September 8. 
446 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
geously cropped again, so as to have the full benefit of 
what growing weather is yet to come, and to have as 
many substitutes as possible for that important pro¬ 
duction, the Potato, which is, too truly, all but a general 
failure. In every district that I have been able to hear 
from, it is worse diseased than on any occasion, except 
the first year of its introduction, and one subsequently. 
Now, as large breadths of ground, rendered vacant by 
the taking up of this root, will necessarily he at liberty 
for other crops, it is highly advisable to sow or plant 
the same without delay, in order to obtain some recom¬ 
pense for the loss the failure in the recent crop has 
caused. Every day’s delay in the performance of this 
work is just so much loss, by abstracting so much from 
the best part of the growing season; as one day now 
will tend more to advance a plant than a week will do 
in October. It is needless to urge on the cultivators to 
be up and stirring, for though much progress, doubtless, 
has taken place, in the latter mouth, with plants of the 
Cabbage tribe, yet it must be remembered, that such 
progress is more in the large plants than in the smaller 
ones. The later ones seem not to bo possessed with 
that vital energy necessary to urge them on against the 
cold, and other difficulties of the season ; it is, therefore, 
of much importance that they be sufficiently advanced, 
before the advent of that cold season, so that their growth 
be not then arrested. In fact, we hope, long before this 
paper reaches our readers, that large breadths of useful 
autumn and winter vegetables will bo occupying the 
spaces which, in July, presented the desolating appear¬ 
ance of the diseased Potato-fields. 
As many people dug up the crop at the time, or very 
soon afterwards, it is likely that the ground so cleared 
was at once planted with some or other of the Broccoli 
crops; others, which have only been cleared more 
recently, might also, perhaps, have received a later 
planting of the same useful production; and even now, 
plants put in, may, in all likelihood, become useful in 
spring, provided the winter be not too severe; but even 
in that case, small plants sometimes struggle through as 
well as larger ones; and though fine, large heads cannot 
be expected from such, yet they are generally accept¬ 
able, so that it behoves the skilful cultivator to make the 
most of his ground that circumstances will allow; and a 
little extra exertion, at this time, will enable him to 
accomplish this in a much better way than he will at 
first be led to imagine. 
In addition to planting larger breadths of the winter 
stuff mentioned above, certain crops may yet be sown, 
with a fair chance of becoming of great service in 
spring; of these, Turnips stand first, as being the most 
useful as well as most hardy. Seed, therefore, of some 
good, hardy, autumn sort ought to bo sown ; and in 
due time the crop must be thinned, and weeds, &c., 
destroyed; and although the bulbs will not get large, 
yet they often become nice and firm; and, in mild 
winters, they keep growing until the advance of spring 
sends them to seed, prior to which, however, they often 
furnish many useful dishes of greens, in the shape of 
those little sprouts they furnish in such numbers. The 
best kind is certainly one partakiug of the characters of 
the “old Stone;'’ most probably some of its progeny 
| may have improved in some of its points; at all events, 
i sow a quautitity, and the produce, though small, will 
i amply repay you for the trouble and seed made use of. 
This crop may occupy some exposed or out-of-the-way 
place, where it would be imprudent to sow or plant a 
more delicate one ; in fact, it is in fields that such crops 
are often both best and most profitable, and it is there 
that we advise its being done now, believing, that before 
this the bulk of Turnips wanted in gardens will have 
been sown, and, perhaps, thinned. 
It is only in those less-favoured spots that can be 
spared for this crop, the interior of most gardens being 
often jdanted or sown with something else, less robust 
than the Turnip; and first in the list, for general useful¬ 
ness, is the Cabbage, or Colewort, as the earliest are 
called in the London market. These last-named pro¬ 
ductions, which many cultivators in distant counties are 
unable to comprehend, are neither more nor less than 
ordinary Spring Cabbages; but, being sown earlier than 
is usual for this class, arrive at a size, in autumn, at 
which they might then be cut, if wanted, but are left so, 
and cut very early in spring, they having grown con¬ 
siderably during the winter, if it has been at all mild, 
but if severe, their size, instead of being the means of 
saving them, has a reverse tendency, so that they lose 
considerably of their outside leaves besides being 
crippled in other respects; however, they usually 
constitute an important crop to all who cater for 
the public taste; and in order that they should be 
as serviceable as possible, care is taken to sow only 
such kinds as are not likely to run to seed. This point 
in Cabbage culture has certainly been much improved 
upon of late years; yet, now and then, a batch will be 
seen possessing the flowering character of their original 
parents. These, of course, must be abandoned, or 
rather discarded, immediately, and only those sown 
which possess the requisite qualities; and although it 
cannot always be depended on, sowing the same kinds 
year after year, yet, for the above purpose, we have found 
the varieties called Eartham, Downham, and Fulham, 
all good, and less liable to run to seed than some 
others; but for early use they must be sown by 
the middle or about the 20th of July; while, for the 
principal spring crop of Cabbages, the 12th of August 
is soon enough in the south of England—making, of 
course, that difference for latitude, and other circum¬ 
stances, which individual cases call for. 
Another useful winter, or early spring crop, is Spinach, 
which, if sown the last week in August, will grow away 
during the mild weeks in autumn, and produce leaves 
in abundance for use in winter and early spring. This 
may he sown in continuous rows, a foot apart, and 
though they are seldom thinned in autumn, yet a little 
help that way will not be without its merits. Keeping 
them clear from weeds, &c , must, of course, be strictly 
adhered to; and if the wants of the family require it, a 
certain portion might be slightly covered up in severe 
weather, to save it from the frost and other mishaps 
common at that time. Ground that has had a crop of 
potatoes is often sown with this crop, which may be 
done without any additional manure, for too much of 
the latter induces a grossness of habit incompatible 
with its enduring the rigours of winter. 
Large breadths of Lettuce may be planted out, as 
also of Endive; but these ought to be honoured with a 
border or other sheltered position, for although they will 
grow tolerably well in the open ground, and are often 
planted there, yet they do not come so soon into 
use as when favoured by some sheltering wall or 
other object. The*kinds most proper to plant now are 
the hardy Hammersmith and Brown Butch Lettuce, with a 
little of the Brown and Green Coss; and of the Batavian 
Endive. These last had better be planted more spa¬ 
ringly than the Lettuce, because, being less favourites, 
are not so much wanted, except in very severe winters 
they may withstand it better than the others. Now,, in 
planting these last care must be taken to have the 
ground made fine, and dry weather is, on the whole, 
better than moist, as the latter encourages the slug, and 
other enemies, to prey on the young plants, which are 
sometimes to plant over several times in consequence. 
Even if the ground was made tolerably firm on the 
top, it is better so than if in the rough clods of ordi¬ 
nary digging; for the interstices between the latter 
are just so many dwelling-places for the enemies of 
the crop to retire into — thus remedial measures are 
