August 4, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
101 
- The Midland Carnation and Picotee Society. —The 
annual Exhibition of this Society will be held on Saturday, 
August 6th, in the Botanical Gardens, Edgbaston, Birmingham. The 
Society is favoured with influential patrons, and is managed by a 
strong committee. The schedule is encouraging to exhibitors, six 
prizes being offered in most of the classes by the Society, while special 
prizes are offered for specified varieties and kinds of Carnations. A 
large and interesting display may be expected, and a great floral treat 
provided for the inhabitants of the metropolis of the Midlands and 
friends from far and near. Mr. Robert Sydenham is Chairman of the 
■Committee, also Treasurer, and Mr. William Dean Honorary Secretary 
of the Society. 
- The Black Knot on Fruit Trees. — Has anyone noticed 
the black knot on Plum trees, on this side of the Atlantic ? In Eastern 
America, says a daily contemporary, it is causing such destruction 
that a New York State farmer had in twelve months to root up 5000 
trees. At one time this curious wart-like excrescence of the bark was 
thought to be a gall caused by an insect ; but it has been conclusively 
proved to be simply a fungus -which attacks not only cultivated Plums 
and Cherries, but also the wild species also. Kerosene, turpentine, 
linseed oil, sulphate of copper, and a mixture of red oxide of iron and 
linseed oil are among the many substances which have been tried with 
a view to destroying it. But the only effectual remedy is to cut down 
and burn the trees at once, thus ensuring the destruction of the spores 
of the fungus before they spread. 
- A wide circle of friends will be interested to hear of the 
marriage of the Rev. F. Campbell Paul, Rector of St. Peter’s, 
Bristol, and second son of Mr. W. Paul of Waltham Cross, with Miss 
Nora Kitto, eldest daughter of Rev. J. F. Kitto, Vicar of St. Martin’s 
in the Fields, London. Mr. Paul was for six years Curate of the 
Parish of St. Martin, during which period he gained the esteem and 
affectionate regard of the whole of that extensive parish, by his 
devotion to the duties of his important office. The high estimation 
in which Mr. Paul was held was shown in a remarkable manner by the 
distinguished congregation that assembled in the church to take part 
in the ceremony, which was performed on Wednesday, the 26th ult., 
by the Ven. Dr. Sinclair, Archdeacon of London. After the ceremony 
a large party of friends were entertained at the vicarage, where the 
many costly wedding presents were on view. 
-Variegated Chrysanthemum Foliage. — An American 
contemporary recently submitted some variegated Chrysanthemum 
foliage to Mr. J. Thorpe for his opinion. In reply he writes as follows : 
—“ The variegated Chrysanthemum is not a rarity. Raisers of seedlings 
frequently have variegation among the yearlings. A really good 
marginal variegation would be yaluable, but the splashed forms have 
proved too unreliable. Some years ago in England there was a Pompon 
Chrysanthemum with variegated leaves resembling those of Mountain 
of Snow Pelargonium. This was used as a ribbon line in bedding. Its 
name was Progress, and it was sent out by Bull in 1858 or 1859.’’ So 
far as my opinion is concerned, variegation in the foliage of Chrys¬ 
anthemums is not desirable, and efforts to obtain such cannot be too 
strongly deprecated. If my memory does not deceive me a variety with 
variegated foliage was exhibited at Westminster Aquarium and else¬ 
where a year or two ago, and it was a poor weak thing compared with 
the robust, dark green leaves of the others.— Chrysanth. 
- Crocosma AUREA imperialis.—T he description given of the 
above named grand iridaceous plant in your last issue when intimating 
the award to it of a certificate of merit at the recent meeting of the 
Royal Horticultural Society, when it was exhibited by the Chairman of 
the Floral Committee, Mr. Marshall, is misleading, as instead of the 
plant having small yellow flowers, as your account says, its individual 
flowers are of at least the size of a crown piece and of a most brilliant 
shade of fiery orange colour. It is an exceedingly handsome plant 
raised by Herr Max Leichtlin of Baden. I have grown and bloomed it 
most beautifully in the open ground, but unfortunately lost it after the 
second blooming during the winter, more, I fancy, from excess of 
moisture during our long damp winters than from any effect of frost, of 
which we have little of any severity or long duration. The main bulb 
never blooms more than once, but throws off a number of stoloniferous 
suckers, each of which terminates in a flowering bulb. I am surprised 
that it has never before received a certificate of merit, as, though by far 
the handsomest of its family, it is by no means a new plant, but will 
always, I fear, be a somewhat scarce and expensive one owing to its 
inherent delicacy of constitution.— Boscobel. 
- Pea Duke of Albany. —This is a favourite Pea of mine, and 
it is difficult to beat even among so many. Those who have had the 
pleasure of its acquaintance need no advice on the matter, but to 
readers who have not grown it I would say, Lose no time, but make 
the “ Duke ” your sheet-anchor next season if free crops, fine pods, 
and excellent flavour are the points required. As I have before 
stated in the Journal we grow this variety for our second crop, and 
though the Peas are but a very short time behind the earliest in being 
ready for gathering, they are infinitely superior. Happening to have a 
warm snug place for the early crop, and by sowing the seed in a late 
vinery and growing the plants in pots until they are at least 1 foot 
high, we get our first “ Dukes ” in good time.—E. M. 
- The Prickly Pear.—M r. B. N. C. Fletcher has an interesting 
account of the manifold uses of the wild Cactus in the almost desert 
country between San Antonio, Texas, and Chihuaha, in Mexico, in the 
last issue of the f< Kew Bulletin.” In this region mentioned rain seldom 
falls, but when a shower refreshes the ground grass springs up only to be 
withered by the hot sun, and then blown in a fibrous cloud on the wind. 
However, around the base of the Cactus the blades remain fresh for a 
time. The draught oxen of the “ prairie schooners ” are fed upon the 
chopped up juicy branches, and after they are turned loose at night 
search of their own accord for the juicy fruit of this “ Prickly Pear.” 
Sheep also fatten on this fruit, which in many countries forms a large 
part of the poorer people’s dietary—and goats, which in dry countries 
(like Morocco, Malta, Greece, and Mexico) indulge a propensity for 
climbing, manage to get at the “ Pears ” on the upper as well as the 
lower branches. A salad is made from the leaves, the dried branches 
are burnt, and the sap is used as size to mix with lime for whitewashing, 
and might be made into a good vegetable glue. 
- Moseley and King’s Heath Flower Show. — A corre¬ 
spondent sends us a list of the prizewinners at the above Show, which 
was held on the 1st inst., but in consequence of the pressure incident 
to the holiday week the names cannot be inserted. Another correspon¬ 
dent indicates the character of the Show as follows :—The entries for 
the various classes were more numerous than at previous Exhibitions, 
and four or five large marquees were filled with prettily arranged 
garden flowers, imposing collections of hothouse plants, fruit, and 
vegetables. The exhibits were divided under four heads—those sent by 
gentlemen’s gardeners, by amateurs, by cottagers, and decorations by 
ladies. In the ladies’ classes Mrs. Joseph Chamberlain and Mrs. C. P. 
Lane were pleased to award the prizes. Mrs. Chamberlain, who was 
accompanied by Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Austen Chamberlain, 
arrived at the grounds during the morning, and was met by the 
President (Rev. D. H. C. Preedy), and was presented with a magnificent 
bouquet of flowers by Miss Dorothy Lane, a similar one being presented 
to Mrs. Lane by Miss Mary Hickling. Mr. Chamberlain expressed 
great pleasure at the Show, and was so delighted with some decorated 
mail carts prepared by children that he asked permission to present 
each competitor not gaining honours with a special prize of 5s. 
- Carter’s Daisy Pea. —A visit to witness the second applica¬ 
tion of bouillie bordelaise in one of Messrs. Carter’s trial fields of Potatoes 
near Bromley, Kent, last week, resulted in a disappointment and a surprise 
The official Superintendent of the trials was at the last moment pre¬ 
vented from being present, but there was compensation even under such 
circumstances in a field of Peas, of which it is safe to say the like could 
not be seen elsewhere. The Daisy Pea, so called by an American in 
signification of its excellence, was growing in rows about 3 feet apart, 
that distance being afforded for convenience of cultivating the land with 
horse power. The rows resembled piles of pods—great bright green 
pods as large as Telephone, and packed with fat peas from end to end. 
Not one pod was found with less than eight peas, but many, if not most, 
contained nine, not eight and an apology, but all full sized peas. Only 
plants of unusual sturdiness could have borne up under their load so 
well, and it is only fair to say that some of them were propped up by the 
pods resting on the ground one over the other in sloping order—a 
remarkable sight. The plants were between a foot and 15 inches high. 
The Daisy is strictly a dwarf Pea, but has left all other dwarfs behind 
in the size of its pods. The quality is of the best. For gardens of all 
sizes, allotments, and fields this new Pea is adapted, and into many it is 
bound to find its way. It promises to be a favourite family and a 
popular market Pea. It is distinct from all others, and likely to long 
hold a good position amongst the many fine varieties of Peas that the 
firm have been so fortunate as to introduce to the public. It was raised 
in their trial grounds at Forest Hill, follows the first earlies closely, and 
produces a long supply of high-class Peas by successional sowings. Its 
