120 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 7, 189'. 
They must then decide how many shoots they would carry up, but in 
arriving at their decision upon that point, they must be guided by the 
particular variety which they were desirous of cultivating. If the 
plants were strong they might have four or five blooms, but on an 
average he carried up four and permitted them to go on until they had 
made about a foot of growth. They would then be able to see which 
of the four were the stronger, and the weaker could be taken out. 
In July the pots should be arranged in long rows, on either side of a 
long path was as good a position as they could have, or in parallel rows 
in some place in the garden. Next month the buds would begin to set, 
but if they did so in the first fortnight in August they should be 
pinched off. 
Stimulants must not be used until the plants had begun to exhaust 
the soil in which they were potted. The only reason for giving them 
stimulants was because they were then going through a trial time, as it 
were, or because the food at the roots was exhausted, and they required 
it. He believed a mixture of cow and sheep manure was as good as 
they could find anywhere. They were accustomed to hear of all sorts 
of chemical manures, but they were rather dangerous to use, and unless 
they were thoroughly acquainted with their properties they would find 
that more harm than good was done by employing them. During this 
month also any amount of syringing would do a great deal of good. 
With regard to September, the lecturer pointed out that there were 
two kinds of buds, the “crown” and the “terminal.” The former 
generally gave fine large flowers, which took a long time to develop, 
whilst the other produced flowers of a brighter and better colour, and 
with not so large petals. Certainly the “ terminal ” buds made more 
perfect blooms, though they were not quite so large, but it was an extra¬ 
ordinary fact that, a though they took the “crown” buds the second 
week in August and the “ terminal ” in September, the two flowers 
would be at perfection at one and the same time. They must be very 
careful to give the plants all the room they could afford, and to tie the 
branches so that the various blooms were set out independently. The 
least bruise in the bud developed into a malformed flower, and the 
greatest possible care should be exercised in preventing the slightest 
bruise of any kind. If they only drew the back of a quill over a bud 
they would probably find a black mark across the flower when it 
subsequently developed. 
Watering, when the plants were under glass, should be very carefully 
done, and in order to keep the mildew in check a little flowers of sulphur 
should be used. He was of opinion that a little sulphate of ammonia 
did much towards helping the flowers to develop and to brighten the 
colours in some of those varieties in which they wanted to heighten the 
colour. He considered that excessive dressing, if not illegal, was at any 
rate an undesirable practice. He did not see how it was to be stopped, 
nor was it desirable to do so whilst it was conducted on something like 
proper principles. It commences, as far as he could judge, from the 
moment that the flower began to develop, and having noticed a mal¬ 
formed petal the grower removes it. When, however, it reached such a 
point (as he had known) as a man carving out the bad centre and taking 
that of another bloom and pinning it in its place, he must say that he 
was distinctly opposed to it. 
Mr. T. W. Howard, in moving a very hearty vote of thanks to the 
President for the lecture he had delivered, proved himself to be 
thoroughly conversant with the subject of the Chrysanthemum, and 
paid a high tribute to the services rendered by Mr. Holmes to the 
floral world. This was seconded by Mr. G. C. Young, and carried 
amid great enthusiasm. 
STRAWBERRIES. 
Although we cultivate about seventy-five varieties, we do so with 
a view to reduce them to twenty-five best in the future—plus the 
Alpines and Hautbois family ; and in order to do this we have taken 
notes, and our Strawberry foreman has done the same. The results— 
which were unanimous—may interest your readers. 
Best ten for quality and flavour Dr. Hogg, British Queen, John 
Powell, La Grosse Sucrhe, Yicomtesse de Thury, Keens’ Seedling, Presi¬ 
dent, Trollope’s Victoria, Lucas, and Countess. Many palates prefer a 
brisk acid flavour ; therefore Sir Charles Napier, Aromatic, Kimberley, 
and Eleanor would come in. 
Best twelve for crop: —Noble, Vicomtesse H. de Thury, President, 
Sir C. Napier, Sir J. Paxton, Aromatic, Helena Gloede, John Powell, King 
of the Earlies, Jubilee, Newton Seedling, TroPope’s Victoria. 
Largest half-dozen :—James Veitch, Noble, Helena Gloede, Sharpe’s 
No. 1, Sir Joseph Paxton, and Auguste Nica : se. 
These results are arrived at after a close examination through this 
season, and from one, two, and three-year-old beds. When a few fresh 
kinds and new ones under trial have had a fair chance some of the above 
may be superseded ; but in order to make up the twenty-five varieties 
we must add the following, which are just outside the boundaries above : 
—Filbert Pine and Waterloo. 
We find such close compact growers as Countess, Lucas, Dr. Hogg, 
Duke of Edinburgh, Jubilee, Hammonia, Frogmore Late Pine, and 
one sparse-foliaged variety—La Grosse Sucrhe—want planting closer 
together than usual—say, 21 by 12 inches—otherwise the radiation uf 
heat from the exposed soil reduces the crop ; and possibly they would be 
better if allowed to ramble all over the bed. They are really better in 
three-years beds than during the second year. We think Bicton Pine 
(which Mr. Barron calls White Carolina) should be planted in every 
garden, as it is invaluable in dry summers, as its ample foliage protects 
the fruit. In our opinion a good Strawberry should possess fine 
foliage, long footstalks, and a hardy constitution.— George Bunyabd, 
and Co., Maidstme. 
BIRDS, INSECTS, AND FRUIT. 
Mr. Hiam’s Views. 
A visit to Mr. J. Hiam, naturalist and fruit grower, The Wren’s 
Nest, Astwood Bank, Worcestershire, was described as follows in a 
recent issue of the Evesham Journal. Mr. Hiam’s observations are 
suggestive and useful: — 
“ Mr. Hiam, who is a member of the Evesham Experimental Insects 
Committee, stated that the psylla was very prevalent amongst the Apple 
trees. He also remarked that he thought that it would be a good thing - 
if the Experimental Committee met again before the autumn, because 
they had other pests to deal with besides the caterpillar, and notable 
amongst these were the psylla, the Apple weevil, the aphis, and others, 
which would require the serious consideration of the Committee. Mr. 
Hiam is a great believer, in the case of small and young trees which are 
easily accessible, of using a coating of thick limewash on the trees, so 
as to encase the eggs of the caterpillar, the psylla, the scale, and others, 
and he can show the visitor several instances where this dressing has 
achieved the most excellent results. He used two brushes, and painted! 
the stems and the branches of the trees. It will be seen that this 
process is impracticable in the case of large plantations and old trees. 
Mr. Hiam, however, thinks perhaps that it might be successfully carried 
out by means of a hop-washing machine or a strawsonizer, supposing 
that the nozzle was large enough and the liquid thick enough. 
“ Before inspecting the orchard Mr. Hiam alluded to the good small 
birds did, and casually observed that at the evening meeting held some 
time ago at Evesham, when he gave a lecture on birds and insects, it 
was said that the common tom-tit did as much damage as any other 
bird which the gardeners were troubled with. He dissented from that 
view, his opinion being that they were most useful insect destroyers* 
and not fruit eaters. The bullfinch, on the contrary, is exceptionally 
fond of the bud, and not long since he shot a tom-tit and two bullfinches 
for the purpose of confirming or refuting his opinion. The result has- 
been just as he foretold. The inside of the tit contained nothing but 
blight, while that of the bullfinch, one of which was feeding on the 
Plums and the other on the Gooseberries, contained the inside of the 
bud. Mr. Hiam is strongly of opinion that tom-tits should be preserved 
in the gardens. He also advocates, not the destruction, but the capture 
of the bullfinch. This he considers the more humane treatment, and it. 
is also more remunerative, as bullfinches are still looked upon as song 
birds, and can be turned into money. They are also very easily caught 
at a certain time of the year, and he caught forty-two last winter. 
“ After some little time had been spent in examining these specimens, 
an inspection of the orchard was made. Mr. Hiam first drew attention 
to an Apple tree which was so badly blighted last year that when it was 
photographed there was not a leaf to be seen upon it. He placed a 
grease band around it, but as this was applied late it did not have quite 
as much effect as it should have had, and caterpillars appeared. It 
should be mentioned that he was unable to obtain good grease as early 
as he desired, and could not apply it until about the middle of 
November, which was at the least a month late. By that time several 
of the female moths had found their way up the tree, but nevertheless 
the grease bands proved death traps to some thousands. In this par¬ 
ticular tree, as soon as the caterpillar made its appearance, Mr. Hiam 
syringed with a solution of Paris green, and the result has been most 
satisfactory. The foliage looks exceedingly well, and although there is 
no fruit, which can hardly be wondered at considering the condition o£ 
the t'-ee last year, it looks healthy and in good form for a crop next 
year. By way of an experiment, Mr. Hiam left an Apple tree adjoining 
to take its chance, and the result is that there is no foliage at all on it. 
This is the same with another tree close by where no washing was 
resorted to. All the trees were greased at the same time. The most 
marked contrast in the whole of the orchard was in one large Apple tree 
which was greased as well as the others. Here the caterpillar also ap¬ 
peared, and on one side—about a third of the tiee—Mr. Hiam used a 
wash of London purple, leaving the other two-thirds alone. On the 
portion which was dressed the foliage is slightly scorched, but beyond 
that there is no damage done and there is no sign of the caterpillar. 
There is also a very good show of fruit, while on the other parts of the 
tree there is no fruit and very little foliage. A clearer proof than this 
could hardly be obtained. Another tree had been dressed with Petris 
green, and here the foliage is practically uninjured, and the fruit is as 
thick as the tree can very well bear. At the end of the orchard some 
high Elm trees overhang the fruit trees, and Mr. Hiam says that the 
wind shakes the caterpillars from the Elms on to his fruit trees, and he. 
was suffering a good deal of damage from this cause. An application of 
Paris green, however, soon disposed of the pest. With regard to an ap¬ 
plication of alum, Mr. Hiam said that at first he was inclined co recom¬ 
mend its use, as it appeared to kill the grub. As, however, the grub 
increased in size, it had no effect upon it, and he added that Mr. C. D. 
Wise was not far wrong when he said that the caterpillars liked alum. 
The trees on which this preparation had been used were quite devoid of 
foliage. 
“ With regard to the greasing, Mr. Hiam places the grease upon water¬ 
proof paper, and where there are any irregularities in the trunk of the 
tree or the bark, he fills it with a kind of cement made of lime and soot* 
to prevent the moths creeping under the band. On one tree he 
