November  7, 1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
431 
suffered  afterwards.  Eeally,  it  is  not  needful,  since  the  grubs 
descend  but  a  few  inches. 
Kemoval  of  the  surface  soil  may  be  advisable,  which  should  be 
burnt,  or  treated  with  undiluted  gas  lime  ;  in  that  way  also  during 
winter  many  eggs  of  the  Gooseberry  and  Currant  scale  (Lecanium 
ribis)  would  be  destroyed,  for  these  often  drop  from  the  mother 
scale  to  the  soil  under  the  bushes,  and  the  young  scale  begin  to 
ascend  as  early  as  March.  Indeed,  by  scraping  off  the  surface  to 
the  depth  of  2  or  3  inches  we  get  away  chrysalids  of  various 
species.  The  Hy hernia  group  of  moths,  some  of  which  are  so 
troublesome  to  us,  are  generally  but  just  buried  in  the  earth,  for 
instance  the  winter  moth  (Cheimatobia  brumata)  ;  and  killing  the 
chrysalids  saves  all  speculation  about  the  methods  of  preventing 
the  moth  from  depositing  eggs.  But  after  October  is  out  it  is 
commencing  to  emerge  from  the  chrysalis  if  the  weather  is  mild. 
Another  foe  to  fruit  trees  is  the  caterpillar  of  the  mottled  umber 
(Hybernia  defoliaria)  ;  the  moth  of  this  species  appears  about  the 
same  time  as  the  preceding,  and  the  chrysalis  lies  just  under  the 
surface  of  the  ground. 
When  the  soil  has  been  either  scraped  or  simply  turned  over 
an  application  of  quicklime  may  be  useful  for  killing  chrysalids, 
and  any  solution  or  liquor  containing  soap  as  an  ingredient,  because 
this  clogs  the  breathing  pores.  Of  course,  in  some  cases  descending 
caterpillars  take  up  their  abode  for  the  winter  just  under  the  plants 
or  shrubs  on  which  they  have  fed,  where  the  chrysalids  are  guarded 
by  the  roots,  unless  it  happens  that  the  plants  are  dug  up  at  this 
season.  Hence,  in  operations  amongst  autumn  Cabbages,  it  is  very 
usual  to  bring  to  light  numerous  chrysalids  of  the  abundant 
Cabbage  moth  (Mamestra  Brassicse),  which  are  often  allowed  to 
escape,  when  they  might  be  picked  out  of  the  earth.  Amongst 
other  chrysalids  of  stout-bodied  moths  we  turn  up  now  are  those 
of  the  dot  (M.  Persicariae),  the  heart  and  dart  (Agrotis  exclama- 
tionis),  the  dark  arches  (Xylophasia  polyodon),  and  the  pretty 
silver  Y  (Plusia  gamma)  in  a  cocoon  on  the  ground  or  amongst 
the  herbage.  Its  caterpillar  occasionally  makes  a  raid  on  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  in  the  spring. — Entomologist. 
THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  SEASON. 
When  we  reach  this  somewhat  saddening  period  of  the  year,  with 
its  alternating  visitations  of  frost  and  snow  ;  when  the  leaves  are  falling 
in  myriads  into  our  gardens  from  the  environing  trees,  and  making 
desolate  the  aspect  of  borders  and  bowers  ;  I  am  sometimes  disposed  to 
sympathise  with  Othello,  when  he  pathetically  declared  that  his 
occupation  was  gone.  Yet  such,  even  for  the  horticulturist,  is  not  the 
case,  for,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  much  to  be  done.  His  work 
for  next  year  is  only  beginning  ;  and  if  after  this  period  there  is  little 
appearance  of  growth  or  activity,  he  can  take  comfort  from  the  fruit 
buds  already  formed  on  the  trees  ;  he  will  remember  amid  the  surrounding 
desolation  the  assurance  of  Tennyson  : 
“Longsleeps  the  summer  in  the  seed.” 
Here,  however,  the  floral  season  has  not  yet  wholly  vanished  from  the 
regions  of  vision  into  those  of  remembrance.  Notwithstanding  the 
somewhat  exacting  weather  which  has  recently  prevailed,  I  have  at  this 
date  (November  1st)  a  Lilium  auratum  in  flower,  likewise  several  stately 
plants  of  L.  speclosum  Kraetzeri,  a  large  number  of  Rose  trees,  and 
many  Chrysanthemums  in  continuous  bloom .  This,  no  doubt,  is  largely 
owing  to  the  fact  that  my  garden  is  strongly  sheltered  from  every  wind 
that  blows ;  being  adequately  protected  by  office  houses,  tall  trees,  and  high 
Hawthorn  hedges — especially  towards  the  north  and  east.  The  influence 
of  the  sea,  which  we  have  on  all  sides  save  one,  is  also  favourable  to  the 
permanence  of  vegetable  growth  and  adverse  to  the  frost,  which  is  also 
greatly  mitigated  by  the  dominating  action  of  the  beneficent  Gulf 
Stream. 
Of  late-flowering  Roses  the  brightest  at  present  are  Lorna  Doone, 
whose  chief  value  consists  in  its  autumnal  attractiveness  ;  Mr.  Cranston’s 
Crimson  Redder,  which  should  be  universally  cultivated,  seeing  that  it 
blooms  from  June  to  November  without  intermission,  has  a  fragrance 
which  might  be  envied  by  Baroness  Rothschild  or  Merveille  de  Lyon  ; 
Hon.  Edith  Gifford  and  Innocente  Pirola,  two  of  the  hardiest,  most 
prolific,  and  beautiful  of  Teas  ;  and  Mrs.  John  Laing,  the  grandest 
production  of  the  late  Mr.  Henry  Rennet,  whose  early  death  was  to  the 
world  of  horticulture  an  irreparable  loss.  Almost  rivalling  the  last- 
mentioned  Hybrid  Perpetual  are  two  recently  originated  Irish  Roses  of 
the  highest  merit  and  distinction,  both  of  them  gold  medallists  of  the 
National  Rose  Society  ;  I  mean  Mrs.  Sharman  Crawford  and  Marchioness 
of  Pownshire,  of  whose  many  splendid  attributes  I  can  speak  from 
experience.  They  are  very  free-flowering ;  while  in  colour  and  form 
they  are  alike  superb.  Thouerh  of  a  different  complexion,  they  are 
worthy  successors  of  Margaret  Dickson  and  Marchioness  of  Londonderry, 
of  which  the  former  succeeds  admirably  here,  while  the  latter  is  only, 
under  the  most  favourable  conditions,  a  partial  success.  Mr.  Paul’s 
Clio,  which  I  described  at  some  length  in  previous  contributions,  is  also 
a  remarkably  meritorious  Rose.  Prince  Arthur,  the  finest  existing 
derivation  from  General  Jacqueminot,  raised  by  Mr,  Benjamin  R.  Cant  * 
of  Colchester  as  far  back  as  1875,  yet  whose  lustre  and  popularity  are 
alike  undimmed  ;  Duke  of  Albany,  Victor  Hugo,  and  the  immortal  Duke 
of  Edinburgh  ;  also  the  imperially  robed  A.  K.  Williams,  than  which  no 
nobler  crimson  Rose  exists,  have  proved  in  my  garden  exceedingly 
precious  autumnal  acquisitions. 
On  the  12th  of  October  I  had  the  gratification  of  presenting  to  my 
friend  Madame  Adelina  Patti  at  her  Edinburgh  concert,  in  recognition 
of  her  love  for  the  art  of  horticulture,  a  bouquet  of  “  home-grown  ” 
Roses,  which  included  many  of  the  varieties  I  have  enumerated,  also 
Madame  Pernet  Ducher,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince,  Perle  des  Jardins, 
and  Madame  Lambard,  which,  I  may  add,  she  accepted  most  gratefully, 
publicly,  and  most  gracefully  acknowledged  on  the  platform,  and  held 
in  her  hand  when  singing  “  Home,  Sweet  Home.”  She  told  me  that 
after  receiving  such  a  present  she  should  certainly  have  sung  the  ”  Last 
Rose  of  Summer  ;  ”  but  this  would  have  been  a  premature,  however 
impressive,  adieu  to  the  fairest  of  flowers,  seeing  that  I  have  gathered 
many  bouquets  of  Roses  since  that  memorable  time. 
But  the  atmosphere  is  becoming  colder  every  day,  growth  and 
vitality  can  no  longer  be  sustained  ;  nor  is  this  advisable,  for  every 
plant  and  every  tree  must  have,  in  accordance  with  Nature’s  ordination, 
its  period  of  repose,  and  ere  long  the  reign  of  the  Rose  and  its  contempo¬ 
raries  will  have  become,  like  all  things  fair,  a  bright  and  abiding 
memory  of  the  past.  We  shall  have  to  bid  our  best-beloved  companions, 
the  flowers  of  the  garden,  a  reluctant  farewell. — David  R.  Williamson. 
FIG.  6S.— MONS.  E,  CALVAT.  (See  page  438). 
COOPER’S  BLACK  AND  GROS  MAROC  GRAPES. 
In  reply  to  the  request  for  information  about  these  Grapes,  I  have 
to  remark  that  as  we  had  them  here  they  were  quite  distinct  varieties. 
We  had  Gros  Maroc  on  its  own  roots,  grafted  on  Black  Hamburgh,  on 
Gros  Colman,  and  on  Lady  Downe’s.  We,  however,  cut  it  out  some 
time  ago,  as  we  had  a  poor  opinion  of  its  edible  qualities. 
We  have  several  Vines  of  Cooper’s  Black  still.  They  are  grafted  on 
Lady  Downe’s,  and  have  done  well,  though  we  find  that  the  fruit 
produces  but  a  poor  return  when  sent  to  market  ;  in  consequence  we 
do  not  intend  to  increase  our  stock  of  it. 
By  parcels  post  I  send  to  the  Editor  a  small  sample  of  our  Cooper’s 
Black.  I  am  sorry  we  have  not  a  sample  of  Gros  Maroc  to  send  for 
comparison,  or  the  Editor  would  easily  have  seen  the  difference  between 
the  Grapes  as  we  had  them. 
Cooper’s  Black  shows  its  bunches  at  the  sixth  or  seventh  eye  on  the 
laterals  on  an  average,  and  my  recollection  of  Gros  Maroc  is  that  it 
showed  its  bunches  much  nearer  the  main  stem. 
Gros  Maroc  as  grown  by  us  produced  a  fully  larger  berry  than 
Cooper’s  Black,  and  tad  a  much  thicker  and  stiffer  stalk  to  the  berry. 
The  foliage  also  was  thicker,  and  the  wood  as  a  rule  stronger.  Its 
edible  qualities  were  of  the  poorest,  though  well  grown  and  treated  to  a 
good  temperature.  The  bloom  was  very  intense,  and  the  Grape  looked 
well,  making  a  handsome  basket,  but  when  tasted  its  charms  vanished, 
at  least  in  my  opinion. 
Cooper’s  Black  as  grown  here  colours  well  and  early,  and  shows 
freely,  but  we  also  find  its  table  qualities  far  from  first-rate,  and  it,  like 
Gros  Maroc,  has  more  the  appearance  of  merit  than  the  reality. 
I  cannot  give  the  history  of  Cooper’s  Black,  but  doubtless  some  of 
the  readers  of  the  Journal  can.  I  agree  with  what  “  Rusticus  ”  says  on 
page  408. 
1  cannot  say  anything  about  the  Dundee  case  as  I  did  not  see  the 
Grapes  mentioned,  but  if  the  exhibitor  had  Cooper’s  Black  and  Gros 
