26 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . t January 11 , mbs. 
It is very true to the original character. As an autumn Cauli¬ 
flower Veitch’s Autumn Giant is now favourably known. For a 
supply from September to Christmas it has no equal, and after 
that the Broccolis referred to in my last notes come in. 
Carrots .—Those who object to new kinds of vegetables appeal¬ 
ing too rapidly must be pleased that the Carrot has been so long 
left alone, as no new varieties have been introduced for a number 
of years. The earliest of all Carrots is the small French Forcing, 
which is an excellent early one for a frame. Nantes Horn is the 
best to follow this, and in shallow soils it should be grown as a 
main-crop variety. James’s Intermediate Scarlet is another first- 
class variety, and no other need be grown for autumn and winter 
use. Red Surrey is the best of all the long varieties; but long 
Carrots are no favourites of mine, as they are the least profitable 
as a crop and the most inferior and coarsest in the kitchen. 
Celery .—Varieties of Celery diller widely, and it is on variety 
as much as culture that good produce depends. The red varieties 
are the hardiest and soundest-growing, the white ones being most 
tender and not to be recommended for the winter. In fact I am 
about to discontinue growing white Celeries on this account. 
My selection of the red varieties is as follows—Defiance, Major 
Clarke’s, and Williams’ Matchless. The first-named is perhaps 
the best. Of whites Sandringham and Turner’s Incomparable are 
to be preferred. 
Celeriac, or Turnip-rooted Celery, is dwarf-growing, most useful 
for soups or stewing. 
The large Spanish variety of Cardoon is the best for all purposes. 
Capsicums .-—These are not always classed amongst vegetables, 
but in some parts of England they are regarded as such, parti¬ 
cularly about Cheltenham, where no show collections of vege¬ 
tables are considered complete without them. The Long Red is 
the largest fruiting variety and the most useful. Prince of Wales 
and Princess of Wales have much smaller pods and are very 
ornamental. 
Chicory .—One of the most useful of plants for winter salads. 
The largest-rooted Brussels is generally known as Witloef, and is 
the best to grow. 
Endive .—This is another most valuable winter salad plant 
which everyone should grow. We have tried a dozen or more 
varieties, but only grow two as main crops ; one is the Moss 
Curled variety, but the other is newer, and is the Improved 
Broad-leaved Batavian. This in my opinion is the finest winter 
salad we possess. Last year I had several new sorts of Endive 
from Messrs. Carter which deserve careful trial. 
Fennel .—The ordinary kind of this is seldom used as a vege¬ 
table, but there is a newer sort named the Sicilian Sweet, which 
will be much used in this way when better known. It forms 
thick stems not unlike Celery, and is used in much the same 
way. 
Lcelis .—These are most useful at this season, and a good patch 
of them is never out of place in my garden. The New Carentan 
is disappointing. It is no longer than some others and not so 
hardy. The Musselburgh is the best of all Leeks. Ayton Castle 
Giant is another good one. The Lyon lately introduced must be 
tried further before it can be placed amongst the standard sorts, 
but it promises well.— A Kitchen Gardener. 
(To be continued.) 
THE COOL SYSTEM OF GRAPE CULTURE. 
Your correspondent, “ Vitis Secundus,” is evidently anxious to 
prove that I am on the side of the cool-treatment advocates. 
No one would be more willing to grow Grapes on the cool treat¬ 
ment than myself, but I have hitherto failed to do so satisfactorily. 
Others may have succeeded in producing as finely finished Grapes 
with the cool treatment as with a warmer one. When anyone 
says he has done so I am ready to believe the statement. There 
is nothing to be gained by quibbling and casting doubt on others’ 
veracity. Fair discussion and assertion of opinion and experience 
are productive of good, but away with all petty endeavours to 
pick holes in another’s statement simply for the sake of being 
considered smart. 
When I said, Start the Vines in the “middle of February” to be 
in “good condition for the table” by the middle of September, I 
meant by “good condition” not merely being eatable, but in 
perfect condition. All who have experience of Grape culture 
should know that there is a time when each variety of Grape is 
in its best condition for use. I say, then, that the Duke for 
instance, if started the middle of February, is “ eatable ” by the 
beginning of August, but “ perfect ” by the middle of September. 
This I have proved repeatedly. 
The Duke is earlier than the Black Hamburgh. I have had 
the Duke eatable a fortnight earlier than the Black Hamburgh, 
both grown in the same house, this when they were being 
grown for early work. 
Will anyone assert that the Black Hamburgh is in perfect con¬ 
dition as regards flavour when used as an early Grape and cut 
immediately it is black ? In my experience it is the last used 
early Hamburghs that may have hung a month longer than those 
first cut that alone have rich flavour. It is the rage for having 
early Grapes, flavour or no flavour, that causes so many Grapes 
to be cut when they are far from being in really good condition 
for the table. In inside borders the Duke and Madresfield Court 
will improve greatly in flavour and richness by being allowed to 
hang at least a month after the time they may be considered 
eatable. 
I gave advice to “ J. E. R. I.” thinking that he wanted Grapes 
in perfect condition, and I have seen no reason for altering my 
opinion. The Duke can be had in an eatable condition in five 
months, in a better condition in six, but perfect in seven. “ Vitis 
Secundus ” has shown some ingenuity in trying to prove me a 
follower of the cool system, but I can assure him he is wrong. 
For some important reasons I would gladly practise the cool 
treatment and give honour to those who had led me to try it if 
I could succeed with it, but this I have not been able to do, 
therefore intend to abide by a mode of treatment that has proved 
successful. I am not prejudiced against the cool treatment, I 
simply speak from experience.— Vitis. 
VIOLET ODORATA PENDULA OF NEW YORK. 
I DO not send blooms of these as being anything very remark¬ 
able in the way of specimens, but simply because they have been 
gathered from plants growing in the open garden January 2nd. 
The Violets are odorata pendula of New York chiefly ; there are 
also a few of De Parme. We picked this morning all from plants 
of New York, growing out of doors without protection, sufficient 
to make thirty large bunches, and the plants are still covered 
with buds and blooms. They have continued in constant bloom 
since the end of August, and although we bad one week of very 
sharp frost, they seem to be going on again as gaily as ever. I 
grow twenty-six varieties of Violets, but I have none which equals 
New York for general utility. The bunch of Primroses and Poly¬ 
anthuses is also rather a phenomenon at this season, ours seem to 
have been in bloom all the autumn and winter so far.—R. W. 
BeACHEY, King slier swell, Devon. 
[The blooms of odorata pendula are large, full, double, rich in 
colour, and very fragrant, those of De Parme being rather 
smaller and paler. Both are good, the former very fine. The 
Primroses and foliage are fresh and bright, as we usually see 
them in April. We thank our correspondent for this appropriate 
new year’s gift. The New Yoik Violet evidently merits the pro¬ 
minence that is accorded it.] 
MY SUBURBAN GARDEN. 
(A COLUMN FOR AMATEURS.) 
The garden which I am proud to call my own would be 
lightly regarded by those professionals who are happy, or other¬ 
wise, in the charges of long ranges of glass and acres of pleasure 
grounds ; but what would be small to them is great to me, and 
the pleasure I derive from my little enclosure cannot be estimated 
by its size. 
I rejoice in a few small houses for plants and Vines ; very small 
some of them are and plain, yet they are neat and answer their 
purpose. They are supplemented by a small ranges of frame-like 
brick pits and a few moveable frames or boxes, as all houses 
should be. My garden contains a small lawn with flower beds, 
shrubbery borders, herbaceous beds, and two rockeries, one in 
the sun for alpine plants, the other in the shade for Ferns. A 
square is devoted to vegetable^, with a lew pyramid fruit trees next 
the central paths and arched over it, and on the boundary fences 
I have next the houses Roses and other flowers, and further dis¬ 
tant cordon Pears, Currants, and Gooseberries. This variety is 
afforded in a small space, for the entire “ property ”—lawn and 
paths, shrubbery, vegetable ground, structures, and residence— 
occupy less than an acre of ground. 
My labour consists in my own spare hours in a professional 
life and the aid of my factotum George, who has “risen in the 
world ” from bootboy to groom and gardener, and I think he is 
proud of his position. He is a handy man, has grown up with 
the place, and will do certain things that perhaps a “ real ” gardener 
might think infra dig.; but this is an advantage rather than 
otherwise, and he possesses the virtue of obedience. Occasionally, 
