August 24, 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 177 
causes too rank a growth ; but that can never be the case with 
ordinary Cabbages. The author sometimes ploughs in his manure, 
sometimes puts it on the soil and harrows it in, and, especially 
when the supply is short, applies it “ in the hill.” In this country 
“ plowing-in ” is the usual course, but we question its being equal 
to either of the other two plans, especially when autumn digging 
is practised. In the first place, even when ordinary digging is prac¬ 
tised, the manure is put down too deep, and every drop of rain that 
passes through the soil carries it deeper or perhaps away altogether. 
E ven under favourable circumstances seedlings or even strong plants 
may, and often do, languish and lose the season before the roots 
reach the manure. On the other hand, when manure is spread, pre¬ 
ferably in frosty weather, over dug ground, and left there till the 
soil is dry and mixed with the upper few inches, the results are 
greatly different. This is especially the case with such concen¬ 
trated manure as night soil, which by surface-manuring and fork¬ 
ing afterwards are thoroughly distributed, instead of being buried 
in lumps so concentrated that only after the rains have dissipated 
their qualities can plant roots live near them, while the body of 
the soil suffers poverty and affords nothing. The other plan of 
applying the manure “ in the hill ” is by no means to be despised, 
especially when the supply is “ from hand to mouth,” as the 
saying is. It was from an old Irish labourer that I learned the 
lesson, and it certainly is worthy the attention of those short of 
manure. 
In America it appears the seed is usually sown where the crop 
is to grow, although sometimes the seed is sown in beds, and the 
plants nursed on and afterwards transplanted. Sowing late 
Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, &c., where they are to remain is a 
practice not altogether unknown in this country ; but is not very 
widely practised, so far as I am aware. Mr. Gregory considers 
sowing the seed where the plants are to remain a much superior 
plan to nursing and transplanting. America, however, is not 
England, far less Scotland, in the matter of climate ; and while 
with such usually spring-sown vegetables as Sprouts, Broccoli, or 
even Savoys, the system may be worth recommending and a fair 
trial, our summers are too short to allow of its being practised 
with the larger-growing Savoys and Drumhead Cabbages, and it 
is to the system of growing, preserving, and marketing these in 
America that I wish chiefly to refer. 
Readers are informed that an ounce of seed “ contains ten thou¬ 
sand seeds, but should not be relied upon to produce over two 
thousand plants.” This is a better guide to novices than telling 
them that so much seed will be sufficient for sowing a bed so 
many feet square. We are also informed that Cabbage seed will 
keep good for four or five years, and that old gardeners prefer seed 
two or three years old. 
In sowing the seed in beds the advice is to use very rich soil and 
to prick out the plants. This is sound advice. The difference 
between plants raised on rich soil—I refer, of course, to spring- 
reared plants—is often in the ultimate results equal to what follows 
a very heavy manuring, compared with what results from starva¬ 
tion. Generous nursing of plants and animals pays well: the 
opposite never does. 
Planting under hot sunshine is condemned, and when it becomes 
absolutely necessary to plant during dry weather the making of 
deep holes to be filled with water, which, by capillary attraction, 
pervades the body of the soil without the danger of rapid evapor¬ 
ation, is recommended. Planting is also advised to be done 
towards sunset. 
Attacks of the “ fly ” are warded off by dustings of wood ashes 
or quicklime; the “cutworm” is only kept at bay by being 
searched for and killed, or kept off by a funnel of paper round the 
stem of each plant, or by dropping a little wood ash round each— 
all rather tedious processes, and hardly applicable on the large scale. 
For the “louse ”—aphis, I presume—there appears to be no cure 
except thoroughly good cultivation, irrigating if need be, and if 
possible. Caterpillars are to be disposed of by picking off the 
infested leaves and crushing the insects with the feet. 
Summer cultivation consists of thoroughly hoeing, and should 
any heart-up prematurely “starting” is recommended—that is, 
loosening each plant with the fork. This is said to prevent hard- 
headed Cabbages bursting. As frequent loss occurs to market 
growers from this cause “starting” maybe worthy attention; 
but I may be pardoned for refusing to put much faith in a process 
that has failed with us. 
It is not necessary to say anything about the early spring or 
summer crop, as it is doubtful if anything is to be learned by our 
own growers in that direction ; but there is something in the way 
they in America have of keeping up a winter and having a very 
early spring supply well worth dwelling on, for had the American 
practice been common here, instead of a famine of vegetables 
such as was experienced during some of our more recent winters, 
an abundance—of Cabbages, at least—would have been forth¬ 
coming ; and, instead of market gardeners and farmers losing 
heavily through the destruction of their winter vegetables by 
frost, fortunes might have been begun if not made. 
The plan to which I refer is to have a regular crop of solid 
heads late in autumn, and to store these where they can be kept 
at once dry and free from frost. Drumheads are chosen for this 
purpose, but not the Drumheads common in this country. These, 
it is said, are at once too coarse, and do not produce heads of 
keeping quality. Among the sorts that are favourable for storing 
I may notice that Premium Flat Dutch, Stonemason, Marblehead 
Mammoth Drumhead (said to grow to the weight of 60 lb3. and to 
produce 60 tons an acre !) Fottler’s Early Drumhead, and Cannon¬ 
ball. Among Savoys, Improved American. 
The manner of keeping is varied according to the climate. Far 
south wet has to be guarded against, and consequently waterproof 
sheds are provided, inside of which the hard heads are packed 
closely after all loose leaves have been removed, but the roots 
retained. In the north, where frost is the enemy, furrows are 
made with the plough, and the Cabbages are stood heads down, 
stumps up, and covered over with earth, straw being added if 
necessary. On a smaller scale the heads are placed in pits some¬ 
thing in the way Potatoes are kept in this country. These sup¬ 
plies are drawn upon during the winter or kept till spring, as best 
suits the market. Even Cabbages that are not headed in autumn 
may be turned to good account. It seems that when placed head 
up so deeply in the ground that the points of the leaves are level 
with the surface, so that no frost can reach the stems, and the 
tops protected, heads will form which in America sell wholesale 
at I cents (2d.) a pound. A few tons of Cabbages at that price 
would represent a good sum. “These refuse Cabbages realise 
10 cents a piece,” says Mr. Gregory. The hard heads usually sell 
at from 3 to 25 dollars per hundred. A shilling a-piece for Cab¬ 
bages is enough to make a market gardener’s mouth water ! 
There are many more points in the book, and all interested 
should refer to it for further information. The book is posted in 
America for 15 cents, and may be had from James J. H. Gregory, 
Marblehead, Massachusetts, U.S.A. To cover postage to this 
country an extra cent or two may be necessary. — Single- 
handed. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
FLORAL COMMITTEE MEETING AT CHISWICK. 
August IGth, 1882. 
The Committee (G. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair), inspected 
the collections of Achimenes, Tydeas, Verbenas, Heliotropes, Ac., 
when the following awards were made. The names of those varie¬ 
ties that are printed in italics were granted first-class certificates, the 
others, not in italics, being recommended as worthy of culture. 
VERBENAS. 
Phlox (Cannell <fc Sons).—Plant of fine vigorous growth, very free- 
flowering ; the trusses of medium size ; flowers large, rosy crimson, 
with mauve ring round distinct white eye. 
August Reuz (Cannell & Sons).—Free habit, free-flowering; the 
trusses of medium size ; flowers rosy scarlet with distinct yellowish 
eye. A showy variety. 
Kentish Beauty (Cannell & Sons).—Plant of vigorous growth, free- 
flowering ; trusses and flowers large, well displayed, of a beautiful 
rosy claret with pure white eye. 
AGERATUM. 
Malvern Beauty (Cannell & Sons).—Close compact growth, free- 
flowering; the flowers well displayed, pale blue. A fine variety. 
IVY-LEAVED PELARGONIUM. 
Rossini (Lemoine).—A free-growing variety. Stem short-jointed ; 
the trusses of medium size ; individual flowers very large, of a beauti¬ 
ful magenta scarlet. A very fine addition to the single-flowered 
section. 
HELIOTROPES. 
Bouquet Perfume (Lemoine).—A dwarf and compact free-flowering 
variety ; the trusses large, well displayed; flowers dark lilac blue. 
A good variety for pot culture. 
Madame P. Athles (Lemoine).—Vigorous habit, free-flowering; the 
trusses large and well displayed. Dark blue. 
PENTSTEMON. 
Virginale (Lemoine).—A variety of fine free habit with pure white 
flowers. 
TROP2EOLUM. 
Bcdfont Rival (Dean).—A fine free-flowering variety, with flowers of 
an intense orange-scarlet colour. 
ACHIMENES. 
The collection includes about a hundred sorts, from which the 
