December 13, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
533 
foregoing, which has defoliated some Plum trees and spoiled their 
Crops. This I shall describe as the “red fungus.” The leaves of 
the trees attacked have fleshy, somewhat irregularly rounded red 
spots, which scientists state are the work of a fungus named 
Polystigma rubrum. These spots enclose numerous asci, each con¬ 
taining several spores, besides which there are sporidia, and both 
open by mouths on the lower surface of the spots. If a thin slice 
of the leaf be examined with a microscope the tissues are seen 
“ choked ” with the filaments of the fungus, very different from a 
thin slice of a healthy leaf similarly examined. The fungus takes 
its nourishment from the leaves, the measure of injury being pro¬ 
portionate to the number of the spots. 
Last year a few red spots only were noticed here and there on 
the leaves. The enemy was despised—it was in our power and 
allowed to escape. Nothing is so fatal, for when plunder is the 
object the few that are treated with immunity are certain to in¬ 
crease incredibly and beset the host plant. I have ever found it 
so with red spider, thrips, aphides, grubs, caterpillars, and fungi. 
Let those and other pe3ts have their own way and they soon show 
what numbers can effect in devastation. Neglect of removing 
and burning the few leaves that were infested with the red 
spots in 1887 resulted in 1888 in the red spots being more 
numerous on individual leaves ; and so many of the leaves 
were attacked that to pick off the worst infested meant strip¬ 
ping the trees as hare of leaves as the caterpillars had the 
Apple trees outside. The Plum trees are in a glass case having 
a south aspect. It was simply a matter of surrender—letting the 
fungus have its own way. Well, it caused most of the leaves to 
fall early, in fact the trees were as good as defoliated by early 
September. That the fungus appropriated the nourishment in the 
leaves and prevented them performing their proper functions 
was exhibited very decidedly in the fruit, which, though it swelled 
to a good size, began to shrivel at the stalk end when under 
ordinary circumstances it should have perfected, and it was unfit 
fir food. 
Whether the fungus took possession of the fruit as well as 
the leaves I am not capable of stating, yet the fruit had minute 
red spots at the stalk end, and internally the flesh was pervaded 
longitudinally by threads, which had destroyed and given it a 
reddish tinge. The fruit was remarkably sweet to the palate at first, 
but soon assumed a bitter and nauseous taste ; most disagreeab'e, 
however, when swallowed, the stomach being made very uneasy. 
I have noticed similar sensations follow eating Figs that had red 
spots at the end of the fruit, also Peaches with one or more similar 
red spots at the apex, and very commonly in Melons with spots on 
the fruit. The flesh in all cases shrinks where the spots are, and 
ultimately decays. Such fruit ought never to be eaten ; but what 
relation, if any, there may be between the red spots on the Plum 
leaves and the diseased fruits I do not know. There was nothing 
for it but to collect the leaves as they fell and burn them. Some 
say there will not be any fruit another year. That remains 
to be seen, for the trees have ample fruit buds, and the wood 
is firm and ripe. The border had a dressing of hot lime last 
autumn, and farmyard manure, and I shall expect a full crop 
of Plums ? 
How came the fungus ? It attacked the upper part of the 
trees and descended. Perhaps it came through the top lights— 
certain it found a fitting host come from whence ic may, and 
that is only what is needed to be known on that point. From 
the Plum case it spread to trees on a wall with an east aspect, 
and took the whole wall before it from the Plum case onward. 
The tree next the Plum case on the wall is a Purple Gage, which 
was most affected ; the fruit, however, ripened, the leaves falling 
soon after. The fungus was less and less as the distance from 
the Plum case increased, and in effect was most disastrous 
to the dessert varieties ; in fact Victoria escaped, and so did Coe’s 
Golden Drop, and finished at the eighth tree from the Plum 
case, where was a break in the continuity by Fears before 
other Plum trees were reached. All other Plum trees were 
free from the fungus, both against walls and in the open. 
“ Oh! but they will be attacked another season.” Perhaps so, but 
unless the season be such as it was in 1888 from mid-June to well- 
nigh September, sunless and continually dripping, I fear no red 
fungus damaging Plum trees to the prejudice of the crop, neither 
on the trees that were so badly attacked this season, as it seems to 
revel in disorganised tissues, badly elaborated unassimilated sap. 
The fact of the matter is just this—the season was cold and wet, 
and we kept the Plum case much too close to oblige some Tomatoes, 
with the result that we had neither Plums nor Tomatoes, lhat 
comes of- serving two masters and getting satisfaction from neither. 
Everybody knows Plums like cool treatment and as much air as a 
mountain Daisy, and then there is no healthier or more fruitful tree 
grown under glass; but, of course, everybody knows all that and 
much more, only I do not remember anything particular being 
recorded of the “red fungus ” attacking Plum trees to the extent 
of their defoliation and destruction of crop.—G. Abbey. 
AMONG TIIE NOVELTIES. 
I tried a fair share of the new varieties of vegetables, &c., 
during the past season, and now proceed as heretofore to give my 
experience of them, trusting my few remarks may bo a guidance 
to those who soon will bo looking over their catalogues of seeds, 
each with very glowing descriptions appended to every novelty. 
May I ask why it is thought necessary to state that the new variety 
is better than any other in cultivation ? This is the rule of some 
in describing their novelties, but I think the old stager soon finds 
out on whose description he can rely, and in whom no reliance can 
be placed. For myself I usually attach more importance to a 
soberly worded one than to the “ lick all creation ” style of thing 
we are growing accustomed to see—the wonderful crop of Potatoes 
delineated in an advertising illustration last season to wit. To my 
task. 
Tomatoes. —Of these I tried several new strains, Henderson’s 
Dwarf Champion, Thorburn’s Volunteer, and the older varieties 
Acme, Trophy Improved, and Livingstone’s Perfection, the seed of 
which I received from New York. Champion is a dwarf, very 
strong stemmed variety, which is supposed to support its own 
weight, but which it failed to do with me. The fruit is of the 
Acme colour, and I have discarded it. I had one plant of Acme 
bearing scarlet fruit, and as it is a good cropper and the fruit of 
good flavour I kept the seed. I do not eat the fruit raw, but as I 
found the slugs only ate Acme and the Old Red, I concluded they 
were the sweetest, the slugs being, as I know too well, good judges 
of quality. Volunteer is good in every respect, scarlet, and of the 
Perfection type. I shall grow it again. Livingstone’s Perfection 
and Reading Perfection are exactly the same. I also received a 
packet from Mr. Gilbert of his Surpasse, and this I found a heavy 
cropper, the fruit being handsome and of good colour. They do 
not run to a large size (with the exception of a few plants which 
bore fruit of a different type), and I found them the most saleable 
of any, for size is objected to here, and I had to sell 10 ozs. fruit as 
half-pounders to get rid of them. A friend of mine liked Surpasse 
better than any other, and it will be my sheet anchor in the 
coming season. 
Potatoes. —Laxton’s Bouncer and No. 1, Railway Rival, Pink 
Beauty, Colonel and Captain sent me by Mr. Gilbert were all 
good, and of these No. 1 is a first class Potato, handsome, great 
cropper, and early. Bouncer late and good in every way. I like 
these two best of the six. Pink Beauty is as its name implies, and 
will be found very useful for a collection. Universal and Table 
King received from Messrs. Daniels are both good, but the latter 
is to my mind the best, and will be found to provide good dishes 
for the table, and the criterion after all is the eating. Ashleaf 
Seedling, a variety I received from Worcestershire, is, I consider, 
an improvement on all other Ashleaf Kidneys in earliness, cropping, 
and appearance. Sharpe's Victor and Duke of Albany were very 
disappointing this season. Sutton’s Satisfaction and Masterpiece 
were both good, but the former is far and away the best, and if I 
were to pick out two Potatoes for main crop, I should choose that 
and Bouncer. Some seedlings. Village Blacksmith, Covent Garden 
Perfection, &c., were all unsatisfactory, and I have discarded them. 
Imperator is a good field Potato, but the soil must not be very 
rich or the tubers will grow far too large for table use. 
Ne Plus Ultra Runner Bean is a gem for exhibition, the pods 
being very long and as straight as a gun barrel. 
Rousham Park, New Anglo-Spanish, and Wroxton Improved 
were the Onions I grew, and the second produced the finest bulbs, and 
will be found the best for exhibition, but for general purposes give 
me the last, for the bulbs are thicker, and being more globe shaped 
will probably keep better. Three better Onions could not, I think, 
be grown. I had thought Rousham Park could not be beaten. 
Brussels Sprouts. —I am trying the Wroxton, but do not con¬ 
sider it better than many other strains. 
Sutton’s White Heart Cos Lettuce grows to a great size, does 
not run to seed quickly, and is very good. It will be found useful 
for exhibition. 
In Peas I was most pleased with Sharpe s Victory, the pods very 
dark green, large, and plenty of them, the height being 2J feet. 
The quality also is first rate. The only other Pea worth mention¬ 
ing is not a new one, but it ought to be grown by all, V ordsley 
Wonder, which is a great cropper of first quality. The pods are 
curved and look thin, but when opened they disclose ten and eleven 
large peas, packed very closely together. This is not all pod and 
no inside. , „ , , ,, 
Pen-y-byd Marrow cannot be beaten for a gentleman s table, 
