August  27,  19C3. 
196  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
our  experiments  being  laboratory,  and  the  one  per  cent,  solu¬ 
tion  certainly  injures  the  young  rootlets  of  even  ligneous  plants, 
such  as  Roses,  but  the  plants  soon  recover  and  grow  away 
splendidly  when  freed  from  the  neniatoid  worms,  as  the  one  per 
cent,  solution  certainly  effects. 
Another  point  is  the  disinfection  of  eelworm  and  fungoid 
infested  houses.  Spray  them  well  in  all  exposed  parts  with  for¬ 
maldehyde  solution,  one  part  in  24'0  parts  water,  and  soak 
all  walls  and  groundwork  parts  with  the  one  per  cent,  solution. 
This  we  advised  to  a  large  grower  of  Cucumbers  for  market, 
losing  £1,000  last  year  from  leaf  spot  (Cercospora  melonis),  and 
his  silence  is  marked  this  year;  for,  like  the  lepers  of  old,  few 
return  to  give  thanks,  even  when  cured.  TV  e  thank  you,  there¬ 
fore,  all  the  more  for  your  appreciative  reinarks,  and  assure 
you  we  are  always  ready  to  help  our  subscribers  to  the  best 
of  our  ability. 
Peach  Shoots  Diseased. 
In  answer  to  “R.  F.,”  the  shoots  that  have  been  affected 
since  they  were  about  6in  long  are  suffering  from  mildew,  a  term 
given  to'  the  meal-like  white  patches;  that  appear  on  young 
leaves  and  tender  shoots,  at  first  small,  but  which  soon  spread 
and  run  into  each  other.  .  They  thus'  form  a  thin  white  belt, 
both  surfaces  of  the  leaf  and  all  those  of  the  shoot  more  or  less 
affected.  The  “meal”  is  due  to  the  production  of  innumerable 
conidia  (early  stage  or  summer  spores)  of  the  fungus,  named 
Rodosphsera  oxyacantha,  the  specific  name  signifying  that  it 
commonly  infests  the  Hawthorn.  The  young  shoots  of  quickset 
hedges  are  often  quite  white-looking  by  its  presence  on  the 
tender  gi’owths.  The  pest  is,- indeed,  very  common,  attacking 
many  wild  plants  belonging  to  Rosacese,  and  occurs  on  the 
Apple,  Apricot,  Cherry,  Nectarine  and  Peach,  Quince,  and  other 
Rosaceous  plants  under  cultivation ;  it  also  occurs  on  species  of 
Vaccinium  and  Diospyros. 
Chains  of  conidia  are  first  formed,  and  later  in  the  season 
minute  black  ascigerous  fruit  appears ;  each  perithecium  con¬ 
tains  a  single  a.scus,  and  near  its  apex  bears  a  cluster  of  almost 
erect  appendages,  with  much-branched  tips.  If  the  fungus 
attacks  full  grown  leaves  but  little  injury  is  done;  whereas, 
when  quite  young  leaves  and  tender  shoots  are  attacked,  as 
generally  is  the  case,  the  injury  is  often  severe,  the  growth 
being  crippled  and  the  young  wood  practically  ruined,  esf)ecially 
in  the  case  of  Peach  trees. 
Royal  George  is  very  liable  to  attacks  of  the  fungus,  this 
variety  of  Peach  often  being  infe.sted,  as  in '^mur  instance,  while 
other  kinds  growing  alongside  of  it  are  quite  free  from  the 
inildew.  We  do  not  think  it  is  due,  as  you  suspect,  to  bad 
root  action,  but  to  inherent  susceptibility  or  tenderness  of  con¬ 
stitution,  though  lifting  an  affected  tree  .somewhat  mitigates  the 
liability  to  attack  for  a  time  :  but  this  is  because  the  lifting 
tends  to  promote  sturdier  and  more  re.sistant  growths. 
The  only  effectual  remedy  is  to  cover  the  wall,  though  you  do 
not  say  whether  the  trees  are  against  that,  with  tiffany,  or 
netting,  and  then  the  trees  will  not  contract  mildew,  othen 
conditions  being  favourable  for  the  Peaches.  Failing  this,  we 
should  certainly  discard  the  Ro.yal  George,  and  supplant  by  a 
variety  or  varieties  that  are  not  liable  to  mildew  in  the  par¬ 
ticular  locality. 
The  mildew,  howeven',  is  easily  checked.  It  succumbs 
readily  to  sulphur,  either  in  the  form  of  flowers  of  sulphur  or 
solutions  of  the  sulphide.  In  applying  the  flowers  of  sulphur 
bellows  should  be  used,  and  the  first  ai^plication  should  be 
made  as  soon  as  the  young  growth  pushes,  not  deferring  longer 
than  the  first  appearance  of  the  faintest  white  specks  on  the 
leaves,  shoots,  or  young  fruits,  and  repeating  at  intervals  of  ten 
days  or  a  fortnight  until  the  pest  is  annihilated.  If  you  use 
sulphide  of  potassium  (liver  of  .sulphur),  loz  should  finst  be 
dissolved  in  about  a  quart  of  hot  water,  and  when  di.s.solved 
diluted  to  2igals  with  water  in  which  2oz  of  softsoap  have 
been  meanwhile  dissolved,  using  boiling  water,  but  allowing  to 
become  cool  before  adding  the  sulphide  solution. 
Well  mixed,  it  is  ready  for  use,  and  should  be  applied  by 
means  of  a  spraying  apparatus.'  Treatment  should  commence 
early,  in  order  to  prevent  or  check  the  disease.  If  this  is 
allowed  to  run  its  course,  the'  fallen  leaves,  and  even  the 
affected  wood,  should  be  collected  or  cut  off  as  applied  to  the 
first  and  latter  respectively,  and  be  burned;  otherwi.se  the 
ascigerous  fruit  on  the  leaves  or  the  young  wood  will  inoculate 
the  trees  the  following  season. 
Familiar  Fruits  and  their  Origin. 
A  great  many  of  the  kinds  of  fruit  now  grown  in  England  were 
introduced  from  Asia  by  the  Romans.  The  Apricot  was  brought 
from  Armenia,  the  Cherry  from  the  northern  parts  of  Asia  Minor, 
the  Pi.stachio  tree  and  the  Plum  from  Syria,  the  Peach  and  the 
Walnut  from  Persia,  the  Citron  from  Media,  the  Filbert  from 
Pontus,  the  Chestnut  from  Catana,  a  town  of  Magnesia,  and  the 
.\lmond  from  various  parts  of  Asia.  The  Pomegranate,  accord¬ 
ing  to  some  authors,  came  from  Africa,  according  to  others  from 
tlio  Island  of  Cyprus;  the  Quince  from  near  Cydon,  a  town  of 
Crete;  while  the  Olive,  the  Fig.  the  Pear,  and  the  Apple  were 
all  introduced  from  Greece.  We  1  earn  from  the  “  Capitulaires  ” 
of  Charlemagne,  that  almost  all  the  fruits  above  mentioned  were 
grown  in  the  gardens  of  that  monarch,  and  that  even  at  tliat 
early  period  many  varieties  had  been  produced  in  the  course  of 
cultivation.  Among  them,  however,  we  do  not  find  the  Reine 
Claude,  or  Green  Gage,  nor  the  Bon  Chretien  Pear,  a 
variety  first  presented  by  St.  Francois  de  Paul  to  Louis  XI. 
— (“  Leeds  Mercury  ”). 
A  Selection  of  Acacias. 
While  the  bulb, and  spring  flowering  shrubs  are  being  ordered 
from  the  nurserymen,  may  it  not  be  that  the  gorgeous  Acacias 
are  left  out  of  mind.  We  recently  had  notes  from  the  gardens 
of  Tasmania,  and  when  thesfe  came  to  hand  we  thought  of  the 
splendour  of  the  Silver  Wattle,  the  Acacia  dealbata,  whose 
fragrant  and  beautiful  yellow  showers  of  blossom  are  the  most 
striking  feature  of  that  prosperous  southern  island  in  its  spring¬ 
time.  There  the  Mimosa  (another  of  its  names)  grows  50ft  and 
60ft  high,  rather  sparse  in  its  growth,  but  plenteous  in  its 
floraisbn.  And  in  our  English  greenhouse  it  is  one  of  the  best 
shrubs  we  have.  Some  of  the  mo.st  desirable  for  pot  culture  are 
the  following;  . 
Acacia  cordata  (1),  a  very  distinct  and  graceful  species,  having 
long,  slender,  but  slightly  branching  stems,  densely  clothed  with 
leaves  and  flowers.  The  latter  are  in  very  small  globular  heads, 
creamy  white.  The  leaves  or  phyllodes  are  cordate,  angular, 
and  with  a  tapering  point. 
A.  pulchella  (2)  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Acacias, 
as  it  is  extremely  floriferous  with  showy  flowers.  The  plant  is 
of  spreading  habit,  with  small  pinnate  leaves  three-quarter  inch 
long,  tlie  pinnae  narrow.  The  flowers  are  in  globular  heads, 
half-inch  in  diameter,  bright  golden  yellow,  and  slightly  fra¬ 
grant.  They  are  borne  on  slender  peduncles,  lin  long,  solitary 
on  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  but  produced  very  freely  all  over  the 
plant.  . 
A.  verticillata  (3),  tall  growing,  of  somewhat  cylindrical 
habit,  the  dark  .  foliage  and  stem  contrasting  with  the  soft 
yellow  flowers.  The  leaves  or  phyllodes  are  half-inch  long,  very 
dark  green,  narrow,  sharp,  and  arranged  six  or  eight  in  a  whorl. 
The  flowers  are  in  a  dense  spike  lin  or  more  long,  sulphur  yellow, 
usually  solitary,  sometimes  slightly  branched  at  the  base, 
fragrant. 
A.  Drummondi  (4)  is  certainly ,  one  of  the  best,  the  flowers 
being  borne  in  axillary  spikes,  drooping  gracefully.  In  a  good 
specimen,  which  is  as  difficult  to  get  as  most  of  the  kinds  are  to 
keep  from  growing  too  much,,  this,  is  one  of  the  most  handsome 
of  spring  flowering  greenhouse  plants,  the  chief  points  to  be 
guarded  agaimst  in  its  culture  being  over-potting  and  over¬ 
watering.  It  is  also  rather  'subject  to  attacks  by  red  spider, 
which  can  oe  subdued  by  judicious  yet  eflficient  syringings. 
A.  armata  (5)  attains  to  a  height  of  6ft  to  10ft  or  more,  and 
forms  a  very  handsome  pyramid,  its  long,  annual  growths  grace¬ 
fully  arching  being  studded  with  solitary  globular  heads  in 
March  or  April  are  very  pleasing.  If  there  is  only  room  for 
one  this  may  be  given  preference.  By  gentle  forcing  it  may  be 
had  in  flower  from  December.  The  foregoing  five  kinds  are 
shown  in  the  illustration. 
A.  diffusa  has  the  flowers  globular  and  usually  twin,  jjroduced 
somewhat  freely,  the  growths  being  diffusely  procumbent.  It 
attains  to  a  height  of  about  3ft.. 
A.  cultriformis  is  more  a  curiosity,  the  leaves  being  Sin  to 
lOin  long,  knife-like,  terminating  with  a  hooked  point.  The 
flowers  are  in  crowded  heads,  in  terminal  .or  axillary  racemes, 
produced  during  spring.  It  attains  a  height  of  6ft  or  more. 
A.  oloeifolia  elegans  is  very  handsome,  the  heads  of  bloom 
disposed  in  racemes,  the  plants  being  of  graceful  habit,  and  the 
flowers  are  very  bright.  It  is  the  Acacia  lunata  of  the 
botanists.  -  ■ 
A.  grandis  is  considered  to  be  a  variety  of  A.  pulchella,  but 
rather  freer  in  growth,  though  both  are  free  enough,  soon  form¬ 
ing  specimens  of  10ft  to  12ft  high  when  the  object  is  a  pyramid, 
and  the  leading  growths  trained  up.  It  flowers  from  February 
to  May,  the  flowers  being  globular,  very  freely  produced. 
A.  longifolia  magnifica  is.  a  fine  erect  growing  kind,  the 
leaves  being  linear  lanceolate,  the  flowers  borne  profusely  in 
loose  spikes  from  the  axils  of  the  leaves,  and  during  the  early 
spring  months.  It  attains  to  the  height  of  a  dozen  or  more  feet, 
but  can  be  kept  to  six  by  judicious  pruning,  which  it  seems  to 
flower  all  the  better  of,  at  least  the  sprays  are  longer  and  the 
flowers  finer. 
The  species  named  are  all  for  the  greenhouse.  We  have 
not  grown  any  of  the  .stove  species.)  White  scale  is  the  great 
enemy  of  Acacias.  We  know  of  no  better  remedy  than  applying 
methylated  spirits  carefully  to  the  stems  and  other  parts  affected 
with  a  small  brush,  and  the  cleansing  influence  of  rain  when 
placed  outdoors  is  exerted  most  beneficially  on  the  plants  towards 
autumn ;  indeed,  the  plants  usually  come  in  in  splendid  flower¬ 
ing  condition.— B. 
