564 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 8, 1897. 
field suffered less from Finger-and-toe than 
the farmer expected, that remedy is the 
most practicable which costs least, and 
gives the best result. Gas lime is valued 
at 3s. per ton, and caustic lime at 15s. per 
ton. On the contrary, though least effect¬ 
ive, sulphate of copper costs 22s. per 
cwt., and bleaching powder 16s. for the 
same weight. 
The experiments carried out at Heading- 
ton, Oxfordshire, had the same object in 
view as at Melplash, and were equally, if 
not more interesting, because they_ show 
under what conditions the disease is most 
virulent. Rich soil, deficient in lime, bore 
a poor crop of Swedes, more or less 
decimated by Finger-and toe, whereas a 
shallower soil overlying limestone rocks and 
containing 5-49 per cent, of lime, was 
comparatively free from disease. It may 
here be remarked that the use of farmyard 
manure had considerably increased the 
attack ; while outside the experimental 
plots the soil was almost bare in places 
owing to the ravages of the disease. The 
effect of farmyard manure is significant, and 
would indicate that it serves to carry the 
spores from a previous crop of Turnips to 
fresh ground. Strange to say, the ground 
that received no dressing gave the greatem 
weight of sound roots, while gas limes 
caustic lime, basic slag, and chalk came 
next in order of merit, respectively. Of the 
dressed plots, bleaching powder, basic slag, 
and sulphate of copper in this order, gave 
the lightest total weights of crop. The 
same plots are to be used next year without 
further dressing, to ascertain whether the 
fungicides require considerable time to dis¬ 
infect the soil. Gardeners may, with a 
certain assurance of their effectiveness 
continue to use gas lime and caustic lime 
as remedies for clubbing amongst Cabbages 
and other members of the same tribe. 
■s» 
Royal Botanic Society.—Owing to the late cold 
weather having kept back the flowers, the show of 
the National Tulip Society, which had been 
announced to take place in the gardens, on May 5th 
and 6th, has been postponed to the 12th and 13th. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, May nth, in the Drill 
Hall, James Street, Westminster, one to five p.m. 
At three o’clock a lecture will be given by Mr. G. 
Massee, F.L.S., on “ Diseases of Plants, especially 
of Orchids.” 
Erratum. — On p. 350 in the ninth line from the top, 
for “not promising,” read “most promising.” 
Since this was written we have had severe weather 
for the season ; but hardy fruits generally are not 
much affected by the frost, hail, and heavy rains. 
Small fruits in early positions have suffered much, 
but bush fruits generally promise to be a good crop. 
We planted these where the early morning sun is 
shaded by large Beech trees, and the frost is then off 
most of the bushes before the sun shines upon them. 
We attribute the complete observance of failure in a 
great measure to this. Tall fruit trees in the same 
positions are, however, not so favoured. — M. T., 
Carr on. 
Wild Flowers in Devon. —“ in sweet Devon's fair 
land ” the amateur botanist, or any other botanist 
for the matter of that, may find an abundance of 
flowers to interest him. In the shade of the thinner 
copses the Wood-Sorrel has taken the place of the 
Windflower, the Wood Sanicle is just coming into 
bloom, and the brown spikelets of the Wcod Melic, 
so much relished by pheasants, are to be seen. The 
blossoms of the Red Campion, and the spathe of the 
Cuckoo Pint are common. By the sides of the 
streams may be seen Comfrey and Figwort, Flags 
and Sedges in profusion, whilst the Brooklime and 
the Water Avens have a’ready opened their blossoms. 
Walks amidst such surroundings can scarcely fail to 
be interesting. 
The Black Spot cf Tomatos is caused by a fungus 
named Cladosporium Lycopersici. It was rather 
ingenious of a writer in answering his correspondents 
to say that the black rot was caused by a fungus 
named Macrosporium Tomato. Well, after all, 
“ what's in a name ? ” he may reply. 
Princess of Wales Violet, otherwise known as 
Princesse de Galles, is making headway towards 
becoming highly popular and widely cultivated on 
both sides of the Atlantic. The large size of the 
flowers, their rich colour, delicious cdour and long 
stalks account for the rising popularity of the variety. 
The size and shape of the flowers show that the 
Violet is now more rapidly undergoing evolution 
than formerly. 
The Sparrow Once Again.—A defender of the 
sparrow has recently written to the Board of Agri¬ 
culture urging that the Government be appealed to, 
to take measures to protect this useful bird. The 
result of leaving it unpersecuted would be, he said, 
a tendency to improve the prospects of agriculture. 
It is most likely that the gentleman in question will 
be welcome to all the sparrows that his land will 
contain—as far as the farmers and gardeners are 
concerned. 
Boya’ Allotments.—“ Train up a child in the way 
he should go,” says a very old book, and the Surrey 
County Council evidently believe in the motto. In 
several parts of the county boys’ allotments have 
been made, wherein boys of the ages of from four¬ 
teen to eighteen may learn the way to garden. The 
ground, manure, and seeds are furnished free to the 
boys, and a competent gardener supervises and 
instructs them. Prizes also are given for the best 
results. This is an example that might well be 
followed by other county councils in various parts 
of the country, for it would admirably supplement 
the work carried on amongst the seniors, and would, 
moreover, develop in the juniors the faculty of 
observation and resource. 
Flax Cultivation in England.—The success of the 
proposed revival of Flax growing in England will 
depend upon that of the “ English Fibre Industries 
Co , Ltd.,” in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. If this 
company is able to continue the prices offered for 
Flax and Hemp, farmers in the district should find 
it profitable. At present the price offered for Flax 
is £4 per ton with the seed on. A fair crop is 2J 
tons per acre, this mak'mg £g, the value per acre of 
such a crop. The cost per acre is under £7. For 
Hemp the company will pay £3 10s. per ton. A low 
average crop of this is three tons to the acre,whilst the 
expenses are equal to those incurred in growing Flax. 
About 8,000 acres of Flax and Hemp are now being 
grown for the company, and if the venture proves a 
success this area will doubtless be largely increased. 
No Flowers for Hospitals.—Bearing in mind the 
pleasure given to the patients in hospitals by the 
sight of flowers, it seems a cruel and arbitrary 
measure to deprive them cf the enjoyment. After 
due consideration however, it has been decided that 
the exclusion of flowers is necessary. Flowers placed 
in water cause the latter to quickly ferment, and 
numbers of microbes find a lodging place and con¬ 
genial propagating ground therein, to the danger of 
patients already weakened by disease. The only 
alternative to the rigid exclusion of flowers would be 
the frequent changing of the water iaw'bich they are 
placed, and also the prohibition of cut flowers being 
kept longer than twelve hours in a room. Experience 
has demonstrated however, that no matter how strict 
the discipline it is impossible to insure the sick 
against infringement or neglect of the rules. Then 
again, the cdour of some flowers has a deleterious 
influence varying of course with the character and 
strength of the individual. According to eminent 
laryngologists such as Dr. Fannel, and the late Sir 
Morell Mackenzie, the flowers which are most 
injurious are the Violet, Rose, Heliotrope, Gardenia, 
and Mignonette. Their perfume is said to produce 
a paresis of the constrictor muscles of the glottis, and 
spasm of the bronchial tube, after which dreadful 
warnings we shall of course never w ear the Gardenia 
more as a buttonhole, or eagerly sniff the perfume of 
the Mignonette, whilst we shall tear the Rose and 
Heliotrope root and branch from our gardens, and 
shun the Violet bed as an insidious snare. 
A rook, it is said, will destroy 700,000 insects 
annually. 
Kentish Fruit Growers are anticipating a fine 
seasoD, for the promise of heavy crops is better this 
year than it has been for many years previous. 
The Cherries have bloomed with astonishing 
freedom, and if only the frost will keep away, 
there will be little to grumble at. 
Snow in Perthshire.—So cold has the weather 
become in Perthshire since the end of last week that 
the mountains and hills have again taken to wearing 
their mantles, wraps and caps of snow. Many of 
them, indeed, intend to wear their furze all the 
summer.— Snaggs. 
Royal Botanio Sociely.—The members of the 
Quekett Microscopical Club gave an exhibition of 
microscopic plant life before a meeting of the above 
society, on April 22nd. The chairman, Mr. C. 
Brinsley Marley, then announced that the gardens 
would be opened to the public by payment on the 
Saturdays in June and July, and gardeners would 
then be appointed to take visitors round and show 
the chief points of interest. 
Sports amongst Roses.—Last year is stated by The 
Florists' Exchange to have been very prolific in sports 
from Roses. White blooms have appeared on 
Katherine Mermet, identical with The Bride, and a 
yellow sport in Ireland. Marechal Niel on two 
different shoots produced blooms identical with Gloire 
de Dijon ; and the question arises whether Marechal 
Niel originated from that Rose, as its history has not 
been given. A pure white sport has appeared on 
Maman Cochet in Baltimore. A seedling produced 
from a cross between Souvenir du President Carnot 
and Mme. C. Testout, shows no trace of relationship 
with the Teas, but looks like a hybrid perpetual. It 
has not yet flowered however. 
The Cuckoo was heard as early at least as the 22nd 
of April, at Twickenham, Middlesex. This reminds 
us of the singing of three notes by the Cuckoo, 
which Mr. Charles A. Witchell, in discussing “ Bird¬ 
songs in Spring,” in the April number of Knowledge, 
says has been recorded. We ourselves have heard 
the cuckoo repeatedly utter a treble note, more than 
twenty years ago; but our impression was that it 
was an alarm-note rather than a song, for there was 
a considerable commotion amongst the thrushes at 
the time. Owing to the presence of a high wall and 
the thick foliage of the trees we could not determine 
the cause of the commotion. The treble note in 
question was cuc-cuc-koo, the first two notes being 
each only a quarter the length of the third,as near as 
we can remember. The three rotes were several 
times repeated in shrill tones and quick succession, 
and were very noticeable, because so different from 
the familiar double note — cuc-koo — usually so 
deliberately and sonorously repeated. 
Earthworms and Vegetable Mould.— Longman's 
Magazine of a recent issue contains an article upon 
the above subject emanating from the pen of Mr. 
Grant Allen, who states that it was Gilbert White, 
of Se'.borne, who first of all pointed out the 
importance of earthworms as producers and main- 
tainers of the living layer of vegetable mould. It 
was the patient investigations of Darwin, however, 
which fully established the fact, and raised it to the 
rank cf a scientific discovery. Darwin showed that 
earthworms act upon the soil in three ways. In the 
first place they open up and loosen the ground for 
the roots to penetrate, more perfect aeration of the 
soil being thus obtained. The acids they secrete 
also act chemically upon the layer of rocks beneath 
in a way that assists the disintegration of the latter. 
In the second place they crush in their gizzards 
small fragments of stone, and liberate their com¬ 
ponent elements. In the third place they drag down 
into their burrows countless numbers of leaves 
which they eat, and carry up the refuse to the 
surface. It is computed that no fewer than 53,000 
worms inhabit an acre of garden soil. These worms 
pass through their bodies ten tons of material in a 
year, and throw it up as mould at the rate of 1 in. 
in depth every five years. The greater part of this 
mou'd is composed of a refuse of vegetable matter, 
and is teeming with myriads of bacteria. Even after 
allowing for other co-operating causes, earthworms 
are responsible for the formation and renewal of this 
layer of vegetable mould. 
