December  14,  1899. 
529 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
so  strongly  as  the  majority  of  Lilacs.  The  flowers  are  violet  in 
colour,  but  not  so  fragrant  as  persica  or  Charles  the  Tenth.  The  trio 
should  find  a  place  in  all  collections.  Alba  grandiflora  is  my  especial 
favourite,  the  flowers  are  so  large  and  beautifully  white.  Alphonse 
Lavallee,  Dr.  Lindley,  and  Renoncule  are  distinct  and  showy  varieties. 
Prunus  triloba  grows  to  a  height  of  6  feet,  and  is  well  adapted  for 
growing  as  half-standards  or  bushes.  These,  when  wreathed  with 
rose-coloured  flowers,  form  one  of  the  most  beautiful  objects  to  be 
seen  in  our  gardens.  P.  sinensis,  the  well-known  white  variety,  is 
suitable  for  planting  near  the  front  of  a  shrubbery  or  for  forcing  in 
pots.  P.  Pissardi  should  be  grown  by  all  on  account  of  the  beauty  of 
both  leaves  and  flowers.  P.  paniculata,  better  known  as  Cerasus 
pseudo-cerasus,  forms  a  good  bush  or  small  tree ;  flowers  pale  rose  in 
colour. 
Rhus  cotinus  (Smoke  Plant)  with  its  peculiar  panicles  of  purplish 
flowers,  is  an  excellent  dwarf  shrub  of  rambling  habit  which  flowers 
in  July.  *Philadelphus  grandiflorus  and  P.  Gordonianus  are  the  best 
species  of  Mock  Orange  I  have  seen.  The  first  named  produces  long 
sprays  of  large  flowers ;  the  latter  bears  smaller  flowers,  but  they  are 
very  freely  produced,  and  are  quite  white,  a  great  improvement  on 
P.  coronarius.  The  numerous  single  and  double  varieties  of  Thorns 
and  Cherries  I  will  not  dilate  on,  as  they  are  universally  known  as 
handsome  flowering  trees. 
'""Weigela  rosea,  to  be  seen  in  perfection,  should  be"  planted  in  a 
sunny,  rather  exposed  position,  where  the  wood  gets  thoroughly 
ripened.  The  flowers  are  then  cf  a  very  attractive  colour,  and  in 
some  instances  are  far  more  numerous  than  the  leaves.  W.  alba 
resembles  rosea  in  all  respects  except  the  colour  of  the  flowers. 
For  warm  sunny  positions  in  the  South  of  England,  or  for  growing 
against  walls  and  buildings,  what  can  vie  with  Magnolias,  some  of 
which  bear  flowers  from  6  to  9  inches  in  diameter  ?  The  best  varieties 
are  conspicua,  white;  Soulangeana,  pale  purple;  Stella,  a  dwarf¬ 
growing  white  kind  ;  purpureum,  and  Lennei. — H.  D. 
NOTES  ON  CYCLAMEN. 
Perhaps  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  proclaim  the  merits  of  the 
Cyclamen;  still  I  think  it  scarcely  meets  with  the  encouragement  it 
deserves.  Many  genera  of  less  value  to  the  gardener  have  a  special 
society  devoted  to  their  interests,  and  yet  how  meagre,  comparatively 
speaking,  are  the  prizes  offered  for  Cyclamens  at  the  November  shows, 
where  good  specimens  of  them,  well  set  up,  would  do  much  to 
impart  variety,  which  is  ever  welcome  with  the  public  at  the  autumn 
exhibitions.  It  may  be  said  by  some  that  spring  is  their  proper 
season  for  flowering,  but  if  it  can  be  managed  why  not  have  good 
collections  of  them  for  the  autumn  and  winter  months  ?  One  thing 
is  certain,  it  would  prevent  au  early  strain  being  put  upon  the  stock  of 
bulbs  and  other  things  laid  in  for  forcing. 
As  to  the  merits  of  the  Cyclamen  it  is  at  all  times  an  ornamental 
foliage  plant ;  while  in  flower  it  is  most  welcome  for  indoor  decoration, 
particularly  during  the  dull  winter  months,  and  the  flowers  in  a  cut 
state  are  most  valuable.  By  occasionally  changing  the  water  and 
being  careful  to  make  incisions  in  the  stalk,  I  haveLad  them  fresh  for  at 
least  a  fortnight.  Certainly  no  one  will  question  the  superior  character 
of  the  flower,  and  further,  few  other  kinds  of  flowers  with  which  we  have 
to  deal  will  continue  flowering  over  such  a  long  period  at  a  dull  season 
of  the  year,  when  flowers  are  so  acceptable.  The  Chrysanthemum 
grown  to  produce  specimen  blooms  will  after  nearly  twelve  months 
attention  give  ns  three  or  four  gorgeous  flowers  on  a  plant,  and  then 
all  is  over.  The  exact  reverse  is  the  fact  with  the  Cyclamen,  while  a 
cold  frame  in  summer  and  a  warm  greenhouse  in  winter  is  all  the  con¬ 
venience  necessary  to  grow  them  to  perfection. 
No  doubt  there  are  scores  of  places  where  fine  plants  are  grown 
every  year,  but  I  have  met  with  few  where  they  are  found  in  really 
high-class  condition.  At  the  end  of  October  it  was  my  good  fortune 
to  call  at  two  gardens  where  their  requirements  are  evidently 
thoroughly  understood — viz.,  Spring  Bank,  Severn  Stoke;  and  the 
Nash,  Kempsey  ;  both  near  Worcester.  Mr.  Wilson  and  Mr.  Justice 
annually  raise  and  flower  about  300  plants.  As  I  saw  both  collec¬ 
tions  they  were  throwing  up  quantities  of  strong  flowers,  and  were 
expected  to  do  so  right  on  till  Easter.  For  seedlings  the  plants  were 
unusually  large,  robust,  and  healthy  looking,  with  large  substantial 
foliage. 
Another  fine  collection  I  have  recently  seen  was  under  the  skilful 
care  of  Mr.  F.  Whicker,  Summerhill  Gardens,  Kidderminster,  who  is 
particularly  strong  in  Giant  Whites.  Magnificent  plants  and  flowers, 
including  a  very  fine  stock  of  Suttons’  White  Butterfly,  are  to  be  seen 
there.  All  are  seedlings.  Cyclamens  at  Summerhill  have  been  used 
extensively  for  house  and  table  decoration  during  the  past  month,  and 
are  expected  to  be  available  until  Easter.  I  find  Cyclamens  most 
useful,  although  I  have  not  reached  the  high  water  mark  of  cultiva¬ 
tion  attained  by  the  gentlemen  whose  names  I  have  given. — W.  H.  W. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Scientific  Committee.— Present  :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the 
cba:r)  ;  Mr.  Michael,  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  Mr.  E,  F.  im  Thuru,  Rev.  G.  Hens- 
l  ow,  Hon.  Sec. 
Chinese  Cabbage. — Dr.  Masters  gave  some  account  of  this  species, 
Brassica  chinensi9,  which  is  cultivated  in  China  and  also  in  the  tropics, 
where  the  common  Cabbage  does  not  succeed.  It  has  a  taller  stem,  but 
does  not  appear  to  form  so  sound  a  “heart  ”  as  in  our  Cabbages.  It  is 
the  custom  to  protect  the  heads  in  pits,  frequently  turning  them  over; 
they  thus  provide  an  excellent  supply  for  winter  use.  The  communica¬ 
tion  was  received  from  Mr.  Carles,  Consul  at  Foochoo. 
Kermes  Fagi. — This  destructive  but  too  common  pest  of  Beech  trees 
was  received,  with  inquiries  as  to  the  best  means  of  destroying  or  pre¬ 
venting  it.  If  the  trees  are  but  slightly  attacked,  spraying  with  petroleum 
and  soapsuds  in  water  should  be  persevered  with,  repeating  the  process 
from  time  to  time.  If,  however,  the  trees  are  too  badly  attacked,  nothing 
but  cutting  them  down  and  burning  at  least  the  bark  can  prevent  it 
spreading  to  other  trees. 
NEW  ZEALAND  TROUBLES. 
I  AM  forwarding  you  per  parcel  post  a  small  box  containing  several 
insect  pests  which  have  caused  me  very  much  trouble  during  the  last 
two  years,  in  the  faint  hope  that  some  of  your  readers  may  be  able  to 
“locate”  the  vermin,  and  indicate  a  cure.  I  will  describe  briefly  my 
troubles  and  experiences  ;  which,  if  fully  set  forth,  would  occupy  many 
long  chapters.  I  have  tried  most  of  the  insecticides,  which  have  been 
recommended  in  ‘‘our  Journal,”  with  little  success. 
The  eelworm  has  been  troublesome  both  in  pots  and  outside,  but  with 
applications  of  lime  and  kainit  I  believe  it  is  becoming  scarcer.  A  small 
round  pest,  possibly  the  Hyacinth  mite,  is  destructive  on  bulbs  and  cut¬ 
tings  outside,  but  whether  they  are  the  cause  or  effect  of  decay  I  should 
like  to  know.  A  thin  white  insect  with  many  legs  or  feet,  somewhat 
resembling  a  very  small  wood-louse,  except  in  colour,  has  swarmed 
everywhere,  and  the  more  unhealthy  a  plant  the  more  certain  are  they  to 
be  present.  Our  biologist  could  give  me  no  information  as  to  their  mode 
of  life  and  habits.  Hot  water  kills  them  the  best  of  anything  I  have 
tried,  but  is  unsafe  for  general  application. 
The  next  trouble  is  the  borer,  I  suppose  a  diminutive  caterpillar  ;  it 
has  been  a  terrible  scourge,  dealing  death  and  destruction  everywhere, 
especially  to  pot  plants.  No  person  here  that  I  have  seen  knows  any¬ 
thing  of  this  pest,  its  habits  or  life  history.  I  believe  it  to  be  the  larvae 
of  the  fever  fly,  mentioned  I  think  by  Mr.  Dyke  in  your  columns  some 
time  since,  for  I  am  pestered  with  a  diminutive  fly  in  myriads  ;  it  is  thin, 
about  16  inch  in  length,  with  shining  wings  of  a  metallic  blue  shade  ;  it 
hovers  around  the  pots,  and,  no  doubt,  deposits  its  eggs  in  the  soil,  which 
very  soon  hatch  out  the  caterpillar — a  most  voracious  brute  that  devours 
everything  in  reach,  including  soil  and  labels,  in  quick  time.  I  have 
traced  the  larvae  into  the  pupa  state,  and  seen  the  fly  emerge,  so  there  can 
be  no  mistake  except  as  to  the  name.  I  can  kill  the  larva  with  hot  water 
140°  Fahr.,  also  with  mustard  and  nitrate  of  soda,  and  sometimes  the 
plants  aDo,  if  not  previously  killed  by  the  insects  ;  but  what  of  the  fly 
which  buzzes  everywhere,  and  may  deposit  eggs  every  five  minutes  1  I 
almost  despair  of  a  cure.  Maybe,  however,  as  like  the  philosophical 
lady  who  lost  her  purse,  I  shall  find  it  when  I  am  not  looking  for  it. 
Although  my  case  seems  desperate  I  shall  not  relax  my  efforts  to 
conquer.  In  the  hope  of  destroying  this  nimble  fly  inside  I  have  had 
recourse  to  frequent  fumigation  with  tobacco,  also  used  insect-destroying 
powder,  painted  the  hot-water  pipes  with  sulphur,  syringed  all  woodwork 
and  available  places  with  scalding  water,  but  with  indifferent  success. 
My  last  experiment  is  to  pot  everything  in  a  compost  so  tightly  com¬ 
pressed  as  to  be  impenetrable  by  the  ovipositor  of  my  ubiquitous 
tormentor.  Who  can  help  me  in  the  crusade  ? — New  Zealander. 
[Though  the  contents  of  the  box  received  were  most  carefully 
examined,  nothing  could  be  found  except  mos9,  wood,  and  soil  as  dry  as 
dust.  It  seems  a  little  strange  that  antipodean  entomologists  cannot 
identify  the  invaders.  If  the  gloomy,  yet  not  despairing,  narrative  of  our 
correspondent  should  meet  the  eyes  of  the  savants,  they  might  perhaps  be 
stimulated  to  try  and  solve  the  problem. 
The  tormented  crusader  does  not  say  he  has  tried  nicotine  vapour  in 
his  plant  houses,  or  strips  of  tin  smeared  on  both  sides  with  a  composi¬ 
tion  formed  of  resin  and  sweet  oil  melted  together,  inserting  the  strips  in 
slits  in  the  tops  of  small  stakes  disposed  among  the  plants  for  the  flies  to 
alight  on.  If  they  did,  and  probably  would,  they  would  be  in  a  “  fix.” 
Tho  caterpillar  must  indeed  be  a  “  voracious  brute  ”  to  “  devour  soil 
and  labels.”  As  to  the  labels,  it  might  be  bothered  by  giving  them  two 
or  three  coats  of  tar  paint,  made  with  Stockholm  tar  and  petroleum, 
letting  one  coat  dry  before  applying  the  next.  Afterwards  white  oil 
paint  could  be  used,  if  desired,  for  writing  on.  But  “  eating  the  soil  ”  is 
another  matter,  and  a  veritable  puzzle.  Compressing  it  might  give  the 
gormandiser  a  little  more  trouble,  but  not  more,  one  would  think,  than 
is  involved  in  eating  label ;  and  what  if  the  larvae  were  in  the  soil  when 
placed  in  the  pots  ?  This  is  not  unlikely,  and  it  might  be  a  wise  precaution 
to  bake  it,  and  thus  cook  both  eggs  and  larvae,  then  moisten  the  mass 
before  using.  The  catching  and  cooking  processes  suggested  at  least  have 
the  merit  of  safety — i  e.,  to  the  plants. 
We  shall  be  glad  if  any  of  our  readers  on  the  top  can  afford  helpful 
hints  to  our  friend  “down  under”  in  this  perplexing  case.] 
