March 6, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
199 
In this respect they may be most useful, as they either will or ought to 
afford you a sound basis for subsequent acquirements. A thorough know¬ 
ledge of the subjects named in your letter can only be had by a long course 
of study and persevering application, and it will depend entirely on your 
aptitude in turning your knowledge to account as to whether it will be of 
substantial service to you. We are glad to observe a decided improvement 
in your caligraphy, a neat clear style of penmanship being always desirable, 
and often of very great advantage to a gardener. You will do well, how¬ 
ever, to guard against an extremely florid method, which, indulged in, will 
be considered pedantic. A correct and concise manner of expression must 
not be overlooked. This is of greater moment than good penmanship, and 
we point it out to you because your letter contains two errors in grammar 
and the repetition of a sentence that mars the composition. Shorthand may 
be useful to you or not, just as it is practised diligently. So far from your 
being made “perfect in six months,” you will never be perfect unless you 
continually practise the art. Even the most expert shorthand writers find 
constant practice necessary for maintaining their proficiency. A knowledge 
of book-keeping is essential, also of geometry, and to a certain extent mathe¬ 
matics, while of chemistry as applied to agriculture and horticulture you are 
not likely to learn too much, nor of botany. But you may easily attempt 
too much at once and err by relying too much on others. Proficiency in 
grammar and composition will be of greater service to you than shorthand, 
but if you can become competent in all so much the better. It is not 
possible for us to estimate the money value of any lessons you may receive, 
as these necessarily vary. We note with approval the efforts you are making 
to attain knowledge, and you have our best wishes for your success. Either 
you are fanciful or we are, but we do not admire the use of blue ink on tinted 
paper of such a flimsy texture as you use, as letters thus written are the 
reverse of easy reading, and are not likely to be particularly acceptable to 
ladies and gentlemen to whom you may have to write in the transaction of 
business. 
Names of Fruits (C . Iloltby). —The Pear is Beurr5 Ranee. The Apple is 
not known. (II. W .).—The Apple is the Pig’s-nose Pippin. The shrub is 
Veronica elliptica, a spray of which was figured on page 145. 
Names of Plants (Reader). — 1, Pteris longifolia; 2, Phlebodium 
aureum. ( C. 0 .).—Ruscus hypophyllum. ( G. Cummins .).—Erica vernix 
coccinea. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 5th. 
OUR Apple market is very dull, large quantities of common stuff being on hand 
Hothouse Grapes are shy; prices rapidly going up. Vegetables without alteration. 
Market generally quieter. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
Apples .. 
l 
6 
to 5 
0 
Nectarines .. .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
ft • • 
.. per barrel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges. 
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 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
1 
0 
5 
0 
Filberts.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples English 
.. lb. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cobs 
1 
S 
1 
6 
Plums and Damsons 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes .. 
.lb. 
5 
0 
10 
0 
Strawberries.. 
. oz. 
0 
0 
1 
0 
Lemon .. 
.. ,. case 
15 
0 
21 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
.each 
2 
0 
8 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d 
Artichokes 
, , 
dozen 
2 
0 
to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
1 
0 to 
1 
6 
Beans, Kidney 
100 
2 
6 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red 
dozen 
i 
0 
2 
0 
Onions. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
3 
Broccoli .. 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Brussels Sprouts 
£ sieve 
1 
6 
2 
6 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage .. 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Capsicums 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney .. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Carrots .. 
bunch 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Salsafy. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Coleworts 
doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale. 
basket 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Cucumbers 
each 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Shallots. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Endive .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach .. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Herbs 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. .. 
.. lb. 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Leeks 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Lettuce .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
GRASS SEEDS FOR LAYING DOWN LAND TO 
PERMANENT PASTURE. 
(Continued from page ISO.) 
The seeds best suited for mixed soils must now be referred 
to, for in some counties aud districts they vary much, not only 
on one farm but also in a single field. We have cultivated a 
farm for many years whereon no single field possessed an even 
soil, and this is the case more particularly in those districts 
where the land is not level, for let the undulations be great or 
little the soil is sure to vary. It often occurs on chalk subsoils 
as well as others, but in laying down mixed soils we must admit 
that in all our mixtures some of the seeds are not such as are 
best adapted for mixed or irregular soils. We therefore propose 
to treat this particular requisite in seeding in connection with 
the seeding of land intended for parks, which will always be 
required to be somewhat ornamental. The question of evenness 
of turf for ornamental purposes, nevertheless, must be connected 
with the feeding value of the turf after having obtained it as a 
permanent pasture. Since the revolution which has occurred in 
seeding down land for permanent pasture we have adopted a 
plan whereby we have a right, if our endeavours in the selection 
of seeds has been judicious, to expect nearly all prizes without 
any blanks. We have omitted to use the Rye Grasses from 
seeds adapted for permanent turf, and when necessity demands 
it we must omit also those like Cock’s-foot, which are frequently 
called the coarser Grasses, however valuable they may be con¬ 
sidered in the mixtures for various soils for which we have 
previously formed lists of seeds, to be sown upon certain soils 
of various shades and quality where the question of ornament 
was not necessary or advantageous. We shall probably find 
that chalk, sand, or gravel, as well as limestone soils where lying 
level, are frequently even in soil on the surface, however they 
may differ in the subsoil. If, therefore, we have a level and 
tolerably even soil we may venture to exclude Cock’s-foot Grass 
entirely from our mixture of seeds, and use quantities of each as 
follows. Mixture of Grass and Clover seeds for park pastures 
and dry mixed soils generally:— 
lb?. 
Cynosurus cristatus (Crested Dog’s-tail) . 5 
Festuca duriuscula (Hard Fescue) . 3 
Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow Foxtail) . 4 
Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet-scented Vernal Grass) 4 
Poa pratensis (Smootb-9talked Meadow Grass) . 5 
Festuca evina (Sheep’s Fescue) . 3 
Festuca pratensis (Meadow Fescue) . 5 
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow). 3 
Trifolium repens (White Dutch Clover). 5 
Trifolium minus (Suckling Clover). 3 
Total quantity per acre. 40 lbs. 
It will be noticed that we have not only omitted the Cock’s-foot 
Grass on account of its coarseness or tufty habit of growth, but 
also the Creeping Fiorin. Although it is a close-growing and 
productive Grass, it is not well adapted for the mixed soils for 
reasons previously assigned as objectionable. 
A different part of our subject is now reached—viz., the 
seeding of moist or wet low-lying soils in the valleys or near 
to rivers or brooks, for whether such land is intended for irri¬ 
gated meadows or otherwise, in pasture the mixtures we shall 
recommend for seeding will answer well in either case. In the 
vales we frequently find considerable tracts of peaty soils, and 
however infertile they appear and may be in their undrained 
condition, yet when laid out properly and formed to shed the 
water on the surface, trenched, and channelled for irrigation, 
the soil will become fertile in proportion as the seeds sown are 
suitable, and the depth of accumulated deposits of earthy mate¬ 
rials is sufficient to compress the subsoil and render it firm on 
the surface. Yery much in the same way without irrigation the 
ordinary low-lying land in large districts in the vales is little 
more than a peat bog. When, however, it has been tile-drained 
and a large addition of soil added to the surface and seeded with 
proper Grass, valuable permanent pastures have been secured, 
yielding abundant crops of Grass. 
Peat soil is a deposit or accumulation of vegetable matters, 
which when full of water in the unimproved condition is com¬ 
pletely inert and valueless, but when dry and weighted on the 
surface with various earthy materials becomes abundantly pro¬ 
ductive. We know that old pastures are valuable in proportion 
to the accumulation of humus formed by the annual decay of 
roots and leaves of the Grasses, which as Darwin assures us, 
has been converted by the action of worms into manure well 
adapted for the various Grasses. We have known just the same 
advantages accrue where mud-land has been reclaimed from the 
sea, for after the sea has ceased to flow over the surface, and the 
mud trenched and channelled and covered with a good coating of 
gravel, and the land has been seeded with proper Crass seeds, we 
have very productive pastures now where mud only prevailed 
before and the sea flowed ovei at every tide. 
The following is a list of Grasses best adapted for these soils 
and circumstances connected with them as before noticed. The 
seeds which we recommend for forming low-lying meadows and 
irrigated meadows, as well as land reclaimed from peat bogs and 
