412 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 4, 1880. 
every instance ” could not without this explanation be supposed 
j to refer only to the three in question ; but even if he intended his 
rc marks only to be so applied, it seems very bold and decided to 
afl rm that the generally received opinion with regard to the 
Potato disease and Peach blister is altogether erroneous. I have 
certainly seen the foliage of the Potato plants injured by the 
mycelium, and the spots so produced, long before the legiti¬ 
mate functions of the foliage had been fulfilled. There can be 
very little doubt in the minds of most persons who have taken 
notice of the spread of the disease, that under certain favourable 
atmospheric conditions and on wet or cold soils the disease will 
progress most rapidly, especially when the plants are too close 
together or growing in confined spaces, and that the proper 
functions of the leaves and haulms are arrested before the tubers 
have completed their growth. Mr. Luckhurst’s remarks about the 
Dr. Hogg Peach not suffering again from the blister after it was 
covered with glass does not in the least prove in my mind that 
the disease itself is not caused by a fungus, or rather that the 
blister is ever found without the fungus. There can be little 
doubt the cold spring winds predispose the leaves to this disease, 
but are not the actual cause of the disease. 
While on the subject of Potatoes and Potato disease, I venture 
to say that many Potatoes vary so much from the nature of the 
soil in which they are grown and the treatment received, that the 
sorts which succeed in one place do not come to perfection in 
another, or are much deteriorated. I have at one time or another 
tried a great many varieties, and have found that many which 
succeed in good soil and favourable seasons are inferior in others. 
Unfortunately some of the best varieties, as the Ashtop Fluke, 
Lapstone, Snowflake, Myatt’s Prolific, and others, are more liable 
to disease. The Scotch Champion have proved very good with 
me in light soil, but they require plenty of room so as to have air 
and light; the same may be said of the Magnum Bonum and 
Red-skinned Flourball. It is a pity that in judging Potatoes 
more attention is not paid to quality rather than quantity, as in 
many instances I have seen the premier prizes carried off by 
Potatoes not fit for a gentleman’s table, and this, if I may judge 
from the accounts given, was much the case at the last large 
Exhibition at the Crystal Palace.—C. P. P. 
No one can fairly object to positive statements provided 
they are supported by a reasonable show of facts, but when a 
generally accepted opinion founded on undeniable evidence is 
assailed something more than mere positiveness is requisite. 
Every man is entitled to enjoy his opinion, but before making it 
public he should at least be at the trouble of obtaining proofs of 
sufficient weight to lender it worthy of consideration. This I 
maintain Mr. Luckhurst has not done, for I fail to perceive in 
the whole of his communications one fact that is not conformable 
to the fungoid origin of the Potato disease and Peach blister. I, 
too, write “for gardeners and gardening,” and it was a desire 
that doubtful statements should not go unanswered which first 
prompted me to enter on this discussion. Mr. Luckhurst must 
be aware that he occupies a high position among horticultural 
writers, and consequently an opinion from him would possess 
much more weight than from anyone of less acknowledged ability 
as a practical man. It is for this reason that he should be careful 
in what he writes to avoid propagating errors which are always 
likely to be accepted when supported by authority. 
In his last communication he has gone wide of the subject, 
whether from inadvertence or a desire to obtain a champion for 
his cause I know not, but in either case it is plain that he in¬ 
effectually endeavours to draw support from “Northern Gar¬ 
dener’s” remarks upon lifting Potatoes, which had no reference 
to the cause of the disease. Why does Mr. Luckhurst still con¬ 
tinue to ignore the questions I put to him ? I have met all his 
statements and questions fairly and openly, why does he not act 
similarly ? However, even at the risk of repeating myself, I 
submit the following facts to his consideration, and I challenge 
him to prove them incorrect before he can reasonably assume to 
have established his opinion. The fungus Peronospora infestans 
produces by its action on the substance of the stem, leaves, and 
tubers of the Potato that condition which we term Potato disease. 
The same disease first appeared in this country attended by the 
fungus ; neither had been previously known here, and the disease 
is never found without the fungus. Peach blister is similarly 
attended by the fungus Ascomyces deformans, which is known to 
possess the power of injuring the tissues of the leaves, producing 
the appearances that characterise the disease ; whereas cold wind, 
though acting injuriously upon tender foliage, does not produce a 
similar condition, but causes shrivelling or a brown scorch-like 
appearance. 
As to the conditions that favour the growth of these two fungi, 
the following facts are generally accepted and are in accordance 
with my experience. First, regarding the Potato disease, it has 
been proved that a particular temperature and moisture are requi¬ 
site ; and further, if the former be sufficiently high, the greater 
the abundance of moisture the more prevalent and disastrous the 
disease proves, consequently anything that tends to promote the 
accumulation of water in the soil or atmosphere has an equal 
tendency to encourage the growth of the fungus. When moisture 
is so abundant the plant becomes charged with water, either rapid 
growth ensues, thus forming loose tissue that the mycelium of 
the fungus can readily penetrate, or the flow of the sap becomes 
temporarily checked, as, if the moisture is not disposed of by 
evaporation or growth, absorption is diminished, and there is an 
approach to stagnation that may also be a condition suitable to 
the fungus which then commences the destruction of the tissues. 
We can on these views understand why in very light, well-drained, 
or sandy soils there is little disease, that wide planting is bene¬ 
ficial, and that those varieties with erect firm woody stems and 
abundant foliage are better enabled to resist the attacks of the 
fungus, because they can dispose of a great quantity of moisture 
either in growth or by evaporation from their more extensive 
foliage surface. 
“ Interloper’s ” statement that cells are burst by the ab¬ 
sorption of abundant moisture is utterly indefensible. Cells 
are connected with each other, and it is through the walls that 
the sap passes in rising to the leaves. The growth or degree of 
evaporation from the foliage determines the rapidity of the ab¬ 
sorption. When the former diminish the latter decreases also ; so 
that as the amount of moisture in the cells is determined by the 
general requirements of the whole plant, the quantity will be 
greatest when the demand is greatest, provided there be sufficient 
moisture in the soil; but as then the sap is rapidly passed on to 
supply other parts of the plant it has no tendency to cause burst¬ 
ing ; consequently, according to “Interloper,” the cells must be 
burst by an amount of moisture which is less than the greatest 
they can contain—an obvious impossibility. I may remark that 
most of “Interloper’s” other statements as to the conditions 
under which Potato disease appears are very reasonable. 
I have previously stated that I regard unripened wood as one 
of the chief conditions that favour the production of Peach blister, 
and from further observation and reflection I am confirmed in 
that opinion, but the subject requires investigation. Mr. Luckhurst 
might have seen from my remarks on this point at page 368 that 
I considered Peach trees under glass are less liable to blister 
owing to the wood being better matured.—S. 
LAPAGERIAS AND OTHER PLANTS AT SOUTHGATE. 
“Why do they call you Lapageria Tom ?” was the question put 
to Mr. Howard, the very successful owner of the largest Lapageria 
manufactory in the world. “ I don’t know, except that my name 
is William,” was the quaint reply ; and having heard so much of 
him and his work I very cordially accepted the offer of my excel¬ 
lent friend Mr. Horace Mayor of Winham Hill, when staying 
with him, to drive me over to his establishment. Now I had seen 
Lapagerias, as I have stated, at Messrs. Fisher, Son, & Sibray’s at 
Handsworth. I had wondered at the numbers of plants, at the 
rapid manner in which they were propagated, and the successful 
manner in which they were grown ; but having seen both places 
I am at a loss what to say. The method of propagating is the 
same—viz., that of growing them in beds and layering the shoots, 
from the axils of which a plant starts forth, so that multiplication 
proceeds very rapidly. But there is one difference in the method 
of culture—they are grown in a much cooler temperature at 
Southgate than at Handsworth. Indeed they are treated almost 
as if hardy, certainly not regarded as tender as a Geranium, and 
I saw a whole frameful of plants which had never had any fire 
heat. Houses are specially devoted to them, where they are 
trained up to the roof much in the manner in which pot Vines 
are found in May, and in this way they bloom most profusely— 
ropes of bloom with twenty or thirty blossoms on them ; and on 
turning out one of the pots to show me how they rooted I was 
astonished to see the mass of strong fleshy roots that they con¬ 
tained, in fact ready for a pot twice the size. The object, indeed, 
of Mr. Howard seems to have been to get as much health and 
vigour into the roots as possible, and this he has attained with a 
corresponding strength of growth. It seems that one has to be 
very particular in touching the young shoots, for they almost 
invariably die away when that is carelessly done. Such success as 
has been obtained both at Sheffield and here in the propagation of 
Lapagerias must soon bring this very beautiful plant within the 
reach of everybody who has a greenhouse. 
Another speciality of Mr. Howard’s is the very beautiful Chrys- 
