462 
■JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  23  1*99. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should,  until 
further  notice,  be  directed  to  “  The  Editor,”  s,  Rose  Hill  Road, 
Wandsworth,  S.'W.,  and  NOT  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  writen 
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  obtaiD 
it  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  'plumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  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  bv  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,  oannol 
be  inserted. 
Figs  on  both  Back  and  Front  of  House  (H.  TV). — The  house  with  a 
south  aspect,  and  having  two  rows  of  4-inch  pipes  the  whole  length  of  the 
structure,  would  be  suitable  for  growing  early  Figs,  but  the  trees  must  be 
confined  to  either  the  wall  or  the  trellis  along  the  front,  for  they  require 
unobstructed  light.  In  so  narrow  a  house  (7  feet)  the  roots  must  be  con¬ 
fined  to  a  narrow  and  shallow  border,  otherwise  the  trees  will  produce 
very  little  beyond  wood  and  leaves.  The  best  all-round  Fig  is  Brown 
Turkey,  as  it  gives  gool  results  in  both  the  first  and  second  crops. 
Pingo  de  Mel  is  also  an  excellent  variety.  For  very  early  use  the  small 
Early  Violet  and  St.  John’s  are  useful,  and  of  good  quality.  For  rich¬ 
ness  we  know  of  no  superior  to  the  small  Bourjasotte  Grise.  To  secure 
two  crops  the  trees  must  be  started  not  later  than  the  early  part  of 
February. 
Dessert  Apples  and  Pears  for  Espaliers  (Henri).— We  hardly  know 
what  you  mean  by  twelve  best  and  twenty-four  best  varieties,  as  you 
may  require  thirty-six,  therefore  name  the  latter  :  Apples— twelve  small 
fruited:  Juneating,  Oslin,  Kerry  Pippin,  Court  of  Wick,  Pine  Golden 
Pippin,  Syke  House  Russet,  Hubbard’s  Pearmain,  Golden  Harvey, 
Nonpareil,  Wyken  Pippin,  Ashmead’s  Kernel,  Sturmer  Pippin.  Twelve 
medium-sized  :  Irish  Peach,  Benoni,  American  Mother,  Cox’s  Orange 
Pippin,  Claygate  Pearmain,  Margil,  Ribston  Pippin,  Braddick’s  NonDared, 
Cockle  Pippin,  Scarlet  Nonpareil,  Brownlee’s  Russet,  Court  Pendft 
Plat.  Twelve  more  Red  Astrachan.  Lady  Sudeley,  Worcester 
Pearman,  Allington  Pippin,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Mannington  Pearmain, 
Gascoigne’s  Seedling,  Rosemary  Russet,  Reinette  de  Canada,  Dutch 
Mignonne,  Duke  of  Devonshire,  and  Lord  Burleigh.  Pears—  First  twelve  : 
Jargonelle,  Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  Triomphe  de  Vienne,  Beurrd  Super  fin, 
Maiie  Louise,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  Ccmte  de  Lamy,  Marechal 
de  Cour,  Thompson’s,  Glou  Morceau,  Beurr6  d’Anjou  and  Josephine  de 
Malines.  Second  twelve  Clapp’s  Favourite,  Beurre  d’Amanlis, 
Fondante  d'Automne,  Beurrd  Hardy,  Madame  Andre  Leroy,  Emile 
d^  Hey  st,  Baronne  de  Melln,  Beurr6  d’Aremberg,  Passe  Colmar, 
Ivnighi’s  Monarch,  Winter  Nelis  and  Olivier  de  Serres.  Third  twelve  : 
— Summer  Doyenne,  Beurre  Gifford,  Summer  Beurre  d’Aremberg, 
Gansel’s  Bergamot,  Hacon’s  Imomparable,  Duchesse  d’AngoulSme’ 
Dana’s  Hovey,  L’Inconnue,  Nec  Pius  Meuris,  Bergamotte  Esperen’. 
Doyenne  d’Alencon  and  Easter  BeurrA  We  have  omitted  Doyenne  du 
Cornice  as  you  mention  it  for  house  work,  otherwise  it  should  be  included 
in  the  first  twelve.  Some  of  the  newer  Pears,  such  as  Marguerite 
Marillat,  Beurrd  Fouqueray,  Fondante  de  Thirriot,  President  d’Osman- 
ville  and  Duchesse  de  Bordeaux  are  worth  growing.  Belle  Julie,  not  new, 
is  one  of  the  best  of  October  Pears,  though  not  often  seen  at  exhibitions. 
I  he  fruit  is  not  showy  but  delicious.  The  tree  grows  well  and  bears 
freely. 
Doyenne  du  Comice  Pear  for  Back  Wall  of  Lean-to  House  Facing 
South  with  Figs  (Idem). — The  Pear  would  succeed  on  the  wall  if  it 
receive  unobstructed  light,  not  otherwise.  The  trees  would  be  more 
satisfactory  as  cordons  trained  under  the  roof.  Figs  would  succeed  on  the 
front  trained  to  a  trellis,  but  they  would  so  shade  the  back  wall  as  to 
render  it  useless  for  any  kind  of  fruit  trees.  Thus  you  must  decide 
between  Pears  and  Figs,  for  the  house  will  not  accommodate  both.  The 
trellis  should  be  fixed  about  18  inches  from  the  glass.  If  unbeated  (and 
you  do  not  mention  hot-water  pipes)  the  house  would  only  give  one  crop 
■of  Figs  in  August  and  September. 
Notching  the  Roots  of  Vines  (R.  R.). — It  is  an  excellent  plan  to  notch 
large  bare  roots  to  induce  the  emission  of  active  feeding  ones,  the  straight 
cut  of  each  notch  being  on  that  side  nearest  the  stem,  and  the  notches 
may  be  on  the  upper  and  under  side,  alternating  about  18  inches  distance 
apart,  but  it  is  not  advisable  to  notch  the  roots  nearer  to  the  rootstock 
than  18  inches  or  2  (eet.  Care  must  be  tiken  not  to  break  the  roots  at 
the  notches  in  placing  them  in  the  new  soil,  but  making  the  soil  rather 
firm  under  arid  about  the  parts.  The  old  mortar  rubbish  used  for  mixing 
with  the  turf  being  made  from  lime  rich  in  magnesia  does  not  mean  an 
ample  supply  of  that  element,  any  more  than  old  mortar  implies  an  ampli¬ 
tude  of  available  lime,  as  both  have  long  since  passed  into  insoluble  form, 
or  are  very  slowly  dissolved  by  ordinary  water.  There  is  a  great  differ¬ 
ence  between  quicklime  rich  in  magnesia  and  valuable  for  reclaiming  warp 
and  moor  land  and  old  mortar  made  from  such  lime,  for  the  conversion 
into  sulphate  of  magnesia  will  depend  in  the  first  place  on  the  chlorine 
present,  and  afterwards  on  the  sulphur  available,  both  in  the  form  of 
acids.  We  still  advise  the  sulphate  of  lime,  which  you  would  get  in  the 
dissolved  bones,  and  also  the  double  sulphate  of  potash  and  magnesia. 
This  is  not  in  common  use,  because  more  costly,  and  not  generally  known 
as  a  much  superior  article  to  kainit.  The  mixture  of  the  sulphates  of 
potash  and  magnesia  is  good  as  a  substitute,  but  not  equal  in  value  for 
the  purpose  indicated  to  the  double  sulphate. 
Excrescences  on  Roots  of  Peach  Trees  (J.  M.).— The  warty  excres¬ 
cences  on  the  roots  did  not,  so  far  as  we  could  discover,  contain  any  form 
of  vegetable  or  animal  pirasite.  The  roots  are  certainly  affected  by  a 
peculiar  disease,  and  that  rather  common  in  many  ditricts.  It  has  been 
termed  root  canker.  Observation  and  experience  point  to  this  peculiar 
disease  being  solely  natural.  The  roots,  instead  of  being  smooth  and 
even,  tapering  regularly  from  their  foundation  on  the  root  stem  to  their 
smallest  extremities,  are  studded  with  a  number  of  irregular  wart-like 
knots  and  swollen  rings  associated  with  these  protuberances  ;  these  are 
often  rusty  or  cankered-looking  spots  of  a  reddish  colour.  The  swellings 
commonly  produce  clusters  ot  adventitious  buds  that  send  up  suckers. 
Thus  root-swelling  underground  has  mostly  its  counterpart  in  a  crop  of 
suckers  above  ground.  This  state  of  root  is  due  to  Nature — that  of  the 
stock  upon  which  the  variety  of  Peach  is  worked,  and  it  plays  havoc  with 
the  tree,  as  no  one  can  control  the  fixed  inherent  principles  of  Nature. 
The  stock  is  at  fault,  nothing  else,  and  there  is  plenty  of  it  in  gardens 
and  fruit  plantations,  some  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  on  walls,  also 
Plums  in  various  positions,  being  wrecked,  as  the  stock,  instead  of  pro¬ 
ducing  a  number  of  fibrous  roots,  and  transmitting  nutriment  to  the 
scion,  concentrates  its  forces  on  root  protuberances,  forming  adventitious 
buds  and  pushing  suckers.  The  “  disease  ”  is  worst  on  light  soils,  and 
this  has  led  to  the  deduction  that  the  soil  is  unsuitable.  Lifting  the 
trees,  trimming  off  the  worst  of  the  affected  roots,  and  replanting  in  fresh 
soil  has  good  result  for  a  time.  Such  trees,  however,  return  to  their  evil 
ways,  and  it  is  the  wiser  plan  to  destroy  them,  remove  the  soil  bodily, 
supply  different  and  better,  and  replant  with  healthy  young  trees.  The 
wart-like  knots  are  otten  aggravated  by  careless  digging,  cropping,  and 
manuring  of  the  borders.  Injured  roots  often  run  into  the  distorted 
state,  ami  rank  manures  (sometimes  so  affect  the  bark  of  the  roots  as  to 
lead  to  these  protuberances.  This  state  of  root,  however,  is  found  quite 
apart  from  any  cause  but  that  of  inherent  tendency,  and  the  only  way  to 
keep  clear  of  it  is  not  to  have  trees  on  that  particular  stock. 
Prussic  Acid  Fumes  for  Destroying  Insects  (M.).— 1,  Probably  you 
may  get  the  ‘‘Agricultural  Gazette  of  New  South  Wales”  through 
Messrs.  W.  H.  Smith  &  Son,  186,  Strand,  London.  2,  The  prussic  acid 
fumes  have  been  tried  on  Vines,  houses  full  of  Palms,  Ferns,  Roses, 
Violets,  Carnations,  and  other  tender  plants,  in  the  United  States  of 
America,  as  well  as  on  fruit  trees  under  tents  in  the  open  ground,  without 
prejudice  to  flower,  foliage,  or  fruit.  We  are  not  aware  that  it  has  been 
so  used  in  this  country,  though  we  can  claim  the  remedy  as  of  English 
origin,  as  many  old  gardeners  know  that  bruised  common  Laurel  leaves 
placed  on  the  floor  of  a  house  give  off  hydrocyanic  acid  fumes,  fatal  to 
insects.  We  used  them  fifty  jears  ago  as  a  preventive  of  insects;  the 
practice  is,  in  fact,  older  than  any  present  day  gardeners.  3,  The 
generator  of  prussic  acid  is  simply  a  stoneware  jar  of  about  half  a  gallon 
capacity.  Into  this  is  poured  about  a  pint  ot  boiling  hot  water  and 
1^  pint  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  when  this  begins  (in  a  minute  or  two) 
to  boil  rapidly,  add  the  cyanide  of  potassium,  in  the  proportion  of  one 
and  eight-tenths  of  a  grain  to  every  cubic  foot  of  free  space  contained  in 
the  house  or  tent  to  be  operated  upon,  deduction  being  made  of  that 
occupied  by  staging,  heating  apparatus,  pots,  soil,  plants,  or  trees,  so  as 
to  get  at  the  exact  number  of  cubic  feet  of  air  the  fumes  have  to  fill.  Of 
course  the  house  or  tent  must  be  close,  and  in  exactly  twenty-five 
minutes  from  the  time  the  cyanide  was  introduced  into  the  boiling  sulphuric 
acid  solution  the  fumes  will  have  killed  all  insects.  Then  with  the  sashes 
of  the  house  or  the  flaps  of  the  tent  thrown  oj  *  i,  in  about  twenty  minutes 
or  half  an  hour  the  house  or  tent  will  be  sate  to  enter.  All  this  reads 
encouragingly,  but — and  an  important  ‘‘but”  it  is — the  operator  or 
operators  must  be  careful  not  to  partake  of  a  sniff  of  the  fumes,  as  if  be 
or  they  do  there  will  be  an  end  of  him  or  them  as  well  as  the  insects. 
The  fumes  will  kill  every  living  thing  in  the  animal  world  that  breathes, 
and  will  also  scorch  the  young  leaves  and  growih  of.vegetation  if  there 
be  any  moisture  on  them.  All  damp,  therefore,  must  be  driven  out  of  the 
house  or  tent,  and  the  foliage  must  be  quite  dry.  The  operator  must 
therefore  stand  back  a  few  paces  whilst  the  cyanide  is  doing  its  deadly 
work.  The  very  nature  of  the  article  precludes  its  use  in  conservatories 
or  plant  houses  attached,  or  even  near  to,  dwelling  houses.  We  should 
imagine  the  use  of  such  a  deadly  article  to  be  attended  with  grave  dangers, 
and  we  say  imphatically  let  it  alone,  as  insects  can  be  destroyed  by  other 
means  infinitely  safer,  in  fact  absolutely  sate,  to  the  operators. 
