177 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Ji.ne 28, 18&9. 
W e hare here a very light and dry soil, and the grub is very 
troublesome. Having a store of potted plants, we are enabled 
constantly to replace those which have been destroyed by its 
ravages; and such plants do not miss their removal so much as 
plants stuck in with a dibble do. 
It is very important that the seedling plants shoidd be trans- | 
planted, or that they should be “pricked oft'” early (in the 
parlance of the gardener). Care should be taken by all means 
never to give them a check, which always induces premature 
fructification, and ends in producing what is called a “ button.” 
Therefore, in all hot dry weather they will be greatly benefited by 
a soaking (not a little drop) of water; which, if the soil is 
loosened up well with the hoe after the operation, will greatly 
benefit them. In fact, the value of deep lioeings must never be 
lost sight of in cultivating this or any other kind of vegetable. 
It appears to me, that, in obtaining that luxuriance of growth 
so conducive to succulency and good flavour—-so essential, in our 
estimation, to a really good vegetable—the soil shoidd be rich 
and replete with manurial matters, ample space must be given 
for development, surface stirring must be a frequent operation, 
and liberal potations of liquid manure must be given. The result 
of these attentions will be vegetables of the mildest and most 
delicate flavour. 
There are certain vegetables which seem as if they could not 
attain to their perfect state unless grown on rich soils ; while 
there are some others which perfect themselves on soils compa- ( 
tively poor. The Cauliflower and the Asparagus cannot be grown i 
on soils too rich for them; and little can be done with them in 
soils which do not contain a fair portion of humus. 
Cauliflowers in many old gardens are subject to club. This 
disease is very perilous and annoying, frequently destroying whole 
quarters of this vegetable. It is thought to arise from the punc¬ 
ture of an insect, the part swelling and appearing “clubbed.” 
It is usual to cut off such clubs from the roots, and to replant 
them with little apparent result. I have found that deep 
trenching and bringing up the previously-unmoved soil and 
mixing it are a preventive of this evil, although not an invariable 
one. 
Cauliflowers are difficult to get true to name from seed; and a 
host of high-sounding names are published, which, when tried, 
prove to be mere rubbish. We grew what we call the Walclieren , 
which is a most beautiful variety: it is perfectly close and as 
white as pure milk. 
Cauliflower, as it is one of the finest, is also one of the most 
essential vegetables used at a gentleman’s table. He who has it 
not in constant supply cannot be deemed a good gardener.— , 
II enk r Bailey, Nuneham . 
REMINISCENCES OF HORTICULTURAL 
SHOWS. 
It is much to be regretted that our horticultural exhibitions, 
as a whole, present a sameness which is greatly found fault with 
by that very numerous class of siglit-seers who constitute by far 
the largest portion of the supporters of such shows. It is far 
from my purpose to find fault with the meritorious productions 
brought to such exhibitions: on the contrary, the skill of the 
various growers of plants and fruits cannot be too highly extolled ; 
but a repetition of nearly the same list of plants in 1859 that 
was exhibited in 1849, is what I regret. It may, perhaps, be 
said that a good thing cannot be too often repeated, and plants 
like Ixora coccinea, llondeleiia spinosa, and LeschenauUia for- 
mosa, cannot be too often exhibited. Perhaps they cannot; but 
I should certainly like to see prizes offered for plants we never 
see at any of the large horticultural shows, merely because 
Fashion has ordained that others shall be the favourites. Would it 
not be worth the while of such societies as some of the met ropolitan 
ones, excluding the winning species of plants at one show from 
exhibiting at the next? or if this be thought acting too severely, 
a list of those exhibited during the season in the winning-stands 
might be published, and notice given of their being excluded the 
following season. The great mass of the British public, how 
much soever they may say they admire flowers, are not so much 
in love with a limited number of species as to be entirely re¬ 
gardless of the rest. On the other hand, they want variety, and 
it is the want of that change which makes horticultural shows 
more a fashionable promenade than one of instruction in floricul- 
tural matters. 
I fear I am giving offence to the gardening world by speaking 
thus freely ; but at the Crystal Palace Exhibition on the 8th 
inst., I had many opportunities of witnessing what I now state. 
Plants there were in abundance that were models of perfection 
in their culture; but which were passed carelessly by with the 
unconcerned remark that, “ Oh ! 1 have seen that plant so many 
times at the Show, that 1 wish they would send something else in 
its place.” Ladies of rank leaning over the ropes listlessly ob¬ 
serving that such a plant was Very nice, but not better than they 
had seen it many years before. Now, as we are all more or less 
fond of novelty, the managers of our public exhibitions ought to 
keep pace with the public taste in that respect, and endeavour to 
infuse something fresh into the lists of plants exhibited, in what 
they call their “ large collections.” They have done a little by 
giving prizes to plants rcmarkable for their foliage ; and prior to 
that some encouragement had been given by one or more of the 
London societies to collections of hardy evergreen shrubs in 
pots. This, I think, might be repeated, not at every show, 
certainly; but say once a year or so, in order to let the public see 
the various forms these interesting ornaments to dressed grounds 
present. 
While finding fault with the lack of variety at the late Show, 
I cannot but admire one collection which I believe was exhibited 
regardless of a prize, but which I trust the Committee will sei5 
the prudence of giving suitable prizes to, and that was a nice 
collection of succulent plants, mostly of the Melon Thistle kind. 
These interesting objects were once the pride of our grandfathers' 
hothouses, and, doubtless, will have their turn again, just as 
Hollyhocks and some other plants have had. The specimens in 
this collection were in small pots, yet contained a greater number 
of species of plants than that of any one there, most of the 
dwarler sections of the great Cactus family, with some Proteas, 
Crassulas, and others ; but as I had no intention at the time of 
publishing my ideas of the Show, I did not note down the par¬ 
ticulars ; and I find the reporters of the Show doing as others had 
done before them—only noticing the large objects before them, 
Fashion not having yet deigned to notice these singular objects as 
worthy of her attention. Seedling Pelargoniums, differing but a 
fractional part of a shade from kinds we already have, being 
deemed more worthy the critic’s notice than a whole collection 
of plants differing widely from everything else there, and also 
from each other. 
As I find your pages already contain reports of the other 
objects of interest, I will not repeat them here; suffice it to say 
that I thought the stands of Fuchsias not first-rate, neither were 
the Calceolarias anything like so good as I have seen at a country 
show; but the Geraniums, especially the Fancies, were super- 
excellent, and the liardwooded plants were all that could be 
wished for in their way. The Cactuses in flower were not remark¬ 
able ; and there was nothing new amongst the plants with 
remarkable foliage—the varieties of Begonias of the rex breed 
being all inferior to the parent in so far as the marking was con¬ 
cerned. Of cut flowers I am no judge. Fruit was generally' 
good, the only exception being the White Grapes, and the 
Melons in appearance : of their flavour I know nothing. The 
best things were Black Grapes, Pines, Peaches, Nectarines, and 
Strawberries. Figs and Cherries might also have been good, but 
I did not perceive anything in their looks to indicate merit above 
mediocrity. 
As I do not belong to that class who bandy compliments 
where no compliments are due, I cannot close this paper without 
remarking that the late showery weather had told on the general 
management of the garden grounds at the Palace, as well as it 
has done in private places; the grass being longer than I ever 
remember to have seen it, and the walks were not in such nice 
keeping as I have seen them at other times. Doubtless the more 
restricted means the manager has at command is the cause of 
this, otherwise the planting of the vases and the general condition 
of the beds were all that could be desired ; and though the plant¬ 
ing was far from completed, enough was done to show it w'ould 
be different to that of former years. —R. 
To Kill the Viyegak Plant — Boil it. —The only pre¬ 
cautions needed, are to strain through fine muslin into a tinned 
stewpan or enamelled saucepan with a cover, and place it over 
the fire till it begins to boil. Then to pour it out immediately 
into glazed stoneware jars, and cover up till cold, when it may be 
bottled for use. In this way, allowing for waste by evaporation, 
&c., a splendid vinegar may be obtained for about ninepence per 
gallon.—W. K. Bkidgma>. 
