October  22,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
393 
inoat  conducive  to  the  health  of  the  plants  is  to  select  for  them  a 
semi-shady  position,  or  one  on  which  the  midday  sun  does  not 
shine.  It  should  also  be  sheltered  from  west  and  south-west  winds. 
•Given  a  suitable  position  it  is  obvious  then  that  the  plants  are 
better  outdoors  than  in  during  tbe  two  months  named,  especially 
if,  when  under  glass,  they  can  only  be  accommodated  in  a  hot, 
sunny  structure. 
A  cool,  light,  airy  house  with  a  north  aspect  is  the  structure 
that  ought  to  be  selected  when  Azaleas  are  not  permitted  outside 
in  summer.  A  similar  structure  is  also  good  for  autumn  treatment 
when  housing  after  the  summer  spell  outdoors.  The  right  summer 
conditions  prevent  growth  proceeding  too  far,  and  assist  in  con¬ 
solidating  that  which  had  previously  been  made,  and  the  energies 
of  the  plants  are  directed  towards  storing  up  material  in  the  apex 
of  each  shoot  which  will  eventually  produce  flowers.  When  the 
future  buds  are  thus  well  built  up  they  can  be  easily  felt  in  the 
tips  of  the  shoot*,  and  accPrding  as  they  are  round  and  plump  or 
thin  and  pointed  will  they  result  in  flowers  or  only  fresh  wood 
growth. 
Whether  outdoors  or  in,  therefore,  the  conditions  which  favour 
the  production  of  flowers  or  the  reverse  have  largely  ceased 
operating  for  the  present,  and  it  depends  upon  the  autumn  treat¬ 
ment  whether  the  future  flowering  shall  be  successful.  The  plants 
should  be  taken  under  glass  before  there  is  any  possibility  of  injury. 
Previously  examine  them  in  order  to  see  that  the  leaves  are  tolerably 
free  from  thrips,  which  is  perhaps  the  moat  troublesome  insect 
which  attack*  Azaleas.  If  any  thrips  are  present  it  is  an  excellent 
plan  to  destroy  them  by  dipping  the  plants  in  a  solution  of  softsoap, 
2  ozs.  to  the  gallon,  or  some  of  the  well-known  effective  insecticides. 
Large  plants  cannot  readily  be  dipped,  but  they  may  be  laid  on  their 
sidesand  syringed,  so  that  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves  can  be  reached, 
keeping  the  mixture  from  the  soil.  Vaporising  with  nicotine  or 
fumigating  with  tobacco  paper  in  a  closed  structure  will  also  destroy 
them. 
Do  not  crowd  the  plants  closely  together  under  glass.  The 
branches  need  ample  room  so  that  they  do  not  shade  each  other. 
Air  in  abundance,  especially  at  first,  ought  to  be  admitted,  making 
the  atmosphere  inside  correspond  with  tbe  temperature  outside  in 
favourable  weacher.  A  constant  circulation  of  air  without  any  fire 
heat  as  long  as  possible  is  best  in  all  respects.  This  treatment 
insures  the  application  of  water  being  reduced  to  a  minimum,  but 
still  sufficient  moisture  must  be  maintained  in  the  soil,  yet  never 
allow  it  to  remain  long  dry. 
A  proportion  of  the  old  foliage  will  fall  during  autumn  and 
early  winter.  Constantly  clear  the  fallen  leaves  from  the  surface 
of  the  pots,  and  shake  the  loose  and  hanging  yellow  ones  from  the 
plants  as  they  appear.  If  a  dry  condition  of  the  soil  or  an  arid 
atmosphere  should  be  allowed  to  supervene,  more  leaves  will  turn 
yellow  and  fall  than  is  desirable.  Tbe  presence  of  thrips  also 
causes  a  yellow  appearance  or  similar  discolouration,  the  insects 
sucking  away  the  juices  and  doing  much  harm.  Liquid  manure 
or  stimulants  ought  not  to  be  applied  before  tbe  buds  begin  to 
swell  freely. 
Only  naturally  early  varieties  should  be  forced,  or  those  that 
have  gradually  been  brought  to  produce  bloom  sooner  than  usual 
by  starting  and  completing  their  growth  earlier  than  in  previous 
years  after  flowering,  by  which  means  an  early  flowering  habit  is 
perpetuated. 
Plants  of  natural  or  acquired  earliness  need  little  forcing, 
and  that  of  a  gentle  character.  Proceed  progressively  in  all  cases, 
affording  moist  conditions  by  daily  syringing  and  a  gradual  increase 
of  temperature,  which  may  reach  a  maximum  when  the  buds  have 
swelled  freely. — A  Kentish  Gardener. 
SULPHUROUS  ACID  FOR  RED  SPIDER  ON  VINES. 
Perusing,  as  I  am  wont  to  do,  my  old  Journals  of  Hm'ticulture, 
1  came  across  a  sentence  in  one  of  those  exceedingly  valuable  articles  on 
“  Modern  Grape  Growing,”  written  by  Mr.  William  Taylor,  which  had 
previously  escaped  my  notice.  The  sentence  I  refer  to  may  be  found  on 
page  410,  October  31st,  1895,  and  is  as  follows  : — Mr.  Taylor,  speaking 
of  sulphuring  the  hot-water  pipes  to  kill  red  spider,  says,  "  We  then  see 
that  we  can  procure  sufficient  sulphurous  acid  for  our  purpose.”  This 
is  the  first  time  1  have  seen  the  vapour  we  get  from  sulphured  pipes  called 
sulphurous  acid. 
I  always  understood  that  the  vapour  was  caused  by  the  tiny  particles 
of  sulphur  which  ascended  from  the  heated  pipes  into  the  air,  for  if  it 
were  only  a  matter  of  getting  sulphurous  acid  {gas')  into  oiir  vineries,  we 
could  easily  do  that  by  burning  a  weighed  quantity  of  sulphur  in  them. 
Sulphurous  acid  gas  fumes  will  not  kill  r^  spider  when  used  strong 
enough  to  scorch  the  leaves.  I  have  tried  many  experiments  to  kill 
red  spider  without  having  to  put  sulphur  on  the  pipes  and  heat  the 
latter  for  hours,  which  after  all  is  only  a  partial  remedy,  but  so  far  1 
have  found  nothing  that  would  do  so,  and  therefore  ask,  Can  any 
reader  give  us  an  effectual  remedy  ? — W.  D, 
Chrysanthemum  Shows. 
As  is  usual  at  this  time  of  the  year  we  have  received  numerous 
intimations  of  Chrysanthemum  shows  which  are  to  be  held  during 
the  coming  season.  Space,  however,  can  only  be  found  for  mentioning 
those  which  have  been  advertised  in  our  columns.  If  any  have  been 
omitted  we  shall  be  glad  to  add  them  to  the  following  list.  We  append 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  respective  Secretaries. 
Oct.  28 ch  and  29th.— Kent  County.— F.  Fox,  The  Gardens,  The 
Cedars,  Lee,  S  E. 
„  30ch  and  Slst.- Battersea.— J.  0.  Langrish,  167,  Elsley  Road, 
Battersea,  S.W. 
,,  30th. — Exmouth  — W.  J.  Godfrey,  Nurseryman,  Exmouth. 
Nov.  3rd,  4th,  5th  and  6th. — National  Chrysanthemum  Society 
(Royal  Aquarium,  Westminster).  —  R.  Dean,  Ealing, 
London,  W. 
,,  4th  and  5th. — Lowestoft.— J.  Guild  Ling,  Lowestoft. 
„  4th  and  5th.— Ascot  and  Sunninghill.— Lieut.-Col.  Needham, 
The  Geen,  Ascot. 
„  4th  and  5th.— Bromley  and  District*— W.  Wee^s,  29,  Widmore 
Road,  Bromley. 
„  5th  and  6th.— Windsor  and  Eton.— H.  Finch,  Bank  House, 
Eton. 
„  6th  and  7th. — Altrincham,  Bowdon.  Sale  and  District. — 
Chas.  Hewitt,  7,  Sandtway  R>ad.  Altrincham. 
„  10th  and  11th.— Huddersfield  and  District.— J.  Bell,  Marsh, 
Huddersfield. 
„  10th  and  llth— Brighton.— The  Secretary,  87,  Western  Road, 
Brighton. 
„  10th  and  lltb.— Kingston  and  Surbiton.— F.  J.  Hayward, 
High  Street,  Ktngston-ou-Thames. 
„  llth  and  12th.— County  Borough  op  Hanley.— J.  and  A.  Kent, 
Hanley  Park,  Hanley. 
„  llth  and  12th.— Northamptonshire.— The  Secretary,  2,  Primrose 
Hill,  Northampton. 
„  llth  and  12th.— Liverpool.— W.  Dickson,  7,  Victoria  Street, 
Liverpool. 
„  llth  and  12th.— Rugby.— W.  Bryant,  8,  Barby  Road,  Rugby. 
„  llth  and  12th. — Hull. — Messrs.  EJw.  Harland  and  James  Dixon, 
Manor  Street,  Hull. 
„  llth  and  12th.— Birmingham.— J.  Hughes,  140,  High  Street, 
Haroorne,  Birmingham. 
„  12th  and  I3th.— Glasgow.— Cunningham  &  Wyllie,  98,  Mitchell 
Street,  Glasgow. 
„  12th  and  13th. — Bury  St.  Edmunds. — Geo.  A.  Manning,  19, 
Abbeygate  Street,  Bury  St.  Edmunds. 
„  12th  and  13th. —Winchester.— C.  Shenton,  Westgate  Chambers, 
Winchester. 
„  13th  and  14th.— Wellingborough.— H.  Tilley,  53,  Knox  Road. 
„  13th  and  14th. — Bradford  and  District.— Jqo.  Collier,  5, 
Shipley  Fields  Road,  Frizinghall,  Bradford. 
„  13th  and  14th.— Sheffield.— W.  Houseley,  177,  Cemetery  Road. 
Sheffield. 
„  17th  and  18th.— Birkenhead  and  Wirral.— W.  Bassett,  23, 
Grove  Road,  Rock  Ferry. 
„  18th  and  19th.  — Bristol.  —  Edwin  G.  Cooper,  Mervyn  Road, 
Bishopston,  Bristol. 
„  19th  and  20th. — Leamingston.  Warwick  and  District.— The 
Secretary,  76,  Parade,  Leamington  Spa. 
„  20th  and  21st.— Alderley  Edge  and  Wilmslow.— G.  Lead- 
better,  Jun.,  Pern  Bank,  Trafford  Road,  Alderley  Edge. 
Chrysanthemum  Thomas  Wilkins. 
Never  before  has  this  Japanese  variety  been  seen  in  such  good 
condition  as  it  was  exhibited  on  a  plant  in  Mr.  Wells’  second  prize 
group  at  the  late  show  of  the  N.C.S.  held  in  the  Royal  Aquarium.  Raised 
and  sent  out  by  Mr.  R.  Owen  some  two  seasons  ago,  and,  although 
presented  most  creditably  on  many  occasions,  never  has  the  deep  chrome 
yellow  colour  been  so  perfect  before.  The  long  semi-drooping  florets 
build  up  a  flower  of  handsome  proportion.  Another  point  in  its  favour, 
too,  is  the  comparative  dwarf  habit  of  growth,  the  plants  in  question 
not  being  more  than  a  yard,  or  4  feet  high  at  the  outside. — E.  M. 
