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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  29,  1901 
m 
“lBHere  is  the  Exliibition  ?  ” 
I  think  if  secretaries  of  shows  when  inserting  the  date,  &o.,  of  their 
meetings  would  at  the  same  time  name  the  county  or  large  town  the 
place  is  near,  it  would  be  a  great  boon  to  exhibitors,  as  in  many 
instances,  although  I  have  an  atlas,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  whether  the 
place  is  north  or  south,  far  or  near,  and  therefore  don’t  know  whether 
it  is  worth  while  to  enter  or  not. — F.  G. 
[Our  correspondent  is  not  the  only  one  who  has  made  a  similar 
complaint,  and  letters  asking  “  Where  is  the  Exhibition  ? "  are 
continually  reoeived  by  us. — Ed.] 
Rust  oij  Grapes. 
I  lately  saw  a  curious  instance  of  rusted  Grapes,  one  or  two  facts 
in  connection  with  which  are  worthy  of  note.  The  vinery  in  which 
these  Grapes  are  growing  is  a  small  lean. to,  ventilated  by  means  of 
sliding  sashes  in  front,  and  on  the  upper  half  of  the  roof  by  movable 
lights,  which  slide  down  and  are  pulled  up  by  ropes.  The  house 
contains  two  Vines,  managed  on  the  extension  system ;  one  is  a  Black 
Hamburgh,  and  the  other  a  Black  Prince.  Both  are  carrying  a  heavy 
crop,  both  are  alike  vigorous,  and  here  the  similarity  ceases  ;  for  with 
but  one  slight  exception  the  foliage  and  fruit  of  the  Black  Prinoe  are 
perfectly  healthy  and  free  from  any  disease,  while  the  Black  Hamburgh 
is  diseased  both  in  fruit  and  foliage.  The  backs  or  under  sides  of  all 
the  leaves  developed  in  the  earlier  stages  of  its  growth  are  covered  with 
warts,  and  almost  the  whole  of  the  fruit  is  regularly  encrusted  with 
rust,  and  yet  although  so  severely  affected,  the  fruit  has  continued  to 
swell;  but  so  unsightly  is  the  effect  produced  by  the  rust  that  hardly 
a  bunch  will  be  fit  to  send  to  table.  The  foliage  of  the  sub-laterals  is 
perfectly  healthy,  so  that  it  is  quite  evident  the  diseased  foliage  does 
not  arise  from  any  debility  of  the  Vine,  but  from  external  causes.  The 
disease  of  the  foliage  is  doubtless  caused  by  its  being  subjected  to  the 
action  of  a  close  warm  temperature  saturated  with  moisture,  and  that 
of  the  fruit  in  this  case  by  a  sudden  change  in  the  temperature  of  the 
house  during  setting,  in  consequence  of  which  the  cuticle  (peculiarly 
sensitive  at  that  period  of  its  growth)  became  affeoted,  and  the  rust 
has  gradually  spread  till  it  has  almost  covered  the  entire  surface  of  the 
berries.  Slight  traces  of  rust  visible  on  a  few  berries  of  Black  Prince 
at  the  top  of  the  house,  right  under  the  part  at  which  the  cold  air  must 
have  entered,  tend  to  lead  one  to  the  above  conclusion,  as  with  this 
slight  exception  the  Black  Prince  Vine  is  entirely  free  from  disease ; 
its  tougher  cuticle  and  more  hardy  constitution  apparently  enabling  it 
to  withstand  the  effects  of  a  treatment  which  has  proved  so  fatal  to  the 
crop  of  its  more  delicate  neighbour. — E.  L.,  Kent. 
limited  to  a  plant  or  two,  not  to  be  too  anxious  for  seed.  One  pod 
on  a  healthy  plant  is  quite  sufficient,  as  seeding  retards  the  autumn 
growth  and  reoovery  after  the  labour  of  flowering. — Frederick 
Symons,  Co.  Dublin. 
Delias  at  %  Crystal  Palace. 
At  the  popular  horticultural  exhibition  of  the  Agricultural  and 
Horticultural  Association,  Limited,  which  was  held  on  August  16th 
and  17th  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  the  Dahlia  classes  formed  a  feature 
of  some  interest,  chiefly  because  they  were  thus  in  the  competition  for 
the  first  time  in  the  present  season.  The  newer  types  of  Cactus 
Dahlias  are  very  beautiful  subjects  indeed,  and  before  anyone  can 
stage  a  collection  of  two  dozeo,  or  even  one  dozen,  meritorious  bloomB 
worthy  of  obtaining  first  honours  in  the  larger  competitions,  a  few 
years  of  probationary  experience  are  required.  The  stands  shown  in 
the  illustration  (kindly  lent  by  the  above  Association)  represent  those  of 
Mr.  H.  A.  Needs,  and  Mr.  W.  Baxter,  the  chief  winners  (first  and 
second  respectively)  for  twelve  Cactus  Dahlias.  The  illustration 
shows  that  plenty  of  space  is  allowed  between  the  blooms,  and  also 
that  their  best  points  are  fully  shown  by  the  blooms  being  well  and 
boldly  set  up  on  the  stands.  Mention  of  these  exhibits  was  made  in 
our  report  of  the  show  upon  page  158  of  our  issue  of  last  week. 
- 4.®.* - 
Peach  Grosse  Hfignonne. 
The  illustration  upon  page  205  represents  a  heavily  cropped  Peach 
tree,  as  grown  by  Mr.  D.  Paxton  at  Hitchin  Grange,  Taplow.  The 
variety  is  Grosse  Mignonne,  and  was  planted  twenty-one  years  ago, 
when  Mr.  Paxton  first  took  charge  of  this  garden.  During  this  period 
n  has  never  been  known  to  fail  in  carrying  a  good  crop  of  fruit. 
Last  year  over  250  fruit  was  gathered  from  it.  It  may  be  mentioned 
mat  the  Peach  border  is  5  ft.  wide,  having  been  made  of  loam,  with 
dd  mortar  rubble  worked  in  with  it,  no  drainage  being  used  on  account 
of  the  gravelly  bottom.  The  wall  is  about  12  feet  high,  with  a  west 
aspect ;  most  of  the  trees  have  covered  the  wall,  and  are  now  pruned 
on  the  spur  system  as  much  as  possible.  Attention  is  given  to  the  trees 
as  regards  summer  pinching  and  thinning  out.  As  mentioned  in  a 
previous  issue,  the  garden  being  on  a  slope  it  is  necessary  to  make  a 
circle  round  each  tree  before  watering;  but  having  a  good  supply  of 
water  near  at  hand  and  plenty  of  liquid  manure  from  the  cow  sheds 
this  difficulty  is  overcome.  To  this  supply  of  manure  Mr.  Paxton 
attributes  much  of  his  success  in  fruit  growing,  with  a  free  use  of 
the  syringe  in  the  afternoon,  seldom  being  troubled  with  any  insect 
pests  excepting  earwigs,  which  are  at  times  very  troublesome.  No 
protection  whatever  is  afforded  the  trees  during  the  time  they  are  in 
bloom.— John  Botley. 
Disa  grandiflora  from  Seed. 
In  your  interesting  article  on  Disas,  p.  145,  August  15th,  I  see  no 
reference  or  assistance  as  to  raising  Disas  from  seed.  Taking  Disa 
grandiflora  as  an  instance,  the  seed  should  be  sown  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe; 
but  if  that  does  not  happen  until  late  in  autumn  it  would  be  safer  to 
postpone  the  sowing  until  the  following  September  or  the  last  week  of 
August.  There  are  t«o  modes  of  sowing  the  seed,  each  of  which  has 
its  advocates.  One  of  them  consists  in  sowing  on  living  sphagnum 
in  a  pot  or  pan.  The  moss  must  be  kept  always  moist,  and  this  may 
be  effected  by  constant  and  very  gentle  dewings,  as  the  danger  of  a 
regular  wateriug  as  ordinarily  understood  is  that  the  seed  would  be 
washed  down  too  deeply.  The  other  plan  is  to  sow  on  a  sod  of  turf, 
as  we  call  it  in  Ireland,  or  hard  peat,  as  you  would  probably  under¬ 
stand  it — I  mean  the  peat  as  prepared  for  fuel.  Let  it  be  well  soaked 
in  water.  Sow  the  seed  thickly  on  itB  upper  surfaoe.  Cover  all  with 
a  bellglass,  and  place  it  in  a  cool,  damp,  and  shady  place.  The  turf 
must  never  become  dry,  but  the  spraying  of  water  must  be  of  the 
gentlest,  description.  A  good  plan  for  watering  very  fine  seeds  is  to 
dip  a  stiff-haired  brush  in  water  and  to  draw  the  hand  briskly 
against  it  at  suoh  a  distance  as  that  ODly  the  finest  dew  reaches  the 
seed. 
When  the  seedlings  appear  they  must  have  more  air.  When  they 
can  be  handled  they  should  be  pricked  off  into  small  par  s,  or  into 
pots  not  less  than  4  inches  in  diameter.  The  compost  for  the  seedlings 
for  the  fiist  two  years  should  be  somewhat  similar  to  that  for 
nia'ure  plants,  only  that  the  peat  should  be  considerably  finer  for  an 
inch  or  two  on  the  Burface,  and  a  mnoh  larger  proportion  of  silver 
sand  is  neoessary.  The  after  treatment  as  regards  ventilation,  situation, 
and  water  is  similar  to  that  for  established  plants. 
While  I  am  on  this  subject  I  would  warn  persons  whose  stock  is 
“Waste  Not,  Want  Not.” 
( Concluded Jrom  page  175.) 
There  were  now  loud  calls  for  Mr.  Vine,  who  rose  and  said,  that 
“  no  one  rejoiced  more  than  he  did  at  this  important  meeting.  With 
all  his  education  and  training  at  Hampton  Court,  still  he  was  no 
orator.  You  are  all  well  aware,”  he  said,  “  that  our  family,  for  many 
years,  was  half  poisoned  by  lumps  of  garbage  (hear,  hear),  until  I 
made  it  ki  own,  many  years  ago,  that  I  had  found  capital  tood  in  a 
large  sewer,  which  I  discovered  near  me.  I  do  not  care  what  soil  I 
am  grown  in,  so  long  as  I  get  plenty  of  rich  liquid  (hear,  hear).  I  am 
quite  convinced  of  the  great  utility  of  the  sediment  and  chaired  peat 
mixed.  I  am  quite  concerned  to  he~r  that  the  sewage  of  London  is 
thrown  into  the  sea  ”  (much  cheering). 
Tne  Vice-President,  Mr.  Cabbage,  next  rose  and  said,  “that  he  was 
not  accustomed  to  speak,  being  more  in  the  field  ;  that  his  family  were 
mostly  dummies  (laughter).  I  beg  pardon,  I  moan  Drumheads 
(cheers).  You  may  expect  to  hear  much  from  me  ;  but  I  assure  you 
that  our  treatment  is  so  simple  in  the  Feltham  Fields,  that,  by  proper 
sowing,  proper  trenching,  with  plenty  of  manure,  we  are  always  good- 
hearted  (‘  hear,’  from  a  half-starved  Buckinghamshire  Turnip).  As 
I  understand  that  we  have  met  here  to-day  to  give  our  opinion  on 
the  possibility  of  converting  the  sewage  of  London  into  a  rich  manure 
with  the  Irish  charred  peat,  I,  for  one,  am  most  willing  to  bear 
testimony  to  its  goodness,  and  express  my  conviction  that  to  our 
country  friends  it  will  prove  a  great  boon,  and  I  advise  them  to  stir 
their  stumps  in  the  matter”  (great  cheering). 
His  Royal  Highness  the  Strawberry  wished  to  say  one  word  before 
this  meeting  separated.  “  My  family  are  well  known  to  you  all  (‘  hear, 
hear  ’).  It  matters  but  little  where  we  came  from — Chili,  Virginia,  or 
