August 21, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
163 
any rate, we say the vital power is weakened under these unnatural 
conditions, and in course of time the spot follows, and the variety 
“ wears out.” We have to get new varieties—not so much to improve 
the race as to keep it up to a fair standard. We have had hundreds 
of new kinds the past quarter of a century, all thought by good 
judges to be better than existing kinds, but really no better, and in 
many cases not so good as those they supplanted. I doubt if any 
variety now popular ever gave the yield Wilson’s Albany gave—if 
any give the delicious flavour of Burr’s Pine, or any compare in 
combined size, flavour, and productiveness with such as the good 
Dr. Knox of Pittsburg gave us in Jucunda. But these kinds are 
certainly no good now. Our nursery lost a good customer but a 
very few years ago through selling undoubted Albanys to a customer 
who ordered them, but could not be made to believe such worthless 
things were true. The new forms replace those which have 
degenerated, and will in turn degenerate and be replaced by others 
in turn. The wild forms in their cool shady homes can resist the 
“spot.” We never see it on them, but after a few years of the 
heat of open culture their power to resist is weakened, and they 
fall an easy prey. 
What is the “ spot ?” Botanists know it as a fungus, and name 
it Sphferella fragaria. Prof. Dudley of Cornell has recently given 
minutely its history, and the annexed cut is from the bulletin of 
the University. 
This minute fungus pushes its way through the cells of the leaf 
interior, destroying the structure, and we are enabled to see the 
result of their work in the spots appearing about the time the fruit 
is setting. The leaves in this condition can only perform half their 
work, and the result it that the whole system goes down rapidly, 
and plants from them take the same course. 
It is interesting to note how much longer some seedlings will 
resist the spot than others. Some will become affected in two or 
three years of open sun culture ; others will be fungus proof for 
a number of years. We have had Sharpless for possibly ten years, 
and it is free from spot yet. but we do not expect to see it many 
years longer. But this was a seedling raised in the mountains of 
Pennsylvania, where from the elevation and consequent coolness 
the health of the parent plants must have been prime. The further 
we get south the longer the heat period, and the greater the enerva¬ 
tion of the plants. 
But, may say the caviller, what do we gain when this science 
has been taught ? We must grow Strawberries even in hot places. 
We cannot pick out the spot-free places in mountain tops and 
•shaded woods. True, but we can manage often without much great 
■cost to shade the soil. The great success of Knox was as much 
because he kept the plants in dense rows, and kept a thick coat of 
straw between to shade the ground, and the most wonderful fruit 
and wonderful crop on the most wonderful spot-free plants I 
ever saw was many years ago at York, Pennsylvania, where 
the owner put several inches deep of corn stalk between the 
TOWS. 
One can readily understand that in many places where Straw¬ 
berries are largely grown corn stalks are scarce, and straw not to 
be had, but in small blocks where excellence is desirable without 
regard to a little extra cost it is another thing. 
In any event it can certainly do no harm to know that great 
heat is an unnatural condition for the Strawberry plant ; that under 
■such conditions the vital power of the plant becomes enfeebled ; 
that when enfeebled, a fungus that causes the Strawberry leaf-spot 
attacks them ; that when the fungus gets a good hold the variety 
u wears out and that in order to keep the race up to a fairly 
respectable standard new varieties must be continually introduced 
to replace the enfeebled ones.— Tiios. Meehan, Germantown 
Nurseries, Philadelphia. 
[C 
Amateurs’ Classes. 
Your correspondent, “Novice,” in the last issue of the Journal, 
directs attention to the necessity for more classes for amateurs in 
Chrysanthemum schedules, and states that he has been thus far unable 
to find special provision for amateurs in any schedules that have come 
under his notice. If he will kindly send me his address I shall be very 
pleased to forward to him a copy of the schedule of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, and therein he will find some nine or ten 
classes specially for amateurs. These are divided into two sections, one 
being for amateurs who have no paid assistance, and the other for 
amateurs who employ not more than one permanent gardener. I 
venture to hope that such classes will fulfil the requirements of 
“ Novice.” I may perhaps state that amateurs form a very large 
element in the composition of this Society, and that classes of the kind 
I have referred to are likely to be increased rather than otherwise.— 
William Holmes, Hon, Sec., Frampton Park Nurseries, Ilaclmey, 
Earwigs and Chrysanthemums. 
Earwigs should be hunted down by placing for them hiding places 
where they can crawl into at the approach of day. Besides searching 
for them among the plants with a light at night, simple contrivances— 
such as hollow broad beanstalks and folded strips of brown paper—are 
placed among the plants, and the old and excellent plan of placing a 
small inverted flower pot, with a little dry hay or moss in it, on the top 
of a stake near the plants, from which the insects can he shaken every 
marning, may be adopted.—E. D. S. 
Plants at Maidenhead. 
Mr. Robert Owen’s Chrysanthemums are well known in circles 
devoted to the Autumn Queen. He has a large collection of plants, 
comprising, perhaps, 3000, and they are at the present time in 
remarkable health and vigour, having made splendid growth. The 
majority are arranged in large blocks screened by hedges of Scarlet 
Runners and Lombardy Poplars. Many are seedlings. The new 
American variety, Harvest Queen, which (report says) is going to be an 
improved Elaine, owing to its better habit, is promising remarkably 
well, and so far as growth is concerned is all that could be desired. 
Amongst those in bloom the best are Miss Phyllis Broughton, a large 
white Pompon; Golden Shah, excellent in colour and very free; 
Goldsmith, also very bright and floriferous ; Flora, a useful old yellow ; 
Jacintha, lilac ; Mr. Selly, blush, yellow centre ; and Mrs. Hawkins.— 
W. P. W. 
An Old Chrysanthemum Book. 
A copy of an exceedingly interesting book on Chrysanthemums was 
recently placed in my hands, and a few notes respecting it may be worth 
a little space. The title itself is a curiosity—one of the old style as to 
length. It runs in this way 
“ A Treatise on the Cultivation of the Chrysanthemum for the Pro¬ 
duction of Specimen Blooms, with an enumeration of the best Varieties, 
founded on the experience of G. Taylor. To which is added a list of the 
best sorts of those let out in 1851 and 1852, with cultural hints and 
descriptions of a selection of Pompon and Anemone varieties. Second 
Edition. London : Printed for and published by the Author, Park 
Street, Stoke Newington, Middlesex.” 
The book is a small one, consisting of sixteen pages, the printed 
matter of which is 3 inches wide and 5j- deep ; so that it is evident the 
author did not try to expand his subject unduly. He commences 
modestly, and observes :—“ My desire is to foster that enthusiasm which 
is now manifest in favour of a flower which is now claiming the 
attention of the admirers of floriculture — one worthy of being 
more extensively cultivated for competition, especially as it 
serves to enhance the beauty of our conservatories and gardens 
during a season of the year when the greater portion of floral 
beauty is absent, and to increase a love for its cultivation.” Turning to 
the culture, Mr. Taylor recommended striking cuttings as early after 
flowering as possible, and advises a cold frame as a more suitable place 
than a heated structure. Potting is performed at the end of March, em¬ 
ploying “ one-third yellow loam, one-third rotten turf, and one-third 
decayed manure, adding sufficient rough sand and grit to make the whole 
porous.” The cuttings were rooted in 3-inch pots and shifted into 
G-inch pots and then placed out of doors. The final potting was done at 
the end of June or beginning of July into 11-inch pots, which were 
plunged two-thirds in the ground. The liberal supply of water is 
advised, and the application of liquid manure (the drainage of stable 
manure) was commenced at the end of August. Guano was also used at 
the rate of half a pint to eight gallons of soft water; but all supplies 
of this kind were stopped when the bloom3 commenced expanding. 
Disbudding and “ taking the bud” are noted, and the ravages of earwigs 
are described and the beanstalk traps used by the author. It is also 
mentioned that the varieties which flower early will have to be kept “ in 
the shady part of the greenhouse till the exhibition, which at Stoke 
