434 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
November  4,  1897. 
VEGETABLES  FOR  HOME  AND  EXHIBITION. 
Celery. 
iContimied  from  page  359.) 
Planting  is  the  next  important  operation.  Abundance  of  moisture 
and  an  ample  supply  of  well-decayed  manure  are  absolutely  necessary 
to  produce  examples  of  the  best  quality.  In  the  formation  of  trenches 
opinions  differ  considerably,  some  growing  their  Celery  in  single 
trenches,  others  making  them  to  accommodate  two,  three,  and  even 
six  rows  of  plants.  It  seems  to  be  entirely  a  matter  of  opinion,  for  if 
all  other  conditions  are  favourable  Celery  of  equal  merit  can  be  grown 
in  trenches  containing  six  Vows  of  plants,  as  in  one  only  accommodat¬ 
ing  a  single  row,  whereas  the  former  method  is  economising  space  and 
lessening  labour,  which  in  many  gardens  is  a  matter  for  consideration. 
Trenches  should  run  in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direction,  and  the 
soil  thrown  out  to  a  depth  of  about  a  foot.  If  the  trench  be  wide  the 
soil  excavated  and  formed  into  a  sloping  back  will  prove  an  admirable 
place  for  growing  Cos  Lettuce. 
The  soil  in  the  trench  must  be  well  broken  up,  in  order  to  render 
it  friable,  and  a  good  layer  of  well-decayed  manure  should  be  forked 
in.  The  plants  must  be  carefully  removed  from  the  nursery  bed  with 
good  balls  of  earth  adhering  to  them,  taking  great  care  that  the  soil  is 
not  dry.  Plant  with  a  trow’el  about  9  inches  apart,  alloAving  15  inchi  s 
between  the  rows  ;  this  is,  of  course,  if  the  trench  contains  more  than 
one  row  of  plants.  Water  freely  as  planting  continues  if  the  soil  be  at 
all  dry,  as  neglect  in  this  respect  causes  a  check  which  often  proves 
disastrous.  Continual  supplies  of  water  must  be  given  tiU  the  plants 
are  thoroughly  established,  as  the  Celery  plant  in  a  wild  state  is 
a  sub-aquatic.  An  occasional  soaking  with  soot  water  or  liquid 
manure  will  prove  beneficial ;  but  it  should  not  be  applied  too  often, 
as  it  is  apt  to  cause  rank  growth. 
Earthing  is  the  next  important  operation,  and  should  be  performed 
at  intervals.  Growers  for  exhibition  often  ^vrap  brown  paper  bands 
round  the  plants  prior  to  earthing  in  order  to  facilitate  the  bleaching 
process,  and,  choosing  a  few  plants,  pay  more  careful  attention  to  these 
than  to  the  main  crop.  Care  should  be  taken  that  the  plants  are 
perfectly  dry  when  the  earthing  is  commenced,  as  any  moisture  inside 
the  leaves  is  naturally  kept  there  when  the  soil  is  pressed  round  them, 
and  causes  decay.  Next  remove  all  sucker  growths  carefully  that 
•may  be  growing  from  the  base  of  the  plants;  and  thirdly,  tie  the 
leaves  up  loosely  with  bands  of  matting.  Break  up  the  soil  well,  and 
work  it  carefully  round  the  stems  with  the  hand,  not  pacldng  it 
tightly,  or  covering  aboA'e  halfway  up  at  the  first  earthing.  The 
operation  may  be  repeated  on  two  more  occasions,  allowing  about  a 
fortnight  between. 
When  four  or  six  roAvs  are  groAvn  in  a  trench,  a  quicker  method 
of  earthing  is  often  adopted.  Two  boards  the  Avidth  of  the  trench  are 
placed  on  edge  between  the  rows ;  the  space  between  them  is  then 
filled  Avith  soil,  and  the  boards  being  drawn  out  the  soil  is  worked 
round  the  plants  with  the  hands  ;  the  boards  are  then  placed  in  the 
next  row,  and  the  operation  is  rejjeated.  Protection  during  severe 
weather  is  necessary,  and  for  this  purpose  a  thick  covering  of  dried 
bracken,  where  it  can  be  obtained,  is  admirable,  and  failing  that, 
strawy  litter  from  the  stock  yard  serves  the  same  purpose. 
The  well-known  Celery  fiy  appears  to  be  the  worst  jx'st  that 
attacks  the  crop,  and  the  larva  of  this  being  a  leaf-mining  grub, 
AA-orking  its  AA’ay  under  the  thin  outer  tissues,  it  is  difficult  toAestroy 
by  any  application.  Prevention  is  better  than  cure,  and  endeavours 
should  be  made  to  debar  the  female  from  de|X)siting  her  eggs  on  the 
leaAxs,  by  covering  them  Avith  something  that  is  distasteful  to  her. 
A  light  dusting  Avith  soot  or  dry  lime  in  the  early  morning,  Avheu  the 
deAV  is  on,  Avill  do  this,  but  the  application  must  be  repeated.  If 
traces  of  the  pest  are  noticed,  it  is  the  best  plan  to  go  carefully  over 
the  plants  and  pinch  all  that  are  affected,  in  this  manner  destroying 
the  grub.  I  may  add  that  amongst  the  many  varieties  of  Celery  noAv 
in  the  market,  the  wants  of  groAvers  for  home  and  exhibition  may 
be  supplied  by  groAving  to  perfection  such  kinds  as  White  Gem, 
Sulham  Prize  Pink,  and  Major  Clarke’s  Solid  Red. 
Celeriac,  or  the  Turnip-rooted  Celery,  is  a  delicious  vegetable  in 
the  hands  of  a  good  cook,  and  at  some  tables  it  is  highly  prized.  It 
is  easy  to  grow,  and  as  a  long  season  is  necessary  seeds  should  be  sown 
in  heat  early  in  March,  following  the  same  mode  of  procedure  as 
recommended  for  Celery.  Any  light  well-Avorked  soil  that  has 
preA'iously  been  enriched  Avith  manure  Avill  be  suitable,  and  disperse 
the  plants  on  the  surface  at  a  distance  of  about  a  foot  apart.  Apply 
Avater  liberally  during  dry  weather,  and  keep  the  surface  soil  Avell 
stirred.  Take  care  that  all  side  groAvths  are  constantly  removed,  and 
before  severe  Aveather  sets  in  the  crop  may  be  lifted  and  stored  in 
sand,  the  outer  leaves  only  being  removed.  If  cultivated  in  this  AA’ay 
there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  producing  an  abundance  of  this  vegetable, 
the  Sood  qualities  of  Avhich  are,  perhaps,  not  very  Avidely  knoAA'n,  or  it 
would  be  more  often  met  AAlth  in  gardens. — Geowee  and  Judge. 
THE  CAIVIBRIDGE  BOTAXIC  GAR  HEX. 
One  of  the  first  lists  of  plants  which  I  had  the  opportunity  of  using 
for  reference  in  the  early  days  of  my  horticultural  novitiate  Avas  the 
“Hortus  Cantabrigiensis,”  by  James  Bonn,  “a  catalogue  of  the  plants 
cultivated  in  the  Cambridge  Botanic  Garden.”  It  was  an  edition  prepared 
by  Frederick  Pursh,  a  really  useful  reliable  list,  containing  a  large  pro¬ 
portion  of  the  plants  in  cultivation  at  that  date  (1819).  The  preparation 
of  a  similar  list  at  the  present  time  would  be  a  formidable  undertaking, 
but  an  example  of  the  progress  made  in  the  past  seventy-eight  years  is 
afforded  by  a  comparison  betAA’een  the  numbers  <>f  Ferns  grown  there  when 
the  catalogue  was  issued  and  in  the  present  year.  An  opportunity  for 
making  this  comparison  is  at  our  command,  for  a  list  of  Ferns  and  Fern 
allies  cultivated  iii  the  University  Botanic  Gardens,  prepared  by  Mr. 
E.  I.  Lynch,  the  Curator,  was  issued  in  .Tanuary,  1897.  From  this  we 
gather  that  upAvards  of  600  species  or  varieties  are  now  included,  w’hereas 
in  the  catalogue  of  1819  the  number  Avas  151.  If  all  other  groups  of 
plants  have  been  increased  in  the  same  proportion,  the  number  of  forms 
included  in  the  old  catalogue  (about  10,0u0)  would  noAV  be  adA’anced  to 
an  enormous  total.  Unquestionably  the  collection  has  been  greatly 
increased  during  the  eighteen  years  ^Ir.  Lynch  has  held  his  office,  for  he 
brought  to  his  work  a  critical  knowledge  of  plants  that  few  men  have 
the  chance  or  inclination  to  acquire.  Occasional  visits  at  wide  intervals 
have  enabled  me  to  watch  the  progress  of  this  interesting  garden,  a  most 
satisfactory  advance  being  remarked  each  time  ;  but  the  improvement 
seemed  even  more  notable  on  a  recent  inspection,  the  only  regret  attached 
to  Avhich  was  the  inability  to  spend  a  longer  time  in  a  close  examination 
of  the  collection. 
The  extent  of  the  garden  at  Cambridge  does  not  admit  of  much 
attempt  at  landscape  effects,  yet  there  are  several  attractive  features  that 
might  rival  others  on  a  larger  scale.  The  most  notable  is  the  lake,  the 
margins  of  which  are  Avell  planted,  and  an  island  in  the  centre  is 
admirably  furnished  with  A'egetation  doAvn  to  the  Avater’s  edge.  Very 
conspicuous  on  the  bank  are  huge  plants  of  the  giant  Polygonum 
sachalienense,  which  are  Avell  adapted  for  such  situations  and  are  seen  to 
the  best  advantage  at  a  moderate  distance  across  the  water,  towards 
which  the  stems  slightly  bend,  showing  their  broad  ovate  leaves  very 
distinctl}’.  In  a  moist  soil,  if  liberally  supplied  Avith  autumn  dressings  of 
old  manure,  this  plant  makes  surprising  groAvth  CA'er}'  year,  and  increases 
rapidh’,  after  the  manner  of  its  smaller  relative,  P.  cuspidatum.  It  is 
quite  hardy,  as  indeed  might  be  expected  from  its  home  in  the  island  of 
Saghalien,  north  of  .Tapan.  The  vigorous  grOAVth  of  the  stout  succulent 
stems  had  caused  it  to  be  recommended  for  cultivation  as  a  fodder  plant, 
but  they  are  not  very  tempting  as  a  green  food.  Near  the  Polygonum  is 
another  fine  Avaterside  plant  Avhich  forms  a  grand  bank.  This  is  a 
slender  groAving  narrow-leaAed  Willow,  that  has  been  grown  in  the 
Cambridge  collection  for  some  years,  and  Avhich  is  regarded  as  a  variety 
of  Salix  purpurea.  It  appears  to  be  of  rather  dwarf  habit,  but  free,  with 
a  slightly  drooping  tendency.  _ 
Perhaps  the  most  ma'estic  plant  for  the  margin  of  a  lake  or  other 
piece  of  Avater  is  Gunnera  manicata,  w  hich  groAvs  uncommonly  well  on 
the  bank  quite  near  the  water.  It  is  a  stronger  plant  than  G.  scabra, 
and  generally  proves  more  satisfactory  in  cultivation,  though  the  latter  is 
possibly  better  known.  The  deeply  Ivbed  leaA-es  on  long  stout  leafstalks, 
like  giant  Rhubarb,  have  a  very  imposing  effect.  To  succeed  with  the 
Gunneras  they  should  have  a  sheltered  situation — a  moist,  well-dug,  and 
fertile  soil,  with  liberal  dressings  of  old  thoroughly  decayed  manure  in 
the  autumn  or  Avinter.  Some  slight  protection  is  advisable,  a  layer  of 
either  straw  or  leaves  placed  over  the  crowns  being  sufficient. 
Near  the  Curator’s  house  is  a  remarkable  specimen  of  an  interesting 
plant.  Ephedra  distachya,  which,  is  about  15  feet  in  diameter,  and  probably 
the  finest  example  in  cultivation.  The  rigid  leafless  habit,  somewhat  like 
the  common  Broom,  is  suggestive  of  a  veiy  different  type  of  vegetation 
from  that  which  Ave  are  accustomed  to  seeing  at  the  present  time.  It  is 
included  in  the  family  of  Joint-Firs,  botanically  known  as  Gnetaceas, 
Avhich  seems  to  be  a  kind  of  intermediate  link  between  the  Conifers 
and  other  flowering  plants.  The  only  near  relatives  are  the  Gnetums, 
perhaps  the  best  known  being  Gnetum  Gnemon,  the  seeds  of  which,  like 
those  of  the  Ephedra,  have  been  used  for  eating  when  roasted. 
Around  the  glass  houses  on  the  sunniest  side  are  narrow  borders,  in 
which  Mr.  Lynch  has  succeeded  in  groAving  a  number  of  succulent  plants, 
chiefly  species  of  Opuntia,  very  Algorously,  and  with  a  little  protection  in 
winter  they  are  carried  through  severe  AA-eather  safely,  and  appear,  in 
fact,  perfectly  at  home.  Many  other  plants  thrive  in  this  dry  warm 
position,  notably  Portulacas,  of  which  the  numerous  varieties  produce  a 
charming  display  of  colour.  As  regards  curiosities,  the  following 
may  be  noted.  In  one  comer  is  the  Caper  plant,  Capparis  spinosa  ;  then 
we  observe  a  strong  plant  of  A^itis  Coignetife,  remarkable  for  its  handsome 
foliage.  A  large  example  of  the  Coral  plant  both  grows  and  flowers  freely, 
the  distinct  crimson  flowered  Gerbera  Jamesoni,  with  many  other  plants 
of  interest. 
A  few  yards  takes  the  Ausitor  to  the  rockery,  where  the  occupants  are 
very  numerous,  and  all  distinguished  by  some  character  of  flowers  or 
habit  that  render  them  attractive  in  no  ordinary  degree  ;  the  collection 
has,  in  fact,  been  very  carefully  formed,  and  Avith  a  critical  knowledge  of 
the  plants  adapted  for  such  a  position.  A  graceful,  free-growing,  and 
floriferous  plant  which  occupies  a  good  deal  of  space  on  the  rockery  is 
