436 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 25, 18S2. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Mat 24. 
Three is no quotable alteration in business, and the market is well supplied 
with all kinds of produce now in season. 
FRUIT. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Apples. 
j sieve 
0 
OtoO 
0 
Lemons. 
15 
nto20 
0 
Apricots. 
doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Melons . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Cherries. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 16 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges .... 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Currants, Black . 
5 sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches .... 
0 
20 
0 
„ Red.... 
j sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Fitts. 
dozen 
8 
0 
10 
0 
dessert .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples 
It. 
i 
6 
2 
0 
Cobs. 
100 It.. 45 
0 
50 
0 
Strawberries 
lb. 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
i sieve 
6 
0 
0 
0 
Walnuts ... 
.... bushel 
7 
0 
8 
0 
Grapes . 
it. 
it 
0 
6 
e 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Artichokes . 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms 
X 
0 to 1 
6 
Asparagus . 
bundle 
s 
0 
6 
0 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans,Kidney .... 
100 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Ouions . 
3 
8 
0 
0 
Beet,Red . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling .. 
0 
0 
0 
5 
Broccoli . 
bundle 
0 
9 
1 
8 
Parsley . 
doz.bunches 
s 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 
} sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips .... 
X 
0 
2 
0 
Cabbage . 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes .... 
2 
6 
3 
6 
Carrots . 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Kidney.... 
3 
0 
3 
0 
Capsicums. 
100 
1 
8 
2 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
X 
0 
3 
6 
Rhubarb_ 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Saisafy. 
X 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzbnera 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Shallots .... 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
s 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
s 
0 
0 
ft 
G rlic . 
lb. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
tv 
1 
0 
o 
o 
Herbs. 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Turnips ..... 
4 
0 
0 
Leeks. 
bunch 
0 
S 
0 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 
0 
0 
0 
0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE PRODUCTION OF WOOL AND ITS USES. 
The growth of wool as a valuable agricultural production has 
been one of the most important objects of the farmer as far back 
as the feudal ages, when it formed one of the leading sources of 
national wealth, not only in Great Britain, but in almost every 
civilised country in the world. It has been said that woollen 
manufacture was introduced by the Romans in the arts of spin¬ 
ning and weaving, who established a manufactory for the purpose 
in the ancient city of Winchester. Under the Saxon monarchy it 
was assiduously cultivated, but in a domestic form. The females 
of the house were usually employed in the art, which was esteemed 
so honourable that princesses and noble ladies did not disdain to 
engage in it, and thus it is said the present term of “spinsters ” 
for unmarried ladies had its origin. 
In reference to the growth of wool, it is a fact that in almost 
every country, with the exception of Britain, the fleece of the sheep 
has formed the principal value of the animal. It has been, there¬ 
fore, the chief object of the breeder’s attention, the carcass being 
comparatively neglected. In this country, however, such has been 
the demand for meat of good quality that the wool has become a 
secondary object. That form of animal productive of meat is most 
sought after, and this will continue no doubt to be the case whilst 
wool of the best and finest quality can be readily procured from 
our colonies and other countries. To show the change which has 
taken place, a pound of best mutton is at present, and has been 
for some months past, worth as much as a pound of wool. In fact, 
the wool is only about one-tenth or twelfth of the value of the 
carcass of a long-woolled fat sheep. This exhibits in the most 
striking manner the great change which has taken place, and the 
failure of the attempt which was made in this country to grow fine 
wool and first-class mutton in combination by breeding sheep of a 
mixed and cross-bred origin. 
Formerly, and particularly during the old continental war, which 
put a stop in a great measure to commerce between this and other 
European countries, and before we obtained a supply of any con¬ 
sequence from our colonies, the wool of this country was valued in 
proportion to its fineness and its adaptation to felting purposes. 
Wool of this description realised such high prices as induced the 
growers not only to cultivate the fleece, but to breed from those 
animals which had the finest fleece. We well remember when the 
Spanish sheep were imported into this country, and the most san¬ 
guine expectations were entertained as to the result. We have 
seen some splendid sheep a cross between the South Down and 
Merino, very choice in quality, but of light weights, and such 
always commanded a ready sale in the metropolitan market, as 
the joints were small. The quality of the wool, too, resulting from 
the Merino cross was sufficient to induce many farmers to sacrifice 
some weight of mutton in the carcass, as the wool was so dear and 
so much in request that in some cases farmers were enabled to pay 
the rent of their land from the proceeds of wool sold annually on 
the farm. This, together with the increas.ed number of small sheep 
which could be reared for stock on the hill farms, made many 
farmers very sanguine as to the result of the then experimental 
object of altering the breed of sheep for the sake of the wool. 
Soon after the peace, however, the restrictions on the importation 
of foreign wool were gradually lessened or removed, and the Merino 
sheep having been largely and successfully attended in Germany 
in the meantime, the superiority of the Saxony over the British 
wool was immediately apparent. The price at which it could be 
procured being comparatively low the price of wool fell, and with 
it the hopes of the farmers, so far as they were dependant upon it. 
It has, therefore, now become a settled point that fine wool cannot 
be grown profitably in this country. 
Since the period to which we have alluded the fancy for South 
Down sheep has still remained, not on account of the value of their 
wool, but the high quality of the mutton, and the fact that upon 
the hills and downs this breed can be bred and reared in greater 
numbers than other sorts of larger sheep like the Hampshires and 
their crosses. These changes are the less to be regretted in conse¬ 
quence of our widely extended Australian possessions offering such 
a vast field for the successful growth of wool, where the extent of 
pasturage, the cheapness of the land, and the suitableness of the 
climate altogether point towards this particular branch of industry. 
The wools from the colonies have gradually improved, and the 
best qualities now rival that of Saxony, and have also increased in 
produce to an enormous extent. British fine wool being thus, as it 
were, driven out of the market by a superior article attention has 
been very advisedly directed to quantity rather than quality, and 
thus a stimulus has been given to the long-woolled breeds of sheep. 
It was found more beneficial to have a fleece of 6 lbs. and upwards 
than of 3 lbs. only, and particularly as these breeds, having been 
greatly improved, could be cultivated to greater advantage in the 
midland counties and various other districts with regard to the 
flesh alone. 
Thus we have the reasons why the production of long wool had 
so greatly increased in this country up to the period of 1872, for 
the agricultural returns at that date show the number of sheep to 
have been 32,246,642 ; and as the produce of wool amounted to 
260,000,000 lbs. the fleeces must have doubled in weight, whilst 
the number of sheep had scarcely increased according to former 
reliable estimates. More recently the number of sheep in the 
United Kingdom amounted in the year 1874 to 34,837,597. From 
that date, however, the decrease has been almost as marked as the 
increase had been previously, until in 18S0 the stock was reduced 
in numbers to 30,239,620, whereas had the former rate of increase 
been maintained the number in that year would actually have 
reached upwards of 40,000,000, which fact shows what enormous 
losses have been sustained by the farmers through the effects of 
liver rot and various other circumstances attendant upon wet and 
untoward seasons. 
(To be continued.) 
WORK ON THE HOME FARM. 
Horse Labour .—In the northern counties and Scotland it is not too 
early now to sow Swede seed; and in the southern and eastern coun¬ 
ties, although it is considered too early for that operation, yet it 
is not so for the early Turnips, Kohl Rabi, Thousand-headed Cabbage, 
Rape, and Cole seed, intended for early feeding by sheep preparatory 
for the Wheat crop, and especially upon the flat and stronger soils. 
Planting Cabbage, Kohl Rabi, and Kale may now be done by laying 
the plants in the furrow and covering with the plough ; in this way, 
especially if the plants are strong, the weather is never too dry, as 
the roots rest upon the subsoil. They are covered in by the turned 
furrow, the only care required being that a man should follow the 
plough and place a little loose earth over the heart of those plants 
which may not have been buried. This plan will do after a fallow 
preparation ; but we have always had a good growth and few failures 
when the land has been ploughed once only after Trifolium or any 
other green crop, the manure if yard or town dung may be laid out, 
