July 5, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
19 
to for a few hours in the middle of the day, so as to lessen the necessity for 
water in order to prevent flagging. The atmosphere must be-kept drier and 
warmer, so as to allow of freer ventilation, which will cause more rapid 
evaporation and enable the plants to part with the superfluous moisture. 
G-umming is, however, better avoided than remedied. The soil should not 
be kept very wet in the early stages of growth ; indeed no more water 
should be given than to keep the plants in steady progressive growth until 
the fruit is set and swelling, when copious supplies will be necessary. 
Encouraging a free growth in the plants in the early stages and up to the 
fruiting stage, and afterwards keeping the growths closely restricted, is 
likely to induce gumming, as are also large reductions of growth at one time 
and at distant intervals. 
Pressing and Preserving Flowers (J. S . U .) —It is very difficult to 
preserve the forms of some flowers in drying them, and all that can be done 
is to spread the parts carefully and then press them heavily for some time. 
A little practice will soon enable you to accomplish this in the majority of 
cases fairly well; but in others you must be contented if the flower is 
recognisable when dried. Blotting paper will answer the purpose ; but there 
is a special kind of botanical drying paper sold that is far better if you 
intend making a large collection. It can be obtained from wholesale 
stationers at a moderate price per ream. Employ boards a little larger than 
the paper, one at the top and one at the bottom of the specimens, distributing 
them evenly, and place heavy stones, weights, or similar substances upon the 
top. Examine the specimens frequently, placing them on fresh papers if 
necessary—that is if they are damp or any signs of mould be observed. 
When mounting the dried plants it is preferable to employ separate sheets 
for each specimen, either neatly securing it to the surface with thin gum or 
with narrow strips of gummed paper placed across the stems or branches. 
A collection of leaves alone would be comparatively useless; but an 
herbarium of well-dried and carefully mounted specimens would give you 
much agreeable and instructive employment. We do not know any book 
specially devoted to the subject, but in most works on botany some instruc¬ 
tions are given that might be of use to you. 
Phylloxera on Yines (IF. S ). — There is no doubt whatever that your 
Vines are attacked with this destructive pest, as we found numbers of the 
sluggishly active insects on the root3. We have seen a case where phylloxera- 
attacked Vines were saved by saturating the border with ammoniacal liquor 
from gasworks. This was poured on the border until it passed through the 
drainage freely. It was not done with any confidence that it would have the 
effect it had. The Vines were doomed, and the gardener thought he would 
try the experiment indicated, thinking it might kill the insects, but feeling 
sure it would also kill the Vines. To use his own words, it “ gave them a 
shaking ; ” but in the course of a week there were signs of fresh growth. 
On this account a respite was given to the Vines. Their growth progressed 
satisfactorily, the gas liquor evidently proving a good stimulant, and they 
are now as healthy as others in a very long range which were not attacked 
by the enemy. If you decide to try the experiment—and it would not be 
very costly, as you have gasworks in your neighbourhood—you must 
remember the saturation of the border must be complete. Water of itself 
appears in some degree an antidote, as the insects always increase the most 
freely where the soil is dry, and are sparingly found where it is wet; it has, 
in fact, been recorded on good authority that when some Vines that had been 
planted with the phylloxera on the roots were afterwards destroyed, no 
insects were found on the roots in the moist outside border, while 
they swarmed on the roots inside where the soil was much drier. If 
there are galls on the leaves as well as the roots there is no doubt the Vines 
must be destroyed and the house thoroughly cleansed. On this question 
you had better avail yourself of Mr. Bardney’s experience, published in this 
Journal May 20th', 1881, and if you do not possess that number it can be had 
from the publisher in return for ohd. in postage stamps. We are very sorry 
you have been overtaken with such a misfortune, for there is no doubt of 
the presence of the pest, and you must proceed at once to extirpate it. 
Mr. Bardney, as others have done, quite banished it from the vinery in his 
charge ; but it is for you to determine whether you will first try the effects 
of the gas liquor. If you^do you had better dilute it with three or four 
times its volume of water, and we shall be glad to know the results. 
GymnocladHS CANADENSIS (J . Hartland). — We are not surprised that 
you were unable to identify the tree from the “shoot” you received and 
have sent to us, because it is not a shoot, but a portion of a pinnate leaf. 
Although much crushed and withered, we believe the above is the name of 
the tree, which has been described by Loudon as follows :—“ The branches 
have almost always an upright direction ; and the appearance of the head 
in the winter season is remarkable, from being fastigiate, and from the points 
of the branches being few, and thick, and blunt, as compared with those of 
almost every other tree. They are also wholly without the appearance of 
buds ; and this latter circumstance connected with the former gives the 
tree during winter the appearance of being dead, and hence the Canadian 
name of Chicot or Stump Tree. The leaves on young thriving trees are 
3 feet long and 20 inches wide ; but on trees nearly full grown they are not 
half that size. The leaflets are of a dull bluish green, and the branches of 
the petioles are somewhat of a violet colour. It is very hardy and flowers 
freely in the neighbourhood of London, but does not produce pods. The 
wood is hard, compact, strong, tough, and of a fine rose colour. In America 
it is used both in cabinet-making and carpentry, and, like the wood of the 
Robinia, it has the remarkable property of rapidly converting its sap-wood 
into heart-wood, so that a trunk G inches in diameter has not more than six 
lines of sap-wood, and may, consequently, be almost entirely employed for 
useful purposes. The seeds were at one time roasted and ground as a substi¬ 
tute for coffee in Kentucky and Tennessee ; but their use in this way has 
been long since discontinued. The pods, preserved like those of the 
Tamarind (to which this genus is nearly aliitd), are said to be wholesome 
and slightly aperient. In Britain the only use of the tree is for ornamental 
purposes ; and, considered as an object of curiosity and beauty, no collection 
ought to be without it. A rich, deep, free soil is essential to the thriving 
of this tree, and such a soil is never met with naturally in exposed situations. 
The tree is generally propagated by imported seeds ; but it will grow freely 
from cuttings of the roots, care being taken in planting to keep that end 
upwards which is naturally so.” 
Names Of Plants (IF. II). —The flow.r arrived in such a crushed con¬ 
dition that it was quite unrecognisable. ( G . C. S ).—Bromus erectus. 
( Castleford). —1, Heracleum Spondylium ; 2, Torilus Anthriscus : 3, Rhinan- 
thus crista-galli; 4, Hordeum sylvaticum ; 5, Festuca pratensis ; G, Bromus 
sterilis. (IF. McK.). —1, unrecognisable without flowers ; 2, Kennedya mono- 
phylla. (J. E ).—Stellaria graminea. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— July 4th. 
Large quantities of fruit reaching us, and prices are generally lower. Cherries 
realising high prices. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Apples .. .. 
2 
0 
to 7 
0 
Grapes. 
1 
3 
to 3 
6 
» • • • • 
per barrel 20 
0 
40 
0 
Lemons. 
10 
0 
20 
0 
Apricots 
.. box 
2 
0 
2 
6 
Melons. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Cherries.. .. 
8 
0 
18 
0 
Nectarines' .. 
dozen 
8 
0 
10 
0 
Chestnuts .. 
.. bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges. 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Currants, Black 
.. A sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Peaches. 
dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ Red 
.. \ sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pears, kitchen .. 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs- .. .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
„ dessert 
dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts .. .. 
.. .. lb. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples, English .. lb. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Cobs .. .. 
.. 100 ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Raspberries .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Gooseberries.. 
.. \ sieve 
3 
6 
4 
6 
Strawberries.. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
Artichokes 
.. dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms .. 
punnet 
1 
0 
to 1 
6 
Asparagus, Eng 
lish bundle 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Mustard and Cre33 
punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Asparagus, French bundle 
2 
0 
0 
0 
Onions. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
S 
Beans, Kidney 
100 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsley .. dozen bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Beet, Red 
.. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Parsnips. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Broccoli .. .. 
.. bundle 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Peas. 
quart 
1 
0 
1 
3 
Cabbage .. .. 
.. dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Potatoes, New 
ID. 
0 
2 
0 
4 
Capsicums 
100 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Potatoes. 
cwt. 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Carrots .. 
.. bunch 
0 
4 
0 
0 
i» Kidney . 
cwt. 
6 
0 
10 
0 
Cauliflowers .. 
.. dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Radishes .. dozen bunches 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery 
.. bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Rhubarb. 
bundle 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Coleworts doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy. 
bundle 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Cucumbers 
.. each 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Scorzonera 
bundle 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Endive .. 
.. dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Seakale. 
basket 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Fennel 
.. bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots. 
.. lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Herbs 
.. bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach .. 
bushel 
2 
6 
3 
0 
Leeks 
.. bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Tomatoes 
.. ft. 
0 
9 
0 
0 
Lettuce .. .. 
.. score 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Turnips. 
bunch 
0 
0 
0 
0 
THE SUSSEX BREED OF CATTLE. 
The Sussex cattle are the descendants of a very ancient breed, 
and have been continued with varying changes in their shades 
of red, being formerly of a very deep red, almost approaching 
black, but recently of a brighter or cherry red colour. The 
objects, too, for which changes have been made in the style and 
type of the cattle are considerable, for they were in the earliest 
records of the breed reared principally for the tillage of the 
land, and after having attained an age unfitting them for field 
labour they were fattened on the rich grazing pastures and 
marshes in Kent and Sussex, and sold to the butchers at heavy 
weights, frequently from 180 to 200 stone. But the system and 
style of breeding for working purposes seems to have been suc¬ 
cessful and well adapted to the period, as they were valued for 
their great size and muscular power; yet they were coarse in 
appearance and carrying much flesh, which gave them great 
power and capacity in tillage labour, especially as they were 
upstanding and lengthy animals. 
Mr W. Housman, who is one of cur greatest authorities on the 
subject of cattle and their types, states of the Sussex breed:— 
“ The origin of Messrs. Stanford’s herd is lost in the misty dis¬ 
tance of the last century. Its acknowledged position in the 
front rank is due mainly to the judgment of the present pro¬ 
prietors, who are not veterans, but men in the pi-ime of life. 
They farm altogether about 1100 acres, and breed, I'ear, buy, 
sell, and feed cattle, treating the pure Sussex cattle as plain- 
faring and rent-making stock. The grandfather of the present 
owners of the herd came to Eatons in 1779, bringing with him 
from beyond Horsham pure-bred Sussex cattle, ancestors of 
some families of the present herd. He soon afterwards bought 
Ledford Farm, where also pui'e Sussex cattle were bred. During 
his time and during the lifetime of his son, the father of Messrs. 
E. & A. Stanford, no systematic record of the breeding of the 
stock seems to have been kept. The offspring of the cows 
brought over in 1879 were known as the ‘ old sort ’ from genera¬ 
tion to generation, so that their descent from the foundation 
stock.was kept in remembrance by tradition. The cattle did all 
that was required of them for the dairy and the plough, and 
eventually fell under the butcher's axe heavy carcases of beef. 
