246 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



unusual heat of May was the result of the attacks of wireworm. 

 and other insect plagues. We find Messrs. Carter and Co., the 

 eminent seed growers ; Mr. McKinlay, the very first of amateur 

 potato growers in the country ; Mr. Taylor of Feneote ; Mr. Challis 

 of Witton House, Salisbury, Mr. Serjeant of Weybridge, Mr. Hen- 

 derson of Walthamstow, and many others, testifying that the slirivel- 

 ling was the result of the plant being eaten underground, and that 

 the wireworni was the principal offender. But why should so excep- 

 tional a case occur ? It was not exceptionable. It has been 

 observed time out of mind, but acquired distinctive importance this 

 year owing to the exceptional heat and drought of the month of 

 May. The marauders kept below the ground for the sake of cool- 

 ness and moisture, and the plant suflfered in a more than ordinary 

 degree, because the heat was such that evaporation from the leaves 

 made a greater demand upon the roots than the damaged sterna 

 could endure. Tiie fountain was nibbled in the centre, and it could 

 not play as required. When the June rains came, many of the 

 shrunken flants recovered, thus proving that they never were 

 diseased at all. 



But those June rains have developed the old disease. This was 

 to be expected. The murrain is sure to appear if the ground is cold 

 and wet when the potato is in process of forming' or ripening its 

 tubers. The big wigs of the Eoyal Horticultural Society discovered 

 a New Disease. They next discovered that the new disease was 

 the old disease known as Curl. The next step was to discover that 

 the Curl was only the Murrain in a new form. Let us wait ; they 

 are bound to discover that potato disease is not the fault of the sun, 

 but of the moon and stars and planets, and at that point a black 

 cloud will obscure the heaven at Chiswick, and we shall all be left 

 in the dark if we trust such pretentious guidance. The old disease 

 is raging beyond all doubt, but it is not the consequence of the 

 growth of a fungus on the plant, but of cold and wet. His Majesty 

 King Sol has hid his face behind the heavy cloud of vapours, and 

 the potatoes are dropsical through too much wet and too little sun- 

 shine. 



It remains to be said that Mr. Worthington Smith, a painstaking 

 microscopist and mycologist, believes he has discovered the resting 

 spores of Peronospora wfestans, the fungus which is invariably asso- 

 ciated with potato disease. This discovery requires confirmation, 

 and it is iraught with important results. For the present, it 

 appears to us to be a matter of immense interest to microscopiats, 

 but of the smallest consequence to the cultivator of potatoes. 



S. H. 



GiUFTrNG Peaes on Cotoneaster Stocks. — The Uhistraiion JTorficol/; records 

 some experiments of Dr. Eretcnneau, tbe celebrated physician of Tours, and an 

 enthusiastic amateur gardener, on the grafting of distinct genera. He has success- 

 fully tried grafting Pearson Cotoneaster affinis and on Amelanchier. The resulta 

 ■were very curious end interesting, and were crowned with success ; but similar 

 experiments on tbe evergreen species, C. buxifolia and 0. microphylla failed. 



