February 24. 
THE COTTAGE GAfiDENEE. 
399 
is also plentiful at from Is. Od. to 2s. per basket. Asj^a- 
rcKjus is much improved in quality, and makes from 4s. 
i to 7s. Cd. per bundle. 
The supply of Fruit is falling off. Appi.es are making 
from Gs. to 10s. per hushed for culinary varieties, but the 
dessert realise from 8s. to IGs. Of the culinary kinds, 
the Winter Pearmain is the most plentiful; firm, and of 
excellent quality. x\mong the dessert kinds we ob¬ 
served several parcels of very fine Court of Wioh, which 
were not, however, so highly coloured as we have seen 
them. Golden Knobs also fine; and we were attracted 
by a pile labelled Nonpareils, which, on examination, 
we found to be the Reinette Orise, a French apple, which 
is imported rather largely at this season. Though this is 
a pretty good winter dessert apple, it will not pass for a 
Nonpareil with those who know what a Nonpareil is. 
There are also plenty of the Lady Apple and Newtown 
Pippins. Pears, as we have remarked before, are very 
scarce, just sufficient to say that they are in existence. 
Such as they are, though dry and shrivelled, they make 
from Gs. to 8s. a dozen. They consist of Beurre de 
Ranee, Easter Beurre, and Neplus Meuris. 
The Flowers and Bouquets are both gay and abun¬ 
dant. We promise our lady readers that we shall take 
the first opportunity of admitting them to the art and 
mystery of building a bouquet. We have been at some 
pains to acquire this art ourselves for their benefit, and 
we trust ere long to be able to communicate it. The 
Flow'ers consist of Camellias of all shades and markings. 
Cinerarias of every hue. Hyacinths, Tulips, Polyanthus 
Narcissus, and a profusion of double and single, white 
and red, Chinese Primroses; Violets in abundance; 
Scarlet Geraniums. Snowdrops, Lily of the Valley, Epa- 
cris, Pentus carnea, Bletia Tankeivilla;. Azalea indica 
alba, and Danielsiana. H. 
GOSSIP. 
We ask our readers attention to the advertisement of 
The Horticultural and Pomological Association, for it is 
to them that it owes its birth. So very numerous are 
the applications to us from all parts of the British 
Islands, requesting us to procure seeds, cuttings, trees, 
and other objects of cultivation, that we find it quite 
impossible to attend to the commissions thrust upon us. 
In future we request that all such applications may be 
made to the Association. Competent parties, we know, 
are engaged to procure whatever horticultural matters 
the subscribers may require; and acting, as they will, 
under such supervision as will be given by Mr. Hogg, 
i the author of “British Pomology,” and Mr. D. Beaton, 
I the one the best of practical fruitists, and the other one 
. of our best gardeners, the subscribers may be sure of no 
deficiency of skill being employed in their behalf We 
have reason, also, to anticipate that the Association will 
be the means of determining many synonymns of fruits, 
and whatever is thus effected will be published in our 
pages. 
The Newbury Horticultural Society has fixed its 
meetings in the present year on the 24th of June and 
2nd of September. 
The Limnocharis Humboldtii, a yellow - flowered 
aquatic, native of Brazil, has been hitherto considered 
as requiring stove culture, but it has proved hardy in 
an open pond at Berlin, where it was blooming early in 
December. There is no doubt, therefore, that it may be 
cultivated in England as a hardy aquatic. 
The value of Shanghae fowls is rising rather than 
decreasing, and we have no doubt that as the knowledge 
of their quiet habits and other valuable qualities 
becomes more diffused, the demand for birds of high 
quality will increase, and the prices, consequently, be 
maintained. Our opinion is sustained by the result of 
the sale of some of the Shanghae stock of T. H. Potts, 
Esq., of Kiugswood Lodge, near Croydon. This sale 
was by Mr. Strafford, at the Baker Street Bazaar, on the 
10th inst., and although a very large proportion of the 
lots were small-framed birds, yet the 121 realised the 
large sum of L‘723 8s. 6d., notwithstanding some of the 
cockerels, very inferior, were knocked down for such 
sums as twelve and thirty-two shillings. Lot 8. A 
black cockerel, bred by Mr. Lort, and took a first prize 
at the Great Metropolitan Show, sold for ^8 10s. Lot 21. 
A lemon pullet, which took a first prize at the Bristol and 
Metropolitan Exhibitions, sold for ^13 13s. Lot 2G. 
Lemon cockerel, which took the first prize at Bristol, 
for chickens hatched subsequently to the 24th of June, 
.£.5s 5s. Lot 29. Buff hen, which took a prize at Bir¬ 
mingham, in 1851, .£12 15s. Lot 35. Lemon cockerel 
(Wellington), which took prizes at the Great Metro¬ 
politan and Torquay Shows, £28 7s; another cockerel 
(Lot G9. “Sir Kobert.”) sold for £42; he was pur¬ 
chased by Earl Ducie. Lot 53. A hen for £22, to 
Mr. Baily; and Lot 52, a hen imported, formerly belong¬ 
ing to Mr. Andrews, described in the catalogue as “ hav¬ 
ing taken many prizes, and considered the best ben in 
England,” was purchased by Mr. Fox, of Snow Hill, for 
£30 15s. Lot 102. A hen which took a prize at the 
Great Metropolitan and Torquay Shows, £23 2s. 
BULBS. 
{Continued from 2;age 3G3.) 
CuiMMiNGiA.—This is a genus of Lilyworts belonging 
to the section of Conanthers. Formerly it was united 
with the genus Conanthera, and I believe that the 
difference between the two was first pointed out to the 
late Mr. D. Don, by the late Lady Gordon Gumming, 
whose name the present genus is intended to com¬ 
memorate. The species are all natives of the north of 
Chili, and are difficult to flower, or to be kept in a flow¬ 
ering state; they should be grown in pots, and in poor 
sandy loam. The herbage is delicate, and the flowers 
are of the richest dark blue colour, such as some varieties 
of the Hyacinth represent; and the shape and size of 
the flowers are between that of a single Hyacinth and a 
Scilla. I believe the roots (they are not true bulbs) 
would succeed better in small shallow pans than in 
deep pots, so that they would receive the benefit of a 
scorching heat, while the leaves and flowers enjoy a dry, 
airy, or open air culture, in our climate. 
CuJiMiNGiA CAMPANULATA.—Tlus is the species on 
