November 9,1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
423 
9tli 
10 th 
Tn 
P 
Brixton Chrysanthemum Show (two days). 
nth 
s 
12 th 
Sun 
23rd Sunday after Trinity. 
18th 
M 
Stoke Newington (two days) and Lambeth (three days) Chrys¬ 
anthemum Shows. 
14th 
TU 
Royal Horticultural Society (Fruit and Floral Committees at 
11 A.M.). Southampton (two days), Tooting, Putney, 
Twickenham, Walton, and Plymouth Shows. 
Bristol (two days) and Westminster Aquarium (two days) 
Shows. 
15th 
W 
THE CUCUMBER DISEASE. 
BELIEVE there are at least two distinct forms 
Cucumber disease, but I have only made 
the acquaintance of one, and I can assure your 
readers that this is quite sufficient. Where a 
x daily supply of fruits has to be maintained 
throughout the year with limited convenience 
the task is not always an easy one, as accidents 
will sometimes happen. But, accidents and 
diseases excepted, it is quite possible to have an un¬ 
broken supply of Cucumbers for many years ; and if 
my memory serves me right I had such an one for at least 
half a dozen years, then came a change. The nature of the 
disease which has been so troublesome I have not been able 
to ascertain satisfactorily, but I have discovered how it came 
and how it may be extirpated. 
I had hitherto grown but one variety and saved the seed. 
This variety may not be the handsomest, and certainly the fruit 
from that is not the largest with which I am acquainted, but it 
bears freely in winter and the flavour is good. However, it was 
not good enough for an assistant who had charge of the Cucum¬ 
ber house, and a reputed better variety was introduced without 
my knowledge, “just one plant” among the rest to see the 
difference. Well, the difference was remarkable, for the new 
comer had no sooner commenced showing fruit than each of the 
said fruit, amongst other vagaries, attempted to describe a semi¬ 
circle, and, as I had not been accustomed to see my Cucumbers 
behave in this way before, the matter was inquired into and the 
truth revealed. It was just one of those cases in which gar¬ 
deners may fervently pray to be “ saved from their friends,” 
especially such amongst the latter as would do them “ good by 
stealth.” It is unnecessary to say that the semicircular-fruited 
variety was quickly despatched, and I was in hopes I had 
finished growing Cucumbers of that shape. But “ the evil men 
do lives after them,” and so did that of my friend’s Cucumber, 
for the whole stock somehow caught the bad habit, and semi¬ 
circular Cucumbers were the rule. It wms not, however, the 
shape only which was disappointing—that could be altered 
before they were sent to table—but there was a gummy sub¬ 
stance exuded from the fruits, many of them were quite bitter, 
and there was a difficulty in growing a sufficient quantity, as 
only a few of the fruits would swell at all. 
Various plans were tried to remedy the evil. Fresh seed 
was obtained from a source where the disease was unknown. 
It was raised in houses or frames some distance away from the 
old plants, and fresh vigorous young plants were placed in 
dung beds or clean houses as the case might be, but with no 
better result. The disease seemed to be in the air, and do 
what we would it appeared as if we could not escape it. 
But we will try again. It may be that the germs of the 
disease are capable of being carried by the attendants, or the 
implements which are used, and this theory at present has all 
the appearance of being the correct one. 
Plants were raised and grown in an old house quite away 
from those in which the disease was rife ; the attendant had 
his separate waterpots, &c.; he procured water from a different 
source, and had nothing to do with the houses where the diseased 
plants were. The latter were kept no longer than when the 
new plants commenced fruiting, and then, of course, they were 
carefully destroyed. Many readers will say, Why were they 
not destroyed at once ? But gardeners who have to maintain 
a perpetual supply of everything will not ask that question. 
The first isolated stock of plants did very well, and we started 
another lot for the summer on a dung bed. This was also 
kept isolated from the Cucumber house proper with the same re¬ 
sult. The house in which the diseased plants had been growing 
was fumigated with sulphur, every part that could be reached 
was scalded with boiling water, the walls were limewashel, 
the woodwork painted, and the house remained clear of Cucum¬ 
bers for four or five months, during which time no disease was 
seen on the place. Now, I am happy to say, we have plants 
in the same house in full bearing in the most perfect condition 
—a sight such as has not gratified my eyes for several years. 
It is plain, then, that nothing short of complete isolation and 
seed fresh from a healthy source will suffice. We had tried 
everything except isolating the attendant and his implements 
before and failed.—W. Taylor. 
CEANOTHUSES FOR BEDDING. 
Ceanothuses are generally regarded as wall-covering plants, 
and for this purpose most, if not all of them, are admirably 
adapted ; but it may not be known to alt men that some of 
the varieties at least are equally well suited for growing in the 
form of bushes in borders, or for filling large flower beds effec¬ 
tively. But such is undoubtedly the case, and thus grown 
they are at least as effective as when trained to walls, and, 
what is more, form masses of chaste blue flowers in the autumn, 
such as can be equalled by few, if any, other plants, hardy or 
tender, that are employed in gardens. 
There is great diversity in the habits of the species and 
varieties of Ceanothuses, just as there is in the characters of 
Fuchsias. Some Fuchsias, as all know, are suitable for train¬ 
ing up pillars, while others of more sturdy growth are equally 
well adapted for planting in borders and beds. For the latter 
purpose no one would think of growing such varieties as Lustre, 
Arabella, Champion of the World, and others of that type, but 
they would select such sturdy growers and free-bloomers as 
Rose of Castile, Ereeta Von Novelty, and Lady Ileyteslmry, 
standards or bushes of which produce a charming effect when 
planted out in flower gardens in summer. It is precisely the 
same with Ceanothuses. For bedding such species as C. azu- 
reus, C. divaricatus, and C. rigidus must not be chosen, but a 
few others that will be named of sturdier growth, and which 
afford large lavender, pink, and white racemes in profusion. 
They require, too, precisely the same treatment as Fuchsias, 
No. 124— Vol. V., Third Series. 
No. 1780.—Vol. LXVH1.. Old Series. 
