October  21,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
391 
There  are  some  gardeners  even  now  who  take  great  pride  in  their  wall 
trees  and  make  them  their  hobby.  When  a  gardener  has  to  carry  on  the 
work  of  a  garden  with  one  or  two  men,  how  can  he  be  expected  to  have 
the  same  smartness  as  his  predecessors  of  some  thirty  or  forty  years  since, 
when  twice  the  number  of  men  were  employed  to  do  the  same  work  ?  It 
it  is  an  obvious  impossibility,  and  if  wall  trees  must  be  trained  as  they 
were  then,  something  else  quite  as  important  must  be  neglected.  My  aim 
has  been  to  try  and  keep  everything  under  my  charge  as  presentable  as 
circumstances  permit  without  spending  unnecessary  time  on  one  object  at 
the  expense  of  another 
I  am  quite  prepared  to  admit  that  a  well  trained  tree  is  an  object  of 
which  a  gardener,  whether  he  be  head  or  subordinate,  may  well  be  proud. 
The  methods  adopted  now  scarcely  compare  with  those  of  forty  years 
ago  ;  then  the  object  was  to  build  up  the  tree  slowly  and  perfectly  from 
its  base  ;  the  more  modern  system  is  to  furnish  the  walls  in  the  shortest 
space  of  time,  and  this  express  method,  if  it  may  be  so  termed,  is  only  a 
repetition  of  what  occurs  daily  in  other  phases  of  gardening.  In  many 
gardens  a  man  was  employed  expressly  for  the  wall  and  other  trees  ; 
very  little  work  beyond  that  was  expected  of  him  in  favourable  weather  ; 
at  the  present  time,  and  for  several  years  past,  this  appointment  has 
become  obsolete,  and  yet  there  are  the  same  number  of  trees  demanding 
attention  from  the  existing  staff,  and  the  best  has  to  be  made  of  the 
altered  circumstances.  Unfortunately  this  is  only  one  out  of  hundreds  of 
similar  cases  ;  but  in  spite  of  this  I  hold  that  gardening  is  not  a  decaying 
industry,  or  how  can  the  support  of  the  numerous  flow'er  shows,  both 
summer  and  Chrysanthemum,  increase  as  they  do  year  by  year  ? 
“H.  D.”  was  taken  to  task  because  he  advanced  deeorative  work 
as  one  reason  why  fruit  trees  had  less  attention  paid  them  outdoors. 
This  explanation  is  certainly  reasonable  enough,  for  certain  it  is  that  such 
work  requires  much  preliminary  preparation  and  study,  when  it  has  to  be 
carried  out  in  a  large  way;  and  I  should  say  it  is  a  lame  argument  to 
suggest  that  this,  and  every  other  extra  class  of  duty  that  modern  times 
demand,  can  be  done  by  a  limited  staff  without  a  corresponding  loss  to 
some  other  department. 
Because  fruit  trees  are  neglected  outdoors  on  walls,  from  “Travellers’ 
point  of  view,  everything  else  suffers  proportionately.  Uo  credit  is  given 
for  Peaches,  Nectarines,  or  other  fruit  grown  under  glass  ;  but,  judging 
from  inferences,  under-glass  cultivation  is  taken  to  represent  an  easy¬ 
going  method,  bearing  no  comparison  with  outdoor  fruit.  In  the  case  of 
Peaches,  Nectarines  and  Figs,  or  even  Pears,  Plums  and  Cherries,  who 
would  not  grow  them  under  glass  protection  if  they  had  the  means  of 
providing  it,  to  change  what  might  be  an  uncertain  crop  into  a  reliable 
and  unrisky  one  ?  Glass  cultivation  of  fruit  evidently  is  taken  as 
representing  the  decadence  of  gardening  with  such  as  “  Traveller,”  but 
he  will  have  to  write  an  additional  letter  or  two  to  the  Journal  of  IJorii- 
culture  before  he  will  carry  conviction  into  the  minds  of  many  of  its 
readers,  in  bearing  out  such  views. 
There  is  another  aspect  which  does  not  seem  to  have  suggested  itself 
to  those  who  believe  in  the  decay  of  gardening,  and  that  is  the  advance¬ 
ment  in  education,  and  the  greater  facilities  for  learning  through  the 
Press.  If  gardening  decays  to  the  extent  that  is  set  forth,  what  becomes 
of  the  teachings  of  the  many  excellent  weekly  periodicals,  why  are  they 
published,  and  what  good  do  they  do  if  we  profit  n  ithing  by  them'? 
Keally  the  more  one  reflects  on  the  theme  the  more  monstrous  does  it 
appear  that  gardening,  more  than  any  other  industry,  should  be  considered 
not  only  stationary,  but  decaying,  and  this  simply  because  less  time  is 
spent  on  wall  trees  than  was  the  case  forty  ago. — A  Country 
Gardener. 
Amidst  the  forces  of  present  day  gardeners  “  Traveller  ”  has  fired 
a  shell,  and  so  jubilant  is  he  of  his  success  in  silencing  the  whole  army, 
that  he  rushes  hastily  into  print,  and  endeavours  to  show  the  horticul¬ 
tural  public  the  soundness  of  his  statements,  and  the  fallacy  of  any 
argument  in  contravention  thereof.  The  fraternity  flinches,  says 
“  Traveller,”  from  the  challenge  he  has  given  them,  and  silent  are  the 
men  who  at  shows  may  be  heard  laudating  their  own  handiwork. 
For  how  many  years  “Traveller”  may  have  been  watching  the 
decay  of  gardening  we  will  leave  for  future  consideration,  but  seeing  he 
claims  the  temerity  to  speak  what  he  thinks,  why  has  he  not  the  courage 
also  to  disclose  his  name  and  whereabouts,  when  we  should  probably  be 
better  qualified  to  judge  of  his  experience  ?  8ome  of  us  really  have  more 
than  a  year’s  experience,  and  if  these  form  the  congregation  of  talkers 
and  writers  among  whom  the  shell  has  dropped,  let  me  assure  “  Traveller  ” 
that,  although  the  company  stand  amazed  and  astonished  at  the  great 
detonation,  they  are  not,  as  he  would  have  us  believe,  absolutely  driven 
into  the  mysterious  future,  as  they  will  now  be  found  willing  and  able  to 
maintain  their  claim  to  the  position  of  men  possessing  sound  general 
horticultural  ability. 
I  am  not  one  of  those  who  would  allow  to  sink  into  insignificance  the 
fact  that  in  the  old  days  there  existed  men  of  good  general  horticultural 
experience.  No,  I  respect  too  highly  the  doings  of  many  who  have  gone 
before,  but  must  remind  “Traveller”  that,  where  in  those  days  there 
lived  one  gardener  of  superior  ability,  to-day  there  may  be  found  ten. 
Does  this  assertion  savour  of  decay  in  gardening  ? 
How  many  present  day  gardeners  can  we  find  possessing  the  know¬ 
ledge  to  grow  all  they  require  for  decorative  purposes — aye,  and  have  the 
ability  to  arrange  the  same  in  the  most  artistic  styles  ?  Did  “Traveller” 
ever  experience  better  grouping  at  shows,  more  artistically  decorated 
dinner  tables,  or  taste  b^etter  flavoured  fruit  and  vegetables?  Has  the 
gardener  of  to-day  not  to  maintain  in  quite  as  good  condition  as  formerly 
the  flower  and  kitchen  gardens,  as  well  as  the  ornamental  grounds 
surrounding  his  employer’s  abode,  to  say  nothing  of  present  day  furnish¬ 
ing,  an  experience  in  which  “Traveller”  lays  claim  to  possess  more  than 
ordinary  ability  ? 
I’robably  whilst  championing  the  cause  of  all-round  gardening,  he 
would  have  us  believe  that  in  the  old  days,  when  glass  structures  were 
heated  by  the  aid  of  brick  flues  and  the  scythe  took  the  place  of  mowing 
machines,  that  those  were  the  days  when  good  all-round  gardening  was 
accomplished.  Without  the  least  intention  to  cast  reflection  upon  those 
ancient  horticultural  appliances,  in  the  company  of  which  many  of  us 
have  spent  numerous  happy  days,  we  acknowledge  the  advantages  of 
modern  science,  and  can  assure  “  Traveller  ”  of  our  ability  to  work  with 
either. 
It  is  said  that  the  growing  of  wall  fruit  is  neglected  that  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums  may  have  attention.  “Traveller,”  perhaps,  would  be  afforded  a 
little  gratification  if,  when  going  his  rounds,  he  visited  some  establish¬ 
ments  where  Chrysanthemums  claim  a  goodly  portion  of  the  gardener’s 
attention  .  to  witness  the  condition  of  the  wall  trees  and  the  fruits  thereof, 
would  probably  be  to  see  evidence  of  the  fact  that  even  this  particular 
branch  does  not  esca])e  the  gardener’s  care.  A  collection  of  Orchids 
would  probably  be  more  appreciated  by  “  Traveller  and  whilst  acknow¬ 
ledging  the  pleasure  afforded  to  many  in  this  respect,  there  still  remains 
the  contention  that  we  have  Orchid  as  well  as  Chrysanthemum 
specialists. 
That  the  extended  cultivation  of  the  “  autumn  ciueen”  has  stirred  up 
admiration  and  interest  amongst  many  at  a  very  dull  season  of  the  year, 
and  that  a  national  horticultural  industry  of  more  than  ordinary  import¬ 
ance  has  resulted  therefrom,  is  a  fact  over  which  “  Traveller  will  do 
well  to  ponder  ;  and  he  will  realise  another  fact  -  that  the  cultivation  of 
Chrysanthemums  is  not,  as  he  would  have  us  believe,  on  the  decline,  but 
in  the  ascendancy.  —  J.  P.  Leadbetter,  The  Gardens,  Tranhy  Croft,  Hull, 
SILICO-FLUOMDES  IN  HONTICIULTUNE. 
It  does  not  seem  to  be  generally  known  that  in  fluorine  we  have 
perhaps  the  most  efficient  of  all  germicides.  For  some- reason,  which  is 
at  present  unknown,  all  lower  organisms  seem  to  be  totally  incapable  of 
resisting  its  action,  and  it  is  not  impossible  that  in  course  of  time  it  may 
prove  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  the  elements  in  respect  of 
its  utility  to  man.  It  occurs  in  nature  combined  with  calcium,  and  from 
this  substance  its  comi)Ounds  are  prepared  ;  most  of  them  are  solids. 
The  fluoride  of  potassium  is  extremely  soluble  in  water,  but  most  other 
simple  fluorides  are  somewhat  insoluble. 
On  a  general  review  of  tbe  possibilities  eonnccted  with  fluorine,  it  has 
seemed  to  me  that  its  eharacteristic  effects  would  be  most  generally  avail¬ 
able  in  horticulture  if  a  silico-fluoride  was  employed,  and  of  these  the 
silico-fluoride  of  ammonium  seemed  to  be  the  most  advantageous.  This 
substance  is  a  solid,  easy  to  produce  in  a  state  of  purity,  and  readily 
dissolving  in  water,  with  whieh  it  forms  a  solution  having  a  specific 
gravity  of  1-101  when  saturated.  The  effect  of  spraying  plants  infested 
with  aphides  and  other  pests  with  a  very  weak  solution  of  the  silico- 
fluoride  of  ammonium  is  not  only  immediate  death  to  the  insects,  but 
when  the  substance  is  eventually  washed  off  the  plants  into  the  earth  it 
decomposes  there,  liberating  ammonia  very  slowly  at  their  roots  ;  so 
that  in  addition  to  destroying  the  insects  it  is  also  valuable  as  a  manure. 
The  silico-fluoride  of  ammonium  is  not  at  present  known  in  commerce, 
but  no  doubt  if  a  demand  for  it  sprung  up  it  could  be  manufactured  and 
sold  for  about  30s.  per  cwt.  Meanwhile  I  shall  be  glad  to  send  any  of 
your  readers,  who  would  like  to  experiment  with  it,  a  certain  small 
quantity  in  time  for  next  year  s  operations.  If,  however,  they  would 
prefer  to  make  it  themselves  the  following  method  of  manufacture  may  be 
adopted.  Equal  (quantities  of  hydrofluoric  acid  and  rain  water  are 
treated  with  excess  of  f  ne  silver  sand  ;  the  mixture  is  made  in  a  leaden 
vessel  and  stirred  up  occasionally  for  a  month  or  so.  At  the  end  of  that 
period  it  is  filtered  from  the  sand,  almost  neutralised  with  weak  ammonia, 
and  evaporated  to  dryness.— W.  Mills,  14,  Westhoume  Hoad,  Forest 
Hill,  S.E. 
[Mr.  Mills  has  informed  us  that  he  is  not  a  manufacturer  of  anything 
he  has  mentioned,  his  only  object  being  to  find  “something  superior  to 
Bordeaux  mixture  and  other  foreign  empiricisms”  for  use  in  British 
gardens  ;  and  as  he  thinks  it  desirable  that  silico-fluoride  of  ammonium 
should  be  tried  against  different  garden  pests  by  different  persons,  he 
is  willing  to  send  samples  for  that  purpose.  Stamped  directed  envelopes 
should  be  enclosed  with  applications  to  the  address  given. 
Relative  to  the  home  manufacture  described,  and  fearing  the  possibility 
of  danger  in  using  hydrofluoric  acid,  we  consulted  an  eminent  agricultural 
chemist,  who  has  devoted  especial  attention  to  the  question  of  insecticides 
and  germicides.  He  favours  with  the  following  observations  on  the 
subject  generally  : — 
“  The  point  raised  with  regard  to  silico-fluorides  is  interesting.  The 
material  suggested  is  not  new,  and  some  years  ago  I  had  intended  to  try 
it  as  a  remedy  for  Hop  mould,  but  found  other  and  more  suitable  material. 
I  find  on  reference  that  the  use  of  silico-fluorides  has  been  patented  by 
W.  Thompson,  and  that  it  has  been  taken  up  for  application  to  calicoes, 
and  for  precipitating  sewage.  It  has  also  been  suggested  as  an  anti¬ 
septic  in  surgical  operations.  Although  I  have  not  actually  tested  it,  I 
believe  the  material  suggested  by  your  correspondent  is  possessed  of 
no  insecticidal  value  apart  from  its  acidity  and  its  consequent  danger  to 
the  plant. 
“As  a  fungicide,  it  may  be  of  service,  but  it  has  certain  grave  practical 
drawbacks.  It  requires  pure,  soft  water,  and  cannot  be  mixed  with  soap. 
Anyone  who  has  used  washes  knows  how  essential  ‘  lathering-power  ’  is 
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