72 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
January  26,  1S99. 
THE  ORPHAN  FUND  SECRETARYSHIP. 
I  HAVE  incidentally  learned  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  Committee 
'Of  the  Orphan  Fund  (but  I  do  not  know  whether  by  that  term  I  am  to 
understand  the  General  Committee,  or  the  sub-committee  charged  with 
the  duty  of  selection  from  the  many  candidates),  purpose  presentiner  to 
the  general  meeting  of  subscribers  next  month  one  name  only.  That 
•would  look  like  an  effort  to  rule  the  election  and  to  overawe  the  general 
meeting,  such  as  would  receive  and  merit  the  strongest  condemnation. 
When  a  selection  committee  finds  at  their  first  meeting  no  less  than 
twenty  candidates  worthy  of  roEcrvation  for  future  consideration,  it  is 
evident  that  there  must  be  many  eligible  ones  amongst  them.  If  even¬ 
tually  that  body  should  reduce  the  number  to  five  no  one  would  complain, 
provided  irrespective  of  all  personal  or  sectional  partiality.  If  five  be 
returned  as  eligible  by  the  selection  committee,  that  number  should  be 
placed  before  the  general  meeting  for  a  final  selection.  That  is  the 
course  taken  by  all  public  bodies,  and  should  bo  as  carefully  followed  in 
this  case. 
Most  certainly,  if  it  bo  attempted  to  gag  the  meeting  at  the  outset  by 
nominating  one  candidate  only  by  the  Committee  with  the  childish 
threat — too  utterly  contemptible  for  one  moment’s  consideration,  that 
if  the  Committee’s  nominee  be  not  elected  that  body  will  resign  — such 
■threat  will  be  treated  as  it  desert c.<,  and  the  fullest  eSort  will  be  made  to 
secure  a  contest,  that  the  subscribers  present  may  return  the  candidate  of 
their  choice. 
I  want  to  warn  subscribers  in  the  country  districts  that  unless  they 
make  a  big  effort  and  come  up  to  attend  the  meeting,  that  tho^e  sub¬ 
scribers  of  the  pure  gardening  element  present  will  find  themselves  quite 
•overborne  by  the  market  element  which  is  to  be  whipped  up  to  a  man  to 
vote  for  the  market  favourite  candidate.  Once  let  ihe  Fund  get  con¬ 
trolled  by  that  element,  and  true  gardeners  will  withdraw  from  it  whole¬ 
sale.  The  Fund  was  originated  in  the  interests  of  the  gardener  proper, 
and  not  in  that  of  a  wealthy  market  body.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
■the  general  meeting  will  be  a  very  large  one,  and  far  in  excess  ot  any 
that  have  preceded. 
The  gardening  element  have  in  the  running  several  first-class 
-candidates,  each  one  of  whom  is  worthy  of  confidence  and  support. 
The  Fund  is  without  doubt  passing  through  a  grave  crisis,  and  its  future, 
tor  prosperity  or  for  failure,  may  abso'.util3' depend  on  who  the  candi¬ 
date  may  be  that  will  on  February  17th  next  be  elected  to  the  important 
oTce  of  Secretary. — A,  D. 
FUNGOID  PESTS  AND  CHRYSANTHEMUM 
LEAF  RUST. 
On  Wednesday  everirg,  January  18th,  at  the  Guildhall,  Exeter,  an 
excellent  programme  of  papers  for  the  spring  session  tf  the  Devon  and 
Exeter  Gardeners’  Association  was  commenced.  The  essayist  for  the 
occasion  was  Mr.  R.  W.  HodJer,  gardener  (o  Mrs.  Trevor  Barclay  of 
Ponsonb}',  Torquay,  and  his  subject  vvas  “  The  Fungi  Pests  of  Our 
Gardens,  with  some  Notes  on  Rust  in  Chrysanthemums.”  In  the  course 
of  his  paper  Mr.  liodder  submitted  that  lungi  must  be  dealt  with  in  the 
same  way  as  the  Cf  nvolvulus,  which,  if  possible,  should  never  be  allowed 
to  have  a  green  leaf  above  ground.  With  regard  to  the  fungus  which 
caused  the  damping  of  seedlings,  he  said  that  all  plantlets  which  seemed 
to  be  in  any  way  affected  should  be  removed  at  once,  as  well  as  the  soil 
under  them  upon  which  the  mj'celium  or  spawn  of  the  fungus  was 
spreading,  A  drier  atmosphere  should  be  maintained  where  the  pest 
attacked  plants  under  glass. 
Onion  mildew  or  blight  should  bo  taken  in  hand  immediately  it  male 
its  appearance,  and  if  the  weather  was  at  all  favourable  to  mildew  growth 
means  should  be  adopted  to  prevent  it.  For  both  preventive  and  remedial 
purposes  plants  should  bo  dusted  with  soot  in  the  morning  while  the 
fo.iage  was  damp  ;  if  the  foliage  was  not  damp  enough  it  should  be 
sprinkled  with  a  fine  rose,  so  that  the  soot  would  adhere.  Some 
growers  recommended  sulphide  of  potassium  mixed  into  a  paste  with 
water,  and  applied  to  the  parts  affected.  The  best  course  to  be  adopted 
wherever  the  spot  pest  showed  itself  in  Carnations  was  to  stand  the  plants 
in  an  airj',  light  position,  keeping  them  welt  on  the  dr^’  side  bj’  giving  no 
more  water  than  was  really  necoss.ar^’  to  prevent  flagging,  while  the 
remedy  which  he  had  found  the  least  detrimental  to  the  grass  of  the 
Carnation  was  as  follows  : — Dissolve  3  lbs.  of  sulphate  of  copper  in 
1:^  gallon  of  boiling  water,  then  with  the  liquid  slake  half  a  bushel  or  as 
much  more  lime  as  necessary,  so  as  to  secure  a  fine  pow  der,  and  then,  with 
an  ordinary  puff,  dust  the  loliago  of  the  plants,  allowing  the  powder  to 
remain  forty-eight  hours,  and  then  syringing  and,  if  desirable,  repeating 
the  process.  Another  remedy  was  spraying  the  plants  with  a  solution  of 
sulphide  of  potassium,  obtained  by  placing  oz.  of  sulphide  in  5  gallons 
of  water. 
With  regard  to  Potato  disease,  Mr.  liodder  urged  that  on  ground 
where  a  crop  bad  grown,  and  (here  had  been  any  appearance  of  the 
disease,  everything  that  remained  of  the  crop  after  the  tubers  had  been 
removed  should  be  burnt,  and  not  allowed  to  remain  upon  the  land,  with 
opportunity  thereby  for  the  whole  of  the  spores  of  the  fungus  to  drop 
away  from  the  decaying  stalks  into  the  soil  to  await  another  season, 
when  perchance  another  Potato  crop  followed.  lie  also  suggested  that 
tubers  which  were  to  form  the  sets  of  a  future  crop  should  bo  purified 
before  being  put  into  the  soil  by  the  application  of  some  fungicide.  The 
most  effectual  remedy  j'et  applied  for  the  di.-casc  itself  seemed  to  be  the 
Bordeaux  mixture,  or  salts  of  copper  in  some  form  or  other. 
■Dealing  with  “club  root”  or  “fingers  and  toes”  in  Cabbages* 
Cauliflowers,  Broccoli,  and  Turnips,  he  pointed  out  that  it  was  difficult, 
in  fact,  almost  impossible,  to  save  plants  in  a  clean  state  when  once  it 
got  into  the  seed  bed.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  the  pest  was  detected,  the 
whole  of  the  plants  should  bo  destroyed  by  fire,  and  a  new  plantation 
commenced  upon  a  clean  piece  of  land.  Rotation  of  crops  w’as  an  excel¬ 
lent  wa}'  of  preventing  and  getting  rid  of  the  disease.  W  ilh  regard  to 
Tomato  kaf  blight  and  fruit  rot,  Mr.  liodder  emphasised  the  great 
importance  of  cleanliness  in  culture  and  ventilation,  and  pointed  out  that 
if  any  fungicides  of  a  poisonous  nature  were  used  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  be  early.  Affected  fruit  should  be  iir.mediately  picked 
and  burned. 
In  his  notes  on  rust  in  Chrj'santbemum®,  ^Ir.  HoJdcr  dealt  with  the 
spots  which  now  sometimes  made  iheir  appcararce  on  the  under  por¬ 
tions  of  leaves  of  the  plant,  described  the  various  experiments  he  had 
made,  and  recommended  the  following  as  a  remedj’  : — Boil  1  lb.  of 
whale  oil  soap  in  half  a  galion  of  water  until  dissolved,  then  add  one 
gallon  of  best  petroleum  and  keep  on  the  boil  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  stirring  tho  whole  time  anJ  obtaining  a  liquid  about  the  con¬ 
sistency  of  gruel ;  then  add  of  ammonia  carbonate  2  or  3  ozs.,  and 
when  cold  place  in  jars  for  use  as  required  in  the  proportion  of  one 
part  of  the  emulsion  to  fifteen  parts  of  water.  The  affected  parts 
should  be  spra^'ed  and  resprayed  every  three  or  four  weeks  to  flowering 
time.  Fish  manures  should  be  avoided,  hut  soot  and  clarified  lime  were 
suitable  aids  in  repressing  and  preventing  rust. 
At  the  close  of  the  paper  there  was  an  interesting  discussion,  and,  on 
the  motion  of  Mr.  Slade,  gardener  at  Pollimore  House,  who  occupied  the 
chair,  Mr.  IlodJer  was  heartily  thanked. — (“Devon  and  Exeter 
Gazette.”) 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Tomatoes. 
Tomatoes  at  present  form  one  of  the  loading  crops  with  the  market 
grower,  while  in  private  gardens  thc}’  are  equally  essentia',  so  that  a  few 
notes  on  their  culture  will  no  doubt  bo  beneficial  to  my  fellow  juniors.  To 
obtain  ripe  fruit  at  the  end  of  May  or  the  beginning  of  June,  tho  seeds 
should  be  sown  forthw  ith,  if  tho  work  has  not  already  been  done.  Before 
sowing,  place  the  compost  in  a  house  to  become  thoroughly  warmed.  It 
should  consist  of  equal  parts  of  good  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand,  well 
mixed.  For  sowing  the  setds  use  5  or  6-irch  clean,  well  drained  pots, 
filled  to  xvithin  half  an  inch  from  tho  top,  and  make  the  soil  rather  nrm.’ 
Sow  the  seeds  thinly,  cover  lightly,  give  a  thorough  watering,  and  place 
the  pots  on  a  shelf  near  the  gla-s,  allowing  a  temperature  ot 
night,  70°-75'’ day.  When  the  plants  are  large  enough  to  handle,  pot 
them  singl}’,  and  as  deeply  as  possible  in  thumb  pots.  Apply  water,  and 
place  the  pots  in  a  similar  position  to  that  the  plants  occupied  as  seedlings. 
When  tho  roots  reach  the  sides  of  the  pots,  the  plants  ought  to  be  taken 
to  a  cooler  home  with  a  temperature  ot  55°-G0°  night,  day. 
As  soon  as  they  are  well  rooted,  transfer  them  co  clean,  well  drained, 
6-inch  pots,  the  compost  consisting  of  two-thirds  rough  loam,  and  the 
remainder  sweet  horse  droppings,  with  a  little  sand,  and  let  the  potting 
be  both  deep  and  firm.  Place  a  neat  stake  to  each,  and  give  a  thorough 
watering.  Before  the  plants  become  root-bound,  they  should  have 
their  final  shift.  At  this  stage  there  are  different  niothods  of  procedure, 
some  growers  utilising  borders,  while  others  grow  them  in  pots, 
and  the  latter  is  perhaps  preferable,  for  a  better  command  can  be  had 
over  the  roots.  For  the  final  potting,  clean,  well-drained  12-inch  pots  are 
suitable,  with  a  compost  of  two-thirds  ruugh  loam  and  u  third  of  sweet 
horse  droppings  and  old  mortar  rubble,  with  a  slight  sprinkling  ot 
Thomson’s  Vino  manure  and  soot.  Again  let  the  potting  be  deep  and 
firm,  only  filling  the  pots  about  one-half  to  permit  luturo  top-dressing. 
When  the  house  has  been  thoroughly  cleansed,  tho  plants  may  be  placed 
in  their  fruiting  position,  each  having  a  stake  for  support  until  the 
trellis  is  reached.  Keep  the  house  at  a  temperature  of  .55’- 60°  night, 
60°-65°  day,  with  air,  but  avoid  c^  ld  winds. 
To  insure  a  good  crop,  it  will  be  found  beneficial,  when  tho  plants 
arc  in  bloom,  to  artifii  iallj'  aid  fertilisation.  Wlien  the  first  fruits  are 
beginning  to  swell,  a  little  weak  liquid  manure  will  be  advantageous, 
and  as  time  goes  on  and  the  plants  gain  vigour,  it  may  be  given  rather 
stronger.  Thomson’s  Vine  manuie  mixed  with  clear  water  will  be  found 
a  good  stimulant  to  encourage  tho  roots  to  the  surface.  Judgment 
must  bn  used  as  regards  top-dressing,  but  only  add  about  an  inch  ot  soil 
at  a  time.  Pinch  out  all  laterals  as  they  appear,  and  cut  away  portions  of 
the  foliage  to  let  tho  fruit  have  the  full  benefit  of  tho  sun.  Tomatoes 
are  very  subject  to  attacks  from  white  fl}’,  which  can  be  eradicated  with 
the  NL  All  Vaporisor. — P.  11. 
,  The  Fig. 
Few  of  our  choice  dessert  fruits  are  more  eagerly  sought  after  for 
homo  use  than  xvell-grown  Figs,  while  for  exhibition  purposes  they  are 
also  held  in  high  esteem.  It  w  ill  be  my  aim  to  give  a  few  notes  from  ex¬ 
perience  on  the  cultivation  of  this  luscious  fruit.  Frequently  a  structure 
is  set  apart  solely  for  their  cultivation,  and  it  should  be  light,  with 
adequate  means  for  ventilation  and  efficiently  heated,  so  that  in  case  of  hard 
forcing  the  undue  heating  of  the  hot-water  pipes  would  not  bo  necessary. 
The  border  should  be  restricted,  not  too  deep,  but  thoroughly  arained. 
We  get  more  fruitful  trees  when  the  roots  are  somewhat  confined,  and 
the  Fig  is  very  impatient  of  stagnancy,  although,  during  the  season  of 
growth,  abundant  supplies  of  water  will  be  required  ;  indeed  evt;n  in  the; 
resting  season  the  border  shoul  1  not  got  so  thoroughly  dry  as  to  be 
