June 1, 1882. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
457 
as you retain will probably need pruning, and they rray be cleansed from moss 
by scrubbing the stems with brine or limewashing them. The small branches 
can be dusted with quicklime when thoroughly wet, as they often are during 
clamp foggy weather. This is winter work. Get a ladder, use the lime freely— 
liberally ; that which adheres will kill the moss, that falling to the ground 
will improve it. If the work is well done the trees when dry will appear as if 
covered with snow. If the Raspberry suckers have been long in the Asparagus 
bed you will find it difficult to extirpate them. Pulling them up as fast as they 
appear, and the moment they are visible, at the same time dressing the beds 
two or three times during the season with salt at the rate of 2 or 3 ozs. per 
square yard, is the only remedy we can suggest. In the meantime make new 
beds, and plant young Asparagus crowns in late spring. For destroying the 
trees growing on the top of the walls saw them off close to the masonry and dress 
the stumps with sulphuric acid. We should plant the ground next year with 
Scotch Champion Potatoes ; this would no doubt yield abundantly on fresh soil 
treated as we have recommended, and you would have few weeds after digging 
them in the autumn. We have given the best attention we could to your 
letter, and trust the suggestions now recorded may be useful. You are quite at 
liberty to write to us again if you need further information, and can enable us 
to comprehend your case sufficiently for the purpose of replying satisfactorily. 
Various (F. C ).—1, The Apple leaf arrived in such a dry and withered 
state that it is impossible for us to judge of its condition when gathered from 
the tree, and consequently we are quite unable to form an opinion on the matter 
on which you seek information. 2, This is a difficult case. Sudden deaths 
occasionally happen both in the vegetable and animal kingdom, the causes of 
which are most obscure, and apparently impossible to determine. You are yourself 
such a close observer, that if there was any fault in the junction of the scion 
with the stock you must have seen it. We assume, therefore, the fault is not there, 
and can only suggest that the stock was injured in its young state by severe 
frost. We know many stocks sustained damage by the intense frost that 
occurred in 1879 and 1880, but the trees did not succumb until long after¬ 
wards, and it is quite possible that this is a case in point; at any rate we cannot 
suggest any other solution of the mystery. 3, The plant having a bulb like an 
Onion, and of which a rough sketch is sent, is probably Ornithogalum longi- 
bracteatum, a Liliaceous plant introduced from the Cape of Good Hope about 
sixty years ago. Remove the side bulbs. Do not overpot the plant. If the pot 
is full of roots, as it should be, and well drained, apply water copiously, giving 
weak liquid manure occasionally if needed to promote active and early growth 
in a very light position in a warm greenhouse. Withhold water about the middle 
of August, and place the plant on a shelf in a house where it can receive the full 
sun and have a hot and dry autumn, keeping i; cool and dry in winter. By 
adopting this treatment and maintaining the plant in good health it will 
flower several times before the period you name, and may possibly produce a 
spike next year. 4, Defective root-action, or a check resulting from removing 
the plant from a moist to a dry atmosphere, will produce a change of colour in 
Pelargonium leaves ; it is somewhat similar to the autumn tints on the foliage 
of trees which occur on the partial cessation of growth. Turn the plant out 
of the pot and you will probably find the roots are not white and fleshy, and in 
that case we should remove a third of the soil, more or less, and repot probably 
in a smaller pot in fresh loam containing a third of leaf soil or wood ashes, and 
a sprinkling of sand. 5, Clip off the shoots to half their length or more with 
a pair of scissors ; remove about half the soil from the roots and plant out in 
good soil and a warm position in the garden, sprinkling the plant frequently 
in dry weather, and take it up and pot in September. Or you may repot now 
in a smaller pot than before, placing the plant in a frame. Solanums do not 
lose all their leaves if the plants have not been neglected or subjected to some 
unsound treatment. Planting out in your case would probably be the simplest 
remedy. 6, Stand the Pelargoniums in a sunny position in the open air when the 
flowers have faded. These remove to prevent the formation of seed. Give 
little water, only a sprinkling occasionally to prevent the leaves falling too 
quickly. When the wood is hard and brown cut the plants down, leaving only 
half an inch of each shoot. Sprinkle again a little more freely, and when fresh 
growths are half an inch long shake nearly all the soil from the roots, pruning 
these rather closely, and place in a smaller pot and grow in a frame, applying 
water regularly, vet thoughtfully, to encourage healthy growth. Soil composed 
of two-thirds fresh loam, the remaining third equal parts of leaf soil and wood 
ashes, with a sixth part of sand, is suitable both for Pelargoniums and Solanums. 
You would find our “ Greenhouse Manual ” useful, price lOd. post free. We 
perceive we have omitted to reply to your question about the Rose. Remove 
all the Briar shoots now, and shorten the wood to the bud you desire to extend 
and form the future plant. Apply liquid manure to the roots if the soil is not 
rich. 
Names of Plants (IF. IF. A'.). —The flowers you have sent are of the 
Cheddar Pink, Dianthus cresius; it grows freely on walls and in the crevices 
of rocks, large masses of it being very attractive and fragrant. (A IF. II.) —1, 
Dendrobium lituiflorum : 2, D. Wnrdianum, a fine variety ; 3, D. Jamesianum ; 
4, Cattleya Mendelii; 5, Masdevallia Veitchiana ; 6, Thunia Bensoni®. (R.M.). 
—1, Veronica gentianoides ; 2, Myosotis sylvatica ; 3, Ramondia pyrenaica ; 4, 
Phyteuma comosum ; 5, Narcissus poeticus, fl.-pl. (IF. II.). —1, Asplenum 
marinum ; 2, Adiantum trapeziforme ; 3, Doodia aspera ; 4, Blechnum Brasi- 
liense; 5, Gleichenia dicarpa longipinnata. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— Mat 31. 
WITH the holidays our market has been quiet, but prices remain much the 
same, all classes of goods being well supplied. 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
2 
d. s. 
0 to 4 
d. 
0 
s. 
d. s. 
(1. 
6 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Mustard* Cress .. punnet 
o 
2 
0 
3 
Beans, Kidney ... 
100 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Ouions. 
3 
6 
0 
0 
Beet, Bed. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling ... 
0 
0 
0 
5 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
8 
l 
6 
Parsley. 
doz. bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts. 
4 sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
(Isbbage. 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes . 
2 
6 
3 
6 
New Carrots. 
bunch 
1 
0 
1 
3 
K idnev. 
3 
0 
3 
0 
Capsicums. 
100 
X 
6 
2 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
1 
0 
3 
6 
Rhubarb. 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsafy. 
X 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera . 
X 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
o 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Shallots. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach . 
8 
0 
0 
e 
3 rlic . 
tb. 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
lb. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Herbs. 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
New Turnips 
.... bunch 
0 
6 
0 
8 
Leeks. 
bumh 
0 
t 
0 
4 
Vegetable Marrows each 
0 
0 
0 
0 
FRUIT. 
Apples. 
Apricots. 
Cherries. 
Chestnuts. 
Currants, Black.. 
Filberts. 
Cobs. 
Gooseberries .... 
Grapes . 
s. d. s. d. 
J sieve 0 OtnO 0 
doz. 0 (i 0 0 
lb. oooo 
bushel 0 0 0 0 
1 r (i 0 o 0 
j sieve o o o o 
dozen 8 0 10 0 
lb. o o o o 
100 It. 43 0 50 0 
4 sieve 4 0 4 8 
11. 3 0 0 0 
Lemons. 
Melons . 
Nectarines. 
Oranges . 
Peaches . 
Pears,kitchen .. 
dessert. 
Pine Apples .... 
Strawberries .... 
Walnuts . 
s. d. s. d 
case 15 cto20 o 
each 4 0 6 0 
dozen oo oo 
100 40 60 
dozen is 0 20 o 
dozen 0 0 0 0 
dozen 00 00 
It. 1 6 2 0 
lb. 2 0 6 0 
bushel 7 0 8 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE PRODUCTION OF WOOL AND ITS USES. 
( Continued from page 436.) 
We must now refer as regards our home-grown wool to the effect 
of our climate, and also to modes of management and feeding of 
the animals. It is the fact that the dampness of the climate in this 
country, and particularly that of the western and south-western 
counties, is unsuitable for the production of fine wool, and the 
system of management altogether is opposed to it, which can be 
readily understood when we know that in Germany a considerable 
quantity of straw and other dry fodder with nightly shelter is the 
method successfully employed for improving the fleece, Turnips 
and a moist diet being unfavourable to it; and even on our driest 
pastures, the Downs of the south and south-eastern districts of 
England, the chalky soil gives a roughness to the wool. Thus the 
very same system which improves the carcass deteriorates the wool’ 
so that fat mutton and fine wool cannot prosper together. Wool 
differs from hair chiefly by growing in a spiral form, and being 
more pliable and softer and having an unctuous secretion, whilst 
it resembles it by springing from small bags beneath the skin, 
which it penetrates. Like hair each filament is a minute tube 
filled with pulp, but has a scaly external structure pointing to the 
extremity, and to which it owes its felting power and its adapta¬ 
tion for clothing purposes. In various wild breeds hair is greatly 
intermixed with the wool, which is deteriorated in consequence, 
but frequent shearing diminishes or eradicates it. In this country, 
however, the fleece will generally peel off by degrees of itself every 
year in warm weather—a period which is anticipated by shearing. 
The wool of this country has long been distinguished as long and 
short wool, to which used to be applied the terms combing and 
carding wool. Thi.s latter distinction no longer applies, because 
the greater part of the short wool that was formerly used in making 
cloths is now devoted to combing purposes. This is owing to the 
great superiority of Merino and other foreign wool. This, of 
course, has materially reduced the value of British short wools, and 
it would have been still further reduced had not the improvement 
in machinery enabled the short wool to be devoted to combing 
purposes. The same fleece affords wool oL various degrees of fine¬ 
ness, and it is the business of the wool-stapler, who purchases the 
fleece of the grower, to sort these various qualities and prepare 
them for the manufacturer. The fleece is unrolled, and the work¬ 
man, having a number of baskets around him, selects the finest 
locks from the coarse ones and arranges them in the baskets with 
celerity surprising to the uninitiated. 
The woolstapler in his business of sorting the wool is directed 
both by sight and touch in this operation, and is obliged to serve 
a regular apprenticeship before he acquires the proper degree of 
skill. The finest wool is procured from the neck, shoulders, and 
