114 
JOURNAL  OR  nORTIGULTURR  AND  COLTAOE  OARDEmR. 
Fetruary  3.  1398. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  a,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandswortb,  S.W.,  and  HOT  to  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately  to 
any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  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.  If  information 
be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any  particular 
authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain 
it  by  the  Editor. 
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;  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. 
Superphosphate  for  Lawns  (B.  /.). — In  the  case  mentioned,  what  was 
regarded  as  a  drastic  application  was  resorted  to  in  the  absence  of  the 
family  for  some  time.  The  dressing  was  equal  to  5  ozs.  to  the  square 
yard,  given  early  in  March.  Bright  dry  weather  followed,  the  moss  was 
dried  up,  the  surface  left  bare  and  brown  for  a  time,  but  soon  assumed  a 
green  hue,  resulting  in  a  close  sward  of  fine  grass  in  lieu  of  the  moss 
departed.  A  simple,  safe,  and  good  lawn  and  pasture  renovator,  used  by 
the  late  Dr.  Hogg,  consisted  of  5  cwts.  of  superphosphate  of  'ime  and 
1  cwt.  of  sulphate  of  ammonia  per  acre,  applied  in  February  or  early 
March,  according  to  the  weather. 
Gall  (Burr)  on  Cob-nut  Growth  (W  P.). — The  growth  is  simply  a 
burr,  common  in  some  districts  on  Hazel,  and  used  by  schoolboys  for 
“  hockey”  games.  The  origin  of  these  growths,  common  to  Beech  and  Elm 
as  well  as  Nut  trees,  has  been  attributed  to  various  causes.  In  the  present 
instance  it  is  fungoid,  with  the  tree  in  the  ascendant  in  the  matter  of 
resistance.  We  have  not  seen  the  ‘‘fruit”  of  the  fungus,  which  is  a 
nectria.  Its  action  is  clearly  defined  in  the  burr,  following  the  annular 
layers  of  wood,  and  has  broken  through  the  bark.  Removing  the  burr 
(it  is  not  a  gall)  is  the  only  remedy.  The  burrs  are  very  interesting  as 
showing  alteration  of  parts  due  to  parasitic  influence.  Excrescences  are 
also  caused  by  mites  and  weevils. 
Insects  on  Roots  of  Orchids,  Eucharis,  and  Ferns  (/.  Z.). — The 
“  insects  ’  arc  myriapods,  distinguished  from  true  insects  by  there  being 
no  clear  mark  of  distinction  between  thorax  and  abdomen,  composed  of 
many  segments,  legs  numerous,  always  more  than  eight,  hence  readily 
defined  from  the  spiders.  The  specimens  are  very  fine  examples  of  the 
earth  snake  millipede  (Julus  terrestris),  and  are  general  feeders,  con¬ 
suming  both  decaying  and  living  vegetable  substances,  and,  on  a  pinch, 
prey  upon  slugs,  iusects  and  their  larvse,  pupa?,  and  earthworms.  In 
particular,  they  feed  upon  Carrots  and  Potatoes,  but  various  other 
plants  are  seriously  injured  by  their  attacking  the  roots,  especially  those 
of  Orchids,  Eucharis,  and  others  of  a  fleshy  character.  The  best  baits  are 
those  you  have  been  using — namely.  Carrots,  Mangolds,  Turnips, 
and  Potatoes,  and  there  is  no  safer  means  of  getting  rid  of  the  pests. 
Roses  Under  Glass  {Roses'). — We  presume  you  are  securing  the  growths 
to  wires  a  foot  or  so  from  the  roof  of  the  house.  Some  of  the  finest 
blooms  of  Mardchal  Niel  that  we  have  seen  in  the  greatest  numbers  were 
produced  by  strong  young  stems  trained  about  6  inches  apart  in  the 
growing  season  and  there  left  to  produce  their  golden  harvest.  It  doe.? 
not  in  the  least  follow  if  the  growths  of  your  Roses  have  not  been  made 
under  the  best  conditions  in  the  summer  that  they  will  bloom  satis¬ 
factorily  in  the  spring  under  any  particular  distances  of  training  now. 
The  most  successful  growers  of  Mar^chal  Niel  and  other  climbing  Roses 
under  glass  cut  the  stems  down  to  the  base  of  the  rafters  soon  after  the 
flowers  are  cut,  and  run  up  fresh  young  growths  to  the  top  of  the  house 
for  producing  the  next  season’s  supply,  and  so  on  from  year  to  year. 
Roses  pay  the  best  between  October  and  March  if  the  crops  of  flowers 
are  good.  If  you  have  the  back  numbers  of  the  Journal  of  HortkuUtire, 
on  pages  388  and  430,  October  21st  and  November  4th,  1897,  you  will 
find  useful  information.  If  you  do  not  possess  those  numbers  send  7d. 
in  stamps  to  the  publisher,  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.,  and  ask  him  to  post  them  to  you.  For  a  good  little 
shilling  book  on  Roses  in  pots  write  to  Mr.  William  Paul,  Waltham  Cross, 
Herts.  If  you  send  stamps  add  2d.  for  postage.  We  do  not  remember 
the  London  publishers.  Though  it  may  not  contain  all  you  require  you 
may  gather  from  it  much  that  may  be  of  service. 
Soil  for  Ifines  Infested  with  Fungus  (T.  W.  M.). — The  fungus  is  the 
very  distinct  Psilocybe  (Agaricus)  conofaciens,  readily  known  by  the 
dark  colour  of  the  pileus  and  stem,  both  of  which  are  sprinkled  with 
white  fibrils.  It  is  inodorous,  and  not  edible.  So  far  as  we  know  it  is 
wholly  saprophytic  (living  on  dead  matter),  and  generally  springs  from 
rotten  straw  or  the  dead  parts  in  or  on  the  soil  of  gramineous  plants. 
There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  reason  to  suspect  it  of  destroying  living 
roots.  We  should  apply  a  dressing  of  air-slaked  best  chalk  lime,  using 
lb.  per  square  yard,  and  pointing  in  lightly.  This  will  tend  to  reduce 
the  organic  matter  and  convert  it  into  food  for  the  Vines  instead  of  for 
feeding  toadstools. 
Rusty  Spots  on  Chrysanthemum  Leaves  {Joseph  Leach). — The  leaves 
are  infested  by  the  Chrysanthemum  leaf-rust  fungus  (Uredo  chrys- 
anthemi),  which  first  appeared  in  this  country  last  year,  and  has  been 
figured  in  our  columns  fig.  57,  last  vol.  You  have  done  quite  right  in 
isolating  the  300  plants,  and  instead  of  using  flowers  of  sulphur  you  should 
apply  a  fungicide  containing  sulphate  of  copper,  such  as  anti-blight, 
(ostite,  or  other  advertised  kinds,  dusting  the  under  side  of  the  leaves 
most,  but  also  on  the  upper  surface,  as  there  are  pustules  of  the  parasite 
there.  The  fungus  is  very  malignant  in  its  action,  and  must  be  promptly 
destroyed,  it  having  now  reached  Yorkshire,  and  evidently  means 
business.  If  you  prefer  a  liquid  application  use  sulphide  of  potassium, 
^  oz.  to  a  gallon  of  water.  Act  without  delay,  for  the  pest  passes  very 
rapidly  from  leaf  to  leaf  and  plant  to  plant. 
Gooseberries  for  Cordons  {Worplesdon). — All  varieties  are  not  equally 
suitable  for  this  easy,  ornamental,  and  productive  method  of  producing 
Gooseberries.  As  visitors  to  the  meetings  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  know,  Messrs.  Veitch  cfe  Sons  have  exhibited  sulendid  samples  of 
these  cordons  densely  clothed  with  fruit.  Among  the  best  of  these  were 
Clayton,  Dan’s  Mistake,  Eskender  Bey,  Slaughterman,  Criterion,  Lord 
Rancliffe,  Mount  Pleasant,  Pretty  Boy,  Railway,  Fearless,  Jenny  Lind, 
King  of  Trumps,  Queen  of  Trumps,  Snowball,  Bright  Venus,  Broom  Girl, 
Early  Red  Hairy,  Ironmonger,  Red  Warrington,  and  Whitesmith,  The 
last  six  named  are  usually  regarded  as  dessert  varieties.  In  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture  of  August  I9th,  1897  (page  165),  an  illustration  is  given  of 
cordon  Gooseberries  as  they  appeared  three  years  after  planting  in  Mrs. 
Chrystie’s  garden  at  Bookham.  The  wire  fence  to  which  they  are  trained 
is  5  feet  high,  and  for  that  height  the  following  varieties  proved  the  most 
satisfactory  : — Hepburn’s  Prizetaker,  Green  Laurel,  Rifleman,  May  Duke, 
Whinham’s  Industry,  White  Captain,  Whitesmith,  Red  Champagne, 
Early  Sulphur,  and  Dan’s  Mistake.  Two  tall  growers.  Highlander  and 
Lomas’  Victory,  did  not  spur  well.  Medium  growers  and  free  bearers 
suitable  for  a  trellis  3  or  4  feet  high  were  found  in  Early  Kent,  Early 
Green  Hairy,  Surprise,  Railway,  Goblin,  Syon,  Leveller,  Mount  Pleasant, 
Fearless,  Bright  Venus,  and  Forester,  the  six  last  named  being  rather 
shorter  than  the  others.  The  land  was  trenched  and  well  enriched.  In 
the  summer  a  mulching  of  half-decayed  manure  spread  on  the  soil  on  the 
south  side  of  the  row,  which  runs  east  and  west,  proved  very  beneficial. 
Copious  supplies  of  liquid  manure  are  given  when  the  fruit  is  green  and 
swelling,  and  also  after  it  is  gathered,  to  enable  the  spurs  to  produce  bold 
fruit  buds.  This  is  excellent  practice  in  the  case  of  all  fruit  trees  and 
bushes  which  have  been  more  or  less  exhausted  by  heavy  crops  of  fruit. 
"White  Jerusalem  Artichoke  Attacked  by  Mould  {A.  B.).  —  The 
tubers  are  quite  ‘‘eaten  up,’’  black  and  rotten  inside,  and  smothered 
externally  with  a  dense  white  mould,  amongst  which  appear  here  and 
(here  black  bodies,  ranging  in  size  from  a  pinhead  to  a  pea,  and  even 
larger.  There  are  not  two  funguses,  as  you  suppose,  for  the  mould  is 
simply  the  densely  felted  mycelial  hyphse  or  threads,  en'.irely  devoid  of 
fructification,  this  being  commonly  suppressed  in  both  the  attacks  on  the 
Jerusalem  Artichoke,  Potato,  and  Tomato,  and  is  unquestionably  the 
worst  of  all  parasites  infesting  these  plants,  as  its  sclerotia  (the  black 
bodies)  may  live  in  the  soil  for  years  before  producing  the  ascophores, 
which  mean  danger  of  infestation  over  a  prolonged  period.  The  black 
lumps  are  the  resting  stage  of  the  fungus,  and  from  these  spring,  generally 
in  the  early  summer,  small  Mushroom-like  growths,  bearing  on  their  discs 
the  asci  or  spore  cases  containing  the  spores,  which  in  due  course  are 
discharged  from  their  apices,  and  borne  by  the  wind  or  other  agencies 
over  wide  areas.  The  White  Jerusalem  Artichoke  is  particularly  liable 
to  be  attacked  by  the  fungus  called  (in  the  mature  state)  Sclerotinia 
sclerotiorum.  We  have  received  a  fine  specimen  from  Kent,  and  now 
yours  from  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire  shows  the  disease  or  fungus  to 
follow  or  be  introduced  with  the  host.  It,  however,  attacks  the  old 
Jerusalem  Artichoke,  but  not  to  nearly  the  same  extent,  the  albino  form 
being  tenderer  than  the  coloured.  The  remedy  is  to  burn  all  the  infested 
plants  and  not  grow  Artichokes,  Potatoes,  or  Tomatoes,  or  even  any 
Compositae  member,  for  it  grows  on  Sunflowers,  on  the  land  for  some 
years.  The  best  dressing  for  the  land  is  quicklime,  using  10  tons  per 
acre,  1 1  cwt.  per  rod,  just  slaking  freshly  burned  best  chalk  lime  so  as  to 
cause  the  lumps  to  fall  into  a  fine  powder  for  ready  distiibution,  spreading 
whilst  hot,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  pointing  in  with  a  fork.  To 
disinfect  tubers,  use  corrosive  sublimate,  finely  powdered,  1  oz.  dissolved 
in  a  gallon  of  hot  water  overnight  in  a  wooden  vessel,  and  dilute  to 
gallons,  letting  it  stand  for  five  or  six  hours,  stirring  two  or  three 
times  to  secure  an  even  solution,  then  immerse  the  sets  for  half  an  hour. 
The  sets  must  only  be  used  for  planting,  as  the  corrosive  sublimate 
solution  is  a  terrible  poison,  and  must  be  used  with  extreme  care.  We 
have  found  this  procedure  answer,  care  being  taken  to  select  apparently 
sound  sets.  We  ask  you  to  be  very  careful  with  the  corrosive  sublimate 
solution,  though  it  will  not  harm  anything  but  the  fungus  at  the  strength 
named  unless  taken  into  the  stomach.  It  corrodes  metal  vessels. 
