250 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 14, 1882. 
Dr. jH. T. Wharton, M.A., F.L.S. For Mosses, Lichens, 
and Phanerogams—Professor Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S., Dr. Braith- 
waite, F.L.S., F.R.M.S., &c., E. M. Holmes, Esq., F.L.S., W. W. 
Reeves, Esq., F.R.M.S. The Club will assemble in the Woods 
about one o’clock, the rendezvous being the large sedgy glade in 
Monk Wood. Tea will be provided for members and visitors, after 
which a discussion of the gatherings and discoveries of the day 
will take place, and the following papers and notes will be read ; 
“ Some Observations upon the Reproduction of the Uredine«,” by 
C. B. Plowright, M.R.C.S. “ On the Rhizocarpeie,” by Prof. 
Boulger, F.L.S., F.G.S. “On Fairy Rings,” by Worthington G. 
Smith, F.L.S., F.R.H.S. “On Marine Algm,” by E. M. Holmes, 
F.L.S. “ Fungi as Food,” by Dr. Wharton, M.A., F.L.S. Persons 
desirous of joining the party can obtain all particulars and in¬ 
structions by communicating as soon as possible with Mr. W. 
Cole, Buckhurst Hill. 
- “ Salopian ” writes :—“ Would some of your correspon¬ 
dents state if they consider yellow A good colour to use in 
TABLE DECORATIONS under gas or any artificial light 1 I have 
seen it stated, I believe by Mr. E. Luckhurst in the Journal, that 
it is not a good colour to use, while several of my friends who 
have been prizewinners assert that it is. Perhaps this question 
may elicit information from one or two sources that would be 
conclusive.” 
- In reference to the variability of the Rose Madame 
Gabriel Luizet, “Duckwing” writes “Possibly the charac¬ 
ter of this Rose varies under different circumstances. On my two 
original plants purchased on Manetti stocks in 1879 I have about 
a dozen buds and blooms ; on nine standards budded in 1880 and 
1881 I have a single bloom among them. On Magna Charta, 
which its raiser considers doubtful as a Perpetual, I have eight 
blooms on one stand, one on another, and none on the remaining 
eighteen.” “A Northern Amateur” also writes A plant 
of Rose Madame Gabriel Luizet, from which I formerly had one 
or two beautiful blooms, is at present set with five buds, two of 
which should expand within a week.” And the Rev. J. A. 
Williams, Alderminster Vicarage, sends us two flowering shoots of 
this Rose, stating, “ You will see where I have cut flowers earlier 
in the season. I have but four plants of this Rose, and but one of 
them is really a Perpetual. I have budded from this one only. 
This one tree is aJ.horough Perpetual.” Mr. J. Brown, Great 
Doods, Ileigate, also writes “In a recent issue ‘ D., Deal,' ex¬ 
pressed some doubt as to the above Rose being perpetual. I beg 
to say that I have cut two blooms of it during the last few days, 
and have other buds showing. It has also flowered recently in a 
neighbouring rosarian’s garden ; therefore it has a tendency to be 
perpetual, but not so free as many varieties. No doubt by bud¬ 
ding from those shoots which flower in autumn would tend to 
make it more perpetual.” 
- The July number of the Agricultural Students' Gazette 
(Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester) contains an article by 
Professor E. Kinch on the Soy Bean (Soja hispida). This 
Bean, of which there are a dozen or more varieties known in the 
East, is very largely used as an article of food in Japan and China, 
wheie it is manufactured not only into soy, now exported in con¬ 
siderable quantities to Europe, but also into bean cheese and 
other forms of food. The Soy Bean in its proximate composi¬ 
tion approaches more nearly to animal food than auy other known 
vegetable production, being singularly rich in fat and in albumi¬ 
noids, and it is therefore a valuable adjunct to the food of the 
almost vegetarian Japanese. Of late years, especially since the 
Vienna International Exhibition, many efforts have been made to 
acclimatise this Bean in various parts of the European continent, 
chiefly in Hungary and Germany. France and Italy have also 
attempted it, and some of the experiments have been fairly 
successful. We notice that Professor Kinch is trying to grow 
some of the varieties in the botanic garden at Cirencester ; and 
though our climate is probably too uncertain and the temperature 
often too low for most of the varieties to attain perfection, still if 
any of them could be acclimatised a valuable leguminous cross 
would be added to our present list. The paper contains detailed 
analyses of the Bean as grown in different countries, of several of 
the foods made from it, of its straw, which is a useful fodder, and 
of the ash of the bean and straw. —( Nature ). 
CANKER IN MELONS. 
This is often very troublesome among late crops of Melons, 
and is most prevalent among the, apparently, most healthy and 
vigorous plants, and especially so in dull weather. The plants 
look the picture of health until a bright day comes, when they 
suddenly flag, and no attention will revive them. But the expe¬ 
rienced cultivator will detect the disease on its first appearance, 
when the bark takes the form of a brown spongy substance, gene¬ 
rally at the base of the stem first, and rapidly spreading upwards 
and inwards. Immediately this is seen scrape the diseased parts 
clean with a knife and apply hot lime, rubbing it in with the 
finger and thumb until a good coating of it adheres to the stem. 
If taken in time this will generally stop the disease, but some¬ 
times a second or third application is necessary. At the same 
time stop all luxuriant shoots, keep the house dry, give only enough 
water to prevent flagging, and plenty of fire heat in dull weather, 
with ventilation in proportion. 
I lately saw one of the most successful instances of Melon cul¬ 
ture that has ever come under my notice at Messrs. T. Frost and 
Son8, the Bower Nurseries, Maidstone. The plants were growing 
in a span-roofed house running north and south on the west side^ 
and were planted in a very small portion of soil about 4 inches 
deep by 15 inches wide, placed on the surface of a pit filled with 
coal ashes, &c., which answered the purpose at other times of a 
cool bench to stand plants on, and was almost as firm as concrete ; 
but I have no doubt the roots had penetrated it, and derived a 
certain amount of sustenance from it. The plants were carrying 
a good crop of fruit of a useful size.— W. H. Divers, Burghleij. 
SOME INQUIRIES. 
I am desirous of knowing how to proceed with seed of Tro- 
pteolum speciosum. This plant has been remarkably fine this 
season, having grown through the last winter, began flowering 
in early summer, and still continues. It is the admiration of all 
who see it, and is now ripening seeds. Will some of the readers 
o.f the Journal be kind enough to say when and how is the best 
time to sow the seed and the mode of treatment, as I am anxious 
to raise some plants? As I have had many inquiries relative to 
establishing my plant, I hope this beautiful climber will soon be 
found in all gardens, as it ought to be. 
Tuberous Begonias —These have proved the most effective of 
our bedding plants this season, and now, though the weather is 
anything but favourable, they are the gayest of the gay. I am 
anxious to increase them in their separate colours ; can I do 
this by cuttings and divisions, or will there be a possibility of 
their coming true from seed ? I expect to see them in the 
foremost ranks of bedders, numerous as plants are for bedding 
purposes. 
Antirrhinum versicolor .—Years ago we used to have this as an 
annual, and it was thought much of by many, but I have lost 
sight of it for some time. I have been trying for some years to 
renew my acquaintance with it, but I cannot find it in any seed 
list, or hear of it by inquiring. Can any reader tell me anything 
of it ? 
Corydalis glauca .—This plant seems to have disappeared. We 
used to have it sow itself and flower in the spring. It was dis¬ 
tributed by the Horticultural Society many years ago. It is one 
of the very best of our hardy annuals. I should be glad to hear 
of its whereabouts.—J. H. 
Onions.— These have had many stops and starts this year, but on 
the whole the crops are well developed, the bulbs being large as a 
rule but very soft. Too much rain and sudden sunshine has caused 
many of the finest to split and decay in some cases. Trebons has done 
this to a great extent. The best way is to pull ad such up that are 
observed swelling a little too much to one side : indeed all which 
have attained a fair size now may be pulled up at once and dried. 
This may not be easily done in the open, but an airy shed will do as 
