November 6. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
89 
say three inches apart, each way. Besides these methods, 
we have often planted some under the shelter of a wall 
facing the west. This we think is the best aspect for 
them, and we have wintered plants pretty well when 
planted in a row about a foot from its bottom. The 
above plantations will, we presume, have so thinned the 
seed-bed that plenty of spaces may be found on it in 
which to stick boughs of evergreens, firs, fern, or similar 
protection, when hard weather does arrive. Be sure to 
look to these boughs on windy days, or you will suffer 
more by their blowing about, than you will benefit by 
the shelter they may have given. It seldom happens 
that any further covering is necessary to those under 
glass than the glass-lights or hand-light tops, but be 
careful in not removing them too suddenly, when mild 
weather does set in, as a long confinement unfits them 
for enduring strong currents of air; and endeavour to 
have them dry at the time they are first exposed,—if 
they have been previously inured to the hardening 
influence of dry, cold winds, so much the better, and if 
even slightly frozen before they are covered up, they are 
none the worse, for all progress in growth (which 
can never be healthy under such circumstances) is 
thereby stopped, and they are less liable to suffer from 
; other causes, as damping-off, mould, &e , &c. We need 
1 hardly observe, that, in extreme cases, some additional 
covering is necessary; and in the northern counties, 
when the frost is very severe, this should always be done; 
besides that in those later districts, they may be sown 
sooner than in the south of England. We have sown 
them from the first to the twentieth of August in one of 
the northern counties, and found them none too early, 
the great object being to get a hardy, stocky growth 
before winter sets in. We may remark, that where a 
good supply of late Brocoli exists, they ought to prolong 
the season up to the very time of the first Cauliflower 
coming in, and, by a little management in that way, we 
have never been without the one or the other during the 
whole season, as well as some years before now. This 
is all that is wanted. A few heads of the Wilcove, or 
some other late Brocoli, is equally valuable as Cauli¬ 
flower when it is good, and a considerable spring growth 
has taken place; but when it is merely the flowering or 
fructification of a diseased, stunted plant, it is certainly 
inferior to that delicate vegetable. However, the mode 
of trying to make the one continue until the other 
relieves it, is the point usually aimed at by gardeners. 
Garlic and Shallots. —These bulbs, which we pre¬ 
sume to be harvested and put by in August, may be 
now looked over, and any that show symptoms of grow¬ 
ing may be at once planted out on some open sunny 
border, not too deep ; but we prefer not planting out 
until December, when the principal crop may be put in. 
Garlic is more hardy than Shallot, and may, in many 
cases, be left in the ground. It ought, however, never 
to remain longer than two years in one place, and only 
one if it be planted thick. Remove all diseased bulbs 
from amongst the stores of Shallots as well as the 
Underground or Potato Onions, both of which are liable 
to decay in autumn or winter. 
Cucumbers. —Great care will now be necessary in 
order to carry this delicate plant through the cheerless 
period that is just approaching; the dark days being 
alike unfavourable to its health, and favourable to the 
insidious enemies it has to contend against — mildew 
and the thrip; and the tender state of the plant at this 
untoward season rendering any severe measures used to 
extirpate those pests fatal to the plants, we are the more 
inclined to urge the propriety of watchfulness. Let no 
drip fall on the plants ; for that purpose the roof ought 
to be rather a steep pitch, for this as well as for all other 
winter-forcing apparatus. If, however, mildew does show 
itself, scatter some sulphur over the flues or hot-water 
pipes, and a little, but very little, on the leaf affected; 
as we have said above, the plant cannot endure severe 
treatment at this season. The thrip may be kept down 
by occasional slight fumigations; water will be but 
little required, and do not admit any stove or other 
plants into the Cucumber department, as such often 
bring insects and other evils in their train. 
Sundries. —The latest Celery will now want a final 
earthing-up; the mild and showery weather in October 
has favoured its growth. Look over and cut Walcheren 
and Cape Brocoli as they are ready; and any Sea-lcale that 
may have been begun to force must be often examined to 
see that it does not get too much heat. Asparagus may 
also be put into some forcing position, if not done before. 
See to and make good defects in the plantations of Let¬ 
tuce, Endive, Cabhagep\a,uts, &c. If the weather be dry, 
prepare a piece of ground on which to sow the first crop 
of Peas, which, however, need not be done until the 
middle of the month. Protect French Beans so long as 
they are worth it; and remove tree-leaves, &c., from beds 
of Cabbage, Lettuce, and other plants, as they only 
blanch or tender them. 
J. R. 
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 
OUR VILLAGERS. 
By the Authoress of 
The more we look around, and observe what is passing 
before our eyes, and the more we are led to consider what is, 
and what is not, favourable to the well-being of tbe popula- 
lation of our towns and villages—the sooner must we come to 
the conclusion that beer-houses and common public-houses 
are the misery and ruin of the people. 
In a periodical like The Cottage Gardener, the cir¬ 
culation of which is so extensive; and its readers among all 
classes—the influencing, and the influenced; which is 
found in every town, and village, and hamlet; in the hand 
alike of pastor and flock, landlord and tenant, master and 
man ; and the end and aim of which is exclusively the moral 
and social good of tbe bumbler ranks of the British people; 
I feel that I shall not be exceeding my mission, if I press 
strongly, anxiously, and earnestly, this subject upon the 
attention of my readers. Living in a rural district, we daily 
see and feel the wretchedness and sin that is induced by 
drink, and it excites a warm desire to arouse the inhabitants 
of other districts to a full sense of the evils caused by this 
unholy merchandise of the bodies and souls of men. 
My Flowers,” dkc. 
Beer-houses are, alas ! sanctioned by law; in a Christian 
land where that Word of God is professedly received, which 
declares that those who are guilty of “ drunkenness ” “ shall 
not inherit the kingdom of God.” It is enacted by law, 
that anyone who can procure the signature of three respect¬ 
able householders to his application for a licence, to promote 
and encourage the sale of beer, is entitled to obtain it. 
Here is indeed a traffic and merchandise worthy of great 
Babylon herself; “slaves and souls of men” are bought 
and sold in every parish in our land; and fearful are the 
effects of such pitfalls of Satan upon tbe mass of tbe 
people. In one parish I know there are upwards of twenty 
places where beer is sold, in the village alone; and in tbe 
roads and lanes they meet us at every turn. Can we 
wonder at demoralization and destitution, when such traps 
are laid for souls, so that they can neither go out nor come 
into their houses without passing close to a strong tempta¬ 
tion ? How incumbent then is it upon “ respectable house¬ 
holders ” to refuse their signature to these applications, on 
the simple and solid ground of their being destructive to 
