August 8, 1889. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Ill 
- Sussex Rainfall. —The rainfall registered at BordeHill, Cuck- 
field, during July was 3*75 inches, being 1*21 inch above the average. 
The heaviest fall was 0*85 inch, on 23rd, rain falling on fifteen days. The 
highest temperature (not strictly speaking shade temperature) was 90° 
on the 6th, the lowest 47° on the 20th. Mean day temperature 77*1, 
mean night temperature 52'1°, mean temperature 64*6°—exactly the 
average of the past seven years in the same position.—R. Inglis. 
- Your correspondent “ J. R. S. C.,” under “Notes and Glean¬ 
ings,’ issue August 1st, cautions his English friends against following 
the example of the Americans in the use of Paris Green as an 
insecticide. In an article to the Journal on this subject I mentioned 
the use of arsenic in California in combatting the codlin moth larvae ; 
but as it is used in the proportion of about 1 lb. to 200 gallons of water, 
and sprayed on the trees (Apple and Pear) as soon as the blossom has 
fallen, it would seem reasonable to suppose that no poison could remain by 
the time the fruit has matured, as no more than one drop of this solution 
could remain on the embryo Apple. But as we do not resort to any such 
measures on mere supposition, we have the word of such eminent 
scientists as Prof. E. W. Hilgard of the State University of California, 
that no possible trace of poison remains. This has been practised also 
for many years in the Eastern States, as is found to be the most 
successful remedy for this particular pest.— Leonard Coates, Henley- 
on-Thames. 
- Eckford's New Sweet Peas.—A ll lovers of our hardy 
garden flowers will find in Mr. Eckford’s grand new varieties of Sweet 
Peas something worth having in their gardens. Mr. Eckford, now of 
Wem, Salop, for years past has been hard at work hybridising and 
improving the ordinary garden Sweet Pea, and for a few years past has, 
through the medium of the seedsmen of the country, been giving us 
new varieties. He was asked to send blooms of a few varieties to the 
Solihull Flower Show on the 24th July, to give the Midland people an 
opportunity of seeing what is being done with this favourite garden 
flower. A dozen varieties in bunches were sent—viz., Captain of the 
Blues, a very fine variety ; Primrose, Princess of Wales, Boreatton, 
Cardinal, very rich in colour ; Isa Eckford, Queen of England, Apple 
Blossom, Miss Hunt, Purple Prince, Splendour, and Mrs. Gladstone. 
All these are very fine varieties, and surprised and greatly pleased the 
large number of visitors at the show. There can be no question as 
to their great beauty, and as S weet Peas are so easily cultivated and 
seed easily saved, Eckford’s new Sweet Peas ought to be in every 
garden.—D. 
- Potato Disease. —The warm, showery weather we have been 
having during the past fortnight has already caused the disease to 
appear. I first noticed it in a quarter of kidney Potatoes on July 20th. 
It was then very slight; but now there is not a garden or field of 
Potatoes in the neighbourhood but what is injured, in fact one may 
scent it a hundred yards distant when walking along the roads. So far 
I have not yet seen a diseased tuber, but the probability is that ere long 
we shall have a different tale to tell. The Potatoes were looking 
remarkably well up to a few days ago ; all varieties are, however, later 
than usual, owing no doubt to the cold spring. Previous to the disease 
setting in the haulm of even the Ashleafs was as green as ever, and the 
skins were not set. I remember, two years, ago some writer expressing 
the opinion that the disease had died out, little or no appearance of it 
being visible that year. Judging from present appearances the writer 
will get a somewhat rude awakening this year from the premature 
conclusions then arrived at.— Limerick. 
- Red Spider.—I cannot allow that interesting and instructive 
article from your correspondent Mr. G. Abbey (page 92) on red spider to 
pass without a brief reference. In the first place Mr. Abbey, I think, is 
entitled to many thanks from both practical and other gardeners, for so 
ably putting before your readers his valuable information on this subject. 
No doubt a dry atmosphere principally causes the appearance of red 
spider ; also if plants are allowed to get dry at the roots it has a similar 
effect. There is also some truth in the assertion of some writers 
respecting insect pests attacking principally our unhealthy plants, for it 
is in such an atmosphere as your correspondent describes that unhealthy 
plants are to be found. They cannot be otherwise in a house insuf¬ 
ficiently ventilated. And again, such checks as a too high and a too low 
temperature are at all times to be avoided if we are to keep our plants 
in a healthy condition and free from insect pests. I have thirteen 
houses in these gardens under my charge, both fruit and plant houses, 
and I can always keep red spider at bay by the use of the syringe and 
the garden engine, with the assistance of sulphur and linseed oil made 
hito a paint, about the consistency of ordinary paint, and applied to the 
hot-water pipes every spring.— Alfred Bishop, The Gardens, Westley 
Hall, Bury St. Edmunds. 
-Pine Trees Losing Their Foliage. —We have some re¬ 
markably fine specimens of Pinus Menziesi, and during the month of 
April the entire foliage from foot to summit tnrned brown and fell off ; 
not a solitary needle was left on any of them. Some of the trees are 
on very high ground, but sheltered by other trees ; others are planted 
at the same elevation and quite exposed, wh ; le more are planted on low, 
sheltered ground. They were all alike, 60 feet and upwards in height 
as brown and as bare as a Larch in January. It was the middle of 
June before any of the trees recommenced growth. I had begun to 
think they would die, and it is now several inches in length. Of course 
all the centre of the trees are as bare as can be, rendering them very 
unsightly features here. Can anyone suggest a probable cause for this 
strange behaviour ? Some of the trees are growing on shallow, sandy 
loam resting on sandstone ; in some places the subsoil is gravel; others 
are growing in peaty soil—in fact, in an exhausted bog. There is no 
lime in the soil. Some of the trees are as much as four miles apart.— 
Handy Andy. 
- The issue of the Botanical Magazine for July contains 
coloured illustrations of the following plants. T. 7063, Pandanus 
labyrinthicus, a Screw Pine long cultivated at Kew under the name of 
P. ceramicus. It is a native of Sumatra and other Malayan islands. 
T. 7064, Syringa villosa, a native of Chikli, province of China, on moun¬ 
tains near Pekin, where it was discovered by D’lncarville before 1740, 
recently collected and seeds sent to Kew by Dr. Bretschneider. The 
plants first flowered in May, 1888. The leaves are small, ovate, and the 
flowers pale rosy lilac. T. 7065, Olearia macrodenta, a New Zealand 
“ Daisy Tree,” with hard corymbs of small white flower heads, each 
having a reddish centre. Flowered in Mr. W. E. Gumbleton’s garden, 
Belgrave, Cork, on a south wall, June 1883, where it stood without 
protection for three years. T. 7066, Disa lacera var. multifida, a Cape 
of Good Hope Orchid with blue flowers, figured in th z Journal of Horti¬ 
culture, p. 221, 1888. T. 7067, Eucryphia pinnatifolia, a native of 
Chili, “ confined to the Cordillera of Concepcion, where it forms a 
bushy tree 10 feet high, and is called Nirrhe.” Introduced by Messrs. 
Yeitch & Sons, and found to behardy.^ The flowers are large, comprising 
four broad white petals and numerous stamens, the leaves pinnate and 
bright shining green. 
COLCHICUMS. 
It seems a little unseasonable, and a little unwelcome, to think 
and speak, in the height of summer, of late autumn flowers, but in 
gardening it is necessary to “ take thought for the morrow,” and it 
will, I hope, be sufficient apology for these notes to state that late 
in July is probably the best time to purchase and plant roots of the 
Colchicums (Meadow Saffrons or Autumn Crocuses as they are 
frequently called). These two latter names are far from being 
correct, and however they may be sanctioned by long habit are 
only misleading to the inexperienced and unwary. The true 
Meadow Saffron is a Crocus, C. sativus, which was at one time 
largely cultivated at Saffron Walden for its styles, which yielded 
the saffron of commerce. As for autumn Crocuses, properly so 
called, there are many species well worthy of cultivation, and no 
one who has seen the root of a Colchicum will admit its title to the 
name of Crocus. The Colchicums have been placed in the natural 
order Melanthaceae, while the Crocuses belong to the Iridacese ; 
but a small number of species are commonly grown in gardens, the 
great similarity in general appearance possibly preventing the 
general introduction of many species. The Dutch growers cata¬ 
logue more species and varieties than our bulb dealers, and many of 
these have sufficient dissimilarity to make them valuable to the 
collector of hardy plants who seeks to bridge the quickly narrowing 
gulf between autumn and spring flowers. 
The best known species in our gardens is C. autumnale, a 
native, flowering in September or October, as do most of the 
Colchicums. There are several varieties of this species, and but 
little difference in the various shades of lilac, rose, or purple 
among the singles, but the single white is a desirable plant, and 
the double variety almost deserves a column to itself. The double 
C. autumnale in my garden I should call lilac, and it is so called in 
most English lists. Some of the Dutch growers, however, cata¬ 
logue two varieties—a double purple and a double rose—and which 
of these is the lilac it would be hard to say. Whatever its real 
colour it is a most desirable plant to grow, and far superior, with 
its perfectly double blooms, to the single form, one great merit 
being its longer period of bloom. The double white is still better, 
