January  30,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
109 
— 1,  Eranthemum  pulchellum  ;  2,  Justicia  calycotricha  ;  3,  Dracaena 
terminalii.  ( P .). — Todea  terminalis.  (Q.  S.). — Odontoglossum  Rossi 
majus  ;  a  good  form  of  Lselia  anceps.  (A.  W.  P.). — 1,  Trichomanes 
radicans;  2,  Dictyogramma  japonica.  (R.  1.). — 1,  Cypripedium  villosum; 
2,  C.  Harrisianum ;  3,  C.  insigne.  ( M .  P.). — Libonia  floribunda. 
(Anxious). — Cymbidium  tigrinum. 
COVENT  GARDEN  MARKET. — January  29th. 
The  supply  of  Grapes  is  now  beginning  to  fall  off,  and  prices  are  improving 
English  goods  coming  very  light. 
FRUIT. 
1. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d 
8. 
d. 
Apples,  per  bushel  . .  . . 
3 
0 
to  4 
6 
Lemons,  case  . 
li 
Oto  14 
0 
„  Nova  Scotia,  barrel 
13 
0 
17 
0 
Pears,  Californian,  per  case 
13 
0 
14 
0 
Grapes,  per  lb . 
1 
3 
2 
3 
St.  Michael  Pines,  each  . . 
2 
0 
6 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
e. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
s 
d. 
Beans,  per  lb . 
0 
10 
to  1 
0 
Mustard  and  Cress,  punnet 
0 
2 
to  0 
0 
Beet,  Red,  dozen . 
1 
0 
0 
0 
3 
6 
4 
0 
Carrots,  bunch . 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Parsley,  dozen  bunches  .. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cauliflowers,  dozen  . .  . . 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Parsnips,  dozen . 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery,  bundle  . . 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Potatoes,  per  cwt . 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Ooleworts,  dozen  bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy,  bundle . 
1 
0 
T 
6 
Cucumbers,  dozen  ..  .. 
4 
0 
10 
0 
Seakale,  per  basket  ..  .. 
1 
6 
1 
9 
Endive,  dozen  . 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Scorzonera,  bundle  ..  .. 
1 
6 
u 
0 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0 
3 
n 
0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0 
2 
0 
0 
2 
0 
2 
3 
Lettuce,  dozen . 
I 
3 
0 
0 
Sprouts,  half  siv . 
2 
6 
0 
0 
Mushrooms,  per  lb . 
0 
6 
0 
8 
Tomatoes .  per  lb . 
0 
6 
(i 
9 
Turnips,  bunch . 
0 
3 
0 
0 
PLANTS  IN  POTS. 
8. 
d. 
0. 
d. 
06 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Arbor  Vitae  (golden)  doz'.n 
6 
0  to  12 
0 
Ferns  ''small)  per  hundred 
4 
0 
to  6 
0 
Aspidistra,  dozen  . .  . . 
18 
0 
36 
0 
Ficus  elastica.  each  ..  ., 
1 
0 
7 
0 
Aspidistra,  specimen  plant 
5 
0 
10 
6 
Foliage  plantp,  var.  each 
1 
0 
5 
0 
Chrysanthemums,  per  doz 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Hyacinths,  dozen  pots 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Cineraria,  dozen  pots  .. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
Lycopodiums,  dozen  . .  . . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Cyclamen,  dozen  pots 
8 
0 
15 
0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  dozen  .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Dracaena,  various,  dozen  .. 
12 
0 
30 
0 
Myrtles,  dozen  . 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Dracaena  viridis,  dozen  .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Palms,  in  var..  each  .. 
1 
0 
15 
0 
Ericas,  various,  per  dozen  . 
9 
0 
24 
0 
,,  (specimens'  ..  .. 
21 
n 
33 
0 
Euony m  u  s ,  var.,  dozen  . . 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Solanums,  per  dozen..  .. 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Evergreens,  in  var.,  dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Tulips,  dozen  pots  .. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Ferns  iu  variety,  dozen  .. 
4 
0 
18 
0 
AVERAGE  WHOLESALE 
PRICES.— 
OUT  FLOWERS. — Orchid  Blooms  in  vaiiety 
0. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
f. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Acacia  or  Mimosa  (French) 
Orchids,  various,  dozen 
per  bunch . 
0 
9  to  1 
6 
blooms  . 
1 
6  to  12 
0 
Anemone  (.French),  dozen 
Pelargoniums,  12  bunches 
6 
0 
9 
0 
bunches . 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Primula  (double),  cozen 
Arum  Lilies,  12  blooms  .. 
3 
0 
e 
0 
sprays 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Asparagus  Fern,  per  bunch 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Roses  (indoor),  dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Bouvardias,  bunch  . .  . . 
0 
6 
1 
0 
„  Tea,  white,  dozen 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Carnations,  12  blooms 
1 
0 
3 
0 
„  Yellow,  dozen  (Niels) 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Chrysanthemum,  doz.  Dnch 
3 
0 
6 
0 
„  Red,  dozen  blooms  .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Daffodils,  single,  doz.  blms. 
1 
6 
2 
6 
„  Safrano  (English), 
„  double,  doz.  blms. 
0 
9 
1 
6 
dozen . 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Eucharis,  dozen . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
„  Safrano  (French),  per 
Gardenias,  dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
dozen  . 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
„  Pink  (French),  per 
bunches  . 
4 
0 
9 
0 
dozen  . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Hyacinth  (Roman)  dozen 
Smilax,  per  bunch  ..  .. 
5 
0 
6 
0 
sprays . 
,0 
4 
0 
9 
Stephanotis,  dozen  sprays 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Hyacinths,  dozen  spikes  . . 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Tuberoses.  12  blooms. .  .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Lilac  (French)  per  bunch 
3 
0 
5 
6 
Tulips,  dozen  blooms 
0 
6 
1 
6 
Lilium  longiflorum,  twelve 
Violets  Parme  (French), 
blooms  . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
per  bunch  . . 
4 
6 
6 
0 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  dozen 
„  Czar  (French),  per 
sprays . 
0 
9 
1 
6 
bunch  . .  . . 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz.  bchs. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
„  Victoria  (French), 
Marguerites,  12  bunches  . . 
2 
6 
4 
0 
12  bunches 
1 
9 
2 
6 
Narcissi,  var.,  doz.  bunches 
1 
6 
3 
0 
„  English,  12  bunches 
1 
0 
2 
0 
CROP  AND  STOCK. 
This  is  the  month  of  statistics  when  full  returns  of 
importations  for  the  last  twelve  months  are  before  us,  and  the 
stern  reality  of  our  dependance  on  foreign  countries  for  our 
food  supply  is  brought  clearly  home  to  us.  Government 
statistics  also  prove  that  our  losses  from  the  cultivation  of 
arable  land  have  led  to  the  withdrawal  of  three  and  a  half 
millions  of  acres  from  the  plough,  that  out  of  the  thirty  million 
quarters  of  Wheat  required  to  feed  the  teeming  population  of 
these  islands  annually,  our  own  land  contributes  under  five 
millions.  These  facts  must  impress  every  thoughtful  person 
with  a  sense  of  the  critical  state  of  things,  and  when  alarmists 
go  on  to  predict  a  speedy  famine  in  case  of  war,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  they  have  ample  reason  for  taking  so  gloomy  a  view 
of  the  matter. 
It  is  true  we  may  take  some  comfort  from  the  fact  of  our 
vast  importations  coming  from  so  many  countries,  but  it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  bulk  of  our  corn  supply  comes  mainly 
from  only  a  very  few  countries.  By  far  the  greater  quantity 
of  Wheat  comes  from  Russia,  the  United  States  of  America, 
and  the  Persian  Gulf  ;  Australia,  the  Argentine  Confederation, 
and  India  being  the  next  three,  smaller  quantities  coming  from 
twelve  other  countries.  Of  flour  our  main  supply  comes  from 
the  United  States,  whence  the  quantity  sent  is  more  than  four 
times  as  much  as  comes  from  Canada,  thirteen  other  countries, 
also  importers,  being  at  the  head  of  them. 
When  the  price  of  Wheat  fell  and  continued  falling,  Barley 
came  to  be  regarded  as  a  rather  safe  resource  for  our  struggling 
corn  farmers.  It  was  loudly  proclaimed  a  paying  crop— too 
loudly  possibly,  as  we  find  twenty-three  countries  sending 
Barley  to  us  last  year,  Russia,  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  Turkey  in 
Asia  taking  the  lead.  Our  total  importation  of  Oats  amounted 
to  3,542,569  quarters,  of  which  Russia  alone  contributed  over 
three  million  quarters,  Sweden  and  the  United  States  being  next, 
followed  by  thirteen  other  countries  It  is  certain  that  the 
bulk  of  foreign  samples  are  decidedly  inrerior  to  good  English 
Oats,  yet  the  entire  home  supply  was  only  96,892  quarters. 
While  avoiding  lengthy  tables  we  have  gone  sufficiently  into 
figures  to  make  clear  the  gravity  of  the  situation,  as  an 
incentive  in  some  small  degree  to  renewed  exertion,  to  efforts 
to  improve  in  every  detail  of  soil  cultivation.  The  easy  going 
times  of  a  hundred  years  ago,  when  Wheat  was  over  five 
guineas  per  quarter  and  the  quartern — 4  lbs. — loaf  cost  Is.  9d., 
are  gone,  we  hope  never  to  return.  Times  have  been  good, 
and  profits  ample  since  then  till  some  fourteen  or  fifteen 
years  ago. 
In  a  retrospective  view  of  the  years  of  the  depression,  and 
those  previous  better  years  of  our  own  generation,  the  question 
arises,  If  when  Wheat  was  at  say  60s.  a  quarter  corn  farmers 
could  pay  40s.  to  50s.  an  acre  for  their  land  and  flourish,  when 
corn  fell  to  say  30s  ,  and  their  rents  were  reduced  at  the  least 
by  half  and  in  some  instances  by  very  much  more  than  half, 
why  did  so  many  fail  outright,  and  all  of  them  complain 
loudly  of  hard  times  ?  It  certainly  would  appear  that  the  old 
easy  going  method  of  management  was  at  fault,  and  that  if 
with  lower  prices  a  more  prudent  and  intelligent  system  of 
management  had  been  brought  to  bear  on  the  land,  corn¬ 
growing  need  never  have  fallen  off  so  much  as  it  has. 
Hear  Mr.  Primrose  McConnell  on  this.  He  says  plainly 
that  under  their  system  of  temporary  pasture  on  the  Essex  clays 
at  Ongar  the  land  is  easily  kept  clear  of  foul  weeds,  it  is  always 
in  good  heart  by  a  judicious  application  of  manure,  “  that  fairly 
good  crops  are  grown  at  a  minimum  of  cost,  and  that  making 
Wheat  profitable  at  30s.  per  quarter  is  no  mystery  at  all,  in  fact 
it  is  the  most  profitable  corn  crop  we  have  where  the  straw  can 
be  disposed  of  for  a  fair  price.”  He  goes  on  to  tell  how  the 
crops  improved  year  by  year,  the  first  Wheat  crops  averaging 
3  and  3£  quarters  per  acre,  the  yield  subsequently  advancing 
to  5  quarters,  and  the  Oats,  which  at  first  only  weighed  38|  lbs. 
per  bushel,  advanced  in  weight  to  40  lbs. 
Now  this  is  in  Essex,  which,  according  to  the  Special 
Commissioners’  report,  has  the  blackest  record  of  ruin  and 
misery  of  any  part  of  England.  Surely  there  is  a  lesson  here  of 
the  highest  national  importance.  It  shows  clearly  enough  how 
entirely  possible  are  improved  methods  of  cultivation  both  of 
arable  and  pasture  land.  It  is  our  clear  apprehension  of  such 
possibilities  that  has  led  our  persistent  advocacy  of  autumn 
tillage,  sustained  fertility  of  soil,  good  seed,  and  timely  cultivation 
in  every  way. 
To  do  this  in  the  best  way  we  would  have  every  farmer  to 
know  the  nature  of  the  soil  of  every  field — every  division  of  his 
farm— to  know  its  condition  in  drainage,  mechanical  division, 
and  fertility,  to  master  its  wants,  and  supply  them  thoroughly 
