September 14, 189S. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
235 
A S we arrive at the autumn it is well to review the difficulties 
experienced, the successes noted, and the failures, in some 
instances so painfully apparent, among vegetable crops during the 
phenomenal spring and summer of the present year. In doing this 
we cannot fail to be impressed by many significant lessons which 
must be fraught with useful suggestions for future elucidation. 
The difficulty of maintaining a constant supply of vegetables was 
perhaps never more keenly felt than during June and the early part 
of July, and although since that time this trouble has not been 
entirely absent (on account of the comparative failure of some 
crops which are usually reliable ones), yet the greater variety of 
Tegetables in season during late summer, together with a timely, 
though only moderate fall of rain, and the refreshing effect of 
heavy night dews, combined to bring about a vastly improved state 
of affairs. 
Vegetable Marrows have been a more abundant crop than I have 
previously known them to be. From a very early date they have 
been in evidence on all sides. I find that plants set in the ordinary 
garden soil, with no other preparation than that of placing a few 
spadefuls of rich manure underneath, have yielded far better than 
others growing on raised beds of manure or leaves. This is doubt¬ 
less accounted for by the fact that much less difficulty is obtained 
in keeping the former sufficiently moist at the roots during a season 
of tropical weather, unless the ingenious practice of a Warwickshire 
amateur gardener is resorted to—viz., that of watering by means of 
a syphon, which this year has been constantly working on his 
Marrow bed. Pen-y-byd is, I think, the best variety to grow for 
table use, the quality being far superior to that of any other. 
Peas have by no means been so good as usual. When mulchings 
and heavy waterings were resorted to well filled pods resulted ; but 
under the best cultural conditions the season was a short one on 
account of th« arid atmosphere which prevailed for a long period. 
I never remember seeing so few good dishes of Peas staged at 
cottagers’ shows as during the present season. Sharpe’s Queen and 
Stratagem have proved the most productive with me. Early in the 
season I had several splendid rows of WTlliam Hurst, which is 
an excellent variety to succeed American Wonder or Lightning. 
The great advantage of sowing Peas in shallow trenches has 
been clearly apparent, and wherever cultivators have to deal with 
a light ground I strongly advocate the adoption of this practice, 
because when the work is well done a greater depth of soil is 
obtained than in deep trenches, as well as ample facilities for 
watering. 
Turning to Potatoes, a far more favourable condition of affairs 
can be recorded. Early crops were somewhat undersized, especially 
in the case of Ashleaf Kidney. Sharpe’s Victor was, however, very 
early and good in every way, the season appearing to suit it exactly, 
as during wet summers this variety is not superior in quality unless 
left in the ground till the tubers are fully grown. Puritan and 
Snowdrop afforded large clean tubers in succession to those first 
named. Late Potatoes, when grown on deep, well cultivated soils 
are furnishing grand crops. The tubers are large, clean, and of the 
highest quality, there being a marked absence of blotches and other 
disfigurements so frequently noticed when heavy crops are lifted. 
It is really a most encouraging sign, as the crops are being lifted, 
to note how easily they are separated from the dust-like soil, exhi- 
No. 690.— VOL. XXVII., Third Series. 
biting clean, firm skins without a trace of disease. Satisfaction, 
Late Rose, Best of All, and Brinkworth’s Heavyweight are particu¬ 
larly good. The latter variety will, I think, to a great extent super¬ 
sede Magnum Bonum on account of its superior quality when 
cooked. 
Where Onions escaped the ravages of maggot during the spring 
months the crops have been good, the bulbs having ripened splendidly. 
From an exhibitor’s point of view perhaps we have seldom been 
favoured with such a fine Onion season ; deep, rich soil, special 
attention to watering, and abundance of sunshine being the three 
principal conditions necessary for the production of gigantic bulbs. 
For home use I know of none better than Veitch’s Main Crop and 
Banbury Improved White Spanish. These two varieties have with 
me been highly satisfactory, although our soil is by no means an 
ideal one for the growth of this crop. It is only by deep digging, 
manuring heavily, and giving frequent dressings of soot that good 
results can be obtained. 
The early and main crops of Carrots must be mentioned as 
particularly satisfactory. Early Gem proved well worthy of the 
high praise bestowed upon it. Early Nantes, which we grew to give 
a succession of young roots, did not behave well, great loss being 
experienced through a bad attack of grub, which I find is mcst 
difficult to keep at bay when the Carrots are thinned as required for 
use. The holes thus left where the roots are drawn afford a con¬ 
venient opportunity for the parent fly (Psila rosm) to deposit its 
eggs. Where practicable it is, therefore, better to quite clear a 
sufficient space at each pulling, even though by so doing a few small 
roots have to be sacrificed. Too much praise can scarcely be given 
to Matchless Scarlet. From a sowing made on land occupied by 
Celery last year we have now a bed which brings out many flattering 
remarks from visiting gardeners. A gritty, yet rich soil with a fine 
deep tilth is evidently well adapted to the growth of Carrots. Beet¬ 
root on an adjoining quarter has also, notwithstanding the season, 
made good progress, sound roots of the right size for table being 
plentiful. 
The production of really good Cauliflowers has been a matter 
of great difficulty. Hundreds of plants which during ordinary 
seasons might have been depended upon to give good heads, have 
this year either bolted, gone blind, or provided the cultivator with 
only puny heads. Early London was a great offender in this 
lespect; Walcheren and Extra Early Autumn Giant are, however, 
now supplying good heads, and the older type of Autumn Giant 
promises to be fairly good, but rain is at present much needed to 
assist them. The demand for good Turnips has been a thorn in the 
side of innumerable gardeners. It is only by watering a portion of 
the crop regularly that we have been able at times to secure pre¬ 
sentable roots. Successional batches of Little Pixie Cabbage have 
proved invaluable by planting them only a foot asunder, and 
compact heads have been obtained from a limited space at a time 
when it was by no means an easy matter to induce the coarser 
growing kinds to heart. Thought and labour were, perhaps, never 
in greater demand among British gardeners to enable them to 
successfully cope with the difficulties of the situation than during 
the past summer, and I believe thousands will join with me in 
expressing the hope that their brains and physical energy will not 
again be so severely taxed for many years to come. 
Although the labour of summer has been great, the outlook for 
the coming winter, as far as garden crops are concerned, is promis¬ 
ing. Good crops of roots are ready for storing under conditions 
favourable to good keeping. Borecoles and Broccoli have made 
firm growth, which is not likely to be easily injured by severe frosts, 
should they come. We have had opportunities innumerable for 
destroying each crop of weeds in a young state, and our gardens 
ought now to be in a clean and sweetened condition, so that with 
the timely rains of the autumn and frosts of the winter we may 
look hopefully forward for brighter prospects if not lighter labours 
in time to come.—H. D. 
No. 2346 .—VoL, LXXXIX., Old Series. . 
