146 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
August  13,  1903 
Diseased  Tomatoes. 
Many  thanks  for  your  very  kind  reply  to  my  query  re 
Tomatoes,  which  I  esteem  a  very  great  favour,  and  I  beg  you 
to  acceiDt  my  best  thanks.  I  may  say  we  have  not  been  able  to 
the  disease  yet,  but  1  have  little  doubt  it  was  introduced 
by  buying  a  packet  of  seed  from  a  nurseryman,  as  it  appeared 
m  four  distinct  places  from  two  different  sowings  of  their  seeds 
before  it  appeared  on  any  other  sorts,  which  I  think  you  will 
agree  accords  with  your  very  full  account. — A.  W.  R. 
The  Celtic  Element  in  Plant  Nomenclature. 
Some  plant  names,  though  in  appearance  Latin,  are,  in  fact, 
Celtic.  Linum,  for  instance,  is  derived  from  “  lin,”  a  thread 
and  Gahum  from  “gal,”  white,  and  not  from  the  Greek  gala’ 
meaning  milk,  as  one  wculd  expect.  “  Gal  ”  is  in  allusiofi  to  the 
prevailing  colour  of  the  flowers  in  the  genus.  Borage  comes 
from  “  borr,”  or  “  borrach,”  meaning  pride,  probably  because  of 
its  somewhat  beautiful  flowers.  Beta,  Beet,  has  its  origin  in  the 
word  “beadh,”  or  “beathe,”  food  or  life,  both  of  which  in 
Celtic  imply  the  same  thing.  Sium,  a  well  known  wild  plant, 
takes  its  name  from  “  siw,”  water,  as  also  does  Apium  (Celery), 
from  “apon,”  water.  Sison,  a  wild  plant  of  the  same  order, 
comes  from  “  sizum,”a  brook.  Allium,  the  generic  name  for  the 
Onion  tribe,  is  derived  from  “all,”  acrid.  Alisma,  the  beautiful 
water  plant,  comes  from  “alls,”  water;  and  Pyrus,  from 
“  peren,”  a  Pear. 
Rosa  does  not  look  as  if  it  were  in  the  least  of  Celtic  origin, 
yet  it  is  said  to  be  derived  from  “  rhos  ”  ( ?).  Rubus  comes  from 
the  Celtic  verb  “  reub,”  to  tear,  and  is  very  appropriate,  at  all 
events.  Papaver  comes  from  “papa,”  the  paps,  no  doubt  in 
allusion  to  the  milky  fluid  which  the  capsule  exudes.  Betonica 
the  Betony.  from  “ben,”  good,  and  “ton,”  head,  no  doubt 
alluding  to  its  lauded  medical  virtues. 
Brassica,  the  Cabbage  patronymic,  comes  from  “  Bresic,”  a 
Cabbage ;  Genista  from  “  gen,”  a  bush ;  and  Ervum,  the  Tare, 
from  “erw,”  a  ploughed  held.  Alnus,  the  Alder,  comes  from 
two  words,  “al,”  near,  and  “Ian,”  a  river  bank. 
Betula,  the  Birch,  appears  to  have  the  game  derivation  as 
Beta,  namely,  “  beadh,”  or  “  beathe,”  and  the  latter  is  still  the 
Gaelic  name. 
Pinus,  the  Pine,  takes  its  name  from  “pen,”  or  “ben,”  a 
mountain.  Salix,  the  Willow,  comes  from  “  scilach,”  probably 
derived  from  “siw”  on  account  of  its  water  loving  disposition. 
The  reason  for  this  blending  of  Geltism  with  Latin  appears 
to  lie  in  the  fact  that  Britain,  at  the  Roman  Conquest,  was  in¬ 
habited  with  a  race  or  races  whose  language  was  some  form  of 
Celtic,  probably  Cymric,  When  a  race  is  subdued  it  seldom 
happens  that  their  place,  or  other  outstanding  names,  suffer 
the  fate  of  their  country.  These  almost  always  are  retained  by 
the  conquerors,  but  more  or  less  modified  in  form,  so  as  to 
become  adapted  to  the  idiom  of  the  new  language.  I  think 
this  is  exemplified  in  our  own  history  as  conquerors  all  over  the 
world.  We  find  the  retention  of  the  old  names  convenient,  and 
evidently  the  practical  Roman  was  also  alive  to  this  same  thing 
twenty  centuries  ago. 
.  This  form  of  gilding  one  language  by  another  is  totally 
different  from^tjie  complaint  set  forth  in  the  Journal  of  Horti¬ 
culture  (page  77)  by  Mr.  Fletcher.  His  objection  would  seem 
to  be  more  against  the  introduction  of  Latinised  personal 
names  as  descrii>tive  terms.  It  certainly  is  not  easy  to  see  how 
a  form  of  nomenclature  could  be  maintained,  with  any  preten¬ 
sion  to  accuracy,  without  adopting  something  after  the  manner 
in  question.  The  first  and  chief  aim  of  botanists  is  to  make  the 
descriptive  name  as  nearly  perfection  as  possible,  and  that  in 
the  language  of  the  generic  name.  I  think  their  efforts  in  this 
direction  are  worthy  of  the- greatest  praise,  for,  in  consideration 
of  the  multiplicity  of  new  names  arising  from  cross-breeding 
and  hybrids,  their  task  is  by  no  means  an  easy  one. 
The  principle  upon  which  they  carry  out  this  task  is  both 
simple  and  intelligent,  and  at  once  conveys  to  the  gardener  a 
description  or  histoiy  of  the  plant  so  named.  It  does  not  follow 
that  the  .suffix  “um,”  or  even  “us,”  is  the  only  one  used' in  such 
cases.  As  is  well  known  to  gardeners,  this  depends  upon  the 
gender  of  the  plant,  and  on  any  other  characteristic  which  it  is 
desirable  should  be  qualified.  Our  plant  nomenclature,  though 
far  from  perfection,  is,  I  think,  one  of  the  finest  examples  of 
skill  and  learning  that  any  science  offers. — D.  C, 
Co-operation  in  Horticultural  Competitions. 
The  succe.ss  of  the  movement  Avhich  owes  its  inception  to 
the  enterprise  and  resourcefulness  of  Lady  Algernon  Gordon 
Lennox  has  shown  clearlj'  Avhat  can  be  done  by  combination 
among  cottagers  and  amateurs.  In  the  large  tent  in  which  the 
exhibits  were  staged  at  Broughton  Castle  on  August  3  there 
were  unmistakeable  evidences  of  great  cultural  skill  and 
painstaking  effort  in  staging.  Not  only  was  the  show^  a  success 
from  a  cultural  point  of  view,  but  judging  from  the  vast  crowds 
who  flocked  to  see  it,  it  is  evident  that  what  is  generally 
designated  as  a  “  flower  show  ”  (even  when  consisting  principally 
of  vegetables)  will  still  attract  the  multitude,  provided  those 
interested  are  distributed  over  a  wide  area,  and  also  that  such 
quaint  and  delightful  places  as  Broughton  Castle  and  its  .sur¬ 
roundings  can  be  secured  for  holding  the  exhibition.  Quiet 
Banbury  became  a  perfect  Mecca  for  one  day  only,  and  the 
roads  between  it  and  the  “moated  ca.stle  ”  resounded  with  the 
unceasing  rumble  of  rolling  wheels  and  the  merry  voices  of  city 
toilers  and  stalwart  countrymen  on  pleasure  bent. 
Similar  competitions  will  undoubtedly  be  arranged  in  other 
counties  in  the  future ;  a  new  era  in  horticultural  shows  may, 
therefore,  be  said  to  have  begun.  We  live  in  an  age  of  com¬ 
bines,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  this  principle  of  co-operation 
may  with  advantage  be  developed  in  regard  to  shows  at  which 
professional  gardeners  compete.  Why  should  we  not  have  a 
great  show'  everj'  year  at  which  the  collective  produce  of  each 
county  in  Britain  could  be  staged  in  competition?  The  details 
of  such  a  competition  would  require  careful  consideration,  but 
the  following  suggestions  may  perhaps  provide  a  crude  idea 
from  which  a  workable  scheme  could  be  evolved. 
Each  county  intending  to  compete  should  form  a  union  for 
that  purpose.  Trade  growers  should  not  be  allowed  to  com¬ 
pete.  The  show  should  be  held  in  a  different  county  each 
year.  Each  competing  county  should  guarantee  an  equal 
portion  of  the  Avorking  expenses.  The  competition  should  be 
for  a  collection  of  cut  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables.  The 
prizes  ought  necessarily  to  be  large  and  numerous,  as  a  good 
system  of  organisation  Avould  be  imperative  in  order  to  secure 
the  best  produce  in  each  county.  In  addition  to  money  prizes 
a  handsome  challenge  trophy  should  be  provided,  which  would 
show  in  a  tangible  way  the  horticultural  superiority  of  the 
county  holding  it. 
The  thought  Avhich  at  this  stage  Avill  naturally  rise  to  the 
mind  of  readers  is,  Could  such  a  competition  be  made  a  financial 
success  ?  I  for  one  think  it  could,  because  the  horticulturists 
of  every  county  Avould  become  keenly  interested  in  the  success 
of  their  own  union,  and  the  competitive  spirit  thus  engendered 
should  lead  to  progress  by  imbuing  all  true  cultivators  with 
the  de.sire  to  grow  something  Avell  enough  to  form  a  part  of  the 
“  county  collection.”  I  trust  the  above  remarks  Avill  have  the 
effect  of  eliciting  the  opinions  of  various  readers  of  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture,  and  of  securing  the  co-operation  of  prominent 
horticulturists  in  many  parts  of  the  country. — Wanderer. 
The  Carrot  Crop. 
Being  but  a  “  mere  gardener,”  and  not  one  of  those  appointed 
to  instruct  an  enlightened  peasanti'y  in  the  art  of  growing 
Potatoes  and  Cabbages,  it  is  with  .some  slight  trepidation  that 
I  venture  to  pen  a  fenv  remarks  in  reference  to  the-  dismal  tales 
of  the  failure  of  Carrot  crops  so  recently  published  from 
Journal  correspondents. 
I  am  firmly  convinced  that  culture  has  a  great  deal  to  do  with 
the  troubles  recorded.  One  has  only  to  notice  the  difference  in 
the  crop  raised  from  a  given  piece  of  land  by  different  men  to 
feel  sure  of  the  truth  of  this;  for  where  one  fails  ignominiously 
the  other  Avill  as  signally  succeed.  Give  one  of  our  first-rate 
exhibitors  of  vegetables  the  poorest  of  land  in  the  Avorst  possible 
condition  on  Avhich  to  produce  these  roots,  and  though  he  may 
not  be  successful  the  first  season,  he  will  by  his  methods  in 
the  succeeding  year,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  draw  Carrots  fit  for 
the  shoAv  table. 
As  is  well  knoAvn,  deep  soil  culture  is  a  great  factor  in  the 
ultimate  gain  or  loss  in  respect  to  this  crop.  Different  times 
for  sowing  the  seed  have,  as  I  Avell  can  prove,  an  important 
bearing  on  the  subject.  In  some  localities  early  seeding  is  ad¬ 
visable;  in  others  a  later  period  must  be  chosen.  Above  all, 
the  plants  should  be  kept  groAving  Avithout  a  check  from  the 
commencement  to  the  end  of  their  career.  Drought,  which 
is  such  a  certain  precursor  of  insect  attacks,  must,  as  far  as 
possible,  be  avoided,  and  here  Ave  have  an  unansAverable  argu¬ 
ment  in  favour  of  deep  cultivation  for  this  vegetable. 
The  prevention  of  injury  from  aphis  is  comparatively  an  easy 
matter ;  light  dressings  of  soot  applied  over  the  plants  ifi 
shoAvery  w'eather  Avill  not  only  be  a  great  aid  against  these 
attacks,  but  also  in  great  measure'  ward  off  the  winged  insects 
which  are  the  first  cause  of  the  maggot  trouble.  It  is,  however, 
hardly  necessary  to  enlarge  on  the  various  remedies  and 
measures  of  precaution  that  growers  have  found  u.seful,  for  they 
