492 
JOUmAL  OF  MORTIOULTURF  Am  COTTAGF  GARMNER. 
November  18,  1897. 
E.H.S.  Fruit  Committee  and  Medals  (^Critic).  —  Referring  to  an 
exhibit  of  fruit  at  one  of  the  meetings  you  say  “  The  Trait  Committee 
is  a  stingy  body  at  times,  and  a  few  heaps  of  Onions  and  Turnips 
would  have  got  a  bigger  medal.”  Our  interpretation  of  the  apparent 
anomaly  is  this,  and  the  pithy  comment  thereon  is  that,  in  your  opinion, 
“  (')nion  and  Turnip  ”  medals  (though  that  is,  perhaps,  not  a  happy  way 
of  putting  it)  are  voted  too  freely.  We  have  certainly  heard  it  said  that 
if  some  medal  hunters  could  have  their  way  there  would  soon  be  no 
medals  left,  as  the  species  would  become  extinct. 
Daisy  Boots  on  a  Lawn  (Daisy'). — There  are  two  ways  of  destroying 
the  Daisies  without  serious  disfigurement  : — 1,  Extracting  the  roots  or 
plants  by  what  is  known  as  a  Daisy  fork  or  grubber— a  short-handled 
implement  with  a  forked  end  and  priser  on  the  back  for  uprooting  the 
plants.  This  does  excellent  work  during  moist  weather.  The  holes  are 
filled,  after  clearing  off  the  grubbed  up  plants,  with  rich  soil,  which 
encourages  the  growth  of  the  grass.  2,  Dress  the  lawn  with  “  lawn 
sand,”  sold  by  nurserymen,  applying  it  according  to  the  instructions. 
This  causes  the  lawn  to  become  rather  brown  for  a  time,  but  the  effects 
soon  pass  off,  and  the  grass  grows  all  the  better  with  considerably  fewer 
Daisies. 
Hollies  Casting  Their  Leaves  (R.  S.). — Some  thirty-six  years  ago  we 
had  a  similar  experience  of  Hollies  casting  their  leaves  to  an  extent 
rendering  them  almost  completely  leafless.  This  we  attributed  to  the 
prevalence  of  fog  during  the  latter  part  of  October  and  early  in  November, 
with  the  sulphurous  smoke  and  vapour  from  some  factory  chimneys.  The 
prickly-leaved  species  and  varieties  Suffered  the  most,  and  the  smooth- 
leaved  the  least.  In  the  country  we  also  once  experienced  a  similar  down¬ 
fall  of  Holly  leaves  in  the  autumn,  this  also  after  a  period  of  foggy 
weather.  The  trees  became  so  bare  as  to  necessitate  cutting  back,  which 
proved  a  decided  advantage  both  as  regards  form  and  subsequent  growth 
and  foliage.  These  are  the  only  two  instances  in  our  experience  of  Hollies 
casting  their  leaves  in  the  manner  you  describe.  We  can  offer  no  sugges¬ 
tion  as  to  prevention. 
Apple  Trees  in  a  Dell  (W.  W.). — We  have  been  compelled  to  grow 
hardy  fruits  in  a  garden  in  land  liable  to  be  flooded  by'  water  two  or 
three  times  during  the  winter.  Apples  did  very  well,  Keswick  Codlin 
supplying  fruit  for  use  during  August  and  September  into  October. 
Golden  Noble  seldom  failed,  continuing  the  supply  from  October  to 
Christmas,  when  Northern  Greening  followed,  and  with  it  Bramley’s 
Seedling,  one  of  the  very  best  Apples  for  damp  situations.  Tor  eating, 
Devonshire  Quarrendeh,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Blenheim  Pippin,  and 
Golden  Russet  proved  the  best,  supplying  fruit  from  September  till 
March.  Black  Currants  were  grown  in  the  spaces  between  the  Apple 
trees  in  the  garden  and  gave  bountiful  crops.  Jjand  that  is  water¬ 
logged  for  two  or  three  months  is  most  inimical  to  fruits.  Temporary 
flooding  does  no  harm  ;  it  is  the  stagnation  and  souring  of  the  land 
that  doea  the  mischief  to  the  roots. 
Collapse  of  Cucumber  Plants  (S.  W.  G.). — The  leaves  were  coated 
almost  all  over  with  soil,  possibly  owing  to  movement  in  passing  through 
the  post  ;  but  from  whatever  cause  the  occurrence  is  a  serious  drawback 
in  examining  them,  the  grit  making  sad  work  of  microscopic  apparatus. 
The  mould  on  the  leaves  is  Aspergillus  glaucus,  the  conldial  condition  of 
Eurotium  herbariorum,  the  fruits  being,  also  the  sclerotia,  present  in 
great  abundance.  The  fungus,  however,  has  no  connection,  only  as  a 
consequence  of  decay,  with  the  collapse  of  the  plants.  This  has  been 
caused  by  the  root-stem  eelworm,  Tylenchus  obtusus,  which  swarmed  in 
the  destroyed  tissues.  There  was  also  present  a  white  worm,  Enchytroeus 
Buckholzi,  which  attacks  the  roots  and  stems  of  Clovers,  Vegetable 
Marrows,  and  other  plants  outdoors  ;  and  we  have  found  it  in  the  same 
parts  of  Cucumbers,  Melons,  Bamboos,  and  many  other  plants  indoors. 
We  regard  it,  however,  only  as  a  semi-parasite,  and  very  easily  killed. 
Tor  instance,  it  only  lived  a  few  seconds  in  water  containing  a  little  silico- 
fluoride  of  ammonia,  while  the  eelworms  were  not  killed  for  several 
minutes,  yet  there  is  no  question  of  its  destroying  the  pests— root-stem 
eelworm.  The  only  thing  to  be  done  is  to  clear  out  the  plants  and  soil, 
commencing  afresh  with  clean  plants  and  compost.  This,  however,  will 
only  result  in  the  same  disaster  unless  the  precaution  be  taken  to  disinfect 
the  soil  before  using,  for  unquestionably  the  pest  (eehvorm)  is  intro¬ 
duced  in  it.  Treating  the  soil  with  boiling  water  thoroughly  destroys 
them,  only  reach  every  part.  The  old  soil  should,  be  scalded,  so  as  to 
kill  the  pests  therein,  for  they  lead  a  free  life  as  well  as  parasitic  one, 
living  on  decaying  organic  vegetable  matter,  and  even  in  water  containing 
organic  substances. 
Ascertaining  the  Height  of  Trees  (Junior).  —  Though  the  measuring 
of  trees  is  not  understood  so  widely  as  it  ought  to  be,  it  is,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  very  easy  to  learn.  An  e.xcellent  and  thoroughly  reliable  system  is 
that  adopted  by  Mr.  A.  Harding,  Orton  Hall,  Peterborough.  This 
capable  gardener  devised  the  contrivance  shown  in  fig.  73,  by  which  the 
heights  of  any  trees  may  be  accurately  determined.  The  tree  measurer 
on  the  right  of  the  figure  consists  of  a  staff  6  feet  long  pointed  for  pressing 
into  the  ground.  To  the  centre  of  the  staff  a  piece  of  half-inch  board 
12  inches  wide  and  exactly  square  is  affixed  with  screws.  The  diagonal 
cross  lath  is  3  feet  long  and  perfectly  straight.  It  may  be  fixed  or  move- 
able  ;  if  the  latter,  a  small  batten  being  screwed  on  the  board  for  it  to 
rest  on  when  in  use.  The  plumb  line  is  indispensable,  as  no  correct 
measurement  could  be  had  without  it.  The  plumb-bob  may  be  about  the 
size  of  a  small  Walnut,  the  string  passing  through  its  centre,  then  knotted 
to  make  all  secure.  In  measuring  the  tree  the  staff  is  placed  at  a  distance 
from  it  so  that  with  the  plumb  e.xactly  perpendicular,  the  cross  lath 
points  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  the  person  taking  the  “sight”  resting  on 
one  knee  or  reclining  to  bring  the  eye  to  the  bottom  of  the  lath.  The 
lath  is  then  drawn  to  the  ground,  where  the  end  rests  at  c  in  the  figure, 
or  if  the  lath  is  fixed  a  string  will  answer  the  purpose  of  extending  the 
sight  line  to  the  ground.  From  this  point  G  to  the  centre  of  the  trunk, 
not  the  face  of  it  nearest  the  point,  but  the  middle,  will  represent  the 
actual  height  of  the  tree  ;  or  to  put  the  matter  concisely,  the  horizontal 
line,  A  c  is  equal  to  the  vertical  A  B  ;  and  if  the  tree  w'ere  blown  or  cut 
down  its  top  would  follow  the  course  shown  by  the  curved  line  and  rest 
at  G.  If  a  tree  has  several  leaders,  as  I’inus  excelsa  and  some  others 
often  have,  the  sight  should  be  taken  of  the  most  central  one,  or  nearest 
in  perpendicular  with  the  roof  of  the  tree,  not  a  side  branch  that  may 
happen  to  be  a  little  taller,  as  the  base  line  would  then  not  give  the  true 
height  of  the  specimen.  On  level  ground  it  is  easy  to  perceive  that 
altitudes  of  a  number  of  trees  can  be  quickly  ascertained.  When  the 
ground  is  irregular  provision  must  be  made  for  having  the  line  level  from 
the  root  of  the  tree,  or  A  in  the  figure  to  G.  The  central  board,  it  may  be 
repeated,  must  be  a  true  square,  the  perfectly  straight  sighting  lath 
resting  across  it  exactly  from  corner  to  corner,  as  the  least  deviation  will 
lead  to  error,  and  the  weight  must  hang  positively  plumb,  as  not  other¬ 
wise  can  the  measurement  be  accurate.  Any  handy  man  can  make  an 
appliance  of  this  kind. 
Names  of  Fruits.  —  Notice. — We  have  pleasure  in  naming  good 
typical  fruits  (when  the  names  are  discoverable)  for  the  convenience  of 
regular  subscribers,  who  are  the  growers  of  such  fruit,  and  not  col¬ 
lectors  of  specimens  from  non-subscribers.  This  latter  procedure  is 
wholly  irregular,  and  we  trust  that  none  of  our  readers  will  allow 
themselves  to  be  made  the  mediums  in  infringing  our  rules.  Special 
attention  is  directed  to  the  following  decision,  the  object  of  which  is 
to  discourage  the  growth  of  inferior  and  promote  the  culture  of  superior 
varieties.  In  consequence  of  the  large  number  of  worthless  Apples  and  Pears 
sent  to  this-  office  to  he  named,  it  has  been  decided  to  name  only  specimens  and 
varieties  of  approved  merit,  and  to  reject  the  inferior,  which  are  not  worth 
sending  or  growing.  The  names  and  addresses  of  senders  of  fruits  or 
flowers  to  be  named  must  in  all  cases  be  enclosed  with  the  specimens, 
whether  letters  referring  to  the  fruit  are  sent  by  post  or  not.  The 
names  are  not  necessarily  required  for  publication,  initials  sufficing  for 
that.  Only  six  specimens  can  be  named  at  once,  and  any  beyond  that 
number  cannot  be  preserved.  They  should  he  sent  on  the  first  indication  of 
change  towards  ripening.  Dessert  Pears  cannot  he  named  in  a  hard  green  state. 
(H.  //.).— Your  specimen  was  quite  rotten.  (A.  McG.), —  1,  Golden 
Winter  Tearmain  ;  2,  Court  of  Wick  ;  3,  Winter  Quoining.  (D.  C.  F.). 
—  1,  Golden  Reinette  ;  2,  Hollandbury  ;  3,  Dutch  Codlin  ;  4,  ISIinchull 
Crab.  (M.  E.  B.). — 1,  Winter  Nelis  ;  2,  Doyenn^  du  Comice  ;  3,  Nouveau 
Poiteau  ;  4,  Beurrd  Superfin  ;  5,  Beurre  Capiaumont  ;  6,  Durondeau. 
(G.A.  F.). — 1,  Alfriston  ;  2,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin ;  3,  Blenheim  Pippin  ; 
4,  unknown,  worthless  ;  5,  Ribston  Pippin.  (/.-  D.). — 1,  Court  Pendii 
Plat;  2,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin.  (W.  T.). — 1,  not  recognised;  2,  Ecklinville 
Seedling  ;  3,  Hollandbury  ;  4,  Winter  Hawthornden. 
Names  of  Plants. — We  only  undertake  to  name  species  of  plants,  not 
varieties  that  have  originated  from  seeds  and  termed  florists’  flowers. 
Flowering  specimens  are  necessary  of  flowering  plants,  and  Fern  fronds 
should  bear  spores.  Specimens  should  arrive  in  a  fresh  state  in  firm 
boxes.  Slightly  damp  moss,  soft  green  grass,  or  leaves  form  the  best 
packing,  dry  wool  the  worst.  Not  more  than  si.x  specimens  can  be  named 
at  once,  and  the  numbers  should  be  visible  without  untying  the  ligatures, 
it  being  often  difficult  to  separate  them  when  the  paper  is  damp. 
(0.  W.  P.). — 1,  Euonynius  europaeus  ;  2,  Diplacus  glutinosus  ;  3,  Pani- 
cum  variegatam.  (K.  J.). —  1,  Nertera  depressa;  2,  dead;  3,  a  form  of 
Adiantum  cuneatum  ;  4,  A.  gracillimum  ;  5,  Asplenium  Imlbiferum. 
(L.  (?.).  —  !,  ^laranta  zebrina  ;  2,  Kentia  Belmoreana ;  3,  K.  Canter- 
buryana  ;  4,  specimen  insufficient,  send  when  in  flower. 
EDITORIAL  NOTICE. — It  is  particularly  desired  that  all  communi¬ 
cations,  parcels,  catalogues,  and  newspapers  intended  for  the  Editor, 
be  sent  direct  to  8,  ROSE  Hill  Road,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
