1876.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



11 



enough to make, if in one straight Hne, say 100 

 feet." 



[Artemisia stellaris ; Centaurea requsina, 

 often called C. Candida; C. gymnocarpa, and 

 Cineraria maritima, are generally used. Tlie 

 last is often kncfv\ai familiarly as the "Dusty 

 Miller," and is so easy to increase and manage, 

 that it is very popular. We give nn illustration 

 of it herewith when allowed to flower. For large 

 beds, where there is no necessity to have the leaves 

 sheared, as is sometimes desirable in this class of 

 bedding, the Glaucium corniculatum is used. — 

 Ed. G. M.] 



Saxifraga Huetii. — Most of the Saxifrages in 

 cultivation are perennials, — the best known, per- 

 haps, being the S. sarmentosa, one of the most 

 useftil of plants in hanging-basket culture. The 

 present species in as annual, and is represented 

 as being a remarkably good thing for early spring 



flowering in pots. It does not appear to be 

 known much in England yet, but has been intro- 

 duced on the continent by the old and well- 

 known firm of Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., of 

 Paris, who are prominent in the enterprise of 

 Introducing good and substantial things. 



QUERIES. 



Disease in Palms. — E. H., New Bedfoi-d, Mass., 

 writes : — " I enclose to you two samples of Palm- 

 leaves affected with a disease which seems to be 

 spreading over the entire plant ; my gardener 

 is at a loss to know how to deal with it. One of 

 the Palms is Latania Borbonica, a large thrifty 

 plant, growing well, but this threatens to destroy 



it. Your opinion would be esteemed a great 

 favor. I have for years been a subscriber to your 

 Monthly." 



[This disease is caused by a small fungus 

 which feeds on the interior tissues of the leaves. 

 It is not known how it enters the structure, but 

 probably through the roots. Wood ashes, water 

 with a little salt, just enough salt in the water 

 to be perceptible to the taste, or even warm 

 water itself (say 130°) will often destroy fungoid 

 matter at the roots of plants, — and the Palms 

 generally stand these doses better than other 

 plants. If, however, the plant is not too large, it 

 would be best to re-pot entirely in fresh earth* 

 washing the roots clean in water with wood 

 ashes. The diseased leaves should be cut off at 

 once, as soon as the injury is perceived. — Ed. 

 G. M.l 



Tobacco as Manure. — H. L. says : — " Should be 

 glad to know through the Gardener^s Monthly or 

 otherwise, what the value of decayed tobacco is 

 as a fertilizer." 



[It is not probable there is any more value in 

 tobacco, as manure, than in any other vegetable 

 substance. As decayed vegetable matter it would 

 have a value, no more. — Ed. G. M.] 



The Double Lobell4.. — S. This is simply a 

 dwarf form of L. erinus, the common blue Lobe- 

 lia, and has no " native country." It is a gar- 

 den variety only. It was, we believe, raised in 

 England, but introduced into this country first by 

 Mr. Henry Chitty, of the Bellevue nursery. It is 

 a very desirable thing. 



Cultivation of Ericas. — An Ohio correspond- 

 ent speaks in high terms of the value of Mr- 

 Munroe's article on the Cape Heath, published in 

 our last volume. These plants are among the 

 most beautiful in the world. They are supposed 

 to be more difficult to raise in our climate than 

 they are in England, — and we believe they are, 

 and hence there is the more credit due to the 

 skill of those who, like Mr. Munroe, produce 

 such good results. 



CoLEUs Chameleon. — Mr. T. Ottway, Middle- 

 bury, Ohio, says : — "I saw it stated in last 

 Monthly, that it was necessary to pot Coleus 

 Chameleon in poor soil, to make it hold its colors. 

 It makes no difference with me, rich or poor. 

 At first I had some little trouble in getting good 

 sporting stock. This year I have a beautiftil lot, 

 the most brilliant colors, and old plants breaking 

 back very fine." 



