644 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June J8, 1888i 
long ago by syringing with softsoap and sulphur solutions that have 
been so frequently recommended, and these failing you could have tried 
sulphide of potassium or Jeyes’ remedies as advertised. No matter 
what kind of soil you provide for the roots, it is impossible the trees can 
grow in it if the foliage is destroyed. If you wish to send your Carna¬ 
tion to one of the Royal Horticultural Society’s meetings you can obtain 
the requisite instructions from Mr. A. F. Barron, Chiswick. The value 
■depends very much on the habit and floriferous nature of the plants. 
The bloom itself is not strikingly meritorious. 
Fung-us on Shrub (7?. T'. —IVe have examined the specimen 
sent. There is abundant evidence of an attack upon the twigs by some 
scale— i.e., either a coccus or aspidiotus. As to the particular species 
vre cannot say. There arc not any living insects, but dried shields and 
dross. Fungoid growths frequently occur upon insect refuse, and we have 
seen them thickly on the cast off skins of caterpillars and on old cocoons 
of moths. Syringe forcibly and thoroughly with a solution of softsoap 
and petroleum, made by dissolving 2 ozs. of softsoap with a lump of 
soda the size of a nutmeg in a gallon of boiling water, stirring in very 
briskly when hot a small wineglassful of petroleum. If the mixture is 
supplied at a temperature of 120° it will be the more effectual, holding 
the barrel of the syringe in a thickly gloved hand. The work should be 
done soon enough in the evening for the shrubs to be dry before night, 
as if wet in the morning and hot sun follow the leaves may be 
scorched. If the roots are in dr,v poor soil make some holes here and 
there for holding liquid manure and conveying it to the roots. Insects 
are prone to attack enfeebled growths, and the sprays sent do not 
indicate vigour. By far the greater number of replies published in 
this column are of interest and service to many besides those who elicit 
them. 
Early Rhubarb QSnff’ont. Ticnr ').—We thank you for the stalks 
•of the hardiest, earliest, and sweetest Rhubarb grown anyw'here in 
this country,” and which you appear to feel iustified in investing with 
a distinctive name and selling roots of the variety at a high price, 7s. 6d. 
each small, l.us. each large. May we advise you to send a fair sample of 
the stalks, say a dozen, with leaves, for examination by the Fruit and 
Vegetable Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society before c.arrying 
out your project ? If the variety is considered by the Committee distinct 
from others in ordinary cultivation, you can then name it and m.ake the 
best you can of it; but if it should prove to bo identical with an existing 
variety well known and recognised, you will not be placed in a very 
pleasant position, as it is a rather serious matter sending out old 
varieties of anything under new names, and at prices that lead the 
public to believe they are novelties. We have read your circular and 
letters with great care, and should be very pleased to aid in distributing a 
really new Rhubarb possessing distinct advantages, but we cannot 
regard your experience as adequate for determining the point, and 
suggest an easy course that we hope you will follow. We admit the 
variety to be distinct from the St. Martin’s, but that is not the earliest 
Rhubarb in cultivation. The next meeting of the R.H.S. Committees 
will be held on July 10th, and anything reaching the Secretary at 111, 
Victoria Street, Westminster, the night previous, will be placed on the 
table for examination by competent horticulturists, glad to recognise 
anything new, distinct, and good that may be put before them. 
Ammonia in Rain (J. IF., Leeds ').—No doubt you are right. Dr. 
Storer says fresh rain water may contain from one to three- 
millionths of its w'eight of ammonia; fog and dew', from two. to six 
millionths ; and snow and hail, about as much as rain on the average. 
Those portions of rain that fall at the beginning of a storm or shower 
generally contain a larger proportion of ammonia than those which fall 
subsequently. The first portions of water wash the layer of atmosphere 
between the cloud and the earth, and collect almost the whole of the 
ammonia that was contained in it. The rain that falls afterwards 
merely dilutes the ammoniacal solution first obtained. Towards the 
■close of a long-continued rain the water that falls is wellnigh absolutely 
free from ammonia. The rain water collected in cities contains far more 
ammonia than that which falls in the country ; as much as thirty parts 
■of ammonia in a million parts of water have been observed. It has 
sometimes been noticed, also, that the amount of ammonia in rain 
may be comparatively large when the r.ainfall occurs after long-con¬ 
tinued dry weather. In the year 1855 Mr. Lawes erected a large rain- 
gauge at Rothamsted, having a surface of one-one-thousandth of an acre, 
aud the waters collected in it have been analysed from year to year, and 
@\'en from day to day at times. AFarington has recently reported that 
the average amount of ammonia nitrogen in the water of this rain- 
gauge is about O'il part in 1,000,000 parts of water. But the amount of 
ammonia varies widely in the waters of different showers, so that the 
amount of ammonia nitrogen ranges from 0'0-I3 to .AAOl parts to the 
million. AFarington computes that about 2.j lbs. of nitrogen in the form 
of ammonia fall upon an acre of land in one year at the locality in 
question. In addition to the ammonia nitrogen, about a pound falls as 
nitric acid and another pound in organic combination, making altogether 
about 4^* lbs. of nitrogen to the acre. Earlier observations, obtained by 
rather less accurate methods of analysis, gave larger amounts of 
ammonia. Thus AFay, in 1855, found 7 lbs. of ammonia to the acre, 
and, in 1856, i)J- lbs., in the waters of the Rothamsted gauge, which 
amounted to rather more than 600,000 gallons each year. German 
observers obtained in their turn 6,1 lbs. and 9| lbs. of ammonia in 
yearly rainfalls of 400,000 and 500,000 gallons. 
Apples Wearing- Out (^Man of Kent). —T'ou appear to be possessed 
with the Knightian theory, which was not well founded. It is referred 
to by Dr. Hoggin the “ Fruit Manual ” as follows :—“ Towards the end 
of last century Air. Thomas Andrew Knight entertained a theory that 
the Golden Pippin, and all the old varieties of English Apples, were in 
the last stage of decay, and that a few years would witness their total 
extinction. This belief he founded upon the degenerate state of these 
varieties in the Herefordshire orchards, and the opinion that no variety 
of Apple will continue to exist longer than 200 years, after which period 
the original tree and all its progeny will fall to decay. It would be 
needless to enter into any further discussion upon a subject concerning 
which so much has already been said and written, as there is sufficient 
evidence to confute that theory. The Pearmain, which is the oldest 
English Apple on record, shows no symptom of decay, neither do the 
Catshead, London Pippin, or AFinter Qiioining, those only of the old 
varieties having disappeared from our orchards which were not worth 
perpetuating, their places being supplied by others infinitely superior. 
It was towards the end of the last centurj’- that this doctrine 'n’-as first 
announced, and though many of the old dise.ased trees of the Hereford¬ 
shire orchards of which Mr. Knight spoke have passed away, we have 
the Golden Pippin still in all the luxuriance of early growth, where 
attention has been paid to its cultivation and it is grown in a soil con¬ 
genial to it, and it exhibits as little indication of decay as any of the 
varieties which Air. Knight raised to supply the vacancy he expected it 
to create. But this alarm of Air. Knight for the safetty of the Golden 
Pippin, and his fear of its extinction, were based upon no new doctrine, 
for we find Alortimer a hundred years before equally lamenting the 
Kentish Pippin. After speaking of manures, &c., for the regeneration 
of fruit trees, he says, ‘ I shall be glad if this account may put any upon 
the trial of raising that excellent fruit the Kentish Pippin, which else, I 
fear, will be lost. For I find in several orchards, both in Kent, Essex, 
and Hertfordshire, old trees of that sort, but I can find no young ones 
to prosper. A friend of mine tried a great many experiments in Hert¬ 
fordshire about raising them, and could never get them to thrive, 
though he had old trees in the same orchard that grew and bore very 
well. I likewise tried several experiments myself, and have had young 
trees thrive so well as to make many shoots of a yard long in a year, but 
these young shoots were always blasted the next year, or cankered ; 
which makes me think that the ancients had some particular -way of 
raising them, that we have lost the knowledge of.’ Although this was 
written in the beginning of last century, we have the Kentish Pippin 
still, as vigorous and healthy as ever it was.” 
ITames of Plants.—AFe only undertake to name species of plants, 
not varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in firm boxes. 
Slightly damp moss or soft green leaves form the best packing, dry cotton 
wool the worst. Not more than six specimens can be named at once. 
—(/A //.).—Cratregus coccinea. (^Simer.set). —1, Festuca duriuscula ; 
2, Festuca ovina ; 3, Bromus sterilis ; 4, Bromus arvensis ; 5 and 6, 
Bromus mollis. 1, Centaurea montana ; 2, A^'eronica spicata ; 3, 
Saxifraga ceratophylla. 
COA^ENT GARDEN AIARKET.— Juxe 27th. 
Outdoor Strawberries have noAV male their appearance, princip illy from the neigh* 
bourhood of Southampton. Supplies good, with trade more active. 
CUT FLOWERS. 
B. 
d. 
B 
a. 
B. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
Abntilons, 12bunches .. 
3 
0 to 4 
0 
Mignonette, 12 bunches 
3 
0 to 6 
0 
Anemones 12 bunches .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pansies, 12 bcha .. .. 
1 
0 
4 
0 
Aram Lilies,12 blooms .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Azalea, 12 sprays .. .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ scarlet, 12 trusses 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Bouvardiap, bunch .. •• 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Polyanthus, 12 bohs 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Camellias, 12 blooms 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pyrethrum, doz. bunches 
8 
0 
6 
0 
Oar aations, 12 blooms •• 
1 
0 
3 
0 
Hananculus. doz. bunobee 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cowslips, 12 bunches 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Roses, Red, 12 hi ioms .. 
1 
6 
g 
6 
Cyclamen, 12 blooms 
u 
0 
0 
0 
„ (outdoor), 12 bchs 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Daffodils, Double, 12 bcha 
0 
0 
0 
0 
,, (indoor), dozen •• 
0 
6 
1 
6 
,, Single, 12 bohs 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ Tea, dozen .. .. 
1 
0 
2 
6 
Daisies, 12 bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
red, dozen (French) 
0 
9 
1 
0 
Epiphyllum. 12 blooms .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
„ yellow . 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Eucharis, dozen .. •• 
8 
0 
6 
0 
,, (Moss), French, 12 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
1 
6 
4 
0 
bunches .. .. 
G 
0 
12 
0 
Lapageria, coloured, 13 
Spirroa, bunch .♦ ., .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
blooms. 
1 
0 
1 
6 
Stephauotis, 12 sprays .. 
1 
6 
3 
0 
Liliam longidorum, 12 
Stock s, 12 banche s., • • 
1 
6 
4 
0 
blooms. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
S veet Peas, dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Lily of the Valley, 12 
Tropasolum, 12 bunches 
1 
0 
2 
0 
sprays . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Tubero.ses. 12 blooms .. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
tiily of the Valley, 12 
■White G1 .diola8,12 sprays 
0 
9 
1 
6 
bunohes . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Wnite Lilac, per bunch .. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Marguerites, 12 bunohes 
2 
0 
6 
0 
,, ,, French .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
PLANTS 
IX POTS. 
s. 
d. 
B. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
fl. 
d. 
Aralia Siebjldi, dozen .. 
6 
0tol2 
0 
Fuchsia, dozen pots ., 
4 
Oto 12 
0 
Arborvitaefgolden) dozen 12 
0 
24 
0 
Genista, per dozen •• 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Arum Lilies, dozen.. .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Heliotrope, dozen pots •• 
4 
0 
8 
0 
Bedding out pUnts in 
Ivy Geranium. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
variety, per dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Hydrangea, dozen .. .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Celoeolaria, per dozen.. 
4 
0 
9 
0 
Lilies Valley, dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Cineraria, dozen •• •• 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Lilium Harriseii, doz. pots 21 
0 
43 
0 
Coleus, dozen. 
3 
0. 
6 
0 
Lobelia, per dozen .. .. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Deutzia, per dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 
SO 
0 
60 
0 
Mignonette, dozen .. 
4 
0 
8 
0 
„ viridis, dozen.. 
13 
0 
24 
0 
Musk, dozen ,>ots .. .. 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Erics, various, dozen .. 
9 
0 
18 
0 
Myrtles, dozen. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
„ veutricosa .. .. 
18 
0 
24 
0 
Nasturtiura-*, per dozen.. 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Eaonymus, in var.,dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Palms, in var.,each ., 
3 
6 
21 
0 
Evergreens, in var., dozen 
6 
0 
24 
0 
Pelargoniums, dozen 
6 
0 
18 
0 
Ferns, in variety, d'jzen 
4 
0 
18 
0 
,, scarlet, doz. 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Ficus elastica, each 
1 
s 
7 
0 
Spirea japonica, doz. .. 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Foliage Plants, var.,each 
2 
0 
10 
0 
1 Stocks, per dozen .. .. 
8 
0 
6 
0 
