March 13, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
209 
observation—that it is useless to try to eradicate the pest if bushes in the 
neighbourhood within moderate distance are subject to its ravages. The 
only way that I can see of thoroughly exterminating them would be for 
all who are troubled with this mite upon their trees to destroy them, and 
then not plant again, say for twelve months. It is evident they migrate 
from garden to garden. 
I believe that this Phytoptus Ribis has established itself in the buds 
long before the month of November, for the buds may be noticed swelling 
or “ knotting ” soon after they are formed along the young wood. Their 
work of destruction is going on all winter, and by the time the buds should 
begin to swell the mischief is complete. During the past few years I have 
examined large numbers of buds during the autumn, winter, and spring 
months, and found living insects, but never more than one or two in each 
bud. They are so minute that it is impossible to discern them with the 
naked eye.— W. Bardnev. 
THE MANCHESTER HORTICULTURAL MUTUAL 
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY. 
The closing meeting for the present session of this Society was held on 
Thursday evening, in one of the rooms of the old Town Hall, King Street. 
Mr. Bruce Findlay, the President, was in the chair. There was a large 
attendance of members. 
Mr. William Swan, the Secretary, read the report of the Committee for 
the. past session. They congratulated the members upon the work done 
during this period. The Society was formed in October last. In no way 
could the objects of the Society be more efficiently accomplished than in 
becoming, as it were, a centre towards which all the practical improvements 
made in its vicinity should tend. More than one individual distinguished for 
love of natural science in general, and of horticulture in particular, had 
promised to give lectures next session. The number of members at present 
on the books was 123. 
Mr. Robert Tait, the Treasurer, said the session ended with the balance on 
the right side. The Society started with a financial difficulty because the 
amount of the subscription, half a crown, was merely nominal. It was 
thought if they could obtain fifty or sixty members the Society might 
possibly hold its position, but with the large number of members who had 
now joined, and with one or two donations, the difficulty was removed. He 
then proceeded to read his financial statement, which showed that the total 
amount of subscriptions were £17 10s. 6 d., and that after meeting the 
expenditure there remained a balance in hand of £5 18s. 4 d. 
Mr. Bruce Findlay moved the adoption of the report and Treasurer’s 
statement. It was gratifying to know, he said, that many young gardeners 
had attended the meetings during the past session, and it was to be hoped 
that the number next session would be increased. It was also gratifying to 
those who had had the work of convening the meetings to know that they 
had been well attended, and that the lectures were appreciated. The objects 
of the Society were the improvement and increase of gardeners, and one 
result would be, he thought, that gentlemen wanting gardeners would apply 
to the Society for them. In fact, he had before him such an application from 
a gentleman. 
Mr. W. Nield said he had derived much profit and pleasure through 
attending these meetings. It might be wise to throw out some suggestions 
as to the kind of papers that should be read before the members at future 
gatherings. He had found that several members were not in favour of 
addresses on botanical subjects. He himself was much interested in botany. 
If they had papers on botanical subjects those members interested in them 
should be made acquainted with the fact, so that they might attend. Some 
members thought that they should have nothing but papers of a practical 
nature. 
Mr. Bruce Findlay thought they should vary the subjects as much as 
possible. Inasmuch as botany was really the foundation of the Society, he 
thought it would be suicidal to omit botanical subjects, and if such subjects 
were brought forward evenings would be set apart for them. Mr. Richard 
Astley maintained that botany and horticulture ought to go hand in hand. 
If desirable the lessons might be simplified, so that every gardener could 
understand them. The practical botanist and gardener joined together made 
the best man in each branch. Mr. William Plant remarked that they as 
gardeners got very little knowledge from papers on strictly botanical subjects. 
His idea was that they should try as far as possible in their addresses to 
combine practical gardening with scientific botany, and thus blend together 
theory and practice. 
The motion for the adoption of the report and Treasurer’s statement was 
then agreed to. It was decided on the motion of Mr. Butterworth, seconded 
by Mr. Thomas Lunt, and supported by Mr. Nield, that at future meetings 
the papers read should be of a nature similar to those which have already 
been brought before the Society. 
A member suggested that a branch should be established in connection 
with the Society for the benefit of members in sickness or in needy circum¬ 
stances. The idea seemed to find favour with the meeting, but it was decided 
that the subject should be brought forward for consideration next session. 
A vote of thanks to Mr. Swan concluded the proceedings. 
CULTURE OF THE TUBEROSE. 
The Tuberose is not so well known, and consequently not so 
extensively cultivated in private gardens, as it deserves to be. 
This, too, is surprising, seeing that it is easily cultivated, and 
that its pure white and delightfully sweet flowers' are so admir¬ 
ably adapted for bouquets and buttonholes during the summer, 
autumn, and early winter months; and to say that the individual 
blooms of the Tuberose — of which, roughly speaking, a spike 
contains two or three dozen—are nearly equal, if not quite, to 
Gardenias, which flowers they somewhat resemble, would be no 
exaggeration of their value. The Tuberose, like the Eucharis 
amazonica, is very accommodating in its floral development, 
inasmuch as it only expands a few flowers at intervals of a 
few days at the bottom of the panicle, and so on, until the 
topmost flower is developed, and on this account a dozen plants 
in this stage of floral development would, for the purpose above 
indicated, yield a moderately good supply of flowers for four 
or five -weeks at a time, every one of which, as they wire well, 
may be turned to good account. The cultural details are simple, 
but should be persistently attended to if success in flowering 
this sweetly scented plant is to be attained, and are briefly 
these. When the bulbs are being potted, which, in order to 
extend the flowering period, should be done at intervals of a 
fortnight from February to the middle or end of June, all the 
little bulblets and eyes should be rubbed off, and any suckers 
that may afterwards spring from the bulb be immediately 
removed, so as to concentrate the sap stored up in the bulbs 
to the production of flower spikes, othei-wise failure to flower 
will, in all probability, be the result. 
The Tuberose delights in a rich sandy loam with a sprinkling 
of leaf mould, and should be grown in 3-inch pots, burying three 
parts of the bulb, from which the old fibrous roots have been 
previously cut, in the soil. The pots should then be plunged to 
the rim in a Melon or Cucumber frame to start the tubers into 
growth, and subsequently the plants should be grown on near 
the glass to insure a sturdy growth. The soil should be kept 
rather dry until the flower stem appears, and when this is about 
6 or 9 inches high, the plants being sufficiently moist at the roots, 
should be shifted into 6-inch pots, employing all loam. After 
this water should be withheld from the roots for a few days 
until they have taken to the new soil, and as the pots become 
filled with roots, diluted liquid manure should be given them, 
which will tend to the production and development of finer 
flowers. The plants should be syringed twice a day, if in a high 
temperature, to keep them free from the attacks of red spider, 
to which they are subject; but when the flowers begin to expand, 
syringing, which would cause the flowers to fade, should be 
discontinued, and the plants kept in an airy greenhouse or 
conservatory, where their perfume will be very agreeable. 
The Pearl, a dwarf American variety from 2 to 3 feet high, 
and the African, from 5 to 6 feet high, are the best varieties to 
grow. Perhaps the individual flowers or pips of the last-named 
variety are larger and more double than those of the Pearl. The 
African variety is of recent introduction. The bulbs are much, 
larger than the American ones. The only thing against the 
former variety in comparison with the latter is the fact of its 
requiring longer and stouter sticks to support the flower spikes. 
The foregoing remarks are made for the information and benefit 
of the uninitiated in Tuberose culture, and that if the instructions 
herein given are followed, and good bulbs obtained, success in 
flowering satisfactorily this charming plant will be their reward. 
—H. W. Ward. 
“ SOLIDIFIED SAP.” 
When I wrote last under the above heading it was not for sake of 
controversy, but in the hope of getting a clearer meaning of the term 
“stored up sap that has never solidified,” used by Mr. Iggulden (see 
page 43). What I understand stored-up sap to be is sap never really 
solid, but held in abeyance by cold or other natural causes, and flowing 
again when these are withdrawn; but to read it so in your correspondent s 
article leaves it meaningless. I look to Mr. Iggulden for a solution, 
which I have no doubt he is well able to give.— Ritchie. 
[Your correspondent will perhaps remember that I believe in the 
Grape Vine’s capability of storing up a certain amount of food, but not 
in a liquid form, as he seems to imagine they do, or otherwise at pruning 
time—supposing I am right in the impression that the cells or sap vessels 
are connected—the liquid sap must drain out of the lower wounds. I used 
the expression “ solidified sap ” as being the simplest way of alluding to 
it without describing the process of the change in the character of the 
sap. The Vines under notice were not in a healthy state owing to defective 
root-action. No Vines in such a condition will ripen their wood or pro¬ 
perly store food. If I had pruned those Vines referred to I know they 
would have bled freely; and this I hold would have been ruinous, as 
nothing coming from the roots subsequently would have compensated for 
the loss of that food which is so necessary for the formation of strong 
fruitful growths. Vines fairly well treated and with a good root-action 
contain no liquid food during the winter months, and if not solidified what 
has become of it ?— W. Iggulden.] 
Notes ON Potatoes. —Having to grow Potatoes for a very large 
establishment, I take much interest in everything relating thereto, and 
Mr. Iggulden’s observations under the above heading, page 183, were 
practical and important. Having often publicly given my estimate of 
the Champion, I am proud of the foremost position, as a general crop 
Potato up to March, that he gives it, but I dissent from having the drills 
or rows 40 inches asunder for it; larger tubers would be obtained, but 
