12 The Progress in Vegre table Cultivation 



intervals by Scarlet Gem, Blenheim Orange, Hybrid Cashmere, Imperial Green, and 

 Hero of Lockinge, the latter still retaining the first place as the best Melon for 

 frames. So easy is the culture that Hero of Lockinge has acquired the reputation 

 of being essentially the Amateur's Melon. 



In connection with improvement in Melons, much good work has been done by 

 Mr. OWEN THOMAS, Mr. WYTHES, Mr. CHAS. Ross, besides many others. In 1894 

 we had the pleasure of introducing a handsome white-fleshed variety, raised by 

 Mr. Thomas, named Royal Favourite, and other noteworthy Melons have also 

 emanated from the Frogmore Gardens. 



ONIONS 



were represented sixty years ago by Blood Red, Deptford, Silver-skinned Globe, 

 James's Keeping, Lisbon, White and Brown Spanish, Portugal, and some of the 

 Tripoli varieties. While most of the types have undergone more or less improve- 

 ment, special attention has been given to the Spanish class. The Reading was a 

 valuable selection, and it was followed by Improved Banbury, named after a town 

 which has long been popular for its Onions. The late Mr. DEVERILL of that place 

 introduced many fine types, such as Rousham Park, The Wroxton, Anglo-Spanish, 

 and others. Banbury Cross, a comparatively recent introduction of fine quality, 

 also hailed from the same town. 



The justly celebrated Ailsa Craig has caused quite a revolution in this vegetable. 

 One celebrated grower in 1896 exhibited twelve specimens weighing no less than 

 37J Ibe. an enormous weight for this country, which would have startled the 

 growers of the olden days, who had to be content with specimens weighing only 

 a few ounces each. 



Until quite recently it had not been possible to obtain seed of the fine Spanish 

 Onion of the grocers' shops, and although specimens grown in this country are not 

 often so large as imported bulbs, some very fine Onions can be grown by sowing 

 the seed in heat in January and transplanting in April. 



THE PARSNIP 



has certainly been much improved since the Guernsey and Hollow Crown were 

 the only available sorts, although no very great increase in the number of varieties 

 can be reported. 



As late as 1852 the only Parsnip quoted in a leading seed list was Hollow Crown. 

 The Student, obtained by the late Professor BUCKMAN by continual selection 

 from the wild parsnip, and distributed by my house first in 1860, is still regarded 

 as a popular variety, and has been singularly successful at shows. Quality in a 

 Parsnip is almost entirely a matter of selection, and in that way the fine types 

 now in cultivation have been obtained. Carter's Maltese marked a distinct ad- 

 vance, and is still widely grown. Quite recently at the Reading Show, where the 

 general opinion was that so extensive and fine a collection of Vegetables was never 

 before staged in competition, some of the collections contained remarkable specimens 

 of a new variety called Tender and True. This is certainly distinct from other 

 kinds, and possesses quality which has not hitherto been reached in this Vegetable. 



