324 General Notices. 



about 80 gallons of v.-ater ; this will be ready for use in two or tliree days. 

 As soon as the plants show flower-buds, we tie each shoot to a stick, and 

 train them fan-shaped. Disbudding ought now to be attended to, reserving 

 only one, or at most two, at the top of each shoot ; but where two are left, it 

 is better to take out the second bud and leave the third, to prevent con- 

 fusion. As soon as the buds show color, tlie plants are tlien removed to the 

 greenhouse or conservatory, giving plenty of air, and substituting water for 

 liquid manure. We ought to have mentioned, that, where a profusion of 

 bloom is required, two or three plants may be inserted in the pots where 

 only one is usually grown ; this will afford an opportunity of cutting away 

 the weakest shoots, and reserving the strongest only. — [Id., 1850, p. 310.) 



The Market Garde>-s around London. — Covent Garden, the head 

 market of this great metropolis, has long been celebrated for the finest fruits, 

 vegetables, and floAvers, in the world, being different now from the time 

 when the poor German gardener settled on a piece of land near the Mon- 

 ster public house, Chelsea, on the lands of the Westminster family. This 

 man bought dung where he could find it, and put it on his ground. The 

 landlord brought an action against him; "but," says tlie landlord, "as you 

 are an industrious man, I shall forgive you, if you will promise me never to 

 poison my land any more, by putting such filthy stuff on it^' The market 

 gardeners round London, from time to time, liave been stimulated by receiv- 

 ing large prices for their articles, from living in the vicinity of such wealth. 

 It being the head-quarters of the government of this mighty empire of a hun- 

 dred millions of people, can it be doubted that the most extravagant prices 

 could be obtained in Covent Garden market ? For dung the carter is al- 

 lowed 2s. 6d. for a single load, and for wagons os. I have known many 

 coachmen in the Mews at tlie west end, that were obliged to give those car- 

 ters 6d., 9d., and Is. to clear the manure away. These men have long 

 hours ; but, between wages, which are from 15s. to 20s. Aveekly, and the 

 buying of manure, tlieir wages sometimes reach 30s. per week. A country 

 person will hardly believe me when I tell him that nine cart and wagon 

 loads of vegetables have been brought by one grower, the celebrated 

 Messrs. Fitch, of Fulham, off their 100 acres of land, and all sold in Cov- 

 ent Garden, by Mr. Fitch, by 9 o'clock in the same morning. Those men 

 once sent in a four-horse wagon of scarlet Ten-weeks Stock, all pulled up 

 by the roots, and in full bloom ; they were all sold by 7 o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, and fetched 301. ; but it did not pay the expenses, and v/as discontin- 

 ued anotlier year. 



Sixty pounds have been obtained for an acre of cabbages, and upwards of 

 1001. for an acre of rhubarb, and more for asparagus ; 1401. for an acre of 

 White Cos lettuce, 1501. for an acre of straAvberries, &c. I have myself 

 taken 301. for 15 rods of ground of early potatoes in tlie open ground, man- 

 aged as I have directed in my pamplilet ; 10s. for a cucumber, and 20s. for 

 a melon, 2s. an ounce for forced straAvberrics, and 25s. for forced grapes per 

 pound. I have also taken 6s. a pound for early strawberries, in the open 

 ground, upon early borders. The above prices seem high, but the expenses 

 are enormous. INIr. Fitch, of Fulham, has told me that his 100 acres have 



