August 2, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
107 
rooted. By following this plan the majority will strike root. Another good 
plan—and perhaps the best for you, as it is by far the easiest—is to slip off 
portions consisting of a handful of growths from plants that are fully exposed 
and pot them in a similar manner as if they were small bushy plants lifted 
from the outside. The size of the clumps entirely depends upon the size of 
the pots you wish to place them in. After potting give a good watering, 
place them in a cold frame, and keep them close for about a fortnight, when 
they will be rooted, and can then be stood outside until the approach of 
frost. They should again have the protection of a frame until Christmas, 
when the first batch may be introduced into the forcing house. 
Constructing Garden Wall (A Soldier). —The wall ought to be built 
hollow, as such are drier and warmer, besides not taking so many bricks. 
Stone is not suitable for a garden wall, and is more costly than bricks, as 
the stone, however cheap, will entail much expense in dressing to make it 
available for fruit trees ; besides, it is not so absorbent of heat as bricks 
are, and remains wet longer. We have not only had walls built hollow, 
but used hollow bricks except the external headers, which, of course, to 
have an even surface on the face of the wall must be solid. A good base 
should be formed by excavating to the ground ; and if there be any doubt 
about the foundation it should be concreted, putting in G inches in thick¬ 
ness of gravel and lime, enough lime being employed to form a mortar¬ 
like mass. The foundation ought not to be less than 2 feet from the 
intended surface level, and the wall up to that level should be taken up 
solid. You do not mention the intended height of the wall. If 9 or 
10 feet above the ground level 14 inches will be proper, but if 12 feet or 
more it should be 18 inches in thickness, being respectively a brick and a 
half and two bricks thick. It is best built, if hollow, in Flemish bond in 
exposed localities, but as this will only give a very partial hollowness we 
have in sheltered situations three bricks on the face and then a header, 
and on the opposite side of the wall a course of bricks on face without 
any headers. In the next course it is simply changing sides. That 
without headers is laid so that the headers cross those first laid or on the 
opposite side of the wall, and the parallel course has no headers. In this 
way the wall is taken up to within the top two courses, which should be 
more solid, by introducing the true Flemish bond. You will have in this 
■way a 45 -inch cavity. 
Names of Fruit {Inquirer). —The Gooseberry sent is either the Crown 
Bob or Monarch. It is not easy to determine which without knowing the 
habit of the bushes. Both varieties are largely grown for market purposes, 
and both are good. We have mislaid your letter, but you will recognise this 
reply. 
Names of Plants {Flos). —As we have many times stated, we cannot 
undertake to name varieties of florists’ flowers, which are far too numerous 
and too much alike for identification. They can only be properly named 
by comparing them with others in a large collection, and florists from whom 
the plants are obtained will usually give the names of flowers that are sent 
to them. We only name distinct species of plants, not garden varieties. 
(IF. McK.). —As you might have anticipated, the flowers placed loosely in 
a box without any packing of any kind arrived in a very shrivelled state. 
So far as we can identify them the names are as follows :—1, Impatiens 
Noli-me-tangere; 2, Justicia speciosa ; 3, Campanula fragilis ; 4, Eccremocarpus 
scaber. {R. C., Flaneswood). —We have received your letter, but no flowers 
to which it refers. {C. T. A. M). —Flowers sent in a dry box, with no 
packing to keep them fresh and firm, usually arrive in a shrivelled condition 
like those before us. No. 1 is Francoa rarnosa ; 2, Funkia ovata ; 5, Oxalis 
•corniculata rubra ; the others are too withered for identification. 
Bees {R. IF.).—The term you mention refers to the condition of the combs 
and whether the honey is read} 7 for extracting. If they are filled with honey 
and sealed over they are in the condition indicated. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— August 1st. 
Very heavy supplies of fruit to hand, with prices lower all round. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
Apples .. .. 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
Grapes. 
.. lb. 
1 
3 
to 3 
0 
per barrel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lemons. 
10 
0 
20 
0 
Apricots 
.. box 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Melons. 
2 
0 
3 
6 
Cherries.. 
4 
0 
10 
0 
Nectarines .. 
dozen 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Chestnuts 
.. bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges. 
.. 100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
•Currants, Black 
.. J sieve 
3 
0 
8 
3 
Pe tches. 
dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ Red 
.. J sieve 
3 
0 
4 
6 
Pears, kitchen 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs .. .. 
2 
0 
S 
0 
„ dessert 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts .. 
.. .. lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples, English .. lb. 
2 
0 
3 
6 
Cobs .. 
.. 1001b. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Raspberries .. 
.. lb. 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Gooseberries.. 
.. ^ sieve 
2 
6 
3 
0 
Strawberries.. 
.. lb. 
0 
3 
0 
6 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Artichokes 
.. dozen 
2 
0 
to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
1 
0 
to 1 
6 
Asparagus, Eng 
lish bundle 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Asparagus, French bundle 
0 
0 
0 
9 
Onions . 
bunch 
0 
0 
0 
4 
Beans, Kidney 
lb 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Beet, Red 
.. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Broccoli .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Peas. 
quart 
0 
9 
0 
0 
Cabbage .. 
e 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes. 
cwt. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Capsicums 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney . 
cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots .. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Radishes., dozen bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers .. 
.. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Celery .. .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsaty. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers 
.. each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Sea kale. 
basket 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Endive .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Shaliots. 
.. lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Fennel .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach. 
bushel 
2 
6 
8 
0 
Herbs 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes 
.. lb. 
0 
8 
0 
9 
Leeks 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
0 
0 
4 
Lettuce .. .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 1 
HORSE LABOUR IN FARMING. 
This subject, to be fairly treated, must be considered com¬ 
mercially in the interest, not only of the home, farmer, but also 
in that of tenant farmers generally. Omitting the value of 
the necessary implements of husbandry, it is found that the 
value of those horses employed in farming the arable lands 
is nearly equal to the annual rental of the land cultivated by 
them, and also that the annual cost of keeping these is little 
less, if any, than their average value. These facts are sufficient 
to exhibit the importance of the subject. In manufacturing 
operations and in locomotive travelling steam power has, from 
its superior economy, effectually supplanted animal power, but 
it is only in the supplementary form that steam has economised 
the tillage of the land by assisting the horse power, especia'ly at 
certain important periods of the year. Therefore, it is found 
that horses must be kept for various purposes. It is, never¬ 
theless, of the utmost importance to adopt the best and most 
economical methods of managing them. 
The amount of horse power required on the farm will require 
great judgment and experience, for upon large farms con¬ 
taining above 600 acres and upwards steam power may be used 
to a greater extent, and justify the farmer in the purchase and 
use under his own s ipervision either of a single or double set of 
steam tackle, according to the extent of the arable land and 
the size of the field; whereas upon farms of from 300 to 
500 acres of tillage land, and the hiring of steam power within 
reach, the employment of horse labour must be based and 
regulated. Somewhat in the same way economy may be prac¬ 
tised by supplementing horse power by working bullocks, but 
this cannot easily be done with true economy by making work¬ 
ing oxen a part of tillage power for the whole year, in con¬ 
sequence of their not being available for all kinds of work at 
all times like horses. We, therefore, propose, as a matter of 
economy and commercial benefit on the home farm where no 
steam power is obtainable or can be kept, bullocks may be used 
in tillage for a period by a system which will be noticed 
further on. 
The number of horses which can be profitably employed 
on the arable land will vary in a great measure according to the 
nature of the s oil, and the course of cropping and tillage adopted. 
A very common and practical way of reckoning is to take the 
number of horses required at per 100 acres on the farm, with 
a moderate portion of meadow or pasture land. In this way 
four horses is considered sufficient for the cultivation and other 
work on the farm for each 100 acres. But even then it will vary 
according to the size of the farm. Thus it may vary from 
three to four per 100 acres, but not forgetting that very much 
will depend upon the size, breed, and power of the horses, ae 
well as the implements used; for in a general way we believe 
that much horse power is frequently wasted, not only through 
the want of power in the animals, but through bad management 
and insufficient food. 
It is of the greatest consequence to determine which is the 
best style and type of cart horse; but this is somewhat difficult, 
and certainly requires much intelligence and judgment on the 
part of the farmer, for we find the Clydesdale and the Shire 
horse prevailing favourites where the question has received the 
neces-ary attention. The size, however, and activity of the 
animal are of the utmost importance, and more so than is gene¬ 
rally supposed, for unless we have horses of 16.| or 17 hands 
high, with substance in proportion, we are unable to ava 1 our¬ 
selves beneficially of various improvements in the farm imple¬ 
ments. Take, for instance, the use of the double and treble 
furrow ploughs; and to use these with e lect in the ordinary 
operations of ploughing every horse should be enabled to turn 
a furrow; thus we use two horses only for a double-furrow 
plough, being of the height and power named. On our light- 
land farms we may well choose lighter and more active animals ; 
but, like the Suffolk breed, still we contend for height as one 
of the leading points requisite. It is not our intention <0 
enlarge upon the merits of different breeds of horses or the 
breeding and rearing of them, for we have done this in two 
numbers of this Journal, dated the 30th of January and 6th of 
February in 1879. 
The next point to be cons’dered is keeping the an mala, 
