November 29 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
121 
limited either in respect of room or manure to make 
trial of it. I form and fill the trenches as recom¬ 
mended by Mr. Turner, the only difference being that 
I allow a few inches greater width (two feet and a 
half instead of two feet), but, instead of a single 
row of plants at twelve-inch intervals, I plant a 
double row at these distances in each trench, arrang¬ 
ing them thus. 0 0 0 0 ° 0 ° The advantage of this 
arrangement in the saving of room and manure must 
be obvious, the only question being as to the compa¬ 
rative weight of produce. Now, the result of the 
trials made this year to ascertain this important point 
goes to prove that the plan of planting in double 
rows loses nothing by comparison with the other. 
J planted three trenches, 24 feet in length, with double 
rows, with the exception of about one-third of their 
extent, which in two of them were planted in only 
single rows, the distance from plant to plant, and the 
treatment in every other respect, being the same in 
both cases. During the first stages of their growth 
the double rows had certainly the advantage, and 
this they maintained, more or less, until their final 
earthing, when no perceptible difference could be 
detected in the appearance of either, and ultimately 
the weight of the sticks in the single and double por¬ 
tions of the respective trenches were as nearly as 
possible equal, averaging now from four to five pounds 
each, and some upwards. I have also a very good 
late crop on Mr. Barnes' plan, which I think a very 
excellent one, and, of the three, the best adapted for 
the smaller class of gardens, inasmuch as it admits 
of a larger number of plants being grown on a given 
space and quantity of manure, and is more easily 
protected from frost. But again I must insist on the 
necessity of plenty of liquid, for without this I do 
not think it possible to obtain celery of that crispness, 
sweetness of flavour, and solidity of texture, which 
constitutes its perfection. Solid manure may give it 
size, but in the absence of sufficient liquid the heart 
and leaves will be always, more or less, pithy and 
hollow; such, at least, has been my experience on the 
light porous soil of my garden. In the early stages, 
and in dry weather, the liquid manure should be 
weak and copiously supplied, but when the plants 
have attained the height of 18 or 20 inches, and par¬ 
ticularly in dry weather, it may be given in almost 
any degree of concentration. It should not, how¬ 
ever, be poured in contact with the plants, to avoid 
which it is advisable that the surface of the trench 
at the sides be left an inch or two below the original 
level of the ground in which it is dug, and also after 
the plants are set out that it should shelve slightly 
downwards from the centre towards the outside edges. 
In this way a sort of gutter is formed, along which 
the spout of the watering-pot can be made to traverse, 
and within which channel the liquid will necessarily 
be confined. W. C. G. 
BEAN PLANTING. 
If the weather should prove favourable, and the 
ground rich and good, a. crop may be planted to any 
extent in the last week of this month, or the first 
week in December. The better the ground is, the 
better the beau does in it. I have used very strong 
pig manure for many years, and at a very bountiful 
rate, and planted my principal crop of beans at the 
time above mentioned ; and, what is more, I do not 
know who has finer crops of this vegetable every 
year. The sort of bean I plant principally at this 
time is called Johnson's Wonderful. I have heard it 
called also Jameson’s. It is an excellent hardy sort, 
a real good bearer, and the best of long pod varieties. 
To plant them, if in light soil, well manure and dig 
the quarter first; then measure out the rows from two 
feet six inches to three feet apart; then strain the 
line, from north to soixth, along the quarter; put on 
your apron, if you have one, if not, take your nail¬ 
ing pouch, to hold your seed handily before you ; 
then take the dibble, and make holes right and left 
of the line, about two and a-half inches deep, or if 
three inches, none the worse, and quickly drop in 
the seed with the left hand. Let both hands work 
quickly, and keep your two feet close to the line, 
rather dragging them along, which will cover the 
seed nicely, and leave your work in a neat and tidy 
order. On the other hand, if the soil be a very re¬ 
tentive one, I would prefer digging the quarter and 
planting it as I went on, as before recommended for 
potato planting. 
T. Weaver, Gardener to the Warden of 
Winchester College. 
EXTRACTS EROM CORRESPONDENCE. 
Prize Gooseberry Trees. —This being the “ sear 
and yellow leaf” season of the year, and consequently 
the best time for planting all kinds of fruit trees, I 
will give the readers of The Cottage Gardener the 
benefit of my experience in the way of purchasing 
prize gooseberry trees. Having read the communi¬ 
cation of a contributor at the commencement of the 
present year on the weight and names of the best 
prize gooseberries in cultivation, I was induced to 
apply to the same writer for a supply, who referred 
me to a firm at Manchester, from whom I procured a 
catalogue of all the prize kinds, at prices which the 
poorest amateur could not cavil at. I then ascer¬ 
tained the cost of carriage, per rail, from thence to 
here, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, a distance of up¬ 
wards of 100 miles, to be only Is fid per cent. On 
this I acquainted my neighbouring cottage friends of 
my intention of having a supply, who to the number 
of about twenty joined me, and we got a number of 
all the best sorts, as recommended in The Cottage 
Gardener, which averaged i'2 14s a gross; and 
although they were not planted until March, some of 
their fruit actually got to the weight of upwards of 
21 dwts. by autumn, and all have turned out beyond 
our most sanguine expectation. This week (Novem¬ 
ber 12th) we have got another supply, which trebles 
our former order, and it is our intention this year of 
having a gooseberry show in our parish, which, it is 
to be hoped, will be the means of raising a spirit of 
honest emulation among us, and encourage a taste 
for the delightful pursuit of gardening. Should this 
be the means of inducing other parties to get some 
of the prize kinds, they will soon find that they sur¬ 
pass the old sorts not only in profitableness but also 
most of them in flavour.—G. J. Bell. 
Wall-flower Cuttings. —Sometimes things grow 
at a season unseasonable, as I have reason to know. 
On the 24th March last, I got a large branch of the 
finest Golden Drop wall flower I ever saw. It was 
in my power to get it then, but it would not be so at 
a later or more genial season. I set all the slips I 
could get (about 20) on a sheltered bank, having a 
western exposure, kept them covered with a cap, and 
sheltered and shaded with a bass mat as cold or heat 
made necessary; and though they were slower in 
rooting than usual, I have 15 nice plants of them 
now. I think it would be well if gardening books 
said, “ Cuttings of- succeed best in (suppose) 
May, June, and July; but there is yet a chance in 
