158 
THE COTTAGE GAKDENER. 
December 2. 
tlirougliout the year. It must be borne in mind that 
some of the varieties we have mentioned are not, from 
their habits, adapted for the purpose of which we have 
been treating. It will bo necessary, therefore, to have 
them grafted standard high on strong growing varieties, 
which make strong straight stems. 
We find our space too limited this week for the 
culinary varieties, but shall continue the subject in our 
next. We shall now proceed to note our observations 
in the market during the week. Eruits still continue 
plentiful. That fine cooking apple the Dumelow's Seed¬ 
ling, or as it is sometimes called Wellington, begins to 
come in and meet with a ready sale at 4s. 6d. to 5s. per 
bushel. Winter Pearmains have also made their ap¬ 
pearance. This is one of the oldest apples on record, 
and can be traced back to the reign of King John, at 
which period it was in large cultivation in Norfolk. 
What would Mr. Knight say to this in support of his 
theory ? We shall speak of this variety next week when 
noticing the culinary varieties. We have not observed 
anything new in the way of apples during the week, 
besides what we noticed in our last. In Pears there 
are some very fine Glout Morceau and Passe Colmar, 
together with a few Nelis d'Hiver, but we shall have 
occasion to speak of these when giving our list of select 
varieties for orchard planting. The jirices which these 
ai'e making are from 3s. to 4s. per dozen. 
In Vegetables there is no scarcity, notwithstanding 
the great damage which was done by the recent high 
tides in the garden-grounds about Fulham. One of the 
largest cultivators informed us a cheque for £'500 would 
not cover his loss. His men were actually navigating 
the grounds in boats. 
Plants and Flowers are much of the same descrip¬ 
tion as have been in the market for some two or three 
weeks past, consequently we need not enumerate them. 
But, for the information and gratification of our lady 
readers, we must record the construction of a very beau¬ 
tiful Bouquet. The centre was formed of a very fine 
Double White Camellia, round which were set, in a con¬ 
centric circle, a Double White Camellia and a cluster of 
Scarlet Geraniums alternately, five of each; between 
I each Vv bite Camellia there were three flowers in a cluster 
! of a very beautifid azure blue Cineraria, of a peculiarly 
I rich and lustrous hue; the whole w'as fringed round 
i with fronds of some small-growing fern, and encircling 
I tliese a margin of lace paper. It was the most beautiful 
j bouquet in the market.—H. 
GOSSIP. 
East, West, North, and South, we are right glad to 
find that Poultry Exldhitmis are being established. 
We have before us prospectuses for one in Wales, at 
Hay, on the Kith of December; for one at Salisbury, on 
the 13th of the same month; for one at Ilytlie, in 
Kent, but the day not fixed; and for one at Dublin, on 
the 8th and 9th. We repeat, we are right glad of this, 
for it is for the encouragement of a species of stock that 
may, and ought to be found around every cottage, even 
in greater perfection, than around the farm-house and the 
mansion. But, whilst we rejoice over this extension of 
Poultry Shows, we would strongly protest against the 
abuse of them. We have no idea of their being held for 
mere gain to the parties establishing them, and it is only 
a still worse feature, if that gain is intended to he obtained 
by the sale of eatables and drinkables by some neigh¬ 
bouring innkeeper. We yield to no one in the desire to 
have a metropolitan show, but we do not recognise, as 
worthy of such a character, either that at Hitchin, or 
the proposed one at Kennington Oval. We are led to 
suspect that the latter has the gain we deprecate for its 
object, and at all events, the originators of both the 
shows in question, took not into consideration, before 
they issued their Prospectuses, either the welfare of the 
poultry, or the interests of the exhibitors. Who that 
has a just regard for his fowls, will send them from 
home for a week, five days of which they are to be 
penned up at the Exhibition ? We know of more than 
one of the best breeders, who would not, on this account, 
send them to Hitchin, and we know of a still greater 
number who will withhold their specimens from the 
Kennington Oval, on the same account. They have 
acted wisely for their own interests, and humanely for 
their fowls, by so doing, and we hope that no future 
exhibition of them will be kept open for more than two 
days. 
We are informed that Lord Calthorjje's Small Garden | 
Tenants, near Birmingham, about 150 in number, have 
formed themselves into a Horticultural Society, and 
intend to have a show of flowers and vegetables, and 
we hope fruit is to be included, twice a-year. We shall 
be glad to aid this and all such societies. 
A subscription for Professor Von Eisenbech, whose 
penury and distress we mentioned in our last number, 
has been opened, and a remittance already forwarded to 
him to rescue him from immediate want. Any dona¬ 
tion, however small, may be sent to Mr. Edward 
Newman, Devonshire Street, Bishopsgate. 
As long since as 1811 a plant was introduced from 
North America, that had been still earlier known to the 
Canadian boatmen as the Pomme de Prairie (the Apple 
of the Prairies, or Plains). They eat its roots, either- 
boiled or raw, these roots being nutritious and insipid, 
but of a solid texture, and not airrong the most easily 
digested foods. To botanists the plant is known as I 
Psoralea esculenta. Another recent attempt has been j 
made to introduce it into cultivation as a substitute for i 
the Potato, but we fear that it will not succeed in any ' 
available mode. We speak of it as another attempt, 
because a very few years since its culture was tried in 
England; and the present attempt is being made in 
France by M. L. Picquot, No. 11, Rue Guy-Labrosse, 
Paris, who has called the plant Picquotiane. 
The following is a list of the Horticultural and \ 
Poultry Shoivs of which we are at present aware. We 
shall be obliged by any of our readers sending us 
