June 22, 1912.] 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



409 



slightest hesitation or concern. Not until we 

 were able to devise practical means to prevent 

 the continuance of this extraordinary practice 

 would the problem of fighting diseases be success- 

 fully solved. The control of all kinds of diseases 

 within our country should be its most earnest 

 aim, and would result in increasing confidence 

 in the trade and commerce with one's neighbours, 

 preserving peace, and encouraging closer rela- 

 tions among all nations. 



In order to effect an efficient protection, it was 

 imperative to concentrate efforts upon the 

 thorough control of diseases within one's own 

 country. Every country would certainly have to 

 work out its own salvation along these lines. 



The Discussion. 



Mr. A. W. Sutton said there was no doubt that 

 suitable restrictions were necessary, especially in 

 certain countries, and it seemed strange that 

 while very elaborate precautions were taken by 



had given much food for thought, and had sug- 

 gested many practical things. The Conference 

 might do a great deal by bringing about a system 

 of education in proper inspection. It was im- 

 possible to institute a regiment of highly-paid 

 qualified inspectors to go about through the 

 country, but a system of compulsory inspection 

 must be instituted by a minor staff of inspectors. 

 There was some difficulty in finding these minor 

 inspectors, and experiments had been going on 

 in Ireland to get horticultural inspectors to do the 

 work, which he did not think was satisfactory, 

 because it engendered a feeling of animosity 

 among the local inspectors. Conferences had been 

 arranged by Professor Campbell, head of the 

 agricultural and horticultural section, between 

 the trade and the department, when the principal 

 nurserymen were invited to attend on certain 

 occasions and confer. This had been found 

 acceptable to both sides, and excellent results had 

 been achieved. It had brought about harmony 



Fig. 195. — deutzia longifolia: flowers light-rose colour. 



(Received R.H.S. Award of Merit on April 30.) 



some countries others took no precautions at all. 

 It was, of course, difficult for them to look at the 

 matter from the point of view of other parts of 

 the world, and though it might be necessary to 

 take the opposite view, all would agree that 

 everything should be done to prevent the spread 

 of plant disease. He considered that proper pre- 

 cautions should be taken at the port of export and 

 a certificate issued declaring that the plants were 

 free from disease and that no disease had been 

 discovered within a radius of a given number of 

 miles. Of course, that might hamper trade, and 

 it should not be forgotten that these pests might 



£ e j e i°P ,?2 the v °yage. It was a difficult subject, 

 and he did not wish to make any suggestions, but 

 ne hoped the discussion would bring out some 



points which might be of value to exporters and 

 importers. 



jr Frederick Moore, Keeper of the Botanical 

 *wdens, Glasnevin, Dublin, said the papers 



w^here there was discord, and without co-opera- 

 tion among all sections of growers, public and 

 inspectors there could be no efficient work done. 



Mr. H. C. Lobjoit, market grower, Keston, 

 said it must not be forgotten in dealing with 

 growers and their apparent aversion to the 

 officials, that there was a great difference be- 

 tween the point of view and the mental equip- 

 ment of the practical grower and the officials, 

 but that antagonism had broken down. It was 

 no use exercising vigilance and compelling 

 growers who had got the Gooseberry-mildew to 

 act in accordance w T ith regulations if the latter 

 w ? ere not carried out in the case of private gar- 

 dens where, if the Gooseberries had got the 

 mildew, all regulations were nullified. 



Dr. Stewart MacDougall, East of Scotland 

 Agricultural College, regarded the papers as ex- 

 cellent, and was gratified to see that there was 

 nothing " panicky " about the suggestions made. 



All must agree for legislation to be successful 

 there must be co-operation and co-ordination. 

 There was no excuse for delay. Any man who 

 discovered that he had the pests on his crops 

 could write for information and guidance. 



Prof. Potter, Armstrong College, Newcastle, 

 said the remarks had been applied chiefly to the 

 parasite, but it was the host they had to take 

 care of. Over manuring was responsible for 

 much mischief. 



Mr. Salmon, South-Eastern Agricultural 

 College, Wye, said the State Department which 

 administered an Act must be in a position to 

 give absolute and authoritative advice. 



Mr. C. E. Pearson, Sec, Horticultural Trades 

 Association, said the question had been debated 

 by his association, but no definite conclusions 

 had been reached; they, however, felt there was 

 much danger. Of course, there was a feeling of 

 antagonism between practice and science, but it 

 was not so strong in the nursery business as in 

 others. At the same time it was known what 

 went on. Goods were kept in Customs Houses 

 for days and weeks after arrival. They were 

 sometimes unpacked in frosty weather and so ran 

 very serious risks ; and once a parcel packed by 

 an expert had been undone, the contents could 

 not be replaced any more than they could put 

 back a chick in the eggshell an hour after it had 

 emerged. There was great danger of legislation 

 hampering trade. The Phylloxera regulations 

 were absurd. He did not believe Phylloxera now 

 existed in the United Kingdom, and'he had been 

 growing vines in pots for 30 years. 



Prof. Keeble, University of Reading, said 

 that all must realise that the Board of Agricul- 

 ture had been most extraordinarily sympathetic 

 towards the Scientific Committee in offering the 

 assistance of the State in their work. He pro- 

 posed that the conference resolve to request the 

 Science and Education Committee to remain in 

 being, and to confer with the Board of Agricul- 

 ture with a view to summoning an official con- 

 ference to consider the means of co-ordinatincr 

 legislative enactments bearing on 

 eases. 



plant dis- 



Sir Daniel Morris seconded, and the motion 

 was adopted with acclamation. 



DEUTZIA LONGIFOLIA, FRANGHET. 



Of recent introductions from Central and 

 Western China a notable group is formed by the 

 Deutzias, including D. longiflora (see fig. 195), 

 closely allied to D. discolor. They are un- 

 doubtedly amongst the handsomest garden plants 

 of the genus. D. longifolia was originally col- 

 lected^ in Moupin by one of the French mis- 

 sionaries, and was first described and named by 

 Franehet in 1885. Mr. Wilson introduced the 

 plant to cultivation about 1908, and sent further 

 specimens during his last journey. It is a deci- 

 duous shrub, probably 4 to 6 feet high, the young 

 shoote covered with a pale scurf. The leaves are 

 oblong or narrowly oval, the larger ones 5 inches 

 long and 1^ inch wide, the smaller ones about 

 one-third those dimensions. At first they are 

 furnished with small stellate hairs above, the 

 lower surfaee being whitish, conspicuously veined 

 and clothed with a close felt of stellate 

 hairs. 



The flowers 



from 



are irom £ to 1 inch 

 across and of a light, rosy hue; they are borne 

 in rounded cymose clusters 2 to 3 inches across. 

 The corolla-lobes are ovate ; the calyx bell -shaped, 

 scaly, with five short triangular lobes. In com- 

 mon with all the Deutzias, the plant is increased 

 easily by cuttings of half-ripened wood rooted in 

 gentle heat; they grow best in a moist, loamy 

 soil of good depth and quality. Seen at their 

 best, plants of this group are amongst the most 

 beautiful of May and June-flowering shrubs ; 

 their only defect is that they are (in low-lying 

 situations especially) liable to injury by late 

 spring frosts. The plant illustrated in fig. 195 

 was exhibited by Miss E. Willmott at the R.H.S. 

 meeting on April 30, and received an Award of 

 Merit. A specimen was also shown by the Hon. 

 V. Gibbs at the International Exhibition, whilst 

 its near and equally beautiful ally r D. Yeitchii, 

 was exhibited from the Coombe Wood Nursery of 

 Messrs. James Veitch & Sons. 



