560 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
June 27, 1903. 
Double Primulas from Seed. 
During the winter months Primulas of the sinensis type play 
an important part in the decoration of both glass-houses and 
for embellishing the dwelling-house; and rightly so, seeing how 
easily they are grown. 
Few things are more ornamental in a vase than a well- 
grown Primula., and, although the single kinds are not to be 
recommended for cutting, the stellata type are useful for this 
purpose for home use, looking well in water. But the plain 
flower is not to be compared to a good-fringed bloom. Good as 
the stellatas are for cutting, they are not equal to the double 
forms of sinensis to' be put away in boxes to supply families 
in town and elsewhere. 
Last spring I obtained seed of these double kinds iiom 
Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea. This was sown the lattei part of 
March with the first batch of single kinds, and all were grown 
together through the summer in, pits and frames. In July they 
had their roots shifted into 32-size pots, and allowed to rennin 
there till the days got too cold and damp, when they were 
removed to a shelf near the glass in a vinery and given a little 
warmth on cold nights. Here they commenced to flower eaily 
in November, continuing all through the winter, and on Jan¬ 
uary 27th some trusses of the double whit© were most useful 
for wreath making, in conjunction with white Azaleas, Cam¬ 
ellias, Lily of the Valley, Snowdrops, Orchids, etc. 
The rose and scarlet, varieties are charming to till glasses tor 
dinner-table work, being light and lasting a, long time. . 1 
used some for a week by changing them with other things. 
Those who find a difficulty in growing the old double white 
should try these, and they will be pleased with them. 
J. C., F., Chard. 
Meconopsis cambrica. 
The Welsh Poppy is extremely interesting in situations 
where it feels happy. In the southern counties of England it 
is almost necessary to grow the plant in shade to get the 
best results, but in the Midlands and West, where the rainfall 
is greater or the atmosphere cooler, the plants thrive without 
any particular care. The shady part of a rookery would be 
a, suitable position for it ; but I have never seen the plant under 
more appropriate conditions than where it has escaped and 
sown itself on the banks of little streams which have passed 
through or near the garden. Under these conditions the seeds 
seem to get carried down the stream and deposited on the 
banks, where they come up in after years and make thrifty 
plants, which flower abundantly during the summer months. 
In this way I have seen it- stray a long distance out of a garden 
under conditions which seem to be very satisfactory to the con¬ 
stitution of this plant. The double variety with orange flowers 
is a. conspicuous plant where it succeeds well, hut in my opinion 
the single form is the prettier, as it closely resembles the Iceland 
p 0 ,ppy AlCHEMILLA. 
Gleanings from the World of Science. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 
Scientific Committee. June 9th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S. (in the chair); Messrs. 
Worsdell, Druery, Saunders, Massee; Dr. M. C. Cooke, Revs. V. 
Wilks and G. Henslow, Hon. Sec. 
Larch, Diseased. —Mr. Massee gave the following report on 
branches’sent by Mr. Elwes to the last meeting The ample 
material sent showed that the diseased condition was due to two 
distinct causes : (1) The yellow and bent leaves were caused by 
the aphis known as Chernies Laricis. (2) The exudation of resin 
on the branches was due to the presence of the fungus called 
Dasyscypha calycina (formerly Peziza Willkommii). The rela- 
five immunity and susceptibility of trees growing on varying 
kinds of soil, and occupying different positions in a plantation, 
as pointed out in the letter accompanying the specimens, can only 
be solved after an exhaustive examination of a number of planta¬ 
tions, situated in different parts of the country, has been carried 
out. This implies field work, and cannot possibly be solved in 
the laboratory.” 
Diseased Plum Trees. —Dr. M. C. Cooke reported as follows 
upon some specimens sent to the last meeting : “ The fungus will 
be found described in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Journal, 
vol. xxvi., part 1, April, 1902, at page 742, fig. 313, where its 
ravages are depicted as a wound parasite affecting the wood. 
The mature condition is Entypella Prunastri, but the portions 
sent me only exhibit the condition of conidia known as a species of 
Cytospora. These appear on the bark of living trees. Later on. 
and after the wood is quite dead, - the mature pustules of the 
Entypella are developed. I have never seen the perfect fruit 
exhibited upon any but dead wood. It is quite akin and closely 
allied to the Valsa ambiens of Apple trees. I doubt whether anV 
successful method can be adopted when trees are attacked, but 
preventive measures may be used by spraying with Bordeaux 
mixture healthy trees, so as to kill external germs which may to 
lurking to find admission. When branches are seen to be 
attacked it is better to prune off the branch below the infection, 
and burn the diseased wood, at the same time taking care to 
protect the wound caused by the amputation. The disease is 
liable to spread from tree to tree throughout an entire orchard 
unless some such heroic measures are adopted.” 
Mangold Diseased.— Mr. Massee showed pieces of roots cut up 
for manure, as they were badly attacked by the fungus Plioma 
rabifica, which infects the sugar Beets on the Continent. On 
inquiry he found that one-lialf of the stored roots of the “ Yellow 
Globe ” were diseased. It was the second year of the appearance 
of the fungus. 
Larch Killed by Salt Spray. —Mr. Massee alluded to trees 
some twenty-five miles inland, which were killed in the gale last 
March, and alluded to other instances when salt was detected on 
the leaves of trees from thirty to fifty miles distant from the sea. 
Dr. Masters mentioned the remarkable case of a Japanese Maph 
on Messrs. Waterer’s grounds. The leaves on one half of a tree 
were killed by salt spray. In the next year that half flowered, 
and from the fruits most of the specimens in cultivation of that 
kind were obtained. 
Plants Attacked by Millipedes. —Mrs. Baxter, of Doncaster, 
sent plants of German Asters, Stocks, etc., attacked by milli¬ 
pedes, upon which Mr. Saunders reports as follows : “ They are 
the 'Spotted Snake Millipede (Blanjulus guttu atus). It is a most 
destructive pest in gardens, and one that is very difficult to get 
rid of, partly on account of the hardness of their skins, which 
prevents most insecticides from having any effect on them, and 
partly, that as they live generally below the surface of the 
ground, their whereabouts are not known until some plant is 
found to be injured by them. A strong solution of nitrate of 
soda, or common salt, is said to kill them if it can be made to 
reach them of a proper strength. This is not easy, however, to 
effect, as the insecticide becomes weakened by passing through 
the soil. They may be trapped by burying small slices of 
Turnips, Mangolds, Carrots, or Potatos, or pieces of oil cake, just 
below the surface. It is useful to stick a wooden skewer into 
each, so that it may be known where they are buried ; it also 
renders them more easy to handle. These pests attack a large 
number of different kinds of plants, and are exceedingly fond of 
ripe Strawberries.” 
Box with Insects. —Mr. Saunders reports on specimens re¬ 
ceived from Rev. H. C. Brewster, South Kelsey, Lincoln, as 
follows: “The insect on the Box edging is Psylla Bnxi, nearly 
allied to the Aphidae, but. is one of the Psyllidae. Spraying the 
edging and the large bush with paraffin emulsion or some similar 
insecticide would be the best plan of destroying it.” 
Cyprtpedium Crosses. —Specimens of Cypripedium x Actaeus 
were exhibited by Mr. J. Douglas to illustrate the reversion of 
Orchids. C. Actaeus was raised by crossing C. leeanum with C. 
insigne Sanderae, the last-named variety being totally different 
from any other variety of C. insigne, as it lacks the large spots 
on the dorsal sepal. C. leeanum was obtained by crossing C. 
spicerianum with C. insigne Chantini, and the reversion con¬ 
sists in the fact that one variety of C. Actaeus was almost a 
replica of the original form of C. insigne Chantini, from which 
C. Leenanum was produced. Many of the other forms—indeed, 
nearly all of them-—might be described as good varieties of 
C. insigne. 
