-550 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 26, 1869. 
remained 670. One dozen weighed 8 lbs. 10 ozs.—G eo. Hawkins, 
Ewenny Priory Gardens. 
[The illustration has been prepared from a photograph of the wall 
in question furnished to Messrs. Webb & Sons.] 
TREATMENT OF SOIL 5 ’, MANURES, AND CROPS. 
Peas. 
I have had the pleasure of seeing Peas sown outside in 
December, and all the crop gathered and ground cleared in May. 
I would recommend this to all where the ground will allow the 
sowing in December, and there is no possibility of the seeds being 
killed. Sow Sangster’s No. 1 and Chelsea Gem ; I prefer the former 
where sticks and ground are plentiful, otherwise I would depend 
upon Chelsea Gem for this sowing. It has a good pod, fills well 
with good peas, is excellent in flavour, and it requires no sticks. 
The ground should be well manured and dug. It is proper that 
Peas follow any variety of the Brassica family, and suppose that 
we take a plot left vacant by autumn Cabbages, or an early supply 
of Autumn Giant Cauliflower, drills should be drawn 3 inches deep 
to G inches wide, and for Sangster’s 4 feet, and Chelsea Gem 2 feet 
fl inches apart. Sow evenly, but not too thick, and cover lightly. 
These will begin to push through during February, and must have 
some soil drawn up to them to protect them from the frost. Use 
plenty of brushwood for the bottoms ; I prefer Beech sticks, and 
clip the tops off level, so as to give a good appearance. 
Should the soil not allow of sowing in December or January 
for the first crop, procure some good fibre turves about 1 foot long, 
4 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. Lay them gra'-s downwards and cut 
out a groove 2 inches wide and deep ; sow the Peas in these, and 
stand them in a light greenhouse or frame. When the Peas are up 
and the turf full of roots, another turf the same size can be used 
or placed under them. Stand them out, or draw off the lights, to 
harden them, and when weather permits, and they are readj 7 , dig 
a trench, plant them out, and protect from cold winds and frost 
for a time. I have done this in cold wet districts, and have been 
very successful. I like turves better than boxes, as the soil is often 
loose it breaks and spoils the roots. A sprinkling of soot and lime 
or dust coal should be put along those planted outside, and well 
mulch after sticking. 
I think an excellent plan that may be adopted is to begin in 
January, and sow every month one, two, or three rows, to come in 
as a succession. The sowings can be carried on up till August. I 
do not care much for late Peas, but they must be had, and the best 
method to adopt is to dig a trench similar to that for Celery, and 
dig in a good supply of manure at the bottom, and during their 
growing period give copious supplies of liquid manure. The Peas 
I have found best for the early, second early, and late sowings. 
Early sowings, Sangster’s No. 1, William I., and Yeitch’s Selected 
Extra Early. These are for the sowings before Christmas or 
January ; or Chelsea Gem instead of all the above. A second 
sowing of the above can be made if the demand is great. For 
second or general crop I prefer Prodigy ; it is a fine, green, 
wrinkled Marrowfat, an enormous cropper, and it seems to be more 
self-supporting than most Peas. It gave great satisfaction in the 
dining-room. I also like Telephone, Stratagem, and Gladiator, and 
they give great satisfaction as to flavour. For late sowings Sturdy 
must take the palm for flavour, bearing, and for lasting longer than 
any other Pea ; but Autocrat, Maclean’s Best of All, and British 
Queen can be relied upon to give general satisfaction. I have given 
the constituents of the Pea, which must act as a guide to the 
cultivator as to the nature of the manure required. They are 
identical to the Vetches and Tares, and therefore if the plot can be 
treated as advised for other crops it will be found a success—that 
is, dig and sow with Vetches or Tares, and turn them in or trench 
in the spring. 
Broad Beans. 
The Broad Bean is so hardy that it can be cultivated almost 
with indifference. Some say they will not do on cold wet land if 
sown early. I have seen them good from very early sowings in 
almost rocky soil to nearly pure sand. Like the Peas it should 
succeed Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnip, Brassicas, and the Turnip ; 
but what is more important is it can be grown under difficulties. 
It is not a favourite, and I will give it little room here. Sow 
Mazagan in November. In February sow the main crop of Veitch’s 
Improved Longpod, which is an exhibition variety ; and successions 
of Early Longpod and Broad Improved Windsor in March and 
April if wanted. 
Kidney Beans. 
I think the Kidney Bean is a favouiite with all. I would sow 
on a good warm border at the end of April Canadian Wonder for 
the early supply, and a few rows can be had here and there where 
small spaces are vacant. The sowings should take place about 
every fortnight till the end of June. The best sorts are Canadian 
Wonder, Ne Plus Ultra, Longpod, Negro, and Newington Wonder. 
Sow in rows 14 to 2£ feet apart, and draw the soil up to the plants, 
thereby leaving a trench, which if filled with liquid manure tho 
finer will the crop be. 
Scarlet Runner Beans. 
Everyone who possesses a yard of garden is able to procure a 
supply of these Beans in most seasons, but a very hot summer 
offers an exception to this rule. The scarcity of Runner Beans 
can best be shown by stating that the price of a bushel was 10s. in 
1887, a hot summer, while in 1889 they fetched just one-tenth of 
that sum. How was it that they were scarce ? and how could the 
scarcity have been averted ? I can speak for the success of ours, 
which was due to having a good trench prepared for them, and with 
fully 6 inches of manure dug in at the bottom, and to their receiv¬ 
ing several waterings of liquid manure during their growing season. 
In 1889 I must say that ours were the finest I ever saw, and the 
secret of this was that they were grown upon the plot of land 
heavily dressed and trenched the year before for Brussels Sprouts. 
I claim no credit for this, as it was by accident they were placed 
there without any preparation. 
They love to run in a cold manure during summer, and a trench- 
best suits them. I would sow Veitch’s Mammoth Scarlet the first 
week in May ; sow the seed as close again as wanted, and thin out- 
to proper distance when starting to run. Sow Painted Lady and 
Scarlet at the end of May for a succession. Keep the hoe going 
amongst them, and well water during hot dry weather. 
While on a visit to Mr. Smythe of Basing Park Gardens, he- 
showed me a fine sowing of a dwarf Runner Bean, in which he was 
taking a special interest, and judging by their power to stand almost- 
as erect and self-supporting as the French Bean, and while bearing 
a heavy crop of pods too, every one being preserved for seed. If 
the progeny prove as good as the parents appeared to me, this will 
prove a great acquisition to those that dislike tall runners and 
others that require all the space that can be spared without being 
shaded, and also to plant Winter Greens between them.—G. A.. 
Bishop. 
OUTDOOR PEACH CULTURE. 
I was much pleased to read an article on the above subject on 
page 482 of your valuable paper, and, like Mr. Thos. Record, I 
hope some day to see more attention given to this system of grow¬ 
ing Peaches. Our forefathers were able to produce excellent crops 
of fruit on trees outside, and surely our climate has not undergone 
such a change for the worse as to prevent gardeners of the present, 
day obtaining like results, I have always maintained that if any¬ 
thing approaching the same attention and care were accorded to- 
outside trees as to thes3 under glass good crops would be the rule,, 
and not an exception, as they are at present. I admit there are 
some gardens so badly situated as to render the cultivation of 
Peaches outside impossible, but in the majority there is nothing to 
prevent their being grown satisfactorily. If the trees are on a. 
south wall I do not consider it necessary to devote more than 
4 feet of the border to the trees, as by judicious lifting and root- 
pruning the trees are kept in a more healthy and fruitful state, and 
the roots are kept nearer the surface and in smaller compass, and 
are therefore more easily fed, and the remainder of the border can> 
be utilised for early vegetable crops. 
I have only had to record one failure—viz., this season—during- 
the last ten years. The nine years previous we had splendid crops- 
of excellent fruit, and I agree with Mr. Record that for colour, 
firmness of flesh, and briskness of flavour they could not be sur¬ 
passed by the best examples of indoor fruit, and that on a border 
which has been cropped annually to within 4 feet of the wall with 
such crops as early Peas, Potatoes, and salads, besides raising all 
the Brassicas for planting, and at present the trees look promising 
for next season. We only protect them when in bloom, and then 
only with a strip of canvas 54 inches wide stretched from the top 
of the wall at an angle of 60°, and the damage from frost has been 
almost nil. 
In regard to pruning I consider it best to cut out all wood not 
required immediately the tree is cleared of fruit, so as to give that 
required for next season the benefit of all the light and air. The 
disbudding, syringing, and feeding with liquid manure should be 
as carefully attended to as it is in the case of their more favoured 
brethren under glass. 
Gardeners who are favoured with three or four good Peach 
houses can maintain a succession of fruit independent of outside 
walls, but tho majority are not so happily situated, only having 
one or two small houses devoted to Peach culture. To such I 
would say, Do not believe those who say that Peach culture out- 
