FLORA 
AND SYLVA. 
Vol. III. No. 25.] 
APRIL, 1905 
[Monthly. 
QUALITY IN VEGETABLES. 
In view of the importance and value of 
the quantities of vegetables now grown 
in Britain and western Europe, and the 
ceaseless flow of novelties, little care is 
bestowed on what should be the main 
thing — flavour and quality. The desire 
for new things is such that the trade will 
supply them at all costs, and the pity is 
that when things vary so much in quality 
as many of these do, we do not insist on 
the best only. This subject is brought 
to our mind by Mr. Scarlett, an Edin- 
burgh grower, who sends us some kinds 
of Potato which he claims are of good 
flavour, and on trial we find to be really 
free from the bitter taste so often found 
in Potatoes, the raisers, generally speak- 
ing, looking first to other qualities. Ob- 
servers of such things must have noticed 
how ill-flavoured and bitter many Pota- 
toes are, this being a reversion to their 
wild mother, one of a poisonous family. 
With such an origin there is all the greater 
need to get as far away as we can from 
these objectionable qualities, and with 
our immense choice of kinds it ought 
not to be difficult to do so. Potatoes 
come to our markets occasionally from 
the sandy soils of North Germany and 
Belgium which would not have a chance 
on our show benches, but, like a yellow 
kind grown near Bruges by Mr. Sander 
they are of excellent flavour. 
Other vegetables, like the Celery, 
belong to families that are poisonous, 
and it is of importance to get them away 
from that character, which in the case 
of Celery is partly done by blanching, 
but might very well be improved upon 
by further selection. As to the Carrot, 
English cooking is disgraced by coarse 
Carrots which are only fit for cattle food , 
whereas we have the choice of small and 
delicate varieties. In the Turnip perhaps 
we seek too much in the direction of 
richly-flavouredkinds,themostdelicate 
Turnips being the long ones of the Paris 
market, which retain some of their wild 
and pleasant flavour. 
The wild Cabbage is a most acrid 
plant and the parent of almost countless 
varieties grown in all civilised countries, 
and here, if anywhere, there is need of 
selection as regards delicate flavour. It 
may not be easy to influence the seed 
trade, which, like many others, is bound 
by routine ; but private growers may 
help by rejecting vegetables of bad or 
poor flavour, and especially all novelties 
deficient as to quality. Certain varieties 
of the Cucumber have occasionally a 
