542 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AXD  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
June  19,  1902. 
Societies. 
Royal  Horticultural— Scientific  Committee,  June  lOth. 
Present  :  Dr.  M.  C.  Cooke  (in  the  chair):  and  Messrs.  Odell, 
Saunders,  Douglas,  Veitch;Drs.  Muller,  Masters,  and  Rev.  W. 
Wilks. 
Fusariuin  Solani. — A  letter  was  read  from  Professor  Perceval 
in  which  he  stated  that  he  had  proved  experimentally  that 
healthy  Potatoes  could  be  affected  by  this  fungus. 
Caulifinians. — Mr.  C.  Hooper  sought  information  as  to  the 
reason  why  certain  Cauliflowers  on  his  farm  were  all  good,  whilst 
others  in  another  situation  failed  to  form  a  “  curd.”  Without 
further  particulars,  it  was  not  possible  to  give  a  satisfactory 
explanation. 
Insect  Injurious  to  Apple  Graft.— An  reply  to  a  question  from 
Mr.  Dunlop,  of  Armagh,  the  following  letter  was  read  from  Mr. 
Saunders :  “  The  beetle  you  sent  to  me  the  other  day,  said  to  be 
the  cause  of  injury  to  Apple  grafts  at  Loughall,  Co.  Armagh, 
belongs  to  the  weevil  family,  and  is  known  as  the  ‘  Brown  leaf 
weevil  ’ ;  its  scientific  name  is  Phyilobius  oblongus.  It  is  a  well- 
known  pest,  feeding  on  the  leaves  and  buds  of  various  fruit  trees ; 
but  I  can  find  no  record  of  its  feeding  on  the  bark.  It  is  said 
to  be  particularly  fond  of  attacking  grafts,  and  if  it  will  feed  on 
the  buds,  I  can  see  no  reason  why  it  should  not  also  feed  on  the 
bark,  iDarticularly  when  it  is  young  and  tender.  It  is  recom¬ 
mended  that  the  grafts  should  be  smeared  with  grafting  wax  or 
clay,  to  keep  the  insects  away ;  but  I  feel  uncertain  whether  this 
would  not  be  prejudicial  to  the  graft.  These  beetles  can  fly  very 
well,  but  on  a  dull  morning  they  might  be  shaken  from  the  trees 
on  to  a  white  sheet.  The  eggs  are  laid  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  the  grubs  feed  on  the  roots  of  various  plants,  and 
undergo  their  transformation  in  the  soil.  The  beetles  emerge 
in  the  spring.  It  might  be  useful  early  in  the  spring  to  give  a 
good  dressing  of  kainit,  nitrate  of  soda,  or  soot,  which  would  be 
injurious  to  the  beetle  when  it  emerges  in  a  tender  state  from  its 
chrysalis,  and  tries  to  make  its  way  to  the  surface. — George  S. 
Saunders.” 
The  liaspherr]!  Moth,  Lampronia  ruhicUa. — The  life  history  of 
this  insect  is  rather  unusual ;  the  moth  emerges  from  the  chrysalis 
in  the  spring,  and  the  females  lay  their  eggs  in  the  open  flower, 
the  egg  being  laid  just  below  the  surface  of  the  receptacle  (the 
core  of  the  fruit) ;  here  it  feeds  until  the  fruit  is  ripe ;  it  then 
leaves  its  quarters,  and  spins  a  small  white  cocoon  in  some  place 
at  the  foot  of  the  bush,  frequently  selecting  the  stool.  It  re¬ 
mains  in  this  cocoon  all  the  winter,  and  in  the  spring  makes  its 
way  to  the  buds,  piercing  them  and  feeding  within  them  in  the 
manner  which  is  so  well  known.  The  mo.st  effective  remedy  is 
to  pick  off  the  infested  buds  or  shoots  and  burn  them,  taking  care 
that  the  caterpillars  dd  not  escape  during  the  operation.  It  has 
lieen  suggested  that  it  would  be  useful  to  throw  dressings  of 
ashes  or  sand  mixed  with  paraffin  oil  (1  quart  of  oil  to  1  bushel  of 
sand)  among  the  stools  in  the  winter,  but  I  should  think  it  was 
very  questionable  if  this  was  of  any  practical  use.  Raking  away 
the  earth  and  rubbish  from  round  the  stocks  and  then  earthing 
them  up  again,  has  been  recommended. — G.  S.  Saunders. 
Vircscent  Tulip. — Mr.  Saunders  showed  a  specimen  in  which 
the  perianth-segments  were  partially  virescent,  and  in  one 
instance  from  irregular  growth  the  segment  had  been  torn.  The 
coloured  portion  uplifted  with  the  growing  stem,  whilst  the  green 
portion  remained  beneath. 
Melon  Disease. — Further  specimens  were  shown  and  sub¬ 
mitted  to  Dr.  Cooke  for  examination.  Dr.  Cooke  remarked  that 
as  the  fungus  lived  within  the  tissues  of  the  plant,  remedial 
measures  were  of  no  use  as  preventives.  The  plants  should  be 
burnt,  the  soil  sterilised,  and  the  house  whitewashed  and  disin¬ 
fected. 
The  York  Gala,  June  lllh,  12th,  13th. 
This  was  the  forty-fourth  year  of  this  popular  floral  fe.stival, 
and  it  took  place,  as  usual,  in  the  Bootham  field  on  June  11,  12 
and  13.  l  iifortuiiately  the  weather  A\a.s  unfavourablej  for  about 
the  time  for  opening  a  heavy  shower  fell  and  smaller  ones 
succeeded  at  intervals,  making  the  ground  wet  and  sticky  and 
material  y  affecting  the  attendance.  The  exhibition  is  so  exten¬ 
sive,  and  include  so  many  fine  features,  that  it  is  a  pity  when 
tlie  state  of  the  weather  prevents  many  from  seeing  it  '  There 
ly^ere  the  groups,  the  bank  of  Orchids,  fine  .stove  and  greenhouse 
foliage  plants  and  Ferns;  the  bank  of  Pelargoniums  for  whicffi 
and  to  addXTf  f  decorations; 
and,  to  add  to  the.se,  trade  collections,  not  in  comnetition  of  a 
go?r^in"the^^?amh“?f^'ri'^^*'r’'  arrangements  are  always 
Simmons  9oaimittee  and  Mr.  C.  W. 
work  soon  nff  secretar^^  and  the  judges  were  able  to  get  to 
tlie  announced  time,  and  to  finish  before  the 
influx  of  visitors  liampered  their  efforts 
Sir  Charles  Presided  over  by 
-I  0.1,01  Iiotabilitie.y.  the  Lord  Mayor  .stated  that  in  the  course 
of  the  series  of  galas  nearly  £30,000  had  been  awarded  as  prizes, 
that  over  £6,000  had  been  paid  to  secure  high-class  bands,  and 
£2,000  had  been  given  to  charitable  institutions,  while  in 
addition  there  was  a  .satisfactory  reserve  fund.  It  is  to  be  feared 
that,  owing  to  the  wet  weather  which  prevailed  on  the  second  and 
third  days,  as  well  as  on  the  first  day,  the  reserve  fund  would 
have  to  be  drawn  upon. 
Groups  of  miscellaneous  plants  arranged  for  effect  on  a  space 
not  exceeding  300ft  were  a  leading  feature.  They  backed  on  to 
the  staging  on  which  the  Orchids  were  placed.  There  w'ere  five 
competitors.  Each  adopted  the  square  shape  facing  to  the  front, 
and  they  all  showed  the  .same  method  of  arrangement.  Each 
competitor  depended  upon  brilliant  foliage  plants  for  creating 
the  best  effects,  and  where  there  was  the  richest  material  there 
was  generally  the  best  arti.stic  effect.  Crotons,  Dracsenas, 
Palms,  and  .such  things  were  freely  u.s6d  ;  at  the  backs  were 
Palms,  Bamboos,  &c. ;  cones  of  plants  fell  into  their  places,  and 
conspicuous  dot  plants  added  materially  to  the  effect.  A  .silver 
margined  Abutilon  was  used  with  advantage  by  some  of  the 
exhibitors.  The  first  prize  was  awarded  to  Mr.  J.  S.  Sharpe, 
Valley  Nurseries,  Huddensfield ;  Mr.  W.  Curtis  (gardener  to 
J.  Blacker,  E.sq.,  Thorpe  Villas,  Selby)  was  second;  Mr.  W. 
Townsend  (gardener  to  E.  B.  Faber,  Esq.,  M.P.,  Belvedere, 
Harrogate)  was  third ;  Mr.  W.  Vause,  nurseryman,  Leamington, 
was  fourth  ;  and  Messns.  B.  Simpson  and  Son,  New  Lane,  Selby, 
fifth.  The  last-placed  group  was  much  superior  to  not  a  few 
found  at  flower  shows  about  the  country  which  take  awards. 
With  twelve  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  Mr.  J.  Cypher, 
nurseryman,  Cheltenham,  was  first  with  smaller  specimens  than 
those  he  will  exhibit  later  on.  Ericas,  Bougainvillea  Cypheri 
was  in  fine  form;  Pimelea  Hendersoni,  Franci.scea  calycina,  (fee., 
were  well  grown  and  bloomed.  Mr.  W.  Vause  was  second,  and 
a  third  prize  was  awarded  to  an  exhibitor  whose  name  we  did 
not  get.  With  six  plants  Mr.  Cypher  was  again  first  and  Mr. 
W.  Vause  second,  much  the  same  kinds  of  subjects  competing. 
There  was  a  class  for  .six  plants  restricted  to  plants  not  exceed¬ 
ing  lOin  in  diameter,  and  in  this  Mr.  C.  Lawton  (gardener  to 
Colonel  Harrison  Broadley,  Wolton  House,  Hull)  was  first.  In 
another  cla.ss  for  six  plants,  open,  Mr.  Cypher  was  first  and  Mr. 
Lawton  was  second.  The  time  at  disposal  for  gathering  up  the 
awards  was  .so  short  that  complete  particulars  could  not  be 
obtained. 
The  best  siiecimen  .stove  plant  ivas  Bougainvillea  Cypheri, 
from  Mr.  Cypliet ;  Mr.  Vause  came  second  with  Anthurium 
Scherzerianum.  The  best  .specimen  greenhou.se  plant  was  Draco- 
phyllum  gracile,  Mr.  Vause  taking  the  second  prize  with  a 
finely  bloomed  bush  of  Azalea  Mrs.  Carter. 
The  subject  shown  in  the  class  for  six  fine-foliaged  plants 
formed  a  noble  background  for  the  bank  of  Pelargoniums.  Mr. 
Cypher  was  first  with^  four  majestic  Palm.s — Latania  borbonica, 
Seaforthia  elegaiis,  Xeiitias  Belmoreana  and  Forsteriana — ancl 
two  very  fine  Crotons,  Sunset  and  Queen  Victoria.  Mr.  W. 
Vause  was  second,  also  with  four  Palms  and  two  Crotons.  Mr. 
Cypher  was  also  finst  with  three  plants.  He  had  Kentia 
Forsteriana,  a  fine  Latania,  and  Croton  Queen  Victoria.  Mr. 
W.  Vause  was  again  secend.  The  varieties  shown  in  the  class 
for  three  Crotons  was  so  placed  that  neither  the  names  of  the 
exhibitors  or  the  varieties  could  be  obtained  ;  nor  in  the  case 
of  the  single  specimen.  The  first  prize  .specimen  greenhoiU'e 
Heath  was  a  fine  piece  of  Erica  ventrico.sa  magnifica ;  it  was  the 
only  award  made  in  this  class.  Coleus  were  shown  as  flat-trained 
specimens  of  good  colour.  The  only  collection  of  twenty  Alpine 
and  herbaceous^  plants  came  from  Mr.  S.  Hardcastle,  Bishop 
Wilton,  near  \ork.  The  exhibitor  had  evidently  been  hardly 
put  to  it  toi  get  some  of  them  into  bloom.  Exotic  Ferns  made  a 
good  feature.  Mr.  Eastwood  (gardener  to  Mrs.  Tedley,  West- 
wood,  Leed.s)  was  first,  with  well-grown  even  specimens  in  the 
class  for  .six  .specimens;  the  Rev.  G.  Yeats,  Heworth  Vicarage, 
\  ork  (gardeyner,  Mr.  J.  Snowdon)  was  second.  In  the  class  for 
three  specimens  Mr.  Snowden  took  the  first  place  and  Mr.  East- 
wood  was  second.  Ihere  was  a  class  for  a  single  specimen  also; 
also  for  ten  and  six  hardy  Ferns,  the  varieties  not  calling  for 
special  notice. 
Groups  of  Carnations  made  a  very  fine  feature,  not  less  than 
fifty  pots  being  required.  Mr.  Leadbetter  (gardener  to  A. 
Wilson,  Esq.,  Tranby  Croft,  Hull)  was  fir.st,  with  admirably 
^rowix  plants  finely  bloomed  ;  Mr.  J.  Roberts  (gardener  to  the 
Duke  of  Portland,  Welbeck  Abbey,  Nott.s)  was  second  witli  a 
meritorious  collection  of  Malmaisoii.  Messrs.  Walshaw  and  Son, 
nui serynien ,  Scarborongli,  had  well-bloomed  border  varieties, 
which  lost  in  effect  owing  to  tlie  prominence  given  to  tlie  stakes 
supporting  the  plants. 
Table  plants  were  a  good  feature.  There  was  a  class  for  a 
collection  of  Gloxinias  shown  on  a  table  with  foliage  plants  and 
also  for  eight.  Collections  of  Roses  in  pots  were  somewhat 
poor;  it  was  probably  a  little  too  late  for  them.  Three  classes 
vere  set  apa-rt  for  them.  A  gvoiqi  of  Cannas  was  shown  bv 
Messrs.  Walshaw  and  Son. 
Orchids  filled  a  good  space,  the  best  table  of  sixty  super¬ 
ficial  feet  arranged  for  effect,  cut  blooms  admis.sible,  ca'ine  from 
iur.  d.  typher.  and  iiiclndcd  the  representatives  of  what  are  in 
