December 2, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



443 



worms are likely to be tronbleeome, and metal bell-oaps are 

 not nsed, the convex side of a good-sized piece of broken pot 

 flhonld go over the bole in the bottom of the pot, a few smaller 

 pieces over that, then a little clean moss, and just a dusting of 

 fresh soot. You cannot place a convex crock so firmly over the 

 hole in the bottom of the pot but the water =;^1I find its way 

 out, and yet scarcely the smallest worm caa wriggle itself in, 

 and the moss for a long time will prevent the earth passing 

 among and so choking the drainage. All these evils are apt to 

 take place, besides the spreading of spawn, when half-decom- 

 posed tree leaves are used for this purpose. If we had to u.-e 

 them at all we would use them fresh and dry. Chopped, 

 slightly charred straw, is the best substitute we have found for 

 moss, bat it is not equal to it. Small sifted charcoal, deprived 

 of the dust, makes a capital drainage above the crock and 

 beneath the moss. From an eighth to a quarter of an inch in 

 thickness, when pressed by the earth, would be enough of 

 moss for a small pot, and more in proportion for larger ones, 

 as nothing is gained from the moss worth speaking about, 

 except assistance to free drainage, and equalising the moisture 

 in the soil. 



The dull moist weather has rendered necessary careful water- 

 ing, and looking after damped leaves. The bedding Pelar- 

 goniums, &c., taken up saved us most of this trouble, as all 

 the leaves were removed. Potted and placed a lot of Lily of 

 the Valley in a mild hotbed, selecting the best crowns as fre- 

 quently detailed. Cinerarias, kept cool in a pit, have never yet 

 been touched by the green fly. A cool atmosphere, and, above 

 all, a cool bottom are what they delight in, and what no insect 

 cares for. 



Flues. — In the first column, page 423, below a line in italics, 

 " of the top of the flue," should be " of the bottom of the flue," 

 a very great difference in general, though not so much as 

 respects the flue alluded to. In the flue mentioned, and with 

 our consent, in no flue whatever are there any plasterings 

 inside.— E. F. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 1.' 



Theee has been a slight advance in some things, but the peneral tone 

 of the market is not at all what wc usually expevienoe at this aeaeon. 

 Good hothouse Grapes, both Muscats and Hainniirgbs, are in request, 

 but Pines are much in excess of the demand. The Potato trade is very 

 doU, the supply by rail being very heavy. 

 FRUIT, 

 d. a. d e. d. 



to 5 



Apples 3^ Bieve 3 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



ChestnutB bushel 8 



Currants ....% sieve 



Black do. 



FigB doz. 



Filberts lb. 6 



Coba lb. 9 6 



Goosebenies . . qaart 



Grapes, Hothouse . lb. 3 



Lemons 100 6 



Melons each 2 





 

 14 

 

 







1 



Mulberries .... quart to 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges 100 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen .. doz. 



dessert 



2 



doz. 3 



Pine Apples lb. 8 



Plums ^3 sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb, 



Walnnta bushel 10 



do 100 1 



3 



5 



5 







VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



AsparagruB 100 



£eans,Rnnner ^2 sieve 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Bras. Sprouts ^ sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



OapsicumB 100 



Carrots bunch 



Ganliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts ..doz.bchs. 

 Occnmbers .... each 



pickling; .... doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish ..bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce score 



Mushrooms .... pottle 

 Mustd.& Cress,punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling . . quart 



Parsley sieve 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney. . . . ditto 

 Radishes doz.bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-kale basbet 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Veget. Marrows . .doz. 



s. d. s, 

 4 to 

 10 2 



1 



2 



3 



4 



3 



9 







d 





 

 2 

 

 4 

 8 

 



1 





 4 

 4 

 

 

 2 

 4 

 



8 6 

 3 3 

 8 

 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



Books (Franciff -4fiui»).—" The Garden Manual;'' you can have it post 

 free from our office ii you enclose twenty postage stamps with your 

 address. 



Binding the Jofruai, of Horticulture {A. I..). — We have no covers 

 for two volumes in one. We had them made once, but there was too little 

 demand for them. 



■ Apple Trees from Pips (Deerhound). — They will bear without grafting. 

 The Royal Agricultural Society's Journal can be obtained in numbers. 

 The price is 6a. 



Grapes {TF. S. Tr.).^The reason of IheJi* nit colouring was the Vines 

 having been allowed to carry too heavy a crop. The bunch of Muscat of 

 Aiexandrifl, though small, had good-£ized weU-flavonred berries. 



Vines not Prodcctive (F.D.J.).— In snch a case we would advise 

 what we want to do ourselves— to clear out at least a part of the house, 

 make a new border, or part of it next the bouse, and plant afresh. As 

 what would be likely to improve tho old Vines, we would take away as 

 much of the surface soil as wo conld without injuring tbe roots, and odd 

 3 or more inches of fresh compopt of tibroua loam, with a third of eqnal 

 parts of broken bones, charcoal, and lime rat>hi?h, with a little quick- 

 hmo as a dressing, if tho old soil of the border is rich and effete. Then 

 put on a foot or 15 inches of leaves, liter, or fera, just to throw a little 

 hfat into l}ie surface of the bonier, and tucourngo the roota to send 

 fibres icto the fresh material. Such a bordercould be mulched in summer, 

 and treated next season in a similar ninnuer. The radical cure would be 

 fresh planting, or replantiog the present Vines in fresh material. 



Dressijig Vinery Border (Muscat). — By all means remove the old 

 dung from yonr Vino border before rf placing with the fresh manure ; 

 but in doing so leave any little part \\Uere the Vine roots have come 

 through. 



Management of Ground Vinery {J. TK.\— We would leave the lights 

 on the ground vinery all the winter; never move them, unless to do the 

 necessary work. Much of the success depends ou having the wood well 

 ripened and hardened in autumn, by givirg the Vines all the heat from 

 Bimsliine possible without scnrcUing, which is scarcely probable with 

 the ventilation at the sides. We hoye you will bo more successful nest 

 season. 



FoRcrsG A Vine f.4. K.I.— Tho Vioc from which the leaves ore only 

 just falling will hardly be in a fit state to force to ripen the fruit in May, 

 especially as the roots are in an outside border ; but as you do not mind 

 weatening the Vine, you may, if tho wood is ripe, clear away all the 

 leaves, and in a few days prune tho Viue, keeping the house cool, and in 

 a week's time, after the Vine is pruned, there should be 2 feet of hot 

 dung placed on the border, and over that a. foot of dry litter or straw, 

 with a slope bo as to throw off the wet. Tho dung on the border should 

 be supplemented with fresh as required, so as to give a gentle warmth to 

 the border, and consequently to the roots of the Vine. In a fortnight aiter 

 the borderis covered you may commence foicing, the house being closed, 

 as it is termed, and by maiutaining a liool heat, after the Vines are in 

 leaf, you may have fruit at the end of May or beginning of June. 



Bones for an Outside Vine Border {W. B. £.).— You could not havo 

 a belter manure than bones for a Vine borvler. We suppose they are oid 

 and dry, and only need to be broken small. You may break them with a 

 heavy hammer, but they are much bettor broken at a bonework.^. where 

 they are converted into what are known as half-inch bones. The best 

 time to apply them is in February, or if the weather be wet, as soon 

 after as the soil is not chiggy. For the size of border you name, 4 cwt. 

 will be a sufficient dressing, applying the banes broadcast, and forking 

 them iato the border as deeply as can bo done without injury to the 

 roots. 



Evergreens for a House Front (F. M. C.).— As you confine us to 

 evergreens, we must omit many climbers which wonld be suitable. Tho 

 following are evergreen climbers or sub-scandent plants, suitable for a 

 wall with south aspect :—BilIardier;x scamlens, B. longiSora, Berberidop- 

 sis corallina, Eignonia radicans, Cnprirjlium brachypodum auren-reticu- 

 latum, C. eempervirens floribnndum, Jasiuinum revolutum, J. Wallichia- 

 num, Lardizabala biternata, Passidoiix c:erulea, Ceanothus azureu?, 

 C. floribun'lus, C. integerrimu?, 0. papillosum, Escallonia raacrantba, 

 E. glandulosa, Garrya elliptica, Ligustratii japonicum and variegated 

 sorts, and the Exmouth variety of Magnolia grandiflorn. 



Camellias and Azaleas foe a Cold Fr.vme (.4 Beginner).— Vnless 

 I you can exclude frost by a covering of mats or straw they would n^t 

 succeed, especially the Asaleas, as to do well they require heat to make 

 now growths and set the buds. However, they will endure a few degrees 

 of frost without injury, and it is well worth a trial. Vuur plan would be 

 to secure plants now set with buds, and place the pots on coal oahes, £Xu-~ 

 rounding tbe pots with hay secured by matting, to protect the roots from 

 frgst. During winter the soil should only be kept moist, and air should 

 bo freely given in mild weather to dry up damp, no air being admitted 

 when the temperature out of doors is below 40\ Protect at niglit from 

 frost, and during days of severe froft the plants ought also to be pro* 

 tccted, not uncovering them as long as tlia frost continues, unless the 

 external temperature exceed 40 . After flowering, place in tbe frame, 

 potting if required, and sprinkle with water racrniug and evening, water- 

 ing copiously, and not allowing the soil to become dry. Air^houldbe 

 given moderately, and shade from brif^ht sun until the growth is com- 

 plete ; then admit air more freely, and omit the sprinkling with water 

 overhead, drawing ofi' the lights, especially at night, and shade from very 

 bright sun by a light covering up to September, when they should have 

 full exposure until the nights become frosty in October, still coi-tinuing 

 to give air whenever an opportunity oft'ers. protecting from frost a-s before. 

 Camellias : Alba plena, white ; Bealii, crimson ; Fimbriata, white ; Val- 

 tevaredo, rose ; Alexina, white, striped and b'otehed with carmine; and 

 Teutonia, pale rose, striped white. Azaleas: Ama;na, rosy purple; Gled- 

 stanesi, white, striped red; Rosea elegans, rose; Magoilica, white; 

 Stanleyana, rosy scarlet; and Etailo de Gand, shaded salmon, white 

 margin. 



Azaleas Wintering in Cold Pit (Azalea). —The Azaleas will winter 

 safely in a cold pit if you can beep tho frost from them, which you may 

 do if the sides of the pit be banked up with ashes, nud a sufficient cover- 

 ing placed over the lights. Thev would, however, be more safely 

 wintered in a cool house, where a little fire boat could be Riven them in 

 severe weather, and you may retard the plants by moving to the cold pit 

 in February, shading and keeping cool. 



DESTr.oYiNG WooDLiCE IN FORCING PiTS [Subscriber to Journal).— 

 Firm the soil round, place a little hay there, and early in the morning 

 pour boiling water on tbe hav and wall. You will thus kill thousands. 

 Repeat this a few times. If this plan cannot be adopted, put boiled pota- 

 toes, enveloped loosely in a little hay, at the bottom of small flower pots. 

 Lay the pots on their sides near tho haunts of the woodhce, and in the 

 morning shake out the contents of the pots into a bucket of boilinff 

 water. This persisted in will soon thin their numbers. A few toads are 

 good in pits and houses infested with woodHce. 



