November 26, 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
199 
impressed us, for we bave never seen larger and finer 
samples of this generally large flower. 
Incurves are a really strong lot this year, and thus 
Syon House is no exception to the general rule, for 
incurves, in the southern counties at all events, 
have done remarkably well this season. Of the 
newer and larger varieties Duchess of Fife has been 
Mr. Wythes’ best variety, but it has been run close 
by Mrs. R. C. Kingston. Mrs. S. Coleman, Jeanne 
d’ Lrc, Bonnie Dundee, Brookleigh Gem, Baron 
Hirsch, Madam Darrier, Queen of England, and 
Golden Empress of India are the cream of the col¬ 
lection, and as these varieties are well known to all 
who know anything about Chrysanthemums there is 
no need to say anything about them beyond that 
they have, in Mr. Wythes’ capable hands, fully 
justified their reputation as standard varieties. 
LARBERT HOUSE, N,B. 
One of the finest displays of Chrysanthemums in 
Scotland is to be seen at Larbert House, the property 
of J. N. E. Graham, Esq., where Mr. Airdrie, the 
gardener, grows about 900 plants, 600 of which are 
cultivated to produce specimen blooms, the remaining 
300 being treated as bush plants. 
The whole of the flowers are remarkable for their 
splendid colour and development, whilst many of 
them are veritable giants in size. The display is 
undoubtedly a " feather in the cap ” of Mr. Airdrie, 
and unmistakable evidence of his skill as a grower. 
Of the show blooms Madame Carnot and its prim¬ 
rose-yellow sport, Mrs. Mease, are magnificent, and 
there are capital samples of Lady Ridgeway, 
Madame Gustave Henry, Mrs. J. Lewis, Viviand 
Morel, Oceana, Pride of Madford, N. C. S. Jubilee, 
Australian Gold, Lady ByroD, Phoebus, M. 
Panckoucke, and Dorothy Seward, amongst the 
Japanese section. 
The new quilled variety, Rayonnante, which was 
certificated by the National Chrysanthemum Society 
early in the present season, is a very distinguished 
member of the collection,and has been much admired 
by visitors to Larbert House. 
Kitcljen G arden Calendar. 
November is usually one of the worst months in the 
year for most gardeners, on account of the day s 
being so dull and damp ; but there are many things 
which can be done that are essential to the well con¬ 
ducted garden, that cannot be done at a better time 
of the year. In the kitchen garden, as in all other 
departments, unless the work is done at the proper 
time, things never seem to do so well. For this 
reason do not lose any opportunity of pushing out¬ 
side work forward, that, when the spring arrives and 
other things are more pressing there may be no 
delay in getting in the crops. As was pointed out 
before the getting on of manure and digging are two 
important items at the present time, therefore when 
the weather is favourable do not neglect them. 
This month, so far, has been very mild, and the 
ground in most places being in good order, the work 
can be accomplished with great ease. Unfortunately 
there are many gardens where the quarters are 
usually so occupied with crops that it is impossible 
to get the work done at the proper time. Where this 
is the case have the manure wheeled to the nearest 
vacant plot, that there may be as little delay as 
possible in getting the work done when the crops are 
cleared off. 
Seakale should now be lifted, and the roots laid 
in under a north wall where they can be covered, 
should the weather be severe. The ground can then 
be dug up roughly, and allowed to remain so till 
spring. 
Rhubarb, for forcing, should also be taken up and 
stored in a heap where it can be covered with litter 
for use as required. The ground can then be 
manured and dug for a future crop. 
Globe Artichokbs. —In low-lying districts, where 
the soil is heavy, Globe Artichokes often suffer 
seriously in severe winters. Protection of some kind 
should therefore be afforded to keep the frost out of 
the ground. Fresh-gathered leaves are a good thing 
for this, as it is seldom that frost will penetrate more 
than 6 in. through them. If these be placed close round 
the plants and the space between the rows covered to 
the thickness of a few inches the roots will be pre¬ 
served in safety till the spring, when they can be 
removed. 
Lettuce will be sure to suffer seriously should a 
sharp frost follow this mild weather. It will there¬ 
fore not be safe to allow those fit for use to remain 
unprotected any longer at night, but as they always 
do best when left undisturbed the great thing is to 
keep them as dry as possible by covering with mats 
or canvas when it rains. If these are put on so as to 
form a ridge, but very little wet will go through. 
Keep all plants as free from falling leaves as 
possible, as these hold so much moisture and help to 
decay the plants. 
Parsley has made rapid progress of late, and as 
there is usually a great demand for this through the 
winter, a patch should be planted where protection 
can be given if required. 
French Beans do not make much progress at 
this dull season, particularly in pits that are not 
sufficiently heated. To prevent a break sow in small 
pots, and pot on when the plants have made their 
first rough leaf. By so doing much valuable space 
will be saved. 
Carrots.— Prepare beds for sowing the first batch 
of Carrot seed. Where leaves are used these should 
be allowed to ferment and then be turned over so as 
to destroy any eggs of snails or other pests that may 
have been gathered up with them. A few Lettuce 
leaves should be placed on the bed to catch any that 
may be lurking in the soil, as these are sure to com¬ 
mence feeding on the young plants as soon as they 
appear through the soil .—Kitchen Gardener. 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
First-class Certificates were awarded to the under¬ 
mentioned Chrysanthemums at a meeting of the 
Floral Committee of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society held at the Royal Aquarium on the 21st 
inst. 
Florrie. —This is a large, single, bright rosy-pink 
variety of considerable merit. The flowers run 
about four inches in diameter. Mr. G. W. Forbes, 
The Gardens, Regent House, Surbiton. 
Victoria. —Here we have a large creamy-yellow, 
single variety with long, slightly drooping florets of 
medium width. Mr. G. W. Forbes. 
Miss Edith Dashwood. —In this we have a very 
handsome Japanese variety. In build and colour the 
bloom recalls Madeline Davis, but the florets are not 
so much twisted, and the shade of pink is, if anything, 
a trifle deeper. Mr. H. Weeks, The Gardens, 
Thrumpton Hall, Derby. 
Mr. J. W. Barcley.— Here we have an entirely 
new type of bloom, very close and heavy in build, 
with broad, massive, reflexing petals of great sub¬ 
stance. The colour is bright rosy-pink. This should 
make a good exhibition bloom for the later 
November shows. Mr. H. Weeks. 
Chatsworth. —This handsome Australian variety 
has attained certificate honours at last, after having 
been shown a number of times. There is a certain 
resemblance to the popular Viviand Morel in the 
build and contour of the flower, but the florets are 
broader and more massive. The colour is pink, 
flushed and blotched deep rose. The size is above 
the average and it has all the makings of a good 
middle row flower. Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, 
Swanley. 
•meanings Jit tun tffc Dmrfti 
of Srieiti3. 
The following subjects were brought up for the con¬ 
sideration of the Scientific Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on the 8th inst. 
Potatos with Scab,—With reference to some 
diseased tubers received some time back, Prof. W. 
G. Smith reports as follows :— 
Almost simultaneously with receipt of specimens 
from the Scientific Committee other specimens were 
received from The Gardeners' Chronicle. Both sets of 
material showed a well marked form of “ scab ” 
involving the tip or growing end of every tuber. 
Freshly cut sections showed a mycelium inside the 
tubers, both in discoloured and normally coloured 
parts. The first result of cultivation was an abun¬ 
dant crop of a Mucor (white mould), which soon 
passed into the zygospore resting stage. An abun¬ 
dant crop of bodies of a fungus nature were also present 
about this time in active growth. Later several other 
fungi appeared. The rotten parts showed the 
presence of bacteria, white mites, and nematode 
worms. Phytophthora was not met with in course 
of the examination. 
The “scab” disease has been ascribed to (1) 
various fungi; (2) bacteria; (3) nematode worms ; (4) 
mites; (5) an organism of a slime-fungus nature 
(Pseudocommis). The material examined was not 
suited to discriminate the actual cause of the 
disease, because four of the above agencies were 
present in company. The presence of a fungus 
mycelium in freshly exposed sections inclines me to 
give the precedence to some fungus. In the cases 
examined moss litter from a stable was used largely 
in one case: the other had also been manured with 
moss litter manure, but the source and quantity are 
not stated. This would seem to indicate that such 
manure offered good nourishment to the fungus. 
Comparing my results with other cases recorded, I 
am inclined to think that the fungus (another cause) 
came from the soil. 
Investigations on Potato scab have been often 
made in the United States, Belgium, Germany, and 
France. No definite cause has as yet been fixed on, 
but experiments in preventive treatment have been 
fairly successful. Of the latter the following have 
been tried in the United States and in Europe:— 
1. Corrosive sublimate—the favourite treatment in 
the United States. When seed tubers are treated 
before planting out with 1 part sublimate in 1,000 
of water for one to two hours good results generally 
follow, although some experiments on badly infested 
land were negative. 
2. Sulphur—also an American favourite. The 
seed tubers are thoroughly dusted with flowers of 
sulphur before planting. One authority speaks 
highly of good results from 300 lbs. sulphur per acre 
applied in the open row, like artificial manures, from 
a drill distributor. The same writer is also in favour 
of a mixture of sulphur and kainit at the rate of 
300 lbs. per acre. 
3. Kainit, for application to land known to be in¬ 
fested. This seems to me a safe cure, and it is 
favourably reported on. 
Akebia quinata.—Foliage and ripe fruit of this 
Berberidaceous climber were received from the 
Dowager Lady Bowman. They were grown in the 
open at Joldwynds, neir DorkiDg. It is a native of 
Japan, and as a rule does not perfect its fruit in this 
climate. 
Cyclamen europaeum with Long Rhizomes. 
—Some plants were sent by Rev. W. Dod, showing 
how this plant can produce its tuber several inches 
below the surface, by means of a long rhizome pene¬ 
trating vertically through the surface soil. At the 
base of the rhizome was the globular tuber. Per¬ 
haps this may have resulted from the prolonged 
drought, so that the tuber might be produced away 
from its influence. 
Teasel Head Proliferous.—Dr. Masters ex¬ 
hibited a specimen in which the bracts of the summit 
became foliaceous. An examination of the tissues 
showed the presence of the fungus Sclerotmia 
libertiana, both the Sclerotia and the Botrytis form 
being present. The probability is that the fungus 
has stimulated the bracts into their abnormal 
growth. 
Apple Trees Cankered.—Dr. Masters alsoexhi- 
bited branches of Apples swollen by Mistletoe, but 
within cracks of the bark there was present the fungus 
Nectria ditissima. He remarked that through 
loosening the soil about the roots by forking it over, 
and by applying manure, the canker had dis¬ 
appeared from the trees so treated. 
Lavender with Dimorphic Leaves.—Dr. Mas¬ 
ters called attention to sprays of Lavender on which 
the majority of the leaves were small, gray with 
stellate hairs, and with inrolled margins, these 
characters being acquired by many plants frequent¬ 
ing arid and hot regions. Some of the leaves, how¬ 
ever, were much larger, dark green and flat, such 
being characteristic of plants in a moister climate. 
The different appearance of the latter is caused by 
there being fewer hairs, and these, instead of having 
long and very slender branching rays, have only 
extremely short ones, with scarcely any branches; 
consequently they scarcely overlap each other and 
