108 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 11, 1886. 
seasons. Farming, as well as gardening, is under the influence of the 
weather. I believe, with many others, that the times were never much 
worse. Has “ Thinker ” known Wheat to be below 28s. per quarter? I 
have not. If he had attended Boston Market the other week he could 
have seen plenty on offer, at least that was the average of the market. 
The rent question “Thinker” has brought down to the lowest ebb ; 
but what about the rates ? The School Board rate is now more in many 
parishes than the Poor’s rate was forty years back. I think he will find 
the rates from 60 to 80 per cent, higher than they were forty years ago. 
Do not these rates and the tithe tell heavily against the farmer ? and can 
he expect the wages to be maintained as high as they were two years ago 
under the present depression in the agricultural districts, or the present 
low prices of com and stock ? I say without hesitation that every 
person, whether gardener, agriculturist, mechanic, or labourer of any 
sort, can live from 7J to 10 per cent, cheaper now than they could two 
years back, therefore the wages must come down. 
“ Thinker ” has mentioned that our Apples go a-begging, whilst the 
.American Apples are selling freely in our markets. It is well known that 
our climate will not—at least in many parts of the country—give us such 
•hot sunny weather as our American neighbours have to produce their 
highly coloured Apples. If we planned all the choice American 
varieties very few could have them as they can be had in America. I 
ask, Why should we not grow Pears here to equal those from Jersey? 
also why not grow Grapes as cheap as those from the Channel Islands? 
The answer in both cases is, We have not the climate in England. We 
have plenty of good Apples here in a favourable season if a ready 
market could be obtained. In October last I was in a village in the 
north about 100 miles from King’s Cross, where there was an exceedingly 
-heavy crop of Apples, and there sacks, not bushels, of fruit were on the 
ground under the trees. I asked my friend why he did not sell these, 
and the answer was, It will not pay to have them gathered and packed. 
I thought they ought to pay a little if sent to Covent Garden Market. I 
asked a salesman the value and railway expenses per bushel, and found 
to my surprise that they would scarcely pay the cost of railway carriage 
and commission, the owner giving his trouble and leaving no profit. The 
varieties were Scarlet Nonpareil, Bibston Pippin, and Blenheim Pippin. 
In the Journal, January 21st, page 42, “ Utilitarian ” is very hard on 
the farmer. He speaks as if none of the farmers have any capital, and 
that the market gardener can outbuy him and outwit him by bringing 
up his sons to work and keeping his daughters from the piano. Now I 
beg to differ, as I can say the market gardeners have pianos and their 
daughters play them equally as much as the farmers’ daughters. And 
why should they not ? May I ask “Utilitarian” what capital should a 
farmer have to take a farm of 200 acres, to take stock and crop his farm, 
and provide all implements ? I say £10 per acre is the average. Now 
should not a man with £2000 capital have a few luxuries as well as any 
head gardener or market gardener ? 
“Utilitarian” and “Thinker” both agree that by the land-hunger 
of the farmer in prosperous times the small farms were thrown into largo 
ones Now I beg to differ even on this point, for the landlords had the 
small farms thrown into large ones ; and where are the small farmers ? 
They are now causing the depression in the agricultural districts, or among 
the farmers here by their produce from Australia, New Zealand, and 
America.— One Who Wishes foe Fair Play. 
In consequence of the unusual pressure on our columns this week 
we are obliged to defer the publication of several interesting articles 
and a series of “ thoughts ” on some not unimportant subjects. 
- Horticultural Club. —The annual dinner of the Club was 
held on Thursday last, the day having been altered in consequence of the 
Royal Horticultural Society having arranged their annual dinner for the 
day on which the Club’s dinner had been fixed. There was a large attend¬ 
ance of members, including Mr. John Lee, Chairman, the Hon. and Rev. 
J. T. Boscawen, Dr. Hogg, Dr. Masters, Professor Foster, Messrs. J. S. 
Cousens, T. P. Collings, William Bull, George Deal, Herbert Cutbusl^ 
J. F. Strange, C. P. Wheatstone, &c. Much interesting conversation 
took place on the condition and prospects of the Club, and the good work 
that it was doing, while opinions were strongly expressed that in the 
future it would hold a still more useful position. The next meeting was 
announced for Tuesday, March 9.h, when it is probable that the discussion 
at the conversazione will he opened by Mr. Shirley Hibberd. 
- “ A Subscriber ” writes :—“ I shall be much obliged if any of 
your readers will inform me what is the best thing to catch moths with. I 
have tried sugar and rum, as recommended by some entomologists, but 
have not found it answer.” 
- We regret to have to announce the death of Mr. C. Frisby, 
which took place on the 2nd inst. at Branston, in the seventy-first year 
of his age. Mr. Frisby was over forty years gardener at Blankney, 
and gained considerable reputation as a practical gardener and exhibitor. 
He raised several florists’ flowers of merit, also the Excelsior Beet, which 
has been found a good variety, and the Blankney Hero Melon originated 
in the same gardens. Several years since Mr. Frisby retired from his 
charge, and had since enjoyed a substantial pension from the Rt. Hon. 
H. Chaplin, M.P. Mr. Frisby died suddenly from inflammation. 
- We also hear that Mr. Henry Boller of the Woodfield 
Nursery, Harrow Road, died on the 3rd inst. He was well known as a 
cultivator of Cactaceous plants, and at one time had an extensive 
collection. 
-A meeting of the Turner Memorial Fund Committee 
was held at South Kensington yesterday, Mr. Harry J. Yeitch in the 
chair. It was announced that a sum of £175 had been received, but it 
was still hoped to raise it to £200. On the proposition of Mr. G. Paul, 
seconded by Mr. Cannell, three trustees were appointed—namely, Messrs 
H. M. Pollett, H. J. Yeitch, and H. Turner. It was also resolved that the 
funds be invested in stock guaranteed by the Home or Indian Govern¬ 
ment, and that the prizes offered will be limited to amateurs. 
- One of the most useful of winter-flowering plants, Acacia 
platyptera, is also in capital condition now, a dozen or more plants 
being very valuable in a conservatory. It is one of the quickest growing 
Acacias, and surpasses many others in flowering when quite small, while 
larger specimens yield a valuable supply of flowers. For decorative pur¬ 
poses plants in 60 and 48-size pots are most useful, and a good stock of 
these can he readily obtlined from cuttings of the stems taken a week or 
two later. 
- A meeting of the General Committee of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society was held on Monday last at the Old Four 
Swans, Bishopsgate Street, when the Floral Committee for the year was 
elected, together with sub-committees for various purposes, including one 
for the preparation of a new edition of the catalogue. The Royal 
Aquarium Company, Westminster, having made liberal offers of prizes, it 
was decided to hold three shows, one for early Chrysanthemums and 
Dahlias, the ordinary one in November, and a late Show in January. 
- “ A L. G.” writes “ I feel flattered by the kindness shown me 
by a “ Gardener of Great Experience.” My remarks on the Analysis of 
Soil were written more with the view of obtaining than giving advice. I 
am only a working gardener, and I think if your correspondent has any 
questions to ask me it would be better if it were done as suggested through 
the Journal.” [We neither give the names of correspondents who write 
under initials or a nom de plume, nor permit them to be extracted by 
others. If the writers in question send us their names and addresses, and 
specially request us to forward them to any person, we comply with their 
request. If it is simply intimated to us that we are “ at liberty ” to dis¬ 
close names, we invariably decline to furnish them to inquirers.] 
-The Council of the Royal Meteorological Society have arranged to 
hold at 25, Great George Street, S.W., on the evenings of March 16th 
and 17th next, an Exhibition of Barometers, and the Secretary 
invites the co-operation of all interested, as it is desired to obtain as 
large a collection as possible of such instruments. The Committee will 
also be glad to show any new meteorological apparatus invented or first 
constructed since last March ; as well as photographs and drawings pos¬ 
sessing meteorological interest not previously exhibited. 
- A few early flowers are now peeping through the ground, 
one of the prettiest being the Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis, which 
is showing its bright yellow blossoms in abundance. Upon mounds or 
under the shade of trees it succeeds well, and if associated with Snow¬ 
drops it is still more beautiful. We recently saw a cheerful little spot 
under a Weeping Ash, where there was a liberal scattering of these 
winter-flowering plants, and a charming appearance they presented. 
Many an otherwise dull place in a garden might be enlivened by a well- 
considered system of arranging such early-flowering plants as those 
named with Daffodils, Primroses, and Scillas of the siberica and bifolia 
types. Planting Crocuses and other bulbs in grass is now becoming a 
more general practice, and it is surprising how the beauty of a garden 
may be diversified and prolonged by adopting such plans as these. 
- A comparatively old plant is Rhodochiton volubile, yet 
