X40 



JOUBNAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ AogDBt SH, im- 



attacked viith mildew, and found its roots had been bitten by 

 the grub of the Vine weevil. Kepeated dressings of sulphur 

 kept down the mildew till the Vine had made good healthy 

 roots, when it ceased to be attacked, and made fine, healthy 

 foUage. I have also known Vines grossing in heated borders 

 to be often attacked, and believe that over-dryness at the root 

 was the cause. 



Anything which militates against the health of a Vine seems 

 to render it liable to the attacks of mildew, red spider, &c. 

 For this cause, amongst others, I should hesitate to recom- 

 mend heated borders, unless I weie sure they would always 

 be UBder the care of a first-rate man. Who does not know 

 how liable such borders must be to become too dry ; also, 

 how difficult it is to saturate soil which has become thoroughly 

 desiccated '! 1 know I shall be considered very stupid to 

 doubt the propriety of heating borders, which is now so 

 fashionable ; nevertheless, I do doubt its being necessary, or 

 even advantageous in most places. In a cold wet district under 

 first-rate management we know such borders answer well ; 

 but we also know that equally good, if not better, Grapes 

 are grown in unheated borders. Let a border be made upon 

 dry land raised 2 or 3 feet above the surface of the soil, and 

 composed of Ught and porous materials, and I do not believe 

 that it will be necessary to heat it from below. 



When I was a boy I remember seeing a Vine which was 

 trained across three houses ; it was in flower in one house, 

 the Grapes were half-grown in the second, and quite ripe in 

 the third. I believe it was planted in the middle house and 

 trained right and left, but of this I am not quite sure, nor is 

 it important. These flowers, and green and ripe Grapes, all 

 grew on one root, showing, I think, that the temperature of the 

 atmosphere has more eflect on a growing Vine tlian the tempera- 

 tm-e of the soil. I am well aware what a great effect bottom 

 heat has in promoting growth, and I know also how neces- 

 sary it is to guard against the dangers which often follow its 

 employment artificially. What I contend for is, that Vines 

 planted inside a house do not require it ; also, that if the 

 border is properly made, and covered early enough with litter 

 to a sufficient thickness, it will, even when outside, never be 

 too cold for a Vine to flourish and fruit. Also, that the danger 

 arising from heating borders artificially will in any but the 

 most skilful hands more than counterbalance the advantages. 

 A friend of mine says heated borders produce raisins, not 

 Grapes, as a rule. I have seen reason to think they are (except 

 where very well managed), productive of red spider and mildew. 



I would advise those who have any suspicion that their 

 Vines are from any cause liable to be attacked by mildew, not 

 to wait till they see the leaves white all over, "as if covered 

 with particles of fine flour, before taking means to destroy it. A 

 Vine may be severely attacked without mildew being visible to 

 the naked eye. The mycelium of the Mushroom permeates 

 the bed before we see the fungus we call a Mushroom on its 

 surface. In the same manner I have seen the under side of a 

 Vine leaf covered with mycelium plainly enough seen under 

 a microscope, when nothing could be detected with the naked 

 eye. I think it is obvious, that dusting the upper side of a 

 leaf with sulphur can in such a case have but little effect. 



In conclusion we may congratulate ourselves, that we have 

 in sulphur a thoroughly eflioient remedy for the Vine mildew ; 

 but it must, I think, be applied before the disease has taken 

 firm hold, and to both sides of the leaves. If the house can 

 be kept warm, dry, and well ventilated, the success of the 

 remedy is more certain ; but what I would most insist upon is, 

 that when Vines are attacked by mildew it is necessary to 

 inquire whether the soil or management of the Vines are not in 

 fault, as I beheve when all is right mildew gives little trouble. 

 — J. E. Peaeson, Chila-ell. 



PORTRAITS OF PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS. 



Dendkobtom BuLLEKiANnM (Mr. Wentworth BuUer's Den- 

 drobium). — Nat. ord., Orchidaccie. Linn., Gynaudria Monan- 

 dria. Native of Moulmeine, whence it was imported two or 

 three years ago by Messrs. Low & Co., of Clapton. Mr. "Went- 

 worth Buller, of Strete-lialeigh, Devonshire, who was the first 

 to flower it, describes it as being of very easy cultivation in the 

 Dendrobium-house, where it flowers in spring. Flowers pro- 

 duced in twos and threes, creamy white, faintly tipped with 

 rose, with a large circular yellow spot in the lip, streaked with 

 reddish orange.— (7;o(. iWay., (. 5G52.) 



EpiDENDKnM cNEMiDOPHOBUM (Shcathed Epideudrum). — 

 Nat. urd., OrchidaceiB. Linn., Gynandria Monandria. Native 

 of Guatemala, at elevations of 7UU0 feet or more above the sea. 

 Discovered many years ago by the late Mr. Skinner, but not 

 mtroduced alive till 1864. A fine specimen of it flowered tit 

 Sir Philip Egerton's, at Oulton, last spring, and was shown at 

 South Kensington. It succeeds in a Mexican-house, and as 

 the roots are large and fleshy, it requires abundant pot room, 

 the pots being filled with a mixture of broken potsherds, sphag- 

 num, and fibrous peat. Flowers in nodding, many-flowered 

 racemes ; sepals and petals white at the back, pale yellow 

 mottled with rich reddish brown inside ; lip divided into three 

 fleshy lobes, and in colour creamy white tinted with rose. — 

 (Ibid., t. 5G5C.) 



Begonia doliviensis (Bolivian Begonia). — Nat. ord., Bego- 

 niace;u. Linn., Monfccia Polyandria. Originally discovered by 

 Weddell, in the Cordilleras of Bolivia, and exhibited thia 

 summer by Messrs. Veitch, both at Paris and South Kensing- 

 ton, where it attracted general attention. Flowers drooping, 

 2 inches in length, bright scarlet. — [Ibid., t. 5657.) 



Prostanthera nivea (Snow-white Prostanthera). — Nat. ord., 

 Labiatfe. Linn., Didynamia Gymnospeimia. Native of rooky 

 hills in New South Wales and Victoria. Flowers pale lilac 

 and white, but not showy. — (Ibid., t. 5658.) 



Cestrum elegans (Purple Habrothamuus). — Nat. ord., Sola- 

 naceic. Linn., Pentandria Monogynia. Native of Mexico. Well 

 known under the name of Habrothamnus elegans as one of the 

 best of greenhouse climbing shrubs. Flowers tubular, an inch 

 in length, purplish red. Berries globular, from half to three 

 quarters of an inch in diameter, deep reddish purple, in mag- 

 nificent Grape-like clusters. Fruited by Messrs. E. G. Hen- 

 derson & Son.— [Ibid., t. 5C59.) 



Agave xylonacantha (Woody-thorned Agave). — Nat. ord., 

 Amaryllidaceoe. Linn., Hexandria Monogynia. Native of Eeal 

 del Monte, Mexico. A stemless species, with thick, succulent, 

 glaucous green leaves, from 2 to B feet long, and from 3 to 

 5 inches broad, spreading all round, and having white, woody 

 spines. Scape 9 or 10 feet high ; flowers greenish yellow, in a 

 raceme 3 or 4 feet in length. — [Ibid., t. 5660.) 



KosEMARY EusSET AppLE. — This is " one of those fruits, o£ 

 which there are many, that have never acquired the notoriety 

 which appears to be necessary now-a-days, before anything 

 good is appreciated. What was the origin of this admirable 

 Apple we have never been able to ascertain, neither can we dis- 

 cover when it first became known. The earliest notice of it is 

 by Ronalds, who published a figure and short description of it 

 in 1831, and who had cultivated it for many years previously. 

 As a dessert Apple it is one of the very best. Its size, form, 

 and colour, strongly recommend it, and it only requires to ba 

 known to find a place in all good gardens where only the best 

 fruits are grown. The following description from the ' British 

 Pomology,' will convey all the information we possess respect- 

 ing it :— 



" ' Fruit below medium size, ovate, broadest at the base and 

 narrowing obtusely towards the apex, a good deal of the shape 

 of a Scarlet Nonpareil. Skin yellow, tinged with green on the 

 shaded side ; but flushed with faint red on the side exposed to 

 the sun, and covered with thin pale brown russet, particularly 

 the eye and the stalk. Eye small and generally closed, woody, 

 with erect segments, set in a narrow, round, and puckered 

 basin. Stalk very long, inserted in a round and wide cavity. 

 Flesh yellowish, crisp, tender, very juicy, brisk, and sugary, 

 and charged with a peculiarly rich and highly aiomatic flavour. 



" ' A most delicious and valuable dessert Apple of the very 

 first quality; it is in use from December till February.'" — 

 (Florist and Fomologist, vi., 165.) 



APRICOT CULTURE. 



• 



{Continued from page 95.) 



NoTwiTHSTASDiKG the hardiness of the foliage of the Apricot, 

 its blossoms, from their early production, are not always safe 

 from frost, being occasionally injured by it. A few degrees of 

 frost may not do any harm, as 1 have seen the bloom uninjured 

 when covered with snow and exposed to a temperature 8" below 

 freezing ; likewise, when the thermometer has fallen as low as 

 20°, or 12° below freezing-point, the blossoms if dry have 

 escaped ; but in these cases the frost was of brief continuance, 

 and to this circumstance may be attributed the safety of the 

 lilossoms, for when there has been a less amount of cold, but of 

 longer continuance, they have generally perished. The blossoms 



