47 J 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER, 
March 20. 
one inch round the thickest part, dark green at the point, 
and light green down to the last inch-and-a-half, or, at 
most, no more than two inches blanched, and the 
blanched part should be the only waste; all the green 
ought to be soft and high-flavoured. 
L would also be very particular about Radishes', I 
would have them long and thick, and to snap like glass, 
and eat like nuts; but there should not be a single fibre 
on them except the very point, which ought to be a small 
fibre. Turnip Radishes ought not to be either large or 
small, but of a medium size, clean-skinned, and as solid 
and crisp at the core as on the outside. 
In January, February, and March, Early Potatoes 
should not be smaller than a thrush’s egg, nor much 
larger than a pigeon’s egg, I mean for competition; 
in a private way, and when they are mashed for the 
table, the size is of no consequence. The same is the 
case with Cucumbers, which are cut and sliced in the 
pantry, or still-room, before they are served up for table. 
1 would put more stress on the shape, and size, and 
colour of a Reot-root than on those of a Cucumber, and 
there is more art in growing a first-rate Beet than in 
forcing a prize Cucumber, although few would believe it. 
A Beet root is not fit to be judged unless it is cut into 
two halves, lengthwise, by the judges; and if there is 
a single streak lighter or darker than the rest, I would 
disqualify it. The colour throughout should be that 
of port-wine. When one knows how to boil such a 
Beet, and how to serve it, there is not a bettor or a more 
telling dish from the kitchen garden ; but half the world 
treat it, from the seed to the stomach, no better than 
Mangold Wurtzel. 
PINEAPPLES. 
But my report begins with Pine apples. They were 
numerous, and very good for the season, not particularly 
large nor weighty, but such as are always very useful for 
dinner-parties. Mr. Davies, gardener to Lady Brid- 
port, Mr. Fleming, and Mr. Dodd, gardener to Colonel 
Baker, of Salisbury, sent the best Pines. Mr. Davies 
sent a Blade Prince, weighing 6tb -lozs. a long, tapering 
fruit, with a reddish skin, and a Smooth-leaved Cayenne, 
weighing Jib 3ozs. These were from suckers growing 
j on old stools, from which larger fruit was cut last July 
and August. Mr. Fleming sent a Smooth-leaved Cayenne, 
i weighing lib 12ozs., a large, handsome Pino, and 
! another of the same variety, weighing 51b -lozs., which 
| was much admired. Mr. Dodd sent a Smooth-leaved 
i Cayenne, weighing 4 lb. Mr. Bray, gardener to Captain 
Lousada, of Peak House, Sidmouth, sent a Ripley Queen, 
3 lb 1 oz., which was remarkable for the clear, bright 
1 colour of the skin. Mr. McEwen, gardener to the Duke 
of Norfolk, sent a Smooth-leaved Cayenne, weighing 2 lb 
5ozs., and a Prickly-leaved Cayenne, weighing 3 lb 10 ozs., 
both handsome fruit; and Mr. Henderson, gardener to 
j Sir George Beaumont, sent a Queen , weighing 3 lb 1 oz. 
There was a medium-sized Providence, weighing 4 lb., 
from Mr. Page, gardener to W. Leaf, Esq., Park Hill, 
. Streatham. This variety is fast going out of fashion, 
making room for the more superior-flavoured Cayennes. 
i 
STRAWBERRIES. 
There were two small dishes, one of Keens Seedling, 
j from Mr. Brown, gardener to — Farrel, Esq , Waltham 
Abbey, Essex, and one Black Prince, from Mr. McEwen, 
at Arundel. 
GRAPES. 
Mr. Forbes, gardener to the Duke of Bedford, aud 
Mr. Jennings, gardener to Earl Derby, sent new Black 
Hamburgh Grapes, both very good; but those from Mr. 
Forbes carried the day. 
PEARS. 
These were splendid, ami Mr. Tillyard, gardener to 
the Right Honourable the Speaker, had the first prize, 
with si x Nc Plus Meuris, five Easter Beurre, and six 
Beurre Ranee; all as fine as ever were sent to table. 
Also a separate dish of Knight's Monarch, which Mr. 
Tillyard assured mo kept as long and as well as Beurre 
Ranee. It is, therefore, one of the very best late Pears, 
and is more hardy than any of the Flemish Pears. 
Mr. Snow, gardener to Earl de Grey, sent a collection 
consisting of six Glout Morceau, remarkable for keeping 
so late; six fine Easter Beurre, six Old Colmar, and 
six immense Uvedale’s St. Germains. Mr. Robertson, 
gardener to Lady Emily Foley, at Stoke Edith Park, 
Herefordshire, sent six of his fine Chaumontclle, six 
Winter Crassanne, and six Beurre de la Motte. Mr. 
Smith, gardener to Mr. Reay, Wanstead, sent six Glout 
Morceau, six Easter Beurre, and, strange to say, six 
Catillacs, a large, old, stewing Pear, and the best of 
that class when I was a boy. 1 recollect taking shelter 
under a Catiline Pear-tree, in Perth Nursery, and being 
nearly stunned by the fall of these hard Pears in one 
of the heavy gusts ; and there was an enormous crop of 
them that year; but their pale colour is against them. 
Cooks, now a days, prefer a pale yellow, or a purplish 
tint, in stewed Pears. 
APPLES. 
Mr. Snow and Mr. McEwen sent large assortments 
of beautifully kept Apples. Mr. Snow had the best¬ 
looking for the dessert; but Mr. McEwen had the rarest 
collection. The former had six Bedfordshire Foundling, 
six Court Pendu Plat, six Golden Noble, six Kirk's 
Golden Reinette, six Old Golden Reinette, six ( London ) 
Golden Pippin, six Scarlet Nonpareil, the only kind not 
quite up to the mark ; six Robinson’s Pippin, new to me; 
six Cockle Pippin, a small, greenish kind; six Bull’s 
Golden Reinette, a handsome, flat, yellow Apple, full of 
small, black dots, also new to me; and others, with the 
beautiful Selene Apple, which I have not seen since I 
left Edinburgh, where it was new in 1828, and where it 
was not worth eating, from a south wall covered with 
glasslights. I tried the same plan, in Herefordshire, 
with the beautiful Italian Apple called Mela Carla, 
but I could make nothing of it. 
Mr. McEwen had Hamilton Pippin, a large, streaked 
Apple, which 1 never saw or heard of before; Beacham- 
uell, Wheeler's Russet, Minchall Crab, which used to be 
much called for when I was in Perth Nursery. French 
Crab, ns green as the day it was gathered, and as hard 
as a leaden bullet, a first-rate kitchen Apple, that will keep 
ever so long after Apples “come again;” the Lady 
Apple, by some called Api Petit, Scarlet Pearmain, 
Cornish GiUiflower, Reinette du Canada, very tine; 
Norfolk Beaufin, Northern Greening, Gloria Mundi, 
Cockle Pippin, Kirk’s Scarlet Admirable, a fine-looking, 
large Apple of the Colville shape; Spanish Pippin, a 
streaked Apple, which I never heard of; Baxter Pear- 
main, Alfriston Pippin, one of the very fluest of our 
largo kitchen Apples; Court Pendu Plat, Golden 
Harvey, and Api Noir, a black Lady Apple, as one might 
say; a small, flat, crab-like Apple, of no earthly use 
that I know of; but the true Lady Apple, or the Api of 
North America, is the prettiest little Apple in the world. 
FORCED VEGETABLES. 
Forced vegetables were moderate enough, as may ho 
gathered from the first part of my observations ; but 
there was a bunch of very good Asparagus from Mr. 
; Tivey, gardener toJ. H. Elwes,Esq. of Colesborne Park, 
, near Cheltenham. I am always glad to see that part of 
| the world taking prizes; but Gloucester's are Gloucester 
