August  8,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
141 
Names  of  Fruit  (S.  B .). — It  is  a  difficult  matter  at  aDy  time  to  name 
Strawberries  unless  they  are  seen  growing,  but  the  three  you  sent  were 
quite  smashed,  and  therefore  it  was  impossible  to  do  so. 
Spraying  Apparatus  ( W.  S.).  —  A  good  and  simple  sprayer  is 
Vermorel’s  knapsack  spraying  pump  “  Eclair.”  It  may  be  obtained  of 
Messrs.  Charles  Clark  &  Co.,  20,  Great  St.  Helen’s,  London,  E.C., 
price  36s.  6d. 
Names  of  Plants  (P.  E.  R.). — 1,  Athyrium  Filix-fccmina  (Lady  Fern)  ; 
2  and  3  are  the  same  as  No.  1 ;  the  species  varies  considerably.  No.  4, 
Lastrea  dilatata,  the  Broad  Buckler  Fern.  ( A .  L.  S.). — Polygonum 
lanigerum  ;  2,  Arundo  Donax ;  3>  Agrostis  nebulosa ;  4,  Bromus 
sterlis ;  5,  Bromus  maximus. 
Old  Mortar  {Amateur). — We  presume  the  old  mortar  is  that  from  an 
old  building,  and  in  that  caBe  resolved  into  carbonate  of  lime  with 
siliceous  matter,  in  which  state,  freed  from  pieces  of  wood,  such  as  old 
laths  liable  to  foster  fungi,  it  would  be  beneficial  to  all  the  shrubs  and 
plants  you  mention,  not  injurious  to  any,  and  all  the  better  with  than 
without  it.  Lime  is  a  large  constituent  of  all  the  shrubs  and  plantB 
you  name,  as  found  by  the  analyses  of  their  ashes,  and  a  supply  is 
necessary  for  their  health,  growth,  flowering,  and  even  seed  or  fruit 
production.  To  single  out  any  would  be  invidious,  as  a  judicious 
dressing  of  old  mortar  would  benefit  all  of  them,  especially  where  the 
ground  is  deficient  of  lime.  The  old  mortar  is  not  only  a  good  thing 
for  Carnations,  Pinks,  &o.,  but  for  all  kinds  of  plants  not  naturally 
growing  in  peat  and  bog  soils.  If  the  old  mortar  is  suoh  as  has  been 
left  over  in  building  operations,  it  would  be  advisable  to  leave  it  on  the 
surface  of  the  ground  for  a  few  weeks  before  digging  in. 
Blight  on  Chrysanthemum  Leaves  {M.  U.  M.).  —  The  leaves  are 
infested  with  mildew,  Erysiphe  Linki  in  the  oonidial  stage,  and  is  a 
common  parasite  on  Artemisia.  It  may  be  destroyed  by  spraying  or 
syringing  the  plants  with  potassium  sulphide  solution,  1  oz.  of  potassium 
sulphide,  popularly  known  as  liver  of  sulphur,  to  2J  gallons  of  water. 
Dissolve  the  sulphide  in  a  quart  of  hot  water,  then  make  up  to  2A  gallons 
with  cold  water.  This  is  a  relatively  clear  liquid,  though  having  a 
milky  appearance,  and  may  be  used  without  clogging  at  the  nozzle  of 
the  sprayer.  It  is  not  only  effective  against  mildew,  but  has  proved 
successful,  when  taken  in  time,  against  the  Chrysanthemum  rust, 
Pucoinia  hieraci  or  tanaceti.  The  solution  has  a  bad  smell  and  discolours 
paint.  Not  so  ammoniacal  carbonate  of  copper  solution  prepared  as 
follows :  —  Water  9  gallons ;  strong  aqua  ammonia,  26°  strength, 
12  fluid  ozs. ;  copper  carbonate  1£  oz.  The  copper  carbonate  is  first 
made  into  a  thin  paste  by  adding  sufficient  water.  The  ammonia  water 
is  then  slowly  added,  when  a  deep  blue  solution  is  obtained,  which  does 
not  become  cloudy  when  diluted  to  9  gallons.  This,  being  a  perfectly 
clear  liquid,  can  be  used  in  greenhouses  and  elsewhere,  where  other 
preparations  are  objectionable,  and  is  very  effective  against  parasitic 
fungi  having  superficial  mycelium,  such  as  Chrysanthemum,  Hop,  and 
Rose  mildew. 
Tomato  Sauce  Making  for  Winter  Use  (£?.  W.  D.). — The  so-called 
sauces  are  really  ketchups,  one  of  the  best  made  as  follows  : — Wash 
half  a  bushel  of  ripe  Tomatoes,  cut  them  in  pieces,  and  remove  all  green 
portions,  as  they  injure  the  colour.  Cook  until  soft,  then  strain  through 
a  sieve,  pressing  well  to  obtain  the  pulp.  For  this  quantity  allow  half 
an  ounce  of  cayenne  pepper  and  a  scant  teacupful  of  salt.  Stir  these 
into  the  ketchup.  The  spices,  being  dark,  will  injure  the  colour  if  ground 
and  put  in  loose.  To  avoid  this,  bruise  an  ounce  each  of  white  cloves, 
cinnamon,  allspice,  mace,  celery  seed,  and  half  an  ounce  of  black 
peppercorns.  Tie  them  securely  in  a  thin  muslin  bag,  and  when  the 
strained  Tomatoes  have  boiled  an  hour  and  a  half,  put  in  the  bag  of 
spices  and  boil  as  much  longer.  Add  a  quart  of  good  cider  vinegar, 
boil  for  half  an  hour,  and  turn  into  a  stone  jar  to  cool,  after  which  mix 
a  pint  of  brandy  or  pure  spirits  thoroughly  with  the  ketchup  and  bottle 
it,  putting  a  strip  of  Horseradish  root  in  each.  Use  new  corks  to  fit 
the  bottles,  soak  them  in  hot  water,  then  pound  in  as  tight  as  possible, 
and  cut  the  cork  off  even  with  the  top.  Make  a  oement  by  melting 
together  two  ounces  of  resin  and  one  each  of  beeswax  and  gum-shellac. 
Invert  each  bottle  into  the  hot  cement,  and,  when  cold,  dip  again. 
Keep  in  a  cool,  dark  place.  Perhaps  you  only  wish  to  store  the 
Tomatoes  for  winter  use.  In  that  case,  make  a  brine  of  salt  and  water 
strong  enough  to  bear  an  egg  ;  select  perfectly  ripe  Tomatoes,  and 
place  them,  without  pressing  them,  in  a  stone  or  glazed  earthenware 
jar  with  a  deep  plate,  in  such  a  manner  that  it  presses  upon  the  fruit, 
and  by  this  simple  process  Tomatoes  may  be  stored  more  than  a  year 
without  attention.  Before  cooking  them  they  should  be  soaked  in 
fresh  water  for  several  hours. 
Publications  Received. —  “  Gartenflora,”  containing  coloured 
plate  of  Begonias  Gloire  de  Lorraine  and  Caledonia.  “Pacifio  Coast 
Fruit  World.”  ‘‘Agricultural  Economist,”  August  1st;  contents: 
State  grading  of  produce,  Agriculture  in  the  twentieth  century,  &c. 
“  Reports  of  the  British  South  African  Company  on  the  Administration 
of  Rhodesia,”  1898-1900  (printed  for  the  information  of  shareholders). 
Special  attention  is  directed  to  pages  31,  81-5  in  part  i.,  and  pages 
180,  201  in  part  iii.,  also  pages  283  to  296,  and  299  to  306  in  part  iv., 
regarding  fruit  farming,  flora  and  fauna,  and  local  progress.  The 
Company’s  address  is  15,  St.  Swithin’s  Lane,  London,  E.C.  “  The 
Woman’s  Agricultural  Times.” 
Spotted  Buff  Moth. 
About  this  time  that  caterpillar  of  indisoriminating  palate  prevails, 
which  is  the  larva  of  the  Spotted  Buff  moth  (Spilosoma  lubricipeda  of 
some  entomologists,  and  Bombyx  lubricipeda  of  others).  No  green 
leaves  seem  to  come  amiss  to  this  voracious  caterpillar — those  of  the 
Elder,  Turnip,  Carrot,  Mint,  Scarlet  Runner,  and  Broad  Bean  are  only 
a  few  that  have  been  known  to  be  devastated  by  the  same  broods ;  and  it 
has  been  justly  observed  that,  if  these  creatures  ever  prevailed 
extensively,  they  would  sweep  away  our  crops  as  effectively  as  a  plague 
of  locusts.  The  back  of  the  caterpillar  is  a  dark  greenish  brown,  and 
the  under  side  considerably  paler,  and  rather  greener.  The  two  colours 
are  separated  by  a  waving  white  line  down  each  side,  and  the  body  is 
covered  with  brushes  of  reddish  brown  hair.  It  changes  to  a  black 
shining  chrysalis,  wrapped  in  an  oval 
coooon  composed  of  silk  and  the  hairs 
of  its  body,  and  attached  to  some 
fallen  leaf.  In  this  it  remains  through 
the  winter,  and  the  moth  comes  forth 
in  May  or  June.  The  moth  is  rather 
more  than  lj  inch  across  the  expanded 
fore-wings,  which  are  yellowish  buff 
coloured,  and  the  hind-wings  are  rather 
paler.  All  the  wings  are  spotted  with 
Spotted  Buff  Moth.  black,  often  as  represented  in  our 
drawing,  but  frequently  the  spots  are 
larger,  and  running  more  together.  The  antennae  and  legs  are  black, 
and  the  body  is  orange  coloured,  with  rows  of  black  spots  down  the 
back,  sidep,  and  underneath.  Both  the  moth  and  the  caterpillar  should 
be  sedulously  sought  for  and  destroyed. 
- - 
Co  vent  Garden  market. — August  7  th. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Fruit. 
Apricots,  20s., 24s.  ...box 
„  4  sieve  . 
Bananas  . 
Figs,  green,  doz . 
Grapes,  Hamburgh,  lb. ... 
a.  d.  s.  d. 
1  Oto  1  3 
4  0  6  0 
8  0  12  0 
2  0  4  0 
10  16 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
Grapes,  Muscat  .  2  0  to  3  0 
Lemons,  Naples,  case  ...  24  0  30  0 
Melons,  each  .  10  20 
Pines,  St.  Michael’s,  each  4  6  6  0 
Average 
Wholesale 
Prices. — Vegetables. 
8.  d. 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
s.  d. 
Artichokes,  green, doz.  ... 
2  0  to  3  0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
0  1J  to  0  2 
„  Jerusalem,  sieve 
1  6 
0  0 
Lettuce,  doz . 
0  6 
1  0 
Batavia,  doz  . 
2  0 
0  0 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb.  ... 
0  8 
0  9 
Beans,  French,  bushel  ... 
4  0 
0  0 
Mustard  and  Cress,  pnnt. 
0  2 
0  0 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
0  6 
0  0 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs. 
2  0 
3  0 
Cabbages,  tally  . 
1  6 
3  0 
Peas,  bush . 
4  0 
0  0 
Carrots,  new,  doz.  bnch. 
3  0 
4  0 
Potatoes,  new  English,  ct. 
4  0 
6  0 
Chicory,  Belgian,  lb 
0  4 
0  0 
Radishes,  doz . .  . 
0  6 
0  9 
Corn  Salad,  strike . 
1  0 
1  3 
Shallots,  lb . 
0  4 
0  0 
Cucumbers,  doz . 
2  0 
3  0 
Spinach,  bush . 
4  0 
5  0 
Endive,  doz  . 
1  3 
2  0 
Tomatoes,  English,  lb.  ... 
0  3 
0  4 
Greens,  bush . 
1  0 
1  6 
Turnips,  doz.  bnch. 
2  0 
3  0 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
0  2 
0  0 
Watercress,  doz  . 
0  6 
0  8 
Horseradish,  bnch . 
1  2 
1  6 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Plants  in  Pots 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
.  5  0tol2  0 
.  12  0  30  0 
Lralias,  doz . 
Lraucaria,  doz. 
Lspidistra,  doz.  . . 18  0 
Campanula,  pyramid,  doz.  10  0 
„  isophylla  ...  4  0 
Irotons,  doz . 18  0 
Iracaena,  var.,  doz.  ...  12  0 
Iracaena,  viridis,  doz.  ...  9  0 
forns,  var.,  doz .  4  0 
i’ems,  small,  100  10  0 
ileus  elastica,  doz.  ...  9  0 
foliage  plants,  var.,  each  1  0 
36  0 
12  0 
6  0 
30  0 
30  0 
18  0 
18  0 
16  0 
12  0 
5 
Fuchsias  . 
Geraniums,  scarlet,  doz. 
„  pink,  doz . 
„  King  of  Denmark.doz. 
s.  d.  s.  d. 
3  0  to  4  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
18  0 
4  0 
4  0 
4  0 
24  0 
0 
Lycopodiums, doz.  ... 
Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
Mignonette,  doz.  ... 
Myrtles,  doz . 
Palms,  in  var.,  doz. 
„  specimens  ... 
Asparagus,  Fern,  bunch 
Carnations,  12  blooms  ... 
Cattleyas,  doz . 
Eucharis,  doz . 
Gardenias,  doz . 
Geranium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bunches . 
Gladioli,  doz.  bnchs. 
Gypsopliila,  doz.  bnchs. 
Lilium  lancifolium  album 
„  „  rubrum 
„  longiflorum . 
Lily  of  the  Valley, 12  bnchs  12 
Maidenhair  Fern,  dozen 
bnchs .  2 
Mignonette,  English,  doz.  0 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Cut  Flowers. 
d.  s. d. 
Oto 2  0 
6  0  0 
0  18  0 
0  4  0 
6  2  0 
•  8.  i 
1 
0 
15 
3 
1 
Marguerites,  white,  doz 
bunches . 
9 
0 
0 
0 
.  3 
0 
4 
0 
.  3 
0 
4 
0 
.  6 
0 
0 
0 
.  6 
0 
9 
0 
.  15 
0 
30 
0 
.  21 
0 
63 
0 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
!  i 
Oto  2 
0 
.  0 
6 
1 
0 
0  0 
0  0 
Odontoglossums  .  3  0  4  0 
Roses,  Niphetos,  white, 
doz . 
0  0  0  „  pink,  doz . 
0  6  0  „  yellow,  doz.  (Perles)... 
0  0  0  ,,  red,  doz . 
9  10  Smilax,  bunch . 
0  16  Stephanotis,  doz . 
6  2  0  Stock,  white,  doz.  bnchs. 
0  18  0  |  Sweet  Peas,  white,  doz. 
bunches .  2  0  0  0 
0  3  0  ,,  coloured, doz.bnchs.  2  0  0  0 
9  16  Tuberoses,  gross  .  16  0  0 
