November 13, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICXJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



371 



pierced by the insects, with the protuberances formed in conse- 

 quence of these punctures. Mr. Smee tells me these drawings 

 were copied from a pamphlet pubhshed at Jlontpellier. In 

 page -124 he states that the disease was first noticed in America, 

 then in Ireland. 



What a marvellous source of thought is opened- up by the 

 statement made — that hitherto no males have been found ! If 

 the insect has already been very destructive in our gardens 

 many new observers will be on the look-out for the males, as 

 well as for the winged state, which hitherto has been unseen in 

 England, though so frequent in America. — Joh^j G. Baktbum, 

 Batli. 



Since the first appearance of Phylloxera in France, it is 

 estimated that of 2,500,000 hectares devoted to the cultiva- 

 tion of the Yino, more than a million have been doomed to 

 steriUty or been threatened by it. The subject continues largely 

 to engage the attention of the P'rench academicians and others. 

 Sulphide of carbon applied about the roots has been success- 

 ful against the insect ; but it is now stated by M. Leooy de 

 Eoisbaudran that it acts injuriously to the plant, the leaves 

 quite withering, though continuing to adhere to the branches, 

 which are still green within. He thinks, besides, it is a too 

 expensive remedy. It is aiJfirmed in La Nature that only one 

 plan has hitherto succeeded — viz., that of sprinkling wine 

 containing a little sulphide of potassium. Ammonia is at 

 once a poison for the insect and a manure for the plant. 

 Captain Bertrand distinguishes three distinct periods in the 

 disease, corresponding to so many years ; it is in the second 

 that the insect should be attacked. M. Max Cornu has been 

 studying the production of galls on the teudrils and petioles of 

 Vines attacked by Phylloxera. M. Balbiana has presented an 

 important memoir on the mode of reproduction of the Phyl- 

 loxera of the Oak. He finds that the pairing of the sexes of 

 the Phylloxera in autumn, apterous or winged, gives birth to 

 females which afterwards multiply ad inunitum by partheno- 

 genesis. M. Planchon, who has returned from studying the 

 Phylloxera in .\iuerica, makes three observations: — 1, The 

 American Phylloxera and that destroying the French Vines 

 are absolutely the same. 2, Certain varieties of American 

 Vines resist the attacks of Phylloxera. 3, There is an Acarus 

 which pursues the Phylloxera down into the ground, attacks 

 it, and feeds on it. He thinks it might be useful to acclima- 

 tise this Acarus. — {English Mechanic.) 



ANOTHER POTATO DISEASE. 



Ix the article headed " Another Potato Disease," in No. 629, 

 page 313, Jlr. Yilmorin says for some years past in France 

 several kind.s of Potatoes have been known to produce a certain 

 per-centage of tubers, which are unfit for seeding purposes on 

 account of their shoots being slender, almost thread-like, 

 instead of being strong and thick as usual. The same disease 

 was known in New Zealand, in the North Island, before 185.5, 

 in which year I planted some Potatoes at Wellington. I was 

 at that time just beginning my experience of gardening in 

 New Zealand, and the Potatoes which I planted were sound 

 and good to look at, but when they came up they had a stunted 

 weak look, and on ihe crop being taken up the tubers were 

 small and unsaleable. I found out afterwards that the tubers 

 which I planted were some which had been thrown aside as 

 unfit for the purpose, although I paid for them £1 per ewt. 

 They were an early sort, and were very scarce at that tfAie. 

 The early sorts of Potatoes were subject to this disease, and at 

 planting time those with thread-like shoots could be sorted 

 from those which had strong shoots, and only those tubers 

 with strong shoots were planted. 



It will be well that I should state when Potatoes are planted 

 here ; the early kinds are planted in August, the late in De- 

 cember. The late sorts had none of the so-called blind seed 

 or thread like shoots amongst them ; this induced mo to try to 

 find some plan, if possible, of getting good tubers of the early 

 sort suitable for planting. I before remarked that the late 

 sorts had none of the so-called blind seed among them, and 

 this fact induced me to reserve some tubers of the early kinds 

 for planting later than usual. These were planted about the 

 first week in November, and produced a good crop. There 

 were only a few tubers with thread-like shoots. From that 

 time I have made it a practice to plant some of the early sorts 

 for seed purposes later than those which are grown for food. 

 I am not aware if this disease still continues in the North 

 Island, as I hare for some years past resided in the Middle 



Island. During my practice here I have seen only a few tubers 

 with thread-like shoots. 



Mr. Yilmorin has asked for information to help to find 

 means to prevent this disease — that is, tubers having thread- 

 like shoots. This is caused by the plants having received 

 some check during their growth, perhaps from the hot days 

 and cold nights of our early summer mouths. To prevent 

 this disease it will be seen from what I have described, that 

 the way is to plant the early varieties for seed purposes later 

 than has been the practice. — John DnTiON, Gardener, St. 

 Allan's, near Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. 



NOTES ON LILIES.— No. 6. 



LILIUM LEICHTLINII MAJUS. 



This is a most beautiful Lily ; its large, yellow, richly-spotted 

 flowers and graceful habit leave little to be desired. Our 

 first bulb was bought as Lilium oallosum, and the disappoint- 



v,v 



Lilium Leicbtliuii moJuN. 

 ment felt when the growth showed this to bo n misnomer, 

 vanished when the bloom came, and it proved to be L. Leicht- 

 linii magnified in all its parts, growth, flowers, spots, and 

 leaves. The plant photographed was 5 feet high from the 

 soil of the pot, had four blooms to the steui, and bad leaves 

 7 inches long. When the importer of the first bulbs visited 

 us, he believed the bulbs sent him as callosum were only 

 Leichtlinii; but on seeing the two Loichtliniis in their pots 

 side by side in the north conservatory, he at once recanted 

 this heresy. We have not yet grown L. Leichtlinii majus in 

 the open border, but as L. Leichtlinii succeeds perfectly, there 

 is little doubt that L. Leichtlinii majus will before long be a 

 great addition to the out-door Lily bods. We showed it before 

 the Floral Committee in July, 1872, when it received a first- 

 class certificate. — George F. Wilson. 



The Kose Election. — I see I have made an error in stating 

 that had the Kev. A. Cheales's revised list been accepted it 



