554 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ i>eoeti,ber 2J, 1890. 
secured chiefly from Spain, the Azores, and the South of Europe 
generally. Tropical fruits of several kinds—such as Custard 
Apples, Prickly Pears, &c.—are represented by small supplies ; 
but Bananas are imported in large quantities from the Canary 
Islands, West Indies, and Florida. 
From the above it will be seen that fruit constitutes a large 
proportion of the seasonable supplies, but there is another great 
character of the Christmas week that cannot be overlooked— 
namely, the Mistletoe, Holly, and evergreens for decorative pur¬ 
poses. The trade transacted in Mistletoe in the course of a few 
days is astonishing, and we are informed that no less than 2000 
crates have been received at Covent Garden for Christmas use. 
These crates are lightly but strongly made, about 4 feet wide and 
deep, and in them the Mistletoe is closely packed, each crate 
probably containing sufficient for supplying at least 100 homes 
with ample material for enjoyment during the season of festivity. 
If this be a fair estimate Covent Garden alone must furnish 
200,000 homes with the interesting parasitical plant then in such 
great demand amongst young people. The Holly is also received 
in large quantities, but there is no means of gauging the actual 
number of loads or bundles. A visit paid a few days before 
December 25th to the extensive outside enclosures near Market 
Square gives the best idea, for then the Holly with miscellaneous 
evergreen shrubs is seen piled up in great mounds such as would be 
thought could never be cleared. Yet they all disappear, and good 
Holly is always in great request. This year the Holly is 
particularly well u berried,” and is selling well; last year there was 
but little of value, and much difference is found in the relative 
quantities of Holly and Mistletoe sold. When the former is good 
there is less demand for the latter, and vice versa. The Mistletoe 
is nearly all obtained from France, especially Normandy ; but the 
Holly is all English. The common Firs known as Christmas trees 
are disposed by waggonloads, the trees ranging from diminutive 
specimens 20 inches high to giants of 20 feet, that are provided for 
special fetes. 
Flowers are necessarily in demand, but their prices are so high 
that they do not come within the reach of the multitude. A 
florist with only a small window to furnish assures us that he 
cannot obtain sufficient for his purpose at a less expenditure than £10 
per morning, and at first glance some would be inclined to think the 
flowers were worth as many shillings, certainly at some seasons a 
much better display could be had for the last named sum. While 
the mild weather lasted flowers were unusually cheap, in fact 
there was a difficulty in selling them ; now it is quite different, 
and it is surprising how great a change was effected in a few 
weeks. Chrysanthemums are the most abundant, but they have 
a dull and faded appearance in most cases. Yiolets come next in 
quantity, then of forced plants Roman Hyacinths, Lilies of the 
Yalley, Lilac, and Richardia spathes, the last realising from 12s. 
to 18s. per dozen first hand. There are also a few boxes of Zonal 
Pelargoniums, Bouvardias, Roses (chiefly imported), Carnations, 
Eucharis and Tuberoses. 
Plants in pots are chiefly Palms, Ferns, and others possessing 
foliage attractions, and useful for grouping, but there are some 
examples of early Tulips, Roman Hyacinths, and Lilies of the 
Yalley, pots of these mixed having a pretty effect, and seem to be 
most in demand. Small shrubs in pots are also numerous. Of 
vegetables there is nothing special to note, the hardy Kale and other 
greens are the principal, but good Brussels Sprouts are in demand. 
Seakale is also selling well, and is being sent in more freely. 
Such are the leading characteristics of Covent Garden in the 
present week, and they may be taken as an example on a larger 
scale of other metropolitan and provincial markets. In some 
respects the weather has been exceedingly unfavourable to the 
producers, but a measure of compensation will be derived from 
the higher prices obtained. The greatest disadvantage probably is 
found in the fact that many intending purchasers are deterred 
from undertaking expeditions with that object in view, and in this 
w r ay severe, and especially snowy weather, a few days before Christ¬ 
mas makes an enormous difference to business, both of wholesale-, 
and retail dealers. 
GOOD WISHES. 
As I am writing at the close of the year, and near Christmasp 
perhaps, as an old reader—a reader of over forty years—I may be per¬ 
mitted to send my greeting to all who are interested in the Journal of 
Horticulture— Editor and staff, writers and readers, one and all, and 
hope that they may have a peaceful and soberly merry Christmas, and 
a bright and prosperous New Year. We that are getting on in life- 
naturally look back on past days, and are disposed to think that those 
days were the best, and that our Journal now, the dear old Cottage- 
Gardener of the past, was then the best in the world. I rejoice to see 
that it still goes “ Upwards and Onwards.” This nom de plume was the- 
signature of him who is now, I think, your oldest writer, Mr. R. Fenn of 
Sulhamstead. He, I know, has a leaning for past ways, and a lingering 
love for past days and past writers; still, equally with myself, I know 
that he rejoices in the progress of our Journal on the lines of his old’ 
signature, and rejoices specially in the vigour, the freshness, the ingenuity,, 
and the high intelligence of the present day waiters on our paper. 
“ The older order changeth, yielding place to new,” but the world’©- 
work is done. The lamp of gardening knowledge is taken out of older and’ 
quieter hands, and is carried forward with youthful impetuosity, with 
perhaps a higher educational intelligence, but not with more practically 
directed energy than we their fathers carried it. Go on, then, ye- 
young and strong men and conquer, and none will rejoice more than 
we who belong to an older and passing away generation. — N. H. 
Pownall, Lenton Hall Gardens. 
[It is very pleasant to be kept in remembrance by old friends, and' 
we assure our genial correspondent that Editor and staff appreciate and 1 
reciprocate their kindly greetings. It is but natural for those who 
have passed the meridian of life to think that the past days were the 
best days. We all look back longingly to the time when our “ hearts- 
were young,” and because young, more impressionable to passing events- 
than they can be in after years. But though the old hearts cannot be 
so blithe as the young, they are not less constant, and not less sympa¬ 
thetic with past and present workers in a common cause—gardening. 
This is demonstrated not by the above letter only, but by the veteran 
alluded to in it, and whose “ lamp ” still shines on another page of the 
present issue. It is not the less welcome, even though it may make- 
more clear certain shortcomings of which all men must be conscious- 
who strive to do their best under the high-pressure system of working 
in these latter days. Both these time-honoured friends, and others 
who have laboured long and zealously, have done yeoman's service- 
in working and teaching, and thus in training successors for carrying 
on the work they love and will do to the end. While we rejoice in 
the energy and ability of their successors, we are not less proud of 
the pioneers. The world’s work is not yet done in garlcning, nor 
are all its old workers, as is evident by the vivacity they display when 
impelled, now and then, to enter the literary arena. They can brighten 
the pages of the Journal yet, and impart to it freshness by their facile- 
pens. We are thankful, as they are, that this is so, and trust we may 
live and love together to exchange mutual greetings at the close of 
another year. And now, to readers and writers, old and young, and 
everywhere, we re-echo the words of Mr. Pownall—for we can find no 
better to convey the expression of our strong hope and sincere wish 
that “ one and all may have a peaceful and soberly Merry Christmas, 
and a bright and prosperous New Year.”] 
FLOWER CULTURE FOR PROFIT. 
Hellebores. 
Hellebores nicer maximus is by far the best of the Christmas 
Roses—the name by which one section of Hellebores is most 
familiar—and a good stock of this variety may be said to pay 
better than any other plants or flowers that can be grown. This, 
at first sight, might be considered a rather strong assertion, but it 
can be proved by facts and figures. At a very trifling cost or outlay 
in the way of manure, labour, and temporary protection we were 
able last season to gather from four span-roofed frames flowers thac 
sold for upwards of £G, and probably nearly as many were used 
for the home and town house decoration. It must, however, in all 
fail ness be added that it has taken at least six years to work up 
our stock of the plants to this pitch, the start having been made 
with about one dozen strong clumps. Much the be^t prices are 
