June 13, 1895. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
531 
Zonal Felarg:onlums for Winter (^Wreatli). —As you particu¬ 
larly require an answer this week it must be short. The plants should 
be encouraged to make stout, short-jointed stems and thick leaves 
through being potted firmly in generous soil and grown in the full sun 
in the open air, but first where they can have protection, as in frames, 
from drenching rains. Top them once or twice, give weak liquid manure 
when the pots are filled with roots, and pick oil all flower buds as they 
form during the summer. Your other questions did not arrive soon 
enough to be satisfactorily answered in the present issue. 
Tomatoes not Swelling' — Preventing IVIlldew (^Cross '),— 
Wednesday morning’s letters can only be answered briefly in the 
current issue. If you top the plants you will prevent other fruits 
forming and swelling, though it might assist the lower fruits. It is a 
question of space and the value of the crop in the aggregate. We have 
previously stated that Mr. R. Fenn absolutely prevents mildew on his 
Tomato plants and Vine in the same house by the systematic use of 
anti-blight powder. Previous to its use both Vine and Tomatoes under 
glass, and Roses outdoors were, as we have seen, white as millers ; since 
its regular use, as we have also seen, they are absolutely free from even 
a speck of mildew. Mr. Fenn has himself recorded his experience on 
the subject in our columns. 
Diseased Tomato Plants (.7. Barr'). —The plants are affected 
with the drooping disease. It is caused by the Tomato slime fungus 
^Plasmodiophora tomati). The whole of the PJasmodiophoras are 
prevented by dressing the ground with quicklime, and avoiding manures 
of the sulphate class, or those formed by dissolving with sulphuric 
acid. Dusting quicklime (air slaked) on the affected parts arrests 
its progress. Your plants are also affected with the Potato fungus 
(Phytophthora infestans), and issuing from the tissue of the yellow or 
brownish portion of the leaves we detected the conidiophores of this 
fungus. The preventive, for there is no remedy, is to spray the plants 
with Bordeaux mixture, or dust them with one of the anti-blight 
powders in the market. This will prevent the spread of the disease, 
and you may yet have a satisfactory crop, especially as the plants are 
healthy at the roots. 
Shododendrons not Flowering (^Somerset), —It is not unusual for 
Rhododendrons to flower very fully one year and but sparingly the next, 
through being more or less exhausted by the excessive production of bloom, 
and seriously retarded in the formation of buds by neglecting to remove 
the trusses as soon as the flowering is over. If this be done by taking 
«ach spent truss between the fingers and thumb, and a sharp twist given 
■downwards on one side, the work can be done readily without damage 
to the pushing shoots, and seeding being prevented the growth and 
buds will profit correspondingly. You could not have anything better 
than the leaf mould and manure rubbed through a sieve, but it is 
desirable to add some sand, either mixing it with the compost or 
sprinkling on the surface. We do not advise lifting the shrubs, as it 
sacrifices their healthy appearance, and is not good for them generally, 
though it certainly has a tendency to induce the production of 
flower buds. 
Dividing Clumps of Asparagus (6'. R. P.). —It is not advisable 
to take up and divide thick clumps, as the plants or divisions do not 
grow at all well, the check being too great; hence the best plan is to 
fill up the gaps by planting one or two-year-old plants from seed in the 
spring, preferably when the plants are starting into growth, or early in 
April, setting carefully, and without injuring the roots or crowns of the 
old plants. Some growers make the gaps in old beds good by sowing 
seed early in April, inserting the seed in holes about an inch deep, and 
two seeds in a hole, the holes being 15 to 18 inches apart, and so made 
where the bare places are to fill them evenly, covering the seeds with 
fine soil. The young plants from the seeds will gain strength from year 
to year, and produce heads in the third year fit for cutting. The best 
varieties are Connover’s Colossal and Early Giant Purple Argenteuil. 
If you prefer saving seeds from your own plants, either keep them 
in the berries over winter or separate them from the pulp when 
thoroughly ripe. 
Diseased Potato Crops (IF. C.). —The Potato plant is affected 
with “curl ’’ disease, which is caused by a fungus called Macrosporium 
solaai as regards the “ curl,” for we found two distinct parasites, the 
one just mentioned being present on the part above ground, whilst on 
the dead portion or decaying stem below ground was the somewhat 
common fungus found on decaying Potatoes—namely, Fusarium solani. 
The latter is closely allied, if not synonymous, with the fungus 
producing the “ sleeping ” disease in Tomatoes, whilst the former is little 
•different, if at all, from that causing “ black stripe ” in these plants and 
fruits. The spores in both cases are in the soil, and they seem to be 
capable of resting for considerable periods, and on the ground being 
cropped with the plants on which they are parasitic they germinate, 
attack and destroy the crop or such part as they infest. The diseases, 
however, are carried over from year to year in the seed or sets, and 
the only preventives are clean seed and ground subjected to a due 
course of crop rotation, with an occasional liming, not using less than 
1 peck per rod or 40 bushels of freshly burned lime per acre, employing 
it during dry weather in the spring, about a month or six weeks before 
planting, and spreading it on the ground as soon as slacked. To prevent 
the spread of “ curl ” fungus, which causes the tops to collapse later on 
in plants that escape the first assaults of the malady, spray the plants 
with Bordeaux mixture, and repeat twice at about three weeks 
intervals, the first taking place when the tops are about 6 inches high. 
The spraying is equally effective against the Potato disease fungus 
(Phytophthora infestans). 
Nectarine Fruits Falling (^Kemo ).—On examining the fruits 
sent we have no doubt the misfortune complained of is due to one of two 
causes, or it may be in part to both—namely, imperfect fertilisation or a 
deficiency of lime. If the border contains a good quantity of calcareous 
matter, then undoubtedly the blossoms did not set as they should have 
done. This may have arisen from a deficiency of pollen, imperfect 
organs of fructification, or a damp atmosphere when the tree was 
flowering. 
Apple Shoots Withered (iZ. S.). —The shoots are dried, and have 
probably suffered through the trees being kept a considerable time out 
of the ground, or they may have been injured through freezing and 
handling before planting. Certainly they have had their tissue 
destroyed by some means, the sap not being able to penetrate the 
damaged parts. No damage seems to have resulted from the pruning, 
the tissue being entirely destroyed, and no doubt prior to the pruning, 
although the wood might not show the defective condition until it was 
subjected to the increased evaporation of the advanced season. 
Apple Chermes (^Inquirer). —The most efficacious wash for the 
destruction of this pest is one containing sulphuret of lime. This may 
be made by combining the sulphuret with water, or more conveniently 
by boiling together sulphur and lime in the proportion of 1 lb. of 
sulphur and 2 lbs. of lime to 4 gallons of water. Tobacco water also 
kills them, with or without the addition of Gishurst compound, but the 
difficulty is to reach the insects, secluded as they are in the blossoms. 
In fact, not much can be done during the spring, and the time for the 
destruction of chermes is the winter. Those which are to be the parents 
of the new brood lodge within cracks of the bark, angles and ridges of 
twigs, and the like places of shelter, where, however, they may be 
reached and killed by copious syringing with a hot solution of softsoap. 
Names of Plants. — We only undertake to name species of plants, 
not varieties that have originated from seeds and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in firm 
boxes. Slightly damp moss, soft green grass, or leaves form the best 
packing, dry wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named 
at once, and the numbers should be visible without untying the ligatures, 
it being often difficult to separate them when the paper is damp. 
(IF. S .).—Kerria japonica flore-pleno. (F. G.). —1, Oncidium sphace- 
latum ; 2, dead. (^H. C.). —1, Carex paludosa, Marsh Sedge ; 2, Geum 
urbanum. (IF. T.). —1, Dendrobium Parishi; 2, Cypripedium barbatum; 
3, Maxillaria tenuifolia. (6'. F. F.) —1, Alternanthera magnifica ; 
2, Kleinia repens ; 3, Funkia undulata variegata; 4, Cupressus Law- 
soniana erecta viridis I 5, Retinospora plumosa aurea. (^Junior). —The 
numbers had become detached. The small flower was Cymbidium 
bicolor ; the larger one Maxillaria Hendersoni, and the Cattleya a form 
of gigas. (TT. Cameron). —1, Cytisus alpinus, the Scotch Laburnum; 2, 
C. Adami ; 3, C. purpureus ; the second a bud sport intermediate between 
the other two, all growing on the same tree ; 4, Cornus sanguinea, the 
Red Dogwood. (iZ. H.). — 1, Habenaria bilolia; 2, Listera ovata. 
(IF. H. C.). —1, Salvia verbenacea ; 2, Spiraea bella; 3, Pentstemon 
Ooboea; 4, Mertensia dahurica ; 5, Prunella vulgaris ; 6, Spiraea 
Irevigata. (F).— 1, Andromeda ovalifolia ; 2, Thujopsis dolabrata ; 3, 
Abies canadensis ; 4, Pernettya mucronata ; 5, Possibly Pinus pinsapo, 
specimen too young. (7. F.). —Medicago orbicularis. 
OOVBNT GARDEN MARKET.— June 12th. 
OCR market has settled down to a more regular business, supplies of Peaches 
Grapes, and Strawberries being good. Large consignments of Southampton outdoor 
Strawberries to hand. 
FBUIT. 
f. 
d. 
3. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Apples, Nova Scotia, 
per 
Cobs, per 100 lbs. .. 
• • 
10 
0 
to 0 
0 
barrel.. 
10 
Oto 21 
0 
Grapes, per lb. 
1 
6 
3 
0 
„ Tasmanian, 
per 
Lemons, case .. .. 
10 
0 
15 
0 
case *. 
5 
0 
11 
0 
Peaches, per dozen .. 
• 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Asparagus, English, 
per 
St. Michael Pines, each 
• • 
2 
0 
6 
0 
bundle . 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Strawberries, per lb. .. 
• • 
0 
6 
2 
5 
VEGETABLES. 
fl. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. 
• • 
0 
6 
bo 0 
0 
Mustard and Cress, punnet 
0 
2 to 0 
0 
Beet, Bed, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Onions, bushel .. .. 
3 
6 
4 
0 
Oarrots, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
4 
Parsley, dozen bunches 
• • 
2 
0 
3 
0 
Cauliflowers, dozen .. 
• • 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
0 
6 
Oelerv. bundle .. .. 
1 
0 
1 
3 
Potatoes, per cwt. .. 
• • 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Ooleworts, dozen bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Salsafy, bundle .. .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Cucumbers, dozen .. 
• • 
1 
6 
3 
6 
Seakaie, per basket .. 
• • 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Endive, dozen .. .. 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Scorzonera, bundle ., 
• • 
1 
t> 
u 
1- 
Herbs, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Shallots, per lb. 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Leeks, bunch .. .. 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Spinach, bushel .. .. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Lettuce, dozen .. .. 
u 
9 
1 
6 
Tomatoes. per lb. .. 
• • 
0 
4 
0 
7 
Mushrooms, punnet .. 
• • 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Turnips, bunch .. .. 
0 
3 
0 
6 
PLANTS 
IN POTS. 
B. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Arbor Vitse (golden) dozen 
6 
0 to 12 
0 
Heliotrope, per dozen 
• • 
6 
0 
to 8 
0 
Aspidistra, dozen 
18 
0 
36 
0 
Hydrangeas, per dozen 
• • 
12 
0 
42 
0 
Aspidistra, specimen plant 
5 
0 
10 
6 
Lobelia, per dozen .. 
• • 
4 
c 
6 
0 
Azaleas, each 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Lycopodiums, dozen .. 
« • 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Calceolaria, per doz. .. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
8 
0 
10 
0 
Coleus, per doz. 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Myrtles, dozen .. .. 
6 
0 
0 
Dracteua, various, dozen 
• • 
12 
0 
30 
0 
Palms, in var., each .. 
• • 
1 
0 
15 
0 
Dractena viridis, dozen 
9 
0 
18 
0 
„ (specimens,' .. 
• • 
21 
0 
63 
0 
Euonymus, var., dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Pelargoniums, per dozen 
10 
0 
15 
u 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
„ scarlets, per 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 
4 
0 
18 
0 
Qozea 
. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Ferns (small', per hundred 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Bhodanthe, per dozen 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Ficus elastica. each . • 
1 
0 
7 
0 
Boses, per dozen .. .. 
8 
0 
24 
0 
Foliage plants, var., each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
Scuizanthus, per dozen 
• • 
6 
0 
9 
0 
Gjraniums, Ivy, per dozen 
7 
0 
10 
0 
Spiraea, per dozen .. 
• • 
6 
0 
10 
0 
