JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
52 
[ January 20, 1881. 
Then, again, it would be interesting to know according to what 
logical rule all science is to blame, because some people make 
“conflicting statements” and give “fantastic directions.” 
Is it not a pity that one so able to give sound practical advice, 
well worth reading, should go out of his way to sneer at— 
what 1 —not science, but a series of mistakes which he asserts have 
been made, but which were certainly made by honest seekers after 
truth 1 What good is done, or hoped to be done, by the attempt ? 
I pause for a reply. Let me urge “ D., Deal," when next under 
the influence of the cacoetlies scribendi, to remember the con¬ 
cluding sentences of his own remarkable article—“ A little weigh¬ 
ing and waiting will do no harm now-a-days.” Had “ D., Deal," 
weighed the meaning of the word science, or waited until he had 
refreshed his memory by obtaining a correct definition of it from 
any standard dictionary, he would never have had his latest 
effusion put into print—at least I hope not.—F. R. B. S. 
FINE SUMMERS AND SEVERE WINTERS. 
Under the heading of “ Twenty Years’ Temperature ” Mr. 
Plant published in the Times of the 4th inst. a weather survey 
of the last twenty years. It contained some statements which 
seemed to me surprising ; for instance, Mr. Plant says that we 
have only had three severe winters since that of 1860—viz., 
1870-71, 1878—79, 1879-80. It is strange he should have over¬ 
looked the very severe winter of 1866-67, when the thermometer 
was reported as registering 2° below zero in some parts of the 
country, and I think even a greater degree of cold than this 
in the midlands. Practically I do not think there was much to 
choose between 1860-61 and 1866-67. The next severe winter 
was that began on Christmas day, 1869, and lasted into April, 
1870, and followed by the beautiful spring and grand summer of 
the latter year. It is strange that Mr. Plant should overlook 
these two long and hard winters. 
Then as to the summers. Mr. Plant says we have had but four 
dry hot summers during the last twenty years, enumerating them 
as 1863, 1864, 1868, 1870. Now 1863 may be fairly classed 
among the fine summers, though I think it was more remarkable 
for its long, dry, and warm spring ; but surely the summer of 
1864 is out of place in the list. I should have expected the really 
fine dry hot summers of the last twenty years to be classed as 
1863, 1865, 1868, 1869, and 1870; those of 1865, 1868, and 1870 
being the three grand seasons. Mr. Plant, however, omits 1865 
(the first great summer since 1859) and 1869 altogether in his list 
of fine summers, though he mentions the April and September of 
the former year as warm. The April was indeed remarkable for 
its almost midsummer heat. We have had nothing like it since 
in that month. 
Among the cold Mays Mr. Plant omits any mention of the 
phenomenal weather of that month in 1873 and 1874—cold biting 
winds in each year, with the thermometer registering as much as 
10 ° and 12° below the freezing point at night. I write entirely 
from memory, and should therefore esteem it a favour if aDy of 
your readers would kindly say whether I am right in my grouping 
of the fine summers and hard winters of the last twenty years. 
—M. R. 
PETTIGREW’S CARDIFF CASTLE CUCUMBER. 
“ Amateur ” writes referring to this Cucumber (page 29), 
“ As it is new to me, I should be glad to know what are its chief 
recommendations, and in what way it differs from Telegraph or 
any other well-known kind ? Is it a distinct cross, or is it only 
ODe of our old varieties under another name ? ” 
It seems strange that “Amateur” should single out this par¬ 
ticular Cucumber from the many that are advertised for the first 
time in the trade catalogue he refers to. He admits, however, 
that “ it is new to him,” and no one will, I am sure, doubt his 
veracity. It is a distinct cross, and not “ one of our old varieties 
under another name.” 
If “Amateur” will give me his name and address I shall have 
much pleasure in sending him a brace of this Cucumber in due 
time for him to say “ how it differs from Telegraph or any other 
well-known leading kind.” 
The Editor of the Journal of Horticulture saw the Cucumber 
in question growing here last summer and admired it very much. 
—A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
I beg to be allowed to inform “ Amateur ” (page 29 of the 
Journal! that, having had many opportunities of seeing Petti¬ 
grew’s Cardiff Castle Cucumber, I can assure him it is not an old 
friend under a new name but a distinct variety, the result of a 
cross between Hedsor Prolific and Telegraph, and I have no 
hesitation in pronouncing it to be the best all-the-year-round 
Cucumber I have seen. Several gardeners in this neighbourhood 
can corroborate me in this, who like myself have during the last 
two years seen it growing at Cardiff, and who have anxiously 
waited for its being sent out.— Thos. Chapman, Cardiff. 
In your issue of the 13th inst. “Amateur” writes for infor¬ 
mation regarding this valuable Cucumber. He says that it is 
new to him, and that he would like to know if it differs from 
Telegraph or any other leading variety. About four years ago I 
sent Mr. Pettigrew a few seeds of a good old variety named 
Hedsor Prolific, which he grew the following summer with 
Telegraph, and from a cross between these two varieties the 
Cucumber in question was raised. I had the pleasure of seeing 
the three varieties growing at Cardiff Castle last summer, and no 
one who has seen them could fail to notice the superiority of the 
new variety. I can fully endorse the recommendation given in 
the trade catalogues.— John Lindsay, Ditton Farit, Slough, 
Duels. 
Noticing in “Notes and Gleanings,” on page 29, “Amateur’s” 
inquiry relative to Pettigrew’s Cardiff Castle Cucumber, and 
having frequently seen it growing during the last two years, I 
am glad to be able to give your correspondent the information 
desired. 
The Cucumber in question is the result of a cross between 
Hedsor Prolific—a good old variety raised at Hedsor, the seat of 
Lord Boston—and Telegraph, and is quite distinct from each 
variety. The plant is of moderately strong growth with medium¬ 
sized foliage ; it bears large crops of fruit, and is equally valuable 
either as a main crop or in winter. The fruits are of medium 
size, rather more corrugated than Telegraph, have white spines 
thinly distributed, and have no neck during the greater part of the 
season and very little during the winter months. I consider it to 
be the ideal of a good Cucumber for a gentleman’s table, but 
perhaps is not sufficiently large for an exhibiting amateur.— 
R. Crossling, St. Fagan's Castle. 
WORK/mv™ WEEK.. 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Potatoes where pitted or placed together in quantity will re¬ 
quire spreading out thinly as room will permit. This applies 
especially to all early varieties, particularly early kidney varieties, 
which if once disbudded seldom grow again so freely as at first, often 
becoming blind to the serious deterioration of the crop. Onions in 
reeves will, if kept in a close room or cellar, be commencing to grow, 
and should be removed to an open airy shed or a covered passage 
open to the north, as no moderate amount of cold injures them 
provided they are kept dry. Lettuces during severe frost are raised 
and left with the roots greatly disturbed ; they should have immediate 
attention after a thaw, pressing the soil firmly around them. An 
early sowing of Peas should be made in strips of turf or in 3-inch pots 
three parts filled with light soil, placing about a dozen peas in each, 
covering with light soil, and arranging the pots in an early Peach 
house until the seedlings are about 2 inches high, then removing to 
cooler quarters and gradually hardening them off preparatory to 
planting out on south borders. Early Mazagan Beans may also be 
similarly treated, placing four in a 4-inch pot; and if planted out 
about 2 feet japart on a south border as soon as safe, they will 
come in early. Seville and Leviathan, if required early for exhi¬ 
bition purposes, will answer the same way. As soon as the weather 
is favourable sow early and second early Peas in deeply trenched 
well-manured ground, also Broad Beans. 
Forcing Department .—At intervals of a fortnight or three weeks 
introduce roots of Rhubarb and Seakale to the Mushroom house, so 
as to maintain the succession unbroken. Another bed should be 
prepared for Asparagus, placing the roots there when the heat is 
suitable— i.e., bottom heat 70° to 75°, or 80° at the commencement, 
placing about a couple of inches of fine rich soil on the bed, upon 
which arrange the roots closely together, and cover 2 inches 
