602 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ December 28 ,ins. 
but as a rule those are not placed on the list of candidates for vacancies in the 
absence of such testimony as we have indicated. Your letter is creditable to 
you, but we should not have been less favourably impressed with it had you sent 
your full name and address, and it is not impossible that this would have 
enabled us to have given you a somewhat different and not less useful reply. 
However, the hint we have given you may possibly be of some slight service. 
We know it would be of no use writing to the gardener you name. 
Soil for Vines and Peaches (/. B.).— The soil of which you have sub¬ 
mitted a sample will, we have no doubt, grow Vines and Peach trees well provided 
they are in other respects properly managed. We should have little fear of the 
traces of fungus doing any injury to the Vines and trees, a» we have used soil of 
the same nature for Vine borders with the best results. Still, you will not err by 
attempting to destroy what little fungus there is, especially as you maz improve 
the soil at the same time. We should turn it over, and on each layer spread a 
little fresh umlaked lime, simply breaking any lumps larger than your hand. 
A bushel will suffice for a cartload of soil, and the moist earth will cause the 
lime to “ fall ” in the course of a week or so, at the end of which time, if the 
heap is again turned over, it will be in excellent condition for use. A bushel 
of half-inch bones mixed with each cartload of soil will improve it for both 
Vines and trees ; so also would an admixture of wood ashes, but neither of these 
additions is necessary, as the soil is sound and good. 
Selection of Grapes and Peaches {lJem ).—You ask for seven Vines 
suitable for growing in the same house for affording fruit from August till 
Christmas, three to produce white, and four black Grapes. The most easy and 
certain method for an amateur to produoe a supply would be to plant one Vine 
of Buckland Sweetwater, two of Foster's Seedling, two of Black Hamburgh, and 
two of Black Alicante, the Alicantes to have the warmest position. If we wanted 
seven varieties we should venture on planting one each of the following: — 
Duke of Buccleuch, Foster's Seedling, Muscat of Alexandria, Black Hamburgh, 
Madresfield Court, Alnwick Seedling, and Mrs. Pince, and by having the Muscat 
and two last named in the warmest position should expect to succeed in our 
object; but we hold out no kind of guarantee that either you or anyone else 
of whose cultural skill we have no knowledge would find this selection satis¬ 
factory. You must now decide for yourself in accordance with your experience 
and competency, on which important matters you supply no information. Of 
Nectarines we doubt if you could do better than plant Lori Napier, Vi*lette 
Hative, Improved Downton, Pine Apple, Humboldt, and Victoria. 
Planting Bulbs {C. B., Waver tree). —It is fully late for planting Crocuses 
and Snowdrops, but all the others will do well planted now. It will be a good 
plan to do a3 you suggest, placing them close together on an inch or two of leaf 
soil or cocoa-nut fibre refuse in boxes, and covering an inch or so deep, placing 
the boxes in a cold frame—in fact, burying them, as, if their sides are exposed, 
the soil will become dry, if it does not get frozen. Try the Crocuses and Snow¬ 
drops also. When roots an inch long are produced replant very carefully so as 
not to break them in the border, surrounding them and covering the bulbs with 
leaf soil. If the ground is moderately dry you may plant the Tulips and Narcis¬ 
suses in the border at once, but if wet treat as directed with the other bulbs. 
Questions reaching us on Wednesday morning oan seldom be answered in the 
“ next issue.” 
Tea-scented Roses for Beds {Novice) — Tea Roses do not like'a strong 
soil, especially one overlying clay. This more particularly applies to a cold 
climate ; hence if you attempt growing Tea Roses you must make sure of the soil 
being well drained, and add to it some gritty material so as to open its texture. 
The plants should be planted about 2 feet apart in the bed in the first instance, 
the distance being increased in the course of two or three years. In winter the 
plants will need protection during very severe weather ; but it is preferable to 
take them up early in November, pot them, and keep them plunged in ashes 
in a cold pit, planting out again early in April. When in the pit the light must 
be kept off in mild weather. Gloire de Bijou, Gloire de Bordeaux, Abricote, 
Goubault, Ilomcre, Julie Mansais, David Fradel, Madame de St. Joseph, Madame 
Lambard, Souvenir de l’Empereur Maximilien, Rubens, Marie Sislej - , Madame 
Ducher, Le Nankin. Madame Margottin, Cheshunt Hybrid, Duchess of Edin¬ 
burgh, Belle Lyounaise, Vicomtesse de Cazes, Madame Trifle, Madame Berard, 
Madame Alexandre Bernaix, Letty Coles, and Marie Van Houtte have been 
recommended by a cultivator who grows Roses in some of the coldest districts in 
the north of Yorkshire. 
brought into flower in batches and placed in the greenhouse while in flower, 
would also be very serviceable. Euphorbia jacquiniadlora and Clerodendron f.ulax 
you will also find useful; the latter can readily be raised from seed. If your pits 
are sufficiently lofty, so that you can grow climbers thinly under the roof, you 
will be able to obtain a valuable supply of choice flowers from such plants 
as Allamanda Hendersoni, Clerodendron Balfourianum, Bougainvillea glabra, 
Dipladenia Brearleyana, and Stephanotis floribunda. 
Names of Fruits (0. J.).—Pears: 1, Josephine de Malines; 2, Winter 
Nelis ; 3, Marie Louise, fruit from a late bloom. Apples: 1, Golden Russet; 
2 and 3 not known, probably local varieties. ( William Neale).— 2, Trumpmgton ; 
4, Besspool: 5, probably Old Golden Pippin; 6, Golden Noble; 9, Autumn 
Pearmain, well kept; 10, Autumn Red Calville. The others axe under exami¬ 
nation. 
Names of Plants {J. H., Canterbury).—1, Davallia canadensis; 3, Hymo- 
nophyllum liirsutum; 3, Nephrolepia tuborosa ; 4, Trichomanes radicans, 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.—December 27tu. 
The market has continued to be well supplied with all classes of goods, prices 
remaining the same; and the demand is well met by the supplies. 
FRUIT. 
s. d. s. d. 
Apples. 1 sieve 2 0to7 0 
.... per barrel 20 0 40 0 
Apricots. doz. U U 0 0 
Cherries. i sieve 0 0 0 0 
Chestnuts. bushel 10 0 12 
Currants, Black.. 4 sieve 0 
Red.. 
Figs. 
Filberts. 
Cobs.... 
Gooseberries .. 
i sieve 0 
dozen 0 
tb. 0 
0 0 0 
100 lb. 45 0 £0 0 
4 sieve 0 0 0 0 
rapes . 
Lemons. 
Melons.. 
Nectarines. dozeI i ° 
Oranges . . 
Peaches . 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
dessert. dozen 
Pine Apples, English ft* 
Raspberries. 16 • 
Strawberries ... 
s. d. s. d. 
lb. o o to 5 0 
ease 20 0 30 0 
each 2 0 
100 0 
0 
1 
1 
a 
o 
o 
lb. 
3 0 
0 0 
10 0 
a o 
VEGETABLES. 
Artichokes. dozen 
Asparagus. bundle 
Beans,Kidney.... 100 
Beet,Red. dozen 
Broccoli. bundle 
Brussels Sprouts.. J sieve 
Cabbage. dozen 
Capsicums. 100 
Carrots . bunch 
Cauliflowers. dozen 
Celery. bundle 
Coleworts....doz. bunches 
Cucumbers. each 
Endive. dozen 
Fennel. bunch 
Garlic . ft. 
Herbs . bunch 
Leeks. bunch 
s. d. s. d. 
2 0 to 4 0 
0 0 
a o 
2 0 
0 « 
1 0 
0 s 
0 6 
0 2 
0 8 
I Lettuees . score 1 
Mushrooms .punnet 1 
Mustard & Oress ..punnet 0 
Onions. bushel 2 
Paisley. doz. bunches 3 
Parsnips. dozen 1 
Peas . quart 0 
Potatoes. cwt. 6 
Kidney. cwt. 0 
Radishes.... doz.bunches 1 
Rhubarb. bundle 0 
Salsafy. bundle 1 
Scorzonera . bundle 1 
Seakale . basket 2 
Shallots. ft. o 
Spinach . bushel 3 
Tomatoes . ft. 0 
Turnips . bunch 0 
d. s. d. 
Otol 6 
a e 
8 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 8 
8 0 
0 0 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
Plants for Affording Cat Flowers (Blackheath ).—If your greenhouse 
is such that you can plant out a number of climbing plants and train them 
thinly under the roof you will be able to obtain abundance of cut flowers from 
the following Roses :—Gloire de Dijon, Mardchal Niel, Lamarque, and R6ve d’Or 
are very suitable for the roof; while Tea Safrano, Niphetos, Isabella Sprunt, 
Perle de Lyon, and Souvenir d’un Ami can also be planted out if convenient and 
trained up the end of your house, or grown in pots in such quantities as you 
think will meet your demands. Hybrid Perpetuals may also be forced in pots, 
and you will find the following good and useful for the purpose :—La France, 
Gbnbral Jacqueminot, Jules Margottin, Duke of Edinburgh, Louis Van Houtte, 
John Hopper, and Coquette des Blanches. Lapageria alba and rosea, Clematis 
indivisa lobata, as well as other deciduous varieties, are also useful for the roof, 
and will do better planted out than if kept in pots. If your greenhouse is a 
lean-to you can have Camellias, Abutilons, Rhododendrons such as Gibsoni, 
Habrothamnus elegans, Tropaeolums Ball of Fire or Vesuvius, and other similar 
plants to cover the back wall, growing them in large pots or boxes, which 
will give you abundance of flowers without taking up much room of the house. 
You will also find Azaleas, Epacrises, Bouvardias Vreelandii, Hogarth, and 
the beautiful double white Alfred Neuner three of the best and most useful. 
Zonal Pelargoniums will be found invaluable, both single and double forms, 
the latter being the most serviceable for cutting purposes. Tuberous Be¬ 
gonias would do well in the greenhouse, and be useful for cutting during 
the summer. Heliotropes, Mignonette, Cyclamen persicum, as well as single 
and double Primulas, the latter being indispensable where cut flowers are 
in daily request, as they will continue to produce them in succession for six 
months or more. Chrysanthemums are amongst the most useful of plants for 
supplying cut flowers from late summer until the month of January. The 
supply of flowers will not be sufficient to maintain during the summer months 
when quantities can be obtained from the outside ; such, for instance, as Nar¬ 
cissus, Carnations, Phloxes, early and late-flowering Pyretbrums, Roses, and 
many others which will associate well with flowers from the greenhouse. For 
the winter supply quantities of Deutzias, Rhododendrons, Ghent and Mollis 
Azaleas, Lilacs, Spineas, Guelder Roses, and other hardy flowering plants should 
be prepared for forcing into bloom in your heated pits. If these are suitable for 
the accommodation of stove plants you should grow in quantity Eucharis 
amazonica, Gardenia florida or intermedia, both being free-flowering varieties. 
Begonias of such sorts as insignis, nitida, nitida rosea, semperflorens grandi- 
flora, Ingrami, Moonlight, Dregei, and weltoniensis you will find valuable for 
your purpose. Gloxinias raised from seed and grown in your heated pits, and 
MAXIMUM WEIGHT FOB AGE OF CATTLE AND 
SHEEP. 
(Continued from page 582.') 
Having given the weight for age of young cattle as far back as 
1857 and 1869, we will now quote the weight for age of young 
cattle as exhibited at Islington, taking first a shorthorn steer, fed 
by Colonel Sir R. Loyd Lindsay, at 102 weeks old weighed 
120 stone of 8 lbs. A cross-bred steer shown by Lord Lovat at 
ninety-one weeks old reached 108 Smithfield stones of 8 lbs. As 
these two young steers were the heaviest in the Show at weight 
for age in their class, we must compare these two animals with 
the two selected at the earliest period ; and when we consider that 
those were only exhibited or slaughtered in country districts, it 
decides the matter in this way, that no more weight for age has 
been obtained now than formerly by the young cattle shown this 
year at Islington. The heaviest animal at Islington this year was 
shown by Mr. C. T. Lucas ; at the age of 190 weeks it only reaches 
in weight 187 Smithfield stones. It will thus be seen in compari¬ 
son with young animals it does not show so much weight for age, 
and scarcely justifying the keeping of adult cattle for feeding as 
profitable beef. 
We will now show the curious and peculiar results of buying 
prize animals at one show and keeping them for another exhibition 
the following year. In the Scotch cattle contest this year we find 
