Jr2« 1913. 
THE GARDENERS- MAGAZINE. 
485 
eluding Mossiae alba, Laelio-cattleya Mar- 
tmettZ Orchidhurst var., Brasso-cattleya 
Veitehi splendens, Laelia purpurata, Orcbid- 
hurst var.; a nice collection of odontiodas, 
fccontaininff’ several new hybrids; miltonias 
of the vexillaria type, Masdevallia Harryana, 
*”M^rI”cypher and Sons, Cheltenham, 
rere awarded a Silver Medal for a group, 
ontaining Laelio-cattleya Aphrodite, Can- 
hamiana Fascinator, Brasso-cattleya Triune, 
Mossiae Digbyana, Cattleya Mossiae, Skinneri 
Temple’s var., Miltonia vexillaria, Bleuana 
kiobilior Odontoglossum eximeum, Lam- 
Iheauiauum. Thunia Veitchi, Oncidium pul- 
cbellum. 
The Liverpool Orchid and Nursery Com¬ 
pany were awarded a Silver Medal for a group 
of unnamed Laelio-cattleyas, amongst which 
?re several good varieties; well-grown 
plants of Canhamiana and Dominiana, with 
_■ Miltonia vexillaria and a few cypripediums, 
i including bellatulum album and Godefroyee 
' Sunset, made a nice display. 
Messrs. A. J. Keeling and Sons, Bradford, 
stag^ a good mixed group, for which a 
\ Silver Medal was awarded, the miltonias of 
the vexillaria section being very fine; a Cul¬ 
tural Certificate was voted for one specimen. 
Messrs. Stuart Low and Co., Enfield. 
! staged Cattleyas Mossiae, Beineckiana gran- 
dk, Pintadeau, and Mrs. E. Ashworth; 
Laelio-cattleyas Canhamiana, Duchess, and 
Eudora superba. 
Messrs. Charlesworth and Co. staged Odon- 
[toglossums splendens. Marietta, and exi- 
meum. 
A First Class Certificate was awarded to 
Coelogyne pandurata Orchidhurst var., a fine 
variety^ with large flowers, from Messrs. 
Armstrong and Brown. An Award rf Merit 
was made to Odontioda Vuylstekei Ashlands 
var., and 0. Vertumis, both shown by R. 
I Ashworth, Esq. 
A NEW ROT OF POTATO 
TUBERS. 
A new disease of potatoes, which was noti- 
^^fied from Ireland last year, has now been 
^^ribed in detail by Dr. G. H. Pethy- 
bridge.* It was first observed in 1909 in 
the plots of the temporary experiment sta¬ 
tion, established by the Irish Department of 
^riculture, at Clifden, Co. Galway. Since 
then it has been kept under observation, and 
also been received from other parts of 
^eland. Referring to this new disease, the 
Kew Bulletin” states that the rotting is 
^ ^ fungus closely allied to 
jjbytophthora infestans, but differing in cer¬ 
tain essential particulars. The fungus is 
med P. erythroseptica, and for the disease 
“ Pink Rot ” is suggested, owing to 
cut surfaces of affected tubers quickly 
exposed to the air. 
Phe facilities afforded by the Clifden sta- 
P^thybridge exceptional op- 
po unities for studying potato diseases ■ and 
hin- of his paper he briefly 
nf + reviews the principal forms 
01 tuber^e^ruction caused by vegetable or- 
potato tuber is a structure on 
^ injured, a most 
fauna readily develop, 
the diagnosis of the cause of decay is 
difficult. ^ 
commences when the potatoes are 
n the ground, and has been found in 
varieties as early as July. In most 
^'heel” end 
war^ tuber and proceeds rather quickly 
tte distal or " rose ” end. DlseaseS 
pressed exude a 
elV^nSf l^oe, and finally become com- 
n however, de- 
^ Stalk 
s-oWs ar!^ Bacillus melanogenes. If the 
^stages resem?!*^^ ^ subsequent 
►cov?r^ of a « dry ” rot; but if 
^ Hot d^’ iS which is exuded does 
so that in the field or stor e the 
a Xew Sp 
rot would be regarded as of the “ wet ” 
type. A characteristic series of colour- 
changes takes place when affected tubers are 
cut open and exposed to the air. The pink 
colour begins to show after a few minutes, 
and within half an hour the whole of the 
diseased portion becomes a deep salmon-pink. 
With an exposure of several hours the cut 
surface gradually darkens, and becomes pur¬ 
plish-brown or nearly black. As pointed out 
above a number of other fungi develop on 
such decaying tubers, and pustules of vari¬ 
ous kinds, including those of Fusarium, 
break through the skin. The latter are 
merely secondary, the organism causing the 
initial injury being entirely internal. 
Examined with the microscope diseased 
tissues show an abundance of rather wide, 
much-branched, intercellular hyphae. No 
haustoria were observed, and no reproductive 
organs of any sort could be discovered. 
With suitable precautions the fungus Was 
isolated without difficulty, it being found to 
grow more easily on artificial media than its 
ally P. infestans. A full account of the cul¬ 
ture media and methods is given, and also 
of the experiments which prove the patho¬ 
genic character of the fungus. Reproduc¬ 
tive organs were produced abundantly in 
artificial cultures, though strong predilec¬ 
tions for certain substrata were shown. 
Growth on various media derived from oats 
was specially vigorous, and an abundant 
crop of sexual organs follows, from which 
oospores develop. An acid medium appears 
to be unfavourable for the production of 
antheridia and oogonia. Conidia were pro¬ 
duced when pieces of culture were trans¬ 
planted to sterilised peat-bog water or even 
rain-water; these structures are apparently 
only deveJoped under water and very rarely, 
if ever, on aerial mycelium. 
The method of development of the appa¬ 
rently sexually produced oospores is remark¬ 
able and unique amongst fungi. The oogo¬ 
nium incept enters the antheridium at or 
near its base, grows up through it and out 
at the top, expanding there to form the 
oogonium proper in which the oospore de- 
vek)ps. Cytological details are not yet avail¬ 
able. At the end of Dr. Pethybridge’s paper 
other species of the same genus are shown to 
behave in a similar manner, and some sys¬ 
tematic alterations based on this discovery 
are proposed. 
Phytophthora erythroseptica is prevalent 
ia the West of Ireland, and the losses caused 
by it are considerable, in some cases heavier 
than those due to P. infestans. They are 
greatest in crops grown continuously on the 
tame land (infection taking place irom the 
soil) and can be avoided by proper rotation. 
GARDENERS’ ROYAL 
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION. 
The festival dinner of this institution, held 
at the Hotel Metropole on June 25, under 
the chairmanship of Leopold de Rothschild, 
Esq was an unqualified success. The at¬ 
tendance of 220 ladies and gentlemen consti¬ 
tuted a record. The Whitehall Rooms were 
beautifuUy decorated with orchids, carna¬ 
tions, and roses, and the function was an 
altogether briUiant one. We shall refer to 
the gathering in more detail in our next 
issue, but now have only time and space to 
state that the sum total subscribed to the 
funds of the institution amounted to a 
little over .£3,000, including 100 guineas from 
the chairman, .£100 from Messrs. N. N. 
Rothschild and Sons, .£100 from Messrs. 
Sutton and Sons, .£250 from the Duke of 
Bedford .£100 from Messrs. J. Veitch and 
Sons, and £o0 each from Messrs. N. N. 
Sherwood Mr. Edward Sherwood, and Mr. 
Wm. Sherwood; .£50 from Sir Jeremiah Col- 
man, ^165 collected by Mr. Jas Hudson, 
i>62 by Mr. Wallace, £76 by Mr. H. G. 
Alexander, and ^£271 from Covent Garden 
friends. In addition to the chairman, the 
chief speakers were Sir Harry J. Veitch, 
Colonel Mark Lockwood, M.P., Hon. W. T. 
Mackenzie, and N. N. Sherwood, Esq. The 
capital musical arrangements were under the 
direction of Mr. Herbert Schartau. 
ANSWERS TO 
CORRESPONDENTS. 
Editorial Oofnmujiic*tioiii ehonld be addreased to the 
Editor of the Gaboknsbs’ Magazine, 148 and 149, 
AWeCTgate Street, E.O. 
Secretariea of horticultural soeieties are invited to 
oend early notifioation of forthooming exhibitions 
and meetinga, and are requeeted to advise ue ooair 
oeorning ohangog of dfatea. 
Speoimene of plants, flowera, and fruits for naming: 
or opinion should be sent to the Editor of the 
Gardenees’ Magazine, “ Endaleigh,” Priory Park, 
Kew, Surrey, and aa early in the week as pooaible. 
All parcels must be suffloiently prepaid. 
The Editor wifi be glad to receive photographa of 
gardens, plants, flowers, trees, fruits, etc., for 
reproduction in the Gardeners’ Magazine. He will 
aim be greatly obliged by oorrespo^ndenta sending 
early intimation of interesting local events relating 
to horticulture. In sending newspapers oontsdning 
matter to which they wish to draw attention, eor- 
respondents are requested to distinctly mark the 
paragraph. 
EARLY ENGLISH WRITERS ON GAR- 
DENING.—P. R., Coventry : There seems to 
be a general impression that Wm. Tusser, 
who wrote “ A Hundieth Good Pointes of 
Husbandrie,” published in 1577, was the first 
of English authors on gardening matters, 
and I find some difficulty in discovering any¬ 
one who wrote upon this subject at an earlier 
date. Do you know of any?—Felton, who 
wix>te concerning English Authors on Gar¬ 
dening, in 1830, refers to “ Alfred, an Eng¬ 
lishman, surnamed the Philosopher, much 
respected at Rome. He died 1270, and left 
four books on the Meteors of Aristotle; also 
one on Vegetables, and five on the Consola¬ 
tions of Boethius.” He further refers to 
Daniel, a Dominican friar, who left a manu¬ 
script * treating upon herbaria, trees and 
fruits, and who appears to have flourished 
about 1379. Richard Arnold had a chapter 
on “The Crafte of graffynge, and plantyne, 
and alterynge of fruyts, as well in colours 
as in taste”; this was printed in 1502. 
COMMON SODA IN THE GARDEN.— 
W. D., Horeham: Would you kindly inform 
me if a quantity of discoloured washing 
soda could be put to any good use in the 
garden or orchard, or for farm crops?— 
NVashing soda (carbonate of soda) is of little 
use in the garden as a fertiliser. In a very 
dilute form it may be serviceable on light 
lands because, as in the case of salt and 
nitrate of soda, it has the power of retaining 
moisture. In many cottages the soap suds 
are carefully preserved after washing day, 
and, diluted, are used in the garden, with 
no small success. In a dry state soda is 
capable of doing considerable damage to 
crops, and in the neighbourhood of alkali 
works leaves become covered with a fine de¬ 
posit and soon drop, and trees do not last 
long under such conditions. Dr. Bourcart, 
in a recent publication, points out that “car¬ 
bonate of soda acts like carbonate of pot^h; 
when it is a case of neutralising the acidity 
of certain marshy lands carbonate of soda 
may play the part of lime, and the nitric 
ferments, which cannot act except in slightly 
alkaline media, may thereby modify the 
flora of the field. In such conditions car¬ 
bonate of soda, in small dose, may exert a 
favourable influence on vegetation.” We do 
not know the cause of the discolouration of 
your soda, and you do not state the quan¬ 
tity; but we suggest it is of more value for 
cleansing purposes, or, in a powdered state, 
for killing weeds on paths, than as a fer¬ 
tiliser in the garden. 
FAILURE OF OUTSIDE PAINT WORK. 
—A.M., Guildford; As an old subscriber to 
your valuable paper, can you or any of yoip 
numerous correspondents help me with their 
advice on the following? A short time ago 
I had an orchid house painted white inside 
and out, with the result that, although the 
inside paint-work, in spite of the heat and 
water, is as hard as possible, the greater 
part of the outside paint-work i^els off in 
strips as though you were stripping a wall¬ 
paper, and leaves the wood as clean as when 
it came from the plane. If any of your 
readers who have an orchid house have found 
the same difficulty, perhaps they can sug¬ 
gest a satisfactory remedy.—It is probable 
that the woodwork was damp when the paint 
