630 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Deoember  SI,  1898. 
WINTER  SALADS. 
Many  are  the  gardens  in  England  in  which  the  attempts  made  to 
produce  anything  like  a  really  good  supply  of  plants  and  roots  suitable 
for  first-class  salads  during  the  winter  months  are  extremely  feeble,  and 
in  my  opinion  not  altogether  creditable.  It  is  a  well  known  face  that 
we  are  far  behind  our  French  neighbours,  both  in  our  methods  of 
growing  and  preparing  salads  for  our  employer’s  table.  It  happens 
sometimes  that  areally  creditable  salad  is  ruined  by  an  inferior  dressing, 
and  what  your  employer  terms  “that  wretched  salad  we  had  in  yester¬ 
day,’’  with  the  remark,  “  Do  not  send  any  more  of  that  in,  gardener,” 
adding  “  we  always  get  such  delicious  salads  in  France  ;  it’s  very  strange 
we  cannot  have  them  here,”  when  perhaps  the  grower  has  sent  in  the 
very  materials  over  which  a  Frenchman  would  gloat. 
However  there  need  be  no  lack  of  salads  in  the  winter  months  in 
gardens  were  there  are  glass  houses,  frames,  or  pits  ;  and  where  the 
plants  could  be  afforded  in  the  case  of  severe  weather  such  shelter  as 
Peach  cases  or  unheated  orchard  houses.  Large  number  of  Lettuces 
lifted  and  placed  closely  together  in  frames  when  dry,  carefully  tended  in 
the  matter  of  airing,  would  extend  the  period  of  having  good  produce 
for  a  considerable  time.  I  have  tried  several  popular  varieties  for  late 
winter  and  early  spring  use,  but  have  not  found  one  to  supersede  Sutton’s 
Improved  Black-seeded  Bath  Cos.  It  is  wonderfully  hardy,  has  a  fine 
flavour,  and  is  easily  blanched.  If  at  any  time  a  doubt  existed  as  to 
the  plants  not  being 
blanched  sufficiently 
for  any  special  occa¬ 
sion,  I  have  found  it 
excellent  practice  to 
take  up  and  plant 
in  a  good-sized  box, 
placing  the  sime  in  a 
temperature  of  55°, 
taking  care  to  exclude 
the  light.  Lettuce  may 
also  be  sown  rather 
thickly  in  boxes  in 
stove  temperature,  and 
when  of  a  convenient 
size  may  be  cut  in  the 
same  way  as  Cress. 
Sutton’s  Christmas 
Salad  Chicory,  and 
Dandelion,  are  also 
useful.  The  first  men¬ 
tioned  may  best  be 
described  as  a  coloured 
Chicory  with  an  espe¬ 
cially  fine  flavour  and 
a  showy  appearance. 
Brussels  Chicory,  or 
Witloof,  as  it  is  some¬ 
times  called,  is  a 
counterpart  of  the 
above,  differing  only 
in  colour,  which  is 
a  very  pale  yellow. 
Dandelion  is  con¬ 
sidered  too  bitter  to 
suit  many  palates, 
while  others  appreciate 
the  slightly  bitter  taste, 
but  it  is  undoubtedly  an 
excellent  salad  to  eat. 
Seeds  of  all  the  above  mentioned  may  be  sown  in  shallow  drills  a 
foot  apart  in  April,  allowing  the  same  distance  in  the  rows.  During 
the  summer  the  hoe  should  be  in  constant  requisition  in  fine  weather, 
which  is  all  the  attention  that  is  required  to  produce  good  roots  ready 
for  use  when  the  autumn  comes  round.  They  can  then  be  lifted  as 
required,  placed  thickly  in  pots,  and  be  kept  dark  and  treated  in  the 
same  manner  as  Seakale.  Or  if  preferred  the  whole  of  the  crop  can  be 
taken  up  and  stored  in  a  cool  dry  place. 
Small  Onions  of  the  Improved  Silver-skin  type  are  appreciated  by 
many.  The  seeds  are  best  sown  in  boxes  placed  in  heat,  taking  care  to 
maintain  the  supply  by  frequent  sowings.  Both  the  Broad-leaved  Bata¬ 
vian  and  the  Moss-curled  Endive  are  excellent  substitutes  for  Lettuce 
where  the  latter  are  ill-provided  for  as  regards  protection .  The  blanching 
process  may  be  accomplished  in  a  simple  manner  by  placing  over 
the  plants  empty  flower  pots,  or  failing  these  slates  or  tiles  can  be 
utilised.  In  very  severe  vfeatber  afford  more  ample  protection  by 
covering  with  a  good  layer  of  straw  or  fern.  Sow  the  seeds  from  the 
middle  of  June  to  the  last  week  in  July,  and  transplant  into  beds, 
allowing  a  distance  of  1  foot  between  each  plant. 
With  Mustard  and  Cress  and  the  various  other  plants  mentioned,  all 
of  which  were  grown  under  the  method  of  culture  bore  described,  1  have 
been  fairly  successful,  and  herewith  forward  a  sample  for  the  inspection 
of  the  Editor. — C.  Foster,  Aherpergwm. 
[The  sample  came  safely  to  hand  in  time  for  the  Christmas  dinner. 
The  yellow  and  variegated  Chicory  were  very  fine,  bat  not  more 
appreciated  than  the  sometimes  despised  Dandelions.  We  congratulate 
our  correspondent  on  his  successful  culture  of  these  plants,  which  are,  as 
he  suggests,  worthy  of  more  attention  than  is  at  present  accorded  to  them.] 
BENHAM  PARK. 
The  months  have  come  and  gone  since  a  visit,  all  too  brief,  was 
made  to  Benham  Park,  Newbury,  but  the  memory  of  what  was  then 
seen  rises  vividly  and  stands  as  a  picture  in  the  mind.  Now  we  are  on 
the  threshold  of  another  year,  1896  having  almost  gone,  though  it  was 
but  in  the  glory  of  a  fading  summer  when  Benham  was  seen.  How 
different  must  it  be  to-day  1  Then  the  flowers  were  aglow,  the  trees 
green,  the  fruit  trees  carryinf,  their  precious  burdens,  the  vegetables 
in  abundant  variety,  the  houses  rich  in  floral  treasures  j  now — but 
why  make  comparisons  when  every  reader  of  the  Jouriial  oj  jSorti. 
culture  knows  what  a  garden  and  its  occupants  are  like — a  garden,  that 
is  to  say,  where  its  owner  is  a  horticulturist  such  as  Mrs.  Myers,  and 
where  the  gardener  U  a  gardener,  such  as  Mr.  Howard,  Of  what  use,  let 
it  be  said  again,  to  picture  the  one  of  to-day  when  more  charmin(» 
portrayals  may  be  had  of  summer  beauty  by  the  aid  of  the  photographer’s 
art  ?  None  at  all.  The  past  shall  have  the  place,  and  not  the  present. 
The  name  of  Myers  has  been  intimately  associated  with  horticulture 
for  many  years,  not  only  at  Benham  but  also  at  Swanmore  Park,  owned  by 
Mrs.  Myers’  son,  which  has  been  made  famous  by  Mr  Molyneux.  The 
Newbury  estate  is,  however,  more  aged  than  the  Hampshire  one,  and  the 
older  amongst  us  will  recall  it  in  lays  gone  by,  when,  as  now,  it  owned 
and  deserved  the  re¬ 
putation  for  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  much  that 
was  good.  It  is  not 
proposed  to  go  through 
the  whole  of  the  gar¬ 
dens  seriatim,  but 
rather  to  glance  at 
a  feature  here,  and 
another  there.  The 
time,  as  has  been 
hinted,  was  short,  but 
it  sufficed  for  much 
of  great  interest  to  be 
seen  and  appreciated, 
though  it  is  more  than 
probable  that  if  the 
whole  were  to  be 
treated  the  stay  would 
have  to  be  considerably 
more  protracted,  and 
the  note  -  book  con¬ 
tinually  requisitioned. 
In  our  peregrinations 
we  make  a  trio— 
namely,  Mr.  Pope  of 
Highclere,  Mr,  Howard 
and  the  writer,  each 
interested  in  every¬ 
thing  that  was  to  be 
seen,  the  first  and  last 
named  as  visitors,  and 
the  second  as  the 
successful  grower. 
ria.  109. — BENH.AAI  HOT7SE. 
Of  the  mansion  it¬ 
self  little  need  be  said 
when  we  have  two  such 
excellent  portrayals  as 
the  entrance  from  the 
fronts.  Both  convey 
figs.  109  and  111,  the  former  of  which  depicts 
main  drive,  and  the  latter  one  of  the  garden 
to  the  mind  of  the  beholder  an  impression  of  solid  substantiality  and 
comfort  that  is  essentially  British,  though  the  architecture  is  of  the 
Grecian  school.  Attached  to  the  structure  Is  a  handsome  conserva¬ 
tory  that  is  kept  constantly  stocked  with  seasonable  flowering  and 
foliage  plants,  and  always  presents  an  interesting  appearance.  Remem¬ 
bering  that  it  was  September  that  this  visit  was  paid  there  will  be  so 
necessity  to  enumerate  the  plants  contained,  as  all  readers  can  fill  these 
in  for  themselves  as  they  peruse.  All  alike  were  in  splendid  health 
and ‘very  clean.  The  colouring  both  in  foliage  and  flowers  was  peculiarly 
deep,  attributable  doubtless  to  the  pure  air  of  the  district  and  the 
attention  tt^cy  receive.  _ 
The  remaining  illustration  (fig.  110)  represents  the  flower  garden. 
This  is,  as  may  be  seen,  of  geometrical  design,  but  is  of  exceptional 
beauty.  It  is  formed  on  the  side  of  steep  slope  (down  which  it  behoves 
one  to  go  carefully),  in  order  that  anyone  walking  along  the  lowe.r 
path  or  in  any  of  the  rooms  on  that  side  of  the  mansion  may  have 
the  whole  floral  panorama  spread  before  the  glance,  backed  by  hand¬ 
some  trees  that  tend  greatly  to  produce  the  fine  effect.  It  is  not  in 
every  position  that  such  a  formal  garden  is  appropriate,  but  here 
nothing  could  be  more  so.  The  labour  in  planting,  owing  to  the 
rapid  decline  of  the  ground,  must  be  considerable,  and  it  is  a  matter 
for  congratulation  to  those  who  are  responsible  for  its  care  that  it 
looks  so  well.  Amongst  the  many  flowers  utilised  are  Zonal  Pelar¬ 
goniums,  Begonias,  Ageratums,  Calceolarias,  besides  others,  producing 
a  rich  display  that  is  softened  by  the  varying  tints  of  green  in  the 
