Augmst  22,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
189 
Diseased  Tomato  (G.  R.  M.). — The  fruit  is  affected  at  the  eye  by 
the  Tomato  black  rot  fungus  (Maorosporium  Tomato),  which  is  a  wound 
parasite,  and  on  the  germ-tube  most  frequently  effects  an  entrance 
through  minute  cracks  round  the  style,  or  at  the  point  of  insertion  of 
the  stem.  A  dark  ooloured  mycelium  forms  in  the  tissues  and  rapidly 
destroys  the  cells,  consequently  the  area  occupied  by  the  fungus  sinks  a 
little  below  the  general  surface  of  the  healthy  part  of  the  fruit.  At  a 
later  stage  the  sunken  surface  of  a  diseased  spot  becomes  covered  with 
a  delicate,  velvety  pile  of  a  brownish  or  blackish  olive  colour,  which  under 
the  microscope  is  found  to  consist  of  closely  packed  dark  coloured 
conidiophores,  each  bearing  a  dark  many-oelled  conidium  at  its  tip. 
The  conidia  when  mature  germinate  quickly  in  water,  each  cell  of  a 
spore  producing  a  germ-tube  capable  of  entering  a  Tomato  if  placed  on 
a  wounded  surface,  or  where  the  skin  has  been  weakened  by  water 
lodging  on  it,  as  is  most  common  at  the  eye  and  heel  of  the  fruit,  and  on 
these  the  affection  most  commonly  occurs.  There  is  no  remedy,  as  the 
fungus  is  an  internal  parasite,  therefore  all  diseased  fruits  should  be 
cleared  away  and  burned.  Seed  should  not  be  saved  from  diseased, 
plants,  for  the  fungus  also  affects  leaves  and  stems  as  well  as  fruit. 
The  use  of  green  stable  manure  is  considered  to  favour  the  disease,  and 
also  causes  the  fruit  to  crack,  thus  favouring  attacks  by  the  fungus. 
Thorough  spraying  with  potassium  sulphide  solution,  1  oz.  to  6  gallons  of 
water,  at  frequent  intervals,  is  regarded  as  the  best  preventive  means. 
Culturally  a  dry  condition  of  the  fruit  is  the  best  safeguard  against  the 
disease. 
name  of  Passion  Flower  from  Leaves  and  Description  (W.  (?.). — 
The  leaves  and  shoot  accord  with  those  of  Passiflora  princeps,  syn. 
P.  racemosa  of  botanists,  the  P.  racemosa  of  gardeners  and  nursery¬ 
men  being  a  variety  of  the  blue  flowered  Passion  Flower,  and  known  as 
Passiflora  crerulea  racemosa.  We  have  grown  it  for  over  thirty  years 
as  P.  princeps,  aLd  under  that  name  is  grown  by  most  nurserymen.  The 
flowers  ate  of  a  deep  red  or  scarlet  colour,  produced  in  terminal 
pendulous  racemes  of  considerable  length,  and  very  useful  for  cutting. 
It  flowers  very  freely  from  the  old  wood,  producing  several  racemes  of 
flowers  from  a  joint,  and  this  not  once  but  several  times,  so  that  the 
plant  is  seldom  out  of  flower.  It  does  best  planted  out,  the  roots  being 
partially  restricted,  and  a  depth  of  soil  not  exceeding  18  inches  over 
thorough  drainage  is  sufficient.  A  compost  of  three  parts  turfy  loam, 
one  part  fibrous  peat,  and  half  a  part  each  of  “  nuts  ”  charcoal  and 
sharp  sand  intermixed.  It  may  be  grown  in  large  pots  or  tubs.  The 
growths  should  be  trained  thinly  and  near  the  glass,  we  training  the 
shoots  to  the  roof  wires  beneath  the  rafters,  and  have  racemes  for 
cutting  almost  the  year  round,  often  at  the  dullest  period  of  the  year. 
As  it  flowers  from  the  old  wood  far  better  than  the  young,  we  retain 
a  large  percentage  of  the  stems  or  bianchts,  cutting  the  young  away  to 
a  few  joints,  having  no  more  young  growths  than  sufficient  to  render 
the  rafters  pleasing  to  the  eye,  as  the  scarlet  racemes  borne  from  the 
joints  of  the  wood  one  year  old  and  older  are  of  most  importance  and 
finest.  It  requires  a  stove  temperature,  being  a  native  of  Brazil.  A 
plant  may  be  procured  of  any  of  the  principal  nurserymen,  such  as 
Messrs.  Jas.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Royal  Exotic  Nursery,  King’s  Road,  Chelsea, 
London,  S.W. 
Shrub  Affeoted  with  a  Peculiar  Fungoid  Disease  (Torquay). — The 
young  shoots  of  the  shrub,  evidently  the  narrow. leaved  Alaternus 
(Rbamnus  Alaternus  angustifolius),  are  affected  by  the  aecidium  form  of 
the  fungus  named  in  the  final  stage  Puccinia  coronata,  which  produces 
a  rust  on  cereals,  being  frequently  met  with  on  Whe*t,  Barley,  Rye, 
Oats,  and  many  wild  Grasses.  The  aecidium  form,  JEcidium  Rhamni, 
produces  peculiar  rich  golden  yellow  swellings,  or  cluster-cups,  on  the 
young  growths  (leaves  and  shoots)  of  various  species  of  Rhamnus, 
including  R.  catharticus,  R.  Frangula,  and,  in  your  case,  the  first  to  our 
notice,  R.  Alaternus.  The  orange,  or  rich  golden  yellow,  spores  of  this 
infest  cereals  and  wild  Grasses,  and  give  rise  to  rust,  or  the  uredospore 
condition,  the  spores,  also  yellow,  being  produced  in  pustules  on  the 
upper  surface  of  the  leaves,  less  frequently  on  the  leaf-sheath,  culm, 
and  chaff  ;  the  fiual,  or  telentospore,  pustules  or  sori  are  black,  minute, 
and  often  form  irregular  rings.  These  telentospores,  or  Puccinia 
coronata,  so  called  because  the  apex  of  the  telentospore  is  ornamented 
with  a  varying  number  of  blunt  projections,  survive  the  winter,  then 
push  pro-mycelium,  and  produce  spores,  which  infect  the  leaves, 
sometimes  the  flowers  and  fruit,  of  various  species  of  Buckthorn, 
Rhamnus,  and  the  cluster-cups,  or  JEcidium  Rhamni,  appears,  as  in  the 
case  of  your  specimens.  The  cause,  therefore,  is  the  fungus.  As 
regards  remedy,  the  only  one  likely  to  be  of  any  real  service  is  to  cut 
off  the  affected  shoots  before  the  cluster-cups  have  the  aocidiospores 
mature,  and  burn  them,  for  if  left  until  they  shed  a  golden  dust  there 
is  almost  certain  recurrence  of  the  disease.  Removing  the  cereals  and 
Grasses  on  which  the  Puccinia  coronata  occurs  is  not  practicable,  and  it 
is  only  right  to  say  that  this  occurs  where  there  are  not  any  plants  of 
Rbamnus  within  many  miles  of  the  infested  cereals  and  Grasses,  so 
that  the  iEcidium  Rhamni  may  possibly  act  independently,  though 
fungologistB  are  “  dead  ”  against  that  being  possible.  In  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture,  vol.  ix.,  third  series,  page  40,  Mr.  Graham  gives  an 
account  of  successful  treatment  of  a  similar  fungus  affecting  Gooseberry 
bushes.  He  says  : — “  I  gave  the  ground  amongst  the  bushes  a  liberal 
dressing  with  lime  in  the  autumn,  and  syringed  over  them  a  compound 
of  alum  1  drachm  ;  tobacco  essence,  2  drachms  ;  flowers  of  sulphur, 
i  oz.;  common  salt,  f  oz.,  all  mixed  in  3  gallons  of  rain  water;  this  was 
done  twice  beLre  the  expanding  of  the  leaves,  and  again  as  soon  as  the 
fruit  was  fairly  set,  and  my  Gooseberry  bushes  are  now  free  from  all 
traces  of  the  fungus.”  Perhaps  the  treatment  may  answer  also  in  the 
case  of  the  Alaternus ;  or  the  shrub  may  be  sprayed  with  potassium 
sulphide  solution,  1  oz.  to  2£  gallons  of  water  :  1,  as  soon  as  the  leaves 
unfold;  2,  in  ten  days  or  a  fortnight  after  the  first  application;  and 
3,  a  third  spraying  in  fourteen  or  twenty -one  days  after  the  second. 
Nectarines  Splitting  at  Stone  and  Dropping  before  Ripe  (T.  0.). — 
This  is  a  very  perplexing  matter,  and  is  peculiar  to  some  varieties, 
others,  under  an  identity  of  circumstances,  being  quite  free  from  the 
defect.  The  late  Mr.  Thomas  Rivers  attributed  splitting  at  the  stone  to 
imperfect  fertilisation,  and  advised  cross-fertilisation,  or  taking  pollen 
from  another  variety  and  carefully  applying  it  to  the  flowers  of  the 
tree  liable  to  split  at  the  stone.  This  has  been  attended  with  good 
results  in  some  cases,  not  in  all,  for  where  it  occurs  in  slight  degree  we 
have  found  lifting  the  tree  and  replanting  in  firm  soil,  so  as  to  insure  a 
thorough  solidification  of  the  fruit  in  all  its  stages  of  growth,  the  most 
satisfactory,  as  the  trees  most  subject  to  splitting  are  generally 
vigorous  in  growth  and  swell  the  fruit  largely  at  the  second  swelling. 
In  some  oases  the  defect  is  purely  constitutional,  and  in  such  instances 
it  is  advisable  to  remove  it  and  plant  another  in  its  stead  of  a  variety 
not  found  to  split  at  the  stone  under  similar  circumstances. 
Leucadendron  argenteum  Growing  in  an  ordinary  Greenhouse 
( T .  G.  S.). — Yes,  the  Wittebrcom  or  Silver  Tree  of  the  Cape  colonists 
may  be  grown  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse,  warmed  in  winter,  it  being 
a  native  of  Southern  Africa.  A  very  handsome  tree,  too  rarely  seen  in 
cultivation,  for  though  the  yellow  flowers  produced  in  terminal  heads 
are  of  very  little  beauty,  the  closely  set  leaves,  lanceolate,  4  to  6  inches 
long,  and  1  inch  broad,  are  of  a  very  beautiful  silvery  white.  These,  in 
the  dried  state,  are  imported,  and  largely  used  in  the  making  of  wreaths, 
Ac.  It  attains  a  height  of  15  feet  or  more,  therefore  requires  a  rather 
lofty  house.  Cycas  revoluta  has  “  fits  ”  of  growth,  sometimes  not 
throwing  up  fronds,  and  then  does  so  freely  after  resting  a  year  or  two. 
It  is  a  native  of  China,  and  does  well  in  either  a  stove,  greenhouse,  or 
conservatory  ;  indeed,  old  plants  are  very  fine  for  sub-tropical  gardening, 
placing  in  a  warm  and  sheltered  position,  where  it  may  remain  from 
May  till  September.  We  do  not  recognise  the  plant  by  the  leaves, 
though  they  probably  belong  to  a  Sumach,  they  resembling  those  of 
Rhus  coriaria,  a  shrub  or  low  tree. 
Apricots  Going  Rotten  on  the  Trees  (A.  T.  J.). — The  fruits  are 
affected  by  the  brown  rot  of  fruit,  Monilia  fructigena.  The  fungus 
attacks  Apples,  Apricots,  Cherries,  Nectarines,  Peaohes,  Pears,  and 
Plums,  and  is  one  of  the  commonest  and  most  widely  distributed 
of  moulds  against  which  the  fruit  grower  has  to  contend.  To  the 
casual  observer  it  is  best  known  on  the  fruit,  but  it  occurs  on  the  young 
shoots,  leaves,  and  even  the  flowers.  On  the  leaves  it  forms  thin 
velvety  patches,  consisting  of  chains  of  conidia  or  spores,  and  these 
falling  on  fruit  infect  it,  and  decay  sets  in,  usually  in  the  case  of  stone 
frnit  at  the  apex.  Decay  proceeds  to  a  certain  extent,  and  the  frnit 
becomes  shrivelled.  Numerous  blackish  sclerotia  are  formed  in  the 
diseased  fruit,  which  on  the  return  of  spring  bear  a  crop  of  spores, 
whioh  on  the  young  leaves  infect  them,  and  a  recurrence  of  the  disease 
ensues.  All  diseased  fruits  should,  therefore,  be  collected  and  burned, 
and  the  trees  sprayed  with  a  solution  of  copper  sulphate,  1  oz.  to 
1£  gallon  of  water,  in  early  spring  before  the  buds  expand,  and  after 
the  buds  expand  with  ammoniaoal  solution  of  copper  carbonate, 
repeating  as  soon  as  the  fruit  is  fairly  set,  and  once  or  twice  at  intervals 
of  a  fortnight.  As  this  is  poisonous,  and  green  Apricots  used  for  tarts, 
sulphide  of  potassium  solution,  1  oz.  to  6  gallons,  may  be  used  instead, 
there  not  being  the  same  objection  to  its  use  outdoors  as  under  glass. 
It  is  not  advisable  to  use  copper  solutions  late  on  the  fruit,  as  this 
remains  more  or  less,  and  may  prove  dangerous  unless  washed  off.  The 
Apple  appears  to  be  Beauty  of  Bath. 
- <♦#.) - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Cblswlclc. — Taken  in  the 
Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens — height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
o 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
1 
' 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
© 
-I  i 
1901. 
rection 
Wind. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
Bain. 
At 
At  i 
At 
J  a  a 
August. 
s 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
Highest 
Lowest. 
1-ft. 
deep. 
2- ft. 
deep. 
4-ft. 
deep. 
H 
Sunday  ..11 
s.s.w. 
deg. 
63’0 
deg. 
66-0 
deg. 
70-2 
deg. 
462 
Ins. 
0-05 
deg. 
66-6 
deg. 
64  3 
deg. 
60-4 
deg. 
37-3 
Monday..  12 
S.  S.W. 
60-9 
662 
68-2 
62'2 
0  01 
65-5 
64 ‘2 
60 ’4 
44-4 
Tuesday  13 
S.W. 
63‘8 
56-0 
71-6 
51-5 
— 
63'9 
63‘8 
60  4 
42'8 
Wed’sday  14 
S.W. 
70'4 
61-6 
70-8 
670 
0-33 
65  "3 
63 '5 
60*6 
5lO 
Thursday  15 
S.W. 
64’2 
60-2 
71-0 
57-5 
0T2 
64-5 
63'3 
60‘5 
64"3 
Friday  . .  16 
w. 
62  7 
62-7 
71-0 
52-5 
— 
64-0 
63“2 
60‘5 
49'6 
Saturday  17 
S.W. 
66-9 
67-9 
72-5 
469 
— 
63  5 
63*2 
60 '4 
42 '2 
Means  .. 
64-6 
57-1 
70-7 
520 
Total 
0’51 
|  647 
636 
60-4 
45  9 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  dull  weather  during  the  past  weak», 
with  a  fair  quantity  of  rain  on  14th  and  15tb. 
