SwTKMBKB 1\ 1888.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



303 



evergreen. Here, of course, the combination was 

 accidental, but it could easily enough be produced 

 elsewhere by encouraging the Ivy, and artificially 

 arresting the growth of the tree selected. D. J. Y. 



LIFTING NARCISSUS BULBS.— Under this head, 

 on p. 263, Mr. Burbidge says he is puzzled by my 

 suggestion that in Daffodils, " root-action remains 

 active after the leaves are quite dead, and enables 

 the bulb to get rid of its superfluous moisture into 

 the soil." Mr. Burbidge fails to see how evaporation 

 can t;\ke place through the bulb tunics when they 

 are surrounded with wet soil. I am not learned in 

 vegetable physiology, and I am afraid I cannot 

 explain to him how this process takes place, but I 

 never said or thought that it does. When the leaves 

 are dead, I suppose that moisture, in different 

 combinations, may be both taken in and given out 

 by the roots. I believe that active changes may 

 take place within a bulb when apparently at rest. 

 We know that the roots may continue to feed it, 

 and cause an increase of its substance, as, (or 

 instance, in Lilies and terrestrial Orchids, which 

 may remain underground without any upward growth 

 through whole seasons, and meanwhile double in 

 size. During this time I suppose that excretions 

 of superfluous matter, including water, may be given 

 out from the roots. I read in Carpenter's Vegetable 

 Physiology that " the roots themselves throw out a 

 considerable amount of matter formed in the vege- 

 table itself, and corresponding in character with its 

 peculiar secretions.'' I can therefore see no un- 

 warrantable assumptions in my theory that bulbs, 

 when dug up, may rot from wet, which they might 

 have got rid of if left in the ground. ft Wolley Uod, 

 Edge Hall, Malpas. 



HALE'S EARLY AND ALEXANDER PEACHES — 



In answer to Mr. Sheppard's enquiries as to whether 

 Hale's Early and Alexander are the same, I wish to 

 say that I am quite convinced they are quite distinct, 

 and for this important reason, that Hale's on a south 

 aspect was fully three weeks later than Alexander on 

 a west wall, though in every other particular they 

 certainly appear the same. I have read Mr. Diver's 

 remarks upon this subject with interest, but think 

 him in error when he says that Hale's or Alexander 

 was raised by Mr. Rivers. I am under the impression 

 they both are of American origin, though Alexander 

 was sent out by Mr. Kivers. G. Woodward. [Mr. 

 Divers said that Alexander was raised by Mr. 

 Rivers, and that Hale's was of American origin, but 

 sent out by Mr. Rivers, which is correct. Ed.] 



HARDY FRUIT TREES.— Whilst Mr. Burbidge is 

 suggesting that the American race of Apples may 

 be improved in the direction of hardiness by the in- 

 troduction as progenitors of Russian varieties, it may 

 well be worth inquiring to what extent we have gained 

 from the introduction of Apples from northern 

 climes, and thus, reasoning from analogy, arrive at 

 some just conclusion as to the nature of the results 

 which may flow out of the practical adoption of Mr. 

 Burbidge's suggestion. That writer refers to Red 

 Astrachan and Duchess of Oldenburg as full-blooded 

 Russian kinds. Such being the case, in what respect 

 do these varieties show hardiness or other value 

 beyond what is found in our natural or English 

 varieties? Take, again, those Canadian forms — Nor- 

 thern Spy and Reinette Blanche, or Cobbett's Fail 

 Pippin— are either of these hardier or in any way 

 more fruitful than are ordinary European varieties ? 

 The same question might well be asked of several 

 others, and 1 think it will have to be generally 

 admitted that, so far as can be evidenced, we have 

 gained nothing in relation to our Apple strains by 

 the introduction of high northern varieties. It is 

 very doubtful whether they have been used here for 

 crossing, probably because found generally to be of 

 such inditferent value. In any case, it would be 

 absurd to assume that, because these specified varie- 

 ties are of northern origin, they are, or have been, 

 found to be in southern latitudes hardier or more 

 productive than are our true British varieties. A. D. 



BASELLA RUBRA.— The root of this plant, which 

 is usually regarded as tender, will, I find, withstand a 

 considerable amount of frost, provided it has been 

 grown in a pot, and that the soil is dry at the ap- 

 proach of winter. A plant used as a window screen on 

 the south aspect of a dwelling was in October of last 

 year, after the growths were destroyed by the frost, 

 placed in a shed. Here it passed the winter un- 

 harmed, and was in April shaken partly out of the 

 toil and planted against a partially sunny wall. The 

 growth ws» lets In starting, owing to the untoward 



nature of the weather about that time ; but since then 

 the plant has made rapid advance, and the main shoots 

 have reached a height of 7 feet. The plant has a 

 simple ovary, which afterwards becomes a membran- 

 ous fruit, so that it is not Morally beautiful, but its 

 glossy heart-shaped leaves, which are of much sub- 

 stance, and the rapid growth of the. shoots, make it a 

 very desirable plant for covering a trellis, trailing 

 round pillars and the sides of windows, and especially 

 so in towns, where flowering subjects do not alwavs 

 succeed. I intend to leave the tuberous rcots of the 

 plant in the ground during the ensuing winter, under 

 a protecting cover of coal-ashes. 15. rubra is a 

 variety of B. cordifolia, and yields a rich purple dye, 

 but which is, however, difficult to fix. M. W, 



WICKER-WORK VASES AND FLOWER-STANDS.— 

 Generally speaking it should be the aim of all who 

 are responsible for the effective arrangement of 

 flowers and plants in the house to utilise such recep- 

 tacles as are the most conducive to that end. This, 

 however, is not always the case, for too frequently 

 we see gaudily painted vases, &c, which, as far 

 as colour goes, are generally the reverse of effec- 

 tive, especially when no attention is paid to the 

 colour of the flowers and leaves of the plants put into 

 them, To produce a good and artistic effect in the 

 arrangement of plants and flowers in the house 

 special attention should be paid to this point. In 

 my opinion we require more rustic work and l.-ss china 

 and paint such as are now generally used. Some of the 

 terra-cotta vases are exceptionally good for indoor 

 decoration ; yet how seldom do we see them used 

 when compared with China and other kinds of 

 pottery? Again, there are numerous other sorts 

 of vases for holding plants and flowers, which 

 in my opinion are preferable to those commonly 

 in use. When in Lincolnshire recently I was 

 surprised to see the numerous and varied designs of 

 flower receptacles made in wicker-work. The 

 majority of these are not toys, such as manv may 

 suppose, but strong and serviceable, and not only 

 that, but very artistic. In various districts in the 

 Fens, where the Willow abounds, this is a special 

 industry, and one which employs many hundreds 

 of hands in cutting, tying, boiling and otherwise 

 preparing the rods before they are sent to the factorv, 

 where the vases, stands, &c, are made. Many I 

 noticed, while recently looking over the extensive 

 works of Mr. Harris, Grantham, were made in the 

 exact shape of a flower-pot in various siz -s, some on 

 stands varying from 2 to 3 feet in height, and others 

 for standing on a table or sideboard. Into these an 

 ordinary pot may be stood without any further 

 trouble. Again I noticed numerous useful little 

 receptacles for banging on the walls of a room, pas- 

 sage, or hall. These may be utilised for small flower- 

 ing plants, Ferns, or cut flowers, and when tastefully 

 arranged would produce a charming effect. In fact, 

 many are the uses to which these wicker-work flower- 

 stands may be put. ft Collins. 



THE POTATO DISEASE.— I need hardly apolo- 

 gise for referring to this important subject again, 

 for in the minds of all associated with the soil 

 it is the dominant one. Already do I hear from many 

 sources of the disease proving to be exceptionally bad 

 on the tubers, indeed the proportion of diseased ones 

 seems to range from 30 to GO per cent, according to 

 soil and general conditions. In stiff soils and especi- 

 ally where there has been strong growth owing to 

 liberal manuring, the disease is terribly virulent, the 

 crops being hardly worth lifting. Facts accumulate 

 with rapidity and so does the disease progress, so that 

 what seemed uncertain one week is made a terrible 

 fact the next. My own observations, so far, have 

 conclusively shown that the disease spores have 

 entered the tubers from the outside and not through 

 the stems ; the worst affected being those near the sur- 

 face, especially large ones, and those tubers which were 

 during the heavy rains near the stems saturated, as 

 down the cavity in the side made by these the 

 water must have poured in round the newly- 

 formed tubers with constant freedom. We shall 

 find all sorts, which have any reputation for 

 disease-resisting powers very fully tested, and 

 any which have proved successful will merit all 

 praise. Why any tubers should thus resist the 

 action of the fungus spores is hard to understand, 

 now that we know the disease is propagated in the 

 tuber rathe.- than through the stems of the plants, 

 except on the hypothesis that the skin or epidermis 

 of the tubers is stouter or less penetrable. However, 

 there will be time enough to deal with that subject 

 when it is proved that some kinds really bare resisted 

 the fungus this yea,r, The dryer weather may prove 



some sort of saving grace to the later kinds should 

 it continue, but it is certain that whatever may be 

 the merits of tubers, no kind of foliage enjoys im- 

 munity from the attacks of the disease. A. D. 



"Whosoever will help to ruin his neigh- 

 bours' crops, willingly, wittingly, per spore of 

 Peronospora, let him be anathematised ! " — nay, 

 what is more effective and altogether better for 

 a so-called " practical people," let him be hauled 

 before a court of summary jurisdiction and mulcted 

 in the amount of the damage done. Such thoughts 

 as these must occur to all who read Mr. W. G 

 Smith's communication in a recent number, fol- 

 lowing up what had been said in the leader of the 

 previous week. His words make one stand aghast, 

 and wonder where is the use of experience, of experi- 

 ment, of the ubiquitous Press. To repeat a few 

 lines of .Mr. Smith's paragraph may here again be 

 useful : — " Some of the Potatos were lifted here la-t 

 week, and I now observe the fungus-infested haulms 

 (some still green) neatly laid in heaps at the plot 

 corners, the white fungus itself being quite visiole 

 to the unaided eye: other blight-stricken haulms are 

 on the paths, to be trodden in — still others are laid 

 one on another upon heaps of stable manure, ready 

 lor digging into the ground. The fungus is not at 

 its worst yet; it is only just commencing operations, 

 but I do not remember seeing it in a more general 

 or threatening coudition." In how many places may 

 not this be used ink-photographically? And yet, 

 year after year, your pages at this season of the 

 year — those of your contemporaries and agri- 

 cultural brethren, together with the general 

 Press, have teemed, not only with such illus- 

 trations, but with the very simple instructions as 

 to the checking of this selfishly propagated plague ! 

 From some — from thousands of gardens there tluws 

 nothing but beauty — beauty in crops, in example, 

 and in precept ; from others come the worst of every- 

 thing. We complain of being handicapped by land 

 laws, by railway companies and other things — for- 

 getting that too often we grow the worst instead a. 

 the best — that too often weeds — pretty as they may 

 look — choke our crops ; and that year after year 

 selfishness and ignorance — they are not always 

 synonymous — are allowed by a paternal government 

 to poison the air and the land, and the very crops 

 themselves with Potato poison. Shame indeed to 

 this so much governed nation. We cannot see the 

 pest until it forces itself into notice — the mental eye 

 in this case waits on the imagination ; differently, 

 however, from the instance where it is said — 

 " Ah, could my Sweet but ope her inner eyne 

 And see how love hath girt her round with flowers. " 



The man who by his carelessnes and indifference 

 propagates the fungus, as you have pointed out, 

 is most assuredly as much a thief as any one in 

 London streets who filches purses and watches, or 

 who climbs into one's house during the night and 

 steals. There is a difference, truly, but it is only 

 in manner, not in effect. Disease in cattle exercises 

 the Home Department of Her Majesty's Government 

 very considerably upon occasions ; and every pos- 

 sible means is taken to stamp out that disease ; 

 why should not the same be done, as far as circum- 

 stances will permit, in the case of the Potato disease ? 

 But — ah. that " but " — we require an Act of Parlia- 

 ment, a Ministry of Rural Economy — a whole pile of 

 machinery set in motion to secure sound, even if 

 little, I'otatos I But this must eventually be don.' 

 — and in the end will prove a cheap and efficacious 

 remedy. Only those who deserve should be made 

 to surfer. In some of our colonies, I believe, it is 

 illegal to propagate weeds of particular kinds, and 

 punishable by fine, &c. ; what has been found of 

 value there should certainly prove efficacious in 

 similar cases here. This matter I recommend to 

 the careful consideration of the two great societies 

 so deeply interested in it — the Royal Horticultural 

 and the Royal Agricultural Societies. A simple Bill 

 might be drawn up between them, giving powers to 

 the Local Government Boards as well as to the hea 1 

 Department ; all parties surely would assist to pass 

 it rapidly through " both our Houses." C. 



Publications Received.— Kew Bulb 



Miscellaneous Information. — Transactions of tic Afos- 

 sachusctts Horticultural Society for 1887. Part II.— 

 Comtes Rendus des Seances de '/'Academic del S 

 Sept., 1888. — Forest Department , Madras Preside.il, , 

 Annual Report, 1886-87. — Gardening in India (Wood- 

 row.) — Practical Hint) on Gas Consumption. By 

 J. Shaw, (Huudersnekl ; J, Broapsekt & Co., >7ew 

 Street), 



