280 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 4, 1889. 
to a change of practice in many vineries, and with the best results, and I 
am glad to have Mr. Crump’s experience in support of what I advanced, 
though he may not have observed it. Dryness of the roots cannot pre¬ 
vent either Grapes or any other fruits cracking or splitting if the air is 
overcharged with moisture at a critical time. 
I must say a word or two on the raising of hardy fruit trees at 
Madresfield for distribution amongst the tenants on the estate. The trial 
ground contains about 200 varieties of Apples, 100 of Tears, and fifty of 
Plums, for ascertaining those most suitable for the district. The nursery 
contains some thousands of young trees as good as can be seen any¬ 
where. Stocks are raised from cider “ must ”—the pips of the fruit 
from which the juice has been pressed. They are therefore free stocks, 
but what is known as “ root culture ” is sedulously practised—that is, 
the stocks are transplanted two or three times before being budded or 
grafted. The tap root is not cut off, but laid in horizontally and trodden 
firmly in that position. The object of this is the multiplication of 
fibres, and they are multiplied until they are as numerous and bushy 
as on Paradise stocks. The resulting growth is correspondingly fruitful, 
and dwarf trees may be seen at Madresfield full of fruit buds resembling 
trees on the Paradise stock. This is a step in the right direction, as its 
tendency is undoubtedly to impart early fruitfulness to trees on stocks 
inherently more vigorous than the natural pigmies, some of which 
would soon die from inanition if it were not for strength imparted by 
the varieties grafted on them, these giving greater power and extension 
to the roots. It is this idea I am trying to impress on Mr. Tonks in 
considering the canker question, but 1 feel it is about the toughest 
work I have entered on, yet I shall peg away a little longer. I must 
not wander, however, but close these discursive notes, and do so with 
the strong expression of opinion that Mr. William Crump is a master 
in the art of gardening as viewed in its broadest aspects, and that the 
horticultural fame of Madresfield is safe in his keeping.—W. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
March 26th. 
Scientific Committee. —Present—Dr. M. T. Masters, in the chair; 
Messrs. McLachlan, Wilson, Lynch, Veitch, Dyer, and Morris ; Drs. 
Miiller and Scott, Prof. Church, and Rev. J. Henslow (Hon. Sec.). 
Cocoa Nut attached hy Coccus. —Mr. McLachlan exhibited leaves and 
a young nut received from Jamaica severely attacked by two species of 
coccus, Fiorinia pellucida, Signoret, in abundance, and Mytilaspis buxi, 
Sign. (M. Pandani, Colustocli), more sparingly. This diseased condition was 
prevalent in the West Indies. Mr. Morris remarked that Cocoa nuts first 
appeared to be attacked in 1881, after the cyclone in 1880. He had 
seen a plantation of 25,000 trees badly infested. The planters attributed 
their unhealthy condition in 1881 to the snapping of the roots in the 
cyclone of the previous year, whereby, the vitality of the trees being 
affected by the injury to the roots, they became an easy prey to the 
cocci. The insect attacks the outside fronds in the first instance, which 
gives the appearance of the trees having been scorched. The older trees 
were described as having “ blasted fruit.” The usual remedies of 
sulphur spray or kerosene emulsion being impracticable, it was sug¬ 
gested that smoke might be partially effective. Whatever be the remedy 
applied, Mr. McLachlan observed that it should always be applied just 
at the time when the larvaj are being hatched. 
Effects on Plants of London Fog. —Mr. Dyer suggested that statistics 
should be collected on the nature and effects of London fog upon plants 
in and around the metropolis during the winter. He said that they had 
not much ground for complaint at Kew until the winter of 1887-1888. 
The fog proved injurious in two ways. First, in forming an oily deposit 
of dirt which was left on all the glass houses. This was so thick and 
of so intractable a character that every pane had to be washed by hand. 
The houses looted as if they had slate roofs instead of being glazed. 
The same result occurred in the winter of 1888-1889. Secondly, with 
regard to the injury to plants, it seemed out of all proportion to the 
nature of the fog, especially so on Orchids. Thus, e.g., when a fog comes 
on the inflorescence of species of Phalaenopsis breaks up, and the flowers 
disarticulating fall off. Many plants suffer more or less, and especially 
such as have a more tender foliage. Mr. Dyer remarked that the young 
foliage of a Carpenteria growing on a south wall did not suffer, while 
another plant under glass, with possibly tenderer foliage, was severely 
injured. The fogs extended even as far as Dorking, for Sir Trevor 
Lawrence lost a large number of flowers in a few hours. Mr. Veitch 
remarked that he found injurious effects to follow the two kinds of fogs, 
those caused by London smoke and the ordinary country white fogs. 
In the dull weather accompanying the latter, flowers would not expand 
properly, as, e.g.. was particularly the case with early varieties of Lrelia 
anceps. The yellow fogs of London had been getting steadily worse 
for the last twenty years. Camellias frequently lost their buds, 
especially certain kinds, as double whites. A peculiar feature observed 
by Mr. Veitch was that the fog seemed to gum up the buds at a certain 
stage of development, when either before or after that particular 
period of growth the buds were unaffected by the fog. He mentions 
that 1000 flowers of Cattleyas were lost in three weeks. 
Galanthus Flwesi diseased .—A letter was received from Mr. Barr, 
who had forwai’ded the diseased bulbs on which Prof. M. Ward reported 
at the last meeting. He attributed the presence of the parasitic fungus 
as indirectly due to cultivation and to too rich a soil from the following 
facts. In the garden whence the diseased plants had come Mr. Barr 
found that they had all disappeared except from places overgrown with 
grass and in a wild natural condition. There they were healthy and 
strong. His impression is that Snowdrops cannot stand too much culti¬ 
vation. Whether it be the manure or the soft spongy nature of prepared- 
soil he could not say, but with him they die out in such a medium,, 
whereas an escape on the hard margin of a bed grows and flowers well. 
It is the same with many other bulbs. In the centre of the bed they 
will perish, while the plants on the edge which has been trodden down 
will thrive. In an orchard where G. Elwesi was growing they were 
best in a position near to the roots of trees and in the most shaded 
parts. Mr. Barr suspects that fungus diseases are therefore correlated 
with uncongenial conditions, and that the cure rests in more attention 
to Nature’s laws. 
Mr. Wilson observed that in his experience Snowdrops grew well in 
a rich soil. This was also Mr. McLachlan’s, except that they became 
double. It was suggested that while manure might be the source of the 
spores of the fungi, Mr. Dyer remarked that no variation in the soil 
could have had anything to do with the production of the fungus. It 
was observed that like the Cocoa nuts described above some lowering of 
vitality appeared to render herbaceous plants more receptive of fungi, 
and the causes might be various, including high cultivation, which 
stimulated the vegetative system. 
Rime, Phenomena of. —A communication was received from Rev. L, 
Blomefield, to whom the Secretary had forwarded Mr. Plowright’s 
account of injuries to trees by rime, and the photographs of broken 
trees, with inquiries if he had ever experienced a similar occurrence. 
In reply, he said that he had only once seen such excessive rime at 
Swaffam Vicarage, “ when all the twigs of the trees, even the slenderest, 
were so enveloped in long spicuhe standing out perpendicularly to the 
length of an inch or two at least, as to resemble bottle-brushes. The 
effects were injurious in some cases, but not to the extent of large 
boughs of trees being broken.” . . . . “ Fog, combined with a 
very low temperature and a perfectly still air, I suppose to be essential 
conditions.” Mr. Plowright forwarded a large bough with several 
branches broken through, and hanging upon it, illustrating the remark¬ 
able effects of rime near Lynn. 
Plants exhibited. —Shortia galacifolia, by Mr. H. J. Elwes, a native 
of the Alleghanies, flowering for the first time in Europe; it appears 
to be allied to Pyrola. Anoiganthus breviflorus, Baker , a now monotypie 
genus from Natal with yellow flowers. Crocus vernus var. leurorhyncus. 
Narcissus minimus, brought from the Asturias by Mr. Maw, flowering a 
fortnight or more earlier than those in ordinary cultivation. Kyllingia 
monocepliala, Symplocarpus foetidus, &c. The preceding were brought 
by Mr. Lynch from the Botanic Gardens, Cambridge, to whom a vote of 
thanks was given. 
JUDGING COLLECTIONS OF FRUIT. 
“ Judex ” drops upon one of the weak points in the proposed method 
of judging collections of fruit by giving to each dish a specified number 
of points as a maximum when he refers to the fact that even a dish of 
Gooseberries may counterbalance a good dish of Grapes. But still the 
matter may be very easily arranged if some understanding be arrived at 
as to the respective merits of certain fruits as compared with each other, 
even when all are of the best. As, for instance, is it right to give to 
Gooseberries, Currants, Strawberries, Apples, Pears, or even Plums, so 
many marks as are granted to Pines, Grapes, or Peaches ? There, I 
think, some re-arrangement of the proposed method of awarding the 
prizes by points is needful. Now we may put Pines and Grapes into 
the highest category certainly, perhaps also Peaches and Nectarines, for 
all these fruits require high-class cultivation to produce them in good 
condition. These may very well obtain as the maximum number of 
points seven. Then Melons, not difficult to produce, Pears, Cherries, 
and Plums may well follow with six points as a maximum ; whilst 
Apples, Strawberries, Raspberries, Currants, and Gooseberries should 
have the maximum of five points. Even then the disproportion between 
the positions of Grapes and Gooseberries would hardly be so marked as 
is desirable, but still the position would be relatively much fairer than 
would be the case were each kind of fruit placed on an equality. It is 
very likely that some persons, Mr. Mclndoe himself, would object to- 
my classification. That is, of course, open to discussion, and it would 
materially help to secure a more satisfactory product in fruit judging 
henceforth were the relative values of various fruits one to the other 
first determined upon.—A. D. 
NOTES FROM HOLLOWAY. 
In the supplement to that excellent work, Johnson’s “ Gardener’s 
Dictionary,” there is a note to the following effect :—The genus 
Imantophyllum is identical with the genus Olivia, both genera being 
founded on the same plant—viz., Imantophyllum Aitoni, syn. Clivia 
nobilis, and both were published upon the same date (October 1st, 1828), 
therefore neither name has the right to priority. Most botanists adhere 
to the name Clivia, whilst in gardens that of Imantophyllum is perhaps 
most frequently met with.” Some time ago some persons agitated for 
the prefix of an “ h ” to the latter name, but as nine persons out of 
ten would not have aspirated the letter had it been there, the agitators 
subsided. 
Mr. B. S. Williams grows Imantophyllums extensively, and in the 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries at Upper Holloway they are now a 
