August  9,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
141 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley. — Sweet  Peas. 
W.  Cutbush  &  Son,  Highgate. — Dutch  and  other  Bulhs. 
Dickson,  Brown,  &  Tait,  Corporation  Street,  Manchester. — Bulhs. 
E.  H.  Krelage  &  Co,,  Haarlem. — Bulhs. 
Laxton  Bros.,  Bedford. — Strawherries. 
T.  Methven  &  Sons,  Princes  Street,  Edinburgh. — Bulhs. 
Covent  Garden 
— 9  9 - 
ll[arket. — August  8th. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Fruit. 
B.  d. 
8.  d. 
B.  d. 
8.  d. 
Apples,  \  bushel  . 
2  6  to  5  0 
Greengages,  box  . 
0  4  to  1  6 
Apricots,  box . 
0  8 
1  3 
,,  sieve  . 
4  6 
6  0 
Cherries,  J  bushel  . 
6  0 
12  0 
Lemons,  case  . 
10  0 
30  0 
„  i  bushel . 
3  0 
6  0 
Melons,  housef  each 
2  0 
3  0 
,,  cooking,  sieve  ... 
5  0 
6  0 
Oranges,  case  . 
10  0 
25  0 
Currants,  sieve . 
6  0 
7  0 
Nectarines,  doz . 
1  6 
9  0 
„  red,  sieve . 
4  0 
6  0 
Peaches,  doz.  small . 
1  0 
2  0 
Figs,  green,  doz . 
Gooseberries,  ripe,  J  bushel 
1  6 
3  0 
,,  doz.,  good  size... 
6  0 
9  0 
2  0 
2  6 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s,  each 
3  0 
8  0 
„  green,  J  bushel 
4  0 
7  0 
Plums,  1  bushel  . 
3  6 
5  0 
Grapes,  black  . 
0  6 
2  6 
Raspberries,  12  lbs . 
3  0 
6  0 
Average  Wholesale 
P  rices. — V  egetables. 
B.  d. 
s.  d. 
8.  d. 
s.  d. 
Artichokes,  green,  doz.  ... 
1  6  to  2  0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0  8  to  0  0 
Beans,  Long  Pods  . 
2  0 
3  0 
Mint,  green,  doz.  bunches 
Mushrooms,  lb . 
2  0 
0  0 
„  French,  sieve 
2  0 
3  0 
1  3 
1  6 
„  scarlet,  sieve 
2  0 
3  0 
Mustard  and  Cress,  punnet 
0  2 
0  D 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
0  6 
1  6 
Onions,  Egyptian,  bag  ... 
4  0 
0  0 
Cabbages,  tally' . 
3  0 
6  0 
Parslev,  doz.  bunches  ... 
2  0 
4  0 
Carrots,  doz.  bunches 
2  0 
3  0 
Peas,  English,  per  bushel 
1  6 
5  0 
Cauliflowers,  doz . 
3  0 
4  0 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
Shallots,  lb . 
5  0 
10  0 
Celery,  bundle . 
1  0 
1  9 
0  2 
0  3 
Cucumbers,  doz . 
2  0 
4  0 
Spinach,  bushel  . 
2  0 
6  0 
Endive,  doz . 
1  6 
0  0 
Tomatoes,  English,  doz.  lb. 
3  0 
5  0 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0  0 
Turnips,  doz . 
4  0 
6  0 
Lettuce,  doz . 
1  0 
2  6 
Vegetable  Marrows,  doz.... 
0  9 
1  6 
„  Cos,  score,  from 
0  6 
2  0 
Average  Wholesale 
Prices. — Cut  Flowers. 
. 
B.  d. 
B.  d. 
8.  d. 
s.  d. 
A.riiixt8  •••  ••• 
1  0  to  2  0 
Marguerites,  doz,  bnchs. 
2  0  to  4  0 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bunch... 
2  0 
2  6 
„  Yellow  doz.  bnchs. 
2  0 
4  0 
Carnations,  12  blooms  ... 
1  0 
2  0 
Odontoglossums  . 
3  0 
4  0 
Cattleyas,  per  doz . 
Eucharis,  doz . 
6  0 
12  0 
Pelargoniums,  doz.  bnchs 
4  0 
6  0 
4  0 
6  0 
Roses  (indoor),  doz . 
3  0 
4  0 
Gardenias,  doz . 
1  0 
2  0 
Bi0df  doz*  •••  ••• 
1  0 
2  0 
Geranium , scarlet,  doz  .bchs. 
4  0 
5  0 
„  Safrano,  doz  . 
1  6 
2  0 
Lilium  lancifolium  album 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Tea,  white,  doz.  ... 
2  0 
3  C 
„  ,,  rubrum 
2  0 
3  0 
,,  Yellow,  doz.  (Perles) 
2  0 
3  6 
,,  various  . 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Marechal  Niel,  doz. 
6  0 
0  0 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12  bun. 
8  0 
18  0 
„  English: — 
Maidenhair  Fern,  dozen 
„  La  France,  doz. 
2  0 
3  0 
bunches . 
2  0 
3  0 
„  Mermets,  doz . 
3  0 
6  0 
Mignonette,  doz.  bunches 
1  0 
2  0 
Smilax,  bunch . 
2  0 
3  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Plants  in  Pots. 
B.  d. 
s.  d. 
1 
B.  d. 
B.d. 
Acers,  doz . 
12  0to24  0 
Foliage  plants,  var.,  each 
Geraniums,  scarlet,  doz.... 
1  0  to  5  ( 
Arbor  Vitae,  var.,  doz. 
Aspidistra,  doz . 
6  0 
36  0 
6  0 
10  0 
18  0 
36  0 
!  „  pink,  doz.  ... 
8  0 
10  0 
Aspidistra,  specimen 
16  0 
20  0 
Hydrangeas,  white,  each 
2  6 
5  0 
Azaleas,  various,  each  ... 
2  6 
5  0 
„  pinic,  doz. 
12  0 
15  0 
Boronias,  doz . .  ... 
20  0 
24  0 
,,  paniculata,  each 
1  0 
3  6 
Cannas,  doz  . 
18  0 
0  0 
Lilium  Harrisi,  doz . 
8  0 
18  0 
Crotons,  doz . 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz . 
18  0 
12  0 
30  0 
30  0 
Lycopodiums,  doz . 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz.  ... 
3  0 
8  0 
6  0 
10  0 
Dracaena  viridis,  doz. 
9  0 
18  0 
Mignonette,  doz . 
8  0 
12  0 
Erica  various,  doz . 
8  0 
18  0 
Myrtles,  doz . 
6  0 
9  0 
Euonymus,  var.,  doz. 
6  0 
18  0 
Palms,  in  var..  each 
1  0 
16  0 
Evergreens,  var.,  doz.  ... 
4  0 
18  0 
„  specimens  . 
21  0 
63  r 
Ferns,  var.,  doz . 
4  0 
18  0 
Roses,  per  doz . 
6  0 
18  0 
„  small,  100  . 
4  0 
8  0 
Stocks,  doz . 
8  0 
12  0 
Ficus  elastica,  eech . 
1  6 
7  6 
Gardeners’ Charitable  and  Provident  Institutions. 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  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. 
The  Exltanstiveness  of  Milk  Production. 
That  the  selling  of  milk  in  large  quantities  off  the  farm  has  a. 
deteriorating  effect  upon  the  land  cannot  be  gainsaid — i.e.,  unless 
considerable  quantities  of  purchased  food  are  consumed.  The 
experiment  station  of  New  Jersey  has  for  some  time  been  taking 
considerable  trouble  in  order  to  ascertain  the  cost  (under  various 
degrees  of  management)  of  the  production  of  milk.  In  doing  this 
the  managers  of  the  station  have  kept  close  records  of  the  amount  of 
milk  produced,  also  the  quantity  of  bought  food  consumed  by  the 
twenty-three  cows  of  which  their  herd  consists. 
The  food  purchased  averaged  in  value  nearly  £4  per  head  per 
annum,  and  this  food  was  found  to  contain  inuch  more  fertilising, 
matter  than  the  milk  that  was  produced  by  its  aid.  The  feeding 
stuffs  purchased  for  the  twenty-three  cows  contained  851  lbs.  more 
nitrogen,  640  lbs.  more  phosphoric  acid,  and  214  lbs.  more  potash  than 
was  contained  by  the  milk  produced  and  sold.  The  most  valuable- 
residuum — viz.,  nitrogen,  showed  again  equal  to  tons  of  nitrate  of 
soda,  or  sufficient  to  top-dress  50  acres  of  corn.  As  the  cost  for 
purchased  food,  £4  per  head  per  annum,  is  not  a  very  extravagant 
one,  it  appears  that  with  a  moderate  amount  of  assistance  a  dairy 
herd  will  add  to  rather  than  detract  from  the  fertility  of  a  farm,  and 
that  milk  production  is  only  exhaustive  when  carried  on  in  a  hand 
to  mouth  way,  and  with  no  consideration  for  anything  but  the  time 
present.  The  same  thing  applies  to  many  other  branches  of  farming. 
For  instance,  the  Potato  crop  is  looked  at  with  horror  by  many  old- 
fashioned  farmers  as  a  kind  of  poison  for  the  land,  but  if  Potatoes 
are  grown  well  and  very  liberally  manured  they  are  not  only  very 
profitable  to  the  grower,  and  if  not  grown  too  frequently  very 
beneficial  to  the  soil.  There  is  a  twofold  advantage  in  lioeral  treat¬ 
ment  either  in  food  to  stock  or  manure  to  crops,  and  this  is  fully 
borne  out  as  to  the  former  by  the  results  of  the  New  Jersey 
experiments. 
Useless  Cows. 
Another  well-worn  text  is  again  brought  into  use  by  these- 
statistics,  which  is  “  the  great  value  of  good  and  the  uselessness  of. 
bad  cows.”  The  cost  of  cows  annually  is  reckoned  by  the  New  Jersey 
authorities  to  be  about  £8  9s.  6d.  per  head.  We  wish  we  could  keep 
cows  here  at  that  price,  we  could  afford  then  to  sell  milk  at  6d.  per 
gallon  and  get  a  good  profit.  The  best  cow  at  the  experiment  station 
produced  830  gallons,  which  at  6d.  per  gallon  would  realise  £20  15s., 
leaving  a  margin  of  £12  53.  6d.  The  worst  cow  produced  441  gallons,, 
which  at  6d.  would  come  to  £11  Os.  6d.,  leaving  but  £2  lls.,  or  about, 
a  fifth  of  the  amount  left  by  the  best  cow.  If  the  price  of  milk  were 
lowered  by  ld.,|or  the  price  of  food  raised  20  per  cent.,  the  margin  of 
the  bad  cow  would  entirely  disappear,  and  we  imagine  that  few  British- 
farmers  could  afford  to  keep  and  feed  an  animal  which  could  only 
yield  441  gallons  in  twelve  months.  In  fact  a  herd  composed  entirely 
of  such  cows  would  very  soon  weary  a  man  of  dairy  farming.  It  is 
very  obvious,  therefore,  as  we  have  reiterated  many  times,  that  there 
IS  great  and  urgent  necessity  for  all  farmers  who  keep  milch  cows, 
whether  many  or  few,  to  periodically  test  and  keep  a  record  of  the 
milking  properties  of  their  animals,  and  draft  everyone  that  does  not 
come  up  to  a  paying  standard  of  milk  production. 
We  estimate  that  a  cow  cannot  be  maintained  in  this  country  for 
less  than  £14  per  annum,  without  allowing  anything  for  renewals,  but 
allowing  for  a  generous  diet  of  home  grown  and  purchased  foods.  If 
milk  be  reckoned  at  7d.  per  gallon,  and  we  imagine  few  large  pro¬ 
ducers  realise  more,  we  find  that  480  gallons  are  required  to  produce 
