JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  3,  189G. 
5 
diate  neighbourhood  of  one  of  the  few  Barberry  bushes  growing  semi¬ 
wild  in  a  hedge  a  few  miles  from  King’s  Lynn.  Not  more  than  a  dozen 
Barley  plants  affected  with  the  fungus  could  be  found,  and  they  were 
within  a  yard  or  two  of  the  mcidial  host  plant.  During  the  last  year  or 
two  Professor  Eriksson  of  Stockholm,  working  in  conjunction  with  Dr. 
E.  Henning,  has  succeeded  in  elucidating  the  morphology  of  the  fungi 
which  produce  the  so-called  “  rust  ”  of  Wheat.  Rust,  of  course,  is  a  col¬ 
lective^  name  applied  to  any  uredo  with  a  yellow  or  orange  colour 
occurring  upon  cereals  generally.  We  have  hitherto  recognised  a  Puccinia 
on  Wheat  and  other  grasses,  characterised  by  the  yellow  colour  and  pro¬ 
fusion  of  its  uredospores,  and  have  known  it  as  P.  rubigo-vera,  or  P. 
straminis.  From  the  investigations  of  the  above  botanists  it  is  clear 
that  these  two  distinct  and  well  marked  species  confounded  under  these 
names,  which  they  call  P,  glumarum,  Schinn,  and  P.  dispersa  E.  and  H. 
Specimens  of  these  are  sent  herewith. 
Puccinia  glumarum  is  the  most  important  from  an  economic  point 
of  view,  as  it  is  apt  to  attack  not  only  the  leaves  and  sheaths  of  the 
Wheat  plants  but  also  the  glumes,  and  as  a  natural  sequence  the  grain 
itself.  When  this  is  the  case  the  uredospores  constitute  the  old  Tricho- 
basis  or  Uredo  glumarum,  and  may  be  readily  enough  seen  by  pulling 
apart  the  glumes  of  the  affected  ears.  They  look  as  if  a  little  golden 
dust  had  found  its  way  into  the  ear,  some  of  which  adheres  to  the 
glumes,  while  some  is  dusted  upon  the  young  kernel.  That  the  “rust  ’’ 
was  injurious  to  Wheat  when  it  attacked  the  ear  has  been  known  to 
agriculturists  for  long,  and  it  is  only  under  these  circumstances  that 
rust  does  our  Wheat  crops  any  appreciable  amount  of  harm.  This  rust, 
it  should  be  remarked,  is  quite  distinct  from  the  rust  which  does  so 
much  injury  to  the  Wheat  grower  of  Australia.  To  us  the  injury 
consists  in  a  dwarfing  of  the  affected  kernels  which  the  uredo  and  its 
associated  teleutospore  cause.  On  the  leaves  of  the  Wheat  the  uredo¬ 
spores  of  P.  glumarum  make  their  appearance  very  early  in  the  life  of 
the  plant ;  in  early  winter  it  may  be  found,  but  especially  in  spring. 
The  quantity  of  these  uredospores  is  very  great  and  the  rustiness  of  the 
plants  very  striking  ;  but  strange  to  say,  our  Wheat  growers  do  not  look 
upon  it  with  much  disfavour  at  this  season,  for  it  is  often  said  to  do 
more  good  than  harm  by  checking  the  too  luxuriant  growth  of  the  plant. 
But  we  may  be  sure  that  whatever  good  it  may  effect  in  this  direction 
is  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  injury  it  does  the  grain  itself  later 
on  in  the  year.  The  Uredo  is  very  conspicuous  because,  although  the 
spores  beds  are  very  minute,  yet  they  are  crowded  in  great  numbers  upon 
long  discoloured  stripes  on  the  leaves.  The  spores  themselves  are  yellow 
and  round. 
The  popular  name  suggested  is  that  of  “  Yellow  Rust,”  and  it  is  a 
very  expressive  one.  Puccinia  dispersa,  on  the  other  hand,  as  its  name 
implies,  has  its  uredospore  beds  scattered  over  the  surface  of  the  leaves. 
The  spore  beds  are  larger  and  brown,  or  yellowish  brown  in  colour. 
Seen  side  by  side  when  fresh  these  two  species  can  be  instantly  recog¬ 
nised  by  the  naked  eye.  Prof.  Eriksson  has  been  kind  enough  to  send 
me  specimens  of  both  species,  and  during  the  past  autumn  I  have  given 
some  little  attention  to  the  matter.  Doubtless  P  dispersa  has  hitherto 
been  regarded  by  us  in  its  uredo  stage  as  P.  gratninis,  while  its  teleuto- 
spores  have  been  confused  with  those  of  P.  glumarum.  Nor  is  this  last 
mistake  surprising,  for  between  the  teleutospores  of  P.  glumarum  and 
those  of  P.  dispersa  very  liltle  morphological  difference  exists.  They 
are  alike  in  form,  in  colour,  in  size,  and  in  the  fact  that  they  both 
germinate  in  autumn.  P.  dispersa,  however,  occurs  more  frequently 
scattered  on  the  leaves,  while  P.  glumarum  is  in  lines  upon  the  sheaths. 
Unfortunately,  however,  P.  dispersa  also  sometimes  occurs  on  the  sheaths, 
but  its  spore  beds  are  larger.  My  attempt  this  year  to  get  the  teleuto¬ 
spores  of  both  species  to  germinate  have  been  unsuccessful,  nor  have  I 
been  more  fortunate  in  getting  P.  dispersa  to  produce  its  secidiospores 
on  Anchusa  vulgaris,  although  small  bundles  of  affected  Wheat  leaves 
have  been  for  the  past  two  months  placed  in  contact  with  young 
plants  of  Anchusa  growing  in  the  open  air.  In  Sweden,  P.  glumarum 
appears  to  be  generally  the  more  frequent,  but  Prof.  Eriksson  tells  me 
that  this  year  P.  dispersa  is  more  abundant  than  he  has  ever  hitherto 
known  it.  He  considers  P.  dispersa  to  be  commoner  in  warmer  climates, 
and  considers  its  profusion  this  year  to  be  due  to  the  greater  heat  and 
dryness  of  the  earlier  part  of  the  year.  He  has  proved  by  experimental 
culture  that  the  %cidiospores  of  P.  dispersa  occur  on  Anchusa  vulgaris, 
but  the  life  history  of  P.  glumarum,  as  far  as  this  stage  is  concerned,  is 
at  present  unknown.  The  three  fungi  above  referred — Puccinia 
graminis,  P.  glumarum,  and  P.  dispersa — may,  as  has  been  suggested,  be 
popularly  and  appropriately  designated  the  black  rust,  the  yellow  rust, 
and  the  brown  rust. 
Blenheim  Ajople  Sport,— Kt.  Wootton  of  Byford,  Hereford,  sent  an 
Apple,  two-thirds  of  the  surface  of  which  were  dark  crimson,  the 
remaining  part  uncoloured,  the  junction  between  the  colours  being 
sharply  defined.  The  colour  was  confined  to  the  epidermis  alone.  It 
was  thought  that  it  might  have  been  crossed  with  the  pollen  of  some 
dark-skinned  variety  ;  but  Mr.  Wootton  reports  that  the  neighbouring 
Apple  trees  are  a  Ribston,  a  King  of  the  Pippins,  &c. ;  but  several  stocks 
of  bees  are  very  near. 
SCHIZANTHUS. — Group  plants  were  recently  under  discussion  in  the 
Journal  for  summer  arrangements.  One  of  the  best  plants  for  use  at 
the  present  time  is  Schizanthus  pinnatus,  being  light  and  elegant,  and 
in  addition  very  free  flowering.  When  at  Chilton  Lodge,  Hungerford,  a 
few  days  ago  several  plants  were  noted  in  full  bloom  in  the  green¬ 
house.  It  is  readily  raised  from  seed  sown  at  midsummer.  Care 
must  be  taken  to  flower  it  in  as  airy  a  place  as  possible,  being  very 
liable  to  damp  unless  grown  under  those  conditions. — H.  W.  B. 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
The  Floral  Committee  of  this  Society  held  a  meeting  on  Wednesday, 
the  26th  ult.,  at  the  Royal  Aquarium,  Westminster,  when  Mr.  Thomas 
Bevan  occupied  the  chair.  The  exhibits  were  not  numerous,  and 
the  most  promising  novelties  staged  were  Miss  Louise  D.  Black,  a 
deep,  roundly  built  incurved  flower,  colour  orange  yellow  ;  1  ,ady  North- 
cote.  Japanese,  with  long  drooping  florets,  colour  white  tinted  ;  The 
Egyptian,  a  big  solid  compact  Japanese  incurved  with  very  broad  florets, 
colour  purple  chestnut.  Two  old-fashioned  incurved,  almost  identical, 
bnt  shown  under  the  names  of  Thomas  Lockie  and  General  Maurice,  also 
excited  some  little  interest. 
First-class  certificates  were  awarded  to — 
C.  W.  Itiehardson. — A  very  fine  Japanese,  of  great  size,  with  long, 
twisted,  curly,  and  intermingling  florets,  narrow  and  grooved  ;  colour 
pale  canary  yellow,  reverse  waxy  pale  yellow.  A  great  acquisition, 
Exhibited  by  Mr.  W,  H.  Lees. 
Gem  of  Earlswood. — This  is  a  pretty  neat  little  Pompon  Anemone, 
of  first-rate  form.  A  good  disc  ;  colour  pure  yellow,  with  medium  sized 
flat  ray  florets  ;  colour  lilac  mauve.  Shown  by  Mr,  W,  Wells  of  Earls¬ 
wood. 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society’s  Annual  Dinner. 
Over  130  members  and  friends  of  the  N.C .  S .  foregathered  at  Anderton’s 
Hotel,  Fleet  Street,  on  the  evening  of  Thursday,  November  26th,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  annual  dinner  of  the  Society.  The  President  for  the 
evening  was  W.  H.  Fowler,  Esq.,  J.P.,  formerly  Chairman  of  the  N.C.S, 
Floral  Committee,  and  himselt  an  enthusiastic  cultivator  of  Chrysan¬ 
themums.  The  majority  of  the  leading  trade  growers  were  present,  as 
also  were  the  foremost  prizewinners  of  the  year  and  the  officers  of  the 
Society.  A  distinguished  visitor  was  Mods.  Martinet  of  Paris,  editor  of 
Le  Jardin,  whose  visit  was  of  special  importance,  as  will  presently  appear. 
The  dining  hall  was  decorated  with  Palms  and  Chrysanthemums,  and 
the  proceedings  were  enlivened  with  vocal  and  instrumental  music, 
Mr.  D.  B.  Crane  being  one  of  the  vocalists. 
A  lengthy  programme  having  been  provided,  no  time  was  lost  after 
dinner  in  honouring  the  usual  loyal  toasts.  The  Chairman,  who  was 
greeted  with  considerable  applause,  then  rose  to  propose,  “  The  National 
Chrysanthemum  Society.”  He  pointed  to  the  national  character  of 
the  Society  as  it  was  at  present,  a  character  that  it  had  not  always  so 
well  deserved  as  now  ;  he  also  considered  the  N.C.S.  provided  excellent 
examples  of  good  management,  and  of  schedule  construction  to  the 
societies  affiliated  with  it.  The  membership  he  informed  the  meeting 
had  increased  by  182  during  the  year,  and  now  stood  at  880,  while 
twenty-six  newly  affiliated  societies  brought  up  the  total  of  these  to 
136.  When  referring  to  the  brilliant  success  of  the  Jubilee  celebrations, 
the  Chairman  added  that  no  less  than  half  a  mile  of  tabling  had  been 
used  on  the  first  two  days,  and  this  alone  showed  that  the  Secretary  and 
his  assistants  had  a  vast  amount  of  work  to  perform,  and,  he  observed, 
they  did  it  well.  The  Chairman’s  concluding  remarks  included  a  plea 
for  a  better  exhibition  hall  than  the  Aquarium,  and  a  personal  vote  of 
thanks  to  the  Aquarium  Society  for  the  special  efforts  they  made  to 
make  the  N.C.S.’s  displays  successful. 
The  toast  of  "  The  Affiliated  Societies”  was  proposed  by  Mr. 
P.  Waterer,  who  said  the  parent  Society  had  done  wisely  in  presenting 
Jubilee  medals  to  those  affiliated  with  it,  and  had  in  return  received 
great  support.  He  hoped  the  number  of  societies  in  affiliation  would 
largely  increase.  Mr.  W.  Weeks  of  Bromley  replied,  and  in  the  course 
of  his  speech  referred  to  the  N.C.S.  deputation  to  Ghent  and  Paris  as 
one  way  of  bringing  foreign  societies  into  touch  with  their  own.  This 
speaker  also  hoped  for  the  abolition  of  classes  at  shows  for  both  Japanese 
and  incurved  varieties  ;  he  objected  to  mixed  classes. 
The  distribution  of  prizes  by  the  Chairman  was  the  next  item,  and 
much  enthusiasm  prevailed  throughout  the  proceedings.  Mr.  Berry 
received  the  challenge  shield,  on  behalf  of  the  Portsmouth  Society,  with 
a  very  positive  assertion  that  the  same  society  would  take  it  next  year. 
The  Portsmouth  Society,  but  a  few  months  old,  is  to  be  congratulated 
upon  its  great  achievement.  Mr.  Lees  was  not  present  to  receive  the  two 
Holmes’  Memorial  cups  which  he  has  won  for  the  second  time.  Mr. 
Donald  of  Leyton,  and  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones  were  received  with  rounds  of 
applause  when  gold  medals  were  presented  them,  but  the  ovation  Mr.  W. 
Mease  received  when  taking  the  two  gold  Jubilee  medals  was  simply 
deafening,  and  caused  our  very  modest  friend  to  blush  crimson.  Various 
other  prizewinners  received  medals  or  cups.  Following  the  presenta¬ 
tion  of  prizes  came  a  most  interesting  ceremony,  in  which  Mons.  Martinet 
and  Mr.  C.  Hannan  Payne  were  the  prominent  figures.  The  former  had 
come  over  from  Paris  to  present  to  Mr.  C.  H.  Payne  the  Order  of  the 
Meritd  Agricole.  The  presentation  was  made  on  behalf  of  the  National 
Horticultural  Society  of  France,  whose  members  had  petitioned  the 
French  Government  to  so  recognise  the  services  rendered  to  French 
Chrysanthemists  by  Mr.  Payne.  Mons.  Martinet,  speaking  in  excellent 
English,  made  a  most  appropriate  speech,  congratulating  the  N.C.S. 
upon  its  position  and  work,  and  Mr.  Payne  upon  his  well-merited  reward. 
