January 8, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
43 
*** All correspondence should be directed either to “The Editor” 
or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. Hogg or 
members of the staff often remain unopened unavoidably. We 
request that no one will write privately to any of our correspon¬ 
dents, as doing so subjects them to unjustifiable trouble and 
expense. 
Wine not Fermenting (F. G .).—Your wine probably needs a higher 
temperature. From 55° to fiO° is suitable, and if it does not ferment when 
kept in a temperature of G0° apply a little fresh yeast on toast, and a change 
will, we tbink, soon follow. 
Lists of Vegetables (B. J. B .).—Lists of select vegetables have not 
been published recently, if you mean by “recently” the late autumn. 
Early spring is the time when such lists usually appear, and they are cer¬ 
tain to be forthcoming from experienced and competent persons. There is, 
however, this great difference in the nature of lists—namely, some having 
selections of new and choice vegetables regardless of price, others being 
of useful varieties of moderate price, and this difference should be observed 
both by writers and readers who are interested in vegetable culture. 
Vine Roots ( Helvenweld ).—"VVe have examined the roots carefully. They 
were considerably dried, but we consider them to be healthy, natural, and in 
good condition for supporting the Vines. It is not at all unusual for some 
of the outer cuticle to peel off when the roots are thickening rapidly. If the 
Vines are in otherwise good condition for forcing, strong and well ripened, 
there is nothing in the state of the roots that need cause you the slightest 
Vmeasiness ; indeed, we do not often receive cleaner and more satisfactory 
examples. Mulch the borders in the summer—that is, cover them with 
manure to induce the roots to work near the surface, which they never do 
if the soil is hot and dry. 
Gas Lime for Gardens (An Old Subscriber ).—Fresh gas lime is much 
more powerful and efficacious as a destroyer of grubs than is fresh lime 
from kilns, but the former is a destroyer of vegetation if not judiciously 
used. We should not hesitate to apply it at the rate of half a ton per acre, 
or 4 ozs. to each square yard, if it were carefully mixed with the soil, not 
thrown in a thick layer at the bottom of each trench, two months before 
sowing or planting. We have thus applied and found it perfectly safe. The 
fresher it is the more effective it proves, as if long exposed to the air it is 
weakened considerably. If the land is much infested with grubs we should 
apply gas lime now to those parts that would not be cropped before the 
middle of March, and also give a good dressing of freshly slaked lime from 
the kiln a week before sowing or planting. 
Culture of Crinums (IF. J .).—The treatment you have afforded the 
plants is correct, but Crinums are sometimes very shy in flowering, and we 
have known plants under the best culture fail to produce their flowers for 
several years. The coolest part of the stove will be the most suitable posi¬ 
tion for them during growth, with a cool and dry place at resting time. The 
compost should consist of turfy loam and leaf soil, or a little peat, with 
sufficient sand to render it thoroughly porous, as water must be liberally 
supplied when the plants are growing. One species from South Africa— 
viz., C. capense, is quite hardy in England, but most of the others require 
to be grown under glass, and all are better for such protection. You will 
not be able to determine the name of your plant until it flowers. 
Tulips Failing (B. L .).—We have examined the bulbs carefully, and 
have formed a rather strong opinion that their condition is, to a great extent 
at least, the result of the treatment to which they have been subjected. 
The varieties do not flower at this season with the same certainty and free¬ 
dom as do the Due Van Thols ; and it is quite certain they could not do so 
with the few roots attached as in the examples before us. We strongly 
suspect that if the bulbs had been left in the plunging material until they 
had formed at least thrice the quantity of roots as they ought to have had 
before being placed in heat, that the growth and flowers would have been 
satisfactory. As it is, the malformed growths represent the matter that 
was stored in the bulbs, and as the roots were altogether inadequate for 
sustaining the growth it was necessarily arrested, and hence the unsatis¬ 
factory results. We note that three of the bulbs have scarcely started into 
growth ; these we will try, and if they fail similarly to the others we will 
refer to the subject again. 
Mistletoe (A Canny Scot). —Mistletoe grows on other trees besides the 
Oak and the Apple, but if you desire to establish it you will perhaps be able 
to do so on the Apple, the Oak, and the Thorn, on all of which we have seen 
it grow. But it does not appear to grow: equally well in all localities, as 
we have had no difficulty in establishing it bn trees in one district and quite 
failed in another locality; it also probably grows better during some seasons 
than others, the weather exerting an influence on this in common with other 
parasitic plants. If you press fresh seeds firmly on the smoothbark of the trees 
just when the sap is rising, and protect it from birds with muslin or some¬ 
thing of that kind, that is all you can do; unless you like to make slight 
incisions in the bark and insert the seeds in that way. We have tried both 
methods and found the first-named to answer the better. You had better 
sow liberally, aB if you were expecting not more than one seed in a hundred 
to germinate. 
Cabbages Clubbing (E. T. H.). —No harm could result from your plant¬ 
ing in cocoa-nut fibre refuse—that is, making holes and filling them with it 
before planting, but we suspect it would be better if soot and lime were 
mixed with it. Wood ashes used plentifully in the same way are to some 
extent, and often to a very great extent, useful. Use all the lime and lime 
rubbish you can obtain. It is questionable if clubbing can exist where 
there is a sufficiency of lime in the soil, and, your soil being sandy, the 
probability is that a want of lime is the cause in your case. Mr. J. J. H. 
Gregory, a most extensive American grower, finds that planting Cabbages 
too often on the same soils induces clubbing, while it never appears when 
a proper rotation is observed ; but his soil is deficient in lime. Mr. Peter 
Henderson, another American grower, grows them repeatedly on the same 
soil and is never troubled with it; but large quantities of shells abound in 
his soil. Rank manures, unprepared by fermenting, often induce an 
attack. In cottage gardens where the soapsuds are continually applied to 
the Cabbage plot clubbing is seldom seen. 
Draining and Concreting Vine Borders (Bothered).— If you exercise 
your own intelligence you need not be greatly “bothered” by anybody. 
Read Mr. Barron’s work on the Vine. He does not “ wax eloquent,” after 
the manner of some men of less experience, but teaches common sense, and 
this is the most useful kind of all. Here is an example that ought not to 
“ bother ” you greatly “ Drainage.—This is one of the most important 
operations in the formation of a Vine border, and one that in some situations 
entails a considerable amount of expense and trouble to render it efficient. 
It is a point that must always be taken into consideration in selecting the 
position of a vinery, for if the soil cannot be drained freely and easily the 
site is not a proper one for the cultivation of Grapes. Since Vines will not 
succeed well in a low, damp situation, it is best to choose for them a rather 
high position, though not necessarily an exposed one; on a gentle incline, 
it may be, when the work of drainage will be almost accomplished. Many 
gardens with gravelly subsoil, even if on the level, are well drained naturally, 
and so require little preparation ; but it is not well to trust too much to 
natural conditions, though they are apparently favourable. It is better to 
take all ordinary precautions at the first rather than to run any risks, and 
after several years of loss and disappointment to have all the work to 
do over again. In every case, therefore, a considerable amount of draining 
material should be placed over the whole surface of the bed of the border— 
say from 1 to 2 feet or more in depth, according to the breadth of the border, 
the nature of the subsoil, &c. At the back of the border, for example, we 
should place a depth of 2 feet of drainage, allowing it to slope to 18 inches 
at the front, where a drain 12 inches lower still should be formed to carry 
off all superabundant moisture. The best material, generally very acces¬ 
sible, for the drainage of a Vine border will be found in old brick and lime 
rubbish, the rougher and larger pieces being placed at the bottom, finishing 
with the finer on the top, these forming a barrier which prevents the drain¬ 
age materials from becoming choked by the soil being washed down amongst 
them. In cold, wet, clayey soils it is advisable to place a layer of concrete 
over the bottom of the border. This will prevent the damp from rising, 
and cut off any possibility of the roots descending; but even in this case 
it is still advisable to place over the concrete the bed of brick rubbish, as 
already recommended. The beneficial effect of drainage is not alone that 
of drawing off the superfluous moisture, but the consequence of this being 
done is to raise the temperature of the soil. A well-drained border is not 
only drier, but warmer by a good many degrees than a water-logged or 
undrained one. No bett-r illustration than this can be given of the immense 
importance of thorough drainage for the roots of the Vine.” 
Names of Fruits (W. Mancey). —1, Headcroft Seedling ; 2,Hollanclbury ; 
3, Not known; 4, Ribston Pippin; 5, Broadend. (M. P-). —1, Cellini; 2, 
Fearn’s Pippin; 3, Trumpington ; 4, Spring Grove Codlin; 5, Not known; 
6, Margil. (V. Martin). —l,Cobham; 2, Blenheim Pippin; 3, Not known; 
4, Round Winter Nonesuch; 5, Formosa Pippin; 6, Claygate Pearmain, 
(Devon). —2, Cockle’s Pippin ; 8, Devonshire Queen. We are sorry we can¬ 
not supply the names of the others, they are probably local varieties. 
Names of Plants (Fern). —Your Fern is a rather drawn specimen of 
Asplenium fontanum. We do not think it could now be found wild in 
England, unless it were in Westmoreland and probably in one or two Scotch 
localities. It was formerly recorded from Petersfield, Hants, Tooting, 
Surrey, Matlock, &c.; but there is no record of its occurrence in Kent. _ It 
is widely distributed throughout Europe, and rather abundant at a high 
altitude in the Himalayas. (H. J.). —The Clematis is C. Flammula. The 
white Jasmine referred to is probably Jasminufn officinale. (J.W-L.) 
Laelia albida. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— January 7th. 
No alterations to quote. Trade quiet with full supplies. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples .. .. 
2 
6 
to 3 
6 
Chestnuts .. 
.. bushel 16 
0 
0 
0 
Cobs, Kent .. 
per 100 lbs. 
55 
0 
0 
0 
Currants, Red 
. # h sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ Black 
.. \ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes .. .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Lemons .. .. 
, # . case 
10 
0 
15 
0 
Oranges.100 
Peaches.perdoz. 
Pears, kitchen .. dozen 
,, dessert .. dozen 
Pine Apples English., lb. 
Plums .| sieve 
Strawberries.lb. 
St. Michael Pines . .each 
s. d. s. d. 
4 Oto 6 0 
0 0 0 0 
10 3 0 
2 0 6 0 
16 2 0 
0 0 0 0 
0 0 0 0 
3 0 7 0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. d. s. d. 
Artichokes .. .. dozen 2 0 to 4 0 
Beans, Kidney .. lb. 0 3 0 0 
Beet, Red .. .. dozen 10 2 0 
Broccoli.bundle 0 9 10 
Brussels Sprouts .. J sieve 2 6 3 0 
Cabbage.dozen 0 0 10 
Capsicums .. .. 100 1 6 2 0 
Carrots.bunch 0 3 0 4 
Cauliflowers .. .. dozen 2 0 3 0 
Celery .bundle 16 2 0 
Coleworts dcz. bunches 2 0 4 0 
Cucumbers .. .. each 0 4 10 
Endive.dozen 10 2 0 
Herbs .bunch 0 2 0 0 
Leeks .bunch 0 3 0 4 
Lettuce.dozen 10 16 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Mushrooms .. .. 
punnet 
0 
0 
to 1 
6 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Onions. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Parslev .. dozen bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Potatoes. 
, cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
„ Kidney .. 
. cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Salsafy. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Scorzonera .. .. 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Seakale .. .. per basket 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Shallots. 
.. Ib. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach. 
bushel 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Tomatoes .. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
i 
0 
6 
