484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane M, 18S8. 
mature. The leader need not be stopped till the limit of roof 
trellis is reached, and a good succession of handsome fruit ought to 
be produced throughout the whole length. As a rule plants thus 
trained and closely cropped are scarcely worth keeping after the 
uppermost fruits have been cut, but if they are in good health the 
sub-laterals should be frequently thinned and stopped at the second 
joint, and many more fruit obtained. Cucumbers have been cut in 
about six weeks from the time of sowing the seed, but in this case 
they were grown at an express rate, and not less than eight weeks 
had better be allowed. 
Old house-grown plants, or those that have done good service 
for several weeks or months past, can sometimes be brought into a 
vigoi’ous condition again and capable of producing fairly good fruit. 
It is useless to make the attempt with plants badly overrun by red 
spider, mea^y bug, or other pests, as none of these can be got rid of 
short of destroying the foliage. The first proceeding should be to 
freely thin out the haulm, removing as much of the old growth as 
possible, and also the greater portion of any fruit that may be 
hanging. Xext loosen the surface soil, removing any that is sour, or 
which is not occupied by roots. Give a good watering if need be, 
and top-dress with roughly chopped turves, or a compost such as I 
have previously described. Then if a brisk “growing” tem¬ 
perature is constantly maintained, the plants being frequently 
syringed and plenty of moisture distributed about the house, fresh 
growth will soon be formed. This should be allowed to ramble to 
a good length before the points are taken out, and the subsequent 
breaks will produce fruit in abundance. A heavy crop ought never 
to be left on plants that are to produce exhibition fruit ; in fact it 
is very necessary that Cucumbers for all purposes, if they are to 
be continuous cropping, must be prevented from bearing as they 
please, or otherwise gluts will result at one time and scarcity at 
another. —Exiiiiutoi:. 
(To be continued.) 
GARDEN FARMING. 
It is somewhat late, but better late than never, to direct 
attention to an exhaustive article under the above heading in the 
Quarterly Review"' for April. The volume did not reach us till 
a considerable time after its publication, and then the pressure 
on our space was great. The subject, however, is not of an 
evanescent nature, but of permanent interest, and never out of 
date. The wiiter of the article appears to have a good grasp of 
his subject, and seems to have spared no effort in acquiring infor¬ 
mation, statistical and otherwise, to render his deductions reliable 
and his work of substantial value. The extent of nurseries, market 
gardens, and orchards are tabulated, and their areas compared with 
former years. "VVe next find statistics given on Potato culture, with 
the extent and value of importations from the Continent and 
Channel Islands, these being mainly of early produce. As regards 
late Potatoes for winter use, which those who do not know how to 
grow them say they cannot be grown profitably, we find an 
enormous increase in their culture in the chief English Potato¬ 
growing counties, but a comparatively slight decrease in the less 
favourable climate of Scotland. Full crops of late Potatoes are 
still remunerative, if we may judge by the evidence of the best 
growers, and a considerable export trade was opened last ye.ar with 
America, the extreme severity of the winter there preventing the 
produce of the ISTorthern States reaching the great centres of 
consumption. 
The sources of supply of different kinds of vegetables and 
fruits, with indications of the bulk and value of the produce, are 
brought under review'—Asparagus, Broccoli, Beans, Seakale, Onions, 
Mushrooms, amongst the former ; and in respect to oversupply and 
loss in culture that occasionally occurs, the author points out two 
evils—faulty distribution and high railway charges—-on this twin 
question observing :—• 
“ Mr. \\ hitebead and others contend, not only that the home supply 
would not be too large, if we had a better system of distribution, but 
that it might well be increased to a great extent. The fact that rail 
charges ami the salesman’s commission often balance, and sometimes 
exceed, the amount realised by vegetables sent to market, is alone a 
strong indictment against the existing system. It is to be observed, 
moreover, that in seasons of the greatest plenty, when the markets are 
supposed to be glutted, and growers get extremely small prices, millions 
of the population are short of vegetables on their dinner-tables. The 
poor can buy vegetables more cheaply in the markets of the East of 
London and in such great centres as Manchester and Birmingham, to 
which large supplies are constantly consigned, than in the small towns 
or even in the villages of the rural districts. People who require the 
greengrocer to call for orders, and afterwards to send to their houses 
vegetables W'orth a few pence, must expect to pay more than double, or 
perhaps four times what the grower receives ; but there should be 
* Jehn lla:ray, Alberutrle Stieet. 
markets in all towns where the poor can obtain their suppliesat much less 
than the greengrocers’ ordinary charges. Mr. Hunt says, that rail rates for 
green stuff from Evesham to many places, including London,, ara 
prohibitive, and are very high for everything ; also that small growers 
are placed at a special disadvantage by the large extra charges on small 
quantities of produce. It is a common complaint, too, that the rail 
charges on vegetables for short distances in this country are muchi higher 
comparatively, and in some cases absolutely higher, than the rates for- 
the same kinds of produce imported from France or Holland.. Another 
grievance is that, whereas the foreign produce is conveyed by fast boats- 
and expre.ss trains, the home supply of vegetables is mostly carrietl by- 
goods trains, and ‘shaken and smashed up,’ as Mr. Whiteicaii expresses- 
it, ‘ by the bumping and banging occasioned by “picking up” at the- 
various stations.’ ” 
In respect to fruits, we find an admirable digest of the supply of 
Apples, Pears, Tomatoes, Grapes, Strawberries, and various bush 
fruits, with the quantities grown and the value of the crops so far 
as can be ascertained. The writer, like many another, seems to« 
have been in a little doubt as to whether to place Rhubarb amongst 
fruit or vegetables ; and though he correctly says in a strict classi¬ 
fication it would be pilaced among vegetables, but as it is used as a. 
fruit, he lets it remain on the American compromise as the “ Pie 
plant.” He appears to be cognisant of the culture and forcing, 
operations of Rhubarb in the Leeds district, which are more ex¬ 
tensive than is generally known, though of course enormous- 
quantities are forced in the market gardens round London. 
The works consulted and duly acknowledged in the preparation 
of the article are Hogg’s “ Fruit Manual,” Barron’s “ Apple Con¬ 
gress Report,” and “Vine Culture,” Whitehead’s ‘‘Market Garden¬ 
ing and Fruit Farming,” Wright’s “ Mushrooms for the Million,” 
Rivers’ “ Miniature Fruit Garden,” Bunyard’s “ Fruit Farming for 
Profit,” the Field newspaper, and the “ Agricultural Returns.’' 
Thus its comprehensiveness wall be understood ; but there is an 
important description of the garden farming in the Channeh 
Islands which appears to be founded on personal inspection of the- 
work, for the author observes :—“Without a visit to the scene of 
their untiring labour it is impossible to gain a fair conception oF 
the excellent use which the Channel Islanders make of their land 
and their opportunities. Depression has been felt by them, it is 
true, but only to the extent of a diminution of great prosperity^ 
which is almost entirely owing to the fall in the value of cattle and 
the failure of two banks, and has little, if anything, to do witln 
garden farming. It is also true that the enormous prices which the^ 
pioneers in the supply of early produce obtained some years ago- 
remain only' as memories ; but where one man obtained handsome- 
returns from Covent Garden twenty years ago, there are now ten 
or more receiving thence much larger sums, and fair, though not 
such extravagant profits.” 
The extent of early Potato growing in Jersey, with the cost andi 
profits of culture, are interestingly described, and it is stated that 
the export of 50,070 tons last year showed an average return 
of upwards of £07 per acre, the total cost incurred in produc¬ 
tion being estimated at about £45 ; but the land, we are told, “is- 
becoming more and more occupied by Frenchmen.” We are now 
tempted to cite a few paragraphs—a mere fi'agment of the article— 
of which they display its general character. 
“ The most extensive owner of glass houses in Jersey is Mr. George- 
Bashford of St. Saviour’s, who has now about 12 acres occupied with 
glass houses and the necessary roadways, and expects to have his whole- 
garden of 13 acres utilised before the end of next year. The remarkable- 
success of this enterprising garden-farmer, who entered into the business,, 
which has grown so rapidly under his management, without any previous 
training as a gardener, is one of the wonders of the Channel Islands.. 
Better management is probably nowhere to be found than Mr. Bashford’.s». 
and a brief description of his_crops will serve as an illustration of those 
grown under glass in both islands. He has a great quantity of Potatoes- 
in his houses, with Tomatoes planted between the rows, some being 
artificially heated, and others not. Mr. Bashford does not force his- 
Potatoes, however, but plants those in hothouses a month later than 
those in cool houses, so that all come to be raised at about the same- 
time ; his opinion being that forcing Potatoes is not sufficiently 
remunerative. Last year the average price he obtainal for his tubers 
was 7^d. per pound, and he commonly protiuces as much as 11 tons to- 
the acre, and has grown at the rate of nearly 20 tons. In 1873 he sold' 
Potatoes at 2s. 3d. per pound, but does not expect to realise such a price- 
again. The price last year was 7d. to 9J. 
“ French Beans are grown in hothouses between rows of Tomatoes, to 
be picked in January and February, when they sell at 2s. to 2s. 3d. pec- 
pound. Some years ago the price was no less than Gs. per pound. Peas 
are produced in cool houses only, picking being begun early in April, 
when the price is Is. Gd. per pound. Cucumbers also are grown, to be 
succeeded by Tomatoes for winter use. 
“ Mr. Bashford has sent 80 tons of Tomatoes to London in a year, 
and now that he has increasal his area of land under glass he expects to 
grow 120 tons per annum in a favourable season. His average price last 
year was Gfd. per pound. Tomatoes, with or without French Beans or 
