297 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 8, 1859. 
THE STURMER PIPPIN. 
Me. Eriii.vgton is quite correct in saying, the Sturmer Pippin 
requires a liberal amount of manure. Here (Sturmer Nurseries) 
the original tree is still standing, as hale and as healthy as it was 
thirty years back ; but it is in a very rich alluvial loam. We have 
three orchards, where the Sturmer Pippin is planted in great 
numbers. One has a calcareous clay subsoil, and poor : there the 
trees ripen their wood well; but the fruit is, as he says, of poor 
texture. The other two orchards are in the valley, close to the 
source of the Stour River, a rich alluvial loam of great depth : 
there the fruit is in the greatest perfection. We have now just 
picked over a heap of the Apples, of about ninety bushels, 
scarcely a peck of which are not saleable. It is, decidedly, the 
finest late spring Apple known.— S. Dillistone. 
SOWING GARDEN SEEDS—THE ONION. 
It is somewhat remarkable, that there should be so much 
difference in the hardihood of seeds of plants, that are themselves 
very hardy. This difference is carried so far, that it may fairly 
be averred, that tlie seeds of some tropical plants will endure a 
greater amount of hardship than some indigenous ones, and 
then vegetate. 1 do not mean to say, that the plant, when it 
bursts the seed-vessel, is equally as hardy as the seed. But many 
seeds of plants, from tropical countries, will germinate, after en¬ 
during tlie changes of wet and dry, heat, cold, and frost; when 
some of our home-grown ones would be useless. Why this is 
so, is needless here to inquire; but, allowing it to be so, it be¬ 
hoves us to be careful, and not commit to the earth seeds likely 
to be injured while the ground is in an unfit state to receive them. 
On the other hand, seeds known to be hardy and capable of 
enduring all the vicissitudes of the season, may often, with ad¬ 
vantage, be sown before the time they are likely to vegetate, in 
order to be ready when that time does come. Of the latter kind 
is the Onion, than which I know of none more hardy. The 
main crop of this may, therefore, be sown as early as it can be 
conveniently got into the ground; for, unless the situation be 
a wet one, the seed cannot be sown too early in February, if the 
ground be in good order, and will allow of being trodden upon. 
It is, therefore, advisable to take advantage of fine, dry weather, 
and sow the crop at once, taking care, however, that the ground 
be in what farmers call “good heart;” for though this crop is 
not one generally called a gross feeder, it likes good living, and 
roots much deeper than is generally supposed ; in fact, in dry 
weather, it will send its roots downwards full two feet, if the 
ground be of that depth of good, rich, garden mould. 
True to its half-tropical origin, it likes heat and moisture in 
abundance—the one without the other only leading to disappoint¬ 
ment. In districts, therefore, where moisture is not always to 
be depended upon, let the ground be trenched pretty deeply in 
the autumn, and a good dressing of manure given ; a slight spud¬ 
ding over in the winter, when there is sufficient frost to bear the 
person doing it; and the seed may be sown as early in February 
as opportunity offers. 
Like most crops, the wider apart the plants are, the larger (hey 
get; but there must be some restraint to this. Generally speak¬ 
ing, the crop does best when sowm in continuous rows a foot 
apart; and, being thinned in time, and sufficiently so, there will 
be ample room for the crop for all purposes, except, perhaps, 
that of exhibition. But, allowing the latter class their own way, 
we may say, that the drills for Onion seed ought not to be deep, 
unless it be sown late in the spring, and there be a danger of 
dry weather preventing its germination when near the surface. 
If the seed be good, sow thin, as most of the Onion seed grows; 
if doubtful, sow thicker; but be sure to thin the crop before the 
seedlings become lanky and draw each other; and, if that be 
properly attended to, there will be no harm in sowing a few 
Radishes over the ground as well, taking care that the latter are 
thinly scattered. 
Of the kind of Onion proper to sow, (here is much difference 
of opinion. Generally speaking, the Globe variety is much 
esteemed ; but it does not keep so well as the old Strasburgh , or 
ts kindred varieties. One thing, however, it is proper here to 
say about keeping Onions, that no care can preserve Onions 
P'own on dry, early ground so late in the winter and spring, as 
those that are grown on a late, cold soil. In the north of England 
>nd Scotland, Onions, therefore, keep better than they do near 
London and further south. The reason is obvious : a bulbous 
plant, ripening early on a warm, dry soil, is put to rest early in the 
autumn, and is accordingly ready to start growth again propor¬ 
tionately soon. Keeping the Onion in a cool place will, in a cer¬ 
tain degree, retard this ; but it nevertheless is ready to commence 
growth sooner than it is often wanted to do. This, however, is 
foreign to the present chapter, but is mentioned to console those 
who hear of extraordinary large crops in the South, while their 
own is small and indifferent, but, as stated above, keep better. 
It is only necessary to say, further, that the importance of this 
crop entitles it to the best place in the kitchen garden ; but that 
place all good managers will have allotted to it months ago in the 
general plan of changed cropping, so often advocated m these 
pages. The quantity proper to sow depends on the wants of the 
family ; but about one-twelfth part of the cropping ground will 
be ample.—J. Robson. 
SELECT FRUITS ADAPTED TO THE VARIOUS 
LOCALITIES OF GREAT BRITAIN. 
(Continued from page 283.) 
CURRANTS. 
Black Grape. See Ogden’s Black. 
Black Naples (New Black). —Bunches short, hut pro¬ 
duced in great abundance. Berries larger than any other 
variety, frequently measuring about three quarters of an 
inch in diameter. Milder and sweeter than any other 
black currant, and the best of all the black varieties. 
Cerise. See Cherry. 
Champagne ( Pheasant's Eye; Couleur dc Chair ).— 
Bunches of medium length. Berries medium sized, pale 
pink, or flesh coloured, with darker red veins ; more acid 
than Red Dutch. 
Cheery (Cerise). —Bunches short. Berries very large, 
of a deep red colour ; more acid than Red Dutch. This 
is the largest red cun-ant, and comes in early. 
Common Black. —This is very much inferior to Black 
Naples and Ogden’s Black, and not worth cultivation, 
the bunches and berries being inferior in size to both 
of those varieties. 
Couleur de Chair. See Champagne. 
Goliath. See Raby Castle. 
Houghton Castle. See Baby Casile. 
Jeeves’ White. See White Dutch. 
Knight’s Early Red. —The chief merit this variety is 
supposed to possess, is its greater earliness than the Red 
Dutch ; but the slight advantage it has in this, is lost by 
its inferiority in other respects. 
Knight’s Large Red. — Bunches large and long. 
Berries large, bright red. Does not differ materially 
from Red Dutch. 
Knight’s Sweet Red. — Bunches of medium size. 
Berries large, paler in colour than Red Dutch, and less 
acid; but not so sweet as White Dutch. 
La Fertile. —This variety I have not seen; but, ac¬ 
cording to Mr. Rivers, it is a large red currant, and “ a 
most prodigious bearer.” 
La Hative. —This is a new variety, and, like the pre¬ 
ceding, of foreign origin ; but I have had no opportunity 
of examining it. Mr. Rivers states, in his catalogue, that 
it is “ a very early re’d currant, and excellent.” 
; Long-bitnciied Red ( Wilmot’s Bong-hunched Bed ).— 
Bunches very long, sometimes measuring six inches and 
a half. Berries large, and of a deep red colour. A de¬ 
cided improvement on Red Dutch, and differs also in 
being somewhat later. It is not unlike Raby Castle. 
May’s Victoria. See Baby Castle. 
Morgan’s White. See White Dutch. 
New Black. See Black Naples. 
New White Dutch. See White Dutch. 
Ogden’s Black (Black Grape). —This is not so large 
as Black Naples, but considerably better in every respect 
