630 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



September 24, 1898. 



Magazine, 148 and 149, Aldersgate Street, E.C. 



Editor of the Gardeners 



Specimens of plants, flowers, and fruits for naming or opinion should be sent to 

 the Editor of the Gardeners' Magazine, " Endsieigh, " Priory Park, Kew, 

 Surrey, and as early in the week as possible. All parcels must be sufficiently 

 prepaid. 



Liquid Manure. — R. Martin, Barton-on-Orwell : A liquid manure suitable 

 for the purpose you mention would be guano- water, prepared by adding guano to 

 water, at the rate of two ounces to three gallons. The drainings from the stable 

 or farmyard, diluted with water according to its strength, is also excellent. 



Carpet Bedding. — Hortus, Braemar : You would save expense by writing 

 direct to Mr. Ludwig Moller, Erfurt, Germany, with respect to the work referred 

 to— "Album fiir Teppichgartneri und Gruppenbepflanzung," by Karl Gotze. 

 You might mention where you saw the reference, and you will then have no 

 difficulty in obtaining the information you desire. 



Pitcher Plants for Exhibition.— T. D. : A nepenthes- would be ad- 

 missible in a class for foliage plants, and is generally recognised as a foliage plant. 

 The pitchers are but coloured continuations of the leaf blade, peculiarly formed so 

 as to enable the plant to capture insects and thus obtain nitrogenous food ; they 

 are not flowers in any sense, the inflorescence being an elongated raceme of tiny 

 greenish flowers, rather more conspicuous than that of a croton and less so than 

 in many of the dracaenas. You need not fear disqualification. 



Lifting the Potato Crop.— A. M. R. : As we have so frequently pointed 

 out, potatos may be lifted and stored as soon as the skins are sufficiently firm to 

 allow of the tubers to be handled without rubbing them off. Therefore, there 

 will not be any occasion for you to expose your crop to an attack of disease should 

 the weather conditions undergo a change favourable to the development of the 

 disease producing fungus. We should not, however, advise you to lift the main- 

 crop varieties still in full growth, unless they show signs of supertuberation or 

 there is a change in the weather. 



Melon Boots.— The subscriber who has sent us some diseased roots of 

 melons packed in a tin box is informed that the plants are suffering from a severe 

 attack of eelworms, and that nothing can be done to restore the plants to a 

 healthy state. The plants should be pulled up and burnt, and the soil removed 

 from the bed and burnt in the same way as clay is burnt for conversion into ballast. 

 The walls and sides of the bed should be thoroughly cleansed with a strong solu- 

 tion of carbolic acid and then washed over with hot lime. The nematodes may 

 have been introduced in the soil, the manure, or the water, it is practically impos- 

 sible to say which. In consequence of the large amount of moisture contained in 



the box, the letter was converted into pulp in the course of transmission through 

 the post. fe 



Unsatisfactory Chrysanthemums.— R. F., Yorkshire: You have not 



supplied us with sufficient information to enable us to advise you with regard to 

 the condition of the chrysanthemums under your care. You have told us sufficient 

 to suggest that the plants have been raised from cuttings taken from plants that 

 were highly fed with a view to obtain large blooms for exhibition. If this be the 

 case you will not be able to do anything to materially improve their condition ; 

 and, so tar as we are able to gather from your letter, there is not much likelihood 

 of you achieving much success as an exhibitor. The plants will probably give you 

 a supply of flowers that will prove useful in the conservatory and for decorative 

 purposes m a cut state, and should, therefore, receive careful attention. We 

 would strongly advise you to obtain cuttings from plants that have been grown under 

 natural conditions when you propagate the stock for flowering next year. In all 

 gardens in which chrysanthemums are grown for exhibitions, duplicates should be 

 grown in the open quarters, and late in the autumn be lifted and put in frames for 

 iurnishing supplies of cuttings. 



Agapanthus not Flowering. — G. F. B , Ellesmere. To ensure an 

 abundant production of flowers, Agapanthus umbellatus and its varieties require 

 to oe kept dry at the roots during the late autumn and winter months, and as your 

 specimen is associated with other plants in the border, it has had too much mois- 

 ture at the roots during the season. We are inclined to the opinion, after a careftil 

 perusal of your letter, that the soil in the border has became sour, and would 

 advise you to lift the plant, and after the removal of the old soil put it into a pot 

 just large enough to accommodate the roots, and from November till the end of 

 January keep the soil decidedly dry. Turfy loam with moderate additions 

 01 coarse sand, leaf-mould, and well-rotted manure. A sunny position is essential 

 irom early in the spring until the autumn, and there is no better position than a 

 cool, airy greenhouse ; but from June until September the plant may occupy a 

 sunny position out of doors. It might be well to plant the passion- flower in the 

 border, but it will not flower satisfactorily in a shaded position. 



«hhT^?Jl n ^ F^Ui ^ T " e8 •^ W K '» Herts - You have been wrongly advised 

 mSl f c r U E ply of water to fruit tr <*s from which the crop has been 

 ^atnered. bome of the members of the old school of gardening held the opinion 



nnlV 1 eDSUre ^ • - re . eS havin £ a P erfect rest & was necessary they should be kept 

 En * ' a m B1 ™? P r r actical eff ect to this opinion they frequently failed to 

 Srtfi* f £°v P m L he f ? llowin S season. Dryness at the root has a tendency 

 esen thf Z ~ H ^ %**t ■*? ^ n is mo ' e " less injurious, and the trees 

 hem in such ?J 7 by S u edding their buds prematurely or not opening 



WtSSSta Sf 221 ^T^u is tcch "**«y known as « I good set.- If 



importance of dvina ► P . the a utumn, you will appreciate the 



EEwSJwE NrSSJSfE SUCh aSSisUnce * will eLble them to complete 

 also for the purpose SSSS^S^ t0 - re P ,ace the Ioss from evaporation fand 



the growth. It is not nTr ? Cannot a satisfactory completion of 



necessary 



heavy crop ; but moisture in the soil i^T ? ful1 &™ t}i and SwelIing 

 succe*ful grape growers wirh ^k!? a °somtely necessary, and one of the 



acquainted 



clusters that are annually produci?™ T *?* cut ' 111(1 the splendidly finish 



* v v.cu prove to demonstration that the practice is 



good one. It is not usually necessary to supply water to peach and nectarine er~. 

 trained to open walls, but this season a thorough soaking of the border with 

 diluted sewage or plain water would be beneficial. un 



Forcing Strawberries.— H. J., Cork. Presuming the runners W w 

 shifted into the pots in which they are to be fruited, they will not reaufre for ^ 

 time to have any farther attention than to be supplied with sufficient water at St 

 roots. They should, until November, be stocd upon a bed of coal ash^s made im 

 in an open position, and early in the montti mentioned it will be advisable t 

 plunge the pots rather close together in a bed of coal ashes of sufficient thickness 

 to allow three inches of ashes under the pots to prevent worms from entering them 

 The time for taking them under glass will depend upon the date on which rioe 

 fruit is required, but when strawberries have to be forced in a vinery without the 

 fruit being required at any particular time, the best course is to take them into the 

 vinery when the vines are started, that they may not be subjected to a high tern 

 perature at first. If the vinery does not contain any other plants and is keDt 

 freely ventilated until shut for the purpose of starting the vines, the strawberries 

 may be taken under glass in November, care being taken to supply them with 

 moderate supplies of water. 



Fungus on Chrysanthemums.— C.J . D. , Tunbridge Wells ; R.W. Maid- 

 stone: In both cases the chrysanthemums are suffering from a very bad attack of a rust 

 coloured fungus that is unfortunately spreading rapidly in this country. The best 

 thing to be done is to remove the worst afflicted leaves and burn them in a furnace 

 and sponge the rest with a solution of sulphide of potassium ; syringing or 

 spraying with this or Bordeaux mixture would check the disease but sponging will 

 be by far the most effectual, though the operation will take longer, as it prevents 

 the distribution of spores which syringing might occasion. After the sponging 

 and as soon as the foliage has become dry again, sp ray the plant with a similar 

 but clean solution— half an ounce of sulphide of potassium (liver of sulphur) to one 

 gallon of water. Every two or three days it will be advisable to again spray the 

 plants so that the fungus may be completely destroyed ere housing becomes com- 

 pulsory. The man in charge should also have a sponge and some solution always 

 at hand to remove any rust that may appear. Only by the most persistent efforts can 

 the pest be kept down, consequently the surroundings of the plants should be 

 treated with the solution, and it would be well to remove a film of surface soil from 

 the pots after the sponging. 



Names of Plants.— J. S., St. Albans: 1, Rhus cotinus; 2, Anthericum 

 vanegatum ; 3, Datura Stramonium— The Thorn apple, 



W. G., Sydenham : Abelia rupestris. We cannot tell the value of the plant 

 without seeing it ; it would not be great, 



TT .N' L- A., Richmond: I, Davallia parvula ; 2, Selaginella Wildenovi ; 3, 

 Hibiscus Cooperi ; 4, Fittonia argyroneura. 



C. B,, Wolverton : 1, Hibiscus syriacus totus albus ; 2, Rudbeckia speciosa ; 

 3, Aster Amellus ; 4, Montbretia crocosmiaeflora ; 5, Hieraceum aurantiacum. 



Names of Fruit.— W. H., Hughenden : The Japanese Wineberry, Rubus 

 phoenicolasius. 



M. M., Worcester : r, Ecklinville Seedling ; 2, Warner's King 5 3, King of 

 Tomkms County ; 4, Gravenstein ; 5, Court of Wick. 



Y. G. S., Warkworth : 1, Loddington ; 2, Lord Derby; 3, Ribston Pippin, a 

 poor specimen ; 4, Mere de Menage. 



_ _ R \ F -k> Tamworth: 1, Lane's Prince Albert ; 2, Dumelow's Seedling; 3, 

 Keswick Codlin. 



WEATHER DURING THE WEE 



Stations. 



Temperature of the Air. 



Highest. I Lowest. 



Fahrenheit. 



Mean. 



Fahren- 

 heit. 



Centi- 

 grade 



Rainfall, 



In 

 I nches. 



In Centi 

 metres. 



London , go'o 



Croydon 3-. 2 



Brighton I 7? . 2 



Bristol 5j. 0 



Wolverhampton 77 -g 



Norwich t " q 2 .q 



Nottingham " g 2 . Q 



Liverpool "\ 7 g. 2 



Huddersfield , I gj.g 



Bradford M## ,"j 70 - o 



Hun IK 



48*6 



49*0 



49'o 

 47*2 



47*o 



48-0 



53'o 

 49'8 



52'6 



48*0 



66-4 

 64-9 

 64*1 



61*9 



59 "o 

 63-1 

 6i'7 



6x'7 

 6V7 

 62*2 



6x # 8 



19*11 



18-28 

 17*83 

 i6'6i 



15*00 

 17*28 



i6' 5 o 



16*50 



15*94 

 i6' 7 8 



1656 



o'oa 

 0*11 

 0-05 

 0*04 



0*20 



o'oo 

 0*00 



o - 43 



0*04 



0*03 

 o'oo 



0*05 

 0-28 



0-13 



O'lO 



0-51 



o'oo 

 o'oo 



1*09 



O'lO 



008 



0*00 



r Trii an reac ^ n £ °/ Bivm^ici uurmg tne weeic at monwiw w<u» y^ muues, auu 



ot tne lhermometer 66°' 4l the latter being 8°'6 above the week's average in the 50 years 

 1H41 90. lbe direction of the wind was variable, the horizontal movement of the air being 

 26 per cenl. below the week s average in the 16 years 1860-75. The duration of registered bright 

 sunshine in the week was 56 3 hours. The measured rainfall amounted to o'c 2 of an inch. 



ENGAGEMENTS FOR THE ENSUING WEEK. 



c « MEETINGS. 



Mom>a\, oeptem ber 26.— General Committee Meeting of the National Chrysanthemum 



society. 



Thursday, September 2Q.-RoyaI Horticultural Society's Great Exhibition of British Grown 



I rint at the Crystal Palace ; Three days. 



Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, September 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30.7- 

 riyacinths, luhps, Crocus, Narcissus. Dutch Bulbs, &c. Messrs. Protheroe and Morris s 

 Kooms, Chrapside, E.C. 



FRli£Yj September 3o.--Imported and Established Orchids, Messrs. Protheroe and Morris's 

 Rooms, Cheapside, E.C. 



Monday and Wednesday, September 26 and 28.- Dutch Bulbs, Mr. J. C. Stevens, King 

 otreet, v-cvent Garden. 



Contents. 



• • f 



» • • 



• •• 



• • • 



• •• 



• • * 



Answers to Correspondents 

 Chrysanthemums . . M 

 Engagements for the Ensuing 



Eremujus robustus 



Exhibitions and Meetings " 



Bicester Horticultural Society . 

 Oi ion Competition at Norwich 

 Royal Horticultural Society 



' Date! . Midland dunti - 

 Woodstock Flower 



Homology of Plants ... 

 Markets 



Notes of the Week :- 



Fruit Storage 



Naming Specimens at Exhibition 

 W ater 



PAGE 



630 

 619 

 630 

 620 



... 



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••• 



••• 



• •• 



... 



• •• 



• 



629 

 629 

 627 



628 

 628 

 620 

 629 



6 J 5 

 6i5 



New Inventions •• 

 New Plants, Flowers and F 

 Nymphsea stellata 

 Preserving Surface Roots 

 Scalding of Grapes 

 St. Fagan's Castle 

 The Apple Crop 

 The Carob Tree 

 The Redstart ... 



Weather 



Wnrk for the Week 



• • • 



ruits 



» » • 



• ■ ■ 



t • • 



• • • 



• • • 



ft * « 



« • 



• ft ft 



• •• 



• • t 



■ • ■ 



• • • 



• •• 



• • ■ 



• • • 



• • • 



• • • 



• 



• • • 



• • • 



• • • 



• a* 



• • • 



PAGE 



629 

 618 



619 

 6lJ 



619 



622 



626 



624 



6i3 

 630 

 625 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Eremurus robustus at Scole Rectory 



St. Fagan s Castle . . 



rr ~~ n->r,Vn. St. h a -an s Cattle 



