98 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  3,  1899. 
should  be  spared  to  keep  the  foliage  clean  by  syringing  in  the  morning 
and  afternoon.  Do  not  syringe,  however,  if  the  day  is  likely  to  be  dull, 
or  in  the  afternoon  if  there  is  prospect  of  the  foliage  not  becoming  dry 
before  night.  Under  those  circumstances  damp  the  border,  especially  in 
the  afternoon.  Admit  a  little  air  earl y,  increasing  it  with  the  sun  heat, 
maintaining  through  the  day  at  80°  to  85°  with  free  ventilation,  closing 
early  so  as  to  increase  the  temperature  to  90°  to  95°,  and  when  the  sun’s 
power  is  declining  a  little  air  may  be  admitted  at  the  top  of  the  house,  so 
as  to  allow  the  pent-up  moisture  to  escape  and  the  temperature  to 
gradually  cool.  Supply  water  or  liquid  manure  to  the  roots  according 
to  circumstances,  so  as  to  keep  the  soil  in  a  thoroughly  mo'st,  but  not 
sodden,  condition. 
hen  the  fruit  advances  for  ripening  lessen  the  supply  of  water  and 
discontinue  syringing,  securing  a  circulation  of  air  constantly,  and 
ventilate  freely  when  favourable.  Close  early  with  sun  heat,  but  afford 
a  little  ventilation  to  allow  of  the  moisture  escaping  instead  of  condensing 
on  the  fruit  and  causing  it  to  spot  and  crack. — Grower. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
July  25th. 
Scientific  Committee.  —  Present  :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the 
chair) ;  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  Mr.  Mawley,  anl  Rev.  G.  Henslow,  Hon.  Sec. 
Begonia,  monstrous. — Mrs.  G.  Soames,  of  Welton  House,  Daveutry, 
sent  a  peculiar  blossom,  with  white  petals  and  a  large  tuft  of  stigma 
apparently  a  male  flower,  with  the  stamens  stigmatiferous.  Dr.  Masters 
undertook  to  examine  it  further,  and  report  upon  it. 
He^enium  autumnale,  proliferous — Mr.  Veitch  sent  specimens  of  this 
peculiarity,  in  which  the  heads  had  given  rise  to  pedicillate  smaller  ones, 
the  corollas  being  more  or  less  virescent  as  well.  It  is  remark  ible  that 
this  species  is  peculiarly  liablo  to  this  malformation. 
Grapes  with  mildew — Cypripediums  and  Apple  trees  diseased. — The  three 
following  communications  were  received  from  Dr.  W.  G.  Smith  of  the 
\  orkshire  College,  Leeds,  on  specimens  sent  to  a  previous  meeting.  A 
special  and  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  recorded  to  him  for  his  valuable 
reports.  Grapes  with  Mildew. — “  The  mildew  is  undoubtedly  caused  by  the 
fungus  Oidium  Tuekeri,  so  well  known  in  this  country'  as  the  common  Grape 
mildew.  On  treating  the  Grapes  and  leaves  sent  in  various  ways  the 
mildew  continued  to  spread  on  the  fruits,  but  never  appeared  on  the 
leaves,  which  on  receipt  were  very  healthy'.  This  supports  Mr.  Wright’s 
opinion.  Most  of  the  authorities  state  that  a  dry'  heat  is  the  chief  pro- 
disposing  cause.  In  the  present  case  the  sender  believes  that  the  outbreak 
is  in  some  way  related  to  the  raffia  fibre  used  in  tying  up.  A  sample 
sent  had  a  white  scurf  here  and  there,  but,  under  favourable  conditions, 
this  did  not  produce  any  fungoid  growth.  On  examination  with  the 
microscope  it  consisted  of  fragments  of  plant  tissues  agreeing  with  the 
tissues  of  the  fibre  itself,  and  no  doubt  dried  remains  of  parts  of  the  plant 
partially  destroyed  in  the  maceration  and  drying  processes  by  which  the 
raffia  is  prepared  for  market.  The  dry  fibre  is  an  unlikely  source  of 
infection,  but,  if  any  doubt  existed,  it  could  easily  be  sterilised  by  boiling, 
or  by  steeping  for  a  time  in  a  2  per  cent,  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate 
or  otherwise.  The  universal  remedy'  for  mildews  of  the  Oidium  kind  is 
sulphur.  A  discussion  on  a  hot-water  method  of  treatment  of  the  Vine 
mildew  has  been  going  on  in  the  most  recent  numbers  of  the  ‘  Gardeners’ 
Chronicle.’  ” 
Diseased  Cypripediums. — “  Some  flowers  were  recently  sent  which  were 
checked  in  opening,  apparently  due  to  a  collapse  of  the  lower  part  of  the 
flower  stalk.  There  were  distinct  signs  of  the  presence  of  fungi,  but  it 
was  not  easy  to  say  whether  a  mycelium  was  present  or  not.  A  request 
was  made  to  the  sender  for  portions  of  affected  plants.  These  arrived  in 
excellent  condition,  and  at  first  sight  looked  as  hardy  as  one  might  wish. 
The  older  leaves  were  very  fine,  and  showed  no  weak  points.  The  older 
roots  looked  rather  more  dried  up  than  one  mi>ht  wish,  but  new  roots  in 
various  stages  were  coming  on,  and  quite  healthy.  The  younger  leaves, 
however,  seemed  weak,  with  a  tendency'  to  become  discoloured.  Acting 
on  previous  experience,  these  wero  allowed  to  dry  up,  and,  as  on  some 
other  occasions,  they  produced  groups  of  tiny  points — the  py  cnidia  of  a 
fungus.  It  is  from  the  rosettes  of  young  leaves  that  the  flowers  arise,  so 
that  there  may  be  a  connection.  On  one  of  the  specimens  sent  the  flower 
stalk  did  not  collapse,  and  the  weakly  younger  leaves  were  absent  from 
the  shoot  bearing  this  flower,  though  present  elsewhere  on  the  same 
plant.  The  fungus  requires  further  investigation,  but  spores  obtained 
were  of  the  Gloeosporium  or  Colletotrichum  type.  Gloeosporium  cinctum 
was  described  by  Berkeley  and  Curtiss  from  Orchid  material.  The  same 
species  was  recently  worked  through  by  Miss  Stoneman,  and  placed 
amongst  the  Ascomycetes  (‘Botanical  Gazette,’  August,  1898).  Mr. 
Massee  described  another  Orchid  fungus  on  the  Vanilla  (‘Kew  Bulletin,’ 
139,  1892).  I  have  received  various  cases  from  the  “Gardener’s 
Chronicle  of  diseased  Orchids,  all  indicating  the  presence  of  some  form 
of  fungus  nearly  related  to  Gloeosporium.  The  disease  is  known  as  an 
*  Anthraenose,’  and  seems  common  enough,  but  wo  still  lack  reliable 
methods  of  prevention.” 
Diseased  Apple  Trees. — “Twigs  of  Apple  with  leaves  and  flowers  were 
received  in  June.  After  twenty-four  hours  in  a  moist  chamber  abundant 
conidia  of  the  fungus  Monilia  (Oidium)  fructigena  were  produced.  This 
fungus  is  well  known  and  at  present  the  subject  of  much  investigation, 
since  it  causes  a  wide-spread  disease  of  the  fruit  (also  to  a  less  extent  on 
the  leaves  and  twigs)  of  Cherry,  Plum,  and  Peach,  less  commonly  of 
Apple  and  Pear.  All  the  parts  sent  were  affected.  The  flowers  wero 
checked  and  withered  ;  the  leaves  reddish  brown,  abnormally  hairy,  and 
somewhat  crumpled.  The  young  twigs  were  dry  and  brittle,  with 
occasional  patches  of  brown  bark  marked  with  darker  bands  running 
round  the  twig.  Internal  examination  showed  (the  mycelium  in  all  parts. 
In  the  twigs,  the  region  just  under  the  bark  was  killed  and  full  of 
mycelium,  which  coJd  be  traced  from  old  to  young  shoots,  and  into 
flower  stalks  and  leaves.  In  the  absence  of  information  we  cannot 
suggest  how  the  fungus  gained  access  to  the  Apple  trees.  The  fungus 
is  generally  regarded  as  the  same  form  so  common  on  Cherry  and  Plum, 
causing  the  fruits  to  shrivel  up  and  remain  hanging  to  the  tree  in  a 
mummified  condition.  Keeping  this  in  view  it  would  be  well  to  pay 
attention  to  the  trees  already  mentioned,  to  gather  any  dried  up  fruits, 
and  to  burn  them.  Careful  pruning  and  destruction  of  diseased  twigs  is 
also  an  excellent  check.  Spraying  with  Bordeaux  mixture  seems  a 
likely  mo  le  of  treatment,  but  the  results  as  yet  are  not  conclusive.  A 
monograph  on  the  fungus  and  disease  is  promised  by  Woronin  in  a  recent 
note.” — (“Botan.  Centralblatt,”  lxxvi.,  p.  145.) 
Slratiotes  aloides. — A  large  specimen  of  this  rare  plant  was  sent  by 
Mr.  J.  G.  liudd  ot  Copgrove  Grange  with  the  following  observation  : — - 
“This  plant  grows  in  a  pond  on  my  farm,  and  is  smothering  the  Water 
Lilies.  One  of  my  horses  has  eaten  freely  of  it,  and  died  from  its  effects, 
so  I  shall  be  glad  to  know  if  it  is  poisonous.”  It  is  not  known  to  be  at 
all  poisonous,  as  it  is  a  very  rare  British  plant,  but  it  is  possible  that  the 
sharp  pointed  projections  down  the  edges  of  the  leaf,  as  occurs  on  Aloes, 
&c.,  may  have  had  a  mechanically  deleterious  effect  on  the  intestine. 
Campanula,  species  and  hybrids. — Rev.  C.  Wolley-Dod  sent  specimens 
of  the  flowers  of  C.  rotundifolia,  C.  rhomboidalis  and  their  hybrid  progeny  p 
as  well  as  of  C.  lactiflora,  both  the  typical  flowers  and  with  an  abnormal 
sub-polypetalous  form.  The  following  communication  was  also  received 
from  him  : — “The  form  of  corolla  with  narrow  separated  lobes,  described 
and  illustrated  by  De  Candolle,  monograph  of  Campanula,  pp.  11, 12,  &c., 
and  figured  plate  ii.  A.,  and  also  described  by  the  late  Professor  J.  &. 
Henslow  (see  D.  C.  monograph,  p.  12)  is  commonest  in  C.  lactiflora 
(M.  Bieb),  in  which  it  is  always  accompanied  by  narrow  leaves.  In 
C.  rotundifolia  it  is  commonest  in  broad-leaved  forms,  which  I  take  to  be- 
hybrid,  or  aro  at  least  intermediate  between  C.  rotundifolia  and  C.  rhom- 
boidalis.  These  abnjrmal  forms  of  C.  rotundifolia  are  fertile,  and  the 
seedlings  come  in  part  true,  but  always  include  many  of  the  soldanelloid' 
form — i.e.,  with  a  duplex  corolla,  which  are  also  fertile.  A  study  of 
C.  rotundifolia  and  C.  rhomboidalis  (apparently  quite  distinct  and  good 
species)  and  their  variously  named  intermediate  forms  which  Godron  in 
‘Flore  de  France  ’  calls  ‘a  little  chaos  of  species,’  leads  me  to  think  that 
C.  rotundifolia  may  be  a  species  gradually  crawling  into  new  species 
which  are  not  yet  sufficiently  deflned.  In  my  garden  the  two  species  are 
united  by  imperceptible  gradations,  all  of  which  are  fertile.  Forms  having 
the  characters  of  all  the  so-called  species  intermediate  between  these  two 
may  be  picked  out  of  them.” 
Sweet  Peas,  malformed. — A  curiously  flowered  spray  of  Sweet  Pea  was 
sent  by  Mr.  Pratt,  Lion  Gate,  Richmond,  every  flower  on  the  plant  being 
similarly  affected.  An  examination  showed  that  the  petals  had  remained 
crumpled  up  without  having  attained  the  usual  subsequent  expansion  on 
blossoming.  The  stamens  were  twisted,  but  the  anthers  polleniferous,  so 
that  tho  stigmas  wero  pollinated  by  “self-fertilisation,”  the  flowers  being, 
in  fact,  cleistogamous.  The  flowers  were  arrested  in  growth  ;  but  it  was 
impossible  to  assign  a  cause  for  their  abnormal  condition. 
Geranium  foliaceois. — A  specimen  of  (apparently)  G.  sanguineum  was- 
received  from  Mr.  Bunyard,  in  which  the  petals  of  the  flowers  were 
replaced  by  green  leaves,  the  segments  of  which  had  remained  conduplicate. 
Conference  on  Hybridisation. — July  11th. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  the  awards’ made  by  the  Council  of  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society  on  the  report  of  a  Committee  of  Experts. 
Gold  Flora  Medal. — To  Messrs.  James  Veitch  of  Chelsea. 
Gold  Medals.— To  Monsieur  Duval  of  Versailles;  Monsieur  Maron 
of  Brunoy  ;  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.,  Burford  Lodge  ;  Leopold! 
de  Rothschild,  Esq,  Gunnersbury  House,  and  Mr.  H.  B.  May  of 
Edmonton. 
Silver  gilt  Flora  Medals. — To  Monsieur  Morel  of  Lyons  -r 
Messrs.  Jackman  &  Son  of  Woking,  and  to  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  for  a 
group  of  Kalanchoe  flammea. 
Silver  gilt  Banksian  Medal. — To  Mr.  C.  T.  Druery,  V.M.H., 
Acton. 
Silver  Banksian  Medals.— To  Professor  Macfarlane  of  Phila¬ 
delphia  ;  Herr  Van  Tubergen  of  Haarlem  ;  Dr.  Wilson  of  St.  Andrews  p 
Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  East  Sheen  ;  Do  Barri  Crawshay,  Esq  , 
Sevenoaks  ;  Messrs.  R.  Wallace  &  Co.,  Colchester  ;  and  Messrs.  Paul  and 
Son,  Cheshunt. 
Veitch  Memorial  Medal.  —  To  Mons.  Duval  of  Versailles- 
(class  No.  6). 
Williams  Memorial  Medal. — To  Leopold  de  Rothschild,  Esq. 
(class  No.  9). 
GARDENERS’  CHARITABLE  AND  PROVIDENT 
INSTITUTIONS 
The  Gardeners’  Royal  Benevolent  Institution. — Secretaryy 
Mr.  G.  J.  Ingram,  175,  Victoria  Street,  S.W. 
United  Horticultural  Benefit  and  Provident  Society.— 
Secretary,  Mr.  W.  Collins,  9,  Martindale  Road,  Balham,  London,  S.W. 
Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund.—  Secretary,  Mr.  Brian  Wynne, 
8,  Danes  Inn, 
