April  11,  1904. 
JOURNAL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  CARDEN ER. 
031 
*v:*AIl  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  shonid  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.  In 
naming  plants  we  only  undertake  to  name  species,  or  well- 
marked  varieties,  and  only  .six  on  any  one  occasion.  Florists’ 
flowers  we  do  not  name. 
MEASUHE:\IKXT  of  ax  acre  (A.  P.).— The  paiagraph 
reads  :  ”  Ten  yards  wide  484yds  long  ;  bOyds  v  ide  by  80  2-5th  yds 
long;  or  100yds  wide  by  40  2-5th  yds  long.” 
LIVERPOOL  BOTAXIC  GARDEX  :  CORRECTIOX.-  In  my 
contribution  in  the  issue  of  April  7,  re  ‘‘  Liverpool  Botanic 
Garden,”  please  correct  the  following  paragraph  :  Instead  of 
several  of  the  bulbs  carrying  four  and  five  umbels,  with  five 
and  six  flowers  on  each  nmhel,  it  should  read:  ‘‘  Several  of  the 
bulbs  have  three  .spikes  with  three  umbels,  and  five  and  six 
flowers  on  each  umbel.” — Yours  respectfully,  J.  S. 
.MARKTXG  OUT  A  TEXXIS  COURT  (F.  C.).— The  diagram 
accompanying  wili  enable  you  to  mark  out  the  single  or  double 
courts  as  may  be  required  by  means  of  a  lawn  tennis  marker, 
forming  white  (chalk)  lines  where  the  black  are  shown  in  the 
diagram.  A,  A,  A,  represents  a  double  court  for  three  or 
foui'  players.  B,  B,  B,  B,  shows  a  single  court  for  two  players. 
A,  A,  A,  A,  are  the  base  lines  for  the  double  court.  B,  B,  B,  B, 
are  the  base  lines  for  the  single  court.  C,  C,  C,  C,  .service  lines. 
D,  I),  half  court  lines.  E,  E,  net.  A  court  for  the  single  game 
is  27ft  wide  and  78ft  long.  The  court  for  the  double  game  is 
3(ift  wide  and  78ft  long.  The  posts  for  supporting  the  net  at 
E,  E,  shonid  be  placed  3ft  beyond  the  sides.  The  service  lines 
C,  C,  C,  C,  run  parallel  to  the  net,  and  are,  therefore,  21ft 
distant  from  the  net. 
FIG  LEAVES  WITH  BROAVX  SPOTS  AXD  CURLIXG 
(W.  E.).  —  The  leaves  are  infested  by  the  leaf-spot  fungus 
(Cercospora  Bolleana,  syn.  Ascochyta  carica),  which  pi'oduced 
iarge,  irregular  blotches  on  both  surfaces,  at  first  pale  and  then 
turning  hrown,  and  having  a  dark,  rusty  appearance,  hence 
alluded  to  as  ‘‘  rust.”  As  the  spots  coalesce  a  large  portion  of 
the  leaf  is  involved,  and  in  consequence  the  tissues  are  con- 
ti'acted  and  the  leaf  cui'ls  up  more  or  less  upwards,  sometimes 
entirely  shrivelling,  though  usually  leaving  some  part  intact, 
the  disea.se  is  most  prevalent  during  periods  of  dull  and  moist 
weather,  vhen  the  atmosphere  is  kept  ciose  through  the  condi¬ 
tions  not  being  favourable  for  ventilating,  and  this  is  regarded 
as  an  inducement  to  the  attacks  of  the  parasite.  Indeed,  it  is 
said  that  the  fungus  cannot  exist  where  the  house  is  freely 
ventilated  and  the  growths  fully  exposed  to  every  ray  of  light, 
this  not  being  obstructed  by  crowding  and  by  growths  of  other 
plants,  such  as  Vines  on  the  roof.  Xo  preventive  measures,  so 
fa”  as  we  kiiipw,  have  been  recorded,  though  it  is  possil)le  that 
vaj  orisation  with  sulphur  would  ari'est  the  spread  of  the 
disease.  We,  however,  .should  rely  chiefly  on  freer  ventilation 
and  keeping  the  atmosphere  as  dry  as  consistent  with  the  health 
of  the  foliage. 
SHOOT  OF  COX’S  POMOXA  APPLE  WITH  EXCRES- 
CFNCES  XFAR  THE  BUDS  (H.  D.).-The  buds  and  swollen 
jiarts  near  them  are  very  abnormal  and  disastrous,  as  you  say 
that  after  a  time  the  ti.ssue  and  the  swollen  portions  become  dis¬ 
coloured,  and  the  shoots  die.  On  cutting  open  one  of  the 
swollen  i)uds  or  adjacent  tissues  and  examining  the  pait  with  a 
microscope,  we  found  S('veral  eelworms,  and  in  turn  a  mite.  The 
eelworms  wei'e  located  in  the  ti.ssue  next  the  bud,  and  the  mite 
in  the  bud  itself,  or  tlu'  remains  of  it,  foi’  the  central  part  con¬ 
tained  only  erineum,  or  hairs  that  are  due  to  the  action  of  the 
mites,  and  upon  which  they  derive  nutrition.  You  ai’e  right, 
therefore  in  the  deduction  that  ”  the  evil  appears  to  ai'i.se  from 
the  attacks  of  some  insect,  probably  a  mite,  in  the  l)ud  or 
lieneath  the  bark,  but  there  are  the  eelworms  to  account  foi’, 
which  is  to  us  ((uito  a' phenomenon,  and  we  hope  to  shoi’tly 
illustrate  the  shoot  and  ^he  creatui’es  found  in  the  .swellings. 
VIXES  UXHEALTHY  (R.  S.).— The  .sample  of  vitriolised 
bones  appears  a  good  one,  and  we  hardly  think  this  could  affect 
the  health  of  the  Vines,  though  possibly  there  may  be  something 
of  an  injui'ious  tendency  in  using  acid  superphosphate  in  the  case 
of  soils  naturally  of  a  calcareous  nature,  as  we  presume  yours  to 
be  from  the  location,  the  .soil  being  rendered  more  or  less  sour 
and  having  a  tendmicy  to  induce  growth  rather  than  fruitful- 
ne.ss.  Probably  a  dre.ssing  of  basic  cinder  phosphate,  141b  pei’ 
squaio  rod  (30:j  square  yards),  or  about  ^11)  iier  square  yaid,  of 
boidei',  applied  to  the  surface  and  lightly  dug  in,  would  have  a 
good  effect  by  correcting  the  tendency  to  sourness  in  the  soil, 
and  in  supplying  the  all-important  iron  and  magnesia,  in  which 
the  soil  is  probably  delicient.  The  defective  state  of  the  bunch 
is  due  to  the  impei-fect  ripening  of  the  wood,  or  the  not 
sufficient  formation  of  the  buds  and  the  bunches  in  embryo.  We 
should  Leep  the  Vines  on  the  dry  side,  not  giving  more  water 
than  absolutely  necessary  to  maintain  the  foliage  in  a  healthy 
state  or  keep  it  from  becoming  limp  or  flagging,  and  expose  the 
foliage  to  all  the  light  po.ssibie,  thus  seem  ing  sturdy,  thoroughly 
solidified  wood,  and  then  the  Vines  will  probably  perfect  the 
buds,  and  the  wood  being  thoionghly  ripened  good  results- 
follow.  Prune  another  year  rather  longer  than  usual. 
WATERCRESS  CULTIVATIOX  (C.  C.  E.).— Watercress  is 
giown  in  several  ways.  It  may  be  cultivated  in  soil  if  a  suit¬ 
able  place  cannot  be  obtained  to  grow'  it  in  water,  but  the  pro¬ 
duce  is  inferior.  If  required  to  be  grown  in  the  ground,  a  shady, 
cool  position  .should  be  chosen,  and  the  seed  .sown  in  .spring  in 
shallow  di-ills,  thinning  the  planks  to  Gin  when  large  enough. 
The  soil  must  be  kept  constantly  moist  by  w’atering.  In  autumn, 
some  plants  may  be  placed  in  pans,  and  transferred  to  a  warm 
house  to  keep  up  a  supply  dui'ing  winter.  For  a  spring  supply- 
slips  should  be  planted  in  September,  digging  the  earth  fine, 
drawing  a  siight  trench  with  a  line,  filling  this  with  water  until 
it  becomes  a  mud,  and  covering  it  about  an  inch  deep  with  drift 
sand,  then  sticking  in  the  slips  about  Gin  apart,  watering  them 
until  established.  The  sand  keeps  the  plants  clean.  They  will 
be  ready  for  gathering  from  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  and 
the  shoots  should  be  invariably  cut  and  not  picked.  The  water 
system  is  the  be.st,  the  advantages  being  many  if  a  .shallow 
stream  can  be  obtained  ;  indeed,  the  market  supplies  are  had 
from  beds  that  extend  for  miles  in  some  districts,  there  being 
many  in  the  Ver  Valley  in  the  neighbourhood  of  St.  Albans, 
Herts.  AYhere  water  can  be  obtained  and  regulated  at  will,  the 
trenches  should  be  so  prepared  that  as  nearly  as  possible  a 
regular  depth  of  3in  oi-  tin  can  be  kept  up.  These  trenches  are 
usually  three  yards  broad  and  any  length,  ranging  froni  ei<dity- 
seven  yards,  less  or  more  according  to  circum.stances.  Whenever 
one  is'to  be  planted  the  bottom  is  made  quite  firm  and  slightly 
sloping,  so  that  the  water  that  flows  in  at  one  end  may  run  out 
at  the  other,  it  being  usual  to  allow-  a  narrow  channel  for  the 
course  of  water  on  each  side  of  the  bed.  If  the  bottqm  of  ttie 
trencli  is  not  sufficiently  moi.st  a  .smail  body  of  water  is  allowed 
to  enter  to  soften  it.  The  Ci’esses  are  then  divided  into  small 
sets  or  cuttings,  with  roots  attached  to  them,  and  these  are 
placed  at  distances  of  3in  or  4in  from  each  other.  The  water 
is  then  raised  to  a  depth  of  2in  or  Jin  and  never  higher.  Plant¬ 
ing  is  usually  done  in  September,  and  each  trench  furnishes 
several  crops  during  the  .season.  After  twelve  months  the  refuse 
is  tin-own  out  upon  the  borders  or  banks  which  .separate  the 
‘  trenches  from  each  othei-,  and  the  trenches  given  a  fallow  befori' 
again  being  planted.  Supeiior  produce  is  had  hi-  at  the  end 
of  a  week~^after  planting,  spreading  a  light  dressing  of  well 
decomposed  cow  manure  ovei'  all  the  piants,  pressiiu''  it  down  by 
means  of  a  heavy  boaid  to  which  a  long  handle  is  fixed 
obliquely.  The  w'ater  is  then  raised  as  before  named.  After 
every-  cutting  a  little  decayed  cowdung  in  the  pioportion  of  twm 
large  f)ai-rowfuls  to  each  trench  of  eighty-.seven  yards  long  is 
s]M^ad  over  tlie  naked  i)lants,  and  this  is  pi-es.sed  dow  n  l)y  means 
of  the  rammer  al)ove  mentioned.  The  beds  in  this  case  al.so  are 
renewed  annually. 
XAMES  OP  PLANTS.  —  Correspondents  whose  qiicries  are 
unanswered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfuJty  requested  ta  eonsult 
the  following  nuniher.  (X.  Y.  Z.). — Diervilla  rosea  and  Cyperns 
alternifolins.  (S.  fk). — Scilla  bifolia  ;  Corytlalis  tnberosa.  iJ.  F.). — 
1,  Narcissus  triandrus  albus  ;  2,  N.  obvallaris ;  3,  N.  maximus. 
