286 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  31,  1898. 
Vine- Browning. — Mr,  Hudson  showed  a  young  shoot,  the  leaves  of 
which  were  blistered  and  brown.  This  is  due  to  the  presence  of  the 
well-known  myxomycetous  fungus,  Plasmodiophora  vitis,  allied  to 
r,  Brassicae,  the  “slime  fungus,’’  which  gives  rise  to  “club-disease,” 
or  “  fingers  and  toes,’’  in  cultivated  cruciferous  plants.  The  only  remedy 
is  to  cut  away  and  burn  all  affected  leaves  or  shoots.  It  is  described  and 
figured  in  Viaia’s  Maladies  de  la  Vigne,  p.  400. 
Ivg  Sports. — Dr.  Masters  exhibited  sprays  of  a  peculiar  small-leaved 
dwarf  Ivy,  remarkable  for  sending  up  vertical  shoots  with  distichous 
leaves,  though  unattached  to  a  wall.  The  habit  appears  to  have  become 
fixed,  even  in  free-growing  branches.  On  some  shoots,  however,  the 
leaves  were  spirally  arranged,  as  is  usual  on  such  branches.  It  may  be 
observed  that  the  change  from  the  distichous  arrangement  of  the  leaves 
on  the  horizontal  branches  of  the  common  Laurel  to  a  spiral  one,  when 
the  boughs  grow  erect,  is  common  ;  but  it  is  not  a  fixed  character. 
HARDY  SHRUBS  AND  PLANTS  IN  TOWNS. 
Ui^LiKE  most  if  not  all  other  departments  in  gardening,  scarcely 
anything  has  been  written  about  hardy  plants  and  shrubs  in  towns.  No 
one  seems  to  have  made  them  a  special  study.  We  have  no  authority  to 
consult,  but  all  has  to  be  learned  from  actual  experience,  which  is,  of 
necessity,  a  slow  process.  I  therefore  propose  to  make  reference  to 
plants  which  have  come  under  my  own  observation  in  a  low,  damp 
locality  with  a  clay  soil.  Had  they  referred  to  a  town  situated  in  a  high, 
rocky  position,  or  in  a  light  sandy  or  gravelly  soil,  the  results  would  no 
doubt  have  been  different. 
It  is  not  only  the  cold  and  smoke  that  act  prejudicially  on  many 
plants,  but  excessive  dampness  causes  not  a  few  that  grow  well  during  the 
summer  to  succumb  during  the  winter.  Good  drainage,  the  addition  of 
opening  material  to  the  soil,  and  not  planting  too  deeply,  are  the  best 
methods  to  adopt  with  the  object  of  reducing  the  losses  to  a  minimum. 
As  might  be  expected,  deciduous  shrubs  succeed  better  than  ever¬ 
greens.  Amongst  the  former,  the  common  Lilac  always  thrives  well,  and 
sometimes  flowers  freely.  The  Persian  is  not  nearly  so  satisfactory.  I 
could  never  make  out  why  one  is  called  the  common  Lilac  (Syringa 
vulgaris),  and  the  other  the  Persian  (S,  persica),  seeing  they  are  both 
natives  of  Persia.  The  so-called  common  one  was  brought  to  this  country 
rather  more  than  300  years  ago,  and  the  Persian  about  forty  years  later. 
The  Gueldres  Rose,  sometimes  called  the  Snowball  Tree  (Viburnum 
Opulus),  and  the  Snowberry  Tree  (Symphoricarpus  racemosus),  both  do 
well.  The  latter  is  a  native  of  North  America,  the  former  of  this 
country,  and  they  both  belong  to  the  Woodbine  family.  The  Dogwood 
(Cornus  sanguinea)  also  flourishes.  This  plant  is  common  in  hedges  and 
waste  places  in  this  country,  also  throughout  Europe  and  North  Africa. 
It  is  well  known  by  its  pretty  smooth  red  branches  and  black  berries. 
It  received  the  name  of  Dogwood  and  Hound’s  Tree  from  the  circumstance 
of  a  decoction  of  its  bark  having  been  used  for  washing  mangy  dogs. 
The  Ribes  or  Flowering  Currant,  as  it  is  usually  called,  answers  fairly 
well. 
Our  old  friend  the  common  Elder  of  course  grows  vigorously.  I 
wonder  where  it  would  not  grow.  There  is  one  now  growing  in  Chapel 
Yard,  Hull.  Once  upon  a  time,  those  in  authority  connected  with  the 
chapel  caused  a  large  tree  to  be  cut  down  below  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
which  was  asphalted.  The  following  spring  growth  from  the  stump  lifted 
the  asphalte,  cast  the  fragment^^side  and  proceeded  (^uite  comfortably  to 
attain  the  former  proportions.  This  process  has  been  repeated  from  time 
to  time  for  years,  but  still  the  Elder  struggles  on,  although  in  a  weakened 
condition.  Good  old  Elder  1  The  golden  variety  also  grows  well ;  but 
its  leaves  do  not  become  nearly  so  yellow  as  when  grown  in  purer  air. 
Roses  do  not  flower  at  all  satisfactorily,  and  in  many  parts  they  refuse 
to  grow.  The  same  may  be  said  of  nearly  all  Coniferous  plants  except 
Thuia  aurea.  This  grows  the  best  of  any  with  which  I  am  acquainted, 
but  should  not  be  planted  in  densely  populated  districts. 
The  Eig,  which  is  so  well  known  to  gardeners,  grows  well  in  towns, 
especially  when  fastened  to  a  wall.  The  Fig  is  believed  to  be  a  native  of 
Western  Asia,  and  was  in  early  times  introduced  to  the  islands  and 
countries  on  both  sides  of  the  Mediterranean  and  Southern  Europe,  where 
it  has  become  indigenous.  The  Fig  is  so  nearly  the  same  in  structure  as 
our  common  Nettle  that  some  botanists  consider  it  belongs  to  the  same 
tribe,  for  the  following  reasons.  The  Fig  has  leaves  covered  with  very 
stiff  short  hairs,  and  with  a  pair  of  stipules  at  the  base  ;  so  has  a  Nettle. 
It  has  flowers  with  stamens  and  pistils  separated  ;  so  has  a  Nettle.  Its 
flowers  have  no  corolla,  and  the  pistil  is  a  little  simple  body  which  changes 
when  ripe  to  a  very  small  flat  grain,  all  which  are  exactly  what  are  found 
in  the  Nettle.  In  the  essential  parts  of  their  structure  the  two  parts  are 
alike.  There  is,  however,  one  important  difference.  The  juice  of  the 
Nettle  is  watery,  that  of  the  Fig  is  milky.  But  someone  may  possibly 
say,  Where  are  the  flowers  of  the  Fig  ?  Cut  a  ymung  Fig  open  and  you 
will  find  the  whole  of  the  inside  bristling  with  sterile  and  fertile  flowers  ; 
the  former  have  five  stamens,  and  the  latter  a  jagged  calyx  with  a  small 
white  pistil  sticking  up  in  the  midst  of  it. 
Both  the  Greater  and  Lesser  Periwinkle,  Vinca  major  and  V.  minor, 
as  they  are  called,  prosper.  There  is  nothing  very' particular  to  say  about 
these  glossy  leaved  creeping  evergreens,  which  belong  to  the  Dogbane  family 
Apocyuacem.  The  Italians  call  this  plant  the  Death  Flower  or  Death’s 
Violet.  Some  think  it  might  have  been  intended  for  Sir  William  Fraser’s 
death  flower,  when  he  was  led  to  execution  with  a  garland  of  Periwinkle, 
in  mockery,  placed  upon  his  head.  Sir  William ‘was  the  last  destroyed  of 
Wallace’s  adherents. 
The  Aucuba  japonica  has  for  some  time  been  known  as  a  good  town 
shrub.  Hollies  and  Laurels  do  not  flourish  in  the  district,  and  in  very 
smoky  places  will  not  grow  at  all.  The  common  yellow  Broom  grows 
and  flowers  fairly  well  for  a  time.  The  best  way  to  succeed  with  it  is, 
either  sow  seed  or  plant  a  few  seedlings  every  year,  so  as  to  replace  the 
four  or  five-year-old  plants,  which  generally  fail.  Euonymus  japonicus  is 
rather  tender,  but  when  favoured  by  the  shelter  of  a  wall  makes  a  charm¬ 
ing  shrub.  Its  glossy,  dark  green  leaves,  vigorous  growth,  and  really 
handsome  appearance  will  well  repay  anyone  for  the  care  bestowed  upon 
it.  The  small  English  and  the  so-called  large  Irish  Ivies  are  both  useful  ; 
the  latter  as  being  far  the  more  vigorous,  soon  covers  the  ground  with  a 
carpet  of  green,  or  a  wall  in  the  same  way'.  It  may  also  be  trained  in  a 
pyramidal  form,  resembling  a  shrub  when  planted  out,  and  is  equally 
useful  and  ornamental,  too,  if  grown  in  a  large  pot,  tub,  or  box. 
The  king  of  all  town  shrubs  is,  I  think,  the  Oval-leaved  Privet.  Given 
a  fair  amount  of  light,  it  will  grow  almost  any  where,  either  planted  out 
or  grown  in  tubs.  It  bears  cutting  well,  even  to  the  dimensions  of  a 
hedge,  or  a  rounded  shrub,  and  if  left  alone  it  will  grow  to  the  size  of  a 
small  tree,  but  in  this  state  it  has  a  rather  loose  appearance.  However, 
grown  as  a  shrub,  6  or  8  feet  high,  it  stands,  in  Hull,  without  a  rival, 
and  cannot  be  too  strongly  recommended,  or  too  widely’  grown  in  towns. 
—  A.  E.  Peake. — QRead  at  a  meeting  of  the  Hessle  Gardeners'  Mutual 
Improvement  Society.) 
(To  be  concluded.) 
THE  GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF 
PLANTS  IN  RELATION  TO  WATERING. 
How  often  do  we  hear  and  read  that  plants  should  not  be  watered 
until  dry  ?  This  phrase  has  apparently  different  meanings  with  different 
individuals,  as  some  go  to  one  extreme  and  some  to  the  other.  Frequently 
we  see  plants  in  an  unh  althy  state,  not  because  the  temperature,  ventila¬ 
tion,  and  soil  are  w  rong,  but  because  the  watering  is  done  in  a  rule  of 
thumb  manner  instead  of  being  based  on  scientific  principles  ;  and  I  am  of 
opinion  that  if  the  rainfall  of  the  quarter  of  the  globe  from  which  the 
plants  were  brought  were  imitated  more  generally,  better  plants  and  fewer 
failures  would  be  known.  And  I  propose  in  these  notes  to  point  out  the 
broad  principles  of  my  text.  As  the  capacity  of  the  air  for  moisture 
increases  with  the  temperature,  it  must  follow,  other  things  being  favour¬ 
able,  that  the  amount  of  rainfall  is  greater  in  warm  than  in  cold  latitudes, 
and  greater  also  in  low-lying  than  in  elevated  districts.  The  amount  of 
rainfall  is  greatest  within  the  tropics,  and  decreases  as  we  advance  into 
higher  latitudes.  It  is  also  greater  at  the  sea  level  and  moderate  eleva¬ 
tions  than  it  is  on  lofty  tablelands  and  mountains.  In  like  manner  more 
rain  descends  near  the  coast  than  in  the  central  regions  of  a  country.  The 
ocean  is  the  great  source  whence  the  atmosphere  absorbs  its  aqueous 
vapours,  which  are  eventually  condensed  in  the  form  of  rain. 
The  rainfall  of  the  globe  may  be  arranged  under  three  great  heads — 
the  periodical  of  the  tropics,  the  variable  of  the  higher  latitudes,  and  the 
abnormal  of  certain  regions.  The  rainy  season  within  the  tropics  is 
regulated  by  the  monsoons,  or  periodical  winds  which  blow  in  one  direc¬ 
tion  for  one  half  of  the  year,  and  in  the  contrary  direction  the  other  half. 
Beyond  the  tropics  the  rains  no  longer  occur  at  stated  periods,  but  become 
variable — that  is,  are  distributed  throughout  the  year  in  a  very  irregular 
manner.  The  mean  annual  rainfall  of  tropical  countries  is  200  inches, 
whilst  the  average  annual  rainfall  of  Britain  is  36  Inches. 
Botanists  have  divided  the  globe  into  zones  of  vegetation.  On  each 
side  of  the  equator,  up  to  the  tenth  degree  north  latitude  and  the  tenth 
degree  south  latitude,  is  the  tropical  region,  within  which  there  are  two 
rainy  and  two  dry  seasons  each  year — a  long  rainy  season  of  three  or 
four  months,  and  a  short  rainy  season  of  about  six  weeks.  Outside  this 
zone,  and  extending  to  the  thirtieth  parallel  of  latitude,  is  the  sub-tropical 
zone,  in  which  the  year  is  divided  into  a  rainy  and  dry  season,  extending 
to  six  months  of  rains  and  six  months  of  d 'ought.  This  region  is  under 
the  in.iuence  of  the  periodical  winds  or  monsoons. 
Before  dealing  with  the  average  rainfall  of  different  countries,  it  will 
perhaps  be  advisable  to  say  that  Balms  are  invariably  found  growing  near 
rivers,  watercourses,  or  on  the  seashore.  Bamboos  are  mostly  found  in 
swampy  places;  Nepenthes  inhabit  swamps,  as  do  Utricularias  and 
Sarracenias.  Orchids,  whether  terrestrial  or  epiphytal,  are  found  mostly 
at  elevations  on  the  mountains  of  from  4000  to  6000  feet.  Other  epiphytal 
plants  are  .^schynanthus,  Pothos,  and  most  Bromeliads,  and  these  should 
have  a  very  free  drainage  to  remove  all  surplus  water. 
India  or  the  East  Indies  has  its  year  divided  into  a  very  marked  rainy 
and  dry  season,  and  plants  from  the  plains  or  at  moderate  elevations 
require  a  long  period  of  rest.  On  the  west  coast  of  India  in  the 
plains  the  average  annual  rainfall  is  from  78  to  100  inches,  and  at  certain 
elevations  on  the  mountains  over  250  inches.  The  Neilgherry  Hills  have 
a  temperate  climate  and  moderate  rainfall.  The  beautiful  Lilium 
neilgherrense  is  found  there.  The  rainfall  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains 
in  Nepal  and  Sikkim  at  moderate  elevations  is  200  inches.  The  Khaysia 
Mountains  have  the  largest  annual  rainfall  on  the  globe  ;  the  average  is 
from  500  to  600  feet,  and  as  much  as  30  inches  has  been  registered  in  one 
day.  Tliis  unparalleled  amount  is  attributed  to  the  abruptness  of  their 
slope,  which  faces  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  from  which  they  are  divided  by  200 
miles  of  j  heels  and  sunderbunds  (being  the  deltas  of  the  Ganges  and 
Burrampoter).  These  mountains, from  thei.’  insular  position,  are  perennially 
humid. 
The  plants  of  the  Indian  plains  include  Aristolochias,  Beaumontia 
grandiflora,  Cycas  circinalis,  Eranthemum  pulchellum.  Ficus  elastica, 
Ipomoea  Horsfallim,  Gloriosa  superba,  Hibiscus  sinensis  and  varieties. 
