82 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



three weeks — our first this season being grown in eighteen days ; 

 but away from a strong heat fully ten days longer ought to be 

 allowed. 



Blanched Swedish Turnip-tops are a fairly good substitute 

 for Seakale, and to get these all that is necessary is to introduce 

 a few strong roots at a time into a Mushroom-house or warm 

 cellar — in the former case plunging them in moist rich soil. 



Bhubarb, though classed as a vegetable — which in reality it 

 is, being a leaf- stalk — is usually used as a fruit. Strong clumps 

 of the Early Eed, Early Linnaeus, or other early varieties force 

 readily in the open ground when covered with tubs and heating 

 material ; or they may be lifted and forced in Mushroom-houses 

 or other heated places, and also forwarded considerably in warm 

 cellars with but little trouble. 



None but those who have command of extra well-heated and 

 light forcing-houses can succeed in producing Kidney Beans for 

 use during the coldest part of the year, though if they can be 

 sent to the dining-table they are certain to be greatly appreciated, 

 being very preferable to any that may have been preserved in 

 salt. The best winter crops I have ever grown were of the old 

 Osborn's Forcing, there being five or six plants in each 8-inch 

 pot, three batches of about fifty pots being grown in close suc- 

 cession in a Pine stove. 



Cucumbers for cooking purposes are not often grown, but 

 there are establishments where they are wanted every winter — 

 this more for the sake of having a variety rather than for any 

 great liking for the dish. In order to have a good crop of large 

 fat Cucumbers (for they like them to be of a good thickness for 

 cooking) a batch of strong, healthy plants should be in their 

 fruiting quarters not later than the first week in October, it 

 being advisable in some instances to raise a second batch of 

 plants a month later. I prefer growing them in pots and 

 placing them where they can have the benefit of a brisk 

 bottom heat, keeping the roots active and the plants in good 

 bearing order by means of frequent top-dressings of good turf 

 and plenty of liquid manure. The plants ought to be trained 

 thinly over the roof trellis in a house the temperature of 

 which seldom falls below t>5°, and is kept during the daytime 

 near 70°. Not till they have formed a good length of strong 

 haulm ought any fruit to be allowed to form, and anything like 



