April 22, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
337 
of nitrogenous plant-food caused rapid deterioration, by alter¬ 
ing the cell-structure. 
lilr. Dean, supplementing his paper, said deterioration re¬ 
sulted from planting small tubers. Large tubers should be 
planted, as that, he believed, was one of the primary causes of 
the Scotch seed giving such good results. 
Mr. Worsley added that when he said he had produced 
l’otatos on land for eight years lie should have stated that he 
selected large tubers. That was no doubt the reason why he 
succeeded in growing for eight years. 
Mr. Chittenden said it was the common practice in Essex 
to oet seed from Scotland. He had been informed that it was 
necessary to change from one district to another. It was not 
necessary to make a big change in the climate, though that 
would probably follow there, he thought, from the “ lay ” of 
the land. 
This closed the discussion, and Dr. Masters, on behalf of the 
Scientific Committee, moved a hearty vote of thanks to those 
who had taken part in it. 
Apples for Market: Small Ones not Wanted. 
During the autumn of last year there appeared several ex¬ 
cellent articles in your columns on selecting, marketing, etc., 
pointing out the folly of growing poor kinds, also the lack of 
judgment in placing them on the market, which I hope proved 
useful lessons to many, and should stimulate them to adopt the 
lessons there set forth. 
About that time I was moving about freely in the markets, 
and amongst the growers ; and I am led to believe that small 
Apples are not wanted from a market point of view. I am 
aware many of the small kinds are most valuable from a 
flavour point of view (nor am I sure that many of the large, 
showy sorts have anything but this to recommend them). Still, 
the British public will not have the former if the latter can 
be had; and this is now possible from imported stocks. 
It has been said over and over again that no Apples can 
equal home grown for flavour, and' this I can endorse. Still, 
let a kind be as good as it may, you cannot induce the ma jority 
of purchasers to think this if poor looking. 
Recently, an able writer, when noting a very finedooking 
kind, termed it a good shop Apple—a good way to place many 
kinds, seeing it is their appearance that sells them. 
The early part of October I was staying with a friend doing 
a commission business in the fruit trade in Surrey. On one 
or two occasions I had an opportunity of seeing how prices 
ran for large versus small sorts. In one parish we visited 
where Apple growing was a feature’, I saw sold fine fruit of the 
same kind for four times the- small ones. The former was 
growing on vigorous bush trees, highly cultivated; the latter 
from trees that had seen their best. To make this plain, 4s. 
per bushel was paid on the tree for the greater portion from 
one orchard, and Is. per bushel for the small. Now, it is 
obvious the latter did not pay f-or the ground. I saw the same 
thing a few days later in Covent Garden, and we have in these 
western districts farmers unwise enough to continue sending 
these to London. 
Last year I saw at a railway station several baskets that 
were returned ; the salesman would not take them in. In our 
own town it was difficult to clear good fine stuff, and small 
could not be moved ; and even late this spring the latter is not 
wanted, for purchasers prefer to pay for large imported than 
to have poor home-grown. 
Still, I am convinced that fruit-growing pays in this western 
district when done on the right principles. I have proved in 
giving instructions for County Council how hard it is to- induce 
many to adopt new kinds and methods of growing them. Last 
year I found it paid to thin and highly cultivate Apples quite 
as well as it did Grapes. 
Personally, were I planting for my own use many of these 
large, showy kinds, I would not plant ; but for market these 
would get every attention. By growing good keeping kinds 
they can be stored, and thus prevent a glut, which is good to 
no one. Con. 
SOCIETIES. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL. 
Scientific Committee, April 11 th. 
Present: Dr. M. T. Masters, F.Jl.S. (in the chair); Dr. M. C. 
Cooke, llev. W. Wilks, Messrs. Saunders, Shea, Odell, Baker 
Sutton, Worsdell, Massee,Douglas, and Chittenden (hon. sec.). 
Deterioration of Vegetatively Reproduced Varieties — 
Letters upon this subject from several gentlemen were read, 
mostly pointing to the conclusion that varieties do deteriorate. 
Mr. Sutton said that in his experience deterioration of Potatos 
does take place sooner or later, the only well-marked exception 
to this rule being the Early Ashleaf, which is now apparently as 
vigorous as it has ever been. Potatos raised from seed show 
marked variation on every point in length of life as well as in 
colour, etc., some deteriorating within five or six years, others 
not until the passage of a much longer period. Mr. Lindsay, of 
Murrayfield, Midlothian, sent tubers of Maincrop Potatos ami 
Solanum etuberosum raised from tubers planted out in ordinary 
unmanured garden soil in 1899, the plants having remained in 
the open ground unprotected and undisturbed, exeept for moving 
once in September, 1902. The plants had not suffered from any 
kind of disease nor from frost, and do not appear to have deterio¬ 
rated in any way. The question of the influence of the moister 
Scotch climate on the Potato was raised, and the effect of 
flower and seed production on the vigour of the tubers produced 
was discussed. 
Rust on Rose. —Dr. Cooke reported as /ollows on this well- 
known trouble :—“ This rust was known haJf a century ago as 
Uredo pingue, but afterwards as Coleosporium pingue, and was 
then considered to be an independent fungus. In more recent 
Dims it has been found that most of these parasites exist under 
three forms, or pass through three stages, viz.: (1) accidium, 
(2) uredo, (3) teleutospore. In the present instance (1) the 
aecidium foYm is Coleosporium pingue, (2) the uredo form is 
Lecythea Rosae, and (3) the teleutospore form Phragmidium sub- 
corticatum. The Coleosporium is the first form to appear in the 
spring, on the twigs and peduncles chiefly ; near midsummer the 
uredo spores appear on the leaves ; in autumn the teleutospores 
appear as black tufts on the under surface of the leaves. As an 
endophyte this pervades the tissue of the entire plant, and is 
very difficult to combat. It is recommended to cut off all-the 
affected spots as soon as they are recognised, and burn them, so 
as to prevent the dispersal of the spores. Before the buds ex¬ 
pand in the spring, bushes that have been attacked the previous 
year should be well syringed with Bordeaux mixture. Leaves 
should be watched carefully through the summer, and when the 
uredo appears thereon, or later the teleutosjiores, the leaves 
should be picked off and burned, because when the teleutospores 
germinate they are able to infect healthy Roses, and produce 
the Coleosporium in the following spring. Occasional syringing 
with Bordeaux mixture checks both the first and second stages.” 
(See “ Gard. C’hron.,” 1886, p. 76.) 
Diseased Aruais. —Mr. Saunders reported that he was able 
to find only a few springtails and two very minute worms in the 
tubers, and he thought that neither was sufficient to cause the 
decay which had gone on to the depth of gin. at the base of the 
tuber. The two smaller plants had healthy tubers so far as 
could be seen. Mr. Odell had also examined them and reported : 
“ The decay at the base of the tubers was not unlike in appear¬ 
ance the yellow root-rot of the Hyacinth. I could not find any¬ 
thing to account for decay beyond a few springtails, and these 1 
think would not cause so much injury. In the decayed portion 
there was evidence of bacteria due rather to the decayed matter 
than contributing to the cause of the decay, as I could not 
trace any bacteria high 11)1 in the tuber. I have isolated the 
plant, and shall attempt to grow it on for further examination, 
when I will submit it to the committee. From the growers’ 
remarks drastic measures have been taken to remedy the trouble. 
I would suggest destroying the stock, taking care that the soil in 
which the plants have been grown be burnt or treated with lime, 
•and that the pots be washed with a strong carbolic solution.” 
Vine Leaves Stotteb. —Leaves of Tine were received from 
Roehampton having a large number of small blackish spots 
upon them. It was thought that the trouble was due to the lack 
of sufficient ventilation. Dr. Cooke took some to examine 
further. 
Horse Chestnut Twigs Damaged. —Twigs from which the bark 
had been removed on one side near the beginning of last 
season’s growth curiously twisted and bent were received from 
