12 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
January  2,  1896* 
in  the  year  of  grace  1787  (which  was  kindly  sent  to  me  by  a  neighbour), 
and  it  occurred  to  me  that  it  might  prove  of  some  interest  to  those  who 
wonder  how  our  forebears  lived,  to  cull  a  few  items  from  its  pages. 
Book  number  one  is  headed  “  Flower  Boots,”  and  the  first  thing  I 
find  is  Hyacinths.  It  is  curious  to  note  that  all  the  varieties  catalogued 
are  double.  Whether  such  things  as  single  Hyacinths  were  sold  in  those 
days  I  know  not ;  but,  at  any  rate,  they  did  not  find  much  favour  with 
the  public,  for  I  give  the  compiler  of  the  catalogue  credit  for  having 
sense  enough  to  know  what  would  sell.  How  changed  is  the  public 
taste  to-day,  when  fifty  single  Hyacinths  are  sold  to  every  double  one  ! 
But  if  there  is  a  change  here,  how  much  greater  is  the  change  in  value. 
In  1787  the  means  of  transit  were  not  quite  what  they  are  to-day,  and 
the  cost  of  transport  must  have  been  considerably  higher  than  it  is  now ; 
still,  when  one  notes  that  the  cheapest  variety  catalogued  was  Is.,  and 
that  by  far  the  greater  number  were  2s.  and  3s.  each,  with  many  at  10s., 
and  up  to  24s.  per  bulb,  one  cannot  but  think  that  in  those  “  good  old 
days  ”  there  must  have  been  a  larger  margin  of  profit,  both  to  the 
grower  and  the  retailer,  than  their  successors  enjoy  ;  and  those  of  us 
who  know  Holland  well  do  not  so  much  wonder,  when  we  think  of 
Hyacinths  at  these  prices,  how  our  old  friends  there  acquired  those 
stores  of  old  china  and  silver,  which  have  at  times  created  astonishment, 
if  not  envy,  in  our  minds. 
Of  course  one  may  say  the  demand  could  not  have  been  very  great, 
and  yet  it  must  have  been  something  considerable  when  we  find  103 
varieties  of  double  red,  eighty-three  of  double  white,  three  double 
yellow  (two  out  of  the  three  in  cultivation  to-day),  and  eighty-nine 
double  blues.  The  question  arises  in  one’s  mind,  Did  any  expert  ever 
live  who  could  distinguish  them  all  ?  If  so,  his  senses  must  have  been 
of  a  high  order.  I  should  pity  myself  if  1  had  to  learn  the  distinguish¬ 
ing  points  of  eighty  different  double  white  Hyacinths.  Happily,  the 
number  of  varieties  in  general  cultivation  has  been  greatly  reduced  since 
then,  and  it  will  still  bear  redaction  ;  it  is  absurd  on  the  face  of  things 
to  grow  fifty  or  sixty  kinds  of  single  white  Hyacinths  as  we  do  to-day. 
White  is  white,  or  should  be,  and  though  it  sometimes  runs  into  pale 
flesh  colour;  still,  there  cannot  be  much  distinction  in  the  matter  of 
tint,  and  surely  there  is  not  so  very  much  difference  in  the  matter  of 
form. 
Looking  through  this  long  list  of  names  I  find  thirteen  of  them  still 
retained  in  the  list  of  one  of  our  best  cultivators  to-day.  Of  course, 
there  might  have  been  more  had  not  the  change  of  fashion  so  greatly 
curtailed  the  list  of  double  varieties.  The  aggregate  prices  of  these 
thirteen  varieties  in  1787  was  43s.  ;  in  1895,  6s.  The  highest  price  wa9 
8s.,  and  I  think  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  not  a  single  one  of  the  very 
high-priced  ones — 16s.,  20s.,  and  24s.  each — which  were  doubtless 
novelties,  survives  to-day.  It  seems  to  point  out  that  even  in  the  “  good 
old  days  ”  it  was  not  an  unknown  thing  for  new  varieties  to  be  sent  out 
which  were  not  equal  to  those  already  in  cultivation.  ,  Time  tries  all, 
and  doubtless  some  of  our  present-day  novelties  will  in  their  turn  be 
lost  in  oblivion. 
Bock  the  2nd. — We  now  leave  the  Dutch  productions  and  come  to 
home-grown  bulbs.  Tulips,  for  which  I  believe  Chilwell  had  some  small 
name  in  those  days,  comes  first,  and  I  find  115  varieties  of  byblcemens 
catalogued,  the  lowest  priced  being  at  that  good  old  standard  unit  of 
Is.,  and  ranging  in  gradations  up  to  7  guineas  the  bulb.  Bizarres 
follow  with  185  varieties,  but  alas  !  though  more  golden  than  their 
byblcemen  brethren  in  colour,  they  show  a  falling  off  in  price,  for  there 
are  many  here  quoted  at  the  price  of  the  nimble  sixpence,  though  many 
are  at  half  a  guinea,  and  a  few  reach  4  and  6  guineas  the  bulb. 
Ranunculus  follow  with  480  varieties,  nothing  under  a  shilling  and 
ranging  up  to  a  guinea  each.  It  almost  takes  one’s  breath  away. 
Surely  the  Ranunculus  must  have  been  on  the  “  boom  ”  in  those  days. 
I  pass  by  the  Anemones,  Narcissi,  and  Jonquils,  and  come  to  plants, 
Auriculas,  of  which  we  are  told  “the  price  affixed  is  for  a  single,  good¬ 
blooming  plant.”  They  ought  to  have  been  fairly  good  plants,  when 
one  sees  that  the  price  of  some  of  them  was  2  guineas  each,  and  many 
were  10s.  6d.  and  1  guinea.  If  we  wish  to  know  the  properties  of  a  fine 
Auricula  the  writer  of  the  catalogue  furnishes  us  with  his  ideas  on  the 
subject. 
Passing  on  we  come  to  Carnations  with  a  list  of  212  varieties, 
including  seven  of  Pearson’s  varieties  and  a  number  of  Turner’s  and 
others,  all  with  the  raiser’s  name  attached,  an  ancient  and  honourable 
custom  which  has  greatly  fallen  into  disuse,  the  prices  from  2s.  to  21s. 
per  pair.  Finks  follow  with  116  varieties,  twenty-four  raised  at 
Chilwell,  prices  from  Is.  to  10g.  6d.  per  pair;  but  although  Pinks  were 
evidently  a  favourite  flower  with  my  ancestor,  they  could  scarcely 
claim  to  hold  the  same  place  in  his  esteem  as  the  Polyanthus,  of  which 
he  Bays,  “  It  possesses  a  richness  and  symmetry  not  to  be  found  in  any 
other  flower.”  The  collection  of  Polyanthus  was  comparatively  small, 
including  only  some  forty-seven  varieties  ;  but  though  small  it  seems  to 
have  been  select,  as  the  price  of  some  was  from  10s.  6d.  to  21s.  each. 
When  I  said  the  collection  was  small  I  meant  for  1787,  for  I  think  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  points  about  this  catalogue  is  the  prodigious 
list  of  names  it  contains. 
Book  the  3rd  contains  fruit  trees,  and  here  one  finds  some  thirty- 
eight  varieties  of  Peaches  enumerated,  amongst  which  are  our  old  friends 
Noblesse,  Royal  George,  Violette  Hative,  French  Mignonne,  Late 
Admirable.  Nectarines,  nine,  including  Violette  Hative,  Elruge, 
Newington,  and  Red  Roman.  Apricots,  eight,  half  of  them  in  cultivation 
to-day.  Plums,  twenty-nine,  including  Green  Gage,  Orleans,  red  and 
white  “Bonum  Magnum,”  Sharp’s  Emperor,  Violet,  and  Damsons. 
Pears,  fifty,  including  Bon  Chretien,  Brown  Beurrd,  Brown  Pear  of 
Worcester,  Uvedales  St.  Germain,  Grey  Beurrd,  and  Jargonelle. 
Apples,  eighty,  many  still  amongst  our  well-known  favourites. 
Twenty-three  Cherries,  and  a  few  sundries  close  the  list ;  but  I  must  not 
forget  to  mention  that  “  The  new  and  most  fine  Yellow  Antwerp 
Prolific  Raspberry  ”  was  offered  at  2s.  each  plant.  Book  4th  contains 
forest  trees,  evergreens,  Roses,  climbers,  flowering  shrubs,  ornamental 
trees,  fruit  tree  stocks,  hardy  plants,  “  some  of  the  most  curious  from 
America,”  including  Andromedas  at  7s.  6d.  each ;  Rhododendron 
ponticum,  6s.  ;  R.  ferrugineum,  21s.;  R.  hirsutum,  31s.  6d.  each,  and 
finally  a  long  list  of  seeds.  Truly  a  comprehensive  catalogue  ;  but  there 
is  still  a  bon  bonche  in  the  shape  of  a  list  of  choice  Gooseberries  reserved 
to  the  end,  and  I  think  this  last  is  startling.  Gooseberry  exhibitions 
must  have  been  the  fashion  when  we  find  no  less  than  302  choice  show 
varieties  catalogued,  varying  in  price  from  4d.  to  4s.  each. 
Looking  over  this  quaint,  old  comprehensive  catalogue,  which  in  spite 
of  its  long  list  of  names,  is  all  contained  in  fifty-six  octavo  pages,  one  is 
rather  inclined  to  envy  our  great- grandsires  who,  once  having  compiled 
this  list  were  free  from  any  further  labours  of  that  description  for,  at  any 
rate  one  season,  and  if  report  speaks  truly,  for  two  seasons,  as  the  list 
was  often  only  distributed  every  other  year.  No  florid  descriptions  to 
write  or  more  fervent  descriptions  of  others  to  verify,  for  this  list  is  only 
bare  names,  if  we  except  the  articles  on  the  Polyanthus  and  Auricula, 
no  plates  to  prepare — but  why  go  further — there  was  doubtless  a  reverse 
to  the  picture,  and  one  hears  of  such  small  drawbacks  as  letters  received 
with  8d.  and  lOd.  each  to  pay  on  receipt  from  some  good  amateur  asking 
advice  as  to  howto  rid  his  Carnations  of  wireworm.or  what  not,  and  again 
of  journeys  on  horseback  to  collect  one’s  money  once  a  year,  carrying 
that  same  in  the  form  of  notes  or  coin  of  the  realm  from  town  to  town, 
with  the  certainty  of  reaching  home  with  one’s  thighs  black  and  blue 
with  the  bumping  of  the  same  in  one’s  breeches  pockets,  and  the  possi¬ 
bility  of  being  left  cold  in  a  ditch  with  a  highwayman’s  bullet  through 
one.  Still,  having  scanned  some  of  the  prices  of  this  modest  catalogue, 
and  bearing  in  mind  that  the  price  of  ordinary  nursery  stock  was  on  the 
average  quite  as  high  as  that  obtained  to-day,  whilst  labour  has  doubled 
in  price,  with  shorter  hours,  and  the  cost  of  living  increased,  one  cannot 
but  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  nurseryman  of  1787  was  better  paid 
for  his  exertions  than  his  successor  to-day. — A.  H.  Pearson,  Chilwell , 
Notts. 
CHICORY. 
In  the  midst  of  winter  when  it  is  by  no  means  an  easy  task  to  maintain  a 
constant  supply  of  the  choicer  kinds  of  vegetables,  or  to  keep  the  salad 
bowl  well  filled,  any  edible  which  may  be  made  to  contribute  largely  to 
both  of  these  aims  ought  to  be  welcomed,  and  given  a  trial  by  gardeners 
innumerable.  Chicory  is  a  perennial  vegetable  which  possesses  these 
good  qualities,  but  for  some  reason  or  other  its  cultivation  in  this  country 
has  not  extended  very  rapidly,  but  on  the  Continent  we  are  told  it  is 
largely  grown,  and  in  the  few  instances  I  have  met  with  where 
gardeners  have  grown  it  systematically,  Chicory  has.  been  much 
appreciated  by  their  employers,  and  to  those  gardeners  who  are  ever  on 
the  look  out  for  some  pleasant  surprise  for  their  employer’s  table,  I  say, 
Try  Witloof  Chicory,  as  its  culture  is  of  the  simplest  description,  and 
does  not  entail  a  great  amount  of  labour.  Unless  I  am  mistaken  it  is  a 
crop  that  would  pay  from  a  commercial  point  of  view,  not  perhaps  on  a 
large  scale  at  first,  because  I  fancy — as  in  the  case  of  the  Tomato — 
the  public  taste  will  require  educating  before  a  constant  demand  is 
created. 
The  summer  culture  may  be  lightly  passed  over,  as  it  consists  of 
sowing  in  drills  15  inches  apart  during  April  or  May,  eventually  thinning 
the  plants  to  8  or  9  inches  asunder,  and  of  course  keeping  the  whole 
quarter  free  from  weeds.  Thus  with  good  roots  to  start  with,  such  as 
may  be  readily  produced  if  these  simple  requirements  are  carried  out, 
the  most  important  point  to  attend  to  is  to  grow  and  blanch  the  heads 
quickly.  In  autumn  and  early  winter,  if  the  weather  is  mild,  this  may 
be  easily  accomplished  by  covering  the  crowns  with  large  inverted  pots 
or  boxes,  placing  over  these  leaves  to  the  depth  of  18  inches.  Before 
severe  weather  sets  in,  however,  the  bulk  of  the  crops  ought  to  be  taken 
up  and  laid  in  the  soil  in  some  position  where  protection  can  be 
easily  given  in  severe  weather,  because  successional  batches  of  these 
roots  will  need  taking  up  at  intervals  for  forcing,  and  of  course  this 
could  not  be  done  without  injuring  them  were  the  ground  allowed  to 
become  frozen  to  a  great  depth.  When  frosts  are  likely  to  occur  the 
ground  in  which  the  roots  have  been  laid  should  be  covered  with  leaves, 
straw  of  ferns  2  or  3  feet  in  depth. 
I  find  a  Mushroom  house  is  the  best  possible  position  to  force  the 
growth  in.  Boxes  of  any  convenient  shape,  from  a  foot  to  15  inches  in 
depth,  answer  well  for  placing  the  roots  in.  Large  pots  are  also  very 
convenient,  and  they  frequently  have  the  advantage  of  being  ready  at 
hand  when  boxes  are  not.  In  either  ease  the  roots  should  be  placed 
4  or  5  inches  apart,  the  interstices  being  filled  with  soil,  allowing  the 
crowns  to  stand  slightly  above  the  surface.  After  placing  whatever 
receptacles  contain  the  roots  at  the  warmer  end  of  a  Mushroom  house 
a  thorough  watering  with  warm  water  should  be  given.  Inverted  pots 
or  boxes  should  be  placed  over  them,  and  a  covering  of  mats  or  canvas 
added  in  order  to  totally  exclude  light. 
If  a  temperature  of  from  55°  to  60°  is  maintained  good  heads  ought 
to  be  ready  for  cutting  in  about  a  fortnight.  If,  therefore,  a  sufficient 
number  of  roots  be  introduced  every  alternate  week,  a  regular  supply  of 
produce  may  be  insured.  Under  these  circumstances  the  salad  bowl 
will  not  draw  so  largely  on  the  stock  of  Lettuce  and  Endive,  and  the 
cook’s  demand  for  Seakale,  when  it  is  not  over-plentiful,  will  perhaps  be 
less  frequently  made. — D.  W. 
