January 15, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.30 r.M. Linnean Society at 8 p.M. 
2nd Sunday after epiphany. 
Meeting of National Chrysanthemum Society at Old Four Swans, 
q . . , . . x „ [Bishopsgate Street. 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
SOME OF THE BEST VEGETABLES. 
AERY season numbers of new vegetables are 
advertised for sale, some being of sterling merit, 
and eventually become popular, while others 
prove disappointing. I do not profess to be in 
a position to discuss the merits of all that are 
distributed, but most of the best sorts have 
come under my notice, and I am sorry to say 
many that do not deserve to be described as 
valuable or distinct. To make my remarks 
as instructive as possible I must repeat that our garden soil 
is of a heavy nature, and that any sort that does really well 
here possesses a good constitution, and will prove equally as 
hardy in most gardens. 
Commencing with Beans, as being first on the list, I have 
only found one novelty of any value in either section. The 
very long-podded Broad Beans under special treatment pro¬ 
duce very fine pods for exhibition purposes, but on the whole 
we find that Early Longpod, Taylor’s and Green Windsor 
give a good succession, and are really more profitable than 
the Improved Wonderful, Leviathan, or giant sorts, which, 
however, yield grand pods if such are coveted. Of Kidney 
Beans Osborn’s Forcing is still the best for culture in pots 
and the earliest open air crops, while Canadian Wonder and 
Negro Mammoth Long-podded are the best for the main 
crop and exhibition. The Girtford Giant Runner Bean, 
raised by Mr. Laxton, is decidedly superior to and distinct 
from the old sorts. It does not branch so freely, but crops 
heavily, and many of the pods are very long and straight. 
For affording white seed or Haricot Beans we grow the 
running White Dutch or Case Knife, and the dwarf Carter’s 
Long Sword, and both were unusually profitable last season. 
Both Pragnell’s Exhibition and Yeitch’s Improved Black 
Beets grew much too large to suit us, and that, too, in spite 
of sowing late as advised by Mr. Pragnell. Pragnell’s 
variety is distinct and clear-skinned, and of good colour 
when cooked, and is also fit for use very early in the season. 
For main crop it should not be sown till the first week in 
May. The Egyptian or the Turnip-rooted is a serviceable 
early variety, and Dell’s Crimson, or one of its synonyms, 
still the best for the main crop. Broccolis are gaining 
in numbers, a whole page or more being given up to them 
in most catalogues, and apparently all are indispensable. 
We now depend principally upon three sorts, these being 
Yeitch’s Self-protecting Autumn, Leamington, and Model. 
The first named is far from being hardy, but can be depended 
upon in many seasons for maintaining a good supply from 
November until late in January, provided care be taken to 
lift all that are fast developing their hearts, storing them in 
pits, sheds, or cool houses, where they will be safe from frost. 
Leamington frequently lasts from March until May, espe¬ 
cially if some are lifted and stored on a north border, while 
Model is very hardy, late, and self-protecting. All are of 
extra good quality. Other sorts worth growing are Snow’s 
Winter White, which is apparently also sent when Osborn’s 
Winter White is ordered; Yeitch’s Spring White, Cooling’s 
No. 238.—Vol. X., Third Series. 
Matchless, Ledsham’s Latest of All, and Sutton’s Late 
Queen, the latter being an extra good late sort, and we have 
had it good until June. Purple Sprouting is very hardy and 
prolific, and fields of it after a hard winter frequently realise 
high prices in the markets. 
Brussels Sprouts of late years have been greatly improved, 
and failures now are rarer than formerly. The Aigburth 
is a sure cropper, but the sprouts are frequently much too 
large to suit all tastes, and Paragon is preferred here, at any 
rate for the dining-room. Sutton’s Reading Exhibition is 
also a most profitable sort, and in some respects superior to 
the Aigburth. Of Borecoles or Kales I prefer Read’s New 
Hearting and Asparagus or Buda. The former takes the 
place of the tall and late green-curled sorts, while the 
Asparagus is remarkably hardy, very late, serviceable, and 
good in quality. Chou de Burghley has done well with us 
this season, but the hearts are too large, and it has yet to be 
proved by me that it is hardier than Broccolis, and as hardy 
as Cabbages and Savoys. Cannot Mr. Gilbert improve this 
Cabbage ? for instance, it would be of greater value if neater 
in habit. Cabbages Reading All Heart and Ellam’s Dwarf 
Spring are of compact growth, and yield heads of excellent 
quality ; and Yeitch’s Matchless, a rather robust sort, has 
also done us good service. Savoys Tom Thumb, Early Ulm, 
Dwarf Green Curled and Drumhead form a good succession, 
and are worth growing. 
Carrots Nantes Horn, James’ Intermediate, and Long 
Red Surrey are all good, the latter being a good keeper, and 
the former the best for frames, early borders, and late sowings, 
being on the whole one of the best novelties introduced of 
late years. Cauliflowers Early Dwarf Forcing, Dwarf 
Erfurt Mommoth, Pearl, and Autumn Giant are all good, 
and we find it a good plan to winter a number of plants in 
frames. This season we are only growing two varieties of 
Celery, these being Sutton’s White Gem and Major Clarke’s 
Red, and I know no better of their respective colours. 
Telegraph Cucumber is the only variety grown, and if grew 
any in the winter I should prefer Cardiff Castle, and which 
is also very good at any time of the year. Endives Moss 
Curled, Green Curled, and Improved Broad-leaved Batavian 
are all good, the former being the best for early crops, and 
the latter hardy and fine in quality. Early Paris Market 
Cabbage Lettuce is the best for frame work and sheltered 
borders, and is much liked, and Yeitch’s Perfect Gem is 
crisp and good during the summer; while of the Cos varie¬ 
ties we now grow the Black-seeded Brown Cos both for the 
summer and early crops, and during the spring, summer, 
and early autumn months a good strain of Paris Y/hite Cos 
is equal to any with more superb names. 
Among Onions there is not many to surpass the Giant 
Zittau, this growing to a good size and weight, and keeping 
well into the spring. Brown Globe is also grown for late 
keeping, while I find the Sandy Prize a very good type of 
White Spanish. The Queen is useful for early crops, and 
Giant Rocca and Early White Naples are good for autumn 
sowing. Radishes Wood’s Frame, Scarlet and White 
Forcing are good for frames and warm borders, Red and 
White Turnip for summer use, and Long Scarlet Short Top 
for the late crops. The Extra Early Milan Turnip proved 
superior to the Early Munich for the earliest sowings, and 
as it makes but little top is particularly good for sowing in 
frames. Early Snowball, Yeitch’s Red Globe, and Chirk 
Castle Black Stone are all good and give a succession, the 
two last being the hardiest. 
Tomatoes probably were never so plentiful as during the 
year 1884. Some of the best were Dedham Favourite, 
Hackwood Park Prolific, The Trophy, Phillip’s Perfection, 
now known as Carter’s Perfection, King Humbert, and 
Reading Perfection. Of these I prefer Carter’s Perfec¬ 
tion and King Humbert, the former as being a heavy 
cropper, handsome, and extra good in quality, and the 
latter as being particularly heavy cropping on the open 
No. 1894 .—-Vol. IXXir., Olp Series. 
