212 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t March is, isss. 
is sure to be studied, and the book that is our own is sure to be 
read and re read till its contents become part and parcel of 
one's self. While, then, we are sure that the young man who 
acquires a library slowly, and studies slowly but surely, is sure 
to become well informed and reap the full harvest in due time, 
it is also certain that the bookless truster to libraries will have 
scant information, and that of a vague confused sort that will 
avail him nothing. 
Are libraries for gardeners, then, useless ? By no means ; 
indeed, we very much wish there were a central library to 
which gardeners could subscribe and have the chance of 
perusing books otherwise quite out of reach. Ordinary works 
should have no place in such, for the reasons given. But what 
a boon if from such rare and costly works on scientific subjects 
bearing on gardening, as well as works not to be had in the 
trade, could be procured. Though any gardener may form a 
ieally useful library, and by its means become possessed of 
knowledge quite invaluable, even from the money now wasted 
in tobacco, beer, and other indulgences (even books of not a 
useful kind), yet it is impossible that even the most careful 
and the most studious gardener can get all the books he 
would like. The writer is just in that position for one, and 
he and doubtless many others would gladly contribute a 
moderate sum to a library formed for such a purpose.— 
Single-handed. 
CAULIFLOWERS AND BROCCOLI. 
To think of writing anything original on a subject of this kind 
would appear to savour of presumptuousness, seeing that they have 
now been cultivated in our gardens for two or three centuries. 
Be that as it may, and divesting myself of all thoughts of being 
able to write anything which is not already known, perhaps a 
gentle reminder or a few useful hints to the younger members of 
our craft may not be thought to be out of place. Although botani- 
eally speaking the Cauliflowers and Broccoli are regarded as being 
distinct varieties of the same species, they are so much alike iu 
all points, except perhaps in degree of hardiness, that it is difficult 
for anyone other than a strict botanist to avoid thinking that 
one name might do for both. With this, however, cultivators 
have little to do and need not concern themselves, as it is suffi¬ 
cient for them to know that in the Cauliflowers and Broccoli they 
have vegetables which in usefulness are probably second to none, 
seeing that by a proper selection of sorts and timely forethought 
in sowing the seed they may be had every month in the year. 
Not only may they be bad in every month, but an enthusiast 
might go further and have them every day in the year ; it is only 
a question of numbers and a little management in lifting and 
affording protection in severe weather. 
The Cauliflowers we will take first, and may say that for an 
early supply—say May and June—there is no longer any neces¬ 
sity with existing varieties for autumn sowing and wintering in 
frames, a practice which was followed by those who have gone 
before us, and indeed is still adopted by the great majority of 
practitioners of the present day. First on the list of early 
varieties stands Yeitch’s Early Forcing. Sow seed in heat the 
first week in January, and when they have formed their leaves 
prick out the seedlings in boxes ; harden them when large enough, 
and plant out on a warm south border towards the end of March 
from a foot to 15 inches apart each way, protecting with Spruce 
branches on frosty nights until they have taken well to the soil. 
The latter to produce good heads cannot well be made too rich. 
By planting out an equal number of the largest and smallest 
plants from this sowing—or indeed succeeding ones—a succession 
may be had for the best part of a month. To succeed the above 
make a sowing of Early London and Walcheren at the same 
time, also in February, and a last one in March on a south border ; 
these will continue the supply till July. For a further supply in 
August—a month in which Cauliflowers are sometimes scarce— 
sow Autumn Giant in heat at the same time as Early Forcing, 
and treat in the same way. Successive sowings of the same 
variety made at the end of February, in March and April, will 
satisfy demands to the end of November, and the following month 
the Broccoli will be ready for use. 
With these we need not enter too minutely into details, a 
selection of one or two varieties for each succeeding month till 
June being all that is really requisite, beyond saying that two or 
three successive sowings should be made in April and May. For 
cutting in December and January the following can be relied 
upon :—Veitch’s Self-protecting, Osborn’s Winter White, Snow’s 
and Backhouse’s Winter White ; for February and March Dilcock’s 
Bride, Adams’ Early (an excellent sort when true to name), 
Cooling’s Matchless, and Purple Sprouting. In April, May, and 
June we have the undermentioned—Suttons’ Protecting, Cattell’s 
Eclipse, Wilcove White, Carters’ Champion, and Model. Were I 
to state all I think of the latter variety I am afraid some of your 
readers would think me guilty of undue flattery ; enough for me 
to say that with us it has never suffered any injury from frost, 
and that it maintains the supply well into June.— Et Caeteba. 
GLADIOLUS CULTURE—HYBRIDS OF 
GANDAYENSIS. 
1 must confess I should have been better pleased as an ardent 
admirer and grower of the Gladiolus to have found {vide page 178), 
that Mr. Banks of Sholden, near Deal, had lost his enormous 
stock of so many thousands through having them injured by 
frost, because the remedy would have then been easy. “ D., Deal," 
has, however, snatched away that crumb of comfort, and says the 
cause must be sought elsewhere. As communicated to the Editor 
I made the statement on excellent authority, in fact I received a 
second note to this effect—“ I have noticed 1 D., Deal's,' reply 
to your inquiry, page 157. ... I must repeat, I visited Mr. 
Banks’s garden some three years since. He kindly showed me his 
system of propagating the choicer hybrids of G. gandavensis, and 
remarked, ‘ Unfortunately I have lost a large number of my 
choicer Gladioli through the severe frost coming on before I had 
lifted the bulbs.’” Losing “some” and losing “all” are, how¬ 
ever, different things, so that all may be right in a sense. 
It has been suggested to me, as this is the planting season, 
that I might be able to do more service towards extending the 
culture of this glorious autumn flower by referring to whatever 
measure of success I had last year, and the system of growth by 
which it had been attained, than by a useless and discouraging 
discussion of “ failure.” I only hesitate because I have often 
done so before, and will now only premise that I do so without 
any intention of setting my opinion or experience in opposition 
to any older or better grower. 
The finest spikes I had last year were from Lord Newport 
(Kelway). The spike, or stem rather, came double, and one 
opened after the other. This corm that did so well was com¬ 
paratively small, not more than one-fourth the size of Dr. Hogg, 
which only gave one middling spike, and half that of Armide, 
which I lost. The next best was La Quintinie, kindly presented to 
me by a French grower with others of less merit, had three 
spikes—not usual—two of them double, and with twenty and 
twenty-one perfect blooms. If I were to name another almost 
equal it should be Cherub, if I remember rightly one of Kelway’s. 
I do not so much notice those of the crimson or scarlet type like 
Meyerbeer, that always do well and are ever increasing; but 
others, like Flora, Sir Massey Lopes, La Fiancde, Acme, and that 
rich favourite Mr. Derry, often capricious, were almost as tall and 
very effective. I was fairly pleased with my results so far, as 
the season was not as favourable as usual, until I went up to the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Autumn Show at Dublin. The 
silver-cup stand here contained some magnificent spikes. I had 
to run across to England that evening and took no notes, but I 
believe 1 am correct in saying from memory—in the absence of 
any report in the gardening journals—that this belonged to J. F. 
Lombard, Esq., South Hill, Rathmines, near Dublin. I have no 
hesitation in saying several of the spikes equalled the best I saw 
at the International Show at Manchester the previous year, and 
(again quoting from memory), among those were Duchess of 
Edinburgh, which I am trying this year, and Rbamnes. 
So much for some of the more satisfactory results, but there are 
also failures, but still unaccountable. Mr. Thornton declined to 
move at all; Agrius would only stir after being taken up, petted, 
and put on a hotbed at first; while Armide and Madame Desportes 
bade me a long farewell. I do not know if other growers find, as 
1 do, a greater mortality among white and shades of white ; but 
these are small losses, and should only increase the enthusiasm of 
a real lover of the Gladiolus. I must, however, say a few words 
on culture before closing. There is no time now to debate as to 
manuring and preparing the ground in autumn. If the soil is 
loose and friable bury a quantity of old decomposed manure a few 
inches beneath the corm, put a handful of sharp river or road sand 
on this, or with some rich loam or old cow manure pulverised. I 
always have sand of this kind above and below the corm for with 
ordinary garden soil, and though many say to bury the corms 
6 inches, I consider 3 or 4 amply sufficient. I believe many of 
the more delicate hybrids are buried so deeply that they cannot 
mature. Now this question of imperfect maturation to my min4 
contains the secret of the so-called degeneration. The commoner 
practice is to enjoy the flowering and take no further care. Twenty 
