September 26. 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
82:3 
scrubbing with a brush, using jsoft-soap and paraffin emulsion ; 
but he had never known spraying to be successful. 
Discoloured Vine Leaves.—These were received from Mr. Neild, 
of Holmes Chapel. Dr. Cooke reports : —“ Vine leaves with broad 
irregular patches of bright coloration have been known and 
observed for the past half century. Sometimes the colour is 
yellow, or becoming brown, and sometimes reddish, or claret 
colour. In America it is known as the California Vine disease 
(see U.S.A. “Reports of the Department of Agriculture,” xx., 
1892). This, or a similar disease, is known in Sicily as ‘ Folletage,’ 
and in Italy as ‘ Mai Nero.’ No satisfactory reason has yet been 
assigned for this affection, as no trace-of fungi has been found, 
and there is no cause to suspect that fungi of any kind have 
anything to do with the discoloration. Leaves are constantly 
being submitted to the Scientific Committee for report as to the 
cause or remedy, but none can be given.” 
Floriferous Sweet Pea.—Mr. Hunt sent a flower stalk of Sweet 
Pea having seven fine blossoms. 
Proliferous Helenium.—The Rev. C. Wolley-Dod, V.M.H., sent 
flower-heads oi this, remarking that one particular plant in his 
garden always produces them ; and that, as a rule, small secondary 
flowers grow out of the disc. 
Campanula lactiflora, linear-leafed.—The Rev. Wolley-Dod sent 
a curious “ abnormal ” form of C. lactiflora, which comes in small 
percentage from the seed of the typical form, perhaps one in 200. 
The linear leaves can be recognised early im the seedling stage, 
and I never saw intermediate forms. Analogous forms: with 
stellate flowers are not common in Campanula rotundifolia, and 
De Candolle in his Monograph of Campanula figures and describes 
one on Campanula Medium, which he considers unique in the 
genus. 
Silver-leaf disease in Apples and Plums.-—Mr. Gaut brought 
specimens from an orchard of 7 acres in Yorkshire. The soil is 
warp-land, varying in depth from 1ft. to 3 ft. within short dis¬ 
tances, and overlying clay. The drainage is good, with drain 
pipes. Shelter is afforded by the fruit trees in the orchard. The 
altitude is nearly sea level. ■ The general culture has been to give 
a: good dressing of farmyard manure every four years and lime 
every few years. The trees had been planted ten years, and 
silver-leaf appeared three years ago and gets worse every year, 
and the trees affected in summer die the following year. The 
varieties affected are Victoria Plums, of which there are about 
500 trees, and Lord Grosvenor Apple grafted on Keswick Codlin 
stock. 
Mr. Gaut remarked that the matter was creating considerable 
interest in Yorkshire, and the soil had been analysed with the 
following result: 
The air-dried soil contains in 100 parts— 
Per cent. 
Water ... ... ... ... ... ... 3T0 ;i 
Loss on ignition (organic matter, combined 
water, etc.) 
. 509 
Mineral matter 
.91-81 
* ft * ' '■ 1 ' \. 
100 00 
Containing nitrogen 
. 0151 
Equal to ammonia 
. 0183 
The soil was free from root fibres or any visible 
organic material. 
It had been said by some experts that silver-leaf was due 
to a lack of nitrogen in the soil, but the analysis seemed to show 
this could hardly be the case. Dr. Cooke said that the disease 
was so mysterious because he could find no spores or mycelium of 
fungus and no bacteria. He knew of no remedy, but- advised 
cutting out the parts affected the moment the disease was seen 
and burning them. See also “ Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Journal,” Vol. xxvii., pages 713, cxliii., and cxlix. 
Rose-leaves Diseased.—Mr. J. W. Scott sent three bundles of 
Rose leaves diseased. “No. 1. The plants are in good health, 
and at present there is but very little of the disease on them. 
No. 2 is taken from small pot stuff spring grafted, and seems to 
develop those spots when grown in a high moist temperature. 
No. 3 appears to be like the last attacking plants that are in a 
soft growth, and we have it in several houses, in some cases 
stripping every leaf off the stem, but on taking the lights or glass 
off the plants recover to a great extent.” 
Dr. Cooke pronounced the disease in each case to be Actinonema 
rosae, called by growers the Black Mildew. It is a fungus'disease 
very common all over Europe, and though it may be checked by 
Bordeaux Mixture, no actual remedy is known. It was con¬ 
sidered to be greatly stimulated and encouraged by growing the 
plants too closelv together without sufficient air and light, or in 
too humid an atmosphere. It is advised to dry the plants off and 
let all the leaves fall (which should be collected and burnt), and 
then induce them to make altogether fresh growth. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this column. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be 
put as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only ; 
a separate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
o+ their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
envelope is enclosed, and the return of specimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications arc treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, ‘‘The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Fruit for Hedges (E. Riches). 
Of the three kinds you mention we should give Cob Nuts the 
preference. Farleigh Damson would come next in order of 
merit, as it grows more slowly than Cob Nuts, and could hardly 
■ be so productive if closely planted, as it would be with more 
'space between the trees. We should hesitate before advising you 
‘to plant Cherries, because you would have to net the hedge in its 
' entirety to keep birds from destroying the Cherries when ripe, 01 - 
even approaching that stage. Whatever hedge you plant for the 
sake of fruit, you cannot possibly keep it in trim condition like 
an ordinary hedge used as a fence. We therefore think that a 
rough or open- hedge of Cob Nuts and Filberts would answer 
your purpose Very well. It would be necessary to thin out the 
weak and useless wood every year, to prevent crowding, and 
even if after a time the hedge got too tall and ungainly, 
or if it Was in any way irregular, you could cut it back almost 
to the ground, and thereby renew it. Strong shoots would 
come up from the base, and get to a considerable height the first 
year if the hedge is cut back early in March. 
Tomato Fruits in had condition (Ormerod). 
The ailment of your Tomatos seems to be due to some fault of 
cultivation or some accident rather than to a disease. We should 
have liked to have seen the fruits in an earlier stage. One of 
them gave an indication of being affected with the black spot of 
Tomatos {(MacrospOrium. Tomato), but they were in too far 
advanced a stage of decomposition before we saw them. Judging 
from two of, the specimens the skin has been injured by some 
means or other at an early stage of growth, and was afterwards 
unable to swell properly owing to the damaged skin, and they 
began to crack. The ripest fruit seems to have had too great-a 
supply of moisture at a certain stage of growth, and it then split 
open. This, of course, is of very frequent occurrence in Septem¬ 
ber if the weather is wet and the Tomatos are grown in the open 
air. The fruits simply split, and various moulds then attack them, 
at the cracks and soon destroy the fruits. The past season has 
' been very unfavourable to Tomato culture, owing to the frequent 
rain, and,the consequent soft condition of the stems, leaves, and 
fruit's, so that if good cultural conditions are given next year 
you may not be troubled with the same ailment. 
Abnormal Growths on Violets (Philomathus). 
We have casually examined the specimens of Violet you sent, 
and can see'that there is-something wrong with them, but it will 
be' necessary to make a microscopical examination to see what is 
inside the swollen protuberances on the leaves and runners. 
Consult next week’s issue therefore. 
Pear Fruits and Stems Diseased (R. G.). 
The specimens you sent us have been badly attacked with a 
skin disease of the Pear, caused by a fungus named Cla- 
dosporium dendriticum pyrinum. This fungus attacks 
the leaves and fruits at a very early stage of growth, 
so that when the fruits commence to swell the injured 
skin is unable to grow and accommodate the swelling fruits, and 
the skin therefore cracks. The same fungoid enemy attacks the 
leaves and the young shoots. Your only remedy now is to pick 
off all split fruits and burn them, as they are useless, and to 
prevent the spread of the disease by means of spores. The worst 
of the leaves may also be burnt, but we should not be very hard 
