426 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
May 21. 1904. 
soot and wood ashes, providing wireworms are absent, makes 
an ideal preparation, for all the short-rooted kinds. The best 
varieties-1 am acquainted with for this purpose are Carter’s 
Long Forcing, one of the finest Carrots ever raised ; it makes 
but little top, quickly matures, and is of first-rate quality. 
Sutton’s Inimitable, though quite distinct, having very short 
root®,, is- also- a very excellent variety in every respect. Veitch’s 
Model and-Sutton’s Favo-urite are two most reliable kinds for 
spring and summer sowing, and well adapted for sowing in 
heated pits and frames early in the year for producing speci¬ 
men* for spring shows-. E. Beckett. 
Aldenliam Ho-use Gardens, Ms tree. 
Primroses in Devonshire. 
A short paragraph appeared in last week’s number of The 
Gardening World (page 388) drawing attention to the number 
of Primroses- seen on- the railway banks in Sussex. 
Close to- my home, which is situated in a- pretty village in 
South Devon, the Primroses are remarkably abundant, and 
have been flowering freely since so-me weeks before Easter, 
and are still in undiminished numbers. 
A few minutes’ walk from the village the- road-sides are 
carpeted with this- most- beautiful British, flo-wei". One lane I 
have in, my mind, leading to a, neighbouring village, is truly 
a lovely sight, as the sides- of the ro-ad and the banks are mixed 
with the pretty little wild Violet so thickly that they could 
he mown down like grass. 
Being so far from London the flowers- are allowed to remain, 
as- those that are- gathered by the country people seem to make- 
no difference to the constantly increasing numbers. I think that 
the wet season has had a great influence both on the size and 
the number of the flowers- this year. Ethel M. Jackson. 
Slugs and How to Capture Them. 
This garden, I think, fs unequalled as a breeding ground for 
slugs-, mainly the small black ones. We- have also plenty of 
birds, but 1 feel sure they do not devour thesfecslugs. The only 
feathered creature that will tackle the black slug is the duck. 
There are very few things in a- garden that the- slugs will not 
devour, but I was- not prepared to see them feed on the young- 
leave* of Horseradish, and adjoining a. paitch of this I planted 
some B asp berry canes; two years ago-, and I noticed that they 
were devouring the young growth as- it- appeared above the soil, 
and they had sa-dly crippled them before I wa-s- aware of it. 
Breaking the soil fine-, as- suggested by “ Chard ” (s-e-e p. 408), 
spreading fine soil, burnt earth, ashes-, lime and soot over seed¬ 
beds are no barrier to-the progress .of the slugs in wet weather, 
for I have killed scores- annually when making their way across- 
cinder-paths in wet weather. Rapidly as they breed, they are- 
no- terror to- me, but- they certainly make work ; but I suffer 
only very little from their depredations. 
The- past week we have- been clearing the last- of our Brussels 
Sprouts, and these have been laid at a distance of 2 to 3 yards 
on the surface of the ground between- lately-sown rows of Pea-s, 
Beetroot-ground, Scarlet Runners and French Bean rows, the 
Carrot ground having already been cleared of slugs. The slugs 
ensconce themselves under the decayed Spro-ut-s, and some t-ime 
during the day the man goes- with the lime-box and moves the 
Spro-ut-s t-o another place and scatters- the newly-slaked lime 
over the slugs, and there is an end of them. The- slugs are 
invariably on the ground and rarely on the vegetable refuse. 
Like your correspondent “ Chard ” we burn all our rubbish, 
and the fire is- kept going -sometimes for weeks; by packing- 
layers o-f clay over it-, and a- sprinkling of fine slack. 
Ground on which winter vegetables have been is- invariably 
infested with slugs, and we always leave some for traps; for 
them, so- as to clear the ground of them, before cropping with 
Celery or late Peas;. It is too- late to- set traps after the plants 
are put in or the seedlings above the ground. In a few days-’ 
t ime I hope to have the kindly assistance of a. few ducklings, the I 
hen being in a coop- which will be moved to infested patches 
and when they misbehave themselves; they will be exchanged for 
smaller ones. W. P. R. 
Preston. 
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 
To Under Gardeners: The Gardeners’ Association. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
Sir, —As an under gardener and to under gardeners I speak 
concerning the proposed professional gardeners’ association. 
Pamphlets containing a- plea- fo-r this- “ glorious union ” will bv 
this time be in the hands- of nearly eveiy gardener in the I 
United Kingdom. You who have not yet- received one send 
immediately fo-r it to the hon. secretary, W. Watson, Kew Road. 
Kew, in order to- p-romo-t-e your own, interests as- well as ‘hose 
of your fellows. 
Having procured one, rea-d it- and think over it-—a little 
more, however, than over a plate; of porridge o-r a lump of bacon. 
Finished studying it? And your opinion? Oh ! leave it to- 
the “ bosses-. Let the old dog.* clean the hone among them¬ 
selves).” This must not bei the way! We have to grip the 
bone- in order to- tast-e the marrow. By leaving it- to head gar¬ 
deners; alone to settle, we are as well with the old red-tape 
system of getting shoved along. 
I do- no-t- insinuate; that all those above us are uninterested in 
our welfare. The names of the Provisional Committee are in 
themselves a contradiction to such a statement. Nevertheless, 
there are those who- think nothing about the physical and 
mental requirements; of their journeymen and apprentices. 
How are we to know but.that they will make a majority? In 
such a case we would become slaveys-. Slaves enough already, 
you say 1 There; is no reason, that- we should be in such a- pre¬ 
dicament. Let us look after our o-wn, interests. The woman 
said to- her beloved husband, “ Hold th’ tongue; every time 
thou o-pen’st th’ mouth, John, thou put’st th’ fo-o-t in’t.” Do 
not be afraid to put your foot down, firmly and it will he safe' 
from entering your mouth. We understand, however, she did 
not mean; John, to take the literal meaning of her words. 
How many can amongst gardeners (under or head) afford to 
keep even such a wife? Probably a few could by making saw¬ 
dust constitute her diet twice daily. 
The enthusiasm o-f youth combined with the experience of 
age is imperative in the making of an active and solid union. 
But- we will stand up for our rights. Let tho-se who have any ( 
objection sipeak o-ut at the meeting on June 1st, or if too far 
from London write- to- the secretary. The same applies to those 
in favour of an association. Do not let anyone- hesitate to 
sympathise by writing, and if he can—very few can afford much 
—give a. little, no matter how trifling, to defray expenses. 
An objection, raised is; “the jealousy between employer and 
employed.”* This should not in; any way intervene with the 
working of such an honourable movement. There is no reason 
in jealousy, and it- is an element to be trampled under. 
For once, then, surely all gardeners will intermingle with 
and speak what- they think to one another, whether superior or 
inferior. • ' J. P. Dickson. 
Brobdingnagian Rhubarb. —A South Essex contemporary, in 
calling attention to the fact that the “big Gooseberry” season 
will soon be with us, gives particulars of Brobdingnagian 
Rhubarb grown at. Romford, and exhibited at the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s Show. It is reported that the judges ex¬ 
pressed the opinion that the Rhubarb was the finest they had 
seen. The dozen Rhubarb sticks exhibited are said to have 
averaged 4 ft. in length -and about 7 in. or 8 in. in diameter. If 
this be correct, the sticks of Rhubarb were nearly 2 -ft. in girth 
No wonder they secured a Cultural Commendation, and a First- 
class Certificate. It is mofe nearly correct to say the sticks were 
7 in. to 8 in. in girth, Our contemporary should examine his 
figures again. 
