M 



JOCBNAL OP HOBTICULTUBB AND COTTAGK GABDENEB. 



c Jui7 as, iser. 



may be neeeesary. TUtu, then, a little will be gained when it 

 is understood that two strokes at the most from the dibber will 

 do for planting any Cabbage — better, in fact, than twenty ; 

 jast as in pointing small sticks for plants, two strokes of the 

 knife will leave as good a point as if that point were whittled 

 as oaiefully as would be required for a lady's bodkin. 



FBBIT DKPARTMENT. 



The rains have rather injured the Strawberries, and will 

 render their season shorter. Those turned out from forced 

 pots will afford some gatherings directly. These rains have so 

 washed the bushes that we have never seen Currants and Goose- 

 berries finer ; and what is another great benefit, they have 

 brought such numbers of snails and worms to the surface, that 

 oar blackbirds and thrushes have been moderate in their de- 

 mands on us. We will not expect such armies again until the 

 ground becomes hard, and soft food is scarce. We will proceed 

 as soon as possible in placing a lot of Strawberry-runners in 

 pots and beds. We are generally late in obtaining runners, 

 and we are jast preparing a little material in the shape of 

 short grass and litter, and with that we will make a temporary 

 bed with a little heat below it, and prick out the runners for 

 future potting. Many people imagine that we have everything 

 we want ; but that is n great mistake, and a very general one, 

 even as respects some of our largest and finest places. In 

 many of these the most severe economy and the veriest make- 

 shifts must be resorted to. These temporary beds of ours will 

 be formed with the bole of a tree for the back and another for 

 the front, sometimes with pots for back and front, with a rail 

 from pot to pot, and a wisp of litter stuffed in between the rail 

 and the soil, and then the bed will be covered with old sashes 

 or a piece of calico — the latter when cheaper being one of the 

 most useful materials in a garden ; for many purposes, such as 

 abeltering bedding plants, it is superior to glass. 



We are behind with our fruit trees as to summer pruning, 

 bnt as they are well loaded and showing plenty of fruit-bnda, 

 they will take less harm. The noise of the gun saved the buds 

 in the garden. As a singular fact, we may mention that there 

 are a few trees intended for a small orchard near the farm, and 

 for years the produce has been next to nothing, though they 

 tire well suppUed with buda every season ; but no sooner do 

 they begin to swell than armies of sparrows, &o., from the 

 farm clear out every bud, and the number of the trees would 

 not compensate for the trouble of watching them. 



Melons in frames aro not ripening so fast as they would have 

 done in more sunny weather. All in such places should be 

 elevated on tiles, slate.'!, or pots to keep the fruit from the damp 

 ground. Melons on trellises should have their fruit supported 

 when a little more than half grovra. Before that time we think 

 they are the better of having to support their own weight. As 

 a general rule. Melons on trellises are the best in flavour, though 

 fine fruit is obtained from frames. 



Turned out in frames and pita the last crop of Melons for 

 the season, using large plants. In most places here they are 

 very healthy, but in one small pit the leaves have turned 

 yellowish before the fruit was perfected, and we would give 

 something to know the cause. In a smaU piece of this pit, but 

 shut oS by a temporary division from the rest, some of these 

 strong yonng plants were turned out a week ago, after cleaning 

 the paint, renewing the soil, Sitt, The leaves in a day or two began 

 to be affected, becoming yellowish at the edges, and then the 

 yellowness spread gradually all over the larger leaves. The 

 plants from the same place turned out into frames showed no 

 such symptoms. Insects had nothing to do with it. We should 

 have blamed scorching, but the back of the wall of the pit was 

 coloured with soot and lime, so as to prevent any extra re- 

 flection of heat and light. The plants stood in a frame where 

 there were a few Cucumbers in pots a little touched with the 

 fly, and to clear them before planting, half a peck of bruised 

 Laurel leaves was put in front of them, but not opposite the 

 Melons. We know this is dangerous for Melons, and we would 

 have thought the poison in the Laurel leaves that killed the fly 

 might have injured the Melon plants, but for the fact that 

 those taken a day or two later to frames showed no such symp- 

 toms, nor do the few plants still left. With all our care as 

 to dulling the colour of the walls, in this little piece of a pit 

 there have been similar symptoms as respects Melons all the 

 season, whilst close to them are other plants green and in fine 

 health. We will have another trial, and watch closely. Mean- 

 while we should be glad if any cause could be assigned. The 

 plants received the usual treatment. We mention this, be- 

 cause something may have escaped our attention, and because 

 we believe that failures are often as instructive as successes. 



more especially when the causes can be traced, which we 

 cannot do in the present instance. The large leaves have been 

 removed from these transplanted plants, and we perceive that 

 the smaller leaves near the points are becoming similarly 

 affected. We may mention that the colouring of the wall was 

 done with lime becoming quite mild ; soot was mixed to 

 tone down the colour, and air was left on night and day after 

 the colouring. In some cases where we have mixed quicklime 

 and sulphur for whitewashing, we have found it desirable not 

 to set tender plants in the place for some days, unless plenty 

 of air was left on at night. We may also mention that in a 

 neighbouring pit where the leaves are all that could be desired, 

 the colour of the walls was toned down in a similar way. In 

 small places with the back wall exposed, we have long given 

 up having the walls of a bright white in summer, to avoid the 

 reflection of heat and light, which in such cases is so apt to 

 bum. After the end of autumn we are as often glad to have 

 the walls white to have all the light we can. 



OENAMESTAL DEPARTMENT. 



We have done more here than elsewhere in fresh regulat- 

 ing plant-houses, and conservatories, potting, and cleaning, and 

 putting the lawn and flower-beds in as fine a condition as 

 possible, and if only sunny weather should come, we should 

 have fine masses of bloom on a rich green carpet. — E. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July 34. 



As the London season declines, so do the prices of all forced produce, 

 and we have now a supply far in excess of our requirements, of BngliBh 

 Pine Apples in particular. Strawberries are nearly over, and Raspberries 

 hardly worth aendinf? to market. Continental supplies chiefly consist of 

 Plums, Peaches, Nectarines, and Melona. The Potato trade Is as before. 

 Regents are very sound and good. 



FETJIT, 



Apples ^ sieve 



Apricots doz 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currants ^ sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries . . quart 

 Grapes, Hothouse, .lb. 

 Lemons 100 



d. B. 

 0to4 

 4 



Melons each 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (dessert) ..doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Pluma A sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberrips lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



d. 8. d 

 0to5 

 8 



14 



10 

 S 



Walnuts buah. 10 



Green. 



per lOO 1 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus .... bundle 

 Beans, Kidney, A sieve 



ScarletRon.l sieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts i sieve 

 Cabbage dor- 

 Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



VEOETABLES. 



d. B. d 

 3 too 6 











X/oeks bunch 



Lettuce .... per score 

 Mushrooms .... pottle 

 Mnstd.& Cress, punnet 

 Onions.. per doz. bchs. 



Parsley per sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas per quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



New lb. 



Radishes doz. bunches 



lUiubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes. . . . per doz. 

 Turnips bunch 



d. 



3to0 











3 











9 



6 











s. d 



TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 



Dilliatone & "Woodthorpe, Monro Nnrsery, Sible Hedingham 

 and Braintree, Essex. — Catalogue of New and Choice Plants, 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*»* We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Journal of Horticulture, Cottage 

 Gardener, and Country Gentleman.'* By so doing they 

 are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and expense. All 

 communications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of the Journal of Horticulture, d'c.^ 171, FUet 

 Streety London, E.G. 



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

 week. 

 Kkw Oardkns (Jn^uircr).— There is no Committee of BCanagement. 



Dr. Hooker ia Director, and Mr. J. Smith, Curator. 



