396 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ November 23, 1871, 



TiiPt the foregoing method is altogether superior to the 

 wasteful one of heaping a quantity of solid manure over the 

 rnotg-just as growth has ceased, must be patent to all. By one 

 system the health and requirements of the plants are watched 

 and cared for throughout the season of growth ; by the other, 

 if it deserves to rank as a system at all, a thick costly layer of 

 manure is spread over the roots at the very time that their 

 power of absorbing food is reduced to a minimum. Donbtless, 

 much of the rich components of the manure does eventually 

 feed the roots, and is absorbed into the plant's system, but 

 there must also be considerable waste. It is best, therefore, to 

 apply such manure in the form of a mulching early in summer; 

 the roots, being then in full activity, seize on the rich food with 

 avidity. Moreover, it serves admirably to protect them from 

 drought in summer or frost in winter. It is, however, only 

 when Asparagus is grown in low-lying, badly-drained soil that 

 protection is necessary in winter; when the soil is well-drained 

 and thoroughly cultivated, there need be no fear that this vege- 

 table will suffer in the slightest degree from the effects of frost. 

 — Edwakd Luckhuest. 



VEGETABLES FOR NEXT YEAE. 



Eemaees on the above subject are well timed, as the season is 

 again coming ronnd for procuring supplies of seeds for another 

 year. I forward a few hints, hoping that other correspondents 

 will do the same, so that we may aU be able to procure any 

 good novelty that we have not hitherto grown. 



To begin with Peas, I think that most gardeners will agree 

 with me that the past season has been a favourable one for 

 that esteemed vegetable. For early crops we generally grow 

 Dickson's First and Best [Dillistone's Early], and Taber's Per- 

 fection. This season we added Kentish Inviota, and it turned 

 out exceedingly well, coming in a few days later than the former 

 two, sown at the same time on the same border. We com- 

 ■nenoed to pick on M^-y Slat. The nest to follow was Esses 

 Eival, a capital second early variety. This again was followed by 

 Las'ou'a Supreme and Prolific; then by Advancer, Wonderful, 

 and Premier. The above sis sorts- were sown at the same time, 

 on a west border, and made an excellent succession. I do not 

 iatend again growing Laxton's two Peas for the parlour table, 

 as I find they come in but very little earlier than Advancer. 

 The latter has been considered much the best variety. Supreme 

 is a great bearer and a fine Pea for exhibition, but by my em- 

 ployers is not considered of very good flavour. We picked 

 daily supplies for weeks from the same sowing of Advancer, 

 Wonderful, and Premier. They became iit for use in the order 

 named. The first dish of Advancer was picked on the 20th of 

 June. Premier proved with us the best Pea this season, taking 

 it altogether. The last dish of it .was picked on November 4th, 

 and the quality would have been very good had it not been for 

 the sharp frost we had here the night before — viz., 7° below 

 freezing. They were in full flower yesterday (November 12th), 

 when the haulm was pulled up. I may add that our soil here 

 is a stiff calcareous loam, and has been used for kitchen garden 

 crops upwards of 150 years. 



We grow the old Walnut-leaved Kidney for our earliest crop 

 of Potatoes, both in pits and out of doors. We have tried many 

 varieties, but for early use and good flavour nothing is equal 

 to it. Veiteh's Improved Ashleaf comes in next, and is an excel- 

 lent sort; it is the heaviest cropping KidneyPotato we have tried 

 for eatly use. Dalmahoy, Paterson's Victoria, and Tork Eegent 

 are all good. For our latest crop we grow a variety called 

 Smith's Seedling. This is a good cropper, well ehapen, does 

 not grow very large, and is good for table from the time it is 

 dug up until early Potatoes come in again. I have not seen this 

 variety anywhere until I came to this locality. It is a round 

 Potato with a pink eye, though sometimes we come across a 

 root with but a small spot of pink on each tuber. I will 

 forward you a small dish of them for your opinion. I have 

 tried the American varieties, but have not grown them in suf- 

 ficient quantities yet to be able to say what they will be. Bed- 

 skinned Flourball we find en extraordinary cropper and good 

 for baking. From a peck of seed planted this spring we dug 

 up six bushels of Potatoes. 



Otir earliest Cauliflower is Early London, sown the first week 

 in September, and wintered in,a cold pit. I sow Walcheren at the 

 same time for a succession. Erfurt Mammoth, sown in a frame 

 in February, comes in next. I then sow the same variety again 

 out of doors in March. Another sowing of Walcheren and 

 "Veiteh's Autumn Giant in April, and again in the second week 

 in May, will carry us on until nearly Christmas, and longer if 



carefully protected. I find Veilch's Autumn Giant a splendid 

 variety ; some say it is too large, but it is easy to cut the 

 heads when small. We have had them since the second week 

 in September, and have still a nice lot to come in. The seed 

 was sown as stated above. 



For early spring use we sow Snow's Winter White Broccoli 

 the first week in April. Veiteh's Spring White sown at the 

 same time follows that useful old sort. Miller's Dwarf White 

 is a good variety to stand the winter. Willcove Improved, 

 Goshen Late White, and Cattell's Echpse carry us on until the 

 end of May or the first week of June. The last two varieties we 

 always plant on a north border. 



Of Savoys, we grow Early Dwarf Uim and Dwarf Green Curled, 

 planted immediately after the early Potatoes are dug. 



Our earliest Cabbages are Veiteh's Improved, Atkins's Match- 

 less, and Wheeler's Imperial. The first named is the sweetest 

 little Cabbage we know, and can be planted to advantage 

 15 inches apart each way. 



Of Celery, we find Incomparable White and Hood's Dwarf Eed 

 good varieties. This season I have some of Williams's Eed, but 

 have not tried it yet. When growing in the row I cannot dis- 

 tinguish it from Hood's. 



Our earliest Dwarf Kidney Beans are Newington Wonder and 

 Fulmer's Forcing, followed by Negro Longpod through the 

 season. We find all three good useful varieties. 



We had a large bed of Onions this year. The varieties were 

 White Spanish (seed saved from home-grown selected bulbs), 

 NunehamPark (evidently a good variety of the former). White 

 Globe, Bedfordshire Champion (these again were very much 

 alike), Danvers' Tellow, a good variety, and James's Keeping, 

 for use late in the spring. I find notMng beats the Eed Italian 

 Tripoli for standing the winter. 



Of Beets, we find Pine Apple Short Top and Dell's Crimson 

 both good. 



Dutch Forcing and Early Horn are good early Carrots, with 

 Intermediate for late use. 



For Kale to stand the winter, Veiteh's Dwarf Green Curled is 

 a first-rate variety. • 



Our Lettuce to stand the winter is a local variety, caUed 

 Hampshire Brown Cos ; it is an excellent sort ; I have fre- 

 quently cut them 2 lbs. each early in June. For summer use I 

 find Paris White Cos and Hicks' Hardy White Cos both first- 

 rate varieties. Stanstead Park is a good Cabbage Lettuce for 

 early spring use. — H. J. C, Haekwood Gardeiw, Basingstoke. 



PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Mertta latifolia (Broad-leaved Meryta). Nat. ord., Arali- 

 aeeae. Linn., Pentandria Pentagynia. — A native of Norfolk 

 Island. First discovered by F. Bauer. It has a slender taper- 

 ing stem of from 50 to 60 feet in height, with a cluster of large 

 leaves, each 3 feet long, at the apex, from the centre of which 

 rises the inflorescence. This consists of hermaphrodite flowers, 

 sessile, with imperfect anthers, crowded in clusters of six so as 

 to form many compound yeUow heads, which are seated on an 

 erect green rachis. — (Bot. Mag., t. 5932.) 



DiAsciA Baeeee-i; (Diaseia of Mrs. Barber). — Eemarkable 

 for its two spurs at the base of the flower, which are no doubt 

 filled with nectar to attract insects for the purpose of effect- 

 ing fertilisation. Named after Mrs. Barber, who sent over 

 the seeds. Flowers rose-red, with a yellow spot, iu the centre 

 of which are two green dots, situated on the throat of the 

 corolla ; arranged in racemes of from 4 to 6 inches long. — (Ibid., 

 t. 5933.) 



Pkunus CEEASiEERA (Cherry-bcariug Plum). Kat. ord., 

 Eosaceffi. Linn., Icosandria Monogynia. — The " Cerisette " 

 of the French and the " Kirschpflaume" of the Germans, 

 known in this coniitry as the Myrobalan Plum. The fruit 

 is either solitary or in a small fascicle, has an acid taste and a 

 firm flesh. Sel'iom produces fruit in England, as the flowers 

 are generally nipped by the frost. — (Ibid., t. 5934.) 



Plagianthus Ltalli (Lyall's Plsgianthns). Kat. ord., 

 MalvacesE. Linn., Monadelpbia Dodecandria. — A small tree 

 which grows in the mountainous regions of New Zealand, and 

 was discovered there by Dr. Lyall. It flowers in January, and 

 is then a conspicuous feature round the forests, whilst in 

 autumn it is not less so from the beautiful golden colour of 

 the fading leaves. Flewers pure white with pink styles, and 

 arranged in fascicles. — (Ihid.. t. 5935.) 



Megaclinium purpdratum (Purpled Megaclinium). Nat. ord., 

 Orchidaoeffi. Linn., Gynandria Monandria. — Disoovered at the 



