December 8, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
517 
no harm. The grooved sash-bars are supplied by most horticultural 
builders. Roof-heating is also a good preventive of drip, especially in 
frosty weather. 
making Charcoal (Nemo). — Charcoal is prepared by piling 
billets of wood in a pyramid form, with vacuities between them for the 
admission of air, setting fire to them, and covering them with earth. 
To carry out the work properly some practical knowledge is necessary, 
for though an inexperienced person can make charcoal, economy in 
the manufacture of it depends on the attention and adaptability of the 
operator to circumstances. The practised “charcoal burner” will so 
regulate the heat that the least yet necessary part of the combustible 
substance is consumed, part volatilised, together with a portion of water, 
so that there remains behind the largest portion possible of the carbon 
of the wood, retaining the form of the ligneous tissues. We have 
found it cheaper to buy than to make charcoal by unskilled hands. 
Charcoal is also made by heating the wood in close vessels (retorts or 
kilns), by which the volatile parts are driven off, the charcoal remain¬ 
ing in the retorts ; it is not so dense as that obtained by the other 
process. The charcoal of chemists is more carefully prepared—deep 
black (not brown) in colour, brittle, porous, inodorous, and tasteless. 
Owing to its porous nature charcoal absorbs a large quantity of air or 
gases atiordinary temperatures ; that made from heavy word IKHimes its 
volume of ammoniacal gas, 85 hydrochloric acid, 35 carbonic acid, 
•9-25 oxygen, and 1-75 of hydrogen. Charcoal, in absorbing effluvia and 
gases, is useful as a manure. It is one of the most indestructible 
substances knowm, and has no injurious effect on the roots of the most 
delicate plant, those of Orchids often clinging to it better than to any¬ 
thing else. The quantity to apply, crushed or in lumps, to the soil for 
plants may vary from a sixth for Orchids to a sixteenth for Heaths, a 
ff-inch potful answering well for 3 bushels of compost for fruit trees. 
As a manure its value rests on absorbing carbonic acid and other gases, 
yielding them up to the p^nts as required for nourishment. About 
40 bushels of charcoal dust is a proper dressing per acre, applied in 
early spring or when the crops are appearing above ground as a top- 
dressing. Of course Vines are checked by lifting, the extent of the 
check depending on their condition and the skill of the operator. Many 
Vines have been greatly improved by the process when properly carried 
out. 
Names of Fruits. — Notice. —Special attention is directed to the 
following decision, the object of which is to discourage the growth of 
inferior and promote the culture of superior varieties. In consequence 
of tlie large number of worthless Ajjples and Pears sent to this office to 
be named, it has been decided to name only specimens and varieties of 
approved merit, and to reject the inferior, which are not worth sending 
or growing. 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. (J. F. D.).— The Apple is no doubt Little Herbert, and 
is not of first-rate quality. The Pear is Lewis, a variety of American 
origin. (TV. J. Bligh).— 1, Old Hawthornden; 2, Beauty of Kent; 3, 
Alfriston ; 4, Blenheim Pippin. (TV. S. Payne). —50, Boss Nonpareil; 
32, Waltham Abbey ; 16, Blenheim Pippin ; 53, Cellini. (J. D.). 1, 
Fearn’s Pippin ; 2 and 3, not known, worthless ; 4, a wilding ; 5, too 
much decayed ; 6, Napoleon. 
Names of Flants. —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. 
( Q. 0 .).—The specimens are much too small to identify with certainty. 
They are probably as follows 1, Opuntia microdasys ; 2, 0. leuco- 
tricha; 3, Euphorbia Caput-Medusse (?) ; 4, Echinopsis Eyriesi (?) ; 
5, Aloe giauca ; 6, Haworthia cymbiformis (?). 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 7th. 
Trade slow, good supplies with no alteration in prices. 
FRUIT. 
s. d. s. d. 
Apples, half sieve .. .. 1 0 to 3 6 
„ Nova Scotia, per 
barrel.12 0 17 0 
Cobbs, Kent, per 100 lbs. 0 0 100 0 
Grapes, per lb. 0 6 2 0 
Lemons, case .. .. 
Oranges, per 100 .. 
Peaches, per dozen .. 
St. Michael Pines, each 
15 
4 
0 
3 
VEGETABLES. 
I. 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. .. 0 
Beet, Red, dozen.1 
Carrots, bunch.0 
Cauliflowers, dozen .. .. 2 
Celery, bundle .1 
Ooleworts, dozen bunches 2 
Cucumbers, dozen .. .. 1 
Endive, dozen .. .. .. 1 
Herbs, bunch .0 
Leeks, bunch .0 
Lettuce, dozen.0 
Mushrooms, punnet .. .. 0 
d. s. d. 
6 to 0 0 
0 0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
0 0 
s. 
Mustard and Cress, punnet 0 
Onions, bunch .0 
Parsley, dozen bunches .. 2 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. .. 1 
Potatoes, per cwt.2 
Salsafy, bundle.1 
Scorzonera, bundle .. .. 1 
Seakale, per basket .. .. 3 
Shallots, per lb.0 
Spinach, bushel.3 
Tomatoes, per lb.0 
Turnips, bunch.0 
d. s. d. 
0 to 35 0 
0 9 0 
0 0 0 
0 GO 
d. s. d. 
2 to 0 0 
3 0 5 
0 3 0 
0 0 0 
0 5 0 
0 1 6 
6 0 0 
0 0 0 
3 0 0 
0 3 6 
2 0 6 
3 0 4 
AVERAGE WHOLESALE PRICES.—OUT FLOWERS. 
Orchid Blooms in variety. 
s. 
d. 
s. d. 
S. 
d. 
3. 
d. 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
3 
0 
to 6 0 
Orchids, per dozen blooms 
3 
0 to 12 
0 
Bouvardias, buncb .. 
0 
6 
0 9 
Pelargoniums, 12 bunches 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Carnations, 12 blooms 
1 
0 
3 0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, doz. 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
bunches . 
6 
0 
9 
0 
blooms . 
1 
6 
4 0 
Poinsettia, per bloom 
0 
4 
0 
9 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
Primula (double) 12 sprays 
0 
6 
0 
9 
bunches. 
6 
0 
12 0 
Pyrethrum doz. bunches .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Eucharis, dozen. 
3 
0 
6 0 
Roses (French), per doz. .. 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Gardenias, per dozen 
2 
0 
4 0 
,, „ boxes, 100. 
5 
0 
8 
0 
Hyacinth, Roman, 12 sprays 
0 
9 
1 0 
„ (indoor), dozen 
0 
9 
2 
0 
Lilac, white, French, per 
„ Red, per doz. blooms.. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
bunch . 
4 
6 
6 0 
„ Tea, white, dozen .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Lilium longiflorum 12 
„ Yellow, dozen .. .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
blooms . 
9 
0 
12 0 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms.. 
0 
4 
0 
9 
Lilium (var.) doz. blooms 
3 
0 
5 0 
Violets, Parme, French, per 
Lily of the Valley, 12 sprays 
5 
0 
10 0 
bunch . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Maidenhair Fern, doz. bchs. 
4 
0 
6 0 
Violets, Czar, French, per 
Marguerites, 12 bunches .. 
2 
0 
4 0 
bunch .. .. 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Mignonette, 12 bunches .. 
3 
0 
6 0 
Violets, Victoria, French, 
Mimosa, French, per bunch 
1 
0 
1 6 
dozen bunche i ,. .. 
1 
6 
2 
6 
PLANTS 
IN POTS. 
s. 
d. 
s. d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Arbor Vitae (golden) dozen 
6 
0 to 12 0 
Ficus eiastica, each .. ,. 
1 
6 to 10 
6 
Begonia, per dozen .. 
6 
0 
12 0 
Foliage plants, var., each.. 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Chrysanthemums, per doz. 
6 
0 
9 0 
Heliotrope, per dozen ., 
6 
0 
9 
0 
„ large plants, each 
1 
0 
3 0 
Lycopodiums, per dozen .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Cupressus, large plants,each 
2 
0 
5 0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Dracaena terminalis. dozen 18 
0 
42 0 
Mignonette, per dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
9 
0 
24 0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Euonvmus, var., dozen .. 
6 
0 
18 0 
Palms, in var., each .. 
1 
0 
15 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 0 
„ (specimens) .. 
21 
0 
63 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen .. 
4 
0 
18 0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, doz. 
6 
0 
9 
\J 
„ (small) per hundred 
6 
0 
8 0 
Primula, single, doz. pots 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Solanums, per dozen .. 
9 
0 
13 
0 
SWINE. 
Inclusive of all classes, from porker to bacon, hog is the 
familiar old term of swine ; that is our reason for using it 
now, as we desire to give a few useful hints on swine manage¬ 
ment once more. Never has the pig been held in greater 
respect than at the p-esent time, for it has been so profitable 
th's year that on farms where it is bred largely it has literally 
proved worthy of Paddy’s designation of “ the gintleman that 
pays the rint.” In common with other things in agriculture, 
swine are subject to cycles of extremes. Last year they were 
ruinously cheap to those who bred them; this year they have 
proved comparatively far above sheep or cattle in value, or in 
other words, they are highly profitable. How, indeed, could 
they be otherwise, with corn so cheap and pork so dear ! Yet, 
in a recently published computation of losses in agriculture 
this year, £1,000,000 is stated to be the amount in round 
numbers lost to the farmer from a reduction of 5s. per head 
in the price of pigs ! 
The farmers’ condition is bad enough, but such misleading 
and altogether erroneous statements will do nothing but harm 
to it. It is notorious that pigs have been dearer this year than 
for some time previously. In the paper containing the extra¬ 
ordinary statement which we quote, the market review said: 
I “ Pigs are dearer, if anything, especially for neat porkers, 
{ which are worth 7^d. or more in some markets an extra- 
j ordinary and highly remunerative price per pound. The same 
review a 1 so said: “ There is a fresh breeze of revival in all 
branches of the meat trade. There is a better feeling all 
round, and values are the turn better even for the better descrip¬ 
tion of stores.” 
“ Neat ” porkers are now in much request, and there is 
nothing more profitable than compact, well-fed, well-bred 
porkers of about 50 lbs. weight, in the best dead meat markets. 
Mark the term “neat,” which means to the dealer a compact 
chubby animal, carefully dressed for sale, tempting in appear¬ 
ance in the clean, healthy hue of its flesh and skin, in striking 
contrast to the dark colour and flabby texture of inferior 
porkers. At the home farm porkers are also wanted for home 
