344 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 14,1888 
of this is 2£ inches in circumference at the base. The third consists of 
two strong stems hearing several branches. The trees are planted 6 feet 
apart. This is too close, 10 feet would be better. As the fruit is borne 
on the old wood, and as the old wood is but little more than that referred 
to at the beginning of this letter, there is naturally not much in the way 
of a crop. Indeed, there is very little, but what there is is very 
promising. The berries are not very large, but the drupes (the small 
berries composing the whole berry) are large, and give promise of a 
larger fruit when the plants are thoroughly established. The fruit is 
sweet and like jelly in the mouth, and indeed is eatable some time before 
it is fully ripe. As far as my experience goes at present,I believe the 
Wilson Junior to be a va’uable introduction. 
I have no personal knowledge of the introducers, and no commercial 
interest whatever in the introduction.—W. R. 
MUSTARD AND CRESS FOR MARKET. 
[The following article originally appeared in this Journal, March 
16th, 1882. It was subsequently reprinted, and both issues being ex¬ 
hausted it is again reprinted in response to several applications.] 
In most English gardens attention is given to providing a supply of 
Mustard and Cress for salads ; and being easily and quickly grown, and 
further possessing very wholesome qualities, they are within the reach of 
all, even of those with most limited means or accommodation for plant or 
vegetable growing. Still, very few residents at a distance from London 
have any idea of the extremely large quantities of this small Balading 
grown to supply the demands of the metropolitan markets. It is only by 
visiting the gardens where its culture is made a speciality, or by an early 
morning journey to Covent Garden Market, that anyone unacquainted 
with the facts would be able to form the slightest conception of the extent 
of the trade in such apparently insignificant productions. One reason for 
this is that Mustard and Cress require to be quickly grown, quickly sold, 
and quickly conveyed to the consumer, as it soon becomes tough and 
tasteless after cutting ; and the consequence is that outside the markets 
large quantities are seldom seen, as the retailers purchase only what is 
ordered, or as much as they consider will meet the demand for the day. The 
supply is thus very generally distributed ; and though few shops have 
more than a dozen punnets, there is scarcely one in a respectable neigh¬ 
bourhood that does not require some daily. But for this fact it would 
seem almost incredible that so large a quantity as some growers raise could 
be consumed while fresh. 
The chief season for Mustard and Cress is during the spring months, 
at which time a thousand dozen punnets are brought to Covent Garden 
Market daily by the chief growers, and one alone sends from a thousand 
to fifteen hundred dozen punnets per week. The supply is maintained in 
a varying degree throughout the year, reaching its lowest in November, 
December, and January, especially in severe or very wet seasons. It is, 
however, a constant crop, and one grower informs me that his supply 
would average five hundred dozen punnets per week throughout the year ; 
and judging by the space he devotes to its culture the quantity does not 
seem to be exaggerated, though the results are somewhat astonishing when 
we consider the money value that is realised. 
The price per dozen punnets varies from Is. to 2s.; but as less than the 
first-named price has sometimes to be taken the average might be fairly 
considered to be Is. the dozen. Thus five hundred dozen per week would 
give a total annual amount of £1300 ; and taking the profits at the very 
low estimate of 10 per cent, we have a yearly income of £130 for Mustard 
and Cress alone. From what I have seen and can judge ot the labour and 
expense incurred in the production I should, however, think the profits 
would be nearer 20 than 10 per cent. The result appears almost incre¬ 
dible, and considering that even those market gardeners who grow the 
largest quantity of small salad also have several other crops, especial at¬ 
tention being paid to Mushrooms, this form of market gardening seems to 
be a rather satisfactory one. It must be remembered that these paiticulars 
only refer to those who grow the largest quantities, and less than half a 
dozen almost entirely supply the demands of Covent Garden. In small 
quantities it would probably not pay for carriage, and most of those men¬ 
tioned as making a speciality of small salading have waggons which 
convey that and other produce to London and return laden with manure. 
The grower must be conveniently situated as regards distance from 
the chief markets, or the expense would be considerably increased and the 
quality of the salad greatly deteriorated if it remained closely packed for 
too long a time. 
It may be of interest to some readers to know the methods of growing 
this salad adopted by market gardeners around London ; and as I have 
recently had an opportunity of visiting several of these establishments a 
few observations upon the subject will give an idea to those who are 
desirous of commencing the culture on a large scale. It may be pre¬ 
mised that though some of the best gardening in the kingdom is to be 
seen in market growers’ establishments, yet there is generally so much 
trade rivalry and jealousy that a reluctance to communicate any details of 
culture very generally prevails. Some who have been successful imagine 
they possess a secret essential to the satisfactory production of any parti¬ 
cular crop ; yet after all they only act upon general principles, and in half 
a dozen different establishments as many different systems may be seen in 
operation, with results that vary but very slightly, and are in a pecuniary 
point of view equally satisfactory. So it is with the crop now under con¬ 
sideration. One man who has been very successful in the culture of 
Mustard and Cress, and who sends a very large quantity to market, con¬ 
siders that his progress is due to certain cultural details which he would 
not communicate on any consideration, and he is under the impression 
that other growers are continually endeavouring to ascertain these, even 
going so far as to offer some of his men very high wages to obtain their 
services ; yet this does not appear necessary, for all growers I have seen 
have equally good crops. 
One highly important matter is to obtain good seed, as unless this is 
done the crops will come irregularly, and it will be difficult to obtain a 
constant reliable supply. It may be here mentioned that very little of the 
true Mustard (Sinapis alba) is grown, the substitute employed being Rape 
(Brassica Rapa), which is preferred chiefly because it has a milder flavour 
and the young stems blanch very readily, being also free from the small 
hairs which the stems of Mustard bear. Cress (Lepidium sativum) is 
grown in less quantity than the Rape, as it is less in demand, and, 
further, it is rather more trouble to raise than the other, as most gardeners 
know. The wholesale prices ber bushel average about 12s. for Rape and 
Mustard, and 16s for Cress, though samples of superior quality realise 
higher prices. Another point that especially needs attention is sowing 
the seed very thickly fin the case of the Rape the seeds are placed as 
closely as possible), as that not only insures the blanching of the stems, 
which adds greatly to the value of the crop, but it also simplifies the 
packing, as when the stems are so close together they are cut and placed 
in the punnets quickly and evenly. A light soil or compost is invariably 
employed, but the best results appear to have been produced by old 
Mushroom-bed manure not too much decomposed, which is sifted or 
screened and placed in beds 3 or 4 inches deep quite level, moderately 
firmly, and if at all dry it is thoroughly watered before sowing the seed. 
Almost any kind of light soil is suitable, and old tan was used at one time 
very largely for the purpose ; indeed, there was one grower at Vauxball 
some years ago who employed that entirely. It is also said that the sawdust 
which is now used in some stables is well adapted for Mustard and Cress ; 
but it is too “ strong ” when first received from the stables, and requires 
storing for a time or to be drenched with water to remove some of the 
ammoniacal compounds with which it is saturated. An important object 
is to obtain salad free from grit, and on this account the old Mushroom- 
bed manure seems to be especially useful, as it forms a moist nourishing 
medium, in which the rootlets can readily extend. The seed not being 
covered with soil also aids in securing a clean crop, and the surface being 
rendered as fine and even as possible, the produce is obtained of equal 
height, which also adds considerably to the value of the crop, and facili¬ 
tates the cutting and packing in punnets. 
These particulars especially apply to the winter and early spring supply, 
which has to be raised in heated houses or frames. In the summer beds 
are prepared outside. Where the early supply receives much attention 
small span-roof houses or lean-to frames are devoted entirely to the pur¬ 
pose, as are the inside borders of late vineries. In the former case the 
houses are about 9 feet wide and 6 feet high, and vary in length from 
30 to 60 feet, but of course the length is of little importance. They are 
heated with 2-inch or 2^-inch pipes, one row extending round near the 
sides. The beds are 4 feet wide, thus leaving a space of a foot for a path 
down the centre, which are edged with narrow boards 3 or 4 inches deep 
on each side, and next to the pipes also. The frames are about 5 feet 
wide, with a pipe along the front. In the case of the vineries the prepared 
soil is simply spread on the surface of the border to the required depth, 
and the seed is sown, sometimes being pressed slightly into the soil with a 
flat piece of wood or something similar. A good supply of water is then 
given, and the seed is covered with ordinary garden mats. These are only 
removed when it is necessary to supply water; and this must be carefully 
attended to, as little is given after germination is well advanced, or decay 
is likely to result. The mats are kept on during the day until the young 
plants have grown an inch or two, when they are removed to permit the 
seed leaves to acquire a bright green colour—a point of some importance 
in combination with well-blanched stems. 
In from eight to twelve days the crop is ready for cutting— i.c., when 
the stems are about 4 inches high, and to effect this a peculiar but simple 
knife is used. This has a straight flat blade like an ordinary dinner knife, 
but not rounded at the end, about an inch broad and a foot long. Near 
the handle is a crank turned upwards at right angles to the blade like a 
bricklayer’s trowel, and the end is again turned at right angles, but 
parallel with and away from the blade ; this is inserted in the handle just 
like the trowel. With this instrument the salad is cut much in the same 
style as mowing with a scythe, the blade being flat on the ground. Oue 
sweep of the knife cuts enough or more for a punnet, and is taken up with 
the hands and placed in evenly, so that it appears almost as it had grown 
in it. Some practice is required to effect this satisfactorily, and skilful 
experienced cutters can gather and pack over a thousand punnetB a day. 
The punnets are then packed in boxes and conveyed to market in vans. 
The chief labour is removing the old material from the beds, which has 
to be done after every crop; this is stored away in a heap for several 
months and then incorporated with fresh material. Where the compost is 
purchased this is a rather expensive item, and one grower, I am informed, 
pays 28. 6d. a load for old Mushroom-bed manure. In the best-managed 
establishments, howefver, Mushrooms are grown in addition, and that 
outlay is thus to some extent reduced. It should further be added that 
both bouses and frames are constructed in the most economical manner 
possible, utility and cheapness bemg the chief objects. 
As to the space required, some idea may be gathered from the fact that 
the punnets are about 6 inches in diameter, and I should think at a safe 
estimate a square foot of a good crop would fill two punnets of Rape, a 
little more Cress being required. Thus a heated frame 60 feet long with 
a bed 5 feet wide would yield about fifty dozen every fourteen days 
throughout the year, as the lights could be removed and the heat discon¬ 
tinued as the season advanced. Taking twenty-five crops in the year at 
