344 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



VEGETABLES ALL THE YEAR ROUND FOR A PRIVATE 



FAMILY. 



By W. H. Divers, F.R.H.S. 



The subject given to me is a most extensive one, as it embraces the 

 whole routine of the cultivation of all kinds of vegetables ; and on 

 collecting and comparing some of my notes I soon found it would require 

 a fair- sized book to deal thoroughly with the whole subject. In order, 

 therefore, to bring my remarks within reasonable limits, I have decided 

 to omit the greater part of the cultural details, which may be found in 

 any good work on gardening, and to notice chiefly the points which 

 conduce to the continuity of the supply. It is also a subject upon which 

 many disputes have arisen ; we read of one which took place more than 

 3,000 years ago, when the children of Israel reproached Moses because 

 they had not the Cucumbers, Melons, Leeks, Onions, and Garlic which 

 they had had in Egypt in abundance. This is interesting to us as 

 showing that vegetables were cultivated in quantity in those early days. 

 We occasionally hear of similar grumblings and complaints now, but I 

 generally find they are caused by the want of proper structures for 

 growing vegetables in the dark days of winter and in the early part of 

 spring. To keep up a good supply at these times a large quantity must 

 be grown, because growth is very slow under such unnatural conditions. 



The following kinds may be had throughout the year if proper facilities 

 are given for their cultivation: — French Beans, Broccoli and Cauliflowers 

 (the one being in season when the other is not), Cabbages, Carrots, 

 Cucumbers, Mushrooms, Onions, Potatos, Spinach, Tomatos, and Turnips ; 

 and for salads, Lettuces and Mustard and Cress. Where means are 

 available for retarding roots, this list may be extended to include Asparagus, 

 Seakale, and Rhubarb. It is possible even now to purchase the roots of 

 Seakale in a retarded state, but they are expensive, and I look forward to 

 the time when a suitable retarding-house will be available in all good 

 <-tal>lishments. 



Structures. — I will now refer briefly to a few structures without which 

 it is impossible to have a continuous supply of choice vegetables during 

 the cold period of the year. The chief place must be given to forcing- 

 houses ; these are necessary for French Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatos, Early 

 Pens, Mustard and Cress, and also Vegetable Marrows if they are required 

 early. I do not, of course, mean a house for each of these : it is quite 

 possible to grow several of them in the same house ; nor need the houses 

 be necessarily large, but their number and size must depend upon the 

 quantity oi vegetables required. But it is especially important that they 

 should be aa light as possible, in order to catch all the sunshine possible, 

 and fchey must be well heated. Lean-to or hip-roofed houses running 

 east and west are the best. 



For Early Potatos, Carrots, Radishes, Turnips, Lettuces, Beet, 

 V^iara-us, and succession crops of French Beans and Peas, brick pits 



