304 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t October 8,1891. 
sowing thinly and allowing abundance of space between the rows, 
10 feet at least, which ought to always stand north and south. No 
pinching of the haulm or thinning the pods to obtain extra size is 
practised. The soil is kept well stirred, especially during dry 
weather. For the earliest shows the seed is sown in small pots in 
March in a cool house, afterwards planting out when the seedlings are 
well hardened. The first sowing out of doors is made in February 
according to the state of the soil, if wet it is deferred awhile. 
Scarlet Runners are a strong dish, and appear to have taken the 
place of Dwarf Kidney Beans for all but July shows, and when we 
consider the excellent Beans obtained the first week in August 
there is no wonder that they are preferred to the other. The soil 
is treated as for Peas, the rows not less than 12 feet apart. The 
first sowing is made in pots the first week in April at the same 
time as the outdoor sowing is made. The plants are grown 3 feet 
high in 32-sized pots before they are planted. Double rows are 
grown, as they are less liable to be blown down by strong sou’-westers. 
Ne Plus Ultra and Sutton’s A1 are the most favoured varieties, 
and richly do they deserve their preference. The rows were 
12 feet high, and clothed with Beans from bottom to top—truly 
a grand sight. 
Turnips are a favourite dish, and rightly so, particularly during 
a spell of dry weather when this vegetab’e is scarce Snowball is 
the only sort required, as it possesses all the qualities of a good 
Turnip for any season. To have the roots in proper condition 
towards the end of July the first sowing should be made at the end 
of May, and every three weeks afterwards in small patches in rows 
between the Scarlet Runners or behind a north wall, where they 
will derive much benefit from the shade accorded. Common salt 
sown over the ground when the seed is put in the drills is good for 
Turnips ; in fact, for all root crops as a preventive of grub or 
wire worm. 
Carrots form one of the leading vegetables in the root section, 
Early Gem and Model for the early shows, and New Intermediate 
for midseason and late ones. Yeitch’s form is regarded as the best, 
being so good in colour. The soil must be rich to grow good 
Carrots, but fresh manure ought not to be employed. The first 
sowing is made in pits in sandy soil the middle of January, the 
same time in February for the main crops outside. The drills are 
18 inches apart, which allows free development for the leaves. 
The plants are thinned early, which is an important point to 
observe. A mixture of salt, soot, and soil is sown after the seed in 
the drills. 
Cauliflowers carry much weight when presented in good con¬ 
dition. , Magnum Bonum for early, Yeitch’s Autumn Giant and 
Sutton’s Autumn Mammoth for later use, are preferred. The last 
named is a better colour than the ordinary autumn Cauliflower 
which has stood the test so long. Sow the first-named in heat at 
the end of January and the others early in March outside. These 
will keep up a succession for autumn use. The two last named 
should be sown out of doors from the 12th to the 20th of August 
to provide heads early in the following August. These must be 
wintered in pits. Cauliflowers cannot have too rich soil; if they 
do not make leaves freely they cannot produce perfect heads. 
Good soakings of liquid manure early are of great advantage to a 
free growth. 
Tomatoes are now considered indispensable as a dish in even a 
small collection. Perfection is the favourite variety. The seed is 
sown early in January. One great mistake made in the growth of 
Tomatoes is the employment of loose soil in the pots, which 
induces a too free growth. Loam is the principal ingredient in a 
simple compost; it is rammed very firmly into the pots. The plants 
are liberally treated after the fruit is set. Syringing is not much 
practised. 
Cucumbers during September are appreciated more than they 
are in, the month preceding. Tender and True, Model, and 
Sutton’s A1 are good: the latter is good in colour, which is a point 
to observe. 
Celery in September and onwards is a strong dish. Wright’s 
Giant White is preferred for early shows, not only because it is 
more seasonable, but by reason of its blanching quicker than the 
red or pink strain. Standard Bearer and Wright’s Grove Pink are 
the best coloured kinds. Sow at middle and end of February in 
heat, prick out into boxes directly the plants can be handled, and 
re-box thinly so as to grow sturdily until 9 inches high, when they 
are planted in the trenches with a good ball of soil attached. The 
growth should be made without any check whatever to avoid its 
running to seed or hollowness of the leaves. The trenches are 
deeply dug out, the subsoil broken up, on which is placed a layer 
of manure, covering this with some soil from the surface, in which 
the plants are put out 1 foot apart. During dry weather water 
ought to be freely given, once a week is not too often. Stimulants 
should be varied to be of service in creating sticks thoroughly 
blanched 2 feet long. Earthing is not done in the ordinary way 
with soil; brown paper is employed wrapped firmly round the plants, 
which renders the produce clean and free from slug depredations. 
Commence to blanch about a month before the Celery is required. 
Parsnips in October and November are a strong dish in a large 
collection. Student and Hollow Crown are varieties to be depended 
upon. The best Parsnips are grown in prepared holes, made fully 
2 feet deep with an iron bar, filling up with sandy soi 1 , sowing two 
or three seeds in each at the end of January or early in February if 
the soil is dry. 
Brussels Sprouts should be ready in October for use, taking 
then the place of green vegetables, obtainable only during the 
early season. Exhibition is a reliable sort, so is the Wroxton and 
Aigburth. Extra large sprouts are not encouraged ; those firm and 
compact are favoured. Rich soil will produce them loose and soft 
to the feel. Firm ground is preferred to that which is loose. The 
first sowing is made early in March in heat, the next outside 
directly afterwards ; those in heat are pricked off into boxes, 
hardened, and planted 2 feet 6 inches apart. 
Globe Artichokes should be chosen for their close compact 
heads ; they ought to slightly incurve. Good soil is needed. A 
fresh plantation from offsets is best for late produce. 
Leeks are much more sought after now for exhibition than 
formerly was the case, when the blanched part was but a few 
inches long ; but now it is nothing out of the common to see 
Leeks with 1 foot of stem thoroughly blanched. Lyon is the best. 
The end of January is chosen for sowing the seed in heat, pricking 
off the plants directly they are large enough. Plant out like 
Celery, and feed well : earth-up with soil about twice. Beet is a 
telling dish in a large collection. Pragnell’s Exhibition and 
Cheltenham Green-top are thought the most highly of. The 
poorest soil is chosen to sow the seed in, about the middle of May. 
Dwarf Kidney Beans for the July shows are considered choice. 
Canadian Wonder is the only variety grown at Highclere. Sow at 
the end of March in pits, and grow as near to the glass as possible. 
They are not kept too hot or dry at any time. 
Vegetable Marrows are but a weak dish in September, but for 
July shows they are worth a place. The early part of April is 
considered a good time to sow the seed, Long White being the best 
sort. Handlights are used to protect the plants at first, when they 
are allowed to ramble at will.—A Rambler. 
THE EDINBURGH SHOW, 1891. 
Stealing Fruit. 
As an exhibitor at the late Edinburgh Show, and as a member 
of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, I beg to thank you 
for opening the columns of your Journal to discussion of the above 
subject. 
During the last quarter of a century I have been a frequent 
exhibitor at international and other shows held at Newcastle-on- 
Tyne, Leeds, Manchester, York, London, Dundee, Glasgow, and 
Edinburgh, and in all my experience I have never beheld such dis¬ 
graceful proceedings as can be witnessed at the close of each 
Edinburgh Show. For years pilfering has been going on, and 
gradually getting from bad to worse. In the past the Council of 
the Society have made light of complaints and have merely winked 
at the depredation of the light-fingered gentry until this system of 
plundering has become quite a joke to them. At a former Edin¬ 
burgh exhibition I had a stand of Grapes and a Pine Apple stolen 
during the second afternoon. The case was placed in the hands of 
the police, and the result was that four days after the exhibition I 
received a note from the Assistant Secretary saying that the stolen 
fruit had been returned to his office ; but the note was accom¬ 
panied with no word of apology or expression of regret at the 
incident. 
In regard to the closing scene of the late Show, accurately 
described by “A Visitor” and other correspondents, I wish to say 
that though supported by four assistants who was each in his place 
the instant we were allowed to lift, I lost severely in the single dish 
classes. Unless the Council guarantee that the exhibits in the 
future shall be better taken care of some exhibitors (myself included) 
willconsider it their duty not to expose their employer’s goods at 
an Edinburgh Show.— j. McIndoe. 
I can testify that this is no new complaint at Edinburgh, 
having 1 st a fine lot of fruit there of various kinds some years 
since. This was the more provoking as I had to send the greater 
part of it as presents to persons in the neighbourhood who were 
friends of my employers. When I reached the Show, however, to 
clear it away none of it was to be found. This was by no means 
satisfactory, either to the owners or myself, and I have not been 
to any show there since. I was slightly consoled on my journey 
home by a fellow passenger, who assured me it was well known 
