JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  9,  1904 
504 
*^*A11  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.  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. 
DAFFODIL  OF  LILY  BULBS  (K.  Johnson).— Practically 
a  new  bulb  is  formed  each  year,  and  the  new  bulb  is  that  which 
flowers,  or,  in  the  case  of  several  off.sets  or  divisions  of  the 
parent  bulb,  continues  the  plant,  the  leaf  growths  being  distinct 
from  the  flowering,  and  the  former  forms  the  bulb  or  bulbs  for 
flowering  the  following  year. 
ROOT  KNOT  IN  VIOLETS  (W.  H.  P.).— What  causes  root- 
knot  on  Violet  Lady  Hume  Campbell  ?  I  used  entirely  new  loam 
last  autumn,  put  in  cow  manure,  wood  ashes,  and  bonemeal. 
The  plants  had  some  root-knot  when  planted,  but  developed 
rapidly  during  the  winter.  Can  the  loam  be  too  poor?  What 
is  lacking  in  the  soil,  or  what  can  I  do  to  prevent  the  disease  ? — 
[We  presume  the  trouble  referred  to  as  root-knot  is  what  is 
known  as  root  galls.  These  are  caused  by  a  minute  worm,  known 
as  the  eelworm  or  nematode.  Their  presence  is  not  a  sign  of 
poor  soil  by  any  means  ;  they  are  usually  found  in  the  very  best 
of  soils.  Good  authorities  claim  that  the  nematodes  are 
not  injurious  to  the  Violet  plants,  unless  they  are  numerous 
enough  to  affect  every  portion  of  the  roots,  a  limited  number  of 
them  being  rather  beneficial  than  otherwise,  tending,  if  any¬ 
thing,  to  check  a  too  luxuriant  growth  of  foliage.  Where  it 
becomes  necessary  to  eradicate  them  entirely  from  the  soil,  how¬ 
ever,  there  is  only  one  sure  remedy,  and  that  is  sterilisation  of 
the  .soil.] 
DISEASED  GRAPES  (H.  W.  Kent).— The  berries  of  the 
IMuscat  of  Alexandria  are  affected  by  what  is  known  as  “  spot.” 
Lady  Dqwne’s  are  affected  by  the  same  disease,  but  it  is 
rather  different  in  appearance',  and,  as  you  say,  attacks  the 
berries  at  an  earlier  stage.  By  .some  cultivators  the  spot  is 
believed  to  be  caused  by  sudden  chills,  such  as  having  the  house 
very  close  and  moist,  and  then  suddenly,  .  on  some  bright 
morning,  admitting  the  cold  air  too  freely  'and  too  abundantly. 
The  moist  conditions  no  doubt  favour  the  spot  fungus,  for  it 
has  been  found  that  this  (Glaosporiuni  lieticolor)  is  the  cause 
of  the  spotting.  This  di,sease  is  very  difficult  to  combat  success¬ 
fully.  Dusting  with  flowers  of  sulphur  may  be  practised  when 
the  berries  are  set,  repeating  at  intervals  of  ten  days.  A  .small 
quantity  of  (|uicklime  should  be  mixed  with  the  sulphur  on  the 
second  application,  and  the  quantity  of  lime  should  be 
increased  at  each  succe.ssive  application,  until  the  proportions  of 
lime  and  sulphur  are  nearly  equal,  always  keeping  ju.st  a  little 
more  sulphur  than  lime.  It  has  been  found  of  service  to 
thoroughly  wet  the  rods,  spurs,  and  canes  whilst  quite  doiunant 
with  a  solution  of  iron  sulphate,  11b  of  the  sulphate  to  llgals 
of  water.  There  is  no  remedy.  The  only  course  to  pursue  is  to 
remove  diseased  fruit  and  burn  it  as  speedily  as  possible. 
STOCKS  FOR  FRUIT  TREES  (Able  Potts). -(1)  Apples. 
Crab  (Pyrus  malus),  or  those  raised  from  pips  or  seeds  of  the 
Apple  of  our  hedgerows  and  copses ;  free,  or  those  raised  from 
the  piDi  or  seeds  obtained  from  the  crushed  fruit  used  in  cider¬ 
making  in  this  country  and  the  Apple-growing  districts  of 
Normandy.  These  stocks  are  chiefly  used  for  standard  trees. 
The  othei’  kind  of  stock  used  is  the  Paradise,  of  which  there 
are  three  forms — the  French,  too  dwarf  and  weak;  the  Dutcli, 
stronger  and  better;  and  the  Engli.sh,  superior  to  both,  and 
commonly  called  Doucin.  The  broad-leaved  Paradise  and  the 
Nonesuch  Paradise  stocks  are  also  much  approved.  Paradise 
stocks  are  used  for  dwarf  trees — bushes,  pyramids,  espaliers, 
and  cordons.  (2)  Pears.  These  are  worked  on  the  .stocks  reared 
from  seed  either  of  the  wild  Pear  (Pyrus  communis),  or  of 
the  varieties  cultivated  for  perry,  these  being  u.sed  for  standards 
or  large  bushes.  The  Quince  stocks  are  used  for  dwarf  trees, 
though  in  some  cases  the  Pears  succeed  only  when  double- 
grafted.  The  Angers  Quince  is  the  best  for  Pears.  (3)  Plums 
As  a  general  stock,  the  St.  Julien,  White  Pear,  and  IMussel 
1  lums  are  generally  emiiloyed,  the  latter  suiting  best  for 
standards.  Damson  or  Bullace  .stocks  are  not  trustworthy. 
Myrobalan  Plum  has  been  recommended  as  a  stock  for  Plums, 
but  the  records  of  experience  are  lacking. 
CRIMSON  RAIMBLER  ROSE  NOT  GROWING  SATIS¬ 
FACTORILY  (J.  T.). — This  may  arise  from  various  reasons,  the 
chief  being  (1)  poorness  of  sod,  not  preparing  the  stations  well 
before  planting,  and  not  supplying  water  or  liquid  manure  in 
summer  so  as  to  promote  a  vigorous  growth  of  shoots  for 
flowering  the  following  season.  (2)  Excessive  flowering,  so  that 
the  tree  is  exhausted,  and  not  cutting  away  the  old  flowered 
growths  so  as  to  encourage  strong,  vigorous  growths  from  the 
base  so  as  to  provide  for  future  flowering.  Poorne.ss  of  soil  or 
lack  of  nourishment  is,  however,  the  chief  reason  of  the  unsatis¬ 
factory  growth. 
TROUBLE  WITH  BAY  TREES  (A.  A.).— I  have  twenty- 
four  Bay  trees,  which  I  bought  from  an  importer.  I  set  them 
out  the  first  year,  and  they  looked  well  and  did  well,  at  first.  I 
then  put  them  into  a  cave  to  keep  them  from  freezing ; 
watered  them  only  once  or  twice  during  the  winter.  Last 
summer  I  brought  them  out  and  repotted  them.  The  scale  was 
bad.  After  .spraying,  Ac.,  they  did  not  do  well,  and  since  then 
have  been  going  back.  All  the  leaves  are  turning  brown ;  in 
fact,  .some  have  no  leaves  at  all.  What  shall  I  do  to  save  them? 
— [Evidently  the  Bay  trees  are  suffering  from  being  kept  too 
long  in  a  place  that  was  not  light  enough  for  them.  The  only 
thing  we  can  suggest  is  to  stand  them  in  a  partially  shady  posi¬ 
tion  outdoors,  as  soon  as  the  weather  will  permit.  Keep  the 
roots  only  modei  ately  moist,  and  syringe  them  every  day  to  get 
rid  of  the  scale  com^iletely  and  to  induce  a  new  growth,  which 
Avill  come  all  right  providing  the  roots  have  suffered  no  injury.] 
NECTARINES  DROPPING  (Riverdale).— The  dropping  is 
due  to  imperfect  stonino;,  the  reason  for  which  is  usually 
excessive  vigour  of  thes.  trees,  the  conditions  being  such  as  to 
favour  growth  instead  of  concentration  of  the  forces  in  the 
maturation  of  the  seeds  or  kernels.  These,  however,  in  your 
specimens  are  quite  sound,  most  of  the  fruits  containing  two 
seeds,  one  large  and  normal,  and  the  other  small  and  defective. 
The  stone  in  each  instance  has  not  perfected  properly,  and  this 
probably  may  be  a  result  of  defective  nutrition,  possibly  of 
phosphoric  acid.  Lifting  the  trees  as  soon  as  the  leaves  com¬ 
mence  falling  is,  perhaps,  the  best  method  of  correctino-  the 
defect,  but  as  the  trees  are  old,  or  at  least  one  of  theni,  it  may 
not  be  advisable  to  lift  and  replant  them,  therefore  we  should, 
in  autumn,  take  out  a  trench  half  the  di.stance  from  the  stem 
the  trees  spread  on  the  trelli.s,  and  as  deeply  as  the  roots, 
cutting  off  all  roots  down  to  drainage.  This  would  check  the 
tendency  to  over-luxuriance,  and  conceiitrate  the  forces  on  the 
fruit  in  the  following  season.  Apply,  in  autumn,  21b  of  basic 
cinder  phos])hate  per  square  yard,  and  point  into  the  .soil  as 
deeply  as  the  roots  allow  without  disturbing  them.  In  the 
sprintr,  as  soon  as  the  buds  commence  swelling,  supply  a  top- 
dre.s.sing  of  three  parts  superphosphate,  two  sulphate  of  potash, 
and  one  part  sulphate  of  magnesia  at  the  rate  of  4oz  of  the 
mixture  per  square  yard,  pointing  in  very  lightly.  It  would 
also  be  advisable  to  keen  the  soil  on  the  di'y  rather  than  the 
wet  side,  so  as  to  induce  thoroughly  solidified,  sturdy,  short- 
jointed  growbh. 
MILDEW  ON  ROSES  (J.  F.).-What  is  the  cause  of  mildew 
on  Ro.ses?  The  plants  grow  very  well  but  for  mildew.  We 
keep  the  temperature  at  about  50deg  to  GOdeg  at  night.  We 
spray  in  all  bright  weather  in  the  morning,  then  gradually  open 
the  ventilators.  Wo  try  to  keep  the  temperature  between 
GOdeg  and  TOdeg  in  the  daytime.  Does  the  mildew'  come  at 
night,  or  is  it  caused  by  the  cold  air  coming  in  through  the 
ventilators  on  cold,  bright  days?  We  try  to  get  the  houses 
well  dried  before  night.  [Mildew'  on  Roses  can  be  traced  to 
several  different  causes.  The  one  which  generally  produces  it 
most  abundantly  is  an  uneven  temperature,  ])articularly  during 
tlie  night.  This  in  conjunction  with  a  badly  drained  bottom 
will  always  produce  an  aljundant  crop  of  it,  and  the  querist’s 
description  of  carrying  the  temperature  at  about  oOdeg  to 
GOdeg  at  night  points  to  the  cause.  This  is  far  too  wide  a 
range  to  keep  a  Rose  house  free  of  mildew'.  A  night  tempera¬ 
ture  of  .54deg  to  5Gdeg  should  be  kept  for  the  general  class  of 
Tea  Roses,  and  as  soon  as  the  thermometer  registers  4deg  or 
5deg  higher  in  the  morning,  commence  putting  on  air  by 
degrees,  increasing  the  same  as  the  temperature  rises,  allow'ing 
for  cold,  cutting  w'inds.  Plants  are  like  animals.  They  thrive 
best  and  keep  more  healthy  w'ith  an  abundance  of  fresh,  pure 
air.  Regarding  the  time  mildew'  comes,  there  is  no  set  time 
for  it  to  start  any  more  than  there  is  for  a  man  to  get  a  cold 
and  sore  throat.  The  same  conditions  that  will  produce  one 
w'iil  also  bring  the  other.  I.et  a  man  get  a  show'er  bath  in  a 
warm  room  and  then  expose  himself  to  a  cold  current  of  air, 
and  the  chances  are  he  will  have  something  more  than  a  mere 
cold  to  fight.  The  same  law'  applies  to  plants  in  a  measure. 
There  are  many  w'ays  to  produce  mildew'  on  Roses  besides  the 
above,  but  that  is  the  most  prolific  cause  of  the  trouble.  To 
prevent  its  appearance,  a  steady,  uniform  temperature  at 
night,  combined  with  a  moderately  dry,  healthy  atmosphere, 
is  needed.  Commence  opening  the  ventilators  early  in  the 
morning  as  soon  as  the  temperature  begins  to  rise.  Syringe 
1  and  w'atcr  as  required  early  in  the  day,  but  do  not  keep  the 
