176 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  22,  1895. 
evidence  of  good  culture.  Tomatoes  and  Cucumbers  are  grown  in 
quantity,  and  readily  disposed  of.  In  a  span-roofed  pit  100  feet  long 
numerous  large  fruits  of  the  former  were  noticed,  while  we  learnt  that 
throughout  the  summer  the  crop  had  been  an  exceptionally  fine  one. 
Several  frames  are  devoted  to  Melons,  and  many  fine  examples  proved 
that  under  careful  treatment  excellent  results  may  be  obtained  by  this 
system. 
Other  crops  of  less  general  interest  were  noted,  but  everywhere  the 
result  of  sound  cultivation  and  careful  attention  to  details  was  apparent, 
and  nowhere  has  it  been  our  lot  to  see  a  more  striking  instance  of  what 
can  be  effected  where  in  the  first  place  a  keen  interest  like  that  of  Mr. 
Campbell  is  taken  in  a  garden  ;  and  secondly,  where  such  is  under  the 
management  of  a  man  with  the  capabilities  and  energy  of  Mr.  Wright, 
as  the  interests  are  then  mutual.  Approaching  eventide,  however, 
brought  with  it  the  close  of  a  day  spent  pleasantly  and  profitably, 
and  with  some  regrets  that  the  time  had  passed  so  rapidly,  our  steps 
were  again  directed  homewards,  satisfied  that  it  was  to  our  advantage 
in  many  ways  that  the  day  had  been  spent,  and  with  mind  full  of 
congenial  reminiscences  of  a  day  at  Glewston  Court. — G.  H.  H. 
BRITISH  FUNGUS-FLORA.* 
The  fourth  volume  of  this  valuable  work  treats  of  the  Ascomycetes 
group  of  Fungi,  which  “are  characterised  by  having  their  spores  pro¬ 
duced  in  ‘  asci’  or  mother-cells.”  Mr.  George  Massee,  the  author  of  this 
trustworthy  work  on  British  Fungi,  gives  very  clear  definitions  of  this 
family  in  its  various  conditions,  describing,  with  considerable  acumen, 
the  constituent  parts  of  the  “  ascophore,”  or  receptacle  containing  the 
spores  or  reproductive  bodies. 
The  Ascomycetes  group  of  Fungi  is  particularly  interesting  to 
horticulturists,  as  in  ihe  sub-family  Ascomyceam  the  representative 
species  are  parasitic  on  living  plants.  This  consists  of  but  one^enera, 
Ascomyces,  and  embraces  the  well-known  Peach-leaf  blister  fungus 
(Ascomyces  deformans).  This  fungus  is  well  known  to  gardeners  grow¬ 
ing  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  against  walls,  and  it  is  said  to  cause  the 
disease  known  as  “curl”  in  the  leaves  of  Peach  and  Apricot,  “also 
forming  the  dense  fasciculations  of  small  branches'  called  ‘  bird’s  nests  ’ 
or  ‘  witches’ besoms  ’  in  the  Plum,  Cherry,  and  Bird  Cherry.”  This  is 
strangely  in  contrast  with  statements  attributing  such  growths  to  as 
many  species  of  Ascomyces.  Has  anyone  proved  that  bloom  from  the 
leaves  of  a  Bullace  “  witches’  besom,”  and  attributed  to  the  fungus 
called  Ascomyces  institim,  produces  that  of  A.  deformans  on  the  young 
growths  of  the  Nectarine  and  Peach  1  Supposing  we  take  spores  from 
the  Peach  fungus  and  place  them  on  the  young  growths  of  a  Cherry, 
Plum,  or  Bird  Cherry  (Cerasus  Padus)  tree,  will  they  grow,  and  pro¬ 
ducing  in  that  or  the  following  year  "fruits,”  which,  on  examination, 
are  the  exact  likeness  of  those  borne  by  the  parental  stock  on  the  Peach 
tree  whence  they  were  taken  ?  This  is  a  very  interesting  experiment, 
and  far-reaching  in  results.  Ascomyces  pruni  “  causing  peculiar  defor¬ 
mations  in  the  young  fruit  of  the  Plum,  Sloe,  and  Bird  Cherry,”  is 
happily  an  uncommon  aifection  of  the  Plum  in  this  country.  1  have 
only  met  with  one  specimen  in  fifty  years. 
The  fungus  (A.  bullatus)  “  forming  blisters  on  living  leaves  of  Pear 
and  Hawthorn  ”  finds  place  in  “  British  Fungus-Flora,”  but  why  over¬ 
look  its  growing  on  Apple  trees,  which  in  1893  and  1895  (seasons 
particularly  favourable  lo  the  Ascomyceare)  were  quite  red  in  the  young 
leaves  and  shoots  with  the  infection  of  this  parasite,  the  trees  having  a 
really  picturesque  appearance  ?  The  owner  of  the  trees  called  it  blight, 
caused  by  the  weather,  but  it  only  affected  old  or  unhealthy  trees. 
These  he  was  doing  his  best  to  rejuvenate  by  regrafting,  for  the  trees 
were  not  really  old,  but  decrepit  prematurely  from  the  recurring  blight. 
His  cankered  Apple  and  Pear  trees  had  been  treated  in  the  same  way, 
and  they  were  perfectly  healthy,  paying  their  way  from  the  third  year. 
Here  was  a  man  who  knew  nothing  whatever  about  fungi  doing  what 
fungologists  were  only  beginning  to  advise — destroy  the  fungus  and 
there  will  not  be  any  disease  of  the  character  it  produces.  Thisorchardist 
did  not  know  that  the  myceliums  of  the  blight  (Apple  leaf  blister 
fungus)  and  canker  fungus  (Nectria  ditissima)  were  perennial,  but  he 
did  know  that  cutting  off  the  heads  of  the  diseased  trees  in  both  cases 
and  putting  on  new  by  legrafting  with  clean  healthy  scions  was  effective 
against  both  “blight”  and  “canker.”  But  will  they  come  again? 
Certainly  both  will  return  if  there  be  any  affected  trees  in  the  locality. 
Under  the  Ascomyces  1  find  no  mention  of  A.  turgidus  producing 
“  witches’  besoms,”  on  Hornbeam,  nor  is  mention  made  of  any  Ascomyces 
giving  rise  thereto.  I  cannot  see  any  difference  between  A.  turgidus 
and  A.  Carpini,  the  assumed  species  found  on  the  Hornbeam.  As  this 
species  is  not  recognised  by  Mr.  Massee  presumably  he  does  not  admit 
it  to  be  different  from  A.  turgidus.  This  is  the  great  merit  of  “British 
Fungus-Flora ’’  —  namely,  all  doubtful  species  are  excluded,  such  as 
A.  juglandis,  which  I  have  striven  to  find  in  Walnut  trees  without 
success. 
Mr.  Massee’s  woik,  as  embodied  in  the  four  volumes  issued,  is  a 
masterpiece  of  systematic  arrangement,  while  the  terse  descriptions  and 
faithful  pourttayals  or  engravings  of  the  several  groups,  families,  sub¬ 
families,  genera,  or  typical  species  render  the  work  inoispensable  as  a 
text  book  for  students  and  lor  refeience  to  fungologists.  The  volumes 
are  handy  in  size,  well  and  attractively  bound,  tne  paper  good,  the  type 
bold,  and  ms  ter  clear,  cefinite,  and  invaluable — a  work  to  be  cherished, 
— G.  Abbey. 
Events  of  the  Week. — On  Friday  and  Saturday  the  National 
Co-operative  Society  holds  its  tenth  annual  flower  show  at  the  Crystal 
Palace.  On  Tuesday  the  Cominittees  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society 
meet  at  the  Drill  Hall,  and  the  Brighton  and  Sussex  Horticultural 
Society  opens  its  summer  show  in  the  Pavilion  of  that  town.  On 
Wednesday  Bath  show  will  be  held,  as  also  will  Harpenden. 
- Weather  in  London. — The  weather  during  the  past  week 
has  been  glorious,  the  sun  having  shone  bright  brilliantly  every  day. 
The  barometer  has  fluctuated  slightly,  but  no  rain  has  fallen,  and  the 
temperature  has  been  very  high.  On  Tuesday,  during  the  early  part 
of  the  morning,  it  was  somewhat  dull  and  cooler,  but  towards  midday 
the  sky  cleared,  and  the  sun  shone  warmly. 
-  The  next  meeting  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  will  be 
held  on  Tuesday,  August  27th,  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street,  West¬ 
minster.  At  three  o’clock  a  paper  by  Mr.  C.  F.  Bause  on  Crotons  and 
Dracaenas  will  be  read. 
-  The  Wakefield  Paxton  Society. — We  have  received  a 
communication  from  Mr.  T.  Garnett  which  cannot  be  published  this 
week,  if  at  all.  If  Mr.  Garnett  will  send  us  a  copy  of  the  balance 
sheet  of  the  Society  we  will,  if  necessary,  make  inquiries  on  certain 
points  at  issue,  of  much  more  than  local  importance.  We  have  to 
repeat,  that  we  shall  decline  to  insert  matter  of  a  personally  acrimoni¬ 
ous  nature  from  any  person  in  relation  to  the  conduct  of  the  affairs  of 
this  Society. 
-  Woburn  Experimental  Fruit  Farm.— A  party  of  forty 
agricultural  students  attached  to  the  Summer  College  of  the  Bedford¬ 
shire  County  Council  visited  the  above  farm  on  Tuesday,  August  20th, 
by  permission  of  His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Bedford  and  Spencer  Pickering, 
Esq.,  F.R  S.  They  were  conducted  over  the  grounds  by  the  Manager, 
Mr.  Castle,  and  the  general  scope  of  the  500  experiments  already  com¬ 
menced  was  explained.  Much  interest  in  the  work  was  evinced  by  the 
visitors,  who  were  chiefly  schoolmasters  engaged  in  the  County,  and  who 
are  qualifying  for  teaching  classes  under  the  Technical  Education 
Department.  Before  leaving  they  were  entertained  at  tea  in  the  house 
on  the  farm,  thus  concluding  a  very  agreeable  afternoon’s  outing. 
-  Nymph  a;  A  Laydekeri  rosea. — In  reply  to  “J.  F.  H.” 
(page  154)  I  have  much  pleasure  in  stating  that  1  have  just  measured 
two  fully  expanded  blooms  of  this  fine  Water  Lily,  one  proved  to  he 
5  inches  in  diameter,  and  the  other  slightly  larger.  N.  alba  growing  in 
the  same  pond  bad  several  flowers  which  measured  6  inches  in  diameter, 
the  others  being  somewhat  smaller.  To  be  quite  correct  I  should, 
therefore,  have  described  the  flowers  of  the  variety  named  at  the  head 
of  this  note  as  being  a  trifle  smaller  than  those  of  N.  alba.  I  do  not 
think  we  have  had  one  flower  of  N.  Laydekeri  rosea  so  small  as  3  inches 
in  diameter,  and  as  the  plants  came  direct  from  Monsieur  Marliac 
I  think  there  can  be  no  mistake  about  having  the  true  variety.  Perhaps 
other  growers  will  favour  Journal  readers  with  the  measurements  of 
their  flowers.  Without  doubt  these  hybrid  Lilies  are  “  coming”  flowers, 
and  additional  notes  about  them  will,  I  believe,  be  welcomed  by  many. 
— H.  Dunkin. 
-  PoiNSETTiA  Roots  Dying. — It  is  rather  difficult  to  give  a 
reason  for  the  Poinsettia  roots  dying,  as  requested  by  “H.  W.”  (page  106), 
but  1  am  inclined  to  think  that  they  must  have  received  a  severe  check, 
caused  by  allowing  the  pit  to  get  too  hot,  and  then  when  giving  air 
allowing  a  cold  draught  to  blow  on  the  plants,  and  possibly  they  have 
been  watered  with  cold  water.  In  my  opinion  the  soil  in  which  they 
were  potted  at  their  final  potting  is  of  too  stiff  a  nature.  The  compost 
that  I  use,  and  find  they  grow  well  in,  is  three  parts  turfy  loam,  three 
parts  peat,  and  one  part  each  of  coarse  sand,  manure,  and  leaf  mould. 
If  “  H.  W.”  roots  his  cuttings  under  hand-lights  in  a  temperature  of 
50°,  and  when  rooted  gradually  hardens  them,  so  as  to  have  them 
standing  in  cold  frames  by  the  beginning  of  July,  and  the  lights  kept 
off  on  all  favourable  occasions  until  the  beginning  of  September,  when 
they  should  be  taken  in  a  house,  have  a  temperature  of  about  50° 
gradually  rising  to  60°,  and  tbe  plants  kept  well  syringed,  he  will  be 
rewarded  with  good  bracts  and  plenty  of  green  leaves. — G.  H, 
*  Yol.  IV.,  Messrs.  George  Bell  &  Sous,  York  Street,  Coveut  Garden,  Louden. 
