September 22, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
57 
2 ft. or more, are cut into blocks and then boiled. 
Brier root blocks are cut into about twenty-five 
different sizes, and three principal shapes. From 
the Marseillaise blocks are cut the ordinary Brier 
pipes which have bowl and stem at right angles. A 
considerable quantity of blocks are sent to the 
United States, but apparently none to the United 
Kingdom.”' / 
ORCHIDS AT COOMBE COTTAGE. 
Amongst the many and varied subjects grown at 
Coombe Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames, the residence 
of J. B. Johnstone, Esq., the Orchids are an 
important feature, particularly at certain seasons of 
the year, when the Dendrobiums are in bloom. 
Several houses are devoted to them, some of which 
are span-roofed structures well adapted for growing 
them. The accompanying illustration was prepared 
from a photograph of the interior of a larger build- 
CAULIFLOWERS, “CLUBBING,” &c. 
I am thankful to state to your correspondent that I 
am not much troubled with "clubbing” or any 
other pest as destroyers of my Cauliflowers or other 
vegetable crops, Carrots excepted, which are, how¬ 
ever, safe and doing well this season. While I have 
little trouble with vermin at roots of plants I must 
admit to have had a deal to combat with in years 
past from all sorts of vegetable destroyers, and it is 
only by preventive measures that I escape the evils 
indicated. Deep tilth has always been a special 
part of my garden work. My first crops of Cauli¬ 
flowers had the ground trenched and manured, but 
before the second crops (this year these are in excel¬ 
lent form) are planted the ground has become almost 
as solid as a road. Before planting I often make a 
puddle of cow manure, soot, and fine soil, and dip 
the roots and stem as high as the leaves in this, and 
always have felt sure that they were safe from 
animal pests of any kind. With all seed sowing I 
Excellent drainage is thus secured, and the roots of 
Peas and all sorts of roots are induced to grow down 
and be safe from drought. But we trench so much 
every season,especially ground after Celery,and much 
good accrues from the practice. Two spades and a 
" crumb " answers well when the subsoil is suitable 
for vegetable roots to ramify in. We save all the 
rubbish from the garden, grounds and roads, which 
is put into a heap to decay ; it often gets heated by 
reason of large quantities of lawn mowings, leaves 
of trees, turf parings, burnt branches, &c., being in 
large proportion in this conglomeration. This 
practice reduces my manure bill, and when trench¬ 
ing is done g in. to i ft. of this decayed matter spread 
over the bottom does much to raise heavy crops, 
Every space is cropped in double form—Spinach 
raised between the rows of Cabbage, Lettuce 
between Broad Beans, and Radishes between French 
Beans and so on. I have been so much influenced 
by the practice of market men who grow for Covent 
Orchids at Coombe Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames. 
ing, usually termed the Orchid house. The principal 
plants shown consist of Dendrobium wardianum, of 
which large quantities are grown, and give a grand 
display in spring. Coelogyne crlstata is also a 
favourite and here shown in the foreground. During 
the flowering period Odontoglossum crispum is 
associated with the East Indian subjects for the sake 
of variety. Mr. David Gibson, the gardener, is very 
successful in the cultivation of a great variety of 
subjects, including Orchids, fruit and vegetables, 
generally, and is a very successful competitor at 
exhibitions. 
Seed Importation.—Germany imported seeds 
from the United States, in June 1900, to the value 
of 29,934 dollars, against 42,901 dollars in June, 1899. 
Other European countries received shipments to the 
value of 1,210 dollars in June, 1900, against 4,730 
dollars in the corresponding month of 1899. 
use fine waste soil (such as may collect under pot¬ 
ting benches,&c ), and mix this with soot. The seeds 
are covered, and no insect or grub can reach them 
with safety to their existence. I dust the surface of 
the ground with soot or lime, mixed with sifted 
ashes. Slugs and even birds are deterred from feeding 
off the seedlings when they are coming through the 
soil. The larvae, which are found in Brassica plants 
of all kinds, are keenly searched for by the men 
before the plants are inserted in the soil. In an old 
garden (such as we have here) one is liable to all 
sorts of grubs in the soil. Our soil is of a heavy, 
waxy nature, but greatly improved by systematic 
trenching or "bastard” trenching. The latter is 
taking widths of 2J ft. wide, digging this over into 
openings,and the " crumb ” is thrown over this. Then 
the second spit, if it is inert, wet, or otherwise 
unhealthy, is turned over as deep as the spade can 
penetrate downwards, and this is left roughly. 
Garden that I follow their system to a fault, never 
allowing a yard of space to remain uncropped when 
it can be done. My rubbish heap is always com¬ 
pact, and is a most valuable adjunct to the vegetable 
garden. Fermentation destroys all weed seeds.— 
M. Temple, Carron, N.B. 
In reply to Mr. Waite's query on page 5, September 
ist., I beg to offer the following theory as to its 
cause and origin. But in the first place I, " Scotch¬ 
man like,” would ask Mr. Waite if he is certain that 
the excrescence alluded to is caused by an insect ? 
This I question very much, on account of the depre¬ 
dations of this insect being commenced at an early 
period, usually very prevalent in beds of spring 
sown Cabbages. Furthermore, if caused by an insect, 
the disease is the “ Cabbage gall ” not "Club root.” 
Cabbage gall is the result of the presence, in the 
root, of the grub of a small black Coleopterous 
