1874. ] 
GARDEN GOSSIP. 
283 
to this size. One matter I may mention here ; they always ‘ slept in blankets ’— i.e., wore 
kept together a little at times. They were also fed on good matter, but every skill would 
have been useless but for the style of training. Also I must hero say there are Uvedalo St. 
Gonnain and Bello Angevino, and also Belle de Jersey. You must got the true sorts.” 
- ^HE following letter, communicated to the Gardeners' Chronicle^ 
respecting the famous Lamhton Castle Grapes^ about which there have been some 
unwarranted statements made, clears up the matter. Mr. Smith, gardener at 
the Vice-Regal Lodge, writes:—“ The large bunches of Grapes that were exhibited at the 
Belfast Show on August 20 were presented by the Earl of Durham to His Grace the Duke of 
Aborcorn, and brought here immediately after the show. His Grace being dosiroiis to show 
them to the company at dinner, I had arches of round iron fixed to the ends of oblong silver 
baskets, and covered with Vine leaves and spray. The bunches were suspended from these, 
high enough to clear the surface of the basket. In doing this, I had ample opportunity of 
examining the bunch that has been the subject of discussion, and had there been any attempt 
at amalgamation, I should certainly have seen it. From the eye from which the bunch started 
to the point where ramification commenced, there was about 4 in. of true stem, perfectly round, 
and no sign of flattening throughout the remainder of the bunch. The immense size of the 
bunch gave the berries a small appearance, but on comparing them individually with others 
of moderate dimensions, there was little difference ; and though they were not well coloured, 
many of the berries had the hammered surface. The eating qualities of the Grapes were very 
good, the pulp being remarkably firm and sweet. There need be no doubt whatever enter¬ 
tained regarding the bunch in question being one genuine bunch.” 
- Samples of Veitclis Self-protecting Caulifloiver wMch we have seen 
prove it to be both late and protecting. It is being brought forward as a really 
valuable variety for use in November and the beginning of December, and so 
thoroughly protected by the foliage as likely to resist several degrees of frost. In the trial 
the Protecting was sown April 8; Veitch’s Autumn Giant, April 18 ; Walcheren, April 29, 
with the result that the two latter were off, while the Protecting was only just coming in. The 
heads we have seen were not large, about 13 in. in circumference, very close and white, with a 
dense mass of incurving foliage, but the plants seem to have been fully long on the ground. 
— m* Otto Feoebel, of Zurich, gives the following as the authicent 
history of the origin of the Anemone Honorine Johert :—‘‘ The plant is not a garden 
hybrid between A. vitifolia and A. japonica, but originated at Verdun-sur-Meuse 
about sixteen years ago, in the garden of M. Jobert, banker. From there the plant came 
into our hands in 1860, through my grand-uncle, M. Gustav Memminger, of Verdun, a great 
amateur of plants, after whom the .ffisculus Memmingeri is named. M. Jobert obtained the 
Anemone Honorine Jobert from a large tuft of the old A. japonica, with red flowers, from 
which plant a root-branch flowered with pure white flowers. M. Jobert successively cut 
down all the red-flowering branches, and so raised the white variety. Our Nursery was the 
first to introduce the plant in commerce, under the original name given by M. Jobert, A. 
japonica Honorine Jobert. I have often seen at M. Jobert’s the original plant from which the 
Avhite variety Avas fixed, and therefore I guarantee the exactness of my assertion. 
- ®HE trials instituted by the Eoyal Agricultural Society respecting the 
Potato Disease have resulted, as was to be expected, in showing that not one of 
the so-called disease-proof sorts has, in reality, resisted the disease. During the 
period of vigorous growth, in all the varieties, in five out of the twenty localities the disease 
was virulent, and by the end of the season it was found that in almost all these places more 
or less disease was apparent; so that the question of disease-proof potatos, as far as these 
trials are concerned, has been practically decided in the first year. Some most important 
communications have, however, been received from Professor De Bary, who has ascertained, 
by recent experiments, that the potato disease is not propagated by infected tubers; and that 
although the mycelium of the fungus (Peronospora iiffestans) was distinctly apparent in the 
stalks of plants raised directly from diseased tubers, no gonidia, or germs, Avere evolved. In 
a later communication. Professor De Bary expresses sanguine hopes that ho has at last dis¬ 
covered the certain nidi, or resting-places, of the oospores, or active primary goims of tho 
fungus, Avhich, as he says, would essentially complete its life-history. The groat practical 
resiRts of these discoveries, if perfected, will obviously bo that measures may bo taken to 
destroy in situ the oospores of the fungus. 
BB 2 
