December i4, 1882 . ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 547 
disintegrate silicates, first of all accelerate the decomposition of 
the silicates by the action of the carbonic acid generated in the 
process of decay ; and then, as these substances diminish the 
absorptive power of the soil for silicic acid, as soon as this acid 
has passed into solution it is distributed through the soil more 
widely than would have been the case had these substances not 
been present.” 
But even yet we have not exhausted all the beneficial influences 
on the growth of plants which the carbonic acid resulting from 
the decomposition of decaying vegetable matter and humus exert ; 
but the consideration of these further influences I must postpone 
to another and concluding letter on humus.— Inquired. 
(To ba continued.) 
f COAL TAR AND CLAY v. MEALY BUG ON VINES. 
In answer to your correspondent “ C. M.” I beg to inform him 
that Mr. Murray’s recipe for destroying mealy bug on Vines is 
equal parts of coal tar (common gas tar), clay, and water tho¬ 
roughly incorporated by frequent stirrings until the whole mixture 
becomes of the consistency of cream. It can then be applied 
j freely to cover the bark and buds, and the filling-up of all holes 
and crevices, without fear of it doing the slightest injury to the 
Vines. I had the early house of Vines here painted with the 
mixture yesterday, and I feel confident, after Mr. Murray’s ex¬ 
perience, that it will destroy the mealy bug and do no injury to 
the Vines.—A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens , Cardiff. 
In reply to “ C. M.” on page 524, I have to inform him that it 
was common gas tar that was used here, about a fourth of tar to 
equal quantities of clay and water, one man keeping it well 
stirred during the time that another man was applying it to the 
Vines, rubbing it well over all the cane, eyes included. We had 
some Lady Downe’s more affected with bug than any others, and 
were prepared to remove them in spring if they suffered from the 
treatment we gave them. In their case the tar was used much 
stronger than the quantity given above, but the dressing had not 
the slightest ill effect, as the eyes broke as freely as those on the 
other canes in the same house. We paint all the wires and rafters 
in the vineries with paraffin oil, a3 it is no use trying to get 
rid of mealy bug on Vines by cleansing the Vines only.— David 
Murray, The Gardens, Culzean Castle. 
GRAPES FOR SEPTEMBER. 
Your correspondent, “ J. E. R. I.,” asks some questions about 
Grapes which I venture to reply to. In the first place, there can 
be no doubt that the Muscat Hamburgh is a Grape of splendid 
quality. Its chief fault is that it sets badly, but with adequate 
attention in regard to artificial impregnation this can be over¬ 
come. I would crop it lightly, give it a Muscat temperature 
with plenty of air, when such can be given without cooling the 
house too much. I would rather have it on its own roots than on 
any other stock, though it does well on the Black Hamburgh with 
the extra attention above referred to. 
In regard to the Duke of Buccleuch I would advise your corre¬ 
spondent to try it on its own roots, if such a course is convenient 
for him ; if not, he need not hesitate to graft it on the Black 
Hamburgh or a Muscat, as I have had it on these stocks and 
found it do remarkably well. The border being all inside in the 
house is much in favour of the Duke. If “ J. E. R. I.” simply 
wants Grapes for the table, and especially if they are not to be 
subjected to packing and travelling, he might safely plant the 
four kinds he mentions—viz., Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat 
Hamburgh, Duke of Buccleuch, and Madresfield Court. These 
varieties, if started about the middle of February and generously 
treated in regard to heat and judicious ventilation, should be in 
good condition for the table by the middle of September. 
I would advise that the Duke and Madresfield Court be planted 
together at one end of the house, and if possible a watertight 
division put in the border, so that they could be treated to less 
water at the roots than the other two ; but they could be kept drier 
than the others without such a division. This is one of the essen¬ 
tial points in the successful cultivation of the Duke and Madres¬ 
field Court. When they are given too much water cracking is 
almost sure to result. Let the directions that have already been 
given for the cultivation of the Duke be followed, such as always 
maintaining a succession of young rods. In pruning leave three 
or four eyes, selecting the most fruitful shoot when such can be 
decided upon, rubbiDg off the rest. A touch with a feather when 
in bloom is an attention well repaid in the case of the Duke as 
well as the Muscat Hamburgh. Should the Duke show signs of 
cracking, notwithstanding careful watering, a nick with a knife 
on the laterals the bunches are on between the bunch and the 
main stem is of great assistance in stopping the evil. Success with 
any Grape can only be attained by giving Vines all the conditions 
favourable to them. Good borders, and keeping them so with 
good cultivation, are needed to be permanently successful with 
any variety of Grape. Taking it for granted that “ J. E. R. I.” 
is both able and willing to supply these essentials, I have no 
hesitation in advising him to plant the four kinds mentioned. 
They combine so many good qualities that the difficulties that 
attend their cultivation should not deter anyone from growing 
them. They can be made to do perfectly well in the same house, 
always remembering about the watering of them. 
There are other Grapes that “ J. E. R. I.” might grow for use 
in September. What says he to the grand old favourite Black 
Hamburgh ? Surely he does not esteem it lightly. He might 
have it, Foster’s Seedling, and Buckland Sweetwater for September 
use, but they are deficient in flavour when compared with the first 
mentioned varieties. Some growers lay great stress on the neces¬ 
sity for lean-to houses for Muscats. My experience is that either 
lean-to or span-roofed structures can be made to produce first- 
rate Grapes. I would advise “ J. E. R. I.,” if he plants the four 
high-class Grapes and is successful with them, to use the Duke 
and Madresfield Court, first allowing the Muscats to have a little 
longer time to ripen.—V itis. 
[This article is written by one of the most experienced and 
successful cultivators of Grapes in Great Britain, and we quite 
agree with him on the merits of the varieties recommended when 
all of them are well grown.] 
At a General Meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society, 
held on Tuesday last, Geo. F. Wilson, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair, 
the following candidates were unanimously elected Fellows, 
viz. :—Colonel Beddome, General Duke, Mrs. General Duke, 
Arthur George Grote, Henry W. W. Nutting. 
- “ W.” observes :—“ There is now a fine display of green¬ 
house Rhododendrons of the Princess Royal type in bloom 
in the Handsworth Nurseries, Sheffield. Four or five large houses 
are quite filled with specimen and half-specimen plants, all in the 
most vigorous health, and more or less covered with large trusses 
of bloom. The stock of plants at these nurseries numbers many 
thousands. 
- “ In the same nurseries Orchids are now grown in very 
large numbers. There is also a fine display of Cypripediums in 
Sower, including the new C. Spicerianum. In one of the cool 
houses there are upwards of a hundred plants in bloom of 
Masdevallia tovarensis, the pure white blooms of which are most 
valuable made up into sprays, wreaths, &c., for ladies’ wear, also 
as buttonhole flowers for gentlemen. 
- “ In a house filled with Pelargoniums, Regal and French 
varieties, I noticed a large group of a variety called Madame 
Chas. Konig, every plant of which is now flowering freely, and 
as the blooms are pure white without any markings whatever 
they are most valuable for cutting. Mr. Williams, the able indoor 
foreman, tells me it is the most free and continuous-blooming of 
any variety ; in fact, while the plants are growing freely it is 
never without blooms.” 
- Mr. G. G. Kertice writes:—“ Allow me to correct an 
error into which your correspondent has fallen in connection 
with the Calanthes at the Manchester Show which ob¬ 
tained a first-class commendation. They were exhibited by my 
employer, John Allen, Esq., of Oldfield Hall, Altrincham, and 
not by Messrs. Dickson, Brown Sc Tait, as reported in the Journal 
of November 23rd, 1882.” 
