JOURNAL  OF  HORTiaULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
February  23,  1899. 
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-  I’IRMINCJIIAM  (iARDENEKS’  ASSOCIATION. — At  the  recent  tea 
and  social  f^atliering  of  this  Society,  held  to  celebrate  the  thirteenth  anni¬ 
versary,  the  newly  appointed  President,  Prof.  Wm.  Hillhoiise,  occupied 
tlie  chair,  with  Mr.  \V.  B.  Latham  as  Vice-Chairman.  The  Professor 
expressed  i  he  pleasure  it  afforded  him  in  beinnf  elected  as  President  of 
the  Association,  of  which  he  had  had  the  honour  of  being  the  Vice- 
President  ever  since  its  inception,  lie  gave  an  interesting  review  of  the 
work  of  the  Society,  and  commented  with  satisfaction  upon  its  programme 
lor  the  ensuing  year,  and  especially  upon  the  proposed  visit  to  Woburn 
Abbey,  the  historic  seat  of  the  Duke  cf  Bedford,  famous  for  its  arboreal 
features,  and  to  the  Duke's  experimental  fruit  farm.  The  enjoyment  of 
the  evening  was  much  enhanced  by  the  instrumental  and  vocal  renderings 
of  several  of  the  members  and  lady  friends. 
KOYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
FEliRTIARY  14TII. 
Scientific  Committee. — Present  :  Mr.  McT.achlan  (in  the  chair)  ; 
Mr.  Hudson,  Bev.  W.  Wilks,  Mr.  Michael,  and  Rev.  G.  llenslow, 
lion.  Sec. 
JUseascd  Apple  twigs. — These  were  received  last  December  from  Rev. 
A.  Fostcr-Melliar.  Prof.  W.  K.  Smith,  after  a  prolonged  and  difficult 
investigation,  has  pronounced  the  disease  to  be  due  to  bacteria,  and 
forwarded  tlie  following  interesting  report : — “  Tlie  jiortions  of  branches 
of  Apple  sent  show  a  disease  with  the  following  characters.  The  wood 
is  sound  except  where  in  contact  with  the  bark  ;  the  bark  is  completely 
iiisorganised  with  exception  of  the  hard  fibres  and  the  dry  outer  corky 
layer.  Investigations  for  signs  of  fungi  or  insects  made  on  arrival  of  the 
material  (December  l!)th)  gave  no  result.  Portions  were  placed  in  a 
moist  chamber  and  examined  during  .lanuary.  The  bark  became  soft  and 
spongy,  no  fungus-growth  appeared,  hut  bacteria  were  found  in  numbers. 
Amongst  other  bacterial  forms,  a  bacillus  w'as  common  which  agreed  with 
that  figured  by  Duggar  (Cornell  University  Bulletin,  14.5,  1898).  Other 
symiitoms,  as  far  as  present‘'d  by  the  material  sent,  agreed  with  American 
descriptions  of  the  bacterial  disease  ‘  fire-blight.’  Wc  have,  however, 
no  record  of  tiie  tree  having  blackened  twigs  or  leaves  during  last  summer 
— an  important  symptom  of  this  disease.  ‘Fire-blight’  was  proved, 
chielly  Viy  the  work  of  Burrill  in  1880,  to  be  duo  to  the  action  of  bacteria. 
A  good  general  account,  based  on  further  research,  is  given  by'  Waite 
t  Vi  ar  Hook  of  the  U.S.  America  Department  of  Agriculture,  189,5). 
The  disease  aiipears  in  America  on  Pear  and  ()uince  oftener  than  on 
Apple,  and  is  also  known  on  allied  species.  It  attacks  chiefly  vigorous 
well  fed  trees  with  much  soft  young  wood,  similar,  in  fact,  to  this  Apple 
tree  as  described  by  your  correspondent.  A  warm  moist  season  or  situa¬ 
tion  favours  the  disease  ;  dry  weather  checks  it,  aud  during  winter  it 
makes  little  progress.  Tlie  remedy  is  to  prune  off  tlioroughly  all  parts 
which  show  discoloured  or  destroyed  bark,  and  to  carefully  burn  them. 
Pruning  is  best  done  in  autumn  or  spring.  The  cuts  must  be  made  well 
below  diseased  parts,  and  large  wounds  should  be  painted  with  tar.  If 
the  pruning  bo  severe  it  may  induce  a  large  growth  of  young  wood  next 
season  ;  this  must  lie  carefully  watched,  as  it  is  an  excellent  starting  point 
for  a  reappearance  of  the  disease.  The  bacteria  are  propagated  by 
insects,  which  visit  a  gummy  fluid  containing  bacteria  which  is  given  out 
from  diseased  parts  ot  the  hark.  Then  they  visit  a  similar  fluid  exuded 
from  the  hark  where  broken  by  cuts,  boring  insects,  or  other  agents,  and 
they  inlect  this  with  bacteria.  A  similar  fluid  in  the  flowers  also  tempts 
insects  theie,  and  tlie  bacteria  thus  introduced  destroy  the  fruit  crop.” 
A  unanimous  vote  of  thanks  was  given  to  Prof.  Smith  for  this  valuable 
report. 
Tupistra  nutans. — Mr.  .Tas.  Hudson  exhibited  a  specimen  of  this 
uncommon  plant  in  blossom.  There  are  but  four  genera  of  the  Aspidistrcce, 
a  tribe  of  Liliaccfe  ;  Tupistra,  with  304  species,  being  natives  of  Himalaya 
or  Biirmah.  It  bore  dense  spikes  of  white  flowers  with  an  expanded 
border  and  a  dark  centre. 
Petr  tree  loith  caterpillar. — IMr.  McLachlan  showed  a  twig  with  the 
interior  eaten  away  by  the  caterpillar  of  the  wood  leopard  moth,  Zeiizcra 
/Esculi.  It  was  received  from  Mr.  N.  Nutter  of  Leigham  Cottage,  St, 
.lulien.  Old  Streatham.  The  best  remedies  for  this  and  boring  beetles  is 
to  run  a  stout  wire  down  till  it  pierces  the  grubs.  Petroleum  or  spirits 
ot  tiirpentiuo  poured  down  the  hole  would  also  probably  be  effective  in 
destroying  them. 
Pichardia,  tico-spaihed. — Rev.  H.  F.  Goffe,  Thoresway,  Caistor,  for¬ 
warded  a  specimen  in  which  the  uppermost  leaf  had  assumed  the  form  of 
an  additional  spaihe — a  not  uncommon  pheromenon.  It  was  hoped  that 
experiments  would  be  made  to  fix  this  peculiarity  if  possible. 
Cedar  with  aerial  roots,  — d'he  following  communication  was  received 
from  i\Ir,  .1.  V'.  Odell,  The  Grove,  Stanmore,  together  with  photos  of 
the  tree  described,  and  a  largo  mass  of  aidial  roots  “  During  the  recent 
heavy'  gales  considerable  damage  was  done  to  one  of  the  large  Cedars  of 
Lebanon  in  iVIrs.  Brightwen's  grounds  here  ;  a  huge  branch  was  torn  from 
the  parent  trunk,  and  revealed  a  very  curious  growth  of  aiirial  roots.  1 
forward  to  you  with  this  letter  photos  showing  the  broken  branch  in  two 
positions,  and  also  a  ])art  of  the  very  large  growth  of  adventitious  roots. 
You  will  observe  on  photo  (marked  Ai  a  large  scar,  corresponding  in  size 
and  shape  to  the  base  of  the  branch  on  photo  marked  B.  The  roots  sent 
were  growing  from  the  edges  of  the  contiguous  portions  of  the  trunk  and 
broken  branch,  and  grew  downwards  from  this  position  towards  the  base 
of  the  tree,  but  had  only  penetrated  so  far  as  is  indicated  by  a  small 
branch  at  the  base  of  the  scar  (seen  on  both  photos).  Both  on  the  branch 
and  on  the  scar  left  on  the  trunk  the  wood  is  very'  much  splintered,  and 
the  roots  were  found  not  only  in  a  large  mass  as  sent,  but  also  grovying  in 
between  the  splintered  porticos  of  the  wood.  The  appe.arance  of  the 
fracture  indicates,  I  think,  some  previous  injury  (perhaps  by'  lightning), 
and  ns  a  consequence  some  moisture  may  have  penetrated  into  the  union 
between  the  trunk  and  the  branch.  1  have  once  or  twice  before  seen 
similar  roots  in  broken  pollarded  Willows,  but  have  never  observed  the 
formation  of  such  adventitious  roots  in  a  Conifer,  and  thought  perhaps  it 
would  have  some  little  interest  for  your  Committee  of  the  R  H.S.” 
R.H.S,  Medals. 
We  seem  destined  never  to  hear  the  last  of  these  Drill  Hall  awards* 
The  Council  in  the  recent  report  again  adverts  to  them,  and  suggests  that 
in  making  awards  the  Committees  should  remember  more  fully  the  dis¬ 
tinctions  that  exist  between  traders’  and  amateurs’  collections.  In  a 
certain  sense  the  Committees  will  no  doubt  go  on  sinning,  but  the  last 
thing  needful  is  the  drawing  the  various  Committees’  attention  to  the 
diverse  positions  of  trade  exhibits  and  those  of  amateurs,  because  the 
exhibits  do  that  so  thoroughly  themselves.  Take  the  recent  meeting, 
what  amateur  could  at  this  time  of  year  put  up  a  collection  of  Apples 
that  could  for  one  moment  approach  the  grand  collection  Mr.  Bunyard 
sent  ?  Really  not  in  all  the  world  could  anything  like  so  fine  a  stand  be 
seen  elsewhere.  There  was  the  superb  collecuon  of  Camellias  from  Mr. 
W.  Paul,  the  beautiful  Ferns  from  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  the  beautiful  Chinese 
Primroses  from  Messrs,  ^"eitch  and  H.  Cannell,  just  to  indicate  a  few  as 
samples  of  trade  exhibits  in  comparison  with  which  smateurs  have  nothing 
approaching  them  to  show. 
How  is  It  possible  for  any  just  body  of  men  in  making  awards  to  overlook 
the  splendid  evidences  of  culture  seen  ?  What  is  it  to  me  who  is  the  exhibitor  I 
It  does  not  concern  me,  or  probably  any  other  member  of  a  Committee,  who 
the  exhibitor  may  be.  The  awards  I  vote  for  are  made  to  the  culture  and 
the  quality,  and  sometimes  the  rarity  of  the  exhibit,  as  was  the  case  with 
the  wonderfully  fine  exhibit  of 'Vanilla  from  Syon.  The  general  public 
would  never  understand  reasons  why  all  amateurs’  inferior  products  were 
put  on  the  same  plane  of  merit  as  superb  trade  ones. 
Tbere  seems  to  be  no  midway  between  the  present  and  not  illiberal, 
yet  not  unduly  liberal,  method  of  granting  medal  awards,  or  of  refraining 
from  granting  any  whatever,  not  that  I  think  anyone  cares  much  for  the 
real  medal,  so  long  as  they  get  the  card  one,  and  the  award  is  seen 
and  recorded.  Certainly  much  expense  might  be  saved,  and  far  more 
satisfactory  results  to  exhibitors  insured,  if  only  card  awards  were  made, 
each  such  award  counting  so  many  marks,  and  then  at  the  close  of 
the  year  some  handsome  medals  worth  having,  or  fancy  plate,  or  other 
useful  objects  were  given  to  the  various  exhibitors,  in  proportion  to  the 
number  of  marks  obtained  during  the  year. 
The  President  of  the  Society  mentioned  that  realising  the  granting 
from  time  to  time  of  gold  medals  ostensibly,  and  not  in  reality,  was  an 
impropriety,  a  small  die  had  been  obtained  to  enable  small  gold  medals, 
when  awarded,  to  be  given  in  future. 
Mr.  Khves  thinks  the  gardeners  who  really  produce  the  exhibits  at  the 
Drill  Hall  should  have  medals  awarded  them,  but  seeing  that  by  far  the 
greater  portion  of  the  exhibits  come  from  the  trade,  that  proposal  will 
hardly  be  found  workable.  There  is  not  a  gardener  in  the  kingdom  but 
would  prefer  medals  with  the  Queen’s  profile  on  them  to  any  of  the 
Society’s.  If  the  getting  of  medals  is  the  chief  aim  of  exhibitors  in  sending 
such  wonderful  collections  of  exhibits  to  the  Drill  Hall,  as  between  giving 
the  medals  or  losing  the  shows,  let  the  giving  go  on  by  all  means. — A.  D. 
ASPARAGUS  “MADE  IN  GERMANY.” 
Much  has  been  written  in  the  .Journal  lately  about  Asparagus,  and  I 
think  It  might  interest  some  readers,  although  of  no  particular  practical 
value,  to  know  how  they  grow  the  “Grass”  in  Germany.  Here,  in 
Erfurt,  there  are  considerable  plantations,  and  it  seems  to  do  very  well. 
The  soil  is  a  rather  heavy  but  well  drained  loam,  and  as  there  is  a  salina 
in  the  neighbourhood,  good  grey  salt  can  be  obtained  at  a  moderate  price. 
The  treatment  is  different  from  ours,  as  only  blanched  stems  are  eaten, 
and  if  the  lip  has  more  than  the  slightest  tinge  of  purple  about  it,  it 
does  not  sell.  In  the  plantation  with  which  I  am  best  acquainted,  the 
crowns  are  covered  with  about  1  foot  of  earth  the  second  year  after 
planting,  and  are  arranged  in  beds  of  two  rows  18  inches  apart  with 
alleys  between.  When  vacancies  occur  through  plants  dying,  a  hole  about 
a  foot  across  is  dug,  and  the  young  plants  placed  in  the  bottom  ;  the 
second  year  they  are  earthed  and  marked  with  a  stake  to  show  that  they' 
are  not  yet  ready'  for  cutting.  In  November  the  old  stems  are  cut  down, 
a  dressing  of  short  manure  is  spread  on  the  surface,  and  the  w  hole  place 
dug  over.  In  the  height  of  the  season  the  cutting  begins  at  four  in  the 
morning  and  continues  till  sunset.  As  soon  as  the  shoots  cause  the 
surface  to  crack  a  hole  is  scratched,  and  they'  are  cut  off  with  long  knives 
made  for  the  purpose. 
From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  laborious  work  on  a  large  place.  If 
the  year  is  good,  fine  Asparagus  may'  bo  had  in  the  shops  from  fid.  to 
fid.  per  lb.  in  the  height  of  the  season,  but  as  labour  is  cheap  the  growers 
still  secure  a  very'  good  profit.  1  suppose  it  is  a  matter  of  fashion  and 
custom,  but  I  must  say  I  find  the  green  English  Asparagus  has  more 
flavour, — U.  S.  H. 
