world ower," was the stock phrase of an 

 old-fashioned Yoikshire gardener who prided himself upon 

 being proof against " t' sorts wi' new names ;" but the merits 

 of Veitch's Perfection were more powerful than even the old 

 Yorkshireman's prejudices. That was the first "new sort" 

 that broke down the barriers of his exclusiveness, and he lived 

 to grow other new soite, and to acknowledge them as being 

 " distinct and good." 



It cannot be denied, notwithstanding the force of the old 

 axiom " As like as two Peas," that there is a great dissimi- 

 larity in the varieties of this favourite legume. The nfcv sorts 

 are not only distinct in many important features from the old 

 varieties, but they are, except those of the early round section, 

 distinct from each other. The hybrids of Mr. Laxton and Dr. 

 Maclean are totally dissimilar froin the " old standards " in 

 character ; also, it mnst be admitted, in price. 



Now there are many who resent the " fancy prices " which 

 are attached to new Peas on the ground that they are not 

 worth the money, and that to eat Peas at 5s. per quarter pini 

 is an UBjuBtifiuble luxury. True, but the price is not assessed 

 on the table quality of the article,- but simply on its scarcity, 

 and if a sort is really new, also distinct and good, it will 

 certainly find purchasers let its price be what it may. 



New and high-priced vegetables, and the trade enterprise of 

 vendors by the liberal prizes offered for their new intro- 

 tuctions, have been productive of good, not to themselves 



alone and to which they are fairly entitled , but as fostering a 

 higher type of kitchen gardening, and making that depart- 

 ment of the gardener's duties more enjoyable and attractive. 

 The kitchen gardens of the opulent are not, and should not be, 

 regarded wholly from a utilitarian point of view. They 

 should, of course, primarily be devoted to tho culinary require- 

 ments of the household, but they also should add a measure 

 of enjoyment, and be a source of interest and pleasure to 

 their owners and attendants. By the introduction of new 

 and proportionally expensive vegetables in small quantities a 

 new and healthy feature is imparted to a garden. The very 

 rarity and cost of the articles will stimulate the gardener to 

 give them the lest attention, and by thtm the garden will 

 become more thoroughly worked and be brought into better 

 condition than before. We may be tolerably certain that 

 those gardeners who make trials in small quantities of new 

 vegetables, and who submit their produce to the great exhi- 

 bitions, do not fail in the culinary requirements of home, and 

 that the gardens in their keeping are not only not neglected, 

 but that they are in the highest state of culture. This im- 

 proved state has in a great measure been brought about by the 

 greater value of the crops that have been introduced. In 

 these instances the small extent of ground that has been set 

 aside for experimental purposes has been more than com- 

 pensated for by the increased productiveness of the rest. Thus 

 nothing has been lost in the utility of such gardens, but to 

 them has been added an element of enjoyment — it may, 

 perhaps, not be unpardonable to say an element of beauty. I 

 am not quite certain that one plant which affords pleasure to 

 the eye and mind is not as beautiful as another. I think I 

 have seen as much beauty in well- cultivated and well-tended 

 trial rows of new Peas as in rows of Roses. Yea, I have 

 turned from the Roses to admire the Peas. So also have 

 other gardeners. I know also garden owners, not only gentle- 

 men but ladies, whose kitchen gardens have afforded them 

 delight ; but when devoted solely to purposes of utility they 

 were seldom entered by their owners. 



Can anyone suppose that the gardens in charge of such 

 men as Mr. Gilbert, Mr. Lumsden, Mr. Cox, and other gar- 

 deners of equal fame, are less productive in useful returns for 

 the new and rare vegetables which are cultivated in them ? 

 No: These gardens are in the highest state of culture, their 

 usefulness is as great as ever, and besides being useful they 

 are made infinitely more enjoyable than before, and more 

 instructive. 



New and highly-pricad vegetables must not, therefore, be 

 judged by their "pot-filling" qualities, but should be re- 

 garded as " germs of future usefulness," and in the meantime 

 as objects affording " present pleasures." Just as the stock- 

 masters and lovers of animals and of birds have their highly 

 valued favourites, not as beicg of real service, but as affording 

 pleasure — hobbies ; so may gardens and gardeners have their 

 pets^ — their "fancy crops" — which add to the pleasure and 

 contentment of the man, and bring out his best qualities, and 

 afford enjoyment, and in the end profit, to tho master. 



I am probably as practical as most men, and have been as 

 succescfal in my vegetable supply, yet by the introduction of 

 new vegetables in reasonable quantities I have made my 

 work more pleasurable to myself, aud have noticed the in- 

 creased interest that my employer has taken in his garden by 

 watching the growth of varieties which he has not seen before. 

 The profit ot the garden has not been decreased, but its 

 pleasuivs have been increased. That I hold to be a great 

 gain effected mainly by new and highly-priced seeds of, especi- 

 ally. Peas. They are vegetable "fancies" which have been 

 indulged in with great satisfaction and not without profit. 

 Y'et while admitting tho usefulness of highly-priced Peas in 

 stimulating the taste in kitchen gardening, I cannot withhold 

 my meed of approval of Mr. Turner for cot hurriedly sending 

 out his new Pea Dr. Maclean, but reserving it until his stock 

 has become sufficient to enable him to distribute it in large 

 quantities and at a reasonable price. I do not speak without 

 knowledge of this variety viheu I say that it is one of the 

 most important acquisiiions in new Peas of recent years. 

 Some rows of it were really " beautiful " and exceedingly use- 

 ful. In cropping and in quality it is alike good. If only a 

 hmited number of new Peas cau be tried this should be one 

 of them. 



I am able also to testify to the merits of some other new Peas, 

 and recommend as euiiceutly worthy of a place in any garden 

 Mr. Laxton's new catly variety The Shah. If it does not super- 

 sede all ear)y Peas it will at least be worth the crown that it 



