54 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  16,  1903 
Seasonable  Notes. 
The  final  iiotting  is  in  many  cases  not  carried  out  until  well 
into  the  present  month,  but  good,  if  not  the  best  results,  often 
follow  late  potting.  Wliere  there  are  large  numbers  of  plants  it 
i.s  often  difficult  to  get  them  all  potted  as  early  as  desirable.  A 
good  stock  of  compost  should  be  kept  in  readiness,  so  that  every 
favourable  opportunity  may  be  taken  advantage  of  to  pot  a  few. 
plants.  The  best  mixture  i.s  composed  of  four  parts  loam  of  a 
turfy  character,  one  part  leaf  soil,  one  of  sweetened  horse  drop- 
pings,  half  a  part  of  old  mortar  broken  up  finely,  together  with 
.some  coarse  .sand  and  wood  ashes  and  a  Gin  potful  of  boneineal 
intermixed  with  each  bushel  of  compost.  Turn  the  whole  over 
several  times,  and  ensure  it  being  in  a  properly  moi.st  condition 
for  potting.  Do  not  allow  it  to  lie  to  the  drying  influence  of  the 
air  in  hot  weather,  but  cover  with  mats.  The  pots  may  be  pre¬ 
pared  in  readiness  at  odd  times,  crocking  them  moderately,  cover¬ 
ing  the  drainage  with  damp  mo.ss,  flaky  manure,  or  rough  parts 
of  the  potting  material. 
It  is  essential  that  the  plants  be  thoroughly  moist  when  turned 
out  of  their  pots  for  placing  in  larger.  With  late  potting  the 
roots  will  be  found  to  be  very  much  matted  round  the  sides  of 
])ots.  These  must  be  loosened  a  little,  and  the  crocks  at  the 
base  removed  ;  Sin  or  9in  pots  are  the  most  suitable  size  to  place 
single  plants  in.  Fill  in  some  of  the  compost,  which  press  down 
firmly,  then  arrange  the  plant  so  that  the  ball  is  well  below  the 
surface,  and  work  in  material  firmly  round,  finishing  by  just 
covering  the  ball  and  leaving  some  space  for  top-dressing  later 
on.  If  turned  out  from  pots  larger  than  5in,  correspondingly 
larger  loots  must  be  used  for  the  final  potting. 
Stake  the  plants  immediately,  those  with  tall  stems  requiring 
support.  Water  need  not  be  immediately  supplied  to  the  roots, 
but  a  light  syringing  may  be  giv^en  daily,  and  a  copious  watering 
as  soon  as  the  moisture  in  the  soil  appears  to  be  lessening.  In 
A'ery  dry  weather  this  will  refiuire  to  be  done  in  a  few  days.  In 
damp  weather  perhaps  not  for  a  week.  Stand  the  plants  in  an 
cpen  position  on  boards,  or  on  an  ash  bed. 
The  top  of  the  sticks  supporting  single  stemmed  plants  should 
be  secured  to  a  horizontal  wire  stretched  between  upright  stakes. 
As  the  plants  grow  tie  in  the  main  .stem  to  the  sticks  and  rub  out 
all  side  growths.  With  proper  attention  to  syringing  and  water¬ 
ing  the  growths  should  be  free  of  insects.  Watering  is,  of  course, 
an  important  operation,  and  on  its  proper  carrying  out  depends 
to  a  great  extent  the  health  of  the  plants.  Water  must  be 
given,  when  it  is  required,  in  quantity  sufficient  to  pass  through 
the  whole  mass  of  soil  and  roots.  Then  wait  until  the  same  con¬ 
ditions  prevail  again.  This  may  happen  twice  daily  in  very  hot 
weather,  or  several  days  may  elapse.  Much  depends  on  the 
vigour  of  the  variety,  and  the  quickness  with  which  the  pot  is 
filled  Avith  roots.  Clear,  soft  AA’ater  should  be  the  only  stimulant 
applied  until  there  are  plenty  of  roots,  and  the  buds  appear. 
Syringing  the  plants  at  intei'A-als  is  beneficial,  especiallj^  after 
hot  days  and  in  dusty  Aveather.  It  Avill  freshen  up  the  groAvth 
Avell,  but  the  ordinary  Avatering  should  be  done  first. 
Plants  that  may  have  been  potted  early  and  haA’e  since  made 
abundant  groAvth,  in  .some  cases  becoming  A^ery  much  root-bound, 
and  needing  some  further  support,  may  have  it  by  applying  Aveak 
liquid  manure  or  soot  water  once  or  tAvice  Aveekly.  A  top-dress¬ 
ing,  too,  may  be  applied,  this  comsisting  of  loam  mixed  Avith  a 
little  boneineal  and  rotted  cow  manure.  This  Avill  largely  in- 
A'igorate  the  plants  and  induce  the  production  of  fibrous  rootlets. 
Should  insects  appear  at  the  points  of  shoots  dust  Avith 
tobacco  poAvder.  Remove  Aieeds  from  soil,  and  any  dead  leaA^es 
Avhich  may  be  on  the  plants.  It  is  aliA-ays  desirable  to  Avater  the 
plants  AA’ith  Avater  that  has  become  Avarmed  by  the  sun,  exposure 
to  the  air  also  helping  to  render  it  soft.  Hard  Avater  may,  hoAv- 
ever,  be  materially  softened  by  dissolving  Avashing  soda  in  it 
half  a  pound  being  sufficient  to  soften  SOgals  of  Avater.  It  is 
necessary  to  dissolve  the  soda  in  boiling  Avater  first,  then  mix 
it  in  the  Avater,  alloAving  it  a  day  to  settle  before  using.  There 
IS  also  a  preparation  called  anti-calcaire,  Avhich  is  very  useful  to 
•soften  hard  chalky  Avater.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  catch  all  the  soft 
Avater  possible  in  casks  and  tanks  for  use  in  ChrA^santhemum 
culture. — K.  D.  S. 
Cardiff  Gardeners’  Outing  to  “The  Hendre.’’ 
Mr.  John  Julian,  as  .secretary  of  the  Cardiff  Gardenens’  Society, 
has  just  sent  us  the  programme  for  the  annual  summer  outing, 
which  will  take  place  on  Monday,  August  10,  to  Lord  Llangattock’s 
beautiful  gardens.  The  party  will  leave  at  0.20  in  the  morning 
and  start  on  the  return  journev  at  8.4.5  p.m. 
Societies. 
R.H.S.,  Scientific  Committee,  July  lit 
Present:  Dr.  M.C.  Cooke  (in  the  chair);  Messrs.  Holmes,  Gordon, 
Massee,  and  Saunders,  Prof.  Boulger,  Revs.  W.  Wilks  and  G.  HensloAv 
(hon.  see.}. 
Apple  trees  and  insects. — Mr.  Saunders  reports  as  folloAvs  upon 
specimens  received  from  Mr.  Campbell,  of  Ardross,  Leeds :  “  The 
Apple  trees  are  attacked  by  the  caterpillars  of  tAvo  different  moths, 
but  the  habits  of  both  kinds  are  very  similar.  The  green  caterpillars 
are  those  of  the  Avinter  moth  (Cheimatobia  brumata),  the  brown  and 
yelloAV  ones  of  the  great  winter  moth  (Hybernia  defoliaria) ;  both 
belong  to  the  family  Geometridm,  and  are  tAvo  of  the  most  destructive 
pests  to  Apple  trees,  fi’he  females  of  both  kinds  are  Avingless,  or  have 
only  the  rudiments  of  Avings,  so  that  they  are  incapable  of  flight.  As 
the  chrysalides  are  formed  in  the  ground  Avhen  the  moths  emerge,  it  is 
evident  that  they  must  climb  up  the  trees  if  they  Avish  to  lay  their 
eggs,  as  is  their  custom,  near  the  buds.  To  prevent  this  is  one  of  the 
most  important  things,  if  it  is  desired  to  protect  the  trees  from  attacks 
by  the  caterpillars.  The  simplest  w'ay  of  effecting  this  is  to  fasten 
greasy  bands  round  the  stems,  Avhich  the  catei’pillars  are  unable  to 
cross.  As  this  might  injure  the  tree  if  the  grease  came  in  contact 
Avith  it,  a  strip  of  grease-proof  paper,  7  or  Sin  Avide,  and  long  enough 
to  overlap  an  inch  or  more,  should  be  tied  round  the  trees,  say  3ft  from 
the  ground,  and  fastened  top  and  bottom  Avith  bast  matting  or  soft 
string  that  Avill  not  cut  the  paper.  Over  this  should  be  tied  a  strip  of 
calico  about  the  same  Avidth,  also  tied  top  and  bottom ;  this  must  be 
Avell  smeared  with  eai’t-grease,  softsoap,  and  train-oil  mixed,  so  that  a 
soft,  sticky  compound  is  formed  in  Avhieh  the  moths  Avill  be  caught. 
These  bands  should  be  put  into  position  as  early  as  the  middle  of 
October,  and  kept  in  Avorking  order  until  Avell  after  Christmas.  To  do 
this  the  bands  should  be  re-greased  every  noAv  and  then,  or  Avhenever 
it  is  found  that  the  grease  is  losing  its  stickiness,  or,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case,  clogged  up  Avith  the  number  of  moths  caught  in  it.  Not- 
Avithstanding  these  precautions,  some  of  the  females  may  find  their 
Avay  into  the  young  shoots.  Some  are  no  doubt  carried  by  the  males 
(avIio  fly  Avell)  Avhen  coupled,  so  that  it  is  useful,  Avhen  it  can  be  carried 
out,  to  spray  the  trees  before  the  buds  shoAv  any  signs  of  opening  Avith 
a  caustic  alkali  Avash,  made  by  dissolving  11b  of  caustic  soda  in  half  a 
bucket  of  Avater,  add  -Jib  of  pearlash,  and  stir  until  all  is  dissolved, 
then  add  enough  soft  Avater  to  make  10  gallons,  and  finally  stir  in  lOoz 
of  softsoap  Avhich  has  been  melted  in  a  little  hot  Avater.  This  mixture 
is  very  caustic,  and  must  not  be  alloAved  to  touch  the  skin  or  clothes, 
and  if  it  does  it  should  be  Aviped  off  as  soon  as  possible.  A  still  day 
should  be  chosen,  so  that  the  AvindAvill  not  bloAV  it  on  to  the  operators; 
this  spraying  should  kill  the  eggs  if  any  are  laid  on  the  tree.  To 
destroy  the  caterpillars  the  trees  should  be  sprayed  as  soon  as  the 
fruit  has  set  Avith  paraffin  emulsion,  or  Jib  of  Paris  green  and  Jll)  of 
lime  mixed  in  50  gallons  of  Avater.  This  mixture  must  be  kept  Avell 
stirred,  as  the  Paris  green  is  very  heavy  and  soon  sinks  to  the  bottom, 
and  in  this  case  some  of  the  mixture  Avill  be  too  Aveak  to  kill  the 
caterpillars,  and  the  rest  so  strong  that  the  foliage  Avill  be  injured.” 
Lilac  shoots  and  frost. — Mr.  Massee  shoAved  a  curious  and  im¬ 
portant  effect  of  frost  on  the  leaves  of  the  Lilac.  The  apex  Avas 
frost-bitten,  then,  after  a  thaAv,  the  leaf  became  attacked  by  Botrytis 
cinerea,  Avhieli  travelled  doAvn  the  region  of  the  midi’ib  and  petiole, 
till  it  attacked  the  terminal  bud  betAveen  the  leaves.  As  thousands  of 
floAver  buds  Avere  thus  destroyed  in  consequence  of  the  late  frost, 
such  represented  great  peeuniai’y  loss  to  the  groAvers  for  tlie  flower 
markets. 
Diss,  July  7tli. 
A  strong  and  gusty  northerly  gale  raged  over  the  eastern 
counties  on  Tuesday,  the  day  before  this  little  shoAV  ;  in  not  a 
fcAv  cases  the  floAver  heads  Avere  actually  bloAvn  off,  and  no  doubt 
many  maidens  Avere  blown  out.  Still,  the  morning  Avas  A’ery 
cool  and  rather  dull,  setting  up  AA-as  a  pleasure,  and  Roses  looked 
and  stood  Avell. 
In  the  open  class  for  thirty-six.  Rev.  A.  Foster-Melliar  Avas 
pretty  easily  fii-st  Avith  good  Flrich  Brunner  and  Golden  Gate,  a 
small  but  nice  Mildred  Grant,  and  Mrs.  Robert  Garrett,  a  H.T. 
that  comes  balled  in  cool  Aveather,  but  under  the  influence  of  the 
last  feAv  hot  days  has  shown  fine  exhibition  qualities,  and  is  at  all 
times  a  capital  groAver.  Frank  Cant  was  .second  Avith  a  some- 
Avhat  poor  lot,  Mildred  Grant,  Ulster,  and  Innocente  Pirola  being 
his  best.  Rev'.  J.  R.  Fellowes  Avas  third.  For  the  Frere  chal¬ 
lenge  cup  (amateurs,  twenty-four),  Mr.  Foster-Melliar  Avas  easily 
first  Avith  a  fine  and  substantial  stand.  The  folloAving  Avere 
especially  good  ;  Mildred  Grant  (best  H.P.  or  H.T.),  Lady  Moyra 
Beauclerc,  Ulrich  Brunner,  Mamie,  and  Maman  Cochet  (be.st  T. 
or  N.).  Mr.  FelloAves  was  second  Avith  Madame  Cusin,  a  small 
Frau  Karl  Druschki,  and  Anna  Olivier  as  his  be.st.  Rev.  H.  A. 
Berners  Avas  third. 
In  the  class  for  tAvelve  Teas  (open),  Mr.  Foster-Melliar  Avas 
again  pretty  easily  first,  Avith  large  blooms,  of  which  Cleopatra, 
Maman  Cochet,  White  Maman  Cochet,  and  Muriel  Grahame  Avere 
perhaps  the  best.  Mr.  Berners  Aims  .second,  having  fair  blooms  of 
