196 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
Nov. 29th, 1884. 
tubers, and entering there proceed to exist upon 
and destroy the flesh direct. This last is the basis 
of the Jensenian system of protective earthing; 
it is the very soul of its practice, for knock away 
this theoretical prop, and the whole system 
collapses. Curiously enough, however, since the 
theory was first propounded in this country, we 
have had seasons so generally favourable to the 
production of healthy Potato crops that no real 
test has been possible. 
Even if it be demonstrated that tubers are 
diseased chiefly through the fungus operating in 
the soil, still we have not been able fully to test 
how far a crop may be protected from such 
sporadic action by the addition over the tubers of 
a thicker coating of soil. Most certainly further 
proof is hardly needed than is now possessed that 
the spores of the Phytophthora do permeate the 
soil, and from that is enabled to disease the 
Potatos. There remains, however, a moot point, 
and one not yet satisfactorily cleared up, as to 
how it is that whilst the spores will disease one 
kind freely, yet another growing under exactly 
similar conditions escapes. When first the famous 
Magnum Bonum was introduced, with its well- 
known disease-resisting powers, it was reasoned 
in accordance with our then existing lights that 
the plant stems were of a hard, woody nature, 
and that the fungus spores were thus unable to 
penetrate through these stems from the foliage 
into the tubers below. The reasoning was crude, 
it is true, but still it does not seem to have been 
shown to be incorrect. It would be absurd to 
say that the skin, or epidermis, of tubers of 
Magnum Bonum or even the flesh is materially 
harder or more resisting than either the skins or 
flesh of Pegent or Victoria Potatos, yet the two 
latter kinds will, in bad seasons, disease fright¬ 
fully. 
The theory of the attack of the tubers in the 
soil affords no tangible explanation of the reason 
why one kind fails to suffer from disease, and 
another, though very like in all other respects, 
yet suffers exceedingly; and it is not at all 
certain that even in the old theory of the descent 
of the spores from the leafage through the stems 
into the tubers, a satisfactory explanation can be 
found either. Ideally we are very much in the 
dark about the eccentricites of the disease, if we 
may term those actions eccentricites which we yet 
fail to understand. Whatever may ultimately 
grow out of the trials of the system of protective 
earthing of Potatos which we have referred to, at 
least the introduction of the operation of the 
system into this country by M. Jensen has very 
materially quickened inquiry, and our scientists 
are no longer content to rest upon old lines 
which time may prove to be fallacies. Let the 
protective system do what it may for the tubers, 
at least it is certain that it can never be made 
instrumental in saving the tops, and upon the 
health and growth of these rest all our hopes of 
a crop. 
That the fungoid spores with the terribly 
technical name, do enter into and exist upon 
foliage and stems all know too well, and a patent 
argument in favour of the old theory as to the 
operation of the spores through the stems, and so 
into the tubers below is found in the common 
experience that the spores are always more 
destructive when rainless, but still foggy or a 
moisture-laden atmosphere prevails. Then the 
spores permeate the leafage and stems fearfully, 
and apparently healthy plants are often half killed 
in a single night. That such sporadic attacks also 
affect the tubers we know too well, and it is to be 
doubted whether any form of protective earthing 
could save a crop under such conditions. If it 
can, then the spores must pass from the leafage 
through the soil into the tubers. If it cannot, 
then the old theory of the passing of the deadly 
spores through the plant stems to the tubers is 
fully substantiated. 
(gmtcnmig llJmtHknjr* 
Mb. William Priest, on his recently leaving New- 
battle Abbey Gardens, of which he had charge for 
about nine years, was entertained to dinner at 
Dalkeith, and presented by his friends with a gold 
watch and chain, and a brooch and bracelet for Mrs. 
Priest. 
Mb. B. Ibwin Lynch, Curator of the Cambridge 
Botanic Gardens, is reported to be about to publish 
a translation of M. Correvon’s new book on Alpine 
plants. 
The German Imperial Government have issued a 
notice to the effect that the importation of living 
plants into Germany from a country which does not 
belong to the International Phylloxera Convention is 
prohibited. 
The death is announced of Mr. Parker Hammond, 
of Pampisford Hall, Cambridge, an enthusiastic 
collecter and planter of Conifers, and the owner of 
one of the most complete collections of these trees in 
the kingdom. 
Mr. J. S. Bocicett, the well-known solicitor of 
Stamford Hill, died on the 19th inst. Until within a 
few months ago, Mr. Bockett’s name was a familiar 
one in the Orchid world, his collection being known 
to contain many gems. • 
Mb. Kobert Oubridge, of the Church Walk Nursery, 
Stoke Newington, died on the 13th inst., aged fifty- 
seven years. Mr. Oubridge, who was formerly gardener 
to Mr. Foster of Stamford Hill, had for some years 
been in business as a market grower, and was much 
respected by a wide circle of friends. 
Mr. W. E. Bennett, of Condover, Shrewsbury, has 
favoured us with a specimen of a Safety Ligature which 
he has introduced to prevent trees from being damaged 
by rubbing against stakes or otherwise, and which 
consists of short sliding lengths of thick gutta-percha 
tubing put on copper wire. The part between the 
tree and the stake and the wire that surrounds the 
tree stem is thus covered, so that no abrasion of the 
bark can take place. 
Mr. Lewis Castle, formerly of the Eoyal Gardens, 
Ivew, is preparing for early publication a little work on 
Cactaceous Plants, which will contain “the history 
and culture of a family of plants remarkable for the 
singularity of their forms and the beauty of their 
flowers.” It will be published at The Journal of 
Horticulture office. 
On Saturday, the 15th inst., Mr. Mackellar, Abney 
Hall, Clieadle, read two excellent papers on “ The 
Tuberose” and “ Eucharis amazonica,” before the 
members of the Preston and Fulwood Horticultural 
Society, and which we shall publish in our next 
number. 
Mb. Calver, nurseryman, Ludlow, recently brought 
an action against the Ludlow Brick, Tile, and Pipe 
Company, to recover damages for injury done to his 
nursery stock, and which at the last Salop Assizes 
was referred to arbitration. The hearing of the 
reference took place at Ludlow in October, and the 
arbitrator has now made his award, the purport of 
which is that the defendants are to pay the sum of 
£31 13s. 4eZ, as damages, to erect a tall chimney before 
the 1st of May, and to conduct the burning of bricks 
hereafter in such a manner as to give off the least 
possible smoke or fume. The defendants to pay all 
costs. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
November, 1884. 
Their tender blossoms greet our eye, 
Beneath the grey November sky, 
Like snow-wreaths in the valleys piled, 
Like summer clouds or fairy child, 
Their fragile beauty strews our way, 
As moonlit night turns into day 
The darkest hour, on this fair earth 
Their blossoms smile in time of dearth. 
O’er garden wall, or trellised stair, 
They fling their branches, sweet and fair, 
Or elust’ring on the window bright 
Eeflect the glow of sunset’s light; 
As in old age our cherished friend 
Grows dearer as we reach the end ; 
So we would greet this lovely flower, 
That crowns the year’s fast dying hour. 
Minnie M'Kean in The Scotsman. 
ASPLENIUM HORRIDUM. 
This distinct and handsome evergreen stove fern 
which Mr. B. S. Williams, of Holloway, sent out last 
spring, has so much struck us several times during 
the summer, as being a plant worthy of wide cultiva¬ 
tion, that we venture to bring it under the notice of 
our readers. Mr. Williams, to whom we are indebted 
for our illustration, describes the plant as follows :— 
The fronds are large, 3 ft. or more in length, and a 
foot in breadth, produced on stout stipes which are 
bristling with dark brown fibrillose scales. The 
fronds are leathery in texture, opaque, of an ovate- 
lanceolate form, pinnated, the pinnae numerous, 
spreading 5 to 6 ins. long, broadly linear-lanceolate, 
that is, with an unequally wedge-shaped base, from 
which they narrow gradually to an acuminate point; 
they are divided half-way to the rachis in obovate or 
rhomboidal lobes, which are truncate with an entire 
or slightly toothed apex. The sori are linear-oblong, 
and are disposed in two parallel lines alongside the 
midrib and rachis, a few also being placed in the 
opposite direction on the larger lobes. The shaggy 
lurid ferruginous hair-scales, which are abundant also 
on the stipes and primary and secondary raehides, give 
the plant a peculiar rugged and weird aspect, which, 
together with the bold hard character of the fronds, 
render the plants very striking and effective. It is a 
native of the Sandwich Islands, and has been for a 
year or two under cultivation, during which time its 
peculiarities have been thoroughly tested. 
- - T~ ^—- 
MORE WORDS ABOUT PEAS. 
It may seem strange to some readers, on a first thought, 
that any one should elect to write about Peas now, 
seeing that they are over and done for, for this season. 
Afterreflectionwill,however,showthatreallynowis the 
time of the year, the very time of all the year, when 
they should be written about, and for this reason 
above others, that, in a measure, the performances— 
good, bad, or indifferent (if there are these degrees of 
comparison in their cultivation of the year)—of the 
different varieties is fresh in the mind of the gardener, 
and also because very soon he will be ordering his 
seed, for the early sowing at least, even if he is not 
about doing it now. There are it must be known to 
the uninitiated those who sow their earliest Peas in 
November, and the subject is therefore one of great 
importance to them. These November sowers of 
early Peas, though, are men who understand Pea¬ 
growing thoroughly, and have all the necessary 
appliances to protect them through the rigours of 
winter and spring, and those who have not these 
appliances, and good sheltered positions on which to 
put their early crops, had better defer sowing until 
the new year. At least that is the advice I should 
give them, because it is the course I pursue myself. 
It may be urged by those who desire very early Peas 
and have not the best of positions, or plenty of protect ing 
agents, that November may be the best month to sow 
in, even for them, because of the chances there might 
be of an open winter and a genial spring ; and that 
therefore it is best always to sow in November. I do 
not care to argue the question. Let every man do as 
he thinks best. If November sowing suits you and is 
profitable to you, my friend, by all means sow in 
November. “ Let every man be fully persuaded in 
his own mind.” The reason I do not sow in November 
is that I he cold and bleak, my garden looking to the 
North-East, and from a practice of many years now, I 
know that I can get the best results—table results— 
from sowing in January, than I can from sowing in the 
old year, and I am free from the anxiety of the effects 
of three of the coldest months of the year. I am also 
free from the misery of seeing my early rows of Peas 
cut off or laid flat on the ground, when three or four 
inches high, in March or April, because of their fast 
growth through a mild February, and as I can get a 
dish of early Peas in the first or second week in June 
from sowing in January I am quite satisfied. I would 
have every one to study well his requirements and his 
means, and then work accordingly. Try sowing in 
November, and if that practice succeeds keep it up, if 
not, try sowing in January, and that practice is bound 
to succeed. We are told that “ nothing succeeds 
