146 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ February 15, 1883. 
of turfy loam with one-third of manure, and a fifteenth part of the entire bulk 
of bonemeal. With sufficient water, yet judiciously applied, and eventually 
liquid manure, large plants can be kept healthy in comparatively small pots. 
When you ask for the maximum size of pot we must again reply, That depends 
wholly on the size of the plant. We have seen many plants 3| feet in diametei 
and 2 feet high bearing from twenty to thirty fine blooms in 8-inch pots, and 
we have seen Hoses in pots 15 inches in diameter, but the specimens were about 
8 feet high by 5 or 6 feet in diameter at the base just above the surface of the 
pot, these grand examples each bearing from two to three hundred blooms. 
Any Boses can be trained to a trellis, but it depends entirely on the size of it as 
to which would be the most suitable varieties. A suitable distance for training 
the growths would be 3 or 4 inches, but we do not admire the plan to which 
you allude. It would have been better if you had stated your object and con¬ 
veniences for growing Roses in pots, with the size and condition of the plants 
on which you desire information. 
Croton Culture {Ignorant). —These plants require a warm stove tempera¬ 
ture, a moist atmosphere, abundance of light, and generous soil to grow them 
quickly and of good colour. A night temperature of 75° is not too much, with 
a rise to 85° or 90° in the day with sun, a bottom heat of 85° being desirable 
but not indispensable. The plants should be repotted whenever the pots are 
fairly filled with roots, and these are protruding through the drainage, until 
they are in the size in which they are intended to be exhibited. Handsome 
specimens can be grown in 8-inch pots. In a small state a compost of a little 
more than half of rather light turfy loam, the remaining portion to consist of 
peat and leaf soil, with sand and crushed charcoal to render the whole porous ; 
when transferred to 6-inch pots the peat and leaf soil may be reduced and a 
little decayed manure added, and at the next shift a 5-inch potful of bonemeal 
mixed with a peck of the soil will be of great service. It is important that the 
pots be filled with roots as early in the summer as possible, or the foliage will 
not colour well. Light, heat, and an abundance of water are essential for this. 
Throughout the season the plants must be syringed freely, and occasionally the 
leaves should be sponged with soapy water, especially on the under sides, as a 
preventive of thrips, as it is impossible for you to grow Crotons if they are not 
kept clean. If huge specimens are required the growths must be topped, but 
very fine medium-sized plants with splendid foliage can be grown without top¬ 
ping, and such plants in brilliant colour would be preferred by a good judge to 
specimens of thrice the size with comparatively small and colourless foliage. 
When the pots are crowded with roots soot water is a safe and excellent stimu¬ 
lant. You ask for the best “var.” Whether you mean the best variety or 
varieties is an open question. Following your abbreviation strictly we should 
name one, but as you probably need more we name six that are equally good for 
home decoration and exhibition, at the same time not being so costly as some of 
the newer varieties:—Queen Victoria, Prince of Wales, Weismanni, angusti- 
folius, undulatus, and Disraeli. If, however, you wish to exhibit this number 
you should have one plant extra, in case all the others should not succeed, and 
you may add Evansianus. If you will state which Tradescantia you mean, or 
send us a leaf, we will answer your other question. There are numbers of 
species, some hardy and others tender, and you will therefore perceive you have 
not made the matter clear for insuring a satisfactory reply. 
Cattleya Percivilliana ( Disappointed ).—We have heard many others 
besides yourself express their disappointment with regard to this Orchid, which 
has by no means proved so handsome as was expected. However, it has never 
been eulogised in these pages, and probably you will hear more in its disparage¬ 
ment than otherwise. It appears to vary considerably, the lip differing in the 
richness of the colouring, though the flowers are generally small. It may im¬ 
prove to some extent, but it is doubtful if it will ever gain much favour with 
Orchid-growers. 
Names of Plants (IF. II.). —Begonia Weltoniensis. ( R.S. ). —1, Asplenium 
viviparum ; 2, Dendrobium nobile ; 3, Coelogyne cristata; 4, Odontoglossum 
Alexandras. (W. X.). —1, Adiantum cuneatum ; 2, Doodia aspera ; 3, Blechnum 
brasiliensis. 
Moving Bees (IF. E., Waltham ).—As there will be little activity amongst 
your bees for some time we think you will lose few, if any, of them if you 
remove the hives at once. If the weather should be very mild, and the bees 
show a disposition to leave the hives, you might close the apertures during mid¬ 
day for a short time, but probably this will not be necessary. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— FEBRUARY 14th. 
TlIE Market remains very quiet. A fair supply of early forced vegetables 
continue to reach us, but good samples of late Grape3 are short at previous 
quotations. 
FRUIT. 
e. d. s. d. 
Apples. } sieve 2 0to7 0 
„ .per barrel 20 0 40 0 
Apricots. 
Cherries. 
Chestnuts. 
Currants, Black.. 
„ Red.... 
Figs. 
Filberts. 
Cobs. 
Gooseberries .... 
doz. 0 0 0 0 
} sieve o 0 0 0 
bushel 10 0 12 0 
$ sieve 0 0 0 0 
2 sieve 0 0 0 0 
dozen 0 6 10 
rb. o o oo 
loo tb. o o oo 
i sieve 0 0 0 0 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d 
Grapes . 
ft. 
2 
0 to 5 
0 
Lemons. 
case 
10 
0 
20 
0 
Melons. 
each 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nectarines. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges . 
100 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Peaches . 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears,kitchen .. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
dessert . 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Pine Apples, English ft. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Raspberries. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Strawberries .... 
lb. 
0 
o. 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
8. d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
Artichokes. 
. dozen 
2 
0to4 
0 
Lettuces ... 
i 
OtOl 
6 
Asparagus,French bundle 25 
0 
30 
0 
Mushrooms 
i 
0 
i 
6 
Beans,Kidney ... 
100 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Mustard & Cress .. punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions. 
2 
3 
2 
6 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Parsley. 
doz. bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts. 
J sieve 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Peas . 
0 
0 
0 
o 
Capsicums. 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Potatoes .... 
6 
0 
7 
0 
Carrots . 
bunch 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Kidney.... 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Cauliflowers. 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz. bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery. 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb.... 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. 
bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
. each 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera 
l 
6 
0 
8 
Endive. 
. dozen 
1 
u 
2 
0 
Seakale .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Fennel. 
. bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots .... 
3 
0 
o 
Giirlic . 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Herbs . 
. bunch 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. 
ft. 
1 
G 
2 
o 
Leeks. 
. bunch 
0 
8 
« 
4 
Turnips .... 
0 
2 
0 
3 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
INDICATIONS OF FERTILITY OR BARRENNESS 
OF SOILS. 
This is, and always will be, a subject of the greatest import¬ 
ance in agriculture, and was deemed of great consequence by the 
Royal Agricultural Society of England, for in 1844 the Council 
offered their prize for the best essay upon this subject, and in 
the Journal of the Society issued in 1845 two essays appeared, 
both of which treated the subject with great practical intelligence 
and experience. Since that period chemistry in connection 
with agriculture has made great progress, having opened up the 
value of certain productive qualities of land as well as its barren¬ 
ness, for tbe researches of such gentlemen as Dr. Voelcker, Sir 
J. B. Lawes, and others have added much to the means of 
obtaining by analysis the quality of soils. To the young men and 
those who are students in agriculture it is a most important fact, 
that irrespective of analysis of soils their productive quality has 
been characterised to a great extent by the experience given by 
practical farmers, &c., who judge by the colour, consistency, posi¬ 
tion, and aspect, as well as the various weeds and plants indigenous 
to the land, and other peculiarities which have been noted by 
observant men. Notwithstanding all this practical knowledge 
the most observant readily admit that they have learned much 
from the chemical professors in agriculture, and as this is the 
fact, is it not sufficient to induce the young men to consider the 
opportunities which they now possess by a combination of practice 
and theory ? 
It appears surprising that the natural indications of barrenness 
and fertility should have been so much neglected by our fore¬ 
fathers. We fear that at an early date knowledge of this subject 
was deemed unworthy of notice by farmers, and that it was quite 
sufficient that the most practical men as land agents and valuers, 
who have had so many opportunities of noticing the indications 
of the value of land, was sufficient to guide them. 
During the past thirty or forty years, and since education has 
extended amongst all classes of the community, the aspirants for 
agricultural fame amongst the young farmers and landowners 
have perceived the value of practice with science in any attempt 
at successful agriculture. This has induced them generally to 
acquire a knowledge of the nature and value of land and its 
capabilities, the ground and basis of which they have made the 
understanding of the capabilities of the soil by its appearance, 
called indications of fertility or barrenness. Nor could they have 
better preceptors than the experienced land valuers and agents, 
combined with the scientific acquirements of such men as Sir 
J. B. Lawes, Dr. Voelcker, and others too numerous to mention, 
but who have for a long period laboured zealously to enlarge the 
minds of those who were willing to learn by publishing the result 
of their experiments. 
The knowledge extended to agriculturists by botanists has also 
gone a long way to indicate those plants which, being indigenous 
to certain soils, show them how to distinguish the character of 
the land by its herbage, which may be seen at any time during 
the spring and summer months, and thereby enable them to 
decide whether the soil is productive or otherwise for certain 
farm produce. At the present era of agriculture, through the 
