May 36, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
393 
and is as long as the space between them—say 5 feet. It is so strong 
that one single thread of it is suflBcient to make a line with which to 
catch the smaller kinds of fish,” 
Hellebore with Curled Leaves. —Mr. Dod sent leaves of H. niger, var. 
maximus with the segments of the leaves inrolled, so as to form closed tubes. 
He writes as follows—“ Can you suggest any reason for the curling up of 
the leaves ? It takes place every year, and in some plants it seems to 
be spreading. They do not recover from it, the whole growth, includ¬ 
ing the flowering, is deteriorated. The plants most afEected are in a 
border under glass, but not heated, but it occurs on those out of doors as 
well. I have tried more water, less water, top-dressing, syringing, 
insecticides, anti-mildew, smoking, &c., but ineffectually. I can never 
see any insects on the leaves.” The only suggestions the Committee 
could offer were, either the possible attempt to protect the upper surfaces 
from the chill due to radiation, as is the prevailing habit with leaves 
generally when unfolding from the buds ; or, since the undeveloped 
leaves of some other Ranunculaceous plants, as Pieonia Moutan, have 
the edges of the segments partially inverted, it may arise from an 
arrested condition of growth, the margin becoming more and more 
inrolled as they grow. 
Monstrous Fuchsia. —Mr. Morris exhibited a spray from Kew, one 
flower being hypertrophied, apparently from synanthy or a fusion with 
another, while the other was somewhat atrophied in having only 
three sepals, as is often the case with the first flowers that expand in the 
Fuchsia. 
Tea Plant Diseased. —Mr. McLachlan showed a specimen badly 
attacked by some mycelium received from Assam. It was forwarded to 
Kew for examination. 
Ficus elastica Fruiting. —Mr. Wythes sent a fine spray of this plant 
with several fruits upon it. Unlike ordinary Figs this species bears 
very diminutive fruit. It is not often known to produce them in this 
country. 
Cephalotaxus. —Dr. M. T, Masters exhibited a bough, showing the 
leaves partly spreading around the stem in all directions and partly 
pseudo-distichous ; the first form has been called “ Harringtoni,” &c., 
but it is (like the Irish Yew) merely an accidental occurrence. 
Tsuga Albertiana. —He also showed a bough of this plant bearing 
male flowers, which are not often to be seen. 
Odontoglossum crispum. —A flowering branch was received from Mr. 
Bull, all the flowers being apparently abnormal. In one examined by 
the Secretary the two posterior sepals were coherent, the third was 
wanting; the three petals were present, but all alike except in size. 
The two posterior of the three seamens of the outer whorl were present; 
but the anterior, and all three of the inner whorl, were suppressed. 
The three carpels were present, but the ovary chamber was greatly dis¬ 
torted, the placentre, usually prominent, not being traceable; the 
atigmatic depression was nearly obsolete. The above details were trace¬ 
able by means of the distribution of the vascular cords. There appeared, 
therefore, to have been a tendency to suppression along the median 
plane, 
Cypripedium caudatum Reversed. —Mr. Douglas sent a branch with 
two blossoms ; one was normal, the other completely reversed, showing 
the correct position of the labellum, which is ordinarily upside down. 
Tulip Fasciated. —Dr. Masters exhibited a specimen of a Tulip, 
having three smaller-flowered peduncles adherent to it. Not having 
the bulb it could not be seen whether the smaller Tulips arose from 
lateral bulbs, or whether the whole was a multiplication of the main 
stem. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS IN NORTH SUFFOLK. 
After residing for some years in the Evesham Parliamentary 
Division of Worcestershire I have found a temporary home in East 
Anglia. The contrast is extreme. That part of Worcestershire through 
which the River Avon flows is in summer rather relaxing. Vegetation 
is forward in the spring; a very large trade is carried on in early 
vegetables, Manchester being perhaps the biggest customer. In East 
Anglia the air is very strong and bracing, the season much later. Each 
district has its advantages and its disadvantages, I read in the Journal 
a month ago a communication from one of the Evesham fruit growers 
in which he stated that the frosts had played havoc with the Plum 
blossom, and that he anticipated but a very poor crop of fruit. Here 
the Plum blossom was quite a fortnight later ; in fact, it was but 
yesterday’s (20th May) rain that cleared the trees of the remaining 
white petals. Consequently we have an immense crop of fruit set. I 
shall have to thin very considerably, and next week shall assist the 
heavily burdened trees with weak liquid manure. Green Gages, too, are 
very promising. 
I was talking yesterday to a large market gardener and fruit grower 
on the subject of the local fruit prospects, and he told me that from 
what he had himself seen and from what he had been able to gather 
from conversations with others of his craft, the crop of small fruits— 
Gooseberries, Currants, &c.—would be immense ; but that Apples were 
unequal, the earlier kinds showing but little blossom, while the late or 
winter sorts, both dessert and culinary, were quite up to the average. As 
regards the thirty or less trees in my own garden I can quite bear out this 
opinion. Raspberries, too, look well, and are growing fast with healthy 
looking foliage. Cherries are very full of bloom, and the fruit is setting 
well; this is the case especially with the May Duke. On the whole, then, 
our fruit prospects on the borderland of Suffolk and Norfolk would 
appear to quite up to, if not above the average.—J. A, W. 
SARMIENTA REPENS. 
Sarmiekta repens is the sole representative of a Chilian genus 
of Gesneracese. It is curious that many plants from Chili have 
pendulous flowers of a red or scarlet colour, such as Lapageria rosea 
and Fuchsia, and Sarmienta repens is no exception, the flowers being 
scarlet and pendulous. The stems are long and slender, straggling 
over the ground and rooting at the nodes. The leaves are about half 
an inch long, ovate and fleshy, the upper surface dark green. The 
peduncles, which are about 1^ inch long, carry one flower. The 
sepals are very small, and have many white hairs on them; the 
corolla is about an inch long, tubular, constricted at the throat and 
spreading at the mouth. Two of the stamens are half an inch longer 
than the corolla, and when carrying their yellow anthers add largely 
to the beauty of the plant. Sarmienta repens does well in baskets in 
peat, sphagnum, and a few pieces of sandstone ; an Odontoglossum 
Fia. 68.—SARMIENTA EEPENS. 
house suits it well, as plants now flowering in the cool Orchid house at 
Kew show. This interesting plant was introduced by Messrs. Veitch, 
but is rarely seen in cultivation. Care should be taken not to 
overwater during the winter. Its graceful habit and beautifully 
coloured flowers should win for it more extensive cultivation.—C. K. 
AIR ROOTS ON VINES. 
In reply to “ Inquirer ” on the above subject, I am able to state 
that, according to my experience, no injury to the Vines is likely to 
follow if the roots are cut away. I should not hesitate to do so ; in 
fact, I think it a good plan to keep the roots in check by rubbing them 
off as they appear, because if it is true, as some gardeners say, that their 
growth encourages the flow of sap at a time when the Vine is most in 
need of it (a matter on which I have a doubt), a check is sure to follow 
from the roots dying off as the atmosphere of the house becomes dry 
from the necessity of different treatment. “Inquirer” may be in some 
degree right when he attributes their growth to atmospheric moisture, 
but I am of opinion that there are other and more serious reasons (though 
not insurmountable) working in favour of their growth. I believe it to 
be a sign of defective root action, or perhaps I should say that, as it 
occurs in early forcing vineries more than others, the roots are inactive, 
or at least not moving sufficiently to keep pace with the demand made 
upon them by the development of the growth inside. If it is so the 
suggestion is to provide a better rooting medium.— Thomas Record. 
