August 20, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
677 
Effect of Heat on Dundee Fruit.— The great heat experi¬ 
enced during the first week of August had a detrimental effect 
on the fruit in the Craig Street Market. The heat inside the 
building was oppressive, and in consequence the flowei’s and 
fruit could not maintain their fresh appearance for any length 
of time. It is felt that some improvement is necessary to alle¬ 
viate the heated atmosphere. 
* * * 
Uprooting Ferns. —The marauders who rob the beauty of 
the wayside and hedges do not confine their attention to such 
things when exposed to the public highway. Richard Littler, 
a notorious poacher, of no fixed residence, was charged with 
stealing Ferns in the grounds of-Eaton Hall, Chester, the Duke 
of Westminster’s estate. The head forester proved that damage 
had been done to five or six acres. The Chief Constable said 
that prisoner had been convicted eighteen times for poaching 
and other offences, and that he ascertained that 3d. a dozen 
were obtained for the Ferns. The sentence upon prisoner was 
six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. 
* * * 
Rent in Roses. —An old custom of receiving rent in Roses is 
kept up at St. Clave’s Grammar School, London, where the prizes 
were distributed the other week by Sir Henry Fowler. In 1656 
the school trustees leased to certain other trustees for a term 
of 500 years part of their freehold field. It was for the benefit 
of the poor of the parish, and the only rent the trustees asked 
was a red Rose at midsummer, “ if lawfully demanded.” One 
of the trustees of the united charities of St. Olave and St. John, 
who now hold the lease, attended as usual and handed to the 
warden not' one but a generous bunch of Roses. And so the 
rent of the red Rose estate was paid for another year. But tliq 
estate is now worth a good deal, and the trustees add to the 
Rose a number of maintenance scholarships for boys and girls, 
and under a recent scheme they are also authorised to make 
grants to the school. 
* * * 
Orchids at a Penny Each. —The second sale of the horti¬ 
cultural effects of the Marquis of Anglesey, on the 10th inst., 
drew only a small attendance of buyers. Twenty-four Cypri- 
pediums were sold for 2s., some large plants of Oncidiums 
only fetched 5s. each, while 14 of them went for 10s. Evidently 
the Dendrobiums were in a good condition, as the bidding was 
more lively. Lord Penrhyn’s gardener secured 12 of them 
for £2 6s. at the same sale. One hundred and fifty Strawberry 
plants in pots only fetched 3s., and a similar amount bought 
20 pots of Pelargoniums, while 10 good plants of Richardia 
were! bought for 2s. One lot of 840 garden pots went for 7s., 
and another of 670 went for 5s. The highest price obtained for 
plants was £8 for a Maple Forest 60 years old, this having 
been purchased by Major Hughstead, of Llangoed Hill, Beau 
maris. Smaller prices were obtained for other Japanese trees. 
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 
of 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 are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Spraying Groups of Flowers. 
Would you say whether it is usually done to spray a group 
of flowers and foliage plants for show? (J. L. W.) 
We frequently notice exhibitors spraying flowers of various 
kinds, and we have never heard that any objection was taken 
to such a proceeding. This is most often done in the case of 
cut flowers placed in vases, and it is intended to keep the flowers 
fresh during the continuance of the show. In the case of plants 
in pots this spraying is not so necessary to keep the plants 
fresh, although it would assist them in tiding over the trying 
conditions that usually prevail in show-tents. W© do not 
think, however, that it is customary to spray groups of plants 
in pots, at least, till the day is wearing into the afternoon, and 
if the conditions happen to be very trying to their freshness, 
but more particularly if the show lasts for two or three days. If 
you had explained your object in view we should have been 
better able to answer your question. 
Stocks and Asters Dying Off. 
Can you please give me any information as to the cause of the 
enclosed Asters and Stocks dying off ? The plants have been 
going off here and there all over the beds for weeks, and I am 
thoroughly puzzled, as the plants seem healthy up to a certain 
point, and then begin to droop, and in the course of a few 
days die off. (N. B.) 
No Stocks were enclosed, but the trouble with the Asters and 
Antirrhinums lies at the root. The skin has been dying from 
the base up to the ground-line, and is evidently caused by 
fungi in the soil. The appearance recalls what very often 
happens in the case of Stocks in the seed bed, and possibly 
the evil commences there when the skin is yet young and 
tender and while the plants are kept in a damp condition. 
You remember also that the weather was very cool and damp 
about the time that these flowers were being grown and in the 
frames previous to planting them out. Such times and such 
conditions are particularly suitable to various fungi that infest 
the soil, including the damping-off fungus (Pythium debarya- 
num). We- may state, however, if that is any consolation, that 
you are not the only sufferer in this respect; indeed, we have 
not seen very good Asters this year, and the Stocks are not 
very much better. We are of opinion that the ailment has 
been going on for some time—indeed, since the plants were in 
the frames. It is impossible in any way to help the plants 
now, seeing that the root and the lower portion of the stem are 
entirely without healthy skin or bark, as it might be termed. 
The only thing you can do to remedy the state of the beds is 
to plant out from pots any specimens which you may have in 
reserve. Before planting them out it would be well to scatter 
some lime on the soil, and well mix it. 
Anthracite Coal and Greenhouse Boilers. 
“ Stock Hill,” on page 659, wishes for information regarding 
anthracite coal and boilers. Some 14 years’ experience of 
stoking with different fuels leads me to think I can give him 
some help. As far as the boiler itself is concerned, I consider 
the wear and tear about the same with most fuels, but anthra¬ 
cite certainly does play havoc with the bars. This can be 
guarded against to- a very great extent, however, by sinking 
the ashpit 4 in. or 5 in. below the level of the floor, so as to 
form a trough, and keeping filled with water, and by keeping 
the bars thoroughly clean. A set of bars may then be reckoned 
to last about four years with hard driving. The advantages of 
anthracite compared with black coal, coke, or gas-liouse seconds 
are many. It continues to give out heat as long as any draught 
is on, and is as easily shut off and revived again, and can be 
kept under completely by putting on some ashes, without draw¬ 
ing the fire. Coke is cheaper certainly, but more of it would 
be consumed,- and “ late to bed and early to rise ” would have 
to be the motto if Jack Frost is to be kept out, as it gives off its 
heat in a short space of time, while black coal is attended with 
a great deal of waste in the form of soot, smoke, and ashes, and 
necessitates a scraping pretty frequently, thus tending to wear 
out the boiler. On the whole, I consider anthracite the best 
fuel, being clean and lasting, does not clog together when 
burning, very little waste, and, compared with other fuel, a 
minimum amount of attention is required.—H. Arnold. 
Assisting Roses to Bloom. 
At present our Roses have not done so well for bloom in Sep¬ 
tember as we should have expected. Possibly the drought 
about the beginning of the month and the end of last- was re¬ 
sponsible for this. Would watering be of service? (T. H.) 
Watering would have been of much service if you had com¬ 
menced when the Roses first went out of bloom. A good plan 
is to remove all the decaying flowers about that time, and 
then to give the plants a good watering with the garden-engine, 
especially if the weather is at all dry. By applyng it through 
the garden-engine you would do much to cleanse the bushes of 
insect pests, as well as watering the roots. M ater applied at 
that time causes the plants to make fresh growth, and in pro¬ 
portion to the liberality of this growth so are you likely to 
get a supply of Roses in September, providing they belong to 
varieties which usually flower at. that time. You could also 
assist the bushes greatly by applying liquid manure at alternate 
waterings. It should not be applied to the ground while it 
is in a dry state, but rather after the Roses have been already 
