232 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 14,189S. 
it, and remember that as the weather becomes warmer more air must be 
given. As each strong bulb produces from one to four flower spikes, 
the array of bloom is considerable, and the plants are fit for any 
decorative purpose, showing to best advantage placed in groups, as 
masses of wild Hyacinths and Wood Anemones do in woods, or Primroses 
on banks. 
When the flowering is over the plants require liberal waterings for a 
time, but not unnecessary supplies, and all the sun and air a cool 
greenhouse or low pit affords. This will secure well-developed bulbs 
and thorough ripening, the watering being diminished as the maturity 
proceeds, leaving it off altogether when the foliage turns yellow, and 
when completely died down store where dryness will be assured until 
starting time. 
The medium sized bulbs should be treated similarly to the large, 
only placing more in a pot or pan. Like remarks apply to the small 
bulbs, which if encouraged with liquid manure when in full leafage, 
and ripened off properly, will do good service the year following. 
Ordinarily the plants are simply kept in the pots from year to year, 
being potted in September or when they commence growing, merely 
dividing the clusters of bulbs, removing some soil, so as to allow space 
for fresh with new drainage, then assigning them a light airy position 
in the greenhouse, from which they are only taken for potting, and 
giving water as growth and the condition of the soil prompts. Grown 
in this way the plants give very little trouble, and bloom as certainly at 
their appointed season, affording a charm to the greenhouse occupants, 
and enhancing the interest all round. After flowering and ripening off 
the pots are kept on shelves or other convenient position, where they 
will receive only sufficient water. To keep a fair amount of moisture 
in the soil appears to be, in my opinion, better than the “dry as dust” 
system.—G. Abbey, 
VEGETABLES FOR EXHIBITION. 
Potatoes, 
In dealing with the Potato it is important to have the sets 
thoroughly prepared in shallow boxes as soon as possible after the 
crop is lifted from the open ground. The sets—which should be 
of uniform size and as large as a hen’s egg—should be placed on 
their ends with the eyes upwards, and put in a cool position where 
they will be safe from frost, and will receive as much light and air 
as it is possible to give them. In the early spring they will begin to 
grow, and on the top of each set will be found one strong stem 
with probably several weaker ones. These latter should be rubbed 
off, thus concentrating the sap towards the strong one. If the best 
results are desired Potatoes for planting, especially for exhibition, 
should never be clamped or thrown together in a heap, as they are 
sure to sprout prematurely, this causing the stem to be weak, and 
the haulm to become a ready prey to the disease. By keeping them 
in boxes quite cool, with abundance of light and air and one strong stem, 
an excellent foundation is laid for a crop of exhibition tubers. 
The preparation of the soil next demands attention. This is beet 
done in the autumn or early winter by thoroughly trenching to the 
depth of 2 feet. If the bottom spit is not so good as the top it is better 
not brought to the surface. If the ground has been manured for the 
previous crop none will be required, but should it be in poor condition a 
dressing of leaf soil will be found beneficial. Fresh manure from the 
farmyard induces soft and sappy growth. It is much better to add to 
the soil such ingredients as will encourage strong stocky growth, with 
firm leathery foliage. Probably nothing better can be had for this 
purpose than a good dressing of wood ashes, and if the soil is heavy and 
stiff a sprinkling of hot lime just before forking the ground over will be 
of great service not only in improving the soil but in killing little 
insects. After the ground has been thoroughly forked over, the lines 
should be drawn to the depth of 6 inches, and at least 3 feet apart for 
strong sorts, and 3 inches less for smaller. The sets should not be 
planted closer in the lines than 2 feet—in fact, 6 inches more would be 
better for robust sorts. This may seem waste of ground, but one cannot 
have well-formed tubers when they are planted closer, because the leaves 
are so crammed together that it is impossible for the sun and air to 
reach them, and if the leaves and stems are not properly matured it is 
impossible to have tubers of first-class quality. In many soils it is 
difficult to get the tubers with clear skins. When this is the case, wood 
ashes, burnt soil, and a little soot form an excellent mixture to place 
over the sets when planting. Where the soil is of a light sandy loam 
this is, perhaps, not required. The soil should be drawn over tbe sets 
in the form of a ridge, when nothing more will be required except 
keeping the ground well stirred and free from weeds till the haulm has 
reached the height of 9 or 10 inches, when they should be finally 
earth*"d up. 
When lifting the crop great care is necessary not to prick any of the 
tubers, nor to rub off the skins. The tubers must be selected of an 
uniform size, and if the show is near at hand they should be carefully 
washed, before the soil becomes dry, with soap and water and a sponge. 
As soon as dry they ought to be wrapped in soft paper and placed in a 
drawer. As regards varieties much depends on the season at which they 
are wanted. For early shows Snowdrop and Sutton’s Seedling are two 
of the best, and Satisfaction may be grown for later purposes. 
Peas and Beans. 
Many different ways are adopted in growing Peas for exhibition, but 
none is better than growing them in trenches prepared as if for Celery. 
The trenches should not be less than 2J feet deep and the same in width, 
and filled with well decayed farmyard manure mixed with part of 
the soil taken from the trench. If plenty of wood ashes could be had 
they would be an excellent addition to the soil, as they generally con¬ 
tain potash, which the Pea is much benefited by. Three inches of soil 
should be placed on the top of the manure, bringing up the trench level 
with the surface. As regards sowing, much will depend on the time 
they are wanted ; but the careful exhibitor will seldom trust to one 
sowing of the variety he wants to exhibit, for the seasons vary so much 
that one sowing might either be too early, or, what is worse stdl, too 
late. It is best, therefore, to make two or three sowings at intervals of 
eight days. Three inches will be quite deep enough for the seed, and 
the Peas should not be closer than 2J inches. They require abundance of 
room to develop, and in allowing this you not only insure as many and 
more pods, but they are handsome and of better flavour. It is a good 
plan to pinch out the top of some of the stems after they have made 
three or four trusses of bloom, as the sap gets checked and larger pods 
are obtained. Feeding should commence as soon as the pods begin to 
set, and may be continued as long as flowers are produced. The Pea 
likes water, and should never become dry at the roots. Soot is an 
excellent stimulant. If the season is a dry one the lines should be top- 
dressed with long litter, which prevents the sun from drying up the 
moisture. 
If an exhibitor finds that his Peas are too early he can keep them 
from eight to twelve days by adopting the following method : Fill a pan 
full of wet sand, pick off the best pods, and immerse the small stalks 
only in the sand, taking great care not to rub off tbe blooms ; place the 
pan in any cool dark cellar, and they will keep there perfectly safe for 
the time mentioned. A good dish of Peas when well staged should not 
bear a trace of rubbing. There are many varieties suitable for exhibi¬ 
tion, but none seem to find more favour than the Duke of Albany. 
Sharpe’s Queen is also popular. 
Runner Beans should be treated like Peas, except in a few details. 
The seed should be planted about 8 inches apart, and must not be 
placed outside earlier than the last week in April. If required early 
they should be sown in pots, placing two or three seeds in each in a cold 
house or frame, and planted out when about 3 inches high, This will 
make a difference of from a week to ten days in gathering. Ne Plus 
Ultra and Sutton’s Prizewinner are both excellent varieties.^ 
French Beans should be treated in the same manner as the Runner 
only no staking will be required. Ne Plus Ultra and Canadian Wonder 
are chiefly grown for exhibition. 
Cauliflowers and Brussels Sprouts. 
The soil for these can scarcely be too rich, at the same time not 
loose, but moderately firm, or the result will be more leaves than 
anything else. When trenching the ground two spits deep in the 
autumn manure may be placed at the bottom of the trench and beiween 
the two top spits. For early shows Cauliflower seed is best sown thinly 
in boxes in light soil about the beginning of March, and as soon as the 
plants have made their seed leaves and become suffic eotly hardened 
they should be pricked into a frame with a little hot|manure placed at the 
bottom, and 3 inches of half-decayed leaves and turfy loam. lu this 
compod they will grow well and lift with good bails. When being 
transferred to their summer quarters the ground should be thoroughly 
forked over, and for the strong growing sorts, of which Autumn Giant 
is an example, the lines ought not to be closer than 3 feet, and 2 feet 
from plant to plant. 
Cauliflowers can easily be had from outside sowings, which should be 
done as soon as the weather will permit in March. The sefd khould be 
sown very thinly, and the young plants must not be allowed to crowd 
each other. After they have made four leaves they shou d he pricked 
into other beds and thoroughly watered. When ready for planting out 
they may be lifted with good balls with a tiowel, and placed in their 
new quarters, a handful of soot and lime being thrown round the stems. 
This will help to prevent the white maggot, which sometimes does great 
damage, rendering the plant useless by eating off the roots. Abundance of 
water should be given when the weather is dry, and liquid manure may 
be applied with advantage once a week. When the heads beyin to form 
a strict watch must be kept on the caterpillar, and the only effectual 
remedy I know of is handpicking. 
Good Cauliflowers should be perfectly white; this can only be 
accomplished by tying the leaves over the head a .d excluding the light 
immediately they begin to form. A head can be kept in good condition 
from ten to fourteen days by pulling up the whole plant and storing 
away in a dark, cool shed/ In my opinion the purity of the curd Is 
improved by so doing. This plan has much to recommend it, especially 
when they are too early. If left in the open ground tte same heads 
would be useless. The stems should never be cut off before staging at 
the show, and even then they sometimes come in u-eful, as they serve as 
a prop when they require to be placed on the top of each other. For 
early show.s Veitch’s Pearl is good, and for later ones nothing can equal 
Autumn Giant when in good condition. 
Brussels Sprouts require the same cultivation as Cauliflowers ; only. 
If the soil is rich, the firmer it is the more solid tbe sprouts will be, 
Sutton’s Exhibition and the Wroxton are good types for show purposes 
or general use.— James Gibson. —(^Read at a meeting of the Croydon 
Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Society.') 
(To be concluded.) 
