464 THE CENTURY ROOK OF GARDENING. 



the whiles and scarlets differ only in colour of flower and 

 of seed. Not infrequently scarlet Beans produce pl.ints 

 hearing white flowers, and a while one will often do the 

 reverse. Former old varieties both of scarlet and white 

 have been displaced by the introduction of such long- 

 podded and very productive forms as Ne Plus Ultra, Hill's 

 Prize, Prizewinner, and Best of All : the former pro- 

 duces pods, when the soil is good and the plants thinly 

 placed, from can. to I2in. in length, and yet very tender, 

 fresh, and succulent. Of the white forms Czar and Giant 

 Titan have very fine pods. The old case-knife section of 

 smooth-podded Runners, now seldom grown, have been 

 superseded by the introduction of climbing dwarf Beans, 

 especially the running form of Canadian Wonder, which 

 is also known as Tender and True. This produces long, 

 straight, smooth pods in great abundance, aird over a long 

 season when cultural conditions are favourable. 



The Bean family is unquestionably one of the most 

 useful of all vegetables for medium-sized gardens, and 

 the Runner kinds may be grown lor the sake of their 

 beauty alone, without considering their pods. In quite 

 a cottage plot one may frequently see the fence hidden 

 with the foliage of the Scarlet Runner, brightened with 

 scarlet flowers, as pretty as anything one can well get 

 amongst climbing plants, and lasting in beauty for many 

 months. II the Runner Bean were not of such great 

 value for its crop, it would be treasured as a climbing 

 plant for the garden. Many things grown for their 

 flowers are less interesting and beautilul than this familiar 

 vegetable. So many fail to secure a good crop through 

 not gathering the pods as fast as they have attained some 

 size. When permitted to remain until they have become 

 old and stringy, not only is the plant burdened and the 

 production of pods interfered with, but the pods are less 

 wholesome. Frequent pickings should be the rule. 

 Striving to get pods as large as possible is a fatal policy. 

 This pernicious practice is even increasing, and with bad 

 results. There is naturally a smaller crop, because the 

 energies of the plant are directed to a few pods, and 

 hence vegetable growing becomes expensive and unprofit- 

 able. Exhibitions frequently teach unwholesome lessons, 

 by promoting amongst competitors a love or desire for 

 mere size against crop and quality, because, as everyone 

 should know, size does not denote good flavour. Big 

 Beans, Turnips, Cabbages, Marrows, and other vege- 

 tables should be discouraged, then will the vegetable 

 garden become more profitable. Of all the forms of 

 Bean, the Runners are of the greatest use to the cottager 

 and amateur gardener who cannot spare much space, 

 becaues the plants can be accommodated in odd corners. 

 BeetS. — Very nutritious roots are Beets, and merit far 

 wider consumption than they usually obtain. Habitually 

 used as salading, yet is cold, sweet, soft, well-cooked 

 Beet very delicious and appetising, especially when 

 partaken of with cold meats for breakfast, luncheon, or 

 supper. The best varieties of to-day are far superior in 

 flavour, colour, and refinement of flesh to those of thirty 

 years ago, especially when well grown. Great size of 

 root is invariably allied to coarseness of flesh and bad 

 colour, hence the seed should never be sown where the 

 soil has been recently dressed with strong manures. The 

 best Beets are always obtained from ground which, having 

 been previously well manured and borne such a crop as 

 Celery, Cauliflowers, Spinach, or early Cabbage, is then 

 deeply dug and thoroughly pulverised and levelled ready 

 for sowing seed. The earliest to sow and to produce 

 useful roots is the Red Globe, a fine selection from the 

 Turnip-rooted of the old Egyptian type, and wbiJi has 

 bulbs of a very globular form, deep, smooth, and very 

 handsome. The flesh when fully grown is of a deep 

 blood red, very soft, and refined. Seed of this variety 

 should be sown in shallow drills I2in. apart, and thinly, 

 early in April, as the special object in growing it is to 

 obtain early summer bulbs. Provided the plints are 

 properly thinned when young down to 6in. apart, and 

 assisted by having the hoe frequently used amongst them, 

 they should produce good-sized bulbs to pull by the 

 middle of July, and these should be of perfect form a 



month later. Not only are such roots specially valuable 

 to furnish cooked Beet thus early, the winter stored roots 

 having become useless, but they are also very helpful in 

 a summer collection of vegetables exhibited for compe- 

 tition. Growers should take care to obtain the true Red 

 Globe stock and to sow thinly, as thick sowing means not 

 only waste, but gives needless labour in thinning the plants 

 later. For furnishing a supply of roots for the late autumn 

 and winter, none are better than the long tapering-rooted 

 forms. These are numerous and good, though some have 

 rather coarse leafage if grown in rich soil. Amongst the 

 best are Dell's Crimson, Sutton's Blood Red,Dobbie's New 

 Turpee, Nutting's Dwarf Red, Pragnell's Exhibition, and 

 Cheltenham Green Top. The roots of the latter have very 

 dark flesh, and it is the most favoured variety in the 

 market. Still, all those named are of first-rate excellence. 

 The best average time for sowing these Beets is from the 

 1st to the middle of May. Young plants raised from such 

 sowings make quick growth, and, when thinned down to 

 5in. apart in the rows, these being 12'in. apart, also kept 

 well hoed and clean, form by October fresh, handsome 

 roots. Good Beets should be about ioin. long, be fair y 

 broad across the shoulder, and taper off neatly to a point, 

 the skins being clean and free from side roots. They 

 may remain in the ground, keeping very fresh and sweet 

 up till the end of the year, then be very carefully lifted, 

 the leaves broken off, and stored away in sand or ashes 

 in a cool shed for the winter, being occasion dly looked 

 over. 



Borecoles. — These are essentially winter vegetables, and 

 are at that season very useful, especially in severe weather. 

 Their hardiness is a very striking feature, and even hard 

 weather undoubtedly tends to sweeten and intensify their 

 merits when cooked. There are numerous forms, the 

 best known being the Green Curled Scotch, tall and 

 dwarf; Cottagers, tall and somewhat irregular; 

 Asparagus, Buda, Chou de Milan, Labr.idor, and a few 

 others. Seeds of all should be sown in April in shallow 

 drills 12111. apart, and in the open ground. When the 

 plants are bin. in height, and portions of ground become 

 cleared from summer crops, or it is found practicable to 

 place plants between rows of dwarf Potatoes, they should 

 be got out as time permits, and, if the weather be dry, 

 watered in once or twice ; but it is wise to take advantage 

 of showers to do so, as then much labour is saved. The 

 rows as a rule should not be less than 2ft. apart. Great 

 size is less to he desired than hardy plants that w ill stand 

 severe frost well, ami continue to furnish head or side 

 sprouts far into the spring. The Victoria Tall Scotch 

 is a tine dense-headed selection, and the Dwarf Green 

 Curled Scotch a valuable variety. For giving late and 

 very delicious sprouts, none excel the Cottagers and the 

 smooth-leaved Asparagus and Chou de Milan, both 

 hardy and very productive. Insects seldom trouble 

 these Kales, hard frost and heavy winter rains thoroughly 

 cleansing them. 



Broccoli. — These, like Cauliflowers, do not heart as 

 Cabbages, but produce frothy or marrowy heads of 

 great excellence, and during the winter months. All 

 Broccoli are biennial in habit, and fairly hardy. 

 When the summer is cold and wet and a sharp wintet 

 follows these plants suffer severely. After a hot, dry 

 summer harm rarely results. It is wise, however, in 

 planting Broccoli after other crops, such as Peas, 

 Potatoes, Beans, Winter Onions, etc.. to put them out on 

 the ground as left firm, without digging it, as that con- 

 duces to the production of hard stems and less leafy 

 growth than are usually found when the soil is rich and 

 loose. Broccoli seeds may be sown, as previously 

 advised, early in April for the earliest varieties, and 

 early in May for the later ones, the plants being, wlieu 

 strong, planted out as opportunity offers and plots of 

 ground become vacant. Good , early varieties are 

 Christmas White, Early Whie, and Snow's Winter 

 White, and for main crop the Pearl, Mammoth, and 

 Knight's Protecting, with Model and Late Queen for 

 latest cutting, whilst the first - named should, in 

 ordinary seasons, turn or head in during January and 



