HANDBOOKS OF
PRACTICAL GARDENING

THE BOOK OF
VEGETABLES

BY

geeq GEORGE WYTHES VME

ae i

Cornell University

Library

OF THE

Mew Work State College of Agriculture

ornell University Library

The book of vegetables,

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Cornell University

Library

The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
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http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003320979

HANDBOOKS OF PRACTICAL GARDENING—VII
EDITED BY HARRY ROBERTS

THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

STUDY OF GARDEN PEAS

THE BOOK OF
VEGETABLES

GEORGE WYTHES, V.M.H.

HEAD GARDENER TO THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND. K.G,

TOGETHER WITH CHAPTERS ON
THE HISTORY AND COOKERY OF
VEGETABLES: BY THE EDITOR

JOHN LANE: THE BODLEY HEAD
LONDON AND NEW YORK. MCMII

Printed by Turnbull & Spears, Edinburgh,

Epitor’s Notr .

CONTENTS

Tur Curture or VEGETABLES ; ; ‘

.

CaBBAGES :

Broccot1 anp CauLirLowers :

Borecoires or KaALes
Brusse_s Sprouts
SPINACH s
Roots .
BreEeTRoot

Carrots :
PaRSNIPS '
Turnies ‘

Kout Rap .

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES ‘ .

Onions F

Leeks ‘

SHALLOT AND GarLic

PortaTors a
Peas . A
Beans *
Dwarr Beans

Runner Beans

PAGE

vill CONTENTS

PAGE

History and Cookery or VEGETABLES : qz
Tue CappaGe FAMILY ‘ q ' 72
SPINACH 76
BeeTRoot . o . 78
Carrots 7 79
Parsnies 81
Tornips ‘ ; : 82
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES ; ; 83
Onions aNnD Leeks . : é : 85
PoTaToers : i ‘ 2 88
Peas. PF ‘ ‘ J 96

Beans ‘ i . 100

ILLUSTRATIONS

Stupy or Garpen Peas (from a drawing by Ethel ae

Roskruge) ; . - Frontispiece
Canpace—Wryrues’ Main Crop . f 3
CaspacE—Ketway’s PLaceso. : . 5
Broccoti—Surron’s Supers Earty Wulte . 9
Brussets Sprours—Ketway’s Prouiric 17
Spinacu---THe Carter. : 21
Turwip—Carrer’s Earty Forcine . ; 31
Poraro—Wvyrues’ ENGtisH Beauty : 45
Porato—SurrTon’s SurpREME . d : : 49
Pea—Main Crop : : 53
Pea—Canrer’s Daisy. j é ‘ 59
Bean-—GreEN Lonepop . . : ‘ 65
Dwarr BeaN—Proeress . : : 67
AMATEUR’s SHED ror STORING PoTATOEs ‘ : 93
Orr’s Storine Trays (showing method of stacking) ‘ : 94
Orr’s Storine Trays 95
Dwarr Bean—Canapian WonpDER 105

EDITOR’S NOTE

Mr Georce Wytues, the author of that part of the
present volume which deals with vegetable culture,
stands among the dozen leaders of his profession. Like
most other distinguished practical gardeners, his career
has furnished him with a very varied experience.
Descended from a Worcestershire yeoman stock, he re-
ceived his education at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar
School, Worcester. After leaving school, he worked fora
time in various large gardens, both private and municipal. .
Then Mr Wythes obtained the post of head gardener at
Thirlestaine Hall, near Cheltenham; and obtained his
first measure of general horticultural fame. From
Cheltenham, he proceeded to Lord Hatherton’s seat at
Teddesley Park in Staffordshire, afterwards taking over
the post of head gardener to the Duke of Northumber-
land, about fourteen years ago. To the Duke’s gardens
at Syon House, Mr Wythes has added much beauty and
fame. Even those who are not familiar with the name
of their raiser may have heard of the ‘‘Syon House
Melon,” the “Syon House Prolific Potato,” and other
similarly named fruits and vegetables.

As a writer on various branches of gardening, Mr
Wythes is well known to all who read contemporary
garden literature. For many years he has been a
regular contributor to The Gardeners’ Chronicle, The
Gardeners’ Magazine, and The Garden, and an occa-
sional contributor to The Field. He is a Member of
the Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Royal
Horticultural Society, and was one of the original sixty
to whom were allotted the Victoria Gold Medal of

xi

xi EDITOR’S NOTE

Honour in Horticulture on the occasion of the Jubilee
of the late Queen. Mr Wythes is a frequent and
successful exhibitor of fruit and vegetables at the
Temple Shows as well as at the various other Meetings
of the Royal Horticultural Society.

The Editor takes this opportunity of thanking Messrs
Kelway, the celebrated florists of Langport, for their
courteous granting of leave to illustrate their Placebo
Cabbage and Prolific Brussels Sprouts. He also wishes
to thank Mr J. P. White, of Bedford, for permission to
illustrate the excellent shed and storing trays, of which
he holds the patent rights.

The vegetables dealt with in the present volume are
those most commonly grown ‘in English gardens.
Volume I. of the present series dealt with Asparagus,
Celery, Celeriac, Seakale, Salsify and Scorzonera.
Future volumes will be devoted to the gourd family,
and to such lesser grown vegetables as Cardoons and
Globe Artichokes.

THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

CaBBAGES

‘

‘In these notes on Common Vegetables my aim will be
to advise as to the best flavoured varieties, the best
methods of culture, and the best means whereby an
extended season may be obtained.

The Cabbage comes first in my notes, and I am not
sure but that the cabbage, next to the potato, is the
most useful of the vegetables with which it is my func-
tion to deal in this book. With a little timely attention,
there is no difficulty in having a full supply of good
cabbage from January to December, though I am aware
that in many gardens it is none too plentiful in the first
three months of the year. I do not think I can do better
than to take Spring Cabbage first, for of course this is
the most important supply, and the earlier it can be had
fit for table the better. But a point crops up in advising
as to the seasons for sowing and cropping; the right
date, say, for Cornwall, would be wrong for the northern
portion of the kingdom. There can be no question
whatever but that during the past few years there has
been considerable improvement in this vegetable. The
large coarse cabbages are now less grown; and in their
place we have the smaller compact growers, with better
flavour—the last an important point, and one which I am
pleased that the Editor puts in the foreground. No
matter how common the vegetable, the flavour plays an

‘important part. It may be said that a cabbage can be
grown anywhere, and sown at any time, without any
A I

2 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

regard to culture at all; but, the better the cultivation,
the better quality the vegetable will possess. In many
gardens, owing to the notion that the cabbage will grow
anyhow, we often see it infested with aphis, irregular in
growth, yellow, and of poor quality.

Spring Cabbage——The best season to sow for an early
supply is from the middle of July till the middle of
August, or even until the end of the latter month.
An exact date cannot be advised, owing to difference
of locality, but, no matter where, it is advisable to make
two sowings. It is a common error to sow vegetable
seeds as one sows mustard and cress, with the result
that the seedlings are much weakened and a check is
given from the start. By making two sowings there
are greater probabilities of success, as, owing to the
season, the earlier one may be too forward, and plants
run or bolt. It may be said, Why sow so early? Because
if only a percentage of the earliest sowing remain good
they are valuable, as they come in at a season when
green vegetables, especially those of good quality, are
none too plentiful. The later sowing forms a succes- |
sion, and will give good heads till midsummer. From
the last-named date they will not be needed so much,
other vegetables, such as beans, peas, marrows, and
what may be termed summer vegetables, taking their
place. As regards varieties, there is a good Ellams,
whilst Dwarf Early Spring is very reliable for July
sowing, and, like most of the spring cabbages, is of
good flavour. Another very fine type of spring cabbage
is that typified by Earliest of All, Sutton’s April, and
Flower of Spring. Mein’s No. 1, a cabbage much grown
in the north, and a larger cabbage, the Early Rainham,
largely grown for market in the west, are good kinds.
There are doubtless many others equally good, but the
half-dozen named are noted for their good flavour; and
for flavour also I would advise Flower of Spring.

CABBAGES 3

Planting should be done early, that is, from the
middle of September till a month later. I advise
early planting on firm ground; many plants in a rich
root run are injured by having made a soft growth.

CABBAGE—WYTHES’ MAIN CROP

The old method, and one still practised, was to manure
heavily, newly dig a piece of land, and then plant. Ido
not advise this for garden culture, but prefer a firm,
hard soil. I find that cabbages planted after spring
onions, in soil that has been trodden and rolled for the
onion crop, do far better than in newly dug soil, enriched

4 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

with manure, and the reason is patent. The tender
seedling, say from October till early in the year, does
not need food, and all cabbages are much better grown
quickly. To promote a quick growth, food may be
given from the surface in the early part of the season in
the way of nitrates or liquid manure. Cabbages in rich
land, or loose at the collar, that is, not well firmed at
planting, make a gross growth, often run badly, and are
soon injured by severe weather. That is why I advise
a hardier system of culture at the start. Of course,
with field culture the plants do not get such rich food
as in a small plot of land in gardens; moreover, the
situation is more open, the growth hardier, and there
are fewer losses. I am afraid that market growers have
to study size more than flavour, but in gardens the latter
should be the main point. The small varieties, most of
those noted above, may be planted somewhat close,
fifteen to eighteen inches between the rows, and nine
to twelve in the rows, as the produce is cut early.
Plant very firmly in light soil, or, what is better,
frequently hoe lightly between the rows, but go down
each side of the plant and tread or firm the roots in the
autumn. In heavy land the last advice is not so
necessary, but it is well in all cases to earth up the
stems in autumn well into the lower leaves, and to pro-
tect in severe weather, doing the work when the soil
is not too wet. I may be asked about the second sowing
advised. As I intended to note, this is to be employed
in case the first fails, and also as a succession. If
possible, sow on land that has not grown cabbage for a
time. Plant a larger proportion of the August seedlings
if any doubts should exist as to the earlier plants bolting,
or if insect pests have injured them, or heat and drought
weakened them.

Autumn Cabbage.—The Coleworts play an import-
ant part in the autumn supply, and these delicately

CABBAGES 5

flavoured cabbages are. not grown nearly as much
as they deserve. Sown in May and June, they give
nice heads from October to Christmas. There are two
varieties mostly grown, the Rosette and the Hardy
Green. The latter is valuable for a still later supply,
as it may be had in January or later. Comments are
often made that our ordinary cabbage lacks the flavour
of the colewort, and that frequently is so. The reason

CABBAGE—KELWAY’S PLACEBO

is not far to seek. The colewort sown in summer is fit
for use in three or four months, and the growth being
made so rapidly tends to improvement of flavour. I
am aware that these quickly-grown plants do not stand
severe frost, and are best for autumn supplies, as in
bad weather when they are solid the hearts of the
Rosette section split badly. For later use the Hardy
Green, though less valuable from other points of view,
makes up for deficiencies. The colewort takes up little

6 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

room and may be planted closer than the spring
varieties. There is one point I have overlooked, and
that is, a supply from the time the late spring supply .
finishes until the coleworts turn in. Here such kinds as
Main Crop, Matchless, Miniature Marrow, Kelway’s
Placebo, and Sutton’s Favourite are useful; all being
excellent summer cabbages. These, if sown in spring,
from April till the end of May, will give reliable supplies ;
they are noted for their good flavour, and should be
planted in rich land, as both these and the colewort make
their growth quickly, and the same conditions are not
applicable as for the autumn planted for spring supply.
Winter Cabbage.—This is a class of green vegetables
more neglected than any of the Brassicas. Of course
this remark does not apply to the Savoy, but to hardy
winter cabbage, of which there are some excellent kinds,
though less numerous than of the other classes. The
St John’s Day is a splendid cabbage for use in mid-
winter. This should be sown in June, or earlier. It
is very hardy, and not soon injured by frost. Another
type is Christmas Drumhead, with a flat or drumhead-
shaped head, very solid, remarkably hardy, and good from
December till March. Both these varieties are noted
for their delicate flavour, and are most useful. Another
winter cabbage is the new St Martin. This is the
result of a cross between the Christmas Drumhead and
Rosette Colewort, and it is a medium-sized cabbage,
having the Rosette flavour with the hardiness of the
Drumhead. All the last three types are short-legged,
and medium growers. These bring up the supply till
the spring. The last-named variety is distinct, and
recently received an Award of Merit after a trial of
cabbages in the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens.
A very few words will be needed to complete my
note on this useful vegetable. I have named the Savoy,
and this may be made more useful than it often is.

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWERS- 7

Sown too early, the heads are often strongly flavoured,
badly infested with caterpillar, and not nearly so useful
as they might be. These do well for a winter supply.
In the north I have kept them good till early
in May by growing such kinds as the New Year or
Bijou. These, though small, remain solid until late in
the spring. For early supplies, the small varieties, such
as Green Curled, Tom Thumb, and Early Ulm, are good.
These sown in April and May give an early autumn
supply. For mid-winter and later, May and June
sowings are best. If large heads are required, the
Drumhead is the best as regards size, but the flavour
is inferior to the smaller kinds grown for late use.
A new type, the Perfection, a medium-sized grower,
is notable for its good flavour when grown for late use.
I have not noticed the red or pickling cabbages. These
are best sown in autumn if very large heads are needed,
the Red Dutch being suitable. I prefer the smaller
better quality, such as Dwarf Blood Red; this does
well sown in March for autumn pickling.

; BroccoLi anp CavULIFLOWERS

I bracket these two useful vegetables together, as they
are near relations. At the same time I may be taken to
task for including the Cauliflower in my list of common
vegetables, but this term must be used in a wide sense,
and the Cauliflower can be grown as readily as any
other vegetable, and is equally as useful; for, by
forcing, the supply may be had ten months out
of twelve. The Cornish Broccoli industry is of great
value in the early spring, as at that time good vege-
tables are scarce, and the southern supply fills in a void
that is much felt. I am aware that some come from the
Continent, but these cannot compete with our own as
regards quality. The firm compact white curl of the

8 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Penzance Broccoli is of excellent flavour, and, owing
to the mode of culture adopted, the flavour is distinct
from that of those grown in close gardens. Doubtless
the hardier the plant is grown the better, and in large
areas there are less losses than in sheltered gardens,
but, even under the best culture, it is impossible to
escape losses owing to severe winters. This is why I
advise growing the plant as hardy as possible, for then it
suffers less in severe seasons. There can be no doubt
of its being a paying crop, far more so than the autumn
Cauliflower, as the former is less plentiful, and the
Broccoli may be termed a delicious vegetable when not
too large.

Culture.—Broccoli culture differs from that of other
Brassicas. The plant makes the principal growth in the
summer and early autumn, and a strong, sturdy growth
should be made by sowing early. On the other hand,
too early sowings mean weak plants if the seedlings
remain too long in the seed-bed before being placed
in their permanent quarters. What then is the right
time to sow and to plant, and what the best soil to
plantin? The plants likea heavy loam. The best broc-
coli crop I ever saw was grown in well-tilled clay land.
The autumn and early winter broccoli do not need more
than six months, or very little more, to mature their
growth; and in gardens [ consider the early crop to
be an important one, as, though the early winter crop
may need protection in the way of lifting into sheds
or cellars, the plants treated thus will give a home
supply till Christmas. Such kinds as the Self-Pro-
tecting Autumn are most valuable if treated as advised.
This I have sown in April for Michaelmas supply, and
early in May for the later crop—that is, to fill in the
gap from late October to Christmas. . But this variety
by no means exhausts the supply. There are some
splendid autumn varieties in addition to the one

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWERS — 9g

named; and the Early Cape Broccoli, grown so largely
many years ago, should not be overlooked. There are

BROCCOLI—SUTTON’S SUPERB EARLY WHITE

two distinct varieties, the Early White and Early Purple ;
these turn in during October and November, and are
most valuable. The same kind is often grown under the

10 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

name of Grange’s Early, and is most reliable for garden
culture. Of newer introductions, Sutton’s Michaelmas
White, Christmas White, and the well-known Snow’s
Winter White are all. good, but the last-named stock
is not always reliable. For many years I have grown
the Walcheren for an autumn supply, and this -with
the other varieties noted above will furnish a full crop
if sown in April and May, sown very thinly, so that
strong plants are secured. What is most important,
the seedlings should be planted early, and not allowed
to get weak or drawn in the seed-bed.

Winter Broccolii—We now come to the second division,
or what is termed the mid-winter supply. This is less
reliable than the earlier, as a severe frost in December or
January will cripple the tender growth of plants just
forming heads, and the crop will be lost. Hence it
is essential to grow those kinds with sturdy, short stems,
as they are less susceptible to injury. There are some
good selections of winter broccoli. First come the
Penzance, a famous Cornish variety, and the Sandring-
ham Winter White, very hardy if the true stock is
grown. Unfortunately, broccoli stocks so soon become
mixed unless carefully grown, that it is necessary to
select with care. Another very fine type for winter is
Superb Early White; this has proved one of the best
and most reliable kinds we have grown. At the end of
the winter the Sprouting Broccoli are most useful, both
in the Purple and White forms, the first-named being
the hardier of the two, as it is of dwarfer growth and
more compact.

Spring Broccoli.—This section provides the supply from
March till June, which. is a critical period of the year,
during which the choice of good vegetables is limited.
The seed of these should not be sown too soon; May
is quite early enough, providing the seedling plant is
not crowded in the seed-bed, and is grown as advised

BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWERS 11

for earlier plants in an open position in good land and
on holding soil. Fortunately some of the latest kinds,
such as Late Queen, Model and June Monarch, are
very hardy. ‘To these, to precede them, may be
added the old but reliable Cuttell’s Eclipse, Carter’s
Champion, a fine late kind, Miller’s Dwart and Dwarf
White. But no matter what kinds are grown, it must
be borne in mind that spring broccoli are capricious,
and that varieties for certain seasons will often vary, not
coming true to season. I do not advise growing too
many kinds. It is far better to grow less, selecting
those that are reliable, or at least that are hardy, and I
find that the largest heads are not the most useful in
gardens. It is far better to make two sowings of the
late kinds, if quantities are needed—indeed, I would
advise sowing for the three seasons noted at different
intervals, from February till June, and not as is often
done, making one sowing in the spring. It is a difficult
matter to advise on the protection of late kinds. The
old system of heeling over to the north and covering
up the stem has much to recommend it, but this can
only be done with garden culture—indeed, with field
culture, where the plants are grown more hardily, I do
not think this necessary.

Cauliflower.—This plant is even more tender than the
Broccoli. It gives the summer and early autumn supplies,
and there can be no question as to its usefulness. When
well grown it is most delicate ; the flavour of small white,
quickly-grown heads being most liked. As the plant
makes its growth in a short time (I refer to the summer
crop), it needs richly manured land and not too heavy

-soil. Few plants suffer more quickly from heat and
drought. The best season is doubtless in the late
spring or early summer. In the late autumn—indeed,
in July and August—cauliflowers are not required, there
being a wealth of other vegetables to select from, so

12 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

that my note more concerns the seasons when the plant
is at its best.

The old system of sowing such kinds as the Early
London and the Walcheren in the autumn (August or
early September) still finds favour with many growers,
and J find it most reliable, as, if the plants are planted
out on sheltered borders in October, or given hand glass
protection in winter, there are few failures. At certain
seasons the cauliflower buttons—as it is termed in
gardening phraseology—that is, the plants prematurely
form small heads and are useless. The latter evil is
often caused by too early sowing. Now, in the south and
west, September is soon enough to sow, and the middle
of August in the north. In some gardens planting the
seedlings at the foot of a south wall will winter the
plants safely; in others it is not safe to plant even
under hand glasses. Here other courses are open. It
is a good plan to pot up in three-inch pots sufficient
plants for an early quarter. These, planted out early in
March on a warm border in rich soil, will soon turn in
should the weather be genial. The plants in pots are
best placed in cold frames at the potting. It is much
better if the pots are plunged, abundant ventilation being
given in all favourable weather, very little moisture being
permitted. When potting, use porous materials well
firmed, so as to induce ample fibrous roots. Another
plan to obtain early small heads in June, or earlier, is to
sow in heat. In January, prick out when large enough
into a warm frame or bed in which the heat is partially
spent, and then harden and plant out on a sheltered
border, lifting each plant carefully to preserve the roots
and ball of earth intact; shading and watering as
necessary. The best varieties for this work are the
Snowball, the Early Forcing, and Sutton’s First Crop.
Though small, the heads are quite large enough for
table, and the flavour is excellent. Another system

BORECOLES OR KALES 13

may be adopted with these small kinds, and that is,
pot culture. I do not advise it, as better results follow
frame culture at the start. To follow these early kinds,
either autumn sown or those sown later under glass,
such kinds as the Pearl, Dwarf, Erfurt, Mammoth,
Purity, and Favourite are good. These, sown in March
and April in the open, and planted out in rich ground in
May or June, will give a succession. For autumn, the
well-known Autumn Giant, the variety so much grown
in market gardens, is the general favourite. This, sown
in March or April, will turn in at September or October.
Being a coarse grower, it needs ample room. Two feet
is none too much ali ways, and a rich root-run suits
the plant. There are other kinds very good. The
Autumn Mammoth is of a similar type, and is a good
flavoured variety if not too coarse. A trial of the
Dwarf Mammoth will give satisfaction where quality
is the chief test. Strongly flavoured cauliflowers
are not liked, and size does not imply quality.
The autumn kinds should be planted early in the

spring.

Borecoves or Kaves

Of late years the Borecole or Kale—the plant being
known better by the latter name—has become a greater
favourite, and rightly so, as a few years ago, when the
winter in February and March was unusually severe,
the Kales were the only green vegetables left, everything
else -having been killed. In Scotland, the Scotch or
curled Kale is a general favourite, and, as the plants
throw a lot of tender sprouts at a season when green
vegetables are none too plentiful, there should be no lack
of this useful vegetable in gardens, and few things are
grown more easily. The season can be a long one if
desired, from October till April. If the earlier supply is

14 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

needed, sowing should be made in March; for the later
in May; and the same remarks apply as regards sowing
and planting as advised for other Brassicas. But this
plant, if needed to give a late supply, should be planted
in an open position in firm Jand with not too much manure.
The latter fosters a strong soft growth; whereas a
hard, compact one is best for the season named. On
the other hand, Borecoles for the early autumn or winter
supply need good culture, the growth being made in a
shorter period. Where a large supply of green vege-
tables are required from December to April, the Kales
are indispensable, and their value is greater in hard
winters, so that good breadths of Kale should be planted
for the purpose, selecting the hardest kinds for the late
supply.

Culture and Varieties.—I can add little as to culture
other than by giving dates of sowing for late and early
kinds. For instance, for October cutting, the Sprout-
ing Kales, the Dwarf Green Curled and Sutton AI are
very good. The latter is an upright grower, enormously
productive and most valuable for early use. These
sown in March and planted in May make good progress
during the summer. For midwinter there are some
excellent selections, and the Read’s Improved Hearting
is very valuable and very hardy. This Kale may be
described as a Scotch Curled, but it hearts in firmly and
stands much longer than ordinary varieties. Another
very fine variety, with leaves much curled, is the Sutton
Curled Scotch, an extremely handsome variety, very
hardy and with a mild delicate flavour. Indeed, the
two last-named varieties are superior to many vegetables
if only they are given ample space and moisture at the
start. I find it much the best to sow these kinds for
the season named and to plant early, as then the plants
get good root-hold and are not so soon affected by heat
and drought. There are other modes of culture. If

BORECOLES OR KALES 15

the seed is sown early, it is a good plan to prick out the
seedlings, six inches apart, as soon as large enough to
handle, and later on to transplant carefully to their per-
manent quarters at a distance of two feet apart each
way. In very cold late districts, I have seen the Kales
sown in the late autumn and planted out like spring
Cabbage either late in the autumn or early in the spring.
The autumn sowing secures a much stronger plant, and
the plants are better able to stand extremes of weather.
The later varieties are equally good, and here such kinds
as the Buda or Asparagus should not be overlooked.
These are quite distinct from the varieties previously
described. These plants produce plain large leaves,
and the smooth stem-growths very much resemble
Asparagus. Another equally useful is the Cottager’s
Kale, very hardy and one of the best for producing
sprouts late in the spring. A very fine type of Kale
is the Welsh Kale, a long branching variety. Other
remarkably productive varieties are the Ragged Sack
and the Thousand Headed, the latter being much grown
in fields. Two new kinds of Kale call for special
notice, the Sutton Arctic Green and Arctic Purple.
These are the two best Kales for cold, exposed
positions, and, as they grow close to the soil, the plants
frequently get covered with snow and are not injured.
The leaves of the two last-named are curled like the
Scotch which they resemble also in flavour. In the
northern part of the country these are great favourites.
They should be sown in May for a late spring supply
in the following season. My note would not be com-
plete without referring to the Variegated Kales.. These
are most ornamental, and, though the quality is not equal
to others, their choice colours make them favourites in
most gardens.

16 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Few vegetables are more useful in their season than
this, being of easy culture, and keeping a considerable
time when fully grown. I am not an admirer of the
very large, loose sprouts that resemble a small Savoy
cabbage, as their flavour is not equal to that of the
small, hard, compact sprout. There is a great art in
cooking green vegetables, and the Editor’s notes on this
important subject will be read with great interest, for
vegetables are spoiled in the cooking more than in the
growing. Vegetables do not receive sufficient atten-
tion, and fault is often found with the quality when
the cooking is to blame. I have denounced the large
coarse sprout, and market growers, who value size, as
the large sprout soon fills the sieve, will, I fear, not

r7 agree with my remarks; but I am pleased to note
, that even with large growers there is an increasing
tendency to grow the medium-sized sprout with a
hard bullet-like growth. There is no loss, as a larger
quantity of sprouts can be grown on the same space.
There can be no question whatever but that the
Brussels sprouts is a profitable vegetable if given a long
growing season. It may be urged, How can it be
profitable when the plants occupy the land so many
months? Again, it is urged that the plant needs ex-
ceptionally good soil, and will not thrive in any other.
This is a mistake. It will do grandly if planted early
in land that has been dug deeply, or, what is better,
trenched in winter and thrown up roughly. There are
many failures, I admit, even with this easily -grown
vegetable. One—a common one—is to sow the seed in
March, leaving the seedlings in the seed-bed till June or
even July, and then planting after a crop of early potatoes.
Grown thus, there is not time for the plant to develop,
and the result is a small poor sprout not hard enough

BRUSSELS SPROUTS 17

to battle against severe weather. In fact, a quick-grow-
ing cabbage would be more profitable than the sprout,

BRUSSELS SPROUTS—KELWAY’S PROLIFIC

which needs more time. Another plan is to plant be-

tween a growing crop of potatoes, but this is not fair to

the sprouts, as the potato haulm often chokes the plants.
B

18 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Culture and Varieties Many good gardeners assert
that it is necessary to sow the seed in heat or under
glass in February or earlier in order to secure a strong
plant for May planting. There are diverse views, and
a great deal depends on when the plants are placed
in their permanent quarters, the state of the soil, and
the help given to the plants at the start if the weather
is unfavourable. There is no need to sow under glass.
I have sown on a warm border late in February in
the open, covered with loose litter till the plants were
freely above ground, and as soon as large enough, that
is, as soon as the fourth leaf showed, planted them in
their permanent quarters, first drawing drills so that
moisture was readily conveyed to the plants. There is
a great gain in this early planting, especially in light
soils, as the seedlings get a good roothold before the
heat and drought of July cripple the plants. It may
be thought that such early planting is a waste of
ground, but we sow a single row of spinach between ;
the latter being cleared off before the space is required
for the sprout. Instead of spinach, such crops as
lettuce, turnip-rooted beet for early salad, or anything
that matures before mid-summer may be used. If land
is not at liberty, it is a good plan to prick out the
seedlings in April in lines six inches apart, and then
to lift carefully with a trowel into their permanent
quarters, drawing drills as previously advised. In no
case is it advisable to plant Brussels sprouts on land that
has just been. cleared of a similar crop; I mean any
Brassica, especially cauliflower or strong-rooting kales.
As previously noted, large gross plants are not best by
any means, and frost soon cripples them. I like plants
grown as hardy as possible from the start, as if toc
forward before winter the growth is rank, and the
flavour is much impaired. A very good way to obtain
early plants for April or May planting is to sow in late

BRUSSELS SPROUTS 19

July or early August, according to the locality, Sow
very thinly on land not too rich, in soil that has been
well dressed with lime and soot. The plants should
remain here till October, and then be pricked out in
rows six inches apart in similar soil not too rich, and
remain thus till April or May, when they are to be
planted out in their permanent quarters. ‘This is a very
good plan in late districts on heavy land, and it saves
labour in the spring ; glass is not needed, and there are
few failures. It is also a good plan to make a second
sowing late in April if this vegetable is in great demand,
as the second sowing, though not equal in produce, will
give a later gathering, and the sprouts will be valuable
in the spring when choice vegetables are scarce. This
sowing may be made in rich soil, as the plants have to
make their growth in a short season, and these plants
may be grown closer—two feet will suffice—whereas
the earlier ones should get three feet.

In previous chapters I have not dwelt on the evil
consequences of the pest known as club, but in gardens
where the club is in evidence a thorough cleansing of
the soil is necessary. So far I have found nothing better
than gas lime dressings in the autumn, the land being
turned up roughly and the lime broken. finely and dug
in. Other aids, such as soot, wood ashes, and fresh
lime, are all valuable, but not so effective as the gas
lime in soils badly infested with any pest that finds a
hiding-place therein. In the growing season I have
used ammonia; nitrates also are not relished, and for
growing crops are worth a trial.

I will only devote a brief space to varieties, as there is
no lack of very fine types both for the private grower
and the market gardener. The latter will probably not
thank any one for advice as to variety, he has his
own selections, and market growers often save their own
seed, picking out a plant here and there that shows any

20 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

marked advance on the others. In this way a good strain
is secured. There can be no question but that the
Holborn Exhibition Sprout is a great favourite both in
the ‘field and garden, for it is productive, very hardy,
and not gross, the plants running from two to three feet,
according to the soil, and to when sown, Another very
fine variety is Market Favourite, of medium growth and
producing fine compact sprouts with splendid flavour.
For many years the imported seed had a great hold on
the British gardener, but I consider that our own seed
houses have a much better type, and a very reliable one.
For early sowing, either in autumn or early in the year,
I do not know of any variety that can excel the Sutton
Matchless, one of the most shapely sprouts grown,
remarkably hardy and of splendid quality. The Dwarf
Gem may be termed a villa garden variety. The solid
build of the plant and its close growth make it most
valuable where room is none too plentiful. It is most
useful for latest supplies, and not so soon injured as are
larger varieties in bad winters. Kelway’s Prolific is also
good and handy.

SPINACH

This cannot be called a popular vegetable in small
gardens, but few vegetables are more deserving of
space, as it can be grown so readily, and is often advised
for those who cannot digest more solid vegetables.
With a little management spinach can be had all the
year round, though there are difficult seasons, such
as the early spring. At times the winter checks
growth, as north-east winds after frost shrivel up the
soft, tender leaves. But there is no difficulty in having
good spinach from May till July. In July-and August,
heat and drought are not conducive to good growth.
The plant will not thrive with moisture lacking, but at

SPINACH 21

this season a full supply may be obtained by growing
the New Zealand variety. This, sown in frames in
March and pricked out two feet apart in rich soil in
May, will give a full supply from July till September
or later. It will also do if sown in fine, rich soil early
in May on the open border, the plants, when large

SPINACH—THE CARTER

enough, being severely thinned. In appearance this
spinach resembles the ice plant; it is less bitter than
the ordinary form; the shoots are gathered, not the
leaves. The culture of the older varieties, of which
the Carter and Round-leaved Victoria are the best, is
simple. The first sowing may be made in February on
a warm border. We sow between rows of early peas,

22 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

the spinach never being allowed to remain too long,
but cut as ready, and the roots cleared. If allowed to
seed, it robs the pea crop, and looks very unsightly.
Later sowings are best made in the open. Here we
sow in rows a yard apart, and later on plant between
the rows a row of Brussels sprouts for early winter
supplies.

Another sowing, say in May, should be made ona
north border, and after that is past the New Zealand
will give a supply. It will thus be noted that,
to get a succession, several sowings are made from
February to June, say every three weeks, and for
winter use a large sowing is made in August on an
open quarter in land free from wire worm or grub,
and well enriched with manure. A good distance for
planting is eighteen inches between the rows, half that
distance being allowed in the row. Few plants do
better if the soil is made suitable. The use of salt,
soot, and lime will give a clean root run, and in poor
soils such aids as nitrates, potash and other foods may
be used to advantage. The old plan of sowing the
Prickly-leaved Spinach for winter and spring supplies is
not followed nearly as much as it used to be. The
round-leaved and the others named above are equally
hardy if sown early enough to make strong plants. In
the northern part of the country it is well to sow in
July. I have also grown spinach under glass for early
spring supplies. The plant illustrated is the new Carter,
a very fine fleshy-leaved variety. Another variety, the
Spinach Beet or the Perpetual Spinach, is invaluable for
cold soils or late districts. This grows like a beet, and
the leaves are good though lacking the quality of the
other varieties. To get the best leaves, sow in May or
June for a winter and spring supply in rows eighteen
inches apart, thin the plants to nine inches, give good
land to get large leaves, cut over frequently, and do not

BEETROOT 23

allow the plants to get too large before thinning. This
plant is very hardy, and is valuable if the better spinach
runs short.

Roots

Under this heading comes a series of vegetables that
are valuable for their keeping properties for winter
supplies and for flavouring purposes, and I have placed
several kinds together, as they need similar culture. Beet
may be thought to be more of a salad than a vegetable,
. but used as a vegetable in the winter months it is very
acceptable. Carrots are needed daily in most houses,
and will repay good culture. On the other hand,
parsnips are less liked, but much may be done to
make them palatable, and turnips are general favourites
at most seasons of the year, so that my aim will be to
note the best for a year’s supply, with a few cultural
details.

BEETROOT

The turnip-rooted beets are valuable for summer
supplies, but I am inclined to think that none of the
turnip-rooted section can approach the long-rooted
variety as regards flavour. This is easily accounted
for, as the long rooting kinds obtain more moisture from
the soil, and are not so readily affected by climatic
changes. The beet may be used in several ways, either
as a vegetable, a salad, or a pickle. As a vegetable
it may be served in diverse ways. It is excellent served
as fritters, and can thus be eaten by many who complain
of its being indigestible in other ways. The cultivation
is most simple, though it does best in a good friable
loam. On the other hand, the soil should never get
any rich food just before sowing, as it causes grossness
and bad shape and colour, and affects the flavour.

Ba. THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

However, this plant does well in land that has
grown celery or been well manured for a previous
crop. In gardens near the coast I have seen sea-weed
used as manure for these roots. The weed is laid
spade deep at the bottom of the trench when digging in
the winter, and beet grown thus is excellent as regards
flavour. Salt used during growth imparts a nutty,
sweet taste which many persons are very fond of.
There are other advantages in using salt as a surface
dressing in showery weather, for it keeps down weed
growth, and beet grown thus is often of splendid colour.
Beet is much hardier than many persons think it to be.
There is no necessity for lifting too early in the autumn,
as a little frost is harmless; but there is more need
when the roots are lifted to see that they are stored in
a cool place not too dry or warm. Once the roots grow
out badly and get soft or shrivel, the flavour is greatly
impaired. I have found the best store to be a north
shed, the roots being well covered with soil, sand, or fine
ashes, in severe weather some loose litter being used
as a protector. Many do not even store thus if they
have large quantities of roots, but bury in clamps like
potatoes, and the roots are better than when placed in
a dry place.

The turnip-rooted, of which the Crimson Ball is a
splendid type, being highly coloured for this kind of
root and of good quality, may be sown early in April in
a warm, well-drained soil, and if given food during
growth will mature very quickly and be valuable for
early summer supplies. I have also sown this variety
under glass, and then pricked out on a warm border,
which gives a gain of at least three weeks over the
first sowings in the open. ‘There are other fine Globe
Beets, such as Sutton’s Globe and Dobbie’s; the latter
being the best flavoured roots I have tasted. The older
Egyptian turnip-rooted are not to be compared as

BEETROOT 25

regards quality with those noted above; and, though I
have only touched upon the value of the turnip-rooted
kinds for early supplies, they are equally useful if sown
twice or three times during the season in land that is
poor, shallow, or stony and unsuitable for the longer
roots. Sowings may be made in April, in June,
and in August, and thus provide a succession. The
kinds named are not gross growers. They do not
‘require too much space; twelve to fifteen inches apart
will suffice, with half that distance between the plants.
Thin early to prevent the roots being disturbed, and do
not allow them to remain on the land in the summer
when full grown, but store in moist earth under a north
wall. The colour is affected in hot weather if the roots
are full grown and the soil is light 'and dry. The most
useful section, the long-rooting kinds, should not be sown
too early, May being quite soon enough. The previous re-
marks apply as regards soil and cultivation. These roots
do best with ample room. Fifteen to eighteen inches
between the rows, and half that distance between the
plants is none too much, and the plants benefit greatly
by liberal supplies of liquid manure in hot, dry weather.
I recently saw some wonderful crops of beet on land
that had a perfect system of irrigation. As regards
variety, I do not think that any root comes up to the
Cheltenham Green Top. Many years ago I first ex-
hibited this variety at a Vegetable Conference of the
Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick, receiving an
Award of Merit, and since then, I am pleased to note, it
has become a standard variety. There are other beets
more shapely, but none superior in colour or flavour,
the latter an important point. The variety named does
best in rather poor soil; if at all rich the root grows
too large. It should not be sown early and should be
given an open position. There is no lack of varieties.
Most of our leading seed firms have their own selected

26 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Blacks and Reds. For exhibition purposes few varieties
can beat Pragnell’s for its shape and smooth build,
other good old kinds are the Pine Apple, the Old
Dwarf Red of Nutting’s, a good quality beet, and the
Crimson, a root largely used for bedding purposes, and
of good flavour. For many years I have grown this
root specially for latest supplies in the spring, as it
keeps sound longer than larger roots. Where beetroot
is in demand all the year round, this is a most useful
root if stored late, and it needs less room even when
growing than do the turnip-rooted varieties.

Carrots

These roots have their peculiarities. They are not
at home in all soils, but often soils can be made suitable
for the roots, and means taken to clear the earth of
various pests that spoil the crop. They delight in a
sandy soil, not too dry, and need not be sown nearly
as early as is often advised. To do them justice, they
should be divided into three sections, the short stump-
rooted or forcing varieties, the early Short Horn or
Gem type, for early outdoor crops, and the main crop,
or intermediate and long-rooted section. Few roots are
forced with less trouble, and certainly small, sweet,
carrots in the spring afford a welcome dish. Of
early carrots in the open there is ample choice, but
I do not think that the short stump-rooted kinds, that
are so largely grown for the Paris markets, can be
beaten. These roots do not equal the Gem or Model
in appearance or quality, but then the latter are much
later, and earliness is a great point in May or June.
The land should be good for the roots, as the growth
has to be made in a short time, and the food for the
short-rooted kinds should not be too low down, but
merely forked in on the surface; indeed, my best results

CARROTS 27

in raising early supplies have been obtained by using a
rich old marrow or cucumber bed as a surface-dressing
before sowing the seeds, the first sowing being made in
the latter part of February or early in March, according
to the season and locality. Only a small sowing is
needed, using such kinds as Sutton’s Gem and the
Scarlet Horn, or Model. The second sowing in April
will provide a midsummer supply, and the roots may
be kept good for a longer time by lifting and treating
as advised for summer Beetroot. We now come to the
main crop supply, and these roots are needed from
autumn to spring. They may*be sown late in April or
early in May, according to the locality. Sow in drills
twelve to fifteen inches apart, allowing half that distance
between the roots when thinned. The intermediate
sections do well at twelve inches, but the larger ones re-
quire more space. I do not advise land newly manured,
but deeply dug and in good workable condition. This
root is fairly hardy, and in light land not infested with
wire worm may be left in the ground and lifted as
required for use. To this there is the serious drawback
that in severe weather it is difficult to get at the roots.
On the other hand, the roots should not be stored in too
wet soil, or the crowns decay badly. In land infested
with wire worm, gas lime or the refuse from mustard
mills should be used in winter, also liberal soot dressings,
lime, wood ashes and other charred refuse. Change the
quarters yearly, not sowing near other crops that are
attacked by these pests, and use less animal manures,
relying on liquid and surface dressings during growth.
We make a fourth sowing, and this bears out my
remark as to the hardiness of the roots, as this sowing,
though the roots are small, is left in the soil all the
winter. Needing small roots daily, the roots of the
main crop are too large for our purpose. Again, there
is‘a great demand for young carrots in spring, a greater

28 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

demand than can be met by glass culture, so in June
or early July we thoroughly prepare a small quarter by
soot, lime, and other additions, and sow the Early Nantes
in rows nine inches apart, not thinning very hard.
These roots are then drawn from December to May, as
needed. They are small, but sweet and good, and only
make a very small top growth. In severe weather long
litter or bracken is loosely thrown over a portion of the
beds to facilitate lifting. The chief drawback to these
late sown roots is that in hot dry summers the seed
is some time in the soil before it germinates, so that it
may be well in late districts to sow at the end of June.
In all cases it is necessary to sow in clean land. In
winter the roots are most liable to the attacks of the
various pests alluded to above. I have not named the
Long Red Surrey type of carrot for garden work.
In fields the Altringham is much grown for market,
but I think the intermediate types, such as James or
Scarlet, are superior. There are white varieties, such
as the White Belgian, but they are not popular in
this country. Those roots having a small core are the
best flavoured.

Parsnips

Few roots are more productive than the Parsnip, and,
though I shall not advocate the general culture of roots,
as sometimes seen at shows, quite two to three feet in
length, I do not think that this vegetable is valued
enough, as it is one of the hardiest, and very whole-
some. There are objections to large coarse roots.
They have a lot of core, and must be cut into pieces
to cook them properly, and thus the flavour is lost.
Much better results follow when the roots are grown in
a shorter time, and only of such a size that they can be
cooked whole. I find the roots are much better when

PARSNIPS 29

a spell of cold weather or frost has checked growth.
But these roots, like others, should not be dug too
early or stored in a warm place. If possible it is best
to leave them in their growing quarters and dig as
required, or they may be lifted and clamped like
potatoes ; but care should be taken to throw out all
diseased roots, and to store in well-drained quarters.
Of late years some valuable varieties have been added,
such as the Tender and True.

There are not, however, many varieties. Doubtless the
best are the one just named and the Student, if flavour
is valued. For mere size, such kinds as the Hollow
Crowned and the Maltese and Jersey Marrow may be
grown. ‘These latter are much grown for exhibition.
Few plants are cultivated more easily. In all cases it is
necessary to dig the soil deeply, and this is best done in
the winter months; indeed, trenching is necessary for large
roots. It is also well to make the soil rich and friable, and
I have seen an iron bar or large dibber used. This is
forced into the ground to a good depth, and the large
hole made is then filled in with rich soil, such as an old
manure bed or rich fertilisers, and a few seeds dropped in
each hole, the seedlings, when large enough, being thinned
so as to leave the strongest. For very large roots, seeds
are sown in February when the weather is suitable, but I
find that the best eating roots are those sown in May.
They are large enough for all purposes, though the
market grower would not find them so profitable, and
would find it pay best to sow in March. When sown
in the ordinary way, fifteen to eighteen inches between
the rows will suffice, half that distance being allowed
between the plants. In poor soils I have found the roots
of better flavour if given some fertilisers during growth,
and the food well washed down to the roots. In most
soils the seeds germinate so freely that thick sowing
should be avoided,

30 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

TurRNIPS

This vegetable may be had in season all the year
round, though it is not at all plentiful from March
to May. Of course, in fields there is no lack of
these roots if clamped, and we may in a measure
take a hint from the large grower, as in gardens
the roots of the early summer sown are poor and
flavourless at the season named. It may be said
that the demand is not great at the difficult period
noted, but I find that small, sweet, good-flavoured turnips
are always i in demand. It is useless to sow in summer,
and expect this sowing to last till the next spring.
Such roots are too coarse; they soon grow out, get
soft, and are flavourless. On the other hand, young
turnips may be had much earlier than is often attempted.
The long-rooted variety here illustrated, Carter’s Early
Forcing, is admirably adapted for early supplies. This,
sown in February, the quarter being covered with
dry litter at night or in cold weather, will give nice
roots early in the spring. It is a remarkably quick
growing variety, and is good for frame culture, as
it may be had in April in a warm frame. I have
referred to this variety, as it is even earlier than the
Milan types, which are much liked on the Continent,
and are among the best for first crop in the open.
Both the Red and White Milan should be eaten as soon
as they are large enough to use, as these varieties so
soon lose flavour.

There are other early kinds, such as the Early Paris
Market, a stump-rooted variety largely grown in
France. For June or July supplies, I do not know
of any turnip equal in all respects to the shapely
Snowball, a white early root of great merit. Again,
the White Gem is not unlike the forcing turnip that
is illustrated. It is a splendid root for summer

TURNIP—CARTER’S EARLY FORCING

TURNIPS 23

work, and does not feel the effects of drought so
soon as do the flat roots. There are some very fine
roots to select from. The Red Globe is a beautiful
late summer variety; and to this should be added the
Matchless and Criterion.

We now come to the autumn turnips, doubtless
the most valuable roots of the season, as these give
a supply from October to March, or even later if good
storage is adopted. The Red Top Mousetail or Strap-
leaved is good for the early autumn, and none is better
than Veitch’s Red Globe, ,a very fine solid root that
keeps well for months if not grown too large. For
keeping purposes, small or medium-sized roots are
much the best. For mid-winter such kinds as the
Orange Jelly and Yellow Maltese are remarkably hardy.
These will stand in the open without protection if sown
for late supplies. To these should be added Golden
Ball, a beautiful root. These yellow-fleshed turnips are
not demanded nearly so much as they should be. The
flavour in winter is very delicate, and they make a nice
addition to the white varieties. The older Chirk Castle,
or Black Stone, may be termed a winter turnip; it has
a black skin, but is not bad flavoured, and is a very
fine winter turnip in heavy soils.

Culture.—The best roots are those grown in a sandy
loam, well dug and manured with decayed manure some
time in advance of sowing the crop. For very early
roots, a south border under a wall is a good place;
and here I would advise, if the soil is clayey or wet,
adding some light material, such as burnt refuse. Soot
and lime may also be added if slugs are troublesome.
Make the land as fine as possible before sowing the seed.
The second sowing may be made in an open quarter, and
the plants thinned as soon as large enough to handle.
At this season, should the weather be hot and dry,
the grower’s troubles begin, as the seedlings are very

c

34 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

subject to the attacks of the fly, though damping overhead
in the evening, with soot or soot and lime dusted over
the plants when in a damp state, will check its ravages.
This root does not like drought, so that summer crops
may occupy a heavier soil than earlier ones. For
summer roots, a space of twelve inches between the
rows should be given, and the seedlings thinned to half
that distance, and kept as clean as possible during growth.
I have previously referred to the importance of early
thinning, as in summer the root bulbs quickly, and
once this has commenced it is not advisable to loosen
the roots.

I now come to the autumn sowing. This should be
done from the early part of August to the end of that
month, though in cold or late districts late July sowings
may be necessary. ‘Those late sown roots will not be
large, but they will be large enough for all purposes.
Far better get a solid small, sweet root than a large,
soft and worthless one. If ground is available, sow
on a well-drained quarter, as there will be no need
to harvest this crop till late in the year. Then
one need merely select the large roots, and place them
under soil to be just frost-proof, leaving the smaller
ones to take their chance. These take no harm if
the soil is hoed over them each side of the row.
The roots left out have their use as a green vege-
table in the spring, as they produce the tender green
tops so much liked at that season. The yellow-
fleshed kinds and the Chirk Castle are specially good
for the latter purpose. In storing roots for winter,
select a store just free from frost—indeed, I have
placed the roots in heaps in their growing quarters,
and well covered them with soil to ward away frost.
Turnips should never be allowed to remain on the soil if
at all diseased, but cleared away, and only the sound
roots stored. The land should not be re-cropped with

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES - 35

this root for some time, and a good dressing of
lime should be given after the roots have been
removed.

Koui Rast

This vegetable so much resembles the turnip that I
include it in my note on roots. Though not a general
favourite in this country, it is largely grown on the
Continent. I have alluded to the difficulty of growing
the turnip in hot weather and in light soils. Under these
conditions the Kohl Rabi is most useful, as the roots,
both in shape and flavour, resemble the turnip, and they
are not so readily affected by hot weather. There are
only two varieties, the purple and the green, the only
difference being in the colour; the Early Purple Vienna
is a useful garden kind. In India, Kohl Rabi is much
grown for use in soups and for flavouring. Much the
same culture is needed as for turnips. Seed should be
sown twice during the season to get a succession of
roots, an early sowing in March to produce a mid-
summer or even earlier supply, and another sowing two
or three months later to provide an autumn and winter
supply. The seed should be sown in drills eighteen inches
apart, and the plants thinned to nine inches in the row.
These roots should be grown on the flat, so that they
may get the rainfall in the growing season. I have
transplanted the seedlings with success when they have
not been allowed to become too large, lifting carefully to
prevent the roots breaking. The same kind of storage
as advised for turnips will be suitable when the late crop
is full grown, as, if left exposed, severe frost splits the
roots.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

The common Artichoke may with advantage be in-
cluded in my note on roots, as it is very useful for soups

36 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

and as a vegetable. The old rugged purple form was
the only variety grown for many years, but, fortunately,
the Messrs Sutton, after patient selection, obtained the
white, smoother tuber, which is a great gain both in
shape and flavour. The peculiar flavour of these roots
is not liked by everyone, but by those who have studied
the cooking it may be made a delicious vegetable. For
some years I have carefully selected the most shapely
tubers, as it is important to get the eyes shallow, and
so cause less waste in the cooking. I have also by
selection obtained a long, smooth white root called
Veitch’s Improved, which is a great gain on the old
purple form. These roots are often grown in any out-
of-the-way place, and allowed to occupy the same
ground year after year, but like all other vegetables
they well repay good culture, change of land, and a
good supply of food. The sets should be planted in
February or March, and need ample room, a yard
between the rows being none too much, with half
that distance between the plants. They are often
given less room, but this should not be. The roots are
best if left in the soil and lifted as required, or the
whole crop may be clamped, the best seed being selected
for planting.

ONIONS

Of late years, the onion has received more attention
from growers, some magnificent roots being now grown
in this country. With more attention to culture we could
grow bulbs equal to any grown on the Continent.
There is no need toimport these roots, and I am pleased
to see their extended culture. To get the extra fine roots
referred to above, of course special culture is needed.
Many sow the seed under glass at the start and grow
on, finally planting in the open in very rich soil.

ONIONS 37

During growth the plants should have ample supplies
of liquid manure or approved fertilisers. Another
plan is to sow in the autumn the ordinary spring
varieties, such as Ailsa Craig or similar large varieties.
But most of our old kinds, such as Bedfordshire
Champion, will make very fine bulbs if given special
cultivation, by sowing in the early autumn, in land
specially prepared. The young plants are planted out
in quarters very highly manured early in the year,
and the seedlings kept clean, giving the plants ample
room, eighteen inches between the rows, and nine
inches apart in the row. Many of our best cultivators
make a special compost for exhibition roots; deep drills
are drawn, in which some rich food, such as soot or
fowls’ manure is placed; over this being placed some
of the best soil, and all made firm. The bulbs being
very carefully lifted from their previous quarters,
the roots are spread out, and enough space left
in the trench to admit of liquid food and water.
The onion is so useful as an article of food that,
both as a salad plant and for flavouring, it is in
great demand; but the larger bulbs I have referred
to are most useful as a vegetable, few vegetables being
more wholesome. In many gardens this crop is not
well managed, but at times it is not the grower who is
wholly to blame, as the seasons and numerous pests to
which the plants are subject, are responsible for much.
Drought, too, is harmful, and to get the best results
early sowing is advised; it is necessary to get the
quarter ready as early in the winter as possible,
as then the land is in better condition. In heavy
clay land the soil is not always workable at the
season advised, and in such land it is well to add
lighter materials. This allows a more fibrous root
growth, and gives finer bulbs. The ordinary system
of culture is to sow on land well worked, which

38 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

should not have grown a similar crop for some
seasons. Land is supposed soon to sicken of onions.
This depends a great deal upon culture, but there
is no question whatever that fresh quarters will do
much to ward off disease. I have seen many acres
of this vegetable destroyed by mildew in wet seasons
simply through neglect, not thinning, and sowing
too thickly. The grub is one of the most trouble-
some pests the crop is subject to, especially in its early
stages. But I have rarely seen the plant troubled
with this pest when sown early and the seedlings trans-
planted. Another remedy is to use salt, soot, and wood
ashes freely, and in old gardens it is a good plan to
give dressing of gas lime, say in October, and turn
the land up as rough as possible, frequently forking
over the surface early in the year to sweeten and pul-
verise the soil. It is far better to clear the land of the
pest than to give remedies during growth. The latter
are seldom successful, though such aids as soot and salt
during growth will benefit the crop.

Spring Onions.—I will take these first, dealing only
with medium-sized bulbs for general use. As regards
date of sowing a great deal depends upon the locality
and state of the soil. If the latter is light the seed may
be sown at the first favourable opportunity towards
the end of February, the soil being made as firm as
possible either by rolling or treading. A firm root
hold for these plants is desirable, and many good
growers tread the land over after sowing. In heavy
land more care is needed; the labour is greater in
preparing the bed, and often seed sowing is deferred
till the soil is sufficiently dry. The drills should be
shallow, and may be from nine to twelve inches apart.
The latter space gives the plant a better chance, and
thinning, weeding, and feeding is done more readily.
In covering the seed, many give a better compost in

ONIONS 39

heavy land, such as the soil from old marrow or
cucumber beds, the siftings of the potting bench, or
any fine charred refuse. IJ have also seen sand used to
advantage in wet, heavy land, but it should be borne in
mind that the soil under should be well manured, the
onion needing much food. Early thinning should take
place, doing the work in showery weather if possible;
but the seed is often sown much too thickly, as in these
days there is less need to sow thickly, seeing that seed
from a good house is always reliable. The trials it
undergoes before being sent out are much more severe
than formerly. I have referred to feeding, and few
crops benefit more by surface dressing than does the
Onion. Nitrates are valuable, as also are fish manure,
guano, soot, salt, and liquid manure whenever the
latter is obtainable. One often sees miserable crops
from want of food, late sowing, and neglect. As soon
as the seedlings appear through the soil, the hard crust
should be broken by gently hoeing between the drills.
This will check weed-growth, and as soon as the seed-
lings are large enough to handle, thinning should take
place. It may not be desirable to thin to the required
distance at the first, merely thinning out where the plants
are very thick, and making a second thinning when it
is seen which plants take the lead. The plants at this
second thinning will be useful for salads. In using the
hoe, care should be taken that the permanent plants are
not loosened. On the other hand, severe thinning for
what are termed medium-sized bulbs is not advised, and
at the final thinning a few rows may be left for salad,
or, what is better, another sowing may be made for this
purpose in May. These also are valuable for pickling.
Autumn Onions.—These are sown from the middle of
July till the middle of August. Much depends upon
the variety. I prefer to sow the White Leviathan and
Italian at the end of July. These do not keep so well

40 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

as some kinds, but they are most valuable for spring
use, and as they bulb early in the summer they are
more valuable. The Giant Rocca types are notable for
their size, colour, and good flavour. These are milder
than others, and are excellent for cooking whole as
a vegetable. There are several varieties, and all are
good, in the Rocca section, but I must not omit
the small Silver Skinned varieties and White Queen.
These are much liked for their delicate flavour. Much
the same advice holds good as to distance and soil, but
the latter need not be so highly manured, as the seed-
lings remain in the seed bed till February or March,
when they are planted out in rows twelve to fifteen
inches apart, and nine inches apart in the row. The
autumn sown onions are-not keepers, but, on the other
hand, the spring sown should get cool storage; for
cold does no harm if the bulbs are not damp. I have
suspended them when roped to the roof of an open
shed. Ifin rooms, they should be laid thinly on racks,
so that the air can circulate freely round them, and
they should be often turned to keep the bulbs dry.

LEEKs

The Leek, like the Onion, has of late years found
more favour among growers, and is now a favourite
exhibition vegetable, but, whilst valuing the improve-
ment made, I am not sure that when the leek is grown
nearly a yard long it is as useful as a thick, short plant
such as the Lyon, with from six to nine inches of
blanched stem. To get the leek of a large size it is often
sown in heat or under glass, as advised in order to obtain
large onions, but excellent produce may be obtained
by sowing in February on a warm border, planting out
in trenches with ample manure as soon as large enough
to handle. On the other hand, in heavy soils or cold

LEEKS 41

situations it may be well to sow a box of seed in a
frame for an early supply. These, pricked out in rich
soil later on, and then transplanted early in the summer
into the trenches, will provide an early autumn supply.
For late supplies, indeed, for any season, it is not
necessary to plant in trenches. A richly manured
quarter on the flat will grow good plants, but it is
well to draw drills, and at the time of planting to be
careful to spread the roots out evenly. If a dibber is
used, care should be taken to make the hole large and
deep enough for the roots, to prevent doubling up. I
think that under any circumstances it is advisable to make
two sowings in boxes—one early, and one, say six weeks
later. By this means‘ leeks may be had from October
till May—a long period—and, even if not liked as a
vegetable, they are most useful for flavouring. The
‘leek should be planted in an open position, and should
never lack food or moisture in the summer months if
size is needed. Planted on the flat in drills, they should
be eighteen inches apart, allowing half this distance
between the plants; indeed, in Scotland, more space
than this is often given in order to allow of earthing up
the stems in the winter to blanch them. _ If the plants
are in trenches the latter should be two feet apart, and
a good coating of decayed manure should be placed in
the bottom before planting. Few plants are more hardy,
as, though the points of the leaves may be touched
by frost, it does not harm the stem; indeed, cold appears
to give a delicate flavour, and the latter is also improved
by salt dressings in damp weather. For hardiness, the
Musselburgh is one of :the best, and, what is more im-
portant, the flavour is mild, even when the leeks are not
given the best culture. Other kinds are the Holborn
Model, one of the largest and longest leeks grown.
Prizetaker also is a splendid variety, and the Ayton
Castle Giant is not unlike it as regards size. The last

42 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

three varieties named are the best for exhibition. I
need not dwell upon varieties, but would add that few
plants are more valuable in cold districts, as the leek
winters well when others fail.

SHALLOTS AND GARLIC

The first-named are so much used in the kitchen,
both for flavouring and as vegetables, that it would be
out of place toomit mention of the uses to which they
can be put. Many persons prefer the shallot to the
onion, the flavour being more delicate, and having a
peculiar character liked by many. In many gardens it
is not looked upon with much favour as a vegetable,
but the shallot will thrive when the onion fails. I do
not advise the old method of culture, which was to
plant in December and harvest in June, for much better
results are obtained from later planting at a time when
the plants can make progress. The best plan is to plant
in March and harvest when the bulbs are ready, which
will be in August. Ripen thoroughly before housing,
and then place in a cool, dry store. There are some
good varieties, the Sutton Giant being much better than
the old form. At planting, place the roots in rows in
well manured land, sufficiently deep to render each bulb
firm, and at a distance of twelve inches between the rows
and six inches in the row. The plants: like rich food,
and liquid supplies during growth will give fine bulbs.
Garlic is largely used for flavouring purposes in large
establishments, and needs much the same treatment
as the shallot. There is a large Russian variety well
worth growing, and in many gardens this plant is grown
in the open all the year, being transplanted in the spring;
but I think that the produce is more useful if dried in
the same way as shallots and stored.

POTATOES 43

PoTaTogEs

The importance of the potato in the vegetable king-
dom cannot be overlooked. It is in daily use in most
households all the year round, and is valuable in many
other forms for commercial purposes. As a food it
is more common than other vegetables, as it may be
had good the whole year through with a little care in
culture. A note on its value as a common vegetable would
not be complete without referring to its seasons, culture,
and other details. When forced, the new tubers are a
delicacy, and, though my note does not go into details
about forcing, I would add that much may be done to get
an early supply by timely shelter. The potato does not
always get fairplay; in certain soils it is not nearly as good
as in others, and in some the crop is not nearly as large
as in others, though frequently the failure is attri-
buted to the seed or the variety, and not to the cultiva-
tion. Though a rough-and-ready method will grow
potatoes, the plant well repays the best culture. Only
recently I saw two lots of potatoes in the same kind of
soil, and of the same variety, one lot planted early in the
season, the other late. What was the result? The earlier
planting, owing to the heat and drought, was quite
double the weight of crop of the later planting, both
being on a light soil. This shows how seasons affect
crops. This year (1901) I have heard many complain of
poor crops in light land or on gravelly soil, and on ask-
ing when the planting was done have been told; ‘‘ OA,
late in April or early in May: the plants were crippled at the
start.” I have this year noticed a lot of old seed tubers
in the soil not decayed in the least. This shows the state
of the soil early in the season, Of late years great
strides have been made with the. potato, and we have
no lack of shapely tubers. The raiser of new varieties
needs much patience, though in the end he may be

44 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

rewarded by a good thing, but even then it takes
years to work up stock. Still I am proud of such
seedlings as Syon House Prolific, a good Jate variety,
the Syon Main Crop, a mid-season variety, and English
Beauty, a very early tuber. The last was the result
of crossing Myatt’s Ashleaf, a noted kind for early
work, with the American, Beauty of Hebron. The
Messrs. Sutton have of late years raised some beautiful
tubers, and such are a great boon to our gardens.
At the same time the field potato has received its
fair share of attention. There are some notable
cropping varieties, and if given fair culture few
crops are more profitable. Our good old friend Mr.
Fenn, who did so much for the potato many years ago,
should not be forgotten. Many will still remember his
good work and the splendid crops obtained from
his new varieties, like the Magnum Bonum—which is
still a favourite, though later introductions have partially
ousted it.

Early Potatoes.—Many persons can grow early potatoes
who have not space for the mid-season or later kinds,
and many place earliness before every other point. -
But flavour should be considered as the first point.
The same flavour does not suit all. For instance, the
Ashleaf varieties have a peculiar flavour of their own, a
close firm character, whereas many persons prefer a
loose flowery potato, so that in selecting early kinds this
should be borne in mind. In many of the recent
introductions the old Ashleaf quality is in a great
measure retained, but the other parents have given
tubers more flowery, the combination being most
valuable. The tubers sent from abroad bear no com-
parison with our own early kinds as regards flavour.
They are usually of a close or waxy nature, though
this does not apply to some of the Jersey tubers,
some of which are excellent. These latter are a great

ALAVAG HSIIONT SAHLAM—OLV,LOd

POTATOES 47

boon, coming in, as they do, just as our old tubers are
fast losing quality through growing out badly. The
potato is not a hardy plant, and, though it will stand a con-
siderable amount of heat, will not stand frost. ‘The
latter greatly hinders early planting, and in our vari-
able climate the growths are not safe from spring frosts
till May is well advanced. For years, when I lived in the
Midlands in a country district, | adopted a simple method
to get an early supply, and it may not be out of place
to describe it. We had plenty of fresh leaves every
autumn, and these were gathered and placed in a huge
heap till early in the year, when they were turned
several times, and; if at all dry, well moistened to make
them heat all through. They were then placed in position
in front of some large conifers that gave effective shelter
from the north, but allowed full exposure to the south.
The bed when made was trodden as hard as possible, or
beaten with a rammer as each layer of leaves was placed
in position, and at the finish the bed was from four to
five feet in thickness, and as wide as possible, for thus
more warmth was retained. All round the sides of
the bed was placed a liberal quantity of long, fresh
litter. This kept in the warmth, and also kept the
leaves from blowing about. At the middle of Feb-
ruary, or a little later, the tubers were prepared
for the bed. These were placed in boxes to make
sprouts, and at the planting each tuber had the shoots or
eyes rubbed out to one or two—the strongest. We
usually placed the tubers in frames or fruit houses to
give a start, but they are better not started at all than
allowed to get too forward. I omitted to say that, when
the bed was made up, nine to twelve inches of good soil
was placed on the surface, and we usually saved the soil
from an old cucumber bed, which was fairly rich, for
this purpose. This, being made firm, got nicely warmed.
by the time the sets were planted early in March. The

48 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

critical period is just when the tops are pushing through
the soil early in April, and to protect at that season we
have used straw-thatched hurdles, these being placed on
stakes supported with cross pieces of wood. I think
that dry bracken is the best protection, but it must be
cut green early in the autumn; for, if allowed to ripen,
its protecting powers are reduced, it is brittle and
breaks very quickly. Cut green, it is light and warm,
and readily placed in position or removed.

Potatoes forwarded thus will be ready for use in
May, and are not so small as the first earlies in the
open. The labour of making up the bed is not lost.
As soon as the crop is cleared the space does grandly for
such crops aS marrows, cucumbers, capsicums, or any
crop grown in a similar way, and the bed at the end of
the year is of great value for potting-soil or as a dressing
for heavy land. A south border should be selected for
an early crop in the open, and if possible a light friable
soil well manured in the previous autumn. The sets
should have been well matured, and two feet between
the rows is a fair distance, nine inches being allowed
between the sets. We draw rather deep drills, and
these, when covering with soil, are not quite filled
up, so that in severe weather it is an easy matter to
place a little long litter over the sets, removing it
when it is warm or bright. A fair distance between
the sets is nine inches, but a great deal depends upon
the variety. The Ashleaf does well at this distance,
but strong growers benefit by more space. As re-
gards variety there is no lack. Such kinds as Ring-
leader, May Queen, and Ninetyfold are very fine for early
borders. The last is superb, and has a stronger haulm
than the Ashleaf. To these may be added English
Beauty, Early Puritan, when large quantities are re-
quired, and Sharpe’s Victor for small borders. This has
a very dwarf top, and is one of the earliest. For field

POTATOES 49

or market garden culture, Snowdrop is one of the best.
To this may be added Harbinger and Duke of York.
Mid Season Varieties—Some of the best flavoured
tubers are in this section, and what makes them more
useful is that, being planted when the soil is in a warmer
state, the growth is more rapid than with the other
classes. April is a good time to plant both these and the

POTATO—SUTTON’S SUPREME.

late crops, early in the month in the southern part of
the country, and later on in the north. As far as space
is concerned, a great deal depends upon the variety,
and a kind that grows tall needs more space. In plant-
ing it is advisable to give land that has not carried a
similar crop for some time. This cannot always be
done. When possible, prepare the soil some time in
advance of planting, avoiding rank animal manures, as
D

So THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

these in some seasons cause scab and other disease.
I have seen much better results in old garden land
by omitting animal manures for a season, giving a
thorough dressing of lime, and using some approved
artificial food. The land often lacks lime, and such
aids as burnt refuse or road scrapings from lime-
stone roads are very beneficial. As regards varieties,
I place Windsor Castle in the front rank. It is
one of the best flavoured main crop potatoes grown,
is good in most soils, turns in early, and keeps
well. Other kinds are the Snowball (Carter’s), Sutton’s
Supreme, Satisfaction, and the Canon. There are many
others, but those noted are among the cream of this
section.

Late Varieties—These need more care in selection,
as the season they are required to supply dates from
October or November to June of the following year.
The mid-season varieties will give a supply till the
New Year, and, if possible, this should be arranged,
as then the late ones will fill in the other portion with
less difficulty. Even late potatoes are not very palat-
able in June, but a great deal depends upon the way
they are stored, on the variety, and on other details
such as cooking and preparation. There can be no
question whatever but that many late potatoes are ruined
during the winter months by being kept too warm or
allowed to grow out too much. Far better clamp the
tubers in the open than store in a warm shed or cellar,
for the latter soon affects the flavour of the tubers.
Another point of importance is to have fresh seed
whenever it can be procured. Though at the start
it adds to the cost, it well repays at the finish by the
greater weight of crop and the superior quality. No
crop that shows disease badly should be retained for
seed. It is as well to have a plot of land specially retained
for seed purposes, if at a distance so much the better.

PEAS $i

For our late tubers we always have our seeds grown
quite a hundred miles away. These are the Syon
House Prolific, and we are the gainers by the very
fine crops of tubers produced annually. The land
soon sickens if the same thing is grown ‘repeatedly.
Another point is to give strong growers ample space ;
indeed three feet between the rows is scarcely sufficient
for some, and half that distance should be allowed
between the sets in the row.

I have briefly touched upon manures, and it must
not be inferred that Iam not in favour of ample food.
The plant needs food to build up a mass of even-sized
tubers, but much depends upon the soil. For late
potatoes ample food is needed, but the tubers must not
be placed on it. I prefer the food to be under, as the
roots soon find it, and in dry seasons it is of great benefit
to them as it supports at a time when the tubers are
forming. I have named a few of the best varieties in the
main crop section, and to these may be added Goldfinder,
a white oval tuber of splendid quality. A floury tuber
with shallow eyes, King of the Russets, is another very
fine late variety, and the older Schoolmaster is difficult
to beat as regards flavour and keeping properties. The
Bruce and Sutton’s Triumph are both good, and many
persons like the Scottish Champion. For late spring
supplies it is a great favourite in the north, and the
newer Up-to-Date is a fine cropper and of good quality.

Peas

The green pea is an important vegetable in British
gardens, and, like other vegetables, has received special
attention during the last quarter of a century. Though
Iam not disposed to place too much importance upon
the great improvement made as regards earliness, there
can be no question whatever but that we have a

52 ‘THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

much better quality, size, and dwarfness of haulm.
There is now no need to grow the small, white, early
pea so much seen in our gardens many years ago, or
what may be termed field peas, that so soon got old
and flavourless. On the other hand there is a difficulty
in most gardens in having green peas at the end of May,
and such peas are worth special culture. Some which
have a distinct marrow flavour and are good croppers, are
equally hardy with the old Kentish Invicta or Sangster’s
No. 1. I shall not recommend any varieties having a
thin, weak haulm, even though such peas may be a few
days earlier than the stronger growers; for though
earliness, especially in large market gardens, means a
great difference in the price received for the produce,
I am sure that the balance would be on the right
side if a better quality pea was grown, and a variety
specially selected for the purpose named. I am not an
admirer of the very small dwarf peas from six inches high.
I do not think that these very dwarf growers are the best
if quantities are required, though of course a few rows
for first supplies, and for frame culture, are valuable, but
for general use such kinds as Chelsea Gem, the Sutton
Seedling, Marrowful, and Bountiful are splendid types
for earliest supplies in the open. To these may be
added Carter’s Early Morn and Daisy, a very fine
selection, both as regards crop and flavour, with
earliness combined. Of course there are other varieties
equally good, but space does not allow me to give a
long list of names, and those I note are types of the best
kind for early work; and the pea being such a favourite
vegetable, I will endeavour to give as long a supply as
possible. To do this it will be necessary to divide
the different kinds into four classes, early, second early,
mid-season, and late; though I regret to say that in many
gardens it is a difficult matter to grow late peas. This
often happens in a light gravelly soil, and in the

dOWwo NIVIN—Vad

PEAS 55

warmer parts of the kingdom. As far as my own
experience goes, here in Middlesex, we are fortunate in
our early peas, but not in getting a good late supply;
whereas the reverse occurs at Alnwick Castle, in North-
umberland. In the north, I have splendid late peas
well into November in a mild autumn, and there are
some splendid late kinds, a few of which I will note. I
am not able to devote space to forcing, but for this
purpose the earlier peas I have named are very suitable
either in pots or frames. I give an illustration of the
Daisy pea—a grand forcing variety. I may also refer
to the Syon House Main Crop, a cross between Duke
of Albany and Telephone.

Early Peas.—The earliest peas are always favourites, as
they come in at a time when there is none too many choice
vegetables. There is a great difference of opinion as to
the advantage of sowing in autumn in a favoured quarter,
say at the foot of a south wall. I am not in favour of
the old practice, as, having given this work special atten-
tion, I find that the best results are obtained by sowing
in November or early December, and then growing in
a cold frame till planting out. I am aware that many
of my readers will term this forcing, and in a measure
it is, but it is very slow work, and many fruits, flowers,
and vegetables, are hastened by a little timely shelter
at the start. I find that peas not given heat of any
kind are much more reliable than those grown in a
shorter time. I have never seen the plants suffer
if sown as advised; but, let me add, always sow
new seed (the last season’s crop); this is more
vigorous than old seed. We find four or five inch
pots best for the seed sown in cold frames, and we do
not crowd the seed. If it should be necessary to sow
thickly, the seedlings should be thinned to give the
plants room. Nine to twelve seeds in a pot are ample;
thin to six plants evenly distributed over the soil, the

56 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

seedlings being given ample ventilation on all favour-
able occasions, and then planted out early in March in
deep drills, the plants being made firm at the planting.

The reason that I have not advised sowing in the open
ground in the autumnis the uncertainty of the crop unless
grown in the most favoured localities. Mice are very
troublesome, and at times difficult to get rid of ; and birds
are troublesome, as also are other pests, such as slugs and
snails. These have a great liking for the tender pea in the
winter, and the plant is much weakened by their ravages.
Another evil is that though for a certain time the plants do
well, we often get a succession of frosts one after another,
and then cold east winds, the latter quite crippling any
growth that may have escaped injury. That is why I
advise frame culture in the early stages of growth, and
though I have recommended pot culture there are other
ways equally good. I have used turf, that is, a long strip
three to four inches wide and three deep, but one must be
sure that there is no wire worm or grub in the turf. The
latter is placed in the frames, the grass side downwards,
and then the seed is sown in lines in the middle of the
turf and covered with light, rich soil. Many make a
depression in the turf before sowing, and if this is done
the seeds should not be crowded but placed evenly;
indeed the best plan is to press each seed well into the
soil at equal distances and then cover with more soil. I
have also seen shallow wooden boxes used, and the
plants slid out at one end. At the planting, in fact, any
method that can be adopted will be worth trying if a
good plant is secured. In the north, I have seen good
results follow sowing under hand glasses, and also on
the north side of land well ridged up, the snow protect-
ing the plant at a trying period of its existence. As this
note will show, outdoor sowings in autumn under the
best conditions are precarious, and it is not well to sow
large quantities.

PEAS ig

We now come to the first sowing in the open, say in
February, if the land is not frost-bound or too wet.
It will have been advisable roughly to ridge up land
in which it is intended to sow the first crop in the open.
If this is done in the autumn the soil is so much more
workable, and sowing can be made earlier than in land
in a wet condition. For this crop I do not think the
land needs the same quantities of food as for later crops,
indeed, in wet land there is a danger of marrow peas
failing to germinate unless the soil is friable, and heavy
bodies of wet manure add to the difficulty at the season
named. I have found that, in the case of dwarf varieties,
we get the best results, if the soil is poor, -by taking
out a few inches deep and replacing with old hotbed,
decayed leaf soil, or burnt refuse, so that there may be
some good soil for the roots to push out into and root
freely. Early in the season, the wrinkled sorts may be
sown a little thicker than others, as the best peas are not
so robust as the round. On the other hand, at later
sowings the large growers, I do not mean tall but strong
haulm kinds, need more room. I have seen Peas sown
like Mustard and Cress, but it stands to reason that such
crops cannot develop properly. I have named a few of
the leading early kinds; to these may be added Early
Giant, a splendid three to four feet variety, probably
the finest pea we have for March sowing in light,
warm soil, and remarkably early. Much the same
remarks apply to May Queen, a slightly dwarfer variety,
and of splendid flavour. I have before referred to
Bountiful, and this variety can be sown where others
fail. This is a blue-seeded variety, a very free bearer,
and, like most of the varieties I have described above,
a continuous cropper. This latter point should not be
overlooked in garden peas, as any variety that is over
in a few days is not valuable. For field culture, the
crop maturing quickly at one time is a gain, but not so

58 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

in the garden. The advent of the American Wonder
Pea many years ago was a great point as regards
earliness, and it was of better quality than our small
white round peas, but since the time of its introduction
great strides have been made. We have had Exonian,
William the First, and many others, one of the best
being Chelsea Gem. All these are vastly superior to
American Wonder. One of our best peas is Gradus.
This is a three feet variety, and is a splendidly
flavoured marrow. The late Mr. Thomas Laxton, who
raised this pea, certainly gave us one of the grandest
peas the last century produced. Though a few days
later than the very dwarf kinds, it may be had as
early if the points are pinched out when the plants
are about two feet high; and I do not know of any
variety better than Gradus to sow in March to make
a succession to the first earlies in the open. The Daisy
is also specially good for the same purpose, as it is a
very beautiful pea, and bears a large pod in comparison
to its dwarf growth.

Second Early Peas.—In describing the earlier kinds I
have also included a few that are excellent for growing
as second earlies, notably Gradus, Daisy, and Bountiful ;
the latter, where quantities are required, being especially
good. The culture is much the same as for early kinds,
except that the soil may be richer, as there is less fear of
the seed decaying in the soil. Even at the early period
of the year, or for seed sown in April, I would advise
either shallow trenches, or rather deep drills, with a
liberal amount of well-decayed manure in the bottom.
In sowing in drills, avoid the old method of drawing
drills, so that the drill is triangular—that is, pointed
at the bottom. In such a drill the seeds roll down
one on the other, and cannot get fairplay; it is far
better for the drill to have a flat base, and the seeds
to be at even distances. We see the great advance

PEA—CARTER’S DIASY

PEAS 61

that has been made in the sweet peas, and much of
this success is owing to improved culture, ample space,
and good food at the root.

To get a succession of peas, it is well to sow
every three weeks, and even then a few of the main
crop varieties soon catch up the earlier sowing. As
regards distance between the rows, this must be
governed by the height of the plant; in any case
it is best to give as much space as possible, and there
need be no loss of ground, as small crops may be
grown between. In our own case, we give our first
earlies, sown in the open, three feet, and between each
pair of rows we plant a row of lettuce. Though most
of the peas may be three feet, we pinch or top at two
feet, and, as we stake heavily with yew or laurel
branches to ward off cold winds on the side most
affected, the shelter given to the peas also assists the
lettuce. Another plan is to sow early spinach in boxes,
and transplant between the peas; also early cauli-
flowers of the Early Forcing or Snowball type are
suitable to plant, as advised for lettuce. In the second
earlies there is a wide choice. Dr. Maclaren is still a
good variety, a wrinkled marrow of great excellence.
Majestic is a very fine pea among the newer kinds, a
pure marrow with large pods; and Stratagem is certainly
one of the best-flavoured marrows and one of the best
croppers we have in this section. Telephone and
Peerless “Marrowful are very good in cropping and
quality. Duke of York and Duke of Albany are
well known; both being equally good in the third
division or main crop varieties. I only have one objec-
tion to the Duke of Albany. The plant, though it
crops well, does not bear a long crop, the pods being
produced in a short time; still it holds its own on the
exhibition table. Other good kinds are plentiful, but
enough are described to show season and mode of culture.

62 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Main Crop Peas.—These in many gardens are often
the last crops, not because the cultivator does not
require later ones, but because the soil, situation, and
weather are not favourable for later supplies. As some
of the best second earlies do well for this crop, I will
not go over the same ground again, but merely note that
the main crop may be lengthened by preparing the soil
specially for the purpose. Much may be done in un-
suitable soil by growing in trenches, and in this section
will be found the best of the marrow peas. Such varieties
as the Eureka (a splendid marrow), the Magnum Bonum,
Marrowful, Satisfaction, Best of All, Windsor Castle
and Reading Giant give a list that contains the cream of
the July and August peas. To these should be added
Veitch’s Perfection for good loamy soil, Main Crop, and
the splendid Autocrat. ‘The latter rarely fails in any
soil or situation, and is equally good for later work.
This with us in the north is one of our best late
varieties. Another very fine main crop is Alderman,
and the new E. Beckett promises grandly. To these
may be added Culverwell Giant, Marrow and Omega.

Late Peas.—In this section are some splendid marrows.
The old Ne Plus Ultra is still one of the best if a true
stock can be secured, and such kinds as Carter’s
Michaelmas which may be termed a dwarf, British
Queen, Emperor of the Marrows (a tall variety),
Reading Giant, Sutton’s Late Queen, Latest of All,
and Continuity give a list from which a selection may
be made. Some kinds do better in some places than
others, and in poor soils I would advise the robust
growers and the dwarf or three to four feet varieties.
In soil where these fail I would adopt another plan, and
that is, instead of sowing these late kinds, to sow the first
earlies for the last supply. Such kinds as Chelsea Gem,
May Queen, Daisy, William the First, and others of a
similar nature will do when others fail, but the land

PEAS 63

must be good, ample moisture being given at the start if
the weather is hot and dry. It is a good plan to soak the
seeds for a few hours before sowing, to sow in deep
drills, and to sow the tall varieties in trenches with a fair
amount of decayed manure in the bottom of the trench;
if the border can be partially shaded, so much the better
when the plants are young, as they do not like too much
hot sunshine. The dwarf kinds, that is, the earliest,
are sometimes grown for late supplies; I have grown
these on an eastern border, but a great deal depends
upon the locality. In the north we find that the late
crop does best in open quarters, so as to get full light
and sun at the finishing season. ‘To set the late blossom
and to get best results, give ample room between the
rows. In this country very few peas are cooked whole,
as is the Edible Podded or Sugar Pea. They are of
delicious flavour if gathered in a young state. Of course
they need good culture, and should not be grown in any
out-of-the-way corner and then condemned as useless.
Doubtless the Editor will note the value of these
varieties as a change from our ordinary kinds, as they
are most delicious when well cooked. There are not
many varieties, and though called the Sugar Pea, I am
not sure that the name is the best, though the pods
certainly are sweet. The sweetness is not objectionable
if the pods are gathered when not too much advanced.
The seeds or peas should not be allowed to harden.
On the Continent these find great favour, and one
variety, the Delicatesse or Petit Pois, is well worth
growing in all gardens where variety and flavour in
vegetables are valued. The last-named is a great
cropper, grows about three feet high, and is best
grown with sticks. Another variety, the Giant Edible
Podded Pea, is larger than Delicatesse and a taller
grower, being five feet. This is a better variety in
heavy land than the former, and crops a long time.

64 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

They all like ample moisture, and do not thrive well
in poor dry soil, the pods in such soil being quickly
infested with thrips.

Beans

The Broad Bean comes first on the list, being hardier
than the Dwarf or Runner, but it is not so much grown
as the two last-named, as-the produce soon gets old,
and many persons object to it on that account. I
fear it is not generally known that the rough, peculiar
flavour may be got rid of if the beans, when of any size,
are skinned. Even when the seeds blacken at the outer
portion, the flavour is much improved by skinning.
Another point is that it is not necessary to allow the
plants to mature the pods; it would be far better if the
crop were gathered earlier, as by so doing better flavour
would be secured, and the plants would benefit. I
briefly note the above, as doubtless the Editor will
deal fully with the subject as regards cooking. My
note concerns flavour.

The culture for an early supply is most simple, if
the ground is not too wet or heavy. Seed sown in
November will give a fair return, and, as regards hardi-
ness, after several years’ trials, there is not much differ-
ence between the Early Long-pod section and the older
Mazagan. The last-named is remarkably hardy, and,
though small, for a private garden this latter point
should not tell against it. Sown alongside of the
earliest of the Long-pod section, it is the earlier of the
two. I would not advise the Mazagan for field culture
where size is an important point, but in the kitchen
of course only a limited quantity is needed for a first
supply. The Early Long-pod section sown in February
will give a succession until the autumn-sown come in.
There are several difficulties in growing beans, and

BEANS 65

the worst are caused by the jackdaws and rooks which
dig them out of the soil. Mice, too, in the winter
months are fond of them, and worms and slugs eat the
fleshy root portion; so that, unless earliness is im-
portant, I would advise sowing in February. Again,
in March and April the larger Long-pods and the
Sevilles are all suitable. The Green Giant broad beans
are a newer introduction, and notable for their green
colour and delicate flavour. This variety crops as freely

BEAN— GREEN LONGPOD,

as the white-seeded. For latest crops the seed should
be sown in a holding soil, and for that purpose the
Broad Windsor types are the most suitable. These
surpass the others in quality, and are best sown so
that the pods come in succession. There are several
good Windsor types, the Old Broad variety, the Im-
proved Windsor, Taylor’s Windsor, and Green Windsor.
There is another type of bean that should not be
overlooked, the small cluster known as Royal Cluster,
a very productive variety with branching habits, but not
E

66 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

the best for all soils ; it is valuable for shallow soils and
early supplies. Another very good small early bean
is Beck’s Dwarf Green Gem, which is very prolific and
hardy.

Dwarr Beans

This is a popular summer vegetable, and most valu-
able for supplies from June to October. The best
use is not always made of the dwarf bean. In some
gardens one or two sowings suffice, whereas if the
same or very little more seed were spread over half-a-
dozen sowings made at different dates, the results would
be better in every way. I am aware that, to do this
vegetable justice, it should get rich soil and ample
moisture during growth, as lack of moisture is the
forerunner of red spider, and the plants fail to set the
flowers. As regards soils and situation, the best
position is an open one, selecting a light loamy soil,
not too clayey or wet; for the first crop a warm border
under a south wall is the best. Much can be done to
forward-an early crop by sowing under glass and then
planting out, but I will not dwell upon this work. No
matter what the part of the country, it should be borne
in mind that the dwarf bean is by no means hardy, and
that there must be sufficient warmth in the soil to
germinate the seed. It is not a British plant, and very
early sowing, especially in heavy soils, will often fail.
The proper season varies. In the south I have sown
early in April, but the middle of the month is generally
full early, and the end in later seasons or on heavy soils,
On the other hand, it well repays the cultivator to
make the soil suitable for the first sowing, as it is
not thrown away for other things which require a
light soil. It is an easy matter to cover the seed with
any light soil after sowing, and in cold, wet weather
early in the spring, land well drained should be selected.

“SSaUDOUd—NVad JYVAG

DWARF BEANS 69

If the seed is sown early in April, the crop will give
an early July supply, another sowing made, say, four
weeks later will give a succession, and another sowing
in June will give a later supply. A still later sowing
may be made for an early autumn supply, and from
May till July there will be no doubts as to the seed
germinating, so that ample room should be given the
seed; and though it may be well to sow more thickly
than the plants can remain, it is an easy matter to thin
the seedlings when it is seen which are the strongest.
Varieties and Culture.—For early crops the small-podded
varieties are best, being earlier ; one of the earliest beans
to show blossom and mature being Syon House, a good
flavoured variety. Ne Plus Ultra also is very good, and
produces freely. This bears a small, thin, green pod, has
dwarf habits, and is a great cropper. For later cropping
there are some beautiful types, such as Progress (see
illustration), Triumph, Perfection, Long Sword, and
many others. Indeed, it is difficult to give a selection,
there are so many good kinds. Some in different locali-
ties have different names, and I note a few to show the
best type for summer use. For May and June sowing,
the larger Canadian Wonder is a very fine variety.
This gives larger pods than any of the former, but I
should add that no matter what the variety, the crop
should be gathered regularly, and none allowed to get
old, as the plant soon fails to crop if allowed to ripen or
carry old pods. I have touched upon the needs of the
plant as regards food and moisture. Few plants will
absorb more food ; they delight in a rich root-run of good
decayed manure. This placed liberally in the bottom
of the trench or drill will do much good in hot, dry
summers, and if the plants are given liquid manure fre-
quently, so much the better. They delight in overhead
waterings in the evening after a hot summer day. This
will do more good to keep them free of red spider than

70 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

anything else, and daily or every other day gatherings
will keep the plants healthy. In this country we allow
many of our vegetables to get much too old before they
are gathered. On the Continent the Dwarf or French
Bean, as it is called, is used in a small state, often whole,
with the result that the pods are greener and more
tender, and have a beautiful flavour. Doubtless the
Editor will touch upon the value of pods cooked thus in
preference to our dry, sliced older beans with the seeds
half-ripened and the pods stringy. This ‘also applies to
the Runner, and indeed to many vegetables. There are
some delicious butter beans in the Dwarf section, which
are well worth growing and cooking whole. The Golden
Beans are noted for their good flavour. Another type
is the small Haricot Bean, a very good vegetable when
cooked whole.

Runner Beans

Owing to the introduction of the Climbing French
Bean there are two distinct runners. I will take the new
ones first. These are mostly about six feet high, and
the pods more like those of the dwarf than of a runner,
except that they are all large, long, and slender. These
new kinds are a great gain, as they continue in bearing a
longer time than the dwarf, and the quality is excellent.
The culture is the same, except that the plants
should have at least six feet between the rows. More
room is better; indeed, the best way to grow runner
beans of any kind is to give a much wider space, and
to plant between the rows with low-growing vegetable
crops. The new runners have this in their favour, that they
can be sown sooner than the larger fleshy scarlet runner.
This is a gain, and they also turn in a fortnight or three
weeks before the older variety. Another point is, that
they are more marketable, and are better shaped, and the

RUNNER BEANS 71

flavour is superior if well grown. Like all others, they
need much moisture during growth, and ample room
from plant to plant. The best way is to place the seed
in drills or trenches at six inches apart, a double row in
each trench being best if plenty of space can be allowed.
By having trenches it is an easier matter to supply
moisture. The following are excellent—Earliest of All,
Excelsior, Epicure, Princess of Wales, Tender and True,
and Veitch’s Climbing. The last-named, though a little
smaller than others, is earlier, which is a great gain.
In 1900, the Messrs Carter of High Holborn sent out a
remarkably early Climbing French Bean known as Ten
Weeks, a decided gain both as regards earliness, crop, and
productiveness. ‘This, like the others named, should be
gathered young.

The ordinary Scarlet Runner is grown so simply that
my note concerning it will be brief. Much the same
conditions of culture as advised for dwarfs are applicable,
except that scarlet runners are sown later. Itis not safe to
sow till the middle of May in cold soils, as should they
come through the soil freely the plants will suffer badly in
cold weather. They should be covered at night for a time.
Sown later there is no trouble, and, like the new climber,
the plants are best sown in deep drills or trenches, and
grown thinly. I need not give a long list of varieties,
such kinds as Chelsea Giant, White Mammoth, Scarlet
Masterpiece, Mammoth White, Best of All, Abund-
ance, and the older Champion Runner and Painted
Lady being all good. A much better crop may be
secured by making an early sowing in May and one a
month later, by which means a long season is secured.
In market gardens the runner bean is not staked, but
grown in rows like the Dwarfs. However, they do
much better if given supports.

HISTORY AND COOKERY OF VEGETABLES
By THE EDITOR

Tue CapBaGeE FAMILY

Tue name Cabbage is derived from the Latin Cawlis
Capitatus (caulis, a stem, caput, a head), and the words
Kohl, Cauliflower and Kale show of course a common
origin from the same root-word as caulis itself.

Several varieties of Cabbage seem to have been
cultivated by the Greeks and Romans: Selinoides or
Parsley-Leaved Kale, Corambe, Calabrian Kale and so
on. The value of this race of plants in providing a
supply of winter food was early appreciated; and the
need which cabbages have for rich deeply-dug soil was
also an early discovery. Pliny speaks of nitre and sea-
weed as among the manures commonly applied. The
Greeks and Romans ate cabbage both as a_ boiled
vegetable, and raw, as a salad. Eaten in the raw state,
cabbage leaves were supposed to ward off drunkenness
and post-prandial headache, and were consequently in
great request in the later days of the Empire.

The cabbage is a native plant of Britain, occurring
wild in all parts. It has been here cultivated since the
earliest times, and was a favourite vegetable of the
Saxons, who derived their name for the month of
February from the fact that sprouts began then to be
ready for cutting.

Parkinson speaks of certain varieties of cabbage as
being cultivated for their decorative value: ‘‘ Many of
them being of no use with us for the table, but for
delight to behold the wonderful variety of the works of
God herein.”

42

HISTORY AND COOKERY 73

Gerard describes a number of varieties of cabbage
—swollen Colewort, double Colewort, Rapecole and
others; and Johnson in 1633 speaks of ‘the great
ordinary cabbage, known everywhere, and commonly
eaten all over the kingdom.”

Pliny’s ‘‘ Corinthian Turnip,” of which ‘the root is
all but out of the ground ; indeed this is the only kind that
in growing, shoots upwards, and not as the others do,
downwards into the ground,” was, probably our Kohl-
rabi, which was introduced into England in the sixteenth
century.

The Cauliflower, in which the flower stems and
abortive flowers have been artificially developed, was
introduced into this country, probably from Italy, by
way of Holland, in the sixteenth century, but for a long
time it was an expensive luxury. Parkinson refers to it
as a rare vegetable, and at the beginning of the
seventeenth century cauliflowers seem to have cost about
eighteenpence apiece. Gerard refers to the ‘‘cole-
flourey” as the best of all the kales, as indeed it is. From
the seventeenth century onwards, it has steadily gained
in popularity and extension of cultivation.

The Broccoli is a close ally to the cauliflower. It
originated in Italy, as its name implies, and seems to have
been recognised. as a distinct garden variety in England
at about the end of the seventeenth century.

To boil Cabbage

In boiling any members of the cabbage family, great
care should be taken to serve them at the right moment,
as a very short lack or excess of time spent in boiling
water quite spoils them. They should first have the
solid outside leaves removed, and then be placed in cold
salt water for a time and carefully examined for snails,
caterpillars, and other creatures. They should next be
placed in a /arge quantity of boiling salted water containing

74 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

no soda, and boiled till just tender. The lid of the pan
must be kept off during the whole time of cooking, and
the scum which rises to the surface of the water should
be removed as it collects. Brussels sprouts take about
fifteen minutes, whilst broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflowers
take from fifteen to twenty-five minutes according to
size. Broccoli and cauliflowers should be placed in
the saucepan flower downward, and a deep cross be cut -
on the stumps. Cabbages should be cut into two or
four sections by vertical incisions. All forms of cabbage
may advantageously be steamed instead of boiled.
When boiled they require thorough draining in a
colander. Brussels sprouts, savoys, or red cabbage
may be shredded and boiled in a minimum of good
stock, with butter (an ounce to a pound), and a little
pepper, salt, and vinegar.

Cabbage and Cheese

Cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, or
indeed, almost any vegetable may be used in pleasant
combinanane with Cheddar, Parmesan, or other cheese.
The vegetables must first be boiled in the usual manner,
drained, and fried to a nice brown, though this latter
proceeding may be dispensed with. The vegetables
should then be placed ina pie-dish, with (to each pound
of vegetables) three ounces of butter, a large cupful of
stock or brown sauce, half a saltspoonful of pepper and
a saltspoonful of salt. Stir well together, grate cheese
liberally over the whole, and bake in the oven for about
twelve minutes.

Mrs W. G. Waters, in her very readable and very
suggestive ‘‘Cook’s Decameron,” gives a_ valuable
recipe for ;

Cavoli fiori fritti:

“ Break up a broccoli or cauliflower into little bunches,

blanch them, and put them on the fire, in a saucepan with

HISTORY AND COOKERY res

good gravy, for a few minutes, then marinate them with
lemon juice and salt, let them get cold, egg them over,
and fry in butter.”

Red cabbages may be used in many ways. In ‘Les
Dons de Comus” (1758) is a recipe for

Choux Rouges Comfits.

Prenez des choux rouges et les faites blanchir une
demi-heure. Empotez-les avec du vinaigre, une
douzaine de clous de girofle, cinq ou six gousses
d’ail et du sel.

Red cabbages, as everybody knows, may also be used
to make an excellent pickle.

Mrs Roundell’s recipe for

Colcannon

is about the best. Take equal quantities of cold cooked
cabbage and potatoes. Rub them through a sieve and
mix them well together. Add pepper and salt, a little
butter, and a well beaten egg. Butter a small pudding
basin, press the colcannon into it, and bake in a hot
oven for from thirty to forty minutes. Turn out into a
hot dish and serve. The mixture may be fried under a
plate or dish instead of being baked in the oven.

Lady Harriet St Clair (who married the German
Ambassador, Count Munster) gives in her ‘ Dainty
Dishes” a number of German recipes. Among others,
she describes the preparation of

Sauerkraut.

“¢Choose firm white cabbage heads, remove the loose
outer leaves, cyt out the stalk and the coarser fibres at the
back of the leaves. In Gérmany they have a particular
sort of knife, more in the nature of a plane, with which
they cut the cabbage in fine strips, but an ordinary
large Knife will answer the purpose as well, This

76 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

must now be done, and to about thirty firm middling-
sized heads you allow half a pound of salt. Mix the
salt lightly with the cabbage, covering the bottom of a
small oak barrel or cask with cabbage leaves, and pressing
the cut cabbage and salt jointly into the cask, either with
your hand, or, better still, a wooden pestle. When it is
quite full, place another layer of cabbage leaves on the
top, then a clean cloth, and after that the wooden cover,
with stones laid on it to make it heavier. Keep it in a
moderate temperature till it begins slightly to ferment,
and then put it in acold cellar. If it appears not to be
juicy enough, boil salt and water together and pour it
over the cabbage. It is usual to strew carraway seeds
among the cabbage, and in many parts of Germany
sour apples or unripe grapes, which are said to be a
great improvement. It is usually made in October, and
is ready to eat in February.”

To dress Sauerkraut, it must be lightly pressed, and, if
very sour, washed. It should then be placed in a well-
tinned saucepan with as much water as will cover it, an
onion and a piece of lard or goose fat, and boiled slowly
for from three to four hours. Mix a little flour and butter
together, stir it up with the cabbage, take out the onion,
pour a glass of wine over it, and let it stew slowly a
little while longer. Some people add sugar and apples
to it. The great art in cooking it is that it should not
be greasy, and be neither too dry nor too liquid.

SPINACH

Spinach seems to have been known, as a kitchen
vegetable in the fourteenth century, though it does not
appear to have been grown in English gardens before
the sixteenth. It soon won high favour and Gerard
said that ‘‘of all pot-herbs it maketh the greatest
diversitie of meats and salads.” Parkinson said that

HISTORY AND COOKERY 77

‘‘Many English, that have learned it of the Dutch
people, do stew it in a pot or pipkin without any
moisture than its own. It is used likewise to be made
into tarts and many other varieties of dishes, as gentle-
women and their cooks can better tell than myself.”

In Turner’s ‘‘ Herbal,” published in the sixteenth
century, spinach is referred to as ‘‘a herb lately found,
and not long in use,” but it seems to have been known
if not grown in England as early as the fourteenth
century.

Worlidge in his ‘‘Systema Agriculturae” makes no
mention of spinach, but Evelyn makes numerous refer-
ences to it; and Gerard said that ‘of all pot-herbs it
maketh the greatest diversities of meats and salads.”

In Miller’s ‘‘ Gardeners’ Dictionary,” it is said that
‘¢perhaps the Spaniards had this plant from the Saracens;
but by some it is considered to be indigenous to Spain,
as many of the old botanists— such, for example, as
Bock—call it O/us Hispanicum. Ruellius and others
name it Atriplex Hispaniensis. It does not seem to have
been known to the Greeks or Romans, and was pro-
bably introduced into Europe from Asia, as its name
implies.

Stewed Spinach

Spinach having been washed in cold water and dried
by swinging the leaves round in the air, may be stewed
in the following way.

Place it in a pan of boiling water, whence remove it
at the end of four minutes. Throw the spinach next
into cold water and well dry it in the colander. Chop it
up moderately finely, and place in a stewpan with salt,
pepper and butter (half an ounce to the pound). Place
over the fire and stir till the butter is melted. Add a
little stock (a teacupful to the pound), and allow to
simmer for ten minutes. Add a little lemon juice and

78 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

serve. Spinach cooked in this way may be spread on
toast and surmounted by poached eggs.

Spinach may be served whole by placing it, without
water, in a vessel surrounded by boiling water, for about
twenty minutes. Dry with a warm cloth and serve.

BEETROOT

Beet and spinach are allied plants, both belonging to
the order of Chenopodiaceez. Beet occurs wild as a
native of Britain, as well as of many parts of Europe,
Asia, and Africa. It was well known and cultivated by
the Greeks and Romans, by whom a small number of
garden varieties was recognised. Theophrastus, Aristotle
and Pliny all wrote concerning the plant, and described
its uses as food and medicine.

Alexander Necham, master of St Albans’ Grammar
School, and subsequently Abbot of Cirencester, pub-
lished in the twelfth century a little book ‘« De Naturis
Rerum,” in which he gives an account of the fruits,
herbs and flowers then grown in English gardens. He
refers to beetroot as being then in use, and the plant is
also included in'the list of vegetables enumerated in the
survey, made in the ninth century, of the gardens of
the monastery of St Gall.

Worlidge, speaking of beet, says: ‘‘ This ordinary
Plant is by several made use of; it loves a fat and rich
Soyl; it’s usually sown in the Spring, and will come
up several years in the same ground, and may be planted
forth as Cabbages are.”

The beet was first cultivated for the sake of its sugar
at about the middle of the eighteenth century.

To boil Beetroot

The skin of beetroot must on no account be broken
before cooking, or the colour and the sugar will escape.

HISTORY AND COOKERY 79

Place the roots in boiling water and boil for about an
hour if the roots are young, or for about two hours
otherwise. When the roots are cooked, place them in
cold water and skin them. They may then be served
hot with butter, pepper and salt, or with gravy, or they
may be allowed to cool, and then sliced and served in
vinegar.

Instead of being boiled, beetroot may be baked in the
oven, and in many ways this method is to be preferred.
The time required for baking is about the same as that
required for boiling.

CarRROTS

Although it was a valued and carefully cultivated
vegetable among the Greeks and Romans, and was
described as such by Theophrastus, Pliny and Dios-
corides, the carrot as an edible plant seems to have been
introduced into England by the Flemings only in the
sixteenth century. It very soon attained popularity, and
Shakespeare makes ‘Dame Quickly describe it as ‘‘a
good root.”

The garden carrot was originally derived from the
wild species, Daucus Carota, which is a native of England.
It belongs to the order of umbelliferous plants, and from
its concave umbels of fruits has earned the popular name
of Bird’s-nest. According to Parkinson, ladies in his
time were wont to use the graceful foliage of the carrot
as a decoration for their hats, in the same way as modern
ladies make use of feathers, or even—sad to say—of
wings of birds. Its use as a vegetable in England dates
from the sixteenth century, and Hanbury, in 1771,
wrote that the carrot ‘‘is now become, by good culture,
a principal plant in the kitchen garden, and is one of the
most useful, beneficial, and profitable esculents at our
table.” He refers to the then novel experiment, ‘the

80 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

culture of carrots for cattle in fields; a thing that until
of late years was never known, and which now amply
shows itself profitable and beneficial in such’ places
where land proper for the growth of carrots is found ;
and, where that happens, a good crop of carrots will be
worth nine or ten pounds per acre.” :

To boil Carrots
Carrots are best eaten when very young, and they
should then be cooked only just long enough to render
them tender. . This will take from half-an-hour to an hour.

‘ To bake Carrots

The Flemish method of cooking small young carrots
consists in first scraping them and boiling them till
tender. Dry them, and fry them in butter for ten
minutes. Add a sufficiency of stock just to immerse the
carrots and allow to simmer till the stock is reduced by
a half. Add a little pepper and salt, a little chopped
parsley and a littlecream. Place in a buttered pie-dish,
cover with buttered paper and bake for ten minutes or
a quarter of an hour.

To make

Carrot Soup,

take six medium sized carrots and two onions, slice
them and place them in a stewpan together with two
quarts of stock, a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of
a teaspoonful of pepper. Simmer for about two hours,
strain (or leave unstrained) and serve. The vegetarian
may use as stock the water in which haricot beans or
lentils have been cooked.

Almost any vegetables may be used in the making of
the excellent

Minestra,

or thick broths, so frequently served in Italy, yet so
much more adapted to our colder climate. To make

HISTORY AND COOKERY 81

a minestra, one may take three sliced young turnips, a
small sliced carrot, and a small sliced onion, a sliced stick
of celery, or two sliced tomatoes, and fry them gently
for five minutes in oil. Throw these fried vegetables,
with quarter of a pound of rice, into three pints of
good stock which is simmering, flavour with pepper
and salt, and boil for one and a half hours. Serve with
grated cheese (Parmesan or preferably dried Cheddar
or Cheshire). Instead of the turnips, sliced cabbage
may be employed, but this latter should not be fried, nor
should it be added to the stock until forty minutes before
the minestra is to be served.

PaRsNIPs

Parsnips have long been grown and valued, Pliny
mentioning them as among the regular contents of
Roman gardens. They seem to have been used at
different times for the most curious ends—the making
of bread and the making of a wine, said by an en-
thusiast to rival Malmsey and Canary.

Parsnips are included in the list of vegetables. culti-
vated by the monks of St Gall in the ninth century, but
there is no record of their cultivation in England until
many centuries later, although the parsnip is a native
plant. The ancients seem merely to have transplanted
the wild parsnip into their gardens, and to have made
no serious attempt by selection to find a variety free
from the extreme pungency which marks the flavour
of the wild plant. Worlidge speaks of the parsnip as
“‘an excellent sweet root, and very pleasing to some
people.”

Parsnips, like beetroot, must not be cut before being
cooked, or they will lose half their value. To boil
them, having first scrubbed them with cold water, place
them in a pan containing a minimum of boiling water.

F

82 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Boil for about eighty minutes, or until tender. Serve
whole, with a simple sauce in a separate dish.

Parsnips may be cooked in any of the ways suggested
for cooking salsify in “*‘ The Book of Asparagus.”

Turnips

The turnip, in common with several other vegetables,
seems to have been introduced into England by the
Flemings in the sixteenth century, though its name
(terrae napus) rather points to earlier Roman intro-
duction. In any case, the Romans highly esteemed the
vegetable both as food for man and as food for cattle.
Cato and Pliny make frequent references to the turnip,
and it is obvious that it was more valued than almost
any other vegetable grown in Rome. Long after their
introduction into this country, turnips were grown only
in gardens and market plots for human consumption, and
Gerard wrote: ‘‘ The small turnip groweth by a village
near London, called Hackney, in a sandy ground, and
are brought to the Cross in Cheapside by the women
of that village to be sold, and are the best I ever tasted.
The bulbus or knobbed root, which is properly called
rapum or turnip, and hath given the name to the plant,
is many times eaten raw, especially by the poor people
in Wales, but most commonly boiled.” Worlidge, how-
ever, said in 1668 that turnips were being frequently
grown on a large scale by farmers as food for their
cattle. In the years 1630 and 1693, owing to the
failure of the corn crops, turnips were largely mixed
with flour in the preparation of bread. Really, however,
the food value of the turnip when eaten by mankind is
not great.

As a moral symbol, the turnip has been considered to
possess significance, and Canon Ellacombe quotes from
Gwillim’s Heraldry: ‘‘This is a wholesome root, and

HISTORY AND COOKERY 83

yieldeth great relief to the poor, and prospereth best in
a hot sandy ground, and may signifie a person of good
disposition, whose vertuous demeanour flourisheth most
prosperously, even in that soil, where the searching heat
of envy most aboundeth. This differeth much in nature
from that whereof it is said, ‘ And that there should not
be among you any root that bringeth forth gall and
wormwood.’”

The turnip grows wild in England, but whether our
wild species be parent or degenerate descendant of the
garden variety is uncertain.

To boil Turnips

Like most other vegetables, turnips should be cooked -
at a much earlier age than usual. They then should be
boiled whole in slightly salted water, a process which
takes about twenty-five minutes, and served entire with
some simple butter sauce.

Older or less choice turnips, having been boiled till
tender, may be drained in a colander and then mashed
and beaten through the colander. They should then
be placed with a little butter (an ounce to a pound), milk
or cream, pepper and salt, in a stewpan, stirred over the
fire for three to five minutes, and served.

Kohl Rabi may be cooked in the same way.

Turnip Tops,
cooked after the manner of minced spinach, afford a
valuable winter dish. They take somewhat longer to
cook than spinach. Cold turnip tops may be fried with
potatoes in the same way as cold boiled cabbage.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

The Jerusalem Artichoke is a native of North America,
and was cultivated there by the Indians. Champlain,

84 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

writing in 1603, speaks of ‘roots which they cultivate,
tasting like artichokes,” and Gookin speaks of the
Indians as putting slices of Jerusalem Artichokes into
their soups.

The common title ‘‘ Jerusalem ” applied to this tuber
has no reference to the place of that name, but is a cor-
ruption of the Italian word ‘ girasola,” meaning a sun-
flower. The plant was introduced into England at the
beginning of the seventeenth century, but does not
seem to have been adequately appreciated. Worlidge
described it as ‘‘ near of the nature of the potatoes, but
not so good nor so wholesome ; but may probably be
propagated in great quantities and prove good food for
swine. They are either planted off the roots or oft
seeds.”

The ways in which artichokes may be used in the
kitchen are many, so many, indeed, that it is difficult to
select the most useful. To make

Artichoke Soup,

take two pounds of Jerusalem artichokes, and, having
peeled them, place them in cold water, as is done with
potatoes. Cut them into slices about a fifth of an inch
in thickness, and fry for a few minutes in butter with a
couple of small chopped onions or shallots. Then place
them in a saucepan with a pint of water, a teaspoonful
of salt, and a little black pepper. Boil for about an
hour till the vegetables are quite tender. Rub through
a hair sieve, and add half a pint of milk and a teacupful
of cream. Bring again to the boil, pour into a tureen,
and serve with grated cheese.

To Boil Artichokes

Peel them and place in cold salted water as above, then
place them in a saucepan of salted boiling water, and

HISTORY AND COOKERY 85

boil for twenty minutes. Drain them and serve with a
simple sauce.

Instead of being served as a plain vegetable, the
boiled artichokes may be mashed with a little butter,
well-beaten egg, pepper and salt, placed in a buttered
pie-dish, surmounted with a layer of grated cheese, and
baked. Or the artichokes, when nearly boiled, may be

cut into quarter inch slices, dipped in butter, and fried

toa pale brown colour, which will take from five to ten
minutes. Artichokes may be baked in butter (an ounce
to six tubers) in a hot oven, the time occupied being
from twenty-five to forty-five minutes. Keep well
basted and season with salt and pepper.

Onions AND LEEKS

In his ‘‘ Queen of the Air,” Ruskin attributes the
degradation of peasant life very largely to the use of
the rank-scented onion and garlic. This doctrine is, of
course, merely ridiculous, but it is in accordance with our
national traditions, for throughout English literature we
find frequent references to the grossness of the odours
of these herbs. One recalls Bottom’s directions to the
clowns: ‘‘ Most dear actors, eat no onions nor garlic,
for we are to utter sweet breath”; and Hotspur’s:
‘¢T had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmill.”
But it was in no carping spirit of criticism that the
Israelites muttered regretfully, ‘‘We remember the
garlic we did eat in Egypt,” and indeed, onions and
garlic were highly ranked both as delicacies and as heal-
alls many thousand years before the birth of Christ. So
sacred was the position of the onion in ancient Egypt
that Juvenal evidently had the idea that it was con-
sidered too sacred to be eaten.

‘¢ Porrum et caepe nefas violare, aut frangere morsu.”

86 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

“Onions as a relish to the wine” were among the
few dainties placed before Nestor by Hecamede, and a
jar of onions was one of the wedding presents received
by Iphicrates.

The common onion has been found wild in Beluchistan
and the countries adjoining, whilst the spring onion has
been discovered wild in Siberia, leeks in Algeria and
many other places, and chives commonly throughout
Europe and North America. The onion was introduced
into England at a very early period, though the shallot
and the spring onion were not grown in this country
before the sixteenth century. That, even in the time
of Chaucer, a taste for onions was scarcely reckoned a
mark of elegance is shown by his including it among
the possessions of the Sompnour :—

‘¢ Wel loved he garleek, oynouns, and ek leekes ”

The onion has had a lengthy career as an instrument
of divination, and Mr Folkard, in his ‘‘ Plant Lore and
Legends,” quotes an old verse illustrative of one of its
uses :—

‘*‘ In these same days young wanton gyrles that meet for marriage be
Doe search to know the names of them that shall their husbands be ;
Four onyons, five, or eight they take, and make in every one
Such names as they do fancie most, and best to think upon
Then nere the chimney them they set, and that same onyon then
‘That firste doth sproute doth surely bear the name of their good man.”

As with most other pungently odorous plants, onions,
leeks, and garlic have been—and still are—commonly
reputed as givers of health and curers of many ills.

«“ Eat Leeks in Lide, and Ramsins (i.e. Garlic) in May,
And all the year after physitians may play.”

says one old couplet, but Gerard took quite another

view : ‘ The onion being eaten, yea though it be boiled,

causeth headach, hurteth the eies and maketh a man
dimsighted, dulleth the senses, and provoketh over-
much sleep, especially being eaten rawe.”

HISTORY AND COOKERY 87

To bake Onions

Take any of the milder flavoured onions of good size
and, having removed the outer coats, boil them for
about forty-five minutes in water. Dry the onions with
a cloth, place them on a baking dish, surmount each with
a small piece of butter, cover with buttered paper, and
bake for an hour. Serve with Beurre fondu, or plain
butter. Season with salt and pepper.

To stew Onions,

peel them and place them in stock (two quarts to six
large onions) seasoned with salt and pepper. Allow
to simmer until they are quite tender. Reduce the
stock, pour it over the onions, and serve.

Onions and Cheese

Take some large Spanish onions, skin them and boil
them until they are quite soft. Drain them in a
colander, and then pass them through a sieve. Place
the mashed onions in a pan together with (to each onion)
an ounce of butter, an ounce of grated cheese, and a
little pepper and salt. Allow the mixture to simmer for
a few minutes, stirring the while, and then serve.

Instead of placing the pulped onions in a stewpan,
they may be placed with the butter, pepper and salt,
and a little stock or milk (two tablespoonfuls to each
onion) in a pie-dish, the cheese being grated over the
surface, and placed in the oven till baked a nice brown.

To stew Leeks,

cut them into pieces three inches in length and place
them in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Drain
off the water and add a minimum of good stock.
Boil till quite tender, and serve. If the leeks be
removed from the pan before they are quite cooked,

88 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

placed in a pie-dish, covered with a grating of cheese,
and baked in the oven, a very pleasant dish is obtained.

In Cornwall and many other parts of England a
popular dish is that known as

Leeky Broth.

Take a medium-sized cabbage and two medium-sized
leeks and cut them into shreds. Place them in a stew-
pan together with two quarts of stock or haricot water,
a dessertspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper.
Boil for two hours and serve unstrained. A few lentils
or haricots materially add to the nutritive value of this
broth.

POTATOES

In that granary of interesting information, Canon
Ellacombe’s ‘‘ Plant Lore of Shakspere,” two passages
are quoted from the plays as containing ‘almost the,
earliest notice of potatoes after their introduction into
England.” As, however, Gerard knew potatoes only as
rareties, it is probable that Shakspere’s references were
to the Sweet or Spanish Potatoes, which had for some
‘time previously been cultivated in Spain and Portugal,
and imported thence into England. ‘These latter are the
tubers of a member of Convolvulus family, whereas
the ordinary potato belongs to the Solanacez, to which
also belong such powerfully poisonous plants as the
Deadly Nightshade and the Henbane. In the frontis-
piece to his ‘‘Herbal,” published in 1597, Gerard
is figured with a potato in his hand. It occurs wild
in Chili, and its cultivation had spread to the neighbour-
ing parts of America long before the discovery of that
continent by Europeans. It was introduced into Europe
almost coincidentally by certain Spanish adventurers,
and by Sir Walter Raleigh, who took some roots to

HISTORY AND COOKERY 89

Ireland about the year 1584, giving some to his own
gardener at Youghal, and others to the grandfather
of S. R. Southwell, who reported to the Fellows of
the Royal Society that his grandfather was the first
to grow potatoes in Ireland. The vegetable did not
immediately win great favour, and we find that Evelyn’s
sole practical advice in the ‘‘Kalendarium Hortense”
on the planting of potatoes is given in one line of the
February directions: «‘ And plant potatoes in your
worst ground ;” the only other reference to the vegetable
being in the section for November, where he writes:
“Take up your potatoes for winter spending; there
will enough remain for stock, tho’ never so exactly
gathered.” In Worlidge’s ‘Systema Agriculture,”
of which the second edition—the one of which I
possess a copy—was published in 1675, he says of
potatoes: ‘‘ These are very usual in foreign parts,
and are planted in several places of this country to
a very good advantage; . . . they are commonly
eaten either buttered, or in milk. I do not hear that
it hath been as yet essayed, whether they may not be
propagated in great quantities for food for swine, or
other cattle.” Even as late as 1719 we find Bradly
writing of potatoes that “they are of less note than
horse-radish, radish scorzoners, beets and skirret; but
as they are not without their admirers, I will not pass
them by in silence.”

In the Literary Magazine for May 1757, appeared
a letter from a Staffordshire farmer, strongly urging
-the more extended culture of potatoes. ‘‘ At a time
when the nation is in such distress for want both of
corn and butcher’s meat, it may not be amiss to point
out a method by which people may be kept, and
kept well, without. any corn or meat at all... . I
plant every year four acres of potatoes, which answer
all the purposes of wheat. For with them we make

eX) THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

puddings and pies, and boil or roast them for bread;
and we like them better than your bread. . . . In
my family we keep them always boiled in the house,
and in the morning my people eat milk and potatoes.
At dinner they have generally bacon or hung beef
and potatoes, and for supper we mash our potatoes
and add milk and salt to make a pudding; and
sometimes for change we have potatoes fry’d in
the fat that is left in the pan after frying bacon or
beef; and we also make pies with potatoes and mutton
or other meat. . .. Many of my neighbours eat
nothing but potatoes the year round, and are very
healthy and strong. A bushel of potatoes generally
sells with us for about eightpence or ninepence, and
is sufficient to keep a man a fortnight who eats nothing
else.” Here is indeed enthusiasm.

From about the date of this letter onwards potatoes
grew steadily in popularity. Hanbury, in his ‘‘ Complete
Body of Planting and Gardening,” published in 1771,
wrote that ‘‘they are universally admired. High and
low, rich and poor, covet them at their tables. In Ireland
and some other countries they are become the staple
sustenance of the common people. With the former
they seem perfectly to agree, though all will not allow
them to be entirely wholesome ; and a dullness is said to
attend the constant eating of them. Most allow that
they are a cloy to genius; and the Irish, who are
undoubtedly hardy in the field, are said to be an
heavy sort of people, probably on account of their
immoderate use of potatoes.”

To boil Potatoes

Ability to boil potatoes as potatoes should be boiled
has been wisely proposed as the index of a good
cook. Poor sorts of potatoes, or poor specimens of good
varieties, cannot by any culinary ingenuity be converted

HISTORY AND COOKERY g!

into the delicious dish which boiled potatoes may afford.
In dealing with new potatoes freshly dug from the soil,
first wash and vigorously rub them in cold water, and
then place them in a pan of boiling salted water (a
teaspoonful to a quart), and boil for about a quarter
of an hour or twenty minutes. Then pour off the
water, again place the saucepan on the fire, having
removed the lid of the pan, and keep the potatoes
on the shake for about five minutes. They should
be served on a napkin placed in a hot vegetable
dish, and should be covered only with a warm ‘napkin,
or adequate evaporation will be impossible. -

Old potatoes also are best cooked in their skins, but
they should be placed in a pan of cold salted water and
boiled for about twenty minutes, testing their condition
with a fork. They should be dried and served in the
same way as new potatoes, though, if preferred, the
skins may be removed after cooking and before serving.
The ordinary method of peeling potatoes before cooking
them is destructive of all flavour and diminutive of food
value. Instead of being boiled, potatoes may be steamed,
the other steps in the preparation being similar. In
order that all the tubers may be cooked equally, those
only of approximately the same size should be cooked
together.

To fry Potatoes

which have been previously boiled, they should (if
old) be peeled, and then cut into slices about a
quarter of an inch in thickness. The slices are
then to be placed in the boiling oil (several inches
deep) of the sauté-pan over a good fire, and kept
moving till they assume-a rich golden brown colour.
They should then be drained on blotting paper or
a wire sieve, and slightly salted, a little pepper and
finely-minced parsley being also sprinkled over them

g2 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

if desired. The slices of potato may be dipped in
savoury egg and bread crumbs before being placed
in the sauté-pan.

Mashed Potatoes

is made by boiling a dozen potatoes as directed, and,
having thoroughly dried them and broken them each
into two parts, squeezing the contents from the skins
into a pan containing two ounces of butter, a quarter
of a pint of nearly boiling milk, and a little pepper and
salt, the whole being thoroughly mixed and smoothed
by being beaten with a fork.

To bake Potatoes

Of all the methods of cooking potatoes, none are
more delicious and none so full of romance as that
of baking. No one can have lived long and freely in
London without having discovered the infinite charm
of the fruit of the night potato stall, and there are
few country boys but know the joy yielded by the
potato baked in the ashes of the bonfire when the
more violent glow of the flames has departed. In
this way, or equally well in an ordinary Dutch oven,
may baked potatoes of the highest excellence be pre-
pared. Choose large potatoes, bake for about two
hours until the outer: jacket bursts. A little salt,
pepper and butter, or cheese (the latter making delicious
combinations with starchy foods of all kinds), should
be served with them.

Potato Fritters

The more complicated dishes of which potatoes form
the chief ingredients are almost infinite in number.
A pleasant way of frying potatoes is to boil a dozen
moderate-sized tubers, pound them when cold, with
half a small cupful of minced parsley, a little mace or

AMATEUR’3 SHED FOR STORING POTATOES

ORR’S STORING TRAYS

(showing method of stacking )

S STORING TRAYS

,

ORR

96 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

cinnamon, a little pepper, and a little salt, making the
mixture into small fritters and frying in butter or oil till
golden. A couple of well-beaten eggs and a teacupful of
cream may be mixed with the pounded potatoes, and the
flavouring spices and herbs may be varied to any extent.

Potatoes and Cheese

A good dish is made by taking four moderate-
sized potatoes, peeling them and cutting them into
slices a quarter of an inch in thickness, placing these
in a well-buttered baking dish, covering with a mix-
ture of two ounces of grated cheese, half-a-dozen
boiled and minced onions, an ounce of butter, and a
little salt, pepper and sage, and baking for nearly
two hours until thoroughly cooked and browned.

Purée of Potatoes

Cold boiled potatoes maybe pleasantly utilised by
mincing them with cold boiled spinach, cabbage or
turnip-tops, and frying the mixture with a little butter
until a nice brown. They may be used in the cold
state either as a salad, or by being passed through
a fine sieve and mixed with a little pepper, salt, minced
parsley, some cream (a_ breakfast-cupful to four
moderate-sized potatoes), béchamel sauce (a tea-cupful),
with gelatine (an ounce to four potatoes) dissolved

therein, the resulting mixture to be placed on ice,
and served as a set purée.

Peas

Even more delicious to most palates than asparagus

itself, green peas have long been almost universally
popular in England.

‘Dig garden, stroy mallow, now may ye at ease,
And set (as a daintie) thy runcival pease ”

HISTORY AND COOKERY 9;

were among the January “Points” of Tusser, and tha
there were peas and peas is shown by the record in th
privy purse expenses of Henry VIII.: ‘‘Paid toa mar
in reward for bringing pescodds to the King’s grace
iiijs. vilid.”

Worlidge, in his “Systema Agriculturae: Publishec
for the Common Good,” of which the second editior
appeared in 1675, enumerates “several sorts of Garder
Pease sown or planted in this kingdom, some approvec
of for their being early ripe, and some for their pleasan
taste; others from their being late ripe succeeding the
other.”

Garden peas have been discovered in old Swiss lake.
dwellings of the bronze age, and they were among th«
vegetables cultivated in ancient Greece, but thei
original habitat is uncertain. By some the garden pea i:
thought to be but a variety of Pisum arvense, the fielc
pea, which is found wild in Italy, but this seems to be
doubtful. Peas figured honourably in German mythology
and were consecrated to Thor, who was supposed, being
a god of some gastronomic taste, to have a weak
ness for this vegetable.

Shakspere’s ‘‘ Squash” referred to young pods before
the formation of Peas—or Peason, as the plural was
almost invariably written previous to the seventeentk
century: ‘‘ Not yet old enough to be a man, nor young
enough for a boy: as a Squash is before ’tis a Peascod,
or a Codling when ’tis almost an Apple.” Most of the
early English references to Pese and Peason are con-
cerned with the dried kinds, though even in Normar
times there are records of green peas being eaten ai
Barking Nunnery and elsewhere.

To boil Peas

There is no room for doubt as to the best methoc
of cooking peas, providing they be of a good variety.
G

98 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

freshly picked, and in good condition. Tender green
peas should be placed in a stewpan containing only just
sufficient salted (a teaspoonful to the pint) boiling water
to cover them. Add nothing else, neither soda, nor
mint, nor yolks of eggs. Boil quickly for about ten
minutes until the peas are tender, the lid of the pan
being kept off the while. Drain in a colander, and serve
in a hot vegetable dish. That is the one and only way
in which the better sorts of peas—especially the better
sorts of marrowfats—should be cooked. But there are
peas other than the best, and even the most fastidious
worshipper of the simple will allow some attempts at
improvement in dealing with such. For example, the
addition of a few leaves of mint or parsley and a little
butter (an ounce to the pint) to the water in the stewpan
may be tried, or even a small onion may be boiled with
the peas.

To cook Old Peas

Old peas are best cooked by being placed, together
with a little butter and flavourings as suggested
above, in a screw-stoppered jar, which is to’ be set
in a stewpan of water kept boiling for about three-
quarters of an hour. A lump of sugar is commonly
added ; and sometimes a lettuce, cut up into inch squares,
is boiled with the peas.

More complicated dishes may be accomplished by
adding to the peas cooked in any of the above ways the
yolks of eggs well beaten up with cream (two eggs and
four tablespoonfuls of cream to a pound of peas), care
being taken to avoid the boiling point.

Old peas boiled with a minimum of water, a little
butter, ham, herbs, pepper and salt, subsequently
improved by the addition of the egg and cream mixture,
afford a pleasant dish.

HISTORY AND COOKERY 99

Pea Croquettes

Peas, thoroughly cooked and well drained, may be
beaten to a pulp, mixed with a little butter, pepper,
salt, cooked ham finely minced, herbs and breadcrumbs,
made into little croquettes, dipped in egg and bread-
crumbs and fried in boiling oil. Or the cooked and
pulped peas may be rubbed through a sieve, mixed with
butter, cream, salt and pepper, and served as a purée.
Pease-pudding may be made either with green peas or
dried split ones. In either case boil them till tender,
drain them and pass them through a sieve. Add and
thoroughly mix a little cinnamon, pepper, salt and butter
(an ounce to the pint), together with a sliced onion and
some well-beaten eggs (three to the pint). Place the
mixture in a screw-stoppered jat, well-buttered, and
cook in a bain-marie.

To cook Pea-pods

The pods of peas are usually wasted in this
country, although they are lacking neither in nourish-
ment nor flavour. In the case of very young pods
they may be cooked entire in salted boiling water, as
directed in dealing with shelled peas; but in the case
of older pods they should be trimmed, sliced, and boiled
for a considerable time till thoroughly tender. Even
when the pods themselves are not cared for, the water in
which they have been boiled goes towards the making
of stock for vegetable soup.

Dried Split Peas,

and, what are very much to be preferred, dried

green peas, are among the most concentrated and

valuable of foods. A pennyworth of dried peas

contains in actual flesh-forming constituents the equi-

valent of at least a pound of beef-steak, a fact
ct

100 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

which authors who complain of their publishers’ terms
would do well to bear in mind. Dried peas require a
little more care in their cooking and preparation for the
table than it is usually their destiny to receive. They
should be well washed in several waters and then left
to soak in cold water for at least six hours. It is when
they appear as pea-soup that dried peas deserve best the
encomium of the thrifty gastronome.

To make Pea-soup,

take a pint of soaked peas and place them, together
with a sliced onion, a sliced carrot, two sliced turnips,
a little celery, some thyme, mint and sage or other
herbs, a dozen peppercorns, a teaspoonful of salt and
three pints of water, in a large saucepan. Boil until
the peas are tender, which will take about two hours.
Strain and pass the vegetables through a sieve, and add
the purée to the broth. It is a good plan to fry the
sliced vegetables in a little butter, previously to placing
them in the saucepan. Mrs Roundell advises that, just
before the pan is taken off the fire, a little cream or the
yolk of an egg beaten with milk be added to the soup,
and either of these certainly is a pleasant supplement.
Fresh green peas may be used to make soup in some-
what like manner, but, in their case, soaking is not to
be practised, nor is so long a period of boiling required.

BEans.

Few vegetables, as indeed few plants of any class,
surpass in decorative value the sturdy, self-support-
ing broad bean, with its fragrant, creamy flowers; or
its scarlet-blooming relative, the twining kidney bean.
Among the ancient Egyptians, however, so far from
being an object meet for admiration, the bean was
considered an unclean thing, evil even if but looked

HISTORY AND COOKERY 101

upon; and the fear of the scent of bean flowers has
lasted in rural England down to quite recent times.
On the other hand the Greeks and Romans held beans
in high honour, many believing that they contained the
souls of the departed. However, there were others
whose admiration took a more practical form, and Pliny
reports that beans were eaten boiled, mixed with flour
and baked, served with vinegar as a hors-d’euvre, and
boiled in the green pod. Pliny also tells us that Roman
farmers were accustomed to plough the green bean
plants into the soil with a view of rendering it richer
and more fertile, thus forecasting our recent discovery
of the power of leguminous plants to obtain nitrogen
from the air. ;

The broad bean was early introduced into England,
though its great value as food does not appear to have
been at first recognised, for we find Chaucer saying :—

‘* None other lif, sayd he, is worth a Bene.”

The economic value of the bean, however, gradually
won recognition, and Fuller quotes a common saying of
his time : ‘‘ Shake a Leicestershire yeoman by the collar,
and you shall hear the beans rattle in his belly”; and
adds that the ‘‘ yeomen smile at what is said to rattle in
their bellies, whilst they know good silver ringeth in
their pockets.”

The use of the bean in Twelfth Night elections is
well known, but it is interesting to find that the Greeks
and Romans used it extensively as an instrument of the
ballot. Its use at the mayoral elections in one of the
smaller towns of Leicestershire reduced the expenses of
contesting candidates to a minimum. The would-be
mayors having duly seated themselves so as to form a
semi-circular arc, each holding between his knees his
inverted hat full of beans, a pig was carefully driven into
their midst who by his first choice decided the election.

102 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

The Dutch Kidney Bean, or Haricot, although culti-
vated in France in the ninth century, was only introduced
into Engiand at about the beginning of the sixteenth
century, the scarlet runner being introduced a hundred
years later. Gerard described several kinds of ‘ kidney
beans of Brasile,” or ‘‘Faselles,” and said that their
‘fruit and pods boiled together before they be ripe,
and so eaten, are exceedingly delicate meat.”

To boil Broad Beans,

the water should be boiling vigorously when the
shelled beans (which should be much younger than
the usual age at which they are cooked) are intro-
duced. <A salt-spoonful of salt should be added
to a quart of water. The beans should be boiled
for about twenty to twenty-five minutes, until the
skins crack. They may then be drained from water
and served with butter, sauce Hollandaise, or Beurre
fondu; or the beans may be taken from the pan, and
their skins rubbed off by means of a warm cloth, the
centres being heated in a simple sauce, or minced with
herbs and butter.

Beans and Onions

An excellent bean dish is the following: Fry
in a little butter a moderate-sized onion, with a
sprig or two of sweet herbs. Place these, together
with a quart of young broad beans which have been
shelled, in a saucepan containing a quart of boiling
water. Season with pepper and salt, and, if desired,
add also a few tomatoes. Boil gently for about three
quarters of an hour, adding a little more water if
needed, and serve. Or a little ham and a tumbler of
wine with a couple of ounces of sugar may be added,
instead of the tomatoes, about twenty minutes before
serving.

HISTORY AND COOKERY 103

Beans and Bacon,

being one of those combinations whose rightness
depends, not on the vagaries of fashion, but on phy-
siological fact, retains its ancient place in the favour
of hungry men. Mrs Glasse gives to the pre-
paration of this dish the space which it deserves.
««When you dress beans and bacon,” said she, ‘ boil
the bacon by itself, and the beans by themselves, for
the bacon will spoil the colour of the beans. Always
throw some salt into the water, and some parsley, nicely
picked. When the beans are cooked enough (which
you will know by their being tender) throw them into a
cullender to drain. Take up the bacon and skin it;
throw some raspings of bread over the top, and if you
have an iron make it red hot and hold over it, to brown
the top of the bacon; if you have not one, set it before
the fire to brown. Lay the beans in the dish, and the
bacon in the middle on the top, and send them to table
with parsley and butter in a basin.”

Mrs Roundell’s directions are, as usual, wise and
concisely expressed. ‘‘ Choose a pig’s cheek which is not
dry and hard, otherwise it must be soaked for four hours,
and will not be nearly so good as if cooked when fresh. .
Put it in a saucepan with five quarts of water, and let it
simmer gently, allowing twenty minutes for each pound
of meat. Shell two pounds of Broad Beans. Half-an-
hour before the pig’s cheek is done take out two quarts
of the liquid in which it is boiling, and replace instantly
with two quarts of boiling water. Put the two quarts
of liquid in another pan, throw in the Broad Beans, and
boil them in the liquid for from twenty minutes to half-
an-hour. Serve the pig’s cheek in a large hot dish.
Moisten the Broad Beans with a spoonful of the liquid,
and put some of them round the pig’s cheek in the dish,

104 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

the rest in a vegetable dish. The remainder of the
liquid makes excellent second stock.”
Another old favourite dish is

Baked Beans and Pork.

Put a knuckle of pork and a little salt into an earthen-
ware jar which holds five quarts. Then fill it half full
with shelled Broad Beans, and add cold water up to the
brim. Put on the lid of the jar, which must have a hole
in it toallow the steam to escape. Set the jar in the
oven, and let it remain there twelve hours. The beans
and meat will be perfectly cooked by that time in rich
gravy. The gravy will form a jelly when cold.

Like Broad Beans,

French Beans

also should be used at a much younger stage than
is usually the case. They do not then require
stringing, which process, as Mrs Roundell points out,
lets out some of the flavour. Neither, unless they
are very old, should French Beans be sliced. They
should be boiled, in exactly the same way as directed
for shelled Broad Beans, until they are tender. Serve
with Beurre fondu, or Sauce Hollandaise. Unless they
are too old, French Beans should never be cooked
in any other way than the above; but old ones
may be cooked by slicing them and stewing them in
a minimum of well-seasoned stock until tender, finally
thickening the stock with egg and pouring it over them.

A number of excellent Italian recipes are given in
‘‘Leaves from our Tuscan Kitchen,” by Janet Ross.
This is a recipe for

Beans alla Crema.

Take a pint of French Beans which have been nearly
cooked by the process of boiling, and, having dried them,

HISTORY AND COOKERY 105

fry them in butter. Mix a teacupful of cream, an egg,
some grated cheese, and some allspice well together in a
saucepan, then add some lemon juice, a little white wine
vinegar, and boil. Pour this sauce over the beans, mix
well, and serve up hot.

DWARF BEAN—CANADIAN WONDER

Beans allo Zabajone

is prepared thus. Clean and remove the strings from
two quarts of French Beans, and put them into cold
water; then boil and strain, and lay them in a dish.
Put two yolks of eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar,
two of white wine vinegar, and two of water into a
saucepan on a slow fire. Mix and heat, but do not allow
it to boil. Pour the sauce over the beans and serve hot.

106 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES

Hraricot Beans,

or, indeed, any of the beans, in the mature and
dried state, freed from their pods, are among the most
valuable and nutritious of articles of food. They
should be washed and then soaked in cold water
for the whole of the night previous to cooking them.
For each pint of soaked beans place in a saucepan two
quarts of cold water and place the beans therein. Boil
for three hours. When the beans are about half done
add a dessertspoonful of salt. Strain in a colander,
reserving the water in which the beans have been boiled
to be used as stock. They may be served with Beurre
fondu, parsley and butter, or with bacon.

Mixed with sliced carrots, turnips and onions, celery or
tomatoes, haricot beans make a nutritious and pleasant
soup. Allow one pint of haricots to two quarts of water,
season with pepper and salt, and boil for two hours.

It may interest the impecunious to learn, that for one
penny spent on haricots they may obtain six times as
much nitrogen and twenty times as much carbon as for
the same amount spent on beef.