494 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Juno  7,  IfiOO.' 
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information  on  matters  discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so 
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may  receive  on  Gardening  and  Bee  subjects  through  the  post. 
If  information  be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any 
particular  authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made 
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panied  by  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will 
neither  be  published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  noms  de  flume 
are  given  for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating; 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  Insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only  ;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
'■"^Grapes  Scalded  (R.  A.  C.). — The  berries  are  not  shanking  but  are 
scalded,  which  appears  rather  common  this  season  and  at  an  earlier 
stage  than  usual,  occurring  when  the  (! rapes  are  about  half  swollen.  A 
few  berries  are  affected  here  and  there  in  some  cases,  but  in  others  the 
whole  side  of  the  bunch  or  bunches  is  damaged.  We  have  known 
instances  of  nearly  two  entire  crops  being  lost  owing  to  this,  the  berries 
being  completely  destroyed  as  if  scalded  or  parboiled.  It  is  caused 
through  late  or  imperfect  ventilation  on  some  bright  sunny  morning, 
whilst  the  internal  atmosphere  and  even  the  berries  are  saturated  with 
moisture.  The  only  preventive  is  earlier  ventilation,  a  little  air  being 
left  on  constantly  at  the  top  of  the  house,  and  maintaining  a  gentle 
warmth  with  hot  water  pipes  so  as  to  maintain  a  circulation  of  air. 
Will  Ivy  or  Ampelopsis  cause  a  Skin  Irritation  and  Eczema  ?  (/<’.  C'.). 
— See  p.  483,  “The  Poisonous  Sumach.”  The  smell  of  Ivy  freshly  cut 
affects  some  persons  by  its  unpleasantness,  though  the  leaves  really  have 
a  balsamic  odour,  especially  when  bruised  or  rubbed,  and  probably  the 
odour  pervades  the  system,  giving  rise  to  cutaneous  affections.  Indeed, 
the  bruised  leaves  have  been  applied  to  cortis,  and  the  fresh  ones  for 
dressing  ulcers,  while,  in  the  form  of  decoction,  they  have  been  recom¬ 
mended  in  sanious  ulcers  and  cutaneous  eruptions.  We  have  also  known 
clippers  of  Ivy  suffer  considerable  irritation  of  the  skin,  which  in  some 
cases  arises  from  the  mites  present  on  the  Ivy  and  their  getting  on  the 
human  skin,  the  mites  sometimes  causing  almost  intolerable  itching. 
Apart  from  the  mites,  the  dust  set  free  in  the  action  of  catting  the  Ivy 
causes  serious  irritation  of  the  skin  in  some  cases,  whilst  in  others  the 
dust  gives  rise  to  little  inconvenience.  Of  the  properties  of  Ampelopsis 
we  have  no  knowledge  of  any  ill  effects  arising  from  it  when  worked 
amongst  by  gardeners.  Your  specimen  was  a  Rhus ;  see  “  Readers’ 
Views,”  page  483. 
Cattleya  Culture  {Orchid). — The  plants  should  not  grow  again  the 
same  season,  as  this  weakens  them,  the  important  point  being  to  secure 
a  good  growth  and  then  give  a  long  period  of  rest.  During  the  growing 
season  Cattleyas  like  a  genial,  moist  atmosphere,  and  an  abundant 
supply  of  water,  which  should  be  administered  from  the  watering  can, 
for  in  the  case  of  those  grown  in  pots,  it  has  been  frequently  remarked 
that,  where  regularly  syringed,  they  neither  grow  nor  flower  so  well. 
Plants  on  blocks  may  be  syringed,  as  there  is  no  danger  of  the  water 
lodging  in  the  large  sheathing  scales  which  envelop  the  young  growths. 
Of  course,  those  on  blocks  should  be  taken  down  during  growth  two  or 
three  times  a  week  and  immersed  in  a  tub  of  water  not  less  in 
temperature  than  that  of  the  house.  After  the  pseudo-bulbs  are 
formed,  water  must  be  withheld,  and  the  plants  allowed  a  season  of 
rest,  but  care  should  be  taken  to  prevent  their  becoming  exhausted  during 
this  period,  as  much  injury  mayariseif  the  withholding  of  water  be  carried 
to  excess.  A  long  season  of  rest  will  cause  the  plants  to  flower  more 
freely,  and  to  grow  more  vigorously  afterwards.  They  do  not  require 
manure  of  any  kind,  a  compost  of  good  fibrous  peat  from  which  all 
the  gritty  part  has  been  well  beaten,  and  chopped  living  sphagnum 
with  some  clean,  sharp  silver  sand  supplying  all  their  requirements. 
Thorough  drainage  is  most  essential,  letting  the  plant  sit  upon  the  top 
of  the  compost,  this  being  elevated  somewhat  above  the  rim  of  the 
pot,  in  order  to  carry  away  the  water  quickly.  Oncidium  Marshallianum 
requires  the  same  temperature  as  Cattleyas  and  similar  treatment, 
taking  care  not  to  allow  shrivelling  of  the  pseudo-bulbs. 
Diseased  Tomato  Plants  (A”.  Y.  Z.) — An  article  dealing  with  this 
subject  will  be  found  on  page  480. 
Rhododendron  cinnaharinum  (/.  F.  S.).  —  This  Rhododendron,  of 
which  you  forward  a  flowering  shoot,  is  a  sub-evergreen  Himalayan 
species,  which  is  not  generally  regarded  as  perfectly  hardy  in  this 
country.  These  two  facts  will  readily  account  for  the  annual  loss  of  a 
number  of  the  leaves  ;  possibly  in  a  colder  aspect,  and  with  the  roots  in 
a  damper  soil,  the  plant  would  succumb  to  the  severity  of  the  frosts. 
Spraying  Engine  (E.,  Newport). — We  have  no  knowledge  of  the 
spraying  engine  to  which  you  allude  being  used  in  this  country.  There 
are  several  excellent  machines  on  the  English  market,  some  of  which 
are  for  large  cultures,  and  travel  on  a  wheeled  carriage ;  others  are  in 
the  form  of  a  knapsack,  to  be  strapped  to  the  shoulders  of  the  operator  ; 
while  still  smaller  we  have  the  “Abol”  syringe,  which  diffuses  as 
complete  and  fine  a  spray  as  can  be  desired  for  any  purpose. 
Ledum  palustre  {W.  Rahy). — Wild  Rosemary  is  one  of  the  popular 
names  by  which  that  pretty  little  North  American  shrub  Ledum 
palustre  is  known,  a  title  which  has  probably  been  conferred  upon  it 
because  the  foliage  possesses  a  powerful  aromatic  odour  that  is  parti¬ 
cularly  noticeable  when  the  loaves  are  crushed  in  the  hand,  or  imme¬ 
diately  after  a  shower  on  a  warm  day.  In  other  respects  it  is  widely 
separated  from  the  true  Rosemary,  and  is  a  close  ally  of  the  Kalmias  and 
Rhododendrons,  which  are  so  well  known  and  appreciated  in  gardens. 
It  is  a  compact  shrub,  rarely  exceeding  the  height  of  3  or  4  feet,  and 
Fio.  132.— Ledum  rALUSTUE. 
boars  small,  narrow,  elliptical,  dark  green  leaves,  and  close  corymbose 
racemes  of  white  flowers,  which  are  freely  produced  and  render 
the  shrubs  very  attractive  in  summer.  They  are  especially  suited  for 
planting  in  the  front  of  shrubbery  borders,  and  being  evergreen  their 
neat  habit  renders  them  attractive  at  all  seasons.  Moderately  light 
soil  is  requisite  to  obtain  them  in  the  best  condition  ;  but  they  are  not 
very  particular,  and  if  the  border  is  well  drained  little  difficulty  will  be 
experienced  with  them.  Roth  L.  palustre  and  L.  latifolium,  also  known 
as  Labrador  Tea,  possess  some  medicinal  and  economic  properties.  The 
former  is  said  to  contain  qualities  which  render  a  decoction  of  the 
leaves  beneficial  as  an  external  application  in  cutaneous  diseases,  and 
in  some  parts  of  Germany  a  peculiar  kind  of  boer  is  also  prepared  from 
the  leaves.  L.  latifolium  is  considered  to  possess  tonic  qualities,  the 
leaves  having  been  employed  to  furnish  a  substitute  for  Tea,  and  they 
are  also  infused  in  beer,  which  they  render  heady,  and  cause  headache, 
nausea,  and  even  delirium.  Ledum  palustre  (fig.  132)  was  admirably 
shown  by  Messrs.  J.  Waterer  A  Son,  Jjtd.,  Ragshot,  at  the  Temple 
Show. 
Succession  of  Lilacs  {II.  S.).  — Though  there  are  no  particularly 
late  varieties  of  Lilacs,  the  following  are  very  fine,  and  give  a 
good  display  of  bloom  in  May  and  June  :  alba  grandillora,  white  ;  alba 
magna,  white  ;  alba  virginalis,  white  ;  Alphonse  Lavalle,  sky  blue, 
shaded  with  violet,  double;  Charles  X.,  deep  purplish  lilac ;  Dr. 
Lindley,  reddish  lilac  ;  Le  Gaulois,  dark  peach  colour  with  light  centres, 
double ;  Lemoinei,  pale  ashy  lilac,  double ;  Mathieu  de  Dombasle, 
reddish  mauve,  double;  Michael  Ruchner,  pale  lilac,  rose  margined, 
double;  ranunculillora,  dark  red,  becoming  lilac,  double;  Renoncule, 
azure-mauve,  double ;  and  rubella  plena,  vinous  rod  changing  to  rosy 
violet,  double.  To  these  may  be  added  the  Persian,  Syringa  persica, 
and  its  white  variety  S.  p.  alba. 
