472 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jnne 15, 1893. 
given at length, so that any careful examiner may verify the 
statements by the aid of the microscope. 
“ The disease, the micro-organism, has not attached itself to the 
seed. This takes place later, when the whole of the fruit becomes 
a decayed mass, the firm skin still holding the watery interior in 
shape, and then it is that the spores or germs of the microbe 
become attached to the fruit, and may be so transmitted to any 
part of the world. Perhaps this Bacterial disease has been intro¬ 
duced from America, for it is comparatively new, and certainly of 
Western rather than Eastern origin. 
“ That the Bacterium Halstedi is the cause of the disease can 
easily be determined by taking some of the liquid from a diseased 
plant and introducing it just beneath the skin of a perfectly healthy 
plant. If on a fruit the virus may run through it in throe or four 
hours, if on a soft part of the bine or stem in three or four 
days, and if on the stem near the root it may take several days 
to destroy the plant. The inoculation is certain to produce the 
disease on hard parts without a swelling, in softer parts it may 
produce an hyperthropy, and it never fails to rapidly produce a 
decay which causes the leaves to “ wilt,” the stem to shrink, and 
the fruit to become a watery mass. There is no remedy so far as 
is at present known, and the only preventive process known is to 
pull up the plants and burn them, clear out the old soil and replant 
in fresh, never saving seed from infested plants, and avoiding 
vegetable matter and animal manures.” 
We think our readers will agree that the above report, 
embodying investigations by a practical gardener, may be con¬ 
sidered somewhat remarkable. Mr. Abbey has previously afforded 
evidence of his talent for microscopical work, and his capacity for 
t.aking pains in the representation of and discovery in connection 
with the Hazel bud mite (page 321, April 20th), and in the 
present issue (page 481) it will be conceded that the orange fungus 
attacking Boses is ably pourtrayed and treated. In recognition of 
cur correspondent’s aptitude in investigation, and at the same 
time having in view the importance of the subject of the com¬ 
paratively new Tomato disease, as well as of drawing the attention 
of men of science as well as practical cultivators to it, we give 
the subject prominence in these columns.] 
MARKET PRICES AND PRODUCE. 
Having in view a good deal of correspondence which we 
liave received from time to time on this subject, we desire 
to direct attention to the communication of a “Market Grower” 
on page 451, last week, as we think it contains some wholesome 
truths that may well be kept in mind both by owners, growers, 
and packers of fruit ; while the discoverers of errors in 
current price lists may do worse than ponder over some of the 
remarks of our experienced contributor. Persons who are new 
to the business of growing produce for market have much 
to learn, whether they are amateurs or gardeners, and much 
they do learn if they persevere as our correspondent has done ; 
and we are glad to know that he has turned his knowledge 
to good account. He has grown old enough to be convinced 
that persons who live in the market, and whose lives are spent 
in watching fluctuations in supplies and values, are more 
capable of representing quotations than are persons miles away, 
and who arrive at conclusions on wholly different grounds. 
Prices shift from day to day, and sometimes there is great 
variation in an hour. We have known Tomatoes priced at 
Is. 6d. a pound, which has been challenged as a shilling too 
low because some were sold at 2s. 6d. a pound, while during the 
same week costermongers’ barrows were piled with fruit selling at 
3d. a pound through the arrival of a cargo from a southern clime. 
Inexperienced outsiders will never become famous in challenging 
the accuracy of published lists of market prices, especially when 
these represent actualities on a certain day, and which denote 
as well as the business transactions of one day can do the state 
of the market during the week. 
The practice of copying prices of fruit from choice samples in 
fruiterers’ shops by ladies and gentlemen, and concluding there¬ 
from that the surplus produce sent from their own gardens for sale 
should realise anything like equal amounts, is based on the 
assumption that their own “ garden stuff ” not wanted at home is 
equal to the best picked samples from the entire kingdom, and 
outside it—a fact which has only to be mentioned to show the 
absurdity of the proposition. A much truer and fairer method of 
appraisement is in taking the general average of the market 
returns. It is a fact also that not one private gardener in a 
hundred has anything approaching equal conveniences with those 
market gardeners who make special provision for special crops, 
and concentrate attention on them. 
Our correspondent has also found out the truth about salesmen. 
That there are sharpers about in connection with all vocations or 
no vocations is true ; but it would be as fair to say that all 
gardeners are rogues because of the rare occurrence of one being 
found in jail as to suppose that fruit, flower, and vegetable brokers 
are swindlers because perhaps once in a generation a salesman may 
be turned out of Covent Garden for low satch-penny conduct. 
The recognised business men who are established in this and other 
markets deal as fairly and honourably with their clients as do any 
other body of men in London, or they would not be where they 
are or what they are to-day. They are a most useful body— 
agents in the distribution of produce that growers themselves 
cannot convey from door to door and shop to shop ; and those 
growers who cannot attend markets, and who send the most and 
the best goods to salesmen for disposal on commission, are just 
those growers who make the most money for themselves, and these 
do not grumble at agents' methods or market customs. 
Tre remarks of our correspondent on grading and packing 
fruit are significant. It is home negligence in these matters 
broadly speaking, that gave growers in other lands the opportunity 
to establish themselves so firmly in our markets, and though it is 
humiliating to say it, the truth must come out—namely, foreign 
fruit in the bulk is preferred to our own—American Apples for 
instance, both brokers and purchasers having more faith in large 
consignments in barrels than in home-orchard produce in hampers. 
Nine fruit-selling grocers out of ten prefer barrels to hampers, 
and American to English Apples, save and except when the latter 
are well grown, graded, and packed by men who have good names 
in the market. It is much the same with other fruits. Mr. 
Webber of Covent Garden has more than once remarked that 
there is no lack of able men to grow first-class fruit, but after 
all their care and labour they spoil it in the packing. It is 
pitiable to see the deplorable condition in which so much arrives 
for sale. Then the vendors are surprised that it “ fetches 
nothing.” They would, perhaps, be not less surprised if they 
could see their own fruit when unpacked, and they certainly would 
“ not know it ” except by the baskets and labels. 
The last words of advice bj “ Market Grower ” ought to be 
deeply impressed on the minds of all who are engaged in con¬ 
tributing to the fruit, flower, and vegetable supply. Those who 
are the first in the market with the best of produce need never 
fear a good sale ; but inferior “ stuff ” during periods of “ glut ” 
is better anywhere than in Covent Garden, and sending small, 
fitful consignments of ordinary produce there is not likely to be 
very remunerative. 
PRACTICAL HINTS ON MELON CULTURE. 
CConehided from page 430.') 
Few things are more annoying to the gardener than to find 
an apparently healthy Melon plant, carrying a good crop of well- 
developed fruits, suddenly begin to flag, and in the course of a couple 
of days collapse altogether. Every effort should be made to prevent 
such occurrence by fighting diseases or insects in their early stages, 
and in nine cases out of ten serious damage may be obviated. 
Canker is undoubtedly the most troublesome disease with which 
Melons are affected, and if remedial measures are not promptly 
employed the plants quickly succumb. This vexatious disease 
assumes various forms, and is brought about chiefly by too much 
atmospheric moisture, in conjunction with faulty ventilation and 
an excess of moisture at the roots. Canker at the collar is the 
most to be dreaded because it is frequently not discovered till too 
late for remedies to be effectively applied. Plants attacked at this 
point, if cut asunder at the junction between root and stem, will 
generally be found soft and discoloured for about half an inch 
above and below the cut, while every other part of the roots and 
stem may be quite healthy. This clearly proves that the condi¬ 
tions which engender disease were present only at that point, or 
else that the stem is more susceptible to it at the collar. The 
latter conjecture is, I think, the correct one. Assuming that it 
is so, this shows the soundness of the practice of keeping the soil 
dry around the collar of the plants. Even when this has been done 
I have known plants canker badly at that poin*". This I believe 
to be caused by closing too late, using moisture freely at the same 
time, and providing little or no fire heat at night. No matter how 
