August  23,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
181 
The  Passing  of  tl|e  Aphis. 
A  GREAT  deal  has  been  said  about  the  mysterious  coming  of  the 
aphis  on  Rose  plants,  their  astonishing  powers  of  asexual  increase,  and 
the  absolute  necessity  of  dealing  with  them  early  and  wholesale,  lest 
the  plants  be  absolutely  smothered  by  their  numbers.  To  my  mind 
their  periodical  disappearances,  which  happen  every  year,  are  even 
more  wonderful.  Up  to  Rose  show  time  this  year  I  had  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  with  them ;  during  that  three  weeks  they  were  necessarily 
neglected,  and  since  then  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  seen  one.  I  do 
•not  think  that  I  could  find  one  just  now  anywhere,  though  I  know  by 
experience  that  they  will  come  again  before  the  summer  is  over.  What 
has  become  of  them  that  they  have  been  so  effectually  cleared  off  ?  It 
always  happens,  as  far  as  I  can  remember.  Can  anyone  say  ? 
— W.  R.  Raillem. 
The  Logan  Berry. 
An  interesting  article  came  under  our  notice  in  the  “Newcastle 
Daily  Chronicle”  of  August  3rd  on  a  new  fruit  named  the  Mahdi.  We 
feel  specially  interested  in  this  reference,  as  we  imported  from  America 
about  three  years  ago  a  new  fruit  called  the  Logan  Berry,  which  hlls 
since  become  very  popular.  It  was  raised  by  Judge  Logan,  of  California, 
hence  the  name,  and  is  a  hybrid  between  the  Aughenbaugh  Blackberry 
and  the  Red  Antwerp  Raspberry. 
When  ripe  the  fruit  is  deep  reddish  maroon  in  colour ;  it  is  an 
abundant  cropper,  and  valuable  alike  for  dessert  and  culinary  purposes. 
We  have  sent  it  to  many  places  throughout  the  British  Isles,  and  this 
season  our  attention  has  been  drawn  to  it  from  several  quarters,  by 
persons  whom  we  supplied,  commenting  very  favourably  upon  the 
quality  and  productiveness  of  this  new  fruit.  We  have  it  in  full 
fruit,  and  have  also  had  the  pleasure  of  inspecting  it  in  full  fruit  in 
several  other  localities.  Last  week  we  saw  it  fruiting  splendidly  in  the 
North  Marine  Park,  South  Shields.  Last  month  we  saw  a  handsome 
erop  of  large  luscious  fruit  on  plants  grown  by  G.  H.  Wood,  Esq , 
manager  of  the  Isle  of  Man  Railway,  in  his  garden  in  the  Isle  of  Man ; 
also  as  grown  by  Mr.  Crebbin,  Ballagawne,  in  the  Isle  of  Man  ;  both  the 
latter  plants  were  grown  on  the  wall.  Messrs.  T.  Cubbon  &  Son, 
Rushen  Abbey  Gardens  and  Fruit  Preserving  Company,  also  showed 
us  their  plants,  bearing  an  enormous  crop,  and  had  them  growing  in 
the  open,  similar  to  Raspberries,  and  the  fruit  was  large  and  beautiful. 
The  fruit  was  submitted  to  the  R.H.S.,  and  awarded  a  certidoate  of 
merit  on  July  13th,  1897. — Wm.  Feli.  &  Co. 
- - - 
Ashleaf  Kidney  Potatoes. 
Of  all  Potatoes  in  commerce  the  Ashleaf  still  remains  the  most 
remarkable,  because  it  has  been  in  cultivation  for  some  sixty  to  seventy 
years  at  least,  whilst  its  origin  seems  to  be  lost  in  the  dim  and  distant 
past.  But  it  is  very  widely  grown  still,  and  although  it  is  found  under 
mo^  diverse  appellations,  it  still  remains  the  Ashleaf  Kidney.  Every 
gardener  is  familiar  with  its  comparatively  long  flattish  form,  broadish 
at  the  bud  end,  and  rather  pointed  at  the  heel  ;  flesh  rather  yellow, 
and  when  well  cooked  should  be  flaky  and  of  nice  nutty  flavour.  But 
it  would  seem  as  if  the  Ashleaf  needed  specially  favoured  sells  to 
enable  it  to  mature  its  old  properties  fully,  or  else  that  the  stock  has, 
if  not  in  former  cropping,  at  least  in  texture,  materially  degenerated. 
Improved  is  a  term  commonly  given  to  certain  stocks  of  the  Ashleaf. 
It  is  a  “  superlative  ”  term  in  diverse  senses,  but  specially  is  it  super¬ 
lative  when  it  emphasises  absolutely  no  improvement  whatever. 
There  have  been  several  Ashleafs  grown  in  the  large  Potato  trial 
at  Chiswick  this  season,  but  not  one  would  pass  muster  in  quality  when 
cooked  in  comparison  with  either  Beauty  of  Hebron  or  Early  Puritan. 
Now  that  must  be  due  either  to  decadeuce  of  stock  or  else  to  the 
incapability  of  the  soil  to  produce  that  high  table  quality  we  have  so 
long  associated  with  the  Ashleaf  Kidney.  The  once  favoured  Walnut- 
leaf  Kidney,  of  which  the  popular  Mona’s  Pride  was  a  stock,  seems 
now  to  have  disappeared  from  commerce.  It  was  well  known  for  its 
roundish  curled  leaves,  and  its  spring  shoots  green  in  colour,  whilst 
those  of  the  true  Ashleaf  are  purplish.  I  am  not  sure  whether  it 
would  not  be  worth  while  could  stock  of  the  Ashleaf  under  any  name 
be  obtained  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom  and  grown  somewhere,  so 
that  it  may  be  possible  to  determine  whether  one  stock  was  really 
better  than  another,  or  whether  all  were  alike.  Certainly  we  cannot 
yet  dispense  with  the  Early  Ashleaf. — A.  D. 
Rose  Wm.  Allan  Richardson. 
I  NOTICED  on  page  110  a  paragraph  on  William  Allan  Richardson 
Rose.  My  experience  of  that  Rose  is  somewhat  different,  for  I  have 
one  that  has  been  growing  on  south  side  of  my  house  for  some  six 
years.  It  thrives  most  luxuriantly,  and  blooms  twice  a  year  regularly, 
and  with  the  true  colours.  I  am  on  the  Cotswold  Hills  ;  my  house  is 
fully  600  feet  above  sea  level,  and  soil  is  not  really  suitable  for  Roses — 
in  fact,  others  soon  die  off.  No  rule  without  an  exception. — T.  W. 
SwiNBDRNE,  Corndean,  Winchcomhe. 
Tlie  Honey  Harvest. 
“An  English  Bee-Keeper ”  says,  page  163,  of  August  16th,  “With 
the  exception  of  the  Heather  the  honey  harvest  is  at  an  end.”  My 
bees  are  quite  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  edge  of  the  Heather,  and 
Sunday  last,  the  12th,  they  found  the  Heather,  and  during  the  seven 
beautiful  days  we  have  had  they  have  gained  more  weight  than  I 
remember  them  doing  in  any  previous  year.  With  a  continuance  of 
favourable  weather  Heather  honey  promises  to  be  plentiful.  Before 
the  12th  swarms  were  in  a  sad  plight. — A.  D.  S.  K. 
The  Plaijes  on  the  Thames  Embankment. 
It  is  gratifying  to  see  that  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  has  an  eye  to 
the  interests  of  tree  culture  in  London.  Every  lover  of  trees,  and 
everyone  who  appreciates  the  improvements  going  on  in  our  wonderful 
city,  must  rise  both  pleased  and  instructed  after  reading  the  talented 
article  on  London  Planes  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  of  the  9th  of 
August  last.  One  does  not  wish  to  say  a  word  against  any  scheme  for 
the  improvement  of  the  sanitary  or  domestic  conditions  of  our  large 
cities  and  towns.  But  I  have  often  thought  the  how  and  when  in  these 
operations  are  not  sufficiently  considered.  The  laying  bare  of  the  roots 
of  the  Planes  on  the  Thames  Embankment,  and  leaving  them  in  a 
mutilated  state  exposed  to  the  dry  hot  air  of  July,  might  surely  have 
been  avoided.  The  trees  must  suffer  by  the  disturbance  and  mutilation, 
to  wha'-.  extent  the  future  will  probably  show.  Why  could  not  the  work 
have  been  done  between  the  months  of  September  and  March,  when  the 
trees,  root  and  top,  were  in  a  state  of  comparative  rest,  instead  of  in 
the  summer  months,  when  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  sensitiveness  ? 
It  is  sad  to  think  that  these  trees,  after  passing  satisfactorily 
through  the  critical  period  of  adolescence,  may  be  wrecked  by  careless 
or  ill-timed  operations,  or  hurried  prematurely  into  a  state  of  decrepi¬ 
tude.  There  are  those  I  fear  who  may  think  it  hypercritical  to  talk  of 
delaying  important  works  for  the  sake  of  a  few  trees.  But  is  it  so  ? 
Not  only  is  the  beauty  of  our  cities  and  towns  improved  by  the  presence 
of  large  trees,  but  the  comfort  of  their  shade  and  the  purifying  influences 
they  exert  on  the  air  by  the  action  of  their  leaves  count  for  much  more 
than  is  generally  thought  of. 
These  Planes  on  the  Embankment  already  form,  in  my  judgment, 
an  avenue  at  once  grand  and  beautiful,  and  the  time  is  not  far  distant 
when,  if  judiciously  cared  for,  they  will  be  spoken  of  as  magnificent. 
The  planting  was  begun,  I  believe,  in  1868,  but  when  completed  I  do 
not  remember.  Considerable  time  elapsed  between  the  planting  of  the 
first  and  last  of  them,  on  account  of  various  obstacles  which  stood  in 
the  way  and  could  not  be  at  once  removed.  I  remember  Mr.  Mackenzie 
and  several  City  authorities  consulting  me  as  to  what  trees  should  be 
planted  there,  and  I  said  at  once  Planes  or  Black  Italian  Poplars,  but 
said  also  that  I  should  like  to  think  over  the  matter  before  giving  a 
decided  answer.  Shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Mackenzie  called  upon  me 
again  with  a  long  list  of  trees  suggested  from  variou-i  sources,  in  which 
the  Ailantus  was  conspicuous.  I  reached  down  from  my  library 
shelvesAhe  index  volume  of  Loudon’s  “  Arboretum,”  &o.,  and  we  read 
Cirefully  through  that  long  list.  One  by  one  was  this  list  relieved  of 
its  ineptitudes.  Again  and  again  at  intervals  we  met  and  discussed  the 
matter,  till  at  length  I  gave  a  decided  opinion  in  favour  of  the  Plane. 
When  this  tree  was  decided  on  I  suggested  to  Mr.  McKenzie  that  he 
should  go  or  send  some  qualified  person  to  see  and  choose  the  individual 
trees  when  in  leaf.  The  reason  for  this  suggestion  was  that  many  of 
the  Planes  in  the  nurseries  at  that  period  were  raised  from  seed  (not 
from  cuttings  and  layers  as  at  present),  and  differed  so  much  in  rate  of 
growth  and  beauty  of  aspect  as  to  be  well  worthy  of  this  special 
selection  to  secure  uniformity.  This,  I  believe,  was  done,  but  a  few 
dissimilar  seedlings  (in  aspect)  seem  to  have  crept  in,  and  it  becomes 
a  question  whether  these  should  not  be  removed  and  be  replaced  by 
handsomer  trees  taken  from  those  removed  from  the  crowded  lines. 
The  effect  would  not  be  immediately  perfect,  but  by  careful  removal, 
new  soil,  and  skilful  pruning,  and  additional  feeding  by  manure  and 
water,  they  would,  in  my  judgment,  be  soon  brought  up  in  aspect  and 
beauty  to  their  more  favoured  congeners.  Again,  I  suggested  that  the 
trees  should  be  planted  at  half  the  distance  apart  (for  the  sake  of 
shelter)  at  which  they  were  ultimately  to  remain,  removing  every 
second  tree  before  the  lines  became  crowded. 
I  have  often  during  the  last  thirty  years  inspected  what  is  already 
a  splendid  avenue,  and  may  become  in  the  near  future  one  of  London’s 
chief  ornaments. — William  Paul,  F.L.S.,  V.M.H. 
