240 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 2a, 18S8 
Apples ri( e on the table at the time without a speck or spot. If Mr. 
Goodacre intended frightening us northerners he ought to have brought 
something different from the samples he sent, which will long be 
remembered by the gardeners at the Jubilee Exhibition. After all, I 
think Mr. Goodacre has been very fortunate, for had any flaw or error 
been found in either the fii-st or second collection sutticient to disqualify 
them, we have it on the authority of “One of the Judges” that his 
collection would have remained where it was- third. Mr. Meindoe 
showed a remarkably fine collection, and I should not have quarrelled 
with him had he been placed equal, although he agreed that the Judges 
were right.—J. Huxtek, LamUon Gardens-. 
Perhaps I may state in a few lines how the controversy initiated 
by Mr. Goodacr; strikes an outsider who is unacquainted with any one 
of the exhibiti'rs, judges, or even attendants at the above Show. If the 
schedule stated that the dishes of fruit were to consist of riiie fruit and 
a certain number of dishes of each kind, then 1 say if the fruit was not 
all ripe .and the number of dishes of each variety .as per schedule in the 
competing exhibits, no prize should be awariled to any exhibitor 
who failed in either of these respects. If the rules of a schedule are 
not adhered to what is the good of any rules I have not yet seen 
it fairly proved that any one of the three exhibits consisted of all ripe 
fruit and the numbers of dishes as per schedule. 
I must add I sympathise with Mr. Goodacre in bis complaint of 
contributions on controversial subjects not being signed by the writer’s 
proper name. If a man has the courage of his own opinions and 
attacks another let him sign his name in proper English fashion.— 
H. S. Easty. 
PEACH TREES CASTES^G THEIR BUDS. 
Peach trees casting their buds is rather more prevalent this year 
than usual, especially in early houses and with large-flowered varieties, 
such as Hale’s Early, Barrington, and Grosse Mignonne. I am inclined 
to accept Mr. Barker’s theory as the correct one, and the remedies he 
advocates are the most feasible that I have yet heard. I have t ndeavoured 
to discover the cause, and have observed th.at the long time our early 
Peaches remain dormant during the hottest period of the whole year 
dries up the buds rather than ripens them. For instances last year we 
bad a Grosse Mignonne, from which all the fruit was gathered by the 
end of May ; and although the tree was well attended to it was leafless 
by the middle of August. The buds began falling in October, and by 
pruning time some of the wood had scarcely a bud left. This wood, as 
might be expected, was nearly as hard as ebony to cut ; the centre was 
the colour of mahogany, while the bark was very thin, but quite healthy. 
This tree is now swelling as good a crop of fruits as we can desire. Any 
excessive fluctuations of temperature after the buds commence swelling 
will cause them to fall as with unheated ’nouses in the spring. 
I have noticed where trees once lose their buds they are more or less 
liable to continue doing so, especially if left in the same position, and 
sometimes I think the stock has something to do with it. I have only 
seen one instance that I remember of outside trees casting buds, and 
this was a standard Walburton Admirable, a parently in perfect health. 
But whether they shed their buds or not, it is a step in the right 
direction to lift the trees and add a little fresh loam to the roots ; but 
when is the best time to do this? I have lifted trees in June with fair 
success. By keeping the house close, densely shaded, and heavily 
syringed for two or three weeks, and gradually admitting air and sun, by 
the end of a month they are all right, and any little top growth they 
make may be removed from time to time, 
I also loelieve it is an advantage to thin the buds when they begin 
swelling, especially the large-bloomed sorts. I n very light soils I believe a 
little salt may be used with advantage, but this must be done constantly 
and after the fruit has stoned. But a long chapter might be w^ritten upon 
Peach culture, and views exchanged with advantage.—J. H. Goodacre. 
Ls it not possible that in the case of early Peach trees losing their 
buds in showers at the time the trees commence growth, they may have 
l>een injured by excessive heat, say the hot scorching sun together with 
a dry parching atmosphere 1 I incline to think that the mischief is done 
at some time previous to starting them into growth or during their rest¬ 
ing period. With early forced trees this evil is most marked, the buds 
being more or less in an advanced stage of development during the 
hottest part of summer, and probably the most forwarrl may be the first 
to suffer. We never had better bloom than that of this year. The 
earliest trees were covered with strong flowers, and at the time of 
starting scarcely a single bud fell. I may say that in addition to our usual 
practice last year—viz., supplyins the roots with abundance of w'ater 
and giving the trees a daily bath—during the intense heat we never 
allowed the house to become parchingly dry, the evaporation pans 
too were kept filled, and this practice will be extensively carried out 
• with us for the future. I may further state that although the same 
trees the previous season seem to be in better condition, the shoots 
browned and better ripened, we lost many buds, and on cutting several 
in halves I found the centre to be quite black as if they had been 
damaged for some months previous, and not unlike a burn. —H. Mark¬ 
ham, Meretoorth Castle. 
Please permit me to record my success in securing a good set of 
fruit on Peach trees after three seasons of failure. Different treatment 
has been given to the trees every season. Some have been lifted and 
planted in fresh soil, others root-pruned, putting back the old soil but 
well beaten to make it firm ; others were top-dressed with strong 
manure. The buds fell from all alike. In previous seasons I only 
used tire heat to keep out frost, because plants were wintered in the 
house, but this year they have set their fruit well owing to the fact 
that tire heat w,as employed continually from the time the buds were 
seen to be swelling. The trees were well syringed twice a day 
until the flowers expanded. After they were set the syringe was again 
employed and fire heat kept at 55°.—David Jones, Jfartslieatli, 
Mold. 
RECLAIMING SANDBANKS. 
Could find room in the Journal for this note in reference to 
reclaiming sandbanks ? The plant referred to as Ammophila arundin- 
acea is identical with Mr. Moorman’s plant. It is also known under the 
names of Psamma arenaria and Arundo areuaria ; its English name is 
Sea Mat Grass. Local English names, as a rule, are very misleading, but 
Mr. Moorman’s name is rather appropriate, for the spiked panicle some¬ 
what resemble an ear of Wheat, and its running roots, hence Bindwlieat. 
It is known in the neighbourhood of Southport as Star Grass, and I have 
seen notices cautioning persons against pulling this Grass. The leaves 
are not round as they appear to be, but are involute—that is, the edges 
of the leaves are rolled inwards, thus giving them a llush-like appear¬ 
ance. The plants are commonly planted about Southport, as I have 
seen years ago, and Loudon in “ Encyclopaedia of Plants,” says it has a 
strong creeping root with many tubers at the joints the size of a pea. It is 
planted and encouraged on the coast of Norfolk to aid in fixing the sand 
against the action of the wind and tide, which it effects in a surprising 
manner. The Marrum, as it is called, is considered of so much import¬ 
ance that there are severe laws to prohibit its being destroyed. Mats 
are made of it, and it is used as thatch. 
I should think that Mr. Moorman’s informant about its having been 
imported from Holland must have been wrong, for I do not believe that 
there is a sandy coast of an 3 '’ extent in Britain where this plant docs not 
grow, for 1 have seen it in its gloiy all along the Welsh coast from 
Chester to Aberystwyth, and northerly from Liverpool into Westmore¬ 
land, and I daresay following right into Scotland, for I have seen it 
abundantly on the sands of Barry, near Dundee ; then, again, on theea.st 
coast at Hartlepool, Hull, and 1 am informed that it grows abundantly 
on the Lincolnshire coast; then we come on the Norfolk co.ast before 
mentioned, and if a native of Italy, and introduced into Britain by a 
local farmer, it certainly must have been a long time ago. 
There are also other plants that act the same way, but probably in 
a less degree, such as Carex arenaria and Elymus arenarius. The 
Elymus arenarius is a beautiful Grass, rising to a height of 3 or 4 feet, 
with broad glaucous leaves, thus giving it a noble appearance. The 
Ammophila in general appearance is very much like Lyt cum spartium, 
the Esparto, or Spanish Grass, so extensively used in the manufacture 
of paper. Its (lualities are, 1 am informed, superior to common rags. 
It is imported by thousands of tons annually, and I see no reason why 
the Ammophila should not answer the same purpose.— James Percival. 
The following extract from Bindley and Moore’s “ Treasury of 
Botany ” will, perhaps, be interesting to Mr. J. W. Moorman. “ Ammo¬ 
phila, a genus of Grasses of the tribe Arundinem, inhabiting the sandy 
seashores of the coasts of Europe and North America, and extensively 
cultivated in many places, as in the eastern counties of England and in 
Holland, for preserving the sandbanks which prevent the inroads of 
the sea. It is the widely creeping and matted rhizomes which serve to 
bind together the sandbanks on which it grows. The only species, A. 
arundinacea, or Psamma arenaria, is variously called Maram, Marram, 
Sea-weed, or Sea-Matweed.” I do not think there can be any doubt as 
to the identity of the plant used by Mr. Muir and that observed on the 
Sussex coast.—T. S. 
The Grass which grows on the sand near Pvye is Ammophila arenaria 
or Psamma arenaria, as it is called in Hooker, but I rather imagine by 
tha reference to a Kush-like Grass, and by the local name of Bindvsheat, 
that Triticum junceum, which almost invariably glows with and 
amongst it, is confused with it. It is, however, the root of An mophila 
which binds the sand together, and when it is stated that the roots 
exceed 20 feet in length its binding power m ill be conceived. As be 
states, it is a native of the South of Europe and north coast of Africa. 
It has been extensively planted in Norfolk, the Hebrides, round Calais, 
Egypt, &c. It is very doubtful when it was introduced into England, 
but it was well known in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, when an Act of 
Parliament was passed to prevent people destroying it. It is stated that 
the tow'n of Hull owes its preservation from being washed away to this 
plant being planted on the shores there.—J. K. Neve, Caiiqxlcn. Glos. 
BEAUMONTIA GRANDIFLORA. 
Old inhabitants of British gardens are occasionally brought into 
notice at the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, and they are 
often quite as welcome as novelties, and sometimes much more beauti¬ 
ful. Beaumontia grandiflora mest be ranked as one of these, for though 
it has been grown in England for about seventy years it is s.-ldom seen 
in modern gardens. Within the past two years attention has been twice 
called to it at Kensington. On April 27th, 1886, Mr. Ruffett of Pan- 
