490 
JOURNiL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 18, 1891. 
- Kerria japoxica flore-peexo. —As a hardy climber for 
giving a profusion of flowers in the early spring this plant has no equal. 
It is regarded by the majority of gardeners as too “ common,” and per¬ 
haps it is in some districts, especially in cottage gardens. It is largely 
employed for covering the front walls, which is the main cause of its free 
flowering annually as the wood becomes fully matured. No difficulty need 
be experienced in increasing the stock, as half-ripened shoots form roots 
readily if cut into lengths of 6 inches at the end of August, inserted 
firmly in sandy soil in a cold frame, which by the following May will be 
in good order for planting in a permanent position. By taking the 
suckcr-like shoots with roots attached is another and an easy way of 
adding to the number of plants, as old plants readily throw up these off¬ 
shoots. By planting this Kerria in two or three positions the season of 
flowering will be prolonged as it succeeds elsewhere than a south aspect. 
Any fairly good soil will be found suitable, and by adding manure freely 
a greater provision of flowers is assured.—J. 
- New Zealand Apples. —We have received from Mr. W. E. 
Lippiatt of Albion Nursery, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand, a case 
of true Golden Eusset Apples of very superior quality both as regards 
the SAundness of their condition and the excellence of their flavour. 
They arrived on the oth of June, each fruit wrapped in soft paper 
in the manner in which Oranges are received, and out of the half 
bushel or so of fruit there were only nine at all decayed. This is one 
of the most successful importations we have seen of New Zealand 
Apples, and the richness of flavour which this variety acquires in that 
climate commends it as one of the best that our antipodean cultivators 
can grow for exportation “ home.” In the same case were a few 
specimens of a seedling called Lippiatt’s Seedling, of which Mr. 
Lippiatt says, “ It is a seedling raised by my father at Penge, Surrey, 
the year before he left home some twenty-six years ago. It was raised 
from seed of Kibston Pippin, and though it has not the rich flavour of 
that variety it is a fine keeper, and without doubt the heaviest Apple 
we have.” This is a large, handsome Apple, striped like Cox’s Pomona, 
but as large as Mr. Saltmarsh’s Queen, and will be an acquisition 
anywhere. 
- Black Currant Caterpillar.—I have seen reports in 
the Journal of IIoTtioulture about the Black Currant mite. I cannot 
find mites in tbe buds, but only a small caterpillar. The trees here 
have been infected in the buds over ten years. Two years ago last 
February I had them all taken up and burnt, and new fruiting trees 
put in the same places. Up to the jiresent time they are quite free 
from Ihc caterpillar. At my cottage about 400 yards away I have 
Black Currant trees infected. Last year, soon after the fruit was 
gathered, I found .some of the buds swelling, and by the aid of a good 
microscope I found the little caterpillar in them and in February. 
In May I found the same, only larger. I carefully took off a few 
buds and leaves, put them under a bellglass in a room on paper, and 
in about three weeks I saw some of the leaves had been eaten and a 
small fly under the glass. I have sent you the fly and the leaves. You 
will see on them the place the fly came out of. I find picking the buds 
o£E a very good way this year. I had them picked off three times, the 
last time in May, and still finding plenty of infeeted buds. I hope 
to find but few next year through extra care in picking off the buds this 
season.— William Kipps, Walton Lea, Warrington. [We shall be 
glad to have farther, and if possible better, specimens for examination 
at a convenient time, also some buds.] 
- It is somewhat surprising to find how well the Forget-me-nots 
of different sorts have stood the late winter. They appear to be but little 
harmed here at any rate. The position certainly is not one of the best 
to ensure their sate keeping through the winter, but a small amount of 
sun heat can reach them during the autumn and winter months. 
M. dissitiflora I regarl as the best of the Myosotls family ; the growth is 
robust, yet compact, the flow’ers large, intensely coloured, and produced 
in a great mass. Nowhere docs this show to better advantage than 
when growing close to the water, where the reflection of the flowers can 
be seen. We have it phanted freely amongst the rocks right down lo the 
edge of a pond ; the moisture which the roots obtain appears to be just 
what is needed to ensure a free growth and a full crop of bloom. At one 
time I used to depend upon cuttings taken singly inserted in a cold 
frame at the end of July to ensure the strain being kept pure, 
but I now manage to do this by laying the plants thickly in rows on the 
north side of a wall, when they are removed from the beds at the end 
of May. There they remain until the end of August, when the roots arc 
pulled into pieces, dibbled in a west border, and by planting time are 
stocky, well furnished with roots, and good foliage. This plan I find 
takes less time and gives equal results as the cutting process. Messrs. 
Suttons sent out not long since a variety they call their Dwarf Blue ; 
it is very good, although muc’a later than dissitiflora in flowering, which 
prolongs the display. The white variety of alpestris I do not care4or» 
it is too straggly.—E. M. 
-A Cactus Society. —A letter appears in the American 
Florist to this effect:—The Baltimore Cactus Society of Baltimore 
city is, to the best of our knowledge, the only Society of its kind in 
the United States. The object is the cultivation of the Cacti, and we 
must say that our efforts thus far have been crowned with success— 
they far exceeded our expectations. We organised with a membership 
of eight in November, 1889, and in April of 1890 were incorporated 
by the Maryland Legislature through the special efforts of the Hon. 
Theo. B. Fox, Rep. of the Second Legislative District of the State of 
Maryland. Since then our membership has increased to twenty-eight 
active and eight honorary members, which is composed qf some of the 
representative business men of our city, including several florists, who 
have taken up this “hobby,” the collecting and cultivating of this rare 
and beautiful plant, and a few of them have indeed a collection of 
which they can well be proud. The interest in the community is gradu¬ 
ally growing, and the “fever” now seems to attack the gentler sex 
as well as our brother “ cacto-maniacs.” We are banded together as 
a Society for the purpose of promoting the interest in this plant; we 
will be pleased to communicate with anyone who is interested in its 
culture, and will answer any interrogatories regarding them that lie 
in our power. We hold regular monthly meetings, which are well 
attended, and great interest is manifested by all in subjects brought 
up for discussion among the members for the promotion of knowledge 
in the cultivating of this plant. 
SEASONABLE HINTS ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Auriculas. —Again has the time come round when growers have 
to determine what they will do about repotting their collections, 
and the first point that they have to decide is as to when it is to he 
done ; but in the meantime they will have removed their plants into 
their summer quarters. It is true that we have not as yet had much 
warm weather, still it will be better to shift the frames to some 
place where they can have a northern aspect, and where the plants 
can have cool quarters from June to September inclusive. The 
question is still an open one amongst growers as to wdiether it is 
better to pot now or in August. Many reasons have been brought 
forward for both sides, on which, according to Sir Roger de Coverly, a 
good deal may be said on most questions. An interesting conversation 
took place at the luncheon on the Show day at Westminster on this 
subject; various opinions were expressed, but I believe that the general 
opinion was that it did not much matter, and that probably it would be 
regulated by convenience and by the size of the collection. Where a 
large number of plants are grown an early opportunity will be seized to 
get the work well over, and although my collection is a small one I like 
to have it done at the end of May or early part of June, placing the 
plants in a closed frame for a feW days shaded, and then taking the 
shading off and opening the frames on all available occasions— i.e., when 
there are no heavy rains or cold winds. 
As to compost, I believe that if good sound fibrous loam can be 
procured the chief element of success is obtained. Three parts of this, 
one part of well decomposed cow manure, and one-third of leaf mould, 
road grit, and powdered charcoal forms, I think, an excellent compost; it 
should not be riddled. There should be a good quantity^ of drainage, 
and care should be taken to pot firmly. The tap root or carrot 
should be well looked after, and if any of it has become too long—and 
some varieties have a greater tendency to this than others—it should be 
shortened, and any spots of decay should be cut away, and the cut 
dressed with a little powdered charcoal. Care should be taken, too, 
that the pots both inside and out are perfectly clean. The use of glazed 
pots, which became so general amongst Auricula growers, is unquestion¬ 
ably good. The plants do not require watering so often, and the pots do 
not accumulate green upon them as the ordinary ones are wont to do. 
Of course watering will be carefully attended to. Much depends on the 
weather, as all who grow pot plants know full well. In all cases where 
it can be procured rain water is the best to use. 
Carnations and Picotees —I am afraid that this is a sore subject 
with most growers of this beautiful class of plants. I met Mr. Samuel 
Barlow at Manchester, and he told me his collection had been literally 
decimated. Mr. Lakin told me that his losses might be reckoned by 
hundreds, and I very much fear many more are in a similar plight. 
There is not at present much to be done with them. They have already 
been staked, and are placed out of doors (I allude to those grown in 
pots), and the only thing they now require is to be kept clear of weeds 
and to be watered when the weather is dry. The late rains have been 
very beneficial to them. Those in beds have also suffered a good deal 
from the terrible winter, even in many places the old Clove being killed. 
It will now, however, be time to make the beds tidy. Place stakes to 
the fiowering shoots, and apply a little top-dressing. 
Gladioli. —As far as I can judge from my own collection the frost 
