February 1, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
341 
whereas in liquor made from the bark of the Santa 
Cruz Oak, the best known in the Pacific States, the 
time required is seventy-five to eighty days. The black 
Wattle contains 30 to 32 per cent, of tannic acid, 
broad-leaved Wattle 26 to 28 per cent.; Santa Cruz 
Oak 16 to 18 per cent., and other kinds of Oak less 
still. Although the broad-leaved Wattle has less acid, 
it has certain advantages over the black variety. It is 
a larger and handsomer tree, and can withstand a 
greater amount of frost. 
The Winter Moth.—At the last meeting of the 
Scientific Committee, Mr. Wilson called attention to a 
communication in the Hereford Times of November 
9th, 1889, as to the efficacy of greased bands as a 
check to the insect, and wherein Mr. Cranston says :— 
“I consider that the greasing process which is being 
adopted is injurious to the bark of the trees, especially 
to young trees. To the older trees it may possibly not 
do much harm, but I believe the old plan of painting 
the trunks of the trees with a solution of quicklime is 
the best. Some use soot with the lime, but I don’t 
know that the soot is of much consequence except to 
dull the white glare of the lime. The painting should 
be done in the autumn.” Mr. McLachlan pointed out 
that the proposed trap to be affixed to the lamp-post, 
in the case of suburban fruit plantations, would be 
practically useless, as only the male insects w’ould be 
thus captured, the females being nearly destitute of 
wings, and incapable of flight. All attempts at 
stamping out the winter moth should be directed to 
the destruction of the females, which are capable of 
depositing eggs for many generations in succession 
without the intervention of the male. The capture of 
myriads of males would not have the slightest appreci¬ 
able effect on the fertility of the untrapped females. 
-—>-x<-- 
CELERY FOR EXHIBITION. 
I once thought that Celery could only be grown in 
England, and by Englishmen, to perfection, but during 
recent years I have had ample opportunity of observing 
Celery at the principal English and Scotch shows, and 
consequently have somewhat modified my opinion, 
because I have seen so many examples of Celery 
produced in Scotland that were not a whit behind the 
finest English grown. This is as it should be, when 
we remember that the miners of Northumberland can 
grow as good Celery as can be produced in all England, 
equalling even that grown in Lancashire, which has 
always been famous for Celery and Onions. 
The best method of treatment from beginning to end 
I believe to be as follows :—Sow the seed in boxes of 
good rich soil, which has been made fine on the top, 
some time during the first half of February, cover very 
lightly, and shade until the seeds germinate. The box 
must be placed in a hot-bed or warm greenhouse, with, 
if possible, a bottom heat of 60° or 65°. After the 
plants are ^-in. long raise the box up to within 1 ft. of 
the glass, if it is placed further than that from it. 
Allow the plants to grow on in the box until they are 
large enough for potting—say when 2 ins. tall. If 
they are too crowded in the seed box they should be 
thinned out. Three-inch pots should be used, and one 
plant placed in the centre of each pot, filled with a fine 
mellow rich compost. Grow on for a fortnight or three 
weeks in the greenhouse after potting, then remove to 
a frame, when the plants can gradually be made hardy 
and fit for planting out early in May. 
Where and how they are to be planted are crucial 
questions. Select a warm sheltered spot in the 
garden, and then make the Celery trench. Set a 
garden line along one side of the proposed trench, and 
mark the ground with the spade, then move the line 
and place it 2 ft. from the line already marked on the 
soil, and exactly parallel to it; mark this one also 
with the spade, and then proceed to throw out the 
trench to the depth of 18 ins. Place 6 ins. of good 
rough manure at the very bottom of the trench, and 
then tread it firmly down. On the top of this place 
another 6 ins. of a compost of half soil and half 
thoroughly well-decomposed manure. The last 6 ins. 
should be filled in with a similar mixture, but not 
quite so strong, and it should, if possible, have a 
barrowful of rough leaf-soil worked into it, the whole 
being passed through a riddle, say of lj-in. mesh. 
Now, what is to be done with the soil first thrown out ? 
Pass it all through the riddle, and ridge it up neatly 
each side of the trench. The trench when finished 
should resemble the letter M, with a wide flat space in 
the centre. The plants should then be placed in this 
trench. It will hold two rows at 12 ins. apart, but 
the plants must be placed 18 ins. apart, to give them 
sufficient room. I write more for the guidance of those 
whose gardens may be of a limited extent when I advise 
the width of the trench to be only 2 ft. It might 
with advantage be made 6 ins. wider if the space can be 
spared. Blanching, which is so important, I will, 
perhaps, treat of in a future note if Mr. Editor has no 
objection. — IV. C. Springfield, Rothesay. [Please 
do. — Ed.] 
-- 
CUCUMIS DIPSACEUS. 
In many establishments there are ugly fences or walls 
to hide, or other unsightly objects to be screened from 
view. Of course this can be effected by many plants, 
both annual, perennial, evergreen, or deciduous shrubs ; 
but one naturally desires as much variety as possible. 
Cucumis dipsaceus is both curious, interesting and 
ornamental, as may be seen by reference to our illustra¬ 
tion, which represents a plant trained so as to cover a 
brick wall. There are many suitable places surrounding 
or skirting the flower garden where a plant or two 
would be quite in accordance with the surroundings. 
It might also be used in conjunction with Humulus 
japonicus for covering arbours, trellis-work and latticed 
summer houses. The fruits are small and of no 
economic value, but they are covered with a dense 
arrangement of bristly hairs, and, to some extent, 
resemble those of the Squirting Cucumber (Ecballium 
elaterium). The leaves are broadly heart-shaped, very 
little lobed or merely obsoletely angled, and very 
different from most members of the Cucumber family. 
Seeds may be sown in heat, and the seedlings treated 
in the same way as for Cucumbers or Vegetable 
Marrows, until the weather becomes sufficiently warm 
Cucumis dipsaceus. 
for planting them out in May or the beginning of June. 
Other Cucurbits that may be used for similar purposes 
are Thladiantha dubia and Bryonia dioica, both pro¬ 
pagated by division of their tubers or by seeds. 
--- 
A HALL FOR HORTICULTURE. 
Were I disposed to take sides at all in the discussion 
which seems to be growing up over this topic, I should 
favour Mr. Cannell’s view to that of Mr. Hibberd. 
Doubtless both are put forward in entire good faith, 
and so far as Mr. Cannell is concerned, with most 
unselfish enthusiasm. All who properly estimate Mr. 
Cannell’s character understand that although a shrewd 
practical man of business, he is, in relation to horti¬ 
culture, all the same animated by the purest and most 
ardent sentiments. He desires to see his beloved art 
placed on a higher pedestal nationally than it now 
occupies, and in advocating the establishment in 
London of a Hall for Horticulture, it is in the belief 
that in providing a central home or habitation for all 
horticultural bodies in the metropolis, great good would 
be done in the direction aimed at. 
But balancing the respective proposals—erecting a 
hall as a commercial enterprise, and doing it by voluntary 
subscriptions—I think on calm consideration the weight 
is with the latter suggestion. Not that I have any 
great faith in either suggestion being brought to realisa¬ 
tion, but I do distrust the attempt to do it on a 
commercial basis, for che simple reason that there is no 
prospect whatever that it would pay. Suppose such a 
hall were erected, and our metropolitan societies housed 
in it, yet if it proved commercially to be a failure, it is 
inevitable that in a year or two these bodies would 
either have to find other homes, the hall being diverted 
to more profitable uses, or else the societies would have 
to burthen themselves with a cumbrous debt to keep 
the hall over their heads. 
Probably not one horticulturist, however optimistic, 
believes that as a commercial undertaking the hall 
would be a profitable one. With all respect to Mr. 
Hibberd, therefore, I think that suggestion of his may 
be put aside for good. But it will be argued that Mr. 
Cannell’s proposal is not less hopeless. Perhaps so, 
but if it is it will not be holding out false hopes of 
profits which can never be realised. On the other 
hand, there can be no doubt we have in connection with 
horticulture many very wealthy men. Did a dozen of 
these form themselves into a body of trustees, find the 
£50,000 needful for the erection of the hall, offices, &c., 
and grant its use to every horticultural body needing it 
on some easy terms, arranging times for use, 
preferences, &c., and holding in their hands absolute 
control of the buildings, the thing could, of course, be 
done. To suppose that any number of persons will 
subscribe the sum named in small amounts is entirely 
out of the question. 
Admirable as might be a central home for horticul¬ 
ture in London, yet the demand for it is of a some¬ 
what sentimental nature, and stronger motives than 
those of mere sentiment are needed to inspire large 
numbers of persons to give to the object in question. 
Again, horticulture is not limited to the metropolis, 
although the gardening press and some important 
bodies associated with horticulture are located there. 
Horticulture is found throughout the entire kingdom, 
and each part has its own need to satisfy, caring 
nothing for those of London. If Mr. Cannell can get a 
small body of generous donors, all will be well; if he 
cannot we must go without the hall.— A. D. 
-- 
A MONSTER CAMELLIA. 
There is in the neighbourhood of Birmingham, a 
double white Camellia in a conservatory in the garden 
of The Henburys, at Moseley, the residence of G. F. 
Lyndon, Esq. The plant in question is 18 ft. high, 
and was higher, but quite 6 ft. of the top had to be 
cut away a few years since, as the tree, standing as it 
does in a large square box, was too tall for the house. 
It is a wonderfully fine well-formed tree, fully 18 ft. 
through, in luxuriant health, large foliage, and with 
full-sized blossoms. It has been flowering since Nov¬ 
ember, and will continue until March, for after thin- 
ing-out a great quantity of bloom-buds, between 4,000 
and 5,000 were left to expand. 
I saw the tree in the middle of February, and then 
there must have been 300 or more fine blooms open. 
The tree is about seventy-five years old, and is growing 
in a large substantial box 6 ft. square, 3 ft. deep, and 
with branches hanging over the side of the box. A 
dressing of artificial manure is occasionally given, and 
copious waterings as required — quite twenty gallons 
being given to the plant at one time. This tree has a 
reputation about Birmingham, and it will be interest¬ 
ing to many gardeners about that city to know if 
larger trees cultivated under glass exist.— D. S. H. 
-■*=£<«- 
PAPER AS A PROTECTING 
MATERIAL. 
I CAN endorse the remarks of “W. B. G.” (p. 295), 
anent the value of paper as a protector from frost, as it 
is simple, cheap, and efficacious. I remember some 
years ago having to look after a lot of frame Potatos, 
and although we had plenty of mats 1 found it difficult 
to keep those things in position during windy weather, 
as the pit was rather steep pitched, having wooden 
shutters slightly sloping at the back. I therefore con¬ 
ceived the idea of covering these Potatos with papers 
— Times if I could procure them, as I found more 
substance in them than some of our “ locals.” Paper 
in sheets did not damage the haulm, but any other 
protector placed on the tops would in all probability 
have bent them down. I do not remember the lowest 
reading of the thermometer, but I know the paper 
saved the Potatos from harm. 
Of course, when paper is used as a protector it becomes 
damp, and as “ W. B. G.” remarks, it should be taken 
off and dried before being used again, which can soon 
be accomplished by laying it on the hot-water pipes. 
Any protecting material to be effectual must be dry ; 
but it is difficult during the winter months to keep 
garden mats so without a sufficient stock to form 
relays, and then they form an expensive item in many 
garden accounts, though in some hands mats will last 
twice the time they will in others. When they are 
first received they should be “ tied ” before being used. 
In no case should they be called into requisition for 
