May 6, 1899. 
the gardening world. 
571 
IN LIGHTER VEIN. 
Our Mutual Experiment Society. 
I think I told you, Mr. Editor, we were about to 
take a larger room for our meetings. Well, that was 
not a success, somehow. You remember I said our 
discussions were always temperate, and so, I suppose, 
they, like temperate plants, require a suitable tem¬ 
perature—a certain range beyond nd below which 
is not conducive to eloquence. Things seemed 
to go wrong altogether. The gases exchanged 
too freely for our comfort. The dynamo broke down 
and the light was dim. The chairman could not see 
the speakers; the writer of the paper was unable to 
attend owing to an attack of influenza. The cats in 
the rear of the room had an opposition meeting, or a 
tryst. At any rate, they had a discussion. All the 
while the thermometer was falling. Hats, which 
were removed, were replaced. Cold shivers ran 
down our backs. The discussion ran down to zero, 
notwithstanding a good paper and a first-rate start. 
Finally, the chairman was appealed to to sum up 
and pronounce the benediction, which he did, after a 
proposition had been put, seconded, and carried, that 
of the two evils we prefer death by suffocation. It 
was a record night in one respect. Votes of thanks, 
&c.,had all been passed, business concluded, and the 
weed well alight by 9 50. 
So much for our experiment. Of coure, it was 
only as an experiment that it was tried, so next week 
we return to our dear, old, cosy room—unless the 
landlord has found another tenant. Of course, we 
are practical men and understand the interchange of 
gases and of the risks incurred by an accumulation of 
carbon dioxide in a confined area; still, if it came to 
the worst, we should have this satisfaction, or rather 
our friends would be consoled by the thought that 
we perished in the cause of mutual improvement. 
Our secretary, we regret to learn, has fallen a 
victim to the dread influenza. I fear he picked up a 
microbe in our new room. Doubtless, it crept in 
along with the paper he read, the writer of which 
had inadvertently used a bacillus as a comma. (A 
week after.) Being a man of energy and resource he 
overcame his tiresome but invisible foe. This we 
learnt at our last meeting .—A Member. 
The Bramble. —It has often occured to me that 
more might be attempted in the development and 
culture of the Bramble or Blackberry. The fruits 
of our native species, Rubus fruticosus are very 
frequently employed in tarts, either alone or with 
currants, and Bramble-jam has a charm and flavour 
comparable with the best. 
It flourishes in a diversity of soils, but one or two 
qualities are always found peculiar to its habitat. 
These are a deep, cool, moist, yet freely drained 
humic or peaty loam or clay. Also a special purity 
and moistness of the air is an important factor in the 
natural conditions of Rubus fruticosus. But the 
common wild Bramble has been improved, only the 
growth of these better forms on a large scale has not 
yet been attempted ; yet the fruits command a ready 
market. 
Mr. Rivers, of Sawbridgeworlh, long ago crossed 
Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry), with the species under 
mention, and obtained hybrids between the two, 
many of the varieties of which are now classed with 
what we term Raspberries. 
But the true Bramble and its improved varieties, 
as Mammoth, Parsley-leaved, Wilson, Jun., and 
Wilson's Early, have a sturdiness and acid flavour 
not found in the Raspberry. The culture of both, 
however, is alike. 
The cutting out of superfluous and dead wood is 
all they require in the way of pruning. Mulch the 
ground in December, and in April or earlier, after 
having removed the dry and useless part of the 
winter mulch, point what remains into the soil, but 
do not go deep. The Brambles, however, if fed beyond 
a certain point run too much to wood, and are also 
late in flowering. Tall arches are the most con- 
vienent and ornamental supports ; and stout wire- 
trellis answers very well. Shorten back the points 
of shoots at the fall of the leaf. 
Strawberries.— If the mauure waterings which 
we advised in the last Fruit Calendar have been 
applied, it will now be time to see about straw or dry 
grass to line the beds. Long stable litter is frequently 
used, but if the season is dry this stuff does not 
become thoroughly cleared, so we prefer to use clean 
straw right away. 
Gooseberries at this time of the year or earlier 
are sometimes badly infested by a sawfly — Nematus 
ribesii— the females of which lay their eggs along 
the under ribs of the leaves. 
In a weak or so the larvae hatch out, and they 
are the rogues who defoliate the bushes. In three 
weeks they are full-grown and fall to the ground to 
pupate, that is, to change to the full-grown form, 
just a little below the surface of the soil. 
Then, of course, they start afresh the story of their 
own life-history by reproducing their species. 
Preventives are, to dust soot over the leaves, 
front and back, on a dewy morning; or one part 
soot and one part lime may be used. Spraying with 
a solution made from— 
6 lb. soft soap, 
6 lb. paraffin, 
100 gallons of water 
boiled up and thoroughly stirred, and when cool 
sprayed on several times, is another method. 
Keep an eye open also for the Magpie moth which 
appears among the Gooseberries in May. 
The Gooseberry mite—Bryobia pretiosa—should 
also be awaited for, and if the leaves show the least 
signs of a browned or reddened appearance examine 
them with a lens for this mite. Spray with the 
above wash. 
Raspberries are occasionally, but not often 
troubled by a little moth which lays her eggs 
in the flowers of this fruit, and in a short while the 
caterpillars are seen crawling about. These begin 
very soon to eat and live upon the fruits, after which 
they in a short time crawl under the loose bark or 
bore into the stem. They pass the winter in a cocoon. 
Now, if we are to prevent this moth we must scrap 
away the loose surface soil and remove it. And the 
same handy means of prevention as for Gooseberries 
can be employed, that is, dustings with soot and 
lime, and these ingredients should also be forked 
into the soil. Nip off and burn infested buds — 
J. H. D. 
Tlie Oicniil Brower’s calendar. 
Cymbidiums. —This is a grand family, and if taking 
up a good bit of space they always can be depended 
on to give gocd results with ordinary care and 
attention. 
The compact and graceful-looking C. eburneum 
we place first, on account of its beautiful clear white 
and fragrant flowers. It grows well in an inter¬ 
mediate temperature, such as Cattleyas and things 
enjoy ; but the shadiest part of the structure should 
be set apart for the Cymbidiums Being strong 
rooted plants they require plenty of pot room, and 
the compost rather of the strong order. Thus, to 
two parts of peat, we add one part of fibrous loam, 
and one part of chopped sphagnum moss, with some 
coarse silver sand. The drainage, whilst being 
ample, should not be such that the plant cannot be 
placed just below the rim of the pot, for the foliage 
and roots suggest that the plant is more of an 
aquatic than otherwise, and will, therefore, require 
plenty of moisture at the roots during the growing 
season. 
C. giganteum lowianum. —If, of course, of much 
more robust habit, this must be treated accord¬ 
ingly. Thus, instead of two parts peat we use two 
parts loam and one of peat. 
Then we have the beautiful C. tracyanum, which 
is probably a natural hybrid beween C. giganteum 
and C. hookerianum. Its habit is similar to C. g. 
lowianum. It has one peculiarity, which we have 
never noticed in either of the suggested parents, and 
that is, it throws up numerous erect roots, again 
suggestive of their being found in swampy places. 
We have some growing with the Odontoglossums, 
and some with the Cattleyas. To the eye, when out 
of flower, the ones grown cool are the most attrac¬ 
tive, but when in flower the ones that are afforded 
the extra bit of heat are much the best, on account 
of their having much longer spikes, and, of course, 
more flowers. We shall be repotting ours in the 
course of a few days, using the compost as recom¬ 
mended above. 
Thunia marshalliana, —This is not very often 
seen now. The reason is not, perhaps, far to seek. 
It does not lend itself to the cut flower business as 
do some others, neither do the individual flowers last 
a great while, but it keeps on producing fresh ones. 
As an exhibition plant it is useful on that account, 
although it does not carry as much weight as it did 
fifteen years ago. They do best in a stove tempera¬ 
ture, and if rather liberally treated as regards water 
when growing, right up to the time the flowers fade. 
After that, and the leaves have fallen, only just 
enough to keep them from shrivelling should be 
given, and if they can be placed in a lower tempera¬ 
ture so much the better. 
Lycastes. —This is another fine genus of Orchids, 
somewhat neglected, judging by their absence from 
the sale rooms and exhibitions. They can be grown 
cool, which in itself should be a recommendation, 
besides lasting a good time. They do not seem very 
particular as to compost. We have grown then, 
entirely in peat as well as loam alone, with about 
equal results. There is one thing, however, which 
must not be omitted, and that is moisture at the 
roots when growing. When the pseudo-bulbs have 
completed growth, and the plants are in flower, a 
drier course of treatment must be observed, or the 
fleshy flowers will soon become spotted.—S. C. 
-- 
<® leanings figim ffje Dmtfii 
af Scicmtt. 
The undermentioned subjects were discussed at the 
meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on April 18th. 
Alpine Auriculas, mildewed.—A plant was 
received from Rev. C. Wolley-Dod infected by a 
fungus. It was forwarded to Dr. W. G. Smith for 
examination. 
Apple Wood, diseased.—Some specimens 
received from Mr. Basham, were also sent to Dr. 
Smith. 
Germination of Daphne Mezereum.—Mr. 
Elwes described some curious differences between 
the germination of some seeds of this shrub, in that 
the plumule grew up normally above ground, while 
in others, from some unaccountable cause, it appeared 
to be arrested for a long period before appearing, 
although they sent down roots under-ground in the 
usual way. 
Hyacinth stem and leaves growing down¬ 
wards.—Mr. Henslow showed a plant, the bulb of 
which had been accidentally inserted upside down. 
The roots had grown normally downwards; but the 
shoot, instead of turning upwards towards the light, 
had also grown vertically downwards. It subse¬ 
quently elevated the bulb into the air, removing all 
the roots from the soil, and continued to grow solely 
at the expense of the nourishment contained in the 
bulb. The flower stalk closely invested by the leaves, 
was 7 in. in length. 
Carnations attacked by Acarus.—Mr Michael 
reported upon the specimens sent to the last meeting 
as follows :—“ The Carnation pest is a Tarsonymus. 
All this genus are destructive and difficult to 
eradicate in consequence of their leaf and stalk¬ 
mining habits.” 
D iseased Carnations —Dr. W. # G. Smith,Leeds 
reports as follows " On the Carnations sent none 
of the fungi usually present were found— e.g., rust, 
leaf spot, fairy ring spot. The symptoms presented 
are those of the disease known as 1 bacteriosis.’ This 
is the name given by Arthur and Bolley (Purdue Uni. 
Agric. Exp. Station, Bulletin 59, 1896), because they 
ascribed the disease to the action of a Bacterium 
(B dianthi). They were able to infect healthy plants 
with cultures from diseased. A Belgian investigator. 
Paul Nypels, published in 1898 (‘ Notes Patholo- 
giques ’) some observations on the disease, which 
point to some other agent than bacteria as the 
primary cause. Other workers also hold this view. 
The disease is well known, and very destructive in 
indoor cultivation of Carnations in the United States 
and in Belgium. The conditions favourable to it are 
overcrowding, defective ventilation, and the effect of 
moisture on the foliage, due to overhead watering. 
Prevention is evident, except for the last item 
mentioned; but overhead watering must be reduced 
as much as possible. The structure of the Carnation 
leaf indicates a plant suited to a dry, open situation, 
like our native Dianthus, on rocks, old walls, and 
