194 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



Violet, The Diseases of the. By D. Reddick {U.S.A. Hort. 

 Soc. Mass. Trans, 1913,- pp. 85--102 * plates). — After a note on the 

 cultivation of the violet and a comparison of the conditions of cultiva- 

 tion with those occurring in the wild habitats of the plant, the author 

 deals with the various diseases which attack it. Root rot caused by 

 Thielavia basicola, a fungus which occurs on a variety of hosts (see 

 Journal R.H.S. xxxvii. p. 547). — ^The symptoms of this disease are a 

 yellowish appearance, with some dwarfing and crinkling of the foliage ; 

 the underground stem is cracked and rough, or in damp places appears 

 water-soaked and black in spots. Black or brown areas encircling 

 the roots also occur. On the young runners and leaf petioles water- 

 soaked spots with a whitish centre and a black margin are produced. 

 The author supports Chittenden's suggestion that the amount of water 

 in the soil is an active factor in the production of the disease, but 

 he does not find that the use of acid phosphate is at all an effective 

 check. Sterilizing the soil with formalin, used at the rate of -i pint to 

 12 J gallons, seems to be much more effective. Crown rot disease is 

 brought about by the fungus Sclerotinia. For this disease thorough 

 control of the drainage and removal of affected plants, with the subse- 

 quent dusting of the soil with air-slaked lime, are considered to be 

 effective measures of control. Leaf -spot diseases, due principally to 

 AUernaria violae and Phyllosticta violae, rarely yield to spraying, and it 

 is thought that the brushing of plants with a stick and prompt 

 removal of spotted leaves are the best methods of dealing with the 

 pest. — F. J. C. 



Vitis Thunbergii {BoL Mag., tab. 8558).— China and Japan, 

 Nat. Ord. Ampelidaceae, Tribe Vitoideae, Shrub climbing ; leaves 

 4-6 inches across. Flowers small, green. Berry ovoid, purplish-black. 



G. H. 



Wall-Gardening. By Henri Correvon (Rev. de VHort. Belg. 

 Feb. 28, 1913 J p. 63). — An article on dry wall-planting by the 

 well-known enthusiast, M. H. Correvon. — M. L. H. 



Wheat, Wild, in Palestine. By O. F. Cook (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., 

 Bull. 274, 1913, 56 pp.; II figs., 15 plates). — ^Wild wheat is widety 

 distributed on limestone formations in Palestine, extending from the 

 higher slopes of Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea valley. It resembles, 

 but is distinct from, Triticum dicoccum and T. monococcum. It may 

 be suitable for cultivation in the arid districts of the South-western 

 States or valuable for hybridizing. — S. E. W. 



Wistarias and how to Grow them. By W. D. (Garden, July 5, 

 1913; p. 339). — ^The species of Wistaria, though few in number, may 

 be put to many uses, owing to their response to severe pruning. 

 They have recently been extensively used for forcing, and may be 

 grown in the same pot for a number of years. They may be used 



