31U 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  GOTt AGE  GARDENER. 
November  1,  If 00. 
Tlje  Storage  of  Vegetables. 
Dry  sunny  days  and  foggy  nights,  sometimes  attended  with  frosts, 
have  been  prevalent  throughout  the  greater  part  of  October,  and  the 
weather  has  been  just  what  we  wanted.  A  dry  autumn  is  generally 
acceptable  in  a  garden,  for  there  are  so  many  duties  to  perform  to 
make  all  things  snug  and  comfortable  for  the  winter.  Potatoes  have 
come  out  clean  and  dry,  but  unless  there  is  a  thorough  system  of 
storage  the  greater  part  of  the  cultural  labour  may  be  wasted. 
Indeed,  I  am  afraid  this  is  loo  o  ten  the  case,  and  Potatoes  are 
lifted  and  ]nit  aside  with  the  idea  that  no  further  care  is  needed  as 
long  as  they  last.  I  bis  kind  of  storage  often  has  disastrous  endings. 
Half  a  dozen  tubers  with  the  germs  ot  disease  in  them  placed  in  the 
middle  of  the  heap  will  soon  contaminate  the  whole  if  allowed  to  do 
so;  a  defective  place  where  the  wet  can  penetrate  will  mean  wholesale 
lot  before  the  winter  is  over,  and  a  small  colony  of  rats  allowed  to 
take  tip  their  winter  abode  among  the  Potatoes  will  not  prove 
protita'le. 
A  good  deal  of  after  labour  is  avoided  when  the  sorting  is  done 
as  lifting  proceeds.  With  an  intelligent  man  in  charge  of  the  job, 
and  pickers  enough  to  keep  abreast  of  the  diggers,  the  operation  is 
simple  enough.  There  is  one  little  heap  of  tubers  kept  quite  distinct 
They  are  the  monster.®,  and  are  reserved  for  baking,  for  no  matter 
what  variety  is  growm  there  are  sure  to  be  a  few  tubers  which  grow 
to  more  than  normal  size.  A  large  pile  near  at  hand  is  the  ware  to 
.  be  stored  for  winter  use  ;  a  lesser  heap,  composed  of  tubers  of  smaller 
size,  are  for  sefd.  It  does  not  follow  that  they  will  be  used  on  the 
same  land  next  season,  as  most  likely  they  will  be  sent  in  exchange 
for  sets  from  another  locality ;  and  the  last  heap  will  be  of  pig 
Potatoes,  too  small  for  cooking  or  for  seed. 
The  next  operation  is  the  storing.  We  should  like  a  cool,  dry, 
frost-proof  building,  such  as  a  farmer’s  barn  wuth  a  wooden  floor, 
for  then  no  further  labour  would  be  necessary,  and  the  Potatoes 
would  he  readily  got  at ;  but  not  being  so  blest,  the  tubers  must 
again  be  consigned  to  mother  earth  in  the  form  of  a  clamp.  First, 
the  soil  is  levelled  and  trodden  Arm,  and  then  the  dry  w^are  tubers 
ate  piled  up  in  a  long,  narrow,  conical  heap,  and  a  thick  coating  of 
good  straw  placed  over  them.  Commencing  at  the  base,  soil  a  foot 
thick  or  more  is  placed  on,  and  the  operation  completed  leaves  a 
neatly  finished  clamp,  rain  proof  and  frost  proof,  though  in  the  case 
of  severe  w'eather  a  further  coat  of  rough  material  will  be  applied. 
A  sharp  look  out  will  be  kept  to  see  that  rats  do  not  break  in,  and 
if  one  should  be  so  bold  he  will  have  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  the  jaws 
of  a  steel  trap. 
Onions  have  harvested  splendidly,  and  long  wreaths  of  bulbs  are 
firm  and  sound,  hanging  up  in  their  winter  quarters.  The  pricking- 
out  system  has  been  adopted  from  steds  sown  in  boxes  in  February. 
This  is  not  done  with  the  idea  of  procuring  monster  bulbs,  but  in 
following  the  aim  that  should  be  the  guide  in  all  gardening  operations 
— f.e.,  getting  the  heaviest  possible  weight  of  produce  from  the  ground 
cultivated.  And  the  result  is  more  than  satisfactory,  for  surely  a 
hundred  specimens  averaging  half  a  pound  each  are  more  serviceab'e 
than  twice  the  number  of  2  oz.  bulbs.  Further,  it  is  all  nonsense 
about  pricked  out  Onions  not  keeping,  for  the  same  rule  governs  them 
as  bulbs  sown  out  of  doors — they  want  properly  harvesting,  and  it  is 
only  when  everything  else  is  sacrificed  to  the  wmrship  of  size  and  the 
plants  are  highly  stimulated  to  get  this  that  they  fail  to  keep  through 
the  winter. 
Carrots  and  Beet,  and  considering  the  scanty  supply  of  moisture 
during  the  growing  period.  Lave  come  out  remarkably  w'ell,  and  are 
now  safely  housed  in  a  dry  shed  piled  up  in  miniature  mountains  of 
sand.  All  things  considered,  this  is  an  excellent  method  of  storing 
roots,  and  they  keep  fresh  and  firm  throughout  the  winter.  Care  is 
needed  in  the  first  place  in  removing  the  tops,  particularly  with 
Beet,  as  bleeding  is  detrimental.  The  first  layer  of  roots  is  placed  in 
a  square,  the  crowns  pointing  outwards,  and  on  this  is  scattered  a 
coating  of  moist  sand,  followed  by  another  layer  of  roots,  and  then 
sand  again,  and  so  on  till  the  heap  is  completed.  A  great  advantage 
is  that  the  roots  can  be  taken  from  the  top  as  required  without 
disturbing  those  underneath,  and  if  the  sand  is  moist  to  begin  with. 
Carrots  ai  d  Beets  w'ill  keep  in  a  fresh  condition  as  long  as  they  are 
needed.  Where  facilities  are  not  to  be  had  for  devoting  this  care,  I 
would  prefer  clamping  the  roots  the  same  as  Potatoes  rather  than 
throwing  them  carelessly  together  in  a  heap,  as  is  too  often  seer . 
Parsnips  are  generally  lelt  in  the  ground  and  dug  as  required.  Being 
perfectly  hardy  they  lend  themselves  to  this  treatment,  but  in  land 
where  canker  is  prevalent  or  g'ub  pests  numerous,  if  pays  better  to 
lift  the  crop  in  the  autumn  and  store  the  roots  on  the  lines  indicated. 
Considering  the  importance  of  these  vegetables  for  household  supply 
through  the  winter,  I  am  not  sure  whether  sufficient  attention  is  pain 
to  matters  of  storage,  and  surely  there  is  no  economy  in  successfully 
growing  a  crop  and  then  losing  it  for  the  want  of  careful 
preservation. — H. 
Pear  Glastonbury. 
The  occasions  on  which  the  Fruit  and  Vegetable  Committee  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  recommends  first-class  certificates  for 
Pears  are  so  extremely  rare  that  they  call  for  special  notice  from 
visitors  at  the  Drill  Hall  meetings.  On  Tuesday,  October  23rd,  this 
award  was  made  to  Pear  Glastonbury,  of  which  a  fruit  is  accurately 
portrayed  in  the  illustration  (fig.  109).  It  is  a  decidedly  handsome 
fruit,  hearing  on  first  eight  a  resemblance  to  the  well-known  Benrre^ 
Hardy.  The  fruits  are  above  the  average  size,  and  are  appreciably 
higher  on  one  side  of  the  axis  than  the  other.  The  large,  wide,  open 
eye  has  hard  tooth-like  segments,  which  protrude  slightly  beyond  the 
base  of  the  fruit.  The  stalk  is  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,, 
stout,  curved,  and  set  in  a  moderately  deep  depression  on  one  side  of 
the  fruit.  The  skin  is  yellow,  with  a  profusion  of  small  russety  specks 
on  the  shaded  side,  but  on  the  side  exposed  to  the  sun  is  almost  entirely 
covered  with  cinnamon  coloured  russet,  and  has  also  a  most  beautiful 
flush  of  orange.  The  flesh  is  white,  buttery,  melting,  very  juicy,  sweet, 
peculiarly  aromatic,  and  leaves  a  slightly  rough  effect  on  the  palate 
it  is  a  little  gritty  at  the  core  ;  the  flavour  is  somewhat  akin  to  that 
of  the  old  Swan’s  Egg.  If  Glastonbury  prove  a  reliable  cropper  its- 
attractive  appearance  and  excellence  of  flavour  will  insure  it  immediate 
popularity,  as  it  comes  when  first-quality  Pears  are  by  no  means 
numerous.  The  variety  was  exhibited  by  Mr.  C.  C.  Tudway,  Thfr 
Cedars,  Wells,  Somerset. 
- - - 
Early  Apples. 
Opinions  differ  regarding  the  commercial  value  of  early  and  late 
varieties  of  Apples  resiiectively,  but  experience  in  seasons  of  heavy 
crops,  like  the  present  one,  has  shown  an  advantage  in  market  returns 
on  the  side  of  late  keeping  varieties  both  for  cooking  and  eating. 
When  Plums  are  abundant  the  demand  for  early  Apples  is  materially 
diminished,  and  since  it  is  necessary  to  get  the  latter  on  the  market 
as  quickly  as  possible,  the  reduction  in  prices  is  easily  understood. 
These  are  general  results,  but  it  can  be  shown  that  even  under  such 
ciicumstances,  the  best  and  earliest  varieties,  with  good  cultivation, 
and  special  care  in  the  selection  and  packing  of  the  fruits,  may  yield 
satisfactory  returns.  In  any  case,  either  for  market  or  garden,  early 
Apples  in  due  proportion  are  indispensable,  and  it  becomes  chiefly  a 
matter  of  judicious  selection  to  insure  a  fair  measure  of  success. 
In  private  gardens  which  are  entirely  devoted  to  supplying  the 
requirements  of  a  family,  quality  is  the  primary  consideration,  though 
earliness  is  also  a  valuable  character,  and  good  appearance  in  addition 
is  a  strong  recommendation.  In  many  gardens  now  the  commercial 
aspect  has  much  weight,  and  the  properties  which  recommend  an 
Apple  in  the  market  and  to  the  general  public  must  have  due 
attention  in  all  selections.  Colour,  form,  and  size,  therefore,  have 
olten  to  be  placed  before  quality,  vigorous  constitution  and  free 
cropping  being  still  fuither  important  considerations  to  the  gardener 
or  grower  who  has  to  perform  the  interesting  arithmetical  feat  of 
showing  a  profitable  balance  in  his  accounts. 
During  recent  years  many  additions  have  been  made  to  the  list  of 
early  Apples,  some  of  which  have  not  maintained  the  character  that 
was  originally  claimed  tor  them,  while  others  have  developed  higher 
qualities  than  they  were  at  first  supposed  to  pos  ess.  In  forming  an 
estimate  of  the  value  of  new  varieties,  so  many  circumstances  have  to 
be  considered  that  hasty  judgments,  founded  upon  imperfect  evidence,, 
are  usually  misleading  and  require  to  be  modified  by  experience.  A 
dish  of  handsome  Apples  may  be  shown,  and  if  th*"  fruits  are  found  to 
be  distinct  and  meritorious  as  regards  quality,  awards  may  be  secured 
which  convey  no  information  as  to  the  habit  and  cropping  characters 
of  the  tree.  Yet  on  these  much  of  the  usefulness  of  a  variety  must 
depend.  Constitutional  weakness  or  sparse  cropping  (f.e.,  defective 
fertility)  may  render  an  otherwise  promising  Apple  almost  valueless 
to  the  grower.  There  is  also  the  diverse  behaviour  of  varieties  on 
different  stocks  or  soils  to  be  considered,  and  until  some  informaticn, 
is  obtained  bearing  upon  this,  the  knowledge  of  an  Apple  is  incomplete. 
Any  contribution  of  careful  observations  upon  these  matters  should 
possess  a  measure  of  utility,  and  with  this  object  in  view  a  few  notes 
will  be  occasionally  given  respecting  the  best  sorts  of  hardy  fruits. 
Early  Desseit  Apples. 
Amongst  the  earliest  dessert  Apples  a  prominent  place  must  be  given 
to  Beauty  of  Bath,  of  which  the  fruit  is  attractive  in  form  and  colourings 
while  the  flavour  possesses  a  refreshing  briskness  that  is  often  wanting. 
