Novjsmbbr 3, 18S8.] 



THE GAS DENE MS' CHS ONI CLE. 



515 



house, which are more choice than productive. To 

 Fellows these excellent Grapes have heen selling at 

 Is. per pound, a very low price indeed when com- 

 pared with the different quality of the Grapes offered 

 ut such price in shops. The Fellows, therefore, have 

 in return for their annual subscriptions some very 

 material financial privileges in the matter of fruit 

 and flower purchase, and can thus easily recoup 

 themselves, plus their'other privileges as F'ellows, if 

 they wish to do so. rutting the actual weight of the 

 Grape crop at 4000 lb., however, that would give 

 £200 — not a bad result ; although it is evident that, 

 were the Grapes sold at shop-rates, the return would 

 be much larger. The Grape corridor, planted its 

 entire length with Alicante and Gros Colmar 

 Grapes, shows just now a grand crop, which will cer- 

 tainly secure a much higher price per pound. With the 

 fine show of Apples below, and the Grape crop 

 above, the great vinery at Chiswick was last week a 

 noble sight indeed. X. 



ASTER HYBRIDS. —I enclose you two seedling 

 Asters ; one, named John Loraine Baldwin, is o feet 

 high, and has the iargest flower of any of the laevis 

 family. The parents are also enclosed, viz., Levis 

 and speciosus. It takes the size of its bloom from 

 the latter, and its habit from the former. There is 

 also enclosed an improved seedling of Novi Belgii 

 var. densum, having larger blooms. It is only 4 feet 

 in height. As comparison both the forms are 

 enclosed. E. J. Lowe, S/drenewton Halt. [In reference 

 to the subject of the above note an Aster grower 

 says: — "Aster Novi Belgii var. densus is correct. 

 The seedling is a mere form, and corresponds with a 

 variety of Aster N. Belgii, known in gardens as 

 versicolor maximus. Joha Loraine Baldwin is no 

 hybrid, but a seedling form of A. N. Belgii. The 

 supposed parents are, first, an old well known variety 

 of A. N. Belgii (not lrevis, as stated). The other 

 supposed parent is not an Aster at all, but Erigeron 

 speciosus."] 



PROLIFEROUS SPIKE OF PHAL/ENOPSIS.— I was 

 much interested on reading Mr. Watson's remarks in 

 the Gardeners' Chronicle of October 13, p. 417, on 

 young growth being developed from cut flower-spikes 

 tint had been placed in water instead of letting them 

 remain on the plant, which is generally done, and 

 which we here have been in the habit of doing with- 

 out ever succeeding in obtaining a plant. We have 

 a plant of Angrcecum Leonii, which developed a 

 young growth on the top of a flower-spike two years 

 a T o. The young plant has since grown very rapidly, 

 and last spring bore a spike of three flowers. I have 

 never heard of Angraicum Leonii having done so 

 before, and I should be pleased to hear if Mr. Watson 

 or any grower of Orchids has met with a similar 

 occurrence. Erin. [We have before us, from Mr. 

 Odell, an adventitious bud with roots, produced upon 

 a flower stem of Phaius grandifolius after it been cut 

 oti' and thrown under the stage. Ed.] 



GISHURSTINE. — In your issue for the 13th ult. 

 von SDeak of the efficacy of Gishurstine. There is 

 no doubt but this is a good article for waterproofing 

 and softening boots, and would probably be largely- 

 used by gardeners if it was sold at a reasonable price 

 by the' horticultural trade. This, however, seems to 

 me to be far from the case. Gishurstine is supplied 

 from Price's Patent Candle Company in tins of two 

 sizes, mounted with the company's paper, with the 

 prices Gi. and Is. per tin printed on it, being what I 

 consider too high a price for the said article. I think 

 all readers of the Gardeners' Chronicle will agree with 

 me when I say that a chemist's shop is not one's 

 ideal of an establishment for cheap goods, yet I 

 alwavs buy my Gishurstine from a chemist, and 

 though marked with the company's paper and prices 

 as above stated, I can there procure either of the 

 sizes at -'5 per cent, below the stated price, viz., at 

 i'.tl , and \)d. pertin, being 3(2. in the shilling less than 

 the prices demanded by the horticultural trade. 

 Undoubtedly the chemist referred to sells at a paying 

 profit, and if so, what must be the profits of the 

 horticultural trade ? Looking fairly at the facts 

 mentioned, I can hardly think the trade have so 

 much pity for gardeners in general as one might 

 suppose from reading reports of speeches published 

 after such dinners as are held, say, for instance, in 

 connection with the Gardeners' Benevolent Society. 

 Let us hope the trade will take the hint, and not be 

 above chemists' prices. Hoitns. 



HELIANTHU3 L/ETIFLORUS.— In my note on 

 p. 483, 1 wrote " new authority,'' not " Kew authority ;" 

 it appears there was a misprint in the note from 



which I copied the words. As now printed it might 

 imply a disrespect for the Kew authority, which I did 

 not intend. The case, however, is "Asa Gray versus 

 Kew,'' and to settle it I propose to send dried speci- 

 mens to Harvard to be compared with the authorised 

 type preserved there. C. WbUey Bod, Edge Hall, 

 Malpas. 



INSECT PREVENTIVES.— I notice that on p. 472 

 of your last issue soot, lime, and Hellebore powder 

 are all recommended for the destruction of cater- 

 pillars, but perhaps it is not generally known that 

 gas-tar is a first-rate preventive, which is better than 

 cure. I have had whole plots of Gooseberry bushes 

 devastated by them, and also Cabbage and Cauli- 

 flower. Since I commenced to use gas-tar the cater- 

 pillars have not made their appearance, and it is 

 both a safe and a cheap remedy for the Gooseberry 

 caterpillar and all others affecting green crops which 

 are subject to attack. John Mcintosh, G/cnnavtian. 

 [Please say how do you apply gas-tar? Ed.] 



THE NATIONAL APPLE AND PEAR CONFERENCE. 

 — I was somewhat surprised to find that compara- 

 tively few market-growers put in an appearance, or 

 appeared to take any part in the Conference, par- 

 ticularly as they are chiefly concerned in this very 

 important matter. There are a number of large 

 private establishments about the country managed 

 by experienced gardeners, where the finest Grapes, 

 Peaches, Nectarines, and hardy fruits of the best and 

 improved varieties are grown, and in order to help 

 defray the garden expenses, the surplus is sold to 

 supply the best shops. We cannot look to these to 

 supply our markets in sufficient quantities for the 

 million, but must depend upon the market gardeners ; 

 therefore it is all-important to get at these gentle- 

 men. I feel sure that had more market gardeners 

 attended we should have heard from them many 

 useful suggestions, and much information as to the 

 effect of soil upon the different sorts of Apples and 

 Pears grown for market in different parts of the 

 country. Mr. Clark, a retired market gardener of 

 Twickenham, however, attended, and entered 

 into the discussion. He gave some useful 

 information upon the destruction of the Apple 

 and Gooseberry caterpillar, and mentioned two 

 market Apples (Mank's Codlin and Early Julien) he 

 used to grow in his neighbourhood with great success. 

 He said " Mank's Codlin brought him more money 

 from the market than any other sort," and strongly 

 recommended it to be largely planted, observing also 

 that Cellini l'ippin Apple was planted in the same 

 ground, but failed through canker. This points to 

 the necessity of taking into consideration the nature 

 of the soil, shelter, &c, before deciding upon the 

 kinds of fruit to be planted. The soil in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Kew, Chiswick, Twickenham, and niaiy 

 parts of Isleworth, where Mank's Codlin does so 

 well, is of a light, warm, sandy loam, well suited to 

 many kinds which fail to do well in heavier soils. 

 In heavy soils I have found Mank's do very badly, 

 being sometimes quite a failure. I can point at 

 this moment to 1 acre of this sort in Ealing, planted 

 twenty years ago in good but heavy loam, which has 

 never borne a good crop ; the trees are now rotten 

 with canker. What a serious loss ! In the same 

 ground there are some Lord Suffield ; they are not 

 flourishing, as they would be in warmer soil, but 

 even they have borne fairly well. There are also 

 in the neighbourhood of Ealing Cellini bearing well, 

 which clearly points out how necessary it is for 

 planters to pay more attention to the nature of the 

 soil and to the selection of suitable sorts. I would 

 warn that gentleman who at the Congress asked 

 for information as to what to grow in the 

 heavy soils of Sussex not to take Mr. Clark's 

 hint (grow Mank's), lest he should sustain a 

 loss similar to that my friend at Ealing experienced. 

 I may be told that had the ground upon which 

 this unfortunate acre of Mank's been better drained 

 and received more liberal dressing of manure failure 

 would have been avoided ; but you cannot alter the 

 nature of a heavy soil to that of a light one without 

 time ani expense. It is all very well in private and 

 small villa gardens, where suitable soil can be sup- 

 plied or made up, but when the market gardener has 

 to deal with broad acres, with a view to the maxi- 

 mum amount of return for the minimum amount of 

 outlay, he must select the most suitable sorts of 

 Apples and Pears for the natural soils of the place 

 requiring but ordinary treatment in the preparation 

 for planting. Now, had this been observed, and the 

 best hardy strong growing sorts been selected for 

 the orchard in question, such as Keswick Codlin, 

 Ecklinville Seedling, Pott's Seedling, Stirling Castle, 



or Blenheim Orange, instead of Mank's, success 

 would have been certain, instead of failure and loss. 

 I am writing with no prejudice against planting this 

 excellent free-bearing market sort, but only to point 

 out the source of danger in planting this or any 

 other sort in unsuitable soil. I would conclude by 

 saying, in the words of Mr. Bunyard, that when a 

 good sort is found to be doing well and to suit the 

 market, then go ahead and plant it, like the "one 

 Apple " man at Woking, who grows only one sort 

 Cox's Orange Pippin), findiag it does well on the 

 light sandy soil of that place. George Cannon, Los 

 Nursery, Ealing, October 23. 



BORDER CARNATIONS. — Your correspondent 

 " A. D.'s " suggestion (p. 447) as to a Chiswick trial 

 of border Carnations should be heartily entertained 

 by all growers of these valuable and now popular 

 flowers. Certain it is that many fine varieties exist 

 which meantime are only known locally ; and some 

 of these, when judged from comparison with popu- 

 larly known and advertised sorts, vastly superior as 

 truly refined flowers, and at the same time free and 

 vigorous in constitution. The popular Gloire de 

 Nancy, for instance, is lacking in one of the first 

 qualities of a commendable flower — the calyx almost 

 always bursts (at least, with us) ; but may not other 

 wdiites exist with all Nancy's glories and none of 

 her defects? And if such is the case, what a wealth 

 of joy and beauty is being hidden and withheld ! 

 Another defect in many of our now popular border 

 Carnations is the waste of flowers consequent on 

 cutting a bloom with a stalk long enough to con- 

 veniently place in water ; the buds are crowded at 

 the top, and cutting one open bloom often means 

 the removal of four or five unexpanded buds. May 

 there not be local varieties — one here and anothtr 

 there — in all the leading colours, which have not 

 these defects ? As to the grouping of colours sug- 

 gested by "A. D.," this should be one of the prime 

 factors in all comparative tests of florists' flowers. 

 We have practised this for years in all our stock 

 plantations of such popular flowers as Carnations, 

 Dahlias, Pansies, Pyrethrums, Phloxes, &c. The 

 results are that all synonymous and inferior forms 

 are at once recognised, and any errors in nomen- 

 clature are quickly detected, as when a white form 

 appears in a group of scarlets, and vice vend. S. $ S., 

 Dundee. [Some Carnation flowers sent with this 

 note, on October 22, were fresh and sweet, and of 

 charming tints, both selfs and others. They did not 

 show at all that they had had to endure on two 

 occasions 8° of frost. Ed.] 



REMOVAL OF POTATO HAULM.— I can endorse 

 what your correspondent, Mr. Wall, says at p. 483 

 respecting the removal of Potato haulm as being a 

 means of preventing the tubers becoming diseased. 



1 had here this season a patch of Myatt's Ashleaf so 

 attacked with disease, and as the haulm was already 

 showing signs of ripeness, I determined to try the 

 experiment. Unlike your correspondent, I had the 

 haulm cut (instead of pulled) close to the ground, 

 cleared away, and burnt, leaving the tubers undis- 

 turbed for ten days, so as to allow their skins to set. 

 When lifted there were from 37 bushels only 



2 bushels diseased, and not more than half a bushel 

 of tubers have since gone bad. Our other varieties, 

 nine in number, including early and late kinds, were 

 left to take their chance, and in each case nnmbers 

 were diseased varying from one-quarter to two-thirds 

 of the crop. In my opinion the removal of the 

 haulm, either by pulling or cutting (I would prefer 

 the latter, the tubers being less disturbed) as soon 

 as spots of the disease are detected, would be a safe 

 plan to adopt in all cases where the crops are ap- 

 proaching ripeness. Tom Stone. 



MALVA MOSCHATA ALBA.— The typical form of 

 M. moschata is by no means devoid of merit as a 

 garden plant, and a well-grown plant, covered with 

 bright pink flowers and beautifully dissected leaves, 

 is infinitely preferable to many of the weedy occu- 

 pants of the herbaceous border. The white form is 

 a dangerous rival to the white flowers of the hardy 

 plant-garden ; there is a certain refinement about 

 the exquisite satin-like petals that is very attractive 

 and pleasing. This is a plant that should have a 

 good soil and plentv of room ; under these condi- 

 tions it forms very handsome specimens. The best 

 results are obtained from one year old plants ; if kit 

 in the borders after the first year they are apt to 

 become too leafy. When grown on rich heavy soil 

 the seedlings should be transplanted before they form, 

 their long tap-roots ; this tends to produce a flori- 

 ferous growth and less foliage. On light soils the 



