16 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January «, issi 
should be shortened at once to the height required, and when the buds are 
swelling is a good time for planting. 
Seedling Apple (./. J.).— The specimens were much bruised and had been 
kept too long, still there are evidences of merit in your Apple. We should like 
to see it another year. We will try the Potatoes ; some shall be cooked and the 
others planted. Write to us again in the autumn on the subject. 
Vegetables for Exhibition {A. J. J.). —The varieties to which you refer 
are, when well grown, highly suitable for exhibition during the respective 
seasons when the vegetables are in use. If you require more precise information 
and state the number of dishes you wish to exhibit, and the month in which the 
exhibition is held, your letter shall have our attention. 
Mice Destroying Peas ( R. II., Bucks).— If the peas are moistened with 
paraffin, and when wet dusted with red lead, the mice will not attack them, and 
if the seed is sound and matured the dressing will not be injurious. If the rows 
already sown are covered 2 inches thick with sharp ashes and sprinkled with 
paraffin the peas will be comparatively safe; the ashes must, however, be spread 
2 or 3 inches beyond the rows or the covering will not be effectual. You should 
trap the depredators. Many may be caught with figure-of-4-traps, and we kuow 
a gardener who last year caught scores of mice by sinking 10-inch pots so that 
their rims were level with the soil, the pots being half filled with waiter in which 
some bread was placed ; the mice went freely into the pots and were drowned. 
Disbudding Vines {Reader). —Permit the growths to extend until you 
can see the bunches, then rub out the barren shoots unless they are very nume¬ 
rous, permitting the others to grow and set the fruit. When you have a suffi¬ 
cient number of bunches that promise to swell freely remove the others. You 
might indeed remove them before if you could insure a “ good set,” but owing 
to unfavourable weather and other causes the fruit on Vines in pots does not 
always set so freely as gardeners wish, and a few extra bunches do not exhaust 
the Vines provided the superfluous bunches are cut immediately the others are 
set, and before the berries are large enough for thinning. 
Pruning Figs {Idem). —The Fig tree shoots must be shortened for securing 
bushy heads, and the young shoots following may be topped when they are 
C inches long, so that a second growth may be made, which with good attention 
will form embryo fruits. You will find notes on Fig-pruning in another column. 
Ledsham’s White Broccoli {Inquirer). —The name “Ledshaw,” as it 
appears in the “Gardeners’ Year Book,” is, as you suggest, a “printer's error.” 
The Broccoli referred to was raised by Mr. Samuel Ledsham, of Green Lane, 
Tarvin Road, Chester, and is named Ledsham’s White. It is a variety of con¬ 
siderable merit, or it would not have been commended by the Fruit Committee 
of the Horticultural Society. It is to be tried at Chiswick, and is not yet in 
commerce. 
Removing a Peach Tree {Barker). —You may safely remove your five- 
year-old tree now, due care being exercised in the performance of the work. At 
a distance from the stem equal to the length of the branches, take out a trench 
2 feet wide, and below the roots; into this trench carefully fork rhe soil from 
the roots, throwing it back as the work proceeds, and continue the process until 
the tree can be lifted from its place with its roots intact. Before, however, this 
is done have the station ready where the tree is to be planted. We have known 
men so thoughtless as to dig up a tree and carry it about “ seeking a place ” for 
it. By the time this was found the roots were so dry as to necessitate hurried 
planting, which means slovenly work and its attendant evils. Remove any 
injured roots, plant carefully, and do not force the tree the first season in 
endeavouring to have the crop ripe before July. 
Inarching a Vine (.4 Novice). —As we understand your letter, the very 
strong Vine to which you allude is a Muscat of Alexandria, although you do not 
say so. The Vine named forms one of the best of stocks, and it being in 
vigorous health we should certainly prefer inarching it with another variety to 
removing it and planting a young Vine. If you have a Vine in a pot the work 
will be easy; if you have not, we should “bottle graft” the Vine, which is 
similar to inarching, the scion being sufficiently long so that 6 inches of its 
lower portion can be inserted in a wine bottle kept filled with water. The 
water will support the scion until its union with the stock is complete, and the 
growth will probably be as strong and free as would follow from a young in¬ 
arched Vine with roots to support it. Your other question is fully answered on 
another page. 
Uncovering Vine Borders {T. G. G.). —There is little doubt that your 
Vines sustained injury by the heavy covering of hailstones immediately after 
the manure was removed from the border, the Grapes at the same time having 
commenced colouring. When fermenting material has been on a Viue border 
for some months its removal must be effected with great care, and should not be 
done until the weather is warm and settled. It is often injudicious to remove 
the whole of the covering, as the roots may have penetrated it, and if not they 
are, or ought to be, quite close to the surface, and consequently especially liable 
to be injured by hail or drought. A layer of the manure surfaced with turfy 
loam, wood ashes, aud bones would afford not only protection to the roots but 
sustenance of great value for the Vines. We have known instances when the 
injudicious removal of the covering material has resulted in Vines being in a 
worse condition than they would have been if the borders had not been covered 
at all. Placing fermenting material on Vine borders is often very advautageous, 
but it must not be placed on too soon, nor be removed too soon, as there is 
assuredly danger in both these extremes. 
Fear Tree Branches Dying (E.S.). —In consequence of the extremely 
wet and cold season of 1879 the growths of many fruit trees were not matured, 
and the severe frost following had a most injurious effect on them. Even in 
the south of England the young growths of many Apple and Pear trees were 
quite killed last wdnter and others seriously injured. Your trees may have 
suffered from the same cause, and the wood sent also indicates that the roots of 
the trees have penetrated wet and unsuitable soil. As they are young we should 
lift them, removing all the most unhealthy and injured portions of the roots 
with a sharp knife ; drain the land, prepare fresh stations, and replant in fresh 
loam and charred refuse, no manure to be mixed with the soil, but a good cover¬ 
ing placed on the surface. All the dead and unhealthy wood must be cut from 
the trees, and with fresh root-action in good soil healthy growths may be 
expected to follow. 
The “Candle Cactus” {G. M. II.). —The plant of which you send a 
gpecimen under the above name is Cacalia articulata, which has no affinity to 
a Cactus, being included in the natural order Composite, but it probably owes 
the popular name you give to its peculiar fleshy stems. It is a native of the 
C-ape of Good Hope, whence it was sent to this country more than a hundred 
years ago, and is now well known. It bears yellow flowers in late summer or 
autumn, and requires to be grown in a greenhouse near the glass. A light 
porous soil is needed, and moderate supplies of water in hot weather, but very 
little at this time of year. Possibly you have the plant in too much heat, 
though the specimen sent appears quite healthy. The book you require is no 
doubt the “Cottage Gardeners’ Dictionary,” of which a new edition will be 
published in the spring of the present year. The price will be duly advertised. 
Keeping Pears {Idem). — A temperature of 40° will be suitable for keeping 
the Pears, but the fruit will be of much better flavour if ripened in a warmer 
place. If you place a few fruits at a time in a temperature of 60° to 80° they 
will not only be much improved in quality by the additional heat, but any 
given variety may be had much longer in use than if all the fruits were left in 
a cool place to ripen together. 
Peas for Succession {G. S.).— The following are good and inexpensive, 
and vary in height from 3 to 6 feet :—Early — William I. and Essex Rival ; second 
and general crops—Champion of England, G. F. Wilson, Dr. Maclean, Hunting- 
donian, Princess Royal, Laxton’s Fillbasket, and Maclean’s Wonderful; late 
crops — Veitch’s Perfection, British Queen, Omega, and Ne Plus Ultra. We have 
named twelve varieties because you have desired us to do so, but if y r our only 
object is to ensure a succession of Peas of excellent quality half the number of 
varieties would be ample. We should prefer disentangling some of the growths 
of the Lapageria and tying them down instead of cutting down a portion of the 
plant. 
Papers and Plants “Boycotted” {S. T.). —The publisher will attend 
to the question respecting the non-delivery of your paper. AVe are not “ Boy¬ 
cotted,” for the post office and newsveuders appear glad to take all the papers 
we can send, and we send all that are ordered. The Selaginellas we received 
from you were totally unrecognisable, as they were so small, crushed, and 
withered. The second box to which you refer-we have no recollection of having 
received. If you send good specimens that arrive in fresh condition we will 
endeavour to name them. 
Names of Plants (A Novice). —All the specimens were very much shri¬ 
velled, but 1 resembles a small leaf of Grevillea robusta; 2, Alousoa AA'arsce- 
wiczii; 3, Eupatorium riparium. (I V.J.M .). — Solly a linearis, a native of Aus¬ 
tralia, and figured in the Jounuil of Horticulture, vol. xxxvii, page 212. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— JANUARY 5. 
BUSINESS remains very quiet, the only alteration being in Grapes, which are 
now in good demand and making full prices. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples. 
2 
6 to 4 
6 
Melons . 
each 
0 
otoo 
0 
Apricots. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cherries. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges . 
^ 100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
. bushel 12 
0 
16 
0 
Beaches . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs. 
. dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Bears,kitchen .. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Filberts. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
dessert . 
dozen 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cobs... 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Bine Apples .... 
4i> lb 
i 
0 
2 
6 
Gooseberries ., 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Blums . 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes . 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Walnuts . 
bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
ditto . 
100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Artichokes. dozen 2 
Asparagus. bundle 0 
Beans,Kidney .... ¥► loo 1 
Beet, Red. dozen 1 
Broccoli. bundle 0 
Brussels Sprouts.. $ sieve 1 
Cabbage. dozen 0 
Carrots. bunGh 0 
Capsicums. ^ 100 l 
Cauliflowers. dozen 0 
Celery . bundle 1 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 2 
Cucumbers. each 0 
Endive. dozen 1 
Fennel. bunch 0 
Garlic . tb. o 
Herbs . bunch o 
Leeks. bunch 0 
VEGETABLES. 
d. s. d. 
0 to 4 0 
0 0 0 
0 1 G 
0 2 0 
9 16 
9 2 0 
6 10 
4 0 6 
6 2 0 
0 3 6 
6 2 0 
0 4 0 
6 10 
0 2 0 
3 0 0 
6 0 0 
2 0 C 
3 0 4 
s. 
Mushrooms .punnet 1 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 0 
Onions. bushel 3 
pickling. quart 0 
Parsley. doz.bunches 6 
Parsnips. dozen 1 
Peas . quart 0 
Potatoes. bushel 3 
Kidney. bushel 4 
Radishes_ doz .bunches 1 
Rhubarb. bundle 0 
Salsafy. bundle 1 
Scorzonera . bundle 1 
Seakale . basket 3 
Shallots. P" It. 0 
Spinach . bushel 3 
Turnips. bunch 0 
Vegetable Marrows each 0 
d. s. d. 
Otol 6 
2 0 3 
6 5 0 
0 0 0 
0 0 0 
0 2 0 
0 0 0 
9 4 0 
0 4 6 
6 2 0 
4 0 6 
0 0 0 
6 0 0 
0 3 0 
3 0 8 
0 0 0 
4 0 0 
2 0 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
A RETROSPECT OF THE HOME FARM, 1880. 
We have once more arrived at the period when we feel it desir¬ 
able to review the circumstances by which the home farmer has 
been surrounded during the past year, many of them having 
proved most perplexing and disappointing as regards the prac¬ 
tical operations of the farm. To the best of our judgment and 
experience we have during the past year continued to furnish in 
this Journal our weekly contributions under various headings, 
as well as the remarks referring to the work of the farm, which 
we felt to be necessary as the seasons advanced, when the work of 
the period may with advantage be anticipated and provided for. 
As in former years we have been particular in enumerating the 
practical operations of the farm, and although to experienced men 
