October 12, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



331 



protecting the roots against rain. The consequence was, after 

 a slight deluge the whole of the fine bunohes excepting three 

 were destroyed in a few days, the absorption of moisture Deing 

 too rapid for the delicate skin of the berries. Immediately I 

 observed the splitting I had the cohering put on the border, 

 but it was too late. It was the case of locking the stable after 

 the steed had been stolen. I have referred to three bunches 

 in which there was not a berry split or spotted ; and although 

 the accident alluded to occurred a month since, these bunches 

 still hang on tho Vine in fine condition, and will apparently 

 hang as long as the buncheB on the other Vines. The cause 

 is this : I mentioned in an article some months since that I 

 grew laterals and tied them to the old stem, having proved 

 that these produce finer Grapes than those from spurs. It is 

 on one of these laterals that the three bunches are now hang- 

 ing, and the cause of their not being split or spotted is no 

 doubt the abundance of leaves on this lateral exhaling the 

 moisture as fast as it was absorbed. — Observer. 



NEW BOOK. 



A Plain and Easy Account of British Fungi, with especial 



reference to the Esculent and Economic Species. By M. C. 



Cooke, M.A., LL.D. Coloured Plates, &c. Hardwicke and 



Bogue, London. 



This is the third edition, which tells that it is useful; and 

 this extract from the preface epitomises its contents : — 



"When it is remembered that at the present time scarcely 

 less than four thousand Bpeoies of Fungi are found to inhabit our 

 islands, it must be conceded that a small volume like this can 

 only pretend to Berve as an introduction to more elaborate 

 works. In one sense, however, the present volume may be re- 

 garded as ample, since it contains, as its main feature, observa- 

 tions on the edible and poisonous kinds, with the best advice 

 which could be afforded for their discrimination." 



The following note is of one of the most showy and highly 

 useful of our native Fungi, but one that the ignorant avoid : — 



" One would imagine from the name (Lactarins deliciosus) 

 given to the^eddish-orange Fungus found in almost every Fir 

 plantation, that it would be a treasure to an epicure; and bo 

 indeed it is, if the testimony of Sir J. Smith is to be received, 

 that "it really deserves its name, being the most delicious 

 Mushroom known." A gentleman of our acquaintance says that 

 whenever he finds them he considers himself possessed of the 

 greatest treat which the fungoid world has to offer ; but that, 

 having made their virtues known to his neighbours, it is now 

 but seldom that he has the good fortune to enjoy them." 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 We are informed that the seed stores, packing sheds, &c, 

 of Mr. Dancer, market gardener and seed-grower at Fnlham, 

 were last week destroyed by fire, and a considerable quantity 

 of seed and Potatoes were consumed. The fire spread to the 

 adjoining premises of MuDster House and destroyed some 

 stabling. The origin of the fire is not known. 



One of the finest of autumn-flowering border plants is 



Anemone japonica alba. We have recently seen this plant 

 in several gardens, and can only wonder that its number is 

 not greatly increased. It is a plant which should be found 

 everywhere, for its BtatelineBB and purity render it attractive, 

 and its hardiness and accommodating nature recommend it to 

 all admirers of hardy border flowers. The plants continue a 

 long time in beauty, and the flowers are extremely valuable 

 for indoor decoration. 



Mr. Lovel, Weaverthorpe, York, writes as follows on 



destroying wasps' nests : — " When you know the wasps are 

 all in the nest take a lighted fusee and some tobacco, place it 

 in the nest as far down as possible, and the tobacco smoke will 

 then suffocate the wasps. I have tried this system and found 

 it to be very cheap and effective." 



■ An extensive grower of fruits in Lincolnshire states 



that he was informed at the time of purchasing Domino Apple 

 ten years ago that it was " a seedling from Keswick Codlin, 

 which it much resembles. It bears well, but is rather subject 

 to mildew, and, like several of our best bush and pyramid 

 trees, will soon kill itself if allowed to fruit too soon. This is 

 a rock upon which thousands of miniature fruit trees are 

 wrecked. I have tried the experiment of early fruiting, and 

 have killed scores of trees. They were put into a hospital 

 row, but, with very rare exceptions, they never recovered. 

 Cox's Orange Pippin, the best of all dessert Apples, is very im- 



patient of being transplanted ; it, like Lord Burghley, is sub- 

 ject to canker and mildew. As a rule, the better the fruit the 

 more liable to both. Beurre Superfin is the moBt difficult to 

 move of any Pear that I know." 



In the small but attractive conservatory of Mr. Brassey 



at Preston Hall we lately noticed a very fine Bpecimen of 

 Witsenia corymbosa. This is a very distinct and ornamental 

 conservatory plant. It belongs to the natural order of Iridacefe, 

 and bears terminal clusters of blue Statice-like flowers, which 

 remain a long time in beauty. As well by the attractive colour 

 of its flowers and their great profusion, and also the singular 

 growth of the plant, it is worthy of notice and of culture. 

 Mr. Brassey's plant is a well-furnished specimen 3 to 4 feet in 

 diameter. 



For imparting a distinct feature in the foliage of shrub- 

 beries the Sea Buckthorn is a desirable low-growing deciduous 

 tree worthy of notice. The colour of its foliage is quite dis- 

 similar to that of any other hardy tree, and approaches the 

 bluish tint of Eucalyptus globulus. The Sea Buckthorn (Hip- 

 pophae rhamnoides) forms a bush-like tree 12 to 15 feet in 

 height, and its slender foliage is very elegant. It is a conspi- 

 cuous tree in the front belts of shrubberies. It is perfectly 

 hardy, and grows freely in any common garden Boil either on 

 the seacoast or in the inland counties. Its singular name is 

 derived from hippos a horse, and phao to destroy, in reference 

 to the supposed poisonous nature of its seeds. When berries 

 are desired both male and female plants must be planted, for 

 the Sea Buckthorns are dicecious. 



Writing in " The Gardener " on destroying the Vine 



mildew by a preparation discovered by Mr. Speed, Mr. W. 

 Thomson of Clovenfords states — " I had a good opportunity 

 when at Chatsworth recently of testing Mr. Speed's specific. 

 Some pot Vines had borne early crops of Grapes, and were 

 infested with mildew. I took the Bpray-distributor and applied 

 a small portion of the liquid to a leaf that was covered with 

 mildew, and it vanished in a moment. I then syringed the 

 leaf, and came back in an hour and examined it with a glaBS, 

 There was not a trace of the parasite to be seen, though its 

 effects were visible on the leaf. I then tried another leaf, and 

 did not wash the stuff off the leaf as before, and the result 

 was exactly the same. During the three days I was at Chats- 

 worth I repeated the experiment often, always with the same 

 results ; and when I left the leaves were still completely free 

 from the parasite, and no way injured by the liquid. I cer- 

 tainly never saw a more successful remedy applied before, and 

 Mr. Speed should either make the remedy known or place it 

 within the reach of Grape-growers." 



The extensive park surrounding Keddleston Hall, near 



Derby, abounds with many of the largest trees in the county. 

 The Oaks especially are of extraordinary magnitude, and re- 

 mind one very forcibly of the celebrated giants on the Duke 

 of Portland's domains at Welbeck, and those of Earl Manvers 

 at ThoreBby. Some of them are very old and have that half- 

 leafless rugged appearance so picturesque and venerable-looking 

 in park scenery. Others are in the most robust health, as will 

 be readily conceived when we state that it is computed many 

 of them contain as much as 1100 feet of sound timber. 



One of the American journals says that " it has puzzled 



many people to decide why the dark wood so highly valued 

 for furniture should be called Rosewood. Its colour certainly 

 does not look much like a Rose, so we must look for some other 

 reason. Upon asking we learn that when the tree is first cut 

 the fresh wood possesses a very strong Rose-like fragrance, 

 hence the name. There are half a dozen or more kinds of 

 Rosewood trees. The varieties are found in South America 

 and in the East Indies and neighbouring islands. Sometimes 

 the trees grow so large that planks 4 feet broad and 10 feet 

 in length can be cut from them. These broad planks are 

 principally used to make the tops to pianofortes. When 

 growing in the forest the Rosewood tree is remarkable for its 

 beauty ; but such is its value in manufactures as an ornamental 

 wood, that some of the forests where it once grew abundantly 

 now have scarcely a single specimen. In Madras the Govern- 

 ment has prudently had great plantations of this tree set out in 

 order to keep up the supply." The Rosewood is Physocalymna 

 floribunda, and it is entitled to the specific name from the 

 excessive number of its red flowers, which, when fully expanded, 

 render it a splendid object. 



■ ■ It is known that the sewage water oe Paris is utilised 



for irrigation of the plain of GennevillierB. Apropos of asser- 

 tions that have often been made, that this would seriously 



