Dectmher 29, 1863. ] 



JOTJENAi OF HOETICULTTJEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



517 



sm-faoe it will be from 55° to G0°, and in a week or so we 

 will start with a little fire heat. 



Figs in the house we are keeping cool and rather dry, 

 and will not prune until growth commences. Every avail- 

 able inch beneatli them is covered with bedding plants. 

 We will move some Fig trees in pots, and most likely a few 

 Peach trees in pots into the first vinery ; and if there should 

 be any vacancy from planting young Vines, the place can 

 be filled vip with Vines in pots. A number of these that have 

 been plunged for some time in a mEd heat in an earth pit 

 have been plunged again after the bed was turned, a bank 

 of horse-droppmgs placed inside in Iront of the pit, and 

 glass sashes laid across, and but little ah- given. Tlie insects 

 mnst have a wonderful constitution if they escape the steams 

 from the horse-droppings. As these Vines come forwai'd 

 a bit we will remove them to where they can have a dry 

 heat. Kept moistening the Vines in pit, which seem to be 

 beginning to move, the j^lace beneath being supplied with 

 Dwarf Kidney Beans in bloom and swelling. Another pit 

 which is G feet in width, with a smaller pit in front for 

 Cucumbers, Melons, &c., stands well for the sun ; and there 

 is a shelf at the back on which Black Prince Strawberries 

 are jjlaced. Between the back wall and the narrow pit in 

 fi-ont is a narrow pathway. We wanted to have three or 

 foul' rows of S tro.wberries in front of those on the shelf over 

 the pathway and the bed. And now, to manage it in the 

 easiest way. Some old larch poles were found. These were 

 cut so as to go across from wall to wall on the same slope 

 as the glass, and about 16 inches from it, the end of tlie 

 poles being sloped likewise, so that as they pressed against 

 the wall the more weight placed on them the fn'mer they 

 would be. These poles formed the rafters for temporai'y 

 shelves laid longitudinally across them, and a small wedge 

 of wood placed ou the pole in ii-ont of the shelf would keep 

 it level. These poles, the shelves being removed, may be 

 taken away in a few minutes to form the groundwork for 

 a stage in any other pit of a similar size ; and tlius Stra,w- 

 berries and anything else rnaj' be brought as near the glass 

 as it is desirable. In the present case, as we will only use 

 three or four shelves at present, the pit will continue to 

 be filled with other things. We do not think of any more 

 simple plan at present; and we allude to it more promi- 

 nently, as an inquu-y has been made whether such a pit 

 might not be filled with leaves to the requisite height and 

 slope, and the Strawberry-pots set or plunged in the leaves. 

 We say Ko, for tv.'o reasons. Fh'st, by our plan, the pit 

 being heated, there will be a greater circulation and a 

 gi'eater body of au' about the plants ; and secondly, because 

 when Strawberry-pots are kept plunged at this season tliey 

 grow too much to foliage. Even in such a professed bed 

 ' of leaves we would prefer the pots to stand on boards. 

 Those we have set on shelves (temporary ones), have been 

 brought from a frame in which they have stood a few weeks, 

 as noticed last v^eek; and there is nothing betv/een the 

 bottom of the pots and the board but a little moss. It is 

 not likely they will fruit there ; but if they did, the pots 

 would be thinned, and a little leaf mould placed over the 

 moss, or most likely a thin piece of turf with the earthy 

 side upwards, would be used instead of either. 



Preceded with pruning, nailing, &c., as opportunity offered. 

 Put in cuttings of Cucumbers, and sowed a few seeds ; as 

 several times stated, the leaves of those bearing now cannot 

 have too much light. The temperature at night should be 

 moderate, not to excite them too much — say about 60^ ; and 

 it is important where length of fruitfulness is desirable that 

 the plants should be allowed to ii-uit sparingly; one fruit 

 now will be more exhausting than foiu' after the middle of 

 March. V/here Melons are wanted early, seeds should now 

 be sown. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPASTMENT. 



See last and previous weeks, and Mr. Keane's specific 

 directions as to stove, forcing-pit, &c. Where you have 

 plenty of room lai-ge lumps of Lily of the Valley may be 

 placed on the floor of a forcing-house ; but if you want very 

 fine pots yon must disentangle the roots, and use only 

 plants having nice, firm, plumij buds, and cram these closely 

 together. These will do in any forcing-house; but they 

 will do better if you can give them a little bottom heat for 

 a few weeks, whilst the buds are kept rather cool. With 

 bedding plants, where there is no fire heat, the groat enemy 



will be damp, and the Verbenas and the finer Geraniums 

 wUl be the first to show it. Calceolarias will stand a good 

 portion, and seem to like it ; nevertheless, after the frost of 

 Tuesday, we had all the lights off on Wednesday, in order 

 that plants and surface soil might be weU dried, as, in such 

 changeable weather, it behoves us to be prepared for a con- 

 tinued fi-ost, whether it come or not. All plants in windows 

 sliould be watered sparingly ; and our friends will be pleased 

 to recollect that every bulb they use for window or room 

 decoration will bloom better by having made abundance of 

 roots before the leaves or the flower-stems appear. No 

 jjlace is better for stai-ting Hyacinths, &c., for glasses or 

 pots than a dark cool closet. The more the vessels are 

 filled with roots before the stem appears the better will the 

 bloom be. — R. P. 



COVENT GARDEN MAEKET.— Dec. 26. 



Tlie tieat murket of tlie week was on ChrUtnias eve. when a brisk trade 

 wiS (loiic, but ihe sujjply beuiK- tq'iul to ihe retjuiremtnts ot the season, 

 pdce.x were not alfecteii. Tu-dHy, tliounh there i.s plenty o( everything, 

 but Utile is (lone in the way or bu-iint-ss. Ii..thouae Grapes are rather 

 more scarce, and in Apples and Peiira nu fresh varieties have niude their 

 apijeariJiicu ; indeed, owin:.,' to the ea-riy riiieiiinK of the iate liindH, t-uch as 

 BeuitO Kancr, Ne I'lu^ Meuils, und Easter beuriL-, these are now fit for 

 use, tind alter they f<iil Pears may bo considered as over. Cut tlowers are 

 plentiful dm meet with a rendy ssile. f eUu-RonuiniH, Orchids, Acacias, 

 Camellias, Chint'se Primulas, E.iriy Tulips, Hoses, Violet', and Miyuouette, 

 are the principal, 



FRUIT. 



s. 



Apples ^ sieve 1 



Apricots do/.. 



Kins doa. 



I'llberts ^fc NutslOOlb.s. 60 

 Grapes, Huttiouse. ...lb. 5 



Foreign 1 



Muscats (i 



Lcni'ms 10& G 



Melons each 3 



d. s. 

 6 10 4 

 U 



F. l\. 3. d 









 4 



OtoO 

 





 10 



Mulberries quart 



Nectaimes 



Oranyes 100 



Peiches 



Peais bush. 



dessert A sieve '2 Q fi 



Pine Apples ."....lb. 3 « ti G 



Pomegranates e;ich 3 (J 



Walnuts bubh. 14 ti 20 U 





 12 



VEGETABLES- 



Asparapus bundle 



Beans, liruaU bush. 



Kidney tuu 



Beet, Red doz. 



broccoli bundle 



bnis-els bpruuts^ sievy 



Cabbafie do?;. 



Capsicums lOO 



Carrots buneli 



Cauhllower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumheib each 



Kndive score 



Fennel hunch 



Garlic and Shallor!., lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ... bundle 



d. 



to 

 

 G 

 



U H 8 



2 6 4 B 



1 fi 2 



*J 2 



1 o 2 6 

 3 



Leeks hunch 



Lettuce seme 



Mu^liroums pottle 



Mustd. & Crtas, punnet 



Onions I'Ushel 



pickling quart 



Parslev bunch 



Par-snipB do/. 



Peas bush. 



Potames sack 



Kadishes doz. bunches 



Khubinb bundle 



Savoys... per doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Spinach sieve 



Xomatoei* 2 sieve 



Turnipd bunch 



8, d. s. d 

 3 to » 



1 



1 

 2 



2 

 6 

 3 

 

 



2 

 1 G 

 

 4 

 

 

 

 





 3 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*^* "We recpest that no one will Aviite privately to the de- 

 partmental -wi-iters of the ** Journal of Horticulture^ 

 Cottage Gardener, and Country Gentleman." By so 

 doing they are subjected to unjustiiiable trouble and 

 expense. All communications should therefore be ad- 

 dressed so?eJT/ to The l^ditors of the Journal of Horticul' 

 tui-e, (S;c., 102, Fleet Street, London, E.C. 

 2^.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 Aveek. 

 Prickly Peak Sei:d {Lex).— Tin some pots three parts full of crocks or 

 broken pots, and over them place an inch of sandy ioaiu, one-lntlf of which 

 should be piocco of put the ^^ize of pigeon beans ^^Y peas, bow the seeds and 

 CMver lightly, not more than the diameter of Ihe .-ecds, \\'ithsand. Place 

 in a gentle heat, and be careUil not to w.iter oftener than in nece-sary to 

 keep the t^oil moderaiely moist. When the seedlings are fairly up remove 

 Ihein to the greenhouse, and keep them near the glass with the full sun 

 over them. They wiil lequire mnderate waieiinys during summer, i'lways 

 taking c^re to keep the soil drv rather ihanwct; hut moderate moisture 

 .suits theiu best. In winter they need no water beyond a little occa.sionally 

 in bright weather to keep them Irom shrivelling. When the seedlings are 

 Murtlcienlly Urce to handle pot sinply into small pots, using a comijostoi" 

 siindy loam half, and hrok:^n pnts and pieces of charcoal the size of a hazel 

 nut the other h. 'It- The drainage should occupy one-third of the depth of 

 the pot, iiiid if the pot is double the diameter of the plant it is a proper 

 size. AUer ihe plants become established, standing them out ot doors in a 

 sunny situation from June to September is better than kpej)ing them con- 

 tinually under glass. A temperature ranging from 45'' to 50'* suits them in 

 winter. I'hey are very easily cultiYated. all the care needed is to prevent 

 the soil b Cuming sodden about tliem, which causes the loot?* to decay, and 

 rots the s:ein. W'e should like to know if any one has succeeded 111 obtain- 

 ing from this plant (Opuntia vulgaris) fruit in this country -worth auylhing 

 and under what treatment. Ours weie always insipid. 



