May 17, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



369 



all stages of growth. When only a few inches high some of 

 the slender growers are amongst the most soitable of dinner- 

 table plants; when larger they are admirable for placing in 

 vases on pedestals ; and when they assume more stately pro- 

 portions they play an Important part in the furnishing of 

 halls, &a., and are indispensable for exhibition purposes. 



Some Palms are conspicuous by their grandeur, and are 

 of noble growth ; others are remarkable for their chaste 

 beauty and slender elegance. To this class Phcenix rupioola 

 belongs, which Mr. Bull has recently introduced with the 



following correct description : — " This is one of the most ex- 

 quisitely graceful amongst the smaller Palms, and in elegance 

 takes a simOar place among Phmnioes to what Cocos Wed- 

 deliana does among the species of Cocos. It is of acaulescent 

 habit, with wide-epreading arching pinnate leaves, having a 

 slender rachis and very short petiole, which is dilated at the 

 base and partially encircles the growing point. The fronds 

 are broadly lance-shaped in outline, with long narrow pinnae, 

 the lower of which become gradually reduced to spines. The 

 pinnaj are channelled at the base, and appear to be attached 



Pig. 47.— PHtENIX 



by the folded base which joins on to the winged raohis, the 

 wings being pressed together along the spaces between the 

 pinnee and continued into the lamina. Some of the lower 

 pinna and spines are set on in oontiRUons pairs. It comes 

 from India, and is a most valuable ncriuisition for collections 

 of ornamental plants, amongat which it will occupy one of the 

 foremost positions." Mr. l!nll has enabled us to give the 

 accompanying illaatration of this elegant Palm, which cannot 

 but be regarded as an aoqaisition for various purposes of 

 decoration. 



VINE MILDEW. 

 In the Journal of May the 3rd in the notices to correspon- 

 dents you recommend " R. M." to use sulphur for the de- 

 etmction of mildew, Now, I consider a stubborn attack of 



mildew on Vines in particular one of the greatest calamities 

 that can overtake a gardener. What can be worse than mil- 

 dew? To "blight like mildew" is proverbial. I have often 

 wondered that none of your numerous correspondents when 

 writing about mildew have never recommended E wing's mil- 

 dew composition as an antidote. For several years in suc- 

 cession our Vines were attacked with mildew, and we dusted 

 them ovor repeatedly with sulphur, but it was of no avail. Aa 

 soon as the first speck of mildew appeared sulphur was applied, 

 and notwithstanding all our efforts to impede its progress it 

 still slowly and surely spread all over the Vines. When our 

 efforts with sulphur proved ineffectual I wrote for several 

 bottles of Ewing's mildew wash, and since the first application 

 of the composition, which is several years ago, we have never 

 seen any traces of the insidious enemy. According to the in- 

 strnctionB given with each bottle Messrs. Ewing & Co. reoom- 



