128 HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



Wc spent some time at the country house or buyten- 

 phmts of a relation of Mr Macphail, who, having retired 

 from the sea-faring line, now amuses his leisure in the ma- 

 nagement of his fruit-trees, on which he makes many expe- 

 riments. He mentioned to us, that, some years ago, his 

 trees had been much infected with the white insect, but 

 that, by repeated washing with a brush dipped in the 

 pickle of salted herrings, he had succeeded in thoroughly 

 cleansing them. 



Vegetable Market. 



Aug. 9.5. — Early this morning, Mr Macdonald, having 

 been on the alert, witnessed the opening of the green- 

 market, and the arrival of many punts or long narrow 

 barges which had come down the Rhine and the Maese, 

 some of them from a great distance, particularly from 

 places in the neighbourhood of Arnheim and Ghorcum, 

 loaded chiefly with new potatoes : these were commonly 

 stowed in the hold, but packed in sacks ; each sack con- 

 taining about two Scots bushels. The potatoes were 

 in general of a diminutive size and round shape ; and 

 they were brought to market unwashed. From their 

 appearance we should not have pronounced them very 

 good ; but our countrymen in Rotterdam informed us that 

 they are, in general, of excellent quality. On the decks of 

 the same vessels, were many small hampers containing 

 apples and pears : these hampers were netted over, so as 

 to admit air, but prevent the fruit from falling out. The 

 ripest and largest apples were of the well known variety 

 called Dutch Codlin. The Red Calville and the White 

 Calville were both in large quantities, and likewise very 

 good* The baking apple, called with us Fail-me-never, 

 pretty abundant ; but not nearly ripe. The apples 

 ue very generally brought from the province of Guelder- 



