312 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER 
[March 7. 
Frame Potatoes, that may be at this season freely 
growing, should be examined, to ascertain whether 
they are getting too dry ; if so apply tepid water, 
but by no means be too liberal in its application, as 
it might be likely to make the tubers close and 
watery, and be an encouragement to disease should 
it appear. With us, up to the present time, the 
early crops of potatoes are very healthy and clear 
from any disease. 
Rhubarb. —This very useful vegetable may be for¬ 
warded at least a fortnight, by merely inverting good 
large flower or sea-kale pots over each crown. Search 
out the crowns with some care, so as not to injure 
them, and finger them round well, to see that there 
are no slugs in any crevices or corners; if any arc 
found, give a good dusting of quick lime, and on 
with the pots immediately. Advantage should be 
taken of any dry hour in the day to do such sort of 
work as this. 
Peas. —The present is a good time for sowing a 
row or two of any of the tall Wrinkled Marrowfat 
peas. I have generally found it a good plan to sow 
these Knight’s tall-growing peas in solitary rows— 
that is, a row here and there about the garden; the 
plant is the more open to light and air, and is, con¬ 
sequently, much more productive. Neither is there 
so much harbour for the sparrows to secret among 
them, as when sown in parallel rows over a whole 
quarter together. 
Broad Beans may still be planted in full crops, or 
a few rows, as a succession to the principal crops 
which were planted in November. 
As pa rao us Beds. —The spring dressings should 
now be attended to; take the digging-fork and care¬ 
fully fork them over; break the soil and manure it 
well up together; that is, give plenty of labour, but 
be careful not to injure the crowns in so doing. Pick 
out all sticks and stones, as it often happens that 
such matters come in with the manure. If you par¬ 
ticularly wish to finish the beds on the same day, do 
so ; but if not, as in some heavy soils, the beds would 
be as well, and perhaps much better, if forked up 
about the first week in March ; breaking the earth 
pretty well, and then letting them remain so for a 
Aveek or ten days; then, on some fine day, rake them 
off neatly, raking the refuse into the alleys. The 
beds being made complete, the refuse may be forked 
in, in the alleys, the whole being made neat, and a 
row of lettuce may be planted along the centre of 
eacli alley. J. Barnes & W. 
MISCELL ANOEUS INFORMATION. 
OUR VILLAGE WALKS. 
No. 22. 
It is very cheering once more to see the cottage- 
gardens and cottage allotments in activity, and daily 
increasing in interest and beauty; but I miss the 
potatoe—-or rather, I should say, 1 miss the ground 
that used at this season to be waiting for its accus¬ 
tomed crop. The cottager lias patiently planted his 
potatoes every year since the fatal disease attacked 
them, hoping that he might rejoice still in a fair re¬ 
turn from this most valuable root; but this season 
he seems to have given up the attempt, or the seed 
was too scarce and dear to be procured. lanes of 
light, delicate green now fill the narrow strips of the 
allotment ground; very few patches are left unoccu¬ 
pied; and the summer beauty of the gardens will con¬ 
sist chiefly in the ivaving corn, and thick masses of 
swedes, instead of the rich foliage of the neatly hoed 
potatoes. The loss of this root has been seriously 
felt by the poor; it has fallen heavily upon them, 
and has deprived them of one of their principal 
sources of profit and enjoyment. Bread is allowed 
to be the staff of life; but bread alone—merciful 
as is the gift—is not so nourishing, so comfortable to 
the poor, as a dish of hot potatoes. They seem to 
warm and satisfy the stomach more than a crust of 
dry bread, which, in the district where I live, is the 
chief food of the labouring classes—“ and,” as many, 
many have said quietly and unrepiningly, “ not 
enough of that.” The potatoe disease bears the im¬ 
press of God’s hand, deeply and clearly; it comes 
immediately from Him. Men have tried unweariedly 
and scientifically to discover its origin; they have 
endeavoured to assign this reason, or that cause, but 
in vain ; it is not this or that; it stands boldly and 
awfully before our eyes as one of God’s “ sore judg¬ 
ments;” and the poor view it as such. They set us 
a bright example. Science, learning, and unbelief, 
sometimes walk hand-in-hand, and lay subtle traps 
for the “wise and prudent;” but the poor look 
directly to the hand that “ gives them their food in 
due season,” and if it fails, they know from whence 
the affliction comes. Were it not for this firm con¬ 
viction, liOAv much avb should lament for the priva¬ 
tion that lias befallen the people! But let us remem¬ 
ber the declaration of God himself, Avlien “ his arrows 
Avent abroad” among the JcAvish people : “Your ini¬ 
quities have turned away these things, and your sins 
haA'e Avithholden good things from you.” This is the 
secret of a nation’s adversities—of the famine—the 
pestilence—the mildeAV—and of all the troubles and 
evils that befal the people. Let us “hear the rod, 
and Avho has appointed it.” Let us humble ourselves 
before the just chastening of an Almighty Father, 
and in these days of pressure, of doubt, and of per¬ 
plexity, let us look to Him only for deliverance. 
The Avay in which the poor dress this favourite 
vegetable has always been a subject of regret to me, 
because it is so difficult to persuade them to alter 
their long established habits, and do anything in a 
Avay in which they Avere never used to do it. If you 
see the lid removed from the large black saucepan 
boiling on the fire, you Avill find the Avater bubbling 
over a heap of potatoes, lying hidden beneath the 
flood, soaked and sodden. When the Avater is poured 
off, and the potatoes placed in the dish, they are 
SAvimmiug in liquid, and cut open like pieces of soap, 
instead of looking dry, floury, and enticing. A dish 
of “ laughing ” potatoes is seldom seen in England— 
they are drowned in Avater ; and are as unwholesome 
to the stomach as unpleasing to the eye. Potatoes 
should never be peeled before boiling, but placed in 
the pot in their skins, Avith only a very little water at 
the bottom, just to prevent the lower ones from burn¬ 
ing, and to produce steam. Cover them Avith the lid, 
and let them steam till they are soft. When a fork 
Avill pass through them, place the pot by the side of 
the fire, remove the lid, and let the steam pass off. 
In this situation they Avill keep hot till they are 
wanted, and Avill then be floury and Avholesome, and 
ten times more agreeable to the taste. I wish I may 
induce some of my cottage readers, Avho still possess, 
or can procure them, to dress them in this Avay, and 
try if they are not nicer and more Avholesome both 
for themselves and their children, who are generally 
so fond of potatoes as to eat them whether good or 
bad ; and when such lumps of indigestible food are 
SAvallowed, Avith little else to afford nourishment, 
Aveakness and disease naturally ensue. In Guern¬ 
sey, the loAver classes steam their potatoes in a large 
