180 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 
Marichal Niel (Pradel, 1804).—Of very strong climbing growth, 
with magnificent evergreen foliage, very liable to mildew, and subject 
to injury from rain. The blooms come often divided or even quartered 
on a standard, much better on a south wall, but are apt to lose colour 
in the sun, and nearly always perfect under glass. A most splendid 
Eose, the best of this section and of all the yellows, and with strong 
claims to be called the Queen of all Koses. It is grand in petal, centre, 
shape, colour, lasting qualities, and size ; a very free bloomer, and 
though on a south wall or under glass the second blooms are not 
numerous, it blooms freely as a standard throughout the season. 
Like all the Koses of this class the best blooms come on the long strong 
secondary shoots of the previous year, which should be left nearly of 
full length ; but there is a good deal of the Tea race in Mardchal Niel, 
as shown by the strong characteristic scent, and by the fact that it will 
often bloom as a maiden, which many of the Noisettes will not do. A 
good authority even excludes it from the Noisettes, and classes it among 
the strong growing or Dijon Teas. It does not do well as a dwarf or on 
its own roots, and is decidedly tender, being liable to be injured or 
killed outright by sharp frosts. This variety is easily forced, and much 
grown for the market, the best method of training and pruning under 
glass to get a fine crop of these splendid blooms in early spring having 
been already described in the Journal. It may here be added that to 
ward off mildew we must not be afraid of keeping the ventilators 
entirely shut when there is any cold wind. This grand Eose has one 
piece of bad manners completely to itself—a liability to canker, 
especially at the juncture ot stock and scion. Many remedies have 
been suggested for this, among which is the employment of Gloire de 
Dijon as a stock, which is said to suit very well. But there is no cure 
for canker, and it is best to attempt none. Good strong young plants 
are cheap, and soon come into bearing ; but when putting in a new 
plant where a large Eose has stood, remember to take out a good deal 
of the old soil, and replace it with fresh rich stuff in which Koses 
have not been grown.— W. E. Eaillem. 
(To be continued.) 
EUOHARIS AND BULB MITE, 
I HA^'E taken great interest in the articles that have appeared in 
Journal of Horticulture respecting the subject to which this heading 
refers. I also have been waging war against the same minute but 
numerous enemies with beneficial results. After reading Mr. Taylor’s 
marvellous success, I feel constrained to say a few words on the subject. 
I think the same as your correspondent “ M. D.,” page 118, that Mr. 
Taylor having grown three partly decayed Eucharis bulbs to fill a 
10-inch pot is no bad record for one year. I am surprised to see so 
many gardeners scout the idea that the bulb mite can be overcome 
and easily destroyed. Nevertheless it may, provided the operator can get 
at them with his insecticides, as I shall be able to show later on in this 
article. But it will not be accomplished by the method described by 
Mr. Henry Porter at page 140—viz., by washing them in warm water 
and by good cultivation. Good cultivation is quite out of the question if 
there is a mite left about the bulbs, for I find they Increase at an 
enormous rate, and my experience teaches me it is impossible for the 
bulbs to make any headway, as the mites are very partial to the young 
roots, and quickly destroy them, causing the bulbs to lie dormant 
and eventually to die. Perhaps Mr. H. Porter will kindly state how he 
eradicated the mite from the centre of the bulbs by washing them in warm 
water, for it is essential that this be done before the good cultivation 
can effect a cure. When your correspondent says good cultivation, does 
he infer that we are all bad Eucharis growers ? For I believe there are 
few collections that have not been troubled with this pest. I am 
inclined to think Mr. Porter’s bulbs could not have been very badly 
infested with the mite, for had they been such as I was called upon to 
examine the other day they would have been dead, or at least in a worse 
state by now than when he washed them in warm water. It would 
have been impossible to get at the enemy by any other me ans than 
soaking them in some such liquid as petroleum or Fir-tree oil, the former 
being a sure destroyer of all insect life wherever it can be applied, but 
in no case should the bulbs remain in the mixture of petroleum more 
than one hour, or they would be destroyed. 
The bulbs I mentioned above, which were so badly infested, were 
attacked, it appears, in the flower stem after being cut down, and had 
eaten their way into the inner part of the bulbs, and no washing could 
ever dislodge them. Then what is to be done ? Destroy the bulbs as 
many advocate, or “ bake, stew, or poison them ? ” My answer is. 
Neither ; but carry out the following details, and success will follow, 
as I have proved in three collections of Eucharises, also with Amaryl¬ 
lises, Yallotas, with outdoor bulbs such as Hyacinths, Tulips, &c. 
After shaking the bulbs from the soil wash them in a little clear 
water, so as to see the affected parts. Then if only infested on the out¬ 
side, roll them in new slacked lime and soot, and allow them to remain 
in this condition for two or three days. After this, wash them in one 
gallon of water, to which add a quarter of a pint of petroleum and 
a good piece of softsoap, allowing them to remain in the same for a short 
time ; but if the mite has penetrated the bulb make the wash stronger, 
and add a little of the fresh lime to the solution, allowing the bulbs 
to remain in it quite an hour. When potting them again, in all cases 
add a little lime and soot at the base of the bulbs. This I And essential, 
as it prevents the mite (should there be any left still alive) from settling 
at the base, and destroying the roots as they commence growing ; and 
with an occasional watering with soot and lime water the pest will be 
effectually destroyed, and the plants again brought to a stare of per¬ 
fect health.—A lfred Bishop. 
THE BRITISH FRUIT GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. 
A MEETING of the General Committee was held in the Horticultural 
Club room, Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, S.W., on Wednesday, Feb¬ 
ruary. 19th, at 4 P.M., Mr. T. Francis Rivers in the chair, and there was 
good attendance of members. After the Honorary Secrietary had read 
the minutes of the previous meeting, thirteen members were elected, 
and some additions were made to the Executive Committee. The place 
of meeting for the Committee during the year next came under con¬ 
sideration, and in accordance with a resolution passed on a previous 
occasion the Rev. H. H. D'Ombrain had been written with the object 
of making some arrangements for holding the meetings at the Horti¬ 
cultural Club. A reply was now read in which it was stated that “ the 
Committee gladly accedes to the proposal.” 
Letters were read from J. Storey, Esq., Town Clerk, Leicester ; Mr. 
J. Burn, Abbey Park, Leicester ; Mr. Henshaw Russell, Crystal Palace 
Mr. E. Carpenter, Brighton, and Mr. W, Holmes, Hackney, with 
regard to the Conferences of 1890, and after some discussion, it was 
resolved that the Association should hold the following meetings to deal 
with the subjects named :—Friday, June 27th, Royal Aquarium, West¬ 
minster, Strawberries and bush fruits ; Tuesday, August 5th, Leicester, 
general fruit culture for profit; Friday, September 5tb, Crystal Palace, 
Plums and stone fruits ; Thursday, September 11th, Brighton, general 
fruit culture. Grapes and Tomatoes ; Wednesday, October 15th, Royal 
Aquarium, Apples. Offers of papers upon several subjects had alre.idy 
beep received from members and friends of the Association, but the full 
programme will be announced later on. 
It was resolved that the General and Executive Committee meetings 
be held in the Horticultural Club room at 5 P.M. on Thursdays, March 
6th, April 3rd, May 1st, June 5th, July 24th, August 21st, October 2n(J, 
November 27th, and December 18th. 
Communications were read from provincial Societies with regard to- 
providing lectures at their meetings, and the Secretary was directed to 
communicate with several experienced fruit growers on the subject. 
Mr. T. W. Beach, Brentford, exhibited a sample lamp which he had 
employed for suspending amongst his fruit trees to catch the winter 
moth and other pests. It was an ordinary petroleum lamp, furnished 
with an extremely wide shade, the under surface of which is white,, 
and is covered with a mixture of grease and tar. The moths fly to the- 
light, and coming in contact with the shade are held securely by the 
adhesive mixture. A lamp of a similar kind has been tried on Lord 
Sudele.v’s estate with much success, and attention has been called to 
the subject in some provincial papers. Mr. Beach submitted a number 
of letters and clippings dealing with the matter, and was accorded a 
vote of thanks for his communication. Mr. T. F. Rivers referred to the 
loss the Association and the fruit interest had sustained by the death 
of Mr. Wildsmith, and it was resolved that a letter of condolence be 
sent to Mrs. Wildsmith. 
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS. 
At the February meeting of the Sheffield Floral and Horticultural 
Society a short paper on the above subject was read by Mr. W. Collier, 
who, at short notice, had taken the place of Mr. Herringshaw, who had 
been prevented by serious illness from attending and giving a paper on 
the same subject. 
Mr. Collier said great improvements had taken placein the Tuberous 
Begonias. At one time we had plants that grew 2 or 3 feet high with 
small flowers, now we had larger flowers and dwarfer plants. Nearly 
every seedsman has his “ celebrated strain ” of Begonias. We are 
indebted to Messrs. Laing, Cannell, and many others for the great im¬ 
provements that have been effected in this showy plant. The usual 
way of commencing to grow Begonias is by raising them from seed. If 
plants are wanted to bloom the same year, the seed must be sown early 
in January. By sowing then good sized bulbs are produced that will 
give a few flowers in the autumn. Prepare G-inch pots, well drained, 
and fill them with some light soil, leaf mould, sand, and a little small 
peat, making the compost moderately firm, and sow the seed, which will 
be found to be very small, evenly on the top. 
Slightly cover the seed with some sandy compost, and, after gently 
watering it, place glass over the pot, which should be plunged in a 
hotbed or in a propagating frame, and see that the soil never becomes 
dry. The seedlings will come up very freely, and as soon as they have 
made a small leaf or two carefully lift them out of the pot with a small 
stick and transplant into fresh soil and pots. Shade from sun, and 
they will soon grow freely. They may be grown in a hotbed outside, 
plunging the pots in ashes or cocoa-nut fibre, which will not necessitate 
so much watering. They will bloom a little the first year, but the great 
object is to raise a stock of tubers for the following spring. When 
growing them afterwards they should be started about the beginning 
of February. I keep the plants underneath the stage in the pots they 
bloomed in the previous year. Some people shake the tubers out, but I 
think that they keep better in the pots during the winter time, as the 
greenhouse stages are very large slates. In an ordinary greenhouse 
with lattice stages this plan would not do, as too much wet would reach 
the tubers. 
