May 19, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
409 
loaf, thrown back its frayed edges right and left, and the spores aro 
hanging in chains from the open mouth. At j a ripe spermagonium is 
shown, also bursting through the epidermis of the leaf. Attached to its 
glutiuous mouth and protruded spermatic threads some of the shed spores 
from the iEcidium cup may be seen. It will be observed that the leaf 
near h is considerably thicker than at r. f. This extra thickness, or 
hypertrophy of the leaf tissues, is a common after result of the attack of 
parasitic fungi. The reader should remark that each AScidium cup is 
made up of an investing membrane of one series or stratum of transparent 
cells, and that the presence of both -dScidiam cups and spermagonia cause 
the tissues of the leaf to become corroded and blackened within. It is 
now only necessary to take a single spore from a cup and use the highest 
powers of the microscope for its magnification. If we enlarge 1000 
diameters we shall see the yellow spore, as at k, full of granular proto¬ 
plasm, or vital formative material, and more or less studded by the sticky 
male (lust from the protruded and broken-up threads of the spermagonium 
or male organism. The HScidium cups and the spermagonia both arise 
from the same spawn or mycelium •within the leaf. The mycelium forms 
knots noar the lower surfnce of the leaf where the constituent cells at 
>: are looser and larger than the small and compact ones above, as at f, 
and where the little vertical strengthening pallisaae cells seen just under the 
transparent stratum of the upper leaf surface at f are absent. The upper 
surface of the leaf at f is too firm for the development and bursting of the 
gEcidium cups and spermagonia. The gEcidiuui of Anemone is a close 
ally of the gEcidium or “ blight ” of Barberry bushes, a fungus which is 
supposed by some observers to be the cause of the red rust and black 
mudcw of corn. The fungi of rust and mildew are termed Uredo and 
Puccinia, hut no members of these two genera have yet been associated 
with the -lEcidium of Anemones. All that is known of the fungus of the 
Anemone blight (-Ecidiura quadrifidum, D.C.) is that the phenomena we 
have described are repeated year after year on the produce of the same 
rootstock from the perennial mycelium within the tissues of the perennial 
host plant. There is no remedy for such a disease ; the only plan for the 
destruction of the fungus is to root up and burn all infected plants.” 
Blood Manure—Salt in Soils (H. F., Cape Colony). —The recipe for 
making blood manure to which you refer has not proved uniformly satis¬ 
factory. A simple method of preparing blood is to mix it when quite 
fresh with sufficient fine dry earth to form a powder. Stored in a dry 
place the manurial properties are retained for almost any length of time. 
A successful gardener who has used it says blood conveyed in that form 
is an excellent fertiliser, applied as a top-dressing or mixing a peck to a 
bushel of soil in potting, the blood in the first instance having been mixed 
with at least six parts of dry earth. A pinch between the finger and 
thumb suffices as a top-dressing to plants in 6 to 8-inch pots, and is 
beneficial to all kinds of softwooded plants, including Begonias and 
Gloxinias. The extraction of salt from soil or neutralising the effects of 
it is a much more difficult question than the conveyance of blood to the 
soil. Salt is mainly extracted from soil by evaporation, being drawn out 
with the moisture, and rests on the surface in a white film. This may 
be seen on the margins of tidal streams in this country in the summer, 
and is much more apparent in the tropics. In South America Mr. Darwin 
saw incrustations of sulphate of soda and common salt after a week of 
hot weather, making the plain appear as if covered with snow. In pre¬ 
paring soil for potting an excess of salt could be removed by spreading the 
soil in a warm place, watering it well and frequently, and drying it 
quickly. On a larger scale benefit has resulted in salt marshes by en¬ 
couraging the luxuriant growth of plants that grow naturally there, and 
digging cross ditches for carrying away the water from the land, salt 
being thus drawn out by the plants as well as floated away in the drains. 
Lana treated in that way has afterwards grown useful crops. In warm 
climates, where the abundance of organic matter and its rapid decompo¬ 
sition pour into the atmosphere a copious supply of ammonia, the forma¬ 
tion of uitric acid proceeds with energy, whether from the nitrogen of the 
air or the slow combustion of the elements of the ammonia and the 
nitrate of ammonia so formed being washed down by the rains, the 
ammonia is again given off, whilst the ground becomes coated with an 
efflorescence of earthy nitrates, when it dries on the cessation of the rain. 
In this way there is formed in the East Indies a quantity of nitrate of 
potash sufficient to supply the wants of Europe. On the Continent this 
process is imitated in artificial nitre-beds. In South America, particularly 
in Chili and Peru, there are found immense deposits of nitrate of soda 
upon the surface of the soil, and it i3 now extensively Imported into these 
countries. The source of the nitric acid is, in this case also, from the 
elements of the atmosphere, and of ammonia ; the alkali being probably 
derived from the sea-salt, which the soils of the coast usually contain. 
Salt, therefore, serves a useful purpose, and nitrate oi soda may also be 
obtained with nitric acid and carbonate of soda. 
Names of Plants.—We ODly undertake to name specie's of plants, not 
varieties that have originated from seed and termed florists’ flowers. 
Flowering specimens are necessary of flowering plants, and Fern fronds 
should bear spores. Specimens should arrive in a fresh state in firm 
boxes. Slightly damp moss or soft green leaves form the best packing, dry 
cotton wool the worst. Not more than sixspecimens can be named at once. 
— (Fifteen-years Subscriber). —A variety of Cattleya Mendeli. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— May 11th. 
A steady business doing, but -with large supplies prices are generally 
lower. 
FRUIT. 
s. d. i. d. 
Apples, 1 sieve.2 0 to S 0 
„ Nova Scotia and 
Canada, barrel 10 0 13 0 
Cherries, J sieve .... 0 0 0 0 
Ojbe, 100 lbs. 80 0 65 0 
Figs, dozen . 6 0 8 0 
Grapes, per ft. 3 0 4 0 
heinous, case.10 0 15 0 
Melon, each . 3 0 4 0 
Oranges, per 100 .. 
Peaches, dozen .. ..15 
Pears, dozen.1 
Pine Apples, English, 
per lb. ..... ,. .. 1 
Plums, 4 sieve.0 
8t. Michael Pine», each 2 
Strawberries, per H>. .. 3 
s. d. s. d. 
6 0tol2 0 
0 11 
VEGETABLES. 
s. d. s. d. 
Artichoke^, dozen .. ., 1 0 to 2 0 
Asparagus, bundle .. ..16 4 0 
Beans, Kidney, per lb. ..13 0 0 
Beet, Red, dozen .... 1 0 3 0 
Broccoli, bundle .... 0 0 0 0 
Brussels Sprout?, J sieve 0 0 0 0 
Cabbage, dozen .... 1 6 0 0 
Capsicums, per 100 .. 1 6 3 0 
Carrots, bunch .... 0 4 0 0 
Cauliflowers, dozen .. 3 0 4 0 
Celery, bundle .... 1 6 2 0 
Coleworts, do*, bunches 2 0 4 0 
Cucumbers, each .. .. 0 4 0 6 
Endive, dozen.10 30 
Heros, bunch. 0 3 0 0 
Leeks, bunch. 03 04 
Lettuce, dozen .. .. 
Mushrooms, punnet .. 
Mustard and Cress, punt. 
Onions, bunch. 
Parsley, dozen bunch<s 
Parsnips, dozen .. .. 
Potatoes, per cwt. 
„ Kidney, per cwf. 
Rhubarb, bundle .. .. 
Salsafy, bundle .. .. 
Scorzonera, bundle .. 
Soakale, basket .. .. 
Shallots, per tb. 
Spinach, bushel .. .. 
Tomatoes, per tb. 
Turnips, bunch .. .. 
PLANTS IN POTS. 
s. d. 
Aralia Sieboldi, dozen .. 9 0 to 
Arbor vitfe(golden) dozen 6 0 
„ (common), dozen.. 6 0 
Azalea, dozen .. .. ..18 0 
Begonias, dozen .. .. 4 0 
Cineraria, dozen .. .. 4 0 
Cyclamen, dozen .. ..12 0 
Dracaena terminalis, doz. 30 0 
,, virldis,dozen.. 12 0 
Erica, various, dozen .. 18 0 
Euonymus, in var., dozen 6 0 
Evergreens, in var„dozen 6 0 
Ferns, in variety, dozen 1 0 
Ficus elastics, each .. 1 6 
Foliage Plants, var., each 2 0 
s. d. 
18 0 
9 0 
13 0 
86 0 
9 0 
8 0 
10 0 
Fuchsia, dozen. 
Genista, dozen. 
Hydrangea, dozen ss f 1 
Lilies Valley, dozen 
Marguerite Daisy, dozen 
Mignonette, dozen .. .. 
Myrtles, dozen .. .. .. 
Palms, in var., each 
Pelargoniums, dozen .. 
„ scarlet, dozen 
Primula sinensis, dozen.. 
Solanrms, dozen ... .. 
Spiraea, dozen .. .. .. 
Tulips, per dozen j>ots ., 
CUT FLO WEBS. 
Abntilons, 12 bnnehes .. 
Anemones, 13 bnnehes .. 
Arum Lilies, 12 blooms .. 
Azalea, 12 sprays .. .. 
Bouvardias, bunch .. .. 
Camellias, blooms .. .. 
Carnations, 12 blooms .. 
„ 12 bnnehes.. 
Cornflower, 12 bnnehes .. 
Cyclamen, 12 blooms .. 
Daffodils, var., doz. bchs 
Encharis, dozen .. .. 
Gardenias, 12 blooms .. 
Hyacinths, Roman, 12 
sprays 
„ Dutch, per 
box 
Lapageria, white, 13 blms. 
Lilium longiflorum, 13 
blooms. 
Lilac (white), French, 
bnnch . 
Lily ol Valley, 12 sprays 
s. d. s. 
2 0 to 4 
2 0 4 
0 6 
0 0 0 0 
1 0 
0 0 
3 0 
0 0 
4 0 6 0 
4 0 
0 9 
7 0 
1 0 
Marguerites, 12 bnnohes 
Mignonette, 12 bunches 
Narciss, 12 bunches 
„ White. English, bch. 
Pelargoniums, 12 trusses 
„ scarlet, 12 trusses 
Parme Violets (French) 
Poinsettia, 12 blooms .. 
Primroses, 12 bnnohes .. 
,, white 12 bnnehes 
Primula (single), bunch.. 
„ (double), bunch .. 
Ranunculus, 12 bunches 
Roses, 12 bunches .. .. 
„ (indoor), dozen ... 
„ Tea, dozen .. 
„ red dozen .. .. 
Stephanotis, 12 sprays .. 
Tropteolum, 12 bnnehes 
Tuberoses, 12 blooms .. 
Tulips, dozen blooms .. 
Violets, 12 bunches.. .. 
„ Czar,French,bnnoh 
8. 1 
1. 
8. 
<1. 
I - 
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1 
6 
0 
6 
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0 
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0 
0 
0 
4 
0 
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0 
4 . 
0 
0 
0 
0 
8 
0 
0 
1 
0 
X 
8 
1 
8 
0 
0 
1 
6 
0 
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0 
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0 
8 
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0 
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0 
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s. 
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2 
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4 
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0 
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OUR CEREAL CROPS. 
WHEAT. 
“ It has been too hastily assumed that, in the struggle 
for existence amoDg Wheat growers, the British, the best 
farmers in the world, will not be among the fittest who 
will survive. The evidence adduced in the foregoing 
remarks appears to show this assumption to be unfounded. 
In all parts of the world, with the doubtful exception of 
India, Wheat growers have been partly or wholly ruined 
by the long period of low prices, and British growers 
have only suffered with the rest. If we are to have 
another year of such low prices as had prevailed for three 
years up to the end of 1886, the Wheat area of the world 
will probably be contracted by many millions of acres, 
and bread once more may become temporarily dear. At 
the time of writing, however, there is reason to expect a 
sufficient rise in the price of Wheat to encourage farmers 
everywhere to sow at least their usual acreage for another 
year. A very great rise in price is neither to be expected 
nor desired, even in the interest of growers, as it would 
infallibly lead to over-production once more.” 
