April  17,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
341 
Mr.  William  Paul,  V.M.H. 
The  “American  Flori.st”  for  March  29  contains  a  portrait  of 
Mr.  m.  Paul,  and  furnishes  an  appreciative  notice  of  his  life 
work  among  the  Roses. 
Fumigating  for  Mealy  Bug. 
In  a  vinery  attached  to  a  private  garden  in  Kent  the  hydro¬ 
cyanic  acid  gas  fumigation  pi'oved  successful.  The  house  had  a 
capacity  of  3,825  cubic  feet.  It  was  treated  before  the  Vines 
bloomed  with  the  following  dose:  Cyanide  27oz,  acid  40oz,  water 
60oz.  The  application  was  made  after  sunset,  and  exposed 
three  hours  at  a  temiierature  of  GOdeg  Fahr.  The  mealy  bug  was 
destro3'ed,  and  there  was  no  injiu’y  to  the  Vines.  A  few  insects 
ai^peared  in  the  autumn  and  a  second  fumigation  was  given,  with 
the  .same  success  a,s  in  the  previous  case. 
Another  New  Magazine. 
We  are  informed,  say-s  the  “  American  Florist,”  that 
"W  m.  Robinson,  the  well-known  author  of  the  “  English  Flower 
Garden,”  founder  of  the  “  Garden,”  and  for  many  years  its 
editor,  intends  publishing  a  monthlj'  magazine,  the  “  Garden 
Flora  and  S.vlva  of  Northern  and  Temperate  Countries,”  to  be 
devoted  to  out-of-door  vegetation.  The  intention  is  to  make  it 
more  for  artistic  excellence  than  for  pecuniary  benefit,  as  he 
believes  there  is  a  field  for  and  a  large  constituency  of  garden 
lovers  that  would  appreciate  and  support  the  publication. 
The  Hornet  Clearwing  Moth. 
Dr.  R.  Stewart  MacDougall  and  Mr.  James  Waterston,  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Botanical  Society  held  in  Edinburgli  the  other 
evening,  exhibited  specimens  of  the  hornet  clearwing  in  different 
stages  of  its  life  history,  and  also  sections  of  stems  destroyed 
by  the  larv£e.  There  was  no  doubt,  Dr.  MacDougall  explained, 
that  this  insect  was  spreading  in  the  West  of  Scotland,  quite  a 
large  clump  of  Willows  near  Glasgow  having  been  ruined  by  it. 
The  insect  laid  its  eggs  near  the  base  of  the  tree,  and  the  cater¬ 
pillars,  feeding  first  below  the  bark,  later  bore  galleries  in  the 
wood.  An  allied  species  was  sometimes  most  destructive  in 
Britain  to  Red,  White,  and  Black  Currant  bushes. 
The  English  Arboricultural  Society. 
It  must  be  confessed  that  until  we  read  the  report  of  the 
twentieth  annual  general  meeting  of  this  society,  which  was 
held  at  Peterborough  on  August  13  last,  we  had  a  very  unsatisfac¬ 
tory  opinion  of  its  power  or  the  Avork  it  is  doing.  But  since 
reading  the  verbatim  report  of  the  numerous  speeches  made 
on  the  occasion  of  The  annual  meeting,  and  the  visitations  which 
formed  part  of  this  yearly  assembly  of  the  members,  we  recognise 
that  though  the  society  has  no  habitation  of  its  OAvn,  yet  with  its 
500  members,  many  of  them  wealthy  and  influential,  it  is  likely  to 
grow  steadily  in  usefulness  and  power,  and  to  become  a  recog¬ 
nised  influence  working  for  the  good  of  one  of  the  great  natural 
assets  of  this  country.  Dr.  Somerville  (now  of  the  Board  -f 
Agriculture)  occupied  the  chair,  and  in  the  course  of  his  presi¬ 
dential  address  he  made  three  suggestions,  one  of  which  was  to 
offer  ten  guineas  in  money,  ten  guineas  worth  of  forest 
literature,  or  a  ten  guinea  silver  cup,  to  the  person  who,  during 
the  current  year,  enlists  the  greatest  number  of  new  members. 
His  second  suggestion  was  that  the  headquarters  of  the  English 
Arboricultural  Society  be  removed  to  London;  and  his  third, 
that  a  joint-stock  company  be  formed  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring 
280  or  300  acres  of  land  to  be  managed  as  a  model  forestry  centre. 
Dr.  Someiwille  estimated  the  cost  of  200  acres  for  that  time  at 
£5,000,  and  thought  it  wmuld  prove  a  most  satisfactory  invest¬ 
ment,  seeing  that  returns  could  be  expected  in  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  years.  Places  visited  during  the  outing  were  Milton  Park, 
Bedford  Purlieus,  Elton  Hall,  Orton  Hall,  and  Belvoir  Castle. 
The  general  meeting  this  year  will  be  held  in  London,  en  route 
for  the  Forests  of  S.  Amand,  Compiegne  and  Retz,  permission 
having  been  granted  by  the  French  Government.  Two  prize 
essays  appear  in  the  Transactions,  which  embodies  the  report :  one 
on  “  Roads,”  the  other  on  “  Timbers,”  which  is  splendidly 
illustrated  by  micro-photographs.  Many  useful  articles  and 
notes  are  also  incorpoi’ated  in  the  Transactions,  makmg  the 
publication  most  useful  and  practical  to  all  who  are  connected 
with  forestry  or  the  wood  trade.  The  secretai-y  is  Mr.  John 
Davidson,  Land  Agent,  Haydon  Bridge-on-Tyne. 
Appointment. 
Mr.  E.  Allen,  for  the  past  three  years  head  gardener  at 
Maindee  Park,  Newport,  Mon.,  as  head  gardener  to  rlie 
Mackintosh,  of  Mackiuto.sh,  at  Cottrell,  near  Cardiff.  Entered 
his  duties  iVIarch  24. 
Apples  from  Victoria. 
The  Victorian  Department  of  Agricidture  has  forwarded  a 
consigmnent  of  127  cases  of  the  finest  selected  Apples  grown  in 
the  State  of  Victoria..  These  are  for  exhibition,  and  subsequent 
sale  at  Covent  Garden.  This  consignment  arrived  by  the  Ophir 
last  Saturdajq  and  was  exhibited  at  the  Floral  Hall,  Chvent 
Garden,  on  Wednesday. 
Trade  Notes. 
Messrs.  Blackie  and  Son  contemplate  a  reissue  of  Kerner's 
“Natural  History  of  Plants,”  a  wmrk  which,  in  its  Engli.sh  form, 
is  identified  with  the  name  of  Prof.  F.  W.  Oliver.  The  new 
edition,  which  will  be  issued  at  a  considerably  reduced  price,  Avill 
be  substantially  a  reprint  of  the  original  English  edition,  with  a 
few  necessary  alterations  and  corrections. 
Weather  in  the  North. 
In  the  earlier  part  of  the  past  wmek  frost  from  2deg  to  8deg 
occurred,  and  throughout  cold  easterly  winds  have  prevailed. 
Rain  fell  during  two  nights,  and  this  has  somewhat  helped  vegeta¬ 
tion,  which  has  not  advanced  much  for  the  past  month.  Farm 
labour  has  been  favoured  by  the  drj',  though  cold,  weather,  and 
is  well  adAmnced. — B.  D.,  S.  Perthshire. 
Teaching  Natural  History. 
From  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christian  Knowledge, 
Northumberland  Avenue,  W.C.,  we  have  received  three  large 
sheets  representing  coloured  diagrams  on  a  greatly  magnified 
scale,  of  various  fungous  groAvths  (Golden  Clavaria,  Fly  Mush¬ 
room,  &c.),  and  also  the  Male  Fern,  Aspidium  Filix-Mas.  These 
illustrations  are  on  a  very  large  scale,  as  we  have  said,  and  are 
coloured  after  Nature.  The  botanical  part  of  each  is  explained 
in  sections,  accompanied  by  elucidatory  text.  Being  on  stout 
v'hite  paper,  and  edged  with  stiffer  material,  the  sheets  are  suit¬ 
able  for  hanging  upon  the  walls  of  a  study  or  class-room.  The 
object  is  to  teach  Nature  to  children,  and  deserves  praise  and 
appreciation. 
Sprain  in  Potatoes. 
From  a  Fifeshire  correspondent  we  have  received  particulars 
of  investigations  made  by  Dr.  John  H.  Wilson,  of  the  University 
of  St.  Andrew’s,  regarding  the  disease  known  as  sprain,  or  sprain¬ 
ing,  in  Potatoes.  Circulars  containing  questions  were  sent  to 
many  of  the  Fifeshire  farmers.  The  replies  clearly  show  that 
“  sprain  ”  is  far  from  being  of  universal  occurrence.  The  Main- 
crop  variety  seems  to  be  most  subject  to  “  sprain.”  Regents  are 
another  variety  stated  to  have  been  extremely  liable  to  “  sprain.” 
British  Queen  is  found  to  have  a  marked  tendency  to  the  disease, 
and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Abundance.  Up-to-Date  is  less 
subject,  on  the  whole,  and  in  many  instances!  it  is  exempt,  when 
other  well-known  varieties  are  diseased.  Bruce  and  Farmer’s 
Glory  are  in  a  very  large  measure  exempt,  the  former  being  a 
shade  less  liable  to  attack  than  the  latter.  Statistics  of  certain 
other  varieties  are  too  scanty  tO'  base  reliable  conclusions  on. 
It  may,  however,  be  pointed  out  that  the  record  of  Magnum 
Bonum  is  good.  The  variety  most  subject  to  “  sprain,”  as  already 
noticed,  is  Maincrop.  This  and  other  varieties  specially  subject 
to  the  malady  are  commonly  described  as  fine,  with  abundant 
starch.  On  the  contrary,  the  varieties  less  subject  to  “  sprain  ” 
are  regarded  as  being  inferior  in  quality — that  is,  they  are  more 
waxy.  It  is  of  great  interest  to  inquire  why  a  tuber  of  fine 
quality,  like  that  of  Maincrop,  is  specially  liable  to  alteration 
in  its  structure  under  the  conditions  indicated  above.  The 
problem  is  largely  a  question  of  plant  nutrition.  The  great 
bulk  of  the  material  stored  is  starch.  If  the  variety  is  one 
which  has  less  to  elaborate  and  less  to  store  it  may  readily 
enough  be  less  subject  to  suffer  from  imtoward  conditions  during 
its  active  period.  The  assumption  is  that  something  happens 
to  interfere  with  the  normal  starch-storing  operations  of  the 
plant.  This  may  be  due  to  check  at  the  root  through  drought 
or  the  lack  of  appropriate  food,  or  a  check  given  to  the  parts 
above  ground.  The  problem  in  its  varied  aspects  is  one  which 
the  trained  scientific  worker  and  the  experienced  cultivator  might 
well  unite  in  investigating. 
