468 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDEN  EE 
May  27,  1897.. 
“New”  Method  of  Grafting  (4f.  &). — We  are  not  smrprised 
by  your  exclamation,  “  What !  again  the  old  saddle-graft  brought  for¬ 
ward  as  a  new  method,  and  this  by  the  R.H.S.  !  ”  (page  430J.  The 
scientific  gentlemen  composing  the  Committee  could  not  be  expected  to 
be  conversant  with  all  old  practical  matters,  but  it  is  a  little  astonishing 
that  Mr.  Douglas  regarded  the  method  as  something  like  a  "new” 
improvement.  It  is  a  modification  of  the  very  old  Baddle-grafting,  and 
we  found  it  excellent  many  years  ago.  We  congratulate  you  on  saving 
your  Strawberry  blooms  by  netting  to  “  break  ”  the  frost. 
Propagating  Boronlas  (77.  H.  B.  IF.). — You  are  not  alone  in 
your  liking  for  the  deliciously  fragrant  Boronias.  When  the  young 
shoots  are  about  half  ripened  is  the  time  to  make  and  insert  cuttings. 
The  pots  for  their  reception  must  be  well  drained  and  firmly  filled  with 
fine  peaty  soil,  heavily  surfaced  with  sharp  sand.  Trim  the  cuttings 
with  a  keen  knife,  inserting  firmly  2  inches  apart,  and  give  a  gentle 
watering  at  once.  Place  in  an  intermediate  temperature  or  warm  green¬ 
house,  and  closely  cover  with  a  bell-glass.  Shade  from  bright  sunshine, 
and  thoroughly  dry  the  glass  every  morning.  They  will  root  and 
commence  to  grow  in  a  few  weeks,  when  they  should  be  topped,  and 
after  breaking  afresh  be  potted  into  thumb  pots,  using  a  compost  of  two 
parts  of  fibrous  peat  to  one  of  light  loam,  charcoal  and  silver  sand  being 
freely  added.  Apply  water  carefully,  pinch  back  repeatedly,  and 
bushy  little  plants  will  result. 
Vagaries  In  Laburnums  ( H .  £7.). — We  have  seen  several  trees 
similar  to  yours,  though  they  are  not  common  in  gardens.  It  is  known 
as  Cytisus  Adami,  and  is  a  graft  hybrid  between  C.  Laburnum  and 
C.  purpureus,  obtained  by  Mr.  Jean  Louis  Adam  in  1825  in  establish¬ 
ing  the  purple  species  on  the  common  Laburnum.  In  this  process  it  is 
supposed  that  a  cell  of  the  one  species  became  divided  and  united  to  a 
cell  of  the  other,  and  the  result  has  been  a  plant  producing  not  only 
flowers  of  each  species  separately,  but  others  partaking  of  the  characters 
of  both.  There  are  other  instances  in  the  vegetable  kingdom  in  which  a 
similar  union  of  cells  is  believed  ti  have  taken  place,  but  Cytisus  Adami 
is  the  best  known  and  best  established .  It  is  remarkable  that  grafting 
or  budding  with  one  variety  will  occasionally,  as  the  tree  grows,  produce 
three  or  four  forms  differing  in  colour  and  the  character  of  the  leaves 
and  racemes.  We  have  not  only  seen  purple  and  yellow  flowers  on  the 
same  tree  but  about  half  and  half  in  the  same  raceme.  There  is  no 
accounting  for  the  vagaries  of  Laburnums  when  grafting  has  been 
resorted  to. 
Strawberry  Leaves  Diseased  (71  6s). — The  leaves  are  badly 
infested  with  the  Strawberry  leaf-blight  fungus.  Spboerella  fragarise 
which  first  appears  on  the  upper  surface  of  the  leaves  in  the  shape  of 
small  reddish  purple  spots,  these  increasing  rapidly  in  size.  The  centres 
gradually  become  lighter,  afterwards  turn  brown,  but  the  margin  or 
boundary  remains  purplish  red.  The  spots  vary  in  size,  from  a  quarter 
inch,  but  sometimes  run  together,  forming  large  discoloured  blotches. 
Badly  infested  leaves  finally  wither,  turn  brown,  and  die.  The  spores 
of  the  fungus  must  be  killed  in  tbe  act  of  germinating,  and  the  way  to 
do  it  is  to  coat  the  leaf  suifme  with  a  thin  film  of  sulphate  of  copper 
preparation  in  powder,  such  as  fostite  and  anti-blight,  applying  with  a 
bellow  apparatus  two  or  more  times  during  summer,  say  when  the  crop 
is  gathered,  just  after  the  old  runners  and  bad  leaves  are  cut  off,  so 
as  to  coat  the  young  leaves,  repeating  when  necessary.  This  has  a  very 
decided  effect  on  the  fungus.  Then  in  the  spring,  when  the  new  leaves 
start,  whether  under  glass  or  outdoors,  dust  the  plants,  and  again  just 
before  the  flowers  open.  We  have  found  this  treatment  troublesome, 
but  very  satisfactory  both  against  this  fungus  and  mildew,  O'iiium 
baleami.  it  should  be  needless  to  say  that  old  infested  leaves  should 
be  removed  and  burnt  so  as  to  destroy  tbe  resting  receptacles  of 
the  parasite,  which  is  becoming  very  common  in  England,  probably 
being  introduced  from  America,  as  it  does  not  occur  on  the  wild 
Strawberry. 
Destroying  Ants  (Jl  F.  IF.). — The  black  ants  with  wings  are  the 
male  and  female  representatives,  and  only  appear  once  a  year,  the 
females  divesting  themselves  of  the  wings  after  matiDg  while  the  males 
die.  Thus  all  are  wingless  at  other  times,  but  form  three  classes — (1) 
workers,  (2)  soldiers,  and  (3)  queen.  Now,  to  get  at  the  latter  is  the 
real  business  in  the  way  of  extirpation,  for  killing  the  workers  only 
lessens — does  not  root  out  the  evil.  Thus  the  point  is  to  give  the 
workers  something  they  can  take  home,  and  there  transfer  it  to  the 
larvae,  in  feeding  them,  so  that  the  whole  may  get  “  smaller  by  degrees 
and  beautifully  less.”  The  safest  preparation  is  calomel  and  sugar, 
one  part  of  the  first  to  ten  parts  of  finely  powdered  loaf  sugar,  mixed 
together  and  laid  in  small  heaps  about  their  nests  and  runs.  The  ants 
eat  it  and  die,  but  it  is  moBt  efficacious  in  the  spring.  The  following 
never  fails,  but  it  is  a  very  dangerous  poison.  Place  1  oz.  of  white 
arsenic  in  an  old  iron  pot  with  a  quart  of  water,  and  boil  until  reduced 
to  a  pint  or  a  little  more  of  liquid,  then  add  £  lb.  of  coarse  sugar. 
This  mixture  can  be  placed  in  saucers  or  dropped  about  their  runs, 
exercising  the  utmost  caution.  If  you  do  not  care  to  prepare  such 
mixture,  Ballikinrain  ant  destroyer  will  do  the  work  effectually. 
Carbolic  acid,  No.  5,  diluted  with  twelve  times  its  bulk  of  water, 
sprinkled  over  places  where  there  is  not  any  vegetation,  will  drive  the 
ants  away,  but  its  smell  prevents  its  use  indoors.  Not  so  camphor,  a 
piece  about  the  size  of  a  Filbert  placed  in  2  quarts  of  hot  water,  and 
when  cool  enough  applied  by  means  of  an  atomiser  will  kill  all  it 
touches.  So  also  will  aniline,  one  part  in  twenty  parts  water,  using 
in  a  similar  manner.  This  has  practically  no  smell,  and  stains  very 
little.  Fir  tree  oil  is  also  effective,  but  scarcely  available  for  use 
indoors. 
Treatment  of  Camellias  ( Liverpudlian ). — Certainly,  if  the 
Camellias  are  making  a  good  growth  they  may  be  shifted  into  larger 
pots  now  or  just  after  the  buds  set,  and  whilst  quite  small ;  but  if  not 
growing  freely  leave  them  as  they  are  for  another  year,  unless  they  are 
very  much  root-bound,  when  they  may  be  potted.  Camellias  and  all 
bardwooded  plants  are  always  best  when  rather  under  that  over-potted. 
A  size  larger  pot  is  all  that  should  be  given  at  one  time,  and  Camellias 
do  not  require  this  oftener  than  once  in  every  second  or  third  year. 
Turfy  loam  and  fibrous  peat  in  equal  parts,  with  a  little  leaf  soil  or 
old  cow  manure,  and  a  free  admixture  of  sand;  providing  efficient 
drainage,  grow  these  plants  well.  Tbe  more  fibrous  the  loam  and 
peat,  both  of  which  should  be  light  rather  than  heavy  or  spongy,  the 
better. 
Propagating  Aubrletlas  ( Amateur ). — You  will  find  it  a  very 
Bimple  matter  to  raise  any  number  of  these  charming  spriDg-fiowering 
plants.  Thousands,  possibly  millions,  have  been  raised  from  seeds,  and 
this  is  certainly  tbe  easiest  way  ;  and  although  all  the  resulting  plants- 
are  not  precisely  alike  in  the  size  of  the  flowers  and  in  the  habit  of 
growth,  the  diversity  is  not  so  great  as  to  be  any  serious  obstacle  to  the 
plants  being  used  in  lines  or  masses ;  while  when  grown  in  isolated 
places  in  borders  and  on  rockeries  the  variations  are  acceptable  rather 
than  otherwise.  The  plants  cannot  be  raised  too  early  now.  Sow  the 
seed  in  boxes,  cover  with  a  square  of  glass,  place  in  heat,  and  keep  the 
soil  constantly  moist.  When'the  BeedliDgs  are  large  enough  transplant 
them  6  inches  apart  in  rows  1  foot  asunder  in  good  soil,  and  a 
sheltered  position  ;  and  with  care  in  watering  as  needed,  stirring  the 
soil  frequently,  good  plants  will  be  had  in  October  for  placing  where 
they  are  to  flower. 
Tuberose  Culture  ( Old  Subscriber ). — You  ask  for  "a  simple 
system  ”  of  growing  these  fragrant  flowers.  Tbe  following  will  probably 
be  of  assistance  to  you.  The  bulbs  may  be  flowered  either  singly  in  a 
5-inch  pot,  or  three  can  be  placed  in  a  6-inch.  A  compost  consisting  of 
three  parts  fibrous  loam  to  one  each  of  good  leaf  soil  and  decayed  manure 
passed  through  a  coarse  riddle,  with  a  little  coarse  sand,  suits  them  well. 
Pot  rather  firmly,  the  bulbs  being  about  three  parts  buried,  but  if  the 
soil  is  moderately  moist  do  not  give  any  water.  Set  the  pots  in  a  frame 
and  heavily  cover  with  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  or  if  a  frame  cannot  be 
spared  put  them  under  a  greenhouse  stage  where  lit'le  or  no  drip  will 
reach  them,  and  cover  thickly  as  previously  advised.  When  rooting 
freely  and  top  growth  has  commenced  they  must  be  at  once  uncovered 
and  gradually  exposed  to  the  full  light.  Early  started  bulbs  will  flower- 
in  an  ordinary  greenhouse  during  the  summer,  and  even  in  the  open 
air,  but  later  they  will  require  to  he  gently  forced.  The  flower  stems- 
ought  to  be  kept  well  secured  to  stakes,  and  liquid  manure  may  be  freely 
given  after  the  pots  are  well  filled  with  roots.  A  few  may  fail  to  throw 
up  flower  stems,  but  tbe  majority  will  give  one  good  spike,  after  which 
they  are  of  no  further  value,  and  should  be  thrown  away.  Bed  spider 
is  the  worst  enemy  with  which  Tuberoses  have  to  contend,  but  this  can 
easily  be  kept  down  with  the  syringe,  and  a  puff  of  tobacco  powder 
followed  by  the  syringe  will  prove  efficacious  against  green  and 
black  fly. 
Diseased  Peaches  (Z7.  IF). — The  fruit  has  arrived  at  the  stage 
immediately  preceding  stoning,  when  it  is  liable  to  the  “  second 
dropping,”  for  there  are  four  periods  at  which  the  Peach  and  Nectarine 
are  subject  to  cast  their  crops,  as  is  well  known  to  experienced  culti¬ 
vators — namely  (1)  shortly  after  the  fruit  has  set — imperfect  fertilisa¬ 
tion  ;  (2)  just  before  commencing  the  stoning  process — de'ective  ovule 
formation  ;  (3)  near  the  close  of  stoning — unmineralised  stone  formation, 
commonly  due  to  excess  of  nitrogenic  nutrition,  or  imperfect  elaboration 
and  assimilation  on  the  part  of  the  plant ;  (4)  lack  of  nourishment  just 
when  the  fruit  commences  ripening — overcropping,  excessive  evapora¬ 
tion,  or  insufficient  supplies  of  water.  The  fruit  in  your  case  represents 
the  second  ot  the  stages  above  mentioned.  Two  of  the  specimens — one 
oval  in  form  and  relatively  large,  the  other  rounded  in  shape  and 
comparatively  small — were  carefully  examined.  Singularly  both  con¬ 
tained  two  ovules,  and  in  the  pointed  fruit  one  of  these  was  brown  and 
the  embryo  dead,  while  in  the  blunt  fruit  both  the  ovules  had  sound 
embryos.  One  of  the  fruits  we  suspect  had  fallen,  and  the  other  been 
taken  off  the  tree  by  hand.  Oa  the  outside  and  at  the  base  of  the  larger 
and  conical  fruit  was  a  depressed  spot — indeed,  a  hole,  and  in  that  cavity 
a  number  of  abnormal  hairs,  whereon  were  situated  oval  eggs — Phytoptus 
persjcas,  the  Peach  tree  gall  mite,  "  miller  ”  of  France,  and  known  since 
1851  (Ann.  Soc.  Enti  France).  This  had  no  connection  whatever 
with  the  dead  ovule.  In  the  ovule  were  mycelial  hyphse  of  the  stone 
fruit  brown  rot  fungus  (Monilia  fructigena),  and  it  had  entered  by 
the  nipple — stigma,  or  style  of  the  blossom.  This  fungus  is  a  common 
cause  of  gumming  in  stone  fruits,  the  branches  as  well  as  the  young 
shoots  dying  off  suddenly  and  without  apparent  cause,  and  frequently, 
of  the  flowers  not  setting.  It  always  affects  sappy  trees  most,  hence 
trees  subject  to  it  produce  wood  spasmodically,  for  the  parasite  exploits 
the  host  plant,  even  when  weakly,  in  order  to  provide  itself  with 
abundance  of  food.  We  found  the  most  relief  to  accrue  from  lifting  the 
trees,  the  effects  of  which  are  seen  in  wood  which  is  not  liable  to  favour 
the  parasite.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  outward  application  has  any  deterrent 
effect  after  the  flowering  is  past  ;  besides,  the  use  of  sulphate  of  copper 
is  not  advisable,  as  Peaches  hold  the  carbonated  copper,  and  may  not  be 
safe.  We  have  found,  however,  that  spraying  with  sulphate  of  copper — 
1  oz.  to,  1J  gallon  of  water — just  before  the  blossom  buds  commence 
swelling  has  a  good  effect,  and  can  then  do  no  harm.  The  thing,  never¬ 
theless,  is  to  get  the  trees  into  sound  health,  and  to  that  end  we  advise; 
lifting  at  the  proper  time. 
