Junk 1. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
161 
size, and in other respects not at all promising. Now, I 
as there are many acres of Black Currants grown in this j 
neighbourhood (Linton, in Kent) to supply the London , 
market, it is needless to remark, that a good crop is of 
very great value to the occupiers, and few people reckon 
on a failure with this fruit; and I may add, that last 
year the crop was pretty good though not a heavy one; 
but the year before, 1852, there was a partial failure, j 
similar to the present one, which was certainly the first 
ot the kind that had been observed here. Now, as we 
cannot lay the blame to those universal scape-goats, the 
east winds and spring frosts, which are too often 
erroneously charged with the destruction of blossom that , 
was never perfect, it would be better to look to other 
quarters for a cause, as the blooming of this fruit 
taking place when that of others were doing so likewise, 
ought to exempt spring frosts from the charge of being 
the cause of its loss. Neither have insects seemingly 
had any hand in it; for though some of the top leaves ' 
swarm with Aphides, still, these did not make their 
appearance until after the fruit had set, or, in fact, did 
not seem to have any connection with it, and are not in 
any respects more numerous than in other seasons, 
when we have had abundant crops; other causes must, 
therefore, be sought for. 
When we take into consideration the dull, cold, and 
almost sunless season we experienced last year, we : 
need not be surprised that much of our fruit blossom 
was imperfectly formed, or deficient of some important 
part necessary to success; in fact, T am surprised that | 
so much of it lias been formed good; still, it seems 
remarkable for this one to fail and others succeed- The 
crop of 185,2 was much the same, although fruits were 
by no means so plentiful that season as they give 
promise to be this; but the Black Currant was not so 
much affected, and the remaining berries swelled out 
very well. Now, as it is of importance to compare notes 
with friends in the distance, I should like to know how 
the croji is affected in other districts. I have heard from 
some that no particular loss seems perceptible; hut the 
time at which i write, the 20th of May, is, perhaps, too 
early to determine the case in the late districts. I, 
however, hope the loss is only partial, as f am always 
sorry to hear of diseases of a general character—they 
are always difficult to overcome—that I hope this may 
not be repeated. I may add, that the plants seem I 
healthy when not attacked with Aphides, as above stated, 
and these attacks are by no means extraordinary, that I 
hope the plant will throw off its tendency to such 
mishaps, and once more, as of yore, enable us to reckon 
with a certainty of having this fruit to count upon, if 
many others fall a prey to the elements. 
I cannot close this paper without adverting to the 
same causes to which I considered the absence of fruitful¬ 
ness in the Peach might be traced, namely, the want of 
fresh varieties; for, however good the present ones may 
have been, there is a period beyond which it is in vain 
to expect a healthy and fruitful issue; and as the Black 
Currant has never been regarded as one of the fashion¬ 
able fruits for table, it has received very little from the I 
hands of the patient improver of fruits, consequently, 
the kinds planted by our great grandfathers are very 
often planted now, and not unlikely some of those germs 
of disease which exhibit themselves in some more 
conspicuous form in other trees, are here displayed in 
reducing the blossoms capable of bearing fruit. It is 
needless to observe that fresh blood is wanted to 
renovate the worn-out constitution of a faithful and 
useful old servant, and as 1 cannot affirm that any 
other kind has suffered, save the old variety, few 
growing any other kind, and I have none "myself 
in that bearing state calculated to judge upon, 
I should like to know if the Large Black Naples, 
and other new kinds, have been equally affected; and if 
disease has shown any other features elsewhere ; or, in 
lact, if it has shown any disease at all; for though I 
adopt that term, it is merely by habit; for, unless we 
admit the inability of a plant to bear fruit under adverse 
circumstances to be disease, it would not he right to 
call this failure by that name. However, I have said 
enough to call attention to the fruit in other places, and 
now beg to add, that any further development of the 
cause which may present itself will be equally useful 
and interesting. 
Although 1 may shortly be writing some particulars 
ol the fruit crop and the season in this county, I 
will add, that, 1 believe, on the whole we (in Kent) 
have sustained less damage than others in the Midland 
district, or even those immediately bordering on the 
Metropolis, from some of which 1 hear sad complaints 
of the blackened shoots of trees bursting into leaf, and 
the consequent loss of fruit crops, while with us the 
damage done by frost has never yet amounted to the 
injury of a potato top; other causes have, certainly, 
blighted the prospects of some things. The caterpillar 
has been very busy amongst the Gooseberries, and 
Plums show symptoms of dropping off to a greater ex¬ 
tent than they gave promise at one time, yet it is too 
early to speak with confidence as to the final result; 
but I will report the same at some early opportunity. 
J. Rouson. 
NOTES ON THE BROCOLI. 
The time-honoured maxim, that there is “a particular 
time for everything,” seems hardly applicable to this, in 
so far as regards the sowing and planting, and still less 
so in the produce, for we find it recommended to sow a 
few of these in all and each of the growing months of 
the year, and, of course, planting is performed at the same 
periods likewise; and some cultivators have gone the 
length to say that they have contrived to have heads of 
Brocoli every day in the year from one kind alone; 
be this as it may, it would not be prudent for the 
young cultivator to depend on one kind alone supplying 
all his wants, for emergencies may occur wherein the 
best contrived places may fail producing the desired 
eftect, and as one of these may, in the chapter of chances, 
come round just at the very time when it is least 
acceptable, it is important to be prepared for it; however, 
as the article Brocoli includes one of the most useful of 
our winter vegetables, and is, besides, of great service to 
the most humble class of cultivators, it is, perhaps, 
desirable to enter rather freely into its cultivation and 
other features. 
Like most of its family, it continues its growth all 
the winter, when mild, and, of course, it arrives at 
maturity sooner or later, according to the mildness or 
severity of the season it has passed through. Still, its 
good keeping qualities render it available at most times 
for the table; and I have, for a period of upwards of 
three years together, had it, or Cauliflower, fit for table 
every week during that time, hut an extraordinary 
period at length put a stop to the regularity of the sup¬ 
ply, but as unusual periods of drought or severity may 
not be expected every year, it is not right to abandon 
a plan which, generally, is successful. A few words on 
the sowing and planting of this vegetable will, therefore, 
be not out of place here. 
Contrary to many things else, some of the varieties 
which continue iu use until a very late period in spring 
require to be sown much earlier than those intended for 
autumn and early winter supply. Of this class the 
1 Vilcove is very good, when true; it is no better than an 
older variety with leaves much more undulated, called 
Bowles's Sulphur, this variety, when true, seems to stand 
the winter best, and being dwarf occupies but little 
space; but it differs widely from Dwarf Hussain ox Miller's 
i 
