January  4,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
13 
if  the  lights  are  kept  closed  and  shaded  until  the  seedlings  appear. 
After  that  abnndanoe  of  light  is  necessary,  and  air  daily  except  in 
unfavourable  weather. 
Any  appearance  of  crowding  must  be  promptly  prevented  by 
thinning,  but  this  must  be  done  as  soon  as  it  is  obvious  that  the  roots 
will  be  thickly  placed. — E.  D,  S. 
ALLOTMENT  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENS 
COMPENSATIONS  FOR  CROPS  ACT  1887. 
W HAT  is  supposed  to  be  the  first  claim  under  the  above  Act  has 
been  made  before  the  Croydon  Bench  by  Mr.  J.  Cooper,  of  Carshalton, 
for  £50  as  compensation  for  crops,  against  Mr.  Chandler,  of  Croydon. 
As  the  Act  provides  for  the  appointment  of  an  arbitrator,  the 
magistrates  appointed  one  of  their  number,  Mr.  A.  H.  Smee,  F.R.H.S., 
to  deal  with  the  case.  As  the  arbitrator  seems  to  have  unlimited 
powers  in  procedure  and  as  his  award  is  final,  the  case  is  of  interest 
to  both  owners  and  occupiers  of  small  plots  of  land. 
It  may  perhaps  not  be  generally  known  that  the  Act  in  question 
provides  that  when  the  tenant  of  a  cottage  garden  or  allotment  is 
compelled  to  quit  his  holding  he  shall  be  entitled,  notwithstanding  any 
agreement  to  the  contrary,  to  obtain  from  the  landlord  compensation 
in  money  for  crops,  including  fruit,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  cultiva¬ 
tion,  for  labour  expended  and  for  manure  applied  after  securing 
the  last  crop,  for  fruit  trees  planted  with  the  written  consent  of  the 
landlord,  and  for  certain  buildings,  also  erected  under  similar  consent. 
In  the  case  under  notice  the  land,  about  three-quarters  of  an  acre, 
was  sold  by  the  plaintiff  (Mr.  Cooper)  to  the  defendant  (Mr.  Chandler)  ; 
then  a  written  agreement  was  entered  into  between  the  parties  by 
which  the  former  owner  became  the  tenant  at  a  rental  of  2s.  a  week, 
and  this  tenancy  Mr.  Chandler  determined  with  a  week’s  notice,  which 
ended  in  July.  Hence  the  action.  Mr.  Smee  held  his  inquiry  at  the 
Croydon  County  Bench  on  Thursday  last,  and  we  take  the  following 
report  from  the  “  Croydon  Advertiser  ;  ”  — 
Prior  to  the  case  being  opened,  Mr.  Smee  said  he  had  been  appointed  as 
arbitrator  to  the  magistrates.  He  understood  that  this  was  the  first  case  of 
the  kind  that  had  been  tried  in  that  court.  He  did  not  himself  know  any 
precedent  for  these  proceedings,  and  he  should  be  glad  if  the  solicitors  on 
either  side  could  refer  him  in  their  experience  to  cases  similar  to  this.  To  his 
mind  it  was  very  unfortunate  that  this  application  had  not  been  made  earlier, 
lor  at  the  present  time  they  all  knew  that  the  crops  would  have  ceased  to 
exist,  or  had  been  considerably  reduced  in  value  by  frost  and  other  things. 
What  he  proposed  to  do,  and  what  he  hoped  would  meet  with  the  approval  of 
the  solicitors,  was  to  take  item  by  item,  and  see  the  amount  of  good  that  had 
been  under  different  specific  cultivation.  It  seemed  to  him,  looking  at  the  Act, 
that  he  had  to  value  ihe  crops  not  as  on  a  particular  day,  but  as  to  the  value 
when  they  would  come  to  malurity.  He  would  like  to  bring  it  to  their  notice 
that  in  connection  with  allotment  ground  he  had  sold  to  the  Rural  District 
Council,  it  was  found  necessary,  by  the  requirements  of  the  Allotments  Act, 
that  the  tenant  should  be  given  notice  to  clear,  and  six  months’  notice  was 
given.  He  had  made  it  a  practice  to  look  round  the  allotments  in  the  district 
every  year  between  the  1st  July  and  August  Bank  Holiday,  and  from  his 
experience  as  horticulturist  was  able  to  judge  of  the  state  of  the  crops  in  the 
district,  and  he  thought  it  would  be  a  fair  thing  if  he  considered  this  claim  on 
the  basis  of  the  average  crops,  unless  the  plaiutitt'  could  on  the  one  side  prove 
to  him  that  his  crops  were  superior  to  the  average,  and  unless  the  defendant 
could  prove  that  they  were  inferior. 
Mr.  Newnham  (plaintiff’s  solicitor)  said  that  as  far  as  his  experience  went 
he  could  not  refer  the  arbitrator  to  a  previous  case.  In  his  view  the  crops 
should  be  valued  as  on  the  date  of  the  determination  of  the  tenancy  as  between 
the  incoming  and  the  outgoing  tenant. 
The  Arbitrator  said  he  proposed  taking  great  pains  over  the  case.  He 
considered  it  important  as  establishing  a  principle.  He  took  it  that  the  Act 
meant  that  the  man  should  have  fu’.l  market  value  of  the  crop. 
The  Clerk  (Mr.  Stayner)  pointed  out  that  it  was  unusual  to  have  gardens 
or  allotments  at  a  weekly  tenancy. 
Mr.  Newnham — Defendant  gave  a  week’s  notice,  and  turned  the  plaintiff 
out  at  once.  He  allowed  him  no  more  time. 
The  Arbitrator — I  cannot  understand  why  it  should  be  considered  as  a 
weekly  tenancy  when  a  man  enters  into  a  series  of  operations  for  the  cultiva¬ 
tion  of  land.  He  should  not  be  expected  to  give  up  at  any  moment. 
Mr.  Newnham — Having  given  a  week’s  notice,  the  landlord  excluded  the 
tenant  from  the  ground  and  let  it  to  someone  else.  He  was  not  allowed  to 
return  to  it. 
The  Arbitrator— I  think  1  have  to  determine  what  the  compensation  should 
be  for  turning  a  man  out  in  the  most  active  time  of  the  year,  when  he  would  be 
particularly  occupied  in  the  garden. 
After  some  further  discussion  of  technical  matters  the  Arbitrator  suggested 
that,  as  it  was  likely  to  be  a  troublesome  case,  and  that  be  was  bound  to 
make  some  award,  the  parties  should  try  to  settle  the  matter  among  them¬ 
selves  without  going  further  into  the  matter. 
A  short  adjournment  was  made,  but  no  agreement  being  arrived  at  the  case 
proceeded. 
After  hearing  evidence  on  both  sides  on  the  nature  of  the  crops  the 
Arbitrator  said  that  when  he  had  particulars  of  the  claim  he  took  them 
home  and  went  through  them  carefully,  and  put  down  an  amount  which 
he  thought  was  right.  The  only  result  of  the  inquiry  would,  if  anything, 
be  to  make  him  increase  that  sum  by  £1  perhaps.  He  had  gone  into  this 
case  most  carefully  lor  the  reasons  he  had  given.  He  had  spent  a  con¬ 
siderable  time  in  horticulture,  and  he  had  endeavoured,  as  far  as  possible, 
feeling  the  great  difficulty  there  was  in  estimating  the  value  of  crops  which 
had  perished  and  crops  that  had  not  been  gathered  and  turned  into  money. 
to  arrive  at  an  award  which  would  be  satisfactory  to  both.  The  sum  he 
proposed  was  £16  lOs.,  each  side  paying  their  own  costs. 
The  money  was  at  once  paid. 
Ifc  will  be  observed  that  though  there  was  a  written  agreement 
(which  was  produced)  of  a  weekly  tenancy,  it  was  of  no  effect  under 
the  Act ;  also  it  will  be  noted  that  while  the  Arbitrator  took  a  broad, 
practical  view  of  the  case,  he  was  not  deceived  by  inflated  values,  and 
set,  we  think,  a  good  and  sound  precedent. 
THE  USES  OF  HOTBEDS. 
There  are  many  purposes  to  which  a  hotbed  may  be  put,  includ- 
ing  the  forcing  of  Rhubarb  and  Seakale,  sowing  small  seeds  of 
vegetables  and  flowers,  rooting  cuttings  of  softwooded  plants,  and 
growing  Cucumbers  and  Melons.  Except  for  the  purpose  of  forcing 
growth  of  Rhubarb,  Seakale,  Chicory,  and  raising  sedlings  of  some 
early  varieties  of  Cauliflowers,  Mustard,  Cress,  Radishes,  and  Lettuce, 
it  is  fully  early  in  the  season  to  form  hotbeds.  The  earliest  hotbeds 
are  best  made  in  brick  pits,  as  these  will  conserve  the  heat  better 
than  one  built  in  the  open  air;  indeed  it  will  not  be  possible  to 
maintain  a  good  temperature  for  any  length  of  time  without  lining 
the  beds  with  fresh  additions  of  fermenting  material. 
The  materials  for  the  construction  of  hotbeds  must  be  collected, 
and  then  undergo  a  period  of  preparation  before  utilisation  for  the 
purpose  in  question.  Undoubtedly  the  best  materials  are  horse  drop, 
pings  containing  plenty  of  long  litter  saturated  with  urine,  and  tree 
leaves,  those  from  Beech  and  Oak  trees  being  better  than  leaves  of  a 
softer  character.  These  may  be  placed  together  during  the  present 
month,  as  opportunity  permits,  and  eventually  be  well  shaken  out  and 
mixed.  They  will  require  turning  two  or  three  times,  and  may  then 
be  formed  into  a  bed.  Horse  manure  heats  rapidly  and  strongly,  but 
the  leaves  tend  to  correct  this.  They  not  only  subdue  the  heat,  bat 
prolong  the  heating  power  of  the  hotbed,  hence  their  value  when 
intermixed  with  manure  is  great. 
Unless  absolutely  necessary,  I  would  not  recommend  an  open 
hotbed,  that  is  a  square  bed  of  fermenting  material  with  a  frame  on 
the  top,  for  the  first  six  weeks  of  the  year,  except  where  only  a  mild 
heat  is  required,  such  as  for  early  Radishes  or  Lettuce,  and  forcing 
Mint.  Within  the  confines,  however,  of  brick  walls,  an  early  hotbed 
would  be  more  useful  because  retaining  heat  longer. 
Hotbeds  are  not  needed  so  early  in  the  year  as  formerly,  owing  to 
the  facilities  of  obtaining  a  constant  temperature  by  means  of  hot 
water  pipes,  but  for  produce  that  requires  only  a  gentle  heat  and  some 
moisture  the  hotbed  is  preferable.  On  the  whole  hotbeds  are  valuable 
adjuncts  if  there  is  convenience  and  material  to  form  them.  In  most 
gardens  several  might  be  profitably  employed  during  the  months  of 
March,  April,  and  May.  Half-hardy  annuals  maybe  sown  during  March 
in  pans  or  boxes;  cuttings  of  Lobelias,  Petunias,  Fuchsias,  Coleuses, 
and  similar  softwooded  plants  will  root  readily  in  the  genial  atmosphere 
of  a  hotbed. 
If  the  temperature  is  sweet  and  ranges  about  65°  to  70°  choice  seeds 
will  germinate,  but  the  same  temperature  must  be  maintained  for  the 
seedlings  afterwards,  so  that  they  do  not  experience  a  check  in  their 
early  growth.  When  a  hotbed  becomes  half  spent  or  partially  exhausted 
it  is  an  excellent  place  on  which  to  sow  sucoessional  crops  of  Radishes, 
Lettuces,  or  Carrots,  to  prick  out  Celery  and  seedlings  of  half-hardy 
annuals.  In  April  hotbeds  may  be  formed  and  seeds  of  Cucumbers, 
Melons,  and  Vegetable  Marrows  sown  in  pots.  The  two  former  to  be 
planted  on  mounds  of  soil  in  other  well  heated  frames,  and  the  latter 
transferred  to  cold  frames  to  harden  for  planting  in  the  open  with 
a  little  protection  until  the  weather  permits  of  full  exposure. 
When  the  heat  of  a  hotbed  and  the  sun  combined  give  a  temperature 
of  75°  to  90°  such  plants  as  Dracamas,  Indiarubber,  and  others  may 
be  propagated.  A  hotbed  in  March  is  useful  to  raise  Tomato  seedlings, 
but  the  after  growth  ought  to  be  made  in  a  drier  and  airier  house 
or  frame.  The  seed  of  Primulas  will  germinate  in  the  genial  bottom 
heat  of  a  hotbed,  and  afterwards  the  young  plants  can  make  their  first 
growth  and  become  established  prior  to  their  continuing  growth  in  a 
cold  frame  for  the  summer.  Cuttings  of  Chrysanthemums  intended  for 
dwarf  plants  can  be  rooted  in  May  or  June  in  the  genial  temperature 
of  a  mild,  half-exhausted  hotbed. — E.  D.  S. 
Splitting  of  Apples. — “  A.  D.”  (page  566,  last  vol.)  is  rather 
badly  adrift  in  this  question.  In  his  endeavour  to  construct  a  theory 
he  has  begun  at  the  wrong  end  with  regard  to  the  principles  of  heat 
and  cold.  Some  years  ago  I  was  taught  that  water  swelled  when 
heated,  not  when  cold,  and  practical  proofs  of  the  matter  can  be  found 
in  pipes  bursting  at  the  thaw  following  a  severe  frost,  hot  water  circu¬ 
lation,  steam  engines  and  things,  but  these  have  not  apparently 
entered  into  “  A.  D.’s  ”  calculations.  Possibly  had  “A.  D.”  laid  the 
fault  with  the  shrinking  skin  instead  of  the  swelling  flesh,  he  would 
have  been  nearer  the  mark  in  such  a  case  as  he  describes,  but, 
I  am  not  going  in  for  theory  manufacture.  What  a  fascinating  pur¬ 
suit  it  is  to  approach  the  luysterious.  But  I  always  deny  m/self  the 
luxury,  in  print  at  any  rate,  and  it  is  a  good  old  truism  that  circum* 
stances  alter  cases,  even  of  Apples  splitting. — H.  Richards. 
