"o THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Mat 1, 1860. 
no slicks or poles, but they do not continue so long in bearing, 
but succeeding crops may bo put in as late as the end of July. 
But in a general -,vay the Scarlet Runners are more esteemed, 
and, continuing later in bearing, are made to supply the later 
summer months. Nevertheless, a few rows of Dioarfs are 
always advisable in every garden ; and the kinds proper to plant 
arc the Neicington Wonder, Liver-coloured , Black-specJcled , and 
Victoria. 
Ridge Cucumbers. —Although these cannot be said to be sub¬ 
stitutes for Cauliflowers or Turnips, yet, as a salad, they are, 
perhaps, the most useful we have in dry weather, and the hotter 
the summer the more prolific, in a general way, this article 
becomes. Sow the seeds in a pan, or flower-pot, which place in 
heat in the early part of April, and pot them off two in a pot, 
and gradually harden off in time to plant them out by the middle 
or end of May, on good well-prepared ground that is somewhat 
sheltered from the coldest winds, and they will require but little 
after-attention, except keeping the weeds down, and gathering 
the fruit at the proper season. Cucumbers though not so rambling 
as the Vegetable Marrow, are, like it, liable to be attacked by 
mildew, which is, unfortunately, as prevalent in dry warm weather 
in autumn as when it is vret and cold. But they are such 1 
general favourites that a few plants ought to be grown by every 
ono ; and though their name implies their being grown on an 
eminence, a ridge is, perhaps, the very worst place that could 
be selected for them. A furrow or valley would be better, 
ns being more sheltered. Perhaps no ono is better acquainted 
with this fact than the cottager, who often grows out-door 
Cucumbers to great perfection by simply preparing his plot 
for them on some sheltered spot; and, fixing some faggots on 
their ends in the ground, forms a barrier around them 'more 
enviable than many tilings having a more dressed appearance— 
the Vine of the Cucumber attaching itself to the faggots, which 
are generally placed on a slanting position outwards, and covering 
the whole with bearing shoots. But these matters having been 
discussed before, it only remains proper here to name the out¬ 
door Cucumber as one of the plants capable of withstanding a 
greater amount of dry weather than most of our other salad 
plants; and on that account deserving more extended cultivation 
where Lettuce and the other fast-growing plants are unable to 
live, and on extraordinarily dry seasons everything fresh and 
green is acceptable. 
In closing this article it is proper to say, that where there is the 
means of applying winter to growing crops, the quantity and 
quality of summer vegetables may be much increased: but as 
this is often impossible, it is advisable to pay more attention to 
those that thrive and do best in dry places, and in hot weather. 
Many things like both heat and moisture — as, for instance, 
Onions, and, in fact, most plants make most progress at such 
times; but dry, hot weather is only adapted to a few, of which 
those described in this chapter are the most important. But 
where the means will admit of it such additions as Water 
Cresses may often be made with little trouble by planting some 
slips in a neighbouring stream or ditch, and in the hot, dry 
weather of the dog-days a handful of them will find many ad"- 
mirers at table. It is, however, proper to observe that they 
ought to be protected from cattle; but in other respects they 
are very accommodating, and the otherwise-useless ditch-side 
might be made a source of profit, furnishing the table with one 
of the most healthful salads we have, and that, too, at a time when 
most wanted.—J. Robson. 
SALE OE CHINESE VEGETABLE SEEDS. 
On the 18th ultimo, Mr. Stevens sold by auction a collection 
of Seeds of Chinese Kitchen Vegetables of Californian growth. 
The following are the different kinds, their mode of culture and 
cookery:— 
“Tow cok {Dolichos sinensis ],—A Kidney Bean, bearing a 
pod about a yard long and about the thickness of a Kidney 
Bean. A runner and should he staked. It is boiled in its 
green state like the Kidney B.'an. Seems well adapted for 
winter forcing. 
[This is figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 2232. It is 
there stated that in 1821 it was cultivated here by the Rev. and 
lion. William Herbert, of Spoffortli, who received it from the 
Cape of Good Hope under the name of “ the Caffre Bean.” In 
the open ground at Fulham it produced flowers but no seeds, and 
remained dwarf; but in Mr. Herbert’s stove it twined up to a 
height of eight or nine feet. The pod should be eaten while 
quite youug.—E ds. C. G.] 
“Pak-choy {Pak-tsae of Fortune) (Sinapis sp.). —The cele¬ 
brated white Cabbage of Shanghai and Pekin. Grown in beds 
which are laid out somewhat after the fashion of our Celery-beds, 
but not so closely planted. Earthed up about tlie roots, and 
constantly watered with liquid manure. To be well boiled and 
strained, and served on toast with butter-sauce. The stem is the 
most delicate portion. 
“ Caichoy or Kichoy.—A species of Mustard, with a broad 
Cabbage-like leaf and a yellow flower, used as Lettuce. 
“IIen-choy or Hem toy'.—A kind of Spinach, and to be 
treated as such. 
“ IIoo-qua.—A species of Melon. 
“Toong-qua.—A green Melon, used raw, cooked, or in soup. 
“ Woong-qua or Hoong-QUA.—A species of Cucumber. 
“ Suiqua {Luff a of Horticulturists'). — A species of Cucumber 
or Melon used in soup. Should be trained on a frame of Bticks. 
“Look tow.—A green Pea. When used it is first steeped in 
water for about four days until it sprouts and lias a radicle about 
ail inch long. It is then boiled in soup. 
“Bee i tow.—S omething between a Pea and a Kidney Bean, 
used in soup, &c. 
“ Pak tow.—A small species of Kidney Bean. 
“ Hoohg tow.- —Another allied to it. 
“ Won si. —A small species of Coriander used as salad. 
“ The quantities in which the packets of each are made up is 
(unless when otherwise mentioned) intended to be as follows : — 
“ Tow Cok, 12 seeds; Pak-choy, 5000 seeds; Caichoy, 5000 
seeds ; Hcn-choy, 5000 seeds ; Hoo-qua, 24 seeds ; Toong-qua, 
24 seeds ; Woong-qua, 24 seeds ; Suiqua, 6 seeds ; Look tow, 
100 seeds; Bee i tow, 50 seeds ; Pak tow, 50 seeds ; Hoong tow, 
50 seeds ; Yoon si, 150 capsules.” 
Complete sets of tlie above sold for from 13s. to 37s. One 
set, “ with an empty capsule of Suiqua,” realised 44s. 
TREATMENT OF IMPORTED CAPE BULBS. 
I have just received from the Cape a present of dry bulbs of 
tlie undermentioned kinds, and at this season of tlie year am 
entirely at a loss whether to plant them in the usual way at 
once, or store them away dry until tlie autumn. 
Hcemanthus pubescens, Her in e undulata, Watsonia humilis , 
Qalaxia plicate, Lapeyrousia corymbosa, Hesperantha cinna- 
monia, Lachenalia pustulata, Ixias (of sorts), Sparaxis tricolor , 
Morceajuncea, Hesperantha pilosa, and Hcemanthus coccineus .—»• 
Beckham Subsckibek. 
[Tlie first tiling to do with a present or purchase of bulbs 
fresh from the Cape, is to free them from the bugs and scales 
which invariably infest the Amaryllid kinds, and all soft kinds 
like them ; but Ixias and Gladioli, and their allies, as Watsonias, 
Morceas, Ilesperanthas, Lapcyrousias, and the like, are seldom 
bisected; but your Haemaiithi, Nerines, and Lachenalias are 
probably full of them, especially between the scars of the top of 
Hcemanthus pubescens and coccinea. The second tiling to do, 
and to never fail to do, is to pot, or box or plant them any time 
they may come from the beginning of November to the end of 
October. The third tlmig is, that all the large soft ones bo put 
in fresh sandy loam, and nothing with it but good drainage, and 
all the dry-coated ones, and every one that is as small as a child’s 
marble, to bo put in rough sandy peat. The fourth thing is never 
to give them even the slightest artificial heat in any shape what¬ 
ever, not but that some of the very large kinds will stand forcing, 
and some of them even require it, but not till they are fairly . 
established, and the pots full of roots. Any bulb, or “ root,” or 
tuber that will keep alive in a drawer, or paper, or canvass bag 
for so many months, surely will not die for being put into a 
I pot instead, provided always that the pot or bulb is not watered 
till leaves appear. 
The best place on this side of the world for putting Cape bulbs 
in, is the end of a cold pit with one or two lights over them, and 
the rest of the lights entirely off for the summer; the pots to be 
plunged quite down to the rims, and to water between the pots 
occasionally, but never to water a pot till leaves appear, ifit were 
eighteen months hence. But because all this is so very easy and 
simple, many people chooso rather to kill their bulbs, or injure 
them for life, than submit to such plain treatment. You may be 
an exception, but depend upon it your man is “a man for a’ that,” 
and that ho will “ do” them sure enough.] 
