296 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 11, 1889. 
from that time forth I kept a close account of what went into the 
kitchen ? Where there is the slightest suspicion of such dealing I most 
strongly urge the keeping of a daily list as a check against the consump¬ 
tion ; it serves two purposes, being also useful for future reference in 
another season. 
A fertile source of complaint is that occasioned by vegetables 
remaining in the house some days before being used. This is sometimes 
caused by taking in more of any given kind than is immediately 
required. Take Celery, for instance ; this rapidly deteriorates both in 
crispness and flavour after being exposed to the air, and after about 
two days if used with cheese do not be surprised if it is considered some¬ 
what tough and stringy. French Beans and Scarlet Kunners when 
becoming flabby must of necessity lose some of their flavour. It is the 
same in almost all cases, more or less, but perhaps more so in that of 
Mushrooms than in any other esculent. These should never be taken in 
for use until close upon the time when they are required. I have seen 
them on the kitchen table for hours before they were needed. With 
these and many other vegetables in which water predominates to a high 
per-centage there must of a necessity be rapid evaporation and consequent 
injury to the other component parts. In every case where possible the 
vegetables that are in the house should be examined, and none allowed 
to remain to give rise to any complaint; this can be done as often as 
the fresh ones are taken in. 
It is somewhat singular, but nevertheless true, that due provision is 
seldom made for keeping vegetables in good condition after having 
passed out of the gardener’s hands. If meat or any species of game are 
delivered means are at once taken to keep everything as well as possible. 
For this purpose safes are provided, and refrigerators also when needed. 
But in the case of vegetables any odd corner will do, no matter how 
draughty or what the surroundings may be, old boxes, drawers, and 
cupboards sometimes being used. This should not be if freshness is 
aimed at, wood acting as an absorbent to a high degree. It would be 
better to keep them in old biscuit tins than in wooden boxes ; but what 
would be better still is either on a slate slab or a stone floor, where the 
surroundings are more oi less moist and cool, avoiding as much as 
possible a draughty position. The close trimming of vegetables, if not 
immediately required for use, is, I think, a mistake if carried to the 
extreme. Take Lettuce for an instance, which if pulled for use in the 
morning and trimmed close to the edible part, begins to wither if not 
used till the evening, with a consequent loss of its crispness. To avoid 
this, either take the salading into the house later in the day, or leave 
more of the outer leaves,with the addition of a good souse in clean water. 
In the preparation for and cooking of vegetables there is much to be 
desired from many a gardener’s point of view. We are indeed fortunate 
if any of us escape some slight blame at times from this source. Where 
there is only one person kept in the kitchen, that one, of course, has to 
do everything, and very often it will happen that this part of my 
subject receives in such cases better attention than in some others. If 
two or more are kept in this department, to whom falls the lot of 
preparing and cooking the vegetables ? Is it not almost invariably the 
work of the junior ? Perhaps the latter may have only just started in 
service, for of course all must have a start; then woe to the vegetables 
both in the preparation and cooking for a time unless close supervision 
is exercised by those placed over her. One need not wonder if more 
vegetables are used in such instances. The Potatoes will have their skins 
sliced off, not carefully pared, whilst other tubers are treated in a some¬ 
what similar manner, the extremities of Beetroot not even escaping. 
For want of experience it is an easy matter to waste Seakale by cutting 
away the lower portion of the blanched growth instead of retaining as 
much of it as possible. The same thing occurs frequently with Brussels 
Sprouts, whilst French Beans are rendered very tasty ; but it is the 
taste of the knife with which they have been severely sliced where the 
absurd idea exists that it is needful to waste so much time in spoiling 
this tender esculent. 
I cannot spare time to quote more instances in the preparation, but 
will proceed to the cooking of the vegetables. For want of experience 
and forethought they are frequently done to pieces as it were. Take for 
instance the Potato, which often comes in for cruel usage, brought 
about, more often than not, by rapid boiling and too much of it, instead 
of just keeping them on the boil. Another omission is frequently made 
in not allowing them sufficient time to steam after the water has been 
poured off. I know a gardener who had repeated complaints made to 
him of the quality of the Potatoes he was sending into the kitchen. At 
last, getting somewhat tired of this and feeling sure that the fault was 
in another direction, he decided to have some of the same kind of 
Potato cooked in his own house and sent direct to the dining room, 
with the result that his employers were convinced that it was not the 
quality of the Potato that was at fault. This was an extreme mode 
of procedure, but the man could not be blamed for defending his own 
reputation. 
I had the complaint once made to me that the Seakale we were 
sending in tasted bitter. I was for the time somewhat puzzled, but upon 
inquiry from a reliable source I was induced to suggest that more 
water should be used in which to boil it; no more complaints were 
made. If not watched carefully Cauliflowers are liable to be shattered 
into fragments from excessive boiling, and Asparagus also will lose 
their heads from the same cause. In order to do justice to our vege¬ 
tables, I maintain that they should have equally as much care bestowed 
upon them as is given to meat and pastry. I am afraid there is in 
many instances an idea existing that the cooking of vegetables is not 
worthy of the notice that is bestowed upon fancy dishes. There is no 
palpable reason why this should be the case ; surely the products of 
the employer’s own property should, if any difference is made, have 
the precedence. In concluding this part of my paper it is only right 
to state that an impression exists in the minds of some young gardeners, 
when having charge of the kitchen supply, that mere size should be the 
chief standard of excellence. This is a serious mistake, and one, too, 
for which some of the awards of judges at flower shows may be made 
responsible, size counting for too much in the estimation of some of 
them. When this is so there is of necessity a sacrifice of quality and 
a lack of tenderness which is soon discernible when cooked and 
placed upon the table. 
(To be continued.) 
The Summer Show op the Royal Horticultural Society.— 
We have the pleasure to announce that their Royal Highnesses the Prince 
and Princess of Wales have signified their intention of visiting the 
above Show, in the Temple Gardens, London, on May 30th. 
- At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, held on April 9th, in the Drill Hall London Scottish R.V., 
Westminster, the Rev. W. Wilks, M.A., Secretary, in the chair, the 
following candidates were duly elected Fellows—viz, Mrs. Aitken, 
W. T. Baker, S. Lee Bapty, Arthur Baxter, Mrs. L. W. F. Behrens, 
T. B. Bolitho, Herbert E. Curtis, J. R. Featherby, Miss C. S. Flint, 
Mrs. Garth, Mrs. Grout, Thomas Hall, Geo. Hammond, John Kingston, 
Miss Hutton, Sumner Jones, Dr. C. Mordaunt Mathew, Albert Molineux, 
H. G. Morris, T. B. Morton, Henry R. Rainger, Mrs. Francis Ricardo, 
Samuel Ryder, Dr. C. P. Sandberg, Henry Sibray, J. B. Slade, Hon. Mrs. 
Alex Stewart, John G. Treseder, W. C. Wigley, and Bernard G. Wilson. 
- The Weather in London.—A low temperature has pre¬ 
vailed in the metropolitan district since our last issue ; but little rain 
fell till Tuesday, and it continued throughout the night and the 
following day, which was almost as dark as midnight in Fleet Street, 
Vegetation is late, but we observe the young shoots on Lilac bushes are 
2 or 3 inches in length in suburban gardens. 
- The Weather in the North.—“B. D.” writes:— “The 
first week in April has been cold and sunless, with a good deal of 
drizzling rain and chilling easterly winds. The greenness of the 
hedges around is just perceptible.” 
- Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, send us sprays of Rhodo¬ 
dendron (Azalea) Vaseyi, a deciduous shrub of slender habit, and 
bearing at the tips of the branches clusters of small bright rosy Peach¬ 
like flowers. It flowered last year for the first time, but has proved 
even better this season. 
- In Memoriam—James Ridout.—M ost rosarians in the 
south of England vill learn, I am sure, with as much regret as I feel in 
announcing it, that the excellent and worthy gardener of Mr. T. B. 
Haywood, the Hon. Treasurer of the National Rose Society, has passed 
away at a comparatively early age. Many of us have seen the proofs of 
his prowess as a Rose grower ; and many have also (for its hospitable 
gates were ever open) of the beautiful grounds which he had under his 
charge at Woodhatch, Reigate. Of all the pretty places about that 
