558 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 31, 1891. 
and moisture is essential for Caladiums during the growing 
season, they also liking good rich soil composed of peat, loam, and 
sand, with a moderate amount of sweet leaf soil.—S. 
(To be continued.) 
THE APPLE SUPPLY. 
The interesting and practical article on page 509, by Mr. 
Wright, must set all readers studying this great problem of how to 
supply the English market with own-grown produce. Having 
recently visited London I made it my business to visit some of the 
wholesale markets, as well as to scan the fruit shop windows, as 
also to “ taste and try ” some of the most showy American Apples, 
and I must say I felt somewhat ashamed and humiliated at seeing 
such poor English produce, as compared with the American 
specimens. But on comparison with such fruit as was shown at 
the Smithfield Club Show by Messrs. Cheal & Son (I believe I am 
correct), I could not help thinking that the climate was not so 
much to blame as the cultivators. I bought a pound of American 
Blenheims,” which appeared identical to our own Blenheims, and 
I found there was more in outside show than in inside substance 
and flavour. I also examined and tried my Cobhams on my return, 
and felt convinced there was no comparison in my mind as to our 
fruit holding its own in quality, if not quite so tempting in 
appearance. 
But my object in making a remark on the subject is respecting 
the neglected orchards. Some years ago I referred in the Journal 
to a neighbour who used to grow 500 pots of Blenheim Pippin 
Apples alone besides other fruits in his orchards annually. I 
think I am quite correct in stating that during the past three 
seasons those orchards have not produced ten pots of these Apples 
collectively. Blight— i.e., caterpillars, and psylla, and neglect have 
reigned supreme, and no amount of advice gratis and information 
on undoubted authority and firm basis availed, which have been 
treated—if not with contempt, with indifference. There is 
undoubtedly a good field for intelligent fruit culture.—J. Hiam, 
Astu/ood Bank , Worcestershire. 
POTATO DISEASE EXPERIMENTS. 
Some time ago reference was made to Mr. Robert Fenn’s fight 
with the fungus that is the active agent in the Potato disease. 
His instrument of warfare was the Maalbec bellows, and his 
ammunition powder—the anti-blight preparation of Messrs. Tait 
and Buchanan as supplied by Messrs. Barr & Son. This powder 
having proved so effective in preventing mildew in vineyards in 
Portugal, it was thought it might be applied with advantage to 
Potatoes for preventing the disease. Mr. Fenn gave it a thorough 
trial, and has sent us a record of the results. We have not the 
. slightest doubt of the accuracy of his statement, but as tabulated it 
would occupy much more space than we have at disposal, and a 
digest will equally well show that he mastered the enemy which 
has attacked his crops with more or less energy over a period of 
forty-six years. 
The whole of some of his new varieties, with others of specially 
high quality and prone to disease, were dressed, and of these, such as 
Rector of Woodstock, Woodstock Kidney, Eliza Fenn, Sir Charles 
Douglas, Sutton’s Favourite, and Fifty-fold, the plants remained 
fresh and green to the end of the season, and afforded good crops 
of sound tubers. In 110^ lbs. of Fifty-fold there was not one 
diseased tuber. In Rector of Woodstock, 73 lbs. were sound 
and 3 lbs. tainted ; Sir Charles Douglas, 111 lbs. sound, 6f lbs. 
tainted. This variety is not in commerce. For some time the 
late Sir Charles Douglas lived largely on Potatoes, and after trying 
many varieties, including Mr. Fenn’s seedlings, he preferred 
this; therefore the raiser, instead of placing the variety in 
commerce, preferred, as he said, “ to keep Sir Charles alive as 
long as possible,” and that is the reason of its name. 
Of some varieties portions of rows only were dressed, the other 
portions left to their fate. The lengths of the rows experimented 
with, and the results are indicated with precision in the following 
digest :— 
Ringleader : 39 feet of row dressed, 27 feet undressed. 
Results : Weight of tubers in the former, 59£ lbs. ; in the latter, 
23 lbs. No diseased tubers in the dressed row, 5 lbs. in the other. 
Early Border : 45 feet of row dressed, the same length 
undressed. Results : Weight of tubers in the former, 35| lb 3 . ; in 
the latter, 17^ lbs ; 3 lbs. of diseased tubers in the dressed row : 
lOf lbs. in the other. 
Sir Polydore de Keyser : 10|- feet of row dressed early and 
repeatedly, the same length dressed late, when disease appeared on the 
leaves. Results: 56j lb3. of sound tubers in the diessed, and 
30j lbs. in the other. 
Prizetaker : 34| feet of row dressed, the same length 
undressed. Results: 57J lbs. of sound tubers in the former; 
21| lbs. in the latter. 
Eliza Fenn.—A selection from Early Regent: 48 feet of row 
dressed, the same length undressed. Results : Weight of crop in 
former, 75J lbs. ; 53^ lbs. in the latter ; no diseased tubers in the 
dressed portion ; 3 lbs. in the other. 
Tiie Damson (new seedling) : 26£ feet of row dressed early 
and repeatedly, the same length of row dressed late. Results: 
44 lbs. of sound tubers in the former ; 23| lbs. in the latter. 
It will be seen that early dressings gave the best results, and 
that the powder is more a preventive than a curative agent. This 
is only what might be expected, for when the fungus takes posses¬ 
sion of the cells and tissues of the plants the parts thus injured or 
destroyed cannot be made sound again by any applications, though 
the growth of the fungus may be arrested, as has proved to be the 
case both with Potatoes and mildew on Vines. Mr. Fenn attaches 
importance to giving the first dusting before earthing, then 
“following it up,” according to the weather and condition of 
growth. How many times he ran puffing up and down the rows 
will perhaps never be known ; he only knows he mastered the 
enemy for the first time in his long Potato-growing experience, 
when its attacks were persistent as during the present season, and 
rejoices accordingly. 
The increase in yield, resulting from the dressings, is not to be 
attributed to the manurial effect of the powder, but to the 
prolonged growth of the plants, in consequence of its agency in 
preventing the germinal tubes of the fungus spores penetrating the 
leaves and soft stems. 
FLOWERS FOR CUTTING. 
The Chrysanthemum. 
The time is long past when it is necessary to bestow any 
praise on Chrysanthemums, and perhaps but little that is new can 
be written as to the methods of employing them as cut flowers. 
At one time it was thought expedient to cultivate the Pompon 
section mainly for cutting purposes, and one of the strongest 
protests made by the opponents of the “ large bloom system ” 
was furnished by the plea that the blooms had no decorative 
value on account of their size. It is many years since I drew 
attention to the great value of large flowers for decoration when 
used with judgment, and it is safe to say that mere size at the 
present day forms no bar to the employment of the largest 
Chrysanthemum grown ; indeed the tendency seems in the 
direction of size. While that is so, no doubt there is plenty of 
room for plants which produce a quantity of fair-sized flowers, 
which, like the Dahlia, when cultivated for flowers in quantity, 
are eminently useful for home use. The happy medium appears 
to be the setting aside on the one hand of the whole family of 
Pompons, which are pretty, but otherwise of no value, and, on 
the other, to select from the great number of Japanese, incurved, 
and reflexed, which of late years has assumed such enormous 
proportions, and to cultivate these with the double view to utility 
and beauty. 
It is not uncommon that a free-growing floriferous variety is 
chosen on account of these qualities alone without taking any 
account of colour. That is a mistake. The primary feature of a 
good Chrysanthemum is colour. At any period of the year this 
forms an essential element in a good flower for cutting, but during 
the winter it is of pre-eminent importance. Therefore, no matter 
how many other good points a Chrysanthemum may possess, if it 
lacks clearness and brightness of colouring, it is so far worthless. 
The best colours in addition to white flowers are yellow, of which 
there are many intense shades of great beauty; orange ; crimson 
when clear and bright, and pure pink or rose. Lilac, dull reds, and 
so-called violet shades are all useless. 
With regard to the treatment of plants for the production of 
flowers for cutting there is not much need be said. At the same 
time there are some points to which attention may be fittingly 
called. Not uncommonly Chrysanthemums grown solely for 
decorative purposes receive scant justice in the way of good cul¬ 
ture. In the first place good cuttings should be secured, and that 
as early in the season as possible. I invariably find that the cut¬ 
tings secured from now until about the middle of January produce 
the best plants and the best blooms. It is a good plan to pinch 
out the points of the young plants as early in the year as it can be 
done. By doing so a good foundation is laid for a large plant, and 
I like to treat them well from the very beginning. As a rule they 
are grown naturally, but this year, after allowing the practice to slip 
for some years, I cut down a certain number in early summer, and 
