140 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 18, 1892. 
cleared of their fruit they ought to be pruned, cutting out any 
branches which would be removed at the spring pruning ; those 
left are then afforded more space for becoming thoroughly matured. 
Another error committed is that of not taking prompt measures 
to rid the trees of insects the moment the latter are seen. If 
green or black fly attack the points of the shoots and are allowed 
to remain until the leaves are coiled up and the point of growth 
crippled before the remedy is applied how can the trees be 
expected to perfect a crop of fruit or lay the foundation for 
another year ? 
Water is too often withheld from the trees, not only when they 
are in full growth but after the fruit is gathered, not only at the 
root but over the branches also. When in full growth Peach trees 
require a large supply of water to give the best results, and after 
they have perfected their fruit several thorough soakings at the 
roots will be an immense advantage to enable the trees to plump up 
their bloom buds for the following year should the weather be hot 
and dry during September. It is surprising what an amount of 
moisture a brick wall will absorb from the soil, and this is all at the 
expense of the trees. During hot weather the trees should be 
thoroughly drenched with clean water in the evening, which not 
only checks the spread of insect pests and keeps the foliage free 
from dust but cools the bricks for the night, which must be an 
advantage to the branches and leaves of the trees. Mulching the 
surface to prevent the evaporation of moisture is important, but 
this may be carried too far to the detriment of the trees by 
excluding the sun from warming the soil, which is an important 
factor in Peach culture. Directly the trees are fastened to the 
wall in the spring some lay on a thick coating of manure, and there 
it remains until it vanishes from decay. This is a wrong method 
to pursue for the reasons stated above. If there is a prospect of 
a long spell of bright dry weather then a mulching of light stable 
manure to maintain the surface in a moist state will be an 
advantage, but mulchings should only be employed for this 
purpose. 
In strong soils the application of stimulants to the roots must 
be attended with care. Giving too much is a mistake, as strong 
sappy wood is the result, and that is not needed ; rather the 
reverse, as such growth is liable to gumming when a severe winter 
follows a wet summer. I never give stimulants to the roots until 
the fruit has passed the stoning period, and then but once or twice. 
More reliance is placed on abundance of clear water with a 
mulching of horse manure after the stoning stage is passed. In 
the case of light sandy soil the trees need more attention and 
assistance when swelling a crop of fruit. A thorough soaking 
with liquid manure once a fortnight during dry weather would not 
be too much.— E. Molyneux. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
Some Troublesome Plants. 
Not the least of the many pleasures to be derived from a true 
love of flowers is that which we enjoy when, as Wordsworth has 
it, we are ‘‘in silent or in pensive mood,” or are oppressed with 
physical weariness, and turn our thoughts to the flowers we know 
and admire. And this pleasure is increased tenfold when, at these 
times, we can bring to mind the associations and legends attached 
to them. 
Lilium candidum. 
To none of the flowers of the garden do these words apply in a 
greater degree than to Lilium candidum, the Madonna Lily. The 
other mght, when somewhat weary, my thoughts turned to a fine 
mass of this Lily which I saw in a neighbouring garden a day 
or two ago, the Lily of the Virgin, of which the old Calendar 
said— 
“ From Visitation to St. Swithen’s showers 
The Lillie white reigns queen of the floures,’’ 
as the emblem of purity has been inseparably associated with the 
Madonna, not only from the legends long current, but from the 
custom of the old painters of limning upon their canvases this 
Lily alongside of the figure of the Virgin. It is said, with the Rose 
to occupied her tomb when opened after her resurrection by 
ot. Thomas ; it is said to have been a crown of Lilies which was 
worn by Judith when she went into the tent of Holofernes • it is 
the flower of Juno produced from some drops of the milk which 
escaped while she was suckling the infant Hercules ; it has been 
celebrated in the orders of chivalry ; has been written of in poetiy 
and prose, and has so. entered into the arts that its absence would 
leave a sad void. If its value in the past has been so great in the 
religion, the art, and the literature of olden times, its value from a 
garden point of view remains unequalled and unimpaired. Whether 
in the gardens of the palace or of the cottage, the Madonna Lily is 
admired by all, and he who cannot grow it in his garden loses a 
pleasure he can hardly afford to lose. 
Easily as this Lily is cultivated in some gardens, in others it is 
by no means a success. It is one of those which, I must confess, 
always disappoint me in my garden ; but though this is so I have 
every hope that some day or other I shall hit upon some success 
ful method of cultivating it. I am the less inclined to despair of 
success when I recollect how well L. testaceum, which is under¬ 
stood to be a hybrid between L. candidum and L, chalcedonicum, 
does here, and when I see it in a neighbouring garden, with, so far 
as can be seen, a similar soil. Although I have frequently spoken 
of this Lily I return to it now in order that I may advise those 
who wish to try it to procure their bulbs as soon as possible. Its 
growth is made very early, and it should be planted almost 
immediately after flowering. As to the soil in which to plant, it 
ill becomes one who has been unsuccessful to speak of it. I should, 
however, advise in light soils a fair quantity of cow manure to be 
added to the soil, but not in contact with the bulbs. In heavier 
soils, provided they are well drained, L. candidum seems to do 
well. 
As to the disease which brings dire disappointment to the 
hopes of the grower, who can dogmatise ? Some of the “ cures ” 
which have been applied to the useful Potato have been tried with 
the Lily, and with more or less, but generally less, success. In 
some cases the flowers were saved, but the foliage was hopelessly 
incurable. In this case I should say the gain was a doubtful one. 
It can hardly be expected that a bulb which has flowered while its 
foliage has never been fully capable of fulfilling one of the essential 
purposes of its existence should remain in full vigour, and I should 
think as a matter of eventual gain it would be well to take off the 
flowers before opening. Then, again, if this Lily is grown as an 
ornamental garden plant, what is it worth with ruined foliage ? 
So far as I have seen the conditions which seem favourable to the 
spread of the Potato disease seem to affect the Lily, and this 
season it appears to be more than usually healthy in this district. 
If I am not mistaken the Rev. C. Wolley Dod has had some 
trouble with this disease, and I trust he may find it convenient to 
give us the result of some of his observations. 
Iris stylosa. 
Having gone so far into one’s troubles and disappointments 
with plants, I may as well continue in the same strain, and notice 
a few others which are not very successful either here or else¬ 
where. Among these is Iris stylosa, a most beautiful Iris, which 
in some catalogues is alluringly described as flowering at a period 
of the year when we have little else outside. I must say, how¬ 
ever, that although my garden is in a favoured spot as regards 
climate, and as regards soil is highly suitable for winter-flowering 
hardy plants, I am unable to bloom this without giving glass 
protection from October until after the flowering period in January 
or February. I believe this experience applies to the vast majority 
of gardens. If I am not mistaken it flowers unsheltered in the 
garden of the Rev. H. Ewbank in the Isle of Wight, but in most 
gardens it requires to be specially cared for by covering with a 
handlight or other glass protection during the period already 
indicated. 
Plumbago Larpent^e. 
Another troublesome and disappointing plant to many is 
Plumbago , Larpentac, so favourably noticed on page 97 by 
D , Deal. I fear with most cultivators it must be written down 
as flowering too late to be satisfactory unless covered with glass 
also. I have tried it in several positions, but cannot get it to 
flower in the open in time to prevent it being cut down by early 
frosts. But then I am a long way further north than your able 
contributor, and although we have a mild winter I daresay our 
frosts come a little earlier. But I mean to make one more attempt 
with P. Larpentoe, and should another year leave us among our 
flowers I hope to report success at last. 
Zauschneria californica. 
This is another plant giving much the same results as the 
Plumbago, and it, too, is about to receive a last chance, for, as a 
rule, I care but little for those flowers which require to be coaxed 
into blooming by such special means. It grows and flowers very 
well on a wall in some gardens, and I mean to have a trial of it 
in this position and see if I can flower it regularly thus. Another 
flower which gives me some annoyance from its shyness is 
Crocus satiyus. 
The old Saffron Crocus is a fine thing of its kind when in 
flower, but which has long been noted as being very unsatisfactory 
