September  6,  1900, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
2  I'd 
Heatljer  and  Ling. 
In  writing  of  the  British  Heaths  “  W.  D.”  (page  192)  makes  no 
mention  of  the  remarkable  fact  that  everywhere,  as  far  as  I  have  seen, 
on  English  grouse  moors  and  down  to  Cornwall,  Ling  (Callnna  vn'garis) 
is  universally  called  “  Heather,”  and  the  common  Bell  Heather  (Erica 
cinerea)  is  callevl  “  Ling.”  The  utter  indignation  of  gamekeepers  when 
I  have  pointed  this  out  has  been  very  amusing.  “  D’ye  think  I  don’t 
know  Heather  from  Ling  when  I  was  born  in  the  Heather,  and  have 
lived  here  all  my  life  ?  ” 
Grouse,  and  I  fancy  sheep  also,  will  eat  only  the  Ling,  though  of 
course  the  moor  folk,  as  they  misapply  the  two  terms,  will  tell  you  just 
the  opposite.  Of  course,  Ling  is  Heather,  and  there  is  no  reason  why 
it  should  not  be  so  called.  The  real  error  is  in  calling  the  Bell  Heather 
Ling.  In  almost  every  department  of  natural  history  the  local  names 
are  generally  wrong,  all  over  the  world. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
- - 
Tl|e  Crystal  Palace  Fruit  Sljow. 
I  FEAR  it  is  too  much  to  ask  for,  when  suggesting  that  some  effort 
be  made  to  break  up  with  the  aid  of  a  few  small  plants  in  the  collections 
and  long  tables  of  single  dishes,  as  also  with  small  groups  of  plants 
here  and  there  to  divide  classes  at  the  forthcoming  great  fruit  show  at 
the  Crystal  Palace.  Everyone  who  has  seen  this  show  has  admitted 
that  it  would  be  greatly  improved  by  a  little  dressing  of  this  nature. 
The  Palace  gardens  have  such  immense  resources  of  this  nature  that 
the  decoration  of  the  tabling  should  not  be  a  matter  of  difficulty.  I  am 
not  for  one  moment  suggesting,  what  is  to  some  people  such  an 
impropriety,  that  exhibitors  themselves  be  invited  to  bring  material 
wherewith  to  dress  their  collections. 
There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  the  large  trade  collections  do 
present  far  more  attractive  aspects  when  they  have  the  aid  of  some 
diverse  forms  of  decoration.  Long  tables  filled  with  Apples  and  Pears 
without  a  break  of  any  description,  except  such  as  is  furnished  by  the 
unattractive  class  cards,  cannot  be  regarded  as  pleasing.  The  work  of 
dressing,  as  suggested,  could  easily  be  done  by  the  Palace  staff  as 
soon  as  the  staging  was  completed,  or  if  preferred,  overnight,  that  the 
exhibits  might  be  accommodated  to  the  plant  arrangements.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  every  effort  will  be  made  by  exhibitors  to  have  every  variety 
legibly  named,  and  the  cards  fixed  prominently  to  each  dish.  The 
public,  as  well  as  .the  reporters,  are  always  grateful  when  such  is  well 
done,  and  even  if  the  naming  seem  rather  prominent  yet  it  adds  very 
materially  to  the  interest  of  the  show.  Some  varieties  of  both  Apples 
and  Pears  ought  to  he  well  represented  this  year.  If  they  are  not 
then  they  should  no  longer  have  classes  filled  by  only  two  or  three 
dishes. — A.  D. 
- - 
Aphis  Migrations. 
These  remarkable  incidents  in  aphis  history  are  now  better  under¬ 
stood  than  they  were,  but  even  yet  there  are  some  particulars  we 
cannot  explain.  That  they  principally  occur  when  the  insects  are  in 
the  winged  state  is  clear,  though  the  viviparous  unwinged  aphis  can 
travel  sometimes,  still  u  rpidity  seems  to  characterise  our  foe  at  that 
stage  of  life  ;  it  simply  sucks  and  multiplies,  hence  the  ease  with  which 
it  can  be  dealt  with  in  the  general  way.  May  and  September  are  the 
special  months  when  aphides  migrate  in  the  winged  form,  the  day  or 
days  they  prefer  being  tolerably  calm,  though  a  moderate  wind  is  in 
their  favour. 
The  late  Mr.  Walker  was  the  first  to  indicate  what  is  the  prompting 
cause  of  these  migrations — namely,  a  condition  of  the  atmosphere 
which  checks  the  supply  of  sap  in  the  trees  or  plants  on  which  they  are 
feeding,  dull  close  weather,  such  as  is  popularly  called  a  blight  in  the 
air.  This  happens  both  in  spring  and  autumn,  then  the  insects  stop 
feeding,  and  assume  the  winged  state,  changing  their  abode,  and  also 
frequently  resorting  to  species  quite  different  to  those  they  have  quitted. 
Their  journeys  are  mostly  short,  remarks  Mr.  Walker.  This  may  be  the 
rule,  but  they  travel  at  times  for  several  milts.  I  have  had  proof  of 
hosts  going  across  the  Tbames  near  Gravesend,  on  their  way  from 
Essex  to  the  Hop  plantations  of  Kent.  Large  numbers  die  en  route 
from  various  causes.  They  enter  shops,  and  get  into  gaslights  ;  visit 
the  eyes,  mouths  and  ears  of  the  public,  evoking  language  more 
forceful  than  elegant.  One  fact  very  notable  is,  that  these  emigrants 
die,  even  if  they  reach  their  destination ;  having  produced  a  new  brood, 
they  feed  no  more. 
Aphides  that  infest  our  garden  Roses  in  early  spring  are  believed  to 
travel  to  Beans  on  the  approach  of  summer,  and  those  which  quit  fruit 
trees  about  May  also  give  a  different  diet  to  their  posterity.  It  is  quite 
likely  that  occasional  flights  of  winged  individuals  happen  in  other 
months  besides  May  and  September.  Patches  of  weeds,  which  are 
allowed  to  I’emain  in  gardens  by  some  people  from  autumn  to  spring, 
probably  afford  a  winter  resort  to  several  species  of  aphis,  and  they 
eventually  crawl  off,  many  of  them,  to  more  attractive  food  when  it  is 
accessible.  But  the  majority  of  the  aphis  tribe  pass  the  winter  in  the 
egg  s  ate.  Doubtless  at  the  roots  of  various  garden  and  wild  plants 
these  insects  live  all  the  year.  One  of  our  entomologists  has  also 
discovered  the  existence  of  what  might  be  called  aphis  queens,  which, 
like  the  queen  wasps,  hide  away  in  snug  retreats,  and  appear  as  parents 
of  a  new  brood  next  season. — Entomologist. 
- - 
Perpetual  Strawberries. 
I  TRUST  that  “  W.  R.  Raillem  ”  may  be  right  in  his  expectations  as  to 
the  future  of  these  fruits,  but  the  look-out  at  present  is  not  very 
encouraging  I  am  afraid.  In  several  instances  of  late  in  varicus  parts 
of  England  I  have  been  making  inquiries  and  watching  their  behaviour, 
and  in  no  case  have  I  heard  any  very  good  account  of  them.  One 
grower  for  market  in  the  West  is  now  busy  digging  the  plants  in,  while 
at  another  place  in  July  when  they  should  have  been  good  only  a  few 
small  and  poorly  flavoured  fruits  were  forthcoming. — H.  R.  Richards. 
- 1-**. - 
Tlje  Parsley-leaved  Bramble. 
Any  time  from  the  end  of  October  onwards  to  March  is  suitable 
for  planting  this  useful  Bramble,  provided  the  weather  be  suitable  for 
the  operation.  Perhaps  early  in  November  is  as  good  a  time  as  any. 
It  is  done  the  same  as  planting  Raspberries.  Fertile  yet  rather  porous 
soil  is  best,  as  the  plants  do  not  become  established  quickly  in  cold 
heavy  land.  This  Bramble  is  good  for  covering  walls  or  fences,  or  it 
may  be  trained  in  the  form  of  arches  over  walks,  or  in  any  other 
convenient  manner  desired.  When  it  commences  bearing  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  cut  the  portions  out  and  retain  the  best  of  the  young 
growths,  as  in  growing  Raspberries. — F. 
Tomatoes  and  Coal  Ashes. 
Coal  ashes  are  generally  conceded  to  be  deficient  of  manurial 
constituents — at  least  of  ammonia.  According  to  “  Johnson’s  Gardeners’ 
Dictionary,”  however,  coal  ashes  contain  carbon,  silica,  alumina,  sulphate 
of  lime,  iron  and  potash,  carbonate  of  lime,  and  oxide  of  iron,  and  are 
said  to  be  a  good  manure  for  grass.  Peas,  and  Potatoes.  Thus  the 
assimilation  of  some  if  not  all  of  those  constituents  is  likewise 
beneficial  to  the  Tomato,  and  probably  in  a  marked  degree.  The  rela¬ 
tion  of  a  case  in  point  may  go  far  to  prove  this.  It  was  experienced 
by  my  brother  when  resident  at  Rhode  Island,  New  York.  Having  no 
further  use  for  a  brick  built  pit,  used  for  plunging  half-hardy  plants  in 
pots  in  during  the  winter,  it  occurred  to  him  to  add  more  furnace  ashes 
to  the  pit,  and  plant  Tomatoes  therein.  A  shovelful  of  fresh  oow 
manure  was  the  only  additional  stimulant  added,  merely  placing 
it  beneath  each  plant,  returning  the  ashes  to  each  hole,  and  then  place  a 
plant  on  the  spot,  and  when  the  plants  became  fully  established  the 
hose  was  freely  applied  during  the  summer,  resulting  in  a  heavy 
crop  of  fruit  of  fine  size  and  quality ;  some  of  the  plants  extended 
to  18  feet  in  length,  year  after  year  in  the  self  same  ashes,  much  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  neighbouring  gardeners.  Moreover,  the  ”  spot”  or 
“  sleepy  ”  disease  never  made  its  appearance.  I  must  state  that  the 
long  deep  pit  was  filled  up  the  depth  of  5  feet  within  18  inches 
from  the  top,  thus  leaving  space  for  wintering  bedding  stock,  and  a 
single  Tomato  plant  was  allotted  to  each  sash  space.  Whilst,  of  course, 
the  sashes  were  not  required  for  the  Tomatoes  during  the  summer  and 
autumn  seasons,  but  long  laths  were  laid  over  the  pit  to  train  the  plants 
on.  The  cow  manure,  of  course,  afforded  a  stimulant  for  the  young 
plants,  I  have  seen  the  advantage  of  coal  ashes  for  Tomatoes  men¬ 
tioned  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  by,  I  think,  Mr.  Iggulden,  and  the 
testimony  I  give  may  tend  to  increase  their  use. 
Were  another  case  in  point  needed  to  prove  the  efficacy  of  coal 
ashes,  I  may  instance  that  by  an  amateur  grower  of  Zonal  Pelargoniums, 
and  whose  success  was  remarkable  with  plants  grown  in  4-inoh 
pots.  The  plants  were  grown  in  pure  turfy  loam,  with  perhaps  a 
little  leaf  mould  added ;  but  nothing  in  the  shape  of  manure  was  given 
afterwards,  simply  pure  water.  The  roots,  however,  in  due  course 
penetrated  through  the  bottom  of  the  pots,  and  then  completely 
permeated  the  layer  of  coal  ashes,  spread  over  the  staging  upon  which 
the  plants  were  arranged. — W.  G. 
