April 15. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
M 
D 
D 
W 
Weathf.u near London in 
1853. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
| R. & S. 
Moon's 
Age. 
Clock 
bf. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
APRIL 6-12, 1854. 
Barometer. 
Thermo, j Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
6 
Tn 
Uropoda vegetans. 
29-948—29.828 
59—41 s.w. 
02 
27 a 5 
39 a 6 
3 
4 
9 
2 
31 
96 
7 
F 
Prince Leopold born 1853. 
29 . so 6 — 29.726 
57—32 1 W. 
— 
24 
40 
3 
38 
10 
2 
13 
97 
8 
S 
(Oxford Term ends. 
30.119—29.809 
53—28 N. 
06 
22 
42 
4 
7 
11 
1 
56 
98 
9 
Su N 
Palm Sunday. 
30.304—30.1/5 
50—31 N. 
04 
20 
44 
4 
28 
12 
1 
39 
99 
10 
M 
Carabus clathratus. 
30.128—30.039 
55-29 W.W. 
— 
18 
45 
4 
47 
13 
1 
22 
100 
11 
To 
Nebria GyllonhalU. 
30.161—30.082 
60-37 W. 
— 
15 
47 
5 
3 
14 
1 
0 
101 
12 
w 
Leistus brunneus. 
30.015—29.687 
56—32 N.W. 
— 
13 
49 
5 
18 
15 
ft 
50 
102 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick,from observations during the last twenty-seven years,the averapre highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 56°and 34.4° respectively. The greatest heat, 72°, occurred on the 6th in 1848 ; and the lowest cold, 22°, on the 
6th in 1845. During the period 96 days were fine, and on 88 rain fell. 
The two Peas which come next in order in our series 
j of papers, though good in themselves, and well worth 
cultivating, are, nevertheless, of such a character as not 
to admit of their being entitled to any important con¬ 
sideration when put in comparison with others of the 
same season as themselves. It is to be borne in mind, 
that while we are fully analysing each variety, and 
furnishing all the information that we can furnish 
respecting it, one of the most important objects we have 
in view is to show wherein, and to what extent, it is 
inferior or superior to others which are in use at the 
same time; and, even although it may possess good 
qualifications, still, if these are either not so good as> 
or no better than, those of other varieties already in 
cultivation, we think we are doing a service in recom¬ 
mending its discontinuance. 
Champion oe Paris. 
This variety has now been before the public for the 
last four years. It was introduced by Messrs. Beck, 
Henderson, and Co., of the Adel- 
phi, London, and is an excellent 
Pea of its season; but, as it comes 
in at a time when Champion of 
England and Ringivood Marrow 
are in full production; and, as it 
is not so richly-flavoured as the 
former, nor so early as the latter, 
neither does it possess any quali¬ 
ties which are superior to those of 
the varieties just mentioned, we 
think its cultivation may be 
dispensed with. Still, it is a 
much superior variety to Shilling’s 
Grotto, as it fills much better, and 
is a day or two earlier. 
The plant is of vigorous growth, 
with a simple stem five to six feet 
high, very rarely branched, and 
produces from eight to ten pods 
on each. The pods are generally 
single, but sometimes in pairs, 
from three - inches - and - a - quarter 
to three-inchcs-and-three-quarters 
long, and five-eighths-of-an-inch 
wide; they are curved almost as 
much as those of the Cimetar, 
and when coming to maturity 
they become very fleshy, wrinkled, 
No. CCLXXXVIII., Vol, Xlt. 
and thick-backed, in the same way as the Frames do. 
They contain from six to seven large Peas, which are 
close together without being compressed. The ripe seed 
is white. 
The seed was sown on the 5th of April, and the 
plants came into bloom on the 10th of June; on the 
11th of July the crop was fit to be gathered. 
Shilling’s Grotto. 
When this variety was first introduced, some ten 
years ago, it was a great improvement on all the second 
early sorts which had been previously in cultivation; 
and consequently it rapidly acquired an extensive 
popularity. Even to the present time it is one of those 
which are generally regarded as standard varieties. 
But we very much suspect it has attained, if not passed, 
the zenith. Champion of England, Ring wood Marrow, 
and Paradise, are all in use at the same time as it is, 
and there can he no doubt they are all superior to it. 
Why, then, should it remain in cultivation, and swell 
the list of unnecessary varieties? 
The plant is of a strong habit of growth, always with 
a simple stem, four-and-a-half to five feet high. The 
pods are generally single, but frequently in pairs, three- 
inclies-and-a-half long, and about half-an-iuch wide, 
slightly curved, and, when fully matured, they assume a 
thick-baekcd and somewhat quadrangular shape; each 
pod contains, on an average, seven large Peas. A great 
objection to this variety is the tardiness with which it 
fills, the pods being fully grown and apparently filled 
when the Peas are quite small and only half grown. 
The ripe seed is white. 
The seed was sown on the 5th of April, and the 
plants came into bloom on the 15th of June; but the 
pods were not fit to gather till the 12th of July. R. H. 
(_To he continued .) 
In the twenty-third verse of the twenty-third chapter 
of St. Mathew’s Gospel, our Lord taunts the Scribes 
and Pharisees with neglecting “ weighter matters,’ 
whilst they were scrupulous even to “ pay tithe of 
Mint, and Aneihon, and Cummin.” 
The force of the reproof is not felt unless we under¬ 
stand that the law only required the tytbe to be paid 
from the grain and fruits which were cultivated by the 
Israelites. The scrupulous observers of minor points of 
the law, paid tithe upon all the herbs of their gardens, 
whether cultivated like Mint for its leaves, for its seeds 
