554 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 20,1896. 
leiBons. Bees are only a small item compared to the crops which 
have suffered already, and those who must suffer are many indeed, 
and to which sympathy will be but a poor recompense. 
I cannot advise what to do with bees more than is in the fore¬ 
going—viz., prepare young queens for next year, and be in readiness 
for any honey flow which may occur.—A Lanarkshire Bee¬ 
keeper. 
TRADE CATALOGUE RECEIVED. 
Ant. Roozen & Son, Overveen, Haarlem, Holland .—Butch and Ca;pe 
Bulls, 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor or to “ The Publisher." Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should 
never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the post, 
and we do not undertake to return rejected communications. 
Beetles on Ferns (IT. V. B .").—Your specimens reached us too late 
to have attention this week, and will be examined and reported on in 
our next issue. 
Peacb Beaves Eaten (Y. TF,).—The leaves have been perforated 
by some weevil, which are smaller in the holes than those usually made 
by the grooved or so-called Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) ; but 
whatever it is you may ascertain by spreading some sheets on the soil 
beneath the trees before dark, and when night comes shake the trees 
sharply, then with a lantern see what has fallen and destroy the pests. 
The house must be entered cautiously, and the light not used until 
immediately after the shaking of the trees, then act promptly. 
Soil for Tomatoes (TF. H .").—Spread the soil out a foot or 
15 inches thick, or place it in the bed or border and sprinkle on it a 
peck of quicklime per rod, then stir with a fork. This will make an 
end of certain parasites likely to be harbouring in the turfy loam, 
and if none it will be useful from a chemical point of view. Then 
dress the ground with a mixture of two parts kainit and one part nitrate 
of soda, both by weight and crushed fine, using 2 ozs. per square yard, 
and distributing evenly on the surface leave for about a week and then 
point over, mixing thoroughly. This will make an end of most 
parasites, and benefit the soil for the Tomatoes, which may be planted 
when the soil has been turned and mixed for the last time as described. 
Beetles on Rose and Apple (TF. P., Chippenham'), —The species 
is that familiarly called the June bug, or bracken clock, Phylloperta 
horticola. It devours the petals of various garden flowers, also eats 
those of fruit blooms, and even the immature fruit, as you have noticed ; 
the Strawberry is sometimes infested. All that can be done is to apply 
some solution that makes the buds bitter or distasteful to the beetles, 
such as tobacco water, solution of softsoap with petroleum, decoction of 
quassia, or Gishurst compound in the proportion of 1 oz. to a gallon of 
water. It is at night they chiefly feed, and after dusk quantities of 
them may be taken in their season of flight by searching for them with 
a lantern, and shaking trees or shrubs that are attractive. 
Rose Beaves Curled (P. L,). —The Rose leaves have the outgrowths 
of a blister fungus (an Exoascus), and closely allied, if not identical, 
with Peach-leaf blister fungus (E. deformans), but there are no blisters, 
hence the presence is, perhaps, accidental as it certainly is a new host 
for the parasite. The outgrowths, however, are so few as to scarcely 
account for the downward infolding of the leaflets, and there is still 
fewer mycelial hyphae (threads), which are comparatively large. There 
is also the fine threads of the worst pest of the Rose—a fungus nearly 
allied to that of the Potato disease—Peronospora sparsa, which we have 
only (as yet) found on plants under glass, but we failed to find the out¬ 
growths so essential for identification, yet there is both the mycelial 
hyphas and the corkscrew-like threads in which the resting spores are 
produced. If the fungus develops further—produces brown spots on the 
leaves—you may forward specimen, or if those to hand develop anything 
further we shall be pleased to report thereon. The fasciated Rose shoot 
is merely a freak of Nature, but such abnormalities are frequently 
caused by the intervention of fungi, Exoascus species giving rise to 
witch knots. 
Insects Attacking ttae Stems and Roots of the Brasslca 
Tribe {Muntham ),—The insects in both specimens are the maggots and 
pupae of the Cabbage fly (Anthomyia brassicae). It is the maggots that 
do all the mischief, which is one of the most common infestations and 
malignant to which cultivated Brassicas are subject. The presence of 
these maggots may be easily detected by the flagging and change of 
colour of the leaves. The maggots are hatched from eggs deposited on 
the stem, and when full grown they leave the plants and turn in the 
earth into pupse, from which the flies emerge in about a fortnight or 
three weeks. These are of an ashen grey colour, the male darker than 
the female, and in general appearance resemble the Onion fly, but are 
smaller. It is most common in its attacks on plants that are grown in 
rich and the same ground for a number of years, hence the best preventive 
is crop rotation and liming the land. 
Grapes Colouring (^Constant SubscHher ).—When Grapes com¬ 
mence colouring they swell considerably up to the ripening tint pervad¬ 
ing the skin of the berries, when they, of course, cease to enlarge. To 
aid the swelling moderate moisture is necessary, and at closing time 
more is perhaps done than at any other period of the day, as it checks 
evaporation, hence somewhat early closing (so-called) is advisable ; but 
this, in the ripening stage, means reducing the ventilation, leaving a 
little air on constantly, which being done will prevent the sweating you 
allude to, and is absolutely necessary to prevent ’• spot,” as well to allow 
evaporation from the berries to proceed, yet modifying the ventilation 
so as to get plenty of size into the berries without interfering with the 
colouring process—the transformation of the chlorophyll into the 
ripening hues. The moisture and growing conditions are thus gradually 
withdrawn, and this is far better than reducing the moisture all at once. 
When the Grapes begin to colour reduce the moisture and admit air 
more freely, leaving the first off by degrees and increasing the latter 
gradually, so that the one can be left off altogether, or nearly so, when 
the Grapes are evenly coloured, and the other given freely, with a little 
constantly. 
Azaleas and Camellias after Flowering’ QH. J. and Wreath), 
—Retain the plants under glass until the growth is perfected and the 
buds formed, when they may be stood outdoors on a base impervious to 
worms. They will be all the better for a few weeks’ sojourn outdoors, 
care being taken if they have been grown in a shaded house to afford a 
slight shade from bright sun until they become used to the ex^sure. 
They should be duly supplied with water, and be syringed in the 
evenings of hot days. From the beginning to the middle of July is 
about the time Azaleas are sufficiently advanced in growth and bud for 
placing outdoors. They should be housed in September, before the 
weather becomes very wet and cold. Camellias should be kept under 
glass and treated similarly to the Azaleas until their buds are well set, 
and may then be placed outdoors in a sheltered situation and shaded 
from midday sun, duly supplying them with water and returning under 
glass towards the close of September. To flower during the winter their 
growth required to be made somewhat early, but this habit they will 
acquire after a few years’ culture. If your situation is cold they should 
not be placed outdoors, but be kept under glass constantly, taking care 
not to overwater, nor, on the other hand, to allow to become too dry, 
and giving all the air possible after the buds are set. 
Tomatoes Diseased (A, B,), — The “ fruits ” are affected by 
blotch or black stripe fungus, there not being anything but the mycelial 
hyphae, and these are forming “knots” along them, which indicate 
mature condition of Fusarium solani or lycopersici, this particular 
disease being carried over from year to year in the seed of the Tomato, 
and in the soil by the resting spores. The infection, however, of the 
fruits before us has not been effected from the root or stem, for the 
footstalks are perfectly innocent of any fungal growths ; but the spores 
of the parasite have germinated on the decayed organs of the flower, and 
the germinal tubes or pro-mycelium pierced the then tender cuticle, and 
growing within the tissue just beneath the epidermis, have produced the 
blotch. This is a new phase of the subject, and a most important one, 
as it is clear the infection may be either from the soil—communicated 
by the growths from the resting spores (the Hypomyces solani or 
lycopersici) or by the top—by means of the first-stage spores (Diplo- 
cladium solani or lycopersici). The preventives therefore must be 
twofold : (1) Disinfect the soil, nothing answering better for either 
Potatoes or Tomatoes than quicklime ; and (2) dust the plants with 
air-slaked lime quite dry and floury, repeating as necessary to keep the 
foliage and fruit coated with lime. If you add one part per hundred 
of sulphate of copper, and mix thoroughly, you may defy this and 
other Tomato pests. The plants must not be syringed. Affected 
plants should be pulled up and burned, using quicklime freely where 
they have been, after removing as much of the roots as practicable. 
The white worms are injurious, but they succumb to dressing with 
quicklime. 
Assortment of Flo’wrers for Winter Cutting (Wreath ),—For 
early use there is nothing better than Chrysanthemums, which you may 
procure in plant-s, such as Madame Desgrange, Lady Selborne, Mrs. G. 
Rundle, Empress of India, Mdlle. Lacroix, Florence Davis, Beauty of 
Exmouth, Alba Fimbriata, Elaine, Ethel, Fair Maid of Guernsey, and 
Elsie. These will afford a supply up to Christmas, the plants being 
kept outdoors until the beginning of October. Tree Carnations may 
also be 'Secured in plants ; Mrs. Reynolds Hole, Miss Lizzie McCowan, 
Mrs. Henry Cannell, Miss Jolliffe Improved, Uriah Pike, and Germania, 
keeping them outdoors until October, their blooming depending on the 
