Ifaroh 11, im. ] 



JOUBNAL OF nOKTIOULTURE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



181 



beginning at one end, the netting is raised upright from the 

 pegs, stretching it regularly, and is fastened by the top to a 

 Blight stake by driving a small nail, and then bending it to the 

 ■take BO as to keep the wire firm. By thin plan there ia a 

 great seonrity gained by what seems at first the loss of the 

 2 or 3 inches of uottiiig liiid flat on the ground. At first, when 

 the wire is seen, the rabbit will lot it alone ; he will rarely 

 think of going farther back and beginning to burrow. When 

 enough of grass grows over it to conceal it, it acts better still ; 

 for if the rabbit attempts to burrow, then he comes (juite up to 

 the fence, aud, gutting through the grass, he comes in contact 

 with the wire, aud retreats, feeling disoomfiled. Simple as the 

 method appears, we have eeeu no other plan to equal it, and it 

 was one we should never have thought about, as we had lees 

 studied the habits of the animiils. 



For keeping the nettiug upright the little stakes should not be 

 farther apart thau 9 feet, but even at that distance, and especi- 

 ally when much farther apart, the netting in timo will bo apt to 

 bulge and to droop — that i^, its own weight in the latter case 

 will lengthen the holes of the netting longitudinally, and lessen 

 their width vertically. This can be easily remedied by walking 

 along the side of the feacs, placing one foot lengthwise on the 

 pegged-down part, and raising the nettiug with the hands at 

 the same time, when it will- be as firm aud straight as when 

 first fixed. 



These details may be useful to some amateurs and cottage 

 gardeners who have invested in wire netting, and yet find that 

 rabbits are as troublesome as ever. For small numbers of 

 trees smearing the stems aud lower branches with a rather thick 

 mixture of lime, soot, and cow dung will deter the vermin for 

 a time, and do no harm to the trees. In cottage gardens where 

 the fences are bad, one of the cheapest securities would be to 

 Btufi every opening with Thorns or other brushwood and then 

 Bprinkle all the bottom with coal tar. So long as that retains 

 its scent hardly a four-footed depredator will care to pass it. 



Early-blooming Camellias aud Azileas if now moved to a 

 forcing house will make their wood and flower buds early, and 

 will come into bloom early next winter ; the first with no, and 

 the second with little, farcing. Shrubs forced, if "kept under 

 protection when done flowering, will also be inclined to flower 

 early naturally the following season. In a few days wo shall 

 take Camellias exhausted of flowers to a vinery. 



Bedding Phmts. — In most places where results must be at- 

 tained with economy, scarcity of pots is now general. Cal- 

 ceolarias may be transplanted where they will stand before being 

 removed to the flower beds, aud will be better without pots. 

 Many fibrous-rooted plants will do well treated iu the same 

 way. Scarlet Pelargoniums succeed well when so treated, 

 though apt to lose a few leaves on beiug first planted out in 

 the open air. Still there is a prejudice iu favour of having a 

 ball of roots to plant with, and various makeshifts in lieu of 

 pots have been adopted, as taking some earth with the roots, 

 and wrapping the ball iu moss, &c. Where it can he had, we 

 have found nothing better thau fibrous turf, such aa may be 

 obtained from the sides of many a highway. 



Being scarce of room, aud having just a slight heat in the 

 covering of a Vine border, we made a temporary bed by placing 

 the bole of a tree back aud front, on which to rest some old 

 sashes, mat frames, Sec, and have there putout some thousands 

 of Pelargoniums in turf. The turf, the fuller of fibre the 

 better, is obtained about 2 inches in thickness ; if a little more 

 all the belter. Placed ou a table with the grass side down- 

 wards, it ia then cut with a wood-bill into pieces about 3 inches 

 square. With a sharp knife, a round piece is scooped out of 

 the centre, going down to witbiu half an inch of the grass. The 

 young plants are then taken from the cutting-boxes, the roots 

 put in the opening along with sandy loam and leaf mould, 

 and placed on the bed, every row being watered with water at 

 about 90°, so as to give some heat to tie tuif, and after water- 

 ing some leaf muuld is strewed along each row of these little 

 turf pieces. Where little or no artificial heat is given, these 

 plants will waut scarcely any attention until planting time, 

 except air-giving, and theu every piece of turf will have fine 

 roots, like a wig, bristling all round it, aud the plants iu such 

 pieces move and pliut well. When, for encouraging quick 

 growth, anything like bottom heat from a hotbed is given, the 

 pieces of turf should be moved as soon as filled with roots, 

 and Bet on a cool bottom with a little protection at first, as 

 otherwise the roots would so run into the material of the hotbed 

 as to cause the plants to feel the removal when finally trans- 

 planted. The plan is also a first-rate cue for those who fancy 

 taking up and keeping their bedding plants, as the turf bits 



will mostly keep their consistence during the summer, and 

 make the centre of a fine mass of fibres. Of course, the taxi 

 is planted along with the roots. When the pieces are thus 

 placed closely together there is little trouble with the grass ; in 

 fact, we rarely see a blade. It soon dies when shut out from 

 light and air. — 11. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Maucu 10. 



A SLIGHT improvement mny be noticed in the Rflueral demiind, bat not 

 sufficient to warrant imy biglier quotiitiuus, tbo iuipurts at foreign floods 

 and tbo home supply being quite equal to the demands both o( tlio 

 London trade nnd the Ui>itheru markuts. Largo stockb of old Potatoes 

 rcuKiin on hand, and tbetradu ia dull. 



Apples }i Bievo 1 G 



Apricots ddZ. 



Cherries lb, 



Chestnuts bush. 10 



Curriints .... }<> sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts Id. 



Cobs tb. 



GooeeberrieB . . quart 

 Grapes, Hothouse, .lb. 

 Lemons 100 



Artichokea doz. 



Asparagus 100 



Beans, Kidney . . hd. 



Beet, Red dviz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts J-o sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers .... each 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs buDcli 



Horseradish ..bundle 



9. d. 



2 Oti 







Melons oacb 



Nectiiriues doz. 



Ornnges lOO 



Poftches doz. 



Pears (dcBsert) . . doz. 



Fine Apploii lb. 



Plums J-i sieve 



Quinceg doz. 



Knspberries lb. 



Strawberrieg oz. 



WalnutB buah. 10 



do 100 1 































8 



VEOEIABLES. 



d. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 



to 6 



8 



1 

 1 



1 U 



2 

 8 

 8 

 S 

 S 



8 



'2 

 8 



a 

 



10 

 4 

 2 

 2 

 

 

 

 

 6 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce score 1 



Mushrooms. ... pottle 1 



Mustd.&Cress.punnet 



Onions bushel 8 



Parsley sieve 3 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas ...., quart 10 



Potatoes bushel 4 



Kidney do. 4 



Radi-ibesdoz.bnncbeB 1 



Khubarb bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



s. d. s. d 



4 too 6 





 

 2 

 

 

 9 

 

 6 

 

 6 

 6 

 



8 

 2 



1 

 4 



3 

 1 

 8 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEH^ED. 



J. Carter & Co., 237 aud 238, High Holborn, London, W.C— 

 Carter's Farm-rs' Calendar and Descriptive Catalogue of Farm 

 Seeds, 1869. 



Dick Eadclyffe & Co., 129, High Holborn, London, W.C— 

 Catalogue of Vegetable, Agiicultural, and Flower Seeds, 



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. AU 

 commuuications should therefore be addressed solely to 

 The Editors of Hie Journal of IlorticuUure, etc., 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating to Gardening and those on 

 Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them an- 

 swered promptly and conveniently, but write them on 

 separate communications. Also never to send more than 

 two or three questions at once. 



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

 week. 



Persian Aspaeagcs (Q. Q ). — We consider the advertisement attempts 

 an imposition. It is certainly not an .^spara^us. Of the true Asparagus 

 there are but two varieties, the purple and the green-topped, either of 

 which mny be made to produce " Rigantic " shoots by high cnltivation. 

 The application of strong liquid manure effects this the most readily. We 

 cannot give an opinion whether lime would much benefit your garden, as 

 we do not know the character of the soil. Probably bone-dust would be 

 more beneficial. 



Potatoes on Wet Soil, (W. H. ir.)-— Cocoa-nut fibre refuse is better 

 than spent tanners' bark for sun-oundiug the sets in a wettish soil. If 

 you plant by the dibble, hall a handful lolow the set and half a handful 

 above it will be suflicient. We should fork such a soil into ridges and 

 plant the Potatoes on them. 



Seehlixg Cineraeia (B. Trevithick).—YoaT porplo and white Cine- 

 raria is a veiy superior flower, and if, os you soy, the habit of the plant 

 is strong and good, it is worth propagating. 



Sowing Aucuba Berries (H. D.).— Now is a good time for sowing the 

 berries, hut no one can tell whether the seedlings will be male or female. 



