36i 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



[ October 3, 1867. 



very ajit to have the point burned or shrivelled, and the one 

 half to be ripened before the other was more than half- ripened. 

 When the fruit is more shaded, and it hangs away from the 

 ■wall, we believe it ripens quite as early, and more regularly 

 from point to point. The same plan was followed many years 

 ago by the late William Hale, Esq., of King's Walden. He 

 had some fine Fig trees against the walls of his stables, and he 

 allowed no one to touch them but himself, and all thej' re- 

 ceived was a little thinning now and then, and we never saw 

 trees looking more as if left to themselves, and we never saw 

 better fruit. It is just possible to injure many things by our 

 extra attention and mistaken kindness. 



OENAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Never have lawns required more labour to keep them in 

 good order than this season ; but never have they better repaid 

 the labour by their green carpet-like appearance. We find a 

 few Elm leaves are falUng, reminding us that the autumn is 

 closing. All the beds, however, look too well to permit of the 

 idea as yet of disturbing them in the least. A little picking 

 makes all look bright and gay, greatly enhanced by the fine 

 green of the lawn, when there is plenty of space between the 

 beds. The dry weather, however, has forced us to water such 

 plants as Salvias, just now in all their glory ; and if we do not 

 have a shower by Monday, we must also give a little water to 

 the Calceolarias, that have never flinched during the season, 

 but are in a sunny day showing a little distress. Dahlias will 

 also need a good watering. 



Now is a good time to visit nurseries and gardens, and note 

 all the Dahlias, annuals. Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, Verbenas, 

 Lobelias, &c., that stand the best, for a few such visits will be 

 more useful than reading many pages of letterpress, whether 

 from ourselves or others. Even after having noted certain 

 kinds, unless you can obtain the plants true, or the cuttings or 

 the seed true, you may have a disappointment after all. For 

 instance, we wanted for a particular object a packet of the blue 

 branching Larkspur, once used freely at the Crystal Palace and 

 elsewhere, and though requesting the seedsman to be parti- 

 Ctdar, we have not had a blue Larkspur in the lot. Most, if 

 not all, aie nicely double, and of a purple and greyish colour, 

 andthty have answered the purpose tolerably well, as we wanted 

 them to be htaud points amid a surroimding mass, or rather 

 masses of orange Calceolarias. Nothing could well be more at- 

 tractive from July to the present time, for owing to the dripping 

 weather these have been masses of rich bloom, and scarcely a 

 seed-pod forming ; but though fine, they are not the colour we 

 wanted for a particular reason to have. As another instance, 

 we wished to quarter a large bed with Salvia fulgens. Coreopsis 

 tinctoria, yellow, mixed with C. Drummondii, Perilla, and 

 strong Scarlet Pelargoniums, but the Coreopsis has turned out 

 a dark brown sort of the atrosanguinea section, without a trace 

 of yellow ; and but for the flowers of C. Drummondii, which we 

 knew would not be high enough for the other plants, the bed, 

 though looking well when close to it, has a dingier appearance 

 than is desirable at a distance. Nothing could have excelled 

 the masses of bloom, but then the colour was not what was 

 vranted. Now, the Coreopsis in general, though given much to 

 sport, yet as a whole comes pretty well as true as Cabbages 

 from seed, and though, no doubt, the seedsman did his best, 

 still the result was a disappointment. 



We have not said much of annuals lately, as when we used 

 to recommend them highly, people said we were annual-cracked ; 

 but we feel sure our humbler readers, by careful sowing and 

 tending, might make a grand display with annuals for the out- 

 lay of a few pence or shillings, much less than they must pay 

 for a new Pelargonium, which can only be kept by careful 

 nursing over the winter, whilst the annual seeds when gathered 

 can look after themselves in a drawer or Uttle box in a dry 

 place. All the Coreopsises are lasting for the season, if the first 

 seeds are nipped off, and will give less trouble than nipping off 

 the decayed blooms of Scarlet Pelargoniums. This season 

 some Scarlet Pelargonium-beds when first planted out had 

 some white Clarkias planted among them, which were beautiful 

 before the Pelargoniums crammed the beds, and even now a 

 few sprigs scattered among them give a pleasing relief to the 

 eye. We beUeve that if the grouping bedding system is to con- 

 tinue, we must do more to give variety, not only in colouring, 

 but also in level ; huge beds of one gorgeous colour become 

 very fatiguing to the eye, and greatly need relief to be pleasing. 

 We saw a flower garden belonging to a shoemaker the other 

 day ; there was a fine bed of Scarlet Pelargoniums, and yellow 

 and brown Calceolarias, in broad bands, but even that for 

 want of a lighter colour was fatiguing to the eye, and had not 



to us the charm of a rough border, where white, and crimson, 

 and variegated Petunias were blended with Scarlet Pelargo- 

 niums, &c. He called it a rough affair, and it was not so trim 

 as the other fine bed, but it was really more pleasing. 



We shall not expect much frost until clear nights come with 

 the full moon ; but it is well to be prepared by placing the 

 tenderest plants in pots under cover, and having the rest so as 

 to receive protection as wanted, as a slight frost often does 

 great damage to plants in pots. Nearly finished with cutting- 

 making, and gave all the air and light possible to those struck 

 and striking. Potted Cinerarias, Chinese Primulas, and placed 

 them safely under glass for early blooming. 



riahhiti. — Will any correspondent give a list of what rabbits 

 are fondest of when they do find their way into the flower gar- 

 den ? We hope to get them out, and keep them out ; but we 

 fear we shall need higher fences. We grew few Verbenas this 

 season, the four-footed vermin did punish them so last season. 

 This season they have done worse by Lobelias, and in some 

 places near shrubs we have not had a blue wreath during the 

 season ; but even there the rabbits have done some good, though 

 not intending it — they have cropped the plants so down that 

 they will be excellent for potting. Now, as respects even Lo- 

 belias, we find those in beds suffer little in comparison with 

 those used as edgings. The rabbit seems to prefer not leaving 

 the gravel or the lawn. Of all Verbenas, Lord Kaglau is that 

 which they seem to care least about, and it makes a brilUant 

 rose scarlet bed. Of all Verbenas, Purple King is their fa- 

 vourite. Of some beds last season we had scarcely a bloom to 

 a plant at any time. This season we have a few good beds 

 which they have never touched; but they have a border of 

 Cerastium and white variegated Alyssum as well, and they 

 have never gone over the border. Beds of Lord Piaglan Ver- 

 bena, bordered with Purple King, have had the Purple King 

 cropped as with scissors. — K. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— October 2. 



Good descriptions of dessert fruit hnve been in rather more request* 

 as Plums, Fips, Peaches, and Nectarines are nearly over. Continental 

 l)i-oduce is limited to Apples and Pears. Pines and Grapes are ample for 

 all requirements. 



FRUIT, 



Apples i sieve 



Apricots doz 



Chen'ies lb. 



Cbestuvits bush. 



Cmrnnts ^ sieve 



Black .'. . do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries .. quart 

 Grapes, Hothouse, .lb. 

 Lemons 100 



e. d. 8. 

 1 Otol 

 ODD 

 







6 5 























6 



6 I Melons each 1 



1 Nectarines doz. 





 



8 12 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 4 



Pears (dessert) ..doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. 4 



Phims i sieve 2 



Quinces doz. 



Raspbcn-ios lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bush. 10 



do per 100 1 



d. s 

 6toS 

 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus .... bundle 

 Beans, Kidney, A sieve 



ScarletRun.^ sieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brua. Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling .... doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



VEGETABLES. 



s. d. s. d I 



"■ " " 







3to0 6 Leeks bunch 



Lettuce per score 



B 6 Mushrooms .... pottle 

 Mustd.A Cress, punnet 

 Onions, .per doz. bchs, 



6 Parsley per sieve 



6 , Parsnips doz. 



6 [ Peas per quart 



I Potatoes bushel 



s. d. 8. d 



3 too 



8 I Kidney do. 



Radishes doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



8 Savoys doz. 



I Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



1 I Tomatoes. . . . per doz. 



Turnips bunch 



4 , Vegetable Marrow3,dz. 





 

 2 

 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 B 

 2 



2 e 



6 



3 6 



S 



3 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



W. Barron & Son, Elvaston Nurseries, Borrowasb, near 

 Derby, — Select Catalogue of Ornamental Plants. 



Paul & Son, Old Nurseries, Cheshunt, Herts. — Rose Catfi- 

 logue, 1867-68. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Hyacinths in Pots ( Colonel J.].— We cannot correct ourcontomporaries' 

 mistakes or deficiencies. The article must have been written for nnrsery- 

 men. Both Hyacintbs and Tulips in pots must be under glass, and never 

 taken out of tbe pots until done blooming. If you nued any other infor- 

 mation write again. 



