332 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ October 5, 1882. 
surplus fruits for naming in future issues will be apparent. Pears should only 
be sent when approaching ripeness, as when green we are deprived of an im¬ 
portant test, that of the palate, in determining their names, and we cannot 
undertake to keep the specimens until they are ripe, although under special cir¬ 
cumstances we sometimes endeavour to do so. When Pears are quite ripe when 
packed they are usually rotten when examined. All this we have stated more 
than once, and we repeat it in order to induce our correspondents to exercise 
judgment in sending fruit to be named. No specimens were retained from any 
parcels that were examined last week. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— OCTOBER 4th. 
P Trade quiet, with a fair demand for late wall fruit, Kent Cobs selling freely 
at lower rates. 
8 . 
Apples. 1 sieve 2 
Apricots. doz. 1 
Cherries. 4 sieve 0 
Chestnuts. bushel 0 
Currants, Black.. 4 sieve 0 
„ Red.... 4 sieve 0 
Figs. dozen 0 
Filberts. lb. 0 
Cobs. 100 ft. 40 
Gooseberries .... 4 sieve 0 
Grapes . ft. 1 
8 . 
Artichokes. dozen 2 
Asparagus. bundle 0 
Beans,Kidney.... 100 1 
Beet, Red. dozen 1 
Broccoli. bundle 0 
Brussels Sprouts.. 4 sieve 2 
Cabbage. dozen 0 
Capsicums. 100 1 
Carrots . bunch 0 
Cauliflowers. dozen 2 
Celery. bundle 1 
Coleworts....doz. bunches 2 
Cucumbers. each 0 
Endive. dozen 1 
Fennel. bunch 0 
Girlie . lb. 0 
Herbs. bunch o 
Leeks. bunch 0 
FRUIT, 
d. s. d. 
0to7 0 
1 6 
0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
1 0 
0 0 
0 45 0 
0 0 0 
0 3 0 
d. s. d. 
0to4 0 
0 0 
0 
0 0 
3 0 
1 0 
2 0 
0 0 
3 0 
2 0 
4 0 
0 6 
2 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 4 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Lemons. 
case 20 
0tO30 
0 
Melons. 
each 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Nectarines. 
dozen 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Oranges . 
100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
4 
0 
12 
0 
Pears .kitchen .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
dessert . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Pine Apples, English ft. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Raspberries. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Strawberries .... 
lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
ABLES. 
S. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Lettuces . 
score 
l 
otoi 
6 
Mushrooms . 
punnet 
i 
0 
i 
6 
Mustard* Cress . 
. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
8 
Onions. 
bch. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Parsley. doz.bunches 
s 
0 
4 
0 
Parsnips. 
. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Peas . 
quart 
0 
10 
0 
0 
Potatoes . 
cwt. 
6 
0 
7 
0 
Kiduey. 
cwt. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Radishes.... doz .bunches 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Salsafy. 
, bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Scorzo'nera . 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Seakale . 
basket 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Shallots. 
ft. 
0 
8 
0 
4 
Spinach . 
bushel 
8 
0 
0 
0 
Tomatoes . 
ft. 
0 
2 
0 
6 
Turnips . 
, bunch 
0 
2 
0 
4 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
SEED CORN FOR AUTUMN SOWING. 
There is no subject connected with practical agriculture of more 
importance to the home farmer than the selection of cereal seeds 
which may be required for autumn sowing. But the difficulty of 
obtaining first-class true samples adapted to particular soils and 
climates is generally very serious. Although we may in favourable 
seasons grow large crops of good quality, we have no right to 
assume that we have the cleanest, the heaviest sample, and best 
millers’ grain as regards quality unless it will bear comparison with 
the choicest sorts of Wheat which are now to be obtained from the 
ordinary farmer. It has, however, gradually been" pushed into 
notice by the seedsmen, a few of whom have with great care im¬ 
proved the various kinds of grain by selection and otherwise, and 
their endeavours deserve every encouragement. 
We must ask the home farmer to consider the nature of his soil, 
its situation and aspect, as these are the three chief points to be 
considered by him in choosing the variety of Wheat best suited for 
his use. Our experience in this matter commenced many years 
ago, and enables us to say how very difficult it is to decide which 
of the many varieties offered to our notice is most suitable. We, 
therefore, recommend the growth by actual experiment and com¬ 
parison of sorts under the like circumstances ; and as the most im¬ 
portant farmers of the district in which he may be farming will 
recommend him varieties which may have succeeded best with 
them, these ought also to claim his attention. Still, when other 
varieties are offered it is well to make the comparison, and prove 
to his own satisfaction which is best—the favourite kind of the 
locality, or some of the choicest sorts recommended by the seed- 
corn merchant. Few men will be deterred from this when they 
know that the most valuable sorts can be obtained in very mode¬ 
rate quantities, although at a somewhat higher price than the ordi¬ 
nary millers’ grain, as it will not entail a heavy expense in making 
the experiment and comparison. If it succeeds he will be in pos¬ 
session by his own growth of valuable seed corn for his own use in 
the next and following seasons if due care is taken by keeping the 
grain unmixed in threshing, after which he may be his own judge 
upon the important question of seed corn. 
At the present time we have the advantage of a choice of seeds 
which did not exist formerly, for the first Wheat we sowed in 1826 
was a Scotch Wheat very much like our present variety called 
Nursery, except that it was of a pure white berry, but strong in 
character. We hare a sample now grown by us in the year 1835, 
the produce being 52 bushels per acre ; weight, 66 lbs. per bushel 
old Winchester measure. We also have a sample of our own 
growth of Chidham Wheat, the produce of the year 1844. It is of 
splendid quality and very true in character, and at that time was 
much sought for by millers intending to make the highest quality 
of flour required by the pastrycooks and confectioners, and it 
always commanded the highest price, especially in the markets of 
Guildford and Uxbridge, at that time the two highest markets in 
England. Although we grew this Wheat in one of the finest 
seasons ever known, the yield did not meet our expectations, as 
we only obtained 40 bushels per acre, although the straw was a 
very full crop. Our next sample which we have preserved was 
called Morton’s Bed Straw White, and introduced by Lord Ducie 
on his farm at Whitfield in Gloucestershire. The redness of the 
straw, however, disappears when ripe. Our sample is a fine white 
grain of excellent quality, weight 67 lbs. per bushel; and as we do 
not know the origin of Oakshott’s Champion White it seems to us 
probable that it was selected from Morton’s White, as it resembles 
seed-corn merchant. Again, one of the most important points in 
seed corn is that it should be free from the seeds of weeds as well 
as free from grain of other varieties. This is seldom attainable 
when seed corn is purchased of the farmer who grew it, even when 
he has grown it from the best and purest sample ; for under 
ordinary circumstances, the corn being often threshed by hired 
machinery, it is frequently the case that the remains of other varie¬ 
ties which have been threshed just previous are left in the machine, 
and become mixed with the next sort which may be threshed. We 
must, therefore, look to the seed merchant, whose especial care and 
business it is not only to select the best grain, but the purest and 
truest of its variety, and there never was a time when it has been 
so easy to obtain selected sorts of Wheat of the highest value in 
every respect as at the present. Major Hallett of Brighton led 
the way with his pedigree grain of various kinds, but foi some 
years it had little influence on the mind and management of the 
it both in growth and grain. 
We must now refer to sorts which we have grown within the 
past twenty-eight years, and we shall refer more particularly to 
the varieties which have proved to be advantageous, and which 
can at present be obtained from the seed-corn merchants of supe¬ 
rior and selected stocks. The R 1 Nursery is a good millers’grain, 
and well adapted for sowing cn those - ils which are subject to 
loss of plant, as it is a very 1 ardy variety, and can be obtained 
now as a selected sample. The Rough Chaff Essex, more particu¬ 
larly the Dwarf Clubhead variety, we have found ever since its 
introduction the most profitable sort we have ever grown, but more 
especially on the best soils in a high state of cultivation. It is 
shorter in straw by 6 or 8 inches than any other variety we have 
ever grown. It is very hardy and maintains a thick plant in 
severe seasons, at the same time tillers very freely if thinned out 
by wireworms or otherwise. Some exception has been taken to it 
