June  18,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
549 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  ivrite  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
APPLP:  tree  with  double  flowers  (J.  L.).— The 
occurrence  is  not  infrequent.  Your  flower  is  of  large  size,  and 
shows  the  transition  of  stamens  into  petals  in  an  interesting  way. 
This  is  usually  caused  by  a  fruitful  or  excessively  vigorous  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  ti'ee. 
CULTURE  OF  SPANISH  IRISES  (C.  H.  M.).— We  have 
most  successfully  cultivated  these  bulbous  Irises  on  warm  sunny 
borders,  in  a  rich,  light  sandy  loam.  The  position  in  any  case 
should  be  open,  and  the  beds  or  borders  ought  to  possess  a  friable 
loam.  They  are  at  one  with  Daffodils  in  a  love-  for  a  constant 
supply  of  root  moisture,  but  it  must  not  be  stagnant  moistui-e. 
Plant  the  bulbs  4in  to  Gin  deep,  when  the  foliage  has  withered. 
We  Avould  advise  you  to  try  a  few  on  the  low-lying  damp  ground, 
but  this  will  be  by  way  of  experiment  merely,  and  the  English 
Irises  like  moisture  more  than  do  the  Spanish. 
PROPAGATING  GESNERAS  (A.  C.).— These  may  be  in¬ 
creased  in  several  ways,  one  of  the  easiest  being  by  division  when 
repotting  the  old  plants  if  these  are  furnished  with  tubers. 
Cuttings  of  the  young  growth  may  be  inserted  in  a  compost  of 
silver  sand  and  leaf  soil,  plunging  the  pots  or  pans  in  bottom 
heat,  and  being  careful  to  avoid  giving  too  much  water.  The  old 
leaves  can  be  placed  on  a  similar  compost  in  the  same  way  as 
Begonia  leaves,  or  the  petiole  end  of  the  leaf  can  be  inserted  in 
the  soil  in  heat,  but  in  either  case  damping  is  the  chief  evil  to 
be  avoided.  When  first  potting  the  young  plants  so  obtained  a 
light  compost  of  peat,  leaf  soil,  and  sand  must  be  used,  but  as  they 
advance  light  turfy  loam  can  be  substituted  for  the  peat.  The 
specimen  sent  is  Maurandya  Barclayana. 
BEGONIA  PRESIDENT  CARNOT  BROWN  IN  THE  STEM 
(P.  H.  R.). — The  stem  is  affected  by  a  disease  closely  related  to 
“  sleeping,”  but  we  failed  to  discover  either  the  Diplocladium  or 
the  Fusarium  conditions  of  the  fungus,  only  a  number  of  roundish 
oval  bodies  being  present,  which  may  be  the  resting  stage, 
though  they  were  not  enclosed  in  thick  walls.  A  similar  disease 
affects  Pelargoniums  and  many  other  plants,  and  is  known  as 
“  brown  or  black  stem.”  It  appears  to  affect  the  plant  at  the 
point  where  cut  in  forming  the  cutting,  and  ascend  the  stem  in 
the  vascular  bundles,  this  part  being  marked  by  a  brown  dis¬ 
coloration  when  cut  through  with  a  knife,  and  the  cuticular  cells 
in  turn  also  become  brown  or  black.  It  probably  arises  from  the 
plant  or  cutting  being  kept  too  moist  and  the  soil  too  rich,  the 
humic  matter  being  considerably  in  excess  of  the  mineral  con¬ 
stituents.  We  advise  you  to  mix  with  the  soil  some  time  in 
advance  of  using  for  potting  lib  of  a  mixture  of  eight  parts  basic 
cinder  phosphate  and  three  parts  kainit  to  281b  of  compost,  incor¬ 
porating  well,  and  turning  two  or  three  time.s  at  intervals  of 
two  or  three  weeks.  This  will  counteract  the  tendency  to  sour¬ 
ness,  care  being  taken  not  to  overwater  the  cuttings  or  the  plants, 
and  thej"  should  then  thrive.  Or,  instead  of  the  mixture  named 
above,  use  an  approved  fertiliser,  adhering  to  the  instructions 
given  with  the  article. 
DESTROYING  DAISIES  AND  PLANTAINS  ON  LAWNS 
THICKLY  STUDDED  WITH  LARGE  C'ONIFER^  AND 
DECIDUOUS  TREES  (G.  G.).--As  the  roots  of  the  trees  creep 
along  the  surface  of  the  lawns,  it  would  not,  perhaps,  answer  to 
use  the  lawn  .sand,  mainly  composed  of  .sulphate  of  ammonia,  or 
even  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  sulphate  of  ammonia  and  nitrate  of 
soda  at  the  rate  of  lib  of  the  mixture  per  square  yards  for  the 
destruction  of  the  broad-leaved  weeds,  such  as  Daisies,  Dande¬ 
lions,  and  Plantains,  also  Clovers,  for  the  roots  of  the  trees  would 
probably  be  injured  if  the  fertiliser  was  placed  directly  upon 
them,  otherwise  we  can  commend  the  mixture  as  graduall.y 
destructive  of  the  weeds  and  encouraging  of  the  grasses,  which 
are  more  important  for  a  lawn,  especially  for  games,  such  as 
croquet,  tennis,  and  bowls,  than  Clovers  that  are  damp  and  do 
not  bear  the  wear  of  the  games  equal  to  grasses.  The  mixture,  if 
you  u.se  it,  which  is  a  matter  for  judgment  in  your  case,  .should 
be  applied  several  times  during  the  summer  in  order  to  effect  its 
purpose,  not  exceeding  the  quantit.v  named  each  time,  say  every 
six  weeks  from  April  to  September  inclusive.  If  the  fertiliser 
cannot  be  used,  we  know  of  nothing  better  than  extracting  the 
weeds  with  a  Dais.v  fork,  operating  during  moist  weather,  so  as  to 
draw  the  weeds  out  bodil.y  and  at  the  same  time  prejudice  the 
gi’asses  as  little  as  possible.  For  similar  reasons  to  not  using 
lawn  sand  or  the  mixture  mentioned,  it  would  not  perhaps  be 
safe  to  use  a  “  weed  sting,”  an  implement  charged  with  weed 
killer,  for  the  destruction  of  the  weeds,  otherwise  the  implement 
is  very  effective  for  its  purpose.  However,  you  alone  can  deter¬ 
mine  the  means  to  adopt  so  as  to  free  the  lawns  from  the  weeds 
and  at  the  same  time  not  injure  the  Coniferae  and  deciduous 
trees. 
N.4MES  OF  PLANTS. — Correspondents  whose  queries  are  iin- 
ansivered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult  the 
folioicing  number.  (W.  C.  R.). — Agave  ferox.  (.1.  B.  T.). — 1,  Dianthus 
Offisius ;  2,  Lonieera  .tartariea ;  3,  Orchis  latifolia ;  4,  Geranium 
sanguineum  ;  5,  fiEthionema  pulchella.  (S.). — 1,  Adiantum  Paeotti ; 
2,  Davallia  tenuifolia ;  3,  Platycerium  alcieorne ;  4,  Dendrobium 
fonnosum.  (F.  B.). — 1,  Begonia  coecinea ;  2,  B.  sanguinea;"  3, 
Tillandsia  sp. ;  4,  Hibbertia  dentata  ;  5,  Eseallonia  pliillippiana. 
- - 
Coient  Garden  Market.— June  1711i. 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Fruit. 
s.  d.  S.  d 
A.pples, Tasmanian, case  12  0tol4  0  Grapes,  Hamburgh 
Apricots,  per  box 
Bananas . 
Cherries,  box . 
,,  ^-sieves... 
1  0 
10  0  15  0  Oranges,  case  . 
1  3  3  0  I  Pines,  St.  Michael’s 
80  10  0  1 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Vegetables. 
Artichokes,  green,  doz. 
,,  Jerusalem,  sieve 
Batavia,  doz . 
Beet,  red,  doz . 
Cabbages,  Spring,  tally 
Carrots,  bunch  . 
,,  new,  bnch.  ... 
Cauliflowers,  doz. 
Corn  Salad,  strike 
Cos  Lettuce,  doz . 
Cucumbers  doz . 
Endive,  doz . 
Herbs,  bunch  . 
Horseradish,  bunch  ... 
s.  d.  s.  d 
2  0  toO  0 
0  6 
4  0 
0  0 
0  0 
1  0 
3  0 
0  0 
0  8 
0  0 
Leeks,  bunch  . 
Lettuce,  Cabbage,  doz. 
Mushrooms,  forced,  lb. 
Mustard  &  Cress,  doz. 
punnets . 
Onions,  bushel  . 
Parsley,  doz.  bnchs.  ... 
Potatoes,  cwt . 
,,  Jerse}',  new,  cwt. 
Radishes,  doz . 
Spinach,  bush . 
Tomatoes,  English,  lb. 
Turnips,  bnch . 
,,  new,  bnch.  ... 
Average  Wholesale  Prices.— Plants  in  Pots. 
Most  of  the  undermentioned 
d.  s. 
0tol2 
0  30 
0  36 
0  30 
s. 
Aralias,  doz .  5 
Araucaria,  doz . 12 
Aspidistra,  doz . 18 
Crotons,  doz . 18 
Cyperus  alternifolius 
doz .  4  0  5 
Dracaena,  var.,  doz.  ...  12  0  30 
,,  viridis,  doz. .  9  0  18 
Erica  Cavendishi .  18  0  24 
,,  candidissima  ...  18  0  21 
Ferns,  var.,  doz .  4  0  18 
small,  100 .  10  0  16 
Ficus  elastica,  doz.  ...  9  0  12 
Foliage  plants,  var,  each  10  5 
Fuchsias,  doz .  6  0  8 
plants  are  sold  in  48  and  32 
d  ■ 
0  Geraniums,  doz . 
0  ,,  Ivy,  doz. ... 
0  Grevilleas,  48’s,  doz.  ... 
0  Heliotrope  . 
Hydrangeas,  pink 
0  ,,  white  ... 
0  Lycopodiums,  doz.  ... 
0  Marguerite  Daisy,  doz. 
0  Myrtles,  doz . 
0  Palms,  in  var.,  doz.  ... 
0  ,,  specimens 
0  Pandanus  Veitchi,  48’s, 
0  doz . 
0  Pelargoniums  . 
0  i  Shrubs,  in  pots  . 
Average  Wholesale  Prices. — Cut  Blowers 
ims,  doz . 
)aragus,  Fern,  bnch. 
nations,  12  blooms 
tleyas,  doz . 
ton  foliage,  bun.  ... 
!as  leaves,  each 
3haris,  doz . 
•denias,  doz . 
■anium,  scarlet,  doz. 
bnchs . 
diolus.  The  Bride, 
doz.  bun . 
i,  Spanish,  doz.  bun. 
leaves,  doz.  bun. ... 
ium  Harris!  . 
y  of  Valley,  12  bnchs 
idenhair  Fern,  doz. 
bnchs . 
s.  d.  s.  d 
2  0to3  0 
1  0 
1  0 
10  0 
0  9 
0  9 
2  0 
2  0 
2 
1 
12 
1 
1 
3 
2 
4  0  5  0 
8  0 
8  0 
0 
0 
12 
4  0  5  0 
Marguerites,  white, 
doz.  bnchs . 
,,  yellow,  doz.  bnchs. 
Myrtle,  English,  bunch 
Narcissus,  double 
white,  doz . 
Odontoglossums . 
j  Orange  blossom,  bunch 
I  Pyrethrum,  double, 
i  doz.  bun . 
Roses,  Niphetos,  white, 
I  doz . 
I  ,,  pink,  doz . 
,,  yellow, doz.  (Perles) 
,,  Liberty,  doz . 
,,  Generals . 
Smilax,  bunch  . 
Violets,  doz.  bun. 
,,  Marie  Louise... 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
1  6  to  2  0 
10  0 
15  0 
10  0 
20  0 
3  6 
5  0 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
0  2to0  24 
0  6 
1  0 
1  0 
0  0 
1  6 
0  0 
3  0 
0  0 
2  0 
0  0 
6  0 
8  0 
12  0 
14  0 
0  9 
1  0 
2  0 
0  0 
0  6 
0  7 
0  0 
0  2 
0  5 
0  6 
:-sized  pot. 
s.  d. 
s.  ^ 
4  0  to  6  b 
6  0 
8  0 
5  0 
0  0 
5  0 
6  0 
10  0 
12  0 
10  0 
12  0 
3  0 
0  0 
6  0 
9  0 
6  0 
9  6 
15  0 
30  0 
21  0 
63  0 
24  0 
30  0 
8  0 
0  0 
4  0 
6  0 
s.  d. 
s.  d 
3  0  to  4  0 
1  6 
2  0 
0  6 
0  0 
3  0 
0  0 
4  0 
5  0 
2  0 
0  0 
4  0 
5  0 
1  0 
1  6 
2  0 
4  0 
(  1  6 
2  0 
2  0 
4  0 
1  6 
2  0 
4  0 
5  0 
2  0 
2  6 
2  0 
3  0 
