January  9,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDEN  EH 
23 
SPECIAL  NOTICE. 
IF  YOU  WANT 
Really  Good  Seeds 
At  MODERATE  PRICES,  apply  to 
Mr.  ROBERT  SYDENHAM, 
Tenby  Street,  North,  BIH.1VHNGH  AIVI. 
No  Nurseryman  will  serve  you  better  in  Quality,  Quantity,  or  Price. 
S-WEET  PEAS-A  SPECIALITY. 
ECKFORD’S  and  other  choice  varieties  at  a  third 
or  a  fourth  usual  prices. 
Nothing  gives  so  much  cut  bloom  at  so  small  a  cost  or  so 
little  trouble.  To  get  best,  results  SOW  IN  JANUARY  and 
FEBRUARY,  as  directions  sent  with  ea  h  Collection. 
SPECIAI.  VERY  CHEAP  OFFER. 
Collection  No.  1. — 10  Really  Good  Varieties. — 30  Seeds  of 
each  variety,  in  separate  Packets,  Is.  3d. 
Collection  No.  2. — 10  Very  Choice  Varieties. — 30  Seeds  of 
each  variety,  'n  separate  Packets,  Is.  6;i. 
Special  Price  for  the  Two  Collections,  2s.  6d.  post  free. 
For  names  and  colours  of  Sweet  Peas  see  Gardening  Illustrated. 
THE  FOUR  BEST  CUCUMBERS. 
Each  Packet  contains  10  seed  Lockie’s  Perfection,  Rollisson's 
selected  Telegraph,  Covent  Garden  Favourite,  and  Tender  A  True, 
6d.  each, postage  Id.  each  extra ;  or  the  collection,  2s.,  post  free. 
THE  FIVE  BEST  TOMATOES 
In  cultivation,  often  sold  under  other  names  to  get  fancy  prices. 
Each  packet  contains  nearly  200  .Seeds.  Perfection,  3d  ;  Ham 
Green  Favourite,  3d. ;  Roseieigh  Gem,  3d.,  a  grand  new  selection, 
large  smooth  ;  Challenger,  3d. ;  Golden  Perfection, 3d,  ;  Cohection, 
Is.  8d„  post  free.  If  ordei  ed  separately,  Id.  each  extra  for  postage. 
Last  year  I  sold  about  5000  packets,  and  they  gave  universal 
satisfaction,  one  grower  getting  over  20'0  pounds  weight  of 
Tomatoes  from  two  threepenny  packets. 
MR.  ROBERT  SYDENHAM’S  LISTS 
Are  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  the  Rest,  Cheapest,  and  most 
Reliable  ever  published.  They  contain  only  the  Best 
VEGETABLES,  FLOWERS,  A,  BULBS  WORTH  GROWING, 
Being  the  Selections  of  the  largest  Seed  Growers,  Market  Gar- 
deners,  and  the  most  celebrated  Professional  Gardeners  and 
Amateurs  in  the  kingdom.  They  also  eontain  very  useiul 
cultural  instructions. 
Mr.  BYhKNHAlI’S  Bulbs  and  Seeds  were  represented  and 
gained  First  Prizes  at  London,  Birmingham,  Preston,  Newcastle- 
on-Tyne,  Shrewsbury,  Edinburgh,  c.,  &c  ,  in  1892, 1893, 1894,  1895. 
FULL  LISTS  POST  FREE  ON  APPLICATION. 
Please  mention  this  Paper. 
VEITCH’S 
Genuine  Seed  Novelties  for  1896. 
YElTCa’S  NEW  COCUMBER,  “Challenger.'’ 
A  most  prolific  variety,  growing  from  18  to  20  inches  in 
length.  Fruit  evenly  proportioned,  deep  green,  short  neck, 
with  a  few  white  spines.  Flesh  thick’  and  solid,  excellent 
flavour.  Per  Packet,  2s.  6d. 
Yeitch’s  NEW  TOMATO, “All  the  Year  Round.” 
First-class  Certificate,  R.H.S.,  April  23,  1895.  A  superior 
variety,  the  fruit  being  brighlt  red,  of  a  plum  shape,  solid 
and  of  high  quality  ;  very  prolific,  producing  clusters  at 
every  joint.  Suitable  for  growing  under  glass  or  in  the  open 
ground.  Per  Packet,  2s.  6d. 
VEITCH'S  (  8  good  sorts  for  general  cultivation,  6  6 
SELECTION  (  8  good  Ornamental  Fruited  varieties,  5  - 
VEITCH’S  SPECIALITIES  for  1898 
EMBRACE— 
VEITCH'S  SUPERB  CALCEOLARIAS,  per  Packet,  2/6 
VEITCH'S  SUPERB  CINERARIaS  --  „  2/6 
VEITCH’S  SUPERB  PANSIES  ..  ..  „  2  6 
VEITCH'S  SUPERB  PRIMULAS  ..  „  2  6 
G.F.  WILSON’S  BLUE  PRIMROSES..  „  2/6 
PHYSALIS  FRANCHETI  (producing 
bright  red  fruits,  being  a  gigantic  species 
of  the  showy  Winter  Oherry)  ..  ..  n  2/6 
For  full  descriptions  of  other  choice  NOVEL¬ 
TIES  &  SPECIALITIES,  see  SEED  CATALOGUE 
for  1896,  forwarded  post  free  on  application. 
JAMES  VEITCH  &  SONS, 
ROYAL  EXOTIC  NURSERY, 
CHELSEA,  LONDON,  S.W. 
A  GROWING  WANT! 
GOOD  SEEDS  for  the  KITCHEN  GARDEN. 
GOOD  SEEDS  for  the  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
GOOD  SEEDS  for  the  FIELD. 
tm-  FOR  NEWEST  INTRODUCTIONS,  BEST  KINDS,  AND  FINEST  STRAINS,  SEE  OUR 
Illustrated  Descriptive  Catalogue  for  1896. 
POST  FREE  ON  APPLICATION. 
CHARLES  SHARPE  &  CO.,  Limited,  SLEAFORD. 
DICKSON  &  ROBINSON'S 
DESCRIPTIVE  PRICED  CATALOGUE  OF 
GARDEN  SEEDS 
IS  NOW  READY,  AND  WILL  BE  SENT  POST  FREE  ON  APPLICATION. 
12,  OLD  MILLGATE,  MANCHESTER, 
Telegraphic  Address— “  PURITY,  MANCHSSTEE.” 
mmmmmmmammmmmmmuMMmmmmmmmmmmtmmmmm  ■  — i  ■■bbbwm——  ■■■■bwbmhbwmb  rrn — ■ — i — in — 
Imttjtral  4  e§urticuItuiT. 
THURSDAY,  JANUARY  9,  1896. 
CAULIFLOWERS. 
THE  newer  method  of  producing  the  first  crop 
of  Cauliflowers  from  plants  raised  early  in 
the  year  has  not  as  yet  been  universally  adopted, 
and  no  doubt  those  who  cling  to  the  well  tried 
way  of  sowing  in  the  autumn  for  an  early 
supply  have  a  long  chapter  of  successes  to  show 
for  the  reasonableness  of  their  procedure.  At 
the  same  time,  with  the  improved  varieties  that 
have  lately  been  placed  within  the  reach  of 
gardeners,  it  is,  I  think,  impossible  to  overlook 
the  great  adaptability  these  possess  of  coming 
on  quickly.  I  find  I  can  cut  very  much  sooner 
by  growing  an  early  variety  sown  in  the  spring. 
There  always  have  been  some  trouble  and  pains 
required  to  secure  good  early  Cauliflowers,  and 
even  with  improved  sorts  I  imagine  the  labour 
involved  is  not  greatly  lessened. 
For  many  years  the  variety  I  depended  on 
fer  an  early  supply  was  Dwarf  Erfurt,  but  this 
has  been  superseded  by  Yeitch’s  Early  Forcing. 
I  have  cut  heads  of  this  off  a  west  border 
in  the  end  of  May,  and  have  continued  cutting 
from  the  3ame  sowing  all  through  June.  This 
variety  has  the  invaluable  property  of  pro¬ 
ducing,  in  addition  to  a  central  head,  three  to 
four  others  that  are  ready  to  cut  a  week  to  a 
fortnight  after  the  former.  I  am  acquainted 
with  no  other  that  possesses  the  like  habit  of 
second  heading,  and  in  this  respect  alone,  if 
for  no  other,  the  variety  is  worth  attention. 
For  the  earliest  crop,  I  sow  in  the  second 
or  third  week  of  January,  employing  for  the 
purpose  ordinary  cutting  boxes  filled  with 
friable  soil.  The  seeds  are  germinated  in  a 
warm  house,  but  directly  the  first  leaves  are 
produced  the  plants  are  removed  to  a  cool 
house,  where  they  move  along  slowly,  but 
without  any  risk  of  damping  at  the  neck,  a 
danger  that  is  always  present  when  they  are 
kept  in  a  warm  structure.  In  due  time  the 
seedlings  are  transferred  to  other  boxes,  from 
whence  after  a  time  as  many  as  are  wanted  for 
the  earliest  crop  are  placed  singly  in  3-inch 
pots.  One  has  to  be  careful  that  the  plants 
are  in  no  way  excited  into  soft  growth.  They 
require  a  good  compost,  but  by  keeping  them 
always  cool,  and  with  carefulness  in  watering, 
they  make  firm  and  sound  growth  that  practi¬ 
cally  secures  immunity  from  “  buttoning.” 
No.  2467.— VOL.  XC1V.,  Old  Series. 
No.  811.— Vor,.  XXXII.,  Thirl  Skrifs. 
