February 22, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
401 
Fruit keeping. —At a gathering of horticulturists 
recently, a question was asked by an amateur if 
there was any difference in the keeping qualities of 
fruit, such as Apples and Pears, grown on limestone 
and sandstone ? An opinion was expressed that there 
was not, but there was no evidence offered to support 
the statement beyond the fact that fruit was to be 
obtained, and had been exhibited from both forma¬ 
tions at equally late dates in the year. Are there 
any grounds for supposing that there can be any 
difference in the flavour and keeping qualities of the 
above in the geological stratas named ?— Inquirer. 
— 
MANAGEMENT OF PALMS. 
Foliage plants as a rule are to be found more or less 
in every garden where there is a glasshouse, let it be 
large or small. As nearly everyone knows, they are 
very numerous, and amongst them are many noble and 
lovely subjects. It would perhaps be difficult to say 
which of them are the most beautiful and useful; 
but I think most will admit that the Palm must take 
a very high stand amongst them, both as regards 
usefulness and gracefulness ; for who does not like 
the beautiful and graceful appearance of a finely- 
developed Cocos weddeliana, or the noble look of a 
well-grown Latania or Kentia ? They are also most 
beautiful in a small state, and at this stage they are 
most useful for the furnishing of rooms and corridors, 
for which they have few equals, if any. They must 
be kept in pots suitable for the purpose as long as 
possible or so long as they can be maintained in good 
condition. 
It is sometimes surprising how little soil they 
require to keep them fresh and green. One sees 
them now and again in some gardens sadly mis¬ 
managed. They are often potted into larger pots 
than is necessary, with the idea of making them grow 
large ; but they do not always respond, and are to be 
seen with a sickly look which indicates that they are 
likely to grow the wrong way. Last summer a lady 
asked me what could be wrong with a fine Palm she 
had in her house. She said it had been in the same 
pot for a long time, and she was advised to give it a 
larger one. She did so, and instead of growing in 
the fresh soil and new pot it refused to do anything, 
and by-and-bye died. Much disappointed she 
appeared over its loss. The large shift and, maybe, 
over-watering, with the want of a little care, must 
have been the means of bringing about the death of 
her plant. 
That very fine, fresh Palms of good size can be kept 
in small pots, in comparison to the size of the plant, 
is well known to those who cultivate these plants in 
quantity. That their beauty is in no way destroyed 
by being root-bound is also true. It is evident that 
by constant care in watering and by the use of a 
little of some stimulant in the water, they will keep 
quite good for years in very small pots, provided they 
are not given a high temperature, which would be 
the means of making strong roots, quick growth, and 
throw up the plants out of their pots. Amongst 
those we grow here, are several which have been in 
the same pots for four years, and are every season 
occupying positions in various parts of the mansion. 
Their pots are full of roots, with scarcely any soil 
about them; still they are not by any means bad 
plants, and will be used again for the same purpose. 
If measurements are likely to be of interest, I give a 
few, with the names of the varieties, taking the 
smallest first:—Kentia fosteriana in a 3-inch pot is 
2 ft. high, with six fronds ; in a 7-in. pot, 4 ft. high, 
and about the same of spread ; and in a g-in. pot, 
6 ft. 6 in. high, and about 8 ft. in the spread of the 
fronds. Latania borbonica, in a 6-in. pot, is 3 ft. high 
and 4 ft. in spread. Cycas revoluta in an 8-in. pot is 
6 ft. in spread and has over twenty fronds. 
I could give many more, but possibly this may be 
sufficient to show that it is not necessary to give large 
pots to obtain good serviceable plants for house 
decoration. Some plants have grown out of their 
pots and must have another size larger ; but those 
which have their balls a little below the rims of the 
pots, although one mass of roots, will be kept in good 
condition for another season by the use of plenty of 
water and some stimulants. When a plant is lack¬ 
ing in colour, I find nothing with which I am 
acquainted to equal nitrate of soda for bringing it 
back to a fine dark green. The varieties we use in 
this way are not many, but the following are very 
suitable—namely, Kentia fosteriana, Kentia bel- 
moreana, Latania borbonica, Chamaerops excelsa, 
and C. Fortunei; also C. humilis, Areca sapida, and 
Baueri, Phoenix rupicola, P. canariensis and 
Seaforthia elegans, with some others. The best for 
most purposes are the Kentias ; they stand a deal of 
ill-usage, and will also stand in a low temperature 
for a long time without any hurt.— Perthshire. 
-- 
PANSY, WEBBS’ NEW DIAMOND. 
“The little western flower’ 1 (Viola tricolor) has 
undergone vast modification and improvement since 
Shakespeare’s time, and it is probable that if the 
bard were alive he would fail to recognise the flower 
of which he wrote. This, together with the fact that 
the Pansy in an endless number of strains is culti¬ 
vated all over the world, wherever the climate is not 
too warm for it, is ample testimony to the popularity 
of a flower which few fail to admire. Its quaint 
beauty has enlisted the sympathy and enthusiasm of 
all lovers of flowers. The result is that at the present 
day a large number of cultivators devote their time 
and skill to the improvement of existing races. Only 
those who have given their time and close study to 
the characteristics and variability of Pansies know 
how difficult it is to maintain the features of any 
individual variety when reproduced from seed. Well- 
marked sorts do, however, give rise to numerous 
individuals, all differing from one another and from 
the original, yet preserving a family likeness to the 
latter in all the leading and more permanent 
characteristics. The plants raised in this way may 
be spoken of as a race or strain, the latter term being 
most generally understood by cultivators at large. 
This, then, is the epithet which we shall apply to 
Webbs’ New Diamond Pansy. It is a modern strain 
possessing the general features delineated in the 
accompanying illustration, for which we are indebted 
to Messrs. Ed. Webb & Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge. 
The strain, as will be seen, possesses much of the 
characteristics of the fancy Pansy, judging from the 
large blotches which constitute so prominent a 
feature of the three lower petals. The flowers are 
smoother, ^however, reminding one of the refined 
race of show varieties. At the same time the flowers 
are less circular and more after the style of Violas in 
this respect. In any case the blotches vary greatly 
in size, and the flower as a whole presents endless 
combinations of colour, as might be expected of a 
strain continually reproduced from seed. The 
blooms are large, brilliant in colour, and, from the 
batches annually raised from a packet of seed, very 
choice forms may be selected, and perpetuated from 
cuttings if the grower feels so inclined. 
-- 
DISEASES AND INSECT PESTS OF 
VEGETABLES. 
(' Concluded, from p. 382.) 
Mildew. 
Another troublesome pest to the Onion is mildew. 
This is most noticeable when dull and cold weather 
sets in after a period of heat. It seems that the 
mildew is already in the soil or air in the form of 
minute spores, and the Onion being one of those 
plants which are liable to the attacks of mildew, 
suffer immediately the atmospheric conditions are 
favourable to its development. The mildew com¬ 
mences its attack on the points of the leaves and 
speedily spreads. Flov.ers of sulphur sown over the 
plants immediately it is noticed is possibly unequalled 
as a remedy if the application is repeated when 
necessary. Mildew attacks the Pea crop also, and 
no doubt the conditions which are favourable to the 
development of the fuDgus on the Onion equally 
apply to the Pea, and nothing further need be said 
respecting it. 
The Pea Moth. 
There are several insects that attack the Pea crop, 
and the caterpillar of the Pea Moth is one of the 
most troublesome. Their chief damage is in the 
" worm-eaten ” and “ maggoty ” Peas often found in 
the pods when the crop is maturing. These maggots 
are about a quarter of an inch long, and usually 
yellowish in colour with a black head. The cater¬ 
pillars go down into the earth to change, and remain 
till spring, then turn to chrysalids, out of which the 
moth appears in June. These moths are usually 
noticeable in the evenings after the sun has set, when 
the Pea is in flower. Their eggs are laid on the 
blossom, and the resulting maggots after about a 
fortnight find their way into the young pod and feed 
on the seed. 
Where the maggot attack is bad the Pea haulm 
should be cleared away and burned without delay 
after the crop has been gathered, so that any pods 
that may have escaped gathering and contain 
maggots may be destroyed before the latter reach 
the ground. 
Parsnip Fly. 
The chief disease of the Parsnip that I am acquainted 
with is that which attacks the crown when the crop 
Webbs' New Diamond Pansy. 
