JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 3, 1881. 
398 
cutting. The specimen sent is the third I have pulled up out of 
the fifteen. As I have always been very fortunate in the culture 
of Cucumbers and Melons, 1 am anxious to know the cause of 
them failing now.—W. J. 
[The disease referred to by our correspondent has been figured 
and described in the Journal by Mr. Worthington G. Smith ; and 
as the number containing the illustration and notes in question is 
out of print we reproduce them, as many other correspondents 
have desired information of late on this subject. 
“The root-nodules in question are generally assumed to have 
a fungus origin, but the Rev. M. J. Berkeley long ago described 
the disease, and showed it .to be caused by a parasite of another 
nature. The description he illustrated with the utmost accuracy. 
It would seem that the pest which causes the mischief is not 
always readily seen, or maybe it escapes into the surrounding 
soil, or. after working the mischief, perishes ; but that it is some¬ 
times difficult or even impossible to detect, Mr. Berkeley himself 
confesses. For our part we have frequently seen the interior of the 
nodules just in the condition described by Mr. Berkeley, with the 
parasites in all stages of growth, from the egg condition upwards. 
“ Our illustration represents on the left the diseased roots 
natural size, and on the right a thin slice through one of the 
nodules of the roots. The latter is an exact reflection from a 
camera lucida attached to the microscope, and shows the cellular 
tissue, A ; pitted and spiral vessels, B ; the worms coiled up in 
the eggs, C ; worms emerged, d ; and empty eggs, E, from which 
the worms have escaped. Mr. Berkeley refers these parasites to 
vibrios, which belongs to the infusoria (properly confervoid Algae), 
common in foetid water, See., and always, we believe, extremely 
minute in size; but it will be seen from our figure, which is 
enlarged ICO diameters, that the animals there shown are just 
over one one-hundredth of an inch long, whilst vibrios are ten 
times smaller, and do not arise from eggs, but increase by the 
formation of new joints and separation at the articulations. The 
parasite appears to us to belong rather to the oviparous section of 
the genus Anguillula, which includes the ‘vinegar eel,’ and except 
that it is only about one-half the size, it is very similar in all 
stages of growth to A. Tritici, an eel found infesting blighted 
Wheat. 
“ It is often complained that men of science cannot specify cures 
for the diseases they describe, but it should always be remembered 
that in regard to cures pathological botanists considerably resem¬ 
ble doctors of medicine. It does not follow that, because a doctor 
can tell by certain symptoms his patient may have Asiatic cholera 
or cancer, that he can therefore cure the disease ; or because a 
fireman sees your house is being destroyed by fire, he can from 
that mere fact extinguish the blaze. Physic and water sometimes 
do wonderful things, and in the case of worms in the roots of 
Cucumbers, the best remedy is to destroy the plants and look 
to the compost, which probably harbours the parasites.”] 
A RUN TO THE WEST. 
LONGLEAT. 
Having on page 370 referred to some of the features of the gardens 
under Mr. Taylor’s charge, and sketched his system of management 
generally, noting also briefly some leading points in his practice, a 
few other matters now demand attention. Autumn and winter 
flowers, it has been said, are in great demand at Longleat, and to 
meet that demand a great number of a few kinds that have been 
proved to answer the purpose best are grown extensively and well. 
Tea Roses, Carnations, Tuberoses, and Gardenias have been men¬ 
tioned. Passing by Roman Hj’acinths, which are largely grown, and 
Amaryllises, which are remarkably vigorous, also Eucharises and 
Celosias, there are a few favourites that merit special notice. Achi- 
menes, for instance, are yet in full beauty, masses of them not more 
than from 6 to 9 inches high being covered with fine flowers. The 
varieties are Longiflora major, Grandiflora, which I never before saw 
so dwarf, Dazzle, and Williamsi. The tubers are wintered in the 
pots in the usual manner, started into growth as needed without 
being disturbed, and the tops of the young plants cut off and 
inserted as cuttings. It is thus the plants are kept so dwarf for 
fulfilling the purpose for which they are required in room decoration. 
A trio now to be referred to demand a little more prominence — 
namely, Pelargonium Guillon Mangilli, Begonia Knowsleyana, and 
Gesneras. 
PELARGONIUM GUILLON MANGILLI. 
Mr. Taylor detailed his experience of this variety last year in the 
Journal, and forthwith a demand was created for plants. If all the 
readers of these notes could see the stock of Guillon Mangilli at 
Longleat now the demand for plants would be increased tenfold, or 
probably a hundredfold, for assuredly the display is a brilliant one. 
Mr. Cannell’s magnificent winter display of thousands of plants in 
G-inch pots, in a hundred or more of the best and most modern 
varieties, cannot of course be placed in comparison, as the conditions 
are essentially different in the two cases, the Longleat plants being 
chiefly large, huge bushes in 10-inch pots, and all aglow with hundreds 
of huge trusses. Last winter I saw plants somewhat similar of Vesu¬ 
vius in the conservatory at Norris Green that made the Chrysan¬ 
themums look dingy ; but bright and excellent as Mr. Bardney’s 
plants undoubtedly were—in fact, they were as good as the variety 
could be grown — yet they were by no means so striking as Mr. 
Taylor’s plants now under notice. This, the cultivator points out, 
is essentially a stove Pelargonium, and is precisely at home in a 
house with Gardenias, Eucharises, and Euphorbia jasminiflora. There 
are no signs of the plants being “ drawn,” but, on the contrary, they 
are as sturdy and vigorous as if growing in the open air in summer, 
only the colour in winter is more pleasing, the rosy purple of the 
upper petals being more clear and distinct, and the scarlet of the 
lower petals looking brighter by contrast, while the petals never turn 
mouldy and damp off. The question was asked, “ How long will the 
plants continue producing such trusses?” The reply was, “ For seven 
years if they have the proper heat and support,” and the question of 
duration was settled. Mr. Taylor having tried most of the best Zonales 
has selected Guillon Mangilli as the king of the doubles for winter, 
and now he is trying to elect a qeeen, a white. At the present Amelie 
Baltet and Nymph are the most promising. If anyone can send 
him a really free-flowering double white variety for winter and they 
do not possess Guillon Mangilli, they will in due time receive a liberal 
supply of cuttings in exchange ; and if they grow the plants as he 
grows them they will not be likely to part with the variety for some 
time. Strong healthy plants, a temperature from 55° to 65°, and a 
light house, are the conditions of success. Numbers of people have 
had this variety, but newer sorts have pushed it aside before its 
special merit was discovered. It is known now, and Mr. Taylor and 
Guillon Mangilli will be friends for a number of years—perhaps for 
life. We now pass on to note a striking contrast. Behind us is a 
glowing house of purplish scarlet, before us a gracefully drooping 
mass of white in the form of a row of plants of 
[BEGONIA KNOWSLEYANA. 
Old but valuable is this Begonia. I have seen it occasionally in my 
travels, but its name was not known. At Longleat it was also name¬ 
less, but on a spray being compared with the varieties flowering 
in the fine collection at Ivew its identity was determined, and now 
that the name of this useful variety is known the plant must be more 
largely grown ; but it needs to be grown well to bring out its full 
beauty, and this fortunately is easy enough. At Longleat the plants 
are in G-inch pots, and are about 18 inches high and the same in dia¬ 
meter. They are clothed with large drooping panicles of blush white 
flowers, which show with great effect from the dark green foliage. 
The great value of this variety is its amenability for cutting. You 
can cut and come again for months, for as soon as a spray is severed 
others are produced with flowers from every joint. It appears to be 
a white form of B. insignis, and for winter decoration it is unques¬ 
tionably worthy of attention. Now that the name is ascertained Mr. 
Taylor will probably tell us what he knows of this plant and describe 
his mode of culture. I think he said it came true from seed, but I 
am open to his correction on this point. Be that as it may, it is most 
useful, and must not be forgotten; neither must the equally useful 
and totally distinct B. semperflorens grandiflora, as grown at Marston. 
Another change to brightness again, but not yet so dazzling as the 
effect will be a month hence, for shortly there will be, about the 
time of the Royal visit, a right royal display of 
GESNERAS. 
Hundreds of these beautiful plants are grown—beautiful in foliage 
and brilliant in flowers. Only three forms are represented—G. zebrina 
with its rich velvety foliage and its loose spikes of orange-scarlet 
flowers. This is the first of the trio, and is commencing flowering, and 
will continue in beauty for a long time. Before it is over G. refulgens, 
with its dark plush-like foliage and closer spikes of bright flowers, 
will be in and last all winter; then succeeds G. cinnabarina, fiery in 
colour, handsome in foliage, and excellent in habit; its broad dense 
pyramidal spike rendering the plant most valuable for many decora¬ 
tive purposes, and the colour is highly effective under artificial light. 
Gesneras should be grown by all who have the means of growing 
them, for few if any stove plants are more strikingly beautiful from 
autumn until spring ; they are also of easy culture. The tubers need 
potting during June, and the after-management of the plants, where 
potted in good soil, consists chiefly in careful watering. Handsome 
plants can be grown in 5 and 6-inch pots, and these pots are gene¬ 
rally employed at Longleat, but for certain purposes larger plants 
are required, and more pot room is given accordingly. 
ROOM AND TABLE DECORATION. 
Mr. Taylor has no conservatory to keep gay, but the mansion must 
be regularly furnished with plants, and not a few are requisite for 
furnishing it effectively. On this, however, it is not necessary to 
dwell, and the subj ct is alluded to for the purpose of noticing the 
style of table decoration that is adopted. It may be termed the 
