February 3,1881.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. ■ 87 
Lettuce and Endive. Early Paris Market Lettuce is valuable, 
and if seed is sown early in February in a warm dung frame, and 
the young plants transplanted carefully to another frame as soon 
as they are large enough, will often come in before the autumn - 
sown crop of Cos Lettuces, but it must not be allowed to remain 
in the seed bed a day too long. The only other Cabbage Lettuce 
I use generally is Tom Thumb, which is very useful both for 
autumn and early spring use. Alexandra White Cos is good for 
summer weather, but the Black-seeded Bath Cos is the most 
important of all, it being indispensable in spring, autumn, and 
winter, and when we happen to have a bad summer, it is also then 
one of the best to depend on. Two ounces of the last-named and 
a less quantity of each of the others are sufficient for my purpose. 
The Improved Bound-leaved Batavian Endive is a great favourite 
and is used largely. One sowing is made about midsummer, and 
another three weeks later. The Green Curled variety is also sown 
at the same times. 
Of Melons the Cashmere is preferred, but it is a difficult one to 
grow, cannot be had very early, and will not do in a frame, there¬ 
fore I should not recommend novices to try it. Eastnor Castle is 
one of the easiest Melons to grow, and although inferior to the 
Cashmere in quality, it is better than most other varieties, and 
would satisfy those who have not tasted a well-grown fruit of 
Cashmere. 
Of Onions I grow White Spanish for the earliest, Danvers 
Yellow for the main crop, Silverskin for pickling, and Giant Rocca 
for autumn sowing. I have 1 lb. of seed of Danvers Yellow, and 
4 ozs. each of the others. 
Of Parsley I grow the Fern-leaved and anybody’s splendid 
Curled, and of Parsnips a good stock of Hollow-crowned, of 
which I require 1 lb. of seed. Radishes are not much in request, 
but a few of Wood’s Early Frame are used in the spring for 
sowing on dung beds between Carrots, &c. Salsafy is much used 
by some cooks during winter, and is so easy to grow that it is 
always advisable to have it in all large establishments. The last 
week in April is soon enough to sow it, and 2 ozs. is sufficient. 
Of Savoys, the Dwarf Green Curled is the principal, and Drum¬ 
head makes a good succession. These vegetables are seldom 
planted out sufficiently early. They are too late ; they follow any 
but the very early Potatoes, and where ground cannot be bad 
soon enough for those named it would be better to use some 
variety which comes in quicker. 
Spinach is an all-the-year-round vegetable, and therefore must 
not be neglected. I use one quart of the Round or Summer 
Spinach, and double that quantity of the Prickly or Winter 
variety. The last-named has done better with me this season 
than ever it did before, and I attribute the success to the large 
quantity of burned clay which was worked into the ground. 
Tomatoes, too, are in daily request all the year, and 1 find none so 
good as the old Orangefield Dwarf for my purpose. I consider it, 
too, the best flavoured of the Tomatoes I have tasted, and I fancy 
I ought to be a tolerably good judge, for I prefer Tomatoes to 
Peaches. This variety can scarcely be obtained true to name now 
from the seed shops. In the Tomato trial at Chiswick a few 
years ago I saw several named Orangefield Dwarf, but only one 
or two plants of the true sort. I keep my stock by cutting. 
Early White Dutch Turnip is used for the earliest, Veitch’s Red 
Globe for the main crop, Chirk Castle and Orange Jelly for 
winter— Wm. Taylok. 
I have been unconsciously following Mr. Taylor’s plan in 
ordering seeds ; and I am proud that 1 have followed so good 
a man, even in such a small matter, as I have a high opinion of 
him, although I only know him by his writings in the Journal. 
After examining the seed catalogue, pencil or pen in hand, several 
novelties are generally included. Seeds were so expensive last 
year that novelties had to be excluded. I next ascertain the cost 
of the seeds, and if I find the novelties have increased the total 
price too much, they are then reduced in number. These, with 
fresh sorts, are carefully tried by the side of well-known varieties, 
all their points are noted, and a private mark is placed against 
each in the seed catalogue and my diary. Therefore my notes 
during the year leave me scarcely anything to do but mark the 
quantities required. One of my employers thought he could 
purchase seeds himself at less expense, so he ordered a collection. 
At the end of the summer I had several of the packets left un¬ 
touched ; some of them were kept two or three years, they were 
then thrown away. Of other sorts that we had a greater demand 
for there were not nearly enough. The bill for these extra seeds 
during the year was almost as much as the collection cost. I have 
no doubt that collections are very useful for people that do not 
study gardening, and small gardeners who have not confidence to 
order seeds in the usual manner, from a lack of knowledge of the 
different varieties that are now so numerous, and to many people 
bewildering.—J. L. 
CANDOLLEA CUNEIFORMS. 
A LARGE bushy specimen, 4 feet high and a yard in diameter, 
of this rare old plant is now flowering in a cool greenhouse in 
the Botanical Gardens of Trinity College, Dublin. In foliage and 
flower it so nearly resembles an Azalea that many visitors are 
deceived into believing it to be one. Our plant is in bloom for 
six months out of the t'/vclve. Cuttings root in a cold frame, 
but the process is a very slow one. Some inserted last May have 
only just emitted roots, and I am half afraid that the severe 
weather (22° below freezing) has been too much for them, the 
frame being only protected with a mat. Some, however, appear 
to be alive, and cuttings of Hypericum chinense (or H. rnono- 
gynum), and Calceolaria fuchsiasfolia X Pavoni, however, look 
Fig. 20.—Candollea cmieiforrais. 
none the worse for the low temperature above named. This 
Candollea will grow well in a cold greenhouse from which frost 
is excluded, and would doubtless be hardy in the Scilly Isles and 
in any other peculiarly sheltered parts of Britain. The leaves 
are of a shining light green colour; the flowers are bright yellow. 
Both flowers and foliage are represented of the natural size in 
the accompanying illustration. The plant is a near ally of the 
Hibbertias, and was introduced to this country from New Holland 
rather more than half a century ago.— Dublinensis. 
NATIONAL ROSE SOCIETY. 
Amid the gloom and chilly surroundings of this most inclement 
season, it is cheering indeed for anyone who has a love for Roses 
to think of the condition and the prospects of the National Rose 
Society. These indeed may be said in a double sense of the word 
to be" truly “rosy;” indeed, so far as my experience of Rose 
societies goes, I never knew one before exhibit such vitality or 
have such fair prospects as this Society. But someone may say, 
“ This condition is what one would expect and to what a national 
society, be it worthy of the name, should as a matter of course 
attain.” True indeed, but it is not always that a name commands 
success. There are, however, certain conditions which if a society 
fulfils it may command success, and 1 think the National Rose 
Society does fulfil these. 
First, justice. It is just in its dealings to all men with whom 
it comes in contact. Provincial Rose societies are met with libe¬ 
rality and encouraged in every way. Exhibitors great and small 
are treated in the fairest way. There is no favour shown to great 
growers, whilst small exhibitors are treated with disdain. The 
claims of all are allowed ; and the suburban grower, who under 
great difficulties manages to grow a few Roses, knows that his 
six will have as good a chance of winning a prize as the big 
nurseryman’s seventy-two. 
2. While it is comprehensive in its character it also is ubiquitous 
