480 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
t June 15, 1893. 
- Viola Sports. —Mr. G. McLeod of Chingford has sent us a 
bloom of Viola Duchess of Fife with two distinct sports from the 
same plant. The flower of one sport is large, of good substance, and 
very attractive. The top petals are bright violet, the lower one being 
brownish yellow with a bluish margin and clear orange centre. This 
sport, we understand, is appearing on Viola Duchess of Fife in several 
parts of the country. The other, however, is the most distinct, and, so 
far as can be ascertained, has not appeared elsewhere. The flower is 
well formed and very pretty. A dark mauve colour characterises the 
top petal, this forming a pleasing contrast to the rich yellow centre, 
from which the lower petals gradually shade to a buff tint and well- 
defined heliotrope margin. It is very distinct, and if Mr. McLeod can 
“ fix ” it, there is no doubt it will become a popular variety. 
- Steam versus Hot-water Heating. — The Americans 
obviously regard the British horticulturist as being behind the times 
in the matter of heating. Says “Meehans’ Monthly,’’ “Judging by 
the horticultural literature of the old w’orld there seems to be a doubt 
whether steam beating can be made a great success, hot water being 
in general use there. The dread seems to be that steam requires much 
more personal attention than hot water. But American invention has 
so simplified things that it really requires little, if any more labour, to 
look after the houses, or a large series of houses heated by steam than 
when heated by hot water, while the advantage of carrying heat to long 
distances very rapidly are so much in favour of steam, that instead of 
its being a question with us as to whether steam or hot water is the 
best, hot water is really going out of existence.” 
- Royal Botanic Society.—P rofessor S. H. Vines of Oxford 
University gave his concluding lecture upon “ The Leaf and its 
Functions ” at the Gardens, Regent’s Park, on Friday last. In defining 
transpiration as the power possessed by leaves of giving off watery 
vapour, the lecturer referred to the enormous quantity of moisture 
drawn by the roots from the soil, and by this means discharged into 
the atmosphere. For example, the common Sunflower was found to 
exhale 12 ozs. of water in twelve hours, and an Oak tree, with an 
estimated number of 700,000 loaves, would in the same way give off 
sornething like 700 tons of water during the five months it carries its 
foliage. While the other parts of plants varied but little, leaves, as 
befitted the most important organs, were able to alter themselves to 
suit the conditions under which they had to live, so that botanists 
were often able by the appearance of a plant to tell the climate and 
circumstances under which it had been grown. 
- Two-ounce Strawberries. — Fruits weighing 2 ozs. and 
upwards are not commonly obtained from plants grown in pots, although 
such records are occasionally given. Mention was made a short time 
since of Mr. Robinson’s success with President Strawberry in pots at 
Heywood, Westbury, and since that date a crop of that fine variety 
Auguste Nicaise has proved even more remarkable than President. 
Several pounds could be gathered at one time, and out of these there 
were many Strawberries that weighed 2 ozs. each, and some almost 2 J ozs. 
Those accustomed to fruits of 1 oz. weight can readily imagine what a 
fine show these must have made both on the pots and dinner-table, and 
It is the more remarkable when the whole of the crop of nine fruits on 
^ch pot were of corresponding size. They were bright in colour, which 
IS not a condition always presented in fruits of this variety grown in 
pots. A sunk pit is filled with Strawberries in pots in the spring, and 
the ventilation, in conjunction with fire heat, ensures a perfect set, 
hence the full size attained in the crops. A little air is left on all 
night, which keeps the atmosphere cool and dry, and prevents moisture 
settling on the flowers.—W. S. 
- The Royal Horticultural Society’s Four Day 
Autumn Show, a “ Fruit Grower and Exhibitor ” writes •_*• As 
Fellow and well-wisher of the Royal Horticultural Society, and as oi 
who for several years past has been a large exhibitor in the fruit class^ 
of the metropolitan, Crystal Palace, and provincial Shows, I venture i 
say that four days are too long to have hothouse and other choi( 
ruits on view in an exhibition hall, inasmuch as a large per-centat^e < 
such fruits would be practically spoiled by the end of the Show. Cndi 
these circumstances I believe exhibitors who have enjoyed the privilei 
of showing specimens of their productions at the Shows indicated, wi] 
earing in mind their employers’ interests, not compete at the Grei 
Show to be held in the Agricultural Hall on August 29th and thr* 
Royal Horticultural Society give, through the medium of the horticu 
^ exhibitors in the fruit classes at the Sho 
n question may remove their exhibits at six o’clock on the evening of tl 
second day of the Exhibition. By complying with this very reasonable 
suggestion the Royal Horticultural Society would be serving its own 
interests, as well as showing that it was not unmindful of those of the 
nobility and gentry who annually support horticulture, not only with 
their subscriptions but also by allowing the produce of their gardens 
being staged at the leading horticultural shows, and a good display of 
fruit would result therefrom.” 
- Disease in Carnations.— During the past year or two a 
very troublesome fungus disease of a rust has appeared among winter 
blooming Carnations to the dismay of florists in America, cutting down 
the product of plants nearly one-half. It has been discovered, remarks 
“ Meehans’ Monthly,” that this species of fungus belongs to the genus 
Uromyces, and on account of its affinity for the Carnation has been 
named Uromyces caryophyllinus. Like so many of these it easily gives 
away to the copper sulphates. Prof. Arthur says that the sulphates of 
iron, or green copperas, have been found to be generally as effectual as 
the sulphate of copper, or blue copperas. He says that there is already 
prepared in the drug stores a mixture known as copperdine, which is 
ammoniated copper carbonate. This ready preparation may be of great 
service to those who have not the time or disposition to make a mixture 
for themselves. 
Rose Show Fixtures in 1893. 
June 20th (Tuesday).—Westminster (N.R.S.). 
„ 21st (Wednesday).—Dursley. 
„ 24th (Saturday).—Reigate. 
„ 26th (Monday).—Hitchin and Canterbury. 
„ 27th (Tuesday).—Maidstone and Sutton. 
„ 28th (Wednesday).—Clifton,* Earl’s Court, King’s Lynn, and 
Richmond (Surrey). 
„ 29th (Thursday).—Eltham and Windsor. 
July let (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R.S.). 
„ 4th (Tuesday).—Bagshot, Diss, and Gloucester. 
„ 6th (Wednesday).—Croydon, Ealing, Farnham, Hereford, and 
Lee.* 
„ 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. 
* Shows lasting two days. f Show lasting three days. 
During the present month a list of Rose Show fixtures will be issued 
each week, so that I shall be glad to have early notice of the dates of 
any shows not mentioned above, and also of any change of dates.— 
Edward Mawley, Mosebank, Berkhamsted, Herts, 
Canterbury Rose Show. 
We are requested to say that this Show is put forward to Monday 
June 26th, on account of the earliness of the season, instead of July 4th 
as previously announced. 
“The Worm i’ the Bud” in 1893. 
“ W. R. Raillem” (page 455) is quite right in supposing that I have 
not gathered so many grubs and caterpillars this year from my Roses as 
nsual. Taking the same 1000 plants they fell short of the average crop 
in the previous five years by about 600, and were fewer than in any of 
those five years.—E. M., Berkhampstead. 
Crimson Rambler Rose. 
We are informed that at the Exhibition of the National Horticultural 
Society of France, held recently, a gold medal was awarded to Mr. 
Charles Turner, Royal Nursery, Slough, for his Japanese Polyantha 
Rose, Crimson Rambler. The plant was packed in an ordinary matted 
basket, and forwarded by rail to M. Margottin fils of Pierrefille, 
and when unpacked it was found not a fiower or petal had dropped, 
showing its persistence and its adaptability for sending long journeys. 
A brief description of this grand Rose was published in the Journal of 
Horticulture for May 25th. 
The Duchess of Bedford Rose. 
The raiser of the Duchess of Bedford Rose was Mr. Richard Broad- 
hurst Postans, and not, as stated by Mr. Williamson in your last issue 
(page 463) Mr. William Paul, although the latter may have assisted to 
introduce the Rose to the public. Mr. Postans was an enthusiastic 
