498 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 20. 
it be weeks—of an open and genial character; still, we must 
not allow ourselves to be lulled into a state of false security, 
—the fool’s paradise. It is manifestly our duty to base our 
practices rather on the average of seasons, than on almanacks, 
individual conceits, or even a good weather-glass, “ Safe 
bind, safe find,” is a wholesome old maxim, and there are 
few matters connected with the welfare of man but will bear 
a close application of this maxim. 
To nothing, indeed, does it more aptly apply than to 
gardening and farming; or why take so much pains to 
thatch stacks, to provide a good supply of litter, or to place 
our valuable roots in such a condition, as that we can not 
only get at them with facility when the earth is ice-bound, 
but also, that they may be safe from the rigours of a hard 
winter ? 
And here I cannot help remarking, that this kingdom 
has reasons abundant for the highest degree of thankful¬ 
ness to God for such amazing blessings as we are likely to 
experience during the approaching winter; at least, as far 
as the products of the land are concerned. Such crops of 
grain in general as we have-seldom seen; secured, too, in 
high condition; root-crops almost every where abundant; 
and added to this, such information from foreign parts, 
as assures us that the future winter is not only safe from 
the miseries of famine, but almost certain to be one of 
plenty to both man and beast, at home and abroad. Such 
impressions and feelings, I am persuaded, are not confined 
to an individual, to a parish, or a family; they are, and 
must be, national. 
And now about Potatoes. In these districts there has 
been most abundant crops, which are now in the main 
secured, or very shortly will be ; an increased breadth has 
been'planted. We have had a visitation of the disease, 
quite enough to make people look about them, but still, 
neither so lamentable in its virulence, nor yet so early in 
commencing its ravages. We have some new kinds in this 
district which bid fair to supersede the old ones ; this shows 
the importance of both raising new kinds, and of importing, 
occasionally, from Ireland or Scotland. The importance 
of raising new kinds from seed is a self-evident affair, 
for our old kinds of half a-century ago are almost unknown, 
and it is clear they have been fairly pushed out of cultivation 
by new kinds ; and whence new kinds, but from seed ? So 
that it is useless to slight the idea of raising seedlings on 
the plea that they have been known to suffer as well as the 
old kinds; the chief fact (just alluded to) still stares us in 
the. face. We have enquired of some neighbouring farmers, 
who have been examining their pits or hogs of Potatoes 
which have been pitted about three weeks, and they report 
about ten per cent, loss in that time ; not absolute loss, 
however, for they are all worked up for live stock of some 
kind. We have a kind called, locally, King William’s, 
which have suddenly become a great favourite; these appear 
to be an offspring of the old blue Farmer. We have, also, 
imported an excellent Irish Potato from a select stock; this, 
too, has proved a valuable assistance. Then the Fluke 
Kidney has attained an immense degree of importance, 
and deservedly so; it is an extraordinary thing, and an 
immense cropper, and it possesses the valuable property of 
continuing longer in growth than any other with which I am 
acquainted; in other words, the haulm and foliage better 
withstand the disease. I advise those in other parts, who 
find their own sorts slipping through their fingers, to try 
some of the kinds here recommended next spring. I will, 
with pleasure, put them in the way of getting them, if 
required, from this neighbourhood ; and I really think that 
no part of England excels us in Potatoes. 
The York Regent is probably one of the best eating 
Potatoes in this kingdom, or any other, but it is sadly liable 
to disease; I think the worst we have in that respect. I 
have grown them for four years, from a stock of seed pro¬ 
cured from the high clay lands of Derbyshire ; a tolerably 
select stock; but all this will scarcely do, and I fear I must 
•relinquish them. To those who put Potatoes in pits, I 
would say, be sure they are carefully picked from all tainted 
ones before they are covered; also, let them lie on a floor, if 
possible, for three or four days previously, so as to be dry when 
pitted. In addition, I recommend the trial of a mixture of 
fresh lime and fresh wood ashes, in about equal parts, dusted 
over every layer. And as another caution ; by all means pro¬ 
vide little chimneys or apertures along the ridge of the pit; 
one about every four or five feet. No man can doubt the 
propriety of liberating the steam which is sure to generate. 
Those kept in outhouses, sheds, or on floors, should be in a 
moderate body, not more than half-a-yard in thickness ; and 
after they have been in-doors for a fortnight or so, they 
should be carefully turned upside down, and every suspicious 
one removed. They should be kept quite dark, and should 
have some covering constantly; something which will keep 
off the action of the air, and yet let fermentation pass freely ; 
here, too,’the wood ash mixture may be tried; but let it be 
burnt to hand quite fresh, but not put on too warm. 
Swede Turnips and Mangold Wurtzel. —Accounts from 
all parts represent this crop as unusually abundant; so that 
whatever may be the failure in Potatoes, the Swedes and 
other successful root-crops will meet them in consumption. 
It will be good policy, as far as possible, to suffer the 
Swedes this season to be what nature intended them—a 
long-keeping root; and, as the season has been so propitious, 
I should hope that our allotment friends have strained every 
nerve to obtain common Turnips after other crops, or, 
indeed, anything which will enable their wives to keep their 
hands off the Swedes until spring advances, for they will then 
be more valuable. And besides, the Cottager wants to push 
on a store pig in spring, and to do this, he should always 
have a few Swedes to cook with every meal; for Potatoes, 
Carrots, &c., will prove too valuable for this purpose. To¬ 
wards the middle of this month, some of the coarser leaves 
may be plucked away from both this crop and the Mangold, 
for the cow or pigs, but this must be done carefully, a 
few at a time. As to lifting and storing the roots, there 
is no occasion to do so until the first week in November, 
unless the ground is required for some operation. Where, 
however, following rotations, or the introduction of such a 
valuable crop as spring Cabbages, render possession of 
some ground necessary, I should not hesitate to remove 
Mangold by the middle of October, and Swedes at the end; 
in fact, where a crop of early Cabbages is valuable, I at 
once recommend it; or even where land requires draining, 
or other important operations. For it must be remembered, 
that the class of men whom we here attempt to advance, will 
not be able to apply over-hour time until the following 
March ; therefore, they must of necessity beg a day from 
their regular occupation, and that day should rather be an 
October one, than a short day in damp and dark November 
or December. 
Carrots. —These have suffered fearfully from the grub 
in these parts, and many garden crops are taken up long 
since. Whenever they are thus infected, the sooner they 
are up the better, and their plot reoccupied: sound crops, 
however, may remain until the last week in October, but 
their tops may be cut off', and used progressively for live 
stock from the middle of the month. 
The Cabbage Worts. —These must now be of full size, 
and yielding both material for the house supply and 
for the pig, ifcc. I have before recommended that they be 
frequently looked over, and all the brown leaves plucked 
away, as soon as they turn in the least yellow : much useful 
stuff may be got thus for the pigs. The Colewortsjfrom July 
sowings must have the hoe run through them, for the last 
time, in the beginning of the month ; and the seed-beds of 
Cabbage sown in August should be clean weeded, and some 
of the more forward plants drawn and pricked-out in an 
open situation; or, if a plot be ready, some for the best 
early Cabbage planted Qut finally. The latter may be in 
rows about ten inches apart, the plants eight inches apart 
in the rows; and this with the view of pulling up every 
other row and every other plant in April, and pushing them 
into the market as good Coleworts. What remains, having 
now double distance, will make capital May Cabbage; the 
kind, however, must be of dwarf, early, and compact habit. 
At the end of October, it is well to cut some of the heads of 
forward Green Kale; this leaves the plants to produce very 
early sprouts in the spring. Some of the Brussels Sprouts 
might be served in a similar way. 
Onions, of course, harvest; care must be taken to keep 
them dry, and to draw out decaying ones. 
Parsnips. —These are better left in the ground until 
February; as they decay, their foliage may be collected for 
use. 
