November  30,  1899.  JOURNAL  OR  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
487 
COVENT  GARDEN  MARKET. — November,  29th. 
AVERAGE  WHOLESALE  PRICES. —  FRUIT. 
a.  d.  a.  d. 
Apples,  English,  per  sieve  3  0  to  5  0 
„  Canadian,  barrel  ...  10  0  15  0 
„  Nova  Scotian,  barrel  10  0  17  0 
Cobnuts  per  100  lb .  60  0  70  0 
Lemons,  case  .  14  0  20  0 
AVERAGE  WHOLESALE 
a. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Artichokes,  green, 
doz.  ... 
3 
0  to  4 
0 
Asparagus,  green, 
lundle 
4 
0 
4 
6 
,,  giant,  bundle 
15 
0 
20 
0 
Beans,  Jersey,  per 
b . 
0 
6 
0 
8 
,,  French,  per 
lb.  ... 
0 
4 
0 
5 
Beet,  Red,  doz. ... 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Cabbages,  per  tally 
7 
0 
0 
0 
Carrots,  per  doz. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
0 
9 
1 
6 
Celery,  per  bundle 
1 
0 
1 
3 
Cucumbers,  doz. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Endive,  doz. 
0 
9 
1 
3 
Herbs,  bunch  ... 
•••  ... 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Grapes,  black  . 
,,  Muscat . 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
0  6  to  3  0 
1  0 
3  0 
Melons  . each 
0  6 
1  6 
Pears,  Californian,  case... 
6  0 
9  0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s,  each 
1  0 
6  0 
PRICES.— VEGETABLES 
8 
.  d. 
t.  d. 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0  3  to  0  0 
Lettuce,  doz . 
0  6 
0  10 
Mushrooms,  lb . 
1  3 
I  6 
Mustard  and  Cress,  punnet 
0  2 
0  0 
Onions,  bag,  about  1  cwt. 
4  0 
4  6 
Parsley,  doz.  bunches  ... 
2  0 
4  0 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
2  0 
5  0 
Seakale,  doz.  baskets 
18  0 
21  0 
Shallots,  lb . 
U  3 
0  0 
Spinach,  per  bushel . 
2  0 
4  0 
Tomatoes,  per  doz.  lbs.  ... 
2  0 
5  0 
Turnips,  bunch . 
0  3 
t  4 
AVERAGE  WHOLESALE  PRICES.— CUT  FLOWERS. 
s.  d. 
8.  d. 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
Arums  . 
8  OtolO  0 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bunch... 
2  0 
2  6 
bnchs . 
6  0 
to  8  0 
Carnations,  12  blooms  ... 
2  6 
3  6 
Marguerites,  doz.  bnchs. 
3  0 
4  0 
Cattleyas,  per  doz . 
12  0 
24  0 
,,  Yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
6  0 
9  0 
Chrysanthemums,  white 
Mimosa,  per  bunch . 
1  6 
2  6 
doz.  blooms 
6  0 
9  0 
Mignonette,  doz.  bunches 
6  0 
8  0 
„  yellow  doz.  blooms 
5  0 
8  0 
Narcissus,  white,  doz.  bun. 
2  0 
6  0 
„  bunches  var. 
0  6 
1  6 
Odontoglossums  . 
5  0 
7  6 
Eucharis,  doz . 
6  0 
8  0 
Pelargoniums,  doz.  bnchs 
8  0 
12  0 
Gardenias,  doz . 
4  0 
6  0 
Roses  (indoor),  doz . 
G  0 
8  0 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
,,  Red,  doz . 
6  0 
8  0 
bnchs . 
6  0 
12  0 
„  Safrano,  packet 
1  9 
3  0 
Lilium  Harrisi,  12  blooms 
12  0 
180 
,,  Tea.  whne,  doz. 
3  6 
6  0 
,,  lancifolium  album  ... 
3  6 
4  6 
,,  Yellow,  doz.  (Perles) 
5  0 
7  G 
,  9  ,,  rubrum... 
3  6 
4  6 
Smilax,  bunch . 
3  6 
5  0 
„  longiflorum,  12  blooms 
8  0 
12  0 
Violets,  Parma,  bunch  ... 
4  0 
G  o 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12 
,,  dark,  French,  doz. 
1  9 
3  6 
sprays  . 
18  0 
24  6 
,,  ,,  English,  doz. 
1  6 
3  G 
Lilac,  white,  bundle 
5  0 
8  0 
PLANTS 
IN  POTS. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
Arbor  Vitae,  var.,  doz. 
6  0to36  0 
Ferns  small,  100  . 
4  0 
to  8  0 
Aspidistra,  doz . 
18  0 
36  0 
Firm  elastics,  each . 
1  6 
7  6 
Aspidistra,  specimen 
15  0 
20  0 
Foliage  nlants,  var..  e«c5 
1  0 
5  0 
Chrysanthemums,  per  doz. 
6  0 
12  0 
Lily  of  Valley,  per  pot  ... 
1  6 
2  6 
Crotons,  doz . 
18  0 
80  0 
Lycopodiums,  doz . 
<  0 
6  0 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz . 
12  0 
30  0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz.  .. 
10  0 
li  0 
Dracaena  viridis,  doz. 
9  0 
18  0 
Myrtles,  doz . 
6  0 
9  0 
Erica  various,  doz . 
30  0 
60  0 
Palms,  in  var.,  each 
1  0 
16  0 
Euonymus,  var.,  doz. 
6  0 
18  0 
,,  specimens  . 
21  0 
63  0 
Evergreens,  var.,  doz.  ... 
4  0 
18  0 
Salvias,  scarlet,  doz. 
6  0 
12  0 
Ferns,  var.,  doz . 
4  0 
18  0 
Solanums,  per  doz . 
9  0 
18  0 
APPLIED  SCIENCE. 
Zeal  without  knowledge,  and  clouds  without  rain,  are  things  to  be 
depreciated — the  former  will  land  the  zealous  one  in  many  a  bog  and 
quickfall ;  the  latter  cause  pain  and  anxiety  by  raising  hopes  only  to 
leave  them  unfulfilled.  Zeal  and  knowledge  hand  in  hand  bring 
about  the  most  desirable  results,  and  it  is  a  blessing  when  we  see 
them  united  in  one  person. 
Applied  science — shall  we  explain  exactly  what  we  mean  ?  As 
was  our  first  parent,  many  of  us  were  placed  on  this  earth  to  till  aud  to 
dress  it:  to  raise,  and  cause  it  to  produce,  food  for  man  and  beast,  and 
clothing  for  the  former.  In  old  days  this  was  a  comparatively  easy 
task — the  weed  and  the  Thistle  were  there  certainly,  but  the  soil 
required  little  cultivation  to  produce  cereal  crops.  Indigenous  fruits 
and  herbs  were  plentiful,  and  flocks  and  herds  abounded  on  every  side. 
When  new  pasturage  was  needed  it  was  merely  a  question  of  removing 
tents  and  families  to  some  adjacent  ground  fruitful  and  well  watered. 
As  for  the  question  of  clothing,  that  was  easily  supplied — wool  for  the 
household,  and  an  industrious  family  who  spun  and  wove  for  them  - 
selves.  When  linen  goods  were  introduced  we  have  no  record,  but 
apparently  very  early  in  the  world’s  history. 
Population  grew  and  multiplied — there  was  a  greater  demand  for 
food,  and  now  not  so  easily  satisfied  ;  the  virgin  land  was  more  remote  ; 
the  flocks  were  vaster, and  needed  greater  pastures;  something  beyond 
merely  cultivating  the  land  was  necessary.  Ingredients  were  taken 
from  it,  and  if  not  restored  in  some  form  or  other  the  crops  deteriorated, 
and  could  not  satisfy  the  needs  of  the  fast-growing  population. 
There  have  always  been  men  in  England,  shall  we  say  of  an 
inquisitive  turn  ?  Men’anxious  to  wrest  from  Nature  her  secrets,  and 
by  diligent  study  aud  close  application  they  have  been  able  to  fathom 
a  few  of  the  mysteries  that  were  close  at  hand  ;  of  the  bulk,  at  present, 
the  wisest  among  us  knows  nothing.  These  observations  have  been 
carried  on  quietly  and  persistently,  no  heed  being  paid  to  the  scoffer, 
failure  only  urging  on  to  fresh  efforts. 
To  most  of  us  a  period  of  fifty-six  years  is  a  lifetime.  Do  many  of 
us  realise  that  for  fifty-six  years  two  men  have  been  experimenting  at 
Rothamsted  with  manures  or  crops?  Is  there  not  patience  here? 
Mind,  farm  experiments  of  this  sort  mean  only  one  trial  a  year.  There 
is  only  one  seed  time,  only  one  harvest;  how  sick  most  of  us  would 
have  got  of  it,  how  ready  to  give  it  up  ! 
These  experiments  have  been  a  wonderful  object  lesson;  an  object 
lesson  for  whom  ?  Where  are  the  pupils  ?  The  classes  must  have 
changed  many  a  time.  What  is  the  aggregate  number  of  the  pupils  ? 
Into  that  we  had  better  not  inquire — more  shame  to  us.  As  a  body 
the  farmers  of  England  do  not  shirk  the  necessity  for  manuring — the 
tillage  bill  of  Great  Britain  is  something  like  £22,000,000  per  annum, 
and  ibis  is  only  for  artificial  tillages,  this  does  not  include  the  manure 
left  from  bought  food  or  the  manure  of  hon  e  manufacture.  We  may 
safely  estimate  the  manurial  value  of  foreign-bought  feeding  stuff  at 
at  least  £12,000,000.  The  artificial*  manure  bill  would  amount  to 
25s.  per  acre  for  all  cultivated  land  ;  that  is  a  very  fair  estimate  alone. 
Lord  Salisbury  in  1879,  when  agricultural  depression  began  to 
receive  attention,  told  the  farmers  to  manure  with  brains.  This  was 
considered  a  rather  nasty  uncalled  for  remark,  but  his  Lordship  was 
right.  Can  anyone  say  how  much  of  the  money  spent  on  artificial 
manures  was  as  money  thrown  away  ?  We  mean  to  say  that  for 
many  and  many  £100  paid  cheerfully  by  the  farmer  he  did  not  get 
anything  like  that  value  in  return. 
First,  of  course,  there  was  the  fraudulent  dealer,  the  man  who 
concocted  a  special  article  at  a  special  price,  which  had  only  one  spi  cial 
qualification,  that  was  to  get  good  gold  cut  of  the  farmer’s  breeches 
pocket.  Then  there  were  those  marvellous  products  of  town  waste,  if 
stench  wasany  guide  they  must  be  infallible,  but  they  would  not  stand 
the  test  of  analysis. 
Then  we  arrive  at  misapplied  zeal,  probably  a  slavish  following  in 
the  steps  of  the  fat  hr  r.  Bones  and  lime  have  been  the  sheet  anchors  of 
the  half-educated  farmer.  Someone  started  the  theoiy  of  boms  being 
good  for  the  land  ;  dear  they  certainly  were,  so  on  they  went,  many 
on  to  land  where  from  its  boggy  nature  they  would  never  dissolve. 
Half  inch  bones  on  peaty  lands  may  now  be  found,  though  it  is 
sixty  years  since  any  were  applied.  Of  what  good  have  they  been  ? 
Bones  to  be  of  any  use  whatevtr  must  he  disintegrated,  and  thousands 
of  tons  have  been  simply  wasted  by  wrong  methods  of  application,  on 
the  wrong  class  of  soils. 
The  same  with  lime  ;  what  a  sheet  anchor  that  has  been  !  and  how 
over -application  has  nullified  all  good  effect.  For  the  plant  to  receive 
the  full  amount  ol  benefit  the  lime  must  be  applied  in  such  a  form  as 
to  be  easily  assimilated,  'l'he  old  manner  was  to  spread  5  or  6  tons 
per  acre  of  coarse  rough  stuff,  trusting  to  time  a  .d  weather  to  do  the 
mixing.  Now  time  being  money,  the  modern  way  is  to  dress  with 
4  ewte  per  acre  of  finely  ground  lime.  This  means  a  good  deal 
of  saving  in  time  and  leading,  to  say  nothing  of  expense,  and  the  crop 
receives  more  benefit  than  from  the  greater  application  of  coarser 
material.  This  is  just  ordinary  everyday  tilling. 
There  exists  a  pest  known  to  all  Turnip  growers  as  fmger-and- 
toe.  It  is  a  protest  from  the  land  that,  its  natural  Turnip  resources 
being  exhausted,  art  must  step  in  and  supply  the  need.  The  disease 
