June 13th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
643 
STEVENS Sc CO.’S 
AMORTISER 
(NONJPOISONOUS). 
Is., 2s., and 3s. per Bottle. 
Observe the Company’s Signature round the Cork, 
it, • without which none are genuine. 
BEWARE OF SPURIOUS IMITATIONS. 
THE AMORTISER we particularly recommend for 
Greenhouses, it being so pleasant for use and for its 
perfume. Its properties for destroying insect pests, 
&c., is equal to our Carbon Paste. We guarantee, if 
used as per directions, it will not injure the most deli¬ 
cate foliage or blooms any more than water. 
P.S.—We highly recommend “Beat’s” Spray for light 
work; it is a cork spray and will tit any bottle, ‘it sends a 
very fine spray about 4 feet, and if the rose is removed will 
send it 12 feet with the greatest ease. This is the most useful 
spray we have ever seen, and may be used for many purposes ; 
it requires no strength, and a child can use it. 
STEVENS & CO.’S 
CARBON PASTE 
(NON-POISONOUS). 
Four Gallons for One Shilling. 
Will destroy in a few moments the Larvae of the 
Aphides, Hop-Flea, Green and Black Fly, Mealy 
Bug, Thrip, Red and White Spider, Brown and White 
Scale, Amnicrn Blight, Woolly Aphis, Ants, Mildew, 
Ear-Wigs, Caterpillars, and all insect pests. 
1-lb. Tins, Is.; 3-lb., 2s. 6d.; 7-lb., 5s. 6d. 
TO HOP AND FECIT GROWERS, FLORISTS, 
FARMERS, &c. IT IS INVALUABLE. 
STEVENS & Co.’s CABBONT PASTE is a most 
wonderful and economical preparation, and is 
certain destruction to every kind of Insects that 
mfests Trees and Plants, and we guarantee, if 
used as per directions, it will not injure the most 
delicate foliage or bloom any more than water. 
Manufactured only by 
STEVENS & CO., 
CHEMISTS, 
67, HIGH ST., BOROUGH, LONDON. 
Retail of all Chemists axd Seedsmex. 
Special Quotations for large quantities, Sample sent 
for Is. 6 d. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 13 m, 1885. 
Vegetable Production. — A leading daily 
newspaper asks, as other inquirers have asked 
time after time, “ Why do we continue to pay 
vast sums for poultry, cheese, bacon, eggs, and 
even vegetables, which are grown abroad, and 
which might be grown at our own doors ? No 
satisfactory answer has ever been given to this 
question.” This is a question easier asked than 
answered, not chat it cannot be replied to, though 
not satisfactorily. Still, the answer involves 
so much that it is difficult to explain and hard 
to understand, that the attempt is seldom 
made. 
Why we do not more extensively produce many 
of the first-named products which are now so 
largely imported, it is hardly our province to 
refer to, hut whilst we must not, in the con¬ 
sideration of topics of this economical character, 
entirely overlook the fact that we have, for the 
limited area of these islands, a remarkably dense 
population, we must equally remember that 
our land tenure and system of farming has for 
the past generation tended to the crushing-out 
of all effort to produce these important articles 
of food, for it is obvious that they are part and 
parcel of small holding products, and not of 
large ones. 
If we would raise eggs, poultry bacon, &c., wo 
must start afresh a myriad of small farmers or 
yeomen, and they may once more bring back to 
agriculture that goose, literally, which once laid 
for farmers golden eggs. But when it is said 
that we import large quantities of vegetables 
which may be grown at our own doors, a 
subject is broached that admits of considerable 
discussion. There is no evidence to be found 
that vegetable production has, during the growth 
of the enormous foreign trade seen in these 
things, fallen off in this country. Rather, we 
are certain that it has also increased, and that it 
continues to do so, and to not only utilize a large 
area of land, but to give well-paid employment 
to a large army of labourers. 
On the other hand, it is obvious that we have 
ample space for the greater growth of vegetables, 
and ample capital at disposal for the purpose, the 
moment it can be shown that such investments 
would he profitable; and therein lies the whole 
secret of the matter. The vegetable-growing 
trade tells us now that it is not possible to obtain 
prices in the open markets that are more than 
barely remunerative, and that, too, for fresh, 
sweet, home-grown vegetables that have the merit 
of being well cultivated. It is not correct to assert 
that these low prices result from foreign com¬ 
petition in all cases; indeed the staple vegetable 
crops grown here are just such, as a rule, that 
foreigners cannot contend against us in the 
production of satisfactorily, because they are so 
bulky. If the matter were closely inquired into 
it would he found that not only do foreign 
growers send us diverse products from those we 
can best raise, but that also they send them to 
us at seasons when our gardens are non-pro¬ 
ductive. 
It is in the production of tender vegetables 
raised and sent over hero so largely during the 
winter and early spring months, when we have 
little else but coarse, hardy tilings to put into the 
market, that the importation statistics loom so 
large in the imagination of the political econo¬ 
mist, who, as a rule, fails to understand that 
difference of climate has all to do with difference 
in means and powers of production. As we 
pointed out last week in referring to Guernsey, 
not only has that island always greater warmth, 
hut far more of sunshine, and those are advan¬ 
tages which no amount of cultural skill can 
compensate for, even with the aid of fire, heat, 
and glass, because in such case there is no margin 
of profit left. 
The present season affords excellent evidence 
of the difficulty which vegetable growers have 
to contend with, because, though so generally 
fine, yet it is generally backward, rendering 
production of early vegetables impossible. It 
is true that with the extension of small holdings 
we may largely increase our fruit and vegetable 
breadths, but the seasons will still be no more 
favourable, the springs no more genial, or nature 
less coy than is the case now, so that if we want 
choice or tender vegetables during the non-pro¬ 
ductive seasons here we must either purchase 
them from abroad or else dispense with them. 
In any case we may be thankful that, having the 
means to purchase, they are brought so abun¬ 
dantly to our markets. 
The C'herey Crop. —There is ever a fly in our 
pot of ointment; and thus it happens, if common 
report be true, that the sweet Cherry crop will bo 
a small one. Perhaps it is not so well that all 
kinds of fruit should be largely productive in 
one season, for some saved over to another year 
certainly would prove more helpful and profit¬ 
able. A market.grower who has Cherry orchards, 
lamenting the other day the non.setting of the 
bloom on his trees, said that a good crop once 
in ten years was as much as could be looked 
for now; not a very hopeful remark, as far as 
open Cherry culture is concerned. It is true that 
throughout the orchards of the kingdom we may 
get a fair quantity of fruit, but it amounts to 
a mere sprinkle over all the trees after all, 
and such a thin crop it does not pay to gather, 
for Cherries are troublesome to collect, must be 
gathered carefully, and also run into market 
speedily. 
No doubt we shall find an ample supply of 
these popular fruits in our markets presently, 
for the warmer portions of Europe will pour 
forth of their abundance crops for our behoof, and 
the great mass of consumers, as long as they can 
puichase, will trouble little how or where the 
fruit was produced. It is not that we have not 
plenty of trees, and good sorts. Our May Dukes 
and Bigarreaus will, for richness and flavour, 
compare with the best products of France, when 
we can get them. If we could but transfer 
to our island some of that warmth and sunshine 
which is so lavishly bestowed elsewhere, we, too, 
might have Cherries enough, but the blame for 
deficiency must be laid upon the hack of nature, 
and not upon those of growers at home, who have 
planted and planted, hut still find no increase. 
Even Morello Cherries, usually so hardy and 
productive as standards, have in many places 
suffered unusually from frost, the blooming wood 
being destroyed whilst yet full of flower. If any 
enterprising raiser could obtain for us sweet 
Cherries that would bloom quite a month later 
than they do now, we would gladly wait longer 
for our fruit, and no doubt we should get abun¬ 
dant crops then. Our present lack arises solely 
from the fact that, just when the bloom is 
performing its functions, bleak winds and frost 
destroy the fertilizing properties of the flowers. 
