Jnly  29,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
103 
sideratioB,  aad  he  ia  under  the  Impression  that  other  growers  are 
continually  endeavouring  to  ascertain  these,  even  going  so  far  as  to 
offer  some  of  hia  men  very  high  wages  to  obtain  their  services  ;  yet  this 
does  not  appear  necessary,  for  all  growers  I  have  seen  have  equally 
good  crops. 
One  highly  important  matter  is  to  obtain  good  seed,  as  unless  this  is 
done  the  crops  will  come  irregularly,  and  it  will  be  difficult  to  obtain  a 
constant,  reliable  supply;  It  may  be  here  mentioned  that  very  little  of 
the  true  Mustard  (Sinapis  alba)  is  grown,  the  substitute  employed  being 
Eape  (Brassica  rapa),  which  is  preferred  chiefly  because  it  has  a  milder 
flavour,  and  the  young  stems  blanch  very  readily,  being  also  free  from 
the  small  hairs  which  the  stems  of  Mustard  bear.  Cress  (Lepidium 
sativum)  is  grown  in  less  quantities  than  the  Eape,  as  it  is  less  in 
demand,  and,  further,  it  is  rather  more  trouble  to  raise  than  the  other, 
as  most  gardeners  know.  The  wholesale  prices  per  bushel  average 
about  12s.  for  Eape  and  Mustard  and  16b.  for  Cress,  though  samples  of 
superior  quality  realise  higher  prices. 
Another  point  that  especially  needs  attention  is  sowing  the  seed  very 
thickly  (in  the  case  of  the  Eape  the  seeds  are  placed  as  closely  as  possible), 
as  that  not  only  insures  the  blanching  of  the  stems,  which  adds  greatly 
to  the  value  of  the  crop,  but  it  also  simplifies  the  packing,  as  when  the 
stems  are  so  close  together  they  are  cut  and  placed  in  the  punnets  quickly 
and  evenly.  Alight  soil  or  compost  is  invariably  employed  ;  but  the 
best  results  appear  to  have  been  produced  by  old  Mushroom-bed  manure 
not  too  much  decomposed,  which  is  sifted  or  screened  and  placed  in  beds 
3  or  4  inches  deep  quite  level,  moderately  firmly,  and  if  at  all  dry  it  is 
thoroughly  watered  before  sowing  the  seed.  Almost  any  kind  of  light 
soil  is  suitable,  and  old  tan  was  used  at  one  time  very  largely  for  the 
purpose  ;  indeed,  there  was  one  grower  at  Vauxhall  some  years  ago  who 
employed  that  entirely.  It  is  also  said  that  the  sawdust  which  is  now 
used  in  some  stables  is  well  adapted  for  Mustard  and  Cress  ;  but  it  is  too 
“  strong  ”  when  first  received  from  the  stables,  and  requires  storing  for 
a  time  or  to  be  drenched  with  water  to  remove  some  of  the  ammoniacal 
compounds  with  which  it  is  saturated.  An  important  object  is  to  obtain 
salad  free  from  grit,  and  on  this  account  the  old  Mushroom-bed  manure 
seems  to  be  especially  useful,  as  it  forms  a  moist  nourishing  medium,  in 
in  which  the  rootlets  can  readily  extend.  The  seed  not  being  covered 
with  soil  also  aids  in  insuring  a  clean  crop,  and  the  snrface  being 
rendered  as  fine  and  even  as  possible,  the  produce  is  obtained  of  equal 
height,  which  also  adds  considerably  to  the  value  of  the  crop,  and  facili¬ 
tates  the  cutting  and  packing  in  punnets. 
These  particulars  especially  apply  to  the  winter  and  early  spring 
supply,  which  has  to  be  raised  in  heated  houses  or  frames.  In  the 
summer  beds  are  prepared  outside.  Whete  the  early  supply  receives 
much  attention  small  span-roof  houses  or  lean-to  frames  are  devoted 
entirely  to  the  purpose,  as  are  the  inside  borders  of  late  vineries.  In  the 
former  case  the  houses  are  about  9  feet  wide  and  6  feet  high,  and  vary 
in  length  from  30  to  60  feet,  but  of  course  the  length  is  of  little 
importance.  They  are  heated  with  2-inch  or  2J-inch  pipes,  one  row 
extending  round  near  the  sides.  The  beds  are  4  feet  wide,  thus  leaving 
a  space  of  a  foot  for  a  path  down  the  centre,  which  are  edged  with 
narrow  boards  3  or  4  inches  deep  on  each  side,  and  next  to  the  pipes 
also.  The  frames  are  about  5  feet  wide,  with  a  pipe  along  the  front.  In 
the  case  of  the  vineries  the  prepared  soil  is  simply  spread  on  the  surface 
of  the  border  to  the  required  depth,  and  the  seed  is  sown,  sometimes 
being  pressed  slightly  into  the  soil  with  a  flat  piece  of  wood  or  some¬ 
thing  similar.  A  good  supply  of  water  is  then  given,  and  the  seed  is 
covered  with  ordinary  garden  mats.  These  are  only  removed  when  it  is 
necessary  to  supply  water  ;  and  this  must  be  carefully  attended  to,  as 
little  is  given  after  germination  is  well  advanced,  or  decay  is  likely  to 
result.  The  mats  are  kept  on  during  the  day  until  the  young  plants 
have  grown  an  inch  or  two,  when  they  are  removed  to  permit  the  seed 
leaves  to  acquire  a  bright  green  colour — a  point  of  some  importance  in 
combination  with  well-blanched  stems. 
In  from  eight  to  twelve  days  the  crop  is  ready  for  cutting — ie.,  when 
the  stems  are  about  4  inches  high,  and  to  effect  this  a  peculiar  but 
simple  knife  is  used.  This  has  a  straight  flat  blade  like  an  ordinary 
dinner  knife,  but  not  rounded  at  the  end,  about  an  inch  broad  and  a 
foot  long.  Near  the  handle  is  a  crank  turned  upwards  at  right  angles  to 
the  blade  like  a  bricklayer’s  trowel,  and  the  end  is  again  turned  at  right 
angles,  but  parallel  with  and  away  from  the  blade  ;  this  is  inserted  in 
the  handle  just  like  the  trowel.  With  this  instrument  the  salad  is  cat 
much  in  the  same  style  as  mowing  with  a  scythe,  the  blade  being  flat 
on  the  ground.  One  sweep  of  the  knife  cuts  enough  or  more  for  a 
punnet,  and  is  taken  up  with  the  hands  and  placed  in  evenly,  so  that  it 
appears  almost  as  if  it  had  grown  in  it.  Some  practice  is  required  to 
effect  this  satisfactorily,  and  skilful,  experienced  cutters  can  gather  and 
pack  over  a  thousand  punnets  a  day.  The  punnets  are  then  packed  in 
boxes  and  conveyed  to  market  in  vans.  The  chief  labour  is  removing 
the  old  material  from  the  beds,  which  has  to  be  done  after  every  crop  ; 
this  is  stored  away  in  a  heap  for  several  months  and  then  incorporated 
with  fresh  material.  Where  the  compost  is  purchased  this  is  a  rather 
expensive  item,  and  one  grower,  I  am  informed,  pays  2g,  6d.  a  load  for 
old  Mushroom-bed  manure.  In  the  best  managed  establishments,  how¬ 
ever,  Mushrooms  are  grown  in  addition,  and  that  outlay  is  thus  to  some 
extent  reduced.  It  should  further  be  added  that  both  houses  and 
frames  are  constructed  in  the  most  economical  manner  possible,  utility 
and  cheapness  being  the  chief  objects. 
As  to  space  required,  some  idea  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that 
the  punnets  are  about  6  inches  in  dimater,  and  I  shonld  think  at  a  safe 
estimate  a  square  foot  of  a  good  crop  would  fill  two  punnets  of  Eape,  a 
little  more  Cress  being  required.  Thus  a  heated  frame  60  feet  long  with 
a  bed  5  feet  wide  would  yield  about  fifty  dozen  every  fourteen  days 
throughout  the  year,  as  the  lights  could  be  removed  and  the  heat  dis¬ 
continued  as  the  season  advanced.  Taking  twenty-five  crops  in  the 
year  at  the  rate  of  Is.  per  dozen  would  give  a  yearly  total  from  one 
frame  of  £62  lOs.;  or,  to  put  it  in  another  way,  the  yearly  return  per 
square  yard  of  ground  occupied  would  be  over  £1  lOs.,  a  quarter  of  an 
acre  so  cropped  giving  £1815  per  annum. 
Although  Mustard  and  Cress  seed  differ  in  cost  to  the  extent  of  49. 
per  bushel,  there  is  not  much  difference  in  the  results  to  the  grower. 
For  instance,  a  bushel  of  Mustard  or  Eape  is  suflBeient  to  sow  256  square 
feet  of  bed,  the  same  quantity  of  Cress  being  suificient  for  384  square 
feet  ;  but  for  the  same  cost  as  the  Cress  340  feet  can  be  sown  with 
Mustard.  The  ultimate  results  thus  vary  slightly,  for  though  a  some¬ 
what  higher  price  is  obtained  for  the  Cress,  yet  smaller  quantities  are 
required,  and  there  is  more  uncertainty  regarding  the  crop.  As  a  guide 
to  those  intending  to  grow  this  saladingit  may  be  stated  that  a  pint  of 
Mustard  seed  is  required  for  each  4  square  feet,  and  the  same  amount 
of  Cress  for  each  6  square  feet.  From  about  25  to  30  per  cent,  should  be 
deducted  from  the  estimated  returns  for  the  cost  of  the  seed.  Thus,  to 
provide  the  five  hundred  dozen  per  week  mentioned  above,  between  six 
and  seven  hundred  bushels  of  seed  are  used  yearly,  at  a  cost  of  some¬ 
thing  over  £400,  or  about  one-third  of  the  returns.  The  punnets  are 
very  cheap,  but  even  for  them,  where  such  large  quantities  are  grown, 
£2  or  £3  per  week  re  said  to  be  the  average  outlay.  It  should  be 
stated  that  some  growers  soak  the  Eape  seed  in  water  before  sowing  to 
hasten  the  germination. 
Such  are  a  few  particulars  concerning  a  very  simple  crop,  which,  if 
judiciously  managed,  can  evidently  be  made  more  profitable  than  some 
others  apparently  of  far  more  importance.  The  prices  and  quantities 
have  been  chiefly  furnished  by  reliable  market  salesmen,  and  the  infor¬ 
mation  obtained  from  several  different  sources  agrees  in  the  main  facts. 
Further,  to  avoid  misleading  statements  as  much  as  possible,  the  lowest 
figures  have  been  given  in  each  case. 
TUBEROUS  BEGONIAS. 
The  display  that  can  be  made  with  a  collection  of  these  beautiful 
flowers  is  a  magnificent  one  if  the  colours  are  carefully  selected,  and  both 
double  and  single  flowers  are  grown.  But  it  is  a  matter  of  no  small 
trouble  to  make  a  selection,  especially  if  plants  are  desired  for  cultivation 
in  the  border  as  well  as  in  the  greenhouse,  for  some  that  succeed 
admirably  in  the  latter  are  unsatisfactory  in  the  former,  and  vice  versa. 
Then  there  are  several  that  produce  a  fine  effect  when  placed  in  baskets, 
and  for  this  purpose  particularly  tuberous-rooted  Begonias  are  not 
nearly  sufficiently  grown  considering  the  results  that  may  be  achieved  at 
„iSO  little  cost  of  both  time  and  money. 
Many  kinds  of  plants,  upon  the  cultivation  of  which  a  considerable 
amount  of  time  must  be  expended  so  as  to  achieve  satisfactory  results, 
are  grown  in  large  quantities,  while  tuberous-rooted  Begonias  are 
neglected.  Not  that  tnis  is  the  case  to-day — or  at  any  rate  not  to  such 
an  extent  as  a  few  years  ago.  Still,  the  fact  remains  that  they  are  not 
accorded  the  attention  to  which  their  several  merits  undoubtedly  entitle 
I  them.  But  if  our  large  growers  continue  to  put  improved  varieties  on 
the  market  it  may  be  naturally  expected  that  ere  long  they  will  be 
grown  all  over  the  country,  both  in  large  and  small  gardens,  for  it  must 
be  remembered  that  they  are  equally  well  adapted  for  either.  Under 
glass  or  out  of  doors,  in  the  midst  of  towns  or  in  the  heart  of  the  country, 
they  grow  well,  and  will  give  the  maximum  of  display  with  the  minimum 
of  trouble. 
To  thoroughly  appreciate  the  beauty  of  the  foliage  and  of  the 
flowers  under  either  system  of  culture  a  place  must  be  visited  where  a 
large  collection  is  cultivated,  such,  for  example,  as  that  of  Messrs.  J. 
Laing  &  Sons,  Forest  Hill.  Here  may  be  seen  in  the  houses  and  in  the 
open  ground  thousands  of  plants  in  all  stages  of  growth,  and  it  is  impos¬ 
sible  for  anyone  to  see  them  without  having  a  wish  arise  to  grow  some. 
Not  only  is  there  great  variation  in  the  colour,  shape,  and  substance  of 
the  flowers,  but  the  leafage  also  is  wonderfully  diversified.  On  one 
plant  the  leaves  may  be  green,  while  in  another  they  approach  the  Eex 
varieties  in  their  splendid  marblings.  Then  there  are  the  single  flowers 
with  smooth  edges  and  with  fimbriated  ones,  similar  variations  prevail¬ 
ing  amongst  the  scores  of  doubles,  while  the  habits  of  the  plants  are 
scarcely  less  dissimilar.  Taking  all  these  things  into  consideration  it 
cannot  be  a  matter  for  surprise  that  the  popularity  of  the  tuberous 
Begonias  becomes  greater  year  by  year. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  many  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture 
I  are  interested  in  these  plants,  a  recent  visit  was  paid  to  the  Forest  Hill 
j  emporium  to  see  a  few  of  the  best  varieties  in  flower.  The  “  few  ” 
mounted  to  many  scores,  but  notice  was  only  taken  of  some  of  the  new 
ones  amongst  the  doubles  and  the  singles,  of  each  of  which  mention 
will  be  briefly  made.  Taking  first  of  all  the  doubles,  we  will  commence 
with  a  striking  orange  scarlet  variety  that  has  been  named  Dr.  Jim,  and 
which  is  superb.  The  upstanding  soft  salmon  blooms  of  Duchess  of 
Marlborough  are  singularly  beautiful,  as  are  those  of  Lady  Pearson. 
The  colour  of  this  variety  is  apricot  tinged  with  buff,  making  a  very 
charming  flower.  The  large  crimson  blooms  of  Li  Hung  Chang  ought 
to  make  the  variety  an  effective  one  for  exhibition  purposes.  Very 
beautiful  are  the  crimson  of  the  Hon.  Cecil  Ehodes,  the  pure  yellow  of 
Diamond  Jubilee,  and  the  cerise  of  Lady  Eosmead. 
Though  most  people  give  the  preference  to  the  double  varieties  as 
making  the  best  display,  the  single  ones  are  very  beautiful  and,  more¬ 
over,  very  effective  when  carefully  staged.  Evidence  of  this  has 
