74 



THE GA B DENEB S' CHB ONI CLE. 



[July 21, 1888. 



Of course the ridges of soil which are formed under 

 ordinary earthing offer some protection to the tubers 

 from the heavy washing rains, but do not give all 

 that Mr. Jensen requires, and, indeed, what the 

 dangers of the case require, if the spores of the 

 Peronospora are really washed into the newly forming 

 tubers from off the foliage, as that gentleman has 

 declared to be the case. But, after all, everything 

 depends upon the presence of the spores, and so far 

 these do not seem to be existent. In some previous 

 years, and under such gloomy weather conditions as 

 now prevail, we have had the disease rampant in the 

 <;arly varieties of Potatos by this time. Its absence 

 so far may be due to the general lateness of all 

 vegetation, which may also influence the germination 

 of the spores. It is poor comfort to think that. 

 It would be pleasanter to be assured that the disease 

 has died out, and that, let the weather be what it 

 will, our crops are safe. That, however, remember- 

 ing the experience of many years out of the past 

 forty-four, is too much to hope. I confess to having 

 more dread of hot nights and white mists than I have 

 of the plashing rains. The old superstition as to the 

 assumed connection between electrical storms and the 

 Peronospora arose from the fact that the air during such 

 times, and especially immediately after these storms, is 

 full of humidity — hot steamy humidity. Thenwiththe 

 spores abundant and active, whole breadths have been 

 spotted and blackened almost in a single night just 

 because the foliage had been saturated in a bath of 

 warm vapour. No protective earthing can check 

 such a disaster as that. We have had none of these 

 conditions so far this year, and for the obvious reason 

 that we have had no excessively hot weather to heat 

 the soil and promote humid exhalations. Should 

 the clouds disappear and the sun show his face for 

 any lengthened period without doubt the soil will 

 get warmed. Our chief reason for hope that the 

 worst may not come lies in the fact that the Potato 

 disease most dreaded has been for the preceding two 

 or three years in a great measure inoperative, and 

 that lack of activity may have materially lessened its 

 powers of reproduction. A. D. 



Societies. 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 

 Scientific Committee. 



July 10.— Present : G. P. Wilson, Esq., F.K.S., in 

 the chair; Messrs. Smee, Bonlger, W. G. Smith, J. 

 O'Brien, D. Morris, and Dr. Masters. 



Insects attacking shoots of Ash. — Mr. Boulger men- 

 tioned, on the authority of Mr. Stainton, that the in- 

 sect, alluded to at a previous meeting, was probably 

 one of the Tineidai, Prays Curtisellus. 



Plague of Caterpillars, %c. — A further discussion 

 took place on this subject, in the course of which 

 Mr. O'Brien alluded to the abundance of earwigs 

 (Forficula) this season. Mr. Wilson drew attention 

 to the local distribution of the caterpillars. In one 

 gardpn in his neighbourhood none of the pests were 

 found, while in others there was scarcely a leaf left 

 on the trees. At Wisley, Mr. Wilson had found that 

 exposure to east wind was associated with the pre- 

 sence of the insects ; thus the trees in one line of 

 Plums, fully exposed, were stripped of their foliage, 

 while in another line of the same variety close by, 

 on the same description of soil, but where the trees 

 were sheltered by a Furze fence, not a leaf was in- 

 jured. 



Fungi on Cucumbers and on Poppies. — Mr. W. G. 

 Smith exhibited leaves of Cucumbers affected with 

 the rare Didymium dasdaleum ; and also Poppies 

 attacked by the Peronospora arborescens, in conse- 

 quence of which the flower-stalks were lengthened 

 and spirally twisted. 



L/slia Eyermanniana. — Mr. O'Brien made some re- 

 marks relating to this plant, exhibited by Messrs. 

 Sander, which is remarkable for the presence of well- 

 developed leafy bracts (not membranous sheaths) at 

 the base of the flower-stems. By some the plant is 

 considered to be a hybrid between L. autumnalis 

 and L. majalis. As there was some doubt expressed 

 as to whether the existence of leafy bracts might not 

 be accidental, it was suggested that the plant be 

 exhibited again another year. 



Odonloglossum Eugenes. — A plant of this was shown, 

 and was considered to be a form of 0. excellens. and 

 possibly of hybrid origin,' 0. Pescatorei being one of 

 the parents. 



Anthurium Rothschildianum. — From Messrs. James 

 Veitch & Sons came a plant with two spathes from 



the same stock. One of the two was mncb more 

 densely spotted than the other. 



Epidendrum vitellinum. — From Messrs. Sander 

 came flowers of this species, in which, although the 

 flowers were not fertilised, the ovary beneath the 

 flower was enlarged, its colour glaucous-green, with 

 six prominent orange-coloured ribs. [Subsequent 

 examination showed that the pollen-masses had not 

 been removed, and that, although the ovary was 

 swollen, the ovules in the interior were imperfectly 

 developed. M. T. M.] 



Dioecious Strawberries. — Mr. Morris forwarded a 

 letter from Mr. Colebrook on the subject of the 

 well-known tendency towards the separation of the 

 sexes in Strawberries, especially in the United 

 States. 



Tomato Disease. — From the editor of the Journal 

 of Horticulture came a letter written by a Guernsey 

 grower detailing the course of this too well-known, 

 or rather these too well-known diseases. The writer's 

 plants were in a span-roofed house, 60 X 25 feet, and 

 were affected last years when sulphur was applied 

 without effect, the leaves were speedily affected but 

 not the fruits. After the removal of the crop the 

 grower took the precaution to have the walls washed 

 with lime, to renew the soil, and adopted every 

 known means to secure healthy growth, but this 

 year the disease is worse than before. One grower was 

 mentioned as having seven houses, each 350 X 45 

 feet, decimated with the disease and not a pound's 

 worth of saleable fruit in before. Mr. W. G. Smith 

 referred to the full description and illustration of the 

 several fungi known to attack the Tomato given in 

 the Gardeners' Chronicle, in 1881, November 12, and 

 in 1887, August 6, October 1 and 29, by Mr. C. Plow- 

 right and himself. Dr. Masters suggested the trial of 

 sulphate of copper in fine powder, mixed with pre- 

 cipitated lime, and dusted over the foliage, as used 

 in the French vineyards. 



Monstrous Cypripediums. — Various specimens from 

 Mr. Tautz and Mr. Pollett were shown, and referred 

 to Dr. Masters for examination and report. 



CHERTSEY AND DISTRICT. 



The twenty-third annual exhibition of this Society 

 was held, by kind permission of R. Gibbs, Esq., in 

 the grounds at The Hollies, Weybridge, on Thursday, 

 the oth inst. Considering the inclement weather we 

 have experienced of late, the committee are to be 

 congratulated on the results of their labour, while it 

 is gratifying to learn there is a balance on the right 

 side. Favoured during the afternoon with bright 

 sunshine, the inhabitants of the district came out 

 to see the show and hear the excellent music played 

 by the band belonging to the Koyal Scots. 



The exhibits were staged in three large tents, 

 and the prizes offered in the various classes were 

 keenly competed for. Amongst the most successful 

 exhibitors were Mr. Sutton, Ashley Park, Walton-on- 

 Thames, who was 1st in the group arranged for 

 effect, the same exhibitor showing well in fruits. 

 Mr. Reed, Broadlands, Oaklands Park, staged some 

 splendid stove and greenhouse plants, his collection 

 of Fuchsias being very good. Mr. Osman, Otter- 

 shaw Park, was well to the fore with black and 

 white Grapes, and green-fleshed Melons ; while Mr. 

 Sutton was 1st with the miscellaneous collections of 

 fruit. 



IPSWICH AND EAST OF ENGLAND 

 HORTICULTURAL. 



This Society held its first annual meeting on 

 Wednesday the 11th in the picturesque grounds of 

 Christchurch Park, which the committee had wisely 

 secured for the occasion, as the park is in close 

 proximity to the town, and no place could be better 

 adapted for holding a. fete of the kind, as, besides the 

 advantage mentioned, the particular part at which 

 the tents were pitched is well sheltered and lies at a 

 high elevation, and therefore soon dries after even 

 the heaviest rains. This was at once apparent the 

 morning of the show, the night having been rainy. 



The principal tent was devoted to plants and 

 Roses, the first-named being ranged down the sides, 

 the Roses in the centre, and nearly filled it, and 

 hardly ever were H.P.'s seen in a greater state of 

 perfection, the blooms fine and massive in petal, and 

 the colours bright and decided, especially the dark 

 flowers. Teas were on the whole good, although, in 

 a few instances, showing signs of injury from wet. 



In specimen-plant exhibiting and growing there has 

 been a great falling off of late years, one of the principal 

 exhibitors having left the country, and others appear 



to have given up growing for show purposes, there- 

 fore the competition in any of the classes was languid, 

 excepting in the groups where the plants are in small 

 pots, which were quite a feature, aud here the 

 growers for sale made a good display of useful saleable 

 stuff. 



Open Classes. — Four stove and greenhouse plants. 

 — -Messrs. Gilbert, of Ipswich, were 1st, with a fine 

 specimen of Erythrina crista-galli, and one of Erica 

 Parmentieri rosea; Mr. Marshall, gr. to J. D. 

 Cobbold, Esq., of Holywell, was 2nd. 



For six ornamental foliage plants, the above-named 

 exhibitors maintained the same order, the best plants 

 in the winning lot being Croton Queen Victoria 

 and Phormium tenax variegata, Asparagus plumosus, 

 Phoenix reclinata ; Dracaena Shepherdi and D. 

 Baptistii being good specimens in the 2nd. 



In the amateur class for a group of plants (50 

 square feet), arranged for effect, Mr. Catlin, gr. to 

 G. Crisp, Esq., Playford, was 1st, and Mr. Marshall 

 2nd. 



For a specimen Orchid, Mr. Rogers, gr. to Lord 

 Rendlesham, was 1st, with an Oncidium macran- 

 thum , and Mr. Marshal 2nd, with a well flowered 

 Dendrobium densiflorum. 



For six exotic Ferns the Messrs. Gilbert were to 

 the fore, with fine plants of GymuogrammaMertensi, 

 Davallia pyxidata, and D. Mooreana ; while the 

 2nd prize fell to Mr. Marshall. Mr. Cressvrell, gr. at 

 Stoke Park, took 1st for the single specimen. In 

 the class for six hardy kinds Mr. Leatherdale, gr. to 

 F. Nicholson, Esq., came in 1st, with good plants 

 of Athyrium Filix-foemina plumosum, Polystichum 

 angulare Wollastoni, and Lastrea Filix-mas cristata. 



Amongst the cut flowers Roses, as already men- 

 tioned, made a fine display, Mr. B. R. Cant, of Col- 

 chester, taking 1st in the open class for thirty-six 

 single trusses, and Mr. F. Cant, 2nd. The blooms most 

 noteworthy in the 1st stand were Countess of 

 Oxford, Heinrich Schultheis, Marie Finger, Maurice 

 Bernardin, Horace Vernet, Dupuy Jamain, Ulrich 

 Brunner, Mary Bennet, Pride of Waltham, Marie 

 Verdier, Merveille de Lyon, and Victor Hugo. Mr. 

 F. Cant had fine flowers of Her Majesty, A. Colomb, 

 Madame J. Perriere, Exposition de Brie, and Baroness 

 Rothschild. 



In the open class for twelve triplets the prizes fell 

 to the same exhibitors, and in the same order, the 

 Rev. Foster-Melliar coming 3rd ; the best blooms in 

 the winning stand being Etienne Levet, Charles 

 Lefebvre, Mary Bennet, Duke of Edinburgh, and 

 Prince Arthur. For the best twelve Teas and 

 Noisettes (open) these nurserymen again won, but the 

 order was reversed. The 1st stand had fine blooms 

 of Madame Lambard, Souvenir d'Elise, and the lovely 

 tinted Madame de Watteville. 



In the amateurs' class for thirty-six single trusses 

 the Rev. Foster-Melliar was 1st, with a remarkablv 

 fine lot, and he was closely run by the Rev. H. A. 

 Berners, who showed very strongly, and took 2nd. 

 The best flowers contributed by the first-named 

 exhibitor were Madame Verdier, Lady Mary Fitz- 

 william, Ulrich Brunner, Harrison Weir, Earl of 

 Pembroke, Horace Vernet, Duke of Edinburgh. 

 Thomas Mills, Marie Van Houtte, and Catherine 

 Mermet. 



For twenty-four single trusses the Rev. J. Frere, of 

 Burston Rectory, was 1st ; Mr. Palmer, gr. to 

 J. H. Powell, Esq., of Drinkstone, 2nd. For twelve, 

 the Rev. II. A. Berners took 1st ; the Rev. Foster- 

 Melliar 2nd. 



In the class for twelve Tea and Noisettes the 

 Rev. H. A. Berners was again 1st, and the Rev. 

 Page Roberts 2nd. 



For six Roses of any variety, the Rev. H. A. 

 Berners took 1st, with Her Majesty ; Mr. Palmer 

 2nd, with Duke of Edinburgh. 



In the class for six distinct kinds, D. G. Orpen, 

 Esq., took 1st. For six Teas and Noisettes, the 1st 

 prize was taken by Mr. Morris, gr. to Miss Penrice. 



Herbaceous cut flowers were well represented, the 

 Messrs. Gilbert taking 1st, with a fine stand ; and 

 Mr. Cox, gr. to B. Chevellier, Esq., 2nd. 



For ballroom and bridal bouquets in the nursery- 

 men's class, the Messrs. Gilbert were 1st ; and in the 

 amateurs' the premier prizes went to Mr. Andrews, 

 gr. to the Hon. T. Lowther, M.P. 



The stands of cut stove and greenhouse flowers 

 were good, that from Mr. Rogers, gr. to Lord Ren- 

 dlesham, who took 1st, being specially noticeable for 

 the fine pieces of Thunia Marshalliana, Odonto- 

 glossums, Pancratium, and Epidendrum vitellinum 

 majus ; the 2nd fell to Mr. Palmer, who had the 

 remarkable Dendrobium Dalhousieanum and So- 

 bralia xantholeuca. 



Fruit, — Excepting for Strawberries, which were 



