December 29, 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



767 



Florists* Flowers. 



THE RANUNCULUS. 



I can look back with pleasure upon a very large 

 border containing several thousands of Ranunculus 

 plants in full bloom last year in June. As an example 

 of a florists' flower the double Ranunculus is a model 

 of form, and it certainly surpasses all others in the 

 variety and brilliancy of its colours. Unfortunately 

 much of the good work done some fifty years or 

 more ago by the Rev. Joseph Tyson, of Wallingford, 

 Berks, has been lost, and is now almost forgotten. 

 I can remember some of his richly coloured and 

 beautiful flowers. Many persons grew a bed or more 

 of them, but many of the colours are not to be seen 

 in a modern collection. There were black and 

 white varieties ; purple and violet ; orange, yellow, 

 and straw-colours ; crimson, red, and rose ; others 

 were spotted, striped, or edged like Picotees ; the 

 colours scarlet and gold, mixed, being very pretty. 

 We have many raisers of Auriculas, Carnations, 

 Dahlias, Tulips, &c, but though the Ranunculus 

 can be raised as easily as any of them from seeds, no 

 amateur that I know of has of late taken it underhis 

 protecting care. 



In former days florists would give a guinea for a 

 single tuber of a scarce variety of Ranunculus ; now 

 a good-sized bed can be obtained for that sum. Most 

 of the Continental varieties, sent in mixture, and 

 sold at a cheap rate, are of good form, but they lack 

 brightness and variety of colour. The bed to be 

 planted with the roots should be prepared at once, if 

 it is not already done. They like a rich, deep, 

 clayey loam, which ought to be kept in a moderate 

 state of moisture. Ordinary kitchen garden soil 

 suits them admirably. I plant any time when the 

 weather is favourable, either in February or March. 

 The bed, or border, is made quite level, and the 

 rows are marked out by pressing an inch board into 

 the soil about an inch and a half ; this makes the 

 bottom of the drill quite level. Place the tubers in 

 it with the claws downward, aud cover over with tine 

 soil ; the tubers may be planted about 3 inches 

 apart, and 4 inches between the rows. Put a pinch 

 of sand over each tuber, and cover with fine soil. 



Seedling raising may be practised in any garden, 

 however limited. It is most interesting amusement 

 to raise seedlings of any florists' flowers, the Ranun- 

 culus particularly so. It requires two types of 

 Ranunculus to raise seedlings from. Pollen may be 

 obtained from double flowers, the more double 

 the better. Seeds must be saved from semi-double 

 varieties, or from semi-double approaching to double- 

 ness. Commence to cross the flowers as soon as 

 they are fully open. Ten o'clock in the morning is 

 a good time to perform the operation of hybridising ; 

 I generally go over them twice daily — in the morn- 

 ing at ten, and in the afternoon from one to three. 

 When the impregnated seed-vessels begin to swell, 

 the stems should be tied to a neat stick, to prevent 

 their being broken ; and when the seeds are about 

 ripe, which can be observed by the seed-vessels turn- 

 ing brown, they ought to be gathered, and laid out 

 on paper in a dry airy place. The seeds may be 

 sown early in January in shallow boxes or seed- 

 pans. The compost should be three or four parts 

 loam to one of leaf-mould, and a little fine sand to 

 keep the whole porous. Make the surface quite 

 level, and sow thinly, using just enough fine mould 

 to cover the seeds. The pans or boxes should be 

 placed in a frame ; but this is not absolutely neces- 

 sary, as Mr. Tyson recommended placing them under 

 a north wall, merely protecting from heavy rains. 

 Frost, however, is injurious, so that it is much 

 better to have them under glass. The young 

 plants will appear in a month, and as they advance 

 in growth give plenty of air. The lights may be 

 removed altogether in May, or the boxes containing 

 the plants should be turned out-of-doors, not ex- 

 posed too freely to the sun, as this might be injurious 

 by causing the leaves to wither prematurely. They 

 ought not to decay until July, and as soon as they 

 do decay take the small tubers out of the ground, 



and store them in a dry cool place in dry sand. 

 Plant them out in February with the old roots, at 

 the same depth, and the same distance apart. They 

 will flower as well, or perhaps more strongly, than 

 the old tubers. Peaty soil of some kinds is excellent 

 for growing the Ranunculus in. Mr. Simonite, of 

 Sheffield, told me that the best bed he ever saw was 

 in a small garden in the corner of a peat moor, 

 where the soil was nothing but sandy peat. I tried 

 the experiment of planting the tubers in beds of the 

 usual Heath and Azalea peat, and it answered 

 admirably; but one season something was wrong 

 with the peat, and half the plants died, while the 

 other half made but poor growth, and flowered 

 badly. In dry seasons water should be applied 

 freely, as their growth is stopped directly if they 

 become very dry at the roots ; but they do best in a 

 wet season, as we never had a better bloom than last 

 year; natural showers suit them much better than 

 artificial ones. An important point in their culture 

 is to take up the tubers as soon as the leaves become 

 yellow ; if they are allowed to remain in the ground 

 they will start into growth almost immediatelv. J. 

 Doaglws. 



Vegetables.— Average Retail Prices. 



TUNISIAN DATES AND THE 

 PRODUCE OF THE CORK FORESTS. 



The British Consul at Tunis describes the Dates of 

 that country as much superior to those produced in 

 any other part; "and yet," he says, "they are little 

 known in England. Their great abundance and 

 their cheapness make it difficult to understand why 

 a large commerce is not carried on in this fruit. 

 They are the produce of the extensive oases in the 

 south of Tunis, those of Jerid and Tuzeur being the 

 most extensive. The Date Palm r.rows all over the 

 Regency, but the few trees met with in the north do 

 not ripen their fruit from want of the requisite heat. 

 Even the Palm Trees of the oasis of Gabes, situated 

 in lat. '.'A 3 , produce an indifferent fruit, owing to its 

 proximity to the sea, which reduces the temperature 

 of the air. The Arab saying is that the Date Palm 

 loves to have its feet in the water and its head in the 

 fire, which graphically expresses the craving of this 

 tree for moisture and heat. The best quality of 

 Date is that known by the name of Degla, which is 

 large, tender, very sweet, with skin unwrinkled, and 

 of a golden brown. These are exported chiefly to 

 France. In the market at Tunis this quality sells 

 retail at 3d. a pound. 



As steamers coming direct for Liverpool call at 

 Gabes for Alfa, it is surprising that a more extensive 

 trade is not carried on in this fruit. It constitutes 

 the principal food of the Arabs, the Oasis of Tuzeur 

 alone producing annually about 16,000,000 lb. The 

 average annual exportation does not exceed a value 

 of £12,000." 



Referring to the Cork forests of Tunis, it is stated 

 that these forests, situated in the north, near the 

 Algerian frontier, have only recently been taken in 

 hand by the government. The surface covered by 

 the forests amounts to 300,000 acres, and forms part 

 of the State domain. The sale of trees last year, it 

 is said, realised as much as £15,000. The duty 

 formerly imposed on this product has just been 

 removed. In the course of a few years a consider- 

 able revenue will be derived from the cork, which, 

 as the trees have only recently been begun to be 

 stripped of the virgin bark is not yet of mercantile 

 value. 



ARKETS. 



COVENT GARDEN, Bcceinber 27. 

 Nothing doing, owing to the holidays. James 

 Webber, Wholesale Apple Market. 



Fruit.— Average Wholesale Prices. 



s. d. s. d. 

 Apples, half-sieve .. 2 0- 4 6 

 — Canada and Nova 



Scotia, per barrellO 0- 18 

 Cob3, 100 1b. ...100 0-110 

 Grapes, per lb. ... 6- 3 



. d. s. d. 

 Lemons, per case ...12 0-21 

 Peaches, dozen ... 2 0-60 

 Pine-apples, Eng., lb. 16-20 

 — St. Michael, each 2 0-80 



Asparagus, English, 



per 100 5 0- 



— French, bundle 1 0- 



Beans, Jersey and 

 French, per lb. 



Mustard and Cress, 

 punnet ... ... 4- ... 



Onions, per bunch ... 5- ... 

 Parsley, per bunch... 4— ... 

 Peas, French, per lb. 1 0- 



Beet, red, "per dozen 10-20 Potatos, per cwt. ... 4 0- 5 

 Carrots, per bunch... 6- ... j — kidney, percwt. 4 0-50 

 Cauliflowers, each ... 3- ... — new French, lb. 6- ... 

 Celery, per bundle ... 16-20 Rhubarb, bundle ... 6- ... 



.Sr;ik;ile, punnet 



Shallots, per lb. 

 , Spinach, per bushel... 

 1 Tomatos, per lb. 



Turnips, per bunch, 

 new 5 



2 0- 



Cucumbers, each 



Endive, per dozen ... 3 0- 



Green Mint, bunch... 1 0- 



Herbs, per bunch ... 6- 



Leeks, per bunch ... 4- 



Lettuce, per dozen... 16- 



Mushrooms, punnet 1 6- ... | 



Potatos.— Beauty of Hebron, 80s. to 100s. ; Imperators, 70s. 



to 90s. ; Dunbar Regents, llus.; do. Magnums, 12Us. ; and 



York Magnums, 100s. per ton. 



Plants in Pots.- 



Aralia Sieboldi, doz. 6 

 Azaleas, doien ...24 

 Chrysanthems., doz. 4 



— large plants, each 2 

 Cyperus, per dozen . 4 

 Dracaena terminal is, 



per dozen 30 



— viridis, per doz. 12 

 Epiphyllums doz.. ..IS 

 Erica hymalis, doz. ..12 



— caffra, dozen ... 6 



— gracilis, dozen,.. 8 

 Euonymus, in var., 



per dozen 6 



Evergreens, in var., 

 per dozen 6 



-Average Wholesale Prices. 



s.d.s.d. 

 Ferns, in var., doz. 4 0-18 

 Foliage plants, vari- 

 ous, each 2 0-10 



Ficus elastica. each .16-70 

 Hyacinths, dozen ... 9 0-12 



Rom., doz. pots 9 0-10 

 Lily-of-Val.,doz. pts.36 0-42 

 Marguerites, doz. ... 6 0-12 

 Palms in var., each 2 6-21 

 Pelargoniums, scar- 

 let, per dozen ... 6 0- 9 

 Poinsettias, dozen ... 9 0-15 

 Primulas, per dozen 4 0-60 

 Solanums. dozen ... 9 0-15 

 Tulips, dozen pots ... 6 0-90 



d. s. d. 

 0-18 



0-42 



0-9 



0-4 



0-12 



O-60 



0-24 



0-30 



0-24 



0-12 



0-12 



0-18 



0-24 



Cut Flowers.— Average Wholesale Prices. 



Abutillons, 12 bun.... 3 

 Azaleas, 12 sprays ... 

 Bouvardias, per bun. 

 Camellias, 12 blms. 3 

 Carnations, 12 blms. 2 

 Christmas Roses, 12 



blooms 



Chrysant hemums, 



12 blooms 



— dozen buuehes... 4 

 Eucharis, per dozen 4 

 Qardenias. 12 blooms 6 

 Heliotropes, 12 spr. 

 Hyacinths, Roman, 



12 sprays 1 



Lapageria, 12 blooms 1 

 Lilac, white Fr..bun. .", 

 Lily-of-Val., 12 spr. 

 Marguerites, 12 bun.. 3 



6- 1 i 



Mignonette, 12 bun. 2 

 Nanis., paper-white, 

 (French), 12 bun... 3 



— double. 12 bun... 3 

 Pelargoniums, la spr. 1 



— scarlet, 12 spr.... 

 Poinsettias, doz. ... 4 

 Primulas. dbl.,;i2sp. 1 



6-3 Roses, Tea, per doz. 1 

 0-12 — coloured, dozen. 2 

 0-8 — red, per dozen ... 1 

 0-12 | — Safrano, dozen... 2 

 6-10: Stephanotis, 12 spr. 6 

 j Tuberoses. 12 blms.... 1 

 0-16 Tulips, 12 blooms ... 1 

 0-2 Violets, 12 bunches... 1 

 0- 7 u — dark, Fr., bunch 1 

 9-16 — Parme. Fr., bun. 4 

 0- 6 0| 



0-6 

 0-4 

 0- 1 6 

 6-10 

 0-9 

 0-16 

 0-3 

 0-4 

 0-2 

 0-3 

 0-8 

 6-2 

 c- 2 

 0- 1 6 

 6 - 3 

 0-5 6 



CORN. 



Averages, — Official statement showing the average 

 price of British corn, imperial measure, in the week 

 ended December 22 : — Wheat, 30s. 8d. ; Barley, 

 26s. lid. ; Oats, 16s. 3d. For the corresponding week 

 in 1887:— Wheat, 30s. lOd. ; Barley, 28s. lid. ; 

 Oats, 16s. 7d. 



Notices to Correspondents. 



Intelligent Readers, do please Note that letters 

 relating to Advertisements, or to the supply of 

 the Paper, should be addressed to the Purlisher, 

 and that all communications intended for publica- 

 tion, as well as specimens and plants for naming, 

 should be addressed to the Editor. Such com- 

 munications should be written on one side only 

 of the paper, and sent as early in the week as pos- 

 sible. Correspondents sending newspapers should 

 be careful to mark the paragraphs they wish the 

 Editor to see. 



Books : Lady Storey. The Orchid Grower's Manual, 

 by B. S. Williams, Victoria Nurseries, Upper 

 Holloway, London, N. — P. Plant Life (Bradbury 

 & Co.), or the articles in Cassell's Popular Garden- 

 ing. 



Bouvardias Striking in Moss : Psycotria. We 

 have no experience of this method of raising the 

 plants. It answers with such widely different 

 plants as double-flowered Primulas and Indian 

 Azaleas, and may be equally successfully applied 

 to the Bouvardia. 



Camellias : E. W. As the hot-water pipes have been 

 " varnished," it is very probable that the fumes of 

 the coal-tar and naphtha, used in the preparation 

 of this coating, are the cause of the leaves falling. 

 No. 1, The flower-buds may fall off from the same 

 cause, or from bad potting, as you say the soil is 

 not made firm. When the potting soil is not 

 made firm, the water scarcely wets the old ball, but 

 runs away through the new soil. The growth is 



