May 8, 189D. ] 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTUEE AXD COTTAGE GARDEXER. 
88 » 
supply, that although the growth for export of early Potatoes is still an 
important industry of the Scilly Islands, it has now been superseded in 
the financial esteem of the farmers by the cultivation of flowers for 
Covent Garden Market. Last season no less than 200 tons of cut flowers 
were forwarded from the Islands to the various markets of England and 
Scotland by the steamer which plies between Scilly and Penzance, and 
in a single week of February in this year 20 tons were despatched. 
Nearly 100 acres in the Islands are devoted to the culture of the 
Narcissi, and the capital invested in this trade is reckoned at something 
like £250,000. The following details—collected during a recent visit— 
of the cultivation of the soil in the Islands, as at present conducted, 
will, it is hoped, prove of general interest. 
General husbandry was never very successful in the Sciily Islands, 
for up to the time of Mr. Augustus Smith’s proprietorship the farmers 
held their land on such precarious tenure that they refrained from all 
improvements, and contented themselves with growing a little corn and 
a few Potatoes, and breeding inferior cattle and sheep. Notwithstanding 
the introrluction subsequently of improved cattle, securer tenures, and 
larger holdings, farming, strictly so called, failed of ultimate success. 
It was then that market gardening stepped in, and for a long time 
proved exceedingly remunerative. The cultivation of the early Potato 
was one of the chief supports and occupations of the Scillonians, and 
every available space was planted with it. 
It was while the growers were in the flood-tide of this prosperity 
that the Lord Proprietor, looking ahead, recommended the Scillonians to 
turn part of their attention to the cultivation of the flowers which grew 
on the islands for Covent Garden Market. The majority were dis¬ 
inclined to give up Potatoes for flowers in ever so small a degree ; but 
one farmer thought over Mr. Smith’s suggestion, and colleeted some of 
the flowers growing on his ground. He sent the little lot to London, 
on which he cleared 2s. Cd.; and this was the beginning of the floricul¬ 
ture in Scilly, which has now reached giant proportions. 
Just about the time that the last report of these Islands was printed 
in the Journal the Scillonians were brought more into touch with the 
mainland by means of a steamer which was started to run between the 
Islands and Penzance, and by means of a telegraphic cable between the 
two. Thus the Potatoes found a quick market, and the growers were 
kept informed of current prices. For the first fruits of the Potato 
crop—generally in May—as much as Is. Gd. a pound has been received. 
Gradually the inhabitants ivere encouraged and stimulated to grow 
various new vegetables, and Asparagus, Seakale, Parsley, and Tomatoes 
were added to those sent to market. 
The growers had their anxieties and troubles then even as now. The 
exposed situation of the Islands, and the laek of woods and trees to 
provide natural protection to their fields from the biting winds and 
heavy gales which sweep over the land, gave them many a night in 
“ the open,” keeping up fires round the fields to preserve the budding 
Potatoes. 
It was this need of protection to their plants whieh caused them to 
supersetle the loose stone divisions of land by planting Laurel, Escallonia, 
and other picturesque shrubs for hedges. This planting of hedges was, 
indeed, the foundation and preparation of the new development in the 
farming of the Islands. To-day the land is no longer given up solel}- to 
the growing of Potatoes, Parsley, Asparagus, and Seakale, for a large 
proportion is devoted to floriculture—a combination which has answered 
well in every way. The result may be seen in the absence of poverty, 
in the quiet unobtrusive independence of the people, in the improved 
outhouses on the farms, and in the possession of better farming imple¬ 
ments. The people are neither so rich nor so poor as they have been 
(it was a proverb, “ Either a feast or a famine in Scilly ”), their life is 
freer of excitement than it used to be, and they seem to have fallen into 
the happy medium of comfort and content. 
Last season the following supplies were sent from the Islands to the 
various markets on the mainland by the steamer plying between Scilly 
and Penzance; — 
40,000 pads of fish (a pad is 50). 
200 tons of flowers. 
800 tons of Potatoes -f 230 tons sent by boats and smacks. 
150 tons of other vegetables. 
3 tons of Seakale, from St. Mary’s alone. 
5 tons of Tomatoes. 
The expense of carriage is lls. per cwt. to Scotland, and 7s. CJ. to 
Covent Garden. The talesman’s charge is 10 per cent, if he supplies 
boxes, and 74 if he does not. 
It would be difficult to find land anywhere so bursting with life and 
growth as th!it of the Scilly Islands ; and were it not for the occasional 
want of rain, and the too great prevalence of gales, there would be no 
limit to its productiveness. The temperature is never intensely hot in 
summer, nor intensely cold in winter. 
The soil of the Islands is composed mostly of decomposed granite and 
peat ; here and there it is as black as soot. The very rich land seems 
to run in veins, while other has good rich soil for some distance down, 
till it touches the cold white clay. The soil is very loose, and drinks 
greedily every drop of rain. It will not refuse “a shower everyday, 
and two on Sundays.” The rainfall is quite different here from the 
mainland. The average in Middlesex is 24 inches, in Scilly 31 inches, 
and in Cornwall it is 44 inches. Scilly would be glad of an inch a 
week. The soil, good as it is, lacks phosphate of lime and ammonia. 
both of which can, fortunately, be supplied in a great measure by the- 
seaweed manure. 
The method here of making seaweed manure is to make a bottom 
or foundation of earth. On this the seaweed is spread, and covered! 
with a layer of sand. After a month or two the juices have penetrated 
the earth, which is then ready to be carted away, and laid on the soil. 
The people use a peculiar-looking instrument for cutting through the- 
seaweed manure. It has a blade 8 inches long and 7 inches wide. If 
the seaweed be driven in when Potatoes are to be planted it is put 
straight on the earth, and often worked in by the plough, and the 
Potatoes planted in at once. Then the soil and seaweed mixed are 
turned over on the Potatoes. Potatoes planted in fresh seaweed are- 
waxy. In Scilly the Potatoes are planted mueh nearer the surface than, 
on the mainland. If they were so planted on the “ main ” they would 
be destroyed by frost. 
Out of the 35G0 acres—which are the figures of the last Government 
survey—2242 are tillable or improveable. 
Every farmer is more or le.ss a flower farmer, but the larger ones, 
grow also Potatoes, Seakale, Asparagus, and Tomatoes for the markets, 
as well as flowers. They keep a small number of cattle and sheep and 
grow corn, but only sufficient for home use. They make their own 
butter and keep poultry. But of all these last nothing is exported— 
they have sufficient only for home consumption. The butter is ex¬ 
quisite, and would be gladly bought on the mainland if it could be 
spared ; and the same may be said of the fruit, which is grown princi¬ 
pally at Bocky Hill and Holy Vale. It is excellent, but only sufficient 
for home use, and, moreover, the Apples are too mellow to bear paeking. 
St. Mary’s has an area of 1527 aeres, most of whieh is under 
cultivation. The largest farmer owns 70 acres of cultivated Land. 
Eight of these are devoted to flowers and 10 to Potatoes. He grows 
no other vegetable but a large quantity of Mangels. He owns twenty- 
eight head of cattle, three horses, and fourteen sheep. 
The cultivation of flowers has not reduced the amount of Potatoes- 
grown so much as one might think, and for this reason—every foot 
of land formerly waste capable of cultivation is laid under tribute for 
the flowers. 
An average-sized farm is held by a gentleman -who farms 36 aeres 
of tilled land, and 105 acres of common or waste land. Four or 5 acres- 
are planted with flowers, and about 7 -with Potatoes. He has twenty 
horned cattle and twenty sheep. He grows enough corn to feed the- 
eattle, and the grazing ground is eontained in the 36 acres. Seaweed is, 
he considers, by far the best manure for Asparagus. Tomatoes have so 
gone down in price that 9d. per pound is the price during December, 
January, and February. In planting he would use about 25 cwt. of 
seed Potatoes to an acre, and he -would consider between 4 and 5 tons an 
acre a good return. His preparation of the ground for receivings 
Potatoes is to well press it and plough it, and dress it twice with seaweed 
and compost, the latter consisting of road scrapings, earth, and “any¬ 
thing good.” It is then ploughed down, scarified with a cultivator, and 
left tc rest. Sometimes artificial manure is given, and a small quantity 
of guano is imported. On the waste lands an immense quantity of 
Ferns grow, which, being cut, make excellent beds for the cattle, and 
when they have served this purpose they form a capital manure. May 
and June are the great months for sending Potatoes to market, though, 
owing to the mildness of the winter. Potatoes planted in December are 
often drawn again in March, when there is a good sale for them. After 
Potatoes he gets a fine crop of Mangel. 
Seakale is largely grown on the Islands, and sent to the London, 
Birmingham, and Manchester markets. It is grown in the open air, and 
blanched in the same way as Celery, with the exception that it is 
planted on the surface instead of in the trenches. Seakale would be 
by far the most remunerative crop, and if only they could ensure 
3J. or 4d. a pound for it the Scillonians would go into its cultivation 
very largely. It requires no manure, but wants a light soil. At Tresco 
a great quantity is grown. The cost per acre is £30 or £40, the return 
£70 or £80. 
The island of Tresco, though only twenty minutes’ distance by boat 
(in fine weather), is much warmer than St. Mary’s, because of the sand 
all round it. Mr. Dorrien Smith’s farm at Tresco is essentially a model 
farm. He spares neither expense nor trouble, and when a successful 
result is attained he shares it with his tenants. He uses about 30 tons 
of seed Potatoes for planting. Twenty-five to 30 acres arc planted! 
■with Potatoes. Where possible they are planted on slopes, so as to 
escape the wind, and the order of planting is “ six rows, one miss.” The 
“miss” is well manured, and later on is turned up and spread over 
the six rows. Three tons of Seakale and 5 tons of Tomatoes were sent 
from here last year. From 17 to 20 acres are devoted to flowers. Mr. 
Smith is experimenting upon a parcel of land, dividing it into four, 
dressing one part with fish manure, one with farmyard manure, the 
third with seaweed, and leaving the fourth unmanured. He has twenty 
Channel Islands cattle and about 100 pigs. The food for the last is cut 
up, and cooked in a large boiler. The dried Fern makes good litter for 
pigs and cattle. 
All sorts of fences are tried on this farm for the protection of flowers 
and vegetables. The rush fences are too opaque. The shrubs require 
great attention, and occupy valuable space; but the open palings of 
■wood protect, -n-hile they permit the sun to play through. 
Of all the islands St. Martin’s produces the most Potatoes, while 
some of the earliest come from Bryher.—E. Bkewek (Journnl of the 
Itoyal Agricultural Society.') 
