THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 22, 1857. 307 
sound, and altogether different in many particulars, 
being slower in growth, and consequently longer lived. 
Other varieties resemble these two in some way or 
other, and are regarded by the timber dealer as the 
same. 
The Elm delights in a rather dry soil, often attaining 
a larger size than any other tree in a sound state. This 
county (Kent) seems well adapted to their growth, as it 
is not uncommon to find trees of large size that were 
planted in the memory of persons still living. They 
also grow pretty well on a strong loamy soil, and seem 
to endure the smoke of a town as well as any other tree. 
Where they are at home they propagate themselves freely 
by sending up suckers in abundance, which quickly be¬ 
come trees. They also will stand closer together without 
injury than most other trees; but, when really good 
useful timber is wanted as well as healthy ornamental 
trees, they ought, as well as all other trees, to be thinned 
in time. 
As timber Elm is heavier than most common kinds of 
wood, the exceptions being Box, Thorn, and Beech, it 
is also less easily ignited than others, except it be 
Poplar, but it is not well adapted for house building, as 
it warps and shrinks excessively. Nevertheless, weather 
boarding and other things are often cut out of Elm, 
and, as it is not easily split, naves of wheels, blocks for 
iron standards, for wire fencing, and many other things 
are made of it; and boarding for the bottoms of carts 
and other things subjected to much wear are often made 
of Elm, as it is said to be the most durable of common 
woods except Oak when exposed to the alternations of 
wet and dry, and more durable than Oak when always 
wet. ' J. Robson. 
PICKLING. 
Never, on any consideration, use brass, copper, or hell- 
metal kettles for pickling, the verdigris produced in them 
by the vinegar being of a most poisonous nature. Kettles 
lined with porcelain are the best, but if you cannot procure 
them, block tin may be substituted : iron is apt to discolour 
any acid that is boiled in it. 
Vinegar for pickles should always be of the best cider 
kind. In putting away pickles use stone or glass jars; the 
lead, which is an ingredient in the glazing of common 
earthenware, is rendered very pernicious by the action of 
the vinegar; have a large wooden spoon and a fork for the 
express purpose of taking pickles out of the jar when you 
want them for the table; see that while in the jar they are 
always completely covered with vinegar. If you discern in 
them any symptoms of not keeping well, do them over 
again in fresh vinegar and spice. The jars should be 
stopped with large flat corks, fitting closely, and having a 
leather, or a round piece of oil-cloth, tied over the cork. 
It is a good rule to have two-thirds of the jar filled with 
pickles, and one-third with vinegar. Alum is very useful in 
extracting the salt from pickles, and in making them firm 
and crisp ; a very small quantity is sufficient—too much will 
spoil them. In greening pickles keep them very closely 
covered, so that none of the steam may escape, as its reten¬ 
tion promotes their greenness, and prevents the flavour 
from evaporating. Vinegar and spice for pickles should be 
boiled but a few minutes—too much boiling takes away the 
strength. 
Radish Pods. —Gather sprigs or bunches of radish pods 
while they are young and tender, but let the pods remain 
on the sprigs, it not being the custom to pick them off; put 
them into strong salt and water, and let them stand two 
days; then drain and wipe them, and put them into a clean 
stone jar. Boil an equal quantity of vinegar and water; 
pour it over the radish pods while hot, and cover them 
closely to keep in the steam; repeat this frequently through 
the day till they are very green; then pour off the vinegar 
and water, and boil for five minutes some very good vinegar 
with a little bit of alum, and pour it over them ; put them 
nto a stone jar, and having added some whole mace, whole 
pepper, a little turmeric, and a little sweet oil, cork it closely, 
and tie over it a leather or oil-cloth. 
Green Beans. —Take young green or French beans 
string them, but do not cut them in pieces; put them in 
salt and water for two days, stirring them frequently; then 
put them into a kettle, with vine or cabbage leaves under, 
over, and all around them, adding a little piece of alum; 
cover them closely to keep in the steam, and let them hang 
over a slow fire till they are a fine green. Having drained 
them in a sieve, make for them a pickle of cider vinegar, 
and boil in it for five minutes some mace, whole pepper, 
and sliced ginger, tied up in a thin muslin bag; pour 
it hot upon the beans, put them into a stone jar, and tie 
them up, 
Nasturtiums. —Have ready a stone or glass jar of the 
best cold vinegar; take the green seeds of the nasturtium 
after the flower has gone off (they should be full grown, but 
not old), pick off the stems, and put the seeds into the vine¬ 
gar. No other preparation is necessary, and they will 
keep a year with nothing more than sufficient cold vinegar 
to cover them. With boiled mutton they are an excellent 
substitute for capers. 
To Pickle Cauliflowers. —Take the whitest and closest 
full-grown cauliflowers; cut off the thick stalk, and split the 
blossom or flower part into eight or ten pieces; spread 
them on a large dish, sprinkle them with salt, and let them 
stand twenty-four hours; then wash off the salt, drain them, 
put them into a broad flat jar or pan, scald them with salt 
and water, allowing a quarter of a pound of salt to a quart 
of water; cover them closely, and let them stand in the 
brine till next day; afterwards drain them in a hair sieve, 
and spread them on a cloth in a warm place to dry for a 
day and a night; then put them carefully, piece by piece, 
into clean broad jars, and pour over them a pickle which 
has been prepared as follows :—Mix together 3 ozs. of cori¬ 
ander seed, 3 ozs. of turmeric, 1 oz. of mustard seed, and 1 oz. 
of ginger; pound the whole in a mortar to a fine powder; 
put into three quarts of the very best cider vinegar; set it 
by the side of the fire in a stone jar, and let it infuse three 
days. These are the proportions, but the quantity of the pickle 
must depend on the quantity of cauliflower, which must be 
kept well covered by the liquid; pour it over the cauliflower, 
and secure the jars closely from the air. 
You may pickle broccoli in the same manner; also the 
green tops of asparagus .—{Miss Leslie.) 
NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
Rhododendron CALornYLLUH {Handsome-leaved Rho¬ 
dodendron). 
Forty-three species of Rhododendron were discovered 
by Dr. Hooker in the Sikkim Himalaya Mountains, and yet 
Mr. Booth shortly afterwards discovered sixteen more, of 
which this is one. It blooms in May ; flowers white, tinged 
with green .—{Botanical Magazine , i. 5002.) 
Dendrobium nobile, var. pallidiflorum {Pale variety 
of Noble-Jlo wered Den drohium ). 
Like the species, probably, it is a native of China. 
Flowers white, tinged with pink, but not handsome.— {Ibid., 
t. 5003.) 
Viola pedunculata {Long-slallced Golden Violet). 
Sir W. Hooker says it is “ the handsomest of the genus, 
but lacking the fragrance of the great favourite, the Sweet 
Violet of Europe.” It was found by Douglas in California, 
but introduced here by Messrs. Veitch, of the Exeter and 
Chelsea Nurseries, through their collector, Mr. Lobb. 
Flowers yellow, with streaks of crimson on the front of the 
three lower petals, and a purple blotch at the back of the 
two upper petals. Requires a cool frame. Blooms in May. 
—{Ibid. t. 5004.) 
Azalea occidentalis {Californian Azalea). 
This was found by Douglas and Hartweg in California, 
but was introduced by Messrs. Veitch from their collector, 
Mr. W. Lobb. Flowers white. “ The present is tho only 
