April 17, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
325 
it falls thick and fast for a brief period, as often happens in 
thunderstorms when the ground is parched, and accumulating 
in the valleys the strata beneath will be moistened, and thus 
supplied to the extremities of the roots, the effects will be felt at the 
extremities of the shoots ; they will not perish or become stunted 
as in a dry parched soil, the foliage will be kept fresh and the fruit 
better fed.— G. Abbey. 
(To be continued.) 
TOMATO DISEASE. 
A SHORT time since an article was contributed by Mr. Bardney on 
Tomato Disease, its Cause and Prevention,” and having, like hundreds 
of other large and small growers, been greatly inconvenienced by the 
attacks of this disease during the past season or two, the heading 
rivetted attention at once. In my eagerness to grasp the treatment 
of the leaf fungus, the first portion of the subject treating on root- 
olubbing was passed over lightly, but I must confess I was disappointed 
in the advice given by so able an exponent, and my exception is not 
a solitary one, for I have inquired the opinion of other and greater 
authorities than myself, who expressed a similar view. Several causes 
are assigned for the attack, but I think there is some doubt as to the 
efficacy of the remedies advanced. To strengthen my view of this argu¬ 
ment, I would ask Mr. Bardney the reason why the large Channel 
Islands and other market growers who make them so great a speciality, 
should be so bafiled in their attempts to check and overcome its virulent 
attacks ? I am told some have given up their culture for a season 
or two in order to try and rid themselves of the foe, and then only,with 
partial success. 
Mr. Bardney says it can and must be stopped at once, for it soon 
communicates itself to healthy plants if the treatment is not changed 
and a remedy applied. Sulphur is the remedy advocated, applied 
in the form of solution, made by mixing a 4-inch potful in three 
or four gallons of water, previously removing any infested leaves or 
stems. If so simple an application is a remedy, it appears strange that 
it should prove so dreaded and formidable a disease, and it is certain if 
it were effectual at Norris Green it is not so with many growers. 
I was privileged last spring to inspect what was to me one of the 
most remarkable examples of successful Tomato culture I have ever 
seen. The plants were growing in houses with the most complete 
system of ventilation, and under the care of a man of the best reputa¬ 
tion as a painstaking and thoroughly practical gardener. They were 
grown for market purposes. On being interviewed in the autumn it 
transpired that fairly good profits were realised, but nothing like the 
returns were made that might have been had were it not for the Tomato 
disease. I feel sure that fluctuations of temperature to which your 
correspondent attaches so much importance could not have caused the 
failure in this instance. 
Last year proved very variable as regards disease with Tomatoes in¬ 
doors, for it was a common observation that in one garden no trouble 
was given, while in another in the same district, and perhaps closely 
adjoining, the crops were very light. A solid growth, built up without 
the aid of animal manure, will admittedly be less liable to the attack, 
and a warm but freely ventilated house will add another important 
provision in escaping disease ; and even with these indispensable factors 
some untoward influence will sometimes interfere to thwart the energies 
alike of plants and cultivators. We have some strong plants which 
were growing, flowering, and setting fruits satisfactorily in pots in a 
mixed plant stove, and I have just discovered that the most forward are 
affected by the disease that attacks the fruits. They occupy positions 
where roof space is not otherwise utilised, some being on a shelf directly 
beneath the ventilator, and these were the earliest victims. But for the 
danger of extending the disease to summer crops I should remove them 
to other and more airy quarters. Probably a moist atmosphere com¬ 
bined with the heat contracted by the unusual brightness of the sun 
may to some extent account for it, and a slight shade now put on will 
command a more equable and, it is hoped, a more favourable tempera¬ 
ture. I had hoped so important a topic would have “ drawn out ” 
additional information, and I fear my views and remarks on the subject 
are crude, as my chances of gaining practical knowledge are not so 
favourable as I could wish.—W. S. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS. 
The promise of Apples here is good on the whole. Peasgood’s 
Nonesuch has the least fruit buds, and Ecklinville Seedling, Stirling 
Castle, Potts’ Seedling, Worcester Pearmain, Mother Apple, Ribston 
Pippin, Cox’s Orange, Margil, and King of the Pippins are very pro¬ 
mising, Other varieties have quite sufficient bloom buds to produce a 
very fair crop. Pears in the open are with one exception (Marie Louise 
•d’Uccle) a failure, as they have not recovered from the caterpillar 
plague of last year. Evidently it takes them longer to regain their 
strength than Apples. Plums promise a fair crop, in fact plenty of 
fruit, as a moderate amount of blossom is much better in my opinion 
than a great quantity. Our collection of Plums is large, and all appear 
satisfactory. Birds took a special fancy to Black Diamond, and took 
nearly all the fruit buds. Victorias and others have not been interfered 
with to any extent. Cherries on walls are full of blossom. Peaches 
and Nectarines are now a mass of flowers, and so far I think they are 
uninjured by frost. Apricots an average promise, and the blooms are 
setting well. I should mention that Pears on the walls are showing 
more blossom than usual, Marie Louise, Flemish Beauty, Baronne de 
Mello, and Beurre d’Amanlis having the most fruit buds. The outlook 
is decidedly encouraging, and through our efforts the insect pests are 
nothing like so bad as last year. We find that the season is earlier by 
about three weeks than last year, most of the trees being from sixteen to 
twenty-three days earlier by referring to notes made each season as trees 
expand their flowers.— S. T. )V’'right, Glewstoii Court Gardens, Boss. 
’y, As readers are invited to send observations respecting the promise of 
fruit this season from various localities I gladly send a few notes. In 
the first place I venture to predict that few readers of the Journal will 
be able to fix in their minds the latitude and longitude of the little 
village usually called “ The Bank ” (Astwood Bank), which has always 
been noted for its intense interest in horticultural pursuits, and espe¬ 
cially in its annual flower show, so much so that at a recent gathering 
a leading exhibitor from a distance declared that the Astwood Show 
was “ the best in Worcestershire, Warwickshire, or any other shire of its 
class.” The exhibitors consist chiefly of working amateur gardeners 
and well-to-do cottagers who are employed in the needle factories, knd 
work their gardens and allotments morning and evening. The locality 
may briefly be fixed about midway between Worcester and Warwick 
cast and west, and Birmingham and Evesham north and south. The 
situation is high, dry and exposed, particularly to east and westerly 
winds, consequently late frosts are not, as a rule, so damaging as in low- 
lying districts, and there is usually a visible difference in vegetation of 
nearly a fortnight between Eveiham and Astwood, although only a 
little over a dozen miles apart. On a visit to Evesham last week it was 
