20 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  4,  1901. 
Celery. — Continue  planting  until  sufficient  rows  are  secured.  Small 
and  sturdy  plants  that  have  had  no  check  and  are  well  furnished  with 
roots  are  best.  Give  a  copious  watering  to  settle  soil,  and  afterwards 
as  required.  Trim  off  small  leaves  and  suckers  from  early  rows,  the 
plants  of  which  are  of  considerable  size.  Tie  the  foliage  loosely  together, 
and  draw  earth  to  stems.  A  few  applications  of  liquid  manure  will  be 
benefioial  to  these. 
Turnips.- — On  a  piece  of  good  rich  ground  make  a  sowing  of  Chirk 
Castle  Black  Stone  Turnips.  Draw  the  drills  and  soak  liberally  with 
liquid  manure  before  sowing,  also  give  a  dusting  of  superphosphate, 
which  will  induce  a  quick  growth. 
Lettuce. — The  supply  of  tender  Lettuce  must  be  continued  by 
frequently  sowing  small  quantities  at  a  time  in  moistened  drills,  where 
the  plants  are  to  stand.  Bath  or  Brown  Cos,  Tom  Thumb  Selected,  and 
All  the  Tear  Round  are  reliable  sorts  for  present  sowing.  Thin  out 
seedlings  before  crowding  takes  place. 
Vegetable  Marrows. — With  adequate  moisture  at  the  roots  and  a 
free  run  for  the  latter  in  good  soil,  plenty  of  fruit  will  form  and  swell 
to  a  good  size.  Cut  them  before  they  attain  a  large  size,  being  then 
muoh  better  for  use. 
Tomatoes. — Give  frequent  attention  to  the  outdoor  plants  in 
regulating  growth  and  rubbing  off  lateral  shoots,  chiefly  confining 
the  plants  to  one  main  stem.  Sufficient  supplies  of  water  are  also 
necessary,  and  afford  liquid  manure  to  heavily  cropped  plants. 
Tomatoes  planted  out  under  glass  or  grown  in  pots  are  now  producing 
fruit  freely.  Top-dressings  of  rich  material,  aided  by  artificials,  must 
be  given,  as  well  as  occasional  doses  of  liquid  manure. 
Cucumbers. — In  houses  and  frames  regulate  the  growth  and  cut  out 
exhausted  leaves  and  stems,  stepping  the  shoots  at  the  second  or  third 
joint.  Top-dressings  of  loam  mixed  with  decayed  manure,  a  sprinkling 
of  soot  and  native  guano,  all  well  incorporated,  and  spread  lightly  on 
the  surface  round  the  plants,  will  cause  tbe  production  of  fibrous  roots 
in  quantity.  As  soon  as  the  surface  of  the  mounds  become  dry,  which 
will,  as  a  rule,  be  daily,  sprinkle  liberally  with  water,  and  maintain  a 
moist  atmosphere.  Fruits  should  not  hang  on  the  plants  too  long. 
Melons. — While  Melons  are  growing  and  swelling  fruit  maintain  a 
moist  atmosphere  and  a  moist  root-run  to  encourage  activity  of  the 
roots.  Not  more  than  five  equally  sized  fruits  should  be  allowed  on 
one  plant,  and  superfluous  growths  must  be  rigidly  subdued.  As  the 
ripening  period  approaches  lessen  the  supply  of  water  at  the  roots,  and 
decrease  ihe  atmospheric  moisture. 
Mr.  John  Sim. 
The  death  of  Mr.  John  Sim  occurred  on  June  24th  at  hie  residence 
at  West  Cults.  He  was  well  known  in  Aberdeenshire  and  Kincardine¬ 
shire  as  a  highly  successful  florist  and  fruit  grower.  Mr.  Sim,  who  was 
born  in  1824 — and  had  thus  reached  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-seven 
years — was  bred  to  the  gardening  trade,  but  afterwards  went  into 
farming  at  Whitestripes.  Whilst  engaged  in  farming  at  Whitestripes 
Mr.  Sim  completed  a  botanical  survey  of  Scotston  Moor,  which  was 
published  some  forty  years  ago,  and  Dr.  Alexander  Walker,  in  his 
“  Commonty  of  Perwinnis,”  makes  hearty  acknowledgement  of  the 
valuable  work  done  by  Mr.  Sim  in  this  connection.  Mr.  Sim  afterwards 
removed  to  Gateside,  Strachan,  and  during  his  tenancy  there  commenced 
on  an  extensive  scale  the  cultivation  of  Strawberries.  In  this  enterprise 
his  example  was  followed  by  most  of  the  farmers  and  crofters  in  the 
district,  and  by  this  means  the  severity  of  bad  times  was  to  a  large 
extent  discounted,  and  the  district  made  the  start  towards  its  present 
well-known  reputation  as  a  centre  of  Strawberry  culture.  After 
having  been  tenant  of  Gateside  for  nearly  twenty  years,  Mr.  Sim 
bought  a  small  property,  known  as  the  Temple,  situated  a  few  miles 
from  Stonehaven,  where  he  continued  his  business  of  florist  and  fruit 
grower.  In  the  pursuit  of  his  botanical  researches  Mr.  Sim  came  in 
contact  with  most  of  the  prominent  botanists  of  the  day.  Latterly  he 
had  been  living  with  one  of  his  daughters  at  West  Cults.  His  eldest 
son,  Thomas,  was  educated  in  botany  at  Chiswick,  Kew,  and  afterwards 
at  Harvard  University,  United  States.  He  was  appointed  to  the 
Forestry  Department  in  South  Africa,  where  he  was  lately  joined  by 
his  brother  James,  who  is  also  an  enthusiastic  botanist.  Another 
brother  has  taken  up  the  seed  trade.  Mr.  Sim  had  three  sous  and  two 
daughters. 
- - «•#.> - 
Phenological  Observations, 
July  5th  to  11th. 
Plants  dedicated  to  each  day. 
5 
Fri. 
Chaffinch’s  sorg  ceases. 
6 
Sat . 
Old  Midsummer  Day. 
n 
l 
Son. 
G  ov\  w<  rm  shines. 
s 
Mon. 
Lappit  moth  seen. 
9 
Tu. 
Shore  beetle  seen. 
10 
Wed. 
Yellow  under. wing  moth  seen. 
11 
Thr. 
Elepl  ant  haw  km  th  seen. 
Double  yellow  Rose. 
Resided  C  epis. 
Nasturtium. 
Eveni'  g  Primrose. 
Marsh  Sowthistle. 
Speckled  Snapdragon. 
Yellow  L  tpine. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  EDITOR,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
Xiondon,  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. 
Names  of  Plants  (C.  W.  F.). — 1,  Veronica  Teucrium  dubia;  2, 
Veronica  Teucrium.  (./.  C.). — Rubus  odoratus.  ( A .  P.). — 1,  Philadel- 
phus  microphyllus  ;  2,  Geum  chiloense  fl.-pl. ;  3,  Pernettya  mucronata  ; 
4,  Py rethrum  Parthenium  ;  5,  Lychnis  Walkeri.  ( L .  F.). — Lirioden- 
dron  tulipifera,  the  Tulip  Tree.  (M.  T.). — 1,  Boronia  elatior ;  2, 
Fuchsia  Countess  of  Aberdeen  (we  do  not  undertake  to  name  varieties 
of  florists’  flowers)  ;  3,  Vicia  unijuga  ;  4,  Callamintha  grandiflora ;  5, 
Allium  narcissiflorum.  (R.). — Oxalis  corniculata  atropurpurea,  one  of 
the  finest  of  rookery  plants.  (U.  L.). — Oncidium  candidum  ;  2, 
Cattleya  labiata  Gaskelliana  ;  3,  Cattleya  labiata  Eldorado ;  4,  Disa 
Veitchi ;  5,  Cypripedium  Parishi.  (J.  B.). — The  true  Dendrobium 
moschatum.  (A  Weekly  Reader). — Cattleya  Mossise. 
Diseased  Potato  Tops  (Shaiv). — The  tops  are  affected  by  the  Potato 
leaf  curl  fungus,  Macrosporium  solani,  which  attacks  the  stem,  usually 
close  to  the  ground  at  first,  and  gradually  creeps  up,  first  causing  the 
leaves  to  curl,  and  finally  the  stem  also  collapses.  When  the  leaves 
first  curl  there  is  usually  no  external  sign  of  the  fungus,  but  at  a  later 
stage  the  stem  and  leaves  become  more  or  less  studded  with  blackish, 
minutely,  velvety  patches,  which  represent  the  conidia  or  spores  of  the 
fungus  on  the  surface  of  the  host.  The  conidia  are  large,  olive-brown, 
and  divided  into  numerous  cells  by  septa  crossing  at  right  angles.  It 
is  allied  to  it  if  not  identical  with  the  fungus  causing  “black  stripe  ” 
on  the  Tomato.  Spraying  with  Bordeaux  mixture,  as  practised  for 
preventing  the  Potato  disease,  hinders  the  disease  from  doing  serious 
mischief,  but  to  prevent  the  disease  it  is  neoessary  to  commence  spray¬ 
ing  early,  say  before  earthing,  again  after  the  Potatoes  have  been 
moulded  up,  and  again  when  the  tops  are  nearly  full  grown  or  the  chief 
growth  made,  or  when  showing  for  flowering.  This  treatment  acts 
equally  preventively  of  the  Potato  disease  as  well  as  against  leaf  ourl. 
Scum  on  Surface  of  Pond  (<?.  T.  B.). — The  sample  you  have 
forwarded  in  a  bottle  contains  some  confervaceous  plants,  freshwater 
alga,  numbers  of  the  lesser  rats-tail  maggots,  and  also  some  eelworms. 
It  must,  indeed,  be  in  a  sorry  plight,  and  far  from  wholesome  to  the 
neighbourhood,  though  the  plants  and  animals  will  prevent  offensive 
effluvia  to  a  great  extant.  Possibly  the  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to 
t  urn  on  the  water  some  ducks,  East  Indian,  so  that  they  may  feed  on 
the  vegetable  and  animal  growths,  and  by  their  constant  movements 
as  well  as  feeding  so  subdue  the  growths  as  to  clear  it  of  the  scum,  or 
at  least  render  it  more  presentable  to  the  eye.  Ordinary  ducks  would 
answer,  at  least  they  did  with  us  in  a  similar  case,  but  the  black  East 
Indian  ducks  are  much  the  more  ornamental,  and  certainly  quite  as 
serviceable.  If  the  ducks  are  not  favoured,  throw  flowers  of  sulphur 
on  the  surface  of  the  water,  on  which  it  will  float,  sufficient  to  form  a 
thin  scum,  and  this  will  probably  have  a  good  effect  on  the  vegetable 
and  animal  growths  in  the  water.  We,  however,  advise  the  ducks,  say 
four  or  half  a  dozen  ducks  and  one  drake  to  about  every  quarter  of  an 
acre  of  area  of  water  surface. 
Vine  Roots  and  Leaves  ( R .  W.  D.). — The  roots  are  decayed  in 
places,  and  in  some  parts  completely  destroyed,  so  that  the  portion 
beyond  the  affection  are  of  no  further  use.  We  examined  them  very 
carefully  under  the  microscope,  but  found  only  bacterial  bodies — 
namely,  Bacterium  lineola,  which  is  present  in  most  soils,  especially 
the  soil  water  and  vegetable  matter  passed  or  passing  into  solution. 
This,  however,  is  not  pathogenic,  and  the  injury  has  probably  been 
caused  by  some  other  organism,  probably  eelworm,  though  it  sometimes 
arises  from  the  presence  of  organic  acids,  yet  there  does  not  appear  any 
reason  to  suspect  this  state — that  is,  sourness  of  the  soil — from  the 
components  of  the  border,  which  are  quite  sound.  We  should  give  the 
border  a  top-dressing  of  air-slaked  lime  and  soot  in  equal  parts  by 
measure,  applying  half  pound  of  the  mixture  per  square  yard,  and 
point  in  very  lightly,  not  disturbing  the  roots.  The  leaves  have  the 
appearance  of  attack  by  the  Vine  mite,  Pbytoptus  vitis,  but  there  was 
not  the  usual  growth  of  crineum  or  hairs,  but  a  reddish  distortion  of 
the  tissues  resembling  rust.  Nevertheless,  we  did  Dot  find  the  mite, 
or  even  the  rust  mite,  Tarsonymus  vitis,  indeed  no  animal  or  vegetable 
parasite,  but  neither  of  the  pests  named  are  at  times  easy  to  find,  nor 
always  present  on  tbe  affected  parts.  We  should  spray  the  Vine  on 
the  under  side  of  the  leaves  with  tobacco  water  made  by  plaoing  1  oz. 
of  tobacco  powder,  as  sold  by  nurserymen,  seedsmen,  and  horticultural 
sundriesmeD,  in  a  vessel,  and  pouiing  on  a  quart  of  boiling  water, 
covering  closely,  and  let  stand  until  cold,  then  strain,  and  apply  by 
means  of  syringe  with  a  spraying  nozzle. 
