158 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[August 11, 1888. 



Advertisers are specially requested to note, that, 

 under no circumstances whatever, can any 

 particular position in the paper be guaran- 

 teed for advertisements occupying less space 

 than an entire column. 



Now ready, in cloth, lis. 6d. 



T'HE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE, 

 Vol. III., Third Series. JAN. to JUNE, 1888. 

 W. RICHARDS. 41, Wellington Street. Strand. W.C. 



APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 



MEETINGS. 



MONDAY, Aug. 13— Ghent Chamhre Syndicate. 



-pTrT7t!rvAV \ .— i . f Roval Horticultural Society ; Fruit 



TUESDAY, AUG. 14 [ a " ud Floral Committees. 



SHOWS. 



TUESDAY, Aug. 14— Clayeross. 

 WEDNESDAY", Aug. 15— Reading and St. Albans. 



)evon and Exeter, and Cheadale 

 (two days). 



tal Palace. 



SATURDAY, Aug. IS < National Carnation and Picotee 

 / (Northern Section), at Man- 

 \ Chester. 



Trrpeniv ,,-. it i Imported and Established Oivliid 



1UHSDA1, Aug. 14 ^ at Protheroe & Morris ' Booms. 



Aug. 16 i 



/'Second Portion of the Collection of 

 .... ,~J Orchids formed by F. A Phil- 

 ALt '- 1 '*j brick, Esq., Q.C., at Protheroe & 

 ^ Morris' Rooms. 



..... , R I Trade Sale of Dutch Bulbs, at Pro- 

 jiLG. io -j theroe & Morris' Rooms. 



We greatly fear that the weather 



Th cr P o°p tato of the last week wil1 falsifv much 

 of the bright prospect that other- 

 wise might have been indulged in from a perusal 

 of our reports on the Potato crop. The dreaded 

 disease, having been dormant for the last few 

 years, bids fair to reassert itself this autumn with 

 considerable severity. Should it be so, though it 

 may seem hard to say so, we shall have in large 

 measure ourselves to blame for it. Time was 

 when we knew nothing for certain about the 

 nature of the disease, and could only bemoan the 

 results. At this period of profound ignorance 

 theories innumerable were framed by those least 

 competent to do so, and what was singular, by those 

 usually most contemptuous of theories, and most 

 addicted to proclaim the superior virtue of a peck 

 of facts over a ton of theory. Times are changed. 

 We do know now a great deal about the cause 

 and nature of the disease — by no means all we 

 should like to know — but at any rate we do 

 not hear much now of wild theories, and 

 cultivators have learned to accept as true what 

 the microscopists have taught them, — that the 

 disease is really due to the destructive action 

 of a parasitic fungus. Some points in the 

 life-history of the fungus are still matters 

 of dispute, others are wholly unknown; but 

 in any case we know enough to see that far 

 greater good may be anticipated from measures 

 of prevention than from any directly curative 

 agency. Our reports show that the early varieties 

 had up to the date of report almost entirely 

 escaped. That is one hint, but we cannot grow 

 all early Potatos, and we shall have to wait some 

 time before a truly resistent late variety is 

 raised. We do not say it cannot be done, on the 

 contrary we believe it can be accomplished, 

 and that just as some Poses or some varieties 

 of Peaches are far more seriously affected 



with mildew than others, so certain Potatos are 

 much more subject to the disease than others — 

 or rather, we should say, that where all are liable 

 some suffer much more severely than others. It 

 is for our cultivators carefully to note and 

 record these facts — facts which the Suttons and 

 Carters and other experimenters will to a 

 certainty avail themselves of even more fully 

 than they have hitherto done. Then, again, the 

 present season gives an opportunity of testing 

 the efficacy of the high moulding system advo- 

 cated by Jensen as a preventative. For two or 

 three years a sub-committee of the Scientific 

 Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 made elaborate experiments, and some of the 

 members drew up still more elaborate re- 

 ports on the experiments made at Chissviek. 

 We do not say those reports were valueless, but 

 at any rate they failed in their object — just 

 because the fungus, though always present, did 

 not spread much in those years. Moreover, as 

 carried out, the cost of the protection would far 

 have outweighed any advantage that might have 

 been attained. Ample preparations were made 

 for a state of siege ; sorties were devised, and every 

 preparation made to repel the invader, but the 

 scouts had nothing to do, and the defenders had 

 their labour for nothing. Prolonged experi- 

 ments of this kind, undertaken by observers with 

 no personal interests of their own to serve, could 

 not be expected to be continued ; the wonder is 

 they went on so long ; but the Royal Horticul- 

 tural Society has always managed to secure 

 somehow or other a willing band of assistants to 

 do work for which other people would have to 

 pay, and pay handsomely. At any rate, the sub- 

 committee ceased their labours, and now the 

 enemy so long waited for, and hopefully from 

 one point of view, has put in an appearance. It 

 is too late this season, even if it were otherwise 

 possible, to repeat the elaborate precautions 

 heretofore adopted at Chiswick, but a trial of 

 the Jensenian plan on a small scale might be 

 attempted without difficulty, and might still lead 

 to valuable results, as although the haulms might 

 be affected, the high moulding and bending the 

 haulm might still preserve the tuber more or less. 



Apart altogether from these measures, culti- 

 vators might accomplish much by doing their 

 best to destroy affected haulm and tubers. We 

 know that as a rule they do nothing of the kind 

 — the haulm lies about in the fields, or finds its 

 way to the manure heap to propagate the fungus 

 in about the most favourable conditions possible ; 

 fowls and pigs eat the diseased tubers ; growers 

 send their produce to market with diseased haulm 

 as packing at the top of the barrels, and conse- 

 quently scatter the spores broadcast. People who 

 do these things without an effort to prevent 

 them, deserve to be considered enemies of the 

 human race. 



What may not be practicable on a large scale 

 is easily effected on a small one ; gardeners, and 

 still more cottagers with small patches, should 

 destroy affected haulm and tubers immediately, 

 and not allow them to remain on the ground 

 between other and healthy rows, day after day, 

 as they do. They could not hope by such means 

 to stamp out the disease entirely, but they would 

 gain time, and save many a bushel which would 

 otherwise be destroyed. 



The application of sulphate of copper mixed 

 with lime to the haulm and foliage in fine powder 

 with a distributor would also be of service, but 

 probably the cost would outweigh the advantage, 

 if tried on a large scale. But whether or no, to 

 allow the disease to spread, or rather to spread it 

 ourselves, as we do, without making any effort 

 to stay it, is a crime for which not only those 



most responsible, but a still larger number of 

 innocent victims have to suffer. Lastly, we may 

 refer our readers to the account given of the 

 Jensen plan in our columns on April 5, 1884. 



National Conference on Apples and 



PEARS. — We have received the following for pub- 

 lication : — 



" In consequence of the great success of the Apple 

 Congress in 1883, and the Pear Conference in 1885, 

 and in order to bring up the reports then published 

 to the present date, the Council of the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society has decided to hold another Con- 

 ference on Apples and Pears in the gardens at 

 Chiswick, from October 16 to 20 next. 



" In the present Conference it is proposed to 

 invite the exhibition of such varieties only as find 

 favour, or may be considered thoroughly worthy of 

 cultivation. 



" One object of this Conference is to illustrate by 

 facts and examples the present state and future 

 prospects of commercial fruit culture in this country. 

 It is consequently desired that contributors should 

 endeavour as far as possible to furnish samples of 

 fruits that are in favour in the markets of their 

 several localities. 



"All fruit growers are invited to exhibit, and the 

 more widely the collections are procured (within the 

 limits of the schedule), the greater the interest the 

 exhibition will create. 



" It is very desirable that every collection should 

 be accompanied with as much information as pos- 

 sible with regard to soil, exposure, and physical con- 

 dition of the districts in which they have been grown ; 

 for which purpose the accompanying forms are 

 enclosed. 



" All fruits exhibited should be distinctly labelled 

 with the name or names under which they may be 

 known, and as the specimens sent are strictly for 

 examination, they must necessarily be at the dis- 

 posal of the committee if required. 



" Persons willing to contribute papers bearing 

 upon the subjects in hand are requested to commu- 

 nicate with Mr. Baeron at an early date, stating the 

 particular subject they are prepared to treat of. 

 Arrangements for reading or publishing papers will 

 be made by the committee. 



" All packages should be addressed to Mr. A. P. 

 Barhon, Koyal Horticultural Gardens, Chiswick, 

 and must be delivered on or before Monday, 

 October 15. Exhibitors staging their own fruit may 

 do so on the 15th, or on the morning of the 16th, to 

 be ready for the inspection of the committee. 

 Notice of intention to exhibit must be given to Mr. 

 Baeeon not later than Wednesday, October 10, 

 stating the class or classes in which it is intended to 

 exhibit, or the amount of space that will be required. 



"All exhibitors will be admitted to the Gardens, 

 free ; and will receive a certain number of tickets 

 according to the extent of their exhibits. 



" It is recommended that heavy packages be sent 

 by goods train. 



" Apples. 



" Not more than five- large or nine snvxll fruits to 

 form a dish. 



" 1. Pifty varieties of Apples most worthy of 

 cultivation. 



" 2. Twenty-four varieties of Apples best adapted 

 to the exhibitor's district. 



" 3. Twelve varieties of Apples, do. 



" 4. Six varieties of Apples, do. 



" 5. Twelve varieties of dessert Apples. 



" 6. Twelve varieties of culinary Apples. 



" 7. Six varieties of dessert Apples. 



" 8. Six varieties of culinary Apples. 



" 9. Appies from cordon, bush, or pyramid trees 

 (not to exceed twelve varieties). 



" 10. Appies from standards in orchards (not to 

 exceed twelve varieties). 



" 11. Apples (not exceeding twelve varieties) 

 grown on special stocks, of which particulars must 

 be given. 



" 12. Apples as grown and sent to market, one 

 peck of each (not to exceed twelve varieties). 



" 13. New, recently introduced, or little known 

 varieties of merit. 



Pears. 



'•' Not more than five large or nine small fruits to 

 form a dish. 



" 1. Thirty-six varieties of Pears most worthy of 

 cultivation. 



