May  1,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
397 
Covent  Garden  Market.— April  30tli. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit. 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Apples,  cooking,  bush. 
6  0  to  8  0 
Grapes,  Hamburgh, 
,,  Tasmanian  ... 
11  0 
15  0 
new,  lb .  6  0to8  0 
Bananas . 
8  0 
12  0 
Oranges,  case  . 10  0 
25  0 
Dates,  red  V.,  doz.  bxs. 
5  6 
0  0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s, 
Lemons,  Messina,  case 
10  0 
12  0 
each .  3  6 
5  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Vegetables. 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
2  0  to  3  0 
Lettuce,  Cos,  doz.  ...  3  0  to  4  0 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
1  6 
0  0 
Mint,  doz.  bun .  8  0 
9  0 
Asparagus,  English,  100 
5  0 
6  0 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb.  0  8 
0  9 
,,  Spanish,  flun. 
1  0 
1  3 
Mustard  &  Cress,  punt.  0  2 
0  0 
,,  Toulouse,  ,, 
2  3 
3  0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ...  3  0 
4  0 
Batavia,  doz . 
2  0 
0  0 
Potatoes,  English,  cwt.  3  0 
4  0 
Beans,  French,  lb. 
1  0 
1  3 
,,  ,,  new,  lb.  0  4^- 
5i 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
0  6 
0  0 
,,  Algerian,  cwt.  13  0 
16  0 
Cabbages,  tally  . 
6  0 
8  0 
Radishes,  doz .  0  9 
1  0 
Carrots,  new,  bun. 
1  0 
1  3 
Seakale  .  1  0 
1  3 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
2  0 
3  0 
Spinach,  bush .  3  0 
4  0 
Corn  Salad,  strike 
1  0 
1  3 
Sprue,  French,  dozen 
Cucumbers  doz . 
2  6 
3  6 
bunches  .  8  0 
9  0 
Endive,  doz . 
1  6 
0  0 
Tomatoes,  Canary 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0  0 
consignment  .  4  0 
4  6 
Horseradish,  bunch  ... 
1  6 
0  0 
Turnips,  bnch .  1  3 
1  6 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0  u 
0  2 
Watercress,  doz .  0  6 
0  0 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz. 
1  0 
1  3 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  in  Pots. 
Most  of  the  undermentioned  plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32-sized  pots 
s.  d.  s.  d 
Acacis  I)  r  u  m  in  o  n  d  i, 
doz . 18  0  to  0  0 
Aralias,  doz .  5  0  12  0 
Araucaria,  doz .  12  0  30  0 
Aspidistra,  doz .  18  0  36  0 
Boronia  heterophylla, 
doz . 12  0  18  0 
Crotons,  doz .  18  0  30  0 
Cyclamen,  doz .  6  0  9  0 
Cinerarias,  doz .  4  0  6  0 
Cyperus  alternifolius 
doz .  4  0  5  0 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz.  ...  12  0  30  0 
,,  viridis,  doz..  9  0  18  0 
Erica  candidissima  ...  18  0  30  0 
,,  Cavendisliii  ...  21  0  48  0 
,,  Persoluta  .  18  0  21  0 
,,  ventricosa  nana  18  0  21  0 
,,  ,,  coccinea  18  0  21  0 
,,  Wilmoreana  ...  9  0  12  0 
Ferns,  var.,  doz .  4  0  18  0 
,,  small,  100 .  10  0  16  0 
Average  Wholesale 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ... 
9 
0tol2 
0 
Foliage  plants,  var,  each 
1 
0 
5 
0 
Fuchsias . 
8 
0 
0 
0 
Genistas,  doz . 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Geraniums,  dble.,  doz. 
6 
0 
8 
0 
Grevilleas,  48’s,  doz.  ... 
8 
0 
5 
0 
Heliotropes  . 
8 
0 
0 
0 
Hydrangea  Thos.  Hogg 
10 
0 
18 
0 
,,  pink . 
10 
0 
12 
0 
Lycopodiums,  doz.  ... 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
3 
0 
0 
0 
8 
0 
10 
0 
ISIignonette  . 
8 
0 
9 
0 
Myrtles,  doz . 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Palms,  in  var.,  doz.  ... 
15 
0 
30 
6 
,,  specimens 
21 
0 
63 
0 
Pandanus  Veitchi,  48’s, 
doz . 
24 
0 
30 
0 
Pelargoniums,  doz.  ... 
10 
0 
15 
0 
Primulas  . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Shruhs,  in  pots  . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Spircea  japonica,  48’s, 
doz . 
6 
0 
8 
0 
1.— Cut  Blowers 
s.  d.  s. 
Arums,  doz .  2  0  to  0 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bnch.  10  2 
Azalea  mollis,  bunch  0  6  0 
Bouvardia,  coloured, 
doz.  bunches  .  6  0  8 
Carnations,  12  blooms  13  1 
Cattleyas,  doz .  8  0  12 
Cornflower,  doz.  bun.  10  1 
Croton  foliage,  bun.  ...  0  9  1 
Cycas  leaves,  each  ...  0  9  1 
Cypripediums,  doz.  ...  2  0  3 
Daffodils,  single,  doz....  2  0  3 
Eucbaris,  doz .  2  0  3 
Gardenias,  doz .  2  0  1 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bnchs .  4  0  6 
Gladiolus,  white,  doz. 
bunches  . 12  0  15 
(iypsophila,  doz.  bun.  6  0  8 
Iris,  Spanish,  doz.  bun.  9  0  12 
Ivy  leaves,  doz.  bun. ...  1  6  0 
Lilac,  French,  white, 
bunch  .  3  6  0 
Lilium  Harrisi  .  3  0  0 
,,  lancifoliumalb.  2  0  2 
,,  1.  rubrum .  2  0  2 
,,  longiflorum  ...  3  0  4 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12 
bnchs  .  6  0  12 
d 
0 
0 
9 
0 
9 
0 
6 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
6 
0 
0 
s. 
d. 
s.  d 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
bnchs . 
6 
OtoO  0 
Marguerites,  white. 
doz.  bnchs . 
4 
0 
0  0 
,,  yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
2 
0 
0  0 
Myrtle,  English,  per 
bunch  . 
0  6 
0  0 
N  arcissus,  Poeticus,  doz 
1 
0 
0  0 
Odontoglossums . 
4 
0 
0  0 
Orange  blossom,  bunch 
2 
0 
3  0 
Primula,  double  white. 
doz.  bunches . 
6 
0 
8  0 
Roses,  Niphetos,  white. 
doz . 
1 
0 
2  0 
,,  pink,  doz . 
2 
0 
4  0 
,,  yellow,doz.(Perles) 
1 
0 
2  0 
,,  Mardchal  Niels  ... 
2 
0 
4  0 
,,  Generals . 
2 
0 
4  0 
Smilax,  bunch  . 
3 
0 
4  0 
Stephanotis,  doz.  pips 
2  0 
3  0 
Stock,  double,  Avhite, 
doz.  bun . 
2 
0 
2  6 
Tulips,  white,  single, 
doz.  bun.  ... 
9  0 
12  0 
,,  scarlet,  single. 
doz.  bun.  ... 
4 
0 
0  0 
Violets,  single,  doz  ... 
0 
9 
1  0 
Wallflowers,  doz.  bun. 
2 
0 
3  0 
New  Narcissus. 
Messrs.  Dicksons,  Limited,  Chester,  send  to  us  a  trio  of  blooms 
of  one  of  Mr.  Engleheart’s  new  seedling  Narcissi  which  they 
have  bought,  and  will  distribute  in  the  autumn  of  1903.  It  is 
a  Leedsi  variety,  and  is  nanmd  “  Elaine.”  The  flower  is  delicately 
beautiful,  and  ivory  white  in  all  parts. 
Gentlemen  Farmers. 
Sometimes  we  wonder  very  much  how  and  what  we 
should  write — what  wdll  be  acceptable  to  our  readers,  and 
we  are  always  glad  of  a  hint.  Sometimes  the  hint  comes 
from  an  unexpected  source,  but  it  is  none  the  less  aceptable. 
Only  yesterday  we  received  an  American  paper  with  an 
article  bearing  the  above  heading,  and  as  it  was  marked  with 
a  blue  pencil  we  guessed  we  had  an  interest  in  it.  Perhaps 
our  views  and  the  American  views  won’t  quite  coincide  ;  but 
that’s  only  too  likely.  We  hardly  thought  “gentlemen 
farmers  ”  were  American  creations  ;  they  are  more  old-time 
Englishmen.  And,  alas !  we  have  to  say  they  do  belong  to  a 
different  England  from  the  present^there  is  iio  room  for 
them  now ;  they  are  crowded  out,  starved  out,  in  fact. 
This  process  of  elimination  has  taken  place  during  our 
own  lifetime,  and  it  is  with  feelings  of  great  sadness  we  think 
of  it.  What  is  a  gentleman  farmer  1  Most  people  will  point  to 
two  classes ;  but  we  think  ourselves  he  can  only  be  properly 
reckoned  in  one.  The  first  class  is  that  of  the  gentleman 
amateur,  and  under  that  heading  w'e  may  place  (1)  those 
men  who,  for  love  of  the  occupation  or  because  they  can  t 
let  their  land,  take  a  portion  of  it  in  hand  themselves. 
These  are  probably  great  landowners,  and  also  titled  folk, 
and  not  necessarily  men  of  great  wealth  ;  indeed,  the 
possession  of  land  nowadays  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  great 
drawback,  the  emoluments  are.  so  small  and  the  responsi¬ 
bilities  so  great. 
Hampered  as  some,  or  most,  of  these  men  are,  it  is  an 
open  question  if  they  really  make  any  profit  out  of  their 
farming.  True,  one  may  say  they  have  no  rent  to  pay. 
No,  not  in  one  form ;  but  many  estates  are  so  heavily  mort¬ 
gaged  that  the  interest  on  the  borrowed  money  is  a  con¬ 
siderable  rent.  And  then,  again,  from  their  position  these 
men  are  not  able  to  take  a  really  active  oversight  of  their 
farms ;  they  have  no  time  to  go  into  details  (even  if  they 
should  understand  them),  and  all  the  practical  work  of 
management  has  to  be  done  by  paid  officials,  so  that  the 
cost  of  “running  the  show”  is  heavy. 
Then,  again,  the  land  in  hand  is  some  for  which  no  tenant 
can  be  found,  and,  therefore,  we  may  fairly  suppose  it  is 
not  the  very  best,  for  good  land  even  yet  lets  itself.  Of 
course,  it  will  be  said  that  most  of  these  titled  men  faina 
so  that  they  may  ride  a  hobby— perhaps  Shires,  maybe 
Shorthorns,  Jerseys,  Dexters,  or  even  the  best  breeds  of 
pigs  and  sheep.  W^hether  the  owner  ever  reaps  any  piofit 
himself  is  more  than  doubtful.  That  he  benefits  the  com¬ 
munity  is  very  certain,  and  by  the  community  we  mean  not 
only  those  whom  he  employs  (their  name  is  legion),  but  the 
world  at  large,  for  the  man  who  raises  pure  good  stock 
may  be  looked  upon  as  a  public  benefactor.  A  man  of  this 
type,  if  he  really  loves  agriculture,  is  willing  to  lend  both 
himself  and  his  land  for  experimental  work,  and  before  the 
institution  of  experimental  schools  or  colleges  it  was  to 
these  men  alone  that  we  could  look  for  any  encouragement 
in  the  finer  arts— i.e.,  testing,  trying,  experimentalising. 
There  are  names  that  will  be  written  on  the  scoll^^ot  fame, 
and  that  have  been  written,  and  when  it  is  asked  :  “  What  is 
it  they  have  done?  ”  the  answer  will  be  :  “"They  endeavoured 
to  produce  double  crops  of  grass  and  grain,  and  of  double 
quality.  They  found  inferior  breeds  of  oxen  and  sheep,  and 
by  means  of  selection  and  judicious  crossing  they  produced 
a  better  type— i.e.,  for  the  butcher  and  the  woolstapler. 
When  they  took  horseflesh  in  hand  they  so  improved  the 
pleasure  and  the  working  horse  that  sires  of  English 
breeding  are  in  request  the  world  over.” 
Where  they  have  pointed  the  way,  others  have  followed. 
And  we  should  never  forget  that  the  great  experimental 
farm  at  Rothamstead  was  the  work  of  a  private  individual, 
who  not  only  threw  himself  heart  and  soul  into  the  work, 
but  who  has  left  it  possible  that  this  work  of  research  shall 
