July 7, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
9 
- Trees in German Cities.— In most of the German cities 
visited I was surprised to find the Elm so little used as a shade tree, but 
in Hamburgh the English Elm (Ulmus campestris) is quite commonly 
planted, and there are some fine avenues of it, forming beautiful Gothic 
•arches over a number of streets. Very uniform rows of the Linden 
<(Tilia vulgaris) are also to be seen, all the trees being of about the 
•same size, at equal distances apart, and in fine condition. The 
advantage of planting only one kind of tree in a single line is well 
•shown, and altogether the streets of this city are much better than the 
average in the matter of shade. Sometimes the foliage of the Lindens, 
Maples, and Elms had a grey appearance, owing to attacks by little 
•red mites, and in a few cases the Lindens had lost many leaves from 
'this cause.—J. G. JACK (in Garden and Forest'). 
-Effect of Spraying on the Apple Scab.—T he subject was 
investigated most thoroughly at the Ohio Station last season. The con¬ 
clusions may be stated briefly as follows :—The growth of the scab 
fungus may be checked by spraying the trees at proper times during 
■the spring, with several of the copper compounds used as fungicides. 
The most convenient and satisfactory one tested so far, considering the 
cost, convenience, and effectiveness, is a dilute Bordeaux mixture, cor. 
Gaining 4 lbs. of copper sulphate, 4 lbs. of lime, and 50 gallons of water. 
While it has not been found practicable to completely prevent the 
•growth of scab in a single season, the experiments demonstrate that it is 
practicable to so reduce the injury from the fungus that the total value 
cf the crop will be greatly increased, far more than is necessary to repay 
•the cost of using the fungicides. Judicious spraying with fungicides 
-also tends to check the dropping of immature fruit in the spring; to 
cause it to grow larger in size ; more free from blemishes ; to hang 
better on the tree while ripening, to take on a higher colour, and to 
improve its keeping quality. Measured by the market value, spraying 
added nearly 100 per cent, to the value of the crop at little more than 
<6d. per tree. It has also been demonstrated that the Plum Curculio 
may be held in check by spraying almost as effectually as by jarring, 
and far more cheaply. 
-Progress in Begonias.—A s an enthusiastic admirer of the 
Tuberous Begonia, and the grower of a large collection of all the finest 
sorts I can get direct from their raisers both at home and on the 
■Continent, and having been the first to bed them out in the kingdom. 
I have read your correspondent “ W. P. W.’s article on my favourite 
flowers with considerable interest, but all his statements are not 
accurate. For instance, Picotee is not unique of its kind as he states, 
as for the last two years I have grown a most beautiful variety under 
that name, raised by the well-known grower Mr. B. R. Davis of Yeovil 
after whom Monsieur Crousse of Nancy has named one of his finest 
varieties. In habit of growth and size of flower Mr. Laing’s variety is 
doubtless a great advance on the Yeovil variety, but as to the distinct¬ 
ness of the red margins to the petals I do not think there is much to 
choose between them. Then he leads one to suppose that all the 
beautiful varieties he mentions were raised at Stanstead Park Nursery 
by Mr. Laing, whereas many of them, such as Major Hope, Mrs. French, 
and others that I cannot now remember as I have not your paper by 
me to refer to, were raised and sent out by Monsieur Fdlix Crousse of 
Nancy, from whom I had them direct. Tour correspondent should 
come and see my collection. —W. E. Gumbleton. 
Flavour in Melons. —Whilst it is impossible to lay down 
any rule w ith respect to Melons I think none the less that green flesh 
varieties more often exhibit good flavour than do either white or scarlet 
flesh varieties. Another thing which seems to mark Melons is that big 
fruits, however handsome, are seldom well flavoured, and in that respect 
these fruits seem to follow the lead of ordinary fruits and vegetables, 
for with large ones what is known as quality is rarely associated. Six 
very large and handsome Melons were sent to the last meeting of the 
Fruit Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society for certificate, and 
they were commended to attention because represented as weighing 
29 lbs. The one tasted, however, proved to be almost unpleasant 
whilst of other Melons the only really good flavoured one was a medium 
sized mottled green flesh. I fear that we shall never get a Melon 
which gives constant quality. That excellence it is feared never will 
come to any variety; indeed it is doubtful whether with all the crossings 
and intercrossings which go on on every hand any real progress is 
made either in flavour, in fidelity to character, in hardiness or in 
prolificacy, or has been made during the past twenty years. If it can 
be shown that real advance has been made I shall be very pleased to 
learn; but this much is certain, that no grower, even if he- has a 
hundred of the best looking fruits of the very best reputed sorts, 
can guarantee that any one or a score of fruits he may select as 
the best flavoured will exhibit any special excellence whatever when 
tasted. No doubt very great judgment is needful in determining when 
a Melon i3 at its best, and if one be on a given day exceptionally 
good, then be cut and kept perhaps for three days, the flavour has 
disappeared. Many Melons when cut show the flesh throughout 
either too soft and pulpy or one-half quite hard, the inner flesh too soft 
or perhaps too hard throughout. A perfect Melon is one of a thousand 
fruits.—A. D. 
- Colder Seasons and Vegetation. —Mons. Flammarion, 
the French astronomer, has ^recently been directing attention 
to the climatic changes in France. According to the United State 
Consul at Bordeaux, he states that, from actual figures obtained within 
the past six years, the temperature of Europe has been falling. France 
has been suffering for a long time from an excess of cold weather, the 
thermometrical readings at Paris having been 1° Centigrade below the 
normal height. Other readings show even less favourable results. The 
fall is more noticeable in the spring than during other periods of the 
year. Similar phenomena are recorded in Great Britain, Belgium, 
Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany, while the really cold countries, such 
as Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Russia, have enjoyed during the 
last four years a temperature slightly above the average. In the days 
of Phillipe Auguste, in the thirteenth century, the wines of Etampes 
and Beauvais were the favourite beverages at Court. Henry IV., a 
pronounced bon vivant, frequently expressed his fondness for the 
product of the Suresnes Grape. At the present day there is not a vine¬ 
yard of importance north of Paris ; and as for the petit vin now made 
at Suresnes, it has become only the drink of the poorer classes. In the 
middle of the sixteenth century Magon was celebrated for its Muscat 
wines, whereas the Muscatel Grape at this moment can scarcely be made 
to thrive there. Ancient chronicles mention the cultivation of the Vine 
in Northern Brittany, where now even Apples are not plentiful. 
Again, it is to be remarked that trees which once flourished in the 
north of France are at present found only in the extreme south, and a 
considerable number have disappeared altogether. Languedoc no 
longer grows the Lemon ; there is not an Orange left in Roussillon. The 
Lombardy Poplar, so familiar and picturesque an object in old French line 
engravings, is nowhere to be found on French soil. These are facts 
which, says Consul Knowles, putting statistics out of the question, 
serve to illustrate the changes wrought by temperature in the great 
fruit-producing country of France. 
Chrysanthemum Nomenclature. 
I think I am fairly entitled to a reply to Mr. Molyneux (page 451, 
June 16th). If your correspondent will refer to his Journal for 
November 27th, 1890, page 474, he will find a long report of the Alver- 
stoke and Gosport Show. In the principal class for twenty-four blooms, 
half incurves and half Japanese (distinct), he will there find J. Lambert 
and Emily Dale Improved (or Golden Queen) shown in the first prize 
stand by a neighbour of his, Mr. Agate, who is a good grower. I now call 
on Mr. Molyneux to be as good as his word, for he said the admission of 
my sport in prize stands with Golden Queen of England would be the 
time to admit its distinctness. I hoDe Mr. Molyneux will not blame the 
Judges. Does he know that John Lambert was certificated at Bristol? 
The Judges there nor the Floral Committee of the N.C.S. could hardly 
be mistaken.—J. Lambert, Poivis Castle, Welshpool, JY. Wales. 
[We agree that our correspondent is entitled to this reply, since he 
has at last given the reference for which readers were waiting—the 
report of the Alverstoke Show ; and now Mr. Molyneux is equally 
entitled to answer Mr. Lambert.] 
COMMON CARNATIONS. 
I OBSERVE some remarks made by “ P.” upon this subject in your 
last issue, to which I venture to take exception. I gather that he 
recommends the sowing of “ seed of cheap border varieties,’' and I 
cannot refrain from asking why he should sow cheap or common seed 
when good reliable seed is within the reach of everyone who will take 
the trouble to raise it. The difference between good and bad seed is 
about as follows :—From cheap, and therefore probably foreign seed, he 
will get perhaps 10 per cent, of double or semi-double flowers, rough and 
