COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
447 
: September 18. 
Wellington i a oigantea (The Gigantic Welling- 
tonia).—This truly magnificent Conifer has been already 
! fully noticed in The Cottage Gardener. 1 can add 
! this interesting fact, that it has proved hardy in several 
| places in different parts of the country. 
Azalea amcena (The Pleasing Azalea.)—This is a 
very distinct and beautiful addition to the hardy species 
of these showy plants. It is from the north of China, 
and has proved perfectly hardy. Its distinctness consists 
in the flowers. The corolla is double; that is, there are 
two distinct rows of petals, one within the other (like the 
Polyanthus—hose in hose); the flowers are of a bright 
I purple, and produced very profusely, even on small 
plants. This species forces well; and, as it flowers so 
freely on small plants, it will be invaluable, not only to 
private gardens, but also to such persons as make it a 
business to force flowers for Covent Garden. 
Azalea Bealii (Mr. Beal’s Azalea).—We are in¬ 
debted to the Chinese hybridizers for this very unique 
and beautiful greenhouse Azalea. The flowers are of a 
medium size and well formed ; the colour a pure white, 
striped very much with bright vermillion, produced in 
great abundance. It obtained a first-class prize at the 
Paris Horticultural Fete last March, where it was much 
admired. 
Azalea orispiflora (Curled-flowered Azalea). — A 
very singular species, with large flowers and very re¬ 
flexed petals, the edges of which are waved, or curled, 
like a lady’s frill. Colour, a rich rose-lake; evergreen; 
densely clothed with foliage ; habit excellent. It is a 
late bloomer. I have had it in flower as late as the 
end of July. 
Azalea narcissiflora (Narcissus flowered Azalea).— 
Another singular variety, with flowers like a double 
white Narcissus ; hence its specific name. It is from 
China, where it is highly prized. Flowers profusely, and 
is very handsome. 
Berberris Bealii (Mr. Beal’s Berberris).—Truly a 
magnificent species, and perfectly hardy. Leaves very 
handsome, fifteen inches long, composed of several 
pairs of leaflets, the terminse one five inches long and 
three broad; the sido leaflets are also proportionally 
large. It is, as yet, very scarce and dear; small plants cost 
63s. each. Native of Japan. 
Skimmia Japonica (Japan Skimmia).—This plant 
bears a considerable resemblance to the well-kuowu 
Ardisia crenulata, only it is a more dense bush, and is 
very hardy; blooming in May, and the blossoms are 
succeeded by a profusion of rich crimson berries, which 
remain perfect on the tree the whole year. The flowers 
are fragrant; altogether it is a most desirable addition to 
our hardy dwarf plants. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
SULPHUR versus MILDEW ON THE HOP. 
Amongst the many evils which the horticulturist has 
to combat, there is none which has afforded a larger 
scope for experimental investigation than the “ Mildew” 
in some or other of its forms. For though it is common 
to designate as Mildew most of the lower class of vege¬ 
tation which lives on and consumes both vegetable and 
inanimate objects, still there is, doubtless, an innumer¬ 
able family of this singularly curious production, and 
some, of late years, have spread to such an extent as to 
become “ national calamities;” as, for instance, the Vine 
Mildew in the wine countries; and, to a partial extent, 
it has been hurtful at home; but its attacks here have not 
been of that virulent character which they have assumed 
elsewhere; and, In many instances, it has been over¬ 
come by the means applied, aud, it is generally believed, 
that it might, in all cases, be subdued by taking the 
proper means. Be this, however, as it may, my pur¬ 
pose is to call attention to Mildew on another plant, 
and, doubtless, another variety, although., to outward 
appearances, they seem much alike—I mean the mould 
on the Hop, as it is commonly termed. 
This strange visitation has, of late years, attracted 
much notice ; and many spirited cultivators have endea¬ 
voured to cure it, with varied results. One thing, how¬ 
ever, it is proper to observe, the “ Hop mould ” is not 
a new evil, for it seems to have been as prevalent a cen¬ 
tury ago as now ; but it is only of late that the present 
popular antidote to it, sulphur, has been tried to any 
great extent. Other means had been tried without any 
satisfactory result, and now sulphur, like Holloway’s 
Pills, is put forth as a remedy to all the evils the plant 
is liable to suffer from ; and, I dare say, has effected as 
many cures as that far-famed medicine. Still, there are 
many sceptics, and many a warm controversy has arisen 
on the matter, when another party, armed with extraor¬ 
dinary powers, steps in and forbids the use of sulphur 
as an auti-Mildew application to the Hop plant, alleging, 
that large quantities of beer had been spoiled by it, aud 
that, therefore, Hops so dressed were useless, or worse 
than useless, to the brewer. 
The circular which contained this extraordinary 
intelligence concluded with an intimation that the com¬ 
pilers of it (the most extensive merchants in the trade) 
did not intend to buy any Hops without a written certi¬ 
ficate from the grower, that no sulphur had been used 
amongst them during their growth. This manifesto 
would have created greater alarm last year than in the 
present year, as the prevalence of mould, last year, in¬ 
duced many growers to use sulphur extensively, while, 
this year, mould has not been so common. 
Now, the question arises, Are the merchants right in 
their condemnation of sulphur, or not? If they are 
right, then the public at large will ask, Why is sulphur 
used so extensively in the manufacturing— i. e., in the 
drying of Hops, if it be deleterious in their growth? 
for it is well-known that some growers use sulphur, 
when drying their Hops, to the extent of one cwt. of 
sulphur to one ton of Hops, and possibly more. 
As many readers of The Cottage Gardener may be 
strangers to the whole process, I may just say, that when 
the Hops are picked in the field, or garden (being picked 
quite as often wet as dry), they are carried home in 
sacks to a sort of kiln, or loft, the floor of which is laid 
with hair cloth instead of boards, and the timbers are 
generally Poplar, as being the most incombustible wood 
we have. This kiln, called an oast-house, is often of a 
circular form, terminating with a long conical roof, liv¬ 
ing a large cowl at its top to allow the steam, or vapour, 
to escape. Underneath this kiln, or floor, one or more 
fires arc kept, either of charcoal, coke, or anthracite 
coal, or all three mixed. The fire is sometimes open at 
top, and sometimes a plate of iron is suspended imme¬ 
diately over it, or a sort of skeleton brickwork with a 
few tiles cemented at top, is made to spread the heat, 
rather than allow it to ascend in full force to one parti¬ 
cular place; for, be it observed, it is a wooden-joisted 
frame-work over it, and that often not more than eight 
feet from the body of the fire, so that it is surprising 
accidents do not happen oftener than they do. The con¬ 
stant attention paid them, and the damp load they 
carry, added to the non-combustible character of the 
timber, all tend to prevent accidents, which, however, 
do now and then occur. This is the grower's concern, 
and the general reader will be satisfied to know that the 
green, or wet Hops, are laid on this kiln of hair-cloth 
to the depth of nearly a foot, and that they lie there till 
dry, the heat from below passing up through them. 
But as mere drying would not remove the natural green¬ 
ness, or diversity of colour with which they are tinted, 
and as fashion will have every article brought out to 
market “ nice looking,” custom has established the use 
