October 31. THE COTTAGE GAllDENEli. 7<j 
digging aud trencbing, and an abundant supply of 
burnt clay earth, and all parings of roads, &c., lie could 
got hold of. Outside the garden he has got two massive 
heaps, steaming away now, containing, I should say, 
more than a hundred cart-loads. Ho did not seem at 
all particular about the material; everything in the 
shape of earthy and clayey matter was made to yield its 
quota. Tho whole process of action seemed extremely 
simple. A few armfuls of primings and other woody 
rubbish are laid in a heap, are covered with some dry, 
grassy sods, aud the fire lighted, and, as the sods and 
earth become ignited, more aro being continually added. 
Tho summer is the best time for doing this; aud, 
although I have dono a good deal myself, 1 have boon 
obliged to do it in winter aud spring, when the wot was 
much against me, as the smoko at any other time 
would have been voted a nuisance. Under my limited 
practice, I succeeded best with conical heaps; but Mr. 
Judd's wero only some three or four feet high, and flat 
on the top, but of a large diameter, tho heat being made 
to travel from the centre to the circumference. Finding 
the soil in the orchard almost unworkable, the greater 
part of the surface of it has been burned. I see that 
some one wishes for a full explanation of tho modes of 
burning clay, and I would bo glad if Mr. Judd would 
give our readers the benefit of his experience. Almost 
everything likes a little of such material. It is generally 
allowed that we are pretty successful with our bedding- 
plants here, though neither soil nor situation are most 
favourable; and I attribute it, in a great measure, to 
each plant having a handful of compost, of which this 
burnt clay aud earth forms fully one-half. 
Asparagus .—I have mentioned that at one time this 
was small aud hard, and now it is luxuriant aud well- 
flavoured. Several beds aro sown every year. A large 
trench is dug out, and this is well filled with vegetable 
refuse, dung, &c., incorporated with the soil, aud well 
mixed with tho burnt earth, especially towards the 
surface, the ground in the intervening alloy being also 
thrown on the bod, so that the beds seem so many 
rounded ridges, aud the mulching and top-dressings 
keep them moist enough. I consider this a capital plan 
in all stiff, clayey soils. In sandy loam, with a dry 
bottom, the plant does best on a level surface. Besides 
forcing these beds, as they get old enough to bo taken 
up there is a bed in two divisions, surrounded by brick 
walls and pigeon-holed linings, and lights which fit 
other frames are used for these pits during the forcing 
of the Asparagus; one-half of the pits being used 
every alternate year. Some other beds aro planted so 
that they may bo bricked round in a similar manner 
when required. 
Snow’s White Urocoli .—There was a most splendid 
large quarter of this fine Brocoli, and every head truo. 
I have next to missed it this season, as Mr. Snow saved 
no seed last season. There have been great complaints 
-about this and other vegetables. Plenty of it has been 
sent out, when it was next to impossible it could bo true. 
Mr. Judd was fortunate in saving a fine quantity of seed 
which could bo thoroughly depended on. 
Bed Beet .—Of this I noticed a beautiful quarter, the 
sort having been in the family for about forty years— 
dark and black to the core. 
Brussels Sprouts .—There was a very fine quarter of 
this, the plants all equal in size, compact, and rather 
dwarf. The popular opinion is that this vegetable dete¬ 
riorates unless received yearly from the continent. Mr. 
Judd combated this idea years ago in tho Gardeners' 
Chronicle. Tho same sort has been grown by himself 
and father for forty years. But I must stop with one 
word— 
Keeping Seeds .—Some years ago, Mr. Forsyth con¬ 
demned the paper-bags in which seedsmen send their 
wares to then- customers, aud recommended small tin 
vessels instead. For all his favourite seeds, when 
thoroughly dry, Mr. Judd uses wide-mouthed bottles, 
corked and bladdcred, and then placed in a dry cupboard 
in the kitchen, lie has found vegetable seeds so kept 
as good when a number of years old as they wero when 
saved. 
Fruit .—There was a groat scarcity of Apples in the 
orchard and garden, but abundance of Pears on the 
walls, Apricot-trees wero looking well, aud had borne 
a heavy crop. They were protected with straw covers, 
moved aside during tho day, except when used for 
retarding. Peachc3 out-of-doors, Mr. Judd next to re¬ 
solved to givo up in despair. Strawberries in the ground 
and in pots lookod well. I was anxious to see his British 
Queens for forcing next season, and did not think 
them superior in appearance to wliat we have got 
in this neighbourhood ; and recollecting tho splendid 
fruit he exhibited at Northampton ami Chiswick two 
years ago, I must come to one of throe conclusions:—A 
great many pots must be in fruit at one time; tho fruit 
must be very much thinned; or, there is some little 
quirk in tho management which many of us have not 
got. 
Forcing Houses .—Everything about the glass depart¬ 
ment spoke of order and neatness. In tho larger range 
the houses aro wide and lofty, and seem, at one time, to 
have been used as Pine-pits as well as vineries. They 
contained good crops of lato Grapes, chiefly llamburghs. 
One division was used as a plaut-stove. Among tho 
plants I noticed a fine specimen of Beaumontia grandi- 
flora in a large pot, with the points of the shoots set 
with flower-buds, which will make a lino display next 
spring; peculiarly large fine-coloured blossoms of Big- 
nonia venusta ; and line plants of tho various Alla- 
mandas and Dipladenias —Mr. Judd remarking how 
much these two latter rejoiced in bottom-heat in spring. 
In the Peach-house tho wood was beautifully ripened, 
and in fine order. Here 1 noticed a very simple and 
quick mode of giving air in front, by pushing out the 
front sashes, which were hinged at the top. An iron rod 
about an inch in diameter goes the length of the house, 
or rather two rods do it between them; on this rod a 
small toothed wheel is fixed, opposite the centre of each 
light; fixed to that centre is a flat iron handle, its 
fiat sides standing perpendicular, instead of horizontal; 
the lower side has notches cut in it to suit the wheel, 
and is kept in its place by a groove; on applying a band- 
crank to the end of the rod, you can open and shut the 
sashes just as much or as little as you please. This, 
aud many other useful things, were worked out by the 
village blacksmith, such as a 
Mode of suspending Shelves for Strawberries and other 
things .—Knowing that many of tbeso pots must find 
accommodation, and thinking there might be some¬ 
thing even in this, 1 kept looking where these should 
be, or for some of the iron supports that might be left. 
I need not mention the many unsatisfactory ways this is 
done—almost all of which make it a point to have the 
irons in the way all the season, if these aro suspended 
from tho rafter. No shelves or irons wero to be seen; 
these were all cleaned aud in safe keeping until wanted 
again. Two modes are practised, and both are worthy 
of imitation. First, when the shell' is to be suspended 
from the rafter, a sort of button some three-quarters of 
an inch in diameter, with a stoutish neck, is fixed to a 
piece of plate-iron some two and a half inches square, 
which is screwed securely by a screw in each corner to 
the rafter, as that is intended for a fixture, and requires 
sharp looking for to be seen by a stranger. The iron 
support is made square in tho usual way for the shelf 
to lay on ; the sides rise to tho necessary height by a 
circular bend, until they meet in a point, above which is 
a round hole rather louger than the button, so as to lift 
off and on easily. The second mode is, when one or 
