October  7,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
331 
If  sown  in  the  autumn  the  plants  “  bolt,”  but  not  so  Ellams’  Early, 
Imperial,  Flower  of  Spring,  and  Early  April,  which  when  true  form 
solid  hearts.  Brussels  Sprouts  had  mention,  and  the  sportiveness  of  the 
Brassica  family  suggested  the  possibility  of  a  Brussels  Sprout  with  red 
buttons,  and  this  brought  out  the  observation  by  Mr.  Bimyard  that 
Bed  Cabbages  were  delicious  when  well  cooked.  The  greatest  addition 
to  Cauliflowers  during  recent  years  Avas  Veitch’s  Autumn  Giant? 
while  most  valuable  were  the  Early  Erfurt  varieties,  as  represented 
by  Snowball  and  First  Crop;  and  as  for  Broccoli,  these  were  to  be  had 
now  as  clear  as  the  Cauliflower,  and  white  heads  of  one  or  the  othCi- 
could  be  had  all  the  year  round. 
For  improvement  in  Onions  credit  was  given  to  the  late  Mr. 
Deverill,  and  for  Leeks  to  Messrs.  Dobbie,  but  in  respect  to  the 
latter  it  was  remarked  that  though  the  gigantic  samples  were  indis¬ 
pensable  for  exhibition,  much  smaller  stems  were  far  superior  to  them 
for  table  use.  Lettuces  have  been  increased  enormously  in  both  the 
Cos  and  Cabbage  sections,  and  there  was  now  an  excellent  one  par¬ 
taking  of  the  nature  of  both.  Belative  to  the  trouble  of  bolting,  the 
speaker  observed  that  there  were  now  Cabbage  varieties  such  as 
Favourite  and  Daniel’s  Continuity  that  often  refused  to  produce 
flower  stems  at  all. 
From  the  White  and  Black  Spine  Cucumbers  of  sixty  years  ago  we 
had  now  a  host  of  superior  varieties.  Kochford’s  was  much  sought  for 
Telegraph  highly  serviceable,  but  Mr.  Mortimer  had  raised  varieties 
with  the  most  perfect  fruits,  such  as  Progress,  Matchless,  and  others 
that  had  been  honoured  by  the  Eoyal  Horticultural  Society. 
As  evidence  of  the  striking  advance  in  Tomatoes,  Mr.  Sutton 
observed  that  only  one,  the  Common  Bed,  was  to  be  found  in  a  whole¬ 
sale  seed  list  in  1852,  wdiereas  the  trials  at  Beading  now  included 
200  selections.  Some  of  the  best  were  mentioned,  including  Mr. 
Thomas’  Froginore  Selected  and  Golden  Jubilee,  Avhich  had  such  an 
imposing  effect  in  the  Sljow.  In  the  course  of  discussion  it  was 
generally  acknowledged  that  though  large  fruits  were  in  favour  for 
showing,  those  Aveigiiing  six  or  eight  to  the  pound  were  preferred  by 
general  consumers,  and  Mr.  Bunyard  remarked  that  in  his  view  the 
true  Chiswick  Conference  was  one  of  the  most  useful. 
A  reference  to  Potatoes  was  left  to  the  last.  In  1836  the  speaker 
said  166  varieties  were  listed  by  ^Messrs.  Peter  Lawson  &  Sons,  and 
'though  a  few  remained,  including  the  ShaAvs  and  Dons,  only  one 
Avas  generally  cultivated — the  Early  Ashleaf.  Others  had  fallen  a 
prey  to  disease  through  constitutional  enfeeblement.  Mr.  Sutton 
believed  that  some  of  the  early  American  varieties,  such  as  Beauty  of 
Hebron  and  Puritan,  had  been  of  great  service,  and  Avith  those  "and 
home-raised  late  varieties  the  present  Potato  supply,  once  in  dire 
jeopardy,  had  never  been  equalled.  Among  tliose  Avho  had  brought 
this  about  by  raising  ueAV  varieties,  appreciative  reference  was  made  to 
Mr.  Bobert  Fenn,  Mr.  A.  Findlay,  also  to  the  late  Messrs.  James  Clark 
and  James  Paterson. 
Broadly  speaking,  Mr.  Sutton  thought  that  greater  advance  had 
been  made  in  vegetable  cultivation  during  the  last  sixty  years  than  in 
the  tAvo  centuries  preceding  the  Queen’s  accession  to  the  throne.  Mr. 
A.  Dean,  in  a  few  pertinent  observations,  thought  some  credit  Avas 
due  to  cultivators  as  Avell  as  to  raisers,  and  the  meeting  appeared  to 
think  so  too.  Mr.  Sutton’s  admirable  paper  should  be  read  in  full  by 
all  who  are  interested  in  the  important  subject  which  he  so  ably 
treated.  _ _ 
Saturday  brought  to  the  front  a  different  subject,  and  one  in  which 
progress  has  advanced  by  leaps  and  bounds,  esjxjcially  during  the 
later  year  of  the'Queen’s  reign — namely,  market  gardening.  This  is 
a  subject,  moreover,  on  Avhich  only  a  comparatively  few  persons  can 
treat  authoritatively  and  comprehensively.  Mr.  J.  Assbee  is  well  able 
to  do  so  for  two  of  the  best  of  reasons.  First  as  superintendent  of 
the  greatest  garden  produce  market  in  the  Avorld — Covent  Garden — 
he  has  abundance  of  materials  at  command;  and  secondl}’-,  literary 
ability  of  that  particular  kind  Avhich  enables  him  to  impart  to  others 
Avitli  great  clearness  that  which  he  wishes  them  to  understand. 
Mr.  Assbee  commenced  by  saying  that  the  annual  gathering  of 
the  Boyal  Horticultural  Society  in  the  famous  Gardeners’  Palace 
seemed  to  afford  a  suitable  opportunity  for  reviewing  gardeners’  Avork. 
In  the  production  of  food  from  the  soil  he  presumed  that  every  man 
at  the  outset  Avas  his  own  gardener,  and  supplied  his  own  wants  as 
well  as  he  Avas  able.  As  communities  formed  and  small  towns  became 
established  many  of  the  inhabitants  w^ould  imrchase  what  Avas  needed 
from  contiguous  land  or  local  market  gardens,  as  Avas  in  fact  the  case 
now. 
As  the  aggregation  of  people  became  gi’eater,  resulting  in  populous 
toAvns  and  cities,  shops  Avould  become  necessary,  and  these  Avould  have 
to  be  regularly  supplied  Avith  large  consignments  of  produce  of  different 
kinds  in  season.  Thus  market  gardens  Avould  be  formed  on  a  scale 
commensurate  with  the  demands,  and  systematic  methods  of  culture 
acquired  and  pursued.  These  gardens  would  first  be  situated  in  the 
vicinity  of  towns,  as  many  still  are,  while  many  have  been  driven 
farther  afield  by  builders. 
The  development  of  railways  gave  Avider  scope  to  cultivators,  and 
enabled  them  to  choose  distant  fields  for  their  operations,  while 
improved  methods  of  production  would  be  adopted.  Thus  did  market 
gardens  grow  Avith  the  growth  and  wants  of  increasing  populations, 
until  they  have  covered  their  present  enormous  area.  IMarket 
gardening  has  now  become  an  art.  It  is  not  a  mere  speculative  under¬ 
taking  by  those  who  successfully  engage  in  it,  but  is  conducted  on 
soimd  business  principles  and  carefully  considered  lines  of  procedure. 
Striking  figures  were  adduced  as  to  the  extent  of  the  cultivation  of 
different  products.  For  instance,  if  we  understood  rightly,  4000  acres 
Avere  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  Asparagus  in  Middlesex,  which, 
though  the  largest  is  only  one  source  of  supply,  the  yield  being 
1,600,000  bunches,  though  much  larger  supplies  came  from  the 
Continent.  Celery  is  grown  by  hundreds  of  acres  in  Lincolnshire,  and 
Onions  in  Bedfordshire ;  but  still  as  the  importations  of  Onions 
amount  to  about  6,000,000  bushels,  valued  at  nearly  £700,000,  the 
markets  do  not  seem  to  be  overburdened  with  the  home  supply. 
The  forcing  of  vegetables  Avas  alluded  to,  mention  being  made  of 
the  enormous  output  of  Leeds  Bhubarb,  *  Avhich  is  brought  to 
London  to  the  extent  of  30  tons  a  day  in  the  season,  and  enormous 
supplies  are  grown  in  the  metropolitan  district.  The  hardy  fruit 
demand  and  supply  have  increased  marvellously,  and  not  less 
remarkable  is  the  extension  in  the  culture  of  forced  fruits  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Loudon,  Worthing,  and  in  other  centres. 
The  cultivation  of  flowers  for  market  has  attained  to  stupendous 
dimensions.  From  Snowdrops,  through  the  Avhole  floral  range,  the 
public  wants  have  to  be  met,  and  both  home  gardens  and  foreign  fields 
are  placed  under  tribute  to  maintain  the  supply.  A  wonderful  instance 
was  given  of  progress  in  Daffodils  in  the  Scilly  Isles.  Mr.  A.  Dorrien 
Smith  of  Tresco  commenced  their  culture  by  sending  £1  worth  to 
Covent  Garden  in  1865.  This  small  beginning  culminated  in  a  supply 
of  496  tons  during  the  present  year. 
In  the  production  of  flowers  and  plants  for  market  many  thousands 
of  persons  are  employed,  and  the  extent  of  glass  devoted  to  the  AVork 
and  to  the  forcing  of  fruits  and  vegetables  in  England  is  computed  at 
32,000,000  square  feet,  or  equal  to  a  range  of  15  feet  wide  houses  400 
miles  long.  So  A\'e  seem  to  be  doing  a  little  of  something  in  England 
after  all.  Under  glass  culture  is  extending,  but  Mr.  Assbee  seems  to 
think  there  is  a  danger  of  those  amateurs  Avho  enter  on  this  work, 
because  they  think  it  a  pleasant  occupation  and  profitable  investment, 
not  realising  anythi&g  approaching  their  anticipations,  as  in  the  absence 
of  great  business  capacity  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  various 
details  of  the  work,  trouble  and  loss  are  more  likely  to  folloAV  than 
pleasure  and  profit. 
We  have  given  the  merest  outline  of  Mr.  Assbee’s  excellent  paper, 
as  well  as  the  others,  and  they  must  be  read  in  their  entirety  in  the 
official  Journal,  in  which  they  will  in  due  time  appear. 
It  should  be  stated  that  the  extremely  active  King  of  Siam,  after 
a  visit  to  Southampton  on  Friday,  arrived  at  the  Crystal  Palace  at 
6  P.M.,  with  his  retinue,  to  see  the  show.  He  flitted  from  stand  to 
stand,  making  no  secret  of  his  delight;  this  perhaps  culminated  with 
Mr.  Bivers’  fruit  trees  in  pots,  and  after  satisfying  himself  that  the 
fruits  were  not  tied  on,  observed  there  AVas  nothing  like  them  in  his 
country.  His  Majesty,  after  seeing  much  in  a  little  time,  dined  at  the 
Palace,  and  was  presented  with  a  magnificent  Pine  from  the  exhibit  of 
the  Queen. 
