34 



OUR WIDE-AWAKE GARDENERS. 



cabbages, Henderson's Early Summer is an advance 

 among the second earlies, and Warren's Stone-mason 

 among the later sorts. The latter is a markedly su- 

 perior strain, both in size, sure heading, and general 

 uniformity, and unreservedly the, best winter cabbage 

 for northern New England. 



In carrots, the Chantenay is the best thing we have 

 had from France for some time. But the great popu- 

 larity it has jumped into has led to putting inferior 

 seed on the market, which is likely to disappoint. In 

 Vermont, I find it so good a keeper that I can recom 

 mend it as a desirable variety to grow for stock, and one 

 which can be harvested quickly without a spade. For 

 market it sells itself on sight, and is wanted again for 

 the table by all who try it. I have grown them in 

 quantity at the rate of i,ooo bushels per acre. 



In cauliflowers there has been a good deal of im- 

 provement, making it a much surer and better-heading 

 crop. Henderson Snowball and Veitch Autumn Giant 

 please me well. 



Among the celeries, the self-blanching have had a 

 remarkable run, especially among amateur gardeners, 

 but I think all good judges prefer the banking sorts for 

 quality and keeping. La Plume Chestnut is a very de- 

 sirable sort. 



Among sweet corns, Perry's Hybrid, though not quite 

 fixed in type, is very large and fine for second early. 

 The Cory has nothing to commend it but earliness and 

 size. The Banana is a curiosity of merit for the pri- 

 vate garden. 



I find nothing new of value among outdoor cucum- 

 bers, and in lettuces nothing of importance since the 

 Hanson and Deacon. 



In onions, the only thing very new is the transplanting 

 method of growing them, which I think favorably of, 

 but have not yet tried. But, truly, in onion-growing, 

 above all other things, " good seed is the foundation." 



In peas, Maud S. is certainly a very profitable sort to 

 plant, being large-podded and productive. Rawson's 

 Clipper is as early, and productive, but with smaller 

 pods. I think it decidedly better in quality. Tele- 

 phone lacks only in productiveness. Stratagem is 

 worthless unless mulched to keep the pods off the 

 ground. Horsford's Market-Garden pea has become a 

 standard second early with me. 



In early potatoes there has been a great advance in 

 the past 20 years, beginning with Early Rose, We now 

 have a long list to choose from, with no great amount of 

 choice between well-known leading sorts. Of first early 

 I prefer Polaris, and for a later, the Rural New-Yorker 

 No. 2. These will be my crop next year. I ship direct 

 from the field as soon as vegetables are marketable. 



Vermont. T. H. HosKiNs. 



Wisconsin's great gardener names his choice. 

 Gardening has been so revolutionized since 30 years ago, 

 that only those who were then and are now engaged in 

 it can understand the difference between then and now. 



It was then the dread of my spring work to get my 

 small seed planted, even after the ground was ready. 

 It had to be done with the naked fingers, and was a slow 

 and backaching job. Now, a bright boy 16 years old 

 will plant more ground in one day and do it better than 

 20 good steady men could then. Fifty years ago the 

 old Red Wethersfield onions were almost the only ones 

 in our general markets. Now they are almost super- 

 seded by the beautiful Yellow Danvers. The tomato 

 of even 30 years ago could not be sold in our markets 

 to-day. The early cabbage of 30 years ago is out of 

 date, and I have not seen a head of pure Early York in 

 15 years. The Jersey Wakefield has taken its place, 

 and is its superior in all respects. 



For late varieties, the old Premium Flat Dutch is al- 

 most gone out of date, although it is in many respects 

 excellent, and for hardiness and late-keeping I doubt 

 whether we have any better variety. In cauliflowers the 

 Snowball has for some years past been the best I could 

 find for either early or late. 



Among beets and carrots there has been less im- 

 provement of late than in other fruits and vegetables. 

 The Globe beets have nearly driven the Long Blood 

 varieties out of our market-gardens, although there is 

 but little improvement in quality. The same may be 

 said of carrots. The stump-rooted varieties have 

 driven out the Long Orange, and improved the quality 

 somewhat, but not largely. The consumption of let- 

 tuce and radishes has increased to a marvelous degree. 

 I commenced market-gardening here in 1857. At that 

 time, if I could have reached the same territory that I 

 now reach with these articles, I have no idea that I 

 could have sold $50 worth of either in a season. I keep 

 a careful account of sales, and have for many years, 

 and last season I sold about 30,000 heads of lettuce, 

 and about 40,000 bunches of radishes, averaging at 

 least six to a bunch ; making 240,000 radishes sold by 

 one grower in a district where there are no large cities. 



Perhaps I ought to say that they are actually sold — not 

 sent to sell on commission, but actually ordered before 

 they are taken from the ground. A portion of the let- 

 tuce was grown in my hotbeds. 



The introduction of the sweet wrinkled pea was a 

 great improvement. American Wonder, all things 

 considered, is in quality about the most valuable variety 

 now upon our list. 



In bush-beans there has also been marked improve- 

 ment. The Golden Wax have almost driven the old 

 green-podded kinds from our gardens. With me, they 

 are both earlier and of better quality. 



There have been new varieties of sweet corn added 

 to our lists, though the quality seems to me to be but 

 little changed from what it was when I was a boy. 



I can see no change in the quality of our asparagus, 

 though the stalks that I now grow are, from some 

 cause, larger than those that grew, years ago, in my 

 grandmother's garden. 



Wisconsin. J. M. Smith. 



