248 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 16, 1893. 
Seakale. 
This is a vegetable seldom seen outside a gentle¬ 
man’s or market gardener’s establishment, and the 
reason of this is rather difficult to account for when 
the crowns are of such easy culture and may be 
forced in any out-of-the-way place where a little 
heat can be had, and from which light can be 
excluded. But mistakes are often made in growing 
the crowns, either through not allowing sufficient 
room for them to develop themselves, or on account 
of the sets not being planted sufficiently early to 
allow of growth being made before the foliage is cut 
down by the frost. How often do we see planting 
deferred till spring, by which time the sets have lost 
much of their vitality owing to lying about or being 
exposed to drying winds, whereas, if planted as soon 
as possible after the crowns are lifted, root action 
would at once take place, so that growth would 
begin to push early in spring. 
It was at one time the practice to start the sets in 
boxes, but in all well-regulated establishments this 
has now fallen into disuse, as strong crowns can be 
grown in a season if the sets are planted in good 
time in the open ground. Now that the roots are 
being lifted for forcing it is a good time to prepare 
the sets and get them planted, for experience 
teaches us that the earlier this is done the stronger 
will be the growth the following season provided 
they have proper treatment. When taking up the 
crowns two or three of the strongest young roots 
from each may be removed for this purpose. Pre¬ 
paring the sets is a simple process, and is one of 
those jobs that may be done in bad weather. Young 
roots about the thickness of a man’s finger make the 
best sets, and these should be about 4 in. in length. 
In preparing these a clean cut should be made 
across the upper end in an horizontal manner, and 
at the lower end a slanting cut should be made so 
as to facilitate planting. 
The ground on which Seakale is grown should 
have been previously well manured and deeply dug, 
for it is a gross feeder. If possible planting should 
be done as the digging proceeds, as this obviates the 
necessity of getting on the ground afterwards, espe¬ 
cially should this be so where the land is stiff. The 
rows should be about 2 ft. apart and i ft. allowed 
between the sets. When planting the most simple 
plan is to make holes with a short dibber, dropping 
in the sets with the slanting cut downwards ; the 
holes can be filled in as digging proceeds. When 
growth takes place in spring, it will be necessary to 
go over the plants and remove all shoots except the 
strongest; this process must be repeated, for some¬ 
times the roots push extra growths, which if allowed 
to remain would rob those reserved for producing 
crowns. Only one should be allowed at each root, for 
the stronger they are the more useful will they be. 
When growth has fairly started, the piece of ground 
should have a dressing of nitrate of soda in showery 
weather, and this may be repeated about the middle 
of July. Treated in this manner it is seldom but 
what good crowns are the result .—Kitchen Gardener. 
Notes on Cropping. 
It will not be a matter of surprise if the cropping 
arrangements in kitchen gardens, which in ordinary 
seasons would have been followed by adequate 
supplies of good produce for culinary requirements 
in winter, have been disappointing. Owing to the 
exceptionally forcing character of the autumn in 
common with the spring and summer months, 
sowings and plantations of most of the members of the 
Brassica family in particular have resulted in the 
produce coming into a fit condition for use simul¬ 
taneously and at an unseasonable period. Conse¬ 
quently growers may be threatened with short 
supplies unless such a crisis was anticipated and 
defects to some extent made good. 
So widely opposite have been the meteorological 
conditions of last and the present year that such 
plants as Savoys and Cabbages raised in spring for 
early winter crops were in the former instance much 
behind time, while in the latter a large percentage 
were fully developed and have burst months ago. 
Fortunately we had a number of plants of the new 
late Cabbage named Christmas Drumhead left in the 
seed bed after planting what was considered a 
sufficient breadth. These being of a smaller size 
formed a most useful successional plantation. This 
Cabbage is a dwarf form of the ordinary Drumhead 
and being of superior quality and very hardy, it is a 
good substitute for Chou de Burghley, when the latter 
has succumbed to frost. 
Henderson’s White Plume Celery coming in as it 
does so early in autumn and being of high quality 
under ordinarily good culture, proves a capital 
auxiliary to the vegetable supply when seasonable 
dishes are becoming scarce. Late Peas, although sown 
in specially prepared trenches at the usual time, were 
quite a fortnight earlier than was calculated upon at 
seedtime, and before the end of September this vege¬ 
table was practically over for the season. Ne Plus 
Ultra is a favourite variety with some growers in 
this district, but I find Laxton’s Omega hardier and 
more serviceable in seasons when pickings can be 
had in October. Champion of England is still one 
of the most reliable Peas for the main crop. Late 
Cauliflowers with Walcheren Broccoli as an 
auxiliary have been extra abundant, and but for 
severe frosts on a few occasions the supply would 
have extended till well into December. For a few 
weeks past I have had the heads cut as they attained 
a usable size, and secured in frost-proof quarters 
where light is excluded. 
In some seasons only seedlings of late Cauli¬ 
flowers, such as Veitch’s Autumn Giant that were 
raised in frames, could be planted out early enough 
to result in satisfactory crops. Those sown in the 
open in the spring of 1892 received a check from 
frost from which they never recovered. It is well, 
however, to adopt both systems so that the 
exigencies of all sorts of seasons may be fairly met. 
For a satisfactory supply of winter Greens this 
season Brussels Sprouts promise to be the principal 
mainstay. The summer and autumn has been all 
that could be desired for the development of mode¬ 
rate-sized sprouts of bullet-like texture. Curled 
Greens will also prove unusually acceptable, the 
early frosts having done much to promote good 
quality. Murray’s (Culzean) Strain is one of the 
most uniform in dwarf growth, and grandly curled 
types we have yet seen.— MAyrshire. 
- ^ - 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural, Dec. 12th .—The exhibits were 
more extensive and far more interesting on Tuesday 
last than most people could have anticipated. The 
Orchids were undoubtedly the most conspicuous 
feature of the meeting, and occupied a large amount 
of the table space. The mild weather no doubt 
contributed largely to the circumstances of the case. 
Chrysanthemums were also well represented, 
together with stove and greenhouse plants, Ferns, 
Cyclamens, fruit, and some vegetables. A Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. B. S. 
Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, for a group of 
Orchids set up with Palms and Ferns. Cypri- 
pediums were very numerous in the group, including 
C. Sallieri, C. marmorophyllum, C. Pitcherianum 
Williams var., Laelia acuminata rosea. Odonto- 
glossum Rossii aspersum, and Amaryllis Mrs. W. 
Lee were very interesting, each in its way. A single 
Camellia named Lady Mackinnon with variegated 
flowers would doubtless find many admirers. A 
Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
H. Low & Co , Clapton, for a small group of 
Orchids showing considerable variety. Vanda 
Sanderiana, Cypripediam Sedeni candidulum, 
Odontoglossum Roezlii alba, Lycaste Skinneri, 
and others were prominent and interesting. A 
Silver Banksian Medal was also accorded to Messrs. 
F. Sander & Co , St. Albans, for a group of Orchids, 
including ornamental, interesting, or curious kinds. 
Some of the more noticeable things were Brassia 
Leeana, Laelia Gouldiana, L. autumnalis alba, 
varieties of L. anceps, Cyrtopodium virescens, and 
many others. An attractive group of Orchids was 
exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, 
including fine pieces of Coelogyne barbata, 
Catasetum Gnomus, Cattleya Pheidona, a hybrid, 
Oncidium pulvinatum, O. cheifophorum, and 
several others. A Silver Banksian Medal was 
awarded the group. A Cultural Commendation 
was accorded to Baron Schroder (gardener, Mr. 
Ballantine), The Dell, Egham, for a magnificent 
spike of Cymbidium Traceyanum bearing seventeen 
of its huge, highly-coloured flowers. The same 
exhibitor had flowers of Cypripedium insigne San- 
derae and Laelio-Cattleya Nysa, a handsome hybrid. 
Cypripedium venustum Measuresianum, C. Celeus, 
and Pleurothallis Scapha, all very interesting in 
their way, were shown by R. I. Measures, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Henry Chapman), Cambridge Lodge, 
Camberwell. The yellow and green variety of 
Cypripedium venustum just mentioned is remark¬ 
ably distinct. Cypripedium Lucienianum superbum 
and C. Leeanum Stand Hall var. were exhibited by 
T. Statter, Esq. (gardener, Mr. R. Johnson), Stand 
Hall, Manchester. Cypripedium almos was shown by 
J. F. Ebner, Esq. (gardener, Mr. G. A. Waite), Wood¬ 
lands, Beckenham. Two plants of Odontoglossum 
crispum Thompsonae, each bearing a long raceme 
of bloom, Gochlioda Noetzliana, Catasetum virens, 
and other things were exhibited by Messrs. Linden, 
L’Horticulture Internationale, Brussels. Cypripe¬ 
dium Warnhamensis, Comparettia macroplectron 
and others were shown by C. J. Lucas, Esq., Warn- 
ham Court, Horsham. E. Ashworth, Esq., Wilms- 
low, Cheshire, exhibited several Laelias, including 
L. elegans Wolstenholmiae. Cattleya exoniensis 
was shown by M. Wells, Esq. (gardener, Mr. R. 
Hinde), Broomfield, Sale. Cypripedium fascinatum 
was staged by Mons. Jules Hye-Lysen, 8, Le Cou- 
pure, Gand. A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded 
to the Duke of Northumberland (gardener, Mr. G. 
Wythes), Syon House, Brentford, for a group of cut 
flowers of Calanthe Veitchii and C. vestita rubra 
oculata set up with fronds of Maidenhair Fern. A 
bold-looking hybrid named Cypripedium Wigania- 
num and bearing two large and highly-coloured 
flowers, was exhibited by F. Wigan, Esq. (gardener, 
Mr. W. H. Young), Clare Lawn, East Sheen. Other 
exhibitors of Qrchids were J. Hainworth, Esq., St. 
John’s Park, Blackheath, and W. Vanner, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. W. H. Robbins), Camden Wcod, 
Chislehurst. 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
Hugh Low & Co., for a collection of Cyclamens in 
plants of large size, well furnished with foliage and 
flowers, and grown in 3 2-size pots. The flowers were of 
large size individually, and some of the white varieties 
were handsome. A Silver Flora Medal was also 
accorded to Mr. Robert Owen, Castle Hill, Maiden¬ 
head, who had a large collection of cut flowers of 
Chrysanthemums as grown for exhibition. Hand¬ 
some blooms were Golden Wedding, Mrs. Marian 
Bourne, Good Gracious, Princess May, John Noble, 
Mrs. A. Rogers, Secretary P'arson, and many others. 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, Forest Hill, for a group of Palms, 
Anthuriums, Crotons, fine foliage Begonias, Nicotiana 
colossea variegata, Odontoglossum grande, and many 
others. An interesting lot of things was shown by 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (gardener, Mr. Bain), 
Burford Lodge, Dorking. Amongst others were 
Costus igneus. Primula Forbesi, and Massonia 
amygdalina. Some Chrysanthemums, including 
Yellow Giant, a single variety, were exhibited by 
Mr. W. Wells, Earlswood Nurseries, Redhill. A 
Silver Flora Medal was accorded to Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, for a group of well grown Pitcher 
Plants, including fine specimens of Nepenthes 
Northiana, N. Morganiae, N. Amesiana, N. Burkei 
excellens, N. mixta, and others. A Silver Flora 
Medal was also accorded to Mr. H. B. May, Dyson’s 
Lane Nurseries, Upper Edmonton, for a group of 
Ferns, including bold specimens of Plantycerium 
stemmaria, P. grande, Nephrolepisexaltata plumosa. 
Polypodium nigrescens, and others, which, when 
placed in suitable positions, are very effective. An 
interesting lot of cut flowers of Brownea Crawfordii, 
Bomaria patacocensis, B. oligantha, Thunbergia 
(Hexacentris) mysorensis, Senecio macrcglossus, 
Calpurnia aurea, popularly named Natal Laburnum, 
and a well flowered plant of Manettea bicolor, 
were brought up from the Royal Gardens, Kew. 
Some pots of Nicotiana affinis variegata were 
exhibited by Mr. J. R. Tranter, Henley-on. 
Thames. 
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee 
a Silver Knightian Medal was awarded to Messrs. 
H. Lane & Son, Berkhamstead, for a large collection 
of Apples, a large proportion of which were very 
highly coloured, including Lane’s Prince Albert 
Cox’s Orange Pippin, Norfolk Beauty, Annie Eliza¬ 
beth, and others. A Bronze Banksian Medal was 
accorded to Messrs. J. Laing & Sons for a collection 
of Apples, which presented a glossy and handsome 
appearance, and included Lane's Prince Albert, 
Bramley’s Seedling and other good kinds in season. 
A cultural commendation was accorded to Mr. Owen 
Thomas, The Royal Gardens, Windsor, for a fine 
exhibit of the Tomato Frogmore selected. A collec¬ 
tion of green and variegated Kales, Palm Tree Kale 
Brussels Sprouts and Cabbages all in fine condition 
was exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
