January 22 . 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
1 
M| W 
D 1) 
1 
JANUARY 22—28, 1852 
| Weather 
I Barometer. 
near Lo 
Thermo. 
N DON 
Wind. 
IN 1851. 
Rain in In. 
I 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
’ 
Moon 
R. & S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
bef. Sun. 
Day. of 
Year. 
|22 Tn 
Vincent. 
30.144 — 29.808 
46—22 
S.W. 
, , 
55 a. 7 
28 a. 4 
5 a. 43 
1 
11 
46 
22 
|23 F 
Winter Aconite flowers. 
1 30.328 —.30.310 
47—22 
W. 
— 
54 
30 
6 50 , 
2 
12 
2 
23 
24 S 
Chaffinch sings. 
| 30.219 — 30.045 
34—25 
S.W. 
— 
53 
32 
7 59 
3 
12 
17 
24 
I 25 JSUN 
3 Sunday after Eimpiiany. 
CONV. 29.Q46 — 29.892 
42—29 
s. 
— 
52 
33 
9 4 
4 
12 
32 
25 
26 ; M 
[of St. 
Paul. |29.829— 29.690 
42—28 
S.E. 
02 
50 
35 
10 9 
5 
12 
45 
26 
27 Tc 
Field Speedwell flowers. 
[ 29 . 929 — 29 . 8 G 8 
48—27 
S.W. 
02 
49 
37 
11 15 I 
6 
12 
58 
27 
28 W 
White Wagtail chirps. 
1:29.789 — 29.091 
49-39 
S.W. 
12 
48 
39 j 
morn. 
7 
13 
10 
28 
In our last number we concluded our biography of Columella, by 
observing that the subject of Roman horticulture was not exhausted, even 
only so far as connected with his writings, and if we were to embrace in 
our sketch an outline of all that is known to us of the gardening practice 
of that great nation, it would extend over many pages. This is not our 
present purpose, but we will confine our notice to a few facts serving to 
remove from the minds of our readers the too general impression, that 
the gardening of the Romans was “ the gardening of barbarians,” 
In the first ages after the foundation of the city, the farms, which re¬ 
sembled our market gardens, were cultivated by the chief men with their 
own hands, as must occur in every new colony, and hence the Piso, the 
Fabii, the Cicero, the Lentuli, and other celebrated families derived their 
patronymics from ancestors distinguished for the successful cultivation of 
the culinary vegetables intimated by their respective names. Pisum, a 
Pea; Faba, a Bean ; Cicer, a Chick Pea ; and Lentuius , a Lentil. 
Of the kitchen-garden, as might be expected, we have less information 
in the writings that have survived to us than of any of the other horti¬ 
cultural departments. Literature was confined to the higher classes, 
these would not condescend to record the rules for planting cabbages, and 
there were none more practical, and, therefore, more useful authors in 
those days when writing materials were costly, and printing unknown. 
Cato has glanced over the subject, and Varro, Columella, and Palladius 
have done no more. From the little information they do afford to us, and 
from casual lights that break in upon us from the writings of other 
authors, we learn enough to assure us that their culinary vegetables were 
excellently, and than their fruits perhaps better cultivated. Turnips, 
Coleworts, Radishes, Basil, Beans, Cabbages, Garlic, and Asparagus are 
mentioned by Cato. Endive, Parsley, Cucumbers, Lettuces, Beets, Peas, 
Kidney Beans, Carrots, Parsnips, Mallows, Onions, Mustard, Fennell, and 
Mushrooms, are mentioned by the later writers, Columella, Varro, Pliny, 
Virgil, and Martial. Asparagus is one of the very few plants of which 
we have the full detail of the mode of culture pursued by the Romans ; 
and if we are justified in considering it a fair standard by which we may 
estimate their proficiency in the art, we cannot but conclude that it was 
decidedly excellent. The directions which are given by Cato, are an 
epitome of those which occur in Abercrombie, Miller, or any other 
standard work on horticulture—they are as follows: “You must well 
work a spot,” says Cato, “ that is moist, or which has richness and depth 
of soil. Make the beds so that you may be able to clean and weed them 
on each side; let there be a distance of half-a-foot between the plants. 
Set in the seed, two or three in a place, in a strait line; cover with 
mould ; then scatter some compost over the beds. At the Vernal Equinox, 
when the plants come up, weed often, and take care that the Asparagus 
is not plucked up with the weeds. The year you plant them, cover them 
with straw during the winter, that they may not be killed. In the be¬ 
ginning of the spring after, dress and weed them. The third year after 
you have sown them burn the haulm in the beginning of the spring. 
Do not weed them before the plants come up, that you may not hurt the 
stools. The third or fourth year, you may pluck them close by the root; 
if you break them off they yield side shoots, and some will die. You may 
take them until they run to seed. The seed is ripe in autumn. When 
you have gathered the seed, burn the haulm, and when the plants begin 
to shoot, weed and manure. After eight or nine years when the beds are 
old, lay out a spot, work and manure it well, then make drills where you 
may plant some roots ; set them well apart that you may dig between 
them. Take care that they may not be injured. Carry as much sheep’s 
dung as you can on the beds, it is best for this purpose ; other manures 
produce weeds.” 
The assiduity of the Romans in collecting new species and varieties of 
fruit may be gathered from the writings of the elder Pliny, who lived 
A. D. 2.3—79- There were then cultivated in the vicinity of Rome, nearly 
all the fruits with which we were acquainted at the commencement of 
the present century, the chief exceptions being the Orange and Pine 
Apple, the first of which, however, they became possessed of in the 4th 
century. Very few of their cultivated fruits were indigenous, but were 
introduced at the expense of no little money and trouble from distant 
and different climes. The Fig and Almond were brought from Syria; 
the Citron from Media ; the Apricot from Epirus or Armenia ; the Pome¬ 
granate from Africa ; Apples, Pears, and Plums, from Armenia, Numidia, 
Greece, &c.; the Peach from Persia; and Cherries from Cerasus in 
Pontus, by Lueullus, about 73 years b.c. Strawberries, Raspberries, and 
others mentioned before by Cato, appear to have been natural products. 
The Gooseberry and Currant are foundwild in the hills of Northern Italy. 
As the species were increased in number, so were the varieties. Pliny 
mentions 22 Apples, one without kernels ; 8 Cherries ; 6 Chesnuts; Figs, 
many black and white, large and small; Medlars, large and small; large 
and small Black Mulberries; Filberts and Hazel-nuts; 36 Pears; 
Plums “ ingens turba,” black, white, and parti-coloured; 3 Quinces; 
3 Services; Grapes numerous ; 2 Walnuts ; Almonds, bitjer and sweet. 
There is evidence to show that the Romans were acquainted with the 
more difficult practices of preserving tropical plants under glass, and of 
forcing those hearing fruit into production at unnatural seasons. M. 
Bureau de la Malle, a member of the French Institute, has stated that 
an inscription found at Rome, proves that the Emperor Domitian, who 
died, a.d., 96 , had foreign plants cultivated in a hothouse, at his palace, 
on the Palatine Hill. We have never seen a copy of this inscription, but 
we know quotations to the same effect, from Martial and Seneca, and we 
also know that Columella thus details the mode of forcing Cucumbers:— 
“ Any person that is desirous to have the fruit of the Cucumber earlier 
ripe than ordinary, let him shut up well-dunged earth in a case, or osier- 
basket, and sow the seed therein, and give it moderate moisture. Then, 
when the seeds are sprung up, let him place them in the open air, in mild 
and warm sunny days, hard by the house, that they may be protected 
from every blast of wind. But in cold and stormy weather, let him bring 
them back again into the house; and let him constantly do this till the 
vernal Equinox be past : afterwards let him put down the whole basket 
into the ground ; for thus he shall have early fruit. Also, if it be worth 
the while, little wheels may be put under larger vases, that they may be 
brought out with less labour, and harboured again in the house: but, 
notwithstanding, they ought to be covered with glasses ( specularibus ), 
that in cold weather also, when the days are clear, they may be safely 
brought forth to the sun. By this method Tiberius Caesar was provided 
with Cucumbers almost the whole year.” 
Meteorology of the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations 
during the last twenty-five years, the average highest and lowest tem¬ 
peratures of these days are 44.1° and 32.6° respectively. The greatest 
heat, 56°, occurred on the 28th in 1843 ; and the lowest cold, 17° on the 
27 th in 1827. During the period 81 days were fine, and on 94 rain fell. 
The pleasant task again occurs to us of noticing some 
of the new publications which have been placed upon 
our table for our opinion. The task is pleasant, because 
very few require condemnation, whilst the majority are 
demonstrative of the high position, yet still onward 
progress, of British gardening. 
Often are wo asked for information as to the best 
; mode of cultivating a garden for the profitable sale of 
its produce, and at all times we have given the best 
advice within our power. We shall always be willing 
to yield similar aid, yet we must, at the same time, 
recommend to every one wishing so to cultivate a 
garden, whether in the country or elsewhere, to pur- 
j chase, as a standard source of information, Cuthill’s 
Market Gardening round London. Its price is only 
eighteen-pence, and it contains just the kind of know. 
ledge beginners require. As an example, we quote j 
the following relative to Rhubarb :— 
“ Mr. Joseph Myatt, of Deptford, who is celebrated for | 
his fine rhubarb, was the first to cultivate it on a large scale. ' 
It is now nearly forty years since he first sent his two sons 
1 to the Borough Market with five bunches, of which they 
could only sell three. Next time they went they took ten 
bunches with them, which were all sold. Mr. Myatt could ! 
even then see that rhubarb would, in time, become a public \ 
| favourite, and the result has proved the correctness of his j 
I views, for it is now generally used both by rich and poor; it 
I is no longer called ‘ physic,’ as it was wont to be in bygone 
days. Rhubarb will grow in almost any soil, provided it is 
rich; but light land, well manured, will always produce a 
better flavoured stalk than a stiff, retentive clay. We have 
had a great deal of rain this winter, and rhubarb in conse¬ 
quence is not near so well flavoured as in a dry and rather 
frosty season; the stalks are full of watery juice, which the 
roots have taken up; and in some places the tops of the 
leaves are begining to rot amongst the straw. This has led 
! some market gardeners to adopt means of keeping the roots 
No. CLXXIII, Vot, VII. 
