July  26,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
93 
Names  of  Plants. — We  only  undertake  to  name  species  of  cultivated 
plants,  not  wild  flowers,  or  varieties  that  have  originated  from  seeds  and 
termed  florists’  flowers.  Flowering  specimens  are  necessary  of  flowering 
plants,  and  Fern  fronds  should  bear  spores.  Specimens  should  arrive 
in  a  fresh  state  in  securely  tied  firm  boxes.  Thin  paper  boxes  arrive  iu 
a  flattened  state.  Slightly  damp  moss,  soft  green  grass,  or  leaves  form 
the  best  packing,  dry  wool  or  paper  the  worst.  Those  arrive  in  the 
best  condition  that  are  so  closely  or  firmly  packed  in  soft  green  fresh 
grass,  as  to  remain  unmoved  by  shaking.  No  specimens  should  be  sent 
to  rest  in  the  post  office  over  Sunday,  on  which  day  there  is  no  delivery 
of  postal  matter  in  London.  Specimens  in  partially  filled  boxes  are 
invariably  injured  or  spoiled  by  being  dashed  to  and  fro  in  transit.  Not 
more  than  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  the  numbers  should 
be  visible  without  untying  the  ligatures,  it  being  often  diSicult  to 
separate  them  when  the  paper  is  damp.  {H.  M.  B.).- — 1,  Jasminum 
revolutum  ;  2,  Harpalium  rigidum  Miss  Hellish  ;  3,  Chrysanthemum 
maximum;  4,  Astrantia  major.  (C.  P.  S.). — 1,  Alstromeria  aurantiaca ; 
2,  Hemerocallis  flava,  the  Aellow  Day  Lily;  3,  Lilium  martagon  ; 
4,  Centaurea  speciosa  ;  5,  Cassia  corjmbosa.  (B.  IF.). — 1,  Odonto- 
glossum  citrosmum  ;  2,  a  poor  form  of  0.  crispum.  (E.  M.  A’.).— 
1,  Campanula  latifolia;  2,  Verbascum  Chaixi;  3,  CPlnothera  Lamarckiana; 
4,  Viburnum  lantanoides ;  5,  Campanula  pumila ;  6,  Spirasa  Billardi. 
{E.  D.). — 1,  Achillea  aegyptica;  2,  Centaurea  glastifolia. 
Gardeners’ Charitable  and  Provident  Institutions. 
The  Gardeners’  Eoyal  Benevolent  Institution.  —  Secretary. 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society. — Secretary, 
Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.  Brian  Wynne,. 
8,  Danes  Inn,  Strand.  London,  W.C. 
Covent  Garden  ]||[arket. — July  25th. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Fruit. 
Apples,  Tasmanian. 
Apricots,  box . 
Cherries,  J  bushel 
^  bushel 
,,  Cooking,  per  sieve 
Currants,  Black,  per  lb.... 
,,  Red,  per  sieve... 
Figs,  green,  doz. 
Gooseberries,  J  bushel 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
Beans,  Long  Pods  ... 
„  French,  sieve 
„  Scarlet,  sieve 
Beet,  Red,  doz . 
Cabbages,  tally . 
Carrots,  new,  bunch 
Cauliflowers,  spring,  per 
dozen  . 
Celery,  bundle  ... 
Cucumbers,  doz. 
Endive,  doz. 
Herbs,  bunch  ... 
Leeks,  bunch  ... 
Lettuce,  doz.  ... 
,,  Cos,  score,  from 
flrums  ...  ...  ...  ... 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bunch... 
Carnations,  12  blooms  ... 
Cattleyas,  per  doz . 
Eucharis,  doz . 
Gardenias,  doz . 
Geranium, scarlet,  doz.behs. 
Lilium  lancifolium  album 
„  ,,  rubrum 
,,  various  . 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12  bun. 
Maidenhair  Fern,  dozen 
bunches . 
Mignonette,  doz.  bunches 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
ft. 
8  0tol8  0 
Grapes,  black  . 
Lemons,  case  . 
1  0  to  3  0 
0  8 
1  3 
10  0 
30  0 
5  0 
10  0 
Melons,  house,  each 
2  0 
3  0 
3  0 
6  0 
Oranges,  case  . 
10  0 
25  ( 
5  0 
6  0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s,  each 
1  0 
6  0 
0  0 
0  3 
Raspberries,  doz.  punnets 
Strawberries.bskt  4  to  6  lb. 
6  0 
9  0 
4  0 
5  0 
1  3 
2  0 
1  6 
3  0 
,,  peck . 
4  6 
6  0 
1  3 
1  9 
„  hi'rae  grown,  doz. 
8  0 
12  0 
Wholesale 
Prices. — Vegetables. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
1  6  to  2  0 
Mint,  green,  doz.  bunches 
Mushrooms,  lb . 
2  0 
to  0  0 
2  0 
8  0 
1  0 
1  6 
3  0 
5  0 
Mustard  and  Cress,  punnet 
0  2 
0  (1 
5  0 
6  0 
Onions,  bag,  about  1  cwt. 
5  6 
6  6 
0  6 
1  6 
„  Egyptian,  per  bag 
4  0 
0  0 
3  0 
5  0 
Parslev,  doz.  bunches  .. 
2  0 
4  ( 
0  3 
0  6 
Peas,  English,  per  bushel 
3  0 
5  0 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
5  0 
10  0 
3  0 
4  0 
„  new  Jersey,  cwt. 
10  0 
12  0 
1  0 
1  9 
„  Teneriffe,  cwt.... 
12  0 
14  0 
2  0 
4  0 
Radishes,  round,  doz. 
1  0 
0  0 
1  6 
2  0 
Shallots,  lb . 
0  4 
0  0 
0  2 
0  0 
Spinach,  bushel  ...  T.. 
3  0 
5  0 
0  3 
0  0 
Tomatoes,  English,  doz.  lb. 
3  0 
5  0 
0  6 
0  0 
Turnips,  new,  doz  bnnches 
Vegetable  Marrows,  doz.... 
4  0 
6  0 
0  6 
2  0 
0  9 
1  6 
Wholesale  Prices. — Cut  Flowers. 
8.  d. 
B.  d. 
8.  d. 
8.  d. 
1  0  to  2  0 
Marguerites,  doz.  bnchs. 
2  0  to  4  0 
2  0 
2  6 
„  Yellow  doz.  bnchs. 
2  0 
4  0 
1  0 
2  0 
Odontoglossums  . 
3  0 
7  H 
0  0 
12  0 
Pelargoniums,  doz.  bnchs 
4  0 
6  0 
4  0 
6  0 
Roses  (indoor),  doz . 
3  0 
4  0 
2  0 
3  0 
,,  Red,  doz . 
1  0 
2  0 
4  U 
5  0 
„  Safrano,  doz  . 
1  6 
2  0 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Tea,  white,  doz. 
2  0 
3  C 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Yellow,  doz.  (Perles) 
2  0 
3  6 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Marechal  Niel,  doz. 
6  0 
12  0 
8  0 
18  0 
„  English: — 
,,  La  France,  doz. 
2  0 
3  0 
4  0 
6  0 
„  Mermets,  doz . 
3  0 
8  0 
1  0 
2  0  1 
Siuilax,  bunch . 
2  0 
3  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Plants  in  Pots. 
Acers,  doz . 
Arbor  Vitas,  var.,  doz. 
Aspidistra,  doz. 
Aspidistra,  specimen 
Azaleas,  various,  each 
Boronias,  doz . 
Crotons,  doz . 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz.... 
Dracaena  viridis,  doz. 
Erica  various,  doz.  ... 
Euonymus,  var.,  doz. 
Evergreens,  var.,  doz. 
Ferns,  var.,  doz 
„  small,  100  ... 
Ficus  elastica,  esch  ... 
8.  d.  8.  d. 
12  0to24  0 
Foliage  plants,  var.,  each 
8.  d.  8.d- 
1  0  to  5  t' 
6  0 
36  0 
Geraniums,  scarlet,  doz..,. 
6  0 
10  0 
18  0 
36  0 
„  pink,  doz.  ... 
8  0 
10  0 
16  0 
20  0 
Hydrangeas,  white,  each 
2  6 
5  0 
2  6 
5  0 
,,  pinlc,  doz. 
12  0 
16  0 
20  0 
24  0 
,,  paniculata,  each 
1  0 
3  6 
18  0 
30  0 
Lilium  Harrisi,  doz . 
8  0 
18  0 
12  0 
30  0 
Lycopodiums,  doz . 
3  0 
6  0 
9  0 
18  0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz.  ... 
8  0 
10  0 
8  0 
18  0 
Mignonette,  doz . 
8  0 
12  0 
6  0 
18  0 
Myrtles,  doz . 
6  0 
9  0 
4  0 
18  0 
Palms,  in  var.,  each 
1  0 
15  0 
4  0 
18  0 
„  specimens  . 
21  0 
63  0 
4  0 
8  0 
Roses,  per  doz . 
6  0 
18  0 
1  6 
7  6  1 
Stocks,  doz . 
8  0 
12  0 
Systematic  Drugging  of  Food. 
A  COMMITTEE  of  the  Local  Government  Board  has  been,  and  still 
is,  taking  evidence  on  the  use  of  preservatives  in  different  kinds  of 
food,  and  an  article,  probably  written  by  Professor  Long,  appeared 
last  week  in  the  “  Yorkshire  Post,”  calling  attention  to  the  serious 
state  of  things  thereby  brought  to  light.  Competition  on  even  and 
fair  terms  the  British  farmer  must  face,  but  when  the  health  of  the 
British  public  is  seriously  threatened  by  the  unconscious  consumption 
of  drugs  used  by  traders  to  keep  in  a  saleable  condition  various  kinds 
of  imported  food,  it  is  time  the  farming  interest  bestirred  itself,  and 
through  its  chief  organisations  did  all  in  its  power  to  prevent  such 
practices.  A  general  election  is  looming  in  the  near  future,  and 
agriculture  must  make  its  voice  so  heard  then  that  there  shall  be  a 
reasonable  prospect  of  early  legislation  on  the  subject  becoming  law. 
The  foods  which  are  thus  drugged  include  milk,  cream,  butter, 
cheese,  condensed  milk,  margarine,  ham,  bacon,  sausage,  brawn, 
preserved  meats,  jam,  beer,  temperance  drinks,  as  well  as  fish  and 
fresh  meat.  The  two  latter  are  often  dusted  over  with  borax,  and 
that  liberally. 
As  Mr.  Faber,  the  Danish  commissioner,  remarked  in  his  evidence, 
preservatives  are  added  to  foods  to  prevent  them  from  decomposing, 
and  herein  lies  their  most  mischievous  property,  for  that  which 
prevents  decomposition  also  prevents  the  proper  digestion  of  the  food 
in  the  human  stomach.  These  preservatives  are  added  to  British 
produce  as  well  as  foreign,  and  in  the  case  of  butter  are  doubtless  used 
to  hide  faults  in  the  manufacture,  for  Danish  butter  is  free  from 
preservatives,  and  will  beep  good  for  a  long  time,  showing  that  all 
that  is  required  is  perfection  of  manufacture.  Where  there  are  no 
seeds  of  decay  present  it  is  unnecessary  to  introduce  any  drug  to  arrest 
decomposition.  Mr.  Faber  remarked  in  evidence  “  that  preservatives 
do  not  improve  the  keeping  quality  of  butter  to  any  large  extent,  and 
that  butter  properly  made  will  keep  sufficiently  well  without  any 
preservative.” 
The  Royal  Board  of  Health  of  Denmark  is  of  opinion  that 
systematic  use  of  boracic  acid,  or  borax,  is  injurious  to  health,  and 
fix  1  gramme,  or  15  grains,  as  the  amount  which  should  certainly  not 
be  taken  daily  by  one  person.  As  26  grains  of  boracic  acid  have  been 
found  in  1  pint  of  milk,  it  is  evident  that  persons  consuming  such 
milk  in  liberal  quantities  will  do  so  to  serious  risk  as  to  their  general 
health. 
As  the  “  Yorkshire  Post  ”  says — “  Apart  from  the  danger  lurking 
in  the  drug  itself,  the  consumer  is  warned  against  milk,  especially 
that  which  has  been  standing  for  some  time  on  the  refreshment  room 
counters ;  and  stale  sausages,  such  as  but  for  the  preservative  present 
would  have  been  putrid.  Thus  so-called  foods  are  preserved  for  sale, 
the  progress  of  decomposition  is  arrested,  and  material  which  should 
go  to  the  scavenger’s  cart  is  kept  on  the  market  to  the  injury  of  the 
trade  in  really  fresh  provisions,  which  are  undersold  by  it.  The  small 
