416 
JOURNAL  OP  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  9,  1899. 
Propagating  Aristolochia  Sipho  ( II .  B.).—  Propagation  is  sometimes 
effected  by  division  of  the  roots  and  in  other  cases  by  layers  in  spring 
or  autumn.  Cuttings  of  firm  wood  root  freely  in  sand  under  a  bell-glass 
with  bottom  heat.  Fresh  seeds  are  also  sometimes  had  recourse  to  for 
increasing  this  very  curious  climber. 
Dipladenia  atro-purpurea  (  W.  W.  B .). — You  should  find  no  difficulty 
in  obtaining  stock  of  Dipladenia  atro-purpurea,  though  it  is  not  nearly  so 
muoh  grown  as  formerly.  Not  very  long  since  it  was  flowering  freely  in 
one  of  the  corridors  connecting  the  houses  at  Messrs  Sander  &  Co.’s 
nursery  at  St.  Albans,  and  no  doubt  this  firm  would  be  able  to  supply  it, 
as  doubtless  could  many  others.  Your  query  as  to  other  kinds  is  too 
vague  to  be  answered.  There  are  some  other  species,  notably  D.  boli- 
viensis,  that  will  thrive  with  less  heat  than  is  usually  given,  and  we 
reoently  noticed  some  fine  specimens  of  D.  splendens  growing  and 
flowering  freely  in  a  conservatory. 
Rust  on  Cyclamen  Leaves  ( Cyclamen ,  Surrey). — The  leaves  are  | 
crumpled  and  browned,  or  rusted,  by  the  parasite  Tarsonymus  geraai. 
The  pest  is  very  difficult  to  extirpate.  The  best  thing  we  have  used 
against  it  has  been  tobacco  water,  made  from  tobacco  juice  diluted  with 
about  twelve  parts  water,  and  dipping  the  plants  in  it  occasionally,  or 
about  every  ten  days  for  a  time.  The  plants  may  be  sprayed  with  it,  but 
it  is  rather  difficult  to  coat  such  low  plants  as  Cyclamen  on  the  under  side 
of  the  leaves.  Fumigation  with  tobacco  piper  and  vaporisation  with 
nicotine  at  frequent  intervals  has  also  been  found  of  service,  likewise 
spraying  with  nicotine  essence,  1  part  in  100  parts  water,  but  in  some 
cases,  especially  that  of  Gloxinias,  only  a  long  course  of  treatment  has 
proved  effectual. 
Blot  and  Blut  (IT.  B.  Raillem ). — In  horticulture  blet  means  a  spot 
formed  on  an  over-ripe  fruit.  The  word  was  coined  by  Professor  Lindley 
in  translating  some  of  De  Candolle’s  statements  with  regard  to  fruits.  lie 
uses  it  to  signify  the  acquiring  of  a  bruised  appearance,  as  fleshy  fruits  do 
after  they  have  passed  their  prime,  and  if  they  have  not  begun  to  rot 
(Lindley:  “Introduction  to  Botany,” 3rd  edition,  1839.  p.  356).  Bletting, 
therefore,  signifies  acquisition  by  a  fleshy  fruit  of  a  bruised  or  broken 
appearance,  after  it  has  passed  its  prime,  and  when  it  has  not  begun  to 
decay.  The  process  is  best  seen  in  the  Ebenaoete,  such  as  Diospyros,  and 
Pomnceas,  such  as  Mespilus  (Medlar).  Fleshy  fruits  belonging  to  other 
orders  in  general  do  not  blet  but  rot,  and  thus  bletting  is  in  particular  a 
special  alteration  of  the  flesh  common  to  fruits  of  the  order  Rosaccse.  which 
includes  haws  and  heps.  “Blut”  must  be  a  local  terra. 
Cineraria  Leaves  Diseased  ( R .  L.). — The  fine,  stout,  leathery  leaves, 
with  short  petioles,  evidence  of  careful  management  and  high-claas 
cultivation,  are  affected  by  a  fungus  which  accords  with  the  Lettuce 
mildew,  Peronospora  ganglioniformis.  We  have  not  before  found  it 
on  Cineraria  leaves,  though  common  enough  on  various  other  composite 
plants,  and  is  sometimes  very  destructive  to  Lettuces,  especially  in  frames. 
The  attack  on  the  Cineraria  leaves  is  characterised  by  the  upper  surface 
ol  the  portion  infested  being  yellowish-green  in  colour,  passing  into 
brown,  and  ultimately  complete  decay.  The  lower  surface  of  the  patch 
bears  a  white  coating,  and  this,  under  the  microscope,  is  seen  to  consist  of 
erect  fertile  stems,  flattened  and  broad,  bifurcated  three  to  eight  times, 
and  bearing  at  their  tips  a  flattened  enlargement  on  which  stand  from 
two  to  eight  short  slender  branchlets,  each  producing  a  pale  or  colourless 
spore  (couidium)  roun  lish-oval  in  form,  with  a  minute  wart  or  point  at 
tiie  apex,  ami  the  germinal  tube  issues  from  it.  The  resting  or  oospores 
are  produced  in  the  affected  parts.  As  few  leaves  are  attacked  you  would 
be  doing  well,  as  suggested,  to  cut  off  the  worst,  and  burn  them  without 
delay.  The  best  preventive,  so  far  as  we  have  observed  in  Lettuces, 
is  abundance  of  air,  and  dusting  with  air-slaked  lime  occasionally,  this 
also  being  remedial.  In  the  case  of  Cinerarias  we  advise  more  air,  as 
much  as  can  safely  be  given,  and  dusting  the  plants  on  the  under  side  of 
the  leaves  with  a  fungicide  in  powder,  and  containing  sulphate  of 
copper,  such  as  anti-blight,  and  other  similar  preparations,  repeating 
occasionally. 
Diseased  Pears  (F.  J.  B.). — The  skin  of  the  fruit  is  disfigured  by 
several  depressed  spots  or  scabs,  and  around  these  there  is  a  whitish 
margin  with  a  dark  border  permeated  by  mycelium,  from  which  a  few 
narrowly  ovate  bodies  spring  (stroma)  contracted  in  places,  and  these 
cells  breaking  off  act  as  conidia  or  spores.  It  is  the  condition  of  the 
fungus,  Ciadosporium  dendriticum  pynnum,  called  Spiloeoea  pomi,  Fries 
The  fruit  seems  to  have  been  attacked  by  the  fungus  and  then  arrested,  so 
that  the  growth  of  the  Pears  was  irregular  and  swollen  in  places.  The 
fungus  develops  on  the  fruit  (even  after  it  is  gathered  and  stor  d)  when 
the  conditions  are  favourable,  and  greatly  diminishes  its  value.  All 
affected  fruit  should  be  dest'oyed  by  binning,  as  it  is  unsightly  and  not 
perhaps  wholesome.  It  is  advised  to  lilt  the  trees  if  not  too  large  and 
give  them  some  good  fresh  loam,  or  otherwise  afford  support.  This 
tends  to  a  better  growth  in  the  trees  and  assists  them  to  resist  the 
disease.  The  trees  should  also  be  sprayed  with  sulphate  of  copper,  1  lb. 
to  25  gallons  of  water,  when  the  buls  commence  swelling  with  a  view 
to  destroying  the  spores  of  the  fungus,  and  they  should  be  sprayed 
again  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  set  with  Bordeaux  mixture,  made  as 
follows  :  — Dissolve  4  ozs.  of  sulphate  of  copper  in  a  vessel  by  itself  in 
2  or  3  gallons  of  water,  slake  4  ozs.  quicklime  (light  lumps)  in  another 
vessel  and  form  into  a  thin  whitewash,  then  pour  this  through  a  hair 
sieve  slowiy  into  the  vessel  containing  the  sulphate  of  copper  solution, 
stir  well,  and  add  enough  water  to  make  gallons,  and  use  this  at 
once  as  a  spray,  coating  every  part  of  the  trees  with  the  finest  possible 
dew  or  film.  If  necessary,  repeat  in  about  three  weeks.  A  third 
application  may  be  necessary  if  the  attack  is  a  bad  one  at  a  similar 
interval. 
Scale  on  Kentias  ( W.  White). — The  small  brown  scale  can  be 
attacked  etfectively  with  an  insecticide.  The  insecticide  should  be 
applied  with  a  brush,  and  the  insects  dislodged,  and  afterwards  cleanse 
the  plants  with  clear  tepid  water.  Spirit  of  wine,  diluted  with  about 
half  its  quantity  of  water,  and  applied  with  a  small  brush,  so  as  to  dis¬ 
lodge  the  pest,  is  a  cleanly  method  of  removing  the  scale.  Methylated 
spirit  may  also  be  used  very  effectively,  just  moistening  a  brush  with  it 
and  then  wetting  the  scale  insects.  If  the  fronds  are  young  the  methy¬ 
lated  spirit  should  be  diluted  similar  to  the  spirit  of  wine  ;  on  mature 
fron  Is  it  either  may  be  used  neat,  or  only  employing  enough  to  wet  the 
insects. 
Chrysanthemum  Buds  not  Expanding  Satisfactorily  ( E .  J.  E.). — 
We  have  carefully  examined  the  soil,  plant.,  and  buds.  The  buds  are  what 
is  termed  “  blind,”  some  of  the  florets  developing  and  others  not,  while 
many  are  twisted  and  twirled  in  any  but  the  proper  direction.  The  cause 
of  this  has  been  regarded  as  due  to  excess  of  nitrogenous  food,  favouring 
loaves  and  wood  at  the  expense  of  flower.  This  certainly  appears  so  in 
your  case,  the  plants  not  having  had  enough  phosphoric,  potassic  and 
magnesian  food  in  proportion  to  the  uitrogenic.  The  flower  buds  have 
also  the  appearance  of  having  been  infested  by  mites — the  Chrysanthemum 
bud  mite,  Phytoptus  chrysaruhemi.  The  position  for  the  plants  would  tend 
to  favour  the  mite  especially  in  a  dry  season  like  the  past  summer,  and  for 
this  there  is  no  better  safeguard  and  also  against  mildew  than  occasional 
syringing  or,  better,  spraying  with  liver  of  sulphur,  1  oz.  to  fi  gallons  of 
water  or  bi-sulphide  calcium,  named  in  our  last  issue,  page  392.  The  water 
from  the  river  being  largely  impregnated  with  lime  from  the  higher  sources 
and  with  iron  from  the  works  near  by  would  tend  to  harden  the  tissues 
and  to  some  extent  prejudice  the  expanding  of  the  blooms  ;  but  as  the 
water  does  not  materially  affect  the  health  of  the  plants  there  cannot  be 
much  amiss  with  it.  Use  fertilisers  of  a  less  stimulating  nature,  'hen  all 
may  be  well  in  future.  Several  days’  delay  and  needless  expense  was 
caused  by  your  misdirecting  the  large  box. 
8pots  on  Marie  Louise  Violet  Lsaves  (F.  II.  S.). — The  spots  are  not 
produce  1  by  the  fungus  you  name  there  not  being  the  slightest  trace  of 
rust,  ACeidium  dopauperans,  or  Puceinia  violarum  in  any  stage.  The 
blotches  under  the  microscope  yield  the  outgrowths  of  the  Violet  mildew 
(Peronospora  violae),  which  appears  on  the  leaves  as  small  rounded  brown 
spots,  ultimately  becoming  black,  causing  the  leaves  affected  to  finally 
wither  and  die.  We  have  long  experience  of  this  pest  with  Violets  in 
Irames,  and  even  in  the  open  ground,  the  disease  appearing  towardsthe  latter 
pare  of  summer,  and  atta  king  such  leaves  as  lie  on  the  ground,  or  where 
the  plants  are  much  cr  wded  in  foliage.  The  best  preventive  we  have 
found  has  been  to  grow  the  plants  from  single  suckers  every  year  in  an 
open  situation,  keeping  off  all  runners,  the  plants  being  given  plenty  of 
space  every  way,  so  as  to  receive  abundance  of  light  and  air,  and  thus  be 
thoroughly  solidified  in  growth  and  lorm  bold  crowns,  which  give  finer 
flowers  than  a  multitude  of  weak  ones  crowded.  In  t  e  frames  they  were 
given  abundance  of  air,  always  some  day  and  night  in  mild  weather,  the 
Irames  being  only  close!  and  protected  during  frost.  With  these  pr,  cau¬ 
tions,  removing  bad  leaves,  or  even  spotted,  as  soon  as  they  appeared,  and 
dusting  occasionally  with  charcoal  dust,  the  spot  was  kept  in  subjection. 
It  usually  appears  in  September,  and  is  most  destructive  to  plants  placed 
close  together  in  frames,  where  the  conditions  favour  the  fungoid  ger¬ 
mination  and  development.  In  very  bad  cases  dusting  with  air-slaked 
lime  is  very  desirable,  and  the  mild  mrms  of  fungicide,  such  as  anti¬ 
blight,  may  be  serviceable,  but  we  do  not  advise  poisons  on  scented 
flowers. 
Names  of  Fruits. — Notice. — We  have  pleasure  in  naming  good 
typical  fruits  (when  the  names  are  discoverable)  for  the  convenience  ol 
regular  subscribers,  who  are  the  growers  of  such  fruit,  and  not  col¬ 
lectors  of  specimens  from  non-subscribers.  This  latter  procedure  is 
wholly  irregular,  and  we  trust  that  none  of  our  readers  will  allow 
themselves  to  be  made  the  mediums  in  infringing  our  rules.  Special 
attention  is  directed  to  the  following  decision,  the  object  of  which  is 
to  discourage  the  growth  of  inferior  and  promote  the  culture  of  superior 
varieties.  In  consequence  of  the  large  number  of  worthless  Apples  and  Pears 
sent  to  this  office  to  be  named,  it  has  been  decided  to  name  only  specimens  and 
varieties  of  approved  merit ,  and  to  reject  the  inferior,  which  are  not  worth 
sending  or  growing.  The  names  and  addresses  of  senders  of  fruits  or 
flowers  to  be  named  must  in  all  cases  be  enclosed  with  the  specimens, 
whether  letters  referring  to  the  fruit  are  sent  by  post  or  not.  The 
names  are  not  necessarily  required  for  publication,  initials  sufficing  for 
that.  Only  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  any  beyond  that 
number  cannot  be  preserved.  They  should  be  sent  on  the  first  indication  of 
change  towards  ripening.  Dessert  Pears  cannot  be  named  in  a  hard  green  state. 
The  practice  of  pinning  numbers  to  the  eyes  of  the  fruits  tends  to  destroy  one 
of  the  most  characteristic  featutes  and  increases  the  difficulty  of  ideniifica- 
tion.  When  l’lums  are  sent  to  be  named  young  wood  ot  the  trees  should 
accompany  them.  Leaves  of  the  trees  are  necessary  with  Peaches  and 
Nectarines,  with  in'ormation  as  to  whether  the  flowers  are  large  or 
small.  ( Northampton ). — Sandring' am.  ( H .  S.). — Alfriston.  ( H .  A'.). — 
1,  King  ol  the  Pippins  (small);  2,  Keddleston  PijDin  ;  3,  not  a  typical 
specimen,  most  resembles  a  small  fruit  of  Emperor  Alexander. 
(//.  II.  //.). — 1,  possibly  Reinette  du  Canada;  2,  Yoikshire  Greening; 
3,  Five  Crown  Pippin  ;  4,  Mere  de  Manage.  The  Pear  is  a  small  fruit 
of  Forelle  or  Trout.  (S.  F.  II.). — 1,  Cobham  ;  2,  Cockle’s  Pippin  ;  3, 
Margil  ;  4,  New  Hawchorndeu  ;  5,  Round  Winter  Nonesuch  ;  6,  Wad- 
hurst  Pippin.  (Z).  C.). —  1,  llollandbuiy  ;  2,  Alfriston;  3,  Dutch 
Codlm  ;  4,  Court  Pendu  Plat;  5,  Ilormead  Pearmain  ;  6,  American 
Mother.  (P.  P.). — l,  Adam’s  Pearnnin  ;  2,  Claygate  Pearmain  ;  3, 
Herefordshire  Costard.  ( Cedo  Nulli). —  1,  Marie  Louise  ;  2,  possibly 
