84 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
January  28,  1897. 
GARDENERS’  CHARITABLE  AND  PROVIDENT 
INSTITUTIONS. 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. — Secretary , 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  50,  Parliament  Street,  London,  W.C. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society.— 
Secretary,  Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. — Secretary,  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron, 
The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  Chiswick,  W. 
•e*  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “  The  Editor.’’  Letters  addressed  personally  to 
Dr.  Hogg  or  members  of  the  staff  ofter  remain  unopened 
unavoidably.  We  request  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to 
unjustifiable  trouble  and  expense,  and  departmental  writers 
are  not  expected  to  answer  any  letters  they  may  receive  on 
Gardening  and  Bee  subjects,  through  the  post. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions 
relating  to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  should 
never  send  more  than  two  or  three  questions  at  once.  All 
articles  intended  for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of 
the  paper  only.  We  cannot,  as  a  rule,  reply  to  questions 
through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  undertake  to  return  rejected 
communications. 
Bycaate  Skinner!  ( J .  C. ),  —  The  Orchid  flower  sent  is  that  of 
Lycaste  Skinaeri,  a  fairly  good  form  and  flowering  at  its  correct 
season.  The  book  you  mention  contains  an  excellent  list  of  Orchids, 
with  lucid  descriptions  and  very  well  done  figures  of  a  great  many 
species,  but  owing  to  the  great  scope  of  the  work  the  cultural  notes  are 
necessarily  short.  No  separate  book  that  you  may  purchase  can  contain 
full  cultural  details  such  as  are  given  in  the  horticultural  press,  while 
any  special  subject  where  you  may  be  at  a  loss  we  shall  have  pleasure  in 
assisting  you. 
Apple  Tree  Twigs  and  Branches  Diseased  (F.  W.  C.'), — 
The  “  pieces  of  Apple  stems  ”  are  a  “  sight,”  the  twigs  being  smothered 
with  mussel  scale  (Mytilapsis  pomorum),  beneath  the  “shells  ”  of  which 
are  numerous  eggs  of  the  insect,  which  is  now  for  the  most  part  dead  ; 
but  the  eggs  will  develop  fresh  “  scales  ”  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks, 
and  these  render  the  disease  worse.  We  were  pleased  to 'find  an  egg  of 
the  true  or  winged  male — a  rare  occurrence — and  it  is  already  develop¬ 
ing  nuclei,  with  antennae  discernible.  The  branch  has  “  something  in  it,” 
and  more  than  it  can  hold,  for  the  “  fruits  ”  of  the  canker  fungus 
(Nectria  ditissima)  are  breaking  through  the  bark  in  the  finest  crop  we 
have  ever  seen.  Nothing  could  be  better  for  settling  the  vexed  question 
as  to  its  being  the  cause  of  the  disease,  for  here  (in  your  specimens)  we 
have  it  on  clean  living  bark,  and  the  scar  follows  as  a  consequence. 
The  “  fruits  ”  are  distinctly  visible  to  the  unaided  eye,  and  appear 
peeping  through  the  bark  as  reddish  brown  pimples.  We  are  extremely 
obliged  to  you  for  the  specimen,  and  will  see  if  we  cannot  procure  a 
sketch  of  it  and  some  account  of  the  parasite  for  publication  in  our 
columns.  In  the  meanwhile  wash  the  tree  or  trees  with  a  caustic 
solution — namely,  1  oz.  caustic  soda,  98  per  cent,  purity,  and  1  oz. 
commercial  potash  (pearlash),  water  1  gallon.  Dissolve  the  caustic 
soda  in  a  pint  of  hot  water  by  itself,  also  the  pearlash  by  itself  in  a 
similar  amount  of  water,  then  add  the  last  to  the  former,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  water  hot.  When  at  a  temperature  of  130°,  not  more, 
and  not  under  120°,  apply  with  a  clean  half-worn  paint  brush,  taking 
care  to  reach  every  part  of  the  tree,  wetting  every  particle  of  the  stems, 
branches,  and  twigs,  but  not  more,  as  running  of  the  solution  down  to 
the  roots  may  injure  them.  Choose  a  fine  day  for  the  operation,  when 
the  trees  are  dry  and  not  frozen,  and  do  it  as  soon  as  possible,  at  any 
rate  before  the  buds  begin  to  swell  ;  but  if  done  now  you  will  get  at  the 
“  fruits  ”  of  the  canker  fungus,  and  the  solution  will  sink  into  the  cracks 
and  destroy  any  mycelium  it  reaches.  The  solution  will  clear  the  tree 
of  its  overgrowths  of  lichen  and  moss,  kill  the  scale  and  their  eggs, 
leaving  the  bark  clear  and  smooth.  It  will  not,  however,  restore 
the  dead  parts  of  the  tree  killed  by  the  canker  fungus  to  life  ;  those  you 
must  cut  away  and  burn,  dressing  the  wounds  on  any  living  branches 
with  the  following  composition  : — Dissolve  1^  lb.  softsoap  by  boiling  in 
a  gallon  of  boiling  water,  remove  from  the  fire,  and  add  while  boiling 
hot  (not  on  the  fire)  half  a  pint  petroleum,  and  stir  briskly  till 
thoroughly  amalgamated.  Procure  some  clay,  dry  it,  then  pound  it  to 
powder,  and  add  enough  of  this  to  the  emulsion  to  form  a  creamy  com¬ 
position,  which  apply  with  a  brush  to  the  wounds,  coating  them  so  as  to 
make  level  with  the  bark.  This  will  do  something  for  the  canker  fungus 
mycelium,  and  better  encourage  growth  of  new  bark  over  the  wound. 
Orchids  (A.  McL.'). — Your  card  is  sent  to  the  author  referred  to,  who 
will  probably  write  to  you  on  the  subject  if  he  can  do  so  usefully.  We 
are  unable  to  give  the  desired  information. 
Mushrooms  and  Carrots  ( Colonel ). — The  more  Carrots  consumed 
by  horses  the  less  suitable  is  the  manure  from  the  stables  for  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  Mushrooms.  It  has  been  found  that  when  Carrots  were 
largely  used  Mushrooms  could  not  be  grown  in  anything  approaching 
a  satisfactory  manner  The  subject,  and  most  others,  is  treated  in 
‘‘Mushrooms  for  the  Million,”  post  free  Is.  2d.,  from  this  office.  All 
persons  who  experience  difficulty  in  growing  Mushrooms  should  read  the 
work  attentively. 
Blue  Cornflower  (IF.  IF.). — Loudon’s  “  Eacyclopcedia  of  Plants” 
says,  “  It  is  found  everywhere  throughout  Europe  on  gravelly  soils ;  ” 
and  in  “  The  Wild  Flowers  of  Great  Britain  ”  it  is  stated  to  be  “  A 
common  weed  in  corn  fields,  where  it  is  met  with  all  over  the  country.” 
We  know  of  its  having  been  found  in  Scotland,  where  it  is  known  as 
“  Blue-bonnet;  ”  in  Wales,  where  it  is  called  “  Crammenog  yr  yd ;  ”  and 
in  Ireland,  where  it  is  termed  “  Gormon.”  The  remark  had  reference  to 
the  Midlands,  and  was  founded  on  observation.  We  are  much  obliged 
for  your  note  stating  that  you  “  have  seen  the  fields  actually  blue  with 
it  near  Blair  Athol  in  Scotland.” 
Ammonia  cal  Biquor  and  Wlreworm  (J3.  JY.).  —  Gas  liquor 
will  kill  wireworms,  but  the  difficulty  is  to  reach  them  with  it  at  this 
time  of  the  year,  as  they  are  so  deep  in  the  soil,  while  if  not  used  until 
sowing  time  there  is  danger  of  injuring  the  plants.  It  is  best  used,  about 
5  gallons  per  rod,  a  fortnight  before  sowing  the  seed,  and  to  prevent  loss 
of  ammonia  point  it  into  the  soil  with  a  fork.  If  used  after  the  plants 
appear  dilute  with  five  times  the  quantity  of  water,  and  in  using  pour  it 
between  the  rows,  not  over  the  plants,  a  gallon  per  square  yard  being  a 
good  watering.  If  it  be  Carrot  grub  you  mean  by  wireworm,  supply  now 
or  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  thawed  and  in  good  working  order  lbs. 
kainit  per  square  yard.  This  is  useful  againBt  Onion  grub,  but  there 
must  be  means  taken  to  prevent  the  flies  depositing  their  eggs,  as  they 
often  come  a  considerable  distance,  and  in  the  plants  the  grubs  are  not 
easily  reached. 
Chrysanthemum  Buds  (N.  S.). — What  you  ask  for  have  appeared 
in  the  form  of  illustration,  and  you  will  find  them  in  Mr.  Molyneux’s 
popular  work  on  the  Chrysanthemum.  A  “  crown  ”  bud  is  a  bud  that 
forms  at  the  apex  of  a  shoot,  and  very  soon  two  or  three  growths  issue 
below  it  and  grow  far  beyond  it  if  permitted  to  do  so,  the  bud  then 
perishing.  It,  therefore,  in  a  natural  way  does  terminate  growth.  If 
the  bud  forms  in  May  it  is  the  “  first  crown  if  growths  extend  and 
another  bud  forms  in  July  it  is  a  “second  crown;”  or  if  it  form  in 
August,  which  is  a  better  time,  as  then,  if  the  surrounding  growths  be 
promptly  removed,  the  hud  receives  the  support  which  they  would 
otherwise  appropriate,  and  under  good  culture  develops  into  an  exhibi¬ 
tion  bloom  in  November.  All  buds  which  form  in  the  crowns  of  the 
plants,  no  matter  when,  and  other  growths  break  from  just  under  them, 
and  would,  if  permitted,  extend  beyond  them,  are  crown  buds.  Later 
the  growths  are  of  a  different  character.  A  bud  forms  as  usual,  but 
instead  of  growths  breaking  from  its  base,  other  buds  cluster  round  it. 
These  may  or  may  not  be  removed,  but  whether  they  remain  or  not  the 
growth  of  the  plant  terminates  in  the  largest  central  bud,  and  this  is 
consequently  the  “terminal.”  The  blooms  are,  as  a  rule,  smaller  than 
“crown”  buds,  but  often  neat  and  attractive.  We  hope  the  matter  is 
now  clear  to  you,  though  it  may  possibly  be  referred  to  again. 
Zonal  Pelargoniums  Diseased  ( Constant  Reader'). — The  plant 
has  gone  off  by  a  disease  closely  resembling  that  known  as  “sleepy 
disease,’’  “drooping  disease,”  and  “black  stripe”  in  Tomatoes.  The 
fungus,  which  is  the  cause  of  the  disease,  attacks  the  plants  at  the 
roots  and  ascends  the  stems,  the  hyphse  growing  between  the  bark  and 
wood,  passing  into  the  petiole  of  the  leaves  and  causing  them  to  die  from 
below  upwards.  These  parts,  however,  and  the  tender  parts  of  the  shoots 
die  the  soonest,  bo  that  the  plant  appears  to  go  off  from  above  down¬ 
wards.  The  disease  is  a  very  old  one,  frequently  sweeping  off  whole  pot- 
and  pan-fuls  of  cuttings,  and  very  disastrous  to  plants  when  a  year  old, 
even  plants  in  beds  not  escaping.  Some  varieties  are  more  prone  to  it 
than  others.  It  is  generally  found  when  the  plants  are  grown  in  soil 
containing  a  large  amount  of  vegetable  matter,  and  kept  too  moist.  The 
fungus  may  be  seen  as  small  black  patches  where  it  has  broken  through 
the  cuticle  in  somewhat  large  and  aggregated  pustules,  which  are  whitish 
in  colour,  and  the  minute  blackish  olive  heads  are  the  easier  seen  on  that 
account.  It  is  Sporocybe  byssoides,  Bon.,  and  has  a  nasty  habit  of  causing 
young  growths  of  Ivy  to  turn  black  and  die,  sometimes  doing  the  same 
with  Box,  and  too  often  for  Clematis.  We  have  found  quicklime  to  act 
well  when  it  has  been  mixed  with  the  loam  some  time  in  advance  of 
using,  as  this  reduces  the  organic  matter,  and  the  plants  are  supplied 
with  nitrate  of  lime  instead  of  having  the  fungal  germs  placed  directly 
in  contact  with  their  roots.  The  lime  should  be  air-Blaked  chalk-lime, 
dry  and  floury,  employing  about  5  per  cent.,  or  one-part  lime  to  twenty 
parts  of  turfy  loam.  There  were  some  mites  on  the  roots,  full-grown,  eight¬ 
legged  specimens,  between  the  bark  and  wood  on  the  root-stem,  and 
appeared  quite  at  home.  Perhaps  they  had  got  there  through  the  fungus 
having  ruptured  the  bark.  Then  there  was  a  creature  about  one-third 
of  an  inch  long,  with  a  black  head  and  grand  pair  of  jaws,  but  whether 
it  was  making  a  meal  of  the  mites  we  could  not  make  out.  It,  however, 
was  an  apparently  carnivorous  species,  therefore  not  hurtful  to  the  plants. 
We  can  only  advise  the  destruction  of  the  affected  plants,  and  particular 
care  in  respect  to  soil  and  watering. 
