386 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



has been singularly successful at Shows. Quality in a Parsnip 

 is almost entirely a matter of selection, and in that way the fine 

 types now in cultivation have been obtained. Carter's Maltese 

 marked a distinct advance and is still widely grown. Quite 

 recently at the Reading Show, where the general opinion was 

 that so extensive and fine a collection of vegetables was never 

 before staged in competition, some of the collections contained 

 remarkable specimens of a new variety called Tender and True. 

 This is certainly distinct from other varieties, and possesses 

 quality which has not hitherto been reached in this vegetable. 



Spinach. 



No great advance was made in this vegetable until a few 

 years ago, when the Victoria and other similar strains were intro- 

 duced. It is true that many varieties bearing Continental 

 names have been grown, some standing rather longer than 

 others before running to seed, but the difference was only slight. 

 With the advent of the Victoria, however, the duration of the 

 crop was greatly prolonged, and still more recently this variety 

 has been surpassed, and we now have both in the round and 

 prickly seeded sections strains of Spinach which remain good for 

 weeks after others have gone to seed. 



Time will not permit of my referring to Parsley, Rhubarb, 

 Vegetable Marrow, and some other vegetables, and I must pass 

 on to 



The Tomato, 



which has increased in popularity to a greater extent and more 

 rapidly than any other vegetable referred to in this paper. 



A proof that it was not much cultivated in the early years of 

 Her Majesty's reign is shown by the fact that in a wholesale 

 seed list published in 1852 the only Tomato mentioned is the 

 common Red. It is within the last quarter of a century that 

 such an enormous impetus has been given to the growth of 

 Tomatos, in consequence of the more cultivated taste of the 

 masses of the people, and it is now found in almost every 

 garden, from the cottager's upwards. The Queen's gardener 

 (Mr. Thomas) has identified himself with its improvement, 

 and Frogmore Selected is one of the best varieties grown at the 

 present day. 



