May  22,  1902. 
JOURXAL  OF  HORTICULTUkE  AN'D  COTTAGE  GARDE  FEE, 
463 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
LETTER  FOR  SECRETARY  OF  U.H.B.  AND  P.  SOCIETY. 
— IVe  have  handed  this  letter  to  Mr.  Collins,  whose  address  is 
9,  Martindale  Road,  BaHiani,  London. 
AUCUBA  BERRIKS  (H.  H.  B.). — Your  old  Aiicuba  did  not 
produce  berrie.s  because  it  was  a  female  plant;  so  .soon  as  you 
planted  a  male  plant  near,  fertility  became  a  matter  of  course. 
No  Aucuba  berries  were  produced  in  this  counti’y  until  Mr. 
Fortune  brought  the  male  plant  from  Japan  a  few  yeai’s  since. 
BOOKS  WANTED  (Reader). — Edmond’s  Elementary  Botany, 
about  2s.  6d.  or  3s.  ;  or  Botany,  by  R.  S.  Wisliart, 
M.A.  (Self  Educator  Series),  2s,  6d.,  Hodder  and  Stoughton. 
Hooker’s  Primer  of  Botany,  Is.  net  are  both  serviceable.  A 
good  book  on  *•  Wild  Flowers  ”  is  Bentham  and  Hooker’s  “  British 
Flora,”  unillustrated,  about  10s.  6d.  We  believe  an  illustrated 
supplement  has  been  issued  to  go  with  this  edition,  which  is 
published  by  Reeves  and  Co.  Or  you  could  have  John’s  “  Flowers 
of  the  Field,’’  os.  6d.,  which  is  a  good  and  useful  book. 
BLACKENED  ACHIMENES  CORMS  (G.  S.).— The  corms 
have  turned  black  by  the  attack  of  some  fungus,  apparently 
that  of  Peziza  vesiculata,  which  is  so  common  as  a  saprophjTe  on 
old  manure  heaps  and  richly  manured  soil,  and  has  probably 
been  introduced  in  your  case  along  with  manure  or  leaf  mould. 
The  blackened  portions  will  affect  the  growth  from  the  corms. 
perhaps  some  of  them  not  pushing  growths,  but  those  pushing 
will  soon  become  strong  once  they  have  formed  roots  and  are 
potted  rather  deeply,  so  as  to  further  root  emission  from  the 
joints.  It  would  be  well  to  insert  the  growths  as  cuttings,  and 
thus  avoid  infection  of  the  new  corms  from  old  ones. 
BEST  LATE  APPLE  FOR  PROFITABLE  CULTURE  (A.  P.) 
— It  is  quite  impossible  for  anyone  to  state  which  they  consider 
te  be  the  best  late  Apple  to  plant  for  market,  because  that 
which  is  best  for  the  puiqiose  in  one  district  is  not  so  in  another, 
varieties  vary  so  much.  If,  however,  you  h^ve  unmistakeable 
evidence  that  Cox’s  Orange  Piiipin  succeeds  in  your  district,  by 
all  means  plant  it  more  largely  than  any.  other.  Ribston  Pippin 
should  also  be  tried,  for  although  the  great  reason  why  it  is  not 
largely  planted  is  that  it  often  suffers  badly  from  canker,  yet 
I  know  many  instances,  in  which  perfectly  healthy  trees  have 
been  established.  Neither  of  these  varieties  can,  however,  be 
termed  really  late  ones,  as  they  are  generally  over  by  the  end 
of  January.  They  always  sell  well,  however,  because  of  their 
high  cjuality.  Good  late  dessert  kinds  are  the  following:  — 
Court  Pendu  Plat,  Stunner  Pippin,  Fearn’s  Pippin,  and  Bow 
Hill  Pippin.  In  the  case  of  late  cooking  varieties,  I  strongly 
recommend  the  following:- — Newton  Wonder,  Lane’s  Prince 
Albert,  Wellington,  Bramley’s  Seedling,  Alfriston,  Barnack 
Beauty,  and  Annie  Elizabeth. — H.  D. 
FLOWERS  FOR  BUTTONHOLES  (A  Beginner).— Among.st 
forced  flowens — Lily  of  the  Valley,  Pinks,  Tree  Carnations, 
Bouvardias,  Spirsea  japonica,  and  Roses  are  suitable;  also 
Gardenias,  Ericas,  Epacrises,  Heliotropes,  Luculia  gratissima, 
Rogiera  grati.s.sima,  Burchellia  capensis,  Clerodendron  Balfouri, 
Eranthemum  pulchellum,  Eucharis  amazonica,  Euphorbia 
jacquiniseflora,  E.  splendens,  Hoya  carnosa,  H.  bella,  Ixora 
acuminata,  I.  javanica  floribunda,  1.  amabilis,  Jasminum  gracile, 
J.  Sambac  flore-pleno.  Pancratium  fragrans,  Pentas  kermesina, 
Rondeletia  specio.sa  major,  Stephanotis  floribunda,  Taber- 
naemontana  coronaria  flore-pleno  ;  the  la.st  are  stove  plants.  The 
following  greenhouse  plants  are  useful; — Adenandra  fragrans, 
Bouvardia  aforenamed.  Camellias,  Citrus  (Orange),  Cyclamen 
pensicum.  Daphne  indica  alba  and  rubra,  praoophyllum  gracde, 
Habrothamnus  aurantiacum,  H.  fascicularis,  Jasminum  grandi- 
florum,  Lantana  vars.,  Mandevilla  suaveolens.  Myrtles,  Per- 
gularia  odoi-atissima.  Pelargoniums,  especially  the  double- 
flowered,  Pimelea  decussata,  P.  .spectabilis  ro.sea.  Plumbago 
capensis.  Polygala  oppositifolia.  Polygala  Dalmaisiana,  Primula 
cortusoides  aincena  and  vars.  alba,  grandiflora;  Rhododendron 
fragrantissima,  Jasminiflorum,  Prince  of  Wales,  and  Princess 
Royal,  Rhynchospermum  jasminoid<»,  Statice  profusa,  double 
Primula  sinensis,  the  double  varieties  of  Azalea.  There  are 
also  Roman  Hyacinths,  Narcissus,  Tuberose,  and  Violets.  There 
is  no  work  on  “  forcing  flowers.” 
TASlVIiVNTAN  CORRESPONDENCE  (H.  F.  R.).— Received 
with  thanks;  we  shall  use  the  notes  immediately: 
TROUBLE  WITH  APPLE  TREES  (S.  W.).— For  full  answer 
see  the  article  entitled  “  Apple  Scab  Fungus,”  in  this  issue. 
BEDDING  PLANTS  IN  STONY  SOIL  (F.  H.).— By  all  means 
remove  the  stones,  which  if  left  in  the  soil  will  cause  endle.s3 
trouble;  if  so  stony  as  to  need  riddling  you  will  do  well  to  add 
some  good  loam,  or  manure  liberally,  as  in  such  a  soil,  upon 
gravel,  the  plants  will  hardly  grow  too  vigorously.  The  proce.ss 
you  propose  following  will  answer  for  the  flower  beds  and  lawn, 
but  we  should  have  the  depth  of  soil  for  the  grass  over  rather 
than  under  1ft. 
MUSHROOM  BED  (A  Subscriber).— Make  the  bed  of  fresh 
horse  droppings,  and  not  a  “  little  firm  ”  but  very  hard,  the  firmer 
the  better,  and  about  a  foot  deep.  W'e  like  the  droppings  better 
when  they  have  a  small  quantity  of  short  litter,  but'  this  is  not 
material  for  so  small  a  lied.  The  droppings  ought  not  to  be 
wet,  but  be  kept  under  cover.  In  about  a  week  the  heat  will 
be  at  its  highest  ;  spawn  it  when  it  is  reduced  to  75deg  at  2in 
deep,  and  at  this  depth  put  in  the  spawn,  pieces  about  Ijin  to 
2in  square,  and  9in  apart,  and  cover-up,  beating  firmly.  In 
about  a  week  you  may  earth  the  bed  2in  thick  of  good  loam,  and 
beat  very  firm.  In  six  weeks  you  may  expect  Mushrooms  to 
appear,  but  during  that  time  the  bed  is  not  to  be  ivatered,  or  not 
until  they  show,  and  then  keep  only  just  moi.st  and  regularly  .so. 
If  they  do  not  appear  at  the  six  week.s’  end  you  may  commence 
watering,  but  lightly  at  all  times,  yet  keep  moist,  the  extreme 
either  way  will  de.stroy  them. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Corresyondents  whose  queries  are  un¬ 
answered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (G.  A.). — A  form  of  Dendroliium  V  ardianum. 
(.J.  F.  S.) — 1,  Epimedium  rubrum  ;  2,  Muscari  conicum  ;  3,  Tulipa 
macrospeila  ;  4,  Arabis  alpina  fl-pl. ;  5,  Ornithogalum  nutans,  a  plant 
with  beautiful  flowers  but  difficult  to  extirpate  from  a  garden  when 
once  established.  (.1.  T.). — They  are  all  varieties  of  Darwin  Tulips, 
but  we  cannot  name  them;  send  to  a  grower.  (Forty  J  ears’  Sub¬ 
scriber). — Crataegus  mollis. 
- - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
1902. 
May. 
Direction  of 
Wind. 
_  _  i 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
1 
Rain. 
i 
Temperatuie  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
<0 
}-i  ' 
3  CO 
•s  -S  ® 
5  ce  ej 
^  eO 
0  a 
a  g. 
0) 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
03 
<D 
x: 
to 
s 
CO 
<D 
0 
a 
Sunday  ...11 
Monday  ...12 
Tuesday  ...15 
Wed’sday  14 
Thursday  15 
Friday  ...16 
Saturday  17 
N.W. 
s.w. 
N.N.W. 
W.S.W. 
W.S.W. 
W.N.W. 
W. 
deg. 
45-9 
45- 9 
46- 9 
48-1 
43-4 
52-4 
54-2 
deg. 
39-9 
44-9 
41-2 
42T 
41-4 
47.7 
48-5 
deg. 
53- 3 
54- 1 
48- 7 
49- 1 
55- 6 
55-7 
57-1 
deg. 
39-5 
42'8 
32- 8 
300 
33- 3 
43-0 
48-0 
Ins. 
0-04 
O'lO 
O'Ol 
008 
0-02 
0  12 
0-45 
deg. 
48- 3 
49- 0 
48-3 
47-5 
47-3 
490 
50- 0 
deg. 
48-4 
48-8 
48-9 
48-9 
48-5 
48- 5 
49- 0 
deg. 
48-4 
48-5 
48-5 
48-6 
48-6 
48-5 
48-5 
deg. 
32-8 
37-0 
23-3 
22-6 
27-3 
41-3 
45-2 
Means  ... 
48-1 
43-7 
53-4 
38-5 
Total. 
0-82 
48-5 
48-7 
48-5 
32-8 
A  week  of  dull,  cold,  showery  weather,  with  sharp  ground  frosts  on 
three  mornings. 
Trade  Catalogues  Received. 
H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley,  Kent.— Illustrated  and  Complete  Floi-al 
Guide. 
E  P  Dixon  &  Sons,  TinW.— New  and  Choice  Plants. 
Wm.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltham  Cross,  Herts.— Roses  for  Siming  Planting. 
Publications  Received. 
“  Hints  on  Planting  Roses,”  by  a  Committee  of  the  National 
Rose  Society.  Third  edition,  with  revised  lists  of  choice  Roses. 
1902.  National  Rose  Society’s  Annual  Report. 
Kerner’s  “Natural  History  of  Plants.” 
Part  I.  of  the  new  and  cheaper  edition  of  this  invaluable 
work  has  reached  us  from  Messrs.  Blackie  and  Son,  Limited, 
London.  It  is  hoped  to  complete  the  issue  in  sixteen  monthly 
parts,  each  at  Is.  Od. 
