September  10,  1903.  JOURNAL  6'F  ‘ HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
265 
part  being more  or  less  killed,  but  tbe  other  side  and  lower  part 
pushed  new  growths  freely.  ■ 
Possibly  the  Pear  trees  may  have  been  struck  by  lightning, 
but  I  hardly  think  the  data  conclusive,  the  evidence-  of  exuda¬ 
tion  on  one  tree  not  indicating  electrocution,  for  it  is  of  a  burn¬ 
ing,  dry  nature.  Indeed,  the  affection  points  to  fungoid  origin, 
and  most  likely  is  that  foreshown.  If  so,  the  treeis  will  push  new* 
growths  another  season;  and  if  lightning  it  is  remarkable  the 
trees  have  not  started  into  new  growth  from  the  sound  parts'  of 
the  wood  this  summer,  as  it  seldom  occurs  of  trees  being  killed 
outright  over  a  wide  area,  and  even  individual  trees  are  not 
always  killed  by  lightning,  but  in  part  only,  and  then  new 
growth  pushes  from  the  sound  living  parts. 
SHIFTING  YOUNG  PELARGONIUMS  (Inquirer).— If  they 
are  Zonals  they  should,  when  the  small  pots  are  filled  with 
roots,  be  transferred  to  Gin  pots,  potting  firmly,  placing  them 
in  a  light  position,  and  with  a  little  heat  the  plants  will  flower 
in  winter.  If,  however,  they  are  of  the  Show,  Spotted,  or 
Fancy  section,  they  may  also  now  be  repotted  and  have  the 
shoots  stopped  so  as  to  induce  a  branched  habit,  keeping  them 
near  the  glass  and  the  house  freely  ventilated. 
SPENT  TAN  (Raraalho). — Such  old  “  rotten  ”  tan  as  you 
describe  has  very  little  manurial  value.  If  the  tan  is-  in  a 
friable  state  it  may  be  applied  beneficially  to  very  heavy  land, 
such  as  clay  or  strong  loam,, but  no  benefit  will  result  if  it  is 
mixed  with- ordinary  light  garden  soil,  ^onie  pastures  we  have 
known  to  have  been  benefited  by  a  heathy ‘dressing  of  ' old  tan, 
and  this  is  possibly  the  most  likely  way  in  which  your  heap  may 
be  utilised — that  is,  if  you  have  no  heavy  garden  ground  that 
requires  to  be  made  more  friable. 
CoYent  Garden  Market.— Septemkr  9tli. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit. 
A-Pples,  Italiap.,  per  pad 
s.  d.  s.  d 
4  6  to  5  6 
,,  cooking,  bush. 
5  0 
6  0 
,,  ,  dessert,  ^-bush. 
5  0 
9  0 
Bananas . 
10  0 
15  0 
Grapes,  Alicante,  lb.  ... 
1  0 
1  3 
,,  Hamburgh  ... 
1  0 
1  6 
Lemons,  Messina,  case 
10  0 
15  0 
Oranges,  case  . 
10  0 
15  0 
Average  Wholesale 
** 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
2-0  toO  0 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
1  6 
0  0 
Batavia,  doz.„.  ...  ,  ... 
2  0 
0  0 
Beet,  red,  doz.  .  i,‘.,  ... 
Cabbages,  Spring, Tally 
0  6 
0  0 
2  0 
3  0 
Carrots,  bunch 
0  2 
0  0 
Cauliflowers^  doz,’'^  ... 
2  0 
3  0 
Corn  Salad,  strike*  ^  ... 
1  0 
1  3 
Cos  Lettuce,  dok.':..  ... 
1  0 
0  O' 
Cucurnbers  doz;  ...  ... 
2  0 
3  0 
Endive,  doz.  ...  . 
1  6 
0  0 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0  0 
Horseradish^  bunch,  ... 
1  3 
1  6 
Pears,  Williams,  48’s, 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
per  case  . 
8  OtolO  0 
,,  small,  ^-sieve  ... 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s 
6  0 
7  0 
3  0 
5  0 
Plums,  Rivers’,  ^-sieve 
8  0 
9  0 
,,  Orleans,  ,, 
9  0 
10  0 
,,  Victorias,,, 
8  0 
9  0 
Prices.— Yegetablee. 
'V 
1. . 
s.  d. 
8.  d 
Leeks,  bunch  .  0  .2to0  2^ 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz.  1  0  0  O; 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb.,  0  8  rO  9 
Mustard  &  Cress,  doz-  . 
punnets  ...  .  i  6  0  0 
Onions,  bushel  ...  ...  3  0  0  0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ...  2  0  0  0 
Peas,  bushel .  4  0  5  0 
Potatoes,  cwt.  ...  5  0  6  0 
Radishes,  doz.  .  0  9  10 
Scarlet  Runnfers,  bush.  4  0  5  0 
Spinach,  bush .  2  0  0  0 
Tomatoes,  English,  lb.  0  3  0  4 
Turnips,  bnch .  0  0  0  2 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  In  Pots 
‘''  Must  df  the  undermentioned  plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32-sized  pot 
'  •  ■  '  s.  d.  s.  d 
Aralias,  doz .  5  0tol2  0 
Araucaria,  doz .  12  0  30  0 
Aspidistra,  doz .  18  0  36  0 
Crotons,  doz.  .  18  0  30  0 
Cyperus  alternifolius 
doz .  4  0  5  0 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz.  ...  12  0  30  0 
,,  viridis,  doz..  9  0  18  0 
Ferns,  var. ,  doz .  4  0  18  0 
,,  small,  100 .  10  0  16  0 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ...  9  0  12  0 
Foliageplants,  var,  each  10  5  0 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d 
Grevilleas,  48’s,  doz.  ... 
Heliotrope  . 
5 
0  to  0 
0 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Hydrangeas,  pink 
12 
O' 
0 
0 
,,  white  ... 
12 
0 
18 
0 
Lycopodiums,  doz.  ... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
6 
0 
0 
0 
Myrtles,  doz. 
6 
0 
9 
6 
Palms,  in  var.,  doz.  ... 
15 
0 
30 
0 
,,  specimens 
21 
0 
63 
0 
Pandanus  Veitchi,  48’s, 
doz .  ... 
24 
0 
30 
0 
Shrubs,  in  pots  . 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Arums,  doz . 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bnch; 
Carnations,  12  blooms 
Cattleyas,  doz . 
Croton  foliage,  bun.  ... 
Cycas  leaves,  each 
Eucharis,  doz . 
Gardenias,  doz . 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bnchs . 
Gladiolus,  The  Bride, 
doz.  bun . 
Ivy  leaves,  doz.  bun. ... 
Lilium  Harris!  . 
Maidenhair  Fern,  doz. 
bnchs .  4  0  6  0 
8.  d.  s.  d 
Lily  of  Valley, 12  bnchs  9  0tol2  0 
Marguerites,  white, 
doz.  bnchs . 
1  0 
2  0 
,,  yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
1  0 
0  0 
Myrtle, English,  bunch 
0  6 
0  0 
Odontoglossums . 
4  0 
0  0 
Orange  blossom,  bunch 
2  0 
0  0 
Roses,  Niphetos,  white. 
doz . 
1  0 
1  6 
,,  pink,  doz . 
1  0 
2  0 
,,  yellow, doz.(Perles) 
1  0 
2  0 
,,  Liberty,  doz . 
2  0 
0  0 
,,  Generals . 
1  0 
1  6 
Smilax,  bunch  . 
2  6 
3  0 
Stephanotis,  doz. 
1  6 
2  0 
Tuberoses,  gross . 
2  0 
3  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Cut  Flowers 
s.  d.  s.  d 
2  6  to  3  6 
10  2  0 
0  6  10 
10  0  12  0 
0  9  10 
0  9-16 
16  0  0 
16  2  0 
3  0  4  0 
16  2  6 
16  0  0 
16  2  6 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Cate. 
A 
Direction  o1 
Wind. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air, 
d 
*3 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Lowest 
Temperature 
on  Grass. 
1903. 
August 
and 
September. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
■ 
Drv 
Bulb.' 
AVet 
Bulb. 
03 
0) 
5 
49 
w 
0> 
& 
o 
Sunday  ...30 
Monday  ...31 
Tuesday...  1 
Wed’sday  2 
Thursday  3 
Friday  ...  4 
Saturday  5 
W. 
W. 
s. 
.  S.B. 
S-W. 
8.W. 
'  SlAV,'  f 
(  .  I’O 
deg. 
59-9 
62- 5 
68-3 
73  5 
63- 4 
66-7 
61-7 
deg. 
56- 8 
57- 0 
58- 7 
67-0 
57  5 
60  5 
61-4 
deg. 
64'9 
71-0 
81*7 
82-2 
69  0 
71-2 
69-5 
deg. 
49  0 
58-0 
52-3 
58-9 
50-3 
430 
60-6 
■ 
Ins. 
0-02 
1-39 
deg. 
62-0 
620 
62-3 
65  0 
65-3 
63  2 
64  0 
deg. 
60  8 
61  0 
61-3 
61- 9 
62- 7 
62  5 
62-5 
deg. 
58  9 
58  9 
58  9 
59  0 
59T 
59-4 
59-6 
deg. 
42  5 
56-5 
470 
540 
43-3 
42-5 
57'2 
Means  ... 
65*1 
1 
59  8 
^  72  8 
53-9 
Total. 
1-41 
63'4 
61-8 
59-1 
49  0 
The  Aveek  opened  Avith  fine,  bright,  and  Avarm  weather,  becoming 
less  settled  toAval-ds  the  end,  A-ery  heaA-y  rain  falling  on  the  evening  of- 
the  4th,  accompanied  AA-ith  thunder  and  very  vivid  lightning. 
1879  as  Against  1903. 
Why,  the  reader  Avill  ask,  are  these  two  years  treated  of 
together  7  Twenty-four  years  apart,  a  good  many  of  us 
have  but  vague  remembrance  of  1879.  It  \yas  not  a  Jubilee 
year,  a  Coronation,  or  a  great  w^ar ; .  no  public  feature  of 
any  mark.  But,- nevertheless,  it  is  a  time  well  remembered 
by  those  who  were  unfortunate  to  be  farming  then.  We 
Avere  going  to  say  by  those  farming  in  the  northern  half  of 
the  kingdom  ;  but,  really,  the  disasters  of  that  year  were  so 
evenly  distributed  that  each  and  all  got  a  fair  share.  What 
were  the  leading  characteristics  of  1879  7  Cold,  wet,  storm,, 
lack  of  sunshine^ — a  formidable  array.  In  1878,  from  June 
onward,  the  weather  Avas  unusually  Avet,  causing  a  late 
harvest,  and  also  affecting  the  w^ell-being  of  lambs.  It 
was  not  at  all  an  unusual  occurrence  to  find  several  lambs 
dead  in  the  folds,  or  dying,  more  mornings  in  the  week 
than  Avas  at  all  pleasant,  and  those  Avhich  recovered  were 
by  no  means  in  good  condition  to  Avithstand  a  severe  winter. 
Very  early  did  Avinter  set  in  (1878-79),  and  a  very  severe 
period  it  was,  and  of  long  duration.  Practically  up  to 
Easter,  1879,  it  Avas  all  Avinter.  We  can  even  at  this  distant 
date  remember  hoAV  few  days  there  Avere  that  could,  by 
any  courtesy  be  spoken  of  as  “  spring  AA'eather,”  and  Easter 
Day  Avas  ushered  in  by  a  snowstorm.  The  land  being  so 
w’et  and  Cold  for  such  a  length  of  time,  Avas  most  un¬ 
favourable  to  the  groAvth  of  Wheat,  and  many,  many  acres 
were  ploughed  up  and  re-soAAm  Avuth  Barley  or  Oats.  These 
crops,  experiencing  such  continued  wet,  made  straw,  and 
little  else.  June  came;  still  downpour.  July  followed 
with  a  few  fine  days,  but  these  not  till  quite  the  end  of  the 
month.  To  shoAV  the  lateness  of  the  season,  we  may  re¬ 
mark  that  in  a  Avell  cultivated  Midland  garden  there  Avere 
no  new^  Potatoes  till  the  end  of  July,  and  StraAvberries  AA-ere 
equally  late,  even  the  eariie.st  varieties  (this  before  the  days 
of  The  Noble).  It  Avas  a  case  of  hay  making  under  diffi¬ 
culties,  and  the  hay  eventually  secured  Avas  of  the  poorest 
quality.  .  . 
In  an  article—"  Daily  Telegraph,”  August  31— it  is  stated 
that  June,  July,  and  August  of  this  year  (1903)  have  been 
better  than  the  corresponding  months  of  1879,  though  the 
crops  of  ’79  were  Avorse.  Now,  A\’e  must  not  go  against 
figures,  but  Ave  really  believe  1879  Avas  a  far  Avetter  season. 
The  harvest  of  1879  was  late  in  beginning,  and  on  our  farm 
not  a  stack  Avas  begun  till  Saturday,  September  27,  when 
leading  was  started  ;  further  North  Ave  dare  not  inquire. 
As  to  the  fruit  crop,  it  was  plentiful ;  only  Plums  never  got 
