140 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTOEE AKD COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



[ February 13, 1868. 



never bad a single mischance from overheating, or too little or 

 too mnch air on these occaBions. Just let cultivators watch 

 how gradually the thermometer mounts in a house when air is 

 given early, and how gradually it falls if the sun should be 

 clouded when there are only a few inches of air-opening. 



Or.NAMENTAL DEPAETMENT. 



Besides planting in pleasure grounds, etc., heavy work with 

 plantuiji for cover and timber has been going on. This would 

 have been better done in November, but the time has not come 

 when it is possible to do everything at the right period. A few 

 remarks may be useful for those engaged in or contemplating 

 such work. 



1. Unless where very large plantations are to be made, it 

 will always be more economical to purchase trees than to rear 

 them at home, because those whose chief work is to attend to 

 them, will do it better than those who have much and various 

 other work to do. 



2. Where much is to be dore in succeeding years, and trees 

 are to be brought from a distance, the best plan is to obtain 

 the trees young, plant and grow them in rows for a year or two, 

 and then plant them as wanted, by this means insuring that the 

 trees shall not be long out of the ground ; or the latter should 

 be mulched, and the roots properly secured from drying. It is 

 a great drawback when the roots are as much dried in the air 

 as the branches are. Then, of course, every fibre is destroyed. 



3. When small young trees are used, and the roots are small, 

 planting by merely making a double slit with the spade, 

 slipping the roots in and treading firmly, will be the most 

 economical method ; but when the roots are good and the trees 

 from 3 to 4 or more feet in height, it will be the best plan to 

 make holes from 12 to 15 and 18 inches square, according to 

 the size of the roots. 



One great advantage in taking trees up at home, even when 

 obtained young from a nursery, is that the roots can be some- 

 what eared for. We have seen good-sized holes made for trees 

 4 or 5 feet or more in height, and for all the roots they had 

 they might have been inserted by slit as well as by holes. 



4. Whatever arrangements may be made for preparing the 

 ground and making holes, unless there is a sharp overlooker 

 constantly present, we would not be inclined to make a piece 

 job of the planting, as the object of the hole being made is to 

 give justice to the roots, that these may be spread out, and the 

 best soil placed immediately about them, and, whilst firmly 

 secured, that the stem of the tree should be scarcely lower in 

 the ground than it stood before being raised by transplanting. 

 When the work is paid for by the number of trees put in, 

 there is a temptation to let the roots be huddled together, and 

 to bury the stem considerably above the collar, as thus the tree 

 is more securely and easily fixed in the ground, something in 

 post fashion. If the collar of many plants is much buried — 

 that is, the point whence roots descend and a stem ascends, it 

 often proves a great drawback, if not ruinous. 



5. For profit.able planting, quick growth, and quick returns, 

 the old rule holds good, " Plant thick and thin quick," but in 

 doing so the permanent trees need not be too close together, nor 

 jet when perching is required, andfor that nothing is better than 

 the Spruce for concealment from the sharp eyes of marauders. 

 This, either at first or by suitable thinning, should be so treated 

 as to allow the lower branches healthily to cover the ground ; 

 and therefore undergrowth, as Privet, Bramble, Hornbeam, &c., 

 would be of no use near them. 



6. AVhere game, especially rabbits and hares, abounds, it is 

 mere waste of money to plant to any extent, unless the animals 

 are kept out until the plantation is established. It is of little 

 use to talk of keeping them down. The only effectual plan is 

 to keep them out, and the most economical plan we know is to 

 surround the whole with wire netting, and keep it round the 

 plantation for several year.s. Daubing the trees with nasty 

 washes will be some preventive, but not thoroughly deterrent. 

 Wire netting kept upright by firm sticks, and an inch or 

 two in the ground, as lately recommended, will keep them out, 

 unless when blocked with snow, and then the place must be 

 hunted. 



For small plantations and particular trees, we have seen 

 nothing so effectual as a small handful of wheat straw put 

 round the stem close to the ground, brought upwards the 

 length of the straw, and fastened round with two or three small 

 bands of the same. A small ball of cord would do some hun- 

 dreds of trees in the hands of those not accustomed to bind- 

 ing with straw. The plan is none of ours, but that of a young 

 gentleman greatly interested in planting, and all we can say is, 

 that the Oaks thus treated are growing well, and though the places 



are swarming with rabbits and a good many hares, not a tree 

 ihus treated has been touched; no attempt has been made to 

 go through the thin layer of straw, and in most cases the 

 straw seems as likely to remain as when it was put on three 

 years ago. What is rather singular, we have not noticed that 

 even mice have touched them, though they have barked Laurels 

 and other trees near them. In the case of a few hundred Oaks, 

 they may thus be quiclily, and so far as we can judge from 

 three years' observation, effectually secured ; but in all cases 

 where many acres are to be planted, and four-footed enemies 

 to the young trees abound, we know of nothing alike so econo- 

 mical and efficient for protection as wire netting, about 2 inches 

 to the mesh, and less if small young rabbits abound. — E. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— FEURnAuy 12. 



In coDsequence of the fine open wentlicr we nro well supplied with 

 both home-Rrown .ind foreign produce, and tlievo is very little varifttion 

 in prices Excellent Broccoli continues to come from Cornwall and the 

 Channel Islands. 



FRUIT. 



B. d. 



Apples A sieve 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currants ^ sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



PUberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Gooseberries . . quart 

 Grapes, Hothouso. .lb. 

 Lemons 100 



6 to 4 



Melons each 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears (dessert) . . doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 



Pluma i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts hush. 10 



do per 100 



VEGETABLES, 

 d] 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus lOO 



Beans, liidney 100 



Beet, Red....' doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts i sieve 



Cabbaae doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs hunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



d. 8. 

 0to4 

 20 



Leeks bnnch 



I Lettuce per score 



so' Mushrooms pottle 



8 Mustd.& Cress, punnet 



6 1 6 ^ Onions per bushel 



2 6 I Parsley per sieve 



4 2 1 Parsnips doz. 



I Potatoes bushel 



6 8 [ Kidney do. 



6 I Radishes doz. bunches 



6 2 I Rhubarb bundle 



3 I Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



3 ! Shallots lb. 



8 i Spinach bushel 



3 I Tomatoes per doz. 



6 4 1 Turnips bunch 



TEADE CATALOGUES EECEIVED. 



E. G. Henderson & Son, Wellington Eoad, St. John's Wood. 

 —Catalogue of Floircr, Vcnetahle, and Aiiricullural Seeds. 



W. IloUisson & Sons, Tooting, London, ^.— Catalogue of 

 FloricvUxnal and Culinary Seeds, Sub-Tropical Plants, dx.— 

 List of Nne Roses for 18(J8. 



W. Hooper, New Wandsworth, London, SM.—List of I eget- 

 able, I'lou-er, and Agriciiltmal Seeds. 



T. Sampson, Preston Eoad and Houndstone, Yeovil, Somer- 

 Bet.—Cataloniie of Veqelable, Flower, and Agricultural Seeds. 



W. B. Jeffries, Ipswich.— :Z7»' Useful darden Guide, being 

 a Catalogue of Stove, Greenhouse, and Haidy Plants, Trees, 

 Shrubs, Flower and Vegetable Seeds, &c. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



,«, We request that no one will write privately to the depart- 

 mental writers of the "Jom-nal 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, <&e., 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, B.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix upon 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. 

 Books iBucnOK .)i(rcsl.— The " Garden Manual." You can have it free 



bvpost from our office if vou send twenty postnge stamps with your 



address, (i?. S. S.).— Keane's " In-door Gardening " and " Out-door bar- 



dening," post free from our office for Is. 8<i.oach. 



