January  31,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
105 
Petunias  in  Pots  (P.  B.  B.). — If  the  plants  are  dwarf  they  will 
make  fine  specimens  if  grown  in  a  very  light  position,  in  a  greenhouse 
at  present,  and  eventually  in  frames.  If  desired  to  flower  early  the 
shoots  may  be  tied  out  and  not  topped,  but  if  larger  and  later  flowering 
specimens  are  preferred  topping  and  shifting  must  be  resorted  to. 
Tall  plants  with  leafless  stems  are  sometimes  useful  for  grouping  with 
other  plants,  and  local  requirements  must  be  considered  in  this  reference. 
Well-furni6hed,  semi-globular  specimens  are  often  exhibited  from  2  feet 
to  4  feet  in  diameter.  Whether  your  old  plants  are  retained  or  not, 
it  will  be  prudent  to  establish  young  plants  from  cuttings  of  the  best 
varieties. 
Francoa  ramosa  (IF.  B.  IF.). — Young  plants  in  3-inch  pots  may  be 
transferred  to  others  5  inches  in  diameter,  using  a  compost  of  good 
loam,  sand,  and  one-seventh  manure.  If  the  plants  are  given 
greenhouse  treatment  they  will  continue  to  grow  slowly,  will  develop 
into  strong  specimens  eaily  in  the  season,  and  commence  to  push  up 
strong  spikes  of  bloom.  It  is  best  to  raise  these  plants  annually  from 
seed.  Whnn  the  stock  is  short  one-year-old  plants  may  have  the 
growths  thinned  out.  Those  subjected  to  this  treatment,  then  shaken 
out  and  in  small  pots,  will  be  ready  for  larger  ones,  and  should  be 
given  the  same  treatment  as  young  plants.  Seed  can  be  sown  any 
time  during  February. 
Grasses  for  Lawn  on  Sea  Coast  ( H .  (?.). — The  Grasses  most  likely 
to  succeed  are  the  varieties  following  and  quantities  suitable  :  — 
Cynosuras  cristatus,  7  lbs.;  Festuca  duriuscula,  7  lbs.;  Lolium 
perenne  tenue,  30  lbs.  ;  Poa  nemoralis  sempervirens,  4  lbs.  ;  Poa 
trivialis,  4  lbs.  ;  and  Clovers —Trifolium  repens,  6  lbs.,  and  Trifolium 
minus  2  lbs.,  in  mixture,  for  an  acre.  The  seed  should  not  be  sown 
until  April,  choosing  mild  weather  with  an  early  prospect  of  rain,  in 
the  meanwhile  well  preparing  the  ground  for  the  seed,  it  not  being 
possible  to  have  it  in  too  good  tilth  and  too  free  from  weeds  of  a 
perennial  nature.  Perhaps  you  require  grass  to  fix  the  sand,  in  which 
case  please  state  particulars  of  requirements,  and  we  will  advise  to 
the  best  of  our  knowledge. 
PreEerving  Gooseberry  and  Currant  Buds  (IF.  IF.  B.). — Some 
persons  leave  the  pruning  of  Gooseberries  till  the  spring,  inasmuch 
as  birds,  chiefly  bullfinches  and  sparrows,  do  immense  damage  in 
denuding  bushes  of  their  most  promising  buds.  When,  however,  it  is 
desirable  to  c<  mplete  the  pruning  of  Gooseberries  at  once,  it  is  a  good 
plan,  in  order  to  save  the  buds,  to  dust  the  bushes  with  fine  dry  lime. 
It  adheres  readily  when  the  trees  are  wet,  but  the  operation  of  applying 
it  is  unpleasant  during  heavy  rain.  It  is  much  easier  to  dredge  it  on 
the  trees  in  dry  weather,  first  making  the  shoots  wet  with  a  fine-rosed 
watering  can  or  a  syringe.  Apply  the  lime  liberally,  and  the  bushes 
when  dry  will  be  quite  white.  It  may  be  used  on  Gooseberries  and 
Currants  either  before  or  after  pruning. 
Outdoor  Vine  Culture  (Inquirer). — If  the  Vines  are  planted  in 
favourable  situations  on  south  aspects  in  southern  and  south-western 
districts  of  England  Vines  often  yield  good  crops.  They  require  a 
gravelly  or  sandy  calcareous  soil  thoroughly  well  drained,  hence  warm 
and  friable.  They  do  not  succeed  well  outdoors  in  a  strong  rich  soil, 
being  liable  in  this  case  to  produce  coarse  sappy  wood  instead  of  shoots 
of  medium  texture,  which  become  hard  and  ripe,  producing  plump  firm 
buds,  the  shoots  from  such  invariably  being  fruitful.  The  most  suc¬ 
cessful  results  are -obtained  from  Vines  on  walls  or  gable  ends  of 
buildings  having  an  uninterrupted  frontage  to  the  south  or  south¬ 
west,  the  greatest  proportion  of  sunshine  thus  being  easily  secured, 
for  without  abundance,  especially  in  the  autumn,  nut-browned  ripened 
wood,  so  essential  in  Grape  culture,  cannot  be  obtained.  Walls  of  any 
height,  or  gable  ends  of  various  shapes,  may  all  be  utilised,  as  Vines  are 
amenable  to  various  methods  of  training,  the  best  being  adopted  which 
the  conformity  of  the  wall  surface  renders  most  applicable. 
Propagating  Ficus  elastica  (F.  J.  IF.). — You  will  find  the  present 
time  is  suii  able  for  propagating  this  plant,  either  by  shoots  taken  off 
with  a  heel  or  by  eyes.  When  it  is  propagated  by  eyes  they  should  be 
taken  with  a  leaf  attached  to  each,  and  be  placed  in  silver  sand  to  keep 
them  from  bleeding.  Insert  them  in  small  pots  well  drained,  in  a 
mixture  of  peat  and  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  and  plunge  in  a  strong 
bottom  heat  of  90°,  with  a  little  sand  under  each  cutting.  If  they  are 
not  placed  in  a  string  bottom  heat  the  eyes  will  not  break.  When  the 
eyes  have  rooted  and  commenced  growing  they  should  be  repotted 
into  48-sized  pots,  in  equal  parts  of  turfy  loam  and  peat,  with  sufficient 
sand  to  keep  the  soil  open.  The  plants  should  be  placed  in  a  temperature 
of  about  70°, and  be  sj  ringed  frequently  ;  occasionally  sponging  the  foliage 
is  also  highly  beneficial.  The  plants  should  not  be  allowed  to  become 
root-bound  until  they  have  grown  to  the  allotted  size,  when  they  will  be 
greatly  benefited  by  liberal  supplies  of  liquid  manure.  During  their 
growing  season  they  should  never  be  allowed  to  become  dry  at  the  roots, 
as  dryness  causes  the  leaves  to  turn  yellow,  and  spoils  the  beauty  of  the 
plants.  Shoots  taken  off  with  a  heel  will  make  plants  much  quicker 
than  raising  them  from  eyes ;  and  it  is  the  safer  plan,  for  if  strong 
bottom  heat  is  not  affoided,  the  eyes,  as  before  mentioned,  will  not 
break  into  growth.  When  only  a  few  plants  of  rapid  growth  are 
required  we  advise  that  they  be  raised  from  cuttings,  but  when  a  great 
number  of  small  plants  is  required  the  mode  of  raising  them  from  eyes 
must  be  adopted. 
Names  of  Plants. — We  only  undertake  to  name  specie s  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  in 
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  difficult  to 
separate  them  when  the  paper  is  damp.  (A.  iV.). — 1,  Chimonanthus 
fragrans ;  2,  Anthurium  Soherzerianum ;  3,  Asparagus  plumosus. 
(G.  H.  F.). — 1,  Dicksonia  squarrosa;  2,  Nephrolepis  tuberosa  ;  3,  Poly¬ 
podium  aureum ;  the  Bouvardia  is  Alfred  Neuner;  the  Cypripedium 
insigne.  (IF.  R.). — 1,  Petasites  fragrans;  2,  Dendrobium  cretaceum  ; 
3,  Crinum  capense  ;  4,  Saxifraga  sarmentosa. 
Covent  Garden  Ifarket.— January  30th. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Fruit. 
Apples,  cooking,’ bush.  ... 
,,  Californian,  case 
Chestnuts,  bag,  from 
Cobnuts,  doz.  lb.,  best 
Grapes,  black . 
,,  white,  per  lb. 
Lemons,  case  . 
Artichokes,  green, doz.  ... 
„  Jerusalem,  sieve 
Asparagus  (Sprue  Grass) 
,,  Paris  Green 
Beans,  French,  per  lb. 
„  Jersey,  per  lb. 
Beet,  red,  doz. ... 
Broccoli,  bush.... 
Brussels  Sprouts,  sieve 
Cabbages,  tally 
Carrots,  doz.  bncli 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
Celery,  bundle . 
Cucumbers,  doz 
Endive,  score 
Greens,  bush. 
Herbs,  bunch 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bunch 
Carnations,  12  blooms  ... 
Cattleyas,  doz . 
Chrysanthemums,  dozen 
blooms  . 
Daffodils,  doz . 
Eucharis,  doz . 
Gardenias,  doz . 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bunches .  . 
Hyacinths,  doz . 
Lilium  lancifolium  album 
„  .  „  rubrum 
„  various . 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
2  6  to  7  0 
7  6 
9  6 
5  0 
15  0 
4  0 
5  0 
0  6 
2  6 
1  6 
5  0 
9  0 
16  0 
Wholesale 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
5  0  to  0  0 
1  6 
0  0 
0  6 
0  8 
2  0 
2  6 
0  10 
0  0 
1  6 
2  0 
0  6 
0  0 
0  6 
1  0 
0  9 
1  6 
3  0 
5  0 
2  0 
3  0 
1  6 
3  0 
1  0 
0  0 
12  0 
18  0 
1  6 
0  0 
0  6 
1  0 
0  2 
0  0 
Wholesale  : 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
1  6  to  2  6 
2  6 
3  0 
10  0 
18  0 
1  0 
3  0 
12  0 
15  0 
4  0 
60 
3  0 
5  0 
8  0 
12  0 
4  0 
8  0 
3  0 
5  0 
3  0 
5  0 
4  0 
8  0 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
Oranges,  case .  6  0  to  150 
Pears,  crate  .  3  .0  7  0 
,,  stewing,  case  of 
72  to  120  .  4  6  6  6 
,,  Californian,  case  15  0  18  0 
„  £  case .  9  0  10  0 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s,  each  10  2  0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
Lettuce,  doz.  French 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb. 
Mustard  and  Cress,  pnnt. 
Onions,  Dutch,  bag 
,,  English,  cwt. 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs. 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
Rhubarb,  doz . 
Savoys,  tally  . 
Scotch  Kale,  per  bushel 
Seakale,  best,  doz.  ... 
,,  2nd,  doz.  ... 
Shallots,  lb . 
Spinach, bush . 
Turnips,  doz . 
Turnip  tops  . 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.  —  Plants  in  Pots 
tcers,  doz . 
Lrbor  Vitas,  var.,  doz. 
ispidistra,  doz. 
ispidistra,  specimen 
izaleas,  various,  each 
loronias,  doz . 
Jannas,  doz, 
Protons,  doz . 
)racasna,  var.,  doz. 
Iracaena,  viridis,  doz. 
frica,  various,  doz. 
Cuonymus,  var.,  doz. 
evergreens,  var.,  doz. 
ferns,  var.,  doz. 
„  small,  100 
ficus  elastica,  each 
s. 
d. 
8.  < 
a. 
12 
0to24 
0 
6 
0 
36 
0 
18 
0 
36 
0 
15 
0 
20 
0 
2 
6 
5 
0 
20 
0 
24 
0 
18 
0 
0 
0 
18 
0 
30 
0 
12 
0 
30 
0 
9 
0 
18 
0 
8 
0 
18 
0 
6 
0 
18 
0 
4 
0 
18 
0 
4 
0 
18 
6 
4 
0 
8 
0 
1 
6 
7 
6 
Foliage  plants,  var.,  each 
Geraniums,  scarlet,  doz. 
,,  pink,  doz.  ... 
Hydrangeas,  white,  each 
,,  pink,  doz . 
„  paniculata,  each 
Lilium  Harrisi,-doz 
Lycopodiums,  doz . 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz.... 
Mignojiette,  doz . 
Myrtles,  doz . 
Palms,  in  var.,  each 
,,  specimens  . 
Roses,  doz . 
Stocks,  doz . 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
0  l£to0  0 
0  8 
0  8 
0  2 
3  6 
5  0 
2  0 
3  0 
1  2 
2  0 
0  6 
15  0 
6  0 
0  2 
2  6 
2  0 
0  9 
1  6 
0  9 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
7  0 
1  5 
3  0 
0  9 
0  0 
8  0 
0  3 
3  6 
3  0 
1  0 
Lilac,  white,  bunch, 
Lily  of  the  Valley,  12  bun. 
Maidenhair  Fern,  dozen 
bunches . 
Marguerites,  doz.  bnchs. 
,,  Yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
Mimosas,  bnch . 
Odontoglossums  . 
Poinsettias,  doz.  blooms . 
Roses  (indoor),  doz. 
,,  Safrano,  doz . 
,,  Tea,  white,  doz.  ... 
„  Yellow, doz.  (Perles) 
"Smilax,  bunch . 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
3  0  to  5  0 
8  0  15  0 
4  0 
2  0 
2  0 
1  0 
6  0 
8  0 
2  0 
1  6 
1  0 
2  0 
3  0 
8  0 
4  0 
4  9 
1  6 
8  0 
12  0 
4  0 
2  0 
3  0 
4  0 
5  0 
s. 
1 
6 
8 
2 
12 
1 
8 
3 
8 
8 
.  6 
.  1 
.  21 
%  6 
,  8 
d.  s.  d. 
0  to  5  0 
10  0 
10  0 
5  0 
15  6 
3  0 
18  0 
6  0 
10  0 
12  0 
9  0 
15  0 
63  0 
18  0 
12  0 
