438 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Xovember  14,  1901. 
Brussels  Sprout  Solidity. 
We  have  had  several  opportunities  recently  of  examining  and 
comparing  with  other  good  varieties  this  excellent  Brussels  Sprout, 
and  in  our  opinion  it  is  far  ahead  of  anything  we  have  seen.  It 
was  raised  by  a  well-known  and  very  successful  Scottish  grower 
and  exhibitor  of  vegetables,  and  distributed  last  spring,  ami  from 
what  we  have  seen  of  it  ourselves,  and  also  from  the  many  satis¬ 
factory  reports  from  those  who  have  grown  it,  we  confidently 
predict  a  great  future  for  it.  It  is  dwarf  in  habit,  not  exceeding 
2ft,  and  t lie  stem  is  literally  crowded  to  the  base  wTith  beautiful 
sprouts  about  the  size  of  a  golf  ball,  and  almost  as  firm.  The 
flavour  is  excellent,  and  the  constitution  essentially  Scottish,  that 
is,  hardy.  We  may  add  that  the  entire  stock  of  seed  of  this  most 
desirable  sprout  is  held  by  Messrs.  Alexander  and  Brown,  seeds¬ 
men.  New  Scott  Street,  Perth. — Albyn. 
Interesting  Notes  on  Seed  Sowing. 
It  may  seem  to  many  of  my  fellow  gardeners  a  matter  of  im¬ 
pertinence  on  my  part  to  dictate  to  them  when  and  how  to  sow 
their  seeds.  I  am  not  going  to  do  so,  for  the  simple  reason  I 
do  not  want  a  nest  of  hornets  about  my  head.  But  I  venture  to 
think  that  many  failures  take  place  through  want  of  a  little 
thoughtful  judgment  as  to  the  condition  of  the  soil  and  atmo¬ 
sphere.  Many  gardeners  have  a  set  time  for  sowing  the  seeds  of 
each  particular  vegetable,  let  the  soil  and  weather  be  what  they 
may,  the  result  being  that  if  the  soil  is  very  wet  or  very  dry  at 
the  time,  his  seed  fails  to  germinate,  and  then  woe  betide  the 
seedsman,  who  is  invariably  blamed  for  sending  him  old  seeds. 
Now.  every  respectable  seedsman  tests  the  growth  of  all  his 
seeds  before  they  are  sent  out,  and  I  maintain  that  no  firm  will 
risk  its  reputation  by  sending  clients  any  seed  that  does  not 
yield  a  high  percentage  with  power  to  germinate.  Let  us  not 
blame  our  seedsman  too  severely,  but  just  think  if  we  are  not 
ourselves  very  much  to  blame  for  not  using  a  little  common  sense 
m  regard  to  the  time  of  sowing  and  the  state  of  the  soil.  For 
a  case  came  under  my  notice  of  a  gardener  who  sowed 
W  lute  Spanish  Onion  in  the  early  part  of  February,  when 
the  ground  was  wet  and  cold.  His  seed  failed  to  sprout,  and  he 
stormed  his  seedsman  for  sending  him  old  seed.  Such  a  mistake 
lie  never  made  before,  for  the  trial  book  of  the  seedsman  showed 
that  this  very  Onion  germinated  on  an  average  70  per  cent. 
Had  lie  sown  it  a  few  weeks  later  he  would  have  found  his  White 
Spanish  Onions  fully  up  to  the  standard,  as  was  proved  by  his 
next  door  neighbour,  who  had  the  identical  same  stock,  but  who 
liad  taken  the  precaution  to  sow  when  the  atmospheric  conditions 
were  more  congenial. 
Then,  again,  the  roller  is  not  used  so  often  as  it  should  be. 
It  the  ground  is  dry  and  powdery,  a  good  rolling  or  beating  down 
with  the  spade  is  absolutely  essential.  [Is  not  close  treading  best? 
— I'm.J  The  dry  winds  cannot  then  reach  the  dormant  seed  to 
shrivel  it.  Of  course,  if  the  ground  is  moist,  this  is  not  required 
to  such  an  extent ;  but  firming  the  soil  is  always  more  or  less 
beneficial  If  the  seed  bed  is  rolled  the  young  plants  will  come 
straighter  and  stronger;  and  then,  again,  if  the  rolling  of  the 
seed  bed  is  essential  for  the  seed  it  must  be  more  so  in  the  case 
of  young  seedhngs,  whose  roots  are  so  sensitive.  Spinach  seed  is 
often  bad  to  germinate,  for  the  very  reason  that  it  is  often  sown 
when  the  ground  is  dry  and  hot.  This,  too,  can  be  avoided  by 
rolling  the  soil  after  sowing.  Beet,  Carrot,  Turnip,  Lettuce, 
Union,  and  Parsnip  is  best  sown,  I  think,  from  the  end  of  Feb- 
ruary  till  the  end  of  April.  Seeds  sown  in  March  (the  middle  of 
third  week)  have  the  warm  showers  of  April  before  them  which 
is,  of  course,  much  to  their  advantage.  Most  seeds  will  retain 
their  germinating  powers  for  two  years,  and  some  for  three  five 
or  ten  years.  Such  as  Peas,  Beans,  Carrot,  Salsafy,  Sage,  and 
Thyme  are  good  for  two  years;  Chicory  (Endive),  Lettuce, 
Spinach,  Radish,  and  Parsley  for  three  years;  while  Cauliflower 
Cabbage  CeJery,  and  Turnip  are  quite  good  for  five  years.  Beet 
Melon,  Cucumber,  and  Tomato  seeds  will  hold  good  for  six  to 
ten  years  presuming  it  to  be  properly  kept,  and  not  too  dry  or 
damp.  Nothing  is  gained  by  sowing  too  soon.  March  and  April 
aie  the  busiest  months  of  the  year  for  the  gardener.  It  perhaps 
forwards  the  work  if  done  m  March,  but  to  my  mind  April  is 
undoubtedly  the  beat  month  for  sowing.  But,  above  all,  we 
must  study  the  weather  to  a  very  great  extent  if  we  are  to  expect 
be°<n)odSU  tS’  ^  ^  °Ur  S6e<^S  s^ark  strong,  our  crops  will,  in  turn, 
Some  recommend  soaking  seeds  to  hasten  their  germination, 
but  surely  this  practice  is  worse  than  useless,  for  it  often  weakens 
the  growth  to  such  an  extent  that  the  crop  turns  out  puny  and 
poor.  If  we  have  our  beds  properly  prepared  and  we  sow  at  the 
proper  time,  when  the  weather  is  favourable,  I  think  we  can 
safely  rely  on  Nature  to  do  the  rest.  We  do  our  own  part  in 
keeping  down  weeds,  and  thus  allow  our  plants  to  have  full 
freedom,  whence  they  will  yield  their  harvest  in  their  own  good 
time.  I  once  heard  a  very  practical  gardener  say  that  if  we 
studied  natural  laws  more  than  we  do  we  should  most  certainly 
be  better  gardeners,  and  no  one  can  say  he  is  not  right.  We  are 
nowadays  too  much  inclined  to  sow  our  Onions  “  to-day,”  because 
we  did  it  on  the  same  day  last  year.  Our  English  climate  is  too 
changeable  for  this,  and  we  cannot  follow  so  strict  a  routine,  but 
must  just  rely  on  Mr.  Weather  to  give  us  favourable  days  for 
getting  in  our  crops. — H.  Kitley. 
Gardecers  and  Estate  Agents. 
A  great  deal  of  truth  is  advanced  in  the  excellent  letter  by 
“  Onward  ”  on  page  416,  in  regard  to  the  relations  existing  on 
so  many  estates  between  the  gardener  and  estate  agent.  There 
is  no  doubt  but  that  the  agent  is  a  great  power  in  controlling  the 
destinies  of  many  good  gardens,  often  thwarting  useful  improve¬ 
ments  that  could  be  conducted  by  the  gardener,  and  even  the 
necessary  repair  and  upkeep  of  buildings  ;  but  many  agents  turn 
a  deaf  ear  to  one,  though  an  able  and  responsible  servant,  wThen 
appealed  to  for  the  necessary  means  of  conducting  a  garden 
economically,  and  with  satisfaction  to  all  concerned.  The  garden 
is  too  often  treated  as  an  extremely  minor  part  of  the  estate  when 
it  comes  under  the  indirect  control  of  the  agent,  and  when  this 
feeling  is  fostered,  there  is  sure  to  be  “  debating  lectures  ” 
between  the  two  at  different  periods  of  the  year.  It  would  be 
well  for  many  gardeners,  if  it  were  possible  such  an  existing  state 
of  things  could  be  brought  before  the  actual  owners  and  em¬ 
ployers,  but  so  it  is,  there  is  often  no  “  court  of  appeal  ”  for  the 
gardener  to  plead  before,  and  he  has  to  endure  the  “  arrogance  ” 
and  make  the  best  of  the  situation.  There  are  many  little  things 
connected  with  a  garden  that  can  be  made  pleasant,  or  the 
opposite,  if  agent  and  gardener  are  not  on  good  terms,  and  the 
influence  of  these  littles  cannot  be  measured  by  the  smallness  of 
the  item  at  the  outset,  but  by  the  results  expected  to  be 
developed  out  of  them. 
That  the  agricultural  depression  which  has  existed  now  for 
so  long  a  time  has  contributed  to  these  troubles  by  the  engage¬ 
ment  of  younger  and  less  experienced  agents,  seems  an  un¬ 
disputed  fact,  but  the  love  of  flowers,  fresh  fruit,  and  such  like, 
even  in  landed  estates,  is  such  that  employers  and  gardeners 
now  are  brought  into  closer  touch  than  once  obtained,  and  let  us 
hope  this  closer  touch  will  make  the  means  of  supply  and 
demand  better  understood,  and  the  influence  of  disinterested  per¬ 
sons  of  lesser  value.  Personally  I  am  under  the  submission 
of  an  agent  only  to  a  small  extent,  the  “  middleman  ”  not  being 
given  any  opportunity  of  coming  between  master  and  servant. 
But  it  was  not  always  so.  Time  was  when  even  a  threepenny 
article  could  not  be  had  of  any  sort  or  kind  without  the  officially 
signed  order.  One  item  that  affects  the  garden  almost,  if  not 
quite  as  much  as  anything,  is  soil  for  potting,  making  new  or 
renovating  borders  for  indoor  fruits.  Now,  I  find  there  is  often 
a  good  deal  of  unnecessary  senseless  debate  against  the  acquire¬ 
ment  of  suitable  soil  for  these  purposes.  And  what  can  a  man  do 
without  it?  There  is  so  frequently  a  prejudice  against  the 
cutting  of  turf  both  with  farmers  and  agents,  and  the  item  is 
one  that  does  not  strike  the  disinterested  as  being  of  any  or  but 
little  importance,  and  on  large  landed  estates  the  purchase  of 
soil  is  a  question  that  does  not  appeal  to  the  owners  with  any 
practical  force,  nor  is  the  cost  an  agreeable  item.  There  is  much 
land  that  might  be  thinly  peeled  and  sown  with  good  seed  and 
positively  become  the  better  in  every  way,  but  there  are  persons 
who  will  not  see,  nor  admit  the  truth  of  such  an  argument.  I 
have  had  to  procure  soil  from  the  bye-lanes  and  such  places  for 
the  annual  potting  heap,  although  surrounded  by  several  hundred 
acres  of  pasture  land,  simply  because  the  agent  was  no  gardener, 
nor  understood  the  necessities  of  one. 
It  would  be  well  if  there  were  some  influential  advocates  that 
could  appeal  for  the  “  other  side  ”  in  cases  such  as  those  in¬ 
stanced  by  “  Onward,”  but  I  fear,  unless  the  gardener  is  given 
the  means  of  dealing  directly  with  employers,  agents  will  hold 
sway  and  make  thorny  paths  for  gardeners  to  walk  upon.  It  is  not 
right  nor  just  for  an  experienced  gardener  to  be  controlled  in  the 
conduct  of  his  charge  by  one  absolutely  ignorant  of  the  depart¬ 
ment  and  its  needs.  It  may  be,  and  is,  no  doubt,  necessary,  that 
someone  should  safeguard  the  financial  part  of  the  estates  busi¬ 
ness,  but  on  this  alone  should  hang  the  responsibilities  of  the 
agent  as  affecting  the  garden.  There  is  a  great  disadvantage,  and 
often  loss  of  economy  in  so  restricting  the  freedom  and  resource 
of  a  gardener,  one,  at  least,  that  has  his  employer’s  interests  at 
heart,  and  is  anxious  to  produce  the  best  crops  of  each  season 
with  a  minimum  of  expense.  It  is  plainly  apparent  that 
“  Onward  ”  has  had  an  experience  by  no  means  desirable  in  the 
