March 21, 1865. ] 



JOTTENAL OF HOBTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEK. 



235 



said warrants aucli a conclusion, and after perusal of my 

 Mend's letter, it will be seen that utility, by which I pre- 

 sume is meant the larger amount of edible matter produced 

 enters as a large item in my argument. 



"G-. A." has, probably, never eaten French Asparagus 

 under the favoured conditions described by my coi-respon- 

 dent ; but he may have done so at some restaui-ant in Paris, 

 if he has been there, or fi'om some of our markets eight and 

 forty hovrrs, probably, after being gathered, after being sub- 

 jected to a long voyage, and badly packed, and badly cared 

 for. He wiU foi-give me, therefore, if 1 hope he will say no 

 more about " stick liquorice," or the "roots of an old Elm 

 tree" — two comparisons quite in-elevant to the subject. 

 Upon one point I will not presume to dispute with him — 

 viz., his assertion that, "As fine Asparagus has been grown 

 in England as was ever grown in France, if that alluded to 

 be the heaviest grown there;" I suppose him to be a horti- 

 caltiu'ist by profession, and will not enter into the lists 

 with him. I can only say, that neither I nor any of my 

 friends, who have been at a great many of our best shows, 

 have ever seen anything approaching to them. He appears 

 to look on me as one of those who think nothing good in 

 their own oounti-y. I beg to assure him, that I am as out- 

 and-out an Englishman as he can be, only I do not disdain 

 to learn from any one of any country who can impart know- 

 ledo'e to me. So I hope he wiU shake hands with me. — 

 H. S. Watson, Cottage, Charlton. 



Extract of a letter from M. Carlos Forer, of Margenoy. 



" February 26. 



" L'Herault is beginning to plant out Asparagus, and I 

 have, therefore, ordered him to send you at once what you 

 require. Those who object in The Jotjknal op Hobticul- 

 TTJKE to your estimate of French Asparagus, may say what 

 they please, but I can bear testimony that L'Herault grows 

 it to perfection. There are some amateurs who maintain 

 that that with green ends is preferable to the rose and 

 ■white, as grown by him, but we are certainly not of that 

 opinion. 



" To eat Asparagus, however, in perfection, a few precau- 

 tions must be observed : — 



" 1st. It should be gathered before the rising of the sun, 

 and should be eaten during the same day. 



" 2nd. If required to be kept twenty-four hours, it should 

 be put into fine and rather moist sand, leaving 2 or 3 inches 

 only exposed. 



" 3rd. Care must be taken after gathering and cleaning it, 

 neither to allow it to be wetted nor to be exposed to the sun. 



" Our Asparagus, although planted by L'Herault, is neither 

 so long nor so thick as that grown under his immediate 

 supervision, but it is very fine and very excellent, and in 

 answer to your special question, as to the quantity edible, I 

 should say that we eat nearly all of it. I am quite sure 

 that not 2 inches goes from the table. I can very well 

 understand, that the case is not the same with that eaten at 

 the hotels and restaurants of Paris. 



To sum up. If the English be equal to the French, how 

 happens it, that in the season it is the English who are the 

 great buyers of it in the Halles of Paris, at from 25f. to 30f. 

 the bundle, and from whence they send it to the London 

 markets to be eaten by your rich consumers, who do not and 

 cannot get it as I describe it, owing to the length of time 

 that must elapse before it can be brought to their tables ; 

 and it is for this very reason that L'Herault is so anxious to 

 find a London agent, as when the railway passes Argenteud, 

 which it will do shortly, he will be enabled to cut it and 

 have it eaten in London within the twenty-four hours. 



WOEK FOE THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



At the time of earthing-up any of the crops strew a little 

 soot close to the stems of the plants : this will prevent slugs 

 harbouring there and nipping them off under the surface of 

 the soa, which they are very apt to do in the early pai-t of 

 the season. Loosen the earth between the winter-standing 

 crops, and keep every part of the garden free fr'om litter. 

 Asparatjxis, the general spring dressing, if not yet done, 

 shoTild no longer be delayed, as the roots will now begin to 

 move. Beans, make another sowing; the Longpod is a 



prolific sort, but the Green Windsor has the best appear- 

 ance when sent to table. Earth-up the early crops. Cwp- 

 siciims, pot-off the young plants as soon as fit and place them 

 in a hotbed frame ; they are very subject to the green fly, 

 which should be destroyed as soon as it is observed. Ca/rrots, 

 the weather is now favourable for getting in the main crop. 

 Tlie Early Horn is an excellent sort both for early and late 

 crops, and is much better adapted for many soils than any 

 of the others. Celery, prick-out the early-sown into boxes 

 or on a slight hotbed ; when it has taken root give air at 

 every favourable opportunity. Cucumbers, as soon as the 

 frames are uncovered in the morning give a little air for an 

 hour, when they may be closed again till the day is further 

 advanced; if air has been given to the frames all night they 

 may be closed for an hour or two. As soon as the principal 

 shoots have reached the sides of the frame, do not allow any 

 of the laterals to grow more than two joints before being 

 stopped. Kidney Beans, make another sowing in pots. Keep 

 the bearing plants frequently syringed to check red spider. 

 Lettuce, some of the best plants that have been wintered in 

 frames may now be put out, some under a south wall and 

 others in a more open situation. Onions, sow the main crops 

 if not already done ; if very large ones are required plant the 

 very small bulbs of last year, or the autumn-sown plants, 

 in very rich ground. Larger Onions may be grown by the 

 following method : Well tread the ground, and lay 3 inches 

 of very rotten dung upon it; on this sow the seed, and 

 cover with a little fine earth. Peas, stick the early crops as 

 soon as they are earthed up ; a few small Hornbeam boughs 

 with the leaves on may be stuck on each side of the row, 

 this will protect them from cold winds. Purslane, make a 

 sowing on a warm border, Eadislies, sow for successional 

 crops ; the Turnip-rooted sort may now be sown. Rhubarb 

 may be forwarded by placing a hand-glass over the roots. 

 A Uttle litter should be laid round the bottom of the glass 

 to prevent the ingress of cold. Savoy, make a good sowing 

 of the Dwarf Green, which is best for general purposes. 

 Salsafy and Scomonera should be sown in drUls from 9 inches 

 to a foot apart. Now the weather is favourable for the 

 purpose clean and move the ground between the rows of 

 Lettuce, young Cabbage, autumn-sown Onions, Garlic, 

 Sliallots, and other winter-standing crops ; clear the garden 

 of all rubbish, and let general neatness prevail ; lay down 

 and roU the walks if they have been loosened by the winter. 



FKUIT GAEDEN. 



When Peach, Nectarine, and Apricot trees are coming into 

 flower, put up coping-boards and curtains, or nets, or, in the 

 absence of these, a few spruce fir boughs may be stuck about 

 the trees. Continue re-grafting bad sorts of Apple and Pear 

 trees. Securely stake newly-planted standard fi'uit trees, 

 nothing is more injurious to them than being blown and 

 twisted about by the wind. 



FLOWEB GAKDEN. 



Sweep and thoroughly clean lawns, and give them a double 

 rolling with a heavy roller, to render the turf smooth and 

 solid. If any alterations or planting still remain unfinished, 

 every available hand should be concentrated on this work 

 so as to complete it as soon as possible. Where necessary 

 stir the surface soil of beds planted with bulbs, so as to keep 

 it open and friable, and also to give it a clean, neat, and 

 fresh appearance. For small and suburban gardens, the 

 white Arabis and the purple Aubrietia are very ornamental, 

 especially for small rockeries. Pansies make showy border 

 plants ; Anemones may still be planted ; all the species of 

 Phlox are well adapted for these gardens ; the Lily of the 

 Valley will fill a shady corner ; PEeonies are fine showy plants 

 where there is plenty of room, but wiU not do well in very 

 small gardens ; Geum coccineum is a good plant for a small 

 border, so is the yellow Alyssum, also the double Kocket. 

 All the varieties of Pinks, and Carnations, and Larkspur, 

 the variegated Monkshood, and Pentstemon gentianoides 

 are very showy plants ; the Canterbury Bell will flower in 

 August, as also French and African Marigolds. In Septem- 

 ber, Dahlias, Salvias, Verbenas, and other half-hardy plants 

 will furnish a constant succession of flowers. If planted in 

 May, the common Fuchsia flowers the most of the summer 

 and autumn. Asters and Chrysanthemums should not be 

 forgotten for a late display. 



GEEENHOtJSE AND CONSEKVATOET. 



Proceed as diligently as possible with the repotting of 



