Mny 7. 1808. ] 



JOUllNAL OF HOKTIGULTOXIE AND COTTAGE GAEDKNEB. 



847 



palliatives wo oould find were poor fresh soil and very frequent 

 planting. 



Strawben-ies. — We have given a lot of Melon plants larger 

 pots to stand in for a few week?, as we have been forced 

 to devote to Strawberries a five-light pit, that we meant 

 to bring in for Melons, but which nmst wait a little. Tliese 

 Strawberry plants, showing bloom strongly, had stood in rather 

 a shady place in the orchard house, and did well cnougli 

 there as regards the production of flower trusses and until 

 they began to open, when they needed more full liglit and 

 to be nearer the glass. That we may be able to move the 

 plants afterwards without injury we have set each pot on a 

 saucer, the saucer filled with moss covered with rich compost. 

 When pots are set on turf — an excellent plan — they should 

 not be moved until done with. In clearing out to-day some 

 plants which had finished Iruiting, we were quite surprised at 

 the strong pull that was necessary to tear the roots out of the 

 turf into which they had run through the hole at the bottom. 

 This fine lot will succeed those standing on turf and soil in the 

 front of the first orchard house, which are setting beautifully ; 

 these again will be succeeded by two rows in the front of 

 the late orchard house just opening their flower buds ; and a 

 lot more still later, wo will place on the north side of a wall, to 

 be forwarded if we think necessary afterwards, to prevent any 

 Interval between those in pots and those in the open air. Some 

 blooms of the earliest, as Black Prince, are just opening. This 

 may tend to show beginners that some thought is required to 

 keep up a regular supply — a matter of more importance than 

 gathering great quantities at a time. These Strawberries in 

 pots have been assisted chiefly with soot. Sometimes as much 

 as could be taken between the thumb and finger was strewed 

 on the surface of a pot, and sometimes clear soot water was 

 given alternately with clean water and drainings from the farm- 

 yard not over-strong. We have hoed thinly the surface of the 

 ground and mulching between the Strawberry plantations ; 

 and liad we time and plenty of materials we would rake off the 

 roughest of the mulching, and strew lime thinly along the 

 ground to drive away slugs and snails, and then when the lime 

 was turned into mild chalk we would scatter some soot over 

 the ground, not minding if a little fell on the plants, as the 

 first rains would wash that off before the flowers opened much. 

 Taking all in all, soot is excellent for Strawberries. The 

 syringing with clear soot water has as yet kept the Strawberry 

 plants in the orchard houses free of green fly, as that could be 

 done more freely there than in other places where the green fly 

 made its appearance, as alluded to. 



We never saw Apple and other blossom more beautifnl than 

 it is this season. Gooseberries seem loaded, as, thanks to a 

 little gunpowder, and other means, we held our own with the 

 birds this season, except in a little orchard, where they had 

 all their own way. 



In the hot weather, floors, stages, walls, &c., in Peach houses, 

 vineries, ,tc., were kept more than usually damp during the 

 day, to prevent the temperature rising too high without giving 

 too much parching air. 



0RNA3IEXTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Auriculas should be watered with great care, so as not to 

 spill a drop on the flowers, and when manure water, especially, 

 is used, not a drop should light on the foliage. This is a safe 

 rule to apply in all cases of watering plants with manure water. 

 Begulated corridors and conservatories afresh. It is a bad 

 plan to wait for a great job of this kind being done ; it should 

 be attended to daily, so that all plants past their best may 

 be removed, and be followed by plants coming to their best. 

 Nevertheless, the most of us, with this daily attention, find 

 that there are times when we must have a more general clear- 

 ing-out. For instance. Cinerarias are still showy and useful, 

 but many are past their best, and these were set against a wall 

 and protected by a hurdle with a few twigs drawn through it, 

 and these plants will furnish plenty of cut flowers. Camellias 

 over were moved to the vineries to accelerate growth, and their 

 places supplied with Fuchsias, Scarlet and other Pelargoniums. 

 The faded Azaleas were put by themselves, and those in full 

 bloom were set in the best positions. Ferns were fresh potted 

 and regulated, and much time taken up in giving room to, and 

 getting bedding plants hardened off, for which every turf pit 

 was more than called upon. In aU plant places during the 

 week, the drying wind and the scorching sun were prevented 

 from acting injuriously, by a little shading, damping the floors 

 and stages, and giving less air than in quieter weather. The 

 Fern house was shaded by giving the glass a fair coating of 

 wbiteuing and mUk, which will remain for the season. Scars 



in the glass in orcliard houses were sought for and daubed 

 with a little paint. — K. F. 



Crystal Palace. — The programme for the new season of the 

 Crystal Palace had just been published. As the Palace was 

 opened in June, 1851, the present will be the fifteenth season, 

 and no greater sign of its vitality can be given than the liber- 

 ality of the arrangements whicli the directors are enabled to 

 offer to the season ticket holders. The policy which has been 

 pursued for the last three years of admitting season ticket 

 holders on all occasions, receives further exemplification this 

 year by the season ticket being made available during the four 

 days of the Handel Festival. As heretofore, the Great Flower 

 Show on the 23rd May, and the Rose Show on the 20th June, 

 will be the chief horticultural attractions of the metropolitan 

 season. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— May (i. 



A FEW brilliant dnys have lintl n marltod effect npon our market in a 

 thi'eefold sense — viz., improvement in quality, quantity, and demand, A 

 few eai'ly Peaclics of cxcelUnt quality are offeied, and command fair 

 prices. All other articles remain much the same. Among foreign imports 

 we may include Apricots, and Cherries. Heavy consiRuments of new 

 Potatoes from Lisbon aud C ornwall have come to hand this week in good 

 condition. 



Apricots doz. 



s. d. B. 

 Apples -^ sieve 8 0to5 



■ ■ " ■ - - U 





 

 

 



FRUIT. 



s. d I s. d. s. d 



i Melons each OtoO 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. I 



Currants ^ sieve < 



Black do. ( 



Figs doz. 12 18 



Filberts lb. 10 



Cobs lb. 9 1 



Gooseberries . . quart 6 1 



Grapes, Hothouse.. lb. R 15 



Lemons 100 8 12 



Nectarines doz, 



OrauRes 100 8 7 



Peaches doz. 36 48 



Pears (dessert) ..doz. 



Pine Apples lb. 8 10 



Plums i sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Kaspberries lb. 



StrawbeiTies.. 'perlb. 6 16 



Walnuts bush. 10 18 



do per 100 1 2 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus 100 



Beans, Kidney ..,.100 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus, Sprouts J sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bxmch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish .. bundle 



VEGETABLES. 



1. B. d ] 



to 4 Leeks bunch 



8 Lettuce per score 



Mushrooms pottle 



3 : Mustd.A Cress, punnet 



1 Onions per bushel 



Parsley persieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Radishes doz. bunches 

 I Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



B. d, B. A 

 8 too 



1 6 







n 



1 6 







1 

 1 





 5 



8 0, Shallots lb, 



8 Spinach bushel 



8 I Tomatoes per doz. 



5 I Turnips bunch 





 8 





 

 6 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 9 



TEADE CATALOGUES EECEIVED, 

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



— Carter's Lint of Beddivfi and other Plants for 1868. 



Elcombe & Son, Church Street, Eomsey. — List of Select 



Flowering 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, dc, 171, Fleet 

 Street, London, E.G. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix npon 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 {A Subteribtr}.—'We know of no separate work on the Azalea 

 and Camellia, Kenne's " In-door Gardening " gives weekly directions for 

 their treatment throughout the year. You can have it free by post from 

 our oflice if you enclose twenty postage stamps with your addi'ess. 



RoVAL HoRTicrr-TCEAt. SocrETT's Snow AT Leicester (T, Cottvmn). 

 —It will be held at Leicester. Advertisements will appear respecting it. 

 You can obtain information from Mr. Richards, AsBistact Secretary, 

 Koyal Horticultural Society's office, South Kensington. 



