502 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. f December 23, 1889. 



and gardeners Bhonld know that wind and Ban do not diBsipate 

 any fertilising matter when dang is spread in the field. The 

 whole amount of free ammonia, or rather carbonate of ammonia, 

 in fresh farmyard mannro amounts, as shown in one of my 

 experiments, to only 0.1 Sit of a percent. ; and it does not follow 

 as a matter of course that even this small fraction of a per 

 cent, of ammonia will find its way into the air, for it is far 

 more likely that the soil will at once absorb it when the manure 

 is spread on the field. Allow me to direct your attention to an 

 experiment which yon will find recorded in my paper on farm- 

 yard manure in the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal. On 

 the 3rd of November, 1854, I put up a heap of dnng weighing 

 2838 lbs. In this quantity the total amount of nitrogen present 

 in any condition was 18.23 lbs. On the 30th of April, 1855, 

 I weighed again the heap, which had been exposed to the air 

 all that time, and found in it the total amount of nitrogen 

 18.14, or almost exactly the same as in the November of the 

 preceding year, showins; that no ammonia whatever was lost by 

 exposure to the air. Yours faithfully — Augustus Voelckee." 

 [The above confirms our opinion. By leaving manure on 

 the surface of the ground exposed for a length of time to the 

 Bun and wind it can gain nothing, and certainly does lose some 

 of itB fertilising constituents. Mr. Pearson now admits this, 

 although "BoUttle." Let it be granted that the nitrogen it 

 loses is in all instances as small as that shown by Dr. Voelcker's 

 experiment, why should that be lost needlessly :■ It amounts 

 to much where hundreds of tons of manure are nsed. We 

 quite agree that it is bad culture to plough or dig in manure 

 into a heavy soil whilst it is wet, and we also agree with Mr. 

 Pearson that it is worse practice to leave manure in heaps than 

 to spread it. He says that is all he contends for. So the con- 

 tioversy closes.— Ens.] 



CORDON APPLE TREES AKD RABBITS. 



A FEW years ago, cither from your columns or Mr. Rivers's 

 " Miniature Fruit Garden," I learnt how to plant and train 

 these trees, and I should have had some success had it not been 

 for those sad pests to gardens — rabbits. I seldom or never see 

 one, but my neighbours tell me that if there is a rabbit within 

 a mile he will smell out a young Apple tree, so will a hare. 

 The consequence of this is, that my cordon trees are nibbled 

 so as to bring on canker and make "them objects of disgust, for 

 a cankered Apple tree is an ugly thing. I have tried the 

 remedies often suggested in yonr columns, snch as painting 

 the trees with lime, and soot, and milk, but these washes soon 

 vanish in winter owing to the alternations of frost and thaw 

 (I once tried coal tar, and once only, for it destroyed my trees), 

 and then Mr. Kibbit seems to rejoice at his meal on clean bark, 

 and will ruin a dozen trees in a night. 



Mr. Robinson recommends with great enthusiasm cordon 

 Apple trees for market gardens. If he conld spend but one 

 season in an nnwalled market garden of his own planted with 

 cordon Apple trees, he would be a wiser and, perhaps, a sadder 

 man. There is no difhculty in cultivating cordon Apple trees 

 in walled gardens, but in nnwalled gardens even as near Lon- 

 don as Fulham, rabbits are always doing mischief. I have 

 within the last year or two found what is in my experience a 

 new method of doing mischief by these vermin ; they nsed to 

 gnaw off the bark, but they now prefer a daintier disli, and eat 

 ont all the blossom buds before they commence to gnaw the bark. 



My gardener recommends thorns from the hedges bound to 

 the trees, or straw tied to their stems, in both cases not agree- 

 able nor adapted for large gardens. — In-quiker. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY'S MEETING. 



The December meeting of this Society was held on the 6th inst., 

 the President, Mr. H. \V. Bates, being in the chair. The Baron von 

 HoUen, a Russian entomologist, was present as a visitor. Some im- 

 portant entomological works, ruMished by the Swedish Government, 

 were on the table. Mr. Frederick Smith exhibited on the part of Mr. 

 Lord the case made by the caterpillar of a species of Oiketicus, taken 

 fcy him on Monnt Sinsi, several miles diistant from any tree or bnsh, 

 the only plants of which the case conld have be en- made being a kind 

 of wild Sage ; also the cells of a wild Bee of the genus Ilalictns, the 

 cells being formed in a large cluster at the foot of a tabular tunnel 

 12 inches deep, tho month of which was defended by a trumpet-shaped 

 tnbe of sand. 



Professor Westwood exhibited drawings and specimens, and described 

 a number of remarkable new exotic species of Pselaj^liida' and Chal- 

 cididte. Mr. Jenner Weir exhibited specimens of Heliotbis armigcra, 

 the caterpillar of which had devoured the interior of a quantity of 

 Jhe fmit of Tomatoes imported from Portngal. Mr. Albert Mullcr 



exhibited photographs of a monstrous specimen of Ptorosticbna Pre- 

 vostii Dejeam, captured near Noafchatel, in Swit/crlaod, having two 

 supplemental legs affixed to ono of tl^o ordinary hind loqs. Mr. Mac- 

 Lacblan read a note on the species of the cnrioas genua Boreas, with 

 the view of proving that the B. Wcstwoodii of Hagcn had uo claim to 

 be considered as an EngUsh inMct. '-V-fJ M 



Dr. Wallace communicated a notice on tho recent results oMaioed 

 in the cultivation of the different new exotic species of Silkworms in 

 this country, with directions for the most efTcctnal rearing of each. 



The Secretary read a notice by Mr. Sidcbottom on the modifica- 

 tions of colour in caterpillars, chrysalids, and perfect insects, reared 

 under different coloured gla'^?. which led to an extended diroussion, is 

 which Mr. Wallace suggested tho advisability of roaring tho insects 

 under reflected rather than under transmitted light, by placing them 

 in boxes lined with diiforent- coloured papers, adding that the cmploj- 

 mcnt of diilerent-coloured glasses in plant bouses had for its object 

 the modification of tho temperature, and not of tho coloars of the 

 plants. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



D-:CEMBEB 21ST. 

 FntTiT ComnTTT-E.— G. F. Wilson. Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. 

 The Rev. George Kemp. Sevenoalrs, oflfered two prizes, one of £3 for 

 the best, and the other of £2 for the second best winter dessert of Apples 

 and Pears, three dishes of each. There were six competitors. Mr. 

 Tillery. of Welbcck. sent CalriUe Blanche, Blenheim Pippin, and 

 Cox's Orange Pippin Apples; Van Mons Lron I.eclerc, iJoyennc dn 

 Cornice, and Winter Nebs Pears. Mr. Karlev, of Digswell, sent Jose- 

 pliino de Malines, Winter Nehs, and Chaumontel Pears ; and Ribstoc 

 Pippin, Cockle Pippin, and King of tho Pippins Apples. Mr. Gilbert, of 

 BnrL'hley House, sent of Apples, Blenheim Pippin, Bibston Pippin, 

 find Lord Burphley : and of Pears, Beurr*' LangeUer, Passe CoUnar, 

 .Tnd Beurre de Ranee. Mr. Kidney Ford, of Leonnrdslcc, bad of Fears, 

 Knight's Monarch, Dncbessed'Angoul-'me and Jos'jpbine de Malines; 

 and of Apples. P.ibston Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, and R«d Pcannain. 

 Mr. Garland, of Killerton, Devon, sent Golden Pippin, Nonpareil, and 

 KoEs Nonpareil Apples ; and Winter Nelis, Glou Mor<;-eau, and Ber- 

 garnotte I^spereu Pears. Of tho collections, all of which were good, 

 the best both in appearance and flavour was undoubtedly that sent by 

 Mr. Garland, to wiiich the first prize was awarded, and the next that 

 of Mr. Ford, which received the second prize. The Knight's Monarch 

 of Mr. Ford were unusually fine. 



Mr. Crament. gardener to Edward Backhouse, Esq., A^hbumc, 

 Sunderland, sent a seedhng Grape, somewhat of the character of White 

 Tokay, a good, long, and showy bunch, but the berries possessed nc 

 flavour ; if they ever did it must have passed, the fruit having evidently 

 been ripened for some time. 



Mr. Thomson, Dalkeith, sent a bunch of White Lady Downe's 

 Grajw, which not being ripe, and the flavour undeveloped . a wish was 

 expressed that it be sent a^aiu in March. It wa*: considered by the 

 Committee to be a promising! variety. Mr. A. McLcod, gardener to 

 Mrs. Holt, Sudbury House, Harrow, sent two large bunches of Gros 

 GuUIaume, called Barbarossa. Mr. Tillery, of Welbcck, sent dishes 

 of Benrrc Superfin and Forelle. grown on a trellis of an arcade. Both 

 were of very good flavour, particularly the Beurr-!- SnpcrQn, Forelle 

 beinir rather water^■. These were equal in flavour, if not superior, to 

 all others exhibited. He also sent a seedlin,? Pear raised from the 

 Cbaumoutel crossed with Gansel's Bcrgamot, but the Committee could 

 not observe anv difference between it and the Chaumontel. 



Mrs. Blackctt Ord, Whitfield Hall, Haydon Bridge, CnmberUod, 

 sent fruit of Farmer's Seedling Apple, which is a good kitchen Apple. 

 A dish of ver}- fine Tangierene Oranges came from Lady Dorothy 

 Novill. Dangst^in. lu size and flavour they were superior to imported 

 fruit, and a special certificate was awarded to them. 



Mr. Doncer, of Little Sutton, Chiswick, sent a dish of Cox's Orange 

 Pippin, and BcurrO d'.^remberg Pear, the former superior in flavour 

 to all the .\pples exhibited at this meeting, and a special certificate 

 was awarded to them. Mr. Heprer. gardener to .1. H. Walmsley, 

 Esq., Acton, sent a basket of remarkably tine Chaumontel Pears, 

 which received a special certificate. Mr. Hepper sent fmit of the 

 Telegraph Cucumber, well grown for tho season, and in consideration 

 of the cultivation received a special certificate. Mr. W. Holah. 

 Ruflord Gardens, OUerton. sent a seedling Cucumber, which was very 

 much out of condition. Mr. Bull, of Chelsea, sent roots of a Red 

 Beet called Incomparable, some of which were cooked, but neither in 

 colour nor flavour did the Committee consider it an acquisition, or 

 an improvement on other sorts in cultivation. 



Messrs. James Carter & Co., of Holbom, sent Globe Tripoli Onion 

 weighing 3 lbs., New Giant Rocca weighing 3 lbs. ozs., two Italian 

 Red, 2 lbs. 6 ozs. and 2 lbs. 11 ozs. These were grown at Naples, 

 and excited great admiration from the Committee, and were awarded 

 a special certificote. Mr. P. .T. Perry, of Banbury, sent roots of the 

 Banbury Improved White Spanish Onion, large and handsome, the 

 twelve bulbs weighing 1'2J lbs. They were awarded a special certifi- 

 cate. A special certificate was also a'.rarded to Mr. W. B. Trigg, 

 Hayling IiUand, for a dish of large and well-grown Shallots. A 

 special certificate was also awarded to Mr. Sidney Ford, for his col- 

 lection of Potatoes. 

 F1.0K.U. CojtsnTTEE.— Rev. J. Dix in the chair. This was the last 



