December 15, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
248 
I cannot agree with Mr. “Wright that steeping Peas 
in paraffin oil can have any effect upon the young 
plants as they appear above ground. I should imagine 
that if the seeds were steeped for two or three minutes 
it could not penetrate their coats in that time so as to 
affect the germ ; seeds will absorb water very quickly, 
but paraffin being an oil would not penetrate the seed 
in that time ; but supposing it did so, all taste would 
disappear before the plants appeared above ground. 
I have never found it had any effect that way, but have 
often been obliged to syringe the young plants two or 
three times to keep off the depredators. But, still, too 
much cannot be said in its praise, as it is a great boon 
to gardeners. I have used it sometimes once or twice a 
week in syringing stove plants or other subjects likely 
to be subjected to the attacks of insect pests, such as 
mealy bug, thiip, red-spider, &c., as I believe in the 
old adage, “Prevention is better than cure,” and have 
never found it injurious to vegetable life if carefully 
administered; and I really think with Mr. “Wright 
that plants are benefited by it. I have had to deal 
with places where plants were smothered with mealy 
bug, and have given them a thorough drenching with 
an admixture of paraffin and water in about the same 
proportions as Mr. “Wright recommends, until the soil in 
the pots has been completely soddened. In one instance 
only have I seen any ill effects, and that was in the 
case of a variety of Begonia Rex, the leaves of which 
were injured a good deal. I can only account for the 
injury done in this way : the oil not being properly 
mixed with the water floated on the top, and was thus 
drawn into the syringe ; the plant had, therefore, an 
extra strong dose, and the stem and leaves being rough 
and hairy, retained the oil upon them in large globules for 
a long time, which the plant could not put up with. 
In the stove, especially where the attacks of insects 
are so prevalent, I would strongly recommend frequent 
syringing with paraffin oil, which will materially assist 
in keeping the plants clean and healthy. For Roses, 
both outdoors and in, it is very useful to clean the 
bushes ol aphides and maggots, and also in all cases 
where insect life is injurious to vegetation, as well as 
in other instances which Mr. Wright recommends. It 
is the best remedy I have yet found against the attacks 
of red-spider, that insect pest which is so troublesome to 
gardeners. Then I find it best to thoroughly syringe 
the trees, first with clean water, in order to wet all the 
leaves, stems, and branches, and then syringe well with 
the paraffin so that it spreads all over the surface of the 
trees, which it will quickly do if treated in this way. 
Peaches and Nectarines will take a pretty strong 
dose, and as those trees are very much subjected to the 
attacks of red-spider, two or three good doses will 
effectually get rid of the pest. I should think farmers 
would find it a very useful and cheap article to soak 
Wheat and other seeds in before sowing, although many 
use gas-water, which is very good for this purpose when 
it can be easily got. I hope other gardeners will give 
us the benefit of their experience on this subject, as I 
believe with Mr. Wright, that the more it becomes 
known the more general will be its use .—Alfred Gant. 
As a remedy for American blight, I know of nothing 
better than paraffin oil when rightly applied, and 
having used it for several years and for various purposes 
in the garden, I can endorse nearly all that Mr. Wright 
says regarding it in your issue of the 8th inst, at p. 229. 
As to its power of preventing the ravages of rats and 
mice on early-sown Peas or Beans by steeping for a 
short time in the oil, I have observed that after the 
seeds so treated have been in the ground a little while, 
these vermin will attack and eat them, and this pos¬ 
sibly arises from the deodorising power of the soil in 
being able to deprive the seeds of their objectionable 
smell. At all events, to whatever the cause is due, the 
rats and mice will be looking for the seeds just about 
the time they will begin to break the surface ; but by 
sprinkling the latter, if an attack occurs at this time, 
with a mixture of paraffin and water a few times, the 
smell, while it lasts, will keep them off. With regard 
to its application to Carrots, I may mention that by its 
use I have had sound crops of these roots off soil where 
the grub was known to destroy them every year ; and 
a gardener who had the same conditions to contend 
with, and to whom I recommended a trial of paraffin 
oil, succeeded, like myself, in obtaining sound crops 
after using it. One troublesome point about it is the 
difficulty of getting the oil to mix with water, and 
although dissolved soft-soap is a good medium to use 
it with, this is not at all times on hand, and 
it frequently happens that means are not avail¬ 
able for boiling down the soft soap. I remember 
several years ago the late Dr. Newington, of Ticehurst, 
recommended the use of milk as an agent having 
considerable affinity for mixing purposes with paraffin 
oil, and having tried it, I believe it to be most useful, 
when obtainable, for distributing paraffin oil on 
plants, &c. For cleaning dirty wood-work, Mr. Wright 
remarks that paraffin oil is most useful, and so it is, 
and further, it cleans and brightens brass-work as well. 
If applied to painted wood-work to cleanse it, it should 
be rubbed on with a cloth, following immediately with 
a dry one, so as to leave no trace of it on the paint, for 
if rubbed on and left for any time, the paint will fall 
off. Another use it might be put to in gardens, is to 
remove old hard putty from sashes where glass repairs 
are wanted to be made. If pure paraffin is rubbed on 
the old putty a day or so before attempting the repairs, 
it will come away quite easily, and I need hardly add 
that the job of “hacking” out old putty is often a 
tedious and laborious one.— W. D., Dublin. 
Allow me to thank your correspondent, .Mr. A. Wright 
(of Devonhurst, Chiswick, I presume), for his valuable 
contribution on the use of paraffin in the garden, 
published in your last number. Such information 
as he gives, when it has been obtained by practical 
experiment, and is the result of actual experience, is 
of the utmost value, both to us amateurs and his brother 
gardeners. In the interest, however, of those who 
only possess small gardens, and consequently cannot 
afford to run many risks of loss or partial failure in 
making experiments, would you allow me to ask Mr. 
Wright if he would increase our obligation to him by 
telling us on what he has tried the paraffin without 
success as au insecticide, or if in any case it has injured 
the plant. An accurate record of failures or disasters 
arising from carefully made experiments is really much 
more valuable to the uninitiated in showing them what 
to avoid, but how few there are who have the courage 
to face their fellows with such a record. Can Mr. 
Wright or any other reader tell us if the paraffin will 
kill wireworm, and to what crops it can safely be 
applied without injury to the plants ; for instance, 
can it be applied with safety to Tomatos in pots and 
in the open ground.that are attacked by wireworms ?— 
Amateur. 
-- 
otes from Scotland. 
- •i- - 
Notes from Perth : Chrysanthemums.— 
Considering the difficulties which “Mum” growers 
have had to contend with this season, it is all the more 
gratifying to find how admirably successful many have 
been. Having a few hours to spare the other day when 
in the fair city, I took the opportunity of having a look 
at a couple of the collections in the locality of which 1 
had heard good reports. The few mental notes which 
I now jot down are inadequate to give a fair idea of 
the treat I enjoyed, and which can only be had by 
“going and seeing.” 
Garry Cottage. 
A new house has been built here for the accommodation 
of the queen of autumn, and the display in it at present 
is one which Mr. Blackley, the gardener, may well be 
proud of. On the side stages an admirable lot of care¬ 
fully trained dwarf specimen plants are covered with 
medium-sized fresh blooms, which make a gorgeous 
display. Where plants are grown for conservatory 
decoration, this method of training possesses many 
advantages ; the blooms are easily seen, and the plants 
on the whole have a neat and tidy look about them. 
The tail-grown plants may produce superior flowers, 
but these are fewer, and not so easily seen to advantage, 
the plants being tall and ungainly. 
The centre of the house at Garry Cottage is filled 
with a representative collection of all the best new 
varieties, which are carrying fine exhibition blooms. 
Amongst the sorts which we noticed as particularly fine 
were Edwin Molyneux, Val d’Andorre. M. Lacroix, 
Elaine, Peter the Great, and many others with well- 
developed blooms, which would have done credit to 
any exhibition stand. 
Pitcullen. 
Here Mr. Leslie has grown all his plants on the big 
bloom system, and he has certainly been highly suc¬ 
cessful, as the bank of flowers which he has now in the 
greenhouse would take a lot of beating. Commencing 
with dwarfish plants in front, and gradually increasing 
in height towards the back, all the varieties are seen 
at a glance, and what a gorgeous sight of varied colour 
and form they present! Although not quite up to last 
year’s standard, Mr. Leslie is to be congratulated on 
the high-class culture which the entire collection under 
his charge amply bear record of. Maiden’s Blush we 
noticed exceptionally fine ; Elaine, although a little 
past its best, would be hard to beat; M. Lacroix, 
splendid; Peter the Great, extra fine ; Fair Maid of 
Guernsey, E. Molyneux, and Meg Merrilies, a little 
late, but will be grand. Mrs. Wheeler, Boule d’Or, 
Comte de Germiny, Coquette de Castille, Madame C. 
Audiguier, were also conspicuous among the Japanese, 
while the incurved were well represented by Barbara, 
Cherub, Mrs. Rundle, Jeanne d’Arc, &c. 
We cannot close this note without mentioning the 
splendid crop of Grapes which we saw at Pitcullen. 
Whole houses of Black Alicante and Gros Colmar bear 
ample testimony to Mr. Leslie’s abilities as a Grape 
grower. A few bunches of Muscat of Alexandria were 
still hanging, which for size of berry, colour, and high 
finish, we have not seen surpassed this year. In fact 
everything under Mr. Leslie’s charge bears the mark of 
high cultural skill.— Arbutus. 
Scottish Horticultural Association.—The 
monthly meeting of this association was held on the 
4th inst., at 5, St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh—Mr. 
Dunn, Dalkeith Palace, in the chair. There was an 
unusually large attendance. Mr. Alexander Porter, 
Leuchie, read a paper on the “ Culture of Asparagus,” 
in which he sketched the course to be followed during 
the first three years. One potent cause of failure was 
its being planted in clayey soil, the material in which 
it grew best being sandy. One important factor in its 
successful growth was to obtain large individual plants 
to start with. Mr. Porter’s system was based on the 
French one, from which he did not differ much. The 
growth of Asparagus had fallen off, he said, considerably 
in England, and the French growers were beating them 
on their own ground. Mr. Porter believed, however, 
that under proper management and from a calculation 
which he had made, that £126 per acre could annually 
be made, although there would be virtually no return 
for the first three years. In the course of the discussion 
on the paper, a member stated that Asparagus was 
supplied for the famous dinner of the Northern Lights 
Commissioners at 35s. per 100. A vote of thanks was 
awarded Mr. Porter for his paper. The following 
exhibits were placed on the table :—Thirty-six blooms 
of Chrysanthemums—twelve of them new varieties this 
year—from Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons ; Orchid blooms 
and a collection of Roses cut in the open air, from Dr. 
Paterson, Bridge of Allan ; fifty bunches of cut flowers 
cut in the open air, from Messrs. Munro & Ferguson, 
Abercorn Nursery, Piershill; and a new protector for 
trees on walls, from Mr. Fairgrieve, Dunkeld. 
Notes from Edinburgh Chrysanthemum 
Show.—While taking notes at the most creditable 
exhibition of fruits and flowers recently held in 
Edinburgh, where such shows have long been distin¬ 
guished by able management, our attention was directed 
to a white Grape, which appeared to be identical with 
the White Tokay, such as we grow for our latest white 
—not a first-rate kind, but better than many of the late 
whites which are kept to give supplies during March or 
April. Our Vine of White Tokay came from Messrs. 
Rivers’ Nurseries in the first place. White Tokay 
had been written on the exhibit referred to at Edin« 
burgh, but a second name was placed over the first, 
apparently as a correction, and it is of primary 
importance that we should have correct names. 
Looking over several fruit catalogues before us, we find 
the descriptions of some fruits—Grapes especially— 
are very dissimilar. The old Vine at Harewood House, 
Leeds, is often named Tokay, but is certainly a good 
old Muscat of Alexandria. The black Grapes exhibited 
by Mr. Murray (Culzean) were really good, and the 
bunches fine ; so were his Pines, The Queen especially, 
a kind seldom seen good at northern shows of late 
years ; the form of the fruit was a model, the ripening 
being perfect. It would be interesting to readers if 
Mr. Muirav would inform us if he uses the Clovenfords 
Vine and Plant Manure with his Pine soil ; if so, in 
what proportion ? We know the value he places on 
this stimulant in Grape and Onion growing ; the latter 
attain such size and general excellence at Culzean as we 
believe is not surpassed in any of the notable Onion 
districts in the United Kingdom. The Pears from 
Galloway House were mostly of special merit, the 
colour being unusually fine. Our attention was repeatedly 
called to as pretty an arrangement of cut Chrysan¬ 
themums mixed with Ferns as we have seen at any 
show ; we thought the taste displayed on this table 
was superb, and many other persons must have been of 
the same opinion judging from the remarks made by 
them. This is another instance of what can be done 
when simplicity is carefully studied and undue formality 
avoided. The cramming of flowers and plants together 
when decoration is performed, concealing the beauty of 
outline as well as being extravagant in the use of them 
is a prominent evil at horticultural shows as well as in 
private gardens. The table of Messrs. Methven 
referred to above is an example of what might well be 
imitated.— Caledonian. 
