May 5. 
76 
THE COTTAGE 
been selected to fill a membership held by M. Mirbel, 
and become vacant by his death. 
The importance of Guano as a fertilizer is demon¬ 
strated by the following table, showing that, through 
years of depression, as well as in years of prosperity, its 
Years. 
Tons. 
1841 
2,881 
1842 
20,308 
1843 
3,002 
1844 
104,351 
1845 
283,300 
184G 
89,203 
Years. 
Tons. 
1847 
82,000 
1848 
71,414 
1840 
83,438 
1850 
110,025 
1851 
245,010 
always be tarried for by an intending purchaser, that 
the following aids to his judgment, furnished by Pro¬ 
fessor Johnston, may be relied upon. 
“ a. The drier the better—there is less water to pay tor 
and to transport. . . „ 
“ b. The lighter the colour the better also—it is tlie less 
completely decomposed. . , . , 
“ c. If it has not a strong ammoniacal smell, it ougnt io 
give ofl’ such a smell when a spoonful ot it is mixed with 
a spoonful of slaked lime in a wine glass. 
“ ,/. 'When put into a tumbler with water, stirred well 
about’, and the water and line matters poured off, it ought 
to leave little sand or stones. _ . 
“ c When heated to redness in the air till all the animal 
matter is burned away, the ash should nearly all dissolve in 
dilute muriatic acid. The insoluble matter is eitliei use¬ 
less sand or earthy adulterations. . „ 
“ /'. In looking at the numbers in a published analysis ot 
a Peruvian guano, those representing the water should be 
small; the organic matter containing ammonia should up 
proach to fifty or sixty per cent., the phosphates should not 
much exceed twenty per cent., and the common sail and 
sulphate of soda ought not to form much more than live or 
six per cent, of the weight of the guano. In Saldanha Pay 
guano, the proportion of phosphates is much greater, and 
of organic matter less.” 
COVENT GARDEN. 
The Londoners may be said to be inveterate gardeners. 
From the dark and sinuous purlieus of Drury Lane and 
Saffron Hill, to the open day-liglit squares and crescents 
of the West End, may be seen some indication of this 
passion for horticulture. But although, in both in¬ 
stances, the same pursuit is displayed, the tastes are 
evidently different. In the one, it may be called a love 
of gardening, and in the other, a love of flowers. In the 
former, it is a taste for cultivation ; but in the other, an 
admiration of the thing cultivated. 
We have often wondered what extent of cultivation 
these minds, in the neglected parts of London, are 
capable of, that display so much refinement in the 
assiduity with which they nurse a wild Daisy, or Prim¬ 
rose, in a fractured tea-pot or ginger-beer bottle. There 
is surely something more than the mere animal deve¬ 
lopment heie. Our attention has been more imme¬ 
diately directed to this subject, in consequence of the 
immense quantities of the commoner flowers which arc, 
at this season, continually forced upon our observation, 
GARDENER. 
both in the markets, tin the streets, and on hawker’s 
trucks. The Primrose, Daisy, Wallflower, Polyanthus, 
and Southernwood, are among the most popular; and in 
almost every lane, alley, and court, may be seen the 
various degrees of success with which these are kept in 
life. It is not only in the dwellings of the poor, 
however, that we have remarked this londness for 
gardening. It would seem that some, who perhaps have 
no dwelling at all, or such an one as does not afford 
the facilities for indulging even this harmless gratifica¬ 
tion, resort to other means; and it was but the other 
day we encountered, in our perigriuations, a well-culti¬ 
vated and fertile spot on the fore-deck of a coal-barge! 
Who of our readers would ever have dreamt of a flower- 
garden in such a spot? Even our assiduous friend, 
Mr. Beaton, with all his train of fair followers, could 
never have thought of looking for a flower-garden in 
such a spot, and that, too, floating on the very bosom 
of Old Father Thames. And a very pretty garden it 
was. There were no circuitous walks; no ingenious 
devices; no grouping of colours; but there were some 
bright Anemones, of all colours; Polyanthuses with 
trusses as Polyanthuses never trussed before; double 
lilac Primroses; Hen-and-chicken Daisies, eclipsing in 
interest the finest poultry-yard of the greatest fanciers ; 
lumps of Stone-crop, trailing down the sides of old tin 
tankards; “ Bloody-walls,” or “Warriors,” looking as 
gay as any officer of the household guards; “Daffodown- 
dillies,” as our ancestors called them, rich in beauty, 
and replete with fragrance; with here and there bushes 
of grim Southern-wood, and the whole artfully and 
tastefully enclosed with an edging of the whitest of 
oyster-shells. We have interesting scenes in London 
which the rest of the world know not of; and such a 
scene as that now described is more gratifying to us by 
far than the luxurious and ready-made window decora¬ 
tions of Belgravia. It is, then, with plants ot this 
description, that our attention has been attracted during 
the past week in Co vent Garden Market. 
The trade in Vegetables has been good, but the 
supply is short, and the prices, in consequence, high. 
Greens make as much as 4s. to Us. per dozen bunches. 
Turnips, 3s. to 4s. per dozen bunches. Brocoli . 2s. to 
4s. per dozen. There is a good supply of Rhubarb at 
9d. to Is. a bundle. Sea-hale, 2s. per basket. Aspa- 
ragus, 5s. to 7s. Gd. per bundle. There are also several 
arrivals of Early Horn Carrots, Radishes, and Lettuces, 
all of which are forced. The Fruits consist chiefly ot 
Hothouse Grapes, very fine, at 10s. Gd. to 15s. per lb. 
Strawberries, 9d. to Is. Gd. per ounce. Apples are very 
scarce, and none good. Cucumbers are very fine, at 
from Gd. to 2s. Gd. each. 
The Flowers are abundant, and are principally ol 
Hyacinths, Tulips, Violets, Epacris, Heaths, Cinerarias, 
Camellias, Chinese Primroses, Geraniums, Roses, and 
several choice stove plants, among which we observed a 
great deal of Stephanotis floribunda, which seems to be 
becoming a leading flower in the highest-priced bouquets. 
H. 
. 
