October 22, 1898. 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



681 



Experimental Horticulture is a subject of more than passing interest to 

 gardeners in these days, when it is absolutely necessary that large crops, and of the 

 highest quality, be raised on* the smallest possible area and at the minimum of 

 cos t. An opportunity of discussing the best ways and means of conducting 

 experiments likely to be of lasting value to horticulturists will be afforded at the 

 Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday, October 25, when Mr. George Gordon, 

 V.M.H., will give a lecture upon Experimental Horticulture before the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, at three p.m. 



The Flora of Puerto Rico.— We are informed that Mr. Cornelius Vander- 

 bilt will bear the expense of an expedition to start in November to study the 

 flora of Puerto Rico. Mr. A. A. Heller, an experienced collector, will conduct 



Belgium offers a gold medal for the best twenty-five specimen flowering plants* 

 while gold medals are freely offered by the society and the leading Belgian horti- 

 culturists for anthuriums, liliums, hyacinths, tulips, amaryllis, roses in pots, 

 azaleas (eleven classes and nine gold medals), rhododendrons, New Holland plants, 

 &c. His Majesty the King of the Belgians offers a gold medal for the best collec- 

 tion of fifteen ornamental foliage plants, distinct species or varieties. Palms and 

 ferns are amply provided for ; so are dracrenas, crotons, nepenthes, bromeliads, 

 succulents, and conifers. A number of classes are provided for florists' arrange- 

 ments, and the prizes will be awarded with a view to encouraging originality in 

 design and treatment. Intending exhibitors should communicate with M. Anatole 

 de Cock, 215, Chausee de Malines, Antwerp, and entries must be made not later 



the expedition, which was planned by Dr. Nathaniel Lord Britton, one of the ^ March 10, 1899. Baron Ozy de Zegwaart is president of the Council of 



authors of " The Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States." 



Administration, while MM. Jean Everaerts and Alphonse de Cock are vice-presi 

 dents ; M. H. Vanderlinden is treasurer, and MM. C. Vanderlinden and Anatole 



National Chrysanthemum Society.— The members of the sub-corn. de Cock are the secretaries ; M. Chas. de Bosschere officiates as librarian editor, 

 mittee appointed in the spring for the purpose of making investigations and On the council are such well-known gentlemen as MM. Charles van Geert, 

 reporting upon the place most suitable for holding the exhibitions of the society, Florent Pauwels, Alberic Lunden, Baron von Ohlendorff, Arthur Morren, &c. 



having completed their labours, submitted their report to the General Committee 

 at a meeting held on Monday evening. As this gathering, in common with other 

 meetings of committees, was private, we cannot with propriety give a full report of 

 the proceedings ; but, in view of the great interest evinced by the members of the 



The *• Botanical Magazine n for the present month contains illustrations 



of Cyrtosperma senegalense, a curious West African aroid ; Cytisus purgans, a 

 handsome, golden-flowered, and dwarf broom ; Amelanchier canadensis var. 



society with regard to the place of holding the exhibitions, we give the following oblongifolia, a geographical form of the June berry ; Feijoa Sellowiana, a 

 facts. The meeting was held at the usual place, and there was a large muster of Brazilian shrub with blood-red flowers and large guava-like fruits ; and Rhodo 



members of committee and delegates from affiliated societies. The report was 

 lengthy, and gave in considerable detail the investigations that had been made* 



and the conclusions arrived at with regard to the suitability or otherwise of the What is an Amateur ?— This question will come before the County Court 

 several places visited. Abundant proof was afforded by the report that the at Hastings on Monday next. Some prizes awarded in the amateurs' classes at the 

 members of the sub-committee had fully appreciated their responsibilities, and 



dendron rubiginosum, a pretty rose-coloured species found in Yunnan by the Abb6 

 Delavay. 



What is an Amateur \ 



ysanth 



case 



had performed their duties with a thoroughness deserving of much praise. Some the General Committee on the ground of the exhibitor not being a bona fide 



of the buildings in London that had been regarded as likely to prove suitable amateur, and he has entered a plaint for their recovery, 



were found, on enquiry, not available in 1899, * n consequence of their being is fixed for eleven o'clock, 

 already engaged ; while none of the other buildings visited were recommended. 



The sub-committee also interviewed the Crystal Palace and the Royal Aquarium Weather Forecasting.— At the recent meeting of the British Association 



authorities, and, as a result, a recommendation was made to the Geieral at Bristol^ it was proposed by Mr. Douglas Archibald that, in addition to the 



Committee that arrangements be made with the Crystal Palace Company for present daily forecast of changing weather conditions in these islands, a supple 

 holding the exhibitions at Sydenham. The report was fully discussed, as indi- 

 cated by the fact that its consideration extended over two hours, and the discus- 



mentary forecast should be given of the probable general character of the weather 

 for half a week or more. The utility of such an extension, if practicable, of our 



the farmer and agriculturist they are of little value. A single day to him is of 

 small account. What he would like to know is, How long is this weather likely 

 to last ? What will it be next week or next month ? What sort of a season is it 



sion was throughout brisk, and in excellent spirit. The chief objection P resent s y stem 15 obvious > especially to the agriculturist. Our present twenty- 

 urged against the Crystal Palace as the future home of the National Chrysanthemum four - hour forecasts, designed, as they were, chiefly to warn us of the approach 

 Society was its distance from the centre of London, and the principal arguments 0 t f dan S er0US * torms > «* **&t serviceable to the mariner and fisherman. ^ To 

 in favour of continuing the shows at the Royal Aquarium were the central posi- 

 tion of the building and the remarkable development of the society since it had 

 held its exhibitions at Westminster. On the motion for the adoption of the report 



being put, the votes were in exact proportion of two to one against the proposals ? oin 8 t0 be "" dr , y ' hot ' co1 *' rainy ; cloudy ' ;. or that mi * turc of aI1 t the ^P* 8 wh . ich 

 of the sub-committee. The consideration of the arrangements for next year was 

 deferred until the meeting of the General Committee, to be held on Monday 

 next, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the members of the sub- 

 committee. 



Supposed Hybrid between Dahlia and Helianthus.— Mr. Lowe, 



of Shirenewton Hall, forwarded blossoms to the R.H.S. Scientific Committee 



is so trying to the temper, but at the same time so conducive to the preservation 

 of that national vigour of mind and body which has given England a leading 

 position among the nations ? If at present we dare not proclaim the possibility 

 of eventually predicting the general character of an entire season, it is not 

 because there is any scientific prohibition, but rather because, having started at 

 the wrong end, viz., the particular, we must advance cautiously towards the 

 general. Half a-loaf, however, is better than none at all. Half a- week's fore 



language suitable to his particular needs. The basis for this new departure in 

 weather prediction lies in the growth and recent development of the knowledge 

 of specific weather types prevailing over large areas. 



Fungus on Pear Foliage. 



diseased 



which had a true dahlia appearance, but which he believed to be raised from seeds cagt QUght tQ ^ of some scrvicc to thc agriculturist, especially if it is framed in 

 or a parent the issue of the above cross. Nothing, however, excepting a rather 

 l'rge disc appeared to indicate a cross. The relationship between a dahlia and a 

 helianihus being relatively remote, any h priori probability of such a cross being 

 effected is but slight. In experimenting it would be extremely difficult to prevent 

 r elf-fertiIieation, unless it be proved that the pollen is self-impotent in dahli as. 



Horticultural Club.— The first dinner and conversazione for the session 

 1898 and 1899 took place on Tuesday, nth inst. The chair was occupied by 

 Mr. Philip Crowley, and there were also present : Messrs. Geo. Monro, James 

 H. Veitch, Peter Kay, William Bassett, James Walker, Peter Veitch, J. Assbee, 

 C. Mason, and the Secretary. A paper of Mr. George Bunyard's was read, 

 who, owirg to indisposition, was himself unable to attend. The subject of it was 

 ' The Fruit Crop of 1898, and its Lessons." It was very ably treated, and led 

 0 a very interesting discussion, in which most of those present took a part. 



Two New Cactus Dahlias, of considerable merit, have been sent us by 



r »J. T. West, of Brentwood, a successful raiser and grower of these popular 

 autumn flowers. One variety is bright golden yellow and named Mrs. J. J. 



rowe ; the other is a handsome crimson-scarlet form named Mrs. Carter Page. 

 Mr w dahlias are of the best type* having curved, spiky, and pointed florets, 

 at d2hy St StateS tllC dry weather ** as prevented him exhibiting these varieties 

 WouP Sh ° WS durin 2 the autumn » an <* under favourable conditions the flowers 



d bet Pr ° babIy have been ,ar S er - We ho P e the fl owers will not be of larger size 



R c * d hr SCaSOnS, « and We also trust that Mr West wiU give us many more good 



hie ,- a . P rovided beauty and good form, rather than large size, continue to be 

 nts a «m m their production. 



Apri? '" ternationa l Horticultural Exhibition will be held at Antwerp in 



Steth ?' fr ° m the 9th to the I3lh days inclusive - This exhibition is to cele- 



held C 6 hundredth anniversary of the birth of Antoine van Dyck ; it is to 



W the l R lhe PakiS dCS F8tCS ° f the Royal Zoolc 8 ical Society, and is organised 

 P*tronI * l Horticultura l and Agricultural Society of Antwerp, with th 



uage and assist an™* _-.*• +V__. r* __. t -.-..J __.r _____ • __j __:__ _. 



Antwerp. 



0r diid_yr ^ ** ve newly introduced plants, and eight for new hybrids; 



meeting of the R.II.S. Scientific Committee were submitted for investigation to 

 Mr. Worthington G. Smith, who has reported as follows : — The pear leaves 

 with rusty spots are attacked by a Roestelia, one of the group of Uredinere. This 

 fungus is one which completes its life history on two host-plants. The leaves sub- 

 mitted are those of one host— the pear. They bear two distinct kinds of rusty 

 spots or areas, viz., smooth areas in which the leaf tissue is almost normal, and 

 swollen areas with the leaf tissue abnormally increased and full of starch. The 

 smooth spots are studded on the upper surface with black points, the pyenidia 

 or spermatia ; as a rule these were covered with a hardened film of what had 

 been sticky masses of ejected conidia, generally blackened with smut or bearing 

 saprophytic fungi. The swollen pustular areas also bore spermatia on the upper 

 surface, and also partially developed cecidium cups embedded in the abnormally 

 increased tissues of the lower half of the leaf. The imperfect development of these 

 cecidia prevents me identifying the species of Roestelia exactly ; it is probably R. 

 cancellata. This fungus may also attack the fruit. The second host of the " rust " 

 is given as the Savin (Juniperus sabina), and it would be useful to know if this or an 

 allied Juniperus occurs in this garden, also if they were perfectly healthy. The 

 rust is a common source of trouble, especially a form which occurs on apple 

 trees. The latter is very injurious in the United States. American authorities 

 advise removal of the second host, the juniper, also destruction of badly diseased 

 trees or branches. After these precautions are carried out Bordeaux mixture is 

 said to give good results. It is used in two or three sprayings at intervals of eight to 

 ten days, the first given as soon as the young foliage appears. It is also strongly 

 urged to'use varieties of apples or pears suited to resist the rust. These, of course, 

 vary for different soils, and must be found out after making the necessary experi- 



assistance of the Government, and of the province and city of 

 c Unes«~ f u- scb _ edule before us provides for one hundred and eighty- two 



ents in 



locality 



w Pfcfented'b haVC ^ ^ ° f flfteen classes > and the P rizes include a work of 

 e ^tvcng Id ? Baron Ozy de Zegwaart for the most artistic group of orchids, 



8 me dals, and a number of silver and silver-gilt medals. The Queen o 



Gas — Dr. Calmette, in the "LeNord Ilorticole," points out that man 

 Ives large quantities of carburetted hydrogen gas which is inflammable, J 

 kes the absurd proposal that farmers should make use of it to light their far 

 e manure, he says, should be covered by a bell-shaped receiver to collect^ 

 and lead* it to a second receiver where it can bi washed and stored. 



