December 29, 887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
575 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in firm 
boxes. Slightly damp moss or soft green leaves form the best packing, dry 
cotton wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named at once. 
(2J. R. M.). —1, Erica gracilis autumnalis; 2, Erica hyemalis; 3, Helleborus 
niger maximus; 4, A dried flower of Trichinium Manglesi. (S. W'.).— 
1, Davallia dissecta ; 2, Davallia Mooreana ; 3, Davallia parvula. (J. U. H .).— 
1, A good variety of Epiphyllum truneatum ; 2, Asplenium Adiantum- 
nigrum. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— December 2Sth. 
A f air business has been done on the whole during Christmas week, but prices have 
been unchanged. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
a. 
P. 
a. 
B. 
a. 
B. 
a. 
Apples, $ sieve.. .. 
i 
6 
to 3 
6 
Oranges, per 100 .. 
4 
0 to 
8 
0 
Nova Scotia and 
Pears, dozen .. .. 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Canada barrel 10 
0 
18 
0 
Pine Apples, English, 
Ccbs, 100 lbs. 
55 
0 
0 
0 
per ft>. 
i 
6 
3 
0 
Grapes, per lb... ,. 
.. 
i 
0 
8 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each 
3 
0 
5 
0 
Lemons, case .. •• 
10 
0 
15 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
p. 
a. 
P. 
d. 
s. 
a. 
B. 
a. 
Artichokes, dozen .. 
1 
0 to 2 
0 
Lettuce, dozen .. 
0 
9 t) 
0 
6 
Asparagus, bundle .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet 
0 
0 
l 
0 
Beans, Kidney,per lb. 
0 
s 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress, punt. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red, dozen .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Onions, bunch.. .. 
0 
8 
0 
0 
Broccoli, bundle .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
s 
0 
8 
0 
Brussels Sprouts, A sieve 
3 
6 
4 
0 
Parsnips, dozen 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cabbage, dozen 
,, 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt... 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Capsicums, per 100 
,, 
1 
6 
2 
0 
,, Kidney, per cwt. 
4 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots, bunch 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. 
0 
8 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen 
,. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy, bundle 
1 
0 
1 
8 
Celerv, bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Scorzonera, bundle 
1 
8 
0 
0 
Coleworts, dcz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Seakale, basket 
t 
0 
1 
3 
Cucumbers, each .. 
0 
A 
0 
6 
Shallots, per ft. 
0 
s 
0 
0 
Endive, dozen .. .. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Spinach, bushel 
i 
6 
2 
0 
Hero?, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per ft>. .. 
0 
4 
0 
a 
Leeks, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Turnips, bunch 
• • 
0 
A 
0 
a 
PLANTS 
P. 
a. 
8. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
8 
0 to 12 
0 
Arbor vitse (golden) dozen 
6 
0 
9 
0 
„ (common),dozen.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Asters, dozen pots .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Azalea, dozen. 
so 
0 
42 
0 
Begonias, dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Capsicums, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Cineraria, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Dracaena termiualia, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
„ viridis, dozen.. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Erica, various, dozen 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Euonvmus, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Ficus elastica, each 
i 
6 
7 
0 
Foliage Plants, var., each 
2 
0 10 
CUT 
0 
F 
s. 
d. 
s 
a. 
AbutilonB, 12 bunches .. 
8 
0 to 6 
0 
Anemones, 12 bunches .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
5 
0 
8 
0 
Asters, 12 bunches .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
French, bunch .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Azalea, 12 sprays 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Bonvardias, bunch .. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Camellias, 12 blooms 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Carnations, 12 blooms .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
,i 12 bunches.. 
Chrysanthemums, 12 bchs. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
9 
0 
18 
0 
„ 12 blooms 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Dahlia, 12 bunches 
0 
0 
0 
o 
Daisies, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
4 
6 
Encharis, dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Gladiolus, 12 spray3 
Hyacinths, Roman, 12 
0 
0 
0 
0 
sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Iris, 12 bnnohes .. .. 
Lapageria, white, 12 
0 
0 
0 
0 
blooms .. 
Lapageria, coloured, 12 
2 
0 
s 
0 
blooms. 
Lilium longiflorum, 12 
1 
0 
1 
6 
blooms. 
Lilium lancifolium, 12 
6 
0 
9 
0 
blooms. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
N POT3. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
a 
Fuchsia, dozen.. .. 
0 
to 0 
0 
Hyacinths, dozen .. 
, .. 9 
0 
12 
0 
„ (Roman), 
doz. 9 
0 
10 
0 
Hydrangea, dozen .. 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Lilies Valley, dozen 
.. 18 
0 
24 
0 
Lilinm lancifolinm, 
doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
„ longiflorum. 
doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 6 
0 
12 
0 
Mignonette, dozen .. 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Mnsk, dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
Myrtles, dozen.. .. 
.. 6 
0 
12 
0 
Palms, in var.,each 
.. 3 
6 
21 
0 
Pelargoniums, dozen 
.. 0 
0 
0 
0 
,. scarlet, doz. 3 
0 
9 
0 
Poinsettia, dozen .. 
.. 12 
0 
15 
0 
Solanum, dozen 
.. 9 
0 
12 
0 
Tulips, dozen pots .. 
.. s 
0 
9 
0 
Lilies. White, 12 bunches 
s. 
0 
d. a. 
0 to 0 
a. 
0 
,, Orange, 12 bunches 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lily of the Valley, 12 
8prays . 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Mignonette. 12 bunches 
8 
0 
0 
0 
Narciss. white (Fiench) 12 
bunches . 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Pelargoniums. 12 trusses 
i 
0 
1 
6 
„ scarlet, 12 trusses 
0 
8 
0 
9 
Poinsettia, 12 blooms .. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Primula (single), bunch.. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
„ (double), bunch .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Polyanthus, 12 bunches.. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Ranunculus, 12 bunches 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Boses, 12 bunches .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ (indoor), dozen 
2 
0 
8 
0 
,, Tea, dozen 
i 
6 
8 
0 
red, dozen (French) 
i 
6 
8 
0 
. yellow . 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Stephanotis, 12 sprays ., 
0 
O 
0 
0 
Tropmolum, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
8 
0 
Tuberoses. 12 blooms .. 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Tulips, dozen blooms .. 
i 
0 
2 
0 
Violets, 12 bunches.. 
i 
0 
1 
8 
(French), bunch 
i 
3 
S 
0 
,1 (Parme), bunch 
s 
0 
5 
0 
White Lilac, par bunch .. 
6 
0 
7 
CHRISTMAS CATTLE. 
Can such a thing as agricultural depression be pos¬ 
sible? was the question to which we gave involuntary ) 
expression while seeing the wonderful show of animals 
and implements held recently in the Agricultural Hall, 
Islington. Certainly no sign of depression was visible 
there ; on the contrary, ample evidence of progress and 
improvement met our eyes on every side. The show has 
been pronounced by a competent judge to be the best of 
its kind ever held in the world. However this may be, 
it was of undoubted excellence in every section, but more 
especially so among the cattle, where we were glad to find 
a falling off in mere size and excess of fat, that extrava¬ 
gant class of animal having clearly given place to sym¬ 
metrical beasts, plump enough for all practical purposes. 
Early maturity was probably never better exemplified, 
and that, too, in almost every class; and proof was shown 
that it is possible for an animal of about twenty months to 
increase in weight at a rate of almost lbs. daily. This 
was best seen among the Herefords, Sussex, and Shorthorns, 
but all classes were good, each containing many superior 
animals, with the exception of polled Suffolks, which we 
regret so say was a weak class, and yet we know it to be 
quite one of the best and most useful, both for beef and 
dairy cattle. Suffolk farmers, with those of Norfolk and 
Essex, have probably felt the severity of the depression 
more keenly than it has been felt elsewhere, and it was 
hardly to be expected that they would be able to se id 
many contributions to the great metropolitan show. Nor 
is mere prize-winning to be regarded as a sure sign 
of prosperity. AVe know it is not, and could point to a 
prominent prizewinner at the show who has had several 
thousand acres of land thrown upon liis hands, and whom 
we had met only a few days previously at a great county 
meeting to pass motions of appeal for help to the 
government in our need. 
At our local show there were considerable numbers of 
bullocks, sheep, and pigs, all which were sold by auction 
on the following day. The head of the principal firm of 
auctioneers had to express regret at a falling off in 
numbers among the cattle, his number for sale being less 
by seventy than it was last Christmas. He also said 
that during the last few months he had sold many beasts 
at only a fraction over 5d. per lb , and he knew that it 
could not answer to fatten, or even graze beasts at so low 
a price. But it must answer the purpose of the Islington 
prizewinners to sell at the fancy prices at which so 
many of them are able to dispose of their Christmas 
beasts, to say nothing of the value of the reputation so 
gained, and which would lead to many a subsequent pro¬ 
fitable sale of young stock. It was a knowledge of this 
fact which induced a contemporary to declare the 
Islington show one huge advertisement, and undoubtedly 
it was very much so, but we should hardly suppose Her 
Majesty’s thirteen prizes would be turned to account for 
trade purposes. 
The fattening of sheep for such shows appears to be 
carried to as ridiculous an extreme as that of cattle was 
formerly. The Marquis of Bristol’s first prize pen of 
magnificent Suffolk sheep were sold for £7 a-piece, yet 
they would probably prove more profitable as an adver¬ 
tisement to the butcher who purchased them than they 
did to the noble breeder of them, for the development of 
such huge masses of fat is a costly process, which after 
all answers no sound practical purpose. AVe require early 
maturity in sheep even more than in cattle, but we do 
not require them to be forced into an abnormal con¬ 
dition of fatness. The champion prize went to a pen of 
wonderful Oxfordshire wethers, but we question if such a 
prize may be taken for the guidance of stoclunasters, 
