July  2,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
21 
*  All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
Loudon,  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. 
MELONS  SWEATING  (B.  all  probability  the  wet 
state  of  the  IMelons  was  the  result  of  a  too  low  night  tempera¬ 
ture  and  the  consequent  deposition  of  moisture  by  condensation, 
and  possibly,  also,  you  did  not  admit  air  soon  enough  in  the 
morning.  If  yon  maintain  a  night  temperature  of  Godeg,  with  a 
little  ventilation  at  the  top  of  the  pit  or  frame,  and  open  tke 
ventilators  further  as  soon  as  the  heat  rises  in  the  morning,  in¬ 
creasing  the  air  with  each  ’Xlcg  increase  of  temperature,  you 
will  not  be  troubled  with  further  "  sweating,”  which  is  dangerous 
when  so  pronounced  as  described  in  your  letter.  The  speedmen 
was  not  in  condition  to  be  named.  If  j’ou  will  .send  another  so 
packed  that  it  arrives  in  a  fresh  stat-e  it  shall  be  attended  to. 
STRAWBERRY  FLOWERS  GONE  BLACK  IN  CENTRE 
(H.  R.). — The  flowers  are  what  is  known  as  ‘‘  blind,”  and  is  chiefly 
duo  to  weakness  of  plant,  the  ovary  parts  being  very  defective, 
not  being  well  formed  in  embryo,  and  consequently  when  the 
trusses  of  bloom  are  pushed  for  flowering  they  are  seen  to  be  dark 
in  colour  and  soon  become  black.  Possibly  the  plants  have 
suffered  from  having  the  roots  unprotected  in  the  early  part  of 
last  winter,  Avhich  ivould  hac^e  a  checking  influence  on  the  croAvns, 
and  thus  hindering  the  formation  of  the  trusses  of  bloom  in 
cmbi’^m,  giving  at  flowering  time  nothing  but  blooms  defective 
in  the  ovaries  and  pistillate  organs,  the  male  element  in  such 
instances  being  often  perfected,  the  anthers  supplying  pollen  ; 
but  the  central  part  of  the  flower  is  broiA-n  or  black,  and  fertilisa¬ 
tion  cannot  be  effected.  As  the  leaves  are  very  small  Ave  should 
attribute  the  failure  to  general  Aveakness  of  plants,  they  not 
having  had  the  proper  treatment  in  autumn  to  effect  the  proper 
formation  of  the  florifercus  parts  of  the  croAvn  for  the  coming 
crop  of  fruit. 
EARLY  CAULIFLOWERS  GOING  OFF  (A.  H.  C.).— The 
•stems  are  Avhat  is  kne  vn  as  maggoted,  and  .the  maggots  accom¬ 
panying  the  specimens  are  those' of  the  C'abbage  fly  (Anthomyia 
Brassicfe).  The  maggots  are  the  cause  of  the  mischief,  they  eat¬ 
ing  passages  in  the  .stems  and  roots,  and  sometimes  destroy  aa  IioIc 
fields  of  Cabbages  and  other  Brassicas,  and  often  are  A^ery  de¬ 
structive  of  early  CauliflcAvers  in  gardens,  AAliich  is  probably  OAA'ing 
to  their  being  planted  in  A’ery  rich  soil,  or  ground  that  has 
only  recently  been  heavily  manured,  especially  if  this  Avas  ncAv  or 
rank.  Our  experience  all  tends  to  confirm  prevalence  of  maggot 
presence  after  the  application  of  much  stable  or  farmyard 
manures.  To  groAv  Cabbages  and  C'aulifloAA  cr.s  aa  ell  AA'ithout  good 
Avell-enriched  soil  appears  an  impossibility;  but  neAV  or  rank 
manure  should  be  avoided,  as  the  C'abbage  maggots  are  to  be 
found  in  dung,  as  Avell  as  at  the  plant  roots.  Instead  of  applying 
and  digging  in  manure  at  planting  time,  it,  Avhen  necessary,  being 
applied  in  the  preA-ious  Avinter.  a  dressing  of  a  mixture  of  tliree 
part.s  superphosphate  and  tAvo  parts  bonemeal  at  the  rate  of  SUb 
per  rod  should  be  applied  at  planting  time,  or  in  the  case  of  seed 
soAAung  at  soAving  time,  and  Avhen  the  plants  have  got  Avell  holcl 
of  the  soil  after  planting,  or  after  singling  in  the  ca.‘^e  of  seed- 
soAAur  plants,  apply  a  dressing  of  tAVO  parts  finely  ernshed  nitrate 
of  soda  and  three  parts  of  salt — ground  agricultural  or  rock  salt 
preferably — Sflb  of  the  mixture  per  rod,  keeping  it  from  tlie 
hearts  of  the  Cabbages  or  Cauliflowers.  This  Avill  gir-e  good 
results  both  as  regards  the  freedoin  from  maggots  and  in  the 
crop.  Where  land  is  much  .subject  to  maggot  a  dressing  of  gas 
lime  fresh  from  gasAvorks  is  a  good  cure.  It  shoidd  be  applied  a 
considerable  time  in  adA-ance  of  cropping,  about  iCAvt  per  rod, 
spreading  evenly  on  the  surface  and  leaving  there  a  montli  or 
six  Aveeks  before  digging  in.  This  acts  by  killing  the  maggots 
existing  in  pupal  state  in  the  soil,  and  care  being  taken  not  to 
introduce  them  in  or  encourage  attack  by  application  of  netv  or 
rank  manure,  there  is  seldom  any  mischief  from  the  Cabbage  fly. 
Watering  the  affected  plants  Avitli  lime  Avater.  soaking  hot  lime 
for  tAvent.v-four  hours  in  Avater.  and  Avatering  AA'ith  this  Avhen 
clear,  in  the  afternoon  is  knoAvn  to  destroy  the  maggots.  A  solu¬ 
tion  of  tAvo  parts  nitrate  of  soda  and  three  parts  salt,  loz  or  2cz 
per  gallon  of  Avater  is  also  ck.sfructive  of  the  maggot-,.  Plants 
that  are  attacked  by  the  maggots  may  be  easily  knoAvn  by  their 
dull  lead  coloiir,  and  by  the  leaves  drooping  or  flagging  in  the 
heat  of  the  day. 
PEACHES  AND  NECTARINES  FALLING  A.  F.,  .h  hd- 
ming).— The  origin  of  the  evil  Ave  attribute  mainly  to  the  p,  av-  i- 
ful  fumigations  to  Avhich  you  allude  at  a  critical  period — naim  ly, 
about  the  stoning  time.  Tobacco  smoke  in  sufficient  strength  to 
kill  the  black  aphis  temporarily  paralyses  the  trees,  and  t’,!! 
effect  of  this  irs  seen  sooner  or  later  in  falling  fruit.  F-A-e'-y 
endeavour  --houid  be  made  to  prevent  the  insects  getting  -tab- 
lished,  and  this  can  usually  be  acconutlished  by  the  free  use  of 
the  syringe  and  such  insecticides  as  may  be  needed  for  the 
purpose.  The  frost,  if  sev'ere  at  the  time  you  name,  Avould 
aggravate  the  evil,  but  Ave  can  scarcely  think  it  Avas  so  intens*- 
as  to  have  .such  disastrous  results;  you  do  not,  hoAvever,  indicate 
its  severity. 
PRUNING  lYY  AND  EYERGREENS  (E.  R.).— The  worst, 
time  tO'  cut  lA-y  on  Avails  is  just  before  “the  cold  Aveather  sots 
in”  in  the  autumn,  as  then  the  Avails  are  bare  and  unsightly 
for  months,  besides  exposing  the  stems  to  the  action  of  possibly 
severe  frost,  and  Ave  have  knoAvn  them  killed  by  such  exposure. 
The  best  time  to  cut  it  is  during  shoAvery  Aveather  toAvards  the 
end  of  April  or  early  in  May,  as  then  fresh  groAvths  appear  at 
once,  and  a  cheerful  glossy  face  is  produced.  Once  in  three 
years  is  usually  sufficient  for  shaA’ing  off  Iaw  close  to  the  walls  to 
which  it  clings,  during  the  interA'cning  years  the  runners  simply 
being  cut  off  Avith  a  knife,  leaving  the  principal  foliage.  Wo 
knoAv  Ivy  that  has  been  thus  managed  for  half  a  century,  and  in 
all  probability  more  than  tAvice  that  time,  and  it  is  in  the  most 
satisfactory  condition.  If  evergreens  need  cutting  doAvn  beloAA- 
the  foliage,  early  spring  is  the  best  time  ;  if  the  shrubs  only 
need  trimming  into  shape  the  Avork  may  be  done  at  any  time 
ncAv  until  September. 
OUTDOOR  MUSHROOM  BEDS  (S.  L.  B.,  Liverpool).— .Satv- 
dust  containing  70  to  To  per  cent,  of  horse  droppings,  mixed 
with  an  ecpial  quantity  of  straAv  manure,  Avill  ansAver  admirably, 
proA'ided  you  can  make  the  ridges  firm  enough  and  the  angle 
sufficiently  acute  to  throAv  off  the  Avet,  and  this  Ave  think  you 
might  accomplish  by  using  a  less  ciuantity  of  saAvdust  Avith  the 
manure  for  the  outsidews  of  the  beds,  or  a  larger  portion  in  the 
inside  Avould  be  permissible.  If  Avoodlice  are  very  numerous 
they  are;  injurious  to  Mushrooms.  You  Avill  soon  find  out 
Avliether  they  deA'onxr  yours  or  not.  They  are  not  A'ery  easy  to 
destroy,  but  they  Avill  not  congregate  in  large  numbers  if  you 
keep  the  material  that  cover.s  the  beds  moist  Avith  an  occasional 
sprinkling  of  salt  and  Avater.  Tvoodlice  object  to  this,  and 
Mushrooms  do  not,  proA'ided  not  more  than  an  ounce  of  salt  is 
mixed  in  each  gallon  of  Avater.  It  may  be  Avell,  perhaps,  to 
intimate  that  tins  is  about  the  Avorst  period  cf  the  year  for 
making  outdoor  JIushrcom  beds,  unless  their  position  is  excep- 
ticnally  cool. 
BARREN  STRAWBERRY  PLANTS  AND  THEIR  RUNNERS 
(T.  A.  C.  C'.). — As  a  rule  it  is  net  advisable  to  retain  barren 
plants,  and  certainly  bad  practice  to  take  runners  froni  plants 
that  haA'e  not  produced  fruit  or  floAvered  in  the  season  of  taking 
tlie  runners.  Such  barren  plants  ahvays  produce  earlier  and 
much  stronger  and  considerably  greater  number  of  runners  than 
fruitful  plants,  and  as  a  general  rule  are  not  Avorthy  of  keeping.^ 
as  they  almost  invariably  make  much  groAvth  Avith  a  paucity  cf 
floAvers  and  fruit.  Sometimes,  hO'Avever,  late  runners,  or  those 
not  planted  until  autumn  or  spring,  as  in  field  culture,  make  a 
vigorous  groAvth  in  the  summer  folloAving,  and  produce  litfle  fruit 
the  first  season  ;  but  in  the  second  year  afford  a  good  crop.  If  the 
runners  Avere  taken  from  fruitful  plants  Ave  do  not  see  Avhy  they 
should  not  produce  fruit  another  season,  as  probably  the  present, - 
barrenness  is  due  to  excessive  Augour,  though  they  certainly  had 
not  formed  trusses  of  bloom  in  embryo,  and  this  rather  inclines  to 
their  being  taken  from  barren  plants  or  runners.  In  that  ca.se 
they  are  not  Avorth  keeping. 
NAMES  OF  PLANTS. — Correspondents  leliose  queries  are  un- 
ansicered  m  the  -present  issue  are  respectfully  icquested  to  consult  the 
following  number.  (A.  L.).— 1,  Polygonum  molle  ;  2,  P.  saccalachiense ; 
3  P.  Bistorti;  4.  Morina  longiflora  ;  5,  Cepalaria  tatarica;  6,  Scabiosa 
lonrifolia.  (P.  F.) — 1,  Galium  molugo  ;  2,  Miscanthus  sinensis  ;  3, 
Atnplex  hortensis:  4.  Salvia  officinalis  :  5.  S.  argentea  ;  6.  probably 
Arehangelica  officinalis.  (Hortus).— 1,  Elceagnus  umbcllatus  :  2.  Rhodc- 
(lendvon  myrtifolium  ;  3,  R.  hirsutum  ;  4,  R.  Wilsoni ;  the  Diantlmsc.s 
Avore  much  Avithered :  they  are  proliably.  5,  D.  cresius  :  6.  D.  siiavis  , 
7,  unrecognised  ;  8.  D.  phunarius  :  9,  D.  fruticosus  ;  10.  Lotus  corni- 
culatus  ;  please  only  send  six  specimens.  (E.  S.  W.).— Saxifraga 
Sibthorpi. 
Trade  Note. 
Dobbie  and  Co. 
We  have  just  purchased  sixty  acres  of  fine,  freehold  land  in  the 
Essex  seed-groAving  di.strict.  It  lies  alongside  the  niain  Great 
Eastern  line,  and  is  clo-e  to  Marks  Tey  Station.  M  e  intend  re¬ 
moving  our  seed-groAving  operations  from  Orpington  to  this  new 
place  next  season. — Dobhie  and  Co. 
