December 29, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



511 



erected, with very well-arranged cast-iron supports for the 

 li-inch red deal floors and fronts, which, fitting into grooves and 

 being moveable, afford great facility in cleaning and renewing. 

 This arrangement, executed by Bevitt, of Pontefract, is well 

 worth the attention of anyone ; a trifling alteration would 

 make them perfect. Forced vegetables, required in great 

 quantity, are produced of excellent quality, whilst the main 

 crops, skilfully attended to, grow to prodigious size in the rich 

 humid soil of the garden, into which abundance of water is 

 introduced by pipes communicating with the lake. I noticed 

 particularly Cottagers' Kile, some 4 feet high, each large 

 enough to satisfy half a dozen " chawbacons ;" Cardoons in 

 great perfection, which Mr. Gardner purposes to utilise in the 

 shrubberies as winter foliage plants ; and healthy rows of Ne 

 Plus Ultra Peas, which (at the end of October) were as good to 

 eat as they were to look at. 



After all, I am nearly omitting the chief thing which mads 

 me write — the removal of some old fruit trees. It was desir- 

 able to widen the centre walk, and to do so it was necessary 

 to transplant in November, 1868, some espalier Pears and 

 Apples, which measured 33 inches in circumference, and ex- 

 tended their branches 14 yards. In 1869 they looked very 

 sickly, in 1870 they bore an abundant crop, having quite re- 

 covered their removal. Mr. Gardner attributes his success to 

 very carefully forking up the roots, plentiful mulching, and 

 abundant water. The result should encourage all who need it 

 to make the attempt to save such fine old trees, and forbid us 

 to accept as impossible an operation we have never carefully 

 tried to execute. — C. C. E. 



:maize. 



[The following paper, forwarded to Dr. Masters for presenta- 

 tion to the Royal Horticultural Society, was read at the General 

 Meeting on the 7ch inst., in illustration of the collection of 

 Maize exhibited by the Rev. T. C. Brehaut.] 



The collection of Maize exhibited has been formed from various 

 sources, bnt mainly from a selection from the splendid varieties shown 

 in the American section at the Paris Exhibition of 1867. As this was 

 an unique occasion, and specimens from every known variety of a 

 country having such a wide range of climate, and one where the plant 

 is so generally cultivated, were present, this would, of itself, commend 

 the collection to European notice. Since that time seeds from other 

 parts of the world have been procnred, and an exchange effected with 

 Messrs. Vilmorin, of Paris, who have devoted considerable attention to 

 the culture of Maize, the use of which is becoming very popular in 

 France. 



An experience of three very dissimilar seasons has been gained 

 since 1867. A certain number of varieties have been discarded, either 

 as too small, too coarse, or as ripening at too late a period of the season 

 to make them generally serviceable. It was to be expected that the 

 sorts which ripened the earliest would become most in demand, but 

 there were other conditions to be fulfilled before Maize conld be able 

 to hold its ground against so many new and known vegetables. It was 

 not so much a variety which should serve for cattle, or poultry, or even 

 for grinding into flour, which was required, for such are now commonly 

 imported more cheaply — at least so it seems at present — than they can 

 be grown in our climate ; but it was sought to popularise the manner 

 of eating Maize go common in the States of America, and in other 

 regions of the world (including even Southern Europe), as "green 

 corn" — i.e., in a semi-ripened condition, when the grains had acquired 

 the consistency and size of good Marrowfat Peas. The addition of a 

 table vegetable of this delicious and nutritious nature — the food of 

 millions of the human race — and yet, for want of experience of the 

 sorts adapted to our climate, so strangely nnappeciated here, seems of 

 no inconsiderable importance, the more so as it ripened in the late 

 autumn, reproducing then the lost flavours of the early Pea and of the 

 Asparagus. For this the ordinary yellow Maize is not suited, so that 

 its culture becomes of little value. But the collection here exhibited 

 claims not only to be the most complete which has probably ever been 

 presented in Europe, but it also shows varieties which greatly excel 

 the Maize known in this country and in France in size and in flavour, 

 while they still fulfil the special conditions required in earliness. More 

 than this, these ears are grown from seeds acclimated by three varied 

 seasons in the Channel Islands, and are even immediately sprang from 

 seeds of plants growing in the damp and sunless season of 1869, which 

 plants were prostrated to the earth when at their fullest and most 

 critical season of growth, on September 12th, under the weight of a 

 hurricane of 55 lbs. pressure per square foot. The perfectly ripened 

 specimens exhibited attest the vitality of Maize when treated with 

 common care. Remarks on the different kinds will best be made as 

 each is examined. A few observations must now be made on the 



Uses of Maize. — It wonld be without interest here to speak of the 

 numerous purposes to which this most valuable plant is put, when in 

 a dried state, in tropical regions. The drought of past seasons shows 

 the need of adding to our resources, if possible, whatever green fodder 



can bo grown. There are certain kinds of Maize better adapted by 

 their growth than others to fulfil this object, being hardy and rapid in 

 increase, and at the same time abounding in saccharine juices, which 

 ainmals will devour greedily. Even the stalks when hard can be 

 utilised by slicing them, so that there is really no waste. Mention 

 having been made of these varieties in the French scientific journals, 

 a pressing request was sent here for a large quantity of seed for 

 Brittany, there to be cut down and used as forage during the drought. 



Culture. — The seeds should be sown in common raisin boxes during 

 April — early in the month in the south, and later in the north of 

 England. In the Channel Islands they were sown in boxes very early 

 in April, and planted out three weeks after. These boxes should be 

 placed in a cool vinery, orchard house, or pit, and the plants hardened 

 off before planting. This would be best in May, earlier or later 

 according to the season or locality, which a short experience would 

 decide. The risk of the young plants is common to other vegetables — 

 that of suffering from spring frosts; a little protection would obviate 

 all this. But this season Mr. Dancer, of Chiswick, we are told, sowed 

 a quantity of Maize in the open ground in March. It was cut down 

 by the frost, sprang up |again from the root, and yielded a heavy 

 crop. 



By the end of July our Maize plants were already 7 feet high, and 

 were then secured from high winds by stout stakes at intervals, and 

 thin cords stretched between them, to which the rows were easily tied. 

 Not being able to give waterlogs, which materially aid the growth of 

 a plant which luxuriates in the rich alluvial valleys of tropical coun- 

 tries, we had planted in shallow trenches filled with manure, and 

 3 inches of soil above it. These trenches retained the casual showers, 

 and were gradually earthed in, as for Celery. The manure kept the 

 roots perfectly fresh, and two slight waterings of liquid manure were 

 given during the very dry summer. This attention is not greater than 

 is always given to Peas and other vegetables. Failures are traceable 

 to a neglect either of some, or even of all, of these means. 



It is not quite so easy to ascertain the exact time to take the ears as 

 " green corn " for the table. A day or two makes considerable change 

 in their consistency. When as large and as hard as Marrowfat Peas, 

 from twenty to thirty minutes boiling is enough. Serve with fresh 

 bntter to spread over them, and they are thus ready. All the uses 

 made of Peas for soups and stews are common to green Maize. The 

 ears can also be roasted before the fire. When dry, these fine white 

 varieties would produce very pure flour for puddings, &c. 



Maize, in our climate, requires five months to mature the seeds for 

 sowing, being one month more than in California. Some sorts ripened 

 here in August. The stalks reached to 10 feet, a height only excelled 

 in rich tropical soils. Where several sprang from the same root, the 

 ears ripened soonest. Experiments were made in hybridising, with 

 some results, and also in mutilating the male panicle of flowers with a 

 view to increase the size of the ear. After several generations of muti- 

 lated plants had been experimented upon, it was found that the ears 

 were increased sensibly ia size. The produce of seed was at the rate 

 of ninety-five bushels the acre, gathered as it was, not from selected 

 plants, but from numerous varieties, some being too small. 



Remarks on the Varieties. — Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are specimens of the 

 best pure white Maize from Georgia. This is the most delicate for 

 table use ; ripened this season at the end of September, and is an early 

 sort, and the most valuable in every respect. No. 4 of these has spiky 

 grains, and is even whiter than the others. -;_,.-. .^ J 



No. 5. King Philip, from M. Vilmorin ; considered a good kind in 

 France. ;■?; __' ..~* < ■-. 



Nos. 6, 7, and 8, are " Flint Corn," very mnch like that grown near 

 Bordeaux, but superior. No. 6 of these is a free-growing and valuable 

 table Maize. 



Nos. 9 and 10 are "Pink Corn." The first of these i3 a remarkably 

 fine specimen, and this variety is earlier than the pure white, is delicate 

 in flavour, and more valuable than No. 10. -^j 



No. 11 is the Giant Red, the largest of all, excellent, and a mid- 

 season sort. 



No. 12 differs from this in having smooth grains. 



No. 13. Jaune Gtos, from Vilmorin. This is much grown in the 

 Touraine, and is the cheapest of all, bnt rather too coarse. 



No. 14. A striped yellow originally from Pan, and raised from seed 

 from plants grown in Yorkshire. A hardy and valuable kind. 



No. 15. True " Yellow Pop Corn," from America. A very excellent 

 kind, prolific and early ; will be very useful for forage also. 



No. 16. Janne d'Auxoune, early, and good for grinding purposes. 



No. 17. Improved Common Yellow, an excellent kind, raised here, 

 and larger than the common one. 



No. 18. A small, late, yellow Maize. 



No. 19. A handsome and heavy spotted Maize, raised here this 

 season in some quantity. jr H 



Nos. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, are hybrids of various shades, easy 

 to retain pure. An opinion as to the best would be valuable. _^' 



No. 26. A short corn ; spiky. 



No. 27. A new African Maize from Italy, very hardy and prolific, 

 likely to be very useful. 



No. 2S. Handsome hybrid of this year — mid-season.' 



No. 29. Darkest ear ever raised here. 



No. 30. "Blue Corn;" very difficult to ripen. One, more hand- 

 some, has disappeared from culture here ; another has magnificent 

 gold-striped leaves, with dark, hirsute stem, — equals the Japanese 



