February §!910 
largest sort, but never grows coarse ; it is 
as crisp and delicate as the finest Cos. 
Dickson’s Pearl isa fine new Irish sort 
that does very well here, but should not 
be grown for late use, as it is rather more 
tender than the othets named. Iceberg 
is another Irish raised Lettuce, ans? 
-although an older sort, is here of even 
better quality and grows toa larger size 
than Pearl. It is very crisp and of 
delicious flavor. The last variety 1 will 
mention is Sutton’s Heartwell. It is a 
splendid Lettuce, especially in a dry 
summer, The leaves ure very broad and 
smooth, but it ‘hearts’ well, and so is 
appropriately named. I1t stands a long 
time in good condition. 
The Value of Celery as a 
' Vegetable. 
We do not make as much use of Celery 
as a vegetable as it deserves, and probab- 
ly one of the reasons is that the plant is 
looked upon as being rather difficult to 
grow, requiring a lot of manure, much 
attention and considerable space. Celery 
in acooked state is a delicious vegetable 
to many far preferable to Seakale, and 
‘it may be had in season for quite six 
Apart 
‘from its distinctness from other vege- 
tables, Celery is considered a valuable 
food for certain afflictions, such as rheu- 
months or even longer if desired. 
matism ; but this point we must leave to 
those with a greater knowledge as regards 
its medicinal properties. wecan, however 
safely add that many persons can eat 
Celery boiled or otherwise cooked who 
-cannot digest other vegetables of a more 
solid nature ; indeed, Celery is an ideal 
invalid’s food, and it can be cooked in 
“different forms, and is soon prepared for 
‘use. 
Parsley. 
The botanical name of Parsley 18 
Petroselinum sativa. The generic name 
‘is said to have been derived from the 
Greek petros, a stone, from its being a 
native of rocky or stoney places. larsley 
thas ever been an object of superstitious 
_ THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
ae 
observances; for, besides its being the 
assigned plant from beneath which came 
our brothers and sisters, we remember 
how it was always considered such ill- 
luck to transplant it; that but few people 
in the midland counties could be got to 
perform such an act. Mr. John Jones, 
of Gloucester, who has published some 
interesting notes upon this subject, on 
asking a person to whom the order to 
remove a bed of parsley to another place 
hal been vainly repeated the reason for 
this neglect, the following 
reply : —‘ He was quite willing to root it 
received 
up, and destroy it entirely; but trans- _ 
plant it he would not, nor did he know 
anyone who would willingly take upon 
himself the consequences of such an act,” 
Mr. Jones thinks it is probable that this 
herb was dedicated to Persephone as 
Queen of the Dead, presuming her to be 
identical with Hecate or Silene, the 
resemblance of its Greek name (Silenon) 
to that of the last named divinity at once 
suggesting its direct derivation from her. 
Parsley was dedicated by the Greeks to 
their funeral rites, it was afterwards con- 
secrated to St. Peter in his character of 
successor to Charon, and doorkeeper of 
paradise. 
Onions. 
The onion-plant is almost the only 
vegetable that does not require a change 
of soil. The Aldenham onions are cele- 
brated in England, and they have been 
grown on the same. site for the last 
20 years, and iast year with great success, 
Deep trenching seems to be essential, for 
the roots of onions penetrate nearly a 
yard deep. In autumn the beds are 
trenched four feet deep, adding manure 
as the work proceeds with old lime 
rubble near to the surface. Mildew is 
worst enemy the onion has to put up 
with, and this pest is prevented by the 
careful preparation of the soil. An open 
situation is indispensable, and there must 
be a free development of the leaf. A 
long season of growth is required; the 
seed is sown under glass, the yonng plants 
when large enough are pricked off into 
boxes, and afterwards planted out where 
17 
they are to remain. In dry weather they 
are watered freely, adding soot as a 
leading stimulant. The aim is to produce 
large, shapely, well-matured bulbs, with- 
out a semblance of undue ‘neck, The 
varieties chiefly grown at Aldenham are 
Ailsa Craig, Leamington Giant, and 
Cranston’s variety. 
Grubby Tomatoes. 
The Horticultural Instructor (Mr. G. 
Quinn) writes :—‘ Grubby Tomatoes have 
been very noticeable this season in the 
markets and on the hawkers’ carts. This 
damage is caused chiefly by the cater- 
pillar of a moth (Heliothris armigera), 
known in America as the Army worm. 
The caterpillar is of a dull earthy color, 
and grows to a length of about 1 in. to 
1k in. The moth is dull brown in color 
and is somewhat heavy in appearance, 
with a spread of wings of about 13 in. 
Flying in the evening, it deposits its 
eggs in groups of from two to five just on 
the underneath surface of the leaves. 
These eggs are of a dull greenish-yellow 
color, and may be readily detected by 
watching the moth alight and then 
examining the place where it settled. 
Being chewing insects and attacking the 
Tomatoes in the early portion of the 
season it is possible to check them almost 
absolutely by means of poisonous spray 
washes. One large grower near Adelaide 
has informed me that he sprayed his 
Tomato plantation six times with 
arsenate of lead at the rate of 1 lb. to 
10 gal. of water, and the plants and fruits 
seemed to be almost free from the pest. 
This spraying was done some time before 
the fruit-picking season began, so that 
the danger of poisoning was eliminated. 
When Tomato growers bear in mind that 
it is the earlier ripening fruits which are 
destroyed by this insect at a time when 
the produce is often worth nearly £1 a 
case, it can easily be seen that if the 
damage is only reduced by 50 per cent, 
it would pay handsomely to adopt 
spraying as a means of preventing this 
injury.’ 
S.A. ‘Journal of Ayrieulture.’ 
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direct for 3s. Gd. per annum. 
