26G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 25,1589. 
pronuba) is sure to be found amongst some of the plants in the 
flower garden when there is any extent of ground adjacent which 
is devoted to vegetables. It buries deeply during the day, but 
comes forth at night, feeding upon bulbs or tubers if it can obtain 
them, and lives in this way from autumn till early summer. Its 
relative, the lesser broad-bordered yellow underwing (P. jauthina) 
is fortunately not very abundant, for it kills some of the plants on 
which it feeds by eating through the stems. When it appears in a 
garden the object of its attack is mostly an Auricula or Polyanthus. 
The moth which emerges in the summer is a beautiful insect, 
though of moderate size.— Entomologist. 
Events of the Week. —To-day (Thursday) the Vegetable Con¬ 
ference at Chiswick will be resumed at 2 p.m., when the papers to be 
read will be as follows :—On “ Food of Vegetables,” by Mr. J. Wright; 
on “ The Improvement of Peas during the last Quarter of a Century,” 
by Mr. T. Laxton ; on “ The Improvement of Potatoes during the same 
Period,” by Mr. A. Dean, and “ How to Maintain a Supply of Vegetables 
for Family Consumption throughout the Year,” by Mr. J. Smith, Ment- 
ruore. The usual sales will be held by Messrs. Protheroe & Morris and 
J. Stevens. 
- The Weather. —Several slight frosts have completed the 
damage to tender outdoor plants commenced on the 17th inst. In the 
low-lying districts around London Beans, Dahlias, and Vegetable 
Marrows are totally destroyed, and the leaves of many trees are falling 
fast. The days have generally been bright and warm, and favourable 
to the ripening of the fruit still hanging on trees. Mr. T. H. Sleade 
writes from Stockwood Park, Luton, “ On Tuesday heavy rain fell 
throughout the day, a cold wind prevailing, but on Wednesday it was 
much brighter. We registered 5 3° and 5° of frost on the 17th, 18th, 
and 23rd respectively.” 
-The abundance of Wasps here has been remarkable, many persons 
having been stung, but with no serious result; still, I am of the view 
which I have long maintained, that the wasp has no greater inclination 
to sting than has the bee as a tribe, only the wasp more frequently comes 
into collision with humanity, owing to its desire for sweets in general. 
Flies of the ordinary species have been far below the average this 
autumn in point of numbers, and possibly we have to thank the wasps 
for this. It is certain they seize upon flies and a variety of other 
insects, which is some set-off against the mischief they do to fruit, and 
the annoyance they cause to many tradesmen.— Entomologist. 
- Through the exertions of the leading members of the Wake¬ 
field Paxton Society that town has recently secured a recreation 
ground of about 3 acres, which was recently opened to the public, and 
it is expected that other open spaces will shortly be obtained there. 
- Mr. J. Eoberts, The Gardens, Tan-y-Bwlch, Merionethshire, 
sends two small cones of Eucalyptus globulus from trees nine years 
old from seed, and wishes to know if it is not rather unusual for 
such young trees to produce seed. 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. —We are desired to state that 
the Chiswick Gardeners’ Association will give a concert in aid of the 
above Fund at the Vestry Hall, Chiswick, on October 31st. 
- Mr. W. Hall, Secretary of the Brixton, Streatham, and 
Clapham Horticultural Society, writes “ Herewith I beg to 
inform you that the Society s next Exhibition will bn held on Tuesday 
and Wednesday, November 5th and 6th, and not on the 12th and 13th, 
as previously announced. This alteration has been made to prevent the 
Society’s Exhibition clashing with that of other societies.” The alter¬ 
ation does not seem to have quite effected the intended purpose, for it is 
to be held on the same days as the Eoyal Horticultural Society’s Con¬ 
ference and Exhibition at Chiswick. 
- I send you a sample of Onions, the name of the variety I do 
not know. The seed was given me eight years ago, and I have always 
planted a few and saved seed, having invariably had sound Onions of 
the preceding year when the current year’s crop was harvested. The 
enclosed are samples of their keeping qualities. My mode of procedure 
is to pull them as other people do, and dry them a few days on the 
ground, but take them in if rain threatens. When perfectly dry we tie 
them in bunches of from eight to fourteen, according to size, and remove 
all the loose peel, laying them on boards in my potting shed. In a few 
weeks another skin is often loose, and in ropeing them, as we call it, that 
is removed. I thank you for all the information received from week to 
week in our Journal. I am amongst the oldest subscribers, but not the 
oldest. The first number I never saw, but I began with No. 2, and 
have continued ever since.— Eccremocarpus. [The Onions received 
were small but remarkably well kept. We hope you will continue 
reading the Journal for some years.] 
- Gilbert’s Surpasse Tomato.—T his has proved a really first- 
class variety for outside work here. Last year was a very bad one for 
outside Tomatoes, and Surpasse was the only one that ripened with us. 
This year it has done remarkably well, producing large clusters of fine 
fruit, beautiful shape, and very heavy, having very few seeds. Another 
season we shall use it more extensively. From some cause it has not 
done so well with it under glass ; perhaps it requires more air than most 
varieties, but as an outdoor Tomato it is excellent.—S. T. W. 
- Having about 700 feet run of glass devoted to Peaches and 
Nectarines, under my charge, will “Utilitarian” allow me to give my 
opinion with regard to his fruit falling? In my early house at the end 
nearest one of the doors is planted an Elruge Nectarine, and this year 
the fruit commenced to shrivel and fall at the top of the tree. But 
luckily I noticed it in time, and attributed it to cold draughts and 
insufficient water at the roots, an opinion our head gardener fully 
endorsed; so after watering copiously, and ventilating carefully, we 
gathered 400 fine Nectarines from this tree. No doubt the sunless 
season of 1888 was very trying for Peach growth.— Foreman. 
- Pea William Hurst.—A t the commencement of the sowing 
season my friend Mr. Easty kindly sent me a large packet of seed of 
this variety, and strongly recommended it for early sowing. Having 
sufficient dwarf Peas in stock, I decided to keep it for late sowing, and 
am well pleased with the result. We sowed the seed during the first 
week in July on Celery ridges, but find we did so fully a fortnight 
earlier than we need have done. At the present time we are gathering 
good dishes of Peas, the pods being well filled, colour and quality also 
good, and if the birds can be kept off several good pickings will be 
available during the next fortnight. William Hurst only attains a height 
of about 15 inches, and is very productive. No stakes are needed, nor 
for any other dwarf or medium height variety sown late.—W. I. 
- Caterpillars and Fruit Trees.—O n page 256 reference is 
made as to when we put the grease bands on fruit trees. By looking at 
my note book I see we commenced on the 20th October, 1888, but as 
previously stated in the Journal our fruit trees were more seriously 
attacked by caterpillars than ever before. During the time the grease 
bands were fresh and sticky the female winter moths were depositing 
enormous numbers of eggs on the trees. To account for this I think the 
winged male moth must have conveyed the wingless female over the 
obstacle to her ascent. Great numbers of both male and female moths 
were caught in the grease, yet in spite of that the foliage and bloom was 
destroyed on nearly all the trees. A timely warning is given to “ E. E.” 
—viz., not to apply grease to the bark. Our trees had paper bands 
thickly smeared with ordinary cart grease tied round them, and where 
the grease touched the bark it appears now as if canker would ensue. 
My employer and 1 are not inclined to try the experiment again. Good 
cultivation, perfect cleanliness, and keeping the soil constantly moved 
about the trees, so as to give the insects no rest in the ground, and 
poultry not overfed running about, will in the long run prove as good a 
remedy as most.— S. T. Weight, Glewston Court Gardens. 
■ - Liquid Manure in Winter.—T he same correspondent 
writes :—“ I think the leader in last week’s Journal the best I ever read, 
Mr. Hollingworth of Woodseat, well known as a Grape grower and 
exhibitor, acts on the system with his Vines. My old master, Mr. 
McPherson, also acted on it, and I do myself, and know how well it 
answers.” It may be added that the writer of the above note is an 
entire stranger to the writer of the article referred to. 
- Gas Lime and Thistles.—I have recently had a piece of 
ground given over to me, which is situated at some distance from 
the gardens. I intend cropping half of it with Potatoes every 
year to maintain the supply until November. Our garden being 
an old one Carrots and Parsnips are, as a rule, destroyed by maggot 
