430 



JOtrJliJAti OP HORTiCULTtTEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ iane 84, 1869. 



dependent of the waterpaiL Ihe rats still continuing to pur- 

 loin our fresheown Peas, mnoh against our will we were 

 obliged to try to stop them, and, as previously detailed, wire 

 netting was placed semicircular fashion over the rows, and 

 prepared pellets were carefally dropped in the centre, so as not 

 to be reached by fowls through the netting. The pellets were 

 simply barleymeal and arsenic, mixed by a piece of wood, with 

 as much water as was sufficient for a tough paste, and then, 

 without being touched by the hand, dropped in the places 

 indicated. Next morning showed that the pellets were broken 

 and scattered, and since then the Teas have been nntouohed. 



Celery.— The weather has been very suitable for planting- 

 out. We are not so forward as usual, and some lights used for 

 bedding plants have been appropriated to Celery, merely to 

 give it some encouragement for a fortnight or so. We have 

 never any trouble with early Celery, scarcely ever have a bolted 

 head. Last season we saw not one from August to the end of 

 March. The true plan for attaining such a result, is to re- 

 member that Celery is a biennial, that it is a marsh or ditch 

 plant, and, therefore, requires two conditions to grow to a 

 large size before showing the flower stem— namely, moisture 

 and partial shade, especially in the summer and early autumn 

 months. Staked Peas, between the beds or trenches, yield this 

 shade ia perfection. 



FRDIT DEPARTMENT. 



The Straiobernj plants that were pricked-out last autumn, 

 lifted as lately detailed, and planted with balls in a pit whence 

 Neapolitan Violets had been taken, and which was covered with 

 glass, have yielded valuable returns of fine fruit. We recently 

 stated that for a definite purpose we had lately thinned bat 

 little fruit on forced plants, yet we mean to return to the good 

 old custom. For the lost few weeks we have done so, and 

 marked the result, and the weight added to the fruit left seems 

 large above proportion to what would have been the weight of 

 the smaller fruit if left. Of course on a common plant, say a 

 good-sized Keens' Seedling in a pot, a great many of the blooms 

 will set. Years ago, when we had six or more fruit well set, 

 we used to cut away the remainder, and we mean to return to 

 the practice if there should not be so many small ones for a 

 definite purpose, as middle-sized or large fruit will just do as 

 well for oreams, &c., as smaller ones. 



Watered Peaches, Figs, Src, under cover, gave more air and 

 light to Grapes lipe and ripening, and thinned the later crops, 

 from which there are plenty to remove, and which are now of 

 little use, as, though early in the season they might be looked 

 at for tarts, they are quite tabooed now, as nothing will make 

 them sweet enough ; so it is said. When Grapes are cut off 

 no larger than small shot, they cook well ; but when above the 

 size of Peas at this BeasoD, we question if sugar would easily 

 qnalify their acidity. ' ' - 



ORNAMEjrrAIi DEPABTMEST. 



Here the flower garden has received a large share of our at- 

 tention, and since the rains and the prevalence of soft food, 

 the birds have let ns alone. With humid weather for a short 

 time longer the plants will be almost as thick as to be beyond 

 their reach. It was rather annoying to find that Verbenas and 

 Pelargoniums were almost torn out of the ground, whilst the 

 earth was thrown on walks and lawns. The Pelargoniums 

 which we had planted out in pieces of turf, did not suffer from 

 the bird-scratching at all. The birds reached the turf and 

 rarely went farther, and did no material injury, as the roots 

 issued chiefly from the sides and the under part of the turf. 

 We find nothing deters the birds long ; but before the rains 

 came we kept them off with flags of whitish paper, bunches 

 of feathers, pieces of tin, &c. We have found fragments of 

 old looking-glass very good, but nothing serves as a deterrent 

 long. Other animals are joSt the same in this way; strings 

 and feathers will keep deer off for a time, but at last they be- 

 come used to them, as we know to our sorrow. A fine lot of 

 Roses have been regularly grazed. It requires a very lofty 

 fence to keep them out, if they once resolve to enter. Bucks 

 are the worst, and the worst time is when they have cast their 

 antlers, as then they like privacy and retirement for awhile. 

 During that period they will go anywhere for seclusion, even 

 though the place intruded on should yield inferior food to that 

 which they have left. , 



The weather has given us no trouble with watering as yet, 

 and we have surface-moved the ground, and will continue the 

 practice. We fear that even with thick planting we have 

 scarcely enough left for contingencies, as it is bad policy in 

 any case either to plant or send away the last plant. We have 

 examined and find the roots of most plants progressing freely, 



and for free growth and bloom we need only fine bright weather. 

 Roses have needed but little looking after in the way of insects, 

 and the blooms have been fine where unmeddled with by the in- 

 terloping deer. We have had a few cold mornings during the 

 week, and the yellow Prince of Orange Calceolaria, the Iresine, 

 and a few other plants suffered a little. We shall defer planting 

 the bulk of the Perilla for a few days, and most likely will let 

 Coleus stay for a fortnight. In exposed places planting these 

 out too soon often spoils their lich colour for the season, un- 

 less the bed is protected after planting, and such protection is 

 generally an eyesore when other beds are coming to perfection. 

 We think it better in particular cases to fill the beds tempo- 

 rarily with hardy plants, and remove them when the Coleuses 

 are to be turned out. Singular things sometimes happen. In 

 the case of Ireeines treated exactly alike, some in a sheltered 

 place have suffered considerably, though they will soon recover, 

 whilst others in a higher, more exposed poBition have suffered 

 not the least even as respects the colouring. 



No time should be lost in putting in cuttings of all plants 

 that it is necessary to increase. Pinks the sooner they are in, 

 the sooner will they be struck. Favourite Heartsease will strike 

 now in a shady place without, but better wiih, hand-lights, and 

 like Violets, may now be easily increased by dividing the old 

 stools into as many pieces as roots can be found for each. 

 Daisies may now also be moved and divided for a fine early 

 show next spring, and, like Heartsease, their beauty greatly 

 depends on their frequent removal and planting. Even these 

 and common Wallflowers are useful under glass early in spring 



Cleared-off flower stems from Chinese Primroses, and set 

 them in a shady airy place previous to repotting them ; prioked- 

 off those first sown, and sowed for succession. We saw some- 

 where the other day, that any mechanic would find enough of 

 seeds in a shilling packet to supply himself and all his neigh- 

 bours with plants. The neighbours must be few, or the packet 

 must be a wonier, very different from what comes in our way. 

 Even a 2s. 6d. or 5e. packet contains seeds very easily counted. 

 Let us advise our mechanic readers to try and save a few seeds 

 from their own plants, and let us add tbat they will rarely do 

 this in the case of good sorts without artificially fertilising the 

 blooms that are to produce seed. 



Potted lots of small plants of Pelargoniums, Scarlet and 

 otherwise, for winter and spring use, what are too small for 

 bedding coming in well for this purpose. See what was said 

 of Balsams, Acbimenes, and Cockscombs last week, not for- 

 getting Browallias, which make an agreeable change in the 

 autumn months. Roses in pots we fhall clean and pot ere long 

 for early work, and prevent them blooming moreal present. Cine- 

 rarias are casting their seed where they stand, and the best will 

 presently be turned oat to throw up fresh sucker plants. — B. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.^Jdnp. 23. 



There ban been more languor in the trad« this week than we haro 

 esperienoed for some time, and stocks have rapidly acoumalated ; pricoa 

 consequently recede, and «s the ont door Strawberries are now coming 

 in freely, they will prove the staple article in demaod. Foreign produc* 

 includea Figs, Peaches, Nectarines, and MelonflJ The Potatoes from the 

 Channel Islands show a considerable amouQt of disease. 



FRUIT. 



B. d. s. d 



U to 



2 3 



6 10 







CoxrnntR V. sieve 





 



Apples Ya Bieve 



Apricots doa. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



ciooseberriea . . quart 

 Grapes, Hothouse . lb. 



10 

 6 

 10 



Lemons 100 6 12 



Melons... each 5 



Nectrtrines doz. 10 



Oranges 100 4 



Peaches ......... doz. 12 



Pears (dessert) . . doz. 

 Pice Apples ..'.... lb. 5 



RftspberrieB lb. 



Strawbf^rries lb. 3 



d. 0. d 



OtolO 



15 



12 



34 



e 



8 





 5 



Walnuts bush. 10 16 8 



do. 



.100 1 2 • 



VKaSTABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus 100 



Beans, Kidney . . hd. 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Bruf). Sprouts H sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



CapsicumB 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



encumbers .... each 



Endive ..doz. 



Ft^nnel bunch 



G«:llc lb. 



Herbs bnnch 



Horseradish ..handle 



d. 0. d 

 0to6 

 6 



Leeks banch 



Lettuce ........ score 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mu8td.it Creaa.pnnnet 

 Ouions. .doz. buDcbes 



Parsley . . , . sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes ; bushel 



Kidney.,.., ditto 

 Raditbes doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Shillots lb. 



Soinach ....... boBhel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Tnmipa .. bnnch 



Veget. Marrows, .doz. 



d. 8. C 

 4to0 S 



a 1 





 2 

 

 • 

 9 

 

 6 

 

 

 4 

 

 



a 



8 

 



