December 18,1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
533 
sun is powerful, as it often is in May, the results to the hearts of 
Lettuce are as bad as if tied when wet. 
Throughout the summer I only grow two kinds—-All the Year 
Round for a Cabbage, and Paris White Cos for an upright self- 
hearting Lettuce. Both these I have known and grown for many 
years, and if good strains of these two old favourites can be 
obtained they will not fail to give satisfaction from the end of 
May till October, if properly cultivated. The produce is all 
that can be desired for summer and early autumn use. The 
first sowing of Paris Cos for early summer use is made in a 
warm spot near a south wall from the middle to the end of 
February. The seeds are scattered thinly, so as to have the 
young plants as strong and sturdy as possible, and when large 
enough, and in favourable weather in April, to plant out in well 
prepared land in rows 15 inches apart, and 12 inches from plant to 
plant in the rows. If the weather is hot and dry at the time a 
few waterings maybe necessary till the young plants are established. 
Showery weather is suitable, but the best results are not obtained 
if the soil is too wet at planting time. This bed will be fit to cut 
in June, and will succeed the autumn-sown Cos. Another sowing 
of Paris Cos should be made in the open in March, again in April, 
:and at intervals of a fortnight from that time till the middle of 
-July, planting out sufficient from these sowings when large enough 
to maintain a good supply throughout the summer. It is important 
not to plant closer than the distances named, as without sufficient 
air circulating about them the leaves are apt to become twisted, and 
do not self-fold well enough. I have seen them planted 12 inches 
by 9, and even closer, and have done the same myself ; but the 
produce from such was not to be compared with those that had 
more room. If taken in a marketable sense, good solid Lettuce 
will generally sell at a profitable price ; but small, twisted, light¬ 
weighing samples will scarcely sell at all, so that it is better to 
have one good one than six of poor quality. Also, if wider apart 
they do not bolt or seed so quickly. 
It is also important that the Lettuce beds be not made under 
trees, also that the ground be hoed frequently, not only to destroy 
weeds, but to aerate the soil. It prevents excessive evaporation, 
but most persons who have had a few years’ practical experience 
with kitchen gardening know the benefit of frequently hoeing 
between crops, even if there are no weeds to destroy. The Paris 
Cos is a good variety to maintain a supply till the end of September, 
after which time I prefer the Bath or Brown Cos. Of this, make 
two sowings, one the beginning of July, the other in the middle of 
the same month, and from these two sowings some good plants may 
be expected for October, November, and December. These must 
be planted the same distance as the Paris Cos, and when dry 
enough and large enough tied up. This variety, as far as my own 
eating is concerned, and I know it is the same as many others of 
the gardening craft, is one of the best in existence. There is a 
self-folding Brown Cos, but with me it has never come so fine ; 
if a good strain can be had it is very useful for autumn and winter 
use. 
Many people, and especially ladies, prefer good Cabbage to Cos 
Lettuce, and if only one sort is wanted for summer and autumn 
use All the Year Round will be found a good one. I never trans¬ 
plant Cabbage Lettuce, for seed is cheap, and an ounce will go a 
long way if sown thinly. If sown at all thick it is not only a waste 
of seed, but it makes more work to thin them, besides helping to 
•spoil the crop. A good distance apart for this Lettuce to stand is 
a foot apart each way. Make the first sowing towards the end of 
February, again in March and April, from then every fortnight till 
the 1st of August, and a good supply of Cabbage Lettuce for 
some months will be the result. The first and last sowings may be 
on a south or west border, the others in the open. A very good 
position for Lettuce in June and July is on every alternate Celery 
■ridge ; the other ridga is best not planted, as the Celery can be 
•watered and attended to with greater facility. Another good posi¬ 
tion is where the main crop of Scarlet Runners are sown. In 
March a quarter is cleared of old Cabbage stumps or autumn 
Broccoli. It is then well manured and dug up. In April marks 
are made 5 feet apart for the sowing of the Beans about the 
1st of May. At the same time (in April) two rows of Paris Cos 
are planted down the centre between the 5-foot spaces, not less 
than a foot apart from the first sowing made in February. These 
will be half grown by the time the Beans are up, and fully grown 
and cleared off before the rows shade them much. I have had 
some large, well-hearted Lettuce from this planting. 
If the summer should prove to be a dry one, a very good plan 
is to sow the Paris Cos thinly, and single out the plants immediately 
they are large enough to handle, but for all sowings and plantings 
an open position, plenty of manure, and digging a good spit deep 
at least with frequent hoeings, are essential to success. If these 
conditions are followed out the water pot will not be required much 
after planting. When waterings have to be resorted to, and the 
water happens to be much colder than the soil, the plants wither 
very much in the succeeding hot sunshine. Manure well, and a 
Lettuce grows quickly, and the quicker it grows the more succulent 
its nature, a very essential point for one of the first of salad 
plants. 
A few words should be said as to cutting Lettuce. As most 
gardeners are aware all vegetables in hot summer weather are best 
cut early in the day before the sun has much power, and although 
the dews are not so heavy as in autumn there is a certain damp¬ 
ness in the plants before breakfast time that makes them appear 
when cut very fresh and crisp. This particularly applies to 
Lettuce. Market gardeners do not cut, but generally pull the 
plants up by the roots, as their produce is often not retailed for 
a day or two after*, and* sometimes more, and when pulled does 
not wither so soon as when cut. It is advisable to cut all Lettuce 
for midday use before breakfast, and for night use as late as 
possible in the evening. When cut in the hot sunshine in the 
middle of the day they have a withered, dry, and tough appear 
ance, and their taste correspondingly so. This refers mainly to 
the months of May, June, July, and August. If many are cut 
at once cover them with Rhubarb leaves till wanted.—A. Harding. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
With the last month of the dying year we can expect but little 
brightness in the flower garden ; even if there were nothing of 
interest we might, however, say with Shakespeare — 
“No man inveigh against the withered flower, 
But chide rough winter that the flower hath kill’d ; 
Not that devour’d, but that which doth devour, 
Is worthy blame.” 
G-rim winter, with his icy breath, has yet left us something to 
admire. It may be there is but little flower, but there is at least 
the foliage of many evergreen plants to study and enjoy. On a 
wall, it is true, we have the old Monthly Rose in flower ; the little 
creamy white Crocus ochroleucus is in bloom in the border, some 
late Chrysanthemums are in flower outside, and about the usual 
number of spring flowers have anticipated their usual period ; but 
after all it is to the foliage that we have to look for something to 
interest and to yield pleasure. 
Among the many plants which thus present themselves to our 
observation the Saxifrages are perhaps the most interesting ; they 
present so much variety of colour and of shading that in a good 
collection there is always much to study ; bright greens, silvery 
greys, and glaucous greens present themselves in almost endless 
variety. I have a short walk leading from my house to the garden 
gate ; this walk, until within the last few years, was edged with 
Box, and proved very unsatisfactory. The Box has been removed, 
the border edged with rough stones, behind which were planted 
Saxifrages, Sedums, Silenes, and other alpine plants ; these are now 
fairly established and the stones almost covered, and the plants 
form irregular hillocks, which come partly over the walk, and by 
their irregularity of outline deprive the straight walk of the 
formality which so largely characterised it in former years. This 
edging is always of interest. In spring, summer, and autumn there 
is always something in bloom, and even now (December 9th) it is 
bright and attractive. For obvious reasons the choicest of the 
Saxifrages are not grown in this position, but such kinds as S. pecti- 
nata, S. pyramidalis, S. intermedia, and S. rosularis among the 
incrusted, and S. hypnoides, S. Wallacei, S. Ivingi, S. tenuifolia, 
S. lanceolata, and S. muscoides atro-purpurea, with others of the 
mossy section, flourish and increase, and are at this season, especially 
when the weather is fine, of great value. These Saxifrages are far 
too much neglected in the arrangement of the garden for winter 
and, unlike many of the shrubs which are so frequently used for 
this purpose, they may be permanent occupants of the flower 
garden. I am glad to think that I am not called upon to say which 
section of the Saxifrages is best suited for this purpose. Almost 
all are worthy of a place, and I feel sure that they should enter 
more largely into our gardens. 
There are also a few variegated leaved members of the genus 
which are especially worthy of mention. I must confess to having 
become a comparatively recent convert to the use of variegated 
leaved plants. Even yet there are some I care little for, but I have 
been forced to the conclusion that the careful use of these forms 
will add much to the beauty and interest of the garden. I would, 
therefore, speak briefly of three Saxifrages which should be 
obtained where possible. The first is unfortunately somewhat 
expensive—a circumstance which is perhaps a recommendation to 
some—but is well rvorth growing. It is S. Guthriana variegata, a 
very neat compact variety of the Umbrosa section, beautifully 
variegated, with creamy yellow and green. The next is the varie- 
