68 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTnilB AND COTTAGE GABDENBB. 



i Jo); 22, 1880. 



but evaporation from tliom lessened by Byringing the stages, and 

 damping walls and floors with the syringe. 



There are one or two things we would jnst notice rosnlting 

 from this hot weather. In a recent visit to Luton Hoo, among 

 much to gratify us, we were sorry to find that the largest 

 bunch of Musa Cavendishii fruit we had ever seen, had been 

 cut and used ; but we were particularly pleased with two things, 

 the house of Melons previously noticed had been used and 

 fresh planted, and there were abundance of Melons in pits, 

 heated and nnheated. Perhaps the n;o=t gratif.\ ing was a fine 

 lot of fruit in a low span-roofed pit, used generally in winter 

 for Violets, and having no artificiil heat besides a little dung 

 below the soil. As the fruit was chiefly collected at the outsides, 

 the mode of treatment and training bad been much the same 

 as we had frequently recommenJed. The next thing was, that 

 though the excessive heat threatened to lessen the time of the 

 Strawberry season, in ordinary circumstances, Mr. Cadger had 

 been fortunate enough to turn out a lot of his huge forced 

 plants of Keens' Seedling early in spring, we think in the end 

 of February, and these in rather a cool, sheltered border, have 

 shown and set in armfuls, so that with a little watering, the 

 Strawberry season will be greatly prolonged. 



One thing used to trouble us in visiting some places, and 

 that was the bad condition of the walks, the sides being 

 covered with young weeds. Daisies, .tc, the result of leaving 

 the grass next them too long, and thus permitting the walks to 

 be seeded. Alt walks to be preserved neatly should have the 

 grass kept short for a width of a scythe swathe. It will do 

 wonders towards keeping walks clean. It will also aid much 

 in dispensing with hoeing, raking, turning, or salting, the 

 latter process though killing the weeds always has a tendency 

 for making fine walks finer and softer. With rough walks 

 salting will help to make them finer, and, therefore, more 

 pleasant to the feet. 



We may now mention a rather heavy piece of work with our 

 pleasure' (iroiind >i-aU:s. They are in fair order — hard and 

 £rm, but a few small weeds csn be seen if you look well lor 

 them. We want them to be bright, fresh, and clean for the 

 summer with but little trouble. We have, therefore, procured 

 some loads of rather bright pit sand ; we are sprinkling the 

 walks all over with salt, and we shall then follow with a 

 sprinkling of sand, which conceals the snlt. This sprinkling 

 will be a little loose before we have a good shower; but after- 

 wards a brisk sweeping with a broom, and a run-over with a 

 roller, makes all join together, and the walk looks neat and 

 clean for the season. We could clear cfl the weeds from our 

 firm walks by salting alone ; but then if we did so, we know 

 that until every particle of the salt was washed out, the sur- 

 face of these walks would be soft and unpleasant in wet 

 weather. By adding the fresh surfacing, or rather sprinkling 

 of riddled sand, the salt acts upwards a little as well as down- 

 wards, but not sufficiently upwardsto prevent the surface being 

 clean and firm to the foot in moist weather. The evil of salt- 

 ing smooth walks without some such precaution, is that they 

 become too smooth, and then soft in wet weather. 



One word more respecting lawns. We have run the machine 

 lightly over part of ours, but in other parts, where only a few 

 Daisies, Bents, and Plantains appeared, we have preferred 

 sweeping them off with the Daisy knife. Close and frequent 

 cutting now in such sun, will greatly encourage scorching and 

 burning ; and we should rather avoid than encourage that 

 result. The finest flower beds are a poor sight with a scorched 

 and burned- up lawn around them. — E. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July il. 



We bavc had some diflicuUy in innintainiQ^ last woek's prices, na tbo 

 snpply has been mnoh in excess of the demand. Forced fruit are very 

 plentifnl, and foreiKna iniportations heavy, compriainsj Pines, Peaches, 

 Nectarines, Apricots, Cherries, and Jargonelle Pears. Potatoes good, and 

 a icadj sale at former quotations. 



B. d. 8. d 



Apples }^ sieve 2 to 



Apricots doi!. 2 (1 SO 



Cherries lb. G 10 



Chestnnts bnshel 



Currants }i sieve 4 



Black do. r, 



FiRS doz. 6 



FUberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooaeberries . . quart fl 3 



Grapes, Hothouse .lb, 2 



Lemons 100 10 



FRUIT, 

 d 



ArtirhoVep dn7. 



Aspnnipua 100 



Beune, Kidney . . 100 



Beet, Ked doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Bras. Sprouts ^i slovo 



CabbnRO doz. 



Capsicums luO 



Carrots Lunch 



CanliRouer doz. 



Celery bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



GarUo lb. 



Herbs buoch 



Horseradish ..bundle 



VEGETABLES. 

 B. d. 8. d 



3 to 8 Leeks bunch 



8 r. Lettuce score 



10 II Muahroomfl |*ottlo 



a .'i Mnstd.ftCress.punnot 



Onions, .doz. bunches 



Parslev siero 



10 3 Parani'pg doz. 



Peas quart 



8 10 Potatoes bushel 



3 Kidney ditto 



1 C 2 t Ttadishosdoz. bunches 

 6 10 Ithubarb bundia 



2 U ShiOlota lb. 



3 j Spinach bushel 



8 TomatoOB doz. 



OS Turnips bunch 



3 6 I Vegst.Marro>TS..doz. 



d. a. 

 4 too 



n 

 7 



B. d. B. d 



Jlelons each 2 Oto 5 



Nectarines doz. 6 10 



Oranges 100 10 14 



Peaches doz. 12 24 



Pears (dessert) . . doz. rt 



Pino Apples lb. 3 8 



Plums ij sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Kaspberries lb. 6 8 



Strawberries lb. 1 2 



Walnuts bushel 10 16 



do 100 1 2 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 N.B. — Many quealiona must remain unanswered tmtil next 

 week. 



Books (J, C. PaUmon^. — Wo purpose continuing the work until all 

 onr native plants have been portraited and described. We are unable to 

 l»ublish more than four monthly ; if we conlj have done so the work 

 would by this time have been complete. iW.O.C). — Keane's " In-door 

 Gardening" may suit you. It can bo had from our oflice if you enclose 

 twenty stamps, with your addres-j. {J. Booth). — *' In-door Gardening" as 

 abovo ; and " Tbo Garden Maauil " the Litter free by post for twenty 

 postage stamps. 



Dauk Climdino Roses {J. C. i.rrr).— " I have no doubt that the Rose 

 you describe is the old Tuscany. It lins a single row of petals with 

 golden stamens, and is very noariy black or blackish maroon. It flowers 

 only once in the season. The biuoms are most abundant, and very 

 beautiful. There wns a noble tree of iE at Hnsbton. Doubib-ss, our very 

 (lark Rosps are derived Iro^ it. Buy these, and they will please yon — 

 Prince Camillo de Rohan, Emporeiu: do Maroc and Souvenir do Dr. 

 Jamain. They are Hybrid Pcrpetuals. They ore oil very dark, abnndnst 

 bloomers, and very beautiful. Put them again&t your south or Eouth-eaF.t 

 wall, and when winter sets in with severity, plnce matting over them till 

 danger is over.— W. F- Rabolyffe." 



Sowing Veuuena Seed {Mem). — To have good strong plants for bloom- 

 ing early next year, you may sow the seed now. Well drain a sced-p&n, 

 and till it to throo-fourths its depth with two-thirds turfy light loam and 

 one-third leaf mould, then to the rim or nearly so, with the same soil 

 sifted, adding one-sixth part of silver aand. LeVel the surface by press- 

 ing it with the bottom of a small (lower-pot, and scatter the seeda evenly, 

 just covering them with fine <ioi}. Give a gentle watering, place the pau 

 in a cold frauio or under a hand-glass, and shtde from briyiit sun. Keep 

 moist and close until tbo youni? plants appear, then rdmit a little air, 

 increasing the amount with tbo advance in growth of the plants. When 

 these are large enough to handle, they may be pricked-off in pans at about 

 1^ to 2 ijiohes apart, and kept rather close iin.t abadtd for a few days 

 until establishcl. Harden tlieni well o(T, protecting them only from frost 

 and hea\'>' rains, and givim: all tho air possible ; before sever© weather 

 sets in r -'i ovo them to a shelf or light airy position in tJie greenhousc- 

 In February or March the plants may be shortened to 2 or 3 inches, and 

 cuttings made of the parts removed, which will strike freely in a mild 

 hotbed. When tho plants have made fresh shoots an inch long, they 

 ought to be potted off singly, or placed 3 inches apart in pans, and stiaded 

 until estitb'ishcd ; then harden them olTand remove them to a cold frame, 

 protecting them from frost by a covering of mats. You may obtain one 

 or more lots of cuttings from them, and these with tho old plants will be 

 tit for planting out in 3fay. .Seedling Verbenas are of little use for bed- 

 ding except in mixed beds. The seed may bo sown in March, and the 

 plants from that towing will be largo enough for planting out it the end 

 of May. 



Gladiolus Bloojung (An Jmnffur). — The only way of securing long 

 spikes is to grow the bulbs in rich soil, give top-dressings of rich com- 

 post, and supply well witli water, syringing overhead every evening in 

 hot weather so as to keep down red spider, and promote vigorous growth. 

 A long loose spike is undesirable. 



Dahlias Floweiuno (Idt-m). — In tho first place the plants should have 

 a single shoot only, and it should be secured to a stout stake driven 

 firmly into the ground. The side shoots as they appear should be re- 

 gulated, tbinniug out the weak, and preserving enough of tho strong to 

 form a sufficiently compact but open head. Tho side shoots must be 

 secured to the principal stake with long shreds of matting, so as to per- 

 mit of their assuming the branching habit peculiar to them. If the 

 tying is not stiflicicnt to secure them against winds, it will be necessary 

 to place throe or four stakes besides the centre one, and though the stems 

 are tolerably close to it at tho bottom, the tops most inclii:o outwards 

 snfllciently "to allow of the side shoots being kept secure from heavy 

 rains or wind. The pruning should bo confined to thinning out the weak 

 shoots, and preserving a head of healthy shoots. The lirst blooms, as a 

 rule, are not very good: j-ou may cut them away, and also any that are not 

 of good form in the bud. The best liquid mannro is a peck of sheep's 

 droppings and a peck of soot to thirty gallons of water, well stirred up 

 and dissolved. It may be applied twice a-week, stirring well up each 

 time. Guano at tho rato of 2 ozs. to tho gollou also forms a good liquid 

 manure. 



LiQCiD Maxcre {A. Loel-tier).— To Cabbages and similar crops you may 

 safely use it once a-week, at the rate of 1 oz. to the gallon of water. For 

 other plants you may use double tho quantity that you would do of 

 guano. The drainings of rabbit hutches make an excellent liquid mauore 

 dilnted with water or absorbed by sawdust. The amount of water added 

 would depend on the kind of plant to which tbo manure is to be applied, 

 and the amount of solid matter along with tho urine. The letters nsed 

 indicate commended, highly commended, very highly commended. 

 ScABisa EiPJJS (Somcrjcf.'.— Suspending pieces of glass from sticks to 



