272 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [September i, i88z. 



Lageesteomia Inbica. — The display of flowers which 

 this plant is capable of yielding under a proper system 

 of cultivation is now practically exemplified in the fine 

 garden of Joshua Dickson, Esq., ^\^nslade, near Exeter, 

 where there are plants flowering over 8 feet high and as 

 much across, literally laden with a glowing mass of rich 

 rosy-pink flowers, produced in 'long panicles, something 

 after the manner of Hydrangea pauiculata grandiflora, but 

 much more graceful-looking, because the flowers are not 

 so closely packed together upon the flower-stem. Plunged 

 in a border in the conservatory, under the broad leaves 

 of Palms or Fern fronds, the effect is magnificent — probably 

 there is no other plant coming into flower at this season 

 to equal it for general decorative purposes. — Gardeners' 

 Chronicle. 



Bab New,s foe Poet Wine Dbinkehs. — Oflicial papers 

 state that the pest of the Phylloxera vastatrix, which 

 had manifested itself in the Dom-o Vines in a virulent 

 form, has invaded the districts of Leiria and Santarem; 

 and it is anticipated that ere long the whole country, as 

 far as the Algarve, will be infested with this insect. 

 The treatment of the Vines with sulphate [ide] of carbon 

 has not proved effectual, so much so, that in the Douro 

 the cultivation of Tobacco is going to be tried with the 

 permission of the Government. Moreover, in spite of the 

 conventions entered into by Portugal, and the regulations 

 issued, the auction of the authorities with regard to the 

 Phylloxera is marked by very gr^at apathy. It is stated 

 that the Botanical Garden at Ooimbra has long been in- 

 fested with the Phylloxera. — Garileners' Chronicle. 



A Peach Tree at Bearwood. — A truly remarkable ex- 

 ample of a Pioyal George Peach may be seen in one of 

 the Peach-houses at Bearwood. It completely fills the 

 interior of the roof of a lean-to house 20 m I4J feet. The 

 tree is in the best possible condition ; it could not well 

 be more vigorous in growth and healthy in appearance, 

 and the .stem is in i^roportion to the tree, and of the 

 same thickness throughout. The crop of fruit, now rapidly 

 reaching on to ripeness, is very large, and individu.ally the 

 Peaches are of splcniUd development. It is a crop much 

 above the average, but the tree is in such perfect health' 

 and so robust in all its parts as to be able to carry it 

 to a most successful issue. Jlr. Tegg wins high honour 

 over the management of this spleufhd tree, and the achieve- 

 ment well deserves a record. It is when one looks ou to 

 the tree tlu'ough the glass from the outside that the 

 amount of the crop is realised. It may be added that the 

 Early Grosse Miguoune is regarded by Mr. Tegg as the 

 best early Peach in cnltivatiou. — Gardeners^ Chronicle. 



New Method of Growing and Training Tomatos. — As 

 we grow older the majority of us are supposed to grow 

 wiser in our generation, and if we do not we certainly 

 ought to do. At all events, in the matter of Tomato grow- 

 ing wc have not been over-sharp in discovering the shortest 

 way of obtaining the best residts. As long as Tomato 

 growing was carried on chiefly by private gardeners the 

 one-leader system, which gave a few fine fruits, was all 

 very well foe the exhibition table, and ornamental-looking 

 in the hothouse of a private gentleman ; but as the public 

 demand for English-grown Tomatos increases, the one- 

 leader system mil have to be given up, and the side- 

 shoots more depended upon for a general crop. As a matter 

 of fact the si.te-shoots are the most iirolific, and if they 

 do not bear the largest fruit, they produce the greatest 

 quantity, and already the market-growers, or the most 

 knowing of them, are finding this out, and are very vrisely 

 altering their tactics. In the case of one — a well-known 

 private gardener at one time — the system now adopted is 

 to plant out in a narrow border (there are Cucumbers 

 grown at the front of the same house), and peg down the 

 side-shoots iipou the surface of the border, where they 

 root in a short time, aud have to be supported under 

 the weight of their crops. Instead, therefore, of having 

 long naked stems, we shall in future have a border cov- 

 ered with raedium-.sized shoots, and laden with fruits 

 which pay as well, or better, than anything else in the 

 market at the present day. Given a moderate-sized var- 

 iety, and a free cropper, gi-own upon the principle indic- 

 ated, and started early in the season, or even now. for 

 a late crop, no other garden produce will be found to pay 

 its way better, or be more generally satisfactory. — Garden- 

 ei's' Chronicle. 



The Electric Light.— The theoretical possibility of imit- 

 ating, by artificial means, the effect of solar ratUation on 

 plant-life has been demonstrated again and again. In ob- 

 taining experimental results on a large scale there seems 

 to me absolutely no difliculty except the question of cost. 

 I see no reason why, say, Cucumbers, should not be grown 

 with electric light alone, if proper precautions are taken 

 to exclude the nitrous gases and prevent scorching. The 

 only question is, whether the result will justify the expen- 

 diture even to the wealthy. Dr. Siemens speaks of the 

 importance of excluding the ultra-violet rays. That they 

 are positively injurious to plants supplied with an adequate 

 amount of light of lower degi'ee of refrangibility has, I think, 

 not been demonstrated, though no doubt these rays are 

 filtered off to a great extent from sunlight by the aqueous 

 vapour present in the atmosphere. Any positive results 

 in this direction would undoubtedly be of the greatest in- 

 terest. — W. T. TiiiSELTON DvER. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



The Utilisation of Ants in Hoeticultfhe. — Professor 

 Eiley contributes the following note to a recent number 

 of Nature : — Dr. 0. J. Msicgowan has sent me, from Han- 

 chow, Province of Hainan, China, a little paper on the 

 ' Utilisation of Ants as Insect Destroyers in China.' It 

 seems that in many parts of the Province of Cauton the 

 Orange trees are injured by certain worms, and to rid 

 themselves of these pests the inhabitants import ants from 

 the neighbouring hills. The hill-people throughout the 

 summer aud winter find the nests of two species of ants, 

 red and yeUow, suspended from the branches of various 

 trees. The ' Orange ant breeders ' are provided with pig 

 or goat bladders baited inside with lard. The orifices of 

 these they apply to the entrance of the bag-like nests, 

 when the ants enter the bladders, and, as Dr. Macgowau 

 expres.ses it, ' become a marketable commodity at the orange- 

 ries.' The trees are colonised by placing the ants ou their 

 upper branches, and bamboo rods are stretched between 

 the different trees, so as to give the ants easy access to 

 the whole orchard. This remedy has been in constant use 

 at least since 1640, and probably dates from a much earlier 

 period. This is certainly a new way of utihsing ants, which, 

 as a rule, are deservedly considered a nuisance by the 

 horticulturist. Professor Kiley would like to leam from 

 any reader whether the facts communicated have before 

 been known in Emope, .and, if so, whether the species of 

 ant has been determined." — Gardtner:>' Chronicle. 



The ORANQERy. — It may not be amiss to repeat wha^ 

 I must have said before — that to grow Orange trees well 

 enough to produce fruit of superior quality to place upon 

 the dessert-table there are a few essentials that cannot 

 be dispensed with. It seems neces.sary to urge the fol- 

 lowing points, because one seldom sees the trees doing so 

 well as they ought to do. In the first place peaty soil, 

 such as imported trees are potted in, will not do. Good 

 turfy loam, enriched \vith some stable-maniu'e and bone- 

 dust, is the be.st material to support the roots. In potting 

 the compost should be pounded in rather firmly; the pots 

 to be well drained ; and as the trees may be two or tliree 

 years — or, in the case of large specimens, even longer — 

 in the same pots, some fibrous loam, free from dust, should 

 be laid over the drainage. Cleanliness is ne.xt in import- 

 ance. The Orange is often infested with scale, and mealy- 

 bug will also get on to them. There is no better plan 

 than to wash the trees with strong soft-soapy water, wash- 

 ing leaves and stems thoroughly. They may then be kept 

 clean by thoroughly washing them with the syringe every 

 day. Temperature is also of vital importance. Oranges 

 will become j'ellow, the hue of ripeness, and they will 

 grow to a large size in an ordinary greenhouse, but they 

 will not be eatable. To have them of good flavour they 

 must be grown in a stove temperature. Theji the varieties 

 must be selected; varieties usually imported from France 

 will not answer. Tangierine, Maltese Blood, St. Michael's, 

 and Plata, or Silver Orange, are the best. They should 

 now be grown ou in a high temperatiu-e, with a moist 

 atmosphere; but if the fruit shows any sign of cracldng, 

 keep the trees rather dry at the roots. — F. Douglas. — Card- 

 eiu^r.-i' Chronicle. 



[In consequence of the delay of the London Mail of 

 August 4th through the breakdown of the Messageries 

 steamer, we omit the usual London Price Current for 

 Tropical Products this month. — Ed.] 



