498 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 6, 1895. 
- Is Bamboo “Wood?”— A judge of one of the United States 
Courts has been called on to decide whether a Bamboo handle for an 
nmbrella-stick was “wood” or not. The legal luminary decided that 
the umbrella stick in dispute was “ grass,” and not wood. As a Bamboo 
stick is as woody as most other sticks of the same age, if not more so, it 
is difficult to see the grounds for the judge’s decision. It is fortunate 
for the judge that he is not likely to present himself before any court of 
botanical examiners I— (“ Meehan’s Monthly.”) 
- Natal Botanic Gardens. —The report of the curator (Mr. 
J. M. Wood) for February is as follows I am pleased to say that the 
seeds of Cola acuminata, received from Kew, have so far grown well, 
and we shall, I hope, have a few plants in the spring for trial in other 
parts of the Colony. The nuts of this plant are now being largely used, 
and are in demand. The seeds of “Cocoa’’plant (Theobroma cacao) 
kindly brought for us by Mr. A. Whyte of Nyassaland, had perished on 
the voyage, and I regret that not a single one has germinated. We 
have supplied to the Government Police Station at Sydenham, in 
accordance with the vote passed at last meeting of committee, fifty 
plants to the value of £3 10s., and to Mr. Whyte, in exchange, a case of 
economic plants value £6.—(“ Tropicil Agriculturist.”) 
- Apple Stocks. — What is with Mr. Molyneux a recom¬ 
mendation, so far as stocks raised from mixed Apple pips are concerned, 
is to the nurseryman a condemnation. They come so irregular or varied 
inhabit and constitution, especially after being worked, some having a 
dwarfing and even a cramping habit, others have all the grossness of the 
Crab stock. For any home or amateur purposes it may be all very well 
to raise stocks in this way, because after some three or four years, as 
their characters show, they can be planted accordingly, some making 
fine standards, others dwarfed standards or bush trees. That, of course, 
would not do for the trade. Has anyone ever tried sowing pips, say 
from Manx Codlin in one case and from Blenheim Pippin in another, to 
name two sorts of opposite natures, and sowing and raising them 
separately to note results?—A. D. 
- Insects on Fruit Trees. —I think it would be instructive 
and interesting if those of your correspondents who have tried any 
of the remedies for the destruction of insects on fruit trees, as recom¬ 
mended in the leaflet issued by the Board of Agriculture, would state 
their experience. I have given our Apple, Plum, and Pear trees two 
dressings of the mixture No. 2—viz., 5 lbs. quassia chips, 5 I’os. softsoap, 
5 pints paraffin oil, with 100 gallons of water. The mixture was applied 
under favourable conditions by a syringe and small garden engine, a 
week between the applications, and I regret to say that the mixture 
seemed to have very little effect on the caterpillars. I have come to 
the conclusion that a bad attack of caterpillars can only be warded 
off and destroyed by using some of the arsenical compounds, as used 
in the United States and Canada; but I find that the mixture No. 2, 
as given above and prepared according to instructions, is a capital 
remedy for black fiy on Morello Cherries.—R. M., Newbury. 
- Agricultural Experiments.— The extent to which many 
of the American agricultural experiment stations are devoting attention 
to the culture of small fruits and other minor crops is perhaps significant 
of an impending change in the economic bearings of the management of 
the soil, and of the partial displacement of the grande c^dture which 
has hitherto almost monopolised the field of experimental inquiry. 
Bulletin No. 55 of the Purdue University Station, Lafayette, Indiana, 
opens with a description of experiments with small fruits. Straw¬ 
berries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Currants, Gooseberries, and Grapes 
form the subject of this section of the report. The bulletin concludes 
with a notice of experiments with Sugar Beet; but in view of the 
desperate condition to which the Beet growers of France are at present 
reduced—despite the artificial support which the sugar industry there 
receives under the bounty system—we cannot, says “ Nature,” see any 
immediate hope for the American Beet-sugar industry. This, indeed, is 
practically admitted in the bulletin, for it is said, “ The condition of the 
sugar business throughout all sugar-producing countries is such that 
there seems to be little probability of capital being invested in Beet- 
sugar plants in this country at present.” The points which are reported 
on include comparison of varieties, time of harvest, the respective effects 
of bacterial disease and Beet scab on the sugar content of Beets, the 
effect of loosening Beets some time before lifting them from the ground, 
special thinning, tests of foreign and American seed, and yield and cost 
of crop per acre. It is concluded that, under more favourable economic 
conditions. Beet factories might advantageously be established in the 
Htate of Indiana. 
- Clematis Montana. —The brief allusion to this charming 
Clematis, page 687, reminds me of how I saw it flourishing in Dulwich 
Park a week ago. There it was planted amongst the shrubs, and allowed 
to ramble at will over supports, such as stout boughs and tree roots. In 
many cases the clumps were 6 feet high and 4 feet through, and 
one mass of flower. Associated as these floral clumps were amongst 
evergreen shrubs, the effect of the snowy white blossoms was much 
enhanced. I thought I had never seen this Clematis so effectively em- 
plojed, not even against a south wall.—E. M. 
- Royal Botanic Gardens. —The Royal Botanic Society of 
London was incorporated by charter in the year 1839, and for the first 
time in its history of fifty-six years its beautiful gardens were on Whit- 
Monday thrown open to the general public at a “popular” charge 
of 6d. each person. Nothing in the way of entertainment, not even a 
band of music, was provided. Up to about five o’clock in the afternoon 
the entries at the turnstiles had been a little under 5000. Nothing 
seemed required but a good band out on the lawn to make this new 
departure of the Botanists an unqualified success, and if it were repeated 
occasionally through the summer it ought to bring an important acces¬ 
sion to the funds. * 
- Coreopsis grandiflora. —For cut-flower purposes or for a 
border plant there is nothing which bears yellow flowers to equal 
Coreopsis lanceolata and C. grandiflora. I was never aware of its value' 
as a pot plant until this year. We wintered a few plants in a cold 
frame in 5-inch pots and brought them indoors about the middle of 
January, and a shift was given them to 8-inch pots about the middle 
of April, when the flower-stems were well advanced. Since the last week 
in April our plants have been loaded with flowers some 3 inches in 
diameter, borne on fine stems 18 to 24 inches long. For cutting 
this Coreopsis is much tuperior to any other variety, and its easy 
cultivation should ensure its wider use as a pot plant. We sow our seed 
in the open ground the last week in July, and those required for indoor 
use should be potted about the end of October.—W. N. Craig (in 
“ Garden and Forest.”) 
- Lettuce.—G reat complaint is made in a number of gardens 
of the scarcity of spring Lettuce, the severe winter killing not only 
those in frames for late winter use but young plants for spring planting 
as well, although they may have been protected by frames. This has 
not been the case here, all my Lettuce having come through the winter 
without any loss. The last sowing, to provide plants for spring planting, 
was made on September 1st. When severe frost sets in a frame is set 
over them, and as a rule there are numbers of good plants in the spring. 
Not having the frames to spare last winter, the plants had no protection 
whatever, notwithstanding they appeared no worse for the exposure. A 
large bed planted on the same border, for the purpose of putting into 
frames for winter use, as well as some Endive of both the broad-leaved 
and green curled varieties, also stood through the winter without loss. 
Perhaps it is only fair to add that for the greater part of the winter they 
were covered with snow ; this no doubt preserved them. These plants 
were covered with “ cloches ” in early spring ; cutting commenced on 
the 25th of April, since that time there has been a constant supply. 
The varieties were Brown Cos and All the Year Round. The latter I 
consider one of the best of the Cabbage Lettuces.—J. S. Upex. 
- Profusion of Caterpillars. —In some of our Kentish 
woods or copses, where the precautionary measures against caterpillars 
taken in gardens and orchards are neglected, hordes of these insects 
are holding high revel during the month of May. The expansion of 
the leaves on trees and shrubs has been checked by the lateness of the 
season, also by the continuance of easterly winds, and the attacks of 
the caterpillars on the foliage at the present time will leave effects 
from which young trees will not recover this season. The fact is 
important, as being one of those showing that a very cold winter may 
not be any check upon caterpillar life in the following spring. The 
majority of them belonged, I iound, to the genus Hybernea. The too 
familiar caterpillars of the winter moth were well represented, and the 
stout, many-coloured caterpillars of the spring usher; both these 
species partially escape birds by their habit of drawing the leaves 
together. There were also caterpillars of the early moth and the 
mottled umber, the latter being remarkable for their habit of swinging 
themselves from a silken cord occasionally, as an amusement it would 
seem, and not merely, like some species, when the wind has given them 
a shake. If we had had the heavy rains we get in some springs, a good 
number of these would have died at an early stage, as it is they are 
fat and flourishing. Some trees were almost defoliated by them, the 
Hornbeam and Hazel suffering much, also the Sloe.—C. 
