February  25,.  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
171 
Tomatoes  for  Outdoor  and  Zndoor  ((lambs). — The  varieties  you 
name,  Earliest  of  All  and  Perfection,  are  excellent  and  when  well  grown 
produce  abundance  of  fruit,  the  latter  being  found  among  the  majority 
of  prizewinning  dishes  at  exhibitions.  Everything,  however,  depends 
upon  the  cultivation,  though,  of  course,  this  is  no  use  without  suitable 
varieties,  which  are  mostly  selections,  and  on  that  account  improve¬ 
ments  on  the  older  and  less  carefully  selected  varieties. 
Cheapest  and  Seat  Coping  for  a  Vinery  Wall  (I,  W.  M.). — 
The  cheapest  and  the  beet  coping  we  have  used  for  garden  walls  and 
horticultural  structures  was  Portland  cement— one  part  to  two  parts 
sharp  gravel  screening,  small  gravel,  and  sand,  forming  into  a  mortar- 
like  mass,  then  placing  in  the  trough.  What  you  mean  by  a  coping 
half  an  inch  less  than  the  wall  plate  we  do  not  understand,  as  a  coping 
means  covering  a  wall  and  projecting  over  it  on  both  sides.  But  if  a 
capping  is  meant,  we  may  say  that  concrete — if  by  that  a  cement  one  is 
intended — will  not  injure  but  preserve  woodwork,  if  it  fits  close  and 
excludes  wet. 
Pruning'  Tea  Roses  (  Rosa). — Recently  planted  Roses  require  to 
be  somewhat  more  closely  pruned  than  established  plants,  cutting  the 
weak  shoots  to  oDe  or  two  buds,  medium  to  three  or  four,  and  strong  to  five 
or  six.  Very  weakly  and  ill-placed  shoots  are  best  cut  out  altogether,  so 
as  to  give  advantage  to  the  best  situated  and  strongest.  The  pruning  is 
to  some  extent  a  matter  of  judgment,  and  must  be  exercised  according 
to  the  condition  of  the  plants,  aimiDg  at  vigorous  growth  without  over¬ 
luxuriance,  so  as  to  secure  fine  blooms  and  make  provision  for  their 
production.  Outdoors  the  Roses  should  not  be  pruned  until  the  end  of 
March,  no  barm  being  done  if  they  make  a  little  growth,  so  long  as  the 
basal  buds  are  not  started.  This  will  prevent  injury  from  late  spring 
frosts,  and  give  finer  Roses. 
Names  of  Fruits. — Notice. — We  have  pleasure  in  naming  good 
typical  fruits  (when  the  names  are  discoverable)  for  the  convenience  of 
regular  subscribers,  who  are  the  growers  of  such  fruit,  and  not  col¬ 
lectors  of  specimens  from  non-subscribers.  This  latter  procedure  is 
wholly  irregular,  and  we  trust  that  none  of  our  readers  will  allow 
themselves  to  be  made  the  mediums  in  infringing  our  rules.  Special 
attention  is  directed  to  the  following  decision,  the  object  of  which  is 
to  discourage  the  growth  of  inferior  and  promote  the  culture  of  superior 
varieties.  In  consequence  of  the  large  number  of  worthless  Apples  and 
Pears  sent  to  this  office  to  be  named ,  it  has  been  decided  to  name  only 
specimens  and  varieties  of  approved  merit,  and  to  reject  the  inferior, 
which  are  not  worth  sending  or  growing.  The  names  and  addresses  of 
senders  of  fruit  or  flowers  to  be  named  must  in  all  cases  be  enclosed  with 
the  specimens,  whether  letters  referring  to  the  fruit  are  sent  by  post  or 
not.  The  names  are  not  necessarily  required  for  publication,  initials 
sufficing  for  that.  Only  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  any 
beyond  that  number  cannot  be  preserved.  They  should  be  sent  on  the 
first  indication  of  change  towards  ripening.  Dessert  Pears  cannot 
be  named  in  a  hard  green  state.  ( L .  W.  C  ). — Your  Apples  are  pro¬ 
bably  local  seedlings  that  never  had  recognised  names  ;  all  are  inferior 
in  quality.  The  Pear  is  not  in  a  fit  state  for  naming.  (J.  II.  0.)  — 
1,  bramley’s  SeedliDg  ;  2,  Warner’s  King;  3,  Golden  Winter  Nonesuch. 
(C.  R). — 1.  Easter  Beurid  ;  2,  undeterminable;  3,  Cox’s  Orange 
Pippin  ;  4,  King  of  the  Pippins  ;  6,  unknown  ;  6,  Wellington. 
OOVENT  GARDEN  MARKET. — February  24th. 
FRUIT. 
a. 
d. 
a.  d. 
1. 
d. 
■4. 
Apples*  A  sieve  ..  .. 
i 
3 
to  2  6 
Lemons,  case  . 
11 
0  to  14 
Filberts  andOobs,  per  1001b. 
n 
0 
0  0 
Plums,  £  sieve  . 
0 
0 
0 
Grapes,  per  lb . 
l 
3 
2  3 
St.  Michael  Fines,  eaoh  .. 
3 
0 
8 
d. 
VEGETABLES. 
8. 
8.  d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
Asparagus,  per  100  . . 
•  • 
0 
0 
to  0  0 
Mustard  and  Oress,  punnet 
0 
2  6v  0 
Beans,  £  sieve  ..  .. 
0 
0 
0  0 
Onions,  bushel . 
3 
6 
4 
Beet,  Red,  dozen  ..  .. 
l 
0 
0  0 
Parsley,  dozen  bunohes  .. 
2 
0 
3 
Carrots,  bunch  ..  .. 
0 
3 
0  4 
Parsnips,  dozen . 
1 
0 
0 
Cauliflowers,  dozen  .. 
•  • 
2 
0 
3  0 
Potatoes,  per  owt . 
2 
0 
4 
Celery,  bundle  . .  . . 
1 
0 
0  0 
Salsafy,  bundle . 
1 
0 
1 
Ooleworts,  dozen  bunche* 
2 
0 
4  0 
Seakaie,  per  basket  ..  ,, 
1 
6 
1 
Cucumbers  ..  .. 
0 
4 
0  8 
Scorzonera,  bundle  ..  .. 
1 
6 
0 
Endive,  dozen  ..  .. 
1 
3 
1  6 
Shallots,  per  lb . 
0 
3 
0 
Herbs,  bunch  ..  .. 
0 
3 
0  U 
Spinach,  pad  . 
0 
0 
4 
Leeks,  bunch  ..  .. 
0 
2 
0  0 
Sprouts,  half  sieve  ..  .. 
1 
6 
1 
Lettuce,  dozen  ..  .. 
1 
3 
0  0 
Tomatoes,  per  lb . 
0 
4 
0 
Mushrooms,  per  lb.  .. 
•• 
0 
6 
0  8 
Turnips,  bunch  ..  .■  .. 
0 
3 
0 
PLANTS 
IN  POTS. 
8. 
d. 
a.  d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
Arbor  Vit»  (various)  per 
Ficus  elastica,  each  ..  .. 
j 
0 
to  7 
dozen . 
6 
0  to  36  0 
Foliage  plants,  var.  each 
l 
0 
6 
Aspidistra,  dozen 
.  . 
18 
0 
36  0 
Genista,  per  dozen  . . 
9 
0 
12 
Aspidistra,  specimen  plant 
6 
0 
10  8 
Hyacinths  large,  per  dozen 
fl 
0 
12 
Azalea,  per  dozen 
.  , 
24 
0 
36  0 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12  pots 
9 
0 
12 
Cinerarias,  per  dozen.. 
,  . 
8 
0 
10  0 
it  99  in  boxes 
4 
0 
6 
Cyclamen,  per  dozen.. 
,  , 
9 
0 
18  0 
Lycopodiums,  dozen  .. 
3 
0 
6 
Daffodils,  per  dozen  . . 
,  . 
6 
0 
10  0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  dozen.. 
9 
0 
12 
Draceena,  various,  dozen 
12 
0 
30  0 
Myrtles,  dozen  . 
6 
0 
9 
Dracaena  viridis,  dozen 
9 
0 
18  0 
Palms,  in  var..  eaoh  ..  .. 
1 
0 
16 
Erica,  per  dozen  . .  . . 
9 
0 
12  0 
,,  (specimens'  ..  .. 
21 
0 
63 
„  hyemalia,  per  dozen  10 
0 
15  0 
Poinsettia,  per  dozen . .  . . 
9 
0 
12 
Buonymua ,  varM  dozen 
,  , 
6 
0 
18  0 
Primula  sinensis,  per  dozen 
4 
0 
6 
Evergreens,  in  var.,  dozen 
4 
0 
18  0 
Tulips,  dozen  pots  ..  .. 
6 
0 
9 
Ferns  iu  variety. dozen 
,  , 
4 
0 
18  n 
„  in  boxes,  per  dozen 
0 
8 
1 
„  (small)  per  hundred 
4 
0 
6  0 
d- 
0 
0 
0 
d- 
4 
0 
C 
0 
9 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
9 
0 
0 
d- 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
D 
0 
0 
0 
6 
AVERAGE  WHOLESALE  PRICES.— OUT  FLOWERS.— Orohid  Blooms  In  varletv. 
a.  d.  b.  d. 
Anemones, dozen  bunches..  2  0  to  4  0 
Arum  Lilies,  12  blooms  ..  2  0  4  0 
Asparagus  Fern,  per  bunoh  2  0  3  6 
Azalea,  per  dozen  sprays  ..  0  6  10 
Bouvardias,  bunoh  ..  ..  0  6  0  9 
Carnations.  12  blooms  ..16  3  0 
Christmas  Roses,  12  blooms  10  16 
Daffodil*,  doubls,  dozen 
banahes  ..  ..  .  ..  8  0  6  0 
Daffodil*,  single,  dozen 
bunches  .  8  0  9  0 
Eucharis.  dozen .  3  6  4  0 
Gardenias,  dozen  ....  4  0  6  0 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bunches .  6  0  9  0 
Hyacinths  (Roman).  12 
sprays, and  per  bunch  ..  0  6  0  9 
Lilac,  White  (French),  per 
bunch .  80  60 
Lilium  longiflorum,  12 
blooms  .  6  0  8  0 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12sprays, 
per  bunch . 06  10 
Marguerites,  12  bunches  ..2  0  3  0 
Maidenhair  Fern,  per  dozen 
bunohes  .  6  0  9  0 
Mignonette,  dozen  bunches  3 
Mimosa  (French)  per 
bunch . 1 
Narciss,  White  (Frenoh), 
dozen  bunches . 8 
Narciss,  Yellow  (Frenoh), 
dozen  bunohes  ..  ..  1 
Orchids,  various,  par  dozen 
blo'-ms  . 1 
Pelargoniums,  13  bunohes  I 
Pyrethrum,  dozen  bunches  1 
Roses  (indoor),  dozen  ..  1 
„  Tea,  white,  dozen  ..  1 
„  Yellow,  dozen  (Niels)  6 
„  Red ,  dozen  blooms  . .  6 
„  Safrano  (English), 
dozen . 1 
,,  Pink,  per  dozen  . .  . .  3 
Smilax,  per  bunch  ..  ..  4 
Snowdrops,  dozen  bunches  1 
Tuberoses.  12  blooms..  ..  1 
Tulips,  dozen  blooms  .  . .  0 
Violet  Parme,  per  bunch  ..  2 
„  per  doz.  bunches  . .  1 
„  (French),  per  dozen 
bunches  ..  ..  1 
d.  s.  d. 
0  to  6  0 
0  16 
6  4  6 
0  16 
6  it  e 
0  9  0 
6  8  0 
0  *  0 
0  3  6 
0  9  0 
0  10  0 
0  2  0 
0  6  0 
0  6  0 
0  3  0 
0  16 
.6  10 
0  3  b 
6  2  0 
0  2  0 
LARGE  v.  SMALL  FARMS. 
Partisans  are  often  bitter.  Our  own  ideas  are  bo  large  as  to 
entirely  obscure  our  mental  vision.  We  have  no  room  to  see  the 
good  points  in  the  cause  of  others,  and  we  do  not  care  to  hear 
views  advocated  at  variance  with  our  own. 
It  requires  a  broad  mind  to  impartially  consider  an  opponent’s 
proposition.  That  this  is  so  is  a  pity,  but,  alaa  !  it  is  humaD  nature, 
and  we  are  not  quite  sure  of  a  remedy.  Education  will  not  do  it,  for 
it  is  often  that  we  find  educated  people  with  a  very  strong  bias. 
Tbe  only  remedy  seems  to  be  beyond  book  learning  proper — the 
mixing  with  and  studying  mankind  at  large.  A  cosmopolitan  is 
generally  a  man  of  broad  views.  Ha  sees  life  from  many  stand¬ 
points,  and  if  an  honest  man  is  only  too  glad  to  admit  the  wisdom 
and  cleverness  of  others. 
There  has  been  much  written  and  said  on  the  subject  of  our 
paper  (“  Large  v.  Small  Farms  ”).  Both  have  their  advantages, 
both  their  disadvantages  ;  but  we  doubt  whether  a  panacea  for 
agricultural  depression  is  to  be  found  by  cutting  up  large  farms 
into  small  ones.  First  there  is  the  primary  cost.  Take  a  large 
holding  ;  we  find  a  good  home  and  range  of  suitable  buildings  in 
the  centre.  The  house  cannot  well  be  sub-divided,  and  unless  a 
tenant  oan  be  found  out  of  agriculture  the  house  will  probably  be 
long  on  hand,  and  no  property  depreciates  so  quickly  as  empty 
houses. 
Of  course  in  some  neighbourhoods  such  a  place  will  let  quickly, 
say  to  hunting  or  shooting  men,  or  to  retired  officers  who  prefer 
the  quiet  of  country  life  ;  but  these  houses  must  be  fairly  near 
railway  and  sport,  and  a  farmhouse,  however  good,  in  a  remote 
region  is  practically  unletable.  Then  this  necessitates  the  erection 
of  smaller  dwellings  with  the  proper  out-buildings,  and  the 
estimate  of  such  buildings  on  a  20  acre  plot  cost  £20  or  £25  per 
acre  as  against  £8  per  acre  on  the  well-arranged  large  holding. 
Capital  has  to  be  found  for  this,  and  to  meet  this  outlay  higher 
rent  must  naturally  be  demanded. 
So  many  people  fail  to  grasp  the  fact  that  these  small  holdings 
must,  to  make  them  a  paying  concern  for  the  landlord,  be  let  at 
higher  rent  than  one  large  occupation.  The  division  of  a  property 
into  small  lots  increases  the  cost  of  management,  but  there  are 
good  people  quite  blind  to  this.  They  have  never  seen  the  inside 
of  an  estate  office,  nor  have  they  any  idea  of  the  machinery  that 
keeps  all  in  order. 
Of  late  years  we  have  had  to  complain  of  severe  agricultural 
depression,  a  depression  arising  from  two  causes — badness  of  the 
