450 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 7,1894. 
_ Xhe Total Rainfall at Abbots Leigh, Hayward’s 
Heath, Sussex, for the past month was 1 39 inch, being 0-56 inch 
below the average. The heaviest fall was 0 23 inch, on the 2Cth. Rain 
fell on twelve days. The maximum shade temperature was 76°, on the 
17th ; the minimum 30°, on the 2l8t. Mean maximum temperature, 
CM1°; mean minimum, 42°; mean temperature, 46 55°, being 7 87“ 
below the average of the past six years. June has come in fine and 
mild, with slight showers.—R. T. 
- “The Natural History of Plants.’’— We have received 
from Messrs. Blackie & Son the second number of this publication, a 
notice of which appeared in our issue of May 24th. On examining 
the continuation we see no reason to qualify the high opinion which 
we have already expressed regarding the work. The treatment 
remains as careful and exhaustive as ever, and the subjects dealt 
with in the present volume are of an especially interesting kind. 
The eccentricities of predatory and parasitic plants have an attraction 
of their own apart from all questions of botany, and nothing connected 
with the vegetable kingdom is more likely to rivet the attention of 
outsiders or lend itself better to successful treatment in a popular 
lecture. For such a purpose this book affords an invaluable mine of 
material. Moreover, it encourages the belief that when completed 
“ The Natural History of Plants ” will be prized not merely as a work 
of reference, but as one which even casual readers can peruse with some 
pleasure and profit to themselves. 
- Nymph^a Parkeriana. —This is a white-flowered, very 
fragrant species, which was discovered in British Guiana by Mr. C. S. 
Parker, an amateur botanist and collector, in 1824, and was named in 
compliment to him by Lehmann in 1853. It has the habit and foliage 
of N. odorata ; indeed, it was considered to be a form of that species 
until Lehmann named it as above. The flowers are nearly as large as 
those of N. alba, pure white, with bright yellow stamens and a sixteen 
to twenty rayed stigma. According to Mr. Watson in the “Garden and 
Forest,” N. Parkeriana was cultivated at Kew at least ten years ago, 
and it was obtained from Kew by Mr. E. D. Sturtevant, of New Jersey, 
but without name. He flowered it and then lost it. The same fate 
befell it at Kew. Thanks, however, to Mr. Jenman, of Demerara, seeds 
of it have lately been secured and sent to Kew, and a portion of the 
seeds has been distributed. We are likely, therefore, to possess this 
species in abundance soon. 
- Potato Disease in Ireland. —Mr. Thomas Carrol’s general 
report on the Irish Agricultural Department during 1892, published a 
few weeks ago, contains the results of experiments carried out under 
his direction, having for their object (1) the determination of the mode 
by which the disease (Phytophthora infestans) reaches the tubers of the 
Potato plant, and (2) the examination of measures for the prevention 
of, or for the lessening the effects of, the disease upon the crop. The 
point on which information was especially desired was, whether the 
disease-producing mycelium reached the tubers of the Potato plant 
through the aerial and underground stems, or by means of the disease- 
producing spores falling on the ground and being carried through it 
to the surface of the tubers. To test this a portion of ground on 
which Potatoes were growing was covered beneath the Potato stems and 
leaves with a layer of cotton wool. This cotton wool was carefully 
placed around the stems, and every means used to have the ground per¬ 
fectly covered with it, with the view of filtering out the spores that 
might fall upon the ground. No diseased Potatoes were found on plants 
protected in this manner, whereas many occurred on plants grown in 
ground not covered with cotton wool. These experiments, which were 
very carefully carried out, says “ Nature,” serve to indicate that the 
disease is carried to the tubers of the Potato plant through the spores 
which cause the disease being taken through the earth to the tuber, and 
not by means of the mycelium finding its way to the tubers through the 
stem of the plant. An experiment, having for its object the testing of 
the effect of removing the stalks of Potatoes upon the appearance of 
disease, with the view of preventing the tubers from being affected, was 
carried out at the Ballacutranta School Farm, County Sligo. This 
system of removing the Potato haulm on the appearance of the 
disease has frequently been recommended as a preventive. To test it 
two plots of ground bearing a crop of Potatoes were marked out for 
experiment. On one the stalks were removed ; on the other they were 
allowed to remain. A comparison of the weights of the crops in each 
case, and the amounts of diseased tubers, shows, however, that through 
the removal of the Potato haulm before the crop was matured the 
yield of crop was lessened without commensurate benefit in freedom 
from disease. 
- Peat Moss Litter as Manure.—I would warn persons 
who make use of peat moss litter manure from the stable, of 
the manner in which they apply it to growing crops. Instead of 
using the manure direct from the stable it should be thrown into a 
heap for a few days to encourage fermentation, turning it over'once to 
allow the rank steam to evaporate. I lately saw three rows of Peas 
that had been mulched with the manure as it came from the stable^ 
and the haulm was burnt very much the whole length of each row,, 
proving that the ammonia was decidedly too strong for the succulent 
leaves. Rows mulched with the manure prepared as directed presented 
quite a different appearance, being especially vigorous in growth and of 
a deep green colour, showing that when properly managed this manure 
possesses much stimulating power to growing crops.—E. M. 
- Potatoes and Fruit at Cardiff. —Another indication of 
the increasing import trade of Cardiff is to be seen in the large cargoes 
of Potatoes and fruit which are being landed at the West Dock almost daily, 
Mr. Richard England informed a “ Western Mail ” representative on 
Wednesday in last week, that more Potatoes are now being imported 
into Cardiff than in any previous year, and he himself has chartered 
two steamers specially for the Jersey and French trade. Another 
interesting fact is that the quality of the tubers is of a much higher 
standard than usual. This is owing to the exceeding mildness of the 
early spring, and the importation has, in consequence, commenced 
several weeks before the accustomed time. Whilst the atmospheric 
conditions in Jersey have been so favourable, the recent cold weather 
in this country has materially affected the home Potato crop, and the 
price of the old Potatoes has advanced last week no less than £1 per ton. 
- Carnation Lady Nina Balfour.— With me this new Carna¬ 
tion fully sustains the high position claimed for it by the raisers 
(Messrs. Laing and Mather) and when better known is sure to become 
a general favourite. The blooms are of a delicate blush pink colour, 
having a pleasing clove perfume, and borne on strong stems without 
the least sign of the calyx bursting. A few plants of it put out on a 
south-east border in September last have stood the winter well, and are 
now vigorous and healthy, notwithstanding the heavy nature of our soil 
here. Although the raisers have classed it as a border variety it ha# 
behaved excellently with me as a pot plant, and from a few plants 
occupying the Carnation house there has been scarcely a week pass 
since Christmas but some handsome blooms could be gathered. 
When the stock of it becomes plentiful enough to allow a houseful to 
be grown it will be found to be one of our handsomest perpetual 
flowering Carnations.—N. F. B., Eaton. 
- The Liquorice Plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra, i.) is a native 
of North Africa, Southern Europe, Syria, Persia, and Afghanistan, and 
is cultivated in France, Russia, Germany, Spain, and China, and also 
to a slight extent in England, where its growth is said to date from the 
middle of the sixteenth century. Some twenty or thirty years ago, 
says the “ Kew Bulletin,” Liquorice was cultivated in market gardens 
in the neighbourhood of London, especially about Kew and Isleworth, 
and more recently at Mitcham. At the present time Yorkshire pro¬ 
duces the larger quantity of English-grown root, and the principal seat 
of its culture is in and around Pontefract. Its cultivation in this 
particular neighbourhood dates back several generations, the deep, rich 
loamy soil which occurs here being specially suited to the growth of the 
plant. The bulk of the Liquorice gardens are situated on the fertile 
slopes east and north-east of the town, the country between Pontefract 
and Knottingley being largely occupied by market gardens, in which 
Liquorice forms an extensive crop. 
- Cabbage Competition. —On Monday in last week an in¬ 
teresting competition took place for three prizes of £5, £2, and £1 given 
by Messrs. Stuart & Mein, seedsmen and nurserymen, for the heaviest 
and best specimen of their No. 1 Cabbage. The contest was open to 
growers in the United Kingdom, and upwards of 200 competitors came 
forward, representing nearly every county in England and Wales, 
several from Ireland, and a few in Scotland. The first prize of £5 was 
gained by Mr. Robert T. Branwell, Penzance, Cornwall, with a Cabbage 
weighing 13 lbs. ; the second by Mr. Chas. Jacobs, Niton, Isle of Wight, 
12 lbs. 5 ozs. ; and the third by Mr. Nathan, Philpott, Hythe, Kent, 
12 lbs. 2 ozs. According to “ The Kelso Chronicle ” the following 
counties stand next in order of weight to the prizewinners :—Sussex, 
11 lbs. 7 ozs.; Cardigan, 11 lbs. 1 oz. ; Suffolk, 11 lbs. ; Devon, 11 lbs.; 
Gloucester, 11 lbs.; Berks, 10 lbs. 10 ozs. ; Worcester, lOJ lbs. ; Yorks, 
10 lbs.; Cambridge, 9 lbs. 14 ozs. ; and Cheshire, 9 lbs. 13 ozs, The 
best weight in Scotland was Elgin, 9^- lbs. 
