12 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 2, 1891. 
° 0 r * All correspondence should be directed either to “ The 
Editor ” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to 
Dr. Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened 
unavoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Correspondents should not mix up on the same sheet questions 
relating to Gardening and those on Bee subjects, and should 
never send more than two or three questions at once. All 
articles intended for insertion should be written on one side of 
the paper only. We cannot reply to questions through the 
post, and we do not undertake to return rejected communica¬ 
tions. 
Tobacco (A Constant Reader). —Kindly oblige with your name 
and address, not for publication, but in accordance with the rule that 
relates to the answering of such questions. 
Currant Bud Insects (TF. K .).—We are obliged by the two boxes 
of specimens, which shall be carefully examined by our entomologist, 
and replies given as soon as practicable. 
Vine Weevils—Apple Scab (6*. A.). —Thanks, the word “scale” 
in the seventh line from the bottom of the second column, page 504, 
ought to have been “ scab,” and obviously the weevils referred to were 
Otiorhynchus, but the writer omitted to say so. 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Meetings (<■?. G.). —The next 
meeting of the Committees will be held at Chiswick in connection 
with the conferences on hardy summer flowers on the 7th inst., and 
on various bush and small fruits on the 8th. You had better write 
to Mr. A. F. Barron, B.H.S. Gardens, Chiswick, London, indicating 
the produce you intend sending, and he will give you all requisite 
instructions. 
Vinery Boiler (J/. R.). —With one house started in February and the 
other a month later, it seems difficult to fix upon a time for alterations. If 
the weather prove cold and wet fire heat may be necessary when the Grapes 
are ripening, and we presume the work cannot De postponed until the 
Vines are at rest on account of plants needing protection from frost ; 
therefore we should say the repairs would be best done whilst least fire 
beat is necessary, that is, during July and August. 
Melons Flavourless ( Devonia ).—Sandy soil is not suitable for 
Melons, as in such they are apt to produce their foliage liable to be 
injured by scorching or insects, and then well-flavoured fruits are out of 
the question. The foliage must be substantial and clean, and the plants 
not overcropped. The atmosphere should also be drier during the 
ripening period than is good for the free growth of Cucumbers. The 
work you refer to will be issued in the autumn in future. 
Decayed Mushroom (D. TF.).—A crushed mass of offensive putre¬ 
faction reached us not fit to be sent through the post. The letter was 
so saturated that .it could not be read. We suspect your Mushrooms 
are attacked by a fungus, Aspergillus glaucus, which is referred to on 
pages 94 and 183 in the sixth edition of “Mushrooms for the Million.” 
If you possess the work (Is. 2d., post free, from this office) you can see 
what is said, about this and other fungoid enemies which occasionally 
attack Mushrooms and speedily ruin them. 
Dividing Pyrethrums in Autumn (N. S .). —February and 
March, as the weather, is favourable, are the best time for increasing the 
stock by division,. The operation may be performed in autumn, choosing 
moist weather at the end of September or early in October. Stools of 
four years’ growth may be divided into three or more pieces according 
to their size and fac'lity of cutting up, so as to preserve some roots and. 
crowns with good buds to each. The divisions are preferably placed in 
pots sufficiently large to hold the roots comfortably, with a little soil 
around. Plunge the pots in ashes to the rim and keep the soil moist, 
but not very wet. Too much air cannot be admitted in favourable 
weather, planting out in spring. The divisions may be planted where 
they are, .to,.remain, using fine soil, and firming it about the roots, 
watering to settle it about them, and taking due safeguards against slugs. 
Morels and Jew’s Ears QF. C., Alresford). — Morels are called 
Jew’s Ears in Yorkshire as statedr by Dr. .Badham, and it was in an 
extract frQmius.wmrk that the popular term was given. As generally 
accepted'the fanciful reference applies to another fungus, Hirneola or 
Exidia, which is cup-shaped and grows on Elder trees, also but less 
freely on Elms.: The specimen you send is so small and was so 
much shrivelled that it cannot possibly be identified. It bears some 
resemblance'to a Morel, but we are not sure it is one, and we cannot 
venture to suggest that any fungus may be eaten unless we are certain 
oL its identity. If you can send fair typical specimens packed in 
freshly gathered green, but not wet, grass they will probably arrive in 
good condition for determining what they are and whether they may be 
safely eaten or not. You might also indicate the position where they grow. 
Young- Apple and Pear Trees Unfruitful (A. R ., India ).— 
When young Apple and Pear trees blossom profusely, but set no fruit, 
and frost or excessive wet is not the cause, the reason is generally over- 
effort at fruit production, an excess of blossom buds forming which from 
lack of nourishment are imperfectly developed. In this case the only 
remedy is to thin the buds freely before the blossoms expand, leaving 
the strongest and most promising, affording liquid manure or surface 
dressings in winter, with mulching and proper supplies of water in 
summer. We cannot answer your other questions at present, but will 
see if we can procure the information. We do not, however, recommend 
foreign nurserymen through these columns. 
Hydrangreas (G. C.). —No doubt you have cultivated your plants 
in a satisfactory manner, except in keeping them “very dry”—that is 
unnecessary. They may with advantage be kept moderately dry, but in 
no stage of growth should the soil ever be entirely destitute of moisture. 
Whatever treatment you may give your plants it will never alter their 
character. Your only chance is to throw them away and start again 
with fresh plants. Sometimes plants that have produced bold large 
trusses for years will occasionally throw one similar to the one you sent 
us. When this occurs we throw them away at once, as they cannot be 
relied upon to produce ordinary blooms afterwards. All varieties of 
Hydrangeas have the same peculiarity, especially the variegated form of 
H. hortensis, but we had never seen the variety of Thomas Hogg in this 
abnormal state before, although we have grown thousands. It is not so 
useful nor so beautiful as well-grown examples of the old H. hortensis, 
which yields enormous trusses, varying from pink to blue. 
Insects on Alder (J. McD .).—The small caterpillar that traverses 
the leaves, bearing upon its back a case or “ cigar ” of its own construc¬ 
tion, ingeniously cut from the under surface, is the larva of a tiny moth 
called Coleophora alnivorella. Having completed its growth, the little 
creature closes up the case and shortly after appears as a moth; it is 
seldom common enough to disfigure the Alder to any extent. No. 2, 
the insect resembling the Aphis in some things, and the Cercopis, or 
“ cuckoo spit ” in others, is a Psvlla, probably the species P. Alni, but 
they are, like the Aphides, difficult to identify ; it may be at once dis¬ 
tinguished from the Aphis group by its breadth of thorax and its powers 
of leaping. Their multiplication is not so rapid as that of the Aphides. 
No. 3 is a species of Cbermes, allied to the familiar American blight, and 
also akin to the Cocus or scale group, the young brood being enveloped 
in a woolly secretion. 
Carnations and Picotees ( Picotce ).—You appear to be going on 
with your Picotees quite judiciously. Be careful not to overdo them 
with liquid manure, as with the surfacing already applied you may 
produce coarse blooms. Give sufficient water in dry weather, especially 
if your soil is light in texture. No doubt some varieties produce fewer 
side growths than others, but even in this much depends on cultivation. 
Layer early, and plant early in the autumn, when you will see a great 
improvement all round. Picotees are perfectly hardy. It ought to have 
been noted that size of bloom without coarseness is secured by thinning 
out the buds, also a shading of tiffany or other light material you will 
find an absolute necessity to secure clean flowers and pure markings. 
Old glazed sashes blurred with whiting and supported high above the 
plants not to touch the blooms is an excellent and easy method of 
gaining these ends. We wish you every success. 
Strawberries by Post (F . A. G., Taunton ).—It is very seldom 
indeed that Strawberries sent by post arrive in sufficiently good 
condition to be named, and never except the fruits are gathered 
before they are fully ripe and each placed in a separate leaf and the 
whole sent in a tin or wooden box, so that they can neither be injured 
by shaking nor crushing. Yours simply placed in a chip match box 
resembled a mass of jam more than anything else. The best way 
to obtain the names of Strawberries is either to take fruits to an 
( exhibition at which prizes are offered for Strawberries, and there gather 
the information, or to a nursery or private garden in which many 
varieties are grown. We can only identify varieties when the fruits 
arrive in the same condition as when they were gathered, and accom¬ 
panied with foliage from the plants. It is desirable also that the 
habits of these be stated, and whether the varieties are early, mid¬ 
season, or late. 
Strawberries (AT. S .). —Auguste Nicaise Strawberry is a much 
paler, also a firmer, fruit than Noble, and is of better quality, though 
not, we think, so early, nor is it so free and fruitful in all soils, though 
in some it succeeds admirably. Noble has never been described by us of 
more than second rate quality, but the fruit is so fine and early that 
good crops are highly profitable for market purposes. We have seen 
large quantities “ look well ” enough in the London market to sell at 
- 2s. a pound, but they were sent there by persons who have learned how 
' to gather them carefully before being over-ripe and to pack them well. 
i If the remarks to which you refer are those of Mr. T. Sharpe they are 
worthy of your attention. His success in Strawberry culture in a field 
of sand is remarkable. His practice is based on the principle of testing 
a number of varieties and increasing those the most freely which succeed 
the best with him and realise the most money. Strawberries are 
notoriously capricious. Marguerite, which bears fine fruit so abundantly 
with Mr. Sharpe, is not worth the ground it occupies in some gardens. 
Alice Maud, mentioned by him, is generally more reliable, but not in all 
soils the most profitable. In some land those rich and fine varieties, 
British Queen and Dr. Hogg, grow and bear abundantly, but in many 
gardens they are among the least thrifty and productive. At Chiswick 
Sir Charles Napier is much more profitable than Sir Joseph Paxton, but 
