126 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 370. 



ryllid is slill one of the best of winter-flowering plants. 

 Clivias thrive in a warm rich soil made of rotted sod 

 and peat, and, since they are kept for several years in 

 the same pot or tub after they have attained size, it is well 

 to add coarsely broken bone and charcoal when potting 

 good specimens. The propagation is sometimes by seeds, 

 but more commonly by division, either by removing some 

 of the offsets or by tearing an old plant to pieces. This 

 last is best done just after the plant blooms; the small 

 plants thus obtained should be planted in five or six inch 

 pots in a rather sandy soil ; if well done they will often 

 produce flowering plants in one season. Seeds are not 

 easily obtainable ; it is said that the production of seeds 

 weakens the old plant, and they are seldom used e.xcept 

 for procuring new varieties. In summer good-sized plants 

 are useful for decorating grounds and piazzas. Too much 

 praise can hardly be given to the splendid race of hybrids 

 and seedlings which have been raised from this plant in 

 Belgium and England. 



Cultural Department. 



Vegetables for Private Gardens. 



TWENTY, or even ten years ago, it was a comparatively 

 simple task to select a list of vegetables for honie use, but 

 with the annual introduction of tlie numerous varieties found 

 in the catalogues of seedsmen, the problem has become com- 

 plicated. It is a popular error that a majority of these novel- 

 ties are old favorites with new titles. It is only fair to say in 

 defense of the seed dealer that this is not so, lor while some 

 novelties are fictitious, most of them are genuine, and they 

 indicate a marked advance on the types ot a few years ago. 

 The fact is, that there is a large increase of critical growers who 

 demand improvements to suit their special wants, and the seed 

 dealer who fails to meet this demand is left behind in the race. 



I am closely in contact with competent gardeners, both 

 commercial and private,- and know that the varieties used by 

 the former class are not of great use to the others, as a rule, 

 and my object in these notes is to point out what qualities are 

 desirable in vegetables raised -for the home table. Tlie notes 

 will also show that one who plants for his own table should 

 avoid many sorts used by the market-gardener, whose object 

 is to grow a radish that " bunches well," or a pea that " fills 

 the basket" quickly, or a muskmelon that is "grand forship- 

 ping," features absolutely essential for commerce, but often 

 secured only at the sacrifice of the highest table qualities. The 

 best way to accomplish this purpose will be to give a list of 

 vegetables with the qualities most to be desired in each, and 

 to add in each instance the names of such as approach most 

 nearly the ideal standard. 



Beet. — Freedom from fibrous or woody te.xture, constancy 

 of color, a smooth clean root, smallness of foliage, are quali- 

 ties to be most desiretl. 



Dewing's Blood Red, Eclipse, Edmand's Red Turnip, Long 

 Smooth. 



Bush Beans (wax and green ]jodded). — The best varieties 

 make strong, compact plants, free from runners, bearing 

 shapely pods that are slow to develop stringy or parchment- 

 like character, both elements of toughness. Round podded 

 varieties are generally best and most tender. 



Early Red Valentine, Extra Early Refugee, Refugee (or 

 1,000 to i), Black Wax, Wardwell's Kidney Wax. 



Pole Beans. — Secure all points, as in Bush Beans, but see 

 that a sort is chosen that " takes poles" freely. 



Horticultural Pole, Old Homesiead, Golden Cluster Wax, 

 Golden Champion Wax. 



The best Pole Lima Bean is certainly Dreer's Improved. 



Cabbage. — Compact habit, small leaf-veins, short strong 

 stem, few outside leaves ; if for keeping, solidity of head; if 

 for early use, tenderness and delicate flavor in green state are 

 essentials. 



Jersey Wakefield (early), Early Dwarf York, Succession (me- 

 dium early). Late Flat Dutch. 



Cauliflower. — Self-protecting foliage — that is, the habit of 

 the leaves to fold inwardly, which insures a tender white 

 flower ; smooth surface of flower ; freedom from green leaves 

 growing through the flower. Compact habit of plant and ability 

 to withstand extreme climatic conditions are points to secure. 



Extra Early Dwarf Erfurt, Thorburn's Gilt-edge, Hender- 

 son's Early Snowball. 



Carrot. — Depth and character of soil is essential to success- 



ful cultivation of long varieties. If the soil is tmfavorable, the 

 roots will Ije forked and generally irregular. Bright color and 

 absence of core are essential ; a small compact top is also an 

 advantage where room is valuable. 



French Forcing and Earlv Scarlet Horn for soups; Early 

 Half-long Carentan, the best ot all ; Half-long Danvers. 



Celery. — Flavor and freedom from string in leaf-sfalks must 

 have first consideration, and sorts deficient in these qualities 

 should be left alone. The red varieties are the best, though 

 generally considered less ornamental. A test of crispness and 

 solidity is to snap the stalks ; the more strings shown the 

 tousjher it will be. 



White Plume, Pink Plume, Golden Dwarf, Perle le Grand, 

 New Rose. 



Sugar Corn. — Sweetness is to be desired first and always. 

 Small cob, deep grain, low-earing habit, abilitv to resist smut 

 (early red-cob varieties are most subject to tiiis), strong husk, 

 which generally keeps the grain tender a long time, are all de- 

 sirable qualities. 



Perry's Hybrid, Stabler's Early, Hickox, Country Gentleman 

 (the best), Stowell's Evergreen. 



Cucumber. — Secure strong vine, freedom in setting fruit, 

 medium size, symmetry of shape, firm flesh, few seeds and 

 delicate flavor. 



Early White Spine, Cool and Crisp, Livingston's Evergreen. 



Lettuce. — Varieties with large veins in the leaves are to be 

 avoided ; compact, close-heading habit is essential ; never 

 plant a sort with a heavy stem growing where the heart should 

 be; thin, tender leaves, as distinguished from " flannelly " 

 leaves, should be sought. The foregoing points will always 

 secure good color and tenderness. Ability to resist "running 

 lo seed " is a hard point to cover ; some seasons will encour- 

 age this fault in tlie liest varieties. For sweetness of flavor 

 none can surpass the Cos or Romaine sorts. 



Curled Simpson and Black-seeded Simpson are early and 

 loose-headed. Boston IVIarket and Golden Queen are early 

 and solid-headed. .Salamander and Henderson's Big Boston 

 are solid-headed summer sorts. 



Muskmelon. — Flavor must be supreme here. A good 

 variety should have thin rind, and the seed cavity should be 

 small. These points will insure depth of flesh, which should 

 also be fine-grained and entirely melting. Color in the flesh 

 is not of importance generally, though the very best varieties 

 happen to be red or salmon fleshed. 



Netted Gem (green-fleshed), Jenny Lind (green-fleshed). 

 Emerald Gem (salmon-Heshed), Christiana (salmon-fleshed). 



Watermelon. — Desirable points are the same as in the 

 Muskmelon generally, but a large "heart" is essential, this 

 being the best-flavored part ot the fruit. 



Cole's Early, Ice Cream (white-seeded), Florida Favorite, 

 Dark Icing. 



Onion. — Good-keeping qualities, symmetrical shape, free- 

 dom trom neck, and mild flavor are the prime requisites. 



White Portugal, Yellow Globe Danvers, Southport Red 

 Globe, Southport White Globe, Southport Yellow Globe, Prize- 

 taker. 



Pumpkin, — The two sorts named below are both fine- 

 grained and deep-fleshed. The first is a smaller and more 

 finely bred selection of the latter. 



Calhoun, Cheese. 



Peas. — Here, if anywhere, every one knows what he wants. 

 I merely submit a list of sorts arranged in their order of ma- 

 turing, adding the hei.ght in feet attained generally by each sort. 



Henderson's First of all (two and a half feet), American 

 Wonder (one foot), Chelsea (one and a quarter feet). Advancer 

 (two feet), Everbearing (two and a halt feet), Heroine (three 

 teet). Admiral (four feet), Champion of England (five feet), 

 Telephone (six feet). 



Radish. — A small top and fine tap-root ; the top should oc- 

 cupy but a small portion of the surface ot the bulb ; the latter 

 should be clear in color and free from rootlets ; the flesh 

 should be crisp and mild in flavor; above all, it must grow 

 quickly, otherwise it will be pithy. I have purposely included 

 only the small delicately flavored sorts. 



Red Forcing, Scarlet Purnip, French Breakfast, Long Bright- 

 est Scarlet. 



Squash. — For early summer use grow either White Bush, 

 scalloped, or Bush Summer, crook neck. The latter is the 

 drier-fleshed sort. For keeping, select sorts with hard, but 

 thin, shell, small seed cavity (insuring deep flesh) and fine- 

 grained flesh of rich dry flavor. 



Earlv Prolific Marrow, Boston Marrow, Essex Hybrid (the 

 best-flavored). 



Tomato. — Do not grow the biggest varieties. Secure a 

 strong, but not rank, grower with medium-sized fruits that are 



