JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
433 
May  15, 
1902. 
The  Dahlia  Analysis. 
The  perusal  of  the  above  in  the  issue  for  May  8  is  calculated 
ho  more  than  usually  interest  Dahlia  lovers.  The  comparative 
absence  of  new  varieties  from  the  lists  of  Show  and  Fancy  sections, 
and  their  ever  increasing  numbers  amongst  the  Cactus  varieties, 
shows  very  plainly  the  present  trend  of  popular  choice.  Mr. 
Mawley  says  that  “  even  the  Dahlia  experts  find  it  difficult  to 
keep  in  touch  with  all  of  tliem,”  meaning  the  new  sorts  of 
Cactus  which  are  continually  being  brought  to  public  notice. 
This  only  tends  to  make  such  an  analysis  of  real  value  to  all 
admirers  of  the  Dahlia,  especially  to  those  of  us  who  cannot 
possibly  hope  to  keep  up  to  date  in  our  acquaintance  with  each 
of  the  newer  varieties. — J.  W. 
Leaf  Curl  in  Feaches- 
On  page  410  “  Inexperienced  ”  advances  a  question  on  this 
subject  in  connection  with  the  use  of  Bordeaux  mixture.  He 
asks  if  the  remedy  “can  possibly -do  any  goocT  now  that  this 
disease  of  the  foliage  is  in  full  sway  ”  ?  The  fungicide  may,  and, 
if  used  at  proper  strength,  will  certainly  benefit  the  trees  by 
preventing  the  pest,  spreading  to  the  young  and  advancing 
foliage,  which  may  be  so  far  clean  and  free  from  injury.  In  a 
season  such  as  the  present,  when  cold  winds  have  been  more 
than  usually  prevalent,  I  have  found  it  wiser  to  leave  the  pro¬ 
tecting  material  a  week  or  so  longer  than  usual  upon  the  trees 
rather  than  to  be  in  a  great  hurry  for  its  removal  immediately 
the  fruit  has  set.  “  Inexperienced  ”  will  be  well  advised  to 
remove  a  number  of  the  worst  leaves  and  burn  them.  This  will 
to  some  extent  prevent  the  disease  spreading,  and  the  badly 
crippled  foliage  can  in  any  event  be  of  littlei  if  any  use  to  the 
trees.  Protection  so’ far  as  possible,  and  early  spraying  with 
Bordeaux  mixture  or  similar  remedy,  is  the  best  course  to  take 
in  preventing  this  troublesome  and  disfiguring’^disease. — J.  W., 
Hopton  Hall  Gardens. 
- o#**- - 
The  Bothy  Plan. 
As  a  reader  of  your  excellent  Journal  for  a  number  of  years 
now,  perhaps  I  may  be  allowed  to  make  a  few  remarks  regarding 
the  “Journal  Bothy  Plan.”  I  may  say  I  am  far  from  being 
at  one  with  the  suggestion  of  your  able  correspondent,  “  H.  R., 
Kent.”  I  have  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  past  twenty  years 
in  bothies — good,  bad.  and  indifferent — and  latterly,  I  am  glad 
to  say,  in  one  of  the  few  model  bothies  to  be  found  on  this  side 
of  the  Border;  so,  from  personal  experience  and  from  apprecia¬ 
tive  remarks  of  others,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  by 
all  means  each  man  should  have  a  room,  with  every  facility  for 
reading,  writing,  &c.,  such  rooms  to  be  furnished  with  a  small 
wardrobe  or  chest  of  drawers  and  chairs.  That,  in  the  hist  place, 
would  be  more  appreciated  by  the  great  majority  of  young  men 
than  all  the  reading  and  messrooms  combined.  By  each  having 
a  room,  all,  or  a  few  at  least,  of  these  gardeners  would  be 
entitled  to  a  vote  should  a  parliamentary  election  occur.  With 
a  large,  cffian,  well  ventilated  kitchen  (having  sculleiT  attached), 
a  messroom  is  not  a  real  necessity  for  six  men.  Ample  bathroom 
and  lavatory  accommodation  is  of  more  importance.  A  large 
library  or  bookcase  is  very  handy,  and  can  be  supplemented 
occasionally  by  the  employer  or  young  men  as  they  choose.  At 
most  very  large  places  a  reading  and  recreation  room  of  an 
.approved  principle  is  generally  provided  at  some_  other  con¬ 
venient  part  of  the  policies,  where  as  many  as  thirty  to  fifty 
estate  men  hnd  ivholesome  amusement  during  the  long  winter 
ni<^hts  failing  which  there  is  generally  a  village  of  some  sort  near 
'bv“  all’ of  which  nowadays  have  their  reading  rooms,  and  are  ably 
supported  and  patronised  by  the  young  men  from  the  gaixlens. 
For  handiness,  cleanliness,  and  comfort,  the  one-storeyed  bothy 
will  be  bad  to  beat.  A  large  room  of  any  sort,  heated  by  hot 
water  pipes  alone,  does  not  find  favour  with  the  men  It  has 
a  dingy,  dark  appearance,  especia  ly  so  on  a  di-eary  winters  day^ 
more  likely  to  bo  shunned  for  the  more  cheerful  kitchen  fire, 
where  you  will  be  most  likely  to  find  the  “family  circlo.”-MAC, 
Edinburgh.  ,  ,  . 
TThe  “Plan  of  a  Garden”  Competition,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Royal  Caledonian  Horticultural  Society,  having  now  closed,  and 
very  successfully,  those  who  have  gained  experience  in  that  com¬ 
petition  might  advantageously  turn  their  attention  now  to  the 
“  Journal  Bothy  Plan  ”  Competition.] 
Runner  Beans. 
Seeing  a  note  under  this  head  in  the  “AVork  for  the  Week,” 
may  I  remind  you  of  my  question  of  last  year  as  to  the  advantage, 
or  want  of  advantage,  in  staking  the  plants?  As  opinions  seemed 
divided,  I  tried  both  ivays,  and  we  were  satisfied  that  more  pods 
were  produced  on  the  unstaked  and  stepped  plants  than  on 
those  treated  in  the  old-fashioned  manner.  A  little  more  width 
ma.y  be  needed  for  each  row,  but  this  is  compensated  for  by 
the  absence  of  shading  neighbouring  crops;  and,  as  stakes  cost 
money,  I  shall  not  use  any  in  future. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
- - 
Bothies ;  Moral  Nuisances. 
^  I  wonder  what  the  majority  of  bothyites  thought  of  tlie 
scatliing  indictment  made  on  the  bothy  by  “  C.  H.  S.”  on 
page  411.  Just  to  fancy  the  ideal  of  evei-y  embryo  gardener 
when  he  first  leaves  home  is  a  “  moral  nuisance.”  Perhaps  the 
author  may  find  time  to  tell  us  why.  It  is  a  curious  thing  if 
the  bothy  is  what  “  C.  H.  S.”  calls  it — that  the  many  advertise¬ 
ments  by  journeymen  and  foremen  should  have  appended  “  bothy 
preferred.”  It  seems  impossible  for  self-respecting,  intelligent 
young  men  to  prefer  something  that  is  a  “  moral  nuisance.”  The 
advantages  possessed  by  the  bothy  over  lodgings  are  legion,  and, 
being  only  too  well  known,  it  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate  them. 
Bothy  life  is  not  all  honey,  but  it  will  soon  make  a  man  of  the 
fop,  and  teach  him  the  social  duties  he  owes  to  those  around 
him.  Practical  gardening  commences  to  decay  when  “every 
effort  is  made  to  reduce  them,  with  a  view  to  total  extinction.” — 
H.  R.,  Kent. 
Naming  Exhibits. 
Numerous  exhibits  were  disqualified  at  the  Royal  Caledonian 
Horticultural  Society’s  Show,  held  in  the  Waverley  Market, 
Edinburgh,  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  Maj’  7  and  8.  It  Avas 
with  the  greatest  satisfaction  that  we  noticed  the  ruling  of  the 
judges  in  these  cases,  and  perhaps  the  “bought  experience” 
Avill  be  the  more  impressed  upon  those  who  have  suffered  on  this 
occasion.  That  the  judges  held  by  Rule  5  of  the  Society’s  schedule 
is  worthy  of  all  praise,  though,  of  course,  every  judge  ought 
inflexibly  to  folloAV  the  rules,  and  these  should  be  incontrovertibly 
clear.  How  any  man  (or  woman)  can  spend  time  and  pains, 
usually  a  considerable  amount  of  money  as  well,  in  attempting 
to  produce  a  plant  or  a  flower,  or  a  collection  of  these,  to  beat 
those  of  somebody  else,  and  yet  flaunt  success  absolutely  by 
some  flagrant  misapplication  of  standing  laws  or  the  disdaining 
of  them  altogether,  is  one  of  those  mundane  mysteries  that  I 
never  hope  to  understand.  Do  exhibitors  not  know  Avhere  to 
get  their  collections  or  their  plants  named  ?  Do  they  not  wish 
to  knoAv  the  names  of  the  plants  for  themselves?  And  if  they 
do  not  possess  the  names,  can  they  possibly  have  an  intelligent 
interest  and  regard  for  the  subjects  iipon  which  they  elaboi’ate 
their  attention  ?  And  are  the  Public  not  tc  be  initiated  to  the 
classification,  the  relationships,  and  the  names  of  members  of 
a  genus?  These  are  points  that  would-be  exhibitors  should  bear 
in  mind ;  and  all  well-wishers  of  horticultui'e  ought  to  assist 
towards  their  attainment. — J.  H.  D. 
— »  I — 
Roses:  Budding  Out  of  Doors  in  April. 
I  sent  a  note  to  the  Journal  a  few  years  ago  to  point  out  the 
possibility  of  doing  this,  but  neA^er  tried  it  myself  till  this  year. 
Seeing  a  good  account  in  Frank  Cant’s  catalogue  of  “  Boadicea,  T.” 
(Win.  Paul  and  Son,  1901),  I  purchased  of  him  a  grafted  plant 
in  pot  last  November.  This  produced  in  my  greenhouse  a  good 
and  lasting  bloom  in  April,  with  which  I  AA-a,*much  pleased. 
There  were  two  or  three  buds  on  the  shoot  Avhich  AA’ould  do  for 
budding ;  .  but  Avhere  was  I  to  find  out  of  doors  a  stock  Avhose 
bark  would  “  run  ”  suitably  for  such  small  buds  at  that  time 
of  year?  It  Avas  not  difficult.  The  laterals  of  my  standard 
stocks,  budded  last  July,  are  not  cut  back  at  first  quite  up  to 
the  inserted  bud,  but  two  or  three  Avild  buds  are  left,  Avhich  are 
encouraged  to  groAV  a  bit,  to  draw  the  sap.  I  soon  found  tAVO 
or  three  standards  Avhere  the  inserted  bud  had  failed,  and  a 
good,  strong  wild  bud  or  tAvo  had  groArn  out  from  the  end  of 
the  lateral.  The  bark  on  this  lateral,  between  the  failure  and 
the  wild  young  shoot  “ran”  fairly  well,  and  I  thus  put  in  three 
buds  of  Boadicea  on  April  24.  One  of  these  buds  is  to-day 
(May  8)  decidedly  groAving,  and  is  already  4in  long,  forwarder 
and'  more  healthy  looking  that  a  good  many  put  in  last  July, 
Avhich  I  yet  hope  will  do  Avell.  So  I  see  no  reason  Arhy  this  bud 
should  not  form  a  strong,  healthy  head  this  season;  but  I  am 
inclined  tc  think  that  the  other  two  buds,  Avhich  seem  alive 
at  present,  Avill  not  be  of  any  good  if  they  remain  dormant  for 
any  length  of  time. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
