2i2 
,H)URNAL  OF  "HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Jlarch  12,  1903. 
APPLE  TREES  FOR  CENTRAL  AFRICA  (S.  W.).— A  full 
reply  will  be  given  in  our  next  issue. 
ADDRESSES  OF  SECRETARIES  OF  OARDENING 
CHARITIES  (F.  F.). — They  are  given  on  this  page. 
MARKET  PRICES. — The  folloving  alterations  upon  oiu 
average  w  holesale  i^rices  printed  last  veek  are  neces.sary  — 
Crapes,  .Micantes,  2s.  to  2s.  Gd.  per  lb  ;  Cucumbers,  6s.  to  8s.  pet- 
dozen ;  ('abbage  Lettuces,  per  dozen,  Is.  to  Is.  3d.  ;  forced  Mush¬ 
rooms,  8d.  to  9d.  per  lb;  Gardenias,  3s.  to  os;  per  doz ;  Lilium 
Harrisi,  3s.  to  4s.  ;  Paper- vdiite  Narciss,  2s.  to  2s.  Cd.  per 
dozen,;.  Grand  Prime  Narciss,  Is.  6d.  to  2s. 
•  TR.tNSPLANTING  C'ARNATIONS  (N.  N.). — If  you  require 
a  mass  of  flo-trers  for  cutting  the  plants  may  bloom  in  their  pre¬ 
sent  position.  If  yon  wish  to  have  them  distributed  in  your 
borders  you  can  take  out  every  alternate  plant  from  the  beds, 
retaining  as  much  soil  about  the  roots  as  possible,  and  replant 
carefully  at  any  time  during  the  present  month  when  the 
weather  and  soil  are  favourable.  If  the  plants  are  not  i-emoved 
they  will  not  need  top-dressing,  but  if  a  portion  of  them  are  taken 
from  the  bed  the  spaces  they  occupied  should  be  covered  with 
fi'esh  soil  and  manure. 
APPLES  FOR  SUCCESSION  (J.  S.).— It  is  impossible  for 
■us  to  place  the  varieties  you  have  named  in  the  order  of  merit,  as 
alUof  them  cannot  be  judged  by  any  one  .standard.  Each  have 
qualities  of  their  own.  and  all  the  varieties  are  worthy  of  culti¬ 
vation  and  suitable  for  your  district.  Instead  of  attempting  to 
arrange  them  in  the  order  of  merit  we  will  place  them  soinewhat 
in  the  order  of  ripening.  Dessert :  Irish  Peach,  Devonshire 
Quarrenden,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin.  Kitchen:  Lord  Suffield,  Kes¬ 
wick  Codlin,  Cellini,  Ecklinville  Seedling,  Warner’s  King,  and 
Dumelow’s  Seedling;  but  the  two  latter  are  practically  in  use 
during  the  same  period.  As  a  rule  Apples  are  better  adapted 
to  the  bush  than  the  pyramid  mode  of  training. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Correspondents  whose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (F.  L.). — 1,  Lonicera  Standislii ;  2.  Primus  triloba  ; 
3.  Primus  Davidiana  ;  4,  Iris  reticulata  var.  Krmlagi.  (N.  F.). — 1, 
Selaginella  atro-i  iridis ;  2,  cuspiclata ;  3,  granclis ;  4,  iSIartensi ;  5, 
caulescens.  (.J.  .J.). — 1.  Phaius  Normani ;  2,  P.  simulans. 
- - - ■ 
Gardeners’  Provident  and  Charitable  Institutions. 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  In,stitution. — Secretary, 
Mr.  G.  .1.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. — 
Secretary,  Mr.  W.  Collins.  9,  Martindalc  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.Brian  Wynne, 
8,  Danes  Inn  Strand.  London,  W.C. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date, 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil, 
At  9  A.M, 
1903. 
March. 
li 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
B 
‘3 
Ph 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
U  - 
a  CD 
® 
®  jg  s5 
5  £  ^ 
6  fflCj 
5 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
•49 
CQ 
<D 
bo 
K 
•49 
00 
CD 
& 
o 
bi 
Sunday  ...  1 
S.S.E. 
deg. 
44-7 
deg. 
41-7 
deg. 
48-7 
deg. 
35-2 
Ins. 
0-20 
deg. 
42  9 
deg. 
45-0 
deg. 
45-9 
deg. 
23-4 
Monday  ...  2 
8.S.E. 
42-5 
41-7 
53-1 
34-3 
0-35 
42  0 
44-5 
45-9 
28  0  . 
Tuesday...  3 
W.N.W. 
43-4 
41-8 
47-6 
42-1 
0-02 
42-6 
44-3 
45-8 
39-8 
Wed’sday  4 
S.W. 
45-6 
43-5 
54-6 
33-4 
0-08 
42-1 
44-3 
45-8 
20-4 
Thursday  5 
S.W. 
46-2 
44-9 
47-4 
45-2 
0-10 
44T 
44-3 
45-8 
40-5 
Friday  ...  6 
W.S.W. 
33-8 
36-4 
491 
33-2 
008 
43-3 
44-7 
45-8 
22T 
Saturday  7 
S.W. 
42-9 
41-1 
45-1 
36-3 
0-23 
42-8 
44-6 
45-8 
26-4 
Meaks  ... 
43-4 
41-6 
1 
49-4 
37-1 
Total. 
1-06 
42  8 
44-5 
45  8 
28-6 
tVind  and  rain  have  been  the  prevailing  features  of  the  past  week 
with  sun  on  one  or  two  days. 
The  King  has  been  graciously  pleased  to  accept  a  copy  of  the 
11)03  edition  of  ‘‘The  Advertiser’s  A  B  C;  The  Standard  Adver¬ 
tisement  Press  Dh-ectory,”  published  by  Messrs.  T.  B.  Browne, 
Limited,  Queen  Victoria  Street.  London,  E.C. 
Echoes  from  the  Shire  Horse  Show. 
W^ith  a  total  entry  of  680,  this  year’s  show  was  sure  to 
be  a  success  ;  but  there  ivere  a  few  prophets  of  evil  who 
foresaw  a  falling  oft'  in  quality,  especially  in  some  of  the 
younger  classes.  These  expectations  were  completely 
falsified,  for  we  doubt  if  there  has  ever  been  a  finer  all 
round  exhibition  of  heavy  horses.  In  the  early  years  of  the 
Shire  Horse  Society,  before  its  influence  had  been  felt  in 
improving  the  shape  and  soundness  of  the  heavy  sires  which 
travelled  the  country,  there  seemed  to  be  a  fear  that  in 
insisting  on  soundness  and  activity  there  ivas  a  danger  of 
sacrificing  weight.  Certainly  some  years  ago  many  of  the 
horses  travelling  lacked  size.  We  think  that  this  year’s 
show  gave  conclusive  evidence  that  there  are  plenty  of 
animals  which  are  not  only  good,  but  big  and  heavy.  A 
good  big  one  will  always  beat  a  good  little  one,  and  in  all 
those  classes  where  there  is  no  limit  as  to  height,  ex¬ 
hibitors  have  long  since  tired  of  paying  the  expense  of 
entering  undersized  animals,  however  perfect  they  might  be. 
Motor  cars  have  not  yet  ruined  the  trade  for  big  geld¬ 
ings,  and  we  have  some  doubt  whether  they  ever  will. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  argument  and  disputation  as  to 
the  correctness  of  the  decision  wdiich  gave  the  champion¬ 
ship  to  Stroxton  Tom  for  the  second  time.  A  very  strong 
section  favoured  Birdsall  Menestral,  and  partizanship  ran 
so  high  as  to  revive  memories  of  Hackney  shows.  We  can 
congratulate  Messrs.  Forshaw  heartily  on  the  success  of 
their  horse,  for  it  was  a  great  triumplr  for  both  the  horse 
and  his  owners  to  come  out  in  such  grand  style  at  his  age. 
We  want  horses  which  can  stand  wear  and  tear,  and  one 
which  has  seen  his  best  day  before  he  is  six  years  old  is  of 
no  use  to  either  breeder  or  farmei*.  We  want  horses  that 
are  sound  and  will  keep  so.  It  is  quite  possible  that  Lord 
Rothschild’s  horse  will  be  in  sound  condition  in  ten  years 
time,  and  we  hope  he  may.  We  strongly  support  the  judges 
on  this  question.  For  another  disputed  decision  of  which 
Messrs.  Forshaw  also  got  the  advantage  there  may  have 
been  more  cause,  for  we  imagine  Fledboro  Minor  would  not 
often  beat  Blaisden  Conqueror.  It  will  be  interesting  to 
see  them  meet  again. 
Four-year-old  stallions  were  a  very  even  and  good  lot, 
and  about  the  best  class  in  the  show.  These  fine  horses 
should  make  their  mark  on  next  season’s  crop  of  foals. 
The  champion  mare.  Solace,  was  aptly  named  for  the 
occasion,  for  her  success  would  be  some  compensation  to 
Lord  Rothschild  for  the  defeat  of  her  stable  companion 
amongst  the  horses.  The  breeder’s  medal,  too,  would  be 
a  solace  to  His  Majesty  for  having  parfted  with  a  future 
champion. 
The  attendance  was  very  good,  and  no  doubt  the  Shire 
Horse  Show  is  becoming  year  by  year  more  favoured  by 
farmers  generally  as  a  suitable  occasion  for  a  trip  to  town. 
Work  on  the  Home  Farm. 
Farmer.-s  about  here  have  been  provided  with  a  surprise  packet 
in  the  way  of  .stackyards  to  mend.  Straw  .stacks  have  suffered 
very  severely,  some  being  half  blown  away,  and  horse  rakes  have 
been  brought  out  to  rake  up  the  loose  straw  in  the  grass  fields  to 
leeward.  We  hear  of  a  stack  of  Tares  being  removed  bodily. 
The  gales  have  brought  some  rain  with  them,  and  there  is  a 
lull  in  corn  drillings.  The  rain  will  do  much  good  and  no  harm 
if  we  are  not  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  resume  sowing  operations. 
We  have  plenty  of  manure  ready  for  carting  out,  so  the 
horses  will  not  be  idle,  but  the  muck  has  to  be  put  in  heap, 
which  is  always  somewhat  wasteful.  When  the  field  lies  a  good 
mile  from  the  preniises,  however,  it  is  a  boon  at  Swede  sowing 
time  to  have  the  muck  in  the  field  and  not  a  mile  away. 
A  correspondent  from  Switzerland  tells  us  that  the  farmers 
there  place  their  manure  heaps  over  large  tanks,  into  which 
they  drain,  and  when  the  manure  becomes  too  dry  the  sewage 
is  pumped  up  and  iroured  over  it.  Too  much  trouble  for  British 
farmers  this! 
