70 
January  16,  1902, 
.J0UR:^\AL  of  HORTTCriRTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
TUBEROSE  (P.  G.). — Will  do  our  best  to  assist  you. 
SCALDING  LEAF  MOULD  (G.  S.,  Somerset).— Wherever 
there  is  any  doubt  about  the  cleanness  of  leal  mould,  in  regard 
to  fungoid  presence  or  of  insects,  it  would  be  advisable  to 
thoroughly  scald  the  leaf  soil.  A  fuller  answer  will  be  forth¬ 
coming  in  our  next. 
BUSH  APPLE  AND  PEAR  TREES  ALMOST  RUINED 
WITH  THE  BARK  AND  YOUNG  WOOD  EATEN  BY  A  PEST 
‘(Rose). — The  shoots  and  spurs  from  the  bush  Apple  and  Pear 
trees  are  badly  infested  with  canker  fungus,  Nectria  ditissima, 
and  there  are  also  a  few  mussel  scale,  Mytilaspis  pomorum.  The 
wood  is  also  much  overgrown  with  lichen  and  moss.  To  deal 
effectually  with  the  trees  they  should  he  treated  with 
caustic  alkali  solution  made  as  follows : — Purchase 
half  a  pound  of  ground  commercial  caustic  soda  and 
place  it  in  a  bucket  half  filled  with  water,  taking  care 
not  tO'  handle  it  or  get  any  on  the  clothes.  Add  6oz 
of  pearlash  to  the  liquid  and  stir  until  dissolved,  then 
■dilute  the  solution  to  5  gallons.  To  this  add  a  solu¬ 
tion  of  softsoap,  ooz  dissolved  in  a  little  boiling 
water,  always  adding  this  soap  solution  last,  then  stir 
the  liquid  thoroughly,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  Apply 
the  caustic  alkali  solution  on  a  calm  day,  when  the 
trees  are  diy  and  quite  dormant,  using  a  Vermorel 
knapsack  sprayer  or  other  sviitable  means  of  pro¬ 
ducing  a  fine  spray,  and  only  just  wetting  the  twigs 
and  branches.  In  spraying  take  care  not  to  get  the 
liquid  on  the  hands,  preferably  putting  on  a  pair  of 
rubber  gloves,  a  very  old  suit  of  clothes,  and  not- 
wanted-again  hat,  for  the  wash  is  strongly  caustic  and 
decidedly  injurious  to  skin  and  clothing.  The 
appearance  of  the  trees  after  being  treated  is  very 
striking.  All  the  green  overgrowth  and  lichen  dis¬ 
appear,  the  latent  insect  life  is  destroyed,  the 
“fruits”  of  the  canker-fungus  are  killed,  and  the 
bark  shines  clear  and  clean.  The  chief  mischief,  how¬ 
ever,  in  your  case  is  caused  by  the  canker,  the  young 
shoots  being  killed  to  some  extent,  and  the  “fruits” 
of  the  fungus  are  present  on  the  dead  parts.  We 
should  cut  away  all  the  dead  and  worst-cankered  parts 
before  using  the  caustic  alkali  wash,  or  it  may  be  done 
afterwards  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  safeguarding 
the  hands  with  indiarubber  gloves,  whmh  would,  per¬ 
haps,  be  the  better  procedure,  as  the  dead  parts 
would  be  easier  recogn  sed  from  the  living.  If  there 
■■-are  any  large  patches  on  the  branches  or  stems  cut 
away  all  the  dead  bark  and  round  the  circuuiference 
of  the  wounded  liv  n'^'  bark,  and  dress  the  wound  with 
Stockholm  tar  thinned  to  the  consistency  of  paint 
with  paraffin  oil,  applying  by  means  of  a  stiff,  half- 
worn,  clean  paste  brush.  No  more  can  be  done  to 
the  tops,  only  dress  all  the  cuts  msde  in  prun  ng  with 
the  Stockholm  tar  and  paraffin  oil  composition,  for 
the  fungus  appears  to  have  entered  by  the  wounds. 
"To  the  soil  applv  4oz  per  square  yard  of  the  follow¬ 
ing  mixture  from  the  stem  outwards  to  a  foot  beyond 
the  spread  of  the  branches; — Superphosphate  of  iinie, 
nine  parts;  nitrate  of  potash,  powdered,  five  parts;  nitrate  of 
soda,  crushed,  seven  parts  ;  and  sulphate  of  lime,  seven  parts  ; 
mixed.  This  top-dressing  should  be  given  now,  or  before  growth 
takes  place.  The  tops  of  tlie  trees,  however,  should  be  first 
attended  to,  then  applying  the  top-dressing  as  soon  afterwards 
as  the  state  of  the  weather  admits.  There  is  no  need  to  rvork 
the  dressing  in  ;  the  rains  will  do  that  fast  enough.  The  dressing 
may  be  repeated  in  autumn;  indeed  it  is  advisable  to  give  an 
application  then  and  r?peat  it  in  the  spring.  By  the  means  here 
given  I  have  known  some  badly  cankered  Apple  and  Pear  trees 
completely  cured. — G.  Abbey. 
STRIKING  VINE  CUTTINGS  (Constant  Reader). — Propaga¬ 
tion  by  cuttings  is  the  usual  method  of  securing  outdoor  Vines, 
also  stocks  for  grafting.  The  cuttings  may  consist  of  two  or 
three  joints  of  well  ripened  last  year’s  wood  or  cane,  preferably 
taking  the  cutting  off  with  a  heel,  -which,  or  base  of  the  cutting 
just  below  a  joint,  is  pared  smooth,  the  buds  cut  out  on  the 
part  to  be  inserted  in  the  so  1.  leaving  one  or  two  at  the  top,  and 
the  whole  length  of  the  cutting  Din  to  12’n.  The  cuttings  may  be 
inserted  Avhere  the  Vines  are  desired  to  grow.  The  only  care 
needed  to  insure  success  is  their  insertion  whilst  dormant  (Novem¬ 
ber  to  March,  dunxg  mild  weather)  in  fi’ee  .sandy  soil,  mak’ng 
the  soil  firm  about  each,  inserting  two-thirds  or  more  of  its 
length  in  the  soil,  and  watering  in  dry  weather.  Raising  Vines 
from  “  eyes,”  however,  is  the  usual  mode  practised  in  this 
country.  The  eye  or  bud  must  be  taken  from  firm,  thoroughly 
ripened  wood  of  the  previous  year’s  growth,  and  the  bud  itself 
should  be  firm  and  round.  The  bud  may  be  prepared  for  insertion 
by  cutting  about  half  an  inch  above  and  below  the  bud.  The 
eyes  may  be  inserted  early  in  February,  or  a  little  sooner,  in 
3in  pots,  efficiently  drained  a  quarter  of  their  depth,  filling  them 
to  within  ^in  of  the  rim  with  a  compost  composed  of  on^half 
fibrous  loam,  a  quarter  of  half-decayed  leaf  soil,  and  one-eighth 
each  of  fine  charcoal  and  crystal  sand.  Press  the  mixture  down 
rather  firmly,  then  make  a  hole,  introduce  a  little  sand,  press 
the  eye  with  sand  under,  around,  and  over  it  so  that  the  bud  will 
be  just  level  with  the  surface  of  the  soil.  The  compost  should 
be  moist  when  used,  and  a  light  watering  will  settle  the  sand 
about  the  eyes.  Pots  or  pans  prepared  in  a  similar  manner  can 
be  used,  placing  a  number  of  eyes  in  each,  or  the  eyes  may  be 
inserted  in  cocoa-nut  refuse  mixed  with  a  fourth  of  ^nd,  in  a 
propagating  bed  over  bottom  heat.  Another  method  is  to  press 
the  eyes  simply  into  turves  about  Gin  square  and  3in  thick,  when 
the  intention  is  to  plant  out  the  same  spring  as  inserted.  The 
pots,  pans,  or  turves  containing  the  eyes  should  be  plunged  in  a 
bottom  heat  of  75deg  to  SOdeg,  in  a  hou.se  with  a  temperature  of 
GOdeg  to  G5deg  at  n  ght,  70deg  to  75deg  by  day,  with  an  increase 
of  5deg  to  lOdeg  from  sun  heat,  taking  care  not  to  overwater, 
or  the  growths  may  become  “blind.”  When  roots  form  and  top 
growth  is  made  to  the  extent  of  a  leaf  or  two,  the  strongest  of 
the  young  plants  raised  in  pots,  pans,  or  beds  may  be  placed  in 
5-in  pots,  the  weaker  in  3-in  pots,  whilst  those  inserted  in  3-in 
pots  may  be  transferred  to  5-in  or  G-in  pots  when  the  small 
ones  are  fairly  filled  with  roots.  After  potting  they  may  be 
arranged  on  a  bed  or  on  shelves  over  hot-water  pipes,  where  they, 
can  be  trained  in  all  the  light  pos.sible. 
ROMAN  HYACINTHS  DISEASED  (Chelwood).— We  have 
had  little  time  to  investigat,. .  Will  report  next  week. 
BOOK  (C.  C.). — Cousin’s  “'CYicmistry  of  the  Garden,”  price 
Is.,  Macmillan  and  Co.,  you  will  find  most  useful.  So  also  is 
Dr.  Aikman’s  “Food  of  Crops,”  2s.,  Vinton  and  Co.,  Limited, 
New  Bridge  Street.  Perhaps  these  will  do  to  begin  with. 
LABELLING  (Label). — Write  to  any  of  the  sundriesmen  who 
advertise  in  our  columns.  We  cannot  name  any  one  rather  than 
another.  A  few  weeks  ago  we  gave  illustrations  cf  labels.  Any 
nurseryman  and  seedsman  with  a  good  busine.ss  could  surely 
.■-'upply  you.  Other  question  next  week. 
■^ 
5> 
A>,. 
1,  Dr, ween, a  australis 
2,  (’oleus  VerschaTelti. 
3,  3,  Pyrethrum  Golden  Feather. 
4,  4,  Alternauthera  ainabilis. 
.5,  5.  Rcheveri  i  >ecua(la  glauj-r. 
6,  Alternauthera  parouyehoides. 
V,  Alterna7ithera  ainoena  spechahilis. 
cS,  Me.sembi-yantherauui  eonli.'olium  varieg-il  urn. 
9,  Echeveria  nietallica. 
10,  Lobelia  l  uinila  graiidifiora. 
11,  Anteimaria  tomentosa. 
1-2,  Hox  edging. 
