338 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[August 28. 
gress of the disease, and to earth the roots over about six 
inches deeper than they were with the soil from the alleys, 
or between the rows. The chief reason of this would appear 
i to be, a better exclusion from the action of the air; for if 
I taken up and laid on floors, as suggested by some, they 
speedily become unfit for eating; and if placed in pits, with¬ 
out great precaution, they ferment, and this fermentation 
I seems to promote the spread of tire disease at a prodigious 
[ rate. 
As to the exposure of potatoes to the air, our London 
| friends, who do not see a green field half-a-dozen times in 
the year, little fancy what splendid potatoes their country 
cousins enjoy. If the cockneys excel in their roast beef, 
and other substantials of a dinner table, we countrymen 
enjoy a counter-triumph in our potatoes. 
Having lately spent a week in town, we can bear witness 
to the serious effects on the dining table, produced by the 
absence of really good potatoes, and the presence of bad 
ones. During some half-dozen dinners, and as many sup¬ 
pers, we could not meet with a single dish of good potatoes. 
Those produced, it is not quite certain that Lancashire or 
Cheshire pigs would eat; but, alas! both men and pigs are 
like spoilt children, in the potato way, in this part of the 
kingdom. Doubtless the bad name which London potatoes 
acquire, is owing to their exposure to the air; moreover, to 
make them look fine, they must be washed; and this course, 
by exposing their surface to a much increased amount of 
evaporation, must enhance the evil. 
In pitting potatoes, or otherwise storing them, some use a 
layer of soil alternately with the potatoes, and this is not 
bad practice. We have a slight objection to it, as far as it 
may encourage the sprouting of the potatoes, and have been 
in the habit of using dry straw or litter instead. However, 
we have merely adverted to these things as a duty; many 
good plans, doubtless, exist in other quarters, the results of 
experience and observation. 
The first thing we would fain ask of the allotment man at 
this period is, are your root crops all thoroughly cleaned ? 
If not, you cannot hope for the full amount of profit deriv¬ 
able from such sources. Of course all plots from whence 
summer crops have been removed, are filled with either 
useful roots or greens of some kind; if not, it is too late 
for anything in the root way, and greens must be resorted 
to. It often happens that some overgrown plants remain in 
the seed beds, or that such are procurable; these are by far 
better than small plants at this late period. It matters not 
how large they are—the larger the better; for removal now 
will not injure them as it does during the heat of summer. 
Holes may be first bored with a crow, or poker, and then the 
plant fastened in the usual way; or they may be planted 
with the spade. The best kinds for late planting as to 
profit, are overgrown Green Kale, Thousand-headed Cab¬ 
bages, or even the ordinary Cabbage. Swede Turnips 
i planted after early potatoes, will now require a careful 
1 hoeing and cleaning. Some of the root crops, greens, Ac., 
! will, about this period, commence “bolting,” as common 
folks term it; and once a-week, at least, the cottager should 
collect all such materials for his pig, to which they are of 
much service, not only as to their fattening tendencies, but 
for the due regulation of his bowels. Many a man loses his 
pig through giving too much meat of a binding character. 
Half decaying leaves, too, from Cabbage, Mangold, Ac., all 
assist in this way ; but no <jrcen leaves may be pulled for 
some weeks yet. 
Onions. —Where these have been sown in time, they will 
now be ripening, and should at once be bent down in order 
to hurry the process; for we want to hear of a crop of Cole- 
worts, or very early Cabbage, being produced on the ground 
whence they are removed. If any portion of the onions are 
| near ripe, and somewhat loose, they should be collected 
: first; this gives the remainder a better chance of sun and 
| air. In ten days’ time, if the weather is pretty good, the 
whole may be removed to a high and sunny spot, and the 
I ground slightly manured, dug shallow, say six inches, and a 
crop of Coleworts from the June sowing, planted at about 
one foot between the rows, and eight inches between the 
plants. The kind must be some dwarf sort; we use the 
j -Matchless entirely. It may seem strange for us to recom¬ 
mend shallow digging, but where manure is scarce, it is 
, necessary in such “ stolen crops,” for such we call them. 
By these means a little manure goes a long way, and the 
Coleworts having a short period to remain, lay hold of the 
manure immediately. We would have such a crop bunched 
and sold in the market by Christmas. It is well for small 
holders to understand, that Onions will endure a vast 
amount of artificial heat; and that when they do not keep 
well, it is mostly owing to their not having been ripened 
well in the autumn. When the weather, therefore, is not 
good, we would place them in the wannest part of the 
kitchen if possible, until the necks are completely down and 
the coating fairly crackles. Perhaps the best plan, how¬ 
ever, is bunching, or roping, and then they can be hung in 
any warm place if dry. 
Shallots will endure more heat still; some of the best 
kept we ever saw had hung in a cabbage-net, all the winter, 
overhead before the kitchen fire. In the month of June 
they were sound as a roach. 
Scarlet Runners. —These, if required for long bearing, 
should have all the overgrown pods picked clear away in the 
beginning of the month, as they rob the plants much, and 
may be given to the pigs. Runners require abundance of 
water to insure succession. 
Broad Beans. —If any quantity remains on the plants, 
and a crop of greens exist between the rows, these may 
remain for seed ; the surplus, even if not quite ripe, if dried, 
may be ground up with the pig meal. Indeed, the same 
may be said of Peas imperfectly ripened, Runners, Ac. 
Carrots.— If the grub is busy, and the plants begin to 
flag, it is by far the best plan to pull them forthwith. 
Indeed, we are pulling a bed now, and they will keep well , 
until Christmas ; we shall, of course, use these first through 
the autumn, keeping the well-ripened for spring. 
Herbs. — If any remain uncut, they should be cut forth- I 
Avith. They will dry well in any outhouse laid thin, and 
Avlien dry they should be stoAved closely in boxes, covered 
down, and placed in a very dry situation. If this is too 
tedious, they may be bunched as cut, and hung against 
some dry Avail in-doors. 
Parsley will, perhaps, require thinning. 
Leeks. —May be earthed up as celery. 
Celery. —Earth a little Avhen the plant is some size, and 
again in another fortnight. Both this and the leek require 
liberal waterings. 
Greens, Brocoli, Ac. —All those planted early, say in 
July, Avill require Avell earthing. Lay it nearly as high as the 
plant can carry it, especially if liable to “ club.” 
Common Turnips. — Let these be Avell hand-hoed, and 
every Aveed destroyed. Leave them from six to eight inches 
apart, if of the garden kinds. It is certainly late, but we 
have before uoav soavii Dutch Turnips on a Avarm spot and 
light soil in the first week of September, and obtained a nice 
crop for spring use. This Avas, however, in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London. 
Seeds, Ac. —All things available in this Avay should hence¬ 
forward be watched and collected, if so doing does not com¬ 
promise other business. We do not think that a cottager, 
or allotment man, ought to make a point of saving many 
seeds ; it will not pay him so Avell as groAving useful crops. 
Still it happens sometimes that a superior kind, or a row of 
Peas or Beans, or a few early Runners (for Avhich a demand 
had not existed at the dinner table), may pass over their 
time, and serve to keep the seedsman’s fingers out of 
his pocket. Above all, let us advise him still to be very par¬ 
ticular about his seed Potatoes. Whatever the cause of the 
continuance of the disease, it becomes, at least, a necessary 
precaution to “ breed well,” as it is termed, to preserve hi§ 
stock as free from taint as possible. Indeed, the very con¬ 
stitution of the plant demands an amount of care in accord¬ 
ance AA-ith its natural habits. The abuse, or mismanage¬ 
ment of any plant, tuber, or otherwise, like abuses in the 
animal system, although not of a really destructive character 
at first, may, in a hidden way, be laying the foundation for 
positive disease; and such may slumber for a generation or 
two. Nothing like care : cause must produce its correspond¬ 
ing effect, whether seen or not; whether to-morrow or in a 
year’s time. 
And iioav let us turn our attention to manures. “ The 
midden is the initlier o’ the meal last,” say the Scotch ; a 
sensible and useful proverb certainly. Would that every 
one who reads these remarks both could, and would, study 
