October 1, 1868. ] 



JOOBNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



247 



mycelium represents principally the vegetative system or root- 

 fibres of the higher plants, wiiilat it is very doubtful if the 

 so-calleil " spores " (sporiiles, or sporidiu), have any claim to 

 be regarded as other than genini:L> — portions of mycelium 

 thrown off to spread the plant, hut having no connection with 

 true sexual reproduction or its results. The greatest care and 

 patience will bo required ore we can hope to learn their entire 

 life history, sulliciently even to know it what we meet in the 

 different alTections be really true species, native to the skin- 

 forms fruiting when growing on plants, but barren on the skin 

 — or common moulds iPenicilUum, &a.) vegetating in condi- 

 tions unfavourable to the production of true fruit. Artificial 

 growth in water, glycerine, or liipior potasf:u (!) can in nowise 

 imitate the conditions under which they occur naturally; 

 growth on rice starch, having been successful in resolving some 

 other cases of similar dilUculty, appears likely to prove the 

 best material for furnishing the requisite pabulum. Beale's 

 carmine fluid has in some cases enabled me to trace mycelium 

 amongst surrounding tissues in a very happy manner. 



Puccinia favi resembles P. graminis so closely (to judge 

 from the figures and descriptions given of it), that one is led 

 to ask whether it be not more probable that spores of the 

 latter may have occurred to its discoverer as an accidental 

 concomitant with favus-crusts than that it should be so exces- 

 sively rare as to have eluded all further search for seventeen 

 years by an army of good observers skilled in the use of first- 

 class instruments. The incidental notices of its occurrence by 

 subsequent observers do not produce on the mind a satisfactory 

 conviction that they have really met with what Ardsteu de- 

 scribed. Spores are abundant in the air at particular periods ; 

 is it not possible that a favus patient or two, engaged in 

 threshing, or passing near a spot where this operation was 

 going forward, may have got a lew spores of the corn mildew 

 on their skin, and so been the means, all unwittingly, of 

 causiog grave error ? In such a view of the case, notwith- 

 standing the eminent authorities who have regarded it differ- 

 eiitly, we must consider the Achorion as having no connection 

 at all with the Puccinia. It seems not improbable that " alter- 

 nations of generations " may occur — that is to sav, that a certain 

 point in development may be reached by a Fungus on one 

 plant, that the parasite may reach a further stage on a second 

 plant under a different form, whilst maturity may not be 

 attained until it have passed through a third or fourth stage, 

 characterised in each case by a different outward condition, as 

 well as involving a different plant each time as host. — (3Icdical 

 Times and Gazette.) 



PHYTOLACCA BECANDRA OUT OP DOORS. 



About a fortnight since, while making a tour through the 

 principal Belgian gardens, I met with a beautiful bush of the 

 above growing in the open gruund in a partially shaded situa- 

 tion. It was certainly one of the most interesting objects I 

 saw, and the most skilful in-door culture would give but a faint 

 idea of the splendour of the plant as seen by me. It was 

 composed of at least fifty stems, upwards of S feet high, of a 

 bright crimson colour ; the foliage was very luxuriant, and of a 

 dark healthy green, the whole being surmounted by numerous 

 and immense spikes of its Grape-hke fruit. I might add that 

 it was growing in an amateur's garden, about six miles from 

 Brussels, on a broad open plain ; therefore, I cannot at all per- 

 ceive why it should not be extensively grown out of doors, at 

 least in the south of England. 



I was told that the plant above-named had been in the same 

 place for a great number of years. — W. 



tasmanian apples. 



I HAVE sent per ship " Harrowby " one ordinary bushel case, 

 containing three varieties of Apples — viz., Sturmer Pippin, 

 Pearson's Plate, and Scarlet Nonpareil. I wish to know how 

 they will carry a long distance. They were gathered from the 

 trees and placed at once in the case on the day the ship sailed 

 (April 1.5th). I have great hopes of the Sturmer Pippin arriv- 

 ing in good condition. 



The Apple trees are suffering severely from a blight, appa- 

 rently arising from atmospheric causes. It is a fungus of the 

 lowest order, destroying the young wood every year. In ap- 

 pearance it resembles the mildew of England, "but it is not 

 that. I have tried every remedy that I could think of, but 

 without any apparent benefit. It would be useless to send 



you a specimen of the blighted wood, for by the time it arrived 

 the fungus would all bo dead. — William Tuomas, Nurseryman, 

 i^uiuty lUiij, llobarUnen, Ttisnuinia. 



Tho case above referred to arrived on the (itli of August, 

 114 days after its dispatch. The Scarlet Nonpareils were all 

 quite decayed, and the fruit of Pearson's Plate were for the 

 most part either much bruised and partially decayed, or wholly 

 so. The few quite sound were excellent samples of the variety, 

 sweet, and tolerably good, but the briskness was gone. With 

 regard to Sturmer Pippin Jlr. Thomas's conjecture proved per 

 foctly correct, for only about one- fourth of the fruit was 

 damaged and decayed, tho remainder being excellent samples 

 so far as appearance went, but in flavour they were sweet, yet 

 without the briskness which English-grown fruit of the same 

 variety possesses ; still they were very palatable, and were 

 equal to the fruit which is hawked about the streets.] 



POMOLOGICAL GLEANINGS. 



Sandalls Plum. — Mr. Dancer, of Little Sutton, Chiswick, 

 has just called our attention to this, as he terms it, " really 

 good Plum." An opinion like this, coming from such a quarter, 

 is entitled to due respect, Mr. Dancer being one of the largest 

 and most successful cultivators of Plums for the London 

 markets. The great merit of this Plum is its lateness. It 

 comes into use in September, after nearly all our Plums are 

 over ; moreover it will hang on the trees after being ripe a very 

 long time without cracking, thus prolonging its season and 

 making it doubly valuable. Everyone knows what a nuisance 

 it is that the most of our Plums crack and split when they are 

 ripe, after a little rain ; our great growers frequently lose hun- 

 dreds of bushels from this cause. This variety, then, which 

 resists the effects of the wet is quite a treasure. In size the 

 Sandalls Plum is about that of the Orleans, in colour dark 

 purplish violet, with a thick bloom, slightly spotted. The flesh 

 is firm, reddish yellow or amber-coloured, clinging to the stone, 

 juicy and pleasant, with a slight Damson flavour. It is, how- 

 ever, more suited for a kitchen variety than for the dessert. It 

 is a moderate bearer. The tree is small-leaved and twiggy like 

 the Damson, attaining a great size. It is one of the few Plum 

 trees that make timber. 



There has always been some doubt as to the correctness of 

 the name, "Sandalls," given to this Plum. The variety was 

 discovered at Fulham, and is known in the market gardens 

 under that name only. We have never been able to trace its 

 true history, or detect a synonyme. 



STir.LiNG Castle ArrLE. — This, in the south of Scot- 

 land where we have seen it during the past month, is considered 

 the most valuable Apple grown. It is not so well known in 

 the south of England as its great merits deserve. It is one of 

 the Hawthornden class, a well-known one. In appearance it 

 sometimes resembles Small's Admirable ; indeed, we have 

 seen examples of it which could not be distinguished from 

 that variety. Others, again, more nearly resemble the Worms- 

 ley Pippin. In all respects it is, however, a most excellent 

 sort. At Hopetoun House and Bothwell Castle, where we 

 lately saw them growing, the trees were loaded with fine fruit. 

 It is rather over medium size, roundish, flattened, slightly 

 angular near the eye, of a pale green colour, a little russeted 

 near the stalk, with a flush of dull red on the sunny side. 

 Flesh whitish, tender, with a nice briskness, which makes it 

 agreeable to eat, although it is in reality a kitchen variety. It 

 is fit for use in September, and will keep good until February. 

 The tree is healthy, and a most abundant bearer. 



Charles Van Mons Pear. — We allude to this Pear in 



order to notice how extremely fine it has been this season. It 

 very much resembles the Napoleon, but is somewhat larger in 

 size, the flesh more yellow, and richer in flavour than that 

 variety. It might, indeed, be culled an improved form of Napo- 

 leon. We have never tasted it so fine as it has been this sea- 

 son from an open pyramid on the Quince. It was exceedingly 

 rich and juicy. The tree is very hardy and robust, and bears 

 well as a pyramid on the Quince. 



Distribution of Plants. — We are requested to announce 

 that the First Commissioner of Her Majesty's Works, &a., 

 intends to have distributed this autumn among the working 

 classes and the poor inhabitants of London the surplus beddiug- 

 out plants in Battersea, Hyde, Eegent's, and Victoria Parks, 



