194 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 5, 1889. 
are lifted and transplanted, sd that the permanent crop roots 
remain 3 feet apart each way. Intercropping with vegetables, or 
anything that can be quickly removed, is customary in the first 
year, especially where it is the practice to place out the rooted 
divisions 3 feet apart at once, thus avoiding the after labour of 
replanting, though more ground is occupied. In the third and 
fourth years the plants are in their best condition, yielding the 
largest number of spikes and the greatest per-centage of oil when 
the seasons are favourable, but they are often continued on the 
ground for several years afterwards, and it has been stated that 
they will yield profitably for ten years. Retaining old plants is, 
however, one of the mistakes of cultivation, and unless a constant 
succession of young stock is maintained, rigorously destroying 
old roots as soon as they give signs of failing, success cannot be 
expected. A plantation should be made every year, and then no 
difficulty is experienced in keeping up the supply. To the neglect 
of this some of the older growers rightly attribute the majority of 
failures that occur. 
Beyond keeping the land free from weeds scarcely any cultural 
attention is needed, and when at the end of July, or usually early 
in August, the flowers are sufficiently advanced to commence cutting 
the bunching is not a serious matter, and the expense incurred in 
this does not materially reduce the cultivator’s profits. The fields 
have to be gone over several times, as the spikes are not all fit for 
cutting at the same time, and it requires a little care and experi¬ 
ence to select the heads when they are in the best condition, with 
the majority of the flowers expanded. If they are intended for 
distillation they are conveyed at once to the stills, where either the 
flowers only stripped from the stems are employed, which yield the 
finest oil, or the stalks and flowers are distilled together, and as the 
oil from the latter is more volatile it is possible to separate the 
finer from the coarser products by retaining that first distilled over. 
When to be sold in the market the spikes are bunched and sent in 
dozens, being gathered when dry, and usually a day or so before 
they are wanted ; thus for Monday’s market, when a good quantity 
is sent in, it is all gathered on the Saturday, and the bunches 
placed in cool dry sheds. In Covent Garden Market Lavender is 
re-sold to dealers or retailed by the herbalists in smaller bunches. 
Frequently also the flowers are stripped from the stems and sold 
in neat little bags termed lavenderettes, or loose by measure at so 
much per pint. 
The profits to be realised from Lavender culture with good 
management and moderately cheap land, that with a calcareous sub¬ 
soil being apparently the best for the purpose, are sufficient to 
render it well worth attention, and under favourable circumstances 
a very substantial return is obtained. Selling the flowers direct 
seems to be considered more profitable than distilling them, and 
when £50 per acre can be secured it certainly looks promising con¬ 
sidering the small outlay necessary. A healthy plant three or four 
years old should produce at least fifty spikes, and this would give 
2000 bunches of 120 spikes each, and these are sold at 5s. or Gs. per 
dozen bunches. This is perhaps the best return that can be 
obtained, just when the plants are in their prime and the weather 
is fine. The average probably would be scarcely more than 1000 
bunches per acre, producing £25, though this ought to afford a 
good profit. In some bad seasons and from old plantations less 
still is secured, and one grower has this year only cut about 300 
dozen bunches from twenty acres. There is as much difference in 
the yield and quality of the oil, for this is said to vary from 10 lbs. 
to 30 lbs. per acre of plants, and the quantity is so dependent upon 
the weather that it accounts for the growers preferring to sell the 
spikes as cut unless, as is sometimes the case, they have a still upon 
their land. There are several large distilleries in this part of 
Surrey, both at Mitcham and in neighbouring districts, and it is 
the custom of some of the owners to let the stills to the smaller 
growers for short periods until they have disposed of their stock. 
The U3e of Lavender for domestic purposes dates back to the 
time of the Romans, and as it was employed in perfuming baths 
the generic name was considered to be derived from the Latin verb 
signifying to wash. There seems to be some doubt if the true 
Lavender, L. vera, was the plant thus employed ; and L. Stsechas 
is probably the species that was most generally known. At one 
time Lavender was supposed to be the Spikenard of the Scriptures,, 
and Phillips, in his “ History of Vegetables ” (1822), devotes- 
several pages to an attempt to prove this. Spikenard is now 
determined to be the product of quite a different plant— i.e., Nar- 
dostachys Jatamansi, one of the Valerians. It is not known when 
Lavender was first used in medicine, but concerning its officinal 
qualities Dr. Hogg has given a full account in his “ Vegetable 
Kingdom,” in which it is noted that L. Stsechas “ is very fragrant, 
and rubbed between the fingers it emits the odour of camphor,, 
because its essential oil contains much stearoptine, which is 
the crystallisable principle of essential oils. It is considered 
useful in pulmonary affections, also as a good anti-spasmodic.’” 
L. vera is “ bitter and aromatic, tonic, and stimulating to the 
nervous system.” “ Lavender drops ” consist chiefly of oil of 
Lavender with oil of Rosemary, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg, 
coloured with red Sandalwood, and this preparation bearing the 
name of tincture of red Lavender is recommended as a stimulant 
and cordial, especially in flatulence, and to some extent as a 
substitute for sal volatile. Lavender lozenges are used in the same 
way, but are a milder preparation and a very agreeable confection.. 
In Johnson’s “ Gerard” (1633) the true Lavender is mentioned as 
Lavandula flore coeruleo, and it is said respecting it, “ The flowers : 
of Lavender picked from the knaps, I meane the blew part and not 
the huske, mixed with Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves, made info- 
powder and given to drinke in the distilled water thereof, doth- 
helpe the panting and passion of the heart.” The principal modern- 
use of oil of Lavender is as a perfume, and mixed with spirits of 
wine or other ingredients it constitutes the popular Lavender water 
of the shops, and which perhaps is more largely used than any 
other form of scent. The oil is said to improve by keeping for two 
or three years, but after that time it is necessary to add alcohol to 
preserve its properties. The oil is contained in glands, which are 
chiefly found on the calyx, the corolla, and the leaves, though they 
also exist to some extent upon the stems and flower spikes.— 
L. Castle. 
STRAWBERRY GROWING. 
Some little time ago I noticed many of your correspondents had 
a good word to say for Laxton’s Noble Strawberry. They did not 
say too much in its favour. My garden is very cold and exposed, 
the soil also being cold and heavy, so that nothing is favourable for 
obtaining early fruit; but in spite of these drawbacks I was able 
to gather fruit of Noble on Whit-Sunday, a good week before any 
other variety. The trusses were very large, and the fruit truly 
immense, the crop far exceeding that from Sir Joseph Paxton, 
which I consider far and away the best and most profitable all¬ 
round Strawberry. Noble I hear is being largely planted by the 
trade, and I do not wonder at it, for they would not exhibit their 
usual acumen if they did otherwise. I was able to obtain 2s. per 
pound for my earliest Nobles, and the purchasers were delighted 
with the fruit. No other variety was so profitable, for I obtained 
a much higher price for the fruit, and the crop was the largest of 
all. Next to Noble, Sir Joseph was most profitable, carrying an 
exceedingly heavy crop of handsome fruit, but not so early as 
the Yicomtesse H. de Thury, which succeeded Noble, and also 
carried a heavy crop, but the fruit was small, the flavour, however, 
being the best of all to my taste. To those who are now making 
their new Strawberry beds I would say, Plant Noble, Vicomtesse, 
Sir Joseph, and Oxonian to obtain an early, medium, and late crop 
of good fruit off plants which are all good growers. Laxton’s 
King of the Earlies is certainly very early, and the flavour of the 
fruit is good, but it is a weak grower, and I do not consider it 
profitable. Mr. Laxton has now sent out his Latest of All, and if 
all I hear from a reliable source is true this Strawberry is a very 
valuable introduction, and should be tried by all those who, like the 
writer, are anxious to obtain a good thing. 
Lucas I do not likej although large. Forman’s Excelsior, which 
was the only reliable cropper on the gravelly soil of Totham, does 
not seem to appreciate my heavy land here. Sir C. Napier, British 
Queen, J. Yeitch, and others were none of them half so satisfactory 
