June 25, 1885, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
519 
C - - . 
ill 
COMING EVENTS 
sills 
25 
Th 
Walton-on-Thames Show. 
26 
F 
27 
s 
Canterbury and Brockham Shows. 
28 
SUN 
Fourth Sunday after Trinity. 
29 
M 
Maidstone Show. 
SO 
Tu 
Bagshot (Roses) Show ; Colchester Show. 
1 
w 
Croydon, Ryde, Farningham, Cardiff, and Farnham Shows. 
PLENTY OF EVERYTHING. 
HA.T a comfort we experience when we are 
enabled to inform our friends that there is 
“ plenty of everything ” in the garden. If the 
truth were known this happy and most enviable 
state of affairs is far from being general; as the 
very best among us, and those perhaps with 
facilities for growing everything, are not un- 
frequently “short” of something, being then 
only too glad to receive assistance from a 
friend or friends. The best-laid schemes are very easily 
upset, gardeners, whether rightly or wrongly, being apt to con¬ 
sider they have more ills to contend with than the followers 
of any other profession have. It may be this has some¬ 
thing to do with the vein of sympathy, or, to put it in a more 
expressive form, freemasonry, that exists among us, this 
including ready help to our brethren in need of it, and a 
welcome to each other, no matter whether we are personally 
acquainted or not. Outsiders cannot quite understand it, 
but it exists in a marked degree. Earnest amateurs delight 
to fraternise with and exchange opinions, cuttings, and 
plants with professional gardeners, and vice versa, to their 
mutual benefit. This is as it should be ; but at the same 
time, if it is carried to excess it may easily destroy much of 
the self-dependence necessary to all of us, and without which 
we cannot feel at all sure of always having plenty of every¬ 
thing. For instance, Mr. Blank, on whom we have con¬ 
stantly relied for a supply when needed, may have completely 
failed with the thing we want, and would be only too glad to 
receive assistance from his neighbours. Our aim, then, 
should be to cultivate to the best of our ability all we require 
or space will permit of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. As 
the latter are, after all, the most material, and seeing we are 
not supposed to mix our topics, I propose to offer a few hints 
upon the best methods of securing plenty of vegetables for 
the winter. 
Past immunity from severe frosts may perhaps induce 
many to overlook the fact that a severe frost may almost 
clear our garden of green vegetables ; and all must, there¬ 
fore, continue to bear this in mind, and plant accordingly. 
Readers are or ought to be fully impressed with the wisdom 
of planting Broccoli, especially on firm ground, with the aim 
of causing them to form sturdy and hardy growth. Some, I 
am aware, in spite of frequent advice to the contrary, con¬ 
tinue to put out this serviceable class of vegetables on loose 
rich ground with the result of the production of extra fine 
plants, and which, unfortunately, are the first to succumb to 
a severe frost. On fairly good firm ground, such as old 
Strawberry beds, an undug Leek quarter, or ground cleared 
of early Peas, Broccoli, whether planted with the assistance 
of a crowbar or in drills drawn with a heavy hoe and well 
soaked with water, will grow sturdily yet strongly, the most 
vital part—viz., the stems, being hard and well protected 
with leaves. An extra severe frost will cripple even 
these, but as a rule they will survive and produce high 
serviceable heads. Even in this case crowding should be 
No. 2G1. —Yol. X., Third Series. 
avoided, as it is better to feel almost certain of obtaining 
three good heads than to try for double that number, and risk 
making these weakly and most liable to destruction. On 
firm ground we usually plant in rows 30 inches apart, and 
the plants as far apart in the rows. Unfortunately, it is 
seldom sufficient firm ground is available for Broccoli, and 
we must perforce plant either in succession to or among the 
Potato crops. We prefer the first alternative, and plant a 
large breadth of Early Ashleaf Potatoes accordingly. We 
thus secure an almost certain sound crop of Potatoes, which 
can be cleared off and stored, the ground levelled and well 
trampled, which enables us to promote a fairly sturdy 
Broccoli growth. On loose rich ground the Broccoli ought 
to be planted in rows not less than 3 feet apart and 80 inches 
asunder in the rows, while if put out between the rows of 
widely planted Potatoes the haulm of the latter must be pre¬ 
vented from unduly drawing up the Broccoli. 
Our garden is situated on a moderately sharp slope, the 
lower portion being much heavier and colder than the upper, 
and this we have to take into consideration when arranging 
the crops. We usually plant three breadths of Broccoli, one 
at the top, another in the middle, and the third at the bottom 
of the garden. About six varieties are relied upon, with 
perhaps one or two trial sorts, and of these, with one ex¬ 
ception, an equal number of plants will this season be put 
out in each division. We may perhaps lose the whole of the 
lower rows and some of the middle plantation, but it will be 
a very severe frost indeed that destroys those on the top 
quarter. Consequently, if we have a mild winter, there will 
be abundance of Broccoli, and if severe a moderate supply in 
good succession. The exception above alluded to is Veitch’s 
Autumn Protecting, this, on account of its being easily 
injured by frosts, being treated like the batch of late-sown 
autumn Cauliflower. Both are found exceptionally service¬ 
able in November and December, and are planted in suc¬ 
cession to early Potatoes on warm borders and on the top 
quarter of garden. To succeed these we have Snow’s, which, 
if not sown too early and is planted in different positions, 
affords a long succession of fairly good heads. Next comes 
Yeitch’s Spring White, an excellent sort in every way, and 
this is closely followed by the popular Leamington, this 
maintaining the supply till May, at which time Model is 
available. The latter is a grand sort, and so also is Sutton's 
Late Queen, and these may safely be considered the best late 
sorts we grow. Ledsham’s Latest of All proves to be a very 
fine late variety, in season about the same time as Model. 
Brussels Sprouts I hold to be the most valuable winter 
green vegetable we have, and I always recommend amateurs 
to grow a good breadth of them in preference to several sorts 
of Borecoles and Savoys, especially if space be limited. They 
must be planted early, or not later than June (our principal 
plants are already well established) to be really profitable. 
They should also have fairly rich firm soil, as well as plenty 
of space, and under such conditions will prove very hardy and 
most productive from November to April, the close firm 
sprouts always being fully appreciated. Strong-growing 
sorts, such as Perfection and Aigburth, may w r ell be planted 
in rows 3 feet apart and 2 feet from plant to plant, while the 
Imported and Paragon require rather less space, This 
season we are trying three new, or presumably new, varieties, 
and hope to find that one or more of them will be as pro¬ 
ductive as the two first above-named, and that the sprouts 
will not be so large. 
Coleworts are also a favourite vegetable with me, and 
they are generally liked when cooked. The hardiest, and 
in my opinion best, Cabbage for this purpose is the 
London or Rosette; and Little Pixie, Shilling’s Queen, and 
Nonpareil are also suitable and good. The seed ought to be 
sown by the middle of June or not later than the end of the 
month, and the plants be put out in odd vacant spots or 
borders at distances of about a foot each way. In this 
manner they closely occupy the ground, and yield really pro- 
No. 1917.— Yol. LXXII., Old Series. 
