418 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  1,  1898. 
-  Dahlias  in  November. — Until  the  14th  November  Dahlias 
could  be  gathered  iu  quantity  ;  indeed,  up  to  the  date  named  their 
autumnal  display  was  much  finer  than  during  any  part  of  the  summer. 
Six  degrees  of  frost,  however,  waa  sufficient  for  these  and  all  other 
similarly  tender  plants  remaining  in  outdoor  borders.  It  has  been  a 
record  year  in  many  respects,  and  none  the  less  in  the  freedom  from  frost 
and  the  slight  rainfall.  Despite  the  latter  failing  Dahlias  made  sur¬ 
prisingly  large  and  healthy  tubers,  even  in  comparatively  poor  soil.  This 
freedom  from  frost,  though  general,  has  not  been  universal,  records  of 
frost  having  been  given  from  some  districts  some  weeks  ago.  It  must  be 
some  years  since  such  an  immunity  was  experienced,  but  it  is  only  where 
daily  records  of  temperature  are  kept  that  such  can  be  determined. — 
A  Wiltshire  Gardener. 
-  Spring  Cabbage. — I  have  heard  complaints  from  more  than 
one  gardener  of  the  scarcity  of  Cabbages  for  planting  to  give  a  supply  in 
the  spring,  and,  as  is  common  among  the  fraternity,  in  some  districts 
solicitous  inquiries  are  being  made  with  a  view  to  obtaining  spare  plants 
for  filling  vacancies.  Unfortunately  superfluous  stock  is  generally  the 
exception  rather  than  the  rule,  and  many  growers  for  sale  are  regretting 
that  their  supply  is  not  larger.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  scarcity  of 
Winter  Greens  is  anticipated,  spring  Cabbage  will  bo  more  valuable, 
hence  the  anxiety  of  many  gardeners  in  their  non-success  in  raising  and 
inability  to  get  plants.  No  doubt  the  drought  and  allied  causes  are 
mainly  responsible  for  the  scarcity  of  Cabbage  plants,  and  as  root 
mischief  is  very  common  this  season  among  Greens,  it  will  probably  have 
some  bearing  on  the  crop  next  spring.  When  planting  spring  Cabbage 
from  the  seed  bed  I  noticed  several  galls  on  the  roots  of  the  small  plants. 
The  galls  were  at  once  picked  off,  the  maggots  destroyed,  and  the  roots 
subjected  to  preventive  treatment  before  being  planted.  Owing  to  the 
abundance  of  gall  weevil  affectations  noticeable  this  season  at  the  roots 
of  Greens  generally,  too  much  care  cannot  be  taken  when  putting  out 
Cabbage  plants  to  see  that  they  are  free  from  the  pest  so  far  as  can  be 
discerned,  otherwise  the  results  afterwards  may  be  disappointing. — G. 
-  Plants  and  Air  Action. — The  communication  on  page  398 
from  “  J.  M.”  is  so  full  of  misleading  statements,  that  it  is  perhaps 
as  well  your  readers  should  be  aware  of  them.  Thus  carbonic  acid  gas  is 
not  “in  the  form  of  aqueous  vapour,”  with  which  he  identifies  it  (the 
seventh  line).  Water  is  transpired  in  the  form  of  invisible  vapour  under 
the  influence  of  special  solar  rays  ;  while  carbonic  acid  gas  is  particularly 
st  mulated  by  heat,  and  is  respired  by  living  protoplasm  everywhere  and 
at  all  times  from  the  plant.  He  would  seem  to  refer  the  loss  of  aqueous 
vapour  to  differences  of  temperature.  This  is  true  for  the  physical 
process  of  evaporation,  which  proceeds  from  all  damp  and  dead  objects, 
but  this  is  not  identical  with  transpiration,  which  is  a  function  of  living 
organs  of  plants.  Though  vapour  can  proceed  more  readily  from  open 
stomata,  a  good  deal  passes  off  through  the  epidermis,  where  there  may 
bo  none  at  all.  Similarly,  carbonic  acid  gas,  the  product  of  respiration, 
is  in  excess  at  nights  solely  because  there  is  no  light  wherewith  it  can  be 
decomposed.  Such  excess  does  not  arise  from  the  soil,  but  from  the 
plant  itself.  The  “oxygenating  influence”  is  part  of  the  process  of 
respiration.  The  oxygen  of  the  air  unites  with  carbon  within  the  plant  itself, 
and  carbonic  acid  is  the  result.  This  is  then  expired. — G.  IIenslow. 
3  1  -  Ramie. — One  of  the  most  interesting  problems  ot  the  day  in  the 
utilisation  of  the  new  fibre  material,  and  one  that  is  attracting  the  attention 
of  all  civilised  countries,  is  the  industrial  production  of  that  wonderful 
substance  known  in  the  Orient  a3  China  Grass,  in  India  as  Rhea,  and  in 
Europe  and  America  as  Ramie.  The  money  spent  by  governments  and 
by  private  enterprise  throughout  the  world,  in  experiments  and  inven¬ 
tions,  in  the  effort  to  establish  the  Ramie  industry  would  make  up  the 
total  of  a  princely  fortune.  Obstacle  after  obstacle  has  been  overcome  in 
tho  years  of  persistent  effort,  and  now  we  stand  before  the  last  barrier, 
baffled  for  the  time  but  still  hopeful  and  with  efforts  unrelaxed.  The 
difficulty  may  be  stated  in  a  few  words  ;  Ramie  culture  will  only  become  a 
paying  industry  .when  an  economically  successful  machine  for  stripping  the 
fibre  has  been  placed  on  the  market.  Thousands  of  pounds  have  been  spent 
in  efforts  to  perfect  a  machine,  but  no  Government  fibre  expert  in  the  world 
recognises  that  we  have  such  a  machine  at  the  present  time,  though  great 
progress  has  been  made  in  machine  construction.  The  world’s  interest 
in  this  fibre,  says  the  “American  Journal,”  began  in  1869,  when  a 
reward  of  £5000  was  offered  by  the  Government  of  India  for  the 
best  machine  with  which  to  decorticate  the  green  stalks.  The  first 
exhibition  and  trial  of  machines  took  place  in  1872,  resulting  in  utter 
failure.  The  reward  was  again  offered,  and  in  1879  a  second  official  trial 
Was  held,  at  which  ten  machines  competed,  though  none  filled  the 
requirements,  and  subsequently  the  offer  was  withdrawn. 
-  The  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.— The  next  election 
of  children  to  the  benefits  of  this  Fund,  consisting  of  an  allowance  of 
5s.  per  week  until  they  attain  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  will  take  place 
eirly  in  February.  All  applications  must  be  made  on  a  proper  printed 
form,  copies  of  which  may  he  obtained  gratis  of  the  Secretary,  or  any  of 
the  local  Secretaries.  Such  forms  must  be  correctly  filled  up,  duly 
signed  and  returned  to  this  office  by  Tuesday,  December  the  20th,  1898- 
— A.  F.  Barron,  Secretary,  Chiswick,  London. 
-  Asparagus  in  Winter. — The  Missouri  Experiment  Station 
has  been  experimenting  for  the  past  two  years  with  Asparagus  growing, 
and  has  successfully  grown  Asparagus  in  the  open  field  in  midwinter  by 
running  steam  into  shallow  tunnels  between  the  Asparagus  rows.  The 
Asparagus  field  was  first  covered  with  6  or  7  inches  of  heating  horse 
manure,  and  the  steam  forced  into  the  soil  from  the  greenhouse  boiler.  By 
this  means  a  large  yield  of  fine  Asparagus  was  obtained  throughout  the 
months  of  December,  January,  and  February  ;  the  finest  quality  being  had 
in  the  middle  of  January  when  the  weather  was  coldest.  Many  of  the  sprouts 
were  12  or  14  inches  long,  and  an  inch  in  diameter,  blanched  perfectly, 
and  very  tender  and  delicious.  The  amount  of  steam  required  was  very 
small,  and  for  persons  located  near  a  good  market  the  winter  growing  of 
Asparagus  would  perhaps  prove  profitable.  Bulletin  No.  43,  by  Professor 
J.  C.  Whitten,  horticulturist,  is  devoted  t)  this  process. — (“American 
Gardening.”)  (  , 
-  Proposed  Winter  Garden  for  Brighton. — It  is  proposed 
to  erect  a  winter  garden  on  part  of  the  site  of  the  Brighton  Aquarium,  and 
particulars  of  the  scheme  were  recently  laid  before  the  Committee  of  the 
Town  Council,  which  body  has  by  Act  of  Parliament,  certain  rights  of 
veto  in  regard  to  constructive  alterations  of  the  Aquarium.  The  Com¬ 
mittee  were  informed  (says  a  contemporary)  that  a  syndicate  proposed  to 
purchase  the  Aquarium  from  the  liquidators  of  the  company,  and  by  a 
liberal  expenditure,  estimated  at  £30,000,  and  the  introduction  of  many 
new  features,  including  a  winter  garden,  to  make  the  altered  and  enlarged 
Aquarium  a  thoroughly  attractive  “all  day”  pleasure  resort,  available 
under  all  conditions  of  weather.  Several  new  entrances  will  be  provided; 
and  on  the  eastern  portion  of  the  present  Aquarium  roof  a  light  iron  and 
glass  roof  is  to  be  formed,  extending  for  a  length  of  about  300  feet. 
At  the  western  end  of  the  building  a  covered  portion  would  be 
provided,  which  would  be  available  for  the  public,  virtually  forming  a 
covered  seat  and  shelter.  In  acknowledgment  of  such  concessions  as 
may  be  necessary,  the  syndicate  offer  to  afford  facilities  for  widening  the 
Marine  Parade,  adding  an  area  of  1350  yards,  particulars  of  which  have 
already  been  published.  The  Committee  have  unanimously  advised  the 
Council  to  allow  the  scheme  to  proceed. 
-  Ourselves  as  Others  See  Us.  An  Eminent  British 
Horticulturist  on  American  Parks.  Rochester  is  Favoured* 
Peter  Barr  Leisurely  Girdling  the  World  at  Seventy- 
two  Years  of  Age,  Talks  of  the  Park  Systems  of  This  and 
Other  Countries.— That  is  only  a  heading,  which  takes  up  just  five 
times  the  nbove  space  in  bold  type  in  the  Rochester  (U.S.A.)  “Democrat 
and  Independent”  of  November  15th.  Mr.  Barr  seems  to  have  been 
interviewed  over  a  column  and  a  half,  and  after  describing  sundry 
parks,  proceeds  as  follows  : — “  Now  I  come  to  Highland  Park  (Rochester'- 
I  visited  it  three  times  in  three  days,  and  if  I  were  to  stay  here  six  days 
longer  I  should  visit  it  six  times  more.  It  is  an  inexpressible  pleasure. 
Those  beds  of  flowering  shrubs  arranged  in  some  fifty  odd  families, 
with  all  the  varieties  and  species  that  can  be  secured.  I  venture  to  say 
that  there  is  not  another  place  in  the  United  States  or  out  of  it  that  will 
compare  with  it.  I  was  fairly  startled  by  it.  Its  natural  conformation 
of  hills  and  dales  all  tumbled  about  is  charming.  The  effect  is  beautiful ; 
and  what  will  it  bo  in  ten  years  hence  ?  Every  year  it  will  go  on 
improving.  There  are  many  rare  Conifer®  there,  and  if  additions  are 
continued  you  will  have  a  pinetum  unequalled  in  the  world.  You  have 
the  men  with  the  knowledge,  if  they  are  only  provided  with  the  means.!’ 
Then  the  R.  “  D.  and  I.”  goes  on  to  say,  “  Mr.  Barr  from  here  goes  on 
to  Cornell  to  meet  the  professors  of  botany  of  that  institution.  Thence 
to  Albany,  and  through  Canada  to  California  ;  on  to  Haw  aii,  on  to  Japan, 
stopping  to  study  the  ancient  horticulture  ;  to  China,  and  next  to  New 
Zealand  and  Australia,  and  then  over  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  study 
the  Tableland  flora  ;  and  if  Cecil  Rhodes  has  his  projected  railroad  finished 
by  that  time,  he  will  take  train  for  Khartoum,  and  thence  on  down  the 
Nile  to  Alexandria,  and  home  again,  after  a  round-the-world  vacation 
of  three  years,  which  he  has  worked  sixty  years  to  enjoy.”  To  this  wo 
have  only  to  add  that  he  will  be  welcome  in  London  whenever  he  comes, 
and  may  we  be  there  (in  King  Street)  to  see,  in  the  same  good  company 
as  before  his  departure.  Cecil  Rhodes  had  better  “  hurry  up  ”  that 
railroad. 
