JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 26, 1882. ] 
381 
greatest number of failures in frame culture of Violets result from 
excessive “ coddling.” Fairly well-prepared Violets, properly 
planted at the present time, having a light well-ventilated posi¬ 
tion, will certainly be found of great service in affording a 
continuous supply of blooms.—W. Iggolden. 
CUCUMBERS AND MELONS FAILING. 
When I came here in February, 1881, there were some very weak 
Cucumber and Melon plants planted, but I soon found they made 
no progress in their growth, the bottom leaves continually decay¬ 
ing as if they were scorched. I obtained some strong plants and 
placed them in another house, but the leaves decayed in just the 
same manner as the others, and eventually died. I removed those, 
and I afterwards procured fresh plants and discontinued fire heat. 
These grew fast, and we cut a fine lot of Cucumbers from them 
until we recommenced fire heat, when all the plants died in the 
same manner. Last spring we experienced a similar trouble 
until we discontinued fire heat; since then we have had a good 
supply. We have every convenience that can possibly be had for 
growing them well, and they are treated suitably in every respect, 
notwithstanding they die in the manner I above stated. I think 
the fault must be the pipes, for it seems every two years they are 
painted with a brick-red paint, and probably this is the cause of 
the mischief. I should be glad to know the opinion of any reader 
on the subject, as well as the best way to cleanse the pipes. 
Melons and Cucumbers are not the only plants affected, for others, 
especially Maidenhair Ferns, die in the same way.—J. Heath. 
MANURES. 
I prefer good farmyard manure to all artificials, but it is not 
always obtainable. This year I tried the Crown Manure Com¬ 
pany’s improvers and complete manures, and perhaps your readers 
may be interested in the results. Unfortunately I received the 
Improver for mixing with farmyard manure and applying to Po¬ 
tatoes too late in the season to give it a fair trial. It was properly 
mixed and applied when earthing-up the Potatoes, with no result 
in the earliest Potatoes; with the second early Potatoes it pro¬ 
longed the growth of the haulm and slightly increased the bulk of 
produce ; with the later Potatoes, such as Improved Peachblow, 
it considerably increased the produce. Next year I intend to apply 
it at the time of planting, when I shall obtain a more satisfactory 
test. 
Improver for Turnips I applied in two ways—by ploughing in 
and by harrowing in. I also tried it mixed with farmyard ma¬ 
nure, and by itself. The half acre I ploughed in was one-half 
Improver mixed, and other half unmixed. The result is contrary 
to my expectation. I have a splendid lot of Carter’s Early Jersey 
Lily all over, but they are better where no farmyard manure was 
applied. The tops are singularly small, but with fine Turnips 
beneath. They are all a garden Turnip should be for quality. 
Where I harrowed the Improver in without farmyard manure the 
tops are larger, the Turnips fine, and they decidedly grew much 
quicker. I give the preference to ploughing-in rather than 
harrowing when the season is not late. 
Complete manure for Cabbages I ploughed-in, and planted 
Savoys, Brussels Sprouts, and Broccoli. I am much pleased with 
the results. They all look well ; and although some of the Brussels 
Sprouts were planted as late as the 12th of July, yet I find there 
are some sprouts fit to pick now (October 16th). The manure 
seemed to push them on at an early date after planting. 
In conclusion I may say that I should judge that if the Improver 
were mixed with farmyard manure and applied to Potatoes at time 
of planting the results would be satisfactory, judging from my 
imperfect trial. For Turnips I think very highly of the Improver. 
For Brussels Sprouts and the Cabbage family I think the manure 
excellent. This manure, I may add, I applied to one side of a 
bed of Onions, and native guano to the other side. The produce 
from the Crown Manure was far the heavier. You will observe 
I tried two classes of Improvers and one complete manure.— 
H. S. E., Great Totliam. 
Potatoes. — I have tried nearly forty varieties of Potatoes this 
year, and of these only twelve have satisfied me, and they are as 
follows :—St. Patrick, good cropper, free from disease; Wormleigh- 
ton’s Seedling, similar ; White Elephant, great cropper, but diseased ; 
Beauty of Hebron, excellent in all respects ; Yeitch’s Ashleaf, good 
cropper and good quality ; Wiltshire Snowflake, the best of all; 
Peerless Rose, handsome, good cropper ; Yicar of Laleham, similar 
qualities ; Improved Peachblow, great cropper ; Trophy, very hand¬ 
some, good cropper ; Dalmahoy, best-flavoured Potato grown, and 
good cropper; Holborn Favourite, great cropper. Of these twelve I 
prefer as an early Veitch’s Ashleaf; medium, Wiltshire Snowflake 
and Dalmahoy ; late, Wormleighton’s Seedling. Beauty of Hebron, 
early, can well be added to these.—H. S. E., Great Totham. 
“THE BLACK DAHLIA." 
Like some other popular names the above has the merit of 
simplicity, and but for the fact that the plant to which it is 
applied is not a Dahlia, and the flowers are not black, it would be 
as suitable a designation as any other. It is true that the title 
botanists have honoured the plant with has not the first-mentioned 
merit, and doubtless there are some to whom Cosmos diversifolius 
atrosanguineus would appear almost as formidable as certain 
Mexican or Aztec names which so freely abound in unpronounce¬ 
able combinations of consonants. Perhaps, therefore, as a kind 
of compromise between the correct and the incorrect, the few 
syllable's and the many, “ the Black Cosmos ” might be suggested 
as a desirable equivalent or substitute for Black Dahlia. 
Before, however, this can be considered as settled satisfactorily 
it will be necessary to explain how the title Dahlia was first 
applied to this plant and why it is incorrect. Mr. W. Taylor, in 
the last issue of this Journal, quaintly remarked that “aliases 
in the plant world are generally indications of merit, and convey 
altogether a different impression to aliases borne by men and 
women and if this be true our little Cosmos has an additional 
