November 22, 1883. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
437 
with so much success, but with, not successful—disastrous results. 
Correctly or not I cannot say, but having employed Beech leaf mould, he 
attributed his failure to that. Sure enough the Vines were destroyed 
with fungus in their roots. 
Repeatedly have we employed Beech leaves, and leaves where 
Beech were largely present pure and simple, for forcing Seakale and 
Rhubarb where it grew, and afterwards used the leaves partly to form 
mould, partly to form manure, and never saw fungus in them. But we 
know one place at least where the leaves so employed go into one gr< y 
mass that cannot be used for anything afterwards. In both cases boxes 
were used. 
Again, at the very place where the cottagers employ Beech leaves with 
so much success to make manure, the farmer dare not do so. With them 
the resulting manure is overrun with fungus. In this case we are 
inclined to think that the drier state of the stable manure, partly 
securing a high temperature, partly because of the comfortable state of 
the medium as regards moisture, produces the fungus. Mixed with mud, 
as in the case of road-rakings, with earth as in other cases, or much too 
wet and cold, as when used to litter pigs, the leaves get past the fungus- 
producing period before it finds thermal and other conditions favourable. 
But this by no means accounts for the sweet fungus-free mould pro¬ 
duced by well-made hotbeds. At the same time gardeners well know 
how apt ill-prepared manure is to produce an evil crop of fungus and 
that well-sweetened does not. 
At one large country domain where the leaves are collected into heaps, 
the masses become one mass of fungus. For this reason they are now, 
we believe, burnt. But again and again we have collected the best of 
leaf mould from where the leaves had drifted. Collected leaves we 
have thought have a tendency to produce fungus, and the sticks col¬ 
lected with them may be one cause of this. Another may be that, when 
collected dry they are with difficulty properly wetted afterwards by 
natural means. It is only slowly that the damp penetrates. But as it 
gradually creeps to the centre does not the favourable condition follow 
or accompany it for producing fungus? 
Drifted leaves are generally free of sticks and of mast husks. More¬ 
over they are not in such large heaps, and, therefore, become readily 
damp and of too low a temperature to encourage the crop that the col¬ 
lected heap encourages. That leaves dug in dry in spring will turn out 
dry and undecayed in autumn is very true, and this points to the 
necessity for thoroughly preparing such before applying. 
That pure mould, free from fungus or anything hurtful, may be made 
from Beech leaves, and is, in fact, plentiful, is undoubted. That other 
Beech leaf mould exists full of fungus and poisonous is also undoubted. 
That both are found under the same conditions may be doubted. We 
may end with the confession that we cannot tell exactly what these 
conditions are, though we have endeavoured to indicate them. If 
anyone can tell us more clearly the information will be welcome.— 
Single-handed. 
GROS MAROG v. GR03 COLMAN. 
This Grape, which some seem to think will in a measure supplant 
Gros Colman has not, in the experience of the writer, proved such a fine 
variety as some persons assert it is. The berries of such samples as I 
have grown and seen do not approach Gros Colman in size, and the 
general appearance of the bunch is not so massive and handsome as Gros 
Colman. Undoubtedly the bloom of Gros Maroc is fine ; in this respect it 
excels Gros Colman, though not by much. 
The keeping qualities of Gros Maroc are not better if as good as Gros 
Colman ; the flavour is not so good, the skin thicker, and the flesh less 
firm. Taking everything into account, Gros Colman must in my opinion 
still maintain the premier place as a noble-looking, prolific, long-keeping 
black Grape, possessed of fair flavour and of a splendid constitution. 
Whether Gros Maroc will keep better than Gros Colman when bottled 
has not yet been proved, but if it does it will be almost the only point in 
which it has the advantage of its noble rival. 
Gros Maroc may, perhaps, be said to colour quicker and with less 
heat than Gros Colman, but the latter when well finished, as it can easily 
be when not too heavily cropped, amply repays its cultivator for any 
little extra heat expended on it.—S. 
POLYGONUMS. 
The genus Polygonum is generally designated “ the weedy genus,’’ 
but there are nevertheless amongst its members many useful and 
exceedingly ornamental for the rockwork, the flower border, and for 
isolating in woods, &c. They are widely distributed in this and other 
countries, and seem suited to almost every condition of soil and climate- 
Polygonum orientale .—This is represented in the woodcut, fig. 86‘ 
Although introduced to this country nearly two centuries ago it does not 
seem to be so well known in gardens as its merits deserve. It is a native 
of the eastern parts of India and the Levant, and was first sent to this 
country by Tournefort, who found it growing in the monks’ garden near 
Mount Ararat, and where it was cultivated principally for the brilliancy 
of its flowers. It is seen to the best advantage when grown in a rich 
moist soil, where it often reaches from 8 to 10 feet in height, and has a 
most charming effect against a dark green background. The leaves are 
oval-shaped, slightly pointed, of a dark green colour, and covered with 
soft hairs. The flowers, which are of a fine lively red, are borne on close 
terminal spikes 7 or 8 inches long, and often hanging downwards. It 
flowers from the beginning of July until cut down by the frost, and 
although only an annual the seeds are produced so plenteously that there 
is no fear of losing it. It is usually sown in spring along with the other 
annuals, simply thinning the seedlings to about a foot apart. 
P. sachalinense .—For isolating in pleasure grounds or woods this is 
the noblest species of the genus. It forms clumps from 10 to 12 feet 
high and half as broad. The stems droop gracefully all round, and are 
well clothed with large and beautifully veined leaves, bright green, and 
undulated at the margins. It is, however, herbaceous, and care must be 
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Fig. 86.—Polygonum orientale, 
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88 
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taken to plant it only in places where it will not leave a gap or appear 
unsightly during the winter and early spring. The roots have a tendency 
to run, and unless allowed plenty of room will be rather troublesome. 
The flowers are inconspicuous. 
P. cuspidatum .—A species introduced from Japan about 1824 by 
Siebold, and generally known in gardens under the name of P. Sieboldii. 
The leaves are broadly oval, having marked red margins, and the flowers, 
which are borne in bunches, are pure white or tinted, very numerous and 
effective. It forms a compact bush 6 to 8 feet high, and is admirably 
adapted for making a screen or planted in company with the above. 
