January  12,  1S99. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
37 
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be  desired  on  any  particular  subject  from  any  particular 
authority  who  may  be  named,  endeavour  will  be  made  to  obtain 
it  by  the  Editor.  Letters  of  inquiry  must  be  accompanied  by 
the  names  and  addresses  of  the  writers,  but  these  will  neither  be 
published  nor  disclosed  when  initials  or  nom  de  plumes  are  given 
for  the  purpose  of  replies. 
Correspondents  should  not  mix  up  on  the  same  sheet  questions  relating 
to  Gardening  and  those  on  Bee  subjects,  and  it  is  convenient  when 
each  question  is  written  on  a  separate  sheet.  All  articles  intended 
for  insertion  should  be  written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only  ;  and 
the  name  and  address  of  each  writer  must  be  known  by  the 
Editor,  though  not  necessarily  for  insertion.  We  cannot,  as  a 
rule,  reply  to  questions  through  the  post,  and  we  do  not  under¬ 
take  to  return  communications  which,  for  any  reason,  cannot 
be  inserted. 
Vines  in  Outside  Borders  (-S'.  B.).  —  We  should  await  a  season’s 
experience  before  talcing  any  strong  action.  Somewhat  old  Vines  in  out¬ 
side  borders  often  succeed  very  well  without  lifting,  though  when  confined 
to  limited  areas  this  may  often  be  done  with  advantage.  We  should 
encourage  more  lateral  growth  so  as  to  strengthen  the  Vines,  but  only  so  far 
as  it  can  be  done  by  full  exposure  of  the  foliage  to  light,  then  you  would 
get  better  bearing  wood  and  plumper  buds.  If  pruning  has  not  been  done 
leave  a  bud  or  two  more  than  in  the  orthodox  method.  Apply  a  top¬ 
dressing  of  some  approved  Vine  fertiliser  now,  and  feed  liberally  during 
the  growing  season,  but  above  all  things  avoid  making  the  soil  sodden, 
and  mulch  lightly  in  advance  of  droughty  weather. 
Neapolitan  Violet  Leaves  Diseased  ( W.). — Yes,  we  can  tell  you  that 
the  spotted  and  curled-up  appearance  of  the  leaves  is  caused  by  a  di.sease 
in  the  plants,  a  parasitic  fungus,  Peronospora  Viol®,  which  has  been 
unusually  prevalent  this  season,  especially  in  localities  that  suffered  in 
the  summer  from  drought.  This  is  a  characteristic  of  the  parasite,  the 
weather  following  the  dry  period,  being  moist,  inducing  soft  young 
leaves  upon  which  the  spores  germinate  and  enter  with  great  rapidity, 
causing  the  spots  and  collapse.  It  also  affects  the  flower  buds,  causing 
them  to  damp  off  or  dry  up.  We  have  not  found  anything  to  act  bettor 
than  removing  the  worst  affected  leaves  and  burning  them,  then  sprinkle 
dust  charcoal  freely  over  the  plants  and  bed.  The  charcoal  seems  to 
dry  the  moisture  and  benefit  the  plants.  We  have  also  used  a  mixture  of 
freshly  burned  chalk  lime,  ground  to  a  powder,  and  flowers  of  sulphur  in 
equal  parts,  dusting  over  the  plants  very  lightly  by  means  of  a  sulphur 
duster,  or  improvised  article  formed  of  an  old  worsted  stocking.  The 
disease  appears  to  die  out  as  the  days  get  longer  and  the  weather 
brightens.  It  is  favoured  by  a  dull  and  moist  condition  of  the  atmosphere, 
and  especially  by  fogs. 
Corrosive  Sublimate  Solution  for  Eelworm  (P.  W.). — Corrosive  sub¬ 
limate  solution  1  oz.  to  6^  gallons  of  water,  is  quite  sufficient  to  kill 
eelworms,  or  any  other  micro-organism,  if  the  infested  plants  are 
subjected  to  it  for  one  and  half  hour.  Flower-pots  would  be  “  disin¬ 
fected”  by  one  part  of  the  poison  to  300  parts  water;  but  we  do 
not  advise  it,  as  the  pots  will  hold  a  considerable  quantity  of  the  solution, 
and  would  not  be  over-safe  to  handle.  Why  not  scald  the  pots  in  a  tub 
with  boiling  water  ?  No  eelworms  will  stand  that,  and  while  being  quite 
safe  would  answer  your  purpose.  Certainly  half  a  pound  nitrate  of  soda  to 
1  gallon  of  water  will  kill  eelworms— we  are  not  sure  about  eggs— in 
soil,  not,  of  course,  containing  any  growing  plants.  We  found  2  ozs.  to 
the  gallon  of  water  kill  eelworms  in  soil,  and  even  1  oz.  to  the  gallon,  the 
former  in  about  forty  minutes  and  the  latter  in  nearly  four  hours. 
Kainit,  however,  acts  more  promptly  and  effectively  ;  but  many  preventives 
and  remedies  fail  through  their  not  being  used  thoroughly,  so  as  to  reach 
the  eelworms.  Besides,  kainit  is  only  about  one-fourth  the  cost  of  nitrate 
of  soda,  and  there  need  not  be  any  difference  in  the  amount  supplied. 
Boiling  water  in  actual  contact  with  eelworms  will  kill  them,  and  we 
suspect  cook  the  eggs  too.  Our  correspondent  says,  “Your  readers 
maj'  be  glad  to  know  that  we  find  ‘  fostite  ’  to  be  the  best  powder  for 
mildew  or  rust  on  Chrysanthemums,  or  disease  on  Tomatoes.  We 
distribute  it  with  the  ‘Malbec’  bellows,  and  its  exceeding  fineness 
makes  it  adhere  well  to  foliage  and  prove  economical  in  use.”  It  has  been 
advertised  in  our  columns. 
Deformed  Mushrooms ( ^T.  C.). — The  fine  fleshy  Mushrooms  are  infested 
by  a  fungus,  Icaria  intricata,  but  there  arc  also  traces  of  I.  citrina.  It 
affects  the  gills,  where  the  reproductive  organs  are  located,  and  destroying 
those  parts,  the  Mushrooms  cease  growing  and  dry  up.  We  have  known 
the  crops  of  Mushrooms  rendered  useless  by  the  pest ;  generally,  however, 
it  affects  them  in  patches  here  and  there.  In  some  seasons  it  proved 
very  troublesome,  and  then  would  disappear  for  years.  The  best 
preventive  of  the  disease  spreading  was  found  in  keeping  a  sharp  look¬ 
out,  and  promptly  removing  any  Mushrooms  that  remained  stationary  and 
had  mouldy  gills,  burning  them.  Possibly  the  disease  occurs  through 
the  Mushrooms  not  having  a  due  supply’  of  chlorine,  and  benefit  has 
resulted  from  the  use  of  a  little  common  salt  in  watering,  1  oz.  to  a  gallon 
of  water,  not  using  it  over  the  “buttons.”  The  Mushrooms  are  not 
suitable  for  culinary  use,  being  too  dry,  and  probably’  not  wholesome, 
but  upon  that  point  we  have  no  experience,  as  we  never  troubled  the  cook 
with  them— almost  for  certain  rejection. 
Climbers  for  Back  Wall  and  Ends  of  Greenhouse  (.S',  B.  Y.). — We 
presume  the  roof  of  the  span  with  ends  facing  east  and  west  is  partly 
covered  with  climbers  in  the  usual  way — that  is,  a  plant  to  each  rafter  — 
and  the  growths  so  disposed  as  to  afford  some  light  to  the  plants  beneath, 
so  that  a  considerable  amount  of  light  will  fall  on  the  back  wall.  Then 
the  following  will  be  suitable  ; — Hibbertia  dentata,  yellow  ;  Lapageria 
alba,  white  ;  L.  rosea,  rose  ;  Lonicera  semperflorens  minor,  scarlet  and 
yellow,  sweet  scented  ;  Plumbago  capensis,  blue  ;  and  Rhychospermum 
(Trachelospermum)  jasminoides,  white,  sweet  scented.  As  the  first  named 
has  unpleasantly  scented  flowers,  to  which  some  persons  object,  ycu  may 
have  Proustia  pyrifolia,  white,  instead  if  considered  advisable.  If  the 
back  w'all  bo  very  much  shaded  you  will  be  best  served  by  Camellias, 
which  do  splendidly  and,  notwithstanding  the  fashion  against  them  just 
now,  are  the  “queen”  of  the  greenhouse  in  winter.  For  the  ends 
Jasminura  azoricum,  white  ;  J.  gracile  (simplicifolium)  var.  De  Poiteau, 
white.  The  latter  should  be  given  the  warm  end  of  the  house.  If  you 
want  a  yellow  J.  odoratissimum  would  be  suitable. 
Chrysanthemums  for  Christmas  {W.  B.), — Little’s  soluble  phenyle  can 
be  procured  from  Messrs.  Little  &  Son,  Doncaster,  who  are  the  makers. 
In  regard  to  a  supply  of  good  white  Chrysanthemums  at  Christmas,  the 
contributor  to  whom  you  appeal  writes,  “I  can  confidently  state  that 
there  is  really’  no  great  difficulty  in  securing  them.  In  the  Midlands  the 
seasons  are  fully  ten  days  later  than  in  the  South,  so  that  by  following 
the  same  general  course  of  treatment  such  a  variety  as  Niveus,  which  you 
state  was  over  with  you  by  the  second  week  in  December,  would  by  a 
little  attention  to  retarding,  be  in  full  beauty  at  Christmas  in  the 
Iilidlands.  We  had  a  good  number  of  this  variety  in  48’s,  which  were 
all  sold  in  the  pots,  on  December  2-lth,  The  cuttings  were  inserted 
during  the  first  week  of  April,  stopped  when  they  were  about  6  inches 
in  height,  and  then  allowed  to  grow  at  will.  The  mild  autumn  gave 
us  the  opportunity  of  leaving  the  plants  in  the  open  air  till  the  third  week 
in  October  ;  they  were  then  placed  in  a  late  vinery,  and  received  just 
enough  fire  heat  to  exclude  frost  and  damp.  Larger  plants  for  supplying 
cut  flowers  were  produced  from  cutlings  inserted  in  January,  and  stopped 
as  required  till  the  second  week  in  July.  The  whole  of  the  flowers  from 
these  were  cut  during  the  last  two  weeks  of  December.  Princess  Victoria 
and  Lady  Canning  naturally  flower  later  than  Niveus.  By  inserting 
cuttings  of  these  at  the  present  time  we  have  no  doubt  they  may’  be 
flowered  during  the  last  two  weeks  of  December,  and  well  into  January 
anywhere  in  the  South.  lYe  have  plenty’  of  both  varieties  whose 
flowers  will  not  be  fully  expanded  till  a  fortnight  hence.” 
Apples,  Pears,  and  Plums  for  Appearance  (•/.  A),— Your  beautiful 
listrict,  so  far  as  we  have  seen,  does  not  appear  favourable  for  hardy  fruits 
of  the  nature  indicated,  and  this  is,  we  apprehend,  the  reason  of  the 
generally  high  prices  that  we  have  observed  in  the  shops.  The  atmosphere 
may  be  too  humid  for  the  maturation  of  the  wool,  and  the  trees  cannot 
have  the  thorough  winter’s  rest  that  is  so  good  for  them  in  the  absence  of 
anything  like  severe  frost.  IVe  think  you  will  find  interest  in  variety, 
and  noting  the  climatic  effects  on  such  as  those  we  will  name.  In  no  other 
way  can  you  find  the  special  adaptability  of  certain  varieties  for  the 
positions  in  which  you  desire  the  trees  to  flourish.  We  strongly  advise 
that  they  be  thinly  trained,  or  the  branches  thinly  disposed,  and  if  there 
is  a  tendency  to  luxuriance  in  any  or  all  of  them,  to  dig  up  and  rep'ant 
biennially,  or  as  the  nature  of  the  growth  suggests,  until  a  sturdy,  fruitful 
habit  is  induced.  The  soil  should  be  firm,  but  only  making  it  so  when  in 
a  moderately  dry  state,  as  any  serious  amount  of  compression  when  very 
wet  is  injurious.  If  it  is  deficient  in  calcareous  matter,  basic  slag  applied 
at  the  rate  of  A  lb.  or  more  per  square  yard  of  surface,  and  mixed  in  to  the 
depth  of  a  foot,  would  be  likely  to  act  beneficially.  The  following  are 
worth  trying  :  Apples  for  BUSHES — Dessert  .-—September  Beauty,  Lady 
Sudeley,  Worcester  Pearmain.  Dessert  or  culinary  of  Olden¬ 
burg,  Cardinal,  Cox’s  Pomona,  Gascoyne’s  Seedling.  Cw/iaar?/ .--Cellini, 
Yorkshire  Beauty,  Golden  Noble,  Emperor  Alexander,  The  Queen.  Apples 
for  WALL  CORDONS — Dessert: — Red  Astrachan,  American  Mother, 
Allington  Pippin,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Scarlet  Nonpareil.  Deswt  or 
cdinan/.-— Washington,  Wealthy,  Buckingham,  Lewis’s  Incomparable, 
King  of  Tomkin’s  County.  Culinary : -Bismarck,  Beauty  ot  Kent. 
Brabant  Bellefleur,  Warner’s  King.  PEARS  for  bushes  .-—Beacon,  Madame 
Treyve,  Emile  d’Heyst,  Beurre  Clairgeau.  Pears  for  cordons  against 
wall  -.  Souvenir  du  Congres,  Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey,  Durondeau,  Doyenne 
du  Comice,  and  Pitmaston  Duchess.  PLUMS  for  bushes  .--Belgian  Rurple, 
Victoria,  Prince  Engelbert,  Washington,  Monarch.  Plums  for  cordons 
against  walls  :—Denniston’s  Superb,  De  Montfort,  Early  Transparetl 
Gage,  Jefferson,  Kirke’s  and  Coe’s  Golden  Drop. 
