380 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 15. 
native than sowing on ground that is what farmers call 
in “ good heart,” let it bo done under such circumstances 
as will tend to check undue luxuriance, immediately 
after another crop, and that without any digging, or but 
very little of it will invariably lessen the tendency to 
grow strong, but, in a usual way, some place or other 
will present itself, where the crop can be put in with a 
fair chance of doing well; and it is needless here re¬ 
minding the cultivator of the necessary after - work of 
thinning, hoeing, and so forth. 
Winter Spinach , too, is a plant not wanting a very 
generous soil, only from a different cause ; for though 
the leaves would, no doubt, be more crisp if quickly 
grown, yet the plant would not be in such a good con¬ 
dition to resist the cold, and the juicy pores of the 
foliage expanding with the frost would burst their re- 
| spective cells, and a damaged leaf would be the con¬ 
sequence; hence the propriety of sowing winter Spinach 
on ground not too highly manured, and a plant is pro¬ 
duced, that by growing gradually becomes inured to 
the changes going on around it, and, finally, is able to 
resist more cold than its high-fed neighbour. 
Cauliflower plants intended to stand the winter in 
some sheltered place, without the assistance of glass, 
had better, also, be planted on a plot not too recently 
manured, unless they be planted very thick, in which 
ease they will require some nourishment to bring them 
out; if under glass in winter, a complete exposure to 
the air on all favourable occasions will partially coun¬ 
teract the luxuriance engendered by a generous soil; for 
it must be admitted, that climate and other things 
exercise a wonderful influence on the well-being of each 
crop, as well as the soil in which it is planted, and a mild 
winter, by prolonging, or rather continuing the growth 
of almost all kinds of green crops, unfits them for the 
severe weather that may follow; this, however, is often 
rectified by the gradual approach to severe cold which 
an all-wise Providence usually provides. Nevertheless, 
it the mildness has been such as to advance the plant 
beyond the size at which it is capable of enduring cold, 
its partial or total destruction will follow. This was 
especially the case with Peas in February, 1853. How¬ 
ever. as it is needless multiplying cases here, I will 
confine my observations to another crop or two which 
suffer by too high feeding. 
It is well known, that while the numerous and im¬ 
portant Cabbage tribe like high living, there are others 
whose properties are not exactly of a kind in which gross¬ 
ness of growth becomes their criterion of excellence.— 
Herbs of various kinds being but sparingly used, and that 
only for the flavour or smell they impart, are much de¬ 
teriorated in their qualities by being planted in soil 
which produces them too strong; for as a dry and next 
to barren bank produces the sweetest Mignonette, so a 
soil not too nutritious furnishes sweet Herbs having the 
most odour ; consequently, whenever these things want 
renewing, this fact must be borne in mind, and mere 
luxuriance is, or ought to be, a secondary consideration. 
I might also add, that a bright, unclouded summer has 
a beneficial effect that way, too, for the same reason that 
it has on fruits,—the grosser parts of the vegetable 
being held in check. Atmospheric influences favour the 
better development of the more admired parts, and it is 
owing to tlie absence of sufficient sunshine and other 
causes of a similar nature, that certain products of ours 
are not so good as those of some continental districts of 
the same, or, perhaps, a higher north latitude; while, on 
the other baud, we must not grumble because an all- 
bountiful Providence has placed other advantages in i 
our hands more beneficial, certainly, and better adapted 
to supply our wants. 
There are certain cases wherein a great addition 
might be made to the above list of things, that conduce 
more to our likings when a certain amount of abste- 
I miousness is forced upon them. I have known a garden 
' too rich to grow Peas , except immediately after another 
! crop, and that without much labour bestowed on it. 
; The plant exhausted itself in haulm. Even Potatoes 
are not always benefited by a too liberal application of 1 
the good things; their quality is either impaired, or a 
| sort of scabbed outer surface is occasioned, thereby in- I 
j curriug a good deal of waste. This, however, I may 
| observe, is an exceptional case, for Potatoes usually are 
benefited by having a nourishing soil to luxuriate in; 
1 but, as will be easily understood, the season acting an 
important part of the plant’s economy, a showery one 
acting in unison with a good manuring is not unlikely 
to be more productive of haulm, than of good, sound, 
useful Potatoes. This, of course, is irrespective of 
disease, which, when opportunity offers, seems to attack \ 
all alike, but which, as has been said elsewhere, has 
been less hurtful the present season, in the district I 
write from, than for many years. J. Robson. 
NOTES FROM PARIS’. 
The difference of geographical positions, and the 
greater distance from the open sea, render the climate 
here much milder than it is in general near London, 
and this circumstance of itself produces a variety of 
subjects more or less interesting and instructive to horti¬ 
culturists on the other side of the channel; the inventive j 
genius of the French people, also, is so striking in 
almost every department of art and science, that a few 
observations relating to gardening can hardly fail, I 
think, to be acceptable to the majority of your readers. 
With your permission, therefore, I forward the following 
notes of my visits to gardens, nurseries, and markets in 
this quarter, and which I shall be happy to continue 
from time to time. 
The state of the crops is everywhere a subject that 
interests all, and in France it is, for certain reasons, of 
even greater anxiety than in England. For some time 
past people have been inquiring as to the prospects of \ 
the ensuing winter, and the replies have been very 
satisfactory. With respect to the harvest, the Moniteur 
of the 5th contained accounts from some of the 
principal departments, and the result has been a con¬ 
siderable fall in the price of cereals everywhere. At 
Lille, near Belgium, for instance, Wheat, the other day, 
fell fully four francs the hectolitre (about a quarter), and 
the report from Grenoble, which is about the north east 
extremity of France, states that the harvest is nearly 
over in that department, and that it has not been so \ 
abundant since 1840. The accounts from other depart- j 
ments are equally cheering. When we can state so 
much respecting farm produce, it is not unreasonable to 
expect similar accounts as to garden crops. Potatoes 
are plentiful in the Parisian markets at the ordinary 
average prices, and, on the whole, there is nothing to 
complain of as to quality; the worst samples I have 
seen contained only a very few tainted tubers. But 
still, I have been told, by persons competent to give an ! 
opinion on this point, that the disease is more virulent 
this year than it has been since 1840. The extent of 
ground planted, however, is very great, and this circura- 1 
stance may neutralize its ravages ; while it is gratifying 1 
to know that other kinds of vegetables are very 
abundant. Fruit too, of all kinds, is very plentiful, and, 
consequently, cheap enough. The common sorts, such 
as Cherries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, and Currants, 
have been selling in the market at little more than a 
penny a quart, and in the streets they are even cheaper. 
Apricots, about the size of pigeons eggs, may be had at 
from 2d. to 3d. a dozen. A variety of Plum, called here i 
Prune de Monsieur, is equally cheap. Cherries and I 
Currants have been especially abundant in France j 
