For June, 1920 



225 



[This confirms the opinion so emphatically expressed by tlic 

 lamented C. S. Harrison.] It makes a splendid backgromid for 

 tulips. — The Garden. 



The eelzivnii disease of itareissi may exist when the plants look 

 perfectly healthy with regard to quantity of foliage made; but 

 close examination will reveal small, pale colored and swollen 

 areas w-hich stand out in contrast to the deeper green of the rest 

 of the leaf. But as pale spots not due to the disease sometimes 

 occur it is best to draw the leaf between the thumb and the 

 linger. Only if a decided swelling is felt is the leaf affected by 

 the eelworm. Dead cells will be indicated by the brown color 

 found by cutting the spot across and letting the microscope dis- 

 cover the worm and the eggs. The disease is most marked in 

 rhe foliage of broad-leaved varieties like I-'mjicror and N'ictoria 

 and not so pronounced in poeticus varieties, and hybrids. In Hol- 

 land men are employed to examine the plants carefully and to 

 take out in each case about a cubic foot of earth, even at the 

 sacrifice of adjoining bulbs not afifected. No remedy has yet 

 been discovered. — The Gardeners' Chronicle of London. 



To prevent niildeze of .'■■trawberries spray vigorously and 

 thoroughly, as soon as the new growth begins, with lime, sulphur 

 and soft soap. — Tlie Gardeners' Chronicle of London. For the 

 successful culture of strawberries the late Marshall P. Wilder is 

 reported to have recotnmended, "First, plenty of water; secondly, 

 plentv of water; thirdly, plenty of water." — Gardening Illus- 

 trated. 



Every annual is better transplanted. — except Mignonette, Pop- 

 pies and Sweet Peas. The shift, with the greater majority of 

 the annuals, leads to stockier and more flowery clumps. Sown 

 out of doors, even, they should be at least once transplanted. — 

 Gardening Illustrated. 



[I'ic a la Campagne for ."Xpril contains an article strongly 

 giving similar advice for the handling of tomatoes and similar 

 fruiting plants.] 



An international horticultural e.vposttion is being held at 

 Antwerp, to last until the end of October, in connection with the 

 Olympic Games. The Pare de Rossignols has been transformed 

 into an immense garden and a Floral Palace constructed. The 

 program allots different periods of time for different plants, ac- 

 cording to season, and for the various appurtenances of horti- 

 culture in one form or another. The prizes, consisting of ob- 

 jects of art and of medals, or cash at option, in value from 

 two dollars up to sixty, arc many. The King and the Queen 

 of Belgium are offering special prizes. The exposition was to 

 be opened Mav 1 by the King in person. — Revue Hortieole. 



In the nezc Republic of Tseheehoslovakia. at the University 

 of Prague, horticulture and landscape architecture have just 

 been installed in the curriculum, a large sum of money has been 

 appropriated by the state to restore at the castle the famous park 

 and gardens called "Hirschgraben" and at the foot of the his- 

 toric White Mountain near Prague, where 30O years ago the 

 Tschechs lost their independence, a garden city for 35,000 in- 

 habitants is planned. The state's invalids and discharged soldiers 

 are to have opportunity, upon most advantageous terms, to ac- 

 quire homes and sjardens among ideal civic surroundings. The 

 construction of this "Masaryk's Garden City'' has already been 

 begun. The state ministry of agriculture has established a 

 national fruit garden under the direction of a celebrated poniolo- 

 gist. — Zcitschrift fucr Gaerten — und Obstbau. 



INext month will be presented a general survey of conditions liorti- 

 cultural that have been obtaining since the war in the deyasted countries, 

 and in Germany the restorations that have been accomplished and, from 

 the point of view of the inhabitants themselves, the plans and hopes for 

 :lie future. 1 



The partial slerilization of soil to increase productiveness is 

 receiving increased attention. Soil organisms helpful to the crop 

 are on the whole more resistant to adverse circumstances than 

 are organisms which are not helpful and consequently any treat- 

 ment that kills some but not all of the organisms improves the 

 soil as a medium for plant growth. Vergil, in his Georgics, refers 

 to heating the soil to increase its productiveness and ancient 

 writers in India mention it. Heating is more beneficial than a 

 more direct chemical treatment because it not only accomplishes 

 partial sterilization but also effects a certain amount of decompo- 

 sition. But when it is not practicable to apply heat, as in the 

 form of steam under an inverted tray, use may be made of 

 carbon disulphide, at the rate of froin 14 oz. to even 8 oz. a 

 square yard, or of carbolic acid or cresylic acid. — .South African 

 Country Life quoting from Country Life of England. 



Potato scab is avoided by setting the pieces of the tuber on 

 fresh or slightly decayed grass cuttings, a wheelbarrowful being 

 enough for about 8 square yards. The grass takes the place of 

 inanure also. Of course it would be well to add sulphate of 

 ammonia, sulphate of potash and superphosphate of hme.— The. 

 (jordeners' Chronicle of London. 



itoctcs upon zehich to graft buds of fruit trees should always 

 be grown from the largest and most vigorous fruits possible, ac- 

 cording to Charles C. Crandell in Bulletin 211 of the Illinois 

 Agricultural F.xperiment Station. But it appears to be a mat- 

 ter of indifference whether the buds chosen be large or small or 

 whether ihey be chosen from one part cjf the tree or another.— 

 The Gardeners' Chronicle of London. 



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I BOOK REVIEW DEPARTMENT I 



.\11 quotations from the magazines are abridgments, cvcept when in (juo- 

 tation marks Only words within square brackets' express the reviewer's 

 ideas. 



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The Nursery Manual. By L. H. Bailey: 24mo.. cloth- XI 

 -I- 4j6 pages, with XII plates and 226 cuts; the Macmillan Com- 

 pany, Xew \ork. 



Before beginning the reading of the book, in order to test its 

 completeness and general satisfactoriness, it was consulted con- 

 cerning the propagation of such rather unusual subjects as 

 .\ut Trees, Dwarf Fruit Trees, "Pedigree" Plants, Crvptouierui, 

 Leucothoe and Piens. In every instance all the iiiformation 

 that could be desired was readilv found, with not even one partial 

 exception. In the treatment of the propagation of dwarf fruit 

 trees, even, is told, with perhaps sufficient detail, how the dwarf- 

 ing roots are best obtained and managed. But a glance through 

 the index and the Nursery List, which occupies 222 pages, afforded 

 conviction that the work gives satisfactorv treatment to many, 

 many subjects more unusual than those enumerated above In 

 fact, no subject that should be dealt with bv a book of the name 

 seems to have been omitted. The general" excellency is exactly 

 what might be expected to be found in a book emanating from 

 the man who combines almost incoprehensibly great knowledge 

 of horticulture in all its phases with pre-eminent literary ability 

 and pedagogic skill. 



His book of this name has been greatly appreciated since its 

 first appearance nearly thirty years ago, as is attested by the fact 

 that the demand for it has exhausted twenty-one editions. The 

 present edition, coming as it does when the importation of prac- 

 tically all nursery stock has ceased and America must grow her 

 own, even the dwarfer evergreen trees and the broad-leaved 

 evergreens for which great pains and patience are requisite, is 

 an invaluable contribution to the public as well as to nursery- 

 men in jiarticular. It is an edition that has been completely 

 revised. In recompiling the Nursery List, which, follow^ing the 

 chapters that are devoted to Classes and Kinds of Propagation 

 and Certain Elements in Nursery Practice — a most interesting 

 chapter for general reading— gives in alphabetical arrangement 

 concise and yet adequate directions for propagating every plant 

 that conceivably could be inquired about, the editor has liad the 

 advantage of many expert advisors, men all eminently worthy, 

 because of practical experience combined with so much learnin.g, 

 to have part in a work so important. 



The mechanical execution of this admirable work seems to be 

 beyond criticism. 



The Arnold Arboretum's Bulletins of Popular Information 

 appear at brief intervals during the Sprin.g, Summer and 

 .\utumn when the results of direct observation and study can lie 

 given out fresh. Each of the four numbers that have appeared 

 this year is interesting and instructive. These four numbers 

 alone woirld seem to be worth to any horticulturist or student 

 of plant-life the price of the dollar for which the bulletins are 

 obtained each vear. They give, as they profess to do, popular 

 information. The presentation is scholarly; but it is not, as 

 might be exi>ected from such a source, the presentation of facts 

 about new and rare plants in which the avera.ge reader mi.ght 

 have only the interest arising from curiosity, if any interest at 

 all. Rather is it the purpose to bring to attention the excellence 

 of the more desirable and serviceable plants, to guide in the con- 

 trol of them successfully and to give general information of use 

 to the horticulturist, the planter, the gardener and the designer of 

 gardens and parks. In determining the hardness and general 

 .-'daplability of planis brought from abroad or from one part of 

 the country to another and of those arising from sports or from 

 hybridized seeds the work of the Arboretum is of the greatest 

 value and importance, largely because of its geographical loca- 

 tion. This year's first number, for example, contains a valuable 

 as well as most interesting discussion of the effects of the severe 

 Winter just passed. In connection it is here not out of place 

 to suggest that greater efforts mi.ght be made toward dcvisin.g 

 convenient and economical preventative of the ravages of field 

 mice and other rodents so often destructive of young trees. 



