140 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 28, 1899. 
peeling Potatos in a lathe strikes most people as 
ludicrous, but it is true. Larger machines for 
washing Potatos, Carrots, Onions, and other kinds 
by rotary action, and slicing them, stand round the 
walls, while a notable Pea-shelling and sorting 
machine of large dimensions makes a sort of centre. 
Steam-heated plunging tanks occupy one corner, 
and large butts of cold water another. The machin¬ 
ery in the conserving room is of the newest 
description, and being commonly used in this coun¬ 
try needs no description. It may be well to state 
here that the vegetables prepared at Rayne are 
absolutely free from chemicals, and have passed 
the Government analyst as perfectly pure. 
The principal feature of successfully evaporating 
vegetables is to wholly extract the water without 
burning or drying up the fibres and tissues that are 
in them, otherwise the vegetables will not thoroughly 
re-hydrate again or re-assume almost their normal 
size, while no matter how properly and carefully 
they are cooked they will be harsh and flavourless, 
and lose their natural aroma and colour. When 
properly evaporated each vegetable should retain its 
own peculiar aroma, essential oil, strength, good¬ 
ness, colour, and flavour. 
Almost every kind of vegetable and herb is capa¬ 
ble of being preserved by an evaporating process, 
and if care be taken to gat rid of the moisture con¬ 
tained in them they will keep for an indefinite period 
in any climate, so long as they are kept covered in a 
tin box, so as to prevent their absorbing the moisture 
contained in the air. Radishes, Lettuce, Water¬ 
cress, and such like crisp vegetables cannot be done 
successfully, because it is impossible by re-hvdrating 
to get back their natural crispness, which is their 
leading characteristic. 
The time required for the drying process is from 
two hours and a half to four hours, starting from a 
gradual heat up to 45 0 to 75 0 Celsius, such heats 
varying according to the vegetable dealt with. It 
is inadvisable, as also almost impossible, to lay down 
a fixed rule as to temperature required, as the con¬ 
dition of the vegetable, whether a wet or dry season, 
its growth, and even the soil upon which grown, have 
to be taken into consideration. 
The process of evaporation does not in any way 
alter the condition of the vegetable so treated either 
i 1 making it fresher or staler. Fresh vegetables 
will come out from the process fresh, and stale 
vegetables cannot be altered, but will come oat stale. 
The best time to put the vegetables through the 
process is when they are at their full growth and 
their nutritive qualities at the highest point. 
Vegetables gro vn upon sewage farms or on very 
highly manured market gardens are not the best for 
the factory, as in both cases they contain a much 
higher percentage of water than those grown upon 
less quickly forcing soil, and it is an open question 
as to whether they would have such good keeping 
qualities when grown on the former as on the latter. 
At the same time it is important to avoid using 
vegetables that are grown on poor soil, which conse¬ 
quently are a long time growing, and must be 
necessarily coarse and spongy, in the case of roots 
and such like, and stringy and tough in the case of 
Cabbage, &c. 
By the evaporation process, all classes of vege¬ 
tables as they come in season may be thus preserved 
and used for culinary purposes, irrespective of 
seasons, so that Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, and 
Onions, these forming perhaps the most useful, may 
be obtained all the year round in their full nutritious 
condition and at reasonable prices. Under the old 
order of things during the months from April to 
September it is very difficult and expensive to obtain 
such from natural sources. 
When needed for use evaporated vegetables require 
soaking in water for from two to six hours, according 
to the sort. After soaking they may be cooked in 
the same way as ordinary fresh vegetables of a 
similar nature. Vegetables required for soups need 
not be soaked so long as those for the vegetable 
dish. By adopting a sound and proper process of 
evaporation, and by taking great care for the cleanli¬ 
ness of all the surroundings and quickness in dealing 
with the produce from the first commencement of 
the process, which is the peeling, to the last, which 
is the pressing and packing, the colour of each 
vegetable and its own natural aroma and qualities 
may be retained without the use of aDy colouring 
matter or chemicals 
For army, navy, and colonial use, where vegetables 
are scarce or impossible to obtain, evaporated 
vegetables form a splendid substitute for the original 
article, and beyond question hold their own far 
beyond any tinned substitute, both in flavour and 
quality, while they are certainly much cheaper 
comparing solids with solids, and very much easier 
to handle. By hydraulic pressure, which in no way 
injures them or deteriorates from their value, it is 
possible to confine a large quantity of evaporated 
vegetables in a very small compass, which very 
materially lessens the cost of transport both by land 
and sea. 
As an aid to agriculture, which is still the largest 
industry in the United Kingdom, the evaporation 
business will require a little time to firmly seat itself, 
but as to its ultimate success, an object lesson may 
be learnt from France, Germany, and America, the 
two former for vegetables and the latter for fruit. 
France was the originator of evaporated vegetables, 
which were first used prominently by them in the 
Crimean war in the feeding of their soldiers. Since 
the Franco-Prussian war, Germany has made very 
great strides in their manufacture, so that now in 
that country, and in France, factories for evaporating 
vegetables may be reckoned by the score. 
Dried vegetables may be seen and bought in most 
of the grocers’ shops on the Continent, as they have 
now become universally used by the householders of 
the great cities and towns. For cheapness, saving 
of time and trouble in peeling and preparing, for 
doing away with the nuisance of the peelings and 
garbage stored in or near the house, evaporated 
vegetables should be extensively used in London and 
all great centres of people. 
The Gold Medal and Diploma of Honour were 
awarded to the Rayne vegetables at the Universal 
Food and Cookery Exhibition, held at the Imperial 
Institute in March last, where they were extensively 
used in the practical demonstrations .—(Paper read by 
Mr. R. Gofton Salmond at the Horticultural Club.) 
Hardening J|iscellany. 
HYDRANGEA PANICULATA GRANDIFLORA. 
It is pretty well understood, writes Mr. Joseph 
Meehan, Pniladelphia, in Gardening (American), that 
unlike H. hortensia, this species may bo pruned as 
severely as desired with no loss of flowers. The re¬ 
sult of close pruning is to lessen the number of 
shoots, and increase the size of the heads of bloom. 
The florist or gardener will consider whether it suits 
him to have a few large heads or a greater number 
of small ones, and regulate his pruning accordingly. 
Left to grow naturally we get our first flowers in 
August, but it may be a useful hint to some, to say 
that a partly broken branch will bloom earlier than 
others. A slight twist or break given to a branch 
will cause the flower heads to expand sooner, and in 
this way the flowers can be had two weeks before 
the perfect ones. To prolong the season, cut back 
the young shoots when about a foot in length, which 
with us is about the first week in June. New shoots 
will form which will flower about the time the others 
are over. Still another way is to set out plants very 
late in spring. By the time their growth is well ad¬ 
vanced the earlier ones will be well ahead of them, 
and this difference will be kept up throughout the 
season. 
KNIPHOFIAS OR TRITOMAS. 
Everywhere in gardens the handsome, fiery spikes 
of the Kniphofias (syn. Tritoma) are at this time to 
be seen. In no way is their effect more fully en¬ 
forced than when they are planted in beds by them¬ 
selves. Then their brightness shows itself from 
among any amount of rival colouring. The bright¬ 
est of our shrubs appear besmudged in comparison 
with them. Of the fine varieties grown probably 
none are so truly reliable as K. aloides. As a rule, 
heavy soils are not suitable for the weaker varieties, 
such as K. citrina, for instance, but if once they get 
a fair start and some winter protection it is wonder¬ 
ful how much they will bear against. We would 
draw attention to these beautiful hardy plants, 
which are useful for all purposes of decoration. 
HELICON1A 1LLUSTRIS RUBRICAUL1S. 
Introduced only a few years ago, this plant has won 
its way into all the best collections of stove plants. 
Even minor gardens, where usually the propagating 
of the permanent stock (if I may so call it) is the 
only thing ever dreamt of, have for once opened 
themselves for its reception ; and no wonder. It is 
just the style of plant which owners of gardens 
ought to acquire. The structural beauty of the 
foliage cannot fail to please the eye of taste. The 
crimson veins converging like the lines on a railway 
map towards some centre, are very pretty, and the 
whole plant is a combination of many kinds of 
beauty, a finished beauty which bears looking into, 
and, indeed, it appears all the more charming when 
it is looked into and glorified by the aid of imagina¬ 
tion. 
ROSE, FORTUNE'S YELLOW. 
This is a Rose which requires to be once again 
brought to notice. We see splendid displays every 
springtime in the Drill Hall, displays of this Rose 
which make all our Press writers rush off yards of 
appreciative description. It has the qualities wanted 
in a nice, loose, graceful vase Rose; or for any sort 
of indoor decoration it is simply AI. It is ticklish to 
get it to do at times, but experience and experiment 
alone are the guides to its successful culture. Do not 
forget it when ordering new Roses. 
TOMATO DESSERT. 
This simple little fruit combines with good eating 
qualities the quality of attractiveness. They are 
borne on bunches forked in two's, and if they be 
taken from the plant in bunches and used upon Vine 
leaves or among various foliage draping, it gives the 
richness which may be lickiDg. 
CAM PAN J LA MIRABILIS. 
We had the pleasure of seeing this prostrate growing 
blue flower at Ke v some short while ago. Pale 
lilac is really the proper description of its shade. 
The large blooms are numerously borne in trusses 
and from a steep portion of the rcckery tbe stiff, free 
growing branches would hang with effect. It only 
flowered last year for the first time in England. M. 
Alboff, a Russian botanist, gathered it from the 
Caucasus. The plant is biennial and sometimes does 
not flower till the third year. The flowers have the 
grand quality of persisting in beauty and they bear 
seeds freely. We would recommend it as a worthy 
addition to the border or rockery. 
FITTON1A GIGANTEA. 
As an edging plant or for covering any and many 
little nooks in an indoor rockery, this beautifully 
veined plant is a prime favourite. Older growers 
may specially know it by the name of Gymnos- 
tachyum giganteum, but this has now been changed, 
just as many other plants' names have been. From 
cuttings or from seeds, the plants can be easily 
raised, the main features being to keep tbe plants 
growing in a light position. If they are kept in a dull 
house or part of one, there is no chance of their best 
and highest beauties being realised. Then if the 
plants are kept in the fullest light and are in the 
least stinted for root-room they bloom too freely, 
thus destroying their freshness in that manner. An 
even medium course of treatment answers best. 
Leaf propagation has successfully been tried and 
nice plants can be raised from leaves. The rich car- 
mine-netting of the leaves is very pretty. 
ENDIVE FOR WINTER SALAD. 
Endive sown in early August will now be fit for 
transplanting to frames. This is a very elite vege¬ 
table for salad purposes and is quite as popular as 
Cucumbers. Frames from which summer Cucum¬ 
bers have been cleared will answer very well for the 
Endive plants. The soil should be rich and fairly 
moist. Put the plants in firmly but not too deeply. 
During mild weather in winter, water may be given 
to them. When they attain sufficient size they may 
be blanched either by placing slates over them, or 
inverted pots. Other growers again lift the plants 
and place them in a Mushroom house, a process 
which results in good produce being obtained. 
TOMATOS. 
It has been a good season for the out-door culti¬ 
vation of the ever popular Tomato. I put out some 
plants of the Improved Early Evesham on a south 
wall at the end of May, and as the weather con¬ 
tinued so hot and dry I allowed them to run up to 
the top of the wall before I stopped them, so that 
