A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



Scilly are : The Sally White, and the old 

 English daffodil (both of which grew in abun- 

 dance at Holy Vale, Newford, Trenoweth, and 

 elsewhere on the islands), and Grand Monarque, 

 of which great quantities were to be found on 

 Garrison Hill. For some years the only other 

 varieties cultivated were : Solell for, Glorioso, 

 and Ornatus. Every year, however, brought fresh 

 cultivators into the field, and new varieties to the 

 stock, which now number over 200. The chief 

 varieties in addition to those already mentioned, 

 which are extensively grown, are : Sir Watkm, 

 Horsfeldii, Emperor, Empress, Sir Henry Irving, 

 Princeps, Golden Spur, and Incomparabilis. Of 

 these Princeps and Incomparabilis crop heavily only 

 once in three years. Time brings its revenges, 

 and Holland which formerly supplied the bulk of 

 the bulbs for Cornish cultivation is now a large 

 importer of Cornish bulbs. The Cornwall 

 Spring Show in April, and the Scilly Flower 

 Show, which formerly took place in March, have 

 done much to encourage this industry both by 

 calling attention to the beauty and perfection of 

 the flowers grown in Cornwall, and by intro- 

 ducing Cornish growers to new varieties of the 

 narcissus. 



The narcissus is not the only flower grown for 

 sale. Before its cultivation was seriously re- 

 solved upon, the wall-flower had been profitably 

 grown for years. At the present time besides 

 wall-flowers and narcissi (and, to a much less 

 extent, tulips, freesias, hyacinths, ixias, and spar- 

 axis), the gladiolus, iris, and violet on the main- 

 land, and the arum, marguerite, and blood-red 

 anemone on the islands, are grown in great pro- 

 fusion. Moreover there is good reason to believe 

 that owing to its mild and salubrious climate the 

 inhabitants of West Cornwall especially will in 

 years to come be drawn more and more strongly 

 towards an industry which already affords employ- 

 ment to a very large number of persons of both 

 sexes, and which, involving as it does the con- 

 stant exercise of the powers of observation and 

 no little scientific knowledge, seems eminently 

 suited to the genius of the Cornish people. That 

 it can become a source of considerable profit, 

 wherever intelligence and industry are found 

 combined, is beyond question. 



So far the cultivation of flowers has been 

 treated exclusively as a source of profit. With- 

 out going into detail, however, it may be allow- 

 able, at this point, to call attention to the excep- 

 tional interest which attaches to the gardens of 

 some of the larger country seats in the county. 

 The same conditions which have contributed to 

 the profitable cultivation of flowers have also 

 contributed to the singular success which has 

 attended the efforts of those who have grown 

 flowers and shrubs as a source of pleasure and 

 recreation, and as affording a subject for scienti- 

 fic study. Wherever the gardener's art is 

 allowed free scope, pretty and picturesque effects 

 can always be obtained ; but in Cornwall some- 



thing more than this has been attempted and has 

 been achieved. The magnificent collections of 

 rhododendrons (sikkims) and other effective trees 

 and shrubs at Tregothnan, Heligan, Killiow, 

 Carclew, Tremough, and Pentillie Castle (which 

 is also famed for its azaleas), the flowering sub- . 

 tropical shrubs and orange trees of Mount 

 Edgcumbe, the sub-tropical shrubs and plants of 

 Tresco, Menabilly, Killiow, Trewidden, and 

 Penjerrick, the herbaceous and Alpine plants of 

 Trehane and Ludgvan Rectory, the flowering , 

 shrubs and tree ferns of Caerhayes and Bosahan ; 

 these are but a few of the many gardens in Corn- 

 wall which bear witness to the perseverance, 

 enterprise, and knowledge of the owners of those 

 famous houses. 



Equally important, if somewhat less interest- 

 ing, is the cultivation of vegetables. The West 

 Cornwall potato trade has been in existence 

 since the year 1820, but it is only within the 

 last twenty-five years that market gardeners have 

 given special attention to it. It is noteworthy, 

 however, that as soon as their efforts were 

 directed towards the growing of early potatoes 

 they met with complete success. The fact that 

 potatoes could be produced in the open eight or 

 ten weeks earlier in Scilly than in the Midland 

 counties led to extensive operations, not only on 

 the islands but also on the sunny southern slopes 

 of West Cornwall. At first round potatoes 

 were tilled, but very soon these gave place to 

 Myatt's Early Ashleaf and other modern 

 varieties. The seed potatoes usually arrive in 

 October. They are immediately placed in a 

 storeroom to shoot, and are planted in January 

 and February. On the islands fishing nets are 

 used as a protection against the devastating 

 winds which sweep across the islands in early 

 spring. The potato season extends from the 

 beginning of May to the end of June. The 

 average yield per acre on well-cultivated farms 

 of elvan soils amounts to 10 tons in May and 

 to 14 tons in June. On the islands, however, 

 it is much less. The crop depends largely upon 

 the amount of manure supplied, a ton of guano 

 and 1 60 loads of dressing to the acre being used 

 where a heavy crop is expected. The cultivation 

 of potatoes under glass is not generally adopted. 

 Now that steam navigation has replaced the 

 slower methods of transit and the cost of freight 

 is so small, a supply of early potatoes, grown in 

 the open, can be procured from abroad for the 

 greater part of the year ; and hence there is no 

 likelihood of artificial modes of cultivation ever 

 becoming general. The railway company's 

 returns, hereunder given, represent approximately 

 the potato crop of West Cornwall for the years 

 referred to : 



Tons sent off by train. 

 igOl 4,600 



1902 6,100 



I93 6 >3 



1904 5>2oo 



<;8o 



