December 4,1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
505 
setting of the hoped for crops. If you will inform us on this point as 
soon as possible we will endeavour to publish your letter, which is of a 
readable nature, with a reply that will not do any harm if it does no 
good. We fear the situation is not very favourable, and it may be the 
varieties are not the best adapted for it. We presume you do not know 
their names. You have nothing to lose by not planting for another 
week or two provided the roots of those in the outhouse do not get dry, 
as they will not if sufficiently covered with damp soil. Three years ago 
a tradesman ordered a number of trees, some of which he planted im¬ 
mediately on arrival during the first week in December, but frost and 
snow occurring he was advised to leave the others in the bundles as 
they arrived from the nursery in a cold shed. He allowed them to 
remain there for two months, then planted and pruned them one fine 
day, when the ground was dry on the surface. All these trees grew and 
have borne fruit, but all the others that he planted in December when 
the ground was wet (he forgot to prune them) died. We saw all the 
trees the following year, therefore can vouch for the facts of the case. 
Forcing- Lilies of the Valley («7. T .~).—Any particular kind of soil 
is not material in the early forcing of these flowers, thousands of them 
being raised by packing the crowns or clumps in pots or boxes of cocoa- 
nut fibre refuse, and forced in pits having bottom heat of 85° to 90°, and 
top heat ranging from 70° to 80°. The crowns are either covered 2 or 3 
inches deep with fibre, or otherwise kept dark and constantly moist. 
When forced into flower early or before Christmas the crowns are of 
little or no further use. For spring flowering the crowns or clumps may 
be firmly potted now in a mixture of loam, leaf mould, and sand, the 
former preponderating, and buried in fibre or ashes in a frame like 
Hyacinths. The requisite number of pots can then be withdrawn at 
intervals and placed in a warm house so as to maintain a prolonged 
supply of flowers. If the pots can be plunged in a warm bed growth 
will be accelerated, and it is well to cover the crowns an inch or two 
deep with fibre or leaves. They will grow very well in a temperature 
ranging between 55° and 70°, or even less, but the lower the temperature 
the slower is the growth, and usually the sturdier the plants. If good 
foliage is developed, and this is well supported and matured under the 
full influence of light and air, late-forced plants will flower again 
another year. 
Vines Failing- (A. S .~).—We are very sorry that after such an 
earnest attempt has been made to grow good Vines the result is so 
unsatisfactory. The roots are in a very peculiar state and suggestive of 
the presence of phylloxera, but we failed after a most careful examina¬ 
tion to find any of the insects or eggs. We know the soil is not suitable, 
but we are scarcely satisfied that it alone is the cause of the failure. 
The compost is far too unctuous and rich—too full of nitrogeous matter, 
and too destitute of mineral, also too retentive of moisture. When pressed 
it is like putty, and the reverse of tempting to the roots of Vines. It is 
only by an effort that they have penetrated it, and it is evident they 
could not remain healthy in it. We do not quite comprehend the con¬ 
dition of the Vines when they were planted in May. They may have 
been raised from eyes early in the same year and planted in a growing 
state, and thus received a check at the outset ; or they may have been 
last year’s canes, which would then have grown freely, and in this 
case, if the canes were of considerable length and the roots disentangled 
to any material extent, a check would inevitably follow, and a vigorous 
summer’s growth could not be expected even if the soil were more 
favourable for early and free root action than is the mixture before us. 
When planting canes are left too long the root power is apt to be 
frittered away over a number of shoots which push from the cane, 
whereas were it concentrated in one or two as low down as convenient, 
that is where they can receive full light, strong summer growth follows, 
and without this there cannot be strong healthy roots. In your case, 
though a good foundation was made with concrete and adequate 
drainage, the border was made very much too large, and the soil far 
too rich. It would have been better without any manure, except on 
the surface. Then a check may have been received as suggested, even if 
the roots were free from parasitical insects, and we cannot say they 
were. The action that has been taken now of narrowing the borders to 
4.) feet, and cutting down the Vines, also all the decayed roots, we 
consider right, but instead of adding more manure a large addition of 
lime rubbish, wood ashes, and coarse sand would have been much more 
beneficial. We doubt if fresh roots would start freely in such a tvet 
rich medium. If the Vines were ours we should take them up, pot or 
place them in a free gritty compost, and keep them cool until spring, 
then plant them when growth commences. In the meantime we should 
spread lime.rubbish 4 inches thick on the surface, or failing this chalk, 
wffiich we think is plentiful in your district; also some newly slacked 
lime, say nearly half an inch thick, as well as all the wood ashes you 
can obtain, and some coarse sand, well incorporating these additions 
with the soil. The sooner this is done the better, and a month before 
planting we should have the border turned over again. At present some of 
the loam is nearly saturated, and as the border is inside the twice turning 
would sweeten the mass and render it infinitely more suitable for 
Vines than the border is now. All requisite manurial ingredients can 
be given on the surface, and we should mulch over the roots after 
planting, but not with a rich close manure, like a plaster. But we 
have another suggestion to make that may or may not be acceptable, 
and indeed may or may not be necessary, for we do not know the actual 
condition of the present Vines ; therefore our suggestion shall be made 
for consideration only—namely, the advisability of procuring fresh and 
good planting canes. These well managed would make strong growth, 
aid those now in possession may do. That is fer you to consider and 
determine. If fresh Vines are decided on they should be ordered at 
once, cut back on arrival to good eyes as low down as possible, so that 
when planted growth can start under the full influence of light. It 
would be advisable to dress the ends with styptic or knotting, to make 
sure against bleeding, and the Vines should be kept quite cool through 
the winter, and planted when they make an inch or two of growth in 
the spring. We regret the misfortune, which, however, is not the first 
by many of the same kind, nor will it be the last. It is the result of 
overzeal, an evident desire and earnest effort to win success, and we- 
trust the gardener who has made this endeavour will still be rewarded 
with a fine house of Grapes. 
Names of Fruits. —The names and addresses of senders of fruit 
to be named must in all cases be enclosed with the specimens, whether 
letters referring to the fruit are sent by post or not. The names are- 
not necessarily required for publication, initials sufficing for that. Only 
six specimens can be named at once, and any beyond that number cannot 
be preserved.—( A . (?.).—1, Doyenne Boussoch ; 2, Dunmore. 
Names of Plants, —We only undertake to name species of plants,, 
not varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in firm boxes. 
Slightly damp moss, soft green grass or leaves form the best packing, dry 
wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named at once,, 
and the numbers should be visible without untying the ligatures, 
it being often difficult to separate them when the paper is damp. 
QF. P.).—1, Colletia horrida ; 2, Colletia cruciata. The others were not 
in suitable condition for determination. ($. T. ).—1,’Adiantum farleyense ; 
2, Adiantum macrophyllum ; 3, Asplenium bulbiferum. (IF. IF).— 
1, Selaginella Kraussiana ; 2, Selaginella Martensi. 
TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
Dicksons & Co., 1, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh .—List of Select Roses , 
1890-91. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 3rd. 
TRADE quiet. No alteration. 
FRUIT. 
Apples, | sieve. 
„ Nova Scotia and 
Canada, per barrel 
Grapes, per lb. 
Kentish Cobs „ 
Artichokes, dozen .. .. 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. .. 
Beet, Red, dozen .. .. 
Brussels Sprouts, £ sieve 
Cabbage, dozen .. .. 
Carrots, bunch .. .. 
Cauliflowers, dozen.. .. 
Celery, bundle. 
Coleworts, doz. bunches 
Cucumbers, doz. 
Endive, dozen. 
0. 
d. 
0. 
d. 
8. 
1 
6 
to 0 
0 
Lemons, case .. .. .. 
20 
Melons, each. 
1 
15 
0 
2G 
0 
Oranges, per 100 .. .. 
4 
0 
9 
8 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each.. 
2 
35 
0 
70 
0 
Strawberries, per lb. 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
0. 
0 
0 
to 0 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet 
1 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Mustard & Cress, punnet 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bushel. 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
8 
1 
9 
2 
0 
2 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
3 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. .. 
0 
1 
0 
1 
8 
Salsafy, bundle .. .. 
1 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera, bundle .. .. 
1 
2 
0 
8 
6 
Seakale, per bkt. 
2 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb. 
Spinach, bushel .. .. 
0 
0 
2 
0 
0 
1 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. 
0 
0 
9 
1 
s 
Turnips, bunch .. .. 
0 
d. s. d. 
0 to 28 O’ 
0 2 G 
0 9 0 
0 6 0 
0 0 0 > 
d. 0. d. 
6 to 2 0 
2 0 0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 
0 
6 
0 
3 
0 
4 
0 
2 0 
0 8 
0 4 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
Bouvardias, bunch .. 
Carnations, 12 blooms .. 
Chrysanthemum, 1‘3 blms. 
,, 12 bunches 
Epiphyllum, doz. blooms 
Eucharis, dozen .. .. 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
Lapageria, 12 blooms .. 
Lavender, dozen bunches 
Lilac (French) per bunch 
„ longiflorum,12 blms. 
Maidenhair Fern, dozen 
bunches. 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
Mignonette, 12 bunches.. 
Mimosa (Fnch.,) per bneh 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
Arbor Vitas (golden) doz. 
Asters, dozen pots .. .. 
Calceolaria, per doz. .. 
Chrysanthemum, per doz. 
Climbing Plants, various, 
dozen pots. 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
Epiphyllum, per dozen.. 
Erica, Cavendishi, per pt. 
,, various, dozen .. 
Euonymus, var., dozen .. 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
Ferns, in variety, dozen.. 
Ficus elastica, each.. .. 
Foliage plants, var., each 
Fuchsia, per doz. .. 
CUT 
FLOWERS. 
F. 
d. 
8. 
a. | 
B. 
d. 
8. 
4 
0 to 
8 
0 
Narciss (Paper-white), 
0 
6 
1 
0 
French, doz. bunches .. 
4 
Oto 10 
0 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Do. Do. English, 
{ 
1 
0 
8 
0 
per bunch .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
3 
0 
9 
0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trussep 
0 
9 
1 
0 
0 
4 
0 
6 
„ scarlet, 12 bnchs 
4 
0 
6 
0 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Poinsettia, dozen blooms 
4 
0 
9 
O 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Primula (double) 12 sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Roses (indoor), dozen .. 
0 
6 
1 
fi 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ Red, 12 blooms .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
5 
0 
7 
6 
„ Tea, white, dozen.. 
0 
6 
2 
0 
4 
0 
6 
0 
„ Yellow. 
3 
0 
5 
0 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms .. 
0 
4 
0 
p 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Violets (Parme) .. .. 
2 
6 
3 
6 
2 
0 
fi 
0 
„ (dark) . 
i 
0 
2 
0 
8 
0 
6 
0 
,, (English), doz.bnch 
i 
0 
2 
0 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Wallflower, doz. bunches 
3 
0 
G 
0 
PLANTS IN POTS, 
P. 
a. 
8. 
a. 
8. 
a. 
8. 
6 
0 lo 12 
0 
Geraniums Scarlet,p. doz. 
2 
0 to 
6 
0 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Hydrangea, doz. pots .. 
9 
0 
18' 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lilium lancifolium, doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ longiflorum, doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Lily of the Valley, 12 pots 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lobelia, per doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Mignonette, per dozen .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Musk, per dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
12 
0 
80 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Nasturtiums, dozen pots 
0 
0 
0 
0 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Palms, in var., each.. .. 
2 
6 
31 
0 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums, per doz. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Poinsettia, per doz. 
9 
0 
15 
u 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Rhodanthe, per dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
6 
7 
0 
Stocks, per doz. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Tropseolmus, various, per 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 dozen . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
