292. 



JOURNAL OP HOKTICUI/TUKE AND COTTAGE QAEDENEE. 



[ April 11, 1866. 



years ago they were still flourishing, and I doubt not are so 

 now ; and ii" you wish it, when the season returns, I will 

 send you a few twiars. — E. S., Tor/i-. 



VISITS TO FOREIGN MAEKETS. 



The scene presented to the stranger by the market at 

 Genoa, although not so picturesque and attractive as that 

 of Gibraltar, was a fair representative type of the industrial 

 character of the Genoese, for the quality of most of the 

 country productions was first-rate. I say "country" to 

 mark the distinction between the produce of the land and 

 of the sea; for here I may make the remark that I was 

 surprised, in all the Italian ports which I -visited, at the 

 paucity and inferiority of the fish. It would be supposed 

 that the splendid bays and coasts of Italy would furnish 

 very superior supplies of fish ; but, although I searched the 

 various markets, I could only find small supplies, and those 

 of most inferior quality, of red and grey mullet, sardines, 

 anchovies, ray, bream, and a flat-fish resembling soles, ink- 

 fish or squabs. The best I saw were some immense craw- 

 fish, as large as lobsters, at Genoa; but even their nationality 

 was dubious. Oysters, at Naples, were as fine as our smallest 

 natives ; but elsewhere they were hardly larger than the 

 cockleshells, of which Crustacea there are evident signs at 

 Pompei that the supply of that mollusc was good, and of a 

 large size. The greatest novelty I saw in fish were some 

 very small fish resembling whitebait, but about half the 

 length, and very much smaller in girtli. They were exposed 

 for sale in tubs as caught, and also rolled in flour, ready for 

 cooking. Their flavour was delicate, and I should say even 

 more so than the whitebait. They are called '■' blanquettes ; " 

 but I am not sufficiently learned in pisciculture to say 

 whether they are a distinct breed, or merely the young fry 

 of the sardine, or other simOar small fish. 



Amongst the vegetables, tke most prominent were the 

 Walcheren Broccoli, which was immense; the Pui'ple, on 

 the other hand, was poor. Parsnips, early Turnips, Salsafy, 

 Lettuce, well-blanched Endive, Water Cress, and Leeks, 

 were all good, and well grown. The Eadishes were im- 

 mense, and exceedingly tender and juicy. There were a few 

 Yams, but not of good quality, new Potatoes fair, and Peas 

 very inferior ; the blanched tops of the Globe Artichokes, 

 and also Fennel, were on sale. Celery was abundant, but 

 evidently only for culinai'y purposes, not for salad ; for it 

 had all been grown without having been earthed-up, or any 

 attempt made at blanching. 



Amongst the fruits Oranges, of course, were the principal 

 in season, and, on the whole, the quality disappointed me ; 

 but I was astonished at the very superior (quality of the 

 Apples ; they were both fine and very good. There were 

 several kinds, but the best resembled the well-known 

 American Newtown Pippin. It had all the criapness of the 

 American &uit, but also more .juice, and a slight pear 

 flavour. I could not obtain the local name of this Apple, 

 but venture to recommend it to the attention of some of 

 your poraological friends. I also found the Pine cones on 

 sale, roasted like Chestnuts, at the corners of the streets, 

 and pronounced the kernels or pips very good when eaten 

 hot. Chestnuts were fine and abundant, and were also 

 offered for culinai'y purposes, shelled, dried, and in barrels ; 

 Tomatoes, dried, and hung on strings; kept Grapes were 

 poor in quality. Pears also very indifl'erent, and, we thought, 

 from a foreign source. 



The poultry were exceedingly good ; it would not be 

 possible to find better-fed and better-flavoured turkeys in 

 Kngland than those partaken of at Genoa. Other poultry 

 were also good, but the ducks and geese were few in number, 

 and small. 



On going into the country I was much gi'atified at seeing 

 the careful and industrious manner in which the Genoese 

 were cultivating efory available bit of land. During my 

 ride I did not see one spot worth cultivating idle, oven up to 

 the tops of the hills, and the pensanl ry appeared thoroughly 

 to understand the benefits of deep trenching, and to make 

 fair progress in their work with a digging tool which would 

 bother an English gardener to use. They also appear to 

 use a good deal of the fine shingle, fiom the seashore, for 

 manure. 



At various parts of the city were vendors of bouquets, and 

 I was told that Genoa has a continental x'eputation for their 

 beauty and the skill displayed in their construction. This 

 was borne out by what I saw; for, on passing up the Strada 

 Nuevo, a large bouquet was being packed in a most appro- 

 priate case for a long journey. This bouquet measured 

 exactly 30 inches in diameter, and was composed of a centre 

 of seven white Camellias bedded in sweet Violets ; around 

 this were eight rings of pink and pink-and-white (bioolor) 

 Camellias, bedded in dark Pansies ; these were surrounded 

 with a belt composed of Ageratum, the flowera of a smaU 

 Narcissus, sweet Violets, and single Camellias, with a fringe 

 round all of Mignonette, the bed being formed of Erica 

 mediteiTanea. Tlie large circular box in which this was 

 packed had a hole in it, through which the handle of this 

 monster bouquet projected, and by which it was so secured 

 that nothing could touch the flowers inside. I had the 

 opportunity of observing that this bouquet was not an 

 exceptional one ; for in several of the houses which I visited 

 there were others equally large and beautifully constructed. 

 Since writing the above I have visited Leghorn, Pisa, 

 Florence, and Naples, and find such a sameness in the 

 markets that the foregoing description of the things at 

 market wUl apply to all, the only extra at Naples being the 

 Lupin, which appears to be largely cultivated both for use 

 as fodder and for the seeds. What I thought most worthy 

 of note was the great scarcity of birds of all kinds, both 

 small and great (they really appear to be extinct ; even in 

 the towns it is not possible to find a sparrow in any of the 

 streets), the extraordinary fertility of the |soil, and lastly, 

 the heavy crops which were growing .all around the Vines, 

 close up to the canes, evidently showing that the Italians 

 do not agree with us in the idea that the ground about the 

 roots of Vines ought not to be cropped. — Ccelebs. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KJTCHEN GARDEN. 



Never wait for weeds ; take care not to tread on any 

 ground after it is surface-stirred. Beans, make another 

 sowing to succeed those sown in the end of last month. 

 Broccoli, if a sowing has not yet been made of the various 

 winter and spring varieties it should be done without delay. 

 Brussels Spronts, make a good sowing for winter use. Cab- 

 bages, a sowing of any approved sort should now be made 

 to produce plants for winter and spring use. As autumn- 

 sown plants are very scarce, the spring sowing should be 

 forwarded as much as possible by pricking out the i-ilants 

 on a warm border, and watering them when requisite. 

 Cardoons, the seed may now be sown in trenches where the 

 plants are to remain. The trenches should be about 4 feet 

 apart, and a few seeds dropped in at intervals of 18 or 

 20 inches. Cauliflowers, prick-out the young seedlings on a 

 warm border, earth-up those that have stood the winter 

 beneath hand-glasses. Cucumbers, keep the shoots regu- 

 lated, as on this their i'ruitfulness in a great uieasure depends ; 

 seed should be now sown to produce plants for ridges. 

 Mushrooms, in making beds to produce through the summer 

 a portion of loam should be mixed with the dung, this will 

 give gi-eater solidity to the bed, which will in consequence 

 produce more fleshy Mushrooms. Ma,rlijoMs should now be 

 sown where they are required for kitchen purposes. Nas- 

 turtiums, sow some seed at the foot of a fence where the 

 plants can do no injury by their rapid growth. Potatoes, 

 water and earth-up tliose in frames. If the main crops are 

 not yet in lose no time in planting them. Spiiiach, sow a 

 smaU quantity of Eound-lcaved, thin-out the early-sown to 

 inches apart. Savoy, another sowing may be made for a 

 late crop. Turnips, make another sowing to succeed those 

 sown in the middle of last month. Tho present fine weather 

 is favourable for putting in crops where tho soil is of a stiff 

 nature, and it will generally be found that by waiting tUl 

 the ground is in good tilth the crops are equally early and 

 far superior to those sown last month when tho soil was 

 cold and wet. As the heads of Broccoli are cut remove tho 

 stumps, as they only harbour slugs and vermin. 



I'RUIT OAUUEN. 



Growth is slow this spring, but the disbudding of Peaohes 

 and Nectarines will soon require attention. First remove 



