JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  23,  1S02. 
8. 
The  Seed  List. 
(  Continued  from  page  63. ) 
Tomatoes 
have  a  flowing  rather  than  an  ebbing  tide,  the  increase 
in  numbers  of  newer  kinds  and  special  selections  still  going 
on.  Becker’s  XI  All  proved  one  of  the  best  among  our 
last  season’s  selection.  It  has  a  medium-sized,  smooth, 
good  flavoured,  and  nice  looking  fruit.  The  Crop^per,  too, 
is  a  favourite,  as  is  Frogmore  Selected,  Ham  Green,  Crimson 
King,  Brooks’  Freedom,  Up-toDate,  Challenger,  and  Chemin 
Rouge.  These  are  all  standard  kinds,  grown  more  or  less 
by  everyone ;  but  who  among  the  many  growers  of  the  day, 
amateur  and  professional,  is  there  who  has  not  a  seedling 
or  selection,  either  their  own  or  that  of  some  friend,  which 
is  considered  in  some  degree  better  than  existing  named 
ones  ? 
Cabbages, 
like  Potatoes  and  Tomatoes,  rank  among  the  everyday 
necessities,  and  to  enumerate  all  the  desirable  kinds  would 
need  much  space,  and  after  they  had  all  been  brought  up 
I  think  it  would  be  a  somewhat  delicate  matter  to  say 
which  should  have  the  better  prize.  There  is,  however, 
a  very  great  unanimity  on  the  merits  of  Ellam’s,  a  variety 
that  has  stood  the  test  of  time.  Sutton’s  Flower  of  Spring 
within  the  last  few  years  has  been  having  a  race  with  it  for 
place  and  popularity,  and  certainly  in  some  quarters  it  hag 
gained  it.  St.  John’s  Day,  Sutton’s  April,  Imperial,  Sutton’s 
and  Wheeler’s — so  widely  distinct,  and  yet  so  excellent — 
are  good  for  autumn  sowing. 
F or  winter  cutting.  Christmas  Drumhead  is  most  useful 
and  reliable,  and  the  Colew’orts  are  indispensable,  and  when 
well  grown  are  as  tender,  full-hearted,  and  good  as  Spring 
Cabbages.  Savoys  are  numerous  by  name,  and  of  late  years 
some  considerable  advances  h.ave  been  made  both  in 
character  and  season.  Bijou  is  a  favourite  for  midwinter, 
a  small,  nicely  curled,  and  hard-heartc.I  little  Cabbage  that 
is  sure  to  become  better  known.  Sutton’s  New  Year  is  a 
larger  curled  Savoy  that,  as  its  name  implies,  supply  the 
kitchen  when  the  early  plantings  ai*e  over.  It  is  then  when 
they  are  the  most  valued.  The  Dwarf  Green  Curled  is  still 
a  good  one ;  so  is  Sutton’s  Perfection.  Many  stand  by 
Gilbert’s  Universal  as  a  Savoy  of  the  finest  quality,  which 
it  undoubtedly  is. 
Onions 
are  really  multitudinous,  but  of  them  it  may  be  said  very 
timly  “  Still  they  come.’’  There  are  Onions  for  home  use. 
Onions  for  “  show,”  and  Onions  for  pickling,  and  it  is  not 
a  very  great  trial  to  have  to  choose  some,  if  either,  from  any 
catalogue,  ilie  fashion  that  now  obtains  so  strongly  among 
almost  every  class,  of  raising  a  portion  of  the  Onion  crop 
in-boxes,  has  given  a  direct  and  a  desirable  stimulus  to  the 
growth  of  the  high  class  exhibition  Onion,  of  which  Ailsa 
Craig  is  a  type. 
Almost  the  same  remark  applies  to  Cucumbers,  which 
are  numerous,  beautiful  in  shape,  varying  in  colour,  and  all, 
of  course,  of  the  better  quality.  Inferior  ones  are  not  found 
in  catalogue  descriptions,  and  certainly  nowadays  there  is 
no  need  to  find  them  growing.  It  is  almost  invidious  to 
particularise,  because  there  are  so  many  of  high  rank — 
Sensations,  Challengers,  Models,  Prolifics,  Telegraphs, 
Satisfactions,  Matchlesses,  Prizewinners,  Everydays, 
Rochfords,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  Field  Marshal  Lord 
Roberts. 
Lettuoea 
rp^y  give  some  little  trouble  in  picking  out  those  most  suit¬ 
able  for  the  summer,  the  soil,  and  the  taste  of  the  consumer  ; 
but  this  is  a  matter  that  requires  individual  trial  and  judg¬ 
ment.  Some  kinds  do  better  in  one  garden  than  another, 
the  flavour  of  some  give  greater  pleasure  than  others  at  the 
table,  and  the  two  sections,  Cos  and  Cabbage,  each  have 
their  adherents.  Commodore  Nutt  and  Golden  Queen  are 
small  but  first  class  for  frames  and  earliest  outdoor  cutting 
from  spring  sowings,  Paris  Market  coming  next  in  earliness. 
Sutton  s  Heartweil  and  Favourite  are  beautiful  summer 
Lettuces,  as  is  also  Supreme.  Perfect  Gem  is  a  favourite 
because  of  its  symmetrical  head,  close  heart,  and  good 
flavour.  New  York,  Dickson’s  Emperor,  Neapolitan,  and 
The  Favourite  are  curled-leaf  kinds  that  resist  summer 
droughts  well,  and  are  pleasing  in  appearance  and  flavour. 
The  superb  White  Cos  comprise  by  selection  a  very  fine 
strain  of  summer  Lettuce — self-folding,  crisp,  and  exceed¬ 
ingly  sweet.  Paris  White  is  probably  a  pioneer  of  the 
Superb,  and  still  a  good  Lettuce,  as  is  also  Paris  Green. 
The  last  is  a  good  one  for  late  summer,  because  it  withstands 
the  vicissitudes  of  the  most  trying  weather  with  much 
persistency.  Sutton’s  Little  Gem  is  a  distinct  and  new 
departure  in  Cos  Lettuces,  and  Intermediate,  another  good 
kind  for  autumn  use.  Hicks’  Hardy  is  a  fine  variety  for  all 
seasons,  good  in  every  respect.  Bath  Cos  needs  no  praise. 
Imperial  Leviathan  and  Mammoth  are  other  summer 
Lettuces  that  are  favourites  with  some  because  of  their 
great  size. 
General  Observations. 
Though  in  the  majority  of  vegetables  it  is  advisable 
to  stand  by  older  proved  varieties,  it  is  well  always  to 
advance  a  step  or  two  forward  off  the  beaten  track  in 
choosing  some  of  the  newer  kinds  ;  this  not  only  encourages 
a  higher  standard  of  material,  but  increases  materially  the 
interest  in  the  garden  and  its  crops.  Anticipation  should 
go  hand  in  hand  with  realisation.  Without  some  little 
aspect  of  novelty,  vegetable  gardening  becomes  dull,  mono¬ 
tonous,  and  uninspiring.  Ambition  in  the  perfection  of  his 
crops  is  a  ruling  element  in  the  life  of  the  a\erage  gardener, 
and  this  is  not  fostered  by  retrogressive  or  stationary 
methods.  Employers  do  not  always  act  wisely  in  the 
exercise  of  economy  in  the  seed  bill,  restraint  often  means 
crushed  ambition,  which  in  vegetable  cultivation  is  not 
likely  to  raise  men  to  the  higher  standard  of  proficiency. 
But  while  this  is  true,  it  is  inadvisable  to  attempt  to  rush 
to  the  other  extreme.  This  is  sure,  sooner  or  later,  to  meet 
with  reverse.  It  is  much  better  to  move  steadily  forward 
than  to  fall  in  the  act  of  hasty  flight. — W.  S. 
- - 
Camp  Hill,  Woolton. 
This  beautiful  residence  is  delightfully  situated  on  the  high 
ground  of  Woolton,  in  a  rich  and  fertile  valley,  with  the  River 
Mersey  beyond  and  the  Welsh  mountains  in  the  distance,  giving 
a  landscape  picture  that  the  French  would  designate  as  “  ravis- 
sant.”  It  is  quite  one*  of  thei  best  kept  gardens  in  the  neigh¬ 
bourhood  of  Liverpool,  few  gentlemen  or  ladies  taking  a  greater 
delight  in  seeing  the  rich  horticultural  treasures  brought  to  the 
highest  state  of  perfection  than  the  esteemed  and  philanthropic 
owners,  F.  H.  Gossage,  Esq.,  and  Mrs.  Gossage. 
In  this  they  are  ably  seconded  by  Mr.  Joseph  Stoney,  their 
head  gardener,  a  thoroughly  practical  cultivator,  as  those  who 
havei  made  his  acquaintance  will  readily  admit.  Having  pro¬ 
mised  on  several  occasions  to  give  a  call,  I  thought  the  most 
appropriate  time  would  be  when  almost  everything  was  at  its 
best,  although  I  was  fully  aware  that  the  trj  ing  summer  weather 
must  account  for  something  being  seen  to  disadvantage ;  but  in 
this  I  w'as  agreeably  surprised — save  for  the  fact  that  the  lawns 
had  suffered  somewhat.  The  house  is  approached  by  a  long 
winding  drive,  handsomely  laid,  at  great  cost,  w’ith  asphalt,  and 
which,  from  all  appearance,  will  last  an  ordinary  lifetime  without 
repairs.  On  the  left  of  this,  a  shrubbeiy,  filled  with  the  choicest 
of  Hollies,  Evergreens,  and  Coniferse,  the  best  of  herbaceous 
plants  in  the  foreground,  and  a  grass  border  for  an  edging, 
possessed  many  charms  for  all  who  love  flowers  and  shrubs,  apart 
from  the  natural  appearance  as  a  whole. 
In  the  distance,  across  the  park,  the  rich  tones  of  the  Golden 
Elder  and  the  huge  trusses  of  the  Crimson  Rambler  brightened 
up  the  more  sombre  subjects  associated  in  a  large  shrubbery  that 
has  recently  been  planted  to  hide  a  dingy  corner.  Useful  and 
ornamental  this  may  be  called,  as  many  of  the  best  Apples  and 
Pears  are  luxuriating  in  front,  and  already  caring  for  their  new 
quarters.  Coming  nearer  to  the  house,  a  fine  belt  of  trees  ex¬ 
tends  the  whole  length  of  the  back  portion,  and  with  the 
exception  of  a  small  group  of  shrubs  which  is  noticeable  at  the 
front,  the  lawn  is  gently  undulated  until  it  reaches  the  park  rails. 
Thus  there  is  nothing  to  mar  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  Before 
entering  the  substantially  built  glass  houses  we  come  across  a 
bright  bit  of  flower  gardening  in  sunken  beds,  the  site  of  which 
was  once  occupied  as  a  quarry. 
The  first  house  entered  was  the  Palm  stove,  filled  with  huge 
examples  of  Kentias  chiefly,  a  narrow  stage  in  front  being  uti¬ 
lised  for  the  warmer  kinds  of  Orchids  when  in  flower,  but  at 
present  with  Anthurium  Scherzerianum,  splendidly  flowered. 
Opening  out  from  this  is  a  rockwork  nook  filled  with  Ferns  and 
Begonias,  the  cool  pond  and  gravel  floors  giving  a  natural  setting. 
A  three-quarter  span  range  of  wide  houses  was  then  entered,  the 
first  being  used  as  a  conservatory-greenhouse,  and  filled  with 
Hydrangea  panioulata  grandiflora,  Francoas,  Strep tocarpus, 
Kalosanthes,  Pelargoniums  of  sorts,  Humea  elegans,  <fec.,  all 
made  a  striking  picture  of  arrangement  and  colour. 
Early  Peaches  and  Nectarines  had  all  been  gathered,  the 
