674 
THE gardening WORLD. 
June 23, 1894. 
elongated black blotches. Growing about in wild 
profusion are Veronica Teucrium latifolium, Anten- 
naria margaritacea, Anchusa sempervirens, Briza 
maxima. Chelidonium majus flore-pleno, Achillea 
mongolica, and the faintly blue tinted flowers of 
Omphalodes linifolia. which thrives here remarkably 
well. The Vipers Bugloss (Echium vulgare) grows 
a yard high in the rich soil. Strong plants of Ver- 
bascum olymphicum may also be seen. 
By the side of this place is a small streamlet 
which has been utilised for plant growing. In one 
recess amongst the copsewood are patches 
of Ourisia coccinea thriving well, and which has 
been flowering for some time past. Its roots are 
amongst the water, and the plant itself abuts against 
large blocks of sandstone, and is top-dressed occa¬ 
sionally with wood ashes. In a small pond is 
Osmunda regalis growing upon a mound in the 
centre. Lower down the glen is a larger pond, and 
on the high banks of this are showy masses of Iris 
sibirica, 3J ft. high, I. germanica, and I. variegata. 
Lower down is a bed of I. Kaempferi, the plants of 
which are in robust health and full of buds. Their 
roots are in the water, which accounts for their 
vigour. Large patches of Gentiana acaulis and 
G. verna flowered grandly in spring as the withered 
flowers still testify. On the top of the banks are 
flowering plants of the rare Pentstemon puniceus, 
ft., with scarlet flowers. 
In the garden proper, hardy flowers are grown in 
profusion everywhere. The Giant White Daisy is 
still in bloom, and a large patch of Amobium alatum 
grandiflorum is practically very early. Iceland, 
Oriental and Shirley Poppies, Pyrethrums, Paeonies, 
English and Spanish Irises, Myosotis dissitiflora 
splendens, Heuchera sanguinea splendens, the 
Prophet Flower and Hesperis matronalis nana Can¬ 
dida, 8 in. high, with fragrant white flowers, are 
all flowering in profusion everywhere. An experi¬ 
ment is being made with Tropaeolum speciosum on 
a bank by a hedge. Altogether, Mr. Stogdon has 
sown and raised twenty-eight kinds of Aquilegias. 
Standard Roses are now in bloom. Separating the 
garden from a hay field is a beautiful hedge of 
Cotoneaster Simonsii in flower, flanked with 
alternate plants of Sweetbrier in flower and cordon 
Gooseberries laden with fruit ; practically this is a 
triple hedge, for the face next the field consists of 
Hawthorn. 
Potatos have recovered from the effects of frost, 
and peas will be ready for gathering in a few days 
from Veitch's Exonian ; Gradus is considerably later 
and very vigorous. Wm. Hurst is the best of the 
dwarf peas; English Wonder is too dwarf, and 
Carter’s Daisy is just forming its pod. Wrench's 
Curled Parsley is a very finely curled sort. Laibach 
Ice Lettuce is a cabbage variety with curled, crisp, 
and tender leaves. Mr. Stogdon considers it the 
best of the many kinds he has ever grown. Veitch’s 
Ever Tender Radish is a Turnip-rooted, red sort with 
white tips, and is always solid, tender and well 
flavoured. We can corroborate Mr. Stogdon’s 
opinion of it. 
With the exception of some large, standard Cherry 
trees, the fruit trees are young and consist mostly 
of oblique cordons. The Cherries, Apples and 
Plums grown in this way bear a fair crop ; but they 
suffered somewhat from the cold north and east 
winds which prevailed so sternly some time ago, 
checking the swelling of the Cherries which are now 
commencing to ripen. Tne cordon Pears are heavily 
laden with fruits and must look fine in autumn. We 
were much interested in some standard Goo<eberries, 
worked upon stems of Ribes aureum, 3 ft. to 5 ft. 
high. The small heads of the standards are simply 
laden, and in some cases the branches are weighted 
down with the fruit. This method of growing 
Gooseberries is quite novel, and there can be no 
danger of the berries getting spoiled by the rain 
washing up the sand upon them. 
-. 1^.1 - 
Crowding in the stove.—With the increased size 
of many plants, the stove has a tendency to become 
overcrowded at this season of the year, to the detri¬ 
ment of those things requiring full exposure to light 
to harden the foliage and ripen the wood. Many of 
ihe Palms, including Latanias, Seaforthias, Kentias, 
and Cycas revoluta, the foliage of which is matured, 
may be hardened off in an intermediate house and re¬ 
moved to the greenhouse or conservatory for the sum¬ 
mer. Eranthemums, Centropogons, Sericographis, 
Peristrophe, and various winter-flowering Begonias 
may be removed to pits, where they can be treated 
according to requirements. 
THE VE6ETAELE EARDEN. 
The Early Peas. 
The variableness of our climate often causes cul¬ 
tivators of the soil much anxiety, particularly those 
who calculate on having certain crops ready for use 
on a given date. Some of our luminaries tell us that 
in order to have them fit for us by a particular date, 
the seed ought to be sown on a specified day, but 
they do not take into consideration the vicissitudes 
of our climate and various other things the cultivator 
has to contend with when furnishing them with that 
.valuable piece of information, so that those who rely 
on others for such advice are often found wanting 
when the time arrives fcr gathering their crops. 
The difference in our summers is somewhat remark¬ 
able, and this is clearly shown by the time the 
various vegetables sown or planted on the same dates 
in different years are ready for use, and none tell this 
more plainly than do the early Peas. 
It is a long time since those sown at the beginning 
of February were ready to gather so soon in the 
season as they were last year, but tbis time it is 
altogether different, fcr I never remember them being 
so late or so long after flowering in filling their pods. 
The frost and cold winds since the i8th of May have 
kept things back very much ; the wet too has prevented 
many of the flowers from setting, so that the crops in 
some instances are not so heavy. The growth of the 
haulm, however, is remarkable, and this is particu¬ 
larly the case on heavy soils as they held the mois¬ 
ture. Some of those kinds that last season only grew 
to the height of^two feet have this year gone up five 
or more, so that unless the precaution was taken to 
have sticks c f sufficient height put to them, much of 
the crop will be spoiled. A season like the present 
one tests the cultivator quite as much as that of last 
year, for it causes him not to rely to® much on 
orthodox rules, but to use his own judgment, for, as 
before pointed out, it does not do to depend on the 
advice thus tendered, but each one as far as possible 
should try to adapt himself to the difference of the 
situations. 
With Peas we have one of the most interesting 
vegetables in cultivation, and one on which much 
time and trouble has been spent in improving. Here 
some dozens of the best varieties are grown each 
season by way of testing which are most suitable for 
the place, and by way of seeing if those introduced 
by the various raisers come up to the standard of 
excellence. It is very interesting to notice the differ¬ 
ence in them—the various hues of green, the variable¬ 
ness in their height, the size and colour of their pods, 
the quality of the Peas, and their productiveness or 
otherwise. All these should be taken note of by the 
cultivator if he is desirous of cultivating none but 
the very best. Now that Peas will soon be at their 
best, it would be very interesting if gardeners would 
take notes, so that later on we might have the benefit 
of their experience. 
We may expect to find that the haulm has grown 
to an extraordinary height, but we may hope to find 
a corresponding yield in bulk and quality of the 
crop, particularly of those kinds that were not 
injured during the late abnormal weather, for such 
should, provided the present favourable time con¬ 
tinues, produce the finest results. We have not 
been able to gather Peas of the finest quality so 
early as last season. Sj far, with me those sown on 
the same dates are quite a munth behind. We may^ 
however, look forward to gathering more abundant 
crops during July and August. The mid season and 
later Peas with me never looked better. This to 
some extent may be accounted for by allowing them 
plenty of room to grow, so that though the haulm 
has grown extra in height it has not become at all 
weakened in doing so. 
The points to be considered in determining the 
quality of a Pea are many, far more indeed than 
some of us suppose therefore, when describing them, 
everything should be taken into consideration, and 
if any are styled first-class it should be stated clearly 
what is meant by that definition, fora Pea, in my 
opinion, to merit that distinction should have a 
robust haulm, flowers produced in pairs, well 
formed on short stalks, pods of good shape, with 
Peas of the highest quality. If all these are com¬ 
bined then we may say " eureka.” A Pea may be of 
good quality, but its productiveness is but so slight 
that it would not pay for growing. Many of our so- 
called first-class Peas have this fault, while others. 
which for yield we would give the palm, we are 
obliged to discard on account of their inferior 
quality when cooked. If those who make a point 
of giving advice on this subject would state clearly 
all the conditions which lead them to arrive at that 
conclusion, we should then know on what grounds 
they were based, but unless this is done I am afraid 
that what would be described as a good Pea by some 
would only be considered as second class by others, 
and in this way the point we all so much wish to 
know would not be gained .—Kitchen Gardener. 
- .mim -- 
ROTATION IN CROPPING. 
However well a kitchen garden may be dug and 
manured, unless a proper course of rotation in the 
crops cultivated in it is followed, the best attainable 
results will never be secured, for nothing is more 
detrimental to the well doing of cur culinary vege¬ 
table than growing the same kinds year after year 
on the same piece of ground. The system not only 
throws the soil out of heart, but renders the crops 
more liable to the attacks of insect and fungoid pests 
than they would be under better circumstances. 
Where a frequent change is made in the character 
of the crops in small gardens, it is a question of 
some difficulty to arrange proceedings so that a 
change of crop can be effected as often as desirable, 
and they often become breeding grounds for vermin 
which soon effects a whole neighbourhood. 
Take the Onion fly for example. Cottagers are 
generally fond of Onions, and are not content unless 
they have a bed of them, so grow them either on the 
same spot or in close proximity to it for several years^ 
till the soil becomes so infested with the maggot that 
they are reluctantly compelled by successive failures 
to abandon all attempts to secure a crop. At the 
same time they have often done their neighbours an 
injury by breeding enough maggots to destroy every 
Onion in their near neighbourhood. Where space 
is limited, and it is found that any particular vege¬ 
table is yearly becoming to an increased extent a 
prey to any particular pest, it is far better as a ques¬ 
tion of self interest to discontinue the growing of it 
entirely for a year or two, so that from the absence 
of its own particular food the insect gets starved out; 
not that it is possible to entirely eradicate any one 
of the numerous insect pests we have to deal with by 
the starving out process, but a constant change of 
crops does much to mitigate the evil. 
Where Potatos are grown for the household a very 
considerable portion of the ground will be occupied 
by this crop, because there are but very few- who do 
not eat and enjoy them, and a safely secured store of 
them is of the utmost importance during a lengthened 
period of the year. Supposing that most of the 
garden is taken up with Potatos. The next most 
valuable vegetables are the various member! of the 
Brassica family, such as Cabbages. Brussels Sprouts, 
Kales, and Broccoli, and following on these come 
Carrots, Parsnips, and Turnips. These are all poor 
men’s vegetables, and with the addition of Scarlet 
Runners and Broad Beans form the staple crops of 
many small gardens. Peas, where there is ample 
space and the requirements of a liberal table have 
to be met, will often occupy a considerable amount 
of space, and give to those having the charge of 
large gardens a better opportunity than their less 
favoured neighbours have for the frequent changing 
of crops. 
In all places, too, where Strawberries, Sea Kale, 
and Asparagus are largely grown, there is little or no 
difficulty in the way of a frequent change of ground, 
but in the management of a limited spot of ground 
there is a difficulty at times in effecting the desirable 
change, yet there is a practicability of having a con¬ 
stantly recurring change in the succession of crops 
on a limited space. A sprinkling of Radish or Cos 
Lettuce may be sown with the Onions, and drawn ofl 
before the Onions are matured. An old plan was to 
sow Broad Beans at the same time as the Potatos 
were planted and in the same drills, and some were 
sanguine enough to think this a preventative to the 
Potato blight. 
In order to keep the ground cropped up to the 
highest pitch all the standing crops must be sown or 
planted in drills, the intention being to take a crop 
that shall either come off before the more durable 
one, as, for instance, rows of Spinach, Lettuce, 
Radishes, etc., between the rows of Peas ; or Broccoli, 
Kales, etc., between the Potatos and Kidney Beans. 
The Onion ground again may often be planted with 
Cabbage before these are fit to pull, and be establish¬ 
ing themselves whilst these are maturing. By a 
constant routine of cropping and re-cropping on the 
lines indicated much will be done towards keeping 
the ground in good heart and the best obtainable 
results secured.— W.B. G. 
