JnJy 6, 1693. } 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
5 
a certain stage of its growth. In another structure a Vine with the 
same regularity experienced an attack from thrips. On examina¬ 
tion it was found that both Vines were growing in positions where 
they were likely to become dry at the roots more quickly than their 
neighbours. By increasing the supply of water along with an extra 
application of manure the insects have entirely disappeared. 
Thrips are almost always introduced to plants by maintaining a 
high temperature. In the case of a heat-loving plant like the 
Croton, one is apt to think that this could not be the case ; but it 
is so if a hot drying sun shines directly on the plants. Red spider 
is most often brought into prominence by dryness at the root. 
Warm soapy water applied at about 110° is an excellent insecticide 
for eradicating red spider. In all cases, however, it is best to see 
that there is no check to healthy root action, and if there is to 
remove the cause forthwith.—B. 
STRAWBERRY FARMING. 
During any ordinary season Strawberries should now be coming in 
(in bulk) from our English fields, but a visitor to any of the gardens in 
Hants or Kent would clearly see that for this year the picking is over. 
As a rule the crop lasts about a month, and 1893 has been no exception 
to the rule. Since the last fortnight in May the beautiful and whole¬ 
some fruit has been pouring into the London and provincial markets by 
the ton. Prices have been good, and many growers have had solid 
reason to rub their hands with delight; but although in some cases the 
returns have been far beyond the average, in others probably ruin, on 
account of the long drought, stares men in the face. As the season has 
been so exceptional, and the success of growers so diverse, it may be 
advantageous to look a little closer into the mystery of Strawberry 
farming, with the experience of the past three months still fresh in the 
mind, and inquire if anything can be done to ensure still further success 
another year. 
It goes without saying that Strawberry growing is a paying occupa¬ 
tion. I have watched the business for the past nine years in Hampshire, 
and have seen acre after acre laid down. Young men start with say 
half an acre, and after the second season a pony-cart appears on the 
scene, and more land is taken up and planted. There must be money in 
the business. Further, it seems that Surrey is making a start, for I saw 
two large fields not far from Farnham a few days ago, and I honestly 
say that the plants and crop were fully up to the standard of Hampshire 
beds ; and if Surrey starts, I see no reason why this crop should not be 
much more extensively grown in the south of England generally, for the 
demand for fruit is increasing, and even if the price realised is only 
Is. Gd. to 2s. per gallon, the yield is quite three times the value of Potatoes 
grown upon an equal area, and the risks of failure are not nearly so 
great. Foreign fruit usually appears in advance of English, but we 
know well the superiority, not only in appearance and colour, but in 
flavour also, of our English-grown Tomatoes and Strawberries, and this 
superiority governs the market. Certainly all the returns come during 
one month, or at most six weeks of the year, and the labour is spread, 
more or less, over the other eleven months ; but to men who contem¬ 
plate taking allotments, if the land is fairly suitable as regards aspect 
and retentive power, I would strongly advise them to try a few rods of 
Strawberries, particularly if they are within reach of a fairly large 
town. There is room for speculation here. Many people hardly know 
the meaning of a gallon of Strawberries, who would be pleased to buy 
such for 23. or 2s. 6d., fine freshly picked fruit, at 4d. or 5d. per pound. 
I might say much more, but we propose looking at the experiences 
gained during the past three months, and to do this tersely and yet 
thoroughly is a difficult matter. I have certainly found it a general 
rule that the men who have done best are those whose plots are 
situated upon a fairly rich loamy soil with retentive subsoil, who 
have gone in heavily for autumn manuring and cleaning, and who 
have simply throughout the spring right up to the period of bedding 
up, kept the hoe at work, in many cases to such an extent that the 
surface (but surface only) soil was almost as dusty as the road. 
Some have done well upon light soils, but only in cases where the 
soils have been consolidated by continual treading during the hoeing 
process. Whatever the class of soil, I believe most strongly that the 
hoe can account for much. A good porous gravelly subsoil for an early 
crop, but unless the season is a rainy one there is little chance of a 
month’s picking. I am perfectly certain that any cleaning work done 
in the spring is disastrous, for the young fibrous roots of the plants 
make growth very early, and growers cannot afford to injure these and 
weaken their plants. 
It is clearly seen that by continual hoeing the soil must be 
compressed, and evaporation retarded. Moisture is greatly needed for 
the Strawberry, as the size is thereby regulated ; and it is only those 
who have watched the development of the fruit, and its wonderfully 
quick manner of filling out and ripening, who can testify to the 
importance for suitable soil and retentive subsoil. 
There are many other points of interest that readily suggest them¬ 
selves to the mind, but I may later on deal with the varieties most 
suited for market purposes, the modes of general cultivation in the 
Hampshire district, the gathering and marketing the crop, the treatment 
of the beds after the crop is off, and when running out of condition 
through age. 
The profit and loss account is hardly obtainable, as in many cases, 
and perhaps wisely, the growers would not care to tell us much ; 
but I must add that they are often deprived of a good share of 
their well-earned cash by the middleman. — Edward H. Smith, 
Warminste}', 
Rose Show Fixtures in 1893. 
July 6th (Thursday).—Bath, Farningham, Manchester, and Norwich. 
„ 7th (Friday).—Ulverston. 
„ 11th (Tuesday).—Harleston and Wolverhampton.f 
„ 12th (Wednesday).—Earl’s Court and Tunbridge Wells. 
„ 13th (Thursday).—Worksop (N.R.S.), and Woodbridge. 
,, 14th (Friday).—Helensburgh. 
„ 15th (Saturday).—New Brighton. 
„ 20th (Thursday).—Bedford and Trentham. 
„ 25th (Tuesday).—Tibshelf. 
„ 27th (Thursday).—Halifax and Southwell. 
„ 29th (Saturday).—Bedale. 
f Show lasting three days. 
—Edward Mawley, Roselanh , BerltTiamsted , Herts . 
National Rose Show at Worksop. 
I SHALL esteem it a favour if you will allow me to make the follow¬ 
ing communication to intending exhibitors through your columns this 
week. To the train leaving King’s Cross at 10,40 P.M. of July 12th, 
the Great Northern Railway Company has kindly consented to attach a 
special van for Rose boxes. This train will take up at Hitchin. It will 
be met at Worksop, where it arrives at 2.18 A.M , and the boxes can, if 
exhibitors so wish, go direct to the Show ground and be placed in charge 
of a night watchman. 
The next train out of King’s Cross is 5.15 A.M. (morning of 13th July). 
This, Mr. Cockshott, the Superintendent of the line, tells me is one of 
the heaviest and fastest trains of the day, and on that account it will 
not be practicable to attach to it an extra van. Mr. Cockshott will, 
however, make arrangements for conveyance of exhibitors’ boxes by this 
train, if I can give him some idea of the number of boxes and from what 
stations they will require to be conveyed. The train will take up at 
Retford at 8.20 and reach Worksop at 8.31 a m. There is another 
train from Retford at 8.23, reaching Worksop at 8.40 a.m,, and 
exhibitors joining the M.S. and L. system at Retford (especially those 
bringing much cargo) will find more accommodation by it than by the 
express. 
From Sheffield exhibitors will find a van for their boxes on the train 
leaving at 7,15 A.M., and I am asking the Midland Company to make 
due provision on the train leaving Nottingham at 6 A.M. and Mansfield 
3pt 7 A.M* 
I shall be much obliged if exhibitors intending to make use of the 
5.15 A.M. train will at once let Mr. George Baxter (our Hon. Secretary, 
69, Bridge Street, Worksop) or myself know, a3_ near as may be, what 
they will bring with them, and where they will join the train, so that I 
may be able to reply to Mr. Cockshott’s inquiries. No doubt so far as 
the railway company is concerned the 10.40 p m. train is best. It will 
be a help to the local Committee to know the number of boxes they will 
have to meet by the other trains, but this is of less consequence, 
James Snow 31 , Parli Street , Worltsoj ). 
Orange Fungus on Roses. 
I HAVE not seen Mr. W, G. Smith’s “ clear and well illustrated ” 
contribution on this fungus in the “ Rosarian’s Year Book” for 1887. 
My experience of the parasite does not accord with “W. R. Raillem s 
(page 497, last vol.). But different fungi are termed “Orange” that 
infest Roses besides the one above named, as Coleosporium pingue, Lev., 
and Dothidea Rosre, Fr . I must also demur to your correspondent s 
dictum that it is the latter stage of Phragmidium mucronatum that 
does the most harm to Roses, for it is the mycelium of the fungus 
that does the whole damage, and this first produces the Lecythea Rosae, 
whilst the Phragmidium is borne from the same mycelia and has none 
independent of the other.—G. Abbey. 
National Rose Society’s Tea and Noisette Exhibition. 
This was unquestionably the best of the series of Exhibitions that 
the Society has held, and the quality and correctness of the blooms 
were far in advance of any show of the kind held any where. We n^ive 
had some in wet seasons, when the outer petals of the flowers had to 
be pulled off, and the blooms looked very naked ; we have had others 
in showery weather, when the flowers were spotted and discoloure , 
but this long season of drought has enabled exhibitors to show .their 
flowers in the perfection of colour and form, The date on which it 
