JOTIRNAL OP HORTICITLTTTEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ March 28, 1984. 



competition, we think he had reason for congratulation. 

 He had on idea that the great growers selected their twenty 

 best from some thirty or forty bulbs. "We think it much 

 more likely that they had some hundreds to pick and choose 

 among. The best cultivators would be the first to confess 

 this. But these matters, though they may apply to strict 

 florists, the flower-stems which they would reject would be 

 none the less beautiful to those who see beauty, though not 

 arrayed in defined forms and shapes. To all such, a vast 

 variety of showy bloom may be obtained from the cheaper 

 collections of Hyacinths. What we wish clearly to enun- 

 ciate is just this — that all who wish to have a certain number 

 of first-rate flowei-s for any occasion must gi-ow more than 

 they absolutely want for that purpose, so as to have numbers 

 to choose from. 



We continued potting, striking cuttings, &c., during the 

 ■week, and felt thankful that we hadnot yet turned anything 

 out into earth-pits for the flower garden, though most of our 

 houses are now unpassable for gentlemen, and far less for 

 ladies. We shall leave these just to say one word on 



Beating S.nall Bouses. — We can add nothing to what was 

 said in answer to two correspondents a fortnight ago, as to 

 stoves, gas, &c. We believe that for every small house close 

 to a residence that now exists, there would be twenty, if it 

 were not for the heating question. We believe that all the 

 modes referred to will be effectual if the little trouble is 

 given, and that gas where easily obtainable would give the 

 least trouble, whether used for stove or for stove and their 

 boiler and their pipes. We have had several letters on the 

 subject, asking our opinion on this and that plan, but we 

 would rather not give more of opinion and belief, but prefer 

 instead to listen to the practical results of those who have 

 tried the different modes, as we are not in a position to test 

 them ourselves. What makes us the more anxious is, that 

 the reports received are very contradictorv, especially as to 

 the expense of the modes of heating. We have taken the 

 opportunity to consult a friend, who from his position, and 

 courtesy, and popularity, has been greatly consulted on such 

 matters, by residents in the suburbs of large towns, and he 

 t«lls us that the reports he receives are very conflicting, one 

 gentleman stating that the heating of his little house with 

 gas has made no appreciable difference in his gas bill for the 

 year ,- a second stating that the expense for his small house 

 averages Is. per week ; whilst a third says, that the expense 

 in his case is ruinous, averaging 10s. per week. Of course, 

 this must have been a larger house. These conflicting results 

 led our friend to advise a course with these little ornamental 

 houses, which we mention as it may suit some, and which 

 has been followed by many of those who asked his counsel, 

 and that is simply to treat such houses as a cold or un- 

 heated house. To do this and also keep up the interest of 

 the propi-ietors in their own plants for the summer, he 

 advises growing the hardier plants in summer, as Fuchsias, 

 Scarlet Geraniums, Salvias, Ac, and as winter approaches, 

 pruning these partly at least, and placing them under the 

 stage, with the means of covering the stage over in severe 

 weather, and then bringing in winter-flowering J.asmines, 

 Lanmstinus, Arbutus, and other shrubs, and early bulbs to 

 enliven the house for the winter.— E. F. 



TRA.de C.iTALOGUE.S RECEIVED. 

 Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, and Salt Hill.- 

 General Spring Catalogue for 1865. 



Joseph" Wood, Florist, 

 Cainlogue of JBritith Ferns. 



Bowness, Windermere. — Priced 



COVENT GAItDEN MARKET.-Mabch 25. 



Applet idlere 2 



Apricota doz. 



CheiTtes lb. 



ChMtnnU hmh. U 



fUbtnn 100 lb». 40 



Cobs do. iO 



GooMbcrrlei .. i ri've 



Or«DM lb. 1.5 



l*inon« loo A 



Melo^ each 



a. a. 

 U>4 

 



Malbprrioa .... piinnot 



NecUrlnea « doz. 



OranKca luo 



Peiiclifiii doz. 



P«ar» (kitchen). ..bunli. 



dfawrt doz. 



Pine Applcj lb. 



I'lam« I, ji.vc 



d. >. 



to 

 



8 



3 



10 



. 



i Strawberrli'i oz 2 



I Walunta bnah. 14 



fl. 







VEGET 



i. a. d 

 4 too 6 

 14 

 



6 4 

 3 

 3 

 4 

 G 2 

 



7 10 

 6 

 3 

 5 

 6 3 

 3 



8 

 3 

 6 4 



iBLES. 







2 

 1 

 n 

 5 







s 





 

 2 

 1 

 1 

 3 

 1 

 4 

 

 

 



d. s. 

 3 to 

 4 

 6 2 

 2 n 

 7 

 6 

 6 5 

 1 

 

 6 4 

 2 

 1 

 

 6 3 

 6 

 

 5 

 



d 



8 











1 

 •2 

 3 



Mu8hroom.< pottle 



Mnstd. & Crea!«, punnet 



Onions bnsbel 



pickliuff quart 



Parsley \ sieve 



S 

 

 



s 



n 



1 







Parsnips .". doz. 



Peas... quart 







n 



u 



T 



Potatoes bushel 



Hfidishes doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



SaT»yB doz. 





 

 E 

 



2 

 

 

 



Sea-kale basket 



Spiaach 'Sieve 



Tomatoes J sieve 





 







s 



- 



VeKCtableMarrows doz. 



a 



Artichokes each 



Asparatfus hundle 



Beana Broad J sictc 



Kidney \00 



Beet. Reil doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Bruj^clsSprouts ^ sieve 



C«bba3"o do7.. 



CaDsicutns 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflowtjr doz. 



Celerv bundle 



Cucumbers each 



Kndive score 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic and Shallots, lb. 



Herbs bunch 



HorseradUh ... bundle 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



*#* We request that no one will -wi-ite privately to the de- 

 partmental Avriters of the ** JourniU of Horticulture, 

 Cottage Gardener, and Country Grentleraan." By so 

 doin^ they are subjected to unjustifiable trouble and 

 expense. All communications should therefore be ad- 

 dressed solely to The Editors of the Journal of Horticul- 

 ture, 4*0., 171, Fleet Street, London, E.C. 



We also request that correspondents will not mix up on the 

 same sheet questions relating: to Gardening and those 

 on Poultry and Bee subjects, if they expect to get them 

 answered promptly and conveniently, but write them 

 on separate communications. Also never to send more 

 than two or three questions at once. 



N.B. — Many questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



Pl'KNkts, — "A. B." wishes to be informed \?here he can purchase some 

 punnets. 



Flower- GARDEN Plan iCnlcaria). — Yonr copy of the plan at Pntteridge 

 bury of a croup of beds on the east side of the manwicm shuws the centre 

 bed larcer than that in proportion to the other beds, ani even that is too 

 lartfe for the other c'nmija, but is neutriilist"! in ihfi planting^. You would 

 require a £jnod broad band of Lobelia round the Calceolari i Aurea tloribunda 

 to prevent the yellow drowning the other beds. \V« think the group would 

 lie improved and be belter balanced if you put three colours in the bed— say 

 Victory or Crimeon Kinff in the centre, and then yellow and blue. In the 

 arraiicement of the ntlier eiphr beds ynu sometimes balance or pair the beds, 

 nnd at other times there is the plan of having^ every bed distinct —now one 

 or other should be followed. We prefer balancinc. Instead, thf*refore, of 

 having -, 5, 4, 5, filled witli Madame Voucher. Stella, Chrisiiue, and Tren- 

 tham Rose Geraniums respectively, we would make 2 and 3 Stella, edged 

 with Christine, and 4. -j. Trenthmu Rose, cdG;ed witli .Madame Voucher; 

 then we would Iiave 6, 7, Scarlet. Verbenas, edged with variei;-ited Arabi", a^ 

 you propose, hut in 8 and 9, inste id of having one cross bed of Purple Kin^. 

 and another of Snowflnke, we would centre both with Snowftake and border 

 with Purple KInp. In your long ber.t bod we would take the border all 

 round of Cerastiufn on both sides, then your Lobolia, and centre with Golden 

 Fleeci'. The bed would look very pretty after edcjintr with Cerastium to 

 dot with Golden Fleetc, or Cloth of Gold, or Golden Chain— the lutter two 

 better th^in Golden Fleece— and then fill all the other spaces with Lobelia. 



Inuiak Cobs {^4. Z.).— You were answered at page 133. It will not 

 puccecd. 



ViNK Lkaves Wartvd {II. if.).— The little elevations with brown tips on 

 the under side of the Vim- leaves usu illy ari"*e from the roots supplying sap 

 to tbe leaves faster than these c;in elaborate it. Free ventilation and less 

 nioiiture in the air will check this appearance, but it is not iit all incom- 

 pitiMe with a superior crop of fruit, being indicative of vigorous growth, 



GuowfNG TiMN MosaRooMa {S. (?.)■— To eet thin Mushrooms you must 

 keep them drier and use lighter and less rich materials to grow them in. 

 Nioat people like them tliick and juicy, but Mr. Fir<h haa several times stated 

 that by usinc a covering of cow dung beneatli the moil thoy become too thick 

 f.»r pome people's taste. For some purposes such thick Mushrooms might 

 be sliced acros*. Must people like them the better for being thick and 

 juicy, but a gardener should study the tastes of his emi>loyer. 



A Thrkf.-tkbrack Circular V.v.h (A. iV).— Wo wou'd plant the top with 

 Stella Geranium, the Hecund witn yellow Calceolaria, and the ground tier 

 with Bc.irlet Geraniums Tom Thuml>, or Little David, or Boule do Fen, and 

 e<lge with a hanging border over tiio stakes of the white-leaved Geranium. 

 A very good arrangement would also be white-lonvod Geraniums for the top, 

 with the flowers taken otf. secontl tier scurlet Geriinium, bottom tier Aurea 

 floribunda Calccolariu, with a lian«ing edging of Verbena pulchellu. 



Korchd Strawiikrrikh UNPR'fn KfL ( Jr. A. 0.).—J( you wish the Straw- 

 berry plants that havo failed, to fruit in tho smne pots next year, we recom- 

 mend you to protect the pots when you set tliem out of the hou«e. Then 

 place Ihein against a n'lrth wall to have conpuratiro rest, and about the 

 middle of Juno thin out the smallrrtt buds, shake awjiy a g'lod portion of tho 

 soil, tind repot (Irmly agtiln in frefh soil ; fhado for u week or so in brlglit 

 nun«hlno. imd then expono caruftdly tn tho sun, and treat as If younger 

 pl.intH. Yon will then mo«t likely obtain a heavy crop, but la general the 

 Individual fruits .ire not no fine as from younger plants. 



PiTrBkiitoKBtnty (A }ir,i'frr).~\\Q are sorry that as yet no dr-flnite Infer 

 mation ctin bfl given as id the miilttr to which you refer. If no notice 

 appears perhHpn it would bu a« well to write to Mr. Kish during tho sutamer, 

 when, no doabt, be would act with hU usual courtesy. 



