Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-04-24

a sufficient indication of itB merit, and, as
m utter of fact, a scotsman must have some
fame as an introducer of new varieties to
I insure sale for them. But it is fair TO ask
where we should be if the public had persist
emily refused to encourage raigers and vendors
of new vegetables. We should certainly
have obtained very few indeed of the many
superb varieties we now possess, for com
/ mercal encouragements have aided their
production and distribution quite as much
as horticultural enthusiasm. The disap-
pointmenis are, all things considered, lew
compared with the success g. There is no ex-
cuse for the retention in any garden list Of
an inferior article whatever. The newest
varieties are of necessity the dearest but
amongst the established sorts there are plenty
Of good things, and it will be found as rule
| that the best of these have been introduced
within the last few years.
1t is a common mistake Of inexperienced
people to consider size as the most important
of all qualities, alike in flowers, fruit and
vegetables Within certain limits 1t IS un
dOubtedly of Importance, but the instant we
| favor size at the expense OF color or flavor IN
vegetables or fruit, we encourage retrogres-
sion, and involuntarily surrender some Of the
greatest advantages that have been secured
/ by painssaking cross breeding and discrlmi-
native selection. 1t Is quite common Oc-
currence for editors of horticultural papers
/ to be invited to admire gigantic rhubarb and
celery, colossal asparagus and caDbages, re-
markable only for their coarseness. That
4 they 0 casiOnally denounce tie overgrOwn
samples and express their pity for the cult
vatOrs who have wasted Their time in pro
ducing them, is not surprising, ami is the
more desirable because Of the prevalence OF
an injurious belief in things that for all
] ID al w n loss
| Great cauliaOwers are usually as rank in
flavor as they are ugly in appearance. Very
| large celery il usually hollow, strlngy and
/ Aavorless. food flavor, tenderness, and
I beauty of appe trance are three most impor-
/ tant qualities, and should be sought in pre-
I ference to size, although as remarked before,
when certain limitations are recognized
every advance in the size Of any particular
vegetable is advantage. In any and every
I case quality should be sought first, and rs a
rule, of two sorts equal in quality the largest
must have the preference. This subject Is to
I be considered in connection with cuIityating
as we'll as in purchase Of seeds The ambition
[ to grow large cucumbcrs causes many an anna
teur to cut for his table for his friends coarse
fruits Of great size that are simply tough,
bitter and unwhOles0mc, instead OF smaller
fruits Of tender texture and delicious flavor
and perfect whOlosOmcucss. Nearly all the
vegetable marrOws IN cultivation are too
large. The largest beet roots are much more
suitable for the big trough than the salad
bowl. We have frequently advised the cuI-
tivation Of the smallest 10 preference To the
largest sorts Of cabbage, because of their
superior elegance and deicacy Of flavor.
The largest onions are tie worst keep
ers.
1t is not an easy matter t. ascertain from
a catalogue the relative pJDAlarl-v %. the