March 9, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF liuRTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
209 
Scale on Pear Trees (5. S.'). — The recipe you name is perfectly 
safe, as the lime will prevent any deleterious effects likely to follow the 
use of so^tsoap at the rate of nearly 1 lb. to the gallon of water. The 
recipe : “ 3^ lbs. softsoap, 14 quarts water, with enough quicklime slaked to 
make a thick paint, and every part of the tree to be dressed with composi¬ 
tion,” must be carried out without deviation. It is M. Du Breuil’s recipe. 
Namlngr IVXolluscs (^G, MoD.'). —Though an authority has been 
consulted on the specimen you sent with the object of determining the 
species, the result is not satisfactory through the sample not being in 
sufficiently good condition for the purpose. As you appear to have 
several species that you wish to have named, probably the best method 
of attaining your object would be through the agency of such a journal 
as “ Science Gossip.” It is a question for specialists, and not within the 
province of gardening publications, which only deal with predatory 
visitants that are in more or less close connection with plants or garden 
crops. Your specimen does not come within this category. 
Span-roofed Pit (^F. J .').—A three-quarter span would be the best 
for winter, but as that is the least important period of the year, a span- 
roofed pit would be better for the position. As you require the pit for 
growing Cucumbers or Melons in summer the brickwork should not be 
less than 2 feet 6 inches in height, say 18 inches below and 12 inches 
above ground, and beyond a 14-inch and a 9-inch course of brickwork 
as a footing, the wall may be 4J inches built in cement. This is 
firmer than 9 inches built in mortar, and that amount of space is 
gained as standage for plants. The depth named will be sufficient 
for about 18 inches of fermenting material desirable for bottom heat 
to the Melon or Cucumber plants, the soil being placed in the centre, 
say a barrowload in each light. 
Plants for Growlngr on the Roof of a Building- {Lihrarian'). 
—We suppose the roof is flat or otherwise suitable for the standage of 
plants in pots or tubs. The chief point to attend to is securing them in 
position. Amongst plants that generally succeed well. Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums of various sorts perhaps take the first place, then Fuchsias, 
Petunias, Heliotropes, with Tropaeolums of various kinds as trailers. 
Those are only available for summer. If you want plants that will 
stand the year round you must have recourse to Saxifrages, Sedums, 
and Sempervivums, some of which do admirably on housetops, the 
common Houseleek and London Pride (Saxifraga umbrosa) revelling 
amid the smoke of towns. Chrysanthemums answer well in the autumn, 
and bulbs in the spring. 
Insects on Pear Wood (.7. niani). —The five insects only just 
visible to the unaided eye as blackish specks are evidently the perfect 
form of the Pear gall mite (Phytoptus pyri, or Typhlodromus pyri, 
Scheuten), with six legs. The late Mr. Andrew Murray believed this 
form to be a Gamasus, but larvm of the gall mites differ from the adults 
in being much longer and narrower and only having four legs, some of 
the adults having twice that number. The whereabouts of this eight¬ 
legged mite from the fall of the leaf until the re-appearance of fresh 
leaves, in which the Phytoptus lives and forms spots or galls, has never 
been satisfactorily ascertained ; this, however, is now manifest, and we 
are obliged by the specimen. The thickening of the Pear shoots is not 
due to canker caused by the fungus (Nectria ditissima). We should 
like to have one or more young shoots of the current year with leaves, 
especially those exhibiting reddish or brownish spots, say in August, 
and if there are raised pustules on the young wood all the better for our 
purpose. The thickening of Pear tree twigs is due to the same cause as 
that of Apple trees. The twigs are malformed, but not affected with 
canker, a very common occurrence in old or full grown orchard Apple 
and Pear trees, which in bad cases have a tendency to form “ witch 
knots,” as in Birch, Hornbeam, and certain other trees. These deformi¬ 
ties, however, are caused by fungi, but the gall mites often cause a 
diseased condition of the growths, similar to a young “ witch knot,” 
and not unfrequent in old Apple and Pear trees. 
Peacbes Infested -with Mlldeiv (72. II. S,'). —The dense greyish 
patches on the skin of the fruits are the growths of a mildew, O'idium 
leucoconium, an early condition of the fungus Sphcerotheca pannosa, 
which is very common on Roses in some localities, and on Peach growth 
and fruits. It first appears as a minute roundish speck of whitish 
powder, slightly raised on the skin, and rapidly speads over the fruit, 
living on the outer surface of the cells. The patches often cover a 
considerable portion of the fruits, those badly infested falling, whilst 
others which do not fall swell irregularly, are sometimes useless. 
Happily, the mildew succumbs to early treatment with flowers of 
sulphur dusted on the affected parts ; but it is best overcome by sulphur 
in solution, either in the form of bisulphide of calcium or sulphide of 
potassium. These can be had at the chemist, but they must be fresh, 
employing half an ounce to a gallon of water, and syringing on the 
trees, repeating as necessary. We use the bisulphide of calcium made 
after the following formula:—“Flowers of sulphur 1 lb., quicklime 
1 lb. Slake the lime in a pan, add the sulphur and a gallon of water. 
Incorporate thoroughly, heat, and boil gently for a quarter of an hour, 
keeping constantly stirred. Allow it to settle, and when cool pour the 
super-natent liquid into a stone bottle, and keep it well corked. For 
use, mix a pint with 12 gallons of water, or a quarter of a pint in 
3 gallons.” Spray the trees liable to mildew before any signs of the 
disease appear, and always before the leaves are 2 inches long, con¬ 
tinuing the spraying at fortnightly intervals until the foliage is well 
developed, when there is little to fear from mildew. Evening is the 
best time to apply the .solution. In cases of attack act promptly with 
two or three forcible sprayings on alternate evenings. Syringing may 
be practised instead of spraying, but the latter is more effectual and 
economical. An occasional forcible syringing with clear water should 
be given the trees, one good syringing being more effectual than many 
sprinklings in washing off and destroying the spores, and where syringing 
is properly attended to there is little or no mildew on Peach trees under 
glass. Where syringing or spraying is undesirable on account of plants 
flowers of sulphur should be freely dusted on the trees, especially on 
the affected parts, and rubbed on the parts of the fruit infested with 
mildew gently with the finger. That will arrest the spread of the 
mildew ; but it is better to prevent its attacks than to apply remedies, 
for none will efface the effects. See that there is no deficiency of 
moisture at the roots of the trees, and afford thorough supplies of water 
or liquid manure when needed. A. renewal, wholly or in part, of the 
soil of the border early in the autumn to induce a better rooting system 
might be of great benefit. Read attentively Mr. Owen Thomas’s article 
on page 1G9 last week. 
Names of Plants. —We only undertake to name species of plants, 
not varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in Arm boxes. 
Slightly damp moss, soft green grass or leaves form the best packing, 
dry wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named at 
once, and the numbers should be visible without untying the ligatures, 
it being often difficult to separate them when the paper is damp. 
—(72. C .).—iEschynanthus cordifolius. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— March 8th. 
FRUIT. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Apples, half sieve .. .. 
1 
0 to 3 
6 
Lemons, case . 
10 
Oto 15 
0 
„ Nova Scotia, per 
Oranges, per 100 .. .. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
barrel. 
12 
0 
17 
0 
Peaches, per dozen .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cobbs, Kent, per 100 lbs. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
St. Michael Pines, each ,, 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Grapes, per lb. 
1 
6 
3 
6 
VEGETABLES, 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
3. 
d. 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. 
0 
6 
to 1 
0 
Mustard and Cress, punnet 
0 
2 to 0 
0 
Beet, Red, dozen. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bunch . 
0 
3 
0 
5 
Carrots, bunch. 
0 
4 
0 
0 
Parsley, dozen bunches .. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen .. .. 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Parsnips, dozen. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Celery, bundle . 
1 
0 
1 
3 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Ooleworts, dozen bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy, bundle. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Cucumbers, dozen .. .. 
5 
0 
7 
6 
Scorzonera, bundle ,. .. 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Endive, dozen . 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Seakale, per basket .. .. 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Herbs, bunch .. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Leeks, bunch . 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel. 
3 
0 
3 
6 
Lettuce, dozen. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Tomatoes, per lb. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Mushrooms, punnet .. .. 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Turnips, bunch. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
PLANTS IN POTS. 
Arbor Vitas (golden) dozen 
Aspidistra, per dozen 
Aspidistra, specimen plant 
Azalea, per dozen ,. .. 
Cineraria, per dozen .. .. 
Oupressus, large plants,each 
Cyclamen, dozen pots 
Drac®na terminalis, dozen 
„ viridis, dozen .. 
Euonymus, var., dozen .. 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
Ferns, in variety, dozen .. 
Ferns (small) per hundred 
Ficus elastica, each .. .. 
AVERAGE 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d 
6 
Oto 12 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each.. 
2 
Oto 10 
0 
18 
0 
36 
0 
Genista, per dozen 
9 
0 
15 
0 
5 
0 
10 
6 
Hyacinths, dozen pots 
8 
0 
12 
0 
24 
0 
42 
0 
Lily of the Valley, dozen 
8 
0 
12 
0 
pots. 
12 
0 
18 
0 
2 
0 
5 
0 
Lycopodiums, per dozen .. 
3 
0 
4 
0 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
18 
0 
42 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
9 
0 
24 
0 
Palms, in var., each .. 
1 
0 
15 
0 
6 
0 
18 
0 
„ (specimens) .. .. 
21 
0 
63 
0 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Primula, single, doz. pots 
4 
0 
6 
0 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Solanums per dozen .. .. 
9 
0 
12 
0 
6 
0 
8 
6 
Tulips, dozen pots .. .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
1 
6 
7 
6 
WHOLESALE PRICES.—CUT FLOWERS. 
Orchid Blooms in variety. 
Anemones (French), dozen 
s. 
d. 
S. 
d 
bunches. 
2 
0 to 
1 6 
0 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Azalea, dozen sprays.. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Bouvardias, bunch .. .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Camellias, doz. blooms .. 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Carnations, 12 blooms 
Chrysanthemums, dozen 
2 
0 
4 
0 
bunches . 
Daffodils, double, dozen 
4 
0 
9 
0 
bunches. 
Daffodils, single, dozen 
3 
0 
9 
0 
bunches. 
4 
0 
12 
0 
Eucharis, dozen. 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Gardenias, per dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Hyacinth, Roman, 12 sprays 
Lilac, white, French, per 
0 
6 
1 
0 
bunch . 
Lilium longiflorum 12 
3 
0 
5 
0 
blooms . 
Lily of the Valley, dozen 
6 
0 
9 
0 
sprays . 
Maidenhair Fern, dozen 
0 
6 
1 
6 
bunches. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunches .. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
8. d. s. d. 
Mignonette, 12 bunches .. 3 0 to 6 0 
Mimosa, French, per bunch 10 16 
Narciss, var., French, dozen 
bunches . 30 60 
Orchids, per dozen blcoms 3 0 12 6 
Pelargoniums, 12 bunches 8 0 12 0 
Pelargoniums, scarlet, doz. 
bunches. 50 80 
Primroses, dozen bunches 10 3 0 
Primula (double) 12 sprays 0 9 10 
Roses (French), per doz. .. 2 0 6 0 
,, „ boxes, 100. 5 0 8 0 
„ (indoor), dozen .,2 0 4 0 
„ Red, per doz. blooms.. 3 0 9 0 
„ Tea, white, dozen ..16 30 
„ Yellow, dozen .. .. 4 0 6 0 
Snowdrops, dozen bunches 10 ^ ® 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms.. ..10 16 
Tulips, dozen blooms ..0 6 16 
Violets, Parme, French, per 
bunch . 20 30 
Violets, Czar, French, per 
bunch . 16 2 6 
Violets, Victoria, French, 
dozen bunehe^ .. ..16 20 
“ FARMING.” 
Sound practice and profitable results are both implied by 
this expressive term; very little difference of opinion is there 
about the profits, but there certainly are widely different coneep- 
