1G0 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Au^US' 21, 1193. 
culture that we can put within the reach of all classes the most whole¬ 
some of foods. Fruits which were once known only as delicacies by the 
masses are now upon their tables daily in their respective seasons. As 
our population increases, farmers all through the great eastern and 
middle sections of the country cultivate mainly the smaller and more 
delicate products of the soil. The orchard, the garden, and the dairy 
will take the place of grain fields; and the farmer who plans to follow 
this line, content with moderate returns, will not be the one to exclaim 
that fruit-growing is unprofitable .—(American Agriculturist.') 
- The Potato Disease in Ireland.—A daily paper publishes 
the following gloomy intelligence :—“ At thh last meeting of the West- 
port Board of Guardians, Father O’Connor, P.P., Achill, said the Potato 
crop in Achill had failed entirely. It had been destroyed by the rains 
of the past three months. Mr. Denver stated that he had a distinct 
recollection of the great famine of 1847 and 1848, and he never remem¬ 
bered since then a worse appearance of the Potato crop than this year. 
The people had no Potatoes nor had they fuel. There were twenty 
Guardians present at the meeting from every part of the Union, and all 
agreed that the present condition of the Potato crop threatens a serious 
famine this winter. A resolution urging the speedy carrying out of a 
railway line from Westport to Mulranny, with a view to give employ¬ 
ment and relieve tie distress, was adopted unanimously. The spread of 
the Potato blight is daily becoming a matter of increasing anxiety to 
the people along the western seaboard, and each day’s rains adds to the 
probability of widespread destitution along the we^t coast. The Tuam 
Board of Guardians have passed a resolution calling on the Local 
Government Board to inquire into the matter, and similar resolutions, 
some of them expressing the gravest apprehensions, have been passed by 
the Newport (Co. Mayo), the Swinford, the Killala, and the Galway 
Board of Guardians. In the neighbourhood of Glenties (Co. Donegal), 
Potatoes have been almost completely destroyed. Equally unfavourable 
reports come from south and west Cork, and altogether the prospect is 
very discouraging.” 
- Primulas. —At the last meeting of the Walkley Floral and 
Horticultural Society, Mr. William Marshall read a short but pithy 
paper on the cultivation of the Chinese Primula. A few of his remarks 
applicable to the present time of the year may be noted. The compost 
for the flowering stage should consist of two parts fibrous loam, one 
part leaf soil, and one part silver sand, with a dash of Beeson’s manure 
or bone dust. This well mixed will be greatly improved if allowed to 
remain on the potting bench three or four days before being used. He 
recommended 48-size pots for the plants, and moderately low potting, to 
allow of a light top-dressing later on. After potting the plants are placed 
in a cold frame partially shaded, keeping it closed for a time ; after 
which the lights are removed, but placed on again in the case of heavy 
rain. About the middle of September they require to be taken into the 
greenhouse, and that is the time to apply the top-dressing. The free use 
of charcoal is good for the double varieties. They soon make roots into 
the top-dressing, and that prevents the swaying about of the plants, and 
renders them less liable to decay in the winter months. The tempera¬ 
ture for November, December, and January should range from 45° to 
50°, and as the days get longer 5° higher Among the best of the double 
varieties he recommended Marchioness of Exeter, a p’ain leaved variety 
with red stalks and beautiful white flowers ; White Lady, Alba plena, 
Prince of Wales, and Snowflake. 
- The Phylloxera in France and Germany.— A Paris 
correspondent telegraphs :—“ The phylloxera has invaded the Depart¬ 
ment of the Marne, whence comes all the French champagne. The 
Prefect of the Department has sent a report on the subject to the 
Minister of Commerce, which leaves no room for doubting the evil news. 
He says that the Vines over a band of country extending from Vincelles 
to Treloup have a pale yellow tinge instead of their natural green, and 
that the small fibrous roots are covered with nodosities. The Minister 
has sent M. Doutte, a professor of agricultural science, who studied the 
phylloxera in the south of France, to Epernay. He is instructed not to 
hesitate if he judges well to apply the Government rules for stamping 
out the disease. The Prefect says the whole country is terrified at the 
visitation.” A Berlin correspondent telegraphs :—“ The phylloxera has 
appeared on the Rhine, and the vineyards at Mayence, Bieberich, 
Rudesheim, Bingen, and other places are attacked. Great alarm pre¬ 
vails amongst the Vine growers.” 
- The 1890 Fruit Crop in America. —The New York Mer¬ 
cantile and Exchange Advocate says : —“As the season advances more 
complete reports from various sections indicate that the general fruit 
crop of 1890 will be the smallest for many years, which is to be regretted, 
from the fact also of a general feeling of depression in agricultural in¬ 
terests throughout the country. One favourable feature, however, is that 
those having partial crops will find their net results at the end of the 
year about equal to the seasons of full crops. This has been the result 
of the present truck crops in the South, which were likewise seriously 
damaged by the early frosts, but very remunerative prices have pre¬ 
vailed, and the expenses of harvesting and shipping have been ma¬ 
terially lessened. This will be true of the fruit crops, and more atten¬ 
tion can be given to the gathering and packing, and by thus improving 
the quality of the shipments their value may be enhanced. The loss 
most seriously felt by dealers and consumers generally will be that of 
the Peach crop, which is almost a total failure in all sections of the 
country except California, and it will be considered a luxury the pre¬ 
sent season. Its most natural substitute, the Pear, is also a general 
failure. The same severe frost which destroyed the Peach crops also 
blasted the Pear buds, and the late reports from many of the large 
Apple sections in the Hudson River counties and western New York 
state that a great deal of the young fruit is dropping from the trees, and 
there are indications of a short product from this principal source of 
supply. The early crops of fruits, such as Strawberries, Raspberries, 
and Currants, thus far have been unusually short, and seem to have 
fruited very lightly, which is also accounted for by the open winter, 
and then being followed by the severe frost during the time of the early 
development of the plants.” The American Agriculturist says :— 
“Apples appear to be scarce in all sections, and prices are likely to rule 
high. The supply of new App’es has increased from Virginia, Maryland, 
and New Jersey. For the small lots arriving 4 dols. to 5 dols. per barrel 
is about the rate. Evaporated Apples are more inquired for, with sales 
at ten to twelve cents per pound. The Apple crop of Nova Scotia 
will be below the average this season. Great ravages have been com¬ 
mitted by caterpillars, which have stripped whole orchards. The 
Canadian fruit crop promises to be a fair one on the whole. Peaches 
have escaped the warm and unfavourable weather of winter much better 
than in the great Peach-growing sections in the United States.” 
NEPENTHES BURKEI EXCELLENS. 
The beautiful Nepenthes Burkei introduced by Messrs. James 
Y eitch and Sons from the Philippi ne Islands thro ugh Mr. David B urke, 
after whom it is named, proves to be an exceedingly fine addition 
to a genus exceptionally rich in noble forms. It is remarkable, too, 
for being the most variable species of Nepenthes yet observed, in 
proof of which two very striking deviations from the type were 
exhibited by the firm at the meeting of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society on the 12th inst., under the names of N. Burkei 
excellens and N. Burkei prolifica. As distinguished from 
the type, the variety excellens (the subject of our illustration) 
has much larger and somewhat more cylindric pitchers that are 
more profusely and more richly coloured. The sharp-pointed 
lobed rim of the aperture is broader and of a rich chestnut red ; the 
spots on the pitcher are larger and more numerous ; the operculum 
or lid is also prettily spotted, while in the type this organ is almost 
destitute of spots. In strong contrast to the variety excellens 
stands the variety prolifica. This is a dwarfer plant that branches 
freely, the leaves are smaller, and the produced midrib is longer 
and more slender, so that the pitchers appear as if suspended by 
fine threads. The pitchers are much smaller than those of the 
type as well as those of the variety excellens, but are as richly 
coloured as the latter, especially the operculum or lid, on which the 
spotting is particularly attractive aud distinct. An award of merit 
was granted last week by the Floral Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society to the variety represented, and we think it 
more than deserves the honour accorded. 
SOUTH STONEHAM HOUSE. 
This, the newly acquired residence of S. Montagu, Esq., M.P., Presi¬ 
dent of the Royal Southampton Horticultural Society, has during the 
last few years become famous in the Southampton district for the 
excellent Grapes shown at the various exhibitions in the autumn in the 
southern part of Hants. Since the new owner came into possession on 
