December  18,  1S02. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
575 
Covent  Garden  Market.— December  17th. 
Apples, 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit, 
s.  d.  s.  d 
Blenheims, 
bush, 
culinary,  bush. 
King  Pippins, 
^-sieve 
Cox  0.  Pippins, 
Bananas ... 
sieve 
1  Grapes,  Muscat 
7  OtolO  0  Grapes,  Alicantes  ...  0  9 
3  0  6  0  ,,  Colman  .  0  9 
Lemons,  Messina,  case  16  0 
3  0  4  0  Oranges,  case  . 10  0 
Pears,  dessert,  ^-sieve  3  0 
0  0  10  0  ,,  stewing,  i-sieve  2  6 
10  0  15  0  Pines,  St.  Michael’s, 
s.  d.  s.  d 
3  0  to  5  0 
2 
2 
0 
0 
18  0 
20  0 
6  0 
3  6 
Cobs  and  Filberts,  lb. 
0  5 
0 
0 
each .  ...  2  6 
5  0 
Figs,  green,  doz . 
0  0 
0 
0 
Plums,  -i-sieve  . .  0  0 
0  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Vegetables. 
s.  d. 
s. 
d 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
2  0  to  3 
0 
Horseradish,  bunch  ...  2  6  to  0  0 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
1  6 
0 
0 
Leeks,  bunch  .  0  1£ 
0  2 
Batavia,  doz . 
2  0 
0 
0 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz.  1  3 
1  6 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
0  6 
0 
0 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb.  0  8 
1  0 
Brussels  Sprouts,  i- 
Mustard  &  Cress,  pnnt.  0  2 
0  0 
sieve . 
1  6 
0 
0 
Onions,  bushel  .  3  0 
4  0 
Cabbages,  tally  . 
3  0 
0 
0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ...  2  0 
0  0 
Carrots,  new,  bun. 
0  2 
0 
0 
Potatoes,  cwt .  5  0 
6  0 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
1  6 
2 
0 
Radishes,  doz .  1  0 
0  0 
Corn  Salad,  strike 
1  0 
1 
3 
Spinach,  bush .  2  0 
2  6 
Cucumbers  doz . 
10  0 
12 
0 
Tomatoes,  English,  lb.  0  5 
0  6 
Endive,  doz . 
1  6 
0 
0 
,,  Jersey...  .  0  0 
0  4 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0 
0 
Turnips,  bnch . 
0  3 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  in  Pots. 
Most  of  the  undermentioned  plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32-sized  pots 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Aralias,  doz .  5 
0tol2 
0 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ... 
9  0tol2  0 
Araucaria,  doz . 12 
0 
30 
0 
Foliage  plants,  var,  each 
1  0 
5  0 
Aspidistra,  doz . 18 
0 
36 
0 
Grevilleas,  48’s,  doz.  ... 
5  0 
0  0 
Chrysanthemums  ...  6 
0 
12 
0 
Lycopodiums,  doz.  ... 
3  0 
0  0 
Crotons,  doz . 18 
0 
30 
0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
8  0 
10  0 
Cyperus  alternifolius 
Myrtles,  doz . 
6  0 
9  6 
doz .  4 
0 
5  0 
Palms,  in  var.,  doz.  ... 
15  0 
30  0 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz.  ...  12 
0 
30 
0 
,,  specimens 
21  0 
63  0 
,,  viridis,  doz. .  9 
0 
18 
0 
Pandanus  Yeitchi,  48’s, 
Erica  gracilis  .  8 
0 
9 
0 
doz . 
24  0 
30  0 
,,  liyemalis  . 10 
0 
12 
0 
Primulas  . 
4  0 
5  0 
.,  Caffra . 12 
0 
15 
0 
Shrubs,  in  pots  . 
4  0 
6  0 
Ferns,  var.,  doz .  4 
0 
18 
0 
Solanums  . 
10  0 
12  0 
,,  small,  100 . 10 
0 
16 
0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Cut  Blowers 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Arums,  doz .  8 
0  to  9 
0 
Lily  of  Valley,  12  bnchs 
9  0tol8  0 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bnch.  1 
0 
2 
0 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
Bouvardia,  coloured, 
bnchs . 
6  0 
8  0 
doz.  bunches  .  6 
0 
8 
0 
Marguerites,  white, 
Carnations,  12  blooms  1 
3 
1 
9 
doz.  bnchs . 
3  0 
4  0 
Cattleyas,  doz .  7 
0 
10 
0 
,,  yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
1  6 
2  0 
Chrysanthemums,  doz. 
Myrtle,  English,  per 
bun.  6 
0 
12 
0 
bunch  . 
0  6 
0  0 
,,  doz.  blooms  1 
0 
4 
0 
Odontoglossums . 
4  0 
5  0 
Croton  foliage,  bun.  ...  0 
9 
1 
0 
Orange  blossom,  bunch 
2  0 
0  0 
Cycas  leaves,  each  ...  0 
9 
1 
6 
Roses,  Niphetos,  white, 
Cypripediums,  doz.  ...  2 
0 
3 
0 
doz . 
1  6 
2  6 
Eucharis,  doz .  3 
0 
0 
0 
,,  pink,  doz . 
2  0 
5  0 
Gardenias,  doz .  4 
0 
5 
0 
,,  yellow, doz.  (Perles) 
1  6 
3  0 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
,,  Generals . 
0  0 
0  0 
bnchs . 10 
0 
12 
0 
Smilax,  bunch  . 
2  6 
3  0 
Ivy  leaves,  doz.  bun _  1 
6 
0 
0 
Stephanotis,  doz.  pips 
0  0 
0  0 
Lilium  Harrisi  .  6 
0 
7 
0 
Tuberoses,  dozen . 
0  9 
1  0 
,,  lancifoliumalb.  2 
0 
2 
6 
Violets,  doz.  bun. 
1  0 
1  6 
,,  1.  rubrum .  2 
0 
0 
0 
,,  Marie  Louise... 
3  0 
4  0 
,,  longiflorum  ...  6 
0 
7 
0 
Xmas  Rose,  doz . 
1  6 
2  0 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
Barr  and  Sons,  King  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. — 1,  Special  cheap 
Christinas  offer,  List  of  fine  Hardy  Perennials  for  present  planting  ; 
2,  Annual  List  (cash  clearance  sale)  Spring  Flowering  Bulbs  ;  3, 
List  of  Surplus  Stock  (cash  clearance  sale)  of  Gold  Medal 
Daffodils. 
James  Carter  and  Co.,  237,  238.  and  97,  High  Holborn,  London. — 
Seeds,  1903. 
John  Peed  and  Son.  Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  West  Norwood,  S.E. — 
Hardy  Trees,  Shrubs,  Climbers,  etc. 
Sutton  and  Sons,  Reading. — Sutton's  Amateurs'  Guide  in  Horticulture, 
1903. 
James  Veiteh  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery,  £44,  King’s 
Road,  Chelsea,  S.W. — Catalogue  of  Fruits. 
TRADE  NOTE. 
Mr.  Thomas  Lewis,  who  has  for  many  years  past  been  con¬ 
nected  with  Messrs.  W.  Clibran  and  Son,  of  Altrincham,  lias 
resigned  his  position  with  that  firm,  and  has  been  appointed  to 
represent  Messrs.  John  Waterer  and  Sons,  Limited,  The  Ameri¬ 
can  Nursery,  Bagshot,  Surrey.  Mr.  Lewis’  address  will  still  be 
Fair  Oak  House,  Routli  Park,  Cardiff. 
Christmas  Foreshadowings. 
Christmas  comes  but  once  a  year; 
When  it  comes,  it  brings  good  cheer. 
It  is  all  very  well  arranging  for  festivals  and  times  of 
rejoicing,  but  what  if  they  do  not  come  off?  We  need  only 
look  back  six  months  and  recall  a  time  when  our  oxen  and 
fatlings  were  killed,  our  tables  spread,  our  flags  hoisted, 
and  we  ourselves  ready  for  the  festal  garment ;  but  our 
feast  did  not  come  off.  Our  fatlings  had  been  killed  in 
vain.  We  dreaded  and  feared  that  our  flags  would  have  to 
fly  half-mast  high,  and  we  feared  to  speak  of  the  black 
garment  that  might  be  needed  instead  of  the  purple  and 
fine  linen.  We  approach  our  Christmas  festival  with  cheer¬ 
ful  hearts;  we  may  add,  thankful  ones  too.  But  it  was 
about  the  festival.  For  how  many  centuries  has  this  feast 
come  and  gone  unaffected  by  time  and  change?  Kingdoms 
have  waxed  and  waned ;  principalities  and  powers  have 
known  alike  glory  and  decay  ;  and  yet,  year  after  year,  on 
December  25  we  lay  aside  our  cares  and  rejoice  that  once 
more  we  are  permitted  to  again  greet  'with  acclamation 
w  The  New  Born  King.” 
We  know  some  folk  consider  we  make  this  festival  too 
sensual ;  there  is  too  much  talk  of  eating  and  drinking,  and 
that  the  feasting  often  leads  to  gluttony  and  excess.  No 
prince  was  ever  yet  born  heir  to  an  earthly  throne  but  it 
seemed  fit  and  right  that  high  festival  should  be  held,  and 
if  we,  as  a  Christian  nation,  would  remember  to  ask  to  our 
feast  those  for  whom  nothing  is  provided,  we  cannot  see 
who  should  cavil.  But  we  cannot  feast  with  “the  materials, 
and  the  materials  have  been  amaking  for  long.  They 
cannot  be  tossed  up  in  a  moment  like  an  omelet  or  pancake, 
and  industrious  folk  have  been  quietly  preparing  for  the 
feast  of  1902  for  a  long  time  back.  What  are  the  materials 
that  come  first1?  No  Englishman  need  ask  that  question — 
’tis  “  the  roast  beef  of  old  England  ”  ;  but  hark  ye,  friends,  a 
whisper  in  your  ear — is  it  not  rather  the  roast  beef  of  Scot¬ 
land'?  We  will  not  run  down  our  own,  but  what  about  Aber¬ 
deen  Angus l  (We  have  something  to  say  of  this  later.) 
Who  are  the  great  beef  growers — the  men  who  supply  the 
Christmas  market  ?  They  are  not  confined  to  one  class,  but 
come  under  three  headings:  the  King  (God  bless  him!), 
lords,  and  commoners.  Yes,  we  are  an  agricultural  people, 
and  on  the  common  ground  of  the  show-yard  we  are  all 
equal,  and  the  man  with  but  few  acres  may  hold  his  own 
even  with  majesty. 
Some  of  us  like  beef  ;  others  prefer  the  short-grained, 
juicy  mutton.  Mutton,  perhaps,  has  more  votaries  than 
beef,  it  is  so  eminently  suitable  to  the  weakly  digestion.  The 
immature  growth  makes  such  nice  small  acceptable  joints, 
and  it  is  dear  to  the  housekeeper  insomuch  that  the 
original  joint  may  appear  and  reappear  in  so  many  different 
guises.  Weight  for  weight,  we  think  muttdn  to  the  man  of 
small  means  is  the  most  economical. 
This  is  nowadays.  It  was  not  always  so.  We  can  re¬ 
member  the  mutton  of  our  youth— tremendously  big,  and  oh  ! 
so  horribly  fat  tallow !  Even  on  a  leg  there  were  pieces 
that  would  sicken  a  pig,  and  then  mutton,  whatever  its 
price,  was  an  extravagant  dish.  But  the  fat,  coarse  mutton 
no  longer  exists.  Such  is  the  power  of  man,  and  such  his 
skill  in  breeding,  that  we  get  well-proportioned  joints,  with 
a  modicum  of  fat  and  the  lean  so  cunningly  interspersed 
with  fat  globules  as  to  be  deliciously  moist  and  pleasant. 
We  think  every  year  sees  an  improvement  in  mutton. 
