October 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
11 
of this vegetable, where not assisted by copious water- 
j ings from the manure tank; so that a considerable 
autumn growth may be expected when moister weather 
does set in, before which, however, take the opportunity 
j to earth it up carefully, and continue to do so at favour- 
j able intervals hereafter, as the system of allowing celery 
! to become large before earthing at all is not a safe one 
j at an advanced period. 
Cabbages sown in August may be now pricked out on 
some well-prepared bed; the object of this is to obtain 
a more sturdy growth in those not wanted till spring, 
instead of the crooked long-legged plants they would 
have been had they remained on the seed-bed; in so 
doing, do not forget a fair proportion of the Red: those 
planted out for Spring Goleworts, some time ago, will be 
benefited by the ground being stirred in dry weather. 
Lettuces may also be planted out on a south border; 
we prefer planting them in beds of about three feet and- 
a-balf wide, to be hooped over, and at this width an 
ordinary garden mat will cover them when laid length¬ 
ways on, which in very severe weather, in winter, it will 
be necessary to do. 
Artichokes, having commenced bearing early this 
season, have ceased, and, in a measure, ripened propor¬ 
tionately soon ; clear all seed stalks from them not bear¬ 
ing useful heads, but allow the decaying leaves to re 
main, as we consider them the best and most natural 
covering for this half-hardy vegetable. 
Carrots may now be taken up and stored away in dry 
coal ashes, which w r e prefer to sand, as being less likely 
to encourage decay; they also keep pretty well thrown 
loosely on some open shelf, raised a little from the floor, 
the current of air passing through and below them tend¬ 
ing to their preservation; this, of course, relates to cellars 
and similar damp places under ground ; in more dry or 
airy situations they would shrivel under such treatment, 
but the plan of close packing them in wet saud (or which 
is likely soon to become wet) is bad, the vital powers of 
the root not being sufficiently strong to preserve it from 
the decaying influence of such a position: much, doubt¬ 
less, depends on the ground they have been grown in, and 
other circumstances. Parsnips and Beet are better in 
the ground yet awhile, they being less injured by worms 
and other casualties than Carrots. 
Potatoes that are yet in the ground must be now 
taken up and stored away, not too thickly, in some cool, 
airy place, having first examined and picked out all 
diseased, or doubtful ones; look over those previously 
taken up, as it often happens that the disease is most 
fatal just immediately after taking up. 
Mushrooms.—P repare dung and other materials for 
beds: the fresh droppings from the stables that have 
never been heated is the best, and when you get it, be 
careful to turn it often to sweeten; if allowed to heat in 
such a manner as to look white and mouldy when 
worked amongst (what gardeners call burnt), its utility 
for musliroom-beds is much impaired. 
Take advantage of moist, showery weather to plant out 
Batavian, and a little White curled Endive; the latter 
can only be expected to stand if the winter be a mild 
one; the former, being more hardy, may be planted in 
greater quantities; be careful, in planting, that the earth 
just around the plant be very fine, or slugs will find a 
hiding place in such a manner as to escape the liming 
you may give the plants afterwards; where they are 
planted on a border, having a box-edging by the walk- 
side, run a train of lime or soot along the inner side of it, 
which will form a sort of barrier over which the slugs are 
not likely to sally in their attack on the newly-planted 
vegetable. As slugs are very apt to lodge in box-edgings, 
this remedy, or rather protection, may be applied to 
other crops as well as Endive. J. R. 
[Owing to a mistake, Mr. Barnes, who will write in other 
departments of our journal in future, has sent us his 
customary contribution, and we insert it, because it con¬ 
tains, as usual, many good bints. Henceforth the Kitchen 
Garden will be confided to J. R., who is head gardener to 
an English nobleman, and whose name in due time will 
appear. —Ed. C. G.] 
Artichokes should be attended to forthwith, and the 
earth’s surface well scarified about them and loosened 
up pretty roughly; and when rain prevails, or on a dewy, 
mild morning, dredge the earth’s surface with air-slaked 
new lime, in order to extirpate the slug family, which 
are often numerous in such localities. 
Asparagus.— Do not hurry in cutting it down till the 
stalks are quite ripe, then choose a fine day, and tie 
them up into small bundles for thatching or protecting 
purposes. 
Cauliflowers.— Provide a slight warmth inside of a 
pit or frame, or sow in pans, in a gentle heat. Wherever 
sown, the earth’s surface should be close to the glass ; 
and as soon as the plants make their appearance, take the 
lights entirely off by day, and tilt the lights back and 
front of a night, in order to maintain a healthy sturdi¬ 
ness ; prick off the plants as soon as they can be at all 
handled, and keep the earth’s surface pretty closely and 
liberally stirred amongst them. If mildew should appear 
about them, dredge them with sulphur and charred dust. 
Leeks that are forward should have a little loose earth 
placed amongst them. 
Mushroom-beds in bearing, take care the surface soil, 
or casing, does not get bound and hard with drought; 
modify it by the application of slight sprinklings of tepid 
water, with occasionally a little clear manure-water added, 
which has been brewed from the dung of the cow, 
horse, sheep, or deer. If the Musliroom-beds are out- 
of-doors, they should be covered with mulch in rather a 
damp state, or be made so by the application of slight 
sprinklings of water. If Mushrooms are cultivated in a 
shed, or house, or cellar, humidity may be maintained 
by occasionally sprinkling the floors and syringing the 
walls with tepid water. This is the best season for 
making winter-bearing beds, which should be made 
more substantial than the summer beds; nothing is 
better than good fresh stable-dung, with enough of good 
holding loam added to it to modify the heat into a very 
moderate milk-like warmth. If the materials are allowed 
to heat strongly, and get what gardeners term burned, 
dry, and fusty, the best and the most essential properties 
of the dung for Mushroom culture are destroyed. 
James Barnes. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
FIG ORCHARDS IN SUSSEX. 
I lately visited Tarring in the hopes of ascertaining to problem, yet it is possible that a short account of so remark- 
what peculiarity of soil, situation, and mode of culture it able a spot may interest some of your readers, 
owes its extraordinary success in fig-cultivation. Though The village is situated about a mile-and-a-half from 
the result of the examination was so far unsatisfactory, that Worthing, and about the same distance from the sea. The 
it has not enabled me to give a direct solution of the j country immediately around it is a dead fiat. Towards the 
