484 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ November 17, 1892. 
old lean-to vinery fo much infested with meily bug that I wi9 told for 
years a considerable portion of the Grapes grown in it were not present¬ 
able. I do think one could imagine a house more unlikely to be cleaned 
than it was, being very old and partly decayed. Met I am pleased to 
say it is now perfectly clean, and that chiefly through non-syringing. 
The first winter we cleansed the house as well as possible, also tbe Vines, 
but they were scrape! except about the spurs. They were then dressed 
as usual and the border attended to ; but I thought if syringing was 
practised at starting the Vines, all our compound would in a week be 
washed off ; then what was to prevent the bug reappearing as numerous 
as ever? 
These considerations induced me to try starting the Vines without 
syringing, maintain atmospheric moisture by evaporating pans, and 
the usual damping two or three times daily according to the weather. 
This we did, and the Vines broke as well as if they had been syringed 
every day, but in due time a few insects appeared, but were disposed 
of by a small brush dipped in petroleum kept in the house for that pur¬ 
pose. That year we had two bunches of Grapes spoiled notwithstanding 
all our care. The second year the same routine was strictly observed 
and only one bunch spoiled and fewer insects appeared. The third ye tr 
we had fewer still, and all the fruit was clean. This season only two 
insects were noticed and destroyed, so that I can now pronounce our old 
vinery clean. The Vines and fruit are much improved, though only on 
two occasions during the last four years was the syringe used when a 
little spider made its unwelcome appearance. lean strongly recommend 
any of your readers who may be troubled with mealy bug in their 
vineries to try the non-syringing system, and I feel confident they will 
be pleased with the result.—R. R., Belfast. 
HARDY FLOWER NOTES. 
COLCHICUMS AND CROCUSES. 
The Colchicums, too, are in the fulness of their beauty, with flowers 
of purest white, of blushing pink, of pale purple, or of ruby crimson. 
They seem as if they had purposely planned that their foliage should 
not appear until spring, in order that the beauty and elegance of the 
flower tubes should be fully exposed to view. These same tubes are very 
beautiful ; some like white enamel, and others beginning with white 
below and passing upwards into pink and pile purple, and into the 
ruby crimson already mentioned. Perhaps the finest of all in flower at 
present is the splendid C. veratrifolium, with larger and deeper coloured 
flowers than those of C. speciosum rubrum, so deservedly admired by all. 
One’s powers of description of colours seem utterly inadequate to 
describe that ruby-purple or crimson which seems the prevailing shade 
of this fine Tulip-like Meadow Saffron, that has hues unlike any to be 
found in the Tulip race, wide as the range of colours is in those gallant 
flowers of spring. Fine, too, is a pale coloured one I have as C. Berto- 
loni, which is of palest pink, and is less chequered than many of the 
genus. Then tbe double white, one of the most prized of all, is of almost 
matchless beauty, with flowers which seem as if they had been made 
of the whitest and most perfectly polished ivory. 
We now, too, look with deepest admiration upon the veined and 
feathered flowers of Crocus speciosus, the “ blue ” Crocus with its showy 
yet tasteful purple-blue flowers, which open their cups gladly to the 
autumn sun. We have many of these autumn-flowering Crocuses now 
hastening on as if afraid lest they should be too late to enjoy even the 
languid sunshine of our late autumn days. Of these more must be 6aid 
another time, for there are yet many other flowers now pleading for 
notice ere the frost spirit shrivels them with his icy breath. 
It seems as if Linum flavum (misprinted Lilium in my last notes) 
would bloom on until the frost comes. It has been well nigh 
unapproachable in its brightness all the season. It is undoubtedly 
thoroughly “ at home ” here, and we have never seen it surpassed. 
Kniphofias or Tritomas. 
It is undeniable that the brilliancy and effect of our gardens at this 
time are greatly enhanced by the presence of these Torch or Flame- 
flowers. I fear we are, however, travelling in a wrong direction in our 
search for variety in these flowers. Introducers of new varieties seem 
to be working to attain early flowering and yellow flowered Kniphofias. 
While I am heartily in accord with those who desire plants which are 
not cut down by frost before they have attained their fullest beauty, I 
feel that to have the Tritoma with us all the summer would result in us 
looking upon it with comparative indifference, whereas now we look 
forward to these great and brilliant spikes of bloom which shoot up so 
rapidly from the dense reed-like foliage and lighten the garden in 
darkened days. Now it is a flower receiving a warm welcome, but let 
us have it from May onward and then the result will be—neglect. 
Then as to the colour, there is no gainsaying the fact that we have 
a superabundance of yellow flowers in autumn. It is true these are 
mostly Composites, and the distinct form and pr> sence—if I may so call 
it—are in favour of the Tritomas. Let us, however, seek shades of 
crimson, and then, with Kniphofias, Sunflowers, Rudbeckias, Harpaliums, 
Asters, Colchicums, and Crocuses, we would have gardens of hardy 
flowers in their way as delightful as in spring ; gardens driving away by 
their brightness the thought of the passing year, and gardens which 
would show the wealth of beauty hardy flowers can give us at all 
times. 
Why, then, are the Kniphofias not more frequently met with than at 
present? Some are of delicate nature, but the varieties of K. Uvaria, 
the old sort, the hardiest of all and still one of the best, will do almost 
anywhere, requiring in some cold districts a slight covering with litter 
in winter. With me the plants generally preserve their folia/e through¬ 
out the winter. K. Uvaria is now comparatively cheap if purchased in 
quantity ; but where expense is a consideration, a stock can be readily 
raised from seed, and the plants should flower about the third season. 
I have a clump which is yielding about thirty spikes this year ; it is 
composed of seedlings now some six years old. Many plants from the 
same sowing were given away ; and so easily are they raised from seed 
sown in a gentle heat in spring, that our large gardens might in a few 
years, and with little expense, have great masses giving hundreds of 
flowers. 
The Dutch growers, or some of them, at least, plant the crown of the 
plant a little beneath the surface. This, they say, enables the plant to 
resist more successfully the severities of their climate, and with a 
covering of reeds is sufficient protection for all but the delicate sorts. 
A great point in the cultivation of the Kniphofias is to give them a soil 
dry in winter but with copious supplies of water in summer. These 
stately flowers deserve more attention, and where UBed with judgment, 
the grower will have no reason to regret the trouble involved.— 
S. Arnott. 
DISCUSSION ON APPLES. 
Cox’s Pomona. 
T am somewhat surprised to see so little reference to this 
variety in the interesting notes on Apples which appear weekly. 
In this neighbourhood (Warwick) it is highly prized, both for its 
good cropping qualities and fine attractive looking fruits. Bushes 
on the Crab stock have during the last two seasons been loaded 
with highly coloured fruit. On the stock indicated the trees make 
good but not extra strong growth, and by keeping the branches 
thinly disposed, according to my experience during the last two 
seasons, a good crop annually is almost a certainty. 
Manx’s Codlin. 
I prefer this variety to Ecklinville Seedling, as it crops 
equally well, and the beautiful yellow colour the fruits attain when 
ripe renders them especially attractive. For a market Apple it 
seems to me to be well nigh perfection. 
Hanwell Souring. 
This seems to be one of the best cooking Apples planted 
extensively many years ago. I have old standard trees growing in 
an orchard, which produce much finer fruit than old trees usually 
do. We recently gathered a capital crop of large fruit, which 
might easily be taken for the produce from young trees. Although 
we have so many fine cooking Apples to choose from now, I think 
intending planters will do well to plant a few trees of this variety, 
especially in districts where the soil is light. Our trees are 
growing in a very open soil, and on a steep bank. 
Tyler’s Kernel. 
Those who require large Apples should plant this sort. The 
fruit partakes somewhat of the Blenheim type, except that it is 
much more conical in shape. This Apple is seldom seen except in 
the largest collections. 
Harvey’s Wiltshire Defiance. 
This Apple was recommended to me as being first-rate, either 
for dessert or culinary use. In conversation with the repre¬ 
sentative of a large fruit nursery I learnt they had grown this 
Apple for ten years, but had not succeeded in fruiting it. From 
that I decided to plant the tree high ; the consequence is the 
second year of growth it has given us several very fine fruits. The 
shape may not be of the best, but it is certainly a striking Apple. 
—E. M. 
EXTENSION versus RESTRICTION IN FRUIT 
TREES. 
The interesting discussion on the functions of Yine leaves 
turns upon a point of which the bearing may be traced in other 
fruit trees. Is extension or restriction the better course ? That is 
the real question at issue, and it would be a profound mistake to 
limit its scope to Vines. A fortnight ago I had the pleasure of a visit 
to the Old Nurseries at Cheshunt, and the privilege of being con¬ 
ducted over them by their respected proprietor, Mr. George Paul, 
who has for years been an active worker in the van of horticultural 
progress. A few hours with him are a valuable investment of time 
to all seekers after information. With no reference to the Yine 
question, but as a course of independent thought founded on long 
observation, he drew my attention to the advantages of gently 
coercing Nature rather than violently opposing her in the manage¬ 
ment of fruit trees. His remarks did not apply to one kind or class 
of tree alone, and the most eloquent emphasis was lent to them by 
