JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  November  21,  1901. 
476 
A.l  C"i re»puijiience  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directe 
to  “  The  Editor,’’  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
Xiondon,  B.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privateh 
to  any  ol  our  correspondents,  seeking  Information  on  matter 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiabl 
trouble  an'1  expanse. 
HARDINESS  OF  ELH5AGNUS  REFLEXA  AND  BONA- 
PARTEA  ROBUSTA  (P.  A.  M.). — Elseagnus  glabra  (reflexa)  is  an 
evergreen  shrub,  wTith  ovate-oblong,  acuminate  leaves,  and 
bears  whitish  flowers,  sub-solitary  in  the  axils  of  the  leaves  in 
autumn.  It  grows  from  3ft  to  6ft  in  height,  and  is  a  native  of 
Japan.  In  all  but  cold  and  high  localities  it  is  hardy,  and  grows 
freely  in  any  ordinary  soil.  It  should,  however,  be  given  a 
.sheltered  situation,  with  a  warm  south  aspect,  especially  inland. 
Bonapartea  robusta  requires  a  greenhouse  and  preferably  a  warm 
one,  to  thrive  satisfactorily,  particular  care  being  necessary  in 
watering,  especially  when  at  rest. 
CANKER  IN  APPLE  TREES  (J.  T.  T.).— It  is  well  to  be 
■quite  certain  that  your  trees  are  cankered,  for  the  term  is  loosely 
applied.  It  is  now  pretty  generally  known  amongst  prac¬ 
titioners  that  canker  is  caused  by  a  fungoid  attack 
(Nectria  ditissima).  The  hyphse  of  the  fungus  may 
have  gone  far  up  and  down  the  wood  around  the  part 
where  the  “  canker  ”  is  concentrated,  and  to  effect  a 
complete  cure  is  difficult  or  impossible  for  a  long  time. 
You  can  spray  or  syringe  the  affected  part  with  a  solu¬ 
tion  of  sulphate  of  copper  (21b  sulphate  to  every  101b 
of  water).  Spray  several  times  during  winter,  and 
thoroughly  clean  off  the  worst  edges  and  parts  of  the 
cankered  gap.  Bum  these  prunings.  Pay  attention 
to  the  condition  of  the  roots,  and  allow  light  and  air 
to  have  full  effect  on  the  branches. 
DAHLIA  BOOK  (W.  R.). — We  will  give  you  full 
information  in  a  few  days. 
CREOSOTE  ON  WOODEN  FENCE  (B.  P.  J.).— 
There  is  nothing  in  tar  or  creosote,  when 
they  are  thoroughly  dried  on  wooden  fences,  to  harm 
either  the  branches  or  the  roots  of  plants  which  are 
trained  to  such  fence.  We  would  prefer  to  use  tar. 
TOMATO  BLIGHT  (W.  G.). — There  are  so  many 
forms  of  disease  termed  “  blight  ”  that  it  is  impos- 
siole,  in  the  absence  of  specimen,  to  determine  the 
nature  of  the  disease.  It  is  probably  leaf  rust, 
Cladosponum  fulvum,  which  produces  small  brown  spots  on  the 
young  leaves,  and  gradually  increases  in  size  until  the  greater 
part  of  the  surface  is  covered;  the  leaves  gradually  become 
blackish  brown,  shrivel,  and  die.  The  fruiting  parts  are  produced 
on  the  under  side  of  the  leaves,  and  correspond  with  the  dark 
patches,  being  of  a  rusty-brown  colour.  This  consists  of  closely 
packed,  sparingly  branched  clusters  of  coloured  conidiophores 
bearing  elliptical,  one-septate  conidia  at  their  tips,  and  these 
serve  to  spread  the  disease.  Spraying  with  dilute  potassium 
sulphide  solution,  or  with  dilute  Bordeaux  mixture,  will  check 
the  disease  if  resorted  to  sufficiently  early  and  repeated  at  short 
intervals,  spraying  upwards,  so  as  to  coat  the  under  side  of  the 
foliage  with  the  finest  possible  film  of  the  solution. 
CUTTINGS  OF  MAGNOLIA  GRANDIFLORA  (W.  W., 
Berks).— -Ihe  practice  you  propose  is  one  very  frequently  adopted 
by  all  who  rarse  hardy  shrubs  in  any  quantity.  Cuttings  of  the 
air  lipened  green  shoots,  with  a  heel  of  older  wood  attached,  may 
be  struck  under  glass  during  summer  months,  and  should  be 
grown  under  protection  and  well  rooted  before  being  planted  out. 
If  you  have  already  inserted  cuttings,  you  must  just  exercise 
care  m  not  allowing  them  to  damp  off.  A  bottom  heat  of 
ol)  degrees  is  sufficient. 
BOXES  COATED  INSIDE  WITH  GAS  TAR  (A.  H.).— If  the 
tar  was  allowed  to  become  thoroughly  dry,  or  be  absorbed  by  the 
wood  before  soil  was  put  in  the  boxes,  it  would  not  injure  the 
cuttings  more  than  had  the  boxes  been  coated  with  ordinary  lead 
paint.  The  roots,  however,  of  all  plants  do  not  like  tar,  and  we 
do  not  see  why  it  was  applied  to  the  inside  of  the  boxes.  After 
the  bqxes  have  been  used  some  time  the  tar  will  wear  off ;  but  if 
the  plants  will  not  grow  in  them  satisfactorily  you  have  no 
but  to  take  the  boxes  to  pieces  and  have  the  tar  planed 
oit.  We  think  this  will  be  unnecessary,  and  that  you  are  need¬ 
less  y  alarmed ;  for  what  we  said  of  gas  tar  had  no  relation  to 
such  work  as  yours.  It  related  to  an  entirely  different  subject; 
but  yet  no  plant  will  grow  wTell  in  a  tarred  tub  or  box. 
DISEASED  GRAPES  (W.  M.  C.).— They  are  “spotted,”  as 
gardeners  describe  ulceration  of  the  berry.  As  the  crop  is  very 
heavy,  the  disease  is  probably  caused  by  the  roots  not  being  able 
to  supply  sap  sufficient  to  maintain  healthy  growth.  The  berries 
were  too  bruised  to  enable  us  to  identify  the  variety.  The  roots 
are  probably  outside  and  too  cold. 
ALOCASIA  METALLICA  AND  LOWI  DRYING  OFF- 
NEPENTHES  DISTILLATORIA  (A  Sunderland  Amateur).— 
The  Alocasias  should  have  less  moisture,  less  heat,  and  no  more 
water  during  winter  than  is  necessary  to  keep  the  soil  barely  moist. 
The  temperature  named  is  quite  low  enough,  a  minimum  of 
65deg  being  most  suitable.  The  bottom  heat  is  right,  but  the 
saucers  of  water  ought  to  be  dispensed  with  at  this  season.  The 
soil  should  not  be  allowed  to  become  dust  dry,  nor  ought  the 
foliage  to  be  allowed  to  suffer  for  want  of  water.  A  rest  is 
essential  to  free  growth  next  season.  They  should  not  be  dried 
like  Caladiums,  but  still  rested  by  diminishing  the  atmospheric 
moisture,  heat,  and  supply  of  water  at  the  root.  They  will  do 
under  the  conditions  named  in  the  refuse  or  tan,  preference 
being  given  t-o  the  former.  The  Nepenthes  also  should  have  a 
rest,  and  it  will  do  under  the  same  conditions  as  the  Alocasias 
at  this  season.  In  winter  it  should  not  have  so  much  moisture, 
nor  heat,  as  when  growing. 
PLAN  FOR  A  ROSE  GARDEN  (Enthusiast). — The  accom¬ 
panying  plan  and  the  following  text  (which  have  been  furnished 
some  years  ago)  appear  to  meet  your  needs.  The  space  between 
the  beds  should  exceed  three  times  their  diameter,  it  being  a 
great  mistake  to  crowd  too  many  Rose  beds  on  a  lawn,  and  to 
have  them  of  fanciful  designs.  If  the  ends  of  the  beds  numbered 
12  and  13  are  scolloped,  a  round  bed  placed  next,  then  another 
Plan  of  a  Rose  Garden. 
arched  oblong,  then  a  round,  and  so  on,  the  series  will  look  very 
well.  The  beds  6  and  7  can  be  altered  in  shape  according  to 
your  taste  in  the  matter;  or,  indeed,  the  whole  arrangement  can 
be  modified  to  suit  the  nature  of  the  ground  or  other  circum¬ 
stances.  But  why  not  have  an  informal  Rose-dell,  wTith  pergolas 
leading  to  it,  and  clumps  of  Ramblers,  Wincuhianas,  and  beds  of 
Teas,  Chinas,  and  H.P.’s  grouped  near  by  P  Such  gardens  are 
the  most  delightful. 
REMEDY  FOR  MEALY  BUG  ON  VINES  (W.  G.).— The 
several  advertised  insecticides  are  fatal  to  mealy  bug  on  Vines 
when  applied  as  a  winter  dressing,  but  the  difficulty  is  to  reach 
the  insects  that  have  secreted  themselves  in  crevices  of  the 
Vines,  and  even  in  the  woodwork  of  the  house;  hence  the  recur¬ 
rence  of  the  attack  from  year  to  year  in  consequence  of  their 
escaping  the  dressing.  The  Vines,  after  pruning,  should  have 
the  loose  bark  removed,  taking  care  not  to>  peel  the  rods  so 
closely  as  to  damage  the  young  bark,  and  then  wash  them 
thoroughly  with  tepid  water  by  means  of  a  clean,  half-worn  paint¬ 
brush.  The  woodwork  of  the  house  should  be  thoroughly 
cleaned  with  hot  water,  softsoap,  and  a  brush,  the  walls  lime- 
washed,  and  the  loose  surface  soil  of  border  removed.  Then 
dr*ss  the  Vines  with  a  mixture  formed  as  follows :  Boil  £lb  of 
strongest  shag  tobacco  for  twenty  minutes  in  three  quarts  of 
water,  and  strain.  Place  in  a  vessel  lib  flowers  of  sulphur,  lib 
softsoap,  and  a  tablespoonful  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  with 
a  little  of  the  tobacco  water  whilst  quite  hot.  Work  the  whole 
into  a  paste,  and  when  they  have  been  well  mixed,  pour  gradually 
upon  it  the  remainder  of  the  boiling  tobacco  water,  stirring  the 
while,  and  then  dilute  to  2£  gallons  with  boiling  water.  The 
Vines  must  be  painted  all  over  with  this  mixture  when  cooled  to 
130  to  140  degrees,  and  sufficient  care  taken  to  avoid  in  any  way 
injuring  the  buds.  The  border  should  be  given  a  surface  dressing 
of  fresh  material.  In  case  the  mealy  bug  appears  another 
season,  carefully  vaporise  the  house  with  nicotine  compound, 
repeating  two  or  three  times  at  intervals  of  about  a  week. 
