84 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 28, 1881. 
heat and moisture when in contact with the wall, and part with 
both when in contact with the cooler Vines. But we prefer, for 
reasons stated elsewhere, to keep open ventilators, in summertime 
at least. 
What is true of the deposition of dew on Vine leaves is also 
true of almost everything else under glass. In the case of Melons 
and Cucumbers, however, it is wise to have a higher minimum 
temperature than for Vines. Anything between 40° and 55° we 
consider to be high enough during darkness for Vines ; anything 
higher we consider hurtful. With Melons the case is different. 
Vines will receive no check by being subjected to a temperature 
of 45°, but Melons will. Moreover, Melons will rest in a higher 
temperature than Vines : it is, therefore, not necessary to give 
Melons ventilation at night unless the weather be very mild. A 
good sprinkling, and when necessary syringing, will load the air 
with moisture. All that is necessary in order to bathe the Vines 
with it is to let the temperature rise to 90° before night and fall 
to G0° by night. Melons otherwise healthy will be greatly bene¬ 
fited by this treatment, especially in hot weather. Some people— 
indeed many of our very best gardeners—consider 70° a proper 
night temperature. We are of an opposite opinion. Unless there 
is need for hurry in order to have the first ready by a given date 
we think G0° high enough, and all things being equal otherwise, 
we have found Melon plants so treated stouter, more robust, and 
to finish off finer fruit. Indeed the air in our pits is down in 
cold mornings to 55°, and even lower, without ever harming the 
plants that we could see, but the very reverse. It is not a good 
plan, though, to allow the bottom heat to fluctuate greatly. In 
nature the air has a wide range of temperature, but the soil heat 
is much steadier, and a lesson is thereby read to us which we 
would do well to learn and practise accordingly. 
Perhaps we should in this place say a word on syringing. 
Syringing to remove insects is a very necessary operation. In¬ 
secticides arc commonly applied diluted with water by means of 
the syringe. These are subjects which have been treated on again 
and again, and it is not our intention to say anything of them 
under our present heading at least: we merely mention them 
here that we may not be misunderstood. We repeat that syring¬ 
ing with pure water to remove insects, and also that the employ¬ 
ment of the syringe in the distribution of diluted insecticides, are 
necessary. What we wish to discuss here is the damping or 
syringing of plants. We do not think the practice good—at least 
as it is generally done. It is far better to damp them with dew 
than to do it by means of the syringe. True, in a majority of 
plant houses plants would never be covered by moisture unless 
syringed. In that case it is the great heat that is to blame. In 
numberless cases the moisture which is applied by the syringe to 
plants in stoves, and even vineries, late in the day or early in the 
evening is all dried up in the course of an hour or two. When 
this happens harm is done. Nature at night gives moisture to 
the plant by the air. Many cultivators reverse this. Instead of 
supplying the plant with moisture by night from the air, the 
capacity of the air for water is maintained at a point at which it 
abstracts water from the plant. This is all wrong, and it is un¬ 
natural ; indeed, we do not know whether syringing under such 
circumstances is not an evil. Under natural conditions syringing 
is quite unnecessary: under unnatural conditions, such as a too 
high and dry an atmosphere, it seems at first sight as if it could 
only do good. It certainly tends to bring the air, for a time at 
least, to saturation point; but it is an evil when the drying in¬ 
fluence of hot-water pipes causes its speedy evaporation from the 
moistened plants. 
It olten happens during the dull days of winter that there is 
more moisture inside glass houses, especially those kept at cool 
greenhouse temperatures, than is good. Damping-off oi Primulas 
and other soft plants, moulding of Grapes, &c., are caused by this 
state of matters. To prevent dampness free ventilation in bright 
weather with a little fire heat should be given. In winter there 
is often little sunshine, and very often the air is very near satura¬ 
tion. Inside the structures, in the absence of either fire heat or 
sunshine, the air is very similar—only worse, for the constant 
circulation outside helps matters : inside the occasional waterings 
aggravate them. The cure is fire heat. Fire heat or sunshine, no 
matter how little, will raise the temperature inside a few degrees 
above the outside air, and by that means increase its capacity for 
water. When this is the case the air will begin to absorb moisture, 
and if the top ventilators be opened this warmer air will pass out, 
carrying its load of moisture with it. That which enters from 
below being colder has not the same capacity, and though appa¬ 
rently containing more than the inside air, actually contains less. 
On being admitted its capacity is increased, and it in its turn 
absorbs and carries its quota of water away. This is the case 
even when the outside air is damp, but it is always best to take as 
much advantage of bright weather for doing all necessary water¬ 
ing and for drying up damp. Even in wet weather houses which 
are kept at a high temperature need damping. All that is wanted 
to prevent damping off is a little heat to warm the air and a little 
ventilation to keep it circulating.— Single-handed. 
(To be continued.) 
CUNONIA CAPENSIS. 
Horticultural visitors to the Duke of Northumberland’s 
celebrated Syon House Gardens may invariably rely upon seeing 
much that will interest them, and if they be favoured with the 
company of the courteous and able gardener, Mr. Woodbridge, it 
will be strange if they do not add some items of knowledge to 
their store. All departments are well managed and satisfactory. 
In the numerous vineries and fruit houses we see good crops of 
Grapes, Pines, Melons, Figs, and Peaches. The kitchen garden is 
clean and well cropped, the plant houses gay with healthy and 
freely flowering specimens, the flower garden bright and effective, 
and the park is always beautiful, but especially in the summer, when 
the stately trees are in the best condition. To refer at length to 
each of these departments would fill several pages, not perhaps 
uuprofitably to some readers, but for the present a brief note 
upon a remarkable and handsome tree recently flowering in one 
of the bouses must suffice. 
Cunonia capensis is not very frequently seen in gardens now ; 
indeed it was better known twenty or thirty years ago, and 
though one of the most beautiful flowering trees that can be 
grown in a conservatory, greenhouse, or similar structure, it 
appears to be comparatively rare. Probably one reason for this 
is that the propagation has been found rather difficult, yet the 
tree is of free growth, and attractive even when not flowering, 
and would well repay for any attention bestowed upon it. The 
conservatory at Syon possesses a specimen which is reasonably 
believed to be unrivalled in this country, and when bearing some 
dozens of its long close racemes of white flowers the effect 
produced is really magnificent. I was fortunate enough to call 
upon Mr. Woodbridge when the tree was in its best condition, 
and though it did not occupy the most favourable position, being 
partly hidden by other trees and shrubs in front, it was yet sur¬ 
prisingly beautiful. The specimen is about 15 feet high in a 
large pot, and bears pinnate glossy green leaves, and racemes in 
some cases nearly a foot in length. The species is, as its specific 
name implies, a native of the Cape of Good Hope ; it has been in 
cultivation over sixty years, and the genus constitutes the type 
of a natural order allied to the Saxifrages. The following extract 
from Burchell’s Travels in Africa may be of interest—“This is a 
handsome tree, with fine shining green foliage, contrasted by 
numerous, dense, elongated bunches of small milk-white flowers, 
and twigs of a red colour, having the habit rather of a tropical 
than of a Cape plant. Its colonial name is Hood Elze (Red 
Alder), although the tree has not, in any point of view, the least 
resemblance to the Alder of Europe ; but the waggoomakers say 
there is some similarity in their wood. I am inclined, however, to 
believe that the name was given rather in consequence of their 
growing in similar situations.” 
The woodcut (fig. 1G) faithfully represents a raceme and leaf 
from the Syon specimen, and the effect of such a tree in full flower 
can be better imagined than described.—L. Castle. 
EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
July 2Gth. 
Rarely are there so many diverse and concurrent attractions in 
the Society’s Kensington garden as was the case last Tuesday, when, 
in addition to the ordinary meetings of the Fruit, Floral, and Scientific 
Committees, the arcades and corridors were occupied with a medical 
and sanitary Exhibition, and the British Bee-keepers’ Association’s 
Show. The horticultural portion was somewhat limited it is true, 
but visitors found plenty both to interest and instruct them in the 
combination of exhibits. 
Fruit Committee. —Harry Veitch, Esq., in the chair. The duties 
of the Committee were not at all arduous on this occasion, for the 
contributions were comparatively few, yet, though not extensive, 
they were mostly of good quality. The chief feature was a collec¬ 
tion of Tomatoes in pots from Messrs. James Carter ife Co., High 
Holborn, comprising a large number of varieties, all the best in com¬ 
merce being represented, both large and small-fruited forms. Of the 
latter the Red Currant was particularly noteworthy from a decora¬ 
tive point of view, as the long racemes of small globular bright red 
fruits were very attractive. Several varieties with yellow fruits were 
also shown. Among some new varieties was one named Dedham 
Favourite, and this was deemed by the Committee worthy of a certi¬ 
ficate, -which was consequently awarded for it. The fruit is bright 
