VEGETABLES 



ON taking over the Chelsea Nursery of Messrs. Knight & Perry in 1853, a 

 considerable business in vegetable and flower seeds was found to be in existence, 

 and it at once became the persistent policy of Mr. James Veitch junior to 

 extend that business. 



With this view, stocks of seeds of the highest quality were obtained from 

 growers in the neighbourhood of London, from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy 

 and the United States. 



The success which followed is largely due to a Scotchman, one John Davidson, 

 who, in addition to an exceptional knowledge, was gifted with unusual business 

 capacity. In thirty years, under his regime, a world-wide business was developed. 



Many of the improved varieties of vegetables originated with the Veitchian house 

 or with amateurs who from time to time placed selections at our disposal, and it 

 is necessary to make clear that, although they appear in this section as Veitchs' 

 Introductions, the credit of being the first to raise them is not in all cases our 

 own, but sometimes due to those who sent us the stock. Evident as it is that 

 the steady improvement in the varieties of vegetables rapidly causes many forms 

 once considered first-rate to disappear from cultivation, yet, nevertheless, many 

 originally distributed still hold a leading position in their respective groups. 



The following may be quoted as examples : Veitchs' Improved Ashleaf Kidney 

 Potato, distributed in 1868, one of the best early potatoes in cultivation, and an 

 excellent forcer ; Veitchs' Chiswick Favourite Potato, in 1885, a very fine round 

 variety of first-rate table quality and admirable for late use ; Veitchs' Autumn 

 Giant Cauliflower, distributed in 1870, still the best late variety and indispensable 

 for autumn use ; Veitchs' Self-Protecting Broccoli, first offered in 1876, and 

 Veitchs' Model Broccoli in 1878, have both become standard varieties of this 

 important vegetable ; Ellam's Early Spring Cabbage sent out in 1879 is still un- 

 surpassed as a Spring Cabbage, and Lily White Seakale remains the finest 

 flavoured known for forcing. 



That very important vegetable the Pea naturally received great attention, and 

 as a result several marked improvements were obtained. 



Amongst others in a foremost position are Chelsea Gem, offered in 1884, 

 a dwarf -growing early variety, rarely exceeding 15 in. in height, and very 

 prolific. The pods are large and handsome, remarkably well filled for an 

 early sort, and contain from eight to ten good-sized peas of first-rate quality. 

 Veitchs' Criterion Pea is a leading main crop, sent out for the first time in 

 1876, and Veitchs' Autocrat, distributed in 1888, is one of a rare quality for 

 late work ; owing to a strong constitution, it bears successional crops for a long 

 period. Of the blue wrinkled marrow section, the pods are large and broad, well 

 filled with deep grassy-green seed of a superb quality. Veitchs' Main Crop and 



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