344 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  11,  1900. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed  j 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  mitre  court  Cbambers,  Fleet  street,  i 
Xondon,  E.C.  It  is  reqmsted  thit  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seekins;  information  on  matters  ; 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustidable 
trouble  and  expense. 
Sample  of  Mushroom  Spawn  {11.  G.). — The  portion  of  brick  is  neither 
much  possessed  of  the  fine  mycelial  threads  nor  has  the  characteristic  ; 
smell  of  Mushrooms.  Still  there  is  some  spawn,  and  the  threads  or  , 
mycelium  appear  to  be  sound,  but  this  can  only  be  determined  by 
placing  under  growing  conditions.  Considering  the  meagreness  of  the  i 
spawn  in  the  portion  of  brick  and  its  having  a  musty  instead  of  a 
Mushroom-like  smell,  we  should 
not  care  to  rely  upon  such  for 
spawning  a  Mushroom  bed.  The 
brick  appears  old. 
Does  Barley  Straw  Deteriorate 
{Coventry). — Yes,  to  some  extent 
after  the  second  or  third  year,  but 
much  depends  upon  the  place  of 
storage  or  of  the  stack  being  well 
thatched,  and  thus  kept  dry  and 
in  sound  condition.  This  generally 
makes  all  the  difference  ;  still  the 
•straw  loses  value  from  year  to 
year,  and  is  best  used  within  a 
year  or  two,  or  at  most  three  years 
from  gathering.  Nevertheless  we 
have  known  some  used  much  older 
and  with  good  results  in  feeding 
value  as  chaff. 
Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine 
{Lorraine). — There  is  some  doubt 
as  to  the  exact  parentage  of  this 
beautiful  winter-flowering  variety. 
It  was  exhibited  by  MM.  Lemcine 
et  Fils,  of  Nancy,  at  a  meetiner 
of  the  National  Horticultural 
Society  of  France  in  the  early  part 
of  1892,  and  then  stated  to  be  a 
cross  between  Begonia  socotrana 
and  B.  weltoniensis,  being  de¬ 
scribed  as  covered  with  beautiful 
small  soft  rose-coloured  flowers. 
A  certificate  of  merit  was  awarded, 
and  it  was  sent  out  at  the  end  of 
the  year  named.  At  a  meeting  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  held  in  the  Drill  Hall,  James  Street, 
Westminster,  on  October  24th,  189.3,  Mr.  Jennings,  gardener  to  Leopold 
do  Rothschild,  Esq.,  Ascott,  Leighton  Buzzard,  exhibited  some  exception, 
ally  well  flowered  plants  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  and  for  which 
a  first-class  certificate  was  awarded.  From  a  sketch  of  one  of  these  an 
illustration  appeared  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  March  Sih,  1894, 
page  185,  and  it  is  there  stated  that  the  plants  exhibited  were  propa¬ 
gated  in  June  from  a  plant  purchased  in  February,  1893.  In  Messrs. 
Jas.  Veitch  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Plant  Catalogue,  page  54,  Begonia  Gloire  de 
Lorraine  is  said  to  have  been  obtained  from  B.  Dregei  and  B.  socotrana. 
Select  Apples  for  Standards  (P.  TF.). — Twelve  dessert  Apples  : — 
Devonshire  Quarrenden,  Worcester  Pearmain,  Court  of  Wick,  Fearn’s 
Pippin,  King  of  the  Pippins,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin,  Claygate  Pearmain, 
Brownlee  s  Russet,  Cockle’s  Pippin,  Balchin’s  Pearmain,  Court  Pendu 
Plat,  and  Lord  Burghley.  *  Twelve  kitchen  Apples  : — Duchess  of 
Oldenburg,  Cox’s  Pomona,  Grenadier,  Warner’s  King,  Lord  Derby, 
Blenheim  Orange,  Oascoyne’s  Scarlet,  Baumann’s  Red  Reinette,  Beauty 
of  Stoke,  New  Northern  Greening,  Bramley’s  Seedling,  and  Newton 
Wonder.  It  would  be  advisable  to  have  the  land  well  prepared  for  the 
trees,  and  though  you  must  relay  most  of  the  turf  it  should  not  be 
brought  up  over  the  roots,  but  at  least  a  yard  space  left  round  the 
stem  of  each  tree,  and  this  circle  of  6  feet  diameter  should  be  duly 
mulched  after  planting.  This  procedure  is  necessary  to  give  the  trees 
a  start  and  secure  their  speedy  establishment.  The  old  cider  Apple  trees 
may  be  cut  over  during  winter,  and  in  the  spring  crown  grafted.  There 
is  a  chance  of  their  doing  well,  especially  if  such  varieties  as  Alfriston 
and  Bramley’s  Seedling  are  employed.  The  latter  variety  we  advise 
in  particular,  and  have  no  [doubt  of  the  venture  proving  very 
profitable  in  a  few  years. 
Are  French  Beans  Good  for  Horses  ?  {T.  A.  C.  C.). — The  varieties  of 
Haricot  Beans  are,  when  carefully  and  thoroughly  cooked,  good  as  food 
for  man,  but  we  have  no  experience  of  ordinary  French  Beans  in  ripe  state 
as  food  for  horses.  Will  any  correspondent  oblige  with  particulars  of 
the  use  of  French  Beans  for  horses  ? 
Old  Hay  versus  New  Hay  {Tdem). — Old  hay  is  equal  and  in  some 
cases  better  to  new,  especially  for  horses,  particularly  hunters  and 
carriage  horses.  Such  in  good  condition  always  commands  higher  prices 
than  newer  hay,  which  is  a  fair  criterion  of  its  value. 
Worms  in  Box-edged  Path  (TF.  J.  G.). — The  safest  remedy  will 
undoubtedly  be  clear  lime  water,  as  it  will  neither  discolour  the  paths 
nor  injure  the  Box ;  indeed,  it  will  be  beneficial  rather  than  otherwise 
to  the  edgings,  as  Box  must  have  lime  to  maintain  it  in  health.  Place 
a  few  lumps  of  fresh  lime  in  a  tub,  which  fill  with  water;  let  it  remain 
until  quite  clear,  removing  the  scum  that  will  form  on  the  surface, 
then  apply  it  to  the  walks  copiously  through  the  rose  of  a  watering- 
pot,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  worms  will  rise  to  the  surface  and 
can  be  swept  up,  or  at  any  rate  if  they  do  not  come  to  the  surface 
they  will  otherwise  take  tbeir  departure.  By  applying  lime  water  to 
the  paths  as  often  as  is  needed  they  will  be  kept  clean.  The  quantity 
of  lime  used  is  not  material,  as  if  half  a  pound  to  the  gallon  is  used 
the  lime  water  will  be  as  strong  as  if  twice  that  quantity  were  placed 
in  the  vessel ;  thus  there  is  no 
danger  or  possibility  of  making 
the  preparation  too  strong,  or  so 
strong  as  to  injure  Box  edgings. 
Aloysia  citriodora  or  Lemon- 
scented  Verbena  propagation 
(H.  8.). — The  most  satisfacto^ 
way  of  raising  a  stock  is  to  obtain 
well-grown,  thrifty  young  plants, 
in  spring  and  grow  them  on  for  the 
season.  As  the  wood  ripens,  give 
less  water  until  they  are  at  rest, 
when  it  must  be  nearly  withheld. 
About  the  end  of  January  bring 
into  light  and  warmth  and  water 
thoroughly.  As  soon  as  the  plants 
break  cut  them  back  to  three  or 
four  eyes,  and  when  the  young 
shoots  are  about  an  inch  long 
transfer  into  rich  sandy  soil,  using 
pots  a  size  or  two  smaller  than 
those  they  were  in  before.  When 
the  pots  are  full  of  roots  transfer 
to  pots  that  are  to  hold  the  plants 
for  the  season.  The  plants  will 
make  vigorous  growth,  and  plenty 
of  young  shoots  will  be  forth¬ 
coming  by  August.  These  when 
about  half  ripe  should  be  made 
into  cuttings  in  the  usual  way, 
retaining  the  growing  with  another 
joint  above  the  soil,  and  one  or 
two  joints  for  inserting  in  a  sandy 
compost  surfaced  with  sand.  The 
cuttings  may  be  placed  at  the 
sides  of  pots,  and  after  insertion 
stood  in  a  cold  frame,  shading  and  keeping  close  for  about  three  weeks, 
when  the  cuttings  will  for  the  most  part  have  rooted.  Gradually 
inure  to  air  and  light,  and  pot  before  winter,  or  keep  in  store  pots 
during  the  winter,  repotting  early  in  the  spring. 
Nierembergia  rivularis  (P.  Done). — This  plant  was  found  by  Miers, 
about  the  year  1815,  growing  on  the  grassy  banks  of  the  Rio  de  la 
Plata,  Sfuth  America,  “the  prostrate  branches  creeping  among  the 
grass,  above  which  rise  its  pretty  white  flowers.”  Indeed,  under 
cultivation,  and  when  well  established,  there  are  few  similar  plants  that 
contiibute  so’  much  in  such  little  space  towards  the  beauty  of  the  rock, 
work  or  border  as  this  little  gem.  Although  it  seems  to  prefer  a 
rockery  or  a  similar  situation  where  its  roots  get  curbed,  it  will  do 
equally  well  on  dry  banks  or  flats,  and  a  large  patch  we  saw  on  the  flat 
fully  exposed  was  a  sight  not  soon  to  be  forgotten,  so  thickly  were  the 
large  beautiful  white  cups  studded  among  the  leaves  on  shore  stalks 
like  so  many  Campanula-shaped  Mushtooms.  Those  not  hardy  in  the 
open  air  may  be  used  with  great  advantage  indoors  in  the  shape  of 
trailing  or  creeping  plants.  A  hanging  basket  made  with  N.  gracilis  as 
an  edging  is  extremely  pretty,  besides  having  the  advantage  of  being 
permanent.  Then  there  is  N.  frutescens,  a  strong  shrubby  species  of 
considerable  worth  for  a  greenhouse  or  conservatory,  as  it  makes  fine 
bushes  in  a  short  time,  flowering  more  or  less  incessantly.  N.  rivularis 
(fig.  95)  rarely  grows  more  than  an  inch  or  two  in  height,  having 
long  prostrate  creeping  branches  rooting  as  they  spread  away  from  the 
centre,  which  requires  filling  up  occasionally.  The  leaves  are  alternate, 
oblong,  blunt  at  the  summit,  on  a  long  slender  stalk ;  the  corolla, 
shaped  like  a  Campanula,  is  upright,  about  2  inches  in  diameter,  pure 
white,  and  very  handsome.  It  flowers  through  the  summer,  and  may 
be  increased  by  division. 
Fig.  95. — Nierembergia  rivularis. 
