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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 17, 1S76. 



Souvenir de Chiswiek and Covent Garden White are two of 

 the freest and finest for decorative purposes. Guiding Star, 

 Rose of Denmark, and Lucy Mills are also as effective as ever. 

 The best singles haviDg white corollas are lira. E. Dennett and 

 Delight. Of dark singles Lord Falmouth is a grand new variety, 

 and highly superior are T. T. Lowden, Model, Crown Prince of 

 Prussia, Enoch Arden, Gazelle, Father Ignatius, Try-me-Oh, 

 Swanley Gem, Dr. Eitto, Giddings, Roderie Dhu, Noblesse, 

 First of the Day, and Day Dream. A distinct self-coloured 

 variety is Sedan. Erecta von Novelty is an erect and most 

 profuse-flowering variety, attractive for pots and likely to be 

 particularly effective when planted oat. 



Another house is nearly filled with Petunias, principally 

 single-flowered varieties, which have been raised from seed. 

 This collection is remarkable for the extremely varied colours 

 of the flowers, their high quality, rich markings, and delightful 

 perfume. Many plants possess the bold rigid habits 

 of the doubles. Sjme of the single flowers are from 

 2 to 3 inches in diameter, and have large reticulated 

 trumpet-shaped tubes; others are small, perfectly 

 shaped, and chastely marked. Their colours range 

 from white to magenta. Some of the varieties are to 

 bs named. It is the finest strain of single Petunias 

 that has probably ever been produced. 



It is interesting and also instructive to note the 

 successful way by which Mr. Cannell raises his supply 

 of Primulas, Cinerarias, and Calceolarias. This is an 

 important branch of his business, and hundreds of 

 thousands of these seedlings are now growing in seed 

 boxes in low frames. The seed is sown on thoroughly 

 moistened soil and the boxes are then placed in frames, 

 which are thickly covered with mats and kept dark. 

 That is all that is done or required, no soil or sand 

 being sprinkled over the seed, and 95 per cent, of 

 goodEeed will germinate. It is exceedingly simple, but 

 only a moment's reflection is needed to convince one 

 that it is the right plan to adopt. By this mode the 

 soil needs no watering until after the seedlings appear. 

 The mats are gradually removed when the plants ap- 

 pear, and dnriDg fine nights the "crop" is exposed 

 to the refreshing influence of night air and dews, and the 

 plants grow freely and vigorously. 



After writing so fully of the flowers only a little can be said 

 of the fruit at Swanley. The season's crop is now gathered, 

 but an idea may be given of the extent of its cultivation. 

 On the "farm" adjoining the nursery a ton of Raspberries 

 have this year been gathered before breakfast, and 11 tons 

 of Strawberries have been sent to market by the same pro- 

 prietor, Mr. Tincent. The total weight of Strawberries which 

 have this year been gathered in the district is 80 tons. They 

 were sent to London in vans, and to Manchester and the 

 north in railway trucks. Fivepenee per peck is paid for picking 

 them, the fruit-pickers coming principally from London, and 

 " gipseying " in the locality. After "fruiting" is over they 

 commence " hopping." and after the Hops are gathered they 

 commence "tatying" — taking-up and storing Potatoes. The 

 manner in which the fruit aud Potatoes are grown may be 

 alluded to in another communication. 



The district is evidently particularly suitable to the cul- 

 tivation of " flowers and fruit," and is also exceedingly salu- 

 brious and conducive to the health of its inhabitants, for not 

 only does Swanley contain superior examples of vegetation, 

 but also, no doubt, the most wonderful specimen of humanity 

 to be found in Her Majesty's dominions, or probably in the 

 world. As the Brobdignagian Boy of Swanley has not yet 

 been honoured with public notice, perhaps he may be alluded 

 to here. His name is Richard Beenham, he will be twelve 

 years of age on the 31-t of the present month, his height is 

 -5 feet, his girth round the waist is 69 inches, and his weight 

 upwards of 21 stones of 11 lbs. to the stone. He is healthy and 

 in possession of his faculties. His father is a basket-maker, 

 and^the " boy " appears to be learning the business. — J. 



DRILLING CABBAGE SEED. 

 The common culture of this plant, as everyone knows, is 

 that of sowing the seed on a seed bed, and transplanting the 

 plants where they are to remain to produce Cabbages. The 

 drilling system precludes the neceEEity of transplanting, which 

 in a season like the present can only be performed during or 

 immediately after rain, and in case of a drought must be post- 

 poned often for a long period. I have often remarked how 



superior plants have been that were singled-out in seed beds 

 and left without moving when compared with others which 

 had been transplanted. Last July I drilled some Walcheren 

 Broccoli with great success. I sow the seed thinly in quarters 

 where the plants are to remain. Thinning must be attended 

 to early and in a gradual manner, so that in case of any of 

 the plants being destroyed there may be no blanks in the 

 rows. I should be glad if some of the readers of your Journal 

 would give us their opinion on the drilling system in gardens. 

 — William Giles. 



IMPROVED WATER BARROW. 

 This water barrow for garden purposes, to which is attached 

 a patent rotary pump, is manufac:ured by Messrs. Barnard 

 and Co., Norwich. It is very simple in construction, and 



Kg. 16. 



efficient in action. The pump can be worked by a boy, and 

 is capable of throwing a continuous stream of water to a 

 distance of 40 feet or 50 feet. If treated with care (as any 

 piece of good machinery should be) it will last for many years. 

 These pumps should be well oiled after use, and when the jet 

 pipe is removed a cork should be placed in the aperture of 

 the pump. 



THE TIMBER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED 

 STATES. 

 A pamphlet we have received on the " Timber Supply of 

 the Dominion of Canada and the United States of America," 

 by Mr. James Little, reveals a state of consumption and waste 

 of timber that must make our political economists and those 

 interested in this great source cf wealth reflect a little on the 

 consequences. Twenty-five millions of dollars are received 

 yearly from the forests. Mr. Little Ehows in his pamphlet that 

 great waste is going on, that the Governments of Ontario and 

 Quebec through their Crown Timber Office (generally under 

 the control of lawyers quite ignorant of the duties), have been 

 hastening the stripping of the country of its invaluable timber 

 resources, which never can be reproduced, so far as the white 

 Pine is concerned, by throwing them on the market without 

 reference to the requirements of the trade — their object being 

 to see which of them can raise the largest revenue and make 

 the best exhibit in their budget speeches, regardless of the 

 resources of the country. Mr. Little shows, by figures care- 

 fully obtained, that the effect of this waste wiil be, at the rate 

 of consumption going on, that there will not be a tree left, a 

 dozen years hence, on this side of the Rocky Mountains, of the 

 commercial woods which yield such large returns and supply 

 home purposes. The census of 1870 showed a production of 

 sawed timber of 12,755,543,000 feet, and the addition of 

 timber made into shingles and hewn, flattened and rounded 

 timber used at home and exported (excluding firewood), reaches 

 the enormous amount of 20,000,000,000 feet, or 30,000,000 of 

 tons, from which Mr. Little estimates it would require more 

 than 50 per cent, more than the shipping of the whole world 

 to freight that quantity from their Pacific states and terri- 



