November 18, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
449 
Apples from America and other fruits from the Continent. On very 
sandy soils, or in every ca«e where the soil is very shallow, or of much too 
light a nature to hold sufficient moisture to support the roots, then I 
admit every eff rt should be made to deeoen the root-run, but wherevtr 
clay abounds this is naturally more retentive of moisture, whether this 
be derived from the atmosphere or by capillary a'traction from below. 
It follows clayey soils are of a much colder nature, the subsoil being 
especially so, and being out of the reach of the sun’s power it rarely ever 
reaches a temperature at all approaching that attained nearer the surface, 
consequently is not a congenial medium for the roots to thrive in. It 
cannot too often be repeated that long naked roots are not what are 
wanted, but we must have plenty of fibres if the growth tf the plant or 
tree is to be of a fruitful character. Directly the roots are out of the 
reach of the warmth of the sun and the fertilising effects of the atmo¬ 
sphere they, as a rule, cease to form much fibre ; and although the-e 
naked roots will support a tree the growth is not of a fruitful character, 
hence the frequent necessity for partially or wholly lifting fruit trees. It 
anyone doubts the truth of the theory that deeply buried roots are the 
slowest to form fresh fibre, let him explain how it is that trees, bushes, or 
plants simply “ laid in by the heels ” quickly form a mass of lively fibres, 
while those perhaps planted with great care and forethought presumably 
have not yet started to root afre«h. 
I hav e before stated and now repeat half the trees in the country are 
planted too deeply or are now too deeply buried, and I am not sure the 
number given should not be put at three-fourths. In very many cases the 
trees were not actually planted too deep according to the surrounding 
level of the soil, but the holes having been dug two spits deep, perhaps 
more, as we hear of some who trench three spits, no allowance was made 
for the natural settlement of the soil, and in course of time the “ collars ” 
of those trees are gradually buried. It also frequently happens that the 
borders are increa-ed in depth by being added to, and this also tends to 
bury the stems. It was, I believe, owing to both of these causes that the 
whole of our Pear trees had to be lifted and replanted. They were planted 
on double-dug ground, and when lifted we found the greater portion of 
the roots were much too deep, while the stems were buried at least 
6 inches below the surface. Most of us have, very probably, at some 
time noticed the effecis < f deeply burying the stems of trees during the 
process, it may be of levelling some part of a pleasure ground. If this 
burying the roots out of all reach of sunshine or air does not quickly 
eventually kill the trees it gradually reduces them to a verv poor pdght 
indeed. At Wilton House near Salisbury two Chestnut tr es with their 
stems partially buried indulge in strange vagaries, sometimes flowering 
when all the rest of the trees are in the midst of their resting period. 
This and other cases I could name that have ended fatally are extreme 
cases, but the lesson they teach ought to be profited by, and I hold that 
they are string witnesses on my side. Directly the roots are either driven 
from or encouraged to leave the surface their decadence commences, and 
we should have few fine old forest trees to be proud of if they were sub¬ 
jected to treatment similar to that considered good enough for fruit trees. 
It is not the unkindly subsoil that has materially contributed to the for¬ 
mation of those gian’s, but it is the undisturbed pnsses-ion of the surface 
that has to be credited with this good work.— W. Iggulden. 
(To be continued.) 
Presentation to Mr, J. Douglas Dick. —On Thursday last 
Sir P. Cunliffe Owen, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., C.I.E., on behalf of the 
staff, and in their presence, presented Mr. Dick with a very handsome 
drawing-room clock, bearing the following inscription :—“ Presented to 
J. Douglas Dick, superintendent of entrances, by his staff, as a mark of 
respect for his kindness and courtesy during the series of Exhibitions 
held at South Kensington from 1883 to 1886.—11th November, 1886.” 
- A correspondent wishes to know if any of our readers can 
inform him “ What is tbe correct name of the Banana ‘ Ladies’ 
b ingers,’ commonly sold on board ships taking passengers to and from 
the Colonies ? The variety in question is far more agreeable and in 
demand than the ordinary Musa Cavendishi. Is it sufficiently dwarf in 
habit to admit of its being cultivated in ordinary plant houses in this 
country.” 
- “With regard to the letter in last week’s Journal by Mr. 
Iggulden,” writes “ J. W. L.,” “ I send you a few lines as to my expe¬ 
rience of the ‘ Old-fashioned Tubular Boiler.’ There has been 
one here at work in a stove house for nearly seventeen years, it has never 
given the slightest trouble, although here the water is very hard. As I 
was making some alterations I have been obliged to remove it. I found 
the boiler perfectly sound, but the pipes leading from it entirely gone. I 
am so satisfied with the performance of this boiler that I have placed in a 
much larger one of the same description, which will have to heat about 
700 feet of piping,” 
Carter s Provident Sick Fund. —The first annual meet¬ 
ing of the subscribers was held on Monday, the 8th instant, on one of the 
spacious floors in the new warehouse of Messrs. Jime 3 Carter & Co., the 
Queen s Seedsmen, High Holborn, London, and was attended by about 
200 members, The chair was occupied by the manager, Mr. C. H. 
bharman. The report and balance-sheet for the past year was read and 
adopted, and resolutions for amending existing rules were passed. During 
the twelve months of the Society’s existence 268 members were enrolled, 
all of whom were employed in various departments of the business. By 
payment of a small weekly subscription, benefits in case of sickness 
varying from 6s. to 18s. per week are secured, and it was considered 
highly satisfactory that after paying fifty-one claims for’sickness and one 
for death, the Society entered upon its second year with a very substan¬ 
tial balance in hand. After appropriating a suitable amount as a working 
reserve fund, it was resolved unanimously to make a donation of £5 to 
the Hospital Saturday Fund, and to distribute aDy surplus amongst the 
sub-cribers. The officers and members of the committee were re-elected, 
and the proceedings terminated with a hearty vote of thanks to Messrs. 
James Carter & Co. for a further donation, which they had spontaneously 
offered upon seeing the satisfactory results of the first working of the 
Society. 
- Poisonous Mushrooms. —A Sidcup correspondent says :—“ It 
is stated that a very considerable quantity of injurious fungi is now finding 
its way into the market as Mushrooms, and ia West Kent several cases of 
serious illness caused by the consumption of what appear to be button 
Mushrooms, but which are really poisonous fungi, are reported. They 
have a yellowish appearance when cut, but otherwise appear exactly the 
same as the edible Mushrooms.” 
- The Chairman of the Comm'ttee of the Great York Gala 
and Horticultural Exhibition for some years past is Mr. Alderman 
Terry, who was Mayor for the present year, and who was again 
unanimously re-elected to fill that distinguished position for the ensuing 
year. Mr. Terry was also Mayor some few years since. This 
gentleman is most popular in York, and is held in very high esteem 
by the horticulturists who have for so many years been associated with 
the Gala as exhibitors or judges, and the meeting of June next will be one 
of the events of the jubilee year. 
- The following summary of meteorological observations 
at Hodsock Priory, Worksop, Notts, in October. 1886, have been received 
from Mr. Joseph Mallender Mean temperature of month, 516°. 
Maximum on the 4th, 711°. Minimum on the 23rd, 31T°; maximum 
in the sun on the 3rd, 117 - 0°; minimum on the grass on the 23rd, 27 0°. 
Mean 'temperature of the air 9 A.M., 51-2°. Mean temperature of the 
soil 1 foot deep, 53T°. Number of nights below 32°, in shade two, on 
grass six. Total duration of sunshine in month fifty-one hours, or 16 per 
cent, of possible duration. The brightest day was the 2nd. We had 
eleven sunless days. Total rainfall 3’08 inches. Maximum fall in twenty- 
four hours] on the 6th, 0 47 inch. Rain fell on eighteen days. Average 
velocity of wind, 7 5 miles per hour. The velocity did not exceed 400 
miles on any day, and fell short of 100 miles on nine days. Approximate 
averages for October—Mean temperature, 48 2°. Rainfall, 2-84 inches. 
Sunshine (five years) eighty-six hours. A very mild and calm month, 
exceptionally dull, and of about average rainfall. 
- The Liverpool Exhibition.— Messrs. W. Richardson Sc. Co., 
Darlington, have been awarded a silver medal at the Liverpool Inter¬ 
national Exhibition for examples of their patent system of ventilation 
for horticultural buildings and other exhibits. 
- Mr. Robert Owen, The Floral Nursery, Castle Hill, Maiden¬ 
head, sends us two beautiful bunches of his new Marguerites, and 
remarks as follows on their durability :— 11 The white Cloth of Silver was 
cut a fortnight since, and the yellow Cloth of Gold a week ago. The 
latter has been to R.H.S. one day and night, two days and one night at 
the Aquarium, one day at Reading, two nights at railway stations, and 
are now not in bad condition. These are the best for lasting I ever 
knew.” The blooms were very fresh, the golden vaiiety as bright as 
could be wished, and the other pure white. 
