THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
A better substance Ilian the earth of the place is often 
necessary to enclose the Celery that is intended to keep 
some time, and various substances liavo been tried for 
that purpose. Introducing the plant into a drain-pipe 
of three or four inches diameter lias been tried by 
some, but not with any particular benefit, except in 
cases where nothing better exists, and the ground is ex¬ 
ceedingly stiff aud wot. For the purpose it is most in¬ 
tended for—“ keeping away worms”—it is notsuitable. It 
is better, therefore, to trust to somo drier material than 
the earth, and more unpalatable to worms, slugs, and 
other insects, and the best that I havo met with that 
way are coal-ashes. Sand may also boused; but its 
density is such that it presses too heavily against the 
plant, and often finds its way into the heart of the plant, 
and its injury or death is the result. Peat-earth is very 
good, and when this can be had it will be of great ser¬ 
vice, as, apart from its being lighter thau other earth, 
it is a better preservative to most things buried in it. 
Saw-dust has been recommended by some; but I have 
never experienced any benefit from it; besides which, 
it must be borne in mind, that whatever is used as a 
blanching material usually gets mixed up with the soil 
of the place, and therefore nothing ought to be used that 
is likely to injure that ground ; rather let it be such as will 
benefit it, which peat-earth generally will do. Supposing 
coal-ashes to be used in a wet, cold, damp soil, a small 
quantity next the plants will do, and some of the ordinary 
earth behind it to form the bank, and when the last 
earthing-up is given, let the earth have a ridge like 
shape, so as to throw off as much of the water as possible 
into the trench. For that purpose the sides may be 
beaten with the back of the spade, and the whole made 
into a nice, orderly, sharp-looking ridge, there being 
ashes, as stated above, quite up to the apex, but backed 
with earth to keep them up, as well as to save quantity 
At the last earthing-up the plant ought still not 
to be choked up too far, as I confess not being an ad¬ 
vocate to a too close smothering up at any time, and 
certainly not during the main growing season. 
Winter Treatment. —This is simple enough, as the 
plant requires very little doing to it at this time. A little 
litter thrown over the tops and part of the ridge will 
preserve it against severe frosts; but it is only in very 
sfevere weather that it needs any covering at all. Still it 
would he prudent to take up a quantity before bad 
weather sets in, and lay it by amongst sand in some 
cool place; it will keep a long time, and be handy to 
get at in all weathers. The washing and dressing of it 
for table belong to other departments; but the amateur, 
who may, perhaps, do all himself, will find it lose much 
of its flavour if allowed to remain many hours in 
water. A short time is necessary in most cases, but the 
precise time can only be learned by the taste of the party 
partaking of it; but it ought never to be less than one 
hour. 'Ihe clearest spring water only ought to be used; 
and the less handling it has the better it looks, provided 
it be clean. 
Remarks. —In the ordinary routine of a small garden 
it is usual to occupy the ridges between the rows with 
some other crop in the summer season. This method is 
much preferable to delaying the preparations of the 
Celery trenches till they are wanted, ns there is a 
better chauce of the materials in the trench being in 
a better condition to produce a good crop than when 
the whole work is delayed to the last minute. In a gene¬ 
ral way it will be fouud to do well after a crop of early 
Potatoes, or even Peas; but the Cabbage tribe often 
leave such a nest of slugs and other enemies on the 
ground, that it is better to follow something else. In 
most gardens the proportion under the Celery crop 
will often amount to one-eighth of the whole available 
space under cultivation, and sometimes even more than 
that. It generally affords a good place for Onions the 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 14, 1856. 25 
next season; and as the roots are, in a measure, con¬ 
fined to one spot, it is not an exhausting crop ; neither 
is it an unsightly one to be thrust into the back grounds; 
j and, whether used for cooking or salad purposes, it will 
i bo found that medium-sized Celery is the best, and 
| keeps longest. But those who take pride in remarkable 
productions may have this in an overgrown state 
j the same as other things, as it is a gross feeder, and 
j will drink in mauure-vvater of any strength like a 
' regular toper ; but, as stated above, such Celery goes 
! soonest to decay; therefore, it must not all be like that. 
' I might, also, state here, that in the arrangement of the 
! ground it is better to have the rows pointing north and 
south ; but this is often determined by other circum- 
; stances; when not, the nearer it is to this the better, 
other conditions being also favourable. 
J. Hobson. 
PLANTING BROCOLI. 
Having observed an article on planting Brocoli by Hardy 
and Son, Malden, in The Cottage. Gardener, No. 417, page 
' 450, I write to say that I think they have outstripped their 
; calculations regarding Brocoli, particularly as a winter crop. 
They seem to make no allowance for some, or, it may be, all 
■ of the plants being killed with frost in a severe winter. I 
j consider frost to be the worst enemy we have in winter to 
i the Brocoli crop; therefore I think Hardy and Son quite out 
| if they think to persuade any man of experience to plant 
j Brocoli three feet square to stand the winter. 
I Likewise, they advise those who have their Brocoli planted 
: closer than three feet square to have them thinned out im¬ 
mediately. Now, if l were to thin at all, 1 should content 
i myself till the most severe frosts were past, aud then I 
! would take out all that were injured by the frost; and after 
j that, I think, in most seasons and in most places, the crops 
would be found thin enough. I am not an advocate for 
“ very ” close cropping, always adopting a medium distance 
’ in every sort of crop; and every gardener, and almost every 
other person too, knows that a medium-sized head of 
Brocoli or Cauliflower is preferred before a very large one. 
The system l adopt, and have seen adopted by first rate 
kitchen gardeners, is to give the ground intended for Brocoli 
a good dressing with well-rotted manure; and, as manure is 
the head gardener in that department, I always give plenty. 
Haviug dug the ground well, I line the rows off two feet 
apart, and put the plants twenty-two inches apart in the 
[ row. By following that system with Brocoli you will have 
good medium-sized heads, somewhat larger than tea cups, 
and not spritted either; neither will there he any fear of 
one plant gaining predominance over ten other adjacent 
plants, which, by the way, I never saw nor heard of before. 
If you should think this worthy of a place in your columns, 
it may, perhaps, be the means of preventing some from 
making what 1 consider a great mistake, viz., thinning their 
Brocoli to one yard square, which they would find out to 
their cost in due time. I invariably plant about the mid¬ 
dle of July with success. Hardy and Son’s wide planting 
will do for seed stocks, hut not for table crops.—N. Mercer, 
Glenormiston, Peebleshire. 
Increased Cultivation in Ireland. —The excellence 
of the harvest in Ireland, and the large produce from 
the. increased number of acres cultivated, add to the 
many causes all tending to a reduction of prices. 
Total Extent, in Statute Acres, ok Wheat and 
Potatoes grown in Ireland in 1852, 1853, 1854, 
1855, and 1850. 
Wheat. Potatoes. 
Acres. Acres. 
1852 . 353,560 876,532 
1853 . 326,800 898,733 
1854 . 411,284 980,660 
1855 . 445,775 982,301 
1856 . 529,363 1,104,590 
