November 11, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
427 
Sons of Haarlem, and they entirely fulfilled my expectations. They 
were of all the varied hues which the Ranunculus gives to us, from pure 
white to so dark a purple as to look like black, reis, greys, olives, white 
grounds, spotted or striped yellow grounds edged with various colours, 
and I could but feel, as day after day I revelled in their beauty, whet a 
pity it is that more lovers of flowers do not grow them. Let me advise 
my readers to try a bed, and I think they will agree with me in admiring 
their beauty and symmetry of form. 
Roses. —It is a busy time now with the Rose grower. He will look 
over his beds to see what vacancies there are, what kinds are to be 
discarded for better varieties. He will look out eagerly for the packages 
from the nurseryman, and if he is wise plant as soon as ever he receives 
it, unless the ground is very unfavourable. In that case it will be better 
to lay them in and defer it to a more favourable time. Where fresh 
plantations are to be made the ground should have been well trenched 
and manure added, so that no fresh manure should be added at planting 
time. It is also well to be looking out for turf to prepare compost for 
future use.—D., Deal. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
ENGLISH AND FOREIGN PRODUCE. 
Upon any day of the week this Market exhibits an odd mingling 
of the rich and poor in the throngs that pass through its avenues, for 
many come here even from distant parts of London who have money 
to buy things out of their season, be it sooner or later; and some 
come here thinking it must be the place to get any fruit or vegetables 
good and fresh, though experience after a while may alter their 
views about this. To say the truth, Covent Garden prices are rather 
anomalous. Thus, one man may be noticed getting 6d. for some 
article which affords another a few yards ofE a profit at 3d. The 
plants and cut flowers of the Market furnish another attraction, and 
those who do not buy here yet obtain some enjoyment by strolling 
about with observant eyes. 
It is appropriate certainly that this great emporium should be on 
land which once belonged to monkish owners, for the convent gardens 
of the Dark Ages were for a long period the only places at which 
experiments in horticulture were carried on ; and this plot, of about 
its present size and shape, so the old deeds show, was the garden 
attached to the abbey of Westminster till it became the property of 
the Duke of Bedford, and a small market was held on one side of 
the ground during the Commonwealth, but it was still a garden ; 
down to Strype’s time there remained a shady grove of trees. Could 
we resuscitate one of the old monks and take him round, even upon 
an autumn day, he would acknowledge that, clever as his brethren 
were in raising toothsome fare, the gardeners of modern times have 
completely distanced them. 
An entry has been found recording the setting of young trees in 
1666, probably Elms, which have all vanished. A few Sycamores 
of no great age grow beside the churchyard of St. Paul’s near. To 
see what trees Covent Garden has still to show us we must ascend 
to the terrace or gallery which extends round a portion of the Market 
buildings. Here one seems to breathe a freer air than on the ground 
below, where a somewhat mixed vegetable odour exhales, and we find 
ourselves in a sort of elevated shrubbery backed by conservatories ; 
and the sound of the birds in the aviary adjacent might suggest to 
us that we were in some rural retreat. Most of the trees were planted 
on this spot thirty years ago or more by the grandfather of the present 
occupier, and there are many, both English and foreign, that have 
stood the London smoke well. The roots are contained in tubs or 
boxes, and on comparing the size of these receptacles with that of 
several of the trees living and thriving here, it is evident that a very 
moderate quantity of earth suffices to keep certain species in a grow¬ 
ing condition ; but possibly some of them have extra nutrition sup¬ 
plied, and though October is advanced they are not yet bare of their 
leaves. We are overshadowed by Birches, Poplars, Hazels, Planes, 
and Sycamores, also by evergreen species of familiar kinds. Here, 
however, as elsewhere in the metropolis, Rhododendrons, though 
attaining a good size, will not bloom. 
Evergreens of all kinds are a feature of the Market just now, as 
the demand for them increases with the approach of winter, but the 
young Firs appropriated to Christmas festivities have not yet arrived 
on the scene ; and the numerous Chrysanthemums in pots indicate 
the growing popularity of this flower, which is opening just when 
many of its Composite kindred are ceasing to adorn our gardens, 
Bunches of Michaelmas Daisies and Asters are evidently in demands 
with autumn Roses and Violets ; indeed there is probably no week of 
the year when cut blooms of these favourites are not to be purchased. 
A specimen of the Camellia-flowered Balsam, though going off, bring, 
to our mind a row of cottage gardens where these were a conspicuous 
autumn adornment, beside tall Sunflowers and Hollyhocks. This is 
a species that might be oftener sown about our London open spaces, 
as also the tree Carnation. The latter will flower on till Christmas 
with not much injury from damp days or frosty nights. Numerous 
Ericas interspersed with Ferns, amongst which the predominance of 
Adiantums is perceivable, Pelargoniums, autumn Lilies, and other 
plants in pots make a pleasant show, and they are somewhat in 
demand at this era of window gardening, when even city streets show 
us the rotation of the seasons. Then there are creepers ready for 
autumn planting, and showy herbaceous species also, guaranteed to 
flower early in spring. Some enterprising vendors of seeds produce 
their stocks of annuals, advising the public to sow these late in 
autumn ; but I am afraid, so far as most London gardens go, the 
result is seldom successful owing to cats and sparrows. 
Also we may see at Covent Garden the products of our fields and 
woodlands. Here are bunches of tall Grasses, Fescues, Catstails, and 
others arranged for ornament, long sprays of wild Rose well covered 
with fruit, and Hawthorn twigs profuse of bright berries, and amongst 
the edibles wild Blackberries and Mushrooms. People come to the 
Market for healing herbs, specially for those presumed to furnish a 
tonic beverage in autumn. Cheap substitutes appear for the much- 
advertised “ Hop Bitters,” and some seem to think that Danilpone 
can cure almost all maladies save those requiring Liquorice, while the 
numerous bundles of Solomon’s Seal hint at the frequency with which 
black eyes occur amongst a certain class. 
Amongst the esculents that may be said to be both palatable and 
healthful the Tomato claims a high place. Not so many years ago 
it was chiefly used with us for making sauce, but it is now freely 
eaten raw and cooked in a variety of ways. We have only to glance 
around the stalls to see that this fruit is very popular, its perishable 
nature being somewhat troublesome to the vendors, yet growers 
manage to send a large quantity to the London markets from Guern¬ 
sey. It is also raised throughout England in the open air as under 
glass, though not regarded with favour by market gardeners owing 
to the uncertainties of the crop, which is apt to be infested with a 
minute but troublesome fly, the Aleyrodes. Celery is another esculent 
much eaten in autumn, and decidedly beneficial ; it is one of the few 
vegetables that can be advantageously grown near the metropolis, and 
much of the Celery we see has not cost much in carriage. As we 
look around we are reminded of a burning question of the present 
day, for how small a proportion of ihe fruit and vegetables sold in 
this Market has been raised on Biitish soil. Hard upon native industry, 
say some, let us adopt repressive measures, shut out foreign goods, or 
put on them heavy imposts, and then the farmer and market gardener 
would have a fair chance of beating the foreigner, Is it possible for 
us to replace the supply we have from abroad by English-grown 
articles? I believe not. Then let this fact be considered, that it 
has been estimated at least 150,000 persons in London alone gain a 
livelihood by selling foreign fruit, and were this no longer to airive 
here their trade would be practically gone One thing is unalterable, 
either by theorists or law makers, and that is our English climate, 
which does not favour the early ripening of fruit, so that the markets 
are well stocked, or perhaps glutted, with articles raised in summer 
lands before the English growth can put in an appearance. Then 
again, the Englishman while knowing he has the disadvantage of being 
behindhand, very often holds back his goods, in spite of this, for the 
sake of getting what he thinks a fair price. And indeed, he is often 
obliged to ask more than the competition of the day will allow the 
buyers to give, because he is heavily handicapped by high rent, 
extraordinary tithes, &c. Time was when we exported a good deal 
of the produce of our market gardens, now except some Cauliflowers 
and Cucumbers very little goes to the Continent. But as already 
stated, we import enormously fruit and vegetables that are also 
grown in these islands, chiefly from I ranee, Belgium, Germany, and 
Holland. America sends in her contingent, of which Apples form the 
largest item. To arrest this is impossible, yet something might be 
done, we may say must be done, to help the native producer, not to 
outrival, but to compete fairly with, the grower in a more genial 
climes. It is admitted that the present rate of railway charges forbids 
the transit from a distance of much that would reach the London 
market if a lower tariff was in force, and greater facilities given for 
quick despatch. And we must imitate our French neighbours by 
whom so much land is held in small allotments, and its produce sent 
abroad, the cost of labour being of course much less than with our 
English farmer.—J. R. S. C. 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM OUTLOOK. 
THE SLOUGH NURSERY. 
Flokists’ flowers have for many years received close attention in Mr. 
Turner’s nursery. Roses, Azaleas. Dahlias, Carnations, and Auriculas have 
rendered the firm celebrated wherever flowers are prized.no name being 
better known in the horticultural world than Turner of felough. 1 rompt 
to recognise the increasing popularity of any plants, different groups or 
families have been taken in hand in succession, the rule being in every 
case to develope their qualities to the utmost, and prove by the best 
cultivation their capacity for improvement. Chrysanthemums have long 
held an important place'in the collections at this nursery, but to meet the 
greatly extended demand, and to do ample justice to such a beautiful 
