300 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  25,  1902. 
*»*  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  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
LEAVES  OF  BEGONIAS  DISFIGURED  (A  Reader,  Cambs.). 
— The  leaves  of  Gloire  de  Lorraine  are  infested  by  the  Begonia 
leaf-rust  mite,  Tarsonymus  Begoni,  a  very  pernicious  creature, 
as  by  its  piercing  of  the  tissues  and  the  mode  of  life  of  the  larvae 
causes  leaves  to  become  crumpled,  stunted  and  disfigured,  the 
under  side  having  a  rusted  appearance,  and  sometimes  they  are  so 
bitten  and  poisoned  evidently,  that  they  often  fall  off  to  a  great 
extent.  The  leaves  of  Begonia  weltoniensis  are  infested  by  the 
.same  pest,  but  in  a  less  degree,  the  mite  not  being  so  fond  of  this 
species  as  of  the  more  fleshy  leaves  of  Gloire  de  Lorraine.  The 
only  thing  as  yet  found  of  any  use  is  spraying  or  dipping  in  tobacco 
water,  made  by  placing  an  ounce  of  the  strongest  shag  tobacco  in 
a  vessel  and  pouring  on  a  quart  of  boiling  water,  covering  close, 
and  leaving  until  cool,  then  straining  and  spraying  on  the  under 
side  of  the  leaves,  the  plants  being  held  upside  down,  or  in  case 
of  a  large  number  of  plants  more  tobacco  water  may  be  made  of 
a  similar  strength  so  as  to  admit  of  dipping  them.  The  spraying 
or  dipping  should  be  repeated  two  or  three  times  at  intervals  of 
about  a  week. 
CUCUMBER  AND  TOMATO  PLANTS  DYING  (T.  P.  R.). 
— The  Cucumber  plant  has  the  leaves  affected  by  leaf-spot  fungus, 
Cercospora  melonis,  but  the  sudden  collapse  of  the  plant  is  due 
to  a  stem  affection  closely  allied  to  sleeping  disease  in  Tomatoes, 
Fusarium  Lycopersici,  which  infests  the  vascular  bundles,  and 
prevents  the  flow  of  sap,  hence  the  sudden  collapse  of  the  plant. 
The  Tomato  stem  certainly  lias  some  “  black  stripe,”  but  the  cause 
of  the  collapse  is  sleeping  disease.  Probably  both  the  affections 
of  the  stems  is  only  a  form  of  Fusarium  solani,  most  likely  en¬ 
couraged  by  the  high-feeding  conditions  under  which  both 
Cucumbers  and  Tomatoes  are  grown,  the  former  being  treated 
more  like  aquatics  than  under  rational  conditions  befitting  plants 
that  never  thrive  in  deluged  soil,  and  require  naturally  a  well 
aerated  atmosphere.  There  certainly  is  not  any  remedy  for  the 
sleeping  disease,  and  the  best  preventive  is  to  treat  the  compost 
with  a  mixture  of  8  parts  basic  cinder  phosphate  and  3  partg 
refined  kainit,  sprinkling  on  the  freshly  cut  turfy  loam  at  the 
rate  of  4oz  per  square  yard  as  the  turf  is  stacked  in  autumn 
per  3in  thickness,  or  on  each  layer  of  turves  as  placed  on 
grass  side  downwards.  In  cutting  down  the  turf  stack  it  should 
be  from  top  to  bottom,  and  mixing  the  whole  well  before  use. 
For  the  Cucumber  leaf-spot  there  does  not  appear  any  remedy. 
Bordeaux  mixture  not  acting  as  either  preventive  or  repressive, 
and  the  removal  of  affected  leaves  not  retard  the  advance  of  the 
fungus,  it  attacking  the  very  young  leaves  and  preventing  further 
further  profitable  growth. 
FORCING  LILY  OF  THE  VALLEY  (R.  S.).— Either  home¬ 
grown  or  imported  Berlin  crowns  should  be  used  for  early  forcing, 
and  for  very  early  work  retarded  crowns  should  be  employed. 
They  should  be  placed  rather  thickly  in  pots  or  boxes,  .and  a  little 
light  soil  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  lightly  shaken  amongst  the  roots,  but 
not  oyer  the  tops ;  they  should  be  covered  with  moss.  Another 
plan  is  to  insert  them  similarly  in  propagating  frames  and  pot 
them,  if  so  desired,  as  they  come  into  flower.  The  roots  do  not 
grow  during  this  period,  consequently  it  is  immaterial  which 
method  is  adopted.  Plunge  in  a  bottom  heat  of  about  85deg, 
and  if  possible  maintain  a  top  heat  of  70deg  to  75deg.  This 
encourages  the  production  of  leaves  and  flowers  at  the  same  time. 
If  pots  or  boxes  are  used,  empty  ones  of  a  similar  size  may  be 
inverted  over  them  to  keep  the  crown  in  a  darkened  position. 
This  is  considered  beneficial  in  assisting  in  starting  them  into 
growth.  When  close  frames  are  used,  similar  conditions  may 
be  secured  by  covering  the  sashes  so  as  to  exclude  the  light. 
It  is  important  that  the  soil  be  placed  as  lightly  as  possible  about 
the  roots,  in  order  that  the  heat  may  pass  readily  through  it. 
Water  of  the  same  temperature  should  be  given  often  enough  to 
keep  the  whole  well  moistened.  The  very  earliest  batch  of  the 
current  year’s  crowns  not  unfrequently  fails  under  such  hard 
forcing  conditions,  hence  retarded  crowns  should  be  selected. 
If  good  crowns  are  employed  after  November-,  and  proper  atten¬ 
tion  is  given  in  forcing,  each  batch  of  the  late  ones  may  generally 
be  relied  upon  to  produce  good  flowers.  Clumps  are  forced  in 
quantities  after  Christmas  ;  some  of  them,  if  well  ripened,  may 
be  utilised  at  any  season.  In  forcing  retarded  crowns. in  summer, 
a  temperature  of  about  65deg  is  sufficient. 
VARIETY  OF  RASPBERRY  (William  Smith).  We  do  not 
comprehend  your  letter.  Is  the  Raspberry  a  cross,  or  what  P  The 
fruits  were  all  destroyed  on  their  arrival.  We  fear  it  is  a  useless 
sort. 
TOBACCO  WATER  (C.  N.). — Use  two  gallons  to  three  gallons 
of  water;  if  hot,  the  tobacco  juice  will  the  sooner  be  expressed 
and  mingle  with  the  liquid.  The  aim  is  to  have  a  distasteful 
liquid  to  coat  the  leaves  with,  and  so  prevent  the  attack  of  insects. 
Indeed,  there  is  no  need  to  rigidly  measure  the  water,  but  by 
using  judgment  you  may  make  a  safe  and  sufficiently  strong 
tobacco  solution  for  your  purpose  without  measuring. 
BOOK  ON  FARMING  (“  J.”). — Procure  Dr.  Frean’s 
“  Elements  of  Agriculture  ”  (John  Murray,  London,  3s.  6d.  net), 
which  we  think  may  suit  you.  If  not,  let  us  know.  The  news¬ 
papers  devoted  to  agriculture  are  :  “  North  British  Agriculturist  ’ 
(Edinburgh);  ‘‘Irish  Farming  World”  and  the  ‘  Farmers’ 
Gazette,”  both  from  Dublin;  “Farm  and  Home,”  the  “Agricul¬ 
tural  World  and  Cable,”  “  Profitable  Farm  and  Garden,”  and 
“  Farm,  Field,  and  Fireside.”  No  doubt  there  are  others  specially 
devoted  to  agriculture.  Do  you  peruse  our  own  Home  Farm 
page  ? 
THE  “PATTISSON”  LAWN  BOOTS.  We  desire  in  this  place 
to  bring  to  notice  an  improved  lawn  boot  for  horses,  samples  of 
which  have  been  frequently  exhibited.  At  meetings  of  the  Royal 
H  or  ticu  1 1  ural 
Society  during 
last  summer,  in 
London.  We 
believe  thatthese 
boots,  from  their 
improvement  in 
strength,  ad¬ 
justability,  and 
comfort  to  the 
horse,  will  be 
almost  solely 
used,  once  they 
become  better 
known.  At 
present  they  are  sold  by  Mr.  H.  Pattisson,  55.  Ivillieser  Avenue, 
Streatham  Hill,  London,  S.W.  We  do  not  rest  in  our  recom¬ 
mendation  of  them,  on  our  own  opinions  alone,  but  are  supported 
by  a  large  number  of  leading  gardeners,  both  in  and  around  the 
metropolis,  and  the  provinces.  The 
boots  have  also  been  for  three  years 
in  use  on  the  Oval  cricket  pitch, 
which  is  of  itself  sufficient  to 
guarantee  their  merits.  The  boot, 
as  shown  in  fig.  1,  is  fitted  with  a 
strong  steel  plate  turned  up  at  the 
toe,  and  having  an  adjustable 
screw  clamp  at  the  heel,  by  means 
of  which  it  is  attached  very  quickly 
and  firmly  to  the  horse’s  shoe. 
There  is  not  the  slightest  pressure 
on  the  hoof,  and  the  frog  and  fet- 
lock  are  as  open  to  the  air  as  they 
would  be  without  it,  so  that  the 
horse  works  with  much  greater  ■ 
ease  and  comfort  (“as  though  he  had  nothing  on  his  feet,”)  than 
is  possible  with  any  other  boot.  The  patented  “  Coinpactum  ” 
Sole  is  the  most  durable  possible,  being  made  of  the  best  water¬ 
proofed  English  sole  leather,  in  which  are  embedded  (at  the  points 
of  wear)  two  or  more  rubber  discs  of  special  quality  which  add 
greatly  to  the  durability  of  the  leather,  and  also  render  the  sole 
practically  non-slipping.  It  is  at  the  same  time  kept  firm  and 
in  shape  by  the  steel  plate,  and  is  absolutely  prevented  from 
wearing  into  holes,  as  happens  with  all  other  boots.  Fig.  2  is 
the  same  boot,  but  fitted  with  a  leather  upper  and  strap  fastening 
instead  of  the  screw  clamp,  and  is  suitable  for  shod  or  unshod 
horses.  The  toe  of  the  steel  plate  takes  the  forward  pressure  of  the 
hoof,  thus  saving  the  front  of  the  boot  from  wear.  It  is  impos¬ 
sible  to  have  a  better  boot  of  this  shape.  These  boots  are  very 
durable. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM  LEAVES  BLIGHTED  (A  Reader, 
Cambs.). — The  leaves  are  infested  by  the  Chrysanthemum  leaf 
blight,  caused  by  a  fungus  named  Cylindrosporium  Chrysanthemi, 
which  is  proving  very  destructive  to  Chrysanthemums  this  season. 
At  first  small  reddish  spots  appear  on  the  leaves,  and  these 
soon  increase  to  large  dark  blotches,  and  the  leaves  turn  yellow, 
ultimately  brown  or  black,  shrivel  and  hang  down  and  lie  close 
to  the  stem.  In  consequence  of  attack,  the  flower  buds  do  not 
expand  properly,  and  sometimes  not  at  all.  Numerous  fruiting 
pustules  are  formed  on  the  diseased  patches,  and  produce  count¬ 
less  spindle  or  club-shaped,  colourless  septate  spores,  which 
rupture  the  epidermis  of  the  leaf,  become  diffused,  and  spread 
the  disease  lfipidly.  Spraying  with  fungicides  has  not  any  apparent 
effect  on  the  fungus,  but  probably  early  spraying  or  dusting  with 
a  fungicide  would  prevent  attack.  The  best  course  is  to  remove 
and  burn  affected  leaves.  Probably  the  wet  weather  has  favoured 
the  fungus,  and  the  hailstorm  to  which  you  allude  would 
certainly  make  matters  worse. 
Fig.  2. 
