In the Garden One of the winter comforts for indoors
begins its routine in the garden.'
I refer to the sawing of cord-wood for the open fires.' No matter how satisfactory a modern heating instalment may be, the English winter demands an open fire where one can sit and toast one's toes. And where would the cat and the corgi be without it? I find that for general warmth the most efficient and clean system is the oil-filled, electrically-heated radiator. No stoking, no grimy seams up the sitting-room and bedroom walls. And in one's absence from home the power can be left on, just sufficient to keep the frost out of the house.
Thoreau, in his Walden, remarks that wood heats you twice—when yon saw it and when you burn it. One might remark that on the first occasion you get lumbago, and on the second chilblains. I am fortunate in being surrounded by fruit-orchards, so that cartage is no big problem. And old fnlit-tree wood, especially cherry and pear, burns with a fragrance.. For heat, a mixture of oak and ash is good, especially in large open fire- places. A few twigs of lavender cantings thrown on with fresh logs fulfil: the sweet ritual.
In spite of the bad weather, I have managed to get a setting of early' potatoes into a cold frame this week—May Queen. The boiling should be ready for the first peas in the spring. I think people waste much garden space in growing main crops of potatoes. Unless there is really ground to spare, it is better to use one's vegetable garden for specialities, and to buy potatoes from a farmer. Salad potatoes, however, for eating cold, must be included amongst one's favoured vegetables, and for this purpose I would recommend five varieties: Belle de Juillet (this is my favourite), both Blue and Yellow Eigenheimer, Kipfler (a Viennese potato with a full, nutty flavour) and Red Star. We ought all to persuade our seed-merchants to stock these more regularly. At present they are difficult, to obtain.
RICIIARD CHURCH
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