THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 24, 1857. 
112 
The only lilac was Nonpareil, dressed. Goliah is an 
enormous white. Beauty had the broadest petal, a deep 
blush, and about as large as Queen of England. Albin 
was the darkest flower. Ghristophe Colomb and Pio 
Nono the reddest yellow when dressed. Anaxo comes 
next to them, and L'Emir looks a tipped yellow when 
well dressed. 
The first prize for large Chrysanthemums, a silver 
cup, was won by Mr. Argent, who exhibited the monster 
specimen of Vesta; the second by Mr. James. 
Single specimens, Mr. James and Mr. Argent. 
"First prize for a collection of six Pompones, Mr. 
Holland, from Isleworth, and he took the prize for the 
largest specimen Pompone—a most magnificent Bob. 
Mr. Wortley, the Honorary Secretary, took the second 
prize with the best grown plants I ever saw; third, Mr. 
Scruby; fourth, Mr. Couldry. 
For best dressed twenty-four cut blooms. —First, 
Mr. Wortley, a silver cup. There were two fine new 
kinds in this lot, Aristee, a rich blush, and Marquis de 
MolleviUe, a pure white. Second, Mr. Bird; third, Mr. 
James; fourth, Air. D. Monk; fifth, Mr. Oubridge; 
sixth, Mr. Elliott. 
For best twelve cut blooms. —First, Mr. D. Monk, 
silver cup; second, Mr. Oubridge; third, Mr. James; 
fourth, Air. Wortley; fifth, Air. Bird; sixth, Air. J. 
Monk; seventh, Mr. Elliott; eighth, Air. Putman; ninth, 
Air. Peachey. 
For best six cut elooms. —First, Air. D. Alonk; 
second, Air. James ; third, Air. Oubridge; fourth, Mr. 
Bird; fifth, Air. Wortley; sixth, Air. Putman; seventh, 
Air. Elliott; eighth, Mr. Peachey. 
For best six blooms of Anemone Chrysanthemums. 
—First, Air. A. Wortley; second, Air. Bird; third, Air. 
James. 
Six Anemone Pompones, with an extra prize.—First, 
Air. Wortley; second, Mr. James. 
For six blooms which never took a prize at Stoke 
Newington—First, Air. Peesgood; second, Air. Worth; 
third, Mr. R. Glover. 
The Judges for cut blooms were Alessrs. Croxford, 
Shields, and W. Alonk ; for plants in pots, Alessrs. 
Rendal, Boll, and W. Cutbush. D. Beaton. 
PROTECTION OF TENDER VEGETABLES. 
During the average of British winters gardeners 
know lull well that it will not do to leave the vegetable 
garden without protection of some kind; at least, a 
regular supply cannot be depended on without. When 
we consider the profusion of good things which are at 
all times ready during summer to gratify the palate 
even in ordinary gardens, and then observe the sad 
havoc that a severe winter makes, it becomes evident 
that, to stop the gap, almost any amount of pains is de¬ 
sirable. And what a blank, what a miserable affair is a 
denuded kitchen garden in February and March after a 
hard winter, when the ice king has been permitted to 
pursue his devastations unmolested! The blank quarters, 
the dead and dying remains of vegetables, are grievous 
memorials of a once exuberant garden; and to these add 
the lamentations of the cook and the lengthened visage 
of the gardener. Such are the results to be expected— 
in some cases close on the heels of Christmas. Besides, 
what is the expense ol a little protection compared with 
the loss that so frequently accrues from the lack of it? 
Twenty shillings’ worth of straw rightly applied will 
save five guineas’ worth of dainties, ay, and more too. 
And then what becomes of this straw or litter ultimately ? 
Why it is raked off in spring, and carried to the early 
hotbeds to protect linings, or, if too much decayed, to 
the compost yard, where it is worked up in manure. 
AY here, therefore, is the loss ? 
The crops which most demand our attention are 
as follow ; — Cauliflowers, Lettuces, Celery, Broccoli, 
Endive, Coleworts, and Artichokes. I will offer a few 
remarks on each in order. 
Cauliflowers sown in June come into use in October, 
and continue, if protected, until past Christmas. Some 
preserve them longer still in a half-dried state, hung 
up or otherwise; but they are not worth cooking—they 
are mummy Cauliflowers. I do not mean here to 
propose any expensive or difficult practices, such as the 
gardeners of the nobility alone can avail themselves of, 
else it were easy to talk of putting them in Peach houses 
or vineries at rest, and such-like. These will be off¬ 
hand plans and inexpensive, such as may be carried out 
in gardens of very moderate pretensions. These Cauli¬ 
flowers are almost sure to be gross in the autumn, and 
grossness always offers a greater temptation to frost 
than an opposite condition. Aly practice is to fall them 
as Broccoli, or to lay them in by the heels on high 
and dry ground; the latter I prefer as affording facilities 
for covering. If fallen where they grow they should be 
laid with their heads to the south, as, if placed to the 
north as Broccoli, they are sure to produce a crooked 
head. A trench being taken out at one end they are 
cut behind, and dropped nearly flat one after the other. 
Whether this plan, or the heeling system, is pursued they 
must be carefully covered with straw or litter during all 
| frosts, being excessively tender when in head; they 
I must also be uncovered on every safe occasion, as 
confined damp injures them nearly as much as frost. 
The best time to fall them in this way is at the end of 
October. One thing may be observed here—that it is 
well at the commencement of a frost to have them very 
slightly frozen; they may thus remain covered up for 
many days without damage, for by this means the con¬ 
fined damp is rendered somewhat harmless, and when 
a thaw arrives they must be very gradually exposed to 
the light and air. 
Lettuces. —These, if sown in the middle of July, espe¬ 
cially for late autumn use, will be in fine head and fresh 
at the end of October. *Of course there is nothing like 
pits or frames for them; but I am only writing for little 
gardeners, as before observed, who have to contend with 
difficulties. These are better laid together on high and 
dry ground, for it serves, like the Cauliflowers, to check 
their luxuriance, as when they are in full head they 
soon burst or become disfigured if they continue to 
feed. They should be laid together, scarcely touching, j 
with their heads to the south, for the sake of preventing i 
them from drawing crooked, for they are sure to turn to ! 
the sun in a short period. If the Lettuces be loose in 
texture the soil should be pressed tolerably close to their ; 
necks, or they may be slightly tied, although tying is 1 
apt to bruise them, and thus engender corruption leading 
to decay. In other respects they require a course o°f 
treatment very similar to the Cauliflower; but it may be 
observed that they are rather more impatient of damp, 
and all possible means should be taken to keep them dry. j 
As for housing them in sheds or dark places, as some 
have recommended, I have tried the plan years since, 
but they soon become so yellow and shrivelled as to be 
no longer fit for the salad bowl. I have known Lettuces 
kept very late in the autumn by being planted close to 
garden walls which had a coping; in such a situation, 
with a little covering occasionally, they have turned out 
veiy fine, and that, too, at as late a period as the ' 
beginning of December. 
Celery.— This valuable salad has a great enemy to I 
contend with in hard frosts, and these are the more I 
insidious frequently inasmuch as Celery is expected to } 
endure the winter, whereas Lettuce and Cauliflowers do ! 
not raise such expectations. One of the most important ' 
matters as a prelude is the fixing the soil close to their 
stems in order to prevent the frost from entering. And 
