April  9,  1903. 
JOURNAL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
327 
*  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  ^vrite  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
INSECT  TO  NAME  (F.  G.  W.) — A  specimen  of  Ditiscus  mar- 
ginalis,  the  great  water  beetle. 
BOOKS  (F.  M.). — Mr.  Barron’s  work  on  Vine  culture  is  pub¬ 
lished  at  this  office,  price  os.  3d.  post  free. 
BROWN’S  “  MANUAL  OF  BOTANY  ”  (R.  L.).— We  are  not 
acquainted  with  the  contents  of  this  work,  and  its  matter  is  most 
likely  not  up  to  date.  A  good  book  for  your  use  would  be  “Botany,” 
price  2s.  6d.  from  Messrs.  Hodder  and  Stoughton,  27,  Paternoster 
Row,  London.  The  author  is  Mr.  R.  S.  Wishart,  M.A.,  and  the 
book  forms  one  of  the  self-educator  serie.s,  specially  intended  for 
self-taught  students. 
GINSENG  (I.  J .). — This  is  the  common  name  given  to  thci 
dried  roots  of  Panax  quinquefolia,  which  is  largely  cultivated  in 
the  Middle  and  Southern  States  of  North  America  as  a  com¬ 
mercial.  commodity.  The  roots  contain  tonic  and  alterative 
principles.  Till  M’ithin  a  few  years,  the  natural  supply  of  wild 
roots  was  equal  to  the  demand.  This  is  a^  South  American  plant. 
CANNAS  (E.  E.). — Tubers  for  early  bedding  purposes  shouldl 
now  be  growing  in  frames.  Having  started  them  above  a  pre¬ 
pared  hotbed  in  ordinary  single  and  double^light  frames,  they 
should  be  well  into  leaf,  and  on  all  mild  days  the  lights  can  be 
taken  completely  off.  Replace,  these  at  night.  For  ordinary 
bedding,  tubers  may  be  secured  by  the  end  of  April,  and,  if 
just  started,  they  will  soon  develop  to  a  useful  .size. 
SOWHNG  SEEDS— MULCHING  (T.).— We  prefer  sowing  in 
drills,  whether  seedlings  are  raised  in  frame  or  the  open  ground, 
for  transplanting.  The  di.stance  of  the  drills  from  each  other  is 
determined  by  the  size  or  “  spread  ”  of  the  plants  when  they  arc 
ready  for  removal,  and  the  depth  of  the  small  channels  depends 
on  the  size  of  the  seeds.  Sow  thinly,  and  in  anj^  ca.se  if  the  seed¬ 
lings  come  up  thickly  thin  them  quickly  ;  crowding  plants  in  their 
early  stages  has  imiiied  countless  thousands.  Fresh  horse  drop- 
ping.s  applied  as  a  mulch  to  Roses  and  shrubs  outdoors  are  not 
injurions,  and  mav,  indeed,  be  very  beneficial. 
NITRATE  OF  SODA  FOR  ONIONS  (J.  W.).— If  you  were  to 
point  in  some  steamed  bone  flour  at  the  rate  of  about  3oz  to  each 
square  yard  now,  and  when  the  plants  are  fairly  growing  top- 
dress  with  nitrate  of  soda  at  the  rate  of  about  loz  to  the  .square 
yard,  it  would  be  better  than  mixing  nitrate'  of  soda,  with  the 
soil.  You  can,  of  course,  apply  it  in  solution  at  the  .strength  of 
from  a  quarter  to  half  an  ounce  to  a  gallon  of  wuter  if  the,  soil 
is  not  otherwise  quite  wet  enough  by  heavy  rains.  It  may, 
perhaps,  be  well  to  remember  that  nitrate  of  soda,  lowers  the 
temperature  of  water,  and  making  the  soil  cold  is  not  the  most 
favourable  to  the  growth  of  crops.  The  remedj",  or  preventive, 
is  obviousi — a  little  warm  water.  A  mixture  of  leaf  soil  and  wood 
ashes  placed  round  the  roots  when  planting  would  be  helpful. 
The  .soil  .should  be  firm  for  bulbing,  and  mulched  in  hot  weather. 
No  one  can  tell  you  “  how  often  ”  to  give  liquid  manure,  as  action 
in  this  respect  must  be  guided  by  the  .state  of  the  soil. 
PRUNING  OF  ROSES,  MARECHAL  NIEL  AND  OTHERS, 
UNDER  GLASS  (Roses). — We  do  not  know  of  a  book  specially 
treating  of  these  subjects,  and  they  would  not  be  of  much  service 
without  illuistrations,  of  which  “  Pictorial  Practical  Ro.se  Grow¬ 
ing,”  with  100  illustrations.  Is.,  by  Walter  P.  Wright,  and  pub¬ 
lished  by  Messrs.  Cassell  and  Co.,  London,  is  one  of  the  best. 
In  pruning  Marechal  Nicl  and  other  strong  growing  Tea-scented 
and  Noisette  Roses  that  bloom  most  freely  and  produce  the  first 
blooms  on  the  wood  of  the  previous  summer,  it  is  necessary  to 
cut  out  the  old  wood  after  flowering  and  train  up  young  growths 
from  the  base,  keeping  well  up  to  the  glass  without  the  foliage 
touching  and  allowing  space  between  the  growth.^,  .say  a  foot,  so 
that  the  foliage  and  wood  is  fully  exposed  to  light  and  air. 
Growths  of  several  feet  are  thus  secured,  and  the  only  pruning 
necessary  is  .shorten  the  shoots  to  well  ripened  wood.  The  strong 
shoots  will  give  bloom  from  about  every  eye,  and  when  flowering 
is  over  cut  the  flowered  branches  away,  encourage  other  growths 
from  their  bases  to  succeed  them  in  flowering  the  following 
season. 
COMMUNICATIONS  REC’EIVED.— Editor  of  “  Flora  and 
Sylva,”  W.  G.,  J.  J.  Willis  (will  attend),  E.  D.  S.,  G.  H.  H., 
J.  W.  Bently,  “  Hybla  ”  (yes,  shortly),  G.  S.,  A.  C..  E.  E.  Rye 
(will  let  jmu  know  shortly),  A.  S.,  Rugby,  S.  H.,  J.  B.  .S.,  N.  N., 
L.  O.  T.,  A.  Clark,  S.  M.,  P.  W.,  J.  B.  B..  1).  S.  F.,  Alex. 
Wallace,  W.  Marriott,  J.  Folkard,  R.  D.,  H.  D.,  Charles  D., 
Bothyite,  W.  E.  Boyce,  Portable  Building  to.,  Fleetwood; 
G.  T.  C.,  Tonbridge;  H.  Cannell  and  Sons,  with  thanks;  Orange 
Judd  Co.,  “  Gros  Maroc,”  W.  J.  Bush  and  Co.,  J.  Smith.  R.  A., 
W.  H.  Yates  (will  test  it!),  G.  A.,  N.  Russell. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Correspondents  whose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (J,  J.). — Begonia  glaueopliylla.  (F.  T.). — 1,  Akebia 
quinata;  2.  Osmanthus  illicifolius  ;  3,  Clianthus  puniecus  ;  4,  Rhodo¬ 
dendron  ai’boreuiu ;  5,  II.  Countess  of  Haddington ;  6,  Phillyrea 
latifolia.  (N.  F.). — 1,  Primus  triloba,;  2,  Primus  pseudo-Cerasus 
flore-pleno  ;  3,  P.  nanus  ;  4,  P.  persiea.  (Young  Gardener). — Pieris 
floribimda,  used  to  be  named  Andromeda.  (W.  Burt). — Sedum 
Sieboldi  variegatum  ;  2,  Pulmonaria  officinalis  ;  3,  Anehusa  italica. 
(J.  S.  U.). — Holbolia  (Stauntoma)  latifolia.  (H.  O.  H.). — 1,  Dendro- 
bium  albo-sanguineum  ;  2,  Oneidiuin  liiridum  ;  8,  Dendrobiuni 
primulinuni. 
-  t  I - 
CoYent  Garden  Market.— April  8tli. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit. 
Bananas . 
Grapes,  Alicantes 
,,  Colman  .. 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
3  0to6  0 
Cobs  and  Filberts,  lb. 
12  0 
14  0 
Lemons,  Messina,  case 
10  0 
15  0 
Oranges,  case  . 
3  6 
0  0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s 
3  6 
4  0 
Wholesale  Prices.— Vegetables. 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
2  0  to  3  0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
1  6 
0  0 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb. 
2  0 
0  0 
Mustard  &  Cress,  doz. 
0  6 
1  0 
punnets . 
0  0 
0  0 
Onions,  bushel  . 
0  2 
0  0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ... 
1  6 
0  0 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
1  0 
1  3 
Radishes,  doz . 
3  0 
4  0 
Spinach,  bush . 
1  6 
0  0 
Tomatoes,  Canary  Isles. 
0  2 
0  0  1 
per  case  . 
1  3 
1  6 
Turnips,  bnch . 
1  0 
1  3  ' 
s.  d.  s.  d 
0  4  to  0  0 
10  0  15  0 
10  0  20  0 
3  6  5  0 
s.  d.  s.  d 
0  2to0  2^ 
0  8  0  9 
Batavia,  doz.... 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
Cabbages,  Spring,  tally 
Carrots,  bunch  . 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
Corn  Salad,  strike 
Cucumbers  doz . 
Endive,  doz . 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
Horseradish,  bunch  ... 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  in  Pots. 
Most  of  the  undermentioned  plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32-sized  pot 
s.  d.  s.  d 
9  0tol2  0 
10  5  0 
1  6 
3  0 
2  0 
4  0 
0  9 
3  0 
4  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
3  0 
6  0 
1  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  2 
s.  d.  s. 
5  0tol2 
12  0  30 
18  0  36 
4  0  6 
18  0  30 
Aralias,  doz . 
Araucaria,  doz . 
Aspidistra,  doz . 
Cinerarias,  doz . 
Crotons,  doz . 
Cyperus  alternifolius 
doz .  4  0  5 
Dracaena,  var. ,  doz.  ...  12  0  30 
,,  viridis,  doz. .  9  0  18 
Erica  melanthera,  doz.  24  0  30 
,,  Wilmoreana  ...  10  0  15 
Ferns,  var.,  doz .  4  0  18 
small. .100 .  10  0  16 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ... 
Foliage  plants,  var,  each 
Grevilleas,  48’s,  doz.  ... 
Lycopodiums,  doz.  ... 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
Myrtles,  doz . 
Palms,  in  var.,  doz.  ... 
,,  specimens  ... 
Pandanus  Veitchi,  48’s, 
doz . 
Primulas  . 
Shrubs,  in  pots  . 
Snirieas.  5in.  pots 
5  0 
3  0 
8  0 
6  0 
15  0 
21  0 
24  0 
0  0 
4  0 
8  0 
0  0 
0  0 
9  0 
9  6 
30  0 
63  0 
30  0 
0  0 
6  0 
9  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Cut  Flowers 
Arums,  doz .  3 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bnch.  1 
Bouvardia,  coloured, 
doz.  bunches  .  0 
Carnations,  12  blooms  1 
Cattleyas,  doz . 10 
Croton  foliage,  bun.  ...  0 
Cycas  leaves,  each  ...  0 
Daffodils,  single,  doz. 
bnch .  2 
,,  double,  doz. 
bnch .  2 
Eucharis,  doz .  3 
Freesia,  white,  doz. 
bnch .  2 
Gardenias,  doz .  2 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bnchs .  8 
Ivy  leaves,  doz.  bun.  ...^  1 
Lilium  Harris!  . ’  4 
Lily  of  Valley,  12  bnchs  9 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
bnchs .  7 
Myrtle,English,  bunch  0 
d.  s.  d 
0to4  0 
0  2  0 
0  0  0 
3  19 
0  12  0 
9  10 
9  16 
0  2  6 
0  2  6 
0  0  0 
0  3  0 
0  3  0 
0  9  0 
6  0  0 
0  6  0 
0  12  0 
0  8  0 
6  0  0 
Marguerites,  white, 
doz.  bnchs . 
,,  yellowy  doz.  bnchs. 
Narcissus,  Sol  d’Or,  doz. 
,,  Poeticus,  doz  bnchs 
.,  Grand  Primo  ., 
Odontoglossums . 
Orange  blossom,  bunch 
Roses,  Niphetos,  w'hite, 
doz . 
,,  pink,  doz . 
,,  yellow, doz.  (Perles) 
,,  Liberty,  doz . 
.,  Generals . 
Smilax,  bunch  . 
Tuberoses,  dozen . 
Tulips,  pink,  doz. bnch. 
,,  wdiite,  ,, 
,,  yellowy  ,, 
,,  terracotta  ,, 
,,  .scarlet  ,, 
Violets,  doz.  bun. 
,,  Marie  Louise... 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
3  0  to  4  0 
1  6 
2  0 
1  0 
1  6 
2  0 
0  0 
1  6 
2  0 
4  0 
5  0 
2  0 
0  0 
1  6 
2  0 
2  0 
4  0 
1  6 
2  0 
2  0 
4  0 
2  0 
2  6 
3  0 
0  0 
0  9 
1  0 
8  0 
10  0 
8  0 
10  0 
6  0 
8  0 
8  0 
0  0 
4  0 
6  0 
2  0 
0  0 
2  0 
3  0 
TRADE  NOTES. 
We  are  asked  to  announce  that  the  name  and  title  of  the 
Devon  Ro-serv  firm  of  Torquay  will  henceforward  be  The  Devon 
Rosery  and  Fruit  Farm,  Limited. 
