21 



JOURNAL OF HOETIOULTUSB AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



[ Jalj 13, 1876. 



much blistered. Traces of the scathing power of the cold 

 air were visible in other parts of the house, but nowhere was 

 there so much affected foliage as in the direct line of the venti- 

 lators ; thus showing plainly the source of the mischief and its 

 remedy. 



Mr. Smith alludes to a form of Peach blister quite distinct 

 from that arising from cold. When and where does this 

 occur ? Upon what form of Peach tree, and under what cir- 

 cumstances of climate or cultivation ? I have cultivated the 

 Peach successfully under a variety of circumstances and not a 

 few difficulties, and so far I have met with but one form of 

 blister. 



To own, as Mr. Smith does, that " the east wind will shrivel 

 and wither all sorts of leaves and prepare them for the attacks 

 of all sorts of fungi," and then to add, " but this is quite be- 

 side the question," is to show that he has failed to grasp its 

 meaning or to appreciate its full significance. 



The questions aBked in the first paper on this subject were 

 simply, " What is Peach blister?" and "What is its cause?" 

 In replying to these questions I showed that the foliage of 

 trees exposed to cold winds became blistered, while that of the 

 trees sheltered from the cold remained perfectly healthy ; my 

 aim being to enforce the importance of such shelter, and thus 

 avoid the recurrence of a scourge of such deadly virulence. 

 That is the question, besides which the matter of the fungi 

 assumes quite secondary importance. Mr. Smith believes that 

 fungi is the prime cause of Peach blister and not its result. 

 He is entitled to entertain that opinion, but I consider it is in 

 opposition to the plain teaching of facts. — Enw. Lucehuest. 



ABOUT MELONS. 



It is always a time of anxiety both to amateurs and pro- 

 fessionals when Melons are setting. The fruit though appa- 

 rently setting does not swell but turns yellow, and unleES care 

 be taken to have all the fruit upon a plant set together, the 

 first set fruit takes the lead and appropriates all the support 

 of the plant to itself, the others not swelling but turning 

 yellow, though they may for several days remain green but 

 stationary. 



I can account for the non-setting, it being invariably asso- 

 ciated with a defective root-action — want of warmth and 

 moisture in the soil, with a too close, moist, and not nnfre- 

 quently cold atmosphere; but for the uncertain and irregular 

 swelling of the fruit I have more difficulty in ascertaining the 

 cause. In some of the older types, as the Cantaloupe in 

 scarlet-flesh, and the Mnssulpatum in green-flesh Melons, I 

 have noticed an occasional fruit not starting with the first set, 

 yet swelling off freely. I have often thought if a free-setting 

 kind, when the first crop was half swelled, had another crop 

 of two or three fruit per plant, that the value of Melons would, 

 especially to those with but a two or three-light frame, be con- 

 siderably enhanced. A good succession would be had without 

 the means of resorting to a second bed. 



I have noted all kinds with a tendency to give successional 

 fruit. I do not mean one crop to ripen and then succeeded by 

 another setting after the first were ripe; but with the first 

 fruit swelled fifteen to twenty days, other fruits followed — 

 perpetual bearers in fact, so far as annuals can be such. Little 

 Heath gave some hope from an occasional fruit of this de- 

 scription, but though its flavour was fair it was not likely to 

 command favour with those having heat. Eead's Scarlet Flesh 

 gave proof of its free setting and continuity of bearing, but 

 the secondary fruit were so small as not to be of much worth. 

 Victory of Bath exhibited a disposition of this kind, also 

 Beechwood in the oval form, which is a very free setter, and 

 does not net much. There is another form of Beechwood 

 perfectly spherical and beautifully netted, which is not a good 

 setter, being very impatient of moisture, the plant being much 

 given to damp at the collar. This is not a good second-crop 

 sort nor a successional bearer, but beiDg a great favourite I 

 still think it unsurpassed in green-fleshed Melons when it can 

 be kept in character, it being apt to degenerate or revert to the 

 oval form, which is not good in any respect. Onlton Park 

 (Wills) also gave evidence of intermediate bearing, but the 

 secondary fruit, as with Eead's, were so small as to be unde- 

 serving attention. 



Now, seeing the intermediate fruit of Eead's were small, I 

 crossed Beechwood therewith ; but though I have a plant less 

 susceptible of damp, the fruit setting very freely, swelling 

 splendidly to a good size, round as a ball, without a trace of 

 rib, and netted all over without a core, seeds embedded in the 



flesh, pale rose colour, yet not a sign is given of perpetual 

 bearing. 



Golden Gem x Eead's has given a smaller fruit than either 

 of those with a white flesh, the fruit ripening off golden as in 

 Golden Gem, and being well netted. It may, however, be 

 grown to a Eize of 2 to 3 lbs., with three to four fruits upon a 

 plant ; but I have it this year with eight, three of which are 

 intermediate fruit. The point sought is, therefore, to a certain 

 extent gained, also an increased hardiness of plant, which is 

 one of the greatest desiderata in Melons. Victory of Bath, as 

 before stated, exhibits a tendenoy to perpetual bearing, and 

 the result of a cross between it and Beechwood has given us 

 Eastnor Castle, which possesses the vigour of Beechwood and 

 its deeply-lobed foliage. It has also the same tendency as 

 the last-named to damp at the collar. The fruit is oval and 

 slightly netted, but excellent in flavour. Now, this is one of 

 the freest-growing and setting of all Melons, and a certain (so 

 far as two seasons' experience of it verify) and continuous 

 bearer. I have only two plants (for I do not grow named sorts 

 except a few plants for impregnating), dependance being placed 

 npon croesbreds, and of these two plants have respectively 

 five and four fruit of the first swelling, and four and three of 

 the Becond, respectively. The secondary fruit will apparently 

 swell to a size superior to the first crop. The secondary fruit 

 are twelve to thirty days later than the first crop — thus a bed 

 planted at the close of March or early April will have the 

 fruit set in about six weeks, and the fruit ripe about the end 

 of June or early July, and the last of the secondary fruit will 

 not be ripe until early August. It may not be a fixity of 

 character, but it appears to be so, and in that case it will be 

 highly valuable to those who do not care to have the fruit all 

 ripe together, but are desirous of a continuity of bearing — the 

 fruit ripening at intervals. 



Varieties of Melons are being extended annually, the main 

 object apparently being to impart flavour to bulk without 

 taking into consideration other advantages, particularly that 

 of hardiness. Could the flavour of our best heat-requiring 

 kinds be implanted in a plant that would succeed in a cold 

 frame it would be a boon to many who cannot command heat, 

 as well as advantageous to those who can. — G. Abbey. 



NERTERA DEPRESSA. 



As information is sought on the cultivation of this remark- 

 able and exceedingly ornamental plant, I may briefly detail my 

 experience. I have grown it now for four years, and each year 

 I find that the less I shelter it the better it flourishes. If it 

 is not entirely hardy it is very nearly so, and certainly all the 

 shelter that is needed to protect it in winter is the glass of a 

 cold frame. 



I at first failed with this plant, as many have failed, by 

 placing it in a temperature too high for its nature, when it 

 grew spindly and eventually dwindled away. I was afraid also 

 of watering it overhead lest it should " damp-off," but expe- 

 rience has taught me that the plant is not nearly so delicate 

 as its looks imply. I now permit it to have frost and snow in 

 moderation and rain without reserve, and I am rewarded with 

 healthy plants laden with brilliant orange-scarlet berries. I 

 am indebted to the " Botanical Magazine " for suggestions as 

 as to the right mode of oulture, having found it there stated 

 to be " a native of the bleak cold antarctic mountains, and 

 found also on the mountains of New Zealand, and on the 

 Andes from Cape Horn to New Grenada." 



It does not grow more than 2 inches high, and produces its 

 Bed Currant-like fruits to the number of more than a hundred on 

 a few square inches of surface. For rockwork it is a charming 

 plant, and for the front row in a light and cool greenhouse it 

 is a gem ever to be admired. Its culture is of the simplest, 

 and it is a plant which almost all who own a garden may grow 

 successfully. It is not at all dainty as to soil ; but a compost 

 in which it grows with great freedom is equal parts of loam, 

 peat, and bruised charcoal. The great point is to afford it- 

 plenty of water — in fact, with good drainage too much water 

 cannot be given to established plants. 



There can be no better place in which to grow it than a very 

 light cold frame, the pots to be plunged in ashes. This is 

 very important, for if not plunged the soil will become dry at 

 some time or other, and the plants will then inevitably lose 

 vigour. The lights should be removed from the frame during 

 fine nights, so that the plants can receive the benefit of the 

 dew, and also, during the day when heavy showers are not 

 prevalent — not that the rain will do serious injury, but by 



