February 21, 18S9. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
163 
Fitting- Hot-water Pipes — Planting Tomatoes (S. (?.).— 
Indiarubber rings are used very largely in nurseries and market garden¬ 
ing establishments, and they answer the purpose admirably. We should 
not hesitate about using them, for they will last for many years—we 
cannot say definitely how long. They will endure the heat to which 
hot-water pipes are usually subjected, but it is not advisable to use them 
close to the boiler. The joints there should be made with hemp, red lead, 
and iron borings, a little red lead and the smallest possible portion of sal- 
ammoniac mixed together for finishing. It is immaterial which way you 
plant your Tomatoes, whether across the house or lengthways. Those 
at Chiswick were lengthways or crossways, according to the point from 
which they were viewed. Adopt the most convenient method for getting 
amongst the plants for trimming and gathering the fruit. If your soil 
is well drained the oystershells can be dispensed with. The width and 
depth of your borders are ample, and possibly you would find them 
more convenient down the house than across it. Some growers dig up 
the whole of the ground in the house, adding manure or soil fresh some 
time previous to planting, the paths being formed by going amongst the 
plants to dres3 them. This gives them a chance of rooting into the 
paths as well as in the border. 
Forcing- SAly of tbe Valley (J. A. C .).—You should have stated 
your method of culture. Assumiug the crowns are good, want of 
moisture is often the cause of Lily of the Valley not producing foliage 
with the flower spikes. We have had a good supply from a week before 
Christmas, and not a single crown has failed to send up foliage with the 
bloom. The plants, or rather pots of crowns, are treated in the follow¬ 
ing manner The crowns, to the number of sixteen or eighteen, are 
potted firmly and evenly in 48-sized pots, and plunged in the open air 
in cocoa-nut fibre refuse, which keeps the crowns fresh and plump. As 
required for forcing some are taken into a Cucumber house and 
thoroughly soaked through a rose with tepid water. They are then 
plunged to the rim in cocoa-nut fibre refuse in an ordinary propagating 
frame where there is a bottom heat of 70° to 75°, and the crowns are 
covered with moss to the depth of 2 inches or so. The frame is kept 
closed and the pots receive a thorough watering through a rose with 
tepid water every morning. After the crowns have grown about 2 inches 
the moss is removed, and about two days afterwards the pots are stood 
in clean pans filled with water on a shelf close to the glass where the 
night temperature is about 60°, or even 65° on mild nights. The pans 
are kept filled with water, when the foliage and flowers advance rapidly. 
When the spikes are about half expanded we remove the pots from the 
pans and arrange them on the stage, but are watered every morning. 
Some weeks since a correspondent stated that the Lily of the Valley 
was more of an Easter flower than a Christmas flower, but it can be had 
in perfection as easily by the 1st of January as the 1st of April, if the 
above course of treatment i3 carried out. 
Camellias Failing- (A Young Gardener'). — If your plants are 
growing strongly the evil may be due to the wood not ripening 
thoroughly. Are the shoots brown to the base of the last leaf ? If not, 
the plants often cast their flowers in the manner you describe. If the 
wood is ripe in the autumn we have no doubt you are right in assuming 
the mischief occurs after the plants are removed inside. More buds and 
flowers fall through the check the plants receive by the changed con¬ 
ditions they are subjected to after they are housed than from any other 
cause. The treatment when they are placed inside should be of such a 
nature that no check is given to them. The temperature should be kept 
both day and night as near that outside as possible until they are 
accustomed to the change. They miss night dews, and at first after 
they are housed they should be syringed early in the morning, in the 
middle of the day if the sun is bright, and again gently towards 
evening. If the temperature is low at night and the foliage not dry in 
the morning they need not be syringed again before two o’clock. Cannot 
you give them abundance of air to prevent the temperature rising so 
high in the daytime ? The low night temperature will do them no 
harm. After the plants have flowered clear them of scale by syringing 
with petroleum and water—3 ozs. of the former to 4 gallons of the latter. 
If the first application does not destroy all the scale repeat it in a fort¬ 
night or three weeks. Shade the plants from the sun until the oil has 
evaporated. Be careful to break up the oil by syringing with force 
alternately into the vessel quickly and more lightly and on the plants. If 
your Azalea is a very old one it might not be safe for you to cut off 
with a sharp knife about 2 inches of the old bail all round, and repot it 
in the same size in a mixture of good peat and sand. Still some 
gardeners would try it, taking care the ball was neither excessively wet 
nor yet dry, and to beat the new soil very firm, or water would pass 
through it and leave the centre dry. Before having recourse to that 
method apply on the surface of the soil three applications of Standen’s 
manure during the season of growth. This may add new life and 
energy to the plant, and the practice may safely be continued annually. 
A dessert-spoonful of the manure will be sufficient to apply at once. 
names 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 or soft green leaves form the best packing, dry cotton 
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. 
(A. II. P .).—Elmagnus japonicus variegatus. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— February 20th. 
BUSINESS somewhat improved, with prices firm. 
FRUIT. 
B. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
a. 
S. & 
Apples, J alevo. 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Oranges, per 100 .. .. 
4 
0 
to 9 
O 
,, Nova Scotia and 
Peaches, dozen. 
0 
0 
0 
O 
Canada, per barrel 
7 
0 
16 
0 
Pears, dozen. 
i 
0 
2 
& 
Cherries, j sieve .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Plums, J-eieve. 
0 
0 
0 
O 
Grapes, per lb. 
1 
0 
4 
0 
St. Michael Pine , each 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Lemons, case. 
10 
0 
15 
0 
Strawberries, per cz. 
] 
6 
0 
o 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
a. 
Artichokes, dozen .. .. 
2 
0 
to 8 
0 
Lettuce, dozen ., .. 
0 
9 
to 1 
& 
Asparagus, bundle .. .. 
10 
0 
12 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Beans, Kidney,per lb. .. 
1 
3 
0 
0 
Mustard and Cress, punt. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Beet, Red, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
« 
& 
0 
New Potatoes,per owt... 
0 
0 
0 
O’ 
Broccoli, bundle .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bustel .. .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts, J sieve 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
2 
0 
s 
0 
Cabbage, dozen .. .. 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Capsicums, per 100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
4 
0 
5 
0 
Carrots, bunch . • ,. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
,, Kidney, per cwt. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. .. 
0 
2 
0 
0- 
Celery, bundle .. 
1 
8 
2 
0 
Salsify, bundle .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Coleworts, doz. bunchos 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera, bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers, each .. .. 
0 
6 
i 
0 
Shallots, per fb .. .. 
0 
8 
0 
0 
Endive, dozen. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Spinach, bushel .. .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Herbs, bunch .. ,, ,, 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. 
0 
6 
1 
5 
Leeks, bunch .. ,, 
0 
8 
0 
4 
Turnips, bunch .. .. 
0 
4 
0 
0- 
CUT 
FLOWERS. 
B. 
d. 
S 
d. 
8. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Abutilons, 12 bunches .. 
s 
0 to 6 
0 
Lilyof theV&lley, 12 sprays 
0 
6 to 1 
o- 
Arum Lilies,12 blooms .. 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Azalea, 12 sprays .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Mignonette, 12 hunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Bouvardias, bunch .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Narcissus (Paper White), 
Camellias, 12 blooms .. 
s 
0 
4 
0 
12 sprays .. 
1 
0 
i 
6 
Carnations, 12 blooms ,, 
1 
0 
2 
0 
„ (French) bunch 
0 
3 
0 
6 
Christmas Rose .. .. 
0 
6 
2 
0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Chrysanthemums, 12 bl... 
1 
0 
3 
0 
„ scarlet, 12 trusses 
9 
0 
15 
0 
„ 12 bchs. 
4 
0 
12 
0 
Poinsettia, dozen blooms 
4 
0 
6 
0- 
Cyclamen, dozen blooms 
0 
4 
0 
9 
Primroses, doz. bunches.. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Daffodils (single) 12 blooms 0 
9 
1 
6 
Roses, Red, 12 blooms .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
„ (double), 12 bboms 0 
6 
1 
0 
„ (indoor), dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Eucharis, dozen .. 
S 
0 
6 
0 
„ Tea,dozen .. .. 
0 
0 
O' 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
15 
0 
30 
0 
„ yellow . 
3 
0 
8 
0 
Hyacinths (Roman), doz. 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms .. 
1 
6 
3 
0 
sprays . 
i 
0 
1 
6 
Tulips, dozen blooms .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Lapageria, 12 blooms .. 
i 
0 
2 
6 
Violets, 12 bunches.. .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Lilac, White (French), 
„ Parme (French), 
per bunch . 
5 
0 
7 
0 
per bunch 
3 
6 
5 
0 
Lilium longiflorum, 12 
,. Dark (French) bch. 
1 
6 
2 
0 
blooms. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Wallflowers, doz. bunohes 
4 
0 
6 
0 
PLANTS 
IN POTS. 
S. 
a. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
3. 
s. 
d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 
6 
0tol2 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
0 to 18 
0 
Arum Lilies, per dozen .. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Ficus elastica, each 
i 
6 
7 
o 
ArborviteB(goldenl dozen 12 
0 
24 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Asters, 12 pots. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Genista, per dozen .. .. 
8 
0 
18 
0 
Azalea, per dozen .. .. 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Hyacinths, per dozen .. 
6 
0 
0 
9 
Begonias, various, per doz. 0 
0 
0 
0 
Hyacinths (Roman), doz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Cineraria, per dozen 
9 
a 
12 
0 
Lily of the Valley, 
Cyclamen,, dozen pots .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
doz. pota . 
12 
0 
36 
0 
Draerenaterminalis, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
O 
Draceofe viridis, dcz. .. 
13 
0 
24 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Erica hyemalis, doz. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Palms, in var,, each 
2 
6 
21 
0 
„ gracilis, doz. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, 12 
6 
0 
9 
0 
„ various, doz. 
8 
0 
18 
0 
Primula, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Euonymus, var., dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Solanums. doz 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Tulips, doz. pots .. .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
FODDER CROPS. 
In our struggle with the difficulties of farm management under 
an agricultural depression, which has grown in intensity year by 
year down to the present time, the fact that land under green crops 
has not generally afforded anything approaching the returns it ought 
to has forced itself upon us, and the outcome of another year’s 
practice and close observation goes to strengthen this impression. 
We do not mean any crop in particular, but include permanent and 
temporary pasture, with Rye Grass, Tares, Lucerne, Sainfoin, and 
Clover. Now, it is self-evident that for a farm to answer under 
present conditions every acre of it must be so cultivated as to yield 
full crops ; but we are convinced that on many a farm many an 
acre is left to chance, and is never brought under anything like 
high cultivation. We have heard it said of permanent pasture that 
it ought to be rich, for so many head of stock had been grazed upon 
it for so many weeks or months. Depend upon it, really rich 
