April IS, 18S9. ] 
JOURNAL of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
327 
cleansing the house put in fresh compost for the Melons. The plants 
may be grown satisfactorily in large pots, but they will give more trouble 
in watering than when planted out. They ought not to be allowed to 
root from the pots into the old soil. 
Unsatisfactory Vines ( Ilamiurgh ).—When the owner of a 
vinery insists on methods of preparation which a competent gardener 
would not recommend, responsibility for failure should as a matter of 
justice mainly rest with the former. We say mainly, because a 
gardener in such a case is liable to make a mistake which may aggravate 
the evik It is quite true, as you say, that “ with some gardeners every¬ 
thing is expected to go right,” even if a wrong start is made under 
orders, which a man must either carry out or leave to others. This is to 
be regretted in the interests not of the gardener only, but of the owner 
of the garden, who loses valuable crops that he might otherwise enjoy. 
The Vine growths you send indicate with tolerable clearness the 
disastrous effects of unripe wood last year, and also the evil of a too 
moist and probably too close atmosphere since the Vines were started 
this spring. As you say “ the house is crowded with plants ” it may not 
be easy to maintain suitable conditions for these and the Vines too, and 
beyond question the former have suffered by the treatment to which 
they have been subjected. We note that you describe them as 
“ healthy.” That is not our opinion, and if they were you would have 
no great cause of complaint, because the border was not concreted. We 
know of plenty of Vines in the best of health and which bear excellent 
crops in non-concreted borders; and, on the other hand, many failures 
have come under our notice of Vines in concreted borders. Until you 
can make a better compromise between the plants and the Vines in 
favour of the latter, and so manage that the wood ripens well in the 
autumn, even moderately good crops of Grapes cannot be expected. 
Writing- for the Press (A Youngster').—We advise you to 
continue as you have begun, profiting by editorial revision. You 
write very well as a “ youngster.” It is a good plan to commence 
with what you describe as “ short notes and to the point,” and in time 
you will be able to extend your communications and yet keep to the 
point. Those are the best writers who convey the greatest amount 
of information in the space they occupy, in the most agreeable manner, 
avoiding slang expressions on the one hand, and an inflated or pre¬ 
tentious style on the other. Endeavour to express what you have to 
say clearly and concisely. Eead over slowly and carefully what you 
write, correcting what you conceive to be errors in spelling, grammar or 
ill chosen words. Avoid repetition, as the same terms occurring 
frequently imply poverty in conception or slovenly composition. 
Keep a copy of what you send anywhere for publication, and do not be 
disheartened by a few editorial alterations. Possibly all of these may 
not be improvements in your opinion, but they will be instructive all 
the same. Success in writing is a question of perseverance and taking 
pains. Do not write unthinkingly, nor excuse yourself for hurried 
work. If you have not time to say what you wish in your best manner 
wait until you have more leisure. Some writers pride themselves in 
“dashing off” an article in the shortest possible time. Avoid that 
great mistake. Celerity with accuracy can only be obtained by experi¬ 
ence. As a rule the best contributors to this Journal are those who 
wrote their early productions twice or thrice, improving them each time 
before sending them for insertion. When the late Mr. John Bright was 
asked how he became such a splendid orator after his early and indif¬ 
ferent speeches, he said he thought out his subject carefully and 
thoroughly, and shaped sentence by sentence, ten times as many 
speeches as he ever uttered. It is the plan of shaping and weighing 
“ sentence by sentence ” that every man should adopt who wishes to 
write acceptably for the press. You are quite at liberty, as are other 
gardeners, young and old, to send “Evening Notes,” “ short and to the 
point,” and if suitable, with a little revision if necessary, they will 
not be rejected. 
Hoses railing- (,5. S.). —As you have read all “ available books on 
Hoses,” and cannot find what you require, we can only suggest your 
reading carefully all you can find on the subject of Roses in back 
volumes of this Journal, which we presume you have in your library. 
The writer to whom you allude has detailed his whole practice there, 
and we cannot ask him to do the work over again. We suspect you 
have either not read everything about Roses in our pages during the 
past few years, or have forgotten something. Certain it is that Mr. 
D'Ombrain’s work on Roses has been several times mentioned, and the 
address of the publisher announced—170, Strand. You say you have 
long been able to grow splendid Roses out of doors. We do not under¬ 
stand how anyone who can do that can fail in growing them well under 
glass if the houses are suitable, as the outside conditions have only to 
be provided inside as nearly as is possible, except where they can be 
improved on, as they may in the prevention of sudden and extreme falls 
in the temperature, which often check the growth of plants in the open 
air. We have proved our willingness to assist you, and our patience is 
by no means exhausted. Your failure is not the result of lack of pub¬ 
lished information, but of errors in procedure, and if you will detail 
your practice in planting, pruning, ventilating, syringing, watering, &C., 
—in fact, give a concise narration of your routine, We shall perhaps 
be able to give you more useful advice than can be imparted in any 
other way. When you consult a solicitor or doctor you place him in 
possession of all the facts you can which have a bearing on a special 
case. Then advice is given accordingly, of more service to you than 
several volumes of books on law and medicine would be under the cir¬ 
cumstances. We could name several persons who grow-Rose3 in the 
most satisfactory manner under glass through reading articles and fol¬ 
lowing instructions which have appeared in this Journal from time to 
time ; therefore we can arrive at no other conclusion than that some¬ 
thing is either wrong with your house or your management ; but, ob¬ 
viously, we cannot tell what or where the mistake is in the absence of 
particulars of the nature above indicated. 
COYENT GARDEN MARKET.— April 17th. 
Market again very dull, with supplies more than equal to the demand, 
generally easier. 
FRUIT. 
Prices 
e. d. s. d. 
Apples, i sieve. 2 0 to 4 0 
„ Nova Srotia and 
Canada, per barrel 7 0 16 0 
Cherries, J sieve .... 0 0 0 0 
Grapes, per tb. 16 50 
Lemons, case ...... 10 0 15 0 
B. d. s. d. 
Oranges, per 100 ., • .. 4 0 to 9 0 
Peaches, dozen. 0 0 0 0 
Pears, dozen. 00 00 
Plums, 5-sieve. 00 00 
St. Michael Pine , each 2 0 6 0 
Strawberries, per lb. .. 4 0 8 0 
VEGETABLES, 
Artichokos, dozen .. 
s. 
2 
d. 
0 
S. 
to 8 
d. 
0 
Asparagus, bundle .. 
,, 
10 
0 
12 
0 
Beans, Kidney,per lb. 
. . 
1 
3 
1 
9 
Beet,Red, dozen .. 
1 
0 
2 
u 
Broccoli, bundle .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Brussels Sprout?, 4 sieve 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Cabbage,dozen . • 
. . 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Capsicums, per 100 
, . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots, bunch .. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Celery, bundle ., 
. . 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Coleworts, doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cucumbers, each .. 
0 
s 
0 
6 
Endive, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Heros, bunch .. ## 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Leeks, bunch ,. .. 
0 
8 
0 
4 
s. 
d. 
0. 
d. 
Lettuce, dozen .. 
# # 
0 
9 
to 1 
3 
Mushrooms, punnet 
0 
6 
1 
O 
Mustard & Cress, punnet 
0 
2 
0 
0 
New Potatoes, per lb. 
, . 
0 
4 
0 
s 
Onions, bushel 
# # 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
3 
0 
3 
0 
Parsnips, dozen 
,, 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
, . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
,, Kidney, per cwt. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Rhubarb, bundle .. 
# # 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Salsify, bundle 
I 
0 
1 
8 
Scorzonera, bundle 
,, 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb 
# , 
0 
s 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel .. 
,, 
8 
0 
4 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Turnips, bunch .. 
«• 
0 
4 
0 
0 
CUT FLOWERS. 
s. 
d. 
0 
4 . 
0 
a. 
s. 
d. 
Acacia, doz. bunohes 
9 
0 to 12 
0 
LilyoftheValley, 12 sprays 
0 
6 to 1 
0 
Anemones (French), doz. 
Maidenhair Fern, doz. 
bunches. 
1 
6 
4 
0 
bunches. 
6 
0 
9 
O 
Arum Lilies,IS blooms .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
6 
a 
Azalea, 12 sprays .. ., 
0 
6 
i 
0 
Mignonette, 12 bunches 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Bouvardias, bunch .. .. 
0 
9 
i 
0 
Myosotis or Forgetmenots 
Camellias, White, 12 bl... 
2 
0 
4 
0 
doz. bunches 
8 
0 
6 
0 
,• Red, 12 blooms 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Narcis i (various) .. .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Carnations, 12 blooms 
1 
0 
2 
0 
„ (French) bunch 
0 
3 
0 
s 
Cineraria, per bunch 
0 
6 
i 
0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trasses 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Crocuses, doz. bunches 
1 
6 
2 
0 
„ scarlet, 12 bunches 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Cyclamen, dozen blooms 
0 
4 
0 
9 
Primroses, doz. bunohes.. 
0 
6 
X 
0 
Daffodils (various), doz. 
Roses, Red, 12 blooms .. 
8 
0 
5 
0 
bunches. 
4 
0 
12 
0 
,, (indoor), dozen .. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Daffodils (double), doz. 
„ Tea, dozen .. .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
bunches. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
„ yellow . 
2 
0 
6 
0 
Daffodils (single), doz. 
Snowdrops, doz. bunches 
0 
0 
0 
0 
bunches. 
1 
6 
8 
0 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms .. 
1 
6 
8 
0 
Eucharis, dozen .. ,, 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Tulips, dozen blooms .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Vlolets, 12 bunohes.. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Hyacinths (French), per 
„ Parme (French), 
bunch . 
1 
8 
2 
G 
per bunch 
2 
e 
3 
6 
Lapageria, 12 blooms .. 
1 
0 
2 
6 
„ Dark (French) bch. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Lilac, White (French), 
Wallflowers, doz. bunches 
S 
0 
4 
0 
per bunch . 
8 
0 
6 
6 
„ (French), 12 bchs. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Li’lium longiflorum, 12 
blooms. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
PLANTS 
IN POTS, 
s. 
a. 
B. 
a. 
8. 
a. 
s. 
a. 
Aralia Sieboidi, dozen .. 
6 
otoia 
0 
Euonymus, var., dozen 
6 
0 to 18 
0 
Arum Lilies, per dozen .. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Arborvittefgolden''dozen 12 
.0 
24 
0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
0 
18 
U 
Asters, 12 pots. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Ficuselastica, each 
i 
6 
7 
0 
Azalea, per dozen .. .. 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Begonias, various, per doz 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Genista, per dozen .. .. 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Bedding plants in variety, 
Hyacinths, per dozen .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
per doz. from .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Lily o t the Valley, 
Bedding plants, in boxer, 
doz. pots . 
12 
0 
18 
0 
each . 
X 
6 
2 
6 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Christmas Rose .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Cineraria, per dozen 
8 
0 
10 
0 
Palms, in var., each 
2 
6 
21 
0 
Cyclamen,, dozen pots .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, 12 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Dracamaterminalis, doz. 
30 
0 
60 
0 
Pelargoniums, per dozen 12 
0 
18 
0 
Dracffioa viridis, doz. 
12 
0 
24 
0 
Primula, per doz. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Erica Cavendisbi, doz. .. 
18 
0 
30 
0 
Spirroa, per dozen .. .. 
9 
0 
15 
0 
„ various, doz. 
12 
0 
£4 
0 
Tulips, doz. pots .. .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
DAIRY COWS. 
By this distinctive term are known cows kept specially for the- 
supply of dairy produce, and not for stock breeding. It is, of 
course, desirable to combine the two objects, so far as is possible ; 
but the home farmer must, before all things, have cows that will 
give an abundant yield of milk of high quality. If the herd is not 
purely of Jerseys or Guernseys it is always advisable to have some 
of them to ensure enough rich milk to satisfy household require- 
