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JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



L November 28, 1865. 



iise turpentine, as one does with Apples. I am afraid that if 

 I cut in the hedges close to the stems so as to get at the bark 

 they would scarcely recover such treatment, and I cannot bear 

 the idea of losing the hedges, which have been the ornament of 

 the garden since my grandfather planted them ; neither do I 

 like to lose my Apples. Will care enable me to keep this 

 enemy from them ? or is there any way of fumigating the 

 hedges so as to kill the American bUght and not kill the hedge ? 

 The experience of others might help me to decide what I ought 

 to do.— G. 



[We hope this case will meet due notice from our readers. 

 We have not noticed the American blight on the Beech, but we 

 have seen it on Pears, Quinces, Thorns, Privet, &c. We cleared 

 it from Pear trees by washing with quicklime whitewash. 

 We should be inclined to do the same with these favourite 

 hedges. We would cut them in considerably, not going, how- 

 ever, into the old wood ; and then we would make up barrels 

 of lime whitewash as we wanted it, and squirt the whole fence 

 from a syringe having a nozzle valve. If the lime whitewash 

 go through a fine riddle there will be no diiEculty in applying 

 it. If the white colour is disagreeable, add soot and fresh 

 cowdung. If apphed now these materials wiU not hurt the 

 hedge, and we have strong faith that the apphcation will clear 

 away the insects. It would be difficult to attempt anything in 

 the way of fumigating ; but a piece might be tried, covered 

 with a cloth. If tobacco were too expensive laurel leaves might 

 be tried, burning them, but without flame, so as not to injure 

 the fence. We have more faith in the limewash from fresh 

 lime forcibly applied from a syringe, as then it peneti'ates 

 among the woolly matter, and either kUls or smothers. We 

 shall be glad if our correspondents will state their modes of 

 proceeding in a similar case. The insect descends to the roots 

 in winter ; laying these bare and putting quicklime over them 

 'might help to destroy the enemy.] 



grape-gro^\t:ng in the open air. 



As you have had some very interesting and, as I hope they 

 may prove, profitable articles on Grape growing in the open air, 

 especially "A Subgeon's Notes on Grapes, " in your Number 

 of October 24th, I have just sent off by rail a small box of 

 Grapes addressed to 3on. All the Grapes which it contains, 

 with the exception of the Verdelho, were grown here on the 

 open wall, without any assistance from glass, up to the 10th of 

 October, when I had some spare Ughts, 7 feet long, laid over 

 the border on some wood, the object being to keep the roots 

 .dry and warm, and to reflect the Ught and heat on to the wall. 



The sorts sent are 



1 and 2 — two bunches Black Hamburgh. 



3 and 4 — Esperione, two bunches, grown on a wall. 



5 — Esperione, grown on a trellis 1 foot or 14 inches from 

 •the ground, without any glass, up to the 10th of October, when 

 two short lights were put on a shght framework over them. 

 There were twenty-three bunches in the first year of the Vine's 

 fruiting. 



6 — Madeira Verdelho, grown in a vinery under Muscats, 

 although very small, is yet a deUcious, juicy, rich, and racy 

 Grape. The Vine is very hardy, an immense bearer, admir- 

 ably adapted for pot culture, and, I should think, for growing 

 oat of doors. 



The Hamburghs and Esperione Vines (the name of the latter 

 I am not sure of), although of some age, had not, untUlast year 

 when we came here, given any fruit approaching at all to ripe- 

 ness. We have had little short of five hundred bunches, averag- 

 ing nearly, if not quite, half a poimd each in actual weight when 

 sent to table, and with some berries of a quarter of an ounce 

 *y scales, on less than 50 feet of wall. This is no doubt an 

 extraordinary year, but, I believe, with a Uttle protection, very 

 much may be done in many years. — G. B., Wotton-under-Edge. 



P.S. — I must correct an error in the preceding as to the 

 length of wall covered. I find that it measures 22j yards, or 

 less than 70 feet, not 50, as I stated it, as I forgot to compute 

 the waUing taken up by the Koyal Muscadine, although the 

 number of bunches named included those and the small treUis 

 Vine. The Muscadines were used by the middle of October ; 

 the Hamburghs and Esperione were at their prime three or 

 four weeks ago ; we had these and the remainder picked a 

 few days since. I wished to have sent them before, but con- 

 stant wet has prevented. This, with the cold weather in this 

 high situation (for we are on the Cotswold range, and very 

 Clearly the highest ground in Gloucestershire), has injured theix 



fljxvour ; we have had them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 

 for a long time, as I quite agi-ee with " J. H. H.'s" remarks 

 as to their excellent, healthful, and nutritious quaUties, especi- 

 ally when eaten at the eai'Uer meals. 



The few leaves sent with the Grapes and the joint or two of 

 wood were from the Black Hamburgh. Some of the former 

 measured 11 inches across, and in 1864 we had them even 

 larger. I should have had the Esperione thinned, but did not 

 take much trouble about them, not expecting much from what 

 the Grape was in 1864. — G. B. 



[No. 1 and 2, Black Hamburgh, are remarkably well ripened ; 

 the colour is perfect, and the flavour excellent. Nos. 3, 4, and 

 5, Esperione, would have been better if they had been more 

 freely thinned, you would then have had not only larger bunches 

 but much larger berries. Verdelho is not up to the mark; the 

 berries should have been very much larger, nearly as large again. 

 It is a fine early Grape.] 



EOYAL HORTICULTUR.\L SOCIETY. 



November 21st. 



Floral CoiiarrrTEE — Although the entries of plants were few on 

 this occasion, the Societj- may well congi-atniate itself upon the inter- 

 esting exhibition. It is most satisfactory to find these fortnightly 

 meetings, even at this time of the year, so well supported by collections 

 of beautiful plants sent by various exhibitors. Thanks to Messrs. 

 Veitch and Ivery, the tables were very well famished with plants, 

 which made up a very pretty show. Mr. Veitch sent two collections, 

 one consisting of Orchids and other flowering plants, the other a group 

 of several varieties of Lycaste Skinneri, and a special certificate was 

 awai-ded to each collection. Among the Orchids Mr. Dominy's hybrid 

 Calanthe Veitchii was very conspicuous. Its beautiful rosy spike of 

 flowers was much admired. Among the Lycastes four were selected 

 for notice : L. superba. shown on a former occasion and in much better 

 condition, received a first-class cei-tificate ; the other three — grandi- 

 flora, paUida, and purpurata, were not considered suihciently distinct. 

 Messrs. Ivery sent a large and beautiful collection of British Ferns ; 

 and although most of them had been before, they still formed a very 

 attractive feature of this meeting. Among them were some very fine 

 specimens. A special certificate was awarded them. Messrs. Iverj' 

 also sent two new varieties of Athyrium Filix-fcemina. of which Apple- 

 byauum, a crested or tnfted form of FrizeUis, received a first-class 

 certificate ; also Polystichum parvissimtuu. More was said about the 

 specific name than the plant itself. "We were taught to form the 

 superlative degi-ee of parvus in our juvenile days in qtiite a different 

 manner. Has the poet's hcense been gi-anted to the botanist ? Mr. 

 Earley, Digswell, brought a pretty plant of Thunbergia, nova species— 

 at least it was not recognised at the meeting ; the flowers were beauti- 

 fully white, and the foliage bright green. A second-class certificato 

 was awarded to it ; when better grown this wiU make a very useful 

 plant. Messrs. Low, Clapton, exhibited four of the recently intro- 

 duced Odontoglots. O. Bltintii and O. gloriosum received first-class 

 certificates in the spring. O. Alexandrre and O. radiatnm received 

 first-class certificates at this meeting. There seems to be some con- 

 fusion as to the specific names. O. Bluntii is by far the most beauti- 

 ful of the four exhibited. Mr. Bull sent a seedling Imantophylltmi in- 

 ferior to miniatum, also a seedling Hibiscus — two small plants with one 

 flower on each plant, deep rose petals, the base of which was mai'ked 

 with dark blotches. The plants were too young for any opinion to be 

 formed of their merits. A nice collection of Dracsenas came from the 

 Society's garden, consisting of eleven varieties : these formed an inter- 

 esting' gi-oup with their varied and graceful foliage. Mr. Graham 

 exhibited a plant of his new Violet The Czar. The exquisite scent of 

 the flower seems to be the great reconuneudatiou. The habit and foliage 

 were coarse and rough m the extreme. Mr. Graham also sent a Violet 

 producing two flowere on the footstalk. Perhaps if it continue this 

 habit it may merit the name of Viola biflora. 



FanT CojrMiTTEE. — G. F. Wilson. Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. At 

 this meeting a series of prizes was offered for exhibitions of fruit. 

 Class A was for the best three dishes of dessert Apples, distinct kinds, 

 for which there were seven competitors, who sent twelve exhibitions. 

 The first prize was awarded to Mr. Earley, gardener to Felix Piyor, 

 Esq.. DigsweU, for Cox's Orange Pippin, Sam Young, and Ribston 

 Pippin ; and the second to Mr. Charles Turner, Slough, for Rosemary 

 Russet, Cox's Orange Pippin, and Cornish Gdliflower. The other 

 exhibitors were Messrs. Ivery, of Dorking, Mr. Whiting, of the Deep- 

 dene, Mr. Westcott, Dulwich House. Mr. John Cox, Redleaf, and Mr. 

 Ruffett. Brociett Hall.; In the collection of Mr. Cox. Sam Young and 

 Golden Harvey were very excellent ; but the Old Nonpareil, not sof- 

 ficieutly ripe, militated against the success of the collection. 



In Class B, for the best dish of Knight's Monarch Pears, there wero 

 three exhibitors ; but in every case the fruit was so out of condition 

 that,there was no award made. In Class C, for the best dish of Huyshe's 

 Pi-in'ce of Wales, Mr. Turner, of Slough, was the only exhibitor, and 

 the fruit was so excellent that a first prize was awarded. In Class D, 

 for the best dish of Huyshe's Victoria, Mr. Turner again took first 

 prize with some very good specimens. In Class E, for the best dish of 



