June  23,  1CC4. 
JOUR^\iL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
519 
correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be 
directed  to  “Tub  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers, 
Fleet  Street,  London,  E.C.  It  is  requested  that  no  one 
nill  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. 
BOOKS  (A.  B.).— You  might  consult. the  list  we  furnished  in 
the  Spring  Xumher,  March  10. 
SPOTS  ON  PEACHES  (Constant  Suh.scribei'). — The  fruits 
are  badly  infested  with  mildew  (Oidiuni  leucoconium).  Dust 
the  tree  with  flowers  of  sulphur,  and  gently  rub  it  on  the  spots 
on  the  young  fruit  with  the  fingers.  This  rubbing  helps  to 
break  up  the  mycelial  threads  of  the  fungus,  which  grows  as  an 
e])iphyte  on  the  skin,  and  pushes  suckers  into  the  tissues  to 
abstract  nourishment.  Bepeat  the  dusting  with  sulphur,  and 
the  mildew  will  disappear,  though  the  affected  fimit  may  not 
■swell  properly  afterwards  in  consequence  of  the  injury  already 
inflicted. 
GLOXINIA  LEAVES  AND  BUDS  BUSTED  (C.  B.).— The 
leaves  and  buds  are  badly  rusted,  at  one  time  attributed  to  a 
fungoid  parasite,  l)ut  recent  inve.stigations  liave  shown  that 
the  browned  and  contracted  rust -like  appearance  is  the  effect  of 
infection  by  a  mite  that  may  not  inappropriately  be  called  the 
Gloxinia  Mite  (Tarsonymus  Gloxini),  though  it  attacks 
Gesneras  ;  indeed,  we  first  noticed  the  rust  on  Gesnera  cinna- 
barina  about  1870,  and  it  .spread  from  'this  plant  to  Gloxinias, 
Begonias,  and  Achimenes.  Fui  ther  investigation  resulted  in 
its  being  found  on  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums  and  Cyclamens  in 
a  greenhouse,  and  .still  farther  research  showed  that  it  was 
liresent  on  the  rusted  leaves  of  Geranium  and  Erodium  species 
outdoors,  and  also  on  Box.  The  only  known  repressive  measures 
successful  against  the  pest  have  been  frequent  sprayings  with 
tobacco  water,  the  spray  being  from  below,  so  as  to  wet  the 
leaves  on  the  under  side  as  well  as  the  u])per  surfaces  and 
stems.  This  we  have  found  useful ;  also  periodical  fumigations 
with  tobacco  paper  and  vaporising  with  nicotine  compound. 
Po.ssibly  treatment  with  h5’drocyanic  acid  gas  would  effect  the 
annihilation  of  the  pest,  but  on  this  point  we  have  no  definite 
data,  only  that  of  the  gas  being  fatal  to  all  animal  life,  whilst 
not  injurious  to  vegetation  when  judiciously  applied. 
YOUNG  PEABS  SWOLLEN  AND  BLACKENED  APPLE 
FBUIT  DESTEOYED  (Senex,  Devon). — The  fruit  is  certainly 
blackened  and  destroyed,  and  this  appears  to  have  been  caused 
by  the  Pear-.scab  (^usicladium  pirinum),  though  the  white 
mould  on  and  inside  them  is  that  of  the  brown-rot  of  fruit 
(Monilia  fructigena).  As  for  the  maggot  we  only  found  one  in 
the  specimens,  and  it  was  a  minute  caterpillar  not  di.stinguish- 
able  from  that  of  the  codlin  moth  (Carpocapsa  pomonella),  and 
not  clearly  seen  by  the  unaided  eye,  being  so  minute  and 
young.  It  certainly  is  not  cause  of  the  blackened  and  ruined 
condition  of  the  young  fruit.  The  Apple  tree  trus.ses  of  young 
fruit  are  completely  whitened  by  the  Apple-twig  mildew 
(Splnerotheca  mail),  and  the  browning  of  the  foliage  is  simply 
due  to  the  mildew  on  the  young  wood.  The  old  wood  shows  a 
very  neglected  condition,  being  overgrown  by  lichen  and  moss, 
ami  some  of  the  spurs  are  dead.  The  judicious  piuner,  the 
cleanser  of  the  trees  from  overgrowths,  and  the  applier  of 
fertilisers  to  the  soil,  seem  very  much  absent  in  this  ca.se.  They 
are  the  wor.st  we  have  seen  in  the  many  thousands  of  specimens 
examined  during  the  year  1861-1904.  The  trees  should  be 
sprayed  with  a  caustic  alkali  wash  so  as  to  cleanse  them  from 
the  lichen  and  moss.  The  Apple  twigs  that  .show  the  white 
mould  should  be  cut  off  to  .sound  ti.ssue  immediately  below,  as 
the  mj’celium  of  the  fungus  is  perennial  on  the  ti.ssues.  For 
tlie  prevention  of  the  Pear-scab,  spray  with  a  solution  of 
potassium  sulphide,  loz  sulphide  to  Ojgalls  of  water,  fir.st,  ju.st 
as  the  flower  buds  begin  to  open  ;  .second,  when  the  petals  of 
tile  flowers  are  falling  off,  and  third,  when  the  fruit  is  the  size 
of  peas  or  slightly  larger.  If  the  season  be  rainy  a  farther 
treatment  should  be  given  twelve  days  after  the  third.  Apply 
to  the  ground  in  autnmn  4oz  per  square  yard  of  a  mixture  of 
9  parts  superphosphate,  5  parts  nitrate  of  potash,  7  parts 
nitrate  of  soda,  and  7  parts  sulphate  of  lime,  extending  from 
the  stem  of  the  trees  to  a  yard  beyond  the  spread  of  the 
branches,  and  repeat  in  the  spring.  There  is  no  need  to  wash 
the  dre.ssihg,  a.s  the  rain  will  do  that  fast  enough. 
ASPABAGUS  GBOWEBS  IN  EVESHAM  CMrs.  ]ir.  P.)  — 
Three  large  growers  of  Asparagus  are  ^Ir.  .Jones,  High.  Street, 
Evesham:  Messrs.  White  Bros.,  Evo.sham  :  and  ^Ir.  Bowland, 
Bengeworth ,  Evesham . 
CHEBBY  SHOOTS  (H.  IM.  Hynes).— The  points  of  the  shoots 
received  with  letter  are  infe.sted  by  black  fly  (Aphis  cerasi). 
They  may  be  de.stroyed  by  dipping  the  .shoots  hi  tobacco  water, 
and  while  there  geii'iy  rub  the  affected  leaves  on  the  under 
side  with  the  fingers  so  as  to  thoroughly  wet  the  pests.  The 
late  ^Jr.  Tlios.  Bivei’s  gave  as  the  be.st  remedy  for  the  Cherry 
aphis,  the  following  recipe  in  the  “  Miniature  Fruit  Garden,” 
page  113:  Boil  4oz  of  quassia  chips  in  a  gallon  of  soft  water,  ten 
minutes,  dis.solving  in  it,  as  i!  cools,  4oz  of  softsoap.  It  should 
be  .stirred  and  also  strained,  and  the  trees  syringed  with  it 
twice  or  thrice.  The  day  following  the  trees  should  be  syringed 
with  clear  water.  The  several  advertised  insecticides  are  also 
effectual,  the  great  point  being  to  reach  the  aphides  on  the 
under  side  of  the  leaves,  thoroughly  wetting  the  pests  with  the 
insecticide. 
:\IALM.\ISON  CABNATION  CANKEBED  (G.  E.  B.).— The 
examination  revealed  a  cankerous  condition  of  the  root  stem. 
The  spots  on  the  leaves  are  probably  a  consequence  of  the  root 
stem  affection,  though  there  may  be  a  little  of  spot  fungus, 
Septoria  dianthi.  The  cause,  however,  of  the  collapse  of  the 
plant  is  decay  in  the  root  .stem,  and  this  has  probably  been  in¬ 
duced  by  potting  in  too  rich  soil,  and  keeping  the  roots  too 
moist.  There  is  hardly  a  i'emedy,’as  the  .stems  are  destroyed, 
and  the  top  only  collapses  in  consequence.  Perhaps  a  littie 
basic  cinder  phosphate  mixed  with  the  compost  used  for  potting, 
would  coi’rect  the  tendency  to  decay  in  the  stem,  adding  lib  of 
the  basic  cinder  phosphate  to  281b  of  soil,  and  mixing.  Spraying 
with  potas.sium  sulphide  solution,  loz  sulphide  to  3galls  of 
water,  would  arrest  the  fungus  on  the  foliage,  the  plants  should 
also  be  given  jilenty  of  light  and  air,  the  foliage  being  kept  as 
free  fioni  moisture  as  possi])le. 
I.EAVES  OF  BEGONIAS  AND  GLOXINIAS  CBUMPLING 
(B.  H.).— I  .send  you  by  this  mail  a  young  seedling  Gloxinia, 
showing  how  they  are  curling  up  in  the  centre.  Quite  a  number 
have  done  so  very  suddenly,  when  seeming  to  be  growing 
vigorously ;  also  a  leaf  and  bunch  of  buds  from  a  tuberous 
Begonia,  in  a  4in  pot,  which  was  the  picture  of  health  until  the 
new  leaves  began  coming  all  crumpled  up,  and  the  buds  seem  to 
bliglit  and  turn  a  rusty  colour.  Both  are  in  very  light,  loose 
soil,  vith  considerable  rotted  leaves  in  it  ;  have  a  night  tem¬ 
perature  of  about  (iOdeg,  carefully  ventilated  in  the  day,  and 
kept  moderately  watered.  The  change  from  an  apparently  per¬ 
fect  state  to  tliis  crumpled  condition  in  so  short  a  time  puzzles 
nie.— [Evidently  the  trouble  Avith  both  the  Gloxinia  and  the 
Begonia  comes  from  too  much  sunshine,  and  alloAAing  too  much 
water  on  the  foliage.  If  the  glass  of  the  house  be  shaded,  and 
care  taken  to  AA'et  the  leaves  as  little  as  po.ssible,  the  plants, 
being  young,  should  soon  recuperate.] 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS.  —  Correspondents  whose  queries  are 
unanswered  in  the  present  issue  are  respectfully  requested  to  consult 
the  followinq  number.  (N.,  Lines.).— 1,  Sisyrinchium  .grandiflorum  ; 
2,  Iris  setosa ;  3,  Iris  Douglasiana  ;  4,  Iris  flavescens  ;  5,  Aquilegia 
formosa  truncata.  (J.  B.,  Herts.).— 1,  Allium  .narcissitlorum 2, 
molly  ;  3,  Isatis  glauca  ;  4,  Acacia  hispida ;  5„  Csesalpinia  japonica. 
(P.).^Iris  pseudo-Acorus,  the  Water  Flag.  (P.,  Thame). — 1.  Masde- 
vallia  Harryana  ;  2,  Iris  hispanica  ;  3,  Watsonia  O’Brieni ;  4,  Erigeron 
mucronatus  ;  5,  Calceolaria  plantaginea ;  6,  Dianthus  callizonus. 
(F.  F.). — 1,  Dianthtis  montanus;  2,  D.  petrams;  3,  Brevoortia  Ida- 
Maia. 
- - 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Wisley,  Surrey. 
Taken  in  the  Eoyal  HorticAiltural  Society’s  Gardens— height 
above  sea  level,  150  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the  g 
Air.  g 
Temperature 
of  the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
Wind. 
© 
03 
e 
'll 
1904. 
June. 
At  9  A  M.  Day. 
Dry  Wet  | 
L’ulb.  Bulb. 
e 
Night  ■  5^ 
’  n  ^ 
03  -j 
V  > 
1  = 
ij 
d 
•a 
At  At  At 
l-ft.  2-ft.  4-ft. 
deep  deep  deep 
Direction. 
Total 
velocity 
for  the 
24  hours 
ending 
9  a.m, 
(leg.  dejr.  deg. 
deg.  leg 
deg  deg.  der.  Ins. 
Miles. 
h.  m. 
5.')  52  67 
50  49 
57  56  55  .  — 
X.K. 
84 
2  42 
>Inn  la 
60  5i  68 
fO  45 
51  57  65  O'Ol 
s.w. 
124 
6  24 
62  58  65 
f2  49 
59  58  f5  020 
s. 
2.58 
1  42 
AVed.  15 
69  51  61 
54  52 
f9  :  bi  55  1  fc-03 
s.w. 
311 
0  42 
ThursH 
Cl  55  66 
53  49 
59  68  65  — 
s. 
■2o9 
12  36 
Fri  IT 
61  54  67 
54  50 
CO  58  55  — 
w. 
174 
()  4S 
Sat.  IS 
59  63  67 
4S  ;  43 
GO  ,'!)  56  — 
w. 
ItO 
11  55 
. 
Total 
Means 
50  f4  68 
52  48 
f9  58  55  0-21 
1 
199 
6  7 
