404 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 25. 
we think, that sufficient has not yet been done to ex¬ 
clude those of shabby foliage from sucb stands. 
Returning to the subject of Roses blooming this 
season, I certainly have no reason to complain; per¬ 
haps the “ Gallica,” were less prolific than on some 
years, but this has been amply made up by the “ Per- 
petuals,” which have bloomed more abundantly than 
usual; and the blank which, more or less, takes place in 
I August, between the early and autumn-blooming kinds, 
is certainly less this season than I ever remember 
witnessing. This I attribute to the abundant rains 
which fell in the usual blooming season invigorating 
the plaut, so as to enable it to continue forming fresh 
buds, while a hot season and heavy crop of flowers too 
often leave the plant exhausted, that a partial rest is 
necessary before another blooming season can be 
effected. Whether the general autumn , display be 
diminished or not, in consequence of this intermediate 
period being better furnished than in general, time 
alone will determine; but I do not expect it will, the secre¬ 
tions necessary to furnish a supply of blooms at that 
period are generally produced at the time, and not laid 
up in store months before, like the embryo buds of a 
fruit-tree, or the trusses of a Strawberry. Autumn 
Roses are the creature of the season, and may generally 
be depended upon, in tolerable abundance, where the 
plant has maintained anything like a healthy character 
up to the period of its blooming; so that if the void 
common in August can be made up, there is little or no 
danger of not having Roses in September. However, as 
the subject of Roses has been dealt with by other hands, 
I shall say no more than again repeat; that, in a general 
way, the present season has been, with me, a successful 
one in their flowering. 
Coming next to vegetables, we fear much diversity of 
opinion will exist. The cold, wet spring occasioned 
many things to perish, which the severe winter had left 
unkilled ; that Cauliflower plants were, in some districts, 
at a premium; even Cabbages were much hurt; and the 
absence of anything like mild weather checked their 
growth, so that the “first cut” was much later than is 
common amongst those noticing such things. Potatoes 
were as much diseased, with me, in the frame, in April, 
as they are in the open ground in August; and that 
is worse than on any preceding season—1846 and 
1849 perhaps excepted. This unfortunate subject I, 
however, leave, and shall be glad to hear of cases 
wherein cultivation and treatment of a practical kind 
has been able to keep this invidious enemy at a distance, 
but for the present I leave it. Peas have been difficult 
to preserve from the slugs, which are more than usually 
numerous this year, so that many crops had to be sown 
over again, and that repeatedly ; where they did succeed, 
there has been an abundance of haulm, perhaps too 
much on cool damp soils; but as the soil here is the 
reverse to that the summer has suited them well. A 
similar difficulty existed in rearing Kidney Beans , but 
these once got up. and a fair start made, have done well 
since; while the Salad crops, of all kinds, have derived 
the full benefit which a showery season is expected to 
impart to them, not, however, without the usual draw¬ 
backs of having a difficulty to obtain “ a plant,” in 
many instances, owing to the number and voracity ot 
their enemies; however, Radishes have been less hot, 
and Lettuce less inclined to “run,” than usual; and 
! though we may have a period of dry weather, yet still 
the autumn dews, and long evenings, will, in a measure, 
! protect most crops from suffering much from drought. 
Broad Beans have been more prolific in haulm than 
of pods, and, in some places, complaints have been 
j made of their not setting well, or of being blighted in 
I foliage afterwards Last year, many fields of Beans 
were ploughed up after blossoming, the latter becom- 
I ing abortive or useless. This season the injury is from 
other causes, and certainly not so general in its effects. 
One thing, the quantity of moisture, and excess of 
haulm, must account for the deficiency of air with 
which the blooms were surrounded, and hence the 
failure is not greater than might reasonably be ex¬ 
pected. Onions have been good; and though at the 
period at which I write are not yet ripe, yet they pro¬ 
mise well, but they were with difficulty saved from the 
enemies of young vegetation, who, however, preyed with 
more violence on Carrots at that early period ; in fact, 
this vegetable is a more especial favourite with the 
numbers of the lower orders of creation than most 
things, and even at an advanced period, rabbits prefer 
its tops to that of anything else. The crop, this season, 
certainly does not look well, yet it may be a fair average 
one, as the district I write from, is not, by any means, 
a good one for this vegetable. 
The more tender productions, as ridge Cucumbers, 
Vegetable Marrow, &c., have certainly failed to furnish , 
their usual contingent to the “ bill of fare” so early as 
on more sunny seasons, but they are as little affected 
by mildew as common, and may continue to bear toler- j 
ably well yet; but Tomatoes will assuredly be late, and 
may, possibly, not ripen at all, except in favoured situ¬ 
ations ; the same may be said of Chilics, &c., while [ 
amongst the smaller things, as the tender sweet herbs, j 
there has been a difficulty to preserve them against the 
attacks of vermin, which existed in such numbers where 
the ground was so much below the temperature these 
delicate plants delight in. However, where care has 
been exercised, the necessary quantity of these may 
also be forthcoming, as there is a wide difference be¬ 
tween growing a plant and perfecting its fruit; an herb 
may be brought into use when it is impossible to ripen 
a Capsicum , or a Love-apple, that, on the whole, we , 
have some doubts of the latter being brought into plen¬ 
tiful use this season at all. 
In concluding these notices of the season, I must not 
omit to mention the extra amount of labour that con¬ 
tinued wet weather has created, in the shape ot innu¬ 
merable weeds, as well the unceasing growth of grass on 
lawns, and other places kept short; while, as will be 
seen by every one, the destruction of weeds is a more 
difficult matter in a wet season than in a dry one—hence 
the difficulty of preserving the proper degree of order, 
&c., so necessary in all departments. However, we may, 
perhaps, have a fine autumn, and the plants which have 
hitherto been retarded in growth may make more progress 
in such time as is yet left for them; while we may reason¬ 
ably expect those which have been rambling away to an 
almost reckless extent may have exhausted themselves, 
and remain more at home, flowering or consolidating 
themselves so as to resist cold when it approaches, if 
they have it to endure. It is, therefore, on this prin¬ 
ciple, that we expect the autumn produce of grass to 
be less than the majority of past seasons. If the latter 
should be dry and unpropitious, more especially in those 
districts where dry weather does affect the growth, 
which it hardly will do on cold, stiff soils in some 
latitudes ; in fact, in such, warm sunshine will be bene¬ 
ficial to its growth, as well as to more tender productions. 
J. Robson. 
HARVESTING BARLEY. 
Barley must be considered as one of the most valu- 
able of our grain products, not only on account of its i 
supplying a beverage to a large portion of our popula¬ 
tion, but also as being, next to Wheat, the most valuable 
of the farmer’s grain produce upon a considerable pro- ! 
portion of the land of this kingdom; indeed, upon many 
light land farms, in different parts of the country, it is 
