172 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 23, 1883. 
P r ovided the water is pure and does not contain lime or other matter that 
stains the foliage ■ at the same time, syringing is not essential to success in 
cultivating these .plants, and it is easy to err by a too free use of the 
implement. Nothing is more invigorating to Primulas that are established 
and growing freely than exposure to the dew, and it is a good plan to remove 
the lights from frames containing plants during clear nights at this period 
of the year. Plants thus exposed become very sturdy. 
Cucumber Leaves Withered (T. B.). —The condition of the leaves indi¬ 
cates poverty of soil, insufficient supplies of water to the roots, a too dry 
atmosphere, and the presence of red spider. If all the leaves are like those 
sent tne health of the plants cannot be restored ; if only a portion are 
affected remove all the worst, syringe the plants freely twice a day, saturate 
the soil with weak liquid manure in a tepid state, cover the bed with an inch 
or two of fresh soil to encourage the production of surface roots, maintain a 
moist genial atmosphere, and a night temperature of 60° to G5°. If this 
treatment will not result in healthy growth nothing will. 
Mildewed Peas (A. L. M .).—Tou ask if the mildew is in the soil. Our 
reply is, that the spores appear to be everywhere, and germinate when the 
conditions are favourable. A damp atmosphere and dry subsoil render the 
plants liable to be attacked with the parasite. By all means sow on another 
plot of ground deeply worked and well manured, also obtain fresh seed from 
a nurseryman or seed firm of repute, and you may have better rows next 
year. Mildew may perhaps be generally prevalent in your district, in which 
case you will find it difficult to prevent it attacking the Peas. 
Weak Vines (J. A., Dublin ).—If the growths you have sent are fairly 
representative of the condition of your Vines you will lose time and waste 
money by dressing them with any manure. If the young shoots and leaves 
are quite fresh, not scorched, their dark colour is a favourable sign rather than 
otherwise. They reached us perfectly dried and shrivelled, and the growths 
are the weakest we have seen for years. 
Violas and Pansies (II. C. M .).—There is no botanical difference between 
these. All Pansies are Violas or varietal forms of V. tricolor, and have large 
handsome, and often clearly belted flowers. Violas have smaller and nearly 
a ways self-coloured flowers, and continue producing them over a longer 
period. They have been raised by intercrossing such species as Viola 
cornuta, V. lutea, and their progeny with small Pansies, and a dwarf flori- 
feious race of what may be termed small, free, continuous-bloomino' self- 
coloured Pansies has been established. The varieties of these are designated 
Violas, as indicating their adaptability for planting in lines and masses for 
producing a rich effect in flower gardens. 
Apples and Pears for Chalk Soil ( B .).—A gardener who has had great 
experience in growing fruit on the chalk formation, and not far distant from 
your locality,, confidently recommends the following varieties. Apples.— 
King of the Pippins. Cox’s Orange Pippin, Blenheim Pippin, Keswick Codlin, 
Cox s Pomona, and Warner’s King. These will afford a succession of fruit 
for table and culinary.purposes. Pears.—Jargonelle, Williams’ Bon Chretien, 
Comte de Lamy, Mane Louise, Beurre Bachelier, and Doyenne du Comice. 
The small Fern is the Oak Fern, Polypodium Dryopteris, and the large one 
the Royal Fern, Osmunda regalis. 
Adiantums Unhealthy ( Subscriber). —Undoubtedly your plants require 
more, support than they have received. If the pots are crowded with roots 
sufficient water has not been given. A little perfectly clear soot water given 
twice a week or water coloured with fresh cowdung would be of great advan¬ 
tage, also any plants.very much root-bound would be benefited by beino' placed 
in saucers of water in hot weather, or at least the base on which the pots 
stand should always be. moist. The “brown specks” on them do not indi¬ 
cate anything so ‘ serious.” as you imagine; they are simply spore cases, 
and many growers who raise Maidenhair Ferns by the thousand for market 
purposes would rejoice m having such a fine prospective harvest of spores. 
. Potatoes Sweet (IF. J. J.).—From your description of the seed tubers it 
is not unlikely they had been injured by frost, but their sweet taste at the 
present time is not the result of that. On some soils the tubers of Magnum 
Lonum aie slightly sweet at this season of the year, but as they ripen the 
sweetness vanishes. . The Scotch Champion is not a sweet Potato when 
matured, neither is it when boiled “ very yellow; ” on the contrary, it is 
nearly white, and on some soils, not all, of excellent quality. Potatoes for 
planting should always be procured from a reliable source, as there is no 
certainty that those sold in the markets or from the holds of vessels are the 
varieties represented. With favourable weather for maturing the crops 
your Potatoes are almost sure to improve in quality. Whether they are 
true to name or not they are evidently late sorts, and not in good condition 
lor table when dry and used in a green state. 
Roses Failing (A Lover of Roses ).—The soil you have used is evidently 
unsuitable, and considering that only the strong growers have succeeded it 
11E L ir } a j| probability too cold and heavy; the site, too, may also not be 
efficiently drained. Excavating in itself, without making due provision for 
drainage, not infrequently amounts to making water traps, and neither 
Roses nor fruit trees can flourish under these circumstances. We have seen 
many Rose gardens most attractive and enjoyable, and thousands of blooms 
that are exhibited are cut from established plants. A quantity of wood 
as es or burnt tefuse of any kind mixed with the soil of your Rose beds 
would no doubt be beneficial, but particular attention must be given to 
ciaming the land. It must be remembered that digging a hole and casting 
m any quantity of stones and broken bricks is not drainage, unless ample 
provision is made for the outlet of water from the bottom of the excavation. 
Scale on Vines. (IF. N. B., Northallerton ).—We cannot refrain from ex¬ 
pressing our surprise that you should place a few Grapes in a box large 
enough for holding ten times the quantity without any packing to keep 
em firm, and yet expect they would reach us in good condition. The 
surprise is that they reached us at all through the parcels post, for the 
berries being dashed to and fro were smashed, the leaves and letter (which 
n °U° bee V e ? closed ), saturated, and the juice escaping 
fiom the box. The filthy condition, of the Vines is owing to the presence of 
the scale insect on the leaves, and it cannot be removed without sponging 
mi e o -hi^ h u a 1 7 ar “ so utio £ n 1 °| soft soap. After the Grapes are cut you 
might add half a wineglassful of petroleum to each gallon of the soapy water, 
and syringe the Vines ; but even this would only be partially effectual, as the 
insects are mostly on the upper surface of the leaves. The house and Vines 
must have a thorough cleansing in winter, and no plants with insects on 
them must be permitted in the house. If the Rose is in a pot place it in the 
open air ; if planted out, syringe it as above suggested thoroughly, and shade 
it if the weather be bright. Petroleum applied to Roses in the sun is 
injurious. 
Peas (II. Hutchison). —The “ new unnamed Pea” we have seen before, or 
one so closely resembling it that we are unable to perceive the difference 
between samples sent to us last year and the year previous from the north of 
England and those now before us. There is no waste of pod room in this 
variety; the ends of the pods, instead of tapering and recurving, as is 
common, being quite square. The pods are of medium length, the majority 
containing eight peas of equal size, a few contained nine peas, and still fewer 
seven, of good size and colour. Of the quality we are unable to judge, as 
the peas are quite too old for cooking. If the variety is a heavy bearer and 
the produce of superior flavour it will be useful, but there are others larger 
and of more imposing appearance staged at exhibitions. We recently saw a 
variety of this blunt-ended type named the “ Perfect Marrow,” the seed of 
which was sent to a gardener for trial by Mr. House of Peterborough. This 
variety we tasted, and it was excellent, the peas being decidedly larger than 
in the sample you have sent; but whether this was owing to the richer 
soil in which they were grown we cannot tell. Varieties having pods of this 
shape are usually very productive. 
Planting the Slopes of an Embankment (IF. Ilf., L.C.D.R.). —A blue 
clay with a thin coating of soil is certainly not adapted for fruit-culture, 
otherwise your plan for turning the sheltered slope of an embankment to 
account for such a purpose is highly commendable, and without good soil 
any hints from us as to culture and varieties would be useless. But your 
wish to render the slopes profitable may be realised by planting them with 
Ash for hop poles, which, as you are doubtless aware, are always in demand 
near your embankment, and Ash answers admirably in such a soil. We are 
intimately acquainted with an excellent gardener who, some years ago, had 
the management of land only a few miles from the place you mention, and 
he sold good Ash underwood uncut for from £40 to £50 per acre about every 
eighth year. Stout young Ash plants of 4 to 5 feet high cost 50 s. per 1000, 
and are planted soon after the fall of the leaves 6 feet apart, or at the rate 
of 1210 plants per acre. In the winter of the second year from the time of 
planting, which in your case would be the winter of 1885, they are cub 
down to within 6 inches of the ground, and in the following year the stools 
throw up on an average four stout shoots, some more, some less, which 
attain a height of from 5 to 7 feet the first season. In deep cool soil they 
continue growing annually with so much vigour as to be large enough for 
hop poles a year or two sooner than growth of the same age from older 
stools; but by leaving them uncut till the usual time most of the poles 
become large enough to split for hurdles and for wooden garden baskets, 
and are proportionately profitable, such articles being largely made in the 
district in question. 
Lilium auratum (II. S.). —Many causes will induce the shrivelling of the 
old bulbs. Late-imported bulbs often shrivel. Excessive flowering and the 
production of seed have the same effect, also keeping them too dry in winter. 
Planting the bulbs too shallow often results in failure ; and when in pots 
sufficient space should always be left for a good top-dressing when the stems 
are advancing in growth, as the encouragement of the stem-roots is an im¬ 
portant item in the success of the plants. The old bulbs will live for many 
years if preserved from these dangers and from the decay that is caused by 
badly drained soil or an excessive supply of water. Young bulbs are, how¬ 
ever, annually produced, and if it is desired to increase the stock these can 
be removed when potting or lifting the clumps. Both with L. auratum and 
L. lancifolium it is important that the surface of the soil over the bulbs and 
around the base of the stems be not fully exposed to the sun, as much injury 
is often caused in that way. For this reason when in borders outside these 
bulbs, especially the former, should be planted with small shrubs, such as 
Rhododendrons or others, that will afford the requisite shade. In pots, of 
course, the top-dressing suffices for this purpose. Flowers of 6 inches in 
diameter are about the average size. The time at which young bulbs flower 
depends entirely on their size. If as large as walnuts, and the plants are 
liberally cultivated, flowers are freely produced the second year. 
Alecost or Costmary (R. Coles). —The plant which has puzzled “all the 
cooks and gardeners of your neighbourhood ” has been long known in 
England under the above names, though it was originally a native of Italy, 
whence it was sent to this country about 1568. The plant is a member of 
the family Composite, the botanical name being Balsamita vulgaris, and it 
is also known as Pyrethrum Tanacetum, under which it was described by 
Linnaeus. It is a hardy perennial with creeping roots and fragrant leaves, 
which were formerly placed in ale by country people, and at one time it was 
very commonly cultivated in cottage gardens. In France it is sometimes 
used in salads. It formerly had a great reputation as an antispasmodic, and 
macerated in oil it formed oil of balm, so much used for applying to wounds, 
and particularly contusions. It was quaintly described and its uses recorded 
as follows by Parkinson 250 years ago :—“ Costmary or Alecoast is a sweet 
herbe, bearing many broad and long pale green leaues, snipped about the 
edges, euery one vpon a long foote-stalke ; among which rise vp many round 
greene stalks, with such like leaues on them, but lesser vp to the toppe, 
where it spreadeth it selfe into three or foure branches, euery one bearing an 
vmbell or tuft of gold yellow flowers, somewhat like vnto Tansie flowers, but 
lesser, which turne into small heads, containing small flat long seede : the 
roote is somewhat hard and stringy, and being diuided,is replanted in the 
Spring of the yeare for increase. Costmary is of especiall vse in the Spring 
of the yeare, among other such like herbs, to make Sage Ale, and thereupon 
I thinke it tooke the name of Alecoast. It is also vsed to be put among 
other sweete herbes, to make sweete washing water, whereof there is great 
store spent. The leaues haue an especiall vertue to comfort both the 
stomack and heart, and to warme and dry a moist braine.” 
Sunday Work in Gardens (G. A. B.). —It is perfectly true that you did 
not in your former letter denounce Sunday work in gardens ; on the contrary, 
you said it ought to be done the same as on week days : but the greater part 
of your letter was devoted to discussing the manner in which head gardeners 
discharge their duties. Your remarks had a much wider application than 
