Transactions of the London Horticultural Society, 397 



upon my open wall, on which they increased considerably during the succeeding 

 summer and autumn, and extended themselves over nearly a whole tree on one 

 side, and over nearly half a tree on the other side. In the following winter 

 my gardener applied to the trees to which these insects had extended them- 

 selves a mixture of lime and flowers of sulphur, dressing the whole of one 

 tree, and about one half of the other. In the following spring, whether owing 

 to the application above-mentioned, or, as is, I think, more probable, the 

 effects of winter, the insects wholly disappeared : and the following very 

 singular circumstances occurred. The leaves of all the peach trees growing 

 in the situation above-mentioned were almost wholly destroyed in the spring 

 of 1833, exclusive of those of the trees to which the mixture of lime and 

 flowers of sulphur had been applied; whilst all the foliage of one tree, and 

 that of one half of the other presented a perfectly healthy character, as far, 

 precisely, as the dressing above described had extended. In the spring of 

 the present year, when the blossom buds of my peach trees had acquired 

 about the size of hemp seeds, water holding in solution or suspension a mix- 

 ture of lime and flowers of sulphur and soot was thrown upon all the peach 

 trees above-mentioned, with an engine, in sufficient quantities to wet the 

 whole of the trees and wall, but not materially to affect the colour of the wall. 

 No injurious effects followed, and not a single blistered leaf has appeared 

 upon my trees, which are bearing an abundant crop of fruit, and, present an 

 appearance of health which I have certainly never once before witnessed 

 within the last thirty years. 



" The red spider had generally abounded upon my peach trees in the preced- 

 ing year, and had given my gardener a good deal of trouble ; but in the present 

 season very few appeared, and none apparently remain. The dislike of this 

 very troublesome insect to sulphur is well known, and I do not entertain any 

 doubt that, relatively to those, the application of it operated very beneficially ; 

 but I am wholly unable to conjecture by what mode of operation it could 

 have acted beneficially in preserving the foliage of my trees; and, whether it 

 did or did not cause their preservation, can only be determined by future 

 experiment." 



3. Particulars respecting the Mode of Cultivation, S^c, of the Averrhoa Ca- 

 rambola. By James Bateman, Esq., F.H.S. Read December 3. 1833. 



Mr. Bateman having ripened fruit of this East Indian tree for the first 

 time in Europe, has given the following account of his mode of culture ; 

 premising that the tree has " an elegant spreading head and light airy foliage, 

 something similar to that of the acacia ; it is very prolific and produces fruit 

 three times a year, from the age of three to fifty. 



" In cultivation it requires to be plunged, but not in any heating substance. 

 My plant, which I received only last year from Messrs. Lee of the Hammer- 

 smith Nursery, has attained the height of about oft., with a naked stem for 

 four fifths of the distance ; this as well as all the older branches became covered 

 in July with countless clusters of elegant though minute rosy flowers, a suc- 

 cession of which continued for upwards of three months, and I doubt not, 

 that, had the plant been allowed more pot room, instead of setting only six 

 fruit it would have borne as many dozens. The fruit, from the time of their 

 setting, steadily advanced in size, never having had (like peaches and most 

 other fruits) any period during which they were stationary. 



" Nothing could be more beautiful or singular than their appearance as 

 they approached maturity; their colour was intensely golden, and they diffused 

 too a rich aromatic perfume ; but the most remarkable feature in the fruit is, 

 the five excessively prominent angles, which present, as far as I am aware, a 

 unique form among edible fruits. Upon trial, it was found that this fruit pos- 

 sessed qualities of the first order when made into a preserve." 



It may not be useless to add that this tree is one of the worst known in 

 our stoves for the mealy bug, being worse even than the coffee tree. 



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