440 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
•May  15,  1902. 
circulation  of  warm  air.  is  desirable;  it  is  also  inadvisable  to  stop 
or  remove  laterals  while  the  Vines  are  in  bloom,  but  when  the 
berries  are  fairly  set  remove  superfluous  laterals  and  pinch  as 
required,  both  to  prevent  overcrowding  and  concentrate  the  sup¬ 
plies  of  nourishment  on  the  Grapes. 
PLANTING  GROWING  VINES.— From  now  to  the  early 
part  of  June  is  a  good  time  to  plant  out  those  raised  from  eyes  in 
February  or  March,  and  grown  in  pots  or  turves.  The  roots 
must  not  be  disentangled,  as  they  will  scarcely  have  acquired  a 
corkscrew  formation  ;  yet  turf-raised  Vines  are  better  than  potted 
ones,  as  they  form  a  straight  but  fibrous  root,  and  are  not  so 
prone  to  descend  deeply  as  those  tui'ned  out  of  the  pots  with  the 
ball  entire.  Compact  the  soil  well  about  the  balls  or  turv^es, 
give  a  good  soaking  with  water  at  90deg,  and  mulch  with  about 
an  inch  thickness  of  short  and  rather  lumpy  manure.  Maintain 
a  rather  humid  atmosphere,  and  shade  from  bright  sun  until  the 
Vines  become  established. — St.  Albans. 
fature  Notes. 
Horse  Chestnuts  have  the  lower  flowers  of  the  thyrsus  now 
fully  expanded. 
The  following  appear  about  this  period  :  Daddy  Longlegs,  Dot 
Moth,  and  Spotted  Flycatcher.  Tlie  Reed  Bunting  also  lays 
about  this  period. 
Large  numbers  of  bees,  both  hive  and  wild,  have  been  much 
injured  on  certain  of  the  late  windy  days  when  out  gathering 
honey  from  the  various  flowering  trees. 
On  May  9,  and  succeeding  days,  occurred  at  St.  Pierre, 
Martinique,  and  St.  Vincent,  two  West  Indian  islatids,  the  most 
fearful  cataclysm  that  has  occurred  in  modern  times,  involving 
the  deaths  of  50,000  persons. 
A  blackcap  (says  a  daily  paper)  has  built  a  nest  and  is  now 
sitting  on  a  clutch  of  eggs  in  the  pump  which  stands  in  the  prison 
yard  at  Terrington,  King’s  Lynn.  The  bird  can  only  get  into  the 
pumij  through  the  handle  aperture.  It  is  quite  common  for 
robins  and  wrens  to  build  within  disused  i>umps,  entering  by  the 
spout. 
North  and  east  winds  have  blown  .steadily  for  three  weeks 
past,  the  Aveather  ha.ving  been  bitterly  cold  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  and  also  on  the  continent  of  Europe.  A  beggar 
Avas  frozen  to  death  in  Belgium  only  a  feAv  days  ago,  and  it  Avas 
reported  on  the  7th  inst.  that  Avolves  Avere  descending  to  the 
Italian  plains  from  the  Apennines. 
Is  not  the  fly  referred  to  on  page  419  by  “  H.  R.  R.,”  in 
“Nature  Notes,”  Bombjdius  medius?- — H.  S.  R.,  SaAvbridge- 
AA'orth,  Herts. 
It  is  not  easy  sometimes  for  an  entomologist  to  recognise  what 
an  insect  is  AAlien  only  seen  on  the  Aving,  and  from  “  H.  R.  R.’s  ” 
description  I  thought  this  AAas  lepidopterous.  Probably  it  Avas 
Bombylius  major  or  medius  (as  suggested  by  “  H.  S.  R.”)  a  tAvo- 
Avinged  and  therefore  true  fly,  having  a  furry  back  and  broad 
abdomen,  Avith  black  hairs  interspersed  Avith  lighter,  and  Avings 
half  Avhite,  half  brown,  or  black.  Proboscis  long  as  the  body,  or 
nearly,  it  hovers  over  floAvers.  But  I  should  not  have  thought  it 
Avould  be  in  flight  quite  as  early. — J.  R.  S.  C. 
I  read  Avith  much  interest  the  paragraph  anent  insect  Avith 
long  proboscis  under  the  aboAm  heading.  Your  correspondent 
“  F.  O.  P.”  need  liaA^e  no  fear  about  handling  the  insect.  I  can 
honestly  vouch  for  its  harmlessness,  for  I  handled  the  specimen 
I  caught  Avithout  being  injured.  I  let  it  Avalk  about  my  hands 
and  held  it  betAveen  my  thumb  and  finger,  so  that  if  it  Avere  really 
inclined  to  sting  it  surely  AA  Ould  liaA'e  done  so.  I  am  A’ery  sorry 
noAv  that  I  did  not  send  the  insect  to  be  properly  identified  ;  but 
I  thought  a  description  Avould  be  enough,  so  let  it  fly  aAvay.  I 
do  not  knoAv  any  of  the  bee  hawks,  but  .somehoAV  I  hardly  like  to 
believe  that  the  term  “tongue”  can  be  rightly  applied  to  the 
organ  possessed  by  the  insect  in  question.  .  The  organ  is  composed 
of  a  hard  substance,  for  it  Avas  ahvays  perfectly  rigid  and  quite 
incapable  of  being'made  shorter,  either  by  rolling  or  AvithdraAval. 
The  insect  could  also,  at  will,  put  the  proboscis  in  such  a  po.sition 
as  to  be  in  a  straight  line  Avitli  the  body,  or,  as  Avhen  on  the  Aving, 
turned  doAviiAAards  at  right  angles  Avifh  the  body.  Do  not  the 
black  spots  on  wings  help  in  any  Avay  to  solve  the  identity? 
Also,  it  only  has  tAA  O  Avings ;  the  antennae  are  very  short.  AVhen 
AA  alking  its  moA-ements  are  far  from  being  graceful. 
The  extremely  cold  Aveather  makes  cuckoos  and  nightingales 
A-ery  quiet.  I  noticed  first  HaAvtho’vn  (Crataegus  ox57acantha) 
flowers  on  the  4th  in.st. — H.  R.,  Kent. 
As  an  index  of  the  comparative  earhness  of  the  .season,  not- 
Avithstanding  the  preAailing  cold  Aveather  Avhich  so  far  charac¬ 
terised  the  past  month  of  April,  in  referring  to  my  notes  I 
find  that  my  large  tree  of  Summer  Thorn  Pear  was  only  in  full 
bloom  by  May  4  last  year,  Avhereas  it  Avas  so  by  April  25  this 
year.  The  same  remark  also  applies  to  three  other  equally  large 
trees  of  the  same  A'ariety  close  at  hand  in  a  neighbouring 
garden. — W.  G.,  Harborne,  Staffs. 
Coleridge  on  The  Nightingale. 
And  hark !  the  nightingale  begins  its  .song, 
Most  mu.sical,  most  meiancholy  bird. 
A  melancholy  bird.  Oh idle  thought. 
In  Nature  there  is  nothing  melancholy. 
’Tis  the  merry  nightingale. 
That  crowds,  and  hurries,  and  precipitates 
AVith  fast  thick  warble  his  delicious  notes. 
As  he  were  fearful  that  an  April  night 
AA'ould  be  too  short  for  him  to  utter  forth 
llis  love  chant,  and  disburden  his  full  soul 
Of  all  its  music. 
Covent  Garden  Market.— May  14tli, 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit. 
s.  d. 
s. 
d 
s.  d. 
s. 
d 
Apples,  cooking,  bush. 
6  0to8 
0 
Grapes,  Hamburgh,  lb.  3  0  to  4 
0 
,,  Tasmanian  ... 
11  0 
15 
0 
Lemons,  Messina,  case  10  0 
12 
0 
Apricots,  boxes  . 
1  0 
1 
3 
Oranges,  case  . 10  0 
25 
0 
Bananas . 
8  0 
12 
0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s, 
Cherries,  boxes  . 
1  3 
1 
6 
each .  3  6 
5 
0 
Averag'e  Wholesale  Prices.— Vegetables. 
s.  d. 
s. 
d 
s.  d. 
s. 
d 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
2  0  to  3 
0 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz.  1  0  to  1 
3 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
1  6 
0  0 
Lettuce,  Cos,  doz.  ...  3  0 
4 
0 
Asparagus,  English,  100 
2  0 
2 
6 
Mint,  doz.  bun .  4  0 
6 
0 
,,  Spanish,  bun. 
1  0 
1 
3 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb.  0  8 
0  9 
,,  Toulouse,  ,, 
1  6 
2 
0 
Mustard  &  Cress,  pnnt.  0  2 
0 
0 
Batavia,  doz . 
2  0 
0 
0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ...  3  0 
4 
0 
Beans,  French,  lb. 
0  8 
0 
9 
Potatoes,  English,  CAvt.  3  0 
4 
0 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
0  6 
0 
0 
,,  ,,  ncAV,  lb.  0  4 
0  5 
Cabbages,  tally  . 
3  0 
5 
0 
,,  Algerian,  cwt.  13  0 
0 
0 
Carrots,  new,  bun. 
0  8 
0 
9 
Radishes,  doz .  0  9 
1 
0 
CaulifloAvers,  doz. 
2  0 
3 
0 
Seakale  .  1  0 
•  1 
3 
Corn  Salad,  strike 
1  0 
1 
3 
Spinach,  bush .  3'  0 
4 
0 
Cucumbers  doz . 
2  0 
3 
0 
Tomatoes,  Canary 
Endive,  doz . 
1  6 
0 
0 
consignment  .  4  0 
4 
6 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0 
0 
Turnips,  bnch .  0  6 
0  8 
Horseradish,  bunch  ... 
1  6 
0 
0 
Watercress,  doz .  0  6 
0 
0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0  u 
0 
2 
• 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  In  Pots. 
Most  of  the  undermentioned  plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32-sized  pots 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Aralias,  doz . 
5  0tol2  0 
Araucaria,  doz . 
12  0 
30  0 
Aspidistra,  doz . 
18  0 
36  0 
Crotons,  doz . 
18  0 
30  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 
,,  Cavendishii 
21  0 
48  0 
,,  Persoluta  . 
18  0 
21  0 
,,  ventricosa  nana 
18  0 
21  0 
,,  ,,  coccinea 
18  0 
21  0 
Ferns,  var.,  doz . 
4  0 
18  0 
,,  small,  100 . 
10  0 
16  0 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ... 
9  0 
12  0 
Foliage  plants,  var,  each  10  5  0 
Fuchsias .  6  0  8  0 
s.  d.  s.  “ 
Geraniums,  dble.,  doz.  6  0  to  0  „ 
Grevilleas,  48’h,  doz.  ...  8  0  5 
Heliotropes  .  6  0  8  „ 
Hydrangea  Thos.  Hogg  10  0  12  „ 
,,  pink . 10  0  12  Q 
Lycopodiums,  doz.  ...  3  0  0  ^ 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz.  8  0  10  ^ 
Mignonette  .  6  0  8 
Myrtles,  doz .  6  0  9  ° 
Palms,  invar-.,  doz.  ...  15  0  30  0 
,,  specimens  ...  21  0  63  0 
Pandanus  A'eitchi,  48’s, 
doz .  24  0  30  0 
Pelargoniums,  doz.  ...  10  0  15  0 
Primulas  .  3  0  4  0 
Shrubs,  in  pots  .  4  0  6  0 
Spira-a  iaponica,  48’s, 
doz.  ..  6  0  8  0 
Average 
Wholesale  Prices.— Cut  BloAwers 
Arums,  doz . 
Asparagiis,  Fern,  bnch. 
Bouvardia,  coloured, 
doz.  bunches  . 
Carnations,  12  blooms 
Cattleyas,  doz . 
CornfloAver,  doz.  bun. 
Croton  foliage,  bun.  ... 
Cycas  leaves,  each 
Cypripediums,  doz.  ... 
Eucharis,  doz . 
Gardenias,  doz . 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bnchs . 
Gladiolus,  Avhite,  doz. 
bunches  . 
Gypsophila,  doz.  bun. 
Iris,  Spanish,  doz.  bun. 
Ivy  leaves,  doz.  bun. ... 
Lilac,  French,  Avhite, 
bunch 
Liliuni  Harris!  . 
,,  lancifolium  alb. 
,,  1.  rubrum . 
,,  longiflorum  ... 
Lily  of  A^alley,  12  bnchs 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d  1 
4 
0  to  5 
0 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
1 
0 
2 
0 
bnchs . 
Marguerites,  AA’hite, 
6 
0 
8 
0 
doz.  bnchs . 
1 
3 
1 
9 
,,  yelloAv,  doz.  bnchs. 
8 
0 
12 
0 
Myrtle,  English,  per 
1 
0 
1 
6 
bunch  . 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Narcissus  Poeticus,doz 
0 
9 
1 
6 
,,  double  Avhite, 
doz.  bunches 
2 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
Odontoglossums . 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Orange  blossom,  bunch 
Primula,  double  Avhite, 
4 
0 
6 
0 
doz.  bunches . 
Roses,  Niphetos,  Avhite, 
doz . 
6 
0 
8 
0 
6 
0 
8 
0 
,,  pink,  doz . 
6 
0 
9 
0 
,,  yellow, doz.  (Perles) 
1 
6 
0 
0 
,,  Mardchal  Niels  ... 
,,  Generals . 
3 
6 
0 
0 
Sinilax,  bunch  . 
3 
0 
0 
0 
:  Stephanotis,  doz.  pips 
'  Stock,  double,  Avhite, 
2 
0 
2 
6 
2 
0 
2 
6 
doz.  bun . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
SAveet  Peas,  Avhite  and 
6 
0 
18 
0  coloured,  dozen  Inin. 
*  AVallfioAvers,  doz.  bun. 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
4  0  to  5  0 
4  0 
0  0 
2  0 
0  0 
0  6 
0  0 
1  0 
1  6 
6  0 
8  0 
4  0 
0  0 
2  0 
3  0 
6  0 
8  0 
1  0 
2  0 
2  0 
4  0 
1  0 
2  0 
2  0 
4  0 
2  0 
4  0 
4  0 
6  0 
2  0 
0  0 
2  0 
2  6 
6  0 
8  0 
2  0 
3  0 
