June  22,  1^99. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
513 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Exhibition  op  Hybrid  Plants. 
We  have  received  at  the  moment  of  going  to  press  a  budget  of 
information  relative  to  the  Society’s  Examination  in  Horticulture,  in 
which  we  observe  that  Mr.  H.  H.  Eaton,  County  Technical  School, 
Stafford,  heads  the  list  with  285  marks,  and  to  the  International 
Conference  on  Hybridisation  to  be  opened  at  Chiswick  on  July  11th  and 
concluded  at  the  Town  Hall,  Westminster,  on  the  following  day,  buc  this 
week  we  can  only  find  space  for  the  following  particulars  of  the  medals 
that  have  been  offered. 
1,  A  Veitch  Memorial  iledal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  fruit 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  in  Great  Britain, 
and  never  previously  exhibited. 
2,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  flower 
(Orchids  excluded)  intentionally  raised  by  crosi-breeding  or  hybridisation 
in  Great  Britain,  and  never  previously  exhibited. 
3,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  Orchid 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  in  Great  Britain, 
and  never  previously  exhibited. 
4,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  vegetable 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  in  Great  Britain, 
and  never  previously  exhibited. 
5,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  fruit 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  out  of  Great 
Britain,  and  never  previously  exhibited. 
6,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  flower 
(Orchids  excluded^  intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation 
out  of  Great  Britain,  and  never  previously  exhibited. 
7,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  Orchid 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  out  of  Great 
Britain,  and  never  previously  exhibited. 
8,  A  Veitch  Memorial  Medal  to  the  raiser  of  the  best  new  vegetable 
intentionally  raised  by  cross-breeding  or  hybridisation  out  of  Great 
Britain,  and  never  previously  exhibited. 
The  above  medals  will  only  be  awarded  should  the  exhibits  be 
considered  sufficiently  meritorious,  and  the  result  of  intentional,  not 
accidental,  cross  fertilisation. 
Exhibitors  must  give  full  details  in  writing  as  to  parentage,  and  record 
any  other  points  which  may  assist  the  Judges. 
9,  A  Williams  Memorial  Medal  to  ihe  best  collection  of  hybrid  and 
cross-bred  plants. 
Scientific  Committee. — Present;  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the  chair)  ; 
Mr.  Veitch,  Rev.  W,  Wilks,  Rev.  C.  Wolley  Dod,  Prof,  A.  H.  Church,  and 
Rev.  Prof.  G.  Henslow,  Hon.  Sec. 
Panax  Jfarsiersiatfts. — Dr.  Masters  exhibited  a  flowering  spray'  of  this 
plant,  which  probably  came  from  New  Guinea.  It  has  never  been 
thoroughly  described  hitherto,  as  no  flowers  had  been  seen.  Dr.  Masters 
undertook  to  examine  them,  which  appeared  to  be  all  male,  and  report 
upon  it. 
Cattleya  Mossim. — He  also  exhibited  a  blofsom  of  this  Orchid  strangely 
malformed,  which  he  also  undertook  to  examine. 
Lilac  with  central  (terminal)  bud  aborted. — He  brought  sprays  to  show 
the  presence  of  this  bud  lying  between  two  opposite  fully  formed  buds.  It 
is  said  to  be  always  aborted  by  frost ;  but  as  it  is  invariably  the  case,  it 
would  be  more  likely  to  be  atrophied,  in  consequence  of  all  the  nourishment 
Being  conveyed  into  the  two  opposite  buds. 
Hemerocallis  leaf  diseased. — Dr.  Smith  reports  as  follows  upon  leaves 
sent  to  the  last  meeting  : — "The  reddish  spots  on  leaf  sent  are  caused  by 
a  fungus.  Each  spot  is  J  to  ^-inch  diameter,  and  consists  of  a  patch  of 
cavities  (pycnidia)  sunk  in  the  leaf  tissue.  From  these  tiny  oonidia  are 
given  off  to  disperse  the  fungus.  In  addition  to  the  internal  pycnidia, 
another  form  of  pycnidium  is  formed  on  the  surface,  when  a  portion  of 
the  leaf  with  spots  is  kept  in  a  moist  chamber  ;  these  latter  also  give  off 
tiny  conidia.  The  forms  of  pycnidium  and  their  structure  refer  the 
fungus  to  the  genus  Asteroma.  Farlow,  in  his  “Host  Index  for  U.S. 
America,’  gives  a  form  Asteroma  Lineola,  thg  pycnidial  stage  of 
Dothidea  Lineola.  The  ascospore  or  Dothidea  stage  is  not  present,  as 
far  as  I  can  see,  on  leaf  sent.” 
Diseased  Peach. — The  following  is  also  Dr.  W.  G.  Smith’s  report : — 
“  The  fruit  sent  showed  a  large  patch  of  fungus  mycelium  with  conidia. 
Two  forms  of  conidia  occurred,  by  which  the  rot  might  be  referred 
either  to  black  spot  disease  (Cladosporium  carpophilum)  or  the  fruit  rot 
(Monilia  fructigena),  In  transit  the  fungus  spot  appears  to  have  enlarged 
enormously,  and  it  looked  quite  unlike  what  one  generally  sees  in  either 
of  the  above  Beach  diseases.  In  any  case  it  is  a  distinct  fruit  rot,  and 
controllable  by  spraying  methods.” 
Peridermium  Plowrighti  (Kleb). — The  following  communication  was 
received  from  Dr.  Plowright,  with  illustrative  specimens : — "  The  specimens 
of  Peridermium  sent  herewith  were  produced  by  artificial  culture,  and 
afford  an  illustration  of  how  easy  a  matter  it  is  to  unravel  a  mystery 
when  one  once  has  the  clue  to  it.  It  is  just  twenty -five  years  ago  since 
Wolff  showed  that  Coleosporium  senecionis  was  connected  with  Peri- 
derndum  pini  on  Pinus  sylvestris.  This  Peridermium  is  frequent  upon 
the  Fir  trees  near  King’s  Lynn,  so  that  I  had  ample  opportunity  of 
confirming  Wolff’s  observations.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  between  the  years 
1881  and  1888,  on  ten  separate  and  distinct  occasions,  I  did  apply  the 
spores  of  Peridermium  pini  to  Senecio  vulgaris.  Once,  and  once  only, 
did  I  succeed  in  producing  the  uredo  on  the  last  named  plant.  My  non¬ 
success  I  attributed  to  some  error  in  manipulation,  and  as  I  was  engaged 
with  other  species  I  did  not  follow  the  research  up.  Dr.  Klebahn  of 
Hamburgh,  however,  set  about  the  problem,  and  soon  cleared  the  matter 
up.  He  showed  that  the  Coleosporia  as  a  genus  had  their  aecidiospores 
on  Pinus  sylvestris,  and  not  C.  senecionis  alone.  The  species  on 
Tussilago  Farfara,  which  is  exceedingly  common  all  over  England,  was 
one  of  the  forms  to  which  Dr.  Klebahn  directed  his  attention,  and  he 
gave  the  above  name  to  its  lecidiospores.  The  specimens  sent  herewith 
were  produced  by  artificial  culture.  On  October  16th,  1898,  a  leaf  of  Colts¬ 
foot,  with  the  teientospores  of  Coleosporium  tussilaginis  abundantly  upon 
it,  was  fastened  upon  young  Pinus  sylvestris  ;  on  February  20th  suspicious 
spots  began  to  show,  but  it  was  [not]  until  April  22nd  that  an  abundant 
develojiment  of  the  Peridermium  was  observed.  On  that  date  the  Colts¬ 
foot  leaf  was  still  attached  to  the  Fir,  and  the  moat  abundant  development 
of  Peridermium  was  seen  to  be  immediately  beneath  it.  As  this  experi¬ 
ment  was  performed  some  three  miles  from  my  house  the  plants  were  not 
visited  so  often  as  they  otherwise  would  have  been.  On  April  25th  tw'o 
young  plants  of  Tussilago  Farfara  were  infected  with  the  above  recidio- 
spores,  and  on  May  13tb  each  was  found  to  be  abundantly  affected  with 
the  uredo  of  Coleosporium  tussilaginis  ;  they  were  gathered,  and  are  also 
sent  herewith.  I  have  to  thank  Mr.  Walter  Scott  of  the  Golden  Ball 
Nurseries  for  the  materia!  employed  in  these  cultures,  and  Mr.  Rodgers 
for  his  assistance  in  looking  after  the  plants.” 
Experiment  No.  1243. — Coleosporium  tussilaginis  placed  on  a  young 
plant  of  Pinus  sylvestris  (infecting)  :  Material  wired  on  to  the  tree  16th 
October.  1898.;  Spormogonia  observed  20th  February.  Peridermium 
Plowrighti  abundantly  produced  and  fully  developed  22nd  April,  1898. 
Experiments  1264-1265. — Two  young  plants  of  Tussilago  Farfara 
infected  on  25th  April,  1899,  with  secidiospores  of  Peridermium  Plowrighti 
from  Experimeni  1243,  perfect  uredo  gathered  15th  May. 
HARDY  FRUITS  AND  “  PLOWING.” 
After  your  kindly  notice  of  my  little  pamphlet  upon  the  above 
subject,  I  feel  that  it  would  be  unkind  on  my  part  if  I  set  in  motion  the 
law  of  libel.  Steal,  Sir,  no,  I  trust  I  have  not  descended  to  that  level  ! 
The  mere  accusation  would  be  enough  to  give  me  a  sleepless  night,  were 
it  not  that  a  good  conscience  (on  this  point)  sustains  me.  I  might  say  a 
good  deal  in  reply,  but  no  doubt  many  of  your  readers  will  have  dis¬ 
covered,  like  myself,  that  wide  and  deep  as  your  reading  has  been,  and 
infallible  as  an  Editor  of  course  is,  there  is  one  good  old  book  on  farming 
which  you  have  not  studied  as  deeply'  as  you  tuight  have  done. 
The  book  in  question  is  not  only  the  best  in  the  English  language,  but 
the  oldest  and  one  of  the  highest  authorities  on  orthography,  and  yet  I 
find — amongst  many  other  sayings  upon  plows,  plowing  and  plowmen — 
the  following,  "  The  sluggard  will  not  plow  by  reason  of  the  cold,” 
“Doth  the  plowman  plow  all  day  to  tow?  “The  plowman  shall  over¬ 
take  the  reaper,”  and  so  on.  Mr.  Editor,  I  need  not  tell  you  the  name  of 
the  book,  your  active  mind  will  long  since  have  grasped  the  situation,  and 
have  by  this  time  found  out  a  graceful  way  of  '‘climbing  down”  (now 
this  is  stealing  from  our  American  cousins). 
I  shall  not  give  you  the  exact  references  to  find  the  quotations  given 
above,  for  in  searching  for  them  you  will,  I  am  sure,  find  much  that  is 
instructive,  and  if  you  discover  nothing  else  you  will  find  that  many  so- 
called  Americanisms  are  simply  the  good  old  English  of  our  forefathers, 
carried  over  by  the  pilgrim  fathers  and  retained,  whilst  we  have  changed 
our  spelling  and  pronunciation.  Mr.  Editor,  we  are  both  Midlanders, 
“  dog  does  not  eat  dog,”  and  having  vindicated  myself  from  the  charge  of 
theft,  I  am  willing  to  bury  the  hatchet.  I  know  you  will  print  this 
(though  1  could  not  say  the  same  of  all  Editors),  so  until  next  week  I 
must  try  to  possess  my  soul  in  patience. — A.  H.  Pearson. 
[Yes,  certainly,  we  print  it  with  pleasure.  It  is  just  the  sort  of  light 
reading  that  acts  as  a  counterpoise  to  the  heavy  matter  that  so  largely 
abounds,  and  the  sparkles  of  literary  morality  are  especially  welcome  as 
coming  from  the  pen  of  he  who  introduced  the  now  famous  line,  "He 
writeth  best  who  stealeth  best,”  and  who  even  confesses  to  a  little 
“stealing”  now,  for  the  italics  in  the  above  proof  sentence  are  his  own. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  refer  to  the  Biblical  cita’dons.  They  are 
admitted,  and  our  friend  is  congratulated  accordingly.  We  believe  there 
is  much  truth  in  the  proposition  that  many  so-called  new  American  words 
are  old  English  exportations.  We  can  well  remember  some  of  them  in 
common  use  by  the  old  folk  along  the  east  coast  half  a  century  ago,  out 
now  practically  obsolete  at  home.  They  may  have  travelled  westwards 
into  the  Midlands,  even  as  far  as  Chilwell.  Wisdom  is  always  supposed 
to  have  come  from  the  East.  The  Editor  is  not  a  “Midlander,”  and 
would  “  rather”  like  to  draw  his  acute  and  genial  correspondent  again.] 
Melons. — Up  to  the  present  time  this  year  no  Melon,  old  or 
new,  seems  to  have  shown,  so  far  as  quality  is  concerned,  good  flavour. 
The  fruits  of  Hero  of  Lockinge  and  William  Tillery,  both  first-class 
old  varieties,  shown  recently,  and  perfect  in  production,  both  lacked 
flavour,  yet  there  has  been  no  lack  of  sunshine.  New  varieties  also  so  far 
have  met  with  no  approval.  We  have  no  such  uncertain  fruits  as 
Melons.  It  is  possible  some  good  ones  will  crop  up  later,  but  the  Melon 
season  to  obtain  high  class  flavour  seems  to  be  a  short  one.  It  is 
doubtless  intensely  disappointing  to  those  who  send  fruits  up  to  the  Drill 
Hall  that  look  so  delicious  and  tempting,  to  learn  that  they  are  after  all 
devoid  of  flavour.  I  fear  the  Committee  are  often  regarded  as  incapable 
of  appreciating  excellence.  Possibly  flavour  escapes  in  transit. — A.  D. 
