6 
January  2,  1902, 
JOURl^AL  OF  HOB.TTGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
the  Woad-indigo  vat,  but  to  go  intO'  the  subject  of  Woad,  and 
the  process  of  dyeing  with  it,  must  be  reserved  for  a  future 
occasion. 
- - 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Scientific  Committee,  Dec.  17th. 
Present:  G.  S.  Saunders,  Esq.  (in  the  chair).  Rev.  W.  Wilks, 
Goo.  Gordon,  C.  T.  Druery,  J.  W.  Odell,  J.  Douglas,  E.  A. 
Bowles,  H.  J.  Chapman,  and  Dr.  Masters. 
Wood  attacked  by  Bees. — Alluding  to  a  specimen  shown  at  the 
last  meeting  Mr.  Saunders  said :  — “  There  was  some  wood 
shown  at  the  last  Scientific  Committee  meeting,  which  was 
unquestionably  attacked  by  the  caterpillar  of  the  Goat-moth, 
Cossus  ligniperda^  but  there  was  also  a  piece  of  soft  wood,  pro¬ 
bably  Willow,  which  I  find  on  examination  was  not  attacked  by 
any  caterpillar,  but  by  one  of  the  wood-boring  bees,  probably 
Crabro  cephalotes,  or  C.  chrysostomus.  Each  nest  was  par¬ 
tially  filled  with  the  remains  of  blue-bottle  flies  on  which  the 
grubs  had  fed.  The  insects  had  not  utilised  the  borings  of  any 
other  insect.  The  wood  no  doubt  was  decayed  before  the  bees 
atacked  it,  so  that  they  were  in  no  way  the  cause  of  the  death 
of  the  wood.” 
Banana  disease. — Referring  to  a  specimen  previously  shown 
at  the  Committee,  the  following  remarks  by  Dr.  Axel  Preyer 
were  read :  — “  For  about  three  years  a  peculiar  disease  has  been 
spreading  amongst  Bananas  cultivated  near  Alexandria.  The 
first  symptoms  of  the  disease  are  to  be  observed  in  a  sudden 
check  of  growth,  and  soon  after  the  leaf-points  and  the  youngest 
central  leaf  become  black  and  die.  The  latter  gets  rotten, 
numerous  ants  and  other  small  animals  inhabit  the  upper  part 
of  the  stem,  and  the  putrefaction  proceeds  downwards.  The 
stem  does  not  die  immediately,  but  it  is  naturally  unfit  to  bear 
fruit.  Very  characteristic  is  the  appearance  of  a  great  many 
small  crippled  leaves  instead  of  a  few,  well-shaped  large  ones, 
as  is  seen  in  the  sound  plant. 
“A  strongly-infected  stem  dug  out  of  the  earth  with  roots 
was  cut  in  a  longitudinal  direction.  In  the  upper  part,  the 
youngest  leaves  were  all  black  and  rotten,  the  outer  layers  were 
white,  and  seemed  to  be  sound,  only  the  fourth  and  fifth  layers 
were  dark  brown  and  saturated  with  a  putrid  liquid.  The 
lower  part  of  the  stem  and  the  root-stalk  showed  no  sign  of 
disease.  But  on  the  roots  themselves,  especially  on  the  root- 
tips,  one  could  observe  small  knobs,  generally  accompanied  by 
an  excretion  of  a  resinous  substance.  Sections  of  these  knobs 
were  first  examined  under  the  microscope,  and  their  contents 
were  found  to  be  relatively  large  egg-sacks  of  a  kind  of  pest 
belonging  to  the  Nematodes.  The  eggs  were  in  different 
stages  of  development,  even  some  full-grown  Nematodes,  pos¬ 
sessed  with  great  mobility,  had  penetrated  into  the  cellular 
texture  of  the  root.  On  further  investigation,  and  by  com¬ 
paring  infected  with  uninfected  plants,  the  Nematodes  may  be 
stated  to  be  the  cause  of  the  Banana  disease ;  therefore  the 
latter  is  due  to  an  infection  of  the  roots. 
“  The  Nematodes  themselves  are  in  shape  long,  thin,  and 
cylindrical,  with  a  round  mouth-end  and  a  fine  sharp  point  at 
the  other  end,  which  is  strengthened  by  a  thickening  of  the 
epidermis.  The  whole  length  is  0.57  millimetres,  the  maximum 
diameter  0.014mm.  The  pest  belongs  to  the  genus  Tylenchus, 
but  its  specific  identification  has  not  yet  been  ascertained.  The 
Nematode  resembles  very  much  the  Tylenchus  acutocaudatus, 
Zn.,  which  is  the  cause  of  a  well-known  dangerous  Coffee  dis¬ 
ease  in  Java.  As  to  the  biology  of  the  Banana  Tylenchus,  it  is 
an  interesting  fact  that  the  pest  not  only  lives  in  the  roots,  but 
ascends  with  the  watery  liquid  streaming  upward,  and  is  to  be 
met  with  in  great  numbers  in  the  upper  parts  of  the  stem.  I 
could  not,  however,  find  any  egg-sacks  in  these  parts. 
“  The  most  important  question  with  regard  to  the  Banana- 
disease  is,  of  course,  how  to  suppress  it.  In  this  case  the  task 
is  rather  difficult,  because  the  Nematodes  live  free  in  the 
ground,  and  seem  to  have  spread  over  a  great  area  near  Alex¬ 
andria.  Experiments  are  going  on  by  manuring  the  Bananas 
with  nitrates,  and  by  isolating  the  plantations  by  deep  canals  ; 
but  no  results  have  as  yet  been  obtained.  In  Java  the  planters 
cut  out  the  Coffee  trees  infected  by  Tylenchus,  and  avoid  plant¬ 
ing  Coffee  again  on  the  same  ground  for  several  years.  In 
Egypt  this  disease  should  be  carefully  watched,  as  the  Tylenchus 
might,  perhaps,  attack  other  plants ;  for  instance,  the  newly 
cultivated  Sugar  Beet.” 
Diseased  Beach  shoots. — Mr.  Gordon  showed  some  Peach 
shoots  in  which  detached  patches  on  the  outer  bark  were  dead. 
Mr.  Gordon  suggested  that  the  appearances  were  the  result  of 
the  attack  of  the  Shot-hole  fungus,  Cercospora.  The  specimens 
were  referred  to  Mr.  Massee  for  examination  and  report. 
Seedless  Grapes. — Mr.  Gordon  also  showed  specimens  of 
Grapes  devoid  of  seed.  This  was  attributed  to  imperfect  fer¬ 
tilisation.  Some  varieties,  it  was  remarked,  are  much  more 
liable  to  imperfect  fertilisation  than  others,  and  a  difference  is 
observable  according  as  the  Grapes  are  grafted  on  a  particular 
stock,  or  as  to  whether  they  were  on  their  own  roots. 
Clubbing  in  Cabbages. — Mr.  Douglas  stated  that  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  gas  lime  in  spring  just  before  planting  did  no  good  at  all. 
A  second  application  in  June  killed  the  plant,  but  did  no  harm 
to  the  Club-root  fungus. 
Bulbs. — Dr.  Masters  showed  from  Mr.  D.  Turner  three  bulbs 
of  Narcissus  one  above  another  on  a  stem,  the  lowest  bulb  being 
the  oldest.  It  was  suggested  that  they  might  have  been  kept 
out  of  the  ground  for  a  long  time  before  planting. 
Bliododendron  fasciated. — A  specimen  from  Mr.  A.  Waterer 
was  shown  in  which  a  branch  was  fasciated,  and  the  “crest”  at 
the  top  of  the  branch  was  succulent  and  fleshy. 
-  - 
The  Past  and  the  Future, 
The  first  year  of  the  twentieth  century  has  now  run  its 
course,  and  adds  another  layer  to  the  ‘‘  Mountain  of  Time  ” 
which  forms  that  mighty  Past.  Ere  its  last  days  have 
vanished  from  our  present  minds  it  .s  natural  tnat  those 
of  a  thoughtful  turn  of  mind  should  look  backward  to  the 
lessons  learned  from  a  year’s  successes,  failures,  and  mis¬ 
takes.  Gardeners  as  a  body  must  certainly  be  termed  men 
of  action,  and  unless  they  possess  at  least  an  average  share  of 
activity  uneir  failures  are  likely  to  outw'eigh  their  successes. 
It  is  quite  as  necessary,  hovvever,  that  they  be  men  of 
thought,  and  wdien  these  two  characteristics  are  happily 
combined  in  one  individual  we  see  a  man  who  stands  above 
his  fellows,  and,  like  Wellington,  does  not  wait  for  oppor¬ 
tunities,  but  creates  them.  It  is  given  to  none  to  attain  per¬ 
fection  in  any  art  or  craft ;  and  those  who  follow  “  Adam’s  ” 
callicg  are  not  likely  to  harbour  the  vain  hope  that  finality, 
in  regard  to  knowledge — or  in  the  results  achieved  by  apply¬ 
ing  that  knowledge  gained  to  the  best  advantage — will  ever 
be  reached.  Most  of  us  know  well  that  the  best-laid  plans, 
the  best  cultural  practices,  are  dependent  upon  the  vagaries 
of  our  climate  for  the  full  measuie  of  success,  and  that  the 
highest  ideals  of  one  generation  will  not  suffice  for  the  next. 
Knowinv  these  things,  it  behoves  us  all  at  the  close  of  eacii 
season  to  take  our  thoughts  backward  through  the  past,  to 
make  a  mental  note  of  the  weak  points  in  our  armour,  and 
strengthen  them  for  the  conflicts  of  the  coming  year.  It  is 
onb"  bv  such  strenuous  endeavour  in  seeking  knowledge  and 
in  avoiding  mistakes  that  anyone  can  hope  to  “  press 
forward. 
The  Opening  Century. 
The  battles  of  the  present  century  seem  likely  to  be 
battles  of  "  brains  ”  to  a  far  greater  extent  than  auri-.g  any 
century  which  has  preceded  ir  and  the  rising  generation  of 
gardeners  should  use  every  endeavour  to  take  full  advantage 
of  the  splendid  facilities  for  gaining  ^knowledge  which  are 
now  within  the  leach  ot  all.  Tne  gardening  literatiiie  of 
to-day  IS  a  great  and  livinp-  force  which  seems  to  have  per¬ 
meated  every,  section  of  the  community,  and  there  are  uii- 
mistakeable  signs  that  thousands  who  are  toiling  among  the 
smoke  and  din  of  the  cities  are  craving  for  a  touch  ot  country 
life — if  for  nothing  more,  at  least  for  a  garden  plot.  The 
various  systems  of  rapid  communication  which  are  now 
bein'”  carried  out  will,  when  they  become  general,  have  the 
effect  of  distributing  the  nopulation  over  a  vast  area,  and 
some  forms  of  gardening  will  by  such  means  be  greatly 
stimulated,  and  the  opening  up  of  outlying  districts  to  suit¬ 
able  markets  will  also  be  brought  about.  There  is  also  .^ne 
other  aspect  of  the  gardeners’  life  which  a'"''eals  forcibly  to 
some  as  the  “  sards  ”  of  the  old  year  “  run  out.”  I  refer  to 
that  trying  time  when  a  new  charge  is  being  sought  for.  flow 
dreary  are  the  days  waiting  for  “something  to  turn  up;” 
and  one  is  forcibly  reminded  of  suco  matters  when  scanning 
columns  of  advertisemencs  from  men  seeking  to  be  em¬ 
ployed.  ’Tis  a  bitter  time  which  most  of  us  have  passed 
through,  and  the  darkest  moments  sometimes  come  just 
before  a  bright  burst  of  prosperity.  Hope  is  the  guiding 
star  which  should  help  us  to  look  forward,  and  effort  the 
golden  key  that  unlocks  the  door  which  bars  our  path. 
May  the  year  now  begun  bring  glad  surprises  to  every 
reader  of  our  Journal,  and  may  all  who  scan  its  pages,  mould 
its  character,  or  print  it  so  clearly  and  clean,  spe-  d  a  pro¬ 
sperous  and  truly  happy  year. — Nil  Dbspekandum. 
