Jane 28, 1894 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
519 
This is mentioned because the Vines in pots in another house were in 
that year perfectly free from the “browning” of the previous season, 
though they were the same, but cut-backs, that were diseased the year 
before. The disease, therefore, was in the house, and it was traced to 
the pits being filled with leaves ; yet I could not see anything tangible 
on the plants. There was no fungus apparently, but I obtained “ sight ” 
of some small micro-organisms that lead to further observations, and 
always with the same result—the determination of small yeast-like 
bodies that evidently increased by “ budding.” There was nothing, 
however, in the bodies that partook of the nature of a ferment, and they 
certainly were not bacterial, though like them assuming amoeba-like 
shapes and manifestly having some power of locomotion. 
Last year I received through the Editor of the Journal of Horti¬ 
culture some blackened Vine growths; they were sticky and overgrown 
by fungal filaments, which did not appear to be the cause of the evil, 
but consequent on decay of the tissues. Nothing would induce it to 
“ fruit,” therefore the fungus could not be determined, and as it was 
not in living cells, no further notice was taken of the growths. But 
the fungus will be to the front, for it has been, found on many Vine 
growths, and if no “ fruits ” can be detected it produces plenty of 
sclerotia. Yet that is hardly conclusive, though I have no doubt of 
its being Polyactis clnerea, which is one of the worst pests, as it will 
live as a saprophyte, and is most malignant as a parasite when decaying 
matter fails. Only for this fungus cropping up in connection with 
“ browning ” is it now alluded to, and we will give it a “ little more 
rope” in view of speedier execution, if need be, at some future date. 
What it, however, wants on Vines if not to live (and it does so by 
feeding on organic matter) passes my understanding. 
“ Browning” is a disease affecting Vines and other plants chiefly at 
the points of the shoots, causing them to become brown or black, 
shrunken and tough, completely destroying all growth. It, however, 
commences by giving a somewhat thickened, stunted appearance to 
growths which are at first of a yellowish hue ; that soon passes into the 
acute stage, when shrinking commences. An affected shoot is shown in 
fig. 84 at A, diseased down to the point a. The leaves (5) appear 
healthy, but they are suffused with disease ; in fact, the shoot is only 
living on itself, for it is dead at the point (c),or the cane is from whence 
it was taken. H represents a more advanced stage of the disease, it 
having descended to the point (<i), the five leaves below (not shown) 
being normal, but they must “go,” as the cane from which the shoots 
spring is quite saturated with disease, the bark quite black and the pith 
a dark colour. C shows two joints of the cane without any green or 
live wood, except a little at the joints. The bark (e) is dark brown 
externally, darker inside and black next (/) the wood. The wood (y) 
is quite white, clean, and healthy, while the pith is very dark brown or 
black. The mischief, however, lies in the bark and that part adjoining 
the wood, which is saturated with disease, and quite dead. A dark patch 
of fungus is shown at i, and consists of mycelia with some sclerotia or 
felted mycelium here and there. The cane is the reverse of gross, and 
has been grown hard, as the joints are short and the wood firm. Indeed, 
they are double budded, there being buds on the side of the tendrils (j) 
at k. At I is shown the socket from whence the shoot B was removed ; 
and also I 1, that where the shoot A pushed from. The appearance of 
the disease as it is seen on young leaves (as those of laterals and sub- 
laterals) is represented in D and E, the blackening being confined to 
the edges, which turn downwards as the tissue is destroyed up to the 
live part (?«). 
Up to last year no examples were examined that showed the disease 
to affect the ripe wood, but it is certain that it is increasing in malig¬ 
nancy, and causing serious loss in several places, in some cases spoiling 
the crop, and in others killing the Vines. 
A bit of a diseased shoot in vertical section, and magnified 130 
diameters, is shown in fig. 85 at F. The cells in the rows (four) on the 
Fig. 85. 
DISEASED VINE SHOOT TISSUE AND SPORES OF FUNGUS (PLASMODIO- 
PHORA VITIS, YIALA ET SAUV.'), CAUSING “BROWNING” IN VINES. 
left hand side are quite healthy, two (n) in the fifth are invaded by the 
disease, also one in the sixth at o, while p indicates the cells enlarged 
and destroyed by the disease plasma. The epidermal cells (j') are 
unusually small, and, of course, filled with air. The mycelial threads of 
the fungus are shown external of the host at r, and ramifying the 
tissus, which are destroyed at s, while some threads have reached the 
healthy cells, and pushing in the intercellular spaces (t «). The small 
circles in p represent spores, with which the diseased parts are saturated, 
and they ouse from tissue in section. That is all there is to be seen 
with a power of 130 diameters, only there is something of a darker 
colour issuing from the diseased parts, and permeating the living cells 
(n o'). The spores as seen on the slide are shown at G, magnified 
130 diameters, and are more like yeast cells, only rounder, than any¬ 
thing else under the same power. Magnified 520 diameters, the spore 
(/?) then appears about the size of a small Cabbage seed. It swells a 
little in germinating, as it does by pushing a tube (J), and as this grows 
it assumes an amoeba-like shape (J^), while when it clears out of its 
“ shell ” it is a leucophyte-looking body, which may or may not be 
capable of transmitting itself anywhere in fluids. Anyhow it works into 
the cells probably by emitting an acid which softens the cell wall, and 
once it gets its “ nose ” in the body soon follows, or leastwise the part 
inside grows and lives at the expense of the living matter of the host. 
In fact, the fungus grows so fast and stoutly as to greatly enlarge, even 
burst, the cells and let its spores out to do further mischief. This 
ousing gives the sticky feel to diseased parts. 
The fungus was first recognised in this country by Mr. Massee, of 
Kew, and is a near ally of the slime fungus, causing finger-and-toe or 
clubbing in Cabbages and Turnips. It is called the Vine slime fungus 
(Plasmodiophora vitis, Viala et Sauv). 
How the germs work to the tips of the shoots is uncertain, but it 
certainly appears there first, and by cutting off the diseased parts, as 
Mr. Barron advises, it may perhaps be prevented spreading further. But 
to get at it in the canes is another matter. One thing sure about these 
slime funguses is that they hate lime, and the best thing to do would be 
to give the border where Vines are affected a good dressing of lime or 
gypsum, preferably lime for Vines, though gaslime about every fifth 
year is an antidote for clubbing in Turnips, along with a proper rotation 
of crops. Superphosphate should be avoided, or if used it ought to have 
one-third of gypsum mixed with it ; but it is better to avoid super¬ 
phosphates, as they only make the Turnips or Cabbages thrive for the 
express benefit of the slime fungus.—G. Abbey. 
Rose Show Fixtures in 1894. 
June 28th (Thursday).—Canterbury, Eltham, and Sutton. 
„ 30th (Saturday).—Brockham and Sittingbourne. 
July 3rd (Tuesday).—Bagshot, Diss, and Farningham. 
„ 4th (Wednesday).—Croydon, Ealing, Ipswich, Lee,t Reigate, and 
Tunbridge Wells. 
„ 5th (Thursday).—Bedford, Dublin, Hereford, and Norwich. 
„ 7th (Saturday).—Crystal Palace (N.R.S.) 
„ 10th (Tuesday).—Gloucester, King’s Lynn, and Wolverhampton.* 
„ 11th (Wednesday).—Hitchin and Ulverston. 
„ 12th (Thursday).—Bath, Harleston, Woodbridge, and Worksop, 
„ 14th (Saturday).—New Brighton. 
„ 17th (Tuesday).—Helensburgh. 
„ 18th (Wednesday).—Newcastle-on-Tyne.* 
„ 19th (Thursday).—Halifax (N.R S.), Halesworth, and Trentham. 
„ 21st (Saturday).—Manchester. 
„ 24th (Tuesday).—Tibshelf. 
„ 26th (Thursday).—Southwell. 
,, 28th (Saturday).—Bedale. 
Aug. 1st (Wednesday).—Chesterfield. 
* Shows lasting three days. f A Show lasting two days. 
Any date of Rose shows, or of other horticultural exhibitions where 
Roses form a leading feature, not named above, I shall be glad to receive 
as soon as fixed, for insertion in future lists. — Edward Mawley, 
RosebanTi, Berkhamsted, Herts. 
National Rose Society,—The Metropolitan Meetings, 
I THANK Mr. Mawley for his very neat tables (page 493) on the 
weather in 1887-88-89 and 90, which are exactly what I wished to see. 
Any of your readers will be able by them to note the fact that the 
weather in May and June this year has not been in the least similar to 
any of the four years tabulated.—C. J. G. 
Roses at York. 
I REGRETTED to see the tone of the note of “ D., Deal," (page 493) 
on this subject, and think he will acknowledge on reflection that it was 
inconsiderate. Such comments are best at the end of the season ; for 
“Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that 
putteth it off ” is an old saying and a wise one. There were practically 
no Hybrid Perpetuals out at Colchester at the time of the York Show, and 
how Mr. Frank Cant managed to scrape together seventy-two varieties, 
I, who was in his grounds a short time before, cannot think. Messrs. 
Harkness, too, are well known to have been rendered practically hors de 
combat by the frost. I do not want to disparage Mr. Mount’s successes ; 
but surely it is full early to institute those comparisons which 
Mrs. Malaprop tells us are “ odorous.”—W. R. Raillem. 
