May 21, 1891. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
419 
soil, a little decayed manure passed through a fine sieve, and sufficient 
coarse sand to keep the whole porous. 
Muscat Crapes not Setting' (.4. B .').— The lateral you have 
sent ought to have been topped at two leaves beyond the bunch as 
soon as those leaves were visible, but you have allowed twelve leaves 
to grow before stopping the leader. The growths must be far too 
much crowded, and as a consequence the one before us is long-jointed, 
and decidedly lacking in firmness. The atmosphere has also been kept 
too moist, and that being so the minimum night temperature at least 5° 
too low. Shading the roof with buttermilk or anything else would 
aggravate the evil, and the sooner you make the glass clear the better. 
As the Grapes failed last year it is a pity you did not write sooner, as w'e 
fear it is too late now to remedy the evil. We should gradually shorten 
the laterals, taking off a length of three joints to begin with, as the 
leaves there are. small, then two others at intervals of three days. If 
the whole length were cut back at once a severe check would be given 
to the Vines. If you had read attentively and carried out the advice 
that has been given from time to time in our “Work for the Week” 
columns, your Vines would not be in their present unfortunate state. 
We sympathise with you, and can only suggest a change of management 
on the lines indicated, and if this is too late to assist the setting of the 
berries this year, the Vines and fiowers will be in better condition for 
producing full bunches of fruit next season. 
Growing- Tuberoses (P. II.'). — There are various methods of 
growing Tuberoses, and we will describe the simplest, or that which 
most probably will best meet your case. They may be flowered either 
singly in 5-inch pots, or three bulbs can be grown in large 6-inch pots. 
A compost consisting of three parts of fibrous loam to one each of good 
leaf soil and well-decayed manure passed through a coarse sieve with a 
little sharp sand suits them well. Pot rather firmly, the bulbs being 
about three parts buried ; but if the soil is moderately moist do not give 
water. Set the pots in a frame, and heavily cover with either ashes or 
cocoa-nut fibre refuse ; or if a frame cannot be spared place the pots 
under a greenhouse stage where little or no drip will reach them, and 
cover thickly with ashes or fibre. When rooting freely and top growth 
has commenced they must be at once uncovered and gradually exposed to 
the full light. Early started bulbs will flower in an ordinary greenhouse 
during the summer, and even in the open air, but later on they will require 
to be gently forced. The flower stems ought to be kept well secured to 
stakes, and liquid manure be frequently given after the pots are well filled 
with roots. A few may fail to throw up flower stems, but the majority 
will give one good spike, after which they are of no further value, and 
should be thrown away. Eed spider is the worst enemy Tuberoses have 
to contend with, but this can usually be kept down with the syringe, 
and a puff of tobacco powder followed by a syringing will keep down 
green and black fly. 
Storax and Benzoin (<§. J. B.). —The gum resin called Storax is 
obtained from Styrax officinale. This is a tree from 15 to 20 feet high, 
a native of Syria, but now found in the Levant, Italy, Syria, Spain, and 
the south of France ; but in the last-mentioned country it does not yield 
any of the resin. Storax is procured by wounding the bark of the 
tree, when the juice exudes and becomes concrete. Some of it is in 
the form of reddish yellow tears about the size of a pea, opaque, soft, 
and adhesive, and this is called Storax ingrains; another is in dry brittle 
masses, formed of adhesive tears, and, from being 'wrapped-in the leaves 
of a kind of reed, is called Storox calamita. Storax has a fragrant 
odour and aromatic taste, and as it contains volatile oil and resin, and 
yields benzoic and cinnamic acids by distillation, it ranks as balsam. 
It is stimulating and expectorant, but is now seldom used. Benzoin, 
or Benjamin, is a gum resin formed by the concrete juice of Styrax 
benzoin. The tree grows in Borneo, Siam, Java, and other islands of 
the Indian Archipelago, where it attains a large size ; and it is by 
wounding the bark and allowing the juice to exude and become hardened 
by exposure, that the resin is obtained. Benzoin has a sweet, peculiar, 
and agreeable odour,' which is increa,sed by friction. Its taste is sweetish, 
somewhat resinous, balsamic, and when chewed is irritating to the mouth. 
It is easily pulverised, and when heated melts and emits thick, white, 
pungent fumes, which consist chiefly of benzoic acid. It is entirely 
soluble in alcohol. According to the analysis of Bucholz, 1500 parts of 
benzoin yielded 187 of benzoic acid ; 1250 of resin ; 25 of a substance 
resembling Peruvian balsam ; 8 of a peculiar aromatic principle, soluble 
in alcohol and water ; and 3 of ligneous fibre. In its medical properties 
it is stimulant and expectorant; and was formerly employed in chest 
affections. Benzoic acid, when pure, is inodorous, and its taste pungent 
and bitter. In India it is used by the Hindoos to burn in their temples. 
The milky liquor resulting from the addition of water to the alcoholic 
solution is used as a cosmetic. 
M-ames 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 he 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. 
(0?wcw). — Ornithogalum longibracteatum. (./. C.). — Solanum Sea- 
forthianum. {G. C. C.). —1, A variety of Ixia; 2, Myrsiphyllum 
asparagoides. (6*. E.). —It is a species of Crepis, but the flowers were 
not expanded. There is no method of destroying them except that you 
mention. (F’. S. G.). —1, Amelanchier botryapium; 2, Salix lanata ; 
3, Salix viridis ; 4, Spirtea prunifolia flore-pleno. 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
G, Phippen, Reading.— List of Bedding Plants. 
J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill.— Catalogue of Tuberous Begonias. 
Dammann & Co., Naples.—G'eraemZ Catalogue. 
Dicksons, Chester.— List of Bedding and Border Plants, Bahlias, anl 
Boses. 
COVBNT GARDEN MARKET.— May 20th. 
Market quiet, witli no alteration owing to the holiday. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Apples, i sieve. 
1 
6 
to 6 
0 
Kentish Cobs .. 
40 
Oto 50 
0 
„ Nova Scotia and 
Lemons, case .. .. 
13 
0 
20 
0 
Canada, per barrel 15 
0 
26 
0 
Oranges, per 100 .. 
• « 
4 
0 
9 
a 
„ Tasmanian, case 
6 
0 
12 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each.. 
3 
0 
8 
0 
Grapes, New, per lb. .. 
2 
6 
4 
0 
Strawberries, per lb. 
• * 
1 
6 
5 
9 
■VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Asparagus, per bundle ,. 
0 
6 
to 1 
6 
Mushrooms, punnat 
• • 
1 
6 
to 2 
0 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Mustard & Cress, punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bushel.. .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts, i sieve 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cabbage, dozen ,, ., 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips, dozen .. 
• • 
1 
0 
0 
a 
Carrots, bunch ,, .. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. .. 
8 
0 
4 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen., .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Celery, bundle. 
1 
0 
1 
8 
Salsafy, bundle 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Coleworts, doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera, bundle ,. 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers, doz. 
3 
0 
5 
0 
Seakale, per bkt. .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Endive, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb. .. 
0 
3 
0 
0- 
Herbs, bunch. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel 
• • 
5 
0 
6 
9 
Leeks, bunch .. ., ,, 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Lettuce, dozen.. 
3 
0 
3 
6 
Turnips, bunch .. 
• • 
0 
0 
0 
4 
AVERAGE -WHOLESALE PRICES. 
CUT FLOWERS. 
8. 
d. 
s. d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
2 
Oto 4 0 
Mimosa (French), per 
Azalea, doz. sprays .. .. 
0 
9 
1 0 
bunch. 
1 
3 to 1 
6 
Bouvardias, bunch .. 
0 
9 
1 0 
Myosotis, dozen bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Camellia, white, per doz. 
2 
0 
4 0 
Naroiss (Various) dozen 
„ red „ 
0 
9 
1 6 
bunches . 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Carnations, 12 blooms .. 
1 
0 
2 0 
Pansies, dozen bimches.. 
1 
0 
2 
G 
Cowslips, dozen bunches 
0 
6 
1 0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Cyclamen, doz. blooms .. 
0 
3 
0 6 
„ scarlet, 12 bnchs 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Daffodils, doz. bunches .. 
2 
0 
6 0 
Primula(double)12 sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Eucharis, dozen .. .. 
3 
0 
6 0 
Primroses, dozen bunches 
0 
4 
0 
9 
Gardenias, per doz. 
1 
0 
8 0 
Roses (indoor), dozen .. 
0 
6 
1 
6 
Hyacinths doz. sprays .. 
3 
0 
4 0 
„ Red (English) per 
,, (Dutch) in bo.xes .. 
1 
0 
3 0 
dozen blooms .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Lapageria, 12 blooms 
2 
0 
4 0 
„ Red, 12 bis. (Fnoh.) 
2 
0 
4 
0 
LUac (English)doz.bnchs 
0 
6 
1 0 
„ Tea, white, dozen.. 
1 
0 
3 
0 
„ (French) per bunch 
5 
0 
6 0 
„ Yellow, dozen .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
LBium longiflorum, 12 
Spiraea, per bunch .. .. 
0 
6 
0 
9 
blooms. 
3 
0 
4 0 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms . • 
1 
0 
1 
6 
LUy of the Valley, dozen 
Tulips, per dozen .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
6 
sprays . . 
0 
6 
1 0 
Violets (Parme), per bch. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Maide:^air Fern, dozen 
„ (dark), per bch... 
1 
0 
1 
6 
bunches. 
4 
0 
9 0 
„ (English), doz.bneh 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
4 0 
Wallflower, doz. bunches 
1 
6 
3 
G 
Mignonette, 12 bunches.. 
3 
0 
6 0 
PLANTS 
IN POTS. 
s. 
d. 
B. d. 
8. 
d. 
6« 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
6 
0 to 18 0 
Geraniums, Ivy, per doz. 
4 
0 
to 6 
9 
Arbor Vitse (golden) doz. 
6 
0 
8 0 
Hyacinths, doz. pots .. 
5 
0 
8 
0 
Armn Lilies, per doz. .. 
9 
0 
12 0 
Hydrangeas, per doz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Azalea, per plant .. .. 
2 
0 
3 6 
LBium longiflorum, per 
Cineraria, per doz. 
5 
0 
8 0 
dozen . 
18 
0 
SO 
0 
Cyclamens, per doz. .. 
9 
0 
18 0 
Lily of the Valley, per pot 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Deutzia, per doz. 
6 
0 
8 0 
Lobelia, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Dielytra spectabilis, per 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
dozen . 
8 
0 
12 0 
Mignonette, per dozen .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 24 
0 
42 0 
Musk, per doz. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
12 
0 
24 0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Erica, various, dozen .. 
12 
0 
24 0 
Palms, in var., each.. .. 
2 
6 
21 
0 
Euonymus, var., dozen .. 
6 
0 
18 0 
Pelargoniums, per doz. .. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, per 
Fairy Roses, per doz. 
9 
0 
12 0 
dozen . 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen.. 
4 
0 
18 0 
Primula sinensis, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Ficus elastica, each.. .. 
1 
6 
7 0 
Spiraea, per doz. 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each 
2 
0 
10 0 
Stocks, per dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Genista, per doz. 
6 
0 
9 0 
Tropaeolums, i)er dozen .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Bedding plants (in variety) in boxes, from Is. to 3s.; in pots, per doz., Is. to 2s. 
Britain and Ireland by the invitation of Sir Charles Tapper, the 
High Commissioner for Canada, went out on a visit of inspection 
to that country, and the receipt of their reports is to us a reminder 
that our advice is frequently sought by would-be emigrants, so that 
we may now usefully call attention to the reports and the infor¬ 
mation which they afford of a country where it appears so possible 
for an industrious man to thrive. 
Free grants of 160 acres of fertile land to male adults of the 
A FIELD FOR EMIGRATION. 
Last August several of the leading agriculturists of Great 
