June 26, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
521 
further “ sweating,” which is dangerous when so pronounced as described in 
your letter. The specimen was not in condition to be named. If you will 
send another so packed that it arrives in a fresh state it shall be attended to. 
Roses for Roof ( Old Subscriber). —You could not do better than plant 
Roses, and we do not doubt you will get a better return by so doing than if 
you retained the Yines. Plant three of Marechal Niel, the same quantity of 
Gloire de Dijon, two Lamarque, two Cheshunt Hybrid, and one each of 
Belle Lyonnaise and Reine Marie Henriette. These are large strong growers 
suitable for furnishing the roof. If you can so arrange the planting as to 
include some of the smaller and less vigorous Tea varieties near the front of 
the house we should advise you to do so, for they will yield you a succes¬ 
sion of bloom over a lengthened period. The following would do well in 
your house :—Safrano, Niphetos, Madame Lambard, Marie Yan Iloutte, 
Etoile de Lyon, Alba Rosea, Catherine Mermet, Souvenir d’un Ami, and 
Innocente Pirola. If more plants are required to make up the number plant 
extra plants of the second, third, and last but one as named. 
Camellia Leaves Scorched {Inquirer) .—The blotches on the leaves have 
not been caused by insects, but are the result of excessive evaporation—that 
is to say, the moisture has passed from them more rapidly than it has been 
supplied by the roots, hence the shrinkage of the leaves near the edges. 
Either the root-action of the plant is defective or it has not had sufficient 
water. Make the soil over the roots quite black with soot and water it in, 
giving sufficient water to pass quite through the border. Syringe the plant 
at the least twice a day in dry weather and keep it quite shaded, as plants 
thus enfeebled cannot endure the direct rays of the sun. Your object must 
be to lessen evaporation from the foliage, and if you effect this the plant, if 
not “ too far gone,” may possibly be restored. 
Names of Fruit (C. Spider). —Winter Greening, or, as you say, French 
Crab. 
Names of Plants (IF. J.). —Limnanthes Douglasii. {B. F.). —Hibiscus 
mutabilis. {J. B. H.). —1, Iris graminea ; 2, Gladiolus byzantinus ; 3, Cen- 
tranthus ruber; 4, Adiantum Capillus-Yeneris. {South Wilts). —1, Fuchsia 
splendens ; 2, Oxalis corniculata rubra, and is not the Shamrock, which is 
Oxalis acetosella ; 3, Alonsoa incisa. ( B .).—Trifolium repens, not the 
Shamrock. See reply above. {P. //.).—The blue flower is Muscari mon- 
strosum, and the yellow one Asphodelus luteus. {B. L. K .).—Avena elatior, 
Tall Oat Grass. {M.F.G .).—Cynoglossum officinale. (IF. IF.).—1, Staphylea 
pinnata ; 2, Orchis maculata; 3, Ilabenaria bifolia ; 4, not recognisable ; 
5, Cephalanthera ensifolia ; G, Allium ursinum. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— June 25th. 
Heavy supplies of outdoor Strawberries to hand this week, and business somewhat 
quieter. Prices unaltered, with the exception of Strawberries, which are fast reaching 
their lowest value. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples. 
£ sieve 
i 
6 
to 5 
0 
Oranges. 
100 
6 
0 to 10 
0 
Chestnuts 
bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches . 
per doz. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Fig3 . 
dozen 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Fears, kitchen 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Filberts. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, dessert 
dozen 
1 
0 
5 
0 
Cobs . 
per ft. 
1 
8 
1 
6 
Pine Apples English . 
ft. 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Crapes. 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Strawberries.. 
, , 
ft. 
0 
6 
1 
3 
Lemon. 
,. case 
15 
0 
21 
0 
St. Michael Pines 
. .each 
2 
0 
6 
0 
VEGETABLES 
s. 
rt. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Artichokes 
dozen 
2 
0 
to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
0 
0 
to 1 
6 
Beans, Kidney 
ft. 
0 
9 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red .. .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions . 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
0 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
2 
0 
8 
0 
Brussels Sprouts .. 
£ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips.. 
dozen 
i 
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 
5 
0 
Cirrots . 
bunch 
0 
8 
0 
4 
„ New .. . . 
cwt. 
5 
0 
9 
0 
Cauliflowers .. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsafy .. .. .. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Ooleworts doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera .. .. 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
6 
Cucumbers 
each 
0 
3 
0 
6 
Shallots . 
ft. 
0 
8 
0 
6 
Endive . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach . 
bushel 
1 
0 
2 
0 
11erbs . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes 
ft. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
T.eeks . 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips . 
bunch 
<0 
3 
0 
0 
Lettuce . 
dozen 
1 
0 
1 
6 
„ New .. .. 
bunch 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Ah-L 
m 
yilRSilSPfA 
1 
f 
it 
usJ||l 
fil 
V 
3 
fV 
/j] c. 
Wjtr m 
m 
sM 
j 
THE LONGHORN BREED OF CATTLE. 
The history and peculiarities of this breed of cattle are inter¬ 
esting and becoming more important for various reasons—its 
antiquity and the revival which has latterly taken place. Al¬ 
though the breeders of cattle generally in this country have their 
favourites at the present time, yet about the year 1720, and even 
up to a hundred years ago, Longhorns occupied a position in 
public favour very like that held now by the Shorthorn. We 
have no record of their having been sold at any period for 
thousands of pounds per head, but it must be remembered that 
money was not so plentiful as it is now. Still the breed of Long¬ 
horns in the olden time obtained hundreds for their choicest 
animals of the best herds, for they were considered a hundred 
years ago as the most profitable cattle, both as producers of beef 
and of cheese, with which the farmers could stock their pastures, 
especially in the midland and north-midland counties. They did 
not, however, for long remain in the general estimation of the 
cattle breeders, for after the two first decades of the present 
century they were nearly superseded by the then rising Short¬ 
horns, which filled their places. 
The Longhorn cattle, their history and progress, has been 
well treated in an essay written by Mr. J. Nevill Fitt in the 
Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England in 1876, 
from which we propose to make occasional quotations; for 
although Mr. Fitt may not himself have been an enthusiast in 
their favour, yet he seems by dint of great research and 
well-described historical facts connected with this breed to have 
got together not only a body of practical facts upon the subject, 
but combined them in a most interesting manner in the valuable 
essay above referred to. Mr. Fitt observes:—“Well might it 
have been predicted when Bates, the Collings, and other noted 
breeders arose with giant-like energy to take the new comers in 
hand, and expended time, skill, and capital on their behalf, that 
the curly coats (Longhorns) would have a tough fight to main¬ 
tain their supremacy. But the citadel was doomed to fall from 
weakness within rather than from assaults from without, and it 
was the want of due knowledge in the science of breeding amongst 
those who held them rather than any preponderating superiority 
on the part of their rivals that caused the gradual displacement 
of the Longhorn from our pastures and steadings. In fact, the 
Longhorn breeders attempted too much, and the breed may 
veritably be said to have been killed with kindness. They sought 
for over-refinement, and forgot that it is much more easy to lose 
than to regain hardy qualities and big bone, which any breed 
must have to be profitable in the hands of tenant farmers gene¬ 
rally. Qualities for which the Longhorns had for many years 
been especially famous were ignored, and others of an exotic 
character endeavoured to be implanted on him, such as must 
eventually prove the ruin of any breed in which they are per¬ 
petuated without some counteracting influence. 
“ Those men who first took in hand the breed in its rough state 
and made it famous gradually passed away. Yet there were a 
few men who, knowing the intrinsic merits of the breed, stuck to 
them through good report and evil report, and, gaining experience 
by the failures of their predecessors, avoided the shoals and 
quicksands on which others had been wrecked. Fatiently abid¬ 
ing their time they have held on long enough to see their favour¬ 
ites once more come into well-deserved esteem and take their 
place with our Shorthorns, Herefords, Devons, and so forth. 
With regard to his derivation little is known. Wherever he 
may have originally come from, I can only trace the history of 
the Longhorn with any accuracy from the northern parts of 
Leicestershire and the adjacent county of Derbyshire. He seems 
to have been first brought to perfection on the borders of the 
wild district known as Charnwood Forest, which at the time 
these cattle first came into notoriety was probably as wild and 
uncultivated as any spot to be found in England. Right well do 
these picturesque cattle match well with its sylvan beauty, and 
1 am also tempted at times to think that the early improvers of 
the breed must have taken them in hand as much with an eye to 
the general fitness of things as for the sake of beef and cheese.” 
It appears from all we can learn that the earliest attempt in 
connection with the improvement of the Longhorns was made by 
Sir Thomas Gresley of Drakeiow House, Burton, who took such 
delight in keeping a dairy of cows similar in colour and shape as 
early as the year 1720, and therefore many years before Bake- 
well assumed a position of celebrity and note amongst Longhorn 
breeders. To Sir Thomas, however, the majority of those who 
wished to excel and to improve their herds had recourse, and the 
generality of Longhorn cattle of the best type and style trace 
back to his time. It is also stated with great confidence that a 
breeder by the name of Webster of Canley, near Coventry, next 
made his appeai’ance upon the scene. It seems that he also used 
the Drakeiow cattle and crossed them with bulls from Cumber¬ 
land and Westmoreland, which counties, without doubt, must 
have possessed valuable herds at that early period; and Mr. 
J. N. Fitt tells us that, “ strange to say, of late years I have 
found some of the best breeders taking exactly a similar course, 
and going to those districts to procure bulls. Webster’s best 
bull was Bloxidge, who was the sire of some very remarkable 
stock. Bakewell laid the foundation of his herd with a couple 
of Canley heifei*s and, like Webster’s, a Westmoreland bull. So 
here we get the line direct to Sir Thomas Gresley’s herd, and 
from him the blood was imparted to nearly all the herds of the 
country.” 
