June  2,  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
483 
BOOK  ON  ROSES  (C.  F.  P.). — We  do  not  publish  a  book 
on  Roses,  but  you  will  find  the  recently  issued  little  work  by 
T.  W.  Sanders  (Collingridge,  London),  of  service.  It  is 
illustrated.  The  best  handy  book  is  that  by  our  esteemed 
correspondent,  the  Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar,  named,  “The  Book 
of  the  Rose  ”  (Macmillan,  price  6s.).  There  are  also  “  Pictorial 
Practical  Ro.se-growing,”  by  W.  P.  Wright  (Cassell  and  Co., 
Ltd.,  Is.)  :  and  “  Roses  for  English  Gardens,”  by  Miss  Jekyil 
and  Mr.  E.  Mawley  (Country  Life  Library).  Mr.  AV.  Paul’s 
“  Rose  Garden,”  10th  ed.,  costs  21s. 
LEADEN  ABASES  OR  TAZZAS  (Designer).— AAliere  leaden 
vases  are  desired  for  special  places  and  particular  effects,  such 
designs  as  those  in  the  diawings  we  have  had  j)repared  may 
answer  your  needs.  They  are  procurable  through  various 
Leaden  Vases  or  Tazras. 
dealers  in  antique,  as  well  as  modern,  garden  ornaments.  But 
very  pretty  and  even  more  serviceable  tazzas  are  made  by 
Messrs.  Doulton  and  Co.,  London,  S.AAh,  who  manufacture 
designs  to  order.  They  also  make  balustrading,  and  all  kinds 
of  designs  in  Doulton  ware.  The  leaden  vases  are  costly,  but 
we  cannot  say  what  the  actual  price  may  be,  since  that  varies 
with  the  size  and  type  of  vase  chosen. 
CULTURE  OF  CHERAML  AND  TARRAGON  (C.  M.  H., 
Southsea.) — There  are  several  kinds  of  Chervil,  including  the 
plain  and  curled  leaved,  the  Sweet  Cicely,  and  Parsnip-rooted. 
The  ordinary  garden  Chervil  is  botanically  Anthriscus  cere- 
folium,  and  the  young  leaves  are  used  for  flavouring  soups.  If 
you  sow  seeds  thinly  in  lines  9in  apart  in  a  sunny  part  of  the 
garden,  the  soil  having  been  well  prepared,  the  young  leaves 
will  be  ready  for  use  in  about  two  months  time.  In  the  case 
of  the  Tarragon,  which  is  a  shrubby  perennial,  it  is  advisable 
to  buy  plants  and  place  them  in  dryi.sh  or  well-drained  soil  in  a 
sheltered  corner  of  the  garden.  This  is  generally  propagated 
by  cuttings  taken  in  spring. 
TOMATO  PLANT,  LEAA^ES,  AND  STEM  FOR  EXAMINA¬ 
TION  AND  REPORT  (AAh  B.).— AA^e  have  carefully  examined 
the  specimens,  and  found  the  infection  that  of  the  sleeping 
disease  of  Tomato  (Fusarium  lycopensici).  The  disease  is  indi¬ 
cated  by  the  dull  colour  of  the  leaves,  which  commence  to  droop, 
or  sometimes  turning  yellow,  and  ceasing  growth.  This  is  fol¬ 
lowed  by  a  collapse  of  the  stem,  and  from  the  relatively  slow 
nature  of  the  collapse  of  the  plant  has  given  the  name  “sleeping 
disease.”  The  root  is  attacked  first,  the  fungus  gaining  access 
through  the  radicle  or  taproot,  if,  indeed,  it  is  not  present  in 
the  seed,  for  it  is  known  that  seed  obtained  from  diseased 
plants,  they  not  being  attacked  until  the  fruit  is  present  and 
the  fruit  ripening,  seed  being  sowed  from  it  produces  diseased 
seedlings.  The  fungus,  once  gaining  access  to  the  root  and 
stem,  gradually  extends  upwards,  the  lower  portion  of  the  stem 
being  affected.  Its  presence  is  indicated  to  the  naked  eye  by  a 
brown  discoloration  of  the  vascular  bundles  or  woody  tissues 
when  the  stem  is  cut  through  with  a  knife,  then  the  plant  droops 
or  “  sleeps,”  ceasing  to  make  progre.ss.  Shortly  afterwards  the 
portion  of  stem  just  above  ground  turns  brown,  and  is  more  or 
less  covered  wuth  a  very  delicate  white  mould,  which  consists  of 
fruiting  branches  or  conidiophores,  bearing  conidia  or  spores 
at  their  tips.  This  is  the  first  or  conidial  stage,  known  as  Diplo- 
cladium,  and  is  quickly  followed  by  the  second,  or  Fusarium 
condition,  this  producing  spindle-shaped,  curved  spores.  It  is 
very  doubtful  if  either  the  Diplocladium  or  the  Fusarium  are 
capable  of  infecting  the  plants — indeed,  inoculation  above 
ground  has  failed  to  infect  healthy  plants.  The  explanation  of 
this  is  that  Ihe  fungus  commences  life  as  a  saprophyte,  for  it 
forms  numerous  strands  of  mycelium  in  the  soil,  and  there  also 
produces  re.sting  spores,  as  well  as  in  the  di.seased  plants.  These 
resting  spores,  or  final  stage,  remain  dormant  in  the  soil  for  a 
leason,  then  germinate,  forming  a  mycelium  capable  of  attack¬ 
ing  the  rootlets  of  Tomatoes  and  other  plajits.  Remedy  is  out 
of  the  question,  for  the  disease  is  wholly  internal,  hence  the 
disease  should  be  prevented,  not  using  seed  from  diseased 
plants,  and  mixing  with  the  soil  intended  for  the  Tomatoes  one 
part  in  twenty-eight  parts  of  soil  of  a  mixture  of  eight  parts 
basic  cinder  pho.sphate  and  three  parts  kainit,  the  object  being 
to  destroy  the  fungus  in  the  saprophytic  .stage.  The  mixture, 
lib  to  231b  of  soil,  should  be  used  .some  time  in  advance  of  using 
the  compost  for  the  Tomatoes.  If  the  plants  are  to  be  planted 
out,  apply  21b  of  the  mixture  per  square  yard,  dig  in  about  Gin 
deep,  leave  over  winter,  and  then  fork  over  to  a  depth  of  about 
1ft,  breaking  up  and  mixing  well.  If  this  is  likely  to  make  too 
loose,  consolidate  bv  treading  before  planting  out  the  plants,  so’ 
as  to  induce  a  sturdy,  fruitful  habit. 
PEACHES  CRACKING  AND  SPLITTING  (Constant 
Reader). — The  cause  of  Peaches  .splitting  at  the  stone,  which  is 
really  the  seat  of  the  disaster,  has  not  been  satisfactorily  ex¬ 
plained,  but  is  probably,  as  considered  by  the  late  Air.  T.  Rivers, 
due  to  imperfect  fertilisation,  which  receives  confirmation  from 
the  kernel  being  almost  invariably,  in  the  case  of  cracked  fruit, 
and  especially  cracking  at  the  stone,  defective,  through  presence 
of  the  embryo  in  some  cases,  if  not  in  all,  somewhat  nullifies 
the  imperfect  fertilisation  principle,  rather  implying  the  futility 
of  self-impregnation,  the  necessity  of  cross-pollination,  parti¬ 
cularly  in  the  case  of  cross-bred  varieties  which  are  often 
deficient  of  pollen,  or  this  defective,  and  a  regime  of  treatment 
and  nutrition  calculated  to  favour  seed  or  kernel  and  .stone 
formation  rather  than  production  of  flesh.  The  splitting  at  the 
stone  certainly  occurred  in  a  few  instances  before  Air.  Thoma.s. 
Rivers  took  in  hand  the  cross-pollination  of  Peaches  and 
Nectarines,  and  by  cross-fertilisation  effected  very  desirable 
advancements  in  the  varieties  thus  originated  both  in  size  and 
quality,  also  sea.son,  of  those  fruits,  as  evidenced  in  the  many 
very  excellent  new'  varieties  raised  by  him.  Be  it  also  said  that 
this  increase  of  flesh  has  been  had  at  the  expense  of  liability  to 
fruit  splitting  at  the  .stone,  and  that  you  mention,  namely. 
Early  Rivers  Peach  is  one  of  the  w'orst  in  this  respect.  On  tins 
point  Air.  Rivers  says :  “  This  Peach  is  apt  to  crack  at  the  stone, 
the  fruit  then  ceases  to  swell,  and  has  no  flavour.  AAdien  well 
grown  it  is  a  delicious  fruit.  To  obviate  the  fault  of  cracking 
at  the  stone,  it  should  be  fertilised  with  the  pollen  of  other 
flow’ers.  It  is  possible  that  the  immaturity  arises  from  in¬ 
sufficient  impregnation.”  The  foliage  is  grand,  and  the  tree  no 
doubt  in.  excellent  health,  nothing  being  wrong,  only  the  crack¬ 
ing  at  stone,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  variety.  Try,  another 
season,  cross-pollination,  with  a  small-flowered  variety,  such  as 
Royal  George  Peach  or  Eliuge  JTectarine. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS.  —  Correspondents  whose  queries  are 
unanswered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult 
the  following  number .  (Ignorant). — 1,  Raniincnlus  aconitifolius 
fl.  pi. ;  2,  double  Poet’s  Narciss  (Narcissus  poeticus  fl.  pi.).  (South 
Wales). — Cannot  name  from  mere  scraps.  (J.  E.  T.). — Dipladenia 
Sanderse.  (L.  F.). — 1,  Rhododendron  ledifolium ;  2,  R.  linearie 
folium;  3,  Ranunculus  cortusoides.  (N.  J.,  Beds.). — 1,  Sedum 
rupestre  ;  2,  Berberis  japonica ;  3,  Silene  grandiflorum ;  4,  Solanum 
crispum;  5,  Fatsia  japonica ;  6.  Raphiolepis  japonica.  (AVesterner). 
— 1,  Eibes  speciosa;  2,  Cercis  siliquastrum. 
- ■  mtm  t  — — - - - — 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Wisley,  Surrey. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens— height 
above  sea  level,  150  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
a> 
tx 
s 
Temperature 
of  the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Wind. 
1904. 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
si 
So 
^  c 
At 
At 
At 
d 
'c6 
d 
o 
Total 
velocity 
for  the 
24  hours 
ending 
9  a.m. 
d 
2 
n 
d 
d 
May. 
Dry 
L’ulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
W 
CQ 
a> 
e5 
o 
S> 
*5 
O 
1-ft. 
deep 
2-ft. 
deep 
4-ft. 
deep 
Q 
s 
Sun.  22 
deg. 
50 
deg. 
49 
deg. 
68 
deg. 
47 
deg 
45 
deg 
63 
deg. 
63 
deg. 
62 
Ins. 
S.E. 
Miles. 
60 
h.  m. 
0  6 
Mon.  23 
58 
64 
63 
48 
45 
64 
64 
62 
0-10 
w. 
239 
8  29 
Tues,  24 
53 
52 
61 
61 
50 
66 
65 
62 
0-04 
s. 
159 
— 
Wed.  25 
59 
66 
69 
60 
47 
55 
54 
12 
— 
N  E. 
48 
4  2 
Thurs26 
G1 
f9 
73 
45 
41 
66 
f5 
62 
0-63 
W. 
64 
0  61 
Fri.  27 
69 
69 
65 
68 
54 
58 
56 
62 
0-23 
W. 
194 
0  29 
Sat.  28 
55 
65 
64 
54 
55 
68 
56 
63 
— 
W. 
85 
~~ 
Mfaxs 
56 
65 
65 
60 
48 
66 
65 
52 
Total 
0-90 
— 
120 
2  0 
Friday,  27th,  heavy  thunderstorm  with  vivid  lightning  in  the 
morning. 
