388 
JOURNAL  OF  HOUTTCULTURE  ANT)  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
May  1,  1902. 
Chrysanthefflum  Rust. 
Seeing  in  your  valuable  Journal  of  April  3,  page  297,  a  few 
renit^-ks  on  Clirysantheiuuui  ru.st,  I  beg  to  contribute  what  I 
think  would  bear  up  “Modesto’s”  statements  as  regards  Clirys- 
anthemums  in  the  country  being  more  exposed  to  rust 
than  those  near  large  towns.  Two  years  ago  I  found  rust  on 
\  lolas  [a  different  species  of  rust]  and  had  to  destroy  them  on 
that  account;  and  this  season  I  find  in  a  neighbouring  wood, 
Several  acres  in  extent,  Anemone  nemorosa  (which  abound  in 
great  numbers)  fairly  smothei’cd  with  this,  our  sworn  enemy. — 
F.  J.  Chambers.  [Evidently  there  is  confusion  in  regard  to  the 
host-plants  that  the  Chrysanthemum  rust  will  subsist  upon.  It 
IS  generally  understood  that  none  other  than  true  composite 
plants  are  ever  affected  by  Puccinia  hieraci,  Mart.  (P.  chrys- 
anthemi,  of  others),  and  of  course  Anemone  nemorosa  is  of  an 
entirely  different  natural  order,  that  is,  the  Ranunculacese. 
According  to  J.  C.  Arthur  (U.S.A.  Exp.  Stn.,  Indiana  Bull,  85; 
10,  1900)  the  rust  is  peculiar  to  the  Chrysanthemum  alone. — Ed.] 
- - 
Notes  on  Violets. 
The  notes  of  “  J.  S.  IT.”  have  been  timely  and  valuable,  but 
I  make  a  few  additional  suggestions.  Air  is  the  one  thing 
especially  required  in  the  frames  during  the  winter,  to  promote 
the  health  of  the  plants,  prevent  damping,  and  keep  off  the  dis¬ 
ease.  When  it  is  undesirable  to  remove  the  lights  entirely, 
because  of  frost  or  snow  or  heavy  rain,  the  lights  should  be 
propped  up  at  both  ends,  to  allow  a  free  passage  of  air.  Con¬ 
stantly  remove  all  dead  leaves,  and  even  those,  however  large, 
which  begin  to  turn  a  little  yellow,  and  especially  all  which 
show  the  round  grey  spot  of  the  disease.  I  see  no  advantage  in 
retaining  a  runner  or  two  on  each  plant  during  the  summer. 
These  would  be  too  young  as  plants  for  the  following  winter,  and 
too  old  for  the  next  one,  and  each  crown  would  be  the  weaker 
for  it.  The  single  Violets  push  their  great  runners  for  some 
distance  under  the  soil,  but  if  carefully  lifted  they  will  break  off 
all  right  at  the  point  of  issue.  La  France  I  have  discarded  for 
reasons  stated  in  the  Journal.  I  agree  with  “  J.  S.  U.”  that  the 
colour  of  Mrs.  J.  J.  Astor  does  not  recommend  it,  except,  of 
course,  to  those  who  care  more  for  vainety  than  for  beauty. 
Sulphurea  seems  a  poor  thing  indeed.  Comte  de  Brazza  (syn. 
Swanley  White)  is  not  a  good  winter  bloomer,  but  has  plenty  of 
fine  flowers  in  the  spring.  I  do  not  find  white  Violets  very 
popular  or  useful.  A  plant  of  Comte  de  Brazza  has^  lately  with 
me  produced  some  pale  blue  flowers,  the  colour  of  the  old  Nea¬ 
politan.  If  the  variety  (I  believe  Swanley  White  and  Comte  de 
Brazza  were  sent  out  the  same  season,  and  are  absolutely  identi¬ 
cal)  was  a,  sport  from  the  Neapolitan,  this  is  probably  only  a  case 
of  reversion;  but,  though  an  Oxford  man,  I  am  bound  to  say 
that  a  pale  blue  double  Violet  as  good  as  Marie  Louise  would  be 
very  valuable,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  even  more  beautiful. — 
W.  R.  Raillem. 
carried  out  carefully  during  warm  moist  weather,  there  ought  not 
to  be  more  than  five  per  cent,  which  fail  to  grow. 
Coddling  in  any  way  is  to  be  deprecated.  The  Violet  does  not 
love  anything  approaching  nursing.  If  any  grower  wishes  to 
satisfy  himself  as  to  this,  he  need  only  pot  up  a  few  plants  in 
autumn  and  place  them  in  a  moderately  warm  house.  Rich  loose 
soil  in  the  frames  they  occupy  must  be  condemned  as  an  incentive 
to  luxuriance  of  leafage  and  a  corresponding  paucity  of  flowers, 
with  a  tendency  to  mildew,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  keeping  such 
heavy  foliage  dry  in  a  cold  frame.  Treated  in  a  rational  manner, 
there  is  no  reason  why  Violets  should  not  be  easily  grown  in 
gardens.  There  may  be  localities  where  they  fail  at  the  same 
time  as  those  growing  in  a  wild  state  are  a  success ;  but  I  quite 
fail  to  see  the  connection  in  such  cases  between  cause  and  effect. 
— J.  W.,  Hopton  Hall  Gardens. 
Plans  for  a  Botby. 
In  accordance  with  the  intimation  made  on  page  3G3  last 
week,  v'e  herewith  furnish  suggestions  for  the  guidance  of  those 
who  may  send  in  a  plan-drawing  of  a  bothy  with  suitable  accom¬ 
modation  for  six  men,  and  for  which  “  Well-Wisher  ”  offers  a  first 
prize  of  three  guineas  and  the  Editor  a  second  prize  of  one  guinea. 
When  the  plans  may  be  sent  in  and  who  will  .fudge  them  has 
yet  to  be  decided.  Meanwhile  our  readers  are  cordially  invited 
to  co-operate,  and  make  the  “Journal  Bothy  Plan”  a  model 
one  for  every  garden.  The  rules  of  the  competition  will  be  as 
follows:  The  plans,  drawn  to  scale,  must  not  exceed  7in  broad 
by  7in  in  length,  and  must  be  clearly  defined  on  stout  paper. 
The  sender’s  name  and  full  address  should  be  enclosed  when 
sending  the  plan,  and  the  sender  will  alone  be  held  responsible 
for  it.  Coloured  drawings  are  not  eligible.  These  are  the  chief 
points  to  be  observed,  and  in  the  Avay  of  suggestion  we  would 
stipulate  for  a  two-storeyed  building,  to  contain  at  least  four 
bedrooms,  or,  better  still,  one  for  each  man ;  one  large  sitting- 
room,  one  mes.s-room,  scullery,  and  bath-room.  The  entire  front 
length  of  the  building  may  be  40ft  and  the  same  in  breadth. 
The  co.st  ought  not  to  exceed  £200  to  £220.  We  offer  these 
merely  as  suggestions,  however,  and  competitors  are  absolutely 
free  to  use  their  own  discretion.  Hereunder  we  append  a  letter 
on  the  subject  from  an  esteemed  correspondent. 
After  reading  the  paragraph  under  heading  “The  Bothy:  A 
Suggestion,”  I  fail  to  grasp  an  adequate  mepaing  for  such  a 
generous  offer.  Is  the  idea  to  promote  architectural  drawing 
amongst  gardeners  . P  For  it  most  certainly  is  this  class  of  men 
who  would  understand  the  requirements  of  a  suitable  bothy.  A 
bothy  to  accommodate  six  men  would  require  (1)  at  least  four  bed¬ 
rooms.  These  should  be  15ft  by  10ft,  and,  if  possible,  upstairs, 
the  stairs  to  be  covered  wdth  lead.  (The  idea  for  four  bedrooms 
is,  in  case  of  sickness,  one  room  can  be  set  apart  for  the  sick  man. 
The  convenience  is  obvious.)  On  the  ground  floor  a  (2)  large 
living-room,  20ft  by  15fb,  would  be  ample,  well  ventilated,  and 
heated  by  hot-wafer  pipes  from  boilers.  A  (3)  reading  (study) 
room  of  like  dimensions,  and  heated  the  same  way.  (A  small 
library  would  be  a  very  useful  piece  of  furniture  in  this  room.) 
(4)  A  scullery  or  back  room,  with  a  good  cooking  range:  this 
room  15ft  square.  (5)  Lavatory  and  bath-room,  hot  and  cold 
water  laid  on  from  boilers.  Cupboards  are  u.seful  in  bothies ;  so 
would  a  small  provision  safe  be  handy.  Here  are  the  require¬ 
ments,  but  at  the  present  time  of  the  year  it  is  not  everybody 
who  has  the  time  to  sit  at  a  drawing-board  for  long,  as'  overtime 
is  plentiful  just  now,  and  the  theorv'  of  gardening  principles  has 
to  stand  by  for  practical  things. — H.  R.,  Kent. 
In  response  to  the  Editorial  footnote  on  page  362,  I  may 
perhaps  be  allowed  to  offer  a  few  remarksi  under  this  heading. 
In  this  neighbourhood  every  bank,  copse,  and  wood  has  been  car¬ 
peted  during  the  last  week  or  ten  days  with  the  flowers  of  the 
wild  Violet.  Many  dozens  of  bunches  are  annually  gathered  by 
the  villagers  and  visitors  to  the  district.  The  soil,  of  a  strong 
clayey  nature,  evidently  suits  them,  as  they  thrive  and  produce 
their  odorous  blossoms  in  the  greatest  profusion.  The  cultivated 
varieties  such  as  have  so  far  been  tried  here,  and  which  include 
Marie  Louise,  Comte  de  Brazza,  Princess  of  Wales,  and  The  Czar, 
give  little  trouble  beyond  ordinary  culture.  Our  method  of  pro¬ 
cedure  is  pretty  much  on  the  same  lines  as  those  laid  down  by 
“  J.  S.  IT.”  The  crowns  are  divided  in  April,  and  the  divi¬ 
sions  are  planted  out  on  a  well  manured  plot  of  ground,  after 
attention  consisting  of  hoeing,  pinching  the  runners,  and  an 
occasional  dusting  of  soot.  This  last  greatly  facilitates  dean, 
healthy  growth.  In  September  or  early  in  October  the  doubles 
and  Princess  of  Wales  are  planted  in  cold  frames  in  much  the 
same  way  as  described  by  “  J.  S.  U.,”  and  by  protecting  during 
severe  weather  we  are  enabled  to  gather  Violets  at  almost  any 
time  during  the  winter. 
I  have  never  found  it  necessary  to  plant  the  divided  portions 
in  a  frame  previous  to  placing  them  in  summer  quarters,  and  if 
the  planting  time  is  well  chosen  there  ought  to  be  scarcely  any 
failures.  These  may  occur  if  the  work  is  done  early  in  April, 
when  the  cold  di-y  winds  of  March  prolong  their  visitations,  but 
- - 
“  The  Garden  of  England.” 
The  country  all  round  is  now  presented  at  its  best,  after  a  long 
interval.  Kent,  as  a  county,  at  this  time  of  the  year  tries 
hard  to  keep  its  fair  name  as  the  “  Garden  of  England,”  for 
blossom,  birds,  and  green  grass  make  it  an  earthly  Paradise. 
Other  counties  may  possess  acres  of  these  and  Damson  trees — - 
but  so  does  Kent — with  whole  sheets  of  bloom  glistening  in  the 
sunshine  of  April.  Astounding!  like  a  fairy  tale  or  a  dream  to 
a  town  dweller.  But  no  other  county  can  boast  of  acres  of 
Cherry  trees,  huge  giants  of  many  years,  veterans  of  many  gales, 
and  the  pride  of  more  than  one  generation.  Why !  to  these 
“  trees  of  Kent  ”  the  Plums  and  Damsons  are  mere  pigmies,  and 
they,  too,  are  a  wealth  of  blossom  of  the  purest  white.  Kent 
gradually  may  be  losing  its  reputation  as  the  largest  producer 
of  Hops,  but  it  will  surely  never  lose  its  Cherry  producing  reputa¬ 
tion.  For  where  Hops  were  growing  once  Cherry  trees  are  now, 
and  I  have  noticed  many  instances  where  Cherries  and  Hops 
are  growing  side  by  side.  In  a  few  years  the  Cherry  trees,  being 
e.stablished,  take  all  the  ground ;  the  Hops,  like  the  proverbial 
chaff,  are  burned. 
Now  is  the  time  of  year  to  visit  the  Cherry  districts  in  all 
their  glory.  And  where  are  there  not  Cherries?  Nearly  every 
farmer  and  fruit  grower  has  his  Cherry  orchard,  and  a  failure 
of  that  crop  means  much  to  these  men.  That  they  do  sometimes 
