381  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE 
Louis  Gauthier  Strawberry. 
In  referenco  to  your  iiotos  of  last  week,  I  have  forced  this 
very  tine  piiik" Strawberry,  and  it  sets  very  freelv,  and  produces 
enormous  heiuies,  whicli,  under  this  culture  (as  in  the  open) 
aie  of  exceptionally  fine  flavour,  melting;  in  texture,  and  beauti¬ 
ful  in  appearance. — Geohge  Ik'NYARi). 
Ripened  Wood. 
^  our  correspondent’s  bold  refutation  on  page  355  of  the  only 
possible'crutch  a  gardener  has  to  depend  upon,  though  serious 
enough;  calls' for  admiration.  Yet,  though  I  personally  admire 
the  courage' of  “  G.  H.  H.,”  I  cannot  agree  with  the  heresy.  I 
have  quite  satisfied  myself  time  and  again  that  well  ripened 
wood^is  not  only'a  desiral)le  precnr.sor  of  fruit,  ))ut  is  an  absolute 
necessity.  In  liq  class  of  fruit  trees  is  this  more  apparent  than 
in  out.side-growh '  Peach  trees.  I  have  often  observed  the 
unripehed,  green,  willow-like  branches  blossom  profusely,  but 
alas !  Yhe  bloom  only  fell  to  the  ground.  And  .should  a  sblitary 
fruit  elect  to  remain,  I  noticed  it  always  was  at  the  lowest,  and 
n.eces.sarily  most- matured  part  of  the  twig.  From  this  I  always 
inferred  two  things,  viz.,  (a)  that  unripened  wood,  for  some 
phy.siological  reason,  will  not,  or  cannot,  bear  fruit  ;  (b)  that  it 
is  not  essential  for  the  wood  to  be  ripe  to  produce  a  display  of 
blo.ssom.  ■  .  ■ 
So  far,  then,  as  the  matter  concerns  myself,  it  has  passed 
beyond  the,  region  of  mere  speculation,  and  presents  itself  as 
a  necFs.sary  fact.  '  I  grant  there  are  difficulties  attached  to  the 
matter,  but  tlfey  are  pos.sibly  of  a  circumstantial  nature  and 
open  to  explanation,  but  in  the  main  the  theory  is  absolute. 
For  instance,  an  unduly  wet  harvest  has  not  alwavs  resulted  in 
a  fruitless  crop  the  ensuing  season  ;  some  occult  qualities  were 
involved  in  the  conditions  that  matni'ed  the  wood.  Soils,  too, 
es])ecially  of  a  light,  gravelly  nature,  may  be  benefited  by  a  wet 
autumn,  and  very  often  in  such  case  a  wet  season  is  the  salvation 
of  the  crop.  There  can  be  no  doubt  whatevei'  about  the  bad 
effects  of  a  wet  autumn  on  the  ensuing  year’s  crops  in  .soils  of 
a  cold,  marly,  or  clayey  chai'acter. — D.  Chisholm. 
- - 
Cyaniding  on  an  Established  Basis. 
Considering  the  great  value  attached  to  the  use  of 
“cyanide,”  or  hydrocyanic  acid  gas,  in  the  United  States  for 
the  destruction  of  insect  iie.sts  on  fruit  trees  in  the  open  air, 
it  seems  .scarcely  conceivable  that  the  practice  should  have 
lemained  for  so  long  more  or  less  a  mystery  rathei-  than  a  true 
friend  to  the  growei’s  of  this  country.  Vague  recommendations 
have  been  set  forth  from  time  to  time  as  to  the  strengtli  and 
materials  to  be  irsed.  But  in  many  cases  the  results  which  fol¬ 
lowed  were  as  destructive  to  plant  life  as  to  the  insects  them¬ 
selves,  vhile  in  other  cases  both  escaped  uninjured.  This  clearly 
demonstrated  the  want  of  true  knov  ledge  I'egaixling  the  propn- 
ties  and  uses  of  hydrocyanic  acid  gas  as  a  fumigant  ni  Idas 
country.  The  conditions  prevailing  here  are  totally  different  1o 
those  abroad,  and  it  was  recognised  that  to  be  successful  it  must 
be  adapted  to  meet  our  requirements.  Vith  a  view  to  arriving 
at  these  requirements,  and  placing  the  operation  of  “  cyinid- 
ing  ”  from  an  exjierimental  to  an  established  basis,  a  .senes  of 
tivsts  were  cairied  out  at  the  gardens  of  the  Ifoyal  Botanic 
Society.  One  large  range,  150ft  long,  20ft  wide,  and  13ft  high, 
was  successfully  done,  and  followed  by  a  smaller  one.  In  rlur-e 
ranges  plants  infested  with  mealy  bugs,  thrips,  red  spider,  scale, 
green  fly,  Ac.,  were  collected,  and  in  the  short  space  of  two 
hours  from  start  to  ffni.sh  all  above  pests  were  completely 
destroyed  without  injury  to  plant  life.  The  preparations  con¬ 
sisted  of  arranging  all  ventilators,  doors,  Ac.,  to  o])en  from  the 
outside,  and  safelv  fastening  the  same  to  pievent  any  person 
(uitering  during  the  operation.' 
The  amount  of  cubic  air  space  having  been  previously  calcu¬ 
lated,  and  1,000  feet  adopted  as  a  unit,  the  proper  proportio.is 
of  cyanide  and  sulphuric  acid  required  were  to  hand  ready  for 
use.  Shallow  earthenware  pans  were  adopted  as  generators, 
and  into  these  the  required  volume  of  water  and  sulphuric  acid 
weie  placed  resjiectively.  Boards  about  llin  vide  and  5ft  long 
weie  hung  over  each  generator  for  the  purpose  of  evenly  distri¬ 
buting  the  gas,  and  are  worked  by  attaclied  cords  from  exterior 
of  house  during  generation.  The  cyanide  is  then  arranged  in  a 
shallow  tin,  with  a  special  tipping  arrangement  attached  to  the 
ail'  fan.  After  carefully  placing  the  cyanide  tins  in  proper 
AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
position,  beginning  at  farthest  end  of  house  and  finishing  near 
door,  the  operator  leaves  the  .structure  and  makes  the  door  fast. 
The  fans  are  then  started,  the  cyanide  tipped,  and  gas  rapidly 
generated.  The  air  fan  should  bo  worked  for  a  period  not 
exceeding  ten  minutes,  and  five  is  ofttimes  sufficient.  The 
time  of  commencing  to  generate  gas  is  noted,  and  the  period  of 
exposure  conimences.  This  varies  according  to  the  temperature, 
atmospheric  moisture,  nature  and  condition  of. plants,  and  pests 
to  be  destroyed.  At  the  expiration  of  this  period  the  ventilators 
and  doors  may  be  opened  and  fully  cleared  from  gas  before  any 
person  is  allowed  to  enter.  No  person  must  either  remain  in  the 
building  after  mixing  the  cyanide  and  acid,  or  enter  until  quite 
clear.  Materials  of  standard  quality  should  be  used,  and  the 
English  method  of  u.sing  “sodium  cyanide”  in  place  of 
potassium  cyanide  .should  be  adopted.  Better  results  ,  are 
obtained  by  doing  this,  and  the  cyanide  is  of  an  even  quality 
and  a  more  concentrated  form.  This  is  known  as  the  “  Strawson 
sodium  cyanide  proce.ss,”  invented  by  Mr.  G.  F.  Strawson,  who, 
in  conjunction  vith  Mr.  W.  F.  Emptage  and  myself,  carried 
out  and  recorded  the  experiments.  Other  tests,  carried  out  in 
Messrs.  Ladds’  nurseries  at  Swanley,  in  Scotland,  and  elsewhere 
on  the  above  lines  thoroughly  endorse  our  opinion  as  to  the 
value  of  “cyaniding”  when  carefully  carried  out. — Elderbert 
F.  Hawes,  lioyal  Botanic  Gardens,  Regent’s  Park,  N.\V, 
Appeal  lor  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund. 
The  following  lettei'  has  been  sent  to  us  from  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart.  :  —  “I  have  gladly  comsented  to  take  the  chair 
at  the  annual  dinner  of  the  Royal  Gardeners’  Orphan  Fund,  on 
May  17,  and  venture  to  ask  for  your  support  on  the  occasion. 
The  year  1904  is  one.  of  special  interest  to  all  who  love  a  garden ; 
and  in  this  land  of  gardens  who  does  not  ?  It  is  the  centenary 
of  the  gr.eat  garden  society,  the  Royal  Horticultural,  which  has 
done  yeoman’s  service  in  popularising  the  art  and  science  of 
gardening.  But  what  would  be  the  value  of  this  art  and 
science  were  it  not  for  the  ceaseless  laboui's  and  unrivalled  skill 
of  our  gardeners?  It  is  ^ipon  them  that  the  real  burden  and 
respon.sibility  rest.  Want  of  .skill  or  knowledge,  or  even  a 
.slight  relaxation  of  attention,  vigilance,  and  care,  may  frustrate 
at  any  time  the  be.st  directed  efforts  and  mo.st  generous  expen¬ 
diture.  Can  we  show  appreciation  of  our  gardeners’  labours  and 
our  recognition  of  a  success  which  adds  so  much  to  our  pleasures, 
in  any  better  way  than  hy  succouring  their  orphan  children  ? 
There  are  now  ninety-eight  children  on  this  fund,  each  receiving 
5s.  a  week,  and  many  candidates  waiting  election.  At  least 
£1,250  will  be  I'equired  for  the  current  year.  Ylay  I  ask  you, 
as  a  lover  of  gardens,  to  help  in  the  good  work  of  this  fund?  ” 
Potato  Notes. 
The  boom  in  Potatoes  has  undoubtedly  done  good  in  manj 
ways,  and  among  other  things  it  has  shown  what  wonders  can  lie 
accomplished  with  a  pound  of  tubers  in  the  hands  of  an  expert 
propagator.  The  pe.ssimists  are,  however,  on  the  war-path, 
predicting  dismal  failure  and  rapid  deterioration  in  the 
stamina  of  popular  varieties  through  over-propagation.  Similar 
predictions  have  been  advanced — and  falsified — in  connection 
with  hosts  of  new  things  during  the  last  thirty  years.  Perhaps 
one  reason  why  the  prophets  wail  so  lamentably  is  that  they 
overlook  the  fact  that  intensive  propagation  only  goes  on  for  a 
year  or  two,  as  by  that  time  a  sufficient  stock  is  usually 
obtained  to  admit  of  ordinary  methods  being  adopted. 
In  regard  to  the  Potato,  however,  it  is  an  open  question 
whether  or  not  intensive  propagation,  if  followed  year  after 
year,  would  bring  about  deterioration,  because  if  a  strong  plant, 
with  abundance  of  active  fibrous  roots,  is  planted  in  well  pre¬ 
pared  soil  in  May,  v  hat  is  likely  to  prevent  it  from  producing  a 
normal  crop  by  the  end  of  the  season?  Certainly  under  such 
conditions  tubers  large  enough  foi'  seed  would  be  produced,  and 
if  they  are  sound  and  healthy  where  does  the  deterioration  come 
in?  I’he  boom  is  al.so  teaching  a  valuable  lesson  as  to  what  can 
be  done  by  thoroughly  working  the  soil.  Many  enthusiastic 
Potato  growers  find  great  pleasure  in  defending  the  reputations 
of  their  favourite  varieties,  and  will  not  have  them  ea.sily 
dethroned  in  regard  to  their  cropping  capabilities.  They  inquire 
into  the  methods  adopted  to  produce  the  huge  crops  mentioned 
in  connection  with  some  modern  varieties,  and  believe  in  their 
hearts  that  some  of  their  old  favourites  would  do  equally  well 
under  similar  treatment. 
A  resolve  is  straightway  made  that  one  of  the  modern 
wonders  shall  be  tested  beside  an  old  favourite,  and  that  no  pains 
shall  be  spared  to  outdo  previous  records.  That  is  the  spirit 
which  makes  for  improvement  in  any  walk  of  life,  and  it  is  the 
spirit  which  just  at  the  present  time  permeates  the  Potato 
world.  I  know  of  in.stances  in  which  the  .special  plot  for 
Potatoes  has  already  been  dug  four  times,  and  if  at  the  end 
of  the  season  an  old  variety,  under  such  favourable  treatment, 
shall  be  found  equal  to  the  best  of  any  known,  will  it  not  show 
too,  what  vastly  improved  results  may  be  accomplished  with 
all  vari9tie.s  when  high  cultural  methods  are  adopted? — H. 
