JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
200 
[ March 9, 1882. 
open quarters having been killed. The following are the standard 
successional varieties—Snow’s Winter White (true), Hoskins’ White, 
Leamington, Watts’ Broccoli, Cattell’s Eclipse, and Burghley 
Champion. Erom these heads are cut during seven months of the 
year. Of Cabbages, the two varieties relied on are Barr’s Criterion 
and the true Nonpareil; the first sowing is made on July 25th, and 
early, hence valuable crops are produced. 
CHOU DE BURGHLEY. 
This is the celebrated Cabbage Broccoli, and the pride of the 
garden. A very large quarter is now in full profit—that is, for 
culinary purposes, but seed-growing is the main object. On the 
assumption that every grower of vegetables will want a packet of 
seed when the stock is placed in the market a large bulk is being 
raised. This vegetable will presumably be distributed next year, and 
will be submitted with testimonials which for weight and numbers 
have never been accorded to any other product of the kitchen garden. 
As one more or less can make no difference, and as some readers may 
like to know somewhat of the appearance and quality of the vege¬ 
table at home, here is the record. In appearance the plantation now 
(February) resembles a square of Cabbages in June—that is, of dwarf 
matured plants with well-developed hearts. But there is yet a 
marked difference—the plants are decidedly lighter in colour than 
Cabbages, and the hearts, though well formed are not hard, while 
each contains its kernel, a diminutive Broccoli head. I have seen, 
grown, and tasted what might be termed “ Cabbage Broccolis ” before 
that have come by chance amongst the Broccolis proper, and I have 
seen some grown by Mr. Iggulden. But the Burghley type is dif¬ 
ferent and superior, also unquestionably “ fixed.” It possesses more 
of the Cabbage character than any others I have seen, the inner 
leaves of which have had the distinct Broccoli twist, which is almost 
or quite absent in the case of the “ Chou de Burghley.” So much for 
appearance, and what of the quality ? Three words will express it, 
according to each their full meaning—distinct, delicate, and delicious. 
It only remains to be said that by the severity of last winter all the 
vegetables in the open quarters were killed except this and Brussels 
Sprouts ; thus we arrive at a combination of good qualities which the 
raiser is warranted in condensing into one expressive word, and as if 
this were not strong enough he repeats it with emphasis in his veidict 
as follows—“ The Cabbage Broccoli is a topper, sir, a TOPPER.” 
PEAS AND CELERY. 
William I. and Sangster’s are still considered the best of the first 
earlies ; both are sown, and if the former happens to fail the latter 
is in reserve. As a main-crop Pea The Standard is esteemed the best 
of all, a great cropper, and continuing in use longer than any other. 
The fine variety Marvel is much liked. Omega is esteemed the most 
satisfactory of all for late use, and John Bull is valued for its good 
quality and fine pods. Such is Ur. Gilbert’s estimate of Peas, but 
he says if limited to one variety only he should choose Laxton’s 
Standard. As to Celery one line will suffice—the best and most 
profitable this year is Carter’s Champion. 
MUSHROOMS. 
In a strip of ground perhaps a hundred yards long and twenty 
wide, bounded by a wall on the north And a hedge on the south, are 
a few old Apple trees. In most places Pea sticks would be piled 
round the trees with rubbish heaps around them, and possibly a 
fringe of Nettles. That is how out-of-the-way corners are not un¬ 
commonly occupied. But here this model refuse corner is the most 
profitable ploc in the garden. No other crops equal in value the 
crops grown here. All along the wall is the lean-to bed, and across 
the strip ten other ridge-formed beds. As thickly covered with 
straw they resemble Potato piles, but remove the straw and there 
are such crops and such Mushrooms as cannot be equalled in the 
excellent house devoted to them, good as the beds are there. The 
simplest and best of all systems of Mushroom culture is the method of 
growing them outdoors. Good beds bear all through the winter abun¬ 
dantly, and they ought to be and might be incieased a thousandfold 
and more ; but as not one in a thousand is acquainted with a practice 
with which I happen to be familiar, I will in some future numbers 
endeavour to tell all about it, and to show that there is even less 
reason why France should supply English markets with Mushrooms 
than that America should supply them with Apples. Mr. Gilbert 
laughs at the French Mushrooms, and well he may with such an 
abundance of his far superior specimens, and there is no reason why 
others should not make themselves competent in the same method. 
Assuredly the outdoor Mushroom-growing at Burghley must be in¬ 
cluded among the most meritorious of the many good “doings” 
there, and demands a word of high commendation. 
Altogether these fine gardens are in splendid condition—well 
planned, well managed, neat, orderly, and enjoyable ; and the glass 
department, which cannot be noticed now, is in the highest degree 
creditable to Mr. Gilbert and his skilled and attentive foreman, Mr. 
Divers, whom it is pleasant to perceive enjoys, as he deserves, the 
respect and confidence of his experienced chief.—J. Wright. 
Pelargonium Rubis. —I have tried many and seen many varieties 
recommended for winter flowering, but find none to flower so well 
amongst the doubles as the above. In a moderate heat of 45° to 50° 
there are several that will flower up to Christmas, then they stop for 
a time or the flowers fail to open ; but the blooms of the above always 
open well. They are of neat size for button holes, the colour being 
deep claret. All should have a stock of the plant.—W. Harker, 
Epsom. 
REVIEW OF BOOK. 
The Herefordshire Pomona. Edited for the Woolhope Club by 
Robert Hogg, LL.D., F.L.S., Ac. Part IV. 
Christmas comes but once a year, and so does a new part of 
the “ Herefordshire Pomona,” both equally welcome, at least to 
fruit-loving minds. The three previous parts are more suitable 
for national readers : this fourth, dealing much in cider and perry 
making, will be more interesting to local readers—those living in 
the cider and perry districts. Should anyone interested in fruit 
and fruit-growing meet with this Part iv. before the other parts 
let him not think it a fair sample of the whole, but rather a neces¬ 
sary portion of a wide subject which may or may not be interest¬ 
ing to a reader, but is a necessity in a work on this subject of 
fruit. To many readers in Herefordshire, Gloucester, Somerset, 
and some portions of other counties it will be the most interesting 
part of the whole “ Pomona,” to dwellers in the other thirty odd 
counties most probably not. Its value to practical cider and 
perry makers will be great, as they can compare their own plans 
with those put into print. We are told much under the general 
head of “Fruit Management,” the gathering, Apple heaps, the 
mill, the grinding, all pleasantly written and interspersed with 
choice little bits from Tusser, and Partridge, and Phillips. We 
then pass on to the great subject of Fermentation, at the head of 
which is the word, so important, “ Cleanliness.” Then comes 
“Composition of Fresh Juice and the Theory of Fermentation,” 
“ The Practice of Fermentation,” “ The Difficulties of Fermenta¬ 
tion ”—all handled in what I may call the “science made pleasant” 
style—hence readable to non-science people ; till, lost in the de¬ 
lights of cider-making, one is ready to exclaim with Gay— 
“ Come let us hye, and quaff a cheery bowl; 
Let cyder new wash sorrow from the soul.” 
And when Mr. Bulmer heads a paragraph with “ Preservation of 
Cider and Perry,” one inclines to think the only possible way to 
preserve it would be to put it somewhere with a first-rate Chubb’s 
lock on the door. The whole chapter ending with the weighty 
words, “ Good well-made cider should, however, travel in cask 
anywhere in reason, and it will safely do so if its quality is what 
it always might be in Herefordshire. In bottle it travels well in 
cool weather.” I would add, “ and is most enjoyable in warm 
weather.” 
The next chapter is entitled, “The Orchard in its Commercial 
Aspect.” I would ask, Has the orchard ever been or is it now re¬ 
garded sufficiently in this light ? 1 think not. If, as Mr. Bulmer 
says, “the small orchardists make better cider than do the large 
farmers,” why should not greater efforts be made in this direc¬ 
tion of money value in these days of agricultural depression i 
The little men first go to the wall. There is wisdom also in another 
remark of Mr. Bulmer’s—“ The fruit trees on farms of higher pre¬ 
tensions should also contribute much more towards the rent than 
they usually do.” Mr. Bulmer is speaking in regard to cider 
orchards, but the like reasoning applies in a lesser degree to other 
orchards. 
Next follows a very short but very important chapter on 
“ Renovation of Orchards,” which opens thus, “ The condition of 
the orchards at the present time is most unsatisfactory. A cen¬ 
tury of neglect has caused the loss of many of the best varieties, 
and whenever substitutes have been wanted they seem to have 
been procured at haphazard—that is, at the least possible expense ; 
so that a large number of improved or chance seedlings and other 
worthless varieties abound in most orchards.” No doubt there is 
something in this ; but in my opinion the real sinners have been 
the nurserymen, whose carelessness has been such that they have 
sold one variety for another, and even at the present time there 
are very few who can be trusted to sell fruits true to name. One 
sentence Mr. Bulmer puts in italics, and deservedly so ; it is this— 
“ It must never be forgotten that when once planted the best fruit 
trees do not require any more care or expense than the worthless 
ones.” This neglect of orchard trees is true both as to cider and 
other varieties of Apples, and in regard to Pears it is worse still, 
for once there they remain for a greater number of years. The 
last part of Mr. Bulmer’s practical treatise on “ The Orchard and 
its Pi-oductions, Cider and Perry,” he entitles, “ Orchard Prospects,” 
and it would be well if this portion could find its way into most 
country newspapers. English agriculturists having now to meet 
the competition of the world. Let them turn, then, from corn and 
cattle, and pay closer attention to fruits. Our orchards ought to 
meet all the requirements of the home market. “ Why buy from 
