June 1, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
438 
The only point about its culture that is absolutely necessary is that a 
position exposed to the sun must be chosen, so that the wood will become 
matured. It is from the previous year’s shoots that its pure white 
blossoms are produced in elegantly formed racemes. 
Persian Lilacs. —For freedom in flowering and a graceful appear¬ 
ance when in bloom the Persian Lilac is to be recommended. The 
peculiar shade of colour, too, is always appreciated, and as a shrubbery 
plant this Syringa should receive more attention than it now has from 
planters, as variety is thus added. The perfume, however, is not nearly 
so pleasing as that from the more common S. vulgaris and its white form. 
Lonicera tatarica, —This, the Tartarian Honeysuckle, introduced 
as far back as 1752, is annually one of the most free-flowering deciduous 
shrubs we have, and still it is far from being common. As to soil or 
situation, it is not at all particular. We have a large bush growing in 
a western aspect, and not too far away from overhanging trees, still 
its rose-coloured buds and blush-white expanded blossoms are freely 
produced.—E. M. _ 
The Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum).—How rarely do we sec 
this quaint-looking shrub in gardens ! The curious manner in which 
the blossoms thrust themselves, as it were, out of the bark of the 
branches, large or small, renders it a distinct novelty. In spring it is 
smothered with its purple blossoms, and makes quite a brave show 
amongst other things in the shrubbery. Later on its foliage, when fully 
developed, is most pleasing. _ 
The Siberian Crab (Pyrus Malus baccata).—We have a very fine 
specimen of this Pyrus standing on the lawn ; its lower boughs sweep 
the grass beneath. Nothing in the whole garden is more highly prized 
than this tree when in flower or laden with its golden-coloured fruit in 
the autumn. Perhaps the tree is in its brightest dress when half of the 
blooms are expanded, the remainder in bud ; the rosy tint of the latter 
gives variety and a charming contrast to the fully expanded blooms, 
which are pure white. It is necessary to keep a sharp look out for the 
bullfinches in the early spring; they are very partial to the buds the 
moment the latter show signs of vitality. It is hardly necessary to say 
that if the birds are allowed to have their own way for a few days the 
beauty of the tree and the crop of fruit are much depreciated. 
Genista PRiECOX. —This is deserving of much more attention than 
it receives in the shrubbery or indeed elsewhere in many gardens. 
For freedom of flower and gracefulness of habit I know of no more 
attractive shrub for flowering in April. Planted so that its branches can 
hang over the edge of a pond, and if among rocks so much the better, 
seems to be the most suitable site for this Broom. The only objectionable 
point at all is the disagreeable odour emitted from its flowers; especially 
is this noticeable in a room if by chance any should be cut. 
The Scotch Laburnum (Cytisus alpinus).—No one I think can 
dispute the superiority of this variety over all other trees when seen in 
open places. The chain-like blooms of this variety are of greater length 
than any other, and the foliage is more profuse and of a deeper tint of 
green, setting off the rich yellow of the flowers so much better I think 
than the common kind, which is rightly characterised as “ all bloom.” 
Berberis vulgaris. —Although this Berberis is looked upon as a 
common kind it is well worthy of a place where space can be found for 
its branches to grow in an all-round manner, when they assume that 
semi-weeping character which renders this species so striking an object, 
with its pale yellow blossoms depending from underneath the branches. 
Even the smallest twigs are heavily laden. We have it growing in an 
isolated position over a base of closely cut common Laurel; this latter 
provides quite a good constrast to the Berberis. 
Spir^a prunipolia pl.-pl.— This is one of the best of the 
shrubby members of this family, not only on account of the purity of 
its small rosette like blossoms, but for the length of time that they 
remain in a fresh condition upon the plant. This variety does not require 
the space that some do, being more compact, and of less vigour.—E. M. 
THE LARCH DISEASE. 
Little wonder this disease excites attention among planters, because 
it threatens the partial if not total extinction of the most profitable 
timber tree in Britain ; not altogether because the trees become diseased 
and worthless, but also because landowners hesitate to plant it for fear 
of the disease. Larch timber gets scarcer every day, and in many 
localities there are now no saleable Larch and few young plantations. 
The late Mr. Maegregor, forester to the Duke of Athole, in his 
examination by the Select Committee on Forestry a few years back, 
said the Larch “ was not now growing in any place hardly in Scotland,” 
and that there was nothing to come into competition with Larch if it 
would grow as it did eighty years ago. Since then, when on a visit to 
Mr. Maegregor at Dunkeld, he told me he believed late frosts to be the 
originating cause of the disease, and this leads me to ask if any of your 
readers have ever considered how much the Larch disease resembles 
“gumming” in the Peach tree, making allowance for the different 
habits of the two species. Gumming is as destructive as the Larch 
disease, and it is many years since Robert Thompson of Chiswick wrote 
that when it pervaded a tree to any serious extent that tree was done 
for. Now we know pretty well what causes gumming. So far as I am 
aware it is never troublesome where the trees can ripen their wood well, 
as, for example, in a heated glass house; but outdoors, in a rich soil 
where the growths are rank and immature, and are cut hard back or 
wounded from any cause, gumming will appear. Gross growth affected 
by anything which seems to check the circulation is almost sure to be 
followed by gumming. But after all, the gum appears to be one of the 
constituents of the tree, and it is only its abnormal development which 
constitutes the disease. So in the Larch. Those ulcerated swellings on 
the stem look more like gummy or resinous eruptions than anything 
else. Authorities on the Pinacem—Senilis, for example—assert that 
the Larch in its native habitat, when in the best of health, shows 
symptoms of the disease “ circulating through the entire system of the 
plant,” and that the altered conditions of climate, situation, and culture 
develop the disease as seen in this country. The curious thing about it 
is that it is the younger plantations that suffer most, while old planta¬ 
tions escape almost entirely. How is it that climatic conditions affect 
the one and not the other ? The soil theory will not do, because the 
disease is found on all soils. 
Are there diseased strains of Larch ? It would be interesting to 
trace the source of some diseased plantations. A few years ago I valued 
the woods on an estate in the North of England, and on one strip of 
bank on the river side a plantation of Larch about thirty-five years old 
was free from disease, and in a plantation on the same bank and soil, 
planted perhaps twenty years later, the trees were so badly diseased as 
to be almost worthless. One fact is pretty well established. As soon 
as home-grown Larch seed could be got it was preferred, and has been 
steadily recommended by growers (on what reasonable grounds I would 
like to discover), and since then the disease may be said to have origi¬ 
nated and spread. I would never plant Larch from home-saved seed if 
I could get foreign, and my reason for this is the superior conditions of 
existing plantations on all sorts of situations, and which must have 
been produced from foreign seed.—J. S., IF. 
DEATH OF MR. SAMUEL BARLOW. 
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Samuel Barlow of Stakehill, 
Castleton, near Rochdale, which took place on Sunday morning last at 
his residence at twenty minutes to eight o’clock. The following account 
of the career of the deceased gentleman, who was so widely known and 
respected in the floral world, has been sent to us, and it will be observed 
that the position he attained was the result of his perseverance, industry, 
and business aptitude. 
Mr. Barlow was born in 1825, and received the rudiments of education, 
for the completion of which he was so much indebted to his own 
perseverance and natural love of study, at the village school of Wood- 
houses near to Daisy Nook. At an early age he commenced to work in 
the bleachworks of Messrs. Otho Hulme & Sons, Medlock Vale, his father 
being at that time manager. Working all day and spending his 
evenings at the night class of Woodhouses, the boy assiduously prepared 
himself for the busy and useful career which was in store for him. From 
Medlock Vale the family removed, at the end of 1839, to Salford, where 
Mr. Barlow’s father had taken the place of manager of the bleaching 
department of the Adelphi Print VVorks, then in the occupation of 
Messrs. Gisborne & Wilson. Here Mr. Barlow’s abilities began to dis¬ 
play themselves to some purpose. Being sent into the colour making 
department at the Adelphi Works, and being apprenticed to that 
business, such was the natural taste he evinced for the work, that before 
the term of his apprenticeship had expired he had charge of the depart¬ 
ment, and was appointed foreman colour-maker and assistant manager, 
which position he held until the dissolution of the firm. In 1847 the 
father accepted the appointment of manager of the bleachworks at 
Stakehill, then occupied by Messrs. Heald, Wilson & Co., and the son, 
then being out of work, went with him to assist at the starting of the 
new management, intending to remain only until he found a suitable 
opportunity of pursuing his own employment. He soon found congenial 
employment, however, at Stakehill, which has ever since been his residence. 
On the death of his father in 1855 Mr. Barlow became sole manager of 
the works, which in the interval had been considerably extended. 
In 1861 Messrs. Heald, Wilson, & Co. gave up business, and then 
Mr. Barlow, in conjunction with partners, became proprietor of Stake¬ 
hill Bleachworks, the business of which has ever since been conducted 
under the style of Samuel Barlow & Co. The practical scientific know¬ 
ledge and the ingenuity of the principal partner resulted in the intro¬ 
duction at Stakehill of certain improvements in the mechanical process, 
which proved so useful that the premises had to be considerably enlarged, 
with corresponding material advantages to the firm. In addition to his 
manifold business duties, Mr. Barlow took a great interest in public 
affairs, and was a Justice of the Peace and a County Alderman. Mr. 
Barlow at the time of his death was Mayor of Middleton. He was also 
a Director of the Winterbottom Book Cloth Company Limited, and a 
past President and existing Vice-President of the Manchester Arts Club. 
He was a great florist, and there can be no doubt that some of the 
greatest pleasures of his life were associated with horticulture. Sir. 
Barlow often acted as a judge at the shows connected with the Man¬ 
chester Royal Botanical Society. His botanical knowledge was very 
considerable. He also possessed many amiable as well as business 
qualities, and was so much respected that the highest civic honours were 
conferred upon him by those among whom he lived, and who were- 
perhaps, the best able to judge of his worth. 
