4SS 



JOURNAL OF UOfiTtOOLTTjBE AND COTTAGE QARDENEK. 



[ June 27, 1865. 



its adjuncts, I may mention that Jersey was famed in years 

 gone by for its honey. Amongst the farmers, also, the fa- 

 TOurit« drink was mead. Now, the apiaries are much fewer 

 in number, but I should imagine from the mildness of the 

 climate, and the great rariety of herbs which are found 

 on all sides, that the bee-keeper might realise a very good 

 profit from his busy little family. Clover with its deliciously- 

 scented blossoms, and Lucern, are cultivated to some extent, 

 and would, no doubt, help to fill the combs of the colony of 

 workers. 



"Whilst residing in the parishes of St. Helier's and Trinity, 

 we did very little in the botanising line, for it was too early 

 in the year, and besides that we did not yet know the island 

 sufficiently well to be able to economise our tilne ; hut sub- 

 sequently after locating ourselves in St. Saviour's, we spent 

 the months of May and June in the most enjoyable rambles 

 possible. Our plan of action was to pack up a basket of 

 provisions du-ectly after an early breakfast, not omitting an 

 interesting book of some kind, and off we started, either for 

 a day's stroll amongst the woods, and through the innu- 

 merable roads with which the island abounds, and which 

 are lined with over-shadowing trees, the bank's sides being 

 covered with the pretty Irish Yew ; or we turned our steps 

 towards the sea coast, generally selecting the northern 

 side of the island, encamping at Bouley Bay, Eozel Bay, or 

 Greve de Lecq ; the latter place is rich in marine Grasses, and 

 the scenery charming. Here are caves quite as worthy of 

 notice as the far-famed caverns of Plemout and La Maye, 

 one is perforated, and extends in length about 100 feet. It 

 is, in fact, a subterranean passage, which cannot be explored 

 when the tide is up. Another, " which lies under a hill on 

 the western side of the bay, the mouth of which is an open- 

 ing nearly 20 feet in height, rises from the entrance to a 

 considerable degree of elevation, and penetrates horizontally 

 to the depth of 50 or 60 feet." When illumined by the rays of 

 the sun., and looking outwards from the extreme depth, it con- 

 veys the idea of a church, with a lofty vaulted roof. It was 

 in the sands close to this spot that I came upon the Elymus 

 arenarius. Upright Sea Lyme Grass ; the Triticum loliaceum. 

 Dwarf Sea Iviieat Grass ; and the liottboellia. I thought 

 this latter one of the stifFest-looking Grasses I had ever 

 seen, there is something so quaint and old-fashioned about 

 it. What the connection of ideas in my mind can be, I know 

 not, but in thinking of it, I think, too, of Eliza Cook's poem, 

 "The Old Arm Chair." Certainly there is no intimate 

 connection between a grass and a chair ; but I picture the 

 "old arm chair " as a thing of stiff and formal design, with 

 plenty of corners for the children to break their noses upon, 

 and the Eottboellia with its formal name and appearance, is 

 put in the category of my ill-regulated mind as akin to the 

 antiquated piece of furniture aforesaid. — Alice. 



CUTTING ASPAEAGUS. 



I HAVE always thought that the practice of keeping As- 

 paragus continually cut, whether fit for table or not, was 

 erroneous ; but my attention has lately been called to a re- 

 markably good plantation that has been managed for years 

 upon that plan. Every bit of it is cut as soon as it shows 

 above the surface, whether wanted for table or not, until 

 cutting for table is given up, when it is allowed to grow 

 away. The plantation is very thick indeed, and, I am in- 

 formed, produces very excellent Asparagus for table. One 

 of the beds is rested every year, and as there are nine beds 

 in the plantation, each bed is rested in turn, but every ninth 

 year. Now, as the superior quality of the "grass" is at- 

 tributed to the system of keeping it all clean cut oif, I wish 

 to inquire if such a practice is sound in theoiy ? If so, how 

 is the Asparagus an exception to the general rule or prin- 

 ciple, that the continual cutting down of any plant weakens 

 it« energies, and if the practice is continued beyond a certain 

 limit will eventually kill it? — J. K. 



[The whole subject is an interesting one, but it pretty 

 •well comes under the same rule of circumstances as the 

 cutting off and the saving of the old leaves of Strawbeny 

 plants. In fine, light Asparagus ground wo would cut more 

 and cot longer, than in stiff, heavy land. There can be no 

 doubt that continuous and complete cutting would evcn- 

 tooUy kill the Asparagus, just as it would Khuborb, and, 



as we have proved, will kill the worst of all weed roots, 

 the white Bindweed. In practice, if we could manage it, 

 we would prefer not to cut a bed of Asparagus that we 

 intended to take up and force, because in such a case the 

 buds would be sooner matured, and the whole plant placed 

 in a state of rest sooner, so as to be aroused into fresb 

 energy more easily. Unless for such a purpose, we see little 

 use in the rest every ninth year. From forcing and rotation 

 cropping ours seldom attain any such age, though when 

 well established and properly treated with manure, &c., 

 there need be no reasonable limit to the productive powers 

 of a bed. In cold, stiff soils, it would bo advisable to cut all 

 at first, and then allow the weaker to grow, to make sure of 

 buds ripening for next season, even though there should, not 

 be too many of them; but in light, rich land, in which the 

 Asparagus delights, it will often be the best plan to cut 

 all that comes regularly, until Peas begin to come in. It 

 you leave the weaker as you cut the stronger, the shoots 

 left will take the running of the plant, and finer buds will 

 be formed than if you had a greater number of shoots. If 

 in such favourable circumstances you cut all, the plant is 

 stimulated to throw up a mass of shoots, and though these 

 may be rather small at first, they will gather strength and 

 firmness, and form at their base a whole army of buds for 

 next season. If the beds were all cut far into the season, 

 the shoots would be so small and ill-ripened, that the buds 

 would be deficient in organic matter, and if the process were- 

 continued the produce every year would deteriorate more 

 and more. The out-all principle if not continued too long, 

 we have no doubt answers well in the light rich ground' 

 about Pulham and Battersea, but the cutting must not be- 

 continued so long, in cold, stiff soils, because the plants 

 cannot produce fresh shoots and ripen them so quickly. In 

 the latter circumstances it will always be good policy to let 

 the Asparagus grow as soon as Peas can be obtained. What 

 say our coadjutors ?] 



CACTUS CULTUEE. 



This tribe, to be grown in great perfection, requires mois- 

 ture and dryness. The point is to give each as it is most 

 needed. We used at one time to grow a rather large col- 

 lection of these succulents, and we feel inclined to take to 

 them again if we have a chance. Many of us find it neces- 

 sary to vary the plants of which we make a hobby for a 

 time ; and we used to go on with the Cactus and Cerens 

 ti'ibe, until those most interested became tired of their gaudy 

 colours. The greater part of them originally (for there are 

 now beautiful hybrids), came from South Africa, where they 

 are found in abundance festooning rocks and other dry 

 places, their roots penetrating into the interstices of the 

 rocks, and their succulent stems pretty well reduced to a 

 mummy state by the intense heat of a cloudless sun and an 

 arid atmosphere. A period of downpouring rain succeeds, 

 and the roots and stems absorb the moisture, so that the 

 stems become succulent with juice instead of being like 

 thongs of dried leather. Then follows another drying period, 

 in which the stems are again deprived of their moisture, and 

 what is technically called ripened — that is, the growth made 

 becomes indurated. When the moist season comes again 

 the stems swell and are covered at every angle with the 

 beautiful flowers. Now to thoroughly succeed we must take 

 a lesson from Nature, and give to this succulent tribe a 

 period of rest and a period of growth. One great drawback 

 is that at no time have we the command of the sun of South 

 Africa, and to make matters still worse wo are forced to use 

 our summer chiefly for excitement and growth, and our dark 

 winters chiefly as the season of rest. When the best results 

 are to be aimed at, the jilants must bo matured and partly 

 rested under the bright sun of autumn, and then they will 

 bristle with flower-buds, when we either force them with 

 moisture and heat in early spring, or allow them to come 

 more naturally in early summer. By acting on tliia system 

 some farmers' daughters have bloomed them in such per- 

 fection as to teU me they thought they now could rival their 

 instructor. They even succeeded admirably with Cereus 

 ppeciosissimus, a rough-looking species, and its spines very 

 dangeroiiB for some hands. If you succeed with that none 

 need beat you. 



