566 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 23 189 c. 
came to examine the question of soils I found that his is a good stiff 
loam, while mine is a light garden soil with a good deal of humus in 
it, and as a consequence I have always to deplore a considerable 
loss. I have this year found that I have lost quite as many in pro¬ 
portion of the French imported and my own home grown roots ; 
and I believe, as I have said, that it is a matter of soil exclusively. 
Let me, however, add that the smah cormlets which cluster round 
the norms are generally sound, and that they can be easily propagated 
in this way, and the price of many exhibition varieties is now so 
low that losses may be very easily replaced. As I have often said 
they do not exceed those for Hyacinths, and we never expect to 
get anything from them after the first year ; but the Gladiolus 
will last for many years, and where the corms are lost through disease 
they can be, as I have said, easily replaced.—D., Deal. 
LONDON PARKS, COMMONS, AND OPEN 
SPACES. 
During the past few years so rapid have additions been made 
to our open spaces that a brief account of all those other than 
“ Royal Parks ” may be found useful, and not altogether devoid of 
interest. 
In order to make my list as simple as possible I propose dealing 
with the enclosed parks first in the order with which they were 
acquired for public use, and now under the control of the London 
County Council. In the year of 1857 the late Metropolitan Board 
of Works considerately directed their attention to providing public 
places of recreation for the inhabitants of our vast metropolis in 
districts in which such places did not already exist, and in that year 
caused a bill to be passed through Parliament named the “ Finsbury 
Park Act,” empowering them to provide a park situated in the 
parishes of Islington and Hornsey. Though Finsbury Park is a 
long distance from Finsbury it was at that time within the 
parliamentary division of Finsbury, hence the adoption of its 
name. Finsbury Park is 115 acres in extent, and was first opened 
for public use August, 1869. It lies high, and a good distance 
away from the smoky and manufacturing parts of our great city. 
There is no important point to note in the landscape work, but 
from the purity of the atmosphere vegetation thrives well. The 
summer bedding arrangements are always highly attractive, and 
worthy of a long journey to see. Amongst other trees Planes, 
Hollies, and a large and varied collection of Conifer* are fast 
developing into promising specimens. A grand display of Chrys¬ 
anthemums is annually made and thrown open during the season 
free to all. There is also a large lake furnished with small pleasure 
boats, and there are twenty-two courts set apart for lawn tennis. 
Several pitches are always at command for cricket throughout the 
season, and spaces are set apart for football during the winter 
months. A gymnasium is also provided, and the place is yearly 
growing in beauty and public favour. 
In 1864 the Metropolitan Board of Works obtained from Parlia¬ 
ment power to form a park in the parish of Rotherhithe for the 
inhabitants of the south-eastern" district of London, to be called 
Southwark Park, and which was dedicated for public use June, 
1869. Its size is 63 acres, somewhat flat, and completely surrounded 
by numerous factories and other works. It is in the midst of a 
large working population, and all the trees and shrubs clearly 
exhibit signs of the unfavourable conditions under which they 
exist. A very large space is devoted to cricket and football. 
Lawn tennis courts are provided, and there is a gymnasium and an 
ornamental lake well stocked with fancy varieties of waterfowl. 
The summer bedding arrangements are well maintained, and there 
is annually a Chrysanthemum exhibition, for which purpose a 
large house has been built, and thousands of persons every season 
enjoy the feast provided for them with so much care and fore¬ 
thought. 
The two parks above named are decided acquisitions, and would 
appear for a time to have satisfied London ; but to the praise and 
credit of the late Metropolitan Board of Works be it said, that 
steadily but surely, and almost yearly, they secured for public use 
for ever some common or open space that would otherwise have 
been claimed by that monster of bricks and mortar, the speculative 
builder. Such places will form the subject of a subsequent paper. 
I will, therefore, pass at once to the year of 1887, when three of 
the most important of our London places of public resort were 
transferred from the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Works and 
Public Buildings to the late Metropolitan Board of Works under 
the powers of “ The London Parks and Works Act, 1887.” By it 
was transferred in that year to the late Board, and from them to 
the Council, the management and control of Victoria Park, Batter¬ 
sea Park, Ivennington Park, Bethnal Green Museum Garden, 
Westminster Bridge, and the Grosvenor Embankment, all of which 
had previously from its formation been maintained by the State, 
Parliament having voted annually the money required. Thus in- 
one autumn was the maintenance of 483 acres added to the rates 
of the metropolis. 
Victoria Park now consists of an area of 244 acres, and was 
purchased by the Crown by virtue of an Act of Parliament passed 
in 1842. But although 290 acres was the extent then purchased, 
there wau only 220 acres reserved for recreation grounds, the- 
remaining 70 acres were intended for building purposes. The- 
population had increased so rapidly that in the year of 1872 there 
was a great outcry made by the people against the Government 
with regard to the sale of this surplus land. Deputations waited 
upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Lowe, but he refused 
to sacrifice the revenue to be derived from the sale of the ground. 
The Victoria Park Preservation Society, and other bodies, next 
prevailed on the Metropolitan Board of Works to purchase an area 
of 24 acres from the Commissioners of Woods and Forests for the 
sum of £24,450, which they did, and handed it over to the Com¬ 
missioners of Her Majesty’s Works and Public Buildings to be 
added to the park—a gracious act on the part of the Metropolitan- 
Board of Works. 
From a gardening point Victoria Park possesses many attrac¬ 
tions. The spring bedding display of Hyacinths and Tulips are 
scarcely surpassed in any other London park, while the carpet, sub¬ 
tropical. and other summer bedding arrangements are annually 
carried out in the most masterly style, which ail interested should 
not fail to see and compare notes. A large quantity of Chrysan¬ 
themums are grown here, and as in others of the Council’s parks- 
are open to public view, and we also believe that the Palm house is» 
open to those interested at all reasonable times. There is a large 
lake much used for bathing, a gymnasium, and an abundance of 
space assigned to all for outdoor sports. It has been reported that 
fully 150,000 persons frequent this park in a single day. The 
fields and green lanes which existed in 1842, and then surrounded 
the enclosure, has given place to a dense mass of streets and alleys, 
now teeming with a hard-working, industrious population. A 
magnificent structural fountain was generously erected by the 
Baroness Burdett-Coutts, and near here on Sundays in the summer 
will be found a gathering of the masses that would astonish many 
strangers.—J. W. Moorman. 
(To ba continue!.) 
VEGETABLES FROM NOVEMBER TO MAY. 
[Pi\za essay read l-.y Mr. Atkins, foreman in The Gardens, at Kelton, Aigburtli, before 
the memoers of the Liverpool Horticultural Association.] 
(Continued from page 545.) 
Endive.— As Endive comes into use when few other salading 
vegetables are to be had it should receive every attention, with a- 
view to supplying well-blanched heads during the winter and spring? 
months. For the main crop sow in June or July, and the end of 
August for a crop to stand over the winter. The seed may be 
sown in drills 9 inches apart, the plants thinned when large- 
enough to 9-inch distances, and any blank spaces filled up. The 
plants should be protected with mats in severe weather, and damp* 
should always be guarded against. They may be blanched by 
tying up the leaves with matting or covering with flower pots. 
The blanching process takes about a fortnight, and as they will not 
keep long in this condition a small quantity must be done a.t 
frequent intervals. 
Kale. —This vegetable comes in very useful when hard frost 
has rendered Cabbages unfit for use. Sow early in April, and 
again in May for a succession, and plant out from June to the end 
of August in rows 2 feet apart. When the tops are cut off the 
stems should not be destroyed, as they avill soon break again and 
form suecessional crops. 
Leeks. —Leeks form an excellent vegetable for winter use. and 
are also valuable as a potherb. Sow in February or March? 
on a warm border, and transplant in June in heavily manured 
ground. They will be fit for use throughout the winter and spring- 
months. Any not used before April should be lifted and their 
roots laid in loose soil to prevent their running to seed. 
Lettuces. —To obtain a supply of Lettuces during the winter 
months, sow the hardy varieties in September and October in cool 
frames, and thin out when large enough to 2 inches apart. They 
should be kept as dry as possible, and air admitted freely in fine- 
weather. Frost must be excluded by covering the frame with dry 
litter, which should be removed on every favourable occasion. For 
early spring use sow in a warm frame in January and February,, 
and transplant when large enough on a warm border or in cool 
frames. 
Mushrooms. —The cultivation of Mushrooms is an important 
work in gardens, a constant supply being generally expected where 
the means of cultivation are at command. The principal material 
