92 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  23,  1902. 
•***  All  corresiwndenee  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
Loudon,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matter* 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
troulde  and  expense. 
REPORT  OF  I.W.C.C.  GARDEN.— Hope  to  u.se  this  very 
soon. 
CORRECTION. — Our  remarks  under  Trade  Notes  on  page  68 
last  week,  regarding  Messrs.  Richard.son  and  Co.’s  new  catalogue, 
named  this  firm  as  Messrs.  Darlington  and  Co.,  which  mistake 
was  possibly  apparent  to  most  of  our  readers. 
FERNS  UNSATISFACTORY  (J.  D.). — You  appear  to  suffer 
from  a  plague  of  pests — slugs  and  weevils — which  can  only  be 
eradicated  by  the  catch-’em-and-kill-’em  process.  If  you  jiersist 
in  this  nightly  success  must  ultimately  be  yours.  The  dying  off 
of  the  young  fronds  may  be  due  to  their  being  eaten  by  the 
slugs  or  weevils  near  the  ground,  and  probably  the  grubs  of  the 
weevils  are  eating  the  roots  and  rhizomes  awny.  M’e,  therefore, 
advise  the  plants  to  be  turned  out  of  the  pots,  and  a  careful 
scrutiny  being  made  by  remo\ing  as  much  of  the  old  soil  as  safe  ; 
repot  in  entirely  fresh  compost  this  spring,  then,  with  a  moist, 
genial  atmosphere,  and  shading  from  bright  sun,  we  do  not  see 
ivhy  the  growth  should  not  be  .‘satisfactory. 
DESTROYING  COCKROACHES  AND  CRICKETS  (J.  D.).— 
“  A  good  recipe  for  ridding  or  catching  beetles,  cockroaches,  and 
■crickets  w'ould  oblige.  Traps  are  no  good  ;  Keating’s  jiowder  they 
won’t  touch  :  and  they  do  infinite  damage.” 
Ihe  phosphor  paste  sold  by  chemists  has  stood  us  to  good 
advantage  against  these  pests,  it  being  spread  on  thin  slices  of 
bread,  and  placed  in  the  haunts  of  the  insects  at  night,  and 
removed  in  the  morn.ng.  Chase’s  beetle  poison,  and  also  Rams^ 
den’s,  have  proved  with  us  very  succes.sful,  and  may  be  obtained 
through  a  chemist.  These  preparations  are  better  than  home¬ 
made,  as  phosphorus  is  not  an  article  to  be  tampered  with, 
•especially  by  other  hands  than  chemists,  or  those  with  a  know¬ 
ledge  of  chemi.stry. 
SMALL  C’IRCULAR  SPOTS  ON  APPLE  TREE  SHOOT 
(R.  C.  B.). — ‘‘  I  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you  if,  through  your 
paper,  you  will  inform  me  v  liat  is  the  nature  of  the  circular 
spots  on  enclosed  piece  of  Apple  tree.  One  tree  of  five  or  six  in 
the  row  shows  many,  the  rest  onlv  a  few  of  the  spots.  Is  a 
remedy  needed  And,  if  so,  what.?'” 
Ihe  small  spots  are  only  cuticular,  and  do  not  affect  the  bark 
proper,  and  probably  arise  from  some  natural  peculiarity  of 
individual  or  of  varietjq  the  circular  specks  being  common  to 
some  varieties,  and  not  present  on  others.  Under  the  micro¬ 
scope  there  does  not  appear  any  trace  of  animal  or  vegetable 
pests,  nor  of  the  circular  spots  being  due  to  the  agency  of  either, 
but  are  probably  due  to  chemical  agency.  Vv^e  do  not  consider 
any  remedy  needed,  but  advise  a  dress  ng  of  the  fertiliser  ■  the 
formida  of  which  was  ‘I'iven  in  our  issue  of  Januarv  16,  11)02, 
page  70,  in  reply  to  “  Rose.” 
DENDROBH  MS  DENSIFLORUM  AND  WARDIANIUM  — 
SEEDLING  RICHARDIA  ELLIOTTIANA,  GLIYIAS,  AND 
AMARYLLIS  (Ignoramus). — “  Will  you  kindly  inform  me  as  to 
whether  the  same  house  and  treatment  under  which  Dendrobium 
nobile  is  flourishing  tvould  be  suitable  for  D.  densiflorum  and 
M  ardianum  ?  Also,  should  seedling  Calla  Elliottiana,  C’livias, 
and  Amaryllis  raised  la.st  spring  be  kept  in  a  high  temiierature 
to  grow  them  on  rapidly?” 
The  Dendrobiums  will  succeed  in  the  same  house  as  that 
in  which  D.  nobile  is  flourishing,  only  having  regard  to  the 
different  times  of  flowering  and  giving  rest.  Of  course,  you  are 
aware  that  1).  densiflorum  is  an  evergreen  species,  and  flowei’s 
in  April  and  IVIay.  D.  Wardianum,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
deciduous,  requires  to  be  grown  in  a  basket  or  on  a 
block  of  wood,  as  its  .stems  are  long  and  pendulous. 
During  the  growing  season  it  enjoys  an  abundant  supply 
of  water,  with  a  good  heat;  but,  1111611  the  growths  are 
complete,  the  phint  should  be  removed  to  a  cool  house  or  atmo¬ 
sphere,  and  less  water,  as  a  matter  of  course,  will  suffice.  Yes, 
the  seedlings  of  Richardia  (Calla)  Elliottiana,  Clivias,  and 
Amaryllis,  raised  la.st  spring,  should  be  keiit  in  a  high  tempera¬ 
ture  to  grow  them  on  rajiidly,  and  thus  secure  flowering  at  as 
early  a  date  as  possible.  It  is,  however,  necessary'  to  inure  to 
all  the  light  po.ssible,  so  as  to  secure  a  stout  growth,  for  on  this 
‘'^rong,  healthy  growth  greatly  depends. 
QUERY. — A  correspondent  wishes  the  address  of  the  Fruit 
Growers’  Association.  Can  anyone  oblige? 
HARMONISING  COLOURS  (R.  Craigie).— Your  suggestion 
will  receive  attention;  thanks  for  it,  we  are  here  to  assist. 
FORCING  WHITE  LILAC  IN  WATER  (May).— “Hpw  is 
this  carried  out  in  France,  where,  I  am  told,  it  is  bloomed  simply 
in  bottles  and  jars  of  water  kept  in  the  dark,  or  cellars,  from 
stems,  or  flowering  branches,  now  in  bud  out  of  doors?  Any 
information  will  oblige.” 
The  branches,  or  shoots,  that  are  set  with  flower  buds  are 
simply  cut  with  as  much  Avood  as  can  Avell  be  spared  from  the 
bushes  Avithout  spoiling  their  appearance,  always  having  at  least 
a  few  inches  of  tAvo-year-old  Avood,  better  several,  and  even  some 
three  years  old,  the  ends  being  placed  in  bottles  or  eAmn  jars, 
filled  Avith  rain  Avater,  and  these  iflaced  in  a  dark  place,  such  as 
a  cupboard  or  cellar,  AA'here  the  temperature  ranges  from  60deg 
to  65deg,  though  a  heat  of  55deg  Avill  bring  the  groAvth  on  sloAver, 
and  the  heads  of  bloom  Avill  be  finer  in  consequence.  The  chief 
thing  is  to  make  sure  of  branches  Avith  floAver  buds ;  then  they 
merely  develop,  this  being  at  the  expense  of  matter  stored  in 
the  portion  of  branch. 
IRISES  FOR  DRY  BANK  (Iri.s).— ‘J  Will  you  advise  what 
kind  of  Irises  to  plant  on  a  dry  bank  facing  south?  The  bottom 
of  the  bank  touches  the  Avater  in  Avinter.  In  summer  the  Avater 
dries  up  to  a  certain  extent,  lea\dng  the  bottom  of  the  bank  dry. 
We  Avant  to  plant  some  tall-groAving  Iri.ses,  such  as  Ochroleuca. 
I  shall  be  glad  of  any  information.” 
You  could  not  have  anything  better  than  the  German  Iri.s — 
Iris  germanica  species  or  varieties — as  they  succeed  in  every  soil 
and  situation,  doing  Avell  in  dry  places  and  on  Avater  margins, 
and  offer  a  great  variety  of  colour  of  floAvers,  and  the  leaves  and 
stems  often  rise  to  a  height  of  2ft  or  3ft.  Canary  Bird  (yelloAA'), 
Jenny  Lind  (yelloAv  and  dark  purple),  Laura  (pale  yelloAv  and 
deep  purple),  Louise  Meyer  (deep  yelloAv,  black,  and  purple), 
Louise  de  Sax'esse  (yelloAv  and  violet),  and  Yondel  (golden 
striped,  A’iolet),  Othello  (yelloAv  and  violet),  and  Yondel  (golden 
yelloAv  Avith  bronzy  inirple)  are  of  the  colours  you  seem  to  re¬ 
quire  ;  but  there  are  many  other  .shades,  all  beautiful,  from  a 
li.st  Avhich  you  may  select  according  to  taste. 
SCALDING  LEAF  MOFLD  (G.  S.,  Somerset). — To  .scald  the 
leaf  mould  is  to  render  it  for  a  long  time  unfit  for  use,  as  it  takes 
a  considerable  time  to  regain  the  condition  of  neither  Avet  nor 
dry,  but  moist,  for  mixing  Avith  other  material  in  forming  com¬ 
post.  The  scalding  certainly  destro.ys  insect  pe.sts  and  germs 
of  fungoid  pests,  and  on  that  account  is  an  adA’antage.  A  great 
heat  not  only  destroys  pe.sts,  but  also  .sterilises  the  material 
for  the  use  of  crops,  the  oi’ganic  matter  being  destroyed,  hence 
the  mineral  only  remains.  Thus  some  .steamed  soil  Avas  rendered 
practically  .sterile,  Avhil.st  that  only  .scalded  or  heated  not  above 
boiling  point  (212deg)  retained  its  fertilising  A^alue.  For  freeing 
.soil  from  pests  there  is  nothing  better  than  the  old-fashioned 
practice  of  stacking  turf  until  the  herbage  and  its  roots  are 
thoroughly  rotted,  and  not  using  leaf  mould  until  it  is  thoroughly 
decayed,  also  manure  and  other  vegetable  animal  .substances. 
As  for  cleansing  materials,  there  are  not  any  b  'tter  than  lime, 
soot,  and  kainit,  the  latter  and  basic  slag  phosphate  being  used 
adAmntageously  Avitli  turf  in  .stacking  at  the  rate  of  about  1  per 
cent. 
FAILURE  WITH  BULBS  (Chelwood).  —  The  Rqman 
Hyacinths  are  infe.sted  AA'itli  the  di.sea.se  knoAvu  as  bacteriosis, 
AA’ell  knoAvn  in  Holland  as  attacking  Hyacinths  in  the  resting 
condition,  and  also  .shoAvs  itself  in  the  foliage.  The  parasite, 
named  Bacterium  hyacinthi,  produces  yelloAv  or  light  broAA'n 
spots  on  the  bulbs  or  leaA’es,  this  matter  being  a  yelloAvish  or 
broAvnish  mucus  teeming  Avith  bacteria,  and  is  located  in  the 
vessels  and  intercellular  spaces  of  the  fundamental  tissue.  In¬ 
fection  of  healthy  plants  Avith  this  mucilage  ijroduces  the 
disease.  The  bulbs  in  your  case  only  are  affected,  and  they 
have  no  j'oung  roots ;  but  the  top  groAvth  is  Avell  adA^anced,  yet 
there  are  no  traces  of  floAA^er  spikes,  and  the  disease  is  descending 
by  the  central  scales,  and  Avill  probably  destroy  the  “hearts.” 
On  cutting  a  bulb  through  A’ertically  Ave  found  no  evidence  of 
a  floAver  spike,  hence  th^  non-floAvering  is  due  to  not  any  floAver 
spikes  being  formed  in  embryo  during  the  previous  season. 
Possibly  treatment  AA-ith  a  mixture  of  tAco  ijarts  air-slacked  lime 
and  one  part  floAvers  of  sulphur  Avould  arre.st  the  disease;  but  on 
the.se  points  experience  alone  can  give  anything  definite.  It 
should  be  Avell  dusted  on  affected  leafage,  and  the  bulbs  Avell 
rubbed  in  it. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Correapondejits  tvhose  qveries  are  un¬ 
answered  tn  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (.J.  T..  Leicester).  —  1,  Crassula  lactea ;  2, 
Mesembryauthennun  aurautiaeum  ;  3.  Eupatorium  Weimnamuauum  ; 
4.  Nepeta  Clechoma  variegata.  (Zoe).  —  1,  Acacia  albicans;  2. 
Acacia  linearis  ;  3.  Toxicophlcea  spectabilis.  (A.  J.). — 1.  Hamamelis 
arborea,  or  AVitch  Hazel ;  2.  Sehiginclla  grteca.  (N,  B.). — 1,  Ai-un- 
dinaria  nitida ;  2,  Bambusa  metake;  3,  Arundinaria  Fortunei 
var. 
