July ll, :m J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
31 
This is really allowing the “feelings to go before the understanding." 
Certainly if a man sets himself to think, it matters not if the object be 
small or great so long as he does think, and thinks to the purpose. 
Where I formerly resided in Salop there was a great quantity of the 
shrub Snowberry. The roots of these Snowberries had run along and 
intersected the shrubbery in all directions, throwing up suckers, and 
forming, in some places, an almost impenetrable jungle ; and the bright 
idea came into my head one fine day that this stuff might be made 
useful in some way as to protecting my Strawberries. I thought at 
first of spreading it entirely over the surface of the ground, but con¬ 
cluded that would be too gawky. A few hours after I was looking at 
some } r ellow Sallows, and the idea came upon me in a moment. The 
Snowbepries certainly would make nice little faggots, and long ones, 
too, bound round with some of these very Sallow twigs. 
It was winter time. I set to work next day, and did not cease this 
employment till 200 of these little faggots were completed. They were 
each 5 feet long, G inches in diameter, rather flat than round, and tied 
rather loosely with the yellow Sallow twigs mentioned above. The 
small side-spray, of which there was a profusion, was allowed to remain 
rather loosely about them. I placed them in a dry loft till the proper 
period of using them. 
I placed these alongside my Strawberries about the time they were 
coming into bloom. I fastened each faggot down in its place with a 
hooked peg sufficiently long to steady it ; for expedition, neatness of 
look, protecting the fruit from wireworms, slugs, and dirt. Let the 
rain, however severe it might be, pour upon them, it could not injure 
them ; they were either suspended in the air, or reclining on the sides of 
the faggots, and in ten minutes after the severest storm were perfectly 
dry, with scarcely a splash of dirt upon them. The rows of red berries 
exposed to view irregularly along the side-spray of the faggots have a 
rich and very pretty appearance. The plan perfectly satisfied me, and I 
intend to improve upon it another year. The faggots were taken up 
after the bearing season was over, and placed in the dry, and would 
probably, and have, for all that I know to the contrary, lasted till this 
time. We came to this place the following spring before the Straw¬ 
berries came into bloom, and we found not a plant in this garden to 
faggot. I had a fine flowery description given to me of this garden 
before I saw it; but, alas ! what a “ baseless fabric of a vision ”—how 
supremely bamboozled was I. I found it a dreadfully worn-out affair, 
and almost as far off what it was represented to be as it is to its anti¬ 
podes. However, upon the principle that when a man’s cart sticks in 
the mud, it is very little use calling on Jupiter for assistance unless he 
puts his own shoulder to the wheel, I set myself to work. The following 
winter found this garden very much resembling a gravel pit. 
I had the good fortune to meet with one of the best working labourers 
in this country, and he came to me with the understanding that he was 
to do as I wished, and not to argue on a matter, whether he thought it 
right or wrong (the man that I employ occasionally now comes upon the 
same principle, and it saves me an immense amount of time and argu¬ 
ment). Suffice it to say, the following spring found this garden under 
quite a new arrangement, with Strawberries again in prospective. I 
have explained how I placed the small faggots along each side of the 
plants there ; but as each of my plants are 1 foot 6 inches apart, there 
are interstices between each, which also require a something similar to 
the sides. I find, in order to report progress “ faithfully,” I must here 
make another digression. I have no Snowberry undergrowth here to 
make faggots ; and, in fact, being in a town, as we are, I have not got 
any wood at all but by purchasing. 
Hereon hinges a talc of wants. I wanted small spray for making 
my faggots ; I wanted dwarf Pea sticks ; I wanted charcoal for potting 
purposes; I wanted wood ashes when sowing my seeds ; I wanted stout 
sticks for different gardening purposes ; I wanted slender stakes and 
sticks for my flowers; I wanted stakes with forks, and pegs with hooks' 
I wanted something, and after all this picking and choosing, to burn 
the large and small wood remaining over and above economically, and 
our household wanted home-baked bread. Now comes the explanation. 
This house had been in existence, according to the chronicles, this 
two hundred years, and most likely, for that period of time, its inha¬ 
bitants have felt themselves dissatisfied with eating baker’s bread—I 
know I did—and I did not see why, even if the house had existed so 
long without an oven, that it should do so any longer. The Strawberries 
were at the bottom of all this. If wood was bought to heat the oven, 
the small faggots and all the other et-ceteras would follow in the wake. 
A useless copper boiler was instantly turned out of the kitchen, and a 
nice little oven built on its site, at a very little expense, a convenience 
that we could not possibly dispense with ; and yet see how the thing 
originated—merely because I found myself in a fix as to the Straw¬ 
berries. These are all mere trifles, yet in the aggregate they make a 
sum of human happiness. The small faggots I make here from the 
wood we.buy are chiefly composed of Hazel. They are 4 feet long, 
G inches in diameter, and instead of Sallow twigs I use tar-cord for 
bands. In the interstices between the plants I place loose sticks cut 
about 1 foot in length, and in sufficient quantity to keep the fruit well 
from the ground ; the faggots I place exactly as heretofore. 
Now the last, and not the least, enemy are the birds. I defy them 
also. Their numbers are legion. My Strawberries are so planted, that 
the old mended fishing-nets I buy exactly cover two rows. Up the 
centre of these two rows I drive some stakes (about 1 inch diameter, 
2 feet G inches long) into the ground, allowing their tops to remain 
above the leaves about 6 inches. I place them from 10 to 15 feet apart. 
Along the top of these stakes, which have a short natural fork on their I 
tops, I strain a line of tar-cord—the forks at the top of the stakes being 
merely for the convenience of so doing. The net is now placed{along 
the top of this, and strained down to the small faggots at the sides, 
which effectually secures it, and keeps it down in a kind of way that I 
defy any bird to gain admittance ; and, in consequence of the net being 
suspended along the tar-cord above the plants, the foliage remains in its 
natural position, allowing the sun and air to penetrate and circulate in 
every direction without let or hindrance. 
In gathering the fruit it is merely necessary first to release the net 
on one side of the two rows entirely; let it remain suspended on 
the top of the tar-cord, and gather the fruit off that row ; then 
fasten down that portion of the net, and proceed on the other side in a 
similar manner. In unfastening the net from the faggots, the utility of 
pegging them down will be at once perceived. 
The after-management of the plants that are to remain till another 
year claim my attention unceasingly. I keep them free from all runners 
and weeds, and the surface soil amongst them well scarified, but never 
on any account more than inch in depth. As to cutting off a healthy 
leaf, fancy cutting off a little piece of one’s own lungs ! would it be- 
possible to enjoy the full vigour of a constitution after that ?— Upwards- 
and Onwards. 
[We hope to hear from this correspondent very often ; he is “ a 
fellow of infinite humour,” but a good gardener withal.—E d. C. G., 
July 12th, 1851.] _ 
CABBAGE LETTUCE NEW YORK. 
I had some seeds sent for trial this spring, and amongst them 
was a small packet of a Cabbage Lettuce named New York, which 
I have no hesitation in saying is a real acquisition, and when better 
known it will become a general favourite with growers and consumers. 
It is the largest Cabbage Lettuce I have seen. It is a quick grower, 
hearts well, comes into use very soon, and stands for a long time in 
good condition. The quality is excellent ; it is white, sweet, and crisp,, 
and stands the heat and drought without running to seed better than, 
any Lettuce I know. Paris White Cos and All the Year Round 
Cabbage Lettuce were sown with it on the same border on the 14th 
of March, and are now bolting rapidly, while New York is as firm and 
crisp as could be desired, and not the least signs of it running to seed, 
I consider it the best Cabbage Lettuce in cultivation.—A. Pettigrew, 
Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 
RICHMOND, SURREY. 
The Richmond Horticultural Society’s fifteenth annual Show was 
held as usual in the Old Deer Park, Richmond, and amply realised 
the favourable expectations announced a short time before. It was, 
in fact, one of the best the Society has had both in extent and 
quality of the exhibits generally, while it is doubtful if the display 
of Roses and floral decorations have ever been equalled at Richmond. 
The Roses in particular were very numerous, and it was said that 
as many were shown as at the last three or four exhibitions together. 
Four spacious marquees were devoted to the exhibits, the largest 
being 240 feet long by GO feet wide, and this was occupied with the 
specimen plants and groups, the last named constituting one of the 
special features of the Show. The other marquees were filled with 
Roses, miscellaneous cut flowers, vases, &c.; the fruit, vegetables, and 
cottagers’ productions also having a tent to themselves. The competi¬ 
tion throughout was very keen, and not one of the 103 classes was 
unrepresented, nearly the whole of the prize money was appropriated, 
and in some cases there were eight and twelve entries in each class. 
The weather proved exceptionally fine, a remarkable contrast to that 
experienced at last year’s Show, and the result was the receipts at the 
gates were nearly doubled. The courteous Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. H. 
Ford, his energetic assistant, Mr. Gribble, and the Committee must be 
congratulated upon the well-merited success of their efforts to maintain 
the reputation the Richmond Show has so long enjoyed. 
■ Plants, Trade Groups. —Messrs. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, had 
a bright group of Begonias, Liliums, and Orchids set in foliage plants. 
Messrs. Puttock & Shepherd of Kingston had a very pleasing group of 
Liliums, Bouvardias, Petunias, with some good Palms and Ferns for a» 
background. Mr. Gordon of Twickenham showed one of his fine collec¬ 
tions of Liliums with Acers for dressing. Mr. J. Chambers of Hounslow 
had a collection of Diplacus, Phloxes, &c., with beltings of his fine white 
Viola Snowflake. 
Competing Groups .—Of these there were three in the chief class, 
and Mr. W. Brown of Richmond, practically the champion of the dis¬ 
trict, was placed first with one of his best arrangements, in which a. 
few highly coloured Crotons and Lilium auratums told well. Messrs. 
Fromow & Sons, Chiswick, were second, and Mr. W. James of Norwood, 
who trusted chiefly to Orchids for effect, was third. 
Smaller Groups .—The best of these came from Mr. Buckland, 
gardener to G. J. Adkins, Esq., whose group, if less gay with colour than 
the second placed one, which was bright with Orchids, was at least 
far more tastefully arranged. Mr. F. Wigans, gardener of East Sheen, 
was second. Mr. H. Little of Twickenham had a fine collection of 
Orchids not for competition, which formed a special attraction. There 
were Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and Miltonia vexillaria in quantity, and 
numerous otlier forms in great beauty. With competitive plants Mr. 
Little was well first with six bold specimens, having Cattleyas Mossiae 
