January  20,  1898. 
JOV&NAL  Of  HORTIOirtrURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
49 
FINEST  SELECTED  STRAINS 
OaOF  TESTED  GROWTHfti>j 
BARR’S  SEED  GUIDE  for  1898 
IS  NOW  READY, 
And  will  be  Forwarded  Free  on  Application. 
Barr’s  Seed  G-uide  for  1898  contains  a  select 
List  of  the  best  Vegetable  Seeds  and  most  beautiful 
ITower  Seeds.  It  is  full  of  Practical  Hints,  and  will  be 
found  invaluable  to  Gardeners,  Amateurs,  and  Exhibitors. 
Sent  free  on  application. 
Barr’s  21/-  Collection  of  the  Best  Vege¬ 
table  Seeds  contains  14  Pints  of  Peas  (best  successional 
sorts),  6  Pints  of  Beans  (Broad,  French,  and  Runners),  and 
a  liberal  Assortment  of  other  Vegetable  Seeds,  for  One 
Year’s  supply.  For  fall  particulars  see  Barr’s  Seed  Guide, 
free  on  applicat  on. 
Barr’s  10/6  Collection  of  Choice  Flower 
Reeds  contains  a  liberal  selection  of  the  most  beautiful 
Annuals  and  Perennials.  Full  particulars  in  Barr’s  Seed 
Guide,  in  which  will  also  be  found  many  sterling  Novelties 
for  1898. 
All  Seeds  sent  Carriage  Paid  on  receipt  of  remittance. 
BARR  SONS, 
12  &  13  KldG  ST.,  COVENT  GARDEN,  LONDON 
Nukseeies— LONG  DITTON,  SURKEY. 
(Surl)iton  Station,  S.W.  Railway.) 
ESTABI.ZSHI:D  1832. 
No  connection  with  any  other  firm  of  a  similar  Name. 
SPRING 
CATALOGUE 
For  1898, 
OF 
Vegetable  &  Flower  Seeds 
AND 
BULBS  &  PLANTS 
IS  NOW  READY. 
Will  be  sent  Post  .Free  on  application  to  their  Offices  at 
OVERVEEN,  near  HAARLEM,  HOLLAND,  or  to  their 
Geneiial  Agents— 
Messrs.  MERTENS  &  CO., 
3,  GROSS  LANE,  LONDON,  E.C. 
No.  917.— VOL.  XXXVI.,  Third  Series. 
FOR  EARLY  WORK. 
SUTTON’S  HARBINGER  (NEW). 
PER  PINT,  3/6. 
“  First  eiwly  dwarf  prolific  variety.  Just  the  thing 
for  forcing  in  frames  or  early  border  work.  For  table 
excellent,  having  the  true  Marrowfat  flavour.” — 
Mr.  G.  H.  COPi>,  Tile  Gardens,  Holnest  Park. 
SUTTON’S  FORCING. 
PER  QUART,  3/6. 
“The  Sutton  Forcing  is  a  grand  Pea,  suitable  for 
either  indoors  or  outside.  I  liave  tried  it  both  in 
and  out,  and  it  keeps  free  from  mildew.” — Mr.  J. 
Watton,  Gardener  to  Mrs.  Ray. 
SUTTON’S  EARLY  GIANT. 
PER  QUART,  2/6. 
“Your  new  Pea,  Giant,  has  done  well  with  me 
this  season.  I  consider  it  a  grand  Pea  for  early 
work  both  as  reganls  flavour  and  productiveness.” — 
Mr.  R.  Perkins,  Gardener  to  the  Riglit  Hon.  the 
Countess  of  Ellesmere. 
ISUTTONS  SEEDS 
(  GENUINE  ONLY  FROM  SUTTON  S  SONS, READING. 
Leeks  i  pansies  i  dahlias  !  —  new 
LEFIK,  “Excelsior,”  1/-  Per  Packet.  PANSIES, 
1  Dozen  Tip-top  Varieties,  3/6  ;  2  Dozen,  6/- ;  Seed,  1/-  Per 
Packet.  NEW  BOOK  ON  THE  “PANSY,”  109pp.,  1/1. 
DAHLIAS,  Pot  Roots,  1  Dozen  Superb  Cactus  Varieties, 
4/6.  New  Seed  and  Plant  List  Free. 
ALEX.  LISTER  &  SON,  Florists,  ROTHESAY. 
C'THOICE  NEW  CHRYSANTHEMUMS. -Yellow 
J  Carnot,  Western  King,  Mrs.  S.  C.  Probin,  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Palmer,  and  many  otlier  giand  novelties,  including 
M.  Calvat’s  varieties  of  1897,  at  moderate  prices.  Catalogue 
of  700  varieties  free. — .1.  W.  COLE,  Midland  Road  Nursery, 
Peterborough. 
IMPORTANT  TO  MUSHROOM  GROWERS.— 
CUTHBERT’S  SPECIALITE  MUSHROOM  SPAWN. 
Always  alike  ;  most  productive.  Hundred.s  of  Testimonials. 
Per  Bushel,  5/-. — R.  &  G.  CUTHBERT,  Seed,  Bulb,  and 
J’lant  Merchants,  Soutligate,  N.  Established  1797. 
Greenhouse  sale.— Half  Price,  on  Season. 
7  by  5,  28/6,  38/6  ;  10  by  6,  42/-,  50/-;  14  by  6,  52/6, 
65/-  ;  10  by  8,  52/6,  58/6  ;  14  by  10,  75/-,  87/6  ;  20  by  10,  95/-, 
£5  10/-.  Frames,  8/9,  14/6,  22/6.  F'owL  Houses,  s/9,  10/9, 
14/6.  Approval.— HYPOLITE,  DEPTFORD. 
Heating  apparatus.  —  Medals  1375  and 
1881.  Catalogue  of  Boilers,  Pipes,  and  Fittings  free. 
W.  Jones’  Treatise,  “Heating  by  Hot  Water,”  second 
edition,  216  pages,  2/6;  post  free,  2/10. — JONES  and 
A'T’rWOOD,  Stourbridge. 
PURE  WOOD  CHARCOAL,  Specially  Prepared 
for  Horticultuial  use.  Extratl;  from  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture  :  “  Charcoal  is  invaluable  as  a  mauurial  agent ; 
each  little  piece  is  a  pantry  full  of  the  good  things  of  this 
life.  ’There  is  no  cultivated  plant  wliich  is  not  benefited  by 
having  Charcoal  applied  to  the  soil  in  which  it  is  rooted.” 
Apply  for  Pamplilet  and  Prices  to  the  Manufacturers — 
HIRST,  BROOKE  &  HIRST,  Ltd.,  Leeds. 
COTTAGE  GARDENING  ;  being  an  Essay  to 
which  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  awarded  Mr. 
W.  EgeftoN  IIuiiDARO's  Prize,  Pehruaiy  16th,  1870.  By 
E.  W.  Badger.  Third  Edition.  Price  3d. ;  post  free,  S^d.- 
Journal  of  Horticulture  Office,  12,  Mitre  Court 
Cham  HERS,  Fleet  Street,  E.C. 
Greenhouses  from  £3  8/-,  vineries, 
CONSERVATORIES,  well-made  FRAMES,  painted 
or  glazed,  from  21/-.  Illustrated  Price  Lists  free.  Maker 
TO  H.M.  THE  Queen  and  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
POTTER,  HAWTHORN  &  CO.,  Manufacturers, 
London  Works,  Reading.  (Name  Paper.) 
.of  ^ortti[iiltiii;i'. 
THURSDAY,  JANUARY  20,  1898. 
THE  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  can  be  obtained 
from  the  Office,  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  St., 
London,  post  free  for  a  Quarter,  3/9.  Editorial 
communications  must  be  addressed  to  8,  Rose 
Hill  Rd.,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
DiaaiNG  AND  TRENCHINa. 
Spring  v.  Winter. 
There  has  recently  been  some  discussion  on  the 
benefits  derived  from  digging  or  trenching 
ground  for  vegetable  culture  in  autumn  or  early 
winter  as  compared  with  the  effects  of  the  same 
operations  when  performed  in  spring.  I  believe 
the  chief  reasons  in  favour  of  doing  the  work  in 
winter  is  the  idea  that  work  is  forwarded  and  the 
more  complete  disintegration  of  the  soil  effected  by 
frosts,  and  thus  rendering  the  staple  more  suitable 
for  the  operations  of  cropping  in  spring.  After  a 
long  and  varied  experience,  my  conviction  is  that 
the  season  to  be  recommended  for  this  work,  in 
order  to  realise  tlie  object  named,  depends  entirely 
on  the  nature  of  the  soil  ai\d  subsoil,  as  well  as  the 
rainfall  of  the  district. 
Given  a  heavy  tenacious  soil  and  a  great  rain¬ 
fall,  my  experience  leads  me  to  recommend  delay 
of  the  work  till  spring.  Under  such  circumstances 
I  have  never  found  that  winter  digging  resulted 
in  anything  hut  unsatisfactory  results  ;  nor  do  I 
think  that  tlie  advancement  of  work  is  gained  by 
it  to  any  significant  degree,  or  that  the  teachings 
of  natural  philosophy  cau  be  set  aside  in  this  case 
any  more  than  in  any  other — namely,  that  a  loose 
porous  body  of  material  holds  more  water  than  one 
that  is  more  solid  and  compact ;  and  the  idea  that 
frost  finds  its  way  more  easily  and  into  a  greater 
depth  in  loose  soil  than  it  does  into  such  as  is 
more  compressed  is  just  as  far  off  the  mark  as  to 
say  that  a  sponge  that  is  in  a  state  of  compression 
Tas  the  same  power  of  holding  water  as  it  has 
when  in  a  state  of  expansion,  or  that  a  linen 
labric  prevents  the  radiation  of  heat  as  eflectually 
as  a  woollen  one.  The  laws  that  regulate  these 
things  are  inexorable,  and  act  powerfully  in  pro¬ 
ducing  results  that  tell  against  the  recommenda¬ 
tion  of  the  winter  tillage  of  heavy  soils  in  wet 
districts. 
“  Circumstances  alter  cases.”  When  an  under 
gardener  at  Carstairs  House,  iu  1838,  I  learned  to 
iractise  autumn  diggiug  and  trenching.  The  soil 
of  this  garden  was  what  is  known  as  light  and 
sandy,  and  never  held  moisture  in  suspension  at 
Ko.  2673.— VoL.  XCVIII.,  Old  Series. 
