December 22, 1S63. ] JOIJEKAL OF HOETICULTTJKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



497 



above, no spade is ever seen near the Strawbemes nntil 

 they are dug- down to make way for oilier succession crops. 

 This is generally after the third season, and sometimes 

 after the second season, especially after forced plants have 

 been used instead of young plants. lu general the ground 

 will ho managed more profitably if the crop does not stand 

 after the thii'd season. In many amateurs' gardens, how- 

 ever, there is a favourite corner devoted to Strawberries, 

 and the owners do not wish to change it too soon, or they 

 have a ten-or of the trouble of making a new plantation, 

 and what they ai'e pleased to consider the uncertainties, 

 instead of what we would deem the certainties of success ; 

 so that instead of doing anything in the way of a new planta- 

 tion, they would be glad to do anything and everything to 

 obtain a fair crop from their old plants, or, at least, from 

 plants on the same ground. There ai-e various modes by which 

 such an object may be gained. We wUl instance two modes : 

 Eu-st, where the same ground is to be used, but fi-esh plants. 

 The plants at first were put in rows 2 feet apart fi-om row to 

 row. These bore from two to three years. The sjjace 

 between the rows was then stu-red up and weU covered with 

 short dung, leaf mould, and a little lime dust. The runners 

 were encoiu'aged to root into this, were thinned out where 

 too thick, and when well taken the old rows were trenched 

 down and manure added. The process ultimately was re- 

 peated whenever the crops were taken. The proceeds were 

 all that could be wished, and we were informed that in one 

 place the same ground had produced Strawberries for nearly 

 twenty years. The second mode is keeping to the old plants, 

 and this we have often practised. In clearing away the 

 runners as soon as possible, a number of the smaller stems 

 with the weakest buds were also removed, so that light and 

 air should teU as powerfully on the old shoots as on younger 

 plants. The ground was then slightly surface-stirred, and 

 surface-dressed with manure. We recollect one instance of 

 a fine crop, and the old gardener told us it was the fifteenth 

 he had obtained from the same jilants, and the above was 

 chiefly his plan of working. We forget now the peculiar 

 reason why these plants should be kept as long as they 

 would bear. With manure-dressings, soot-dressings, manure- 

 waterings, &c., which these plants received, along with the 

 thinning- of the buds on the old crowns, we see nothing to 

 prevent StrawbeiTy plants lasting- scores of years; but 

 unless for particular pui-poses, desii-es, and for convenience, 

 we should see no benefit in such a system, as a pai-t of 

 the garden at least would be deprived of all the advantages 

 of a rotation of crops. 8, We see there is one more complaint 

 we have not alluded to. " Qiu- ground is light. Strawberry 

 plants grow well, and bloom well, but we scarcely get any 

 ii-uit." Make yo-ar ground firm this spring by treading, 

 even if you should add some more earth between the rows. 

 Mulch weU ivith rotten dung to give nourishment and keep 

 in moistui-e, and when the plants are coming into bloom if 

 you do not have a heavy drenching from the atmosphere, 

 give the rows a good soaking of soft water, and if not too 

 strong, if the water comes fr-om the drainage of a dung-hill, 

 house sewage, &c., so much the better. If before the natural 

 waterings from heavy rain, or the artificial waterings you 

 give, you strew the ground with soot and Hme, the plants 

 will be stUl more benefited, and worms and slugs will not 

 be so apt to disfigm-e or make holes in the fruit. Follow 

 the above jilan, and we shaU be surprised if instead of having 

 no Strawberries for yourself, you wiU not be able to have 

 the pleasm-e of sending baskets and punnets to those who 

 have no chance of grovring this valuable fruit. 



OBNAMENTAI. DEPARTMENT. 



Much the same, as respects routine, as last week ; but 

 chiefly engaged on fine days in looking after all small 

 bedding plants, gi-ving abundance of air, and removing all 

 traces of damp. In some cold pits and frames put some 

 di-y chaii-ed rubbish at the bottom for the pots to stand 

 upon, and moved some of the more tender into places, 

 where, if necessary, a little dry heat could be given. Gave 

 a little fire heat to the conservatory and other places several 

 times dm-ing the day, that by giving more air there might 

 be a greater drying cu-culation. Gave no water to plants in 

 cold frames or pits, except when absolutely necessary, as if 

 frost should come the di-ier the herbage, and the soil too if 

 just moist enough, the less will they be likely to suffer. The 



earth pits and frames now being emptied of the decomposed 

 manure, will be filled with fermenting material for forward- 

 ing many things. — E. P. 



COVENT GABDEJSr MAHKET.— Dec. 19. 



We have to report a plentiful supp^ of all kinds uf produce in season, aucJ 

 a full attendance uf buTers. Good dessert Pears are rmher bcarce from pr&- 

 pariitions being made ior Christnias. Of Potatoes the supply continues to 

 be heavy. The various avenues to the market are now beginning to be 

 blocked up by primitive-looking wap^nns bearing loads of Hully, Laurels, 

 and other evergreens, which meet v.'itli a ready sale. Chiistmas trees^ 

 whit.il have now become " an institution," are everywhere seen. Cut 

 llowers are now more plentiful, and mainly consist of Camellias, especially 

 the white, Roses, Violets, Chrysimthemumf, Acacias, Chrisimas Roce-«, and 

 numerous pots of the beautiful Poinsettia pulcheiTima are also met vritli. 



FRUIT. 



Apples J sieve 1 6l 



Apricots doz. 



I'ins doz. 6 



Filberts & Nuts 100 lbs. 60 



Grapes, Hotbouse. ...lb. 5 



Foreign 1 



Muscats 6 



Lemons 10v5 6 



Melons e&cii 3 



p. d. 3. d 



Mulben-ies quart o to 9 



Ncctui-incs 9 



Oningca lOO 4 10 



Peaches 6 



Pears bush. 8 12 



dessert Asieve 2 6 6 



Pine Apples .7.. ..lb. 3 6 « 



Pomegianates each 3 



Walnuts bush. 14 6 30 



Asparagus bundle 



Beans, liroad bush. 



Kidney 100 



Beet, Red doz. 



Brncci'li bundle 



Brussels Sprouts^ sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauhllower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive score 



Fennel bunch 



Gillie and Shallots, lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ... bundle 



s. d 

 6 

 

 3 e 

 





 

 9 

 3 



1 

 

 1 

 



1 



B 

 2 S 



1 



9 



1 3 

 3 

 8 



3 



1 6 



VEGEXAELES. 

 . 8. d 

 to 10 

 



s 

 1 



2 



Leclis bunch 



Lettuce acore 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustd, & Cress, punnet 



Onions Ijushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley bunch 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas bush. 



! Potatoes sack 



I Kadishes doz. bunches 

 I PJlubarb bundle 



8- d. s. d 

 3 to » 

 



Savoys per doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Spinach sieve 



Tomatoes i> sieve 



Turnips bunch 



2 



1 6. 







4 



fr 



TKADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



Dmmmond & Sons, Stirling, and 58, Dawson Street, 

 Dublin. — Catalogue of Forest, Ornamenial, and Frtiit Trees^ 

 Soses, Shrubs, Coniferoe, S(c. 



Edward, George, Clarence Nurseries, and 1, King Street, 

 Castlegate, York. — Catalogue of Fruit Trees, Roses, Pelar- 

 goniums, Carnations, S^'c. 



Sutton & Sons, Reading. — Spring Catalogue, and Amateur^ 

 Chdde for 1S64, containing lists of Vegetable, Flower and 

 Agricultural Seeds, Grasses, and Plants, with cultural in- 

 structions. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*^* We request that no one -wiU -write privately to the de- 

 partmental -writers of the " Jom-nal of Horticulture, 

 Cottage Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By sa 

 doing they ai-e subjected to unjustifiable trouble and 

 erpense. All communications should therefore be ad- 

 dressed solely to The Editors of the Journal of Hoi-ticul- 

 iure, S^e., 162, Fleet Street, London, B.C. 

 N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 

 Pe.ntstemons {B. E.).—Puriile : Violet, Goliath, Mon Caprice, Orientale, 

 Mrs. Lees, Kellermauii, John Fopgo, Monsieur de Porpart, Jaifrayanum, 

 Azurea Verticil'.ata, Clio, and Blue Beauty. The above vary in colour, from 

 light blue to lilac and crimson purple. Scarlet : Vivid, Nobile, Rose of 

 EiiRland, Kubrum Magniflcuni, Meteora, Illuminator, Mrs. Steains, Robert 

 Higher, Amabilis, Cocciiieum Magnificum, Brilliant, and Comte dc Lam- 

 bertye. We are not acquainted with any white, beyond .iilba. Mrs. Hope, 

 a ligljt peach, -with a while throat, pencilled -with light crimson, is a good 

 light-coloured flower. Many of the above have the throat white. The 

 Arbutus is chitfly raised from seed ; it may, however, be increased by 

 layer?. Evergreen Oaks are increased by sowing the acorns in March or 

 April, and by grafting. Evergreen shrubs are propagated by cnttings made 

 hke any other description of cuttmg, and generally inserted early in autumn. 

 Pears for an East and North-east -Wall {J. W. L. S.).— These -will 

 do well at Teddington— Gloa Jlorceau, Knight's Monarch, -Winter Nells, 

 Josephine de Malines, Henriette Boavier, Z.'phirin Gregoire, Jean de Witte, 

 Bezi Vaet, Bergamotto Esperen, Nc plus Jleuris, Huyshe's Prince of -\Vales 

 (or Huyshe's Bergamot), llujshe's Victoria. 



