January 3, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
21 
fixed 3 or 4 inches below the grating, and with sufficient heating surface 
which, though involving a little extra outlay in pipes, is in the end always 
economical owing to the saving of fuel, the path would never be too hot for 
walking over. If there is a possibility of water rising in the stokehole you 
may have the pipes almost close to the grating, while if the danger is 
imminent you had better, perhaps, consult a competent person who has had 
experience in heating with pipes below the boiler. We know of a nursery 
where much of the piping is so arranged, and the entire system works 
smoothly and satisfactorily. We, however, do not advise its adoption except 
in a case of necessity. 
Climbers for Conservatory (A r . S., Beckenham ).—Presuming the house 
is lofty and you desire plants to cover roof space quickly and produce 
pendent sprays of flowers, you will find the following suitable—Tacsonia 
Yan-Yolxemi and T. exoniensis, Passiflora rubra racemosa and P. Empress 
Eugenie, with Cobasa scandens variegata. A little less vigorous, but not 
less beautiful, are Clematis indivisa, Rhodochiton volubile, Mandevilla 
euaveolens, red and white Lapagerias, Lonicera sempervirens, and Oestrum 
aurantiacum. Effective for pillars are Bougainvillea glabra, Habrothamnus 
fascicularis, Rhynchospermum jasminioides and Solanum jasminioides. Swain- 
sonia Osborni requires a light position, and is dwarf in comparison with 
many of the others. It is never easy to answer a question of this kind 
satisfactorily without some information relative to the height of the house 
and the number of plants required. We cannot usefully recommend many 
plants for a wall without knowing its height, also its length, or the number 
of plants it will accommodate. If the wall is inside a conservatory in which 
the roof is to be heavily festooned with climbers, few flowering plants will 
succeed, owing to the absence of light, and the best would be Camellias. 
An evergreen surface without flowers is afforded by Picus repens. Roses 
suitable for a lofty corridor such as you describe are Gloire de Dijon, Reine 
Marie Henriette, Marshal Niel, and Cheshunt Hybrid. You had better 
confine the roots of tender plants to an inside border. We are quite willing 
to refer to the subject again if you need further information and will supply 
us with the particulars suggested. 
Names of Plants (P. C. Thorne ).—The plant is Solanum jasminioides, a 
South American species, which was introduced about 1838. An engraving 
of a flowering shoot, with full description, was given in this Journal, 
No. 945, May 8th, 1879, page 345. The number can be had from this office 
post free for ohd. in stamps. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— January 2nd. 
OtTR market has been quiet since the holidays, but prices all round have been firmer. 
The supply of hothouse Grapes has fallen off somewhat. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Apples . 
i sieve 
1 
6 
to 5 
0 
Nectarines . . .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
„ .. .. per barrel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Apricots . . . 
box 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts .. 
bushel 
10 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Figs . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
1 
0 
5 
0 
Filberts . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English., lb. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cobs . 
per lb. 
1 
4 
0 
0 
Plums and Damsons .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes . 
.. lb. 
1 
6 
4 
0 
Strawberries .. 
.. lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemon. 
15 
0 
21 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
..each 
o 
6 
8 
0 
Melons. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
a. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
a. 
s. 
d. 
Artichokes 
. dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
i 
0 
to 1 
6 
Beans, Kidney 
100 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red 
. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions . 
bushel 
2 
6 
8 
3 
Broccoli .. ,. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts 
. ^ sieve 
1 
6 
2 
6 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage .. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Capsicums 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney . . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots .. .. 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Rhubarb . 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers .. 
. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Salsafy . . .. . . 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery .. .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Coleworts doz 
bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale . 
basket 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cucumbers .. 
. each 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Shallots . 
.. ft. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive .. .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach . 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Herbs .. .. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. .. 
.. ft. 
0 
3 
0 
10 
Leeks .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
S 
0 
0 
Lettuce .. .. 
1 
0 
1 
S 
A RETROSPECT OF THE HOME FARM FOR 1883. 
According to custom tlie home farmer’s agricultural year 
begins on October 1st, therefore our observations will commence 
with the month of October, 1882. In this instance it was quite 
an unusual period, especially for Wheat-sowing; in fact, after 
the 20th of October and the great storm which occurred about 
that time, and until the 20th of February following, it may 
fairly be said that there was no Wheat season or seed time on 
strong and flat lying soils. The heavy rains and floods continued 
almost without intermission until the date above-named in all 
parts of the kingdom, but more especially in the western and 
north-western counties. All the Wheat sown after October 20th 
suffered more or less from a deficiency in plant, and to such an 
extent that we have no exact parallel for more than fifty years. 
But the nearest approach to the difficulties of our seed time 
for Wheat occurred in the year 1841. There was, however, this 
difference, that the heavy rains commenced in and through the 
month of September, and continued until December 14tli follow¬ 
ing, with only intervals of a day or two of fine weather. In 
consequence of the deficiency of plant large areas were ploughed 
up after the seed time in January, 1883, and in some instances 
resown with Wheat, which generally gave but a poor yield of 
grain. Upon referring to the reports from various districts of 
the kingdom w r e find that more than G^- inches of rain fell in 
October, 1882, which is double an average fall; also in the follow¬ 
ing months, including February, the fall of rain was considerably 
over the average. 
It is interesting to trace the weather and its effect upon the 
Wheat crop from that time up to the harvest. Our record shows 
that the months of March and down to June inclusive were of a 
dry but cold character, but the end of June and July was wet 
and the Wheat suffered accordingly. Fortunately the early part 
of the month of August in the southern and south-eastern 
counties was both dry and hot, and to this circumstance we owe 
the good quality of our Wheat, which is noticed as being very 
bright “and heavy in weight wherever it was harvested in good 
condition, but the northern and north-midland districts suffered 
much from the continuous rains which followed, and serious 
losses occurred in various districts. It is generally thought that 
the reports of the crop given in on the edge of harvest were, and 
may be accepted as near the truth as possible. In summing up 
the reports it must, however, be remembered that the general 
remits were Wheat under the average; Barley, average, but of 
doubtful quality; Oats, the crop of the season, over average and 
of good quality; Beans and Peas both over the average; Rye, 
Vetches, &c., have also yielded well. 
The seed time for all the green and catch crops, whether 
required for feeding or soiling cattle, was favourable, it being 
concluded before the rains commenced, which destroyed the 
seed time for Wheat; but the spring months being dry made 
it favourable for feeding sheep on the land. The crops of 
Clover and field grasses were under an average. The same 
may be said of the pastures and parklands, the only exception 
being irrigated meadows. The haying season was, however, 
very tiresome and disappointing, and, excepting in a few 
instances, the ha.y crop was more or less damaged throughout 
the western and midland districts. Owing to the forcing rains 
of July, however, the second growth, whether for hay, feeding, 
or ploughing, proved abundant. The fine weather in August also 
proved favourable, and much second growth of hay was made in 
better condition than the first cutting. 
Reports of the root crops, whether Mangolds, Carrots, or 
Turnips, also of Cabbages and Kales, in general concur in 
representing them as a good average, although in some of 
the northern counties and Scotland, where the seedtime is 
earlier, it was rather prejudiced by the dry weather having 
continued too long for the benefit of the young plants. The 
growth of Potatoes, both early and late, has been most 
abundant and the tubers of fine quality, and it has been 
quite the exception to find that the disease has injured the 
produce. 
All the green and catch crops have proved most abundant, 
as also the grass in the meadows and parklands, also on the 
chalk and limestone hills, which has turned out very favour¬ 
ably for the breeding flocks of sheep. The evidence on this is 
suggested by the high range of pi’ices at which sheep sold at 
all autumn and summer fairs, and such a value as will have 
left but little profit to the vale farmers w'ho purchase them for 
wdnter-fattening on the dry and mixed soils of the southern, 
home, and eastern counties. The abundance of grass in the 
pastures of nearly every district in the kingdom has also made 
the demand for cows and calves unusually great, and they were 
dear and scarce in consequence, and had not the hateful scourge 
of foot-and mouth disease interfered with the dairy farmer’s 
projects, the produce of dairies would have been far beyond the 
usual average. 
The milk trade has been good all the summer, particularly in 
those cases where the farms and pastures are situated near 
towns and railway stations. The same applies to butter-making 
dairies, for these have paid well, and perhaps better than by the 
sale of milk, especially in those cases where the butter makers 
thoroughly understand the making, and have also the advantage 
of the late improvements in machinery and implements necessary 
and connected with the best process of making up the butter. 
This part of the subject is very important to the home farmer, 
particularly in pasture districts, or even on arable farms favour¬ 
able for the production of green crops, roots, and ensilage. 
A well-managed suckling dairy is the most profitable of all the 
