August 29, 1389. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
hand, having taken up the subject as a hobby, it has cost me a con¬ 
siderable amount to be in a position to feel confident that I have 
mastered the principle by observation and experiments. 
Our friend “ W.” is an old hand at writing, and - 1 acknowledge his 
superiority. To follow his note in p. 108 probably would necessitate a 
lengthy reply and the use of a good many quotation commas, which I 
am in no mood for ; at the same time I am as far as ever—even further— 
off throwing up the sponge or fighting my “ insect theory.” “ W.” seems 
very anxious to draw out a reply as to wounds healing while “ insects 
are as busy as evei in their destructive work.” I have no recollection of 
making such an assertion, but this I know, that wounds do sometimes 
heal up and cause lumps on the branches, even as big as one’s fist. As 
to Mr. Tonks’s garden and trees, and his “ millions of insects,” I know 
nothing of them, and as I like to “ prove all things,” I am not prepared 
to hazard another guess as in the case which “ W.” draws such consola¬ 
tion from, the sorts they like best.” If I prove by expe riments that 
we have nothing to fear as to planting certain sorts of Apples that 
are said to be “ subject to canker ” if kept free from insect life, surely 
there is nothing for me to, be “ dissatisfied ” with, but exactly the 
opposite. 
Well, now as to Impney. I have made it my business to follow 
“ W.’s ” advice, and by the kind permission and assistance of Mr. Parker, 
have examined the tree from which the specimen was cut that was 
engraved a short time ago. It cost me about 6s. out of pocket, a good 
drenching, a cold, and the loss of half a day in my garden, and, will 
readers actually believe it ? I found the identical insects in the tree, 
within a few inches of where “ W.” cut his specimen, which I have 
never yet failed to find on specimens at the commencement of a canker 
spot. My visit was a most unfortunate one, as at the time everything 
was drenched with rain, and a bad light. Mr. Parker next showed me 
an Apple tree, the trunk of which was about half eaten with an old 
canker wound, or wounds, for there were two ; these had been dressed, 
he informed me, with petroleum—mark that, a kill-or-cure insecticide— 
and these were healing most satisfactorily, a plaster of cowdung and 
clay hastening the cure by keeping the place moist, and the bark fast 
swelling towards the closing wound. What about Jack Frost and the 
unripe wood theory l thought I, on that old wood. 
I was next shown a Ribston Pippin pyramid. I thought Mr. Parker 
seemed a little reluctant to even refer to its pitiable state, and he soon 
informed me it was condemned to be rooted up. I took off, by per¬ 
mission, a piece of the dying wood, and found that the bark was entirely 
killed round it in places, and on close examination I soon detected at 
least half a dozen species of insects and grubs hard on—of course not 
“causing” canker, but simply there in “consequence” of canker— 
according to “ W.” and Mr. Tonks, and among the list the inevitable 
little rascal so often referred to. Now, that tree offers an excellent 
opportunity for Mr. Parker to experiment upon, instead of rooting up, 
I have no more doubt about curing that tree on the insect theory than 
I have that the sun will rise to-morrow morning. So much for canker at 
Impney, except lastly, that I was greatly obliged to Mr. Parker for his 
kindness and the frank manner in which he gave me information, 
although he had the courage—which I am sure I esteemed, and no 
joking—to tell me that he did not agree with me. The crops of fruit 
were excellent, far surpassing anything seen this season. 
Since writing the first portion of my note I have read with much 
pleasure Mr. Tonks’s letter on page 128. I was passing through Birming¬ 
ham to Liverpool, and seeing the Journal on the bookstall invested in 
3d. worth, and soon found the article, and conned it over, resolving 
at the same time that if opportunity presented itself a run over to 
Knowle would be the result. On my way back, having in the mean¬ 
time tramped the Isle of Man until I was blistered and footsore, I 
resolved to “ prove all things,” and accordingly made my way to 
Knowle, and Oh ! “ W.,” if you could have seen me trying to endure, 
being tired of walking, steam-boating, railway travelling, for I had 
started from the Isle of Man that morning as well as writing. Although 
if you do not believe me, you would have pitied me certainly ; and, like 
the journey to Impney, the very elements seemed as contrary as my 
friend in controversy. It commenced pouring with rain, but, nothing 
daunted, Mr. Tonks seemed as indifferent to wet as a duck in a pond, 
and I had to follow him in the garden. The first thing to which my 
attention was called was as we passed through the conservatory, in the 
matter of plants having a shrivelled-up appearance, as if scorched. 
Asked if I could account for it I examined the foliage, and on the under 
side of the leaves I discovered innumerable insects of a new description to 
me, so far as a very short inspection permitted. These were treated by 
our friend Mr. Tonks with a “ pooh pooh.” All up, thought I, if that’s 
the way canker is to be passed over among the fruit trees ; and so I 
found it on close examination, for there sure enough were the identical 
little vermin. Oh! I must not “ s’ander” them—the little innocents, 
which “ W.” led me to suppose had all disappeared. Well, joking 
aside, I cut off portions of the freshest cankered wood, and inspected 
them in the “ Grange,” and placed the insects, which I have so 
frequently referred to, under Mr. Tonks’s microscope. My impression 
is that Mr. Tonks will not let it enter into his head that they are the 
cause, but the effect of canker, and I felt somewhat of shame to have 
the appearance of dictator. Now, the question must naturally arise, 
Where do these insects come from to invariably occupy cankered places 
if they are not the cause ? Are we to believe in spontaneous generation 
of this particular insect ? Or may we believe that they are as destruc¬ 
tive in their particular sphere as aphides, red spider (and I believe they 
are a species of this family), thrips, American blight, or other well- 
recognised enemies in horticulture ? Is. 9d. railway fare, a soaking, and 
the afternoon lost, to clear up the Knowle mystery. 
“ W.” informs us, I believe, that he has a Hawthornden Apple tree 
that is badly cankered. Now, will he be kind enough to send me a fair 
specimen of the most recent attack for examination 1 As “ W.” prefers 
to keep his name a “ dark un ” I cannot ask him personally, and our 
friend Mr. Parker is equally guarded as to our mutual friend’s name. 
He says he is “open to conviction,” but I am afraid there is not sufficient 
ink in the bottle to do it in writing. 
We have been introduced in writing to Dr. Hogg’s trees—the Dume- 
low’s Seedlings. Would it be asking too much to request that a speci¬ 
men or two be forwarded from these trees ? I have no doubt about find¬ 
ing the identical insects in every case, or on every tree of fresh cankered 
wood in the kingdom,— J. Hiam, Astwood Batik, Worcestershire. 
NOTES ON SOME NEW ROSES. 
The following are a few notes on some of the newer Roses as seen 
this season 
HYBRID PERPETUALS. 
Earl Bufferin. —This has disappointed me considerably. 1 saw no 
blooms last season, and all those on my own plants (cut-backs and 
maidens), and elsewhere that I have come across this year, have appeared 
dull in colour and ragged in outline ; but I have no doubt it is some¬ 
times bright and good, as so many good judges say so. My blooms were 
very late, and perhaps felt the change of weather. It seemed to come 
rather in the manner of Marie Rady, which we know is brilliant and 
glorious after a fortnight of fine weather ; but the most miserable, dull, 
dirty thing ever seen if it be wet and cold. 
Germaine Caillot. —I saw two good blooms of this. It is a very 
useful shape, the outer petals falling well down of their own accord 
from a good full ball in the centre ; something the form, though longer 
in petal, of Violet Bouyer. I have heard this shape justly admired 
because “ it makes the bloom look bigger than it really is.” 
Lady Helen Stewart.— Seems a useful Rose, very bright and telling, 
catching the eye at once, and a good grower. 
Madame Montet. —This is not a new Rose, but has been effectually 
shown several times this year. It has large petals, which will atone for 
many defects if you can get it to stand, for it is certainly thin. 
Mr. James Brownlow. —A seedling of Messrs. Dickson, is a cross 
between Paul Neyron and Marquise de Castellane, and one naturally 
fears it may be coarse. I have had one bloom, which came on a weak 
shoot, and had been bitten by a grub. There is no doubt of its being a 
large Rose, but I cannot say whether the shape will be regular and well 
defined. It is a great grower, and I am afraid seems inclined to “ favour 
its pa ” too much. 
Sir Rowland Hill. — Certainly a beautiful and most effective 
colour ; in other respects it seems just like Charles Lefebvre, and 
should be a great acquisition. My blooms have not stood very well, but 
it has been finely shown. 
TEAS. 
Cleopatra. —I have seen a very small bloom of this new seedling of 
Mr. Bennett’s, which seemed promising. 
Ernest Metz. —This Rose seems very changeable in colour, opening 
something like Jules Finger, and turning into, not the livid hue of that 
Rose (which is so objectionable), but a much paler tint, which I cannot 
describe. It seems to require a special education to write down accu¬ 
rately the separate shades of some of the Tea Roses, and he is a clever 
catalogue compiler who can please everyone. A good grower, and 
apparently quite a good Rose, large and well shaped. 
Ethel Brownlow. —Very little sh .wn this year. I do not know how 
this was. I did not get a bloom of any size, but it certainly is a charm¬ 
ing shape. 
Madame Haste. —This also disappointed me, as the petals seemed 
thinner than I expected ; but there are plenty of them, the blooms are 
large and capitally formed, and for a thinnish Rose it appears to be a 
very good one. 
Mrs. James Wilson. —A new Rose of Messrs. Dickson. I have had one 
bloom, decidedly promising. One cannot judge well from a grafted 
plant, but it seems to be something in the way of Princess Beatrice, but 
more tinged with rose on the outer petals. 
Princess Beatrice. —1 have not been lucky with this, and have not 
seen it well shown. It is a good grower, and appears to be an early sort, 
that will be good with care and high cultivation. 
Souvenir de S. A. Prince. —I believe this is a grand Rose. I have 
had two famous blooms, quite worthy to be shown in any twelve, off a 
tiny grafted plant. It seems quite as good a grower as Souvenir d’uu 
Ami, from which it sported. Not so long in petal as Niphetos, but 
probably as large, because broader, and maintaining its shape when 
the outer petals fall; quite as pure in colour, but stouter, more solid, 
more lasting. 
