170 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 28, 1866. 



face firm so as to exclude the air as much as possible, and 

 thus save our material. It requires a little time to get an 

 assistant to believe that a bed thus firmly made will cool 

 sooner so as to be fit for spawn, and also keep a more regular 

 heat than a bed left looser, or with holes left iu it for the air 

 and its oxygen to increase heat in the first place by a more 

 rapid decomposition. 



And lastly, for a continuous supply and with limited ma- 

 terial, wc like small shallow beds in succession, and to be 

 earthed-up as soon after spawning, as watching the trial sticks 

 makes it out to be safe. The closeness of the earth will 

 prevent extra heating afterwards. By this succession-plan, 

 the spawn works in the bed for support, and works upwards 

 through the soil at the same time. In our young days we 

 helped to make some fine beds, and with such fine prepared 

 material as we have since sighed for in vain, and we have 

 since attributed the small success afterwards partly to the 

 dryness of the place, the dryness of the material, and to the 

 fact, that iu order to have all the beds made before autumn, 

 several of them would be spawned for months before they 

 were earthed-up. We have known cases of beds being full of 

 spawn in such cases, and yet from dryness the spawn had 

 no power to come through the soil in the shape of Mush- 

 rooms. We have for many years been forced to spawn and 

 earth-up as we go, and the necessity of thus making the 

 spawn work down in the bed and up in the earth has had 

 no bad result, so far as securing regular crops is concerned. 

 In houses where a generally moist atmosphere can be main- 

 tained in winter, it is of little consequence whether the beds 

 are covered with a little hay, or not, though the Mushrooms 

 will come rather quicker with such a sprinkling; but earlier 

 and later in the house, and in summer in sheds out of doors, 

 such a covering is most useful, not only for securing a more 

 uniform temperature, but also with the help of a slight syring- 

 ing at times, securing that muggy rather close atmosphere, 

 without keen draughts, in which all the fungus family so much 

 delight. 



FRUIT GARDEN. 



Very much the same as last week. Strawberries should now 

 be cleaned as soon as possible, and plants for forcing potted 

 without delay. Many Apples threaten to be so much smaller 

 than usual, that if we had time we would water dwarf standards ; 

 but for most sorts there will yet be a couple of months good 

 swelling time. Gave a good watering to trees in orchard- 

 house where the fruit are swelling fast and ripening. Were 

 forced to fork over the surface to let the moisture go deep 

 enough. The dropping off of fruit before they are ripe is 

 more owing to dryness at the roots than is generally imagined. 

 Where mulching is not resorted to, heavy waterings will be 

 wanted after stoning for stone fruit in-doors, but too much 

 must not be given at one time, or the extra stimulus will 

 throw the fruit off. Removed a good portion of the laterals from 

 Vines, and stopped and regulated late Melons. Watered Figs 

 in-doors and out of doors. 



ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT. 



Much time has been taken up securing Hollyhocks, Dahlias, 

 and tall herbaceous plants, among which some high winds had 

 revelled. Grouped flower-beds have suffered but little from the 

 winds owing to being bushed with twigs, but their lustre was 

 rather dimmed by the continuous rains. Even Calceolarias have 

 had only a promise of waterings this season. If the hoped-for 

 dry weather come, we should like to mulch them with spent 

 Mushroom dung. As yet they have done well. We have put 

 in a portion of cuttings for next year's supply, but we have so 

 entered into the mimitia?, and other friends are now giving the 

 results of their experience, that an article on the subject would 

 be next to superfluous just now. Tansies, and many other 

 herbaceous plants may still be propagated by cuttings iu a 

 shady place, and more especially if hand-lights can be used, 

 with air left on at night. All the China, Perpetual, and 

 Noisette Roses may also be struck in a cool, close place, and a 

 little heat given as soon as the base is swelled. Planted out 

 and divided lot3 of single and double Violets, and regulated 

 Neapolitan in a pit for free winter blooming. A little sulphur 

 i3 no bad thing for keeping mildew at a distance. Potted 

 Cinerarias ; pricked off and repotted Chinese Primulas. We 

 will not trouble with Calceolaria cuttings until the end of 

 October, if no frost threaten. Azaleas and Camellias set out 

 of doors must have the pots defended from fierce sun. All 

 the large Cactus tribe set out of doors, to have the stems well 

 ripened by roasting against a fence, should have the pots pro- 



tected from heavy rains. Lilacs, Deutzias, Prunus, Roses, &c, 

 intended for forcing should now have all the 3un possible, and 

 water be gradually withheld, so that the tops may not suffer. 

 Sweet Gardenias should now be kept rather dry and cool under 

 glass, and then when set to work after the shortest day, or before 

 it in moist heat, they will quickly swell and open their sweet 

 blossoms. All the more tender greenhouse plants, as Croweas, 

 Epacris, and even Heaths, should now, if not under glass, be 

 protected from heavy rains, and also from frequent drizzling 

 showers, as that helps much to bring on mildew. In fact, 

 where room is abundant. Camellias, Azaleas, and such as the 

 the above in pots, will do better if always sheltered by glass 

 in houses or pits, and shade, air, &c, given according to the 

 requirements of the plants. Pelargoniums should now be 

 pruned-in, cuttings inserted, and the first pruned back shaken 

 out of their pots and repotted. Seeds of Pelargoniums may 

 now be sown. In potting fancy Pelargoniums, the soil should 

 bo lighter, and the pots smaller, than for the larger florists' 

 kinds. In both cases the pots should be thoroughly cleaned and 

 well dried before using them, and the soil should be mellow, 

 neither wet nor dry. Looked over climbers in the greenhouse, 

 lessening their bulk, to give more light to the plants below, 

 and but for expected bright weather would lessen the whiten- 

 ing shading, which saves watering, and enables a moist atmo- 

 sphere to be kept up with greater ease. Did the same as re- 

 spects the stove, thinned out the Passifloras, &C, consider- 

 ably, and soaked Stanhopeas in baskets, in bloom, and out o£ 

 bloom and coming into bloom. Potted and top-dressed Ges- 

 neras ; Balsams, and many other softwooded plants now coming 

 into bloom will be better of rich top-dressings of rotten dung. 

 The roots are thus kept more equal as respects moisture and 

 temperature, and that is a great means for keeping off spider 

 and green fly. — R. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— An, cst 25. 

 The market i- tolerably well supplied with both fruit and vegetables, 

 there being plenty of Poaches from Jersey, and these keep the price of 

 English fruit down. Green Gage and other Plums are scarce and com- 

 mand good prices. Pears consist of Beunv d'Amanlis, Bon Chretien, and 

 Jargonelle. 



FEtlT. 



Apples . 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bush. 



Currant3 siev 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lOOlbs. 



Gooseberries ..quart ll 

 Grapes, Hothouse. .11'. 3 

 Lemons 100 



s. d. a. d I B. d. B. d 



2 0to3 ! Melon? each 2 6to5 



2 4 Nectarines doz. 4 8 



II 4 1 Oranges 100 12 20 



Peaches doz. 6 15 



6 Pears (dessert) . . doz. 1 



8 kitchen doz. 



3 Pine Apples lb. 3 



ii :i Plums % sieve 7 



ll li Quinces )- sieve 



i Raspberries lb. 



!» Strawberries lb. 



i Walnuts bush. 











i i; 



6 

 



4 



O 



6 10 



6 

 (5 

 6 





 ii 

 D 



3 

 

 5 

 

 

 9 

 

 8 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes each 



Asparagus bundle 



Beans, Broad. . bushel 



Kidney . . ! ieve 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brus. Sprouts '^ - . B 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums lull 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish . . bundle 



s. d. s. d 



2 toO 4 

 fi 







2 



2 



1 



(I 



1 

 

 4 



2 

 2 

 4 

 

 2 







2 



II ll 

 ii 



i; n 



3 



3 



2 G 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce per score 



Mushrooms .... pottle 

 Mustd.A Cress, punnet 

 Onions. . doz. bunches 



Parsley ': sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas per guart 



i'li i bushel 



Kidney do. 



is .'. doz. binds 



Rhubarb bundle 



doz. 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes per doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows dz. 



s. d. s. (I 

 ll 8 too 

 10 16 

 16 2 6 



2 



4 



2 



!) 



9 



2 



3 

 6 

 4 

 

 

 8 

 2 

 2 

 4 

 9 





 6 

 

 1 

 1 



6 

 3 



O 

 6 















3 



TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 



F. A- A. Dickson & Sons, 106, Eastgate Street, Chester.— 

 i 'atalogue of Select Dutch Flower Boots. 



William Paul, Waltham Cross, London, N. — Select List of 

 Hyacinths, Early Tulips, Crocuses, &c. 



James Carter & Co., 237, 238, and 261, High Holborn, London, 

 W.C.— Gardener's and Farmefi ■' '.cum. Part IV.— Dutch 



and Cape Bulbs. 



