282 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  24,  1903. 
CARDEH.  CJ^EANINCS 
A  New  Eremurus. 
Under  the  name  of  Eremurus  Himrob,  M.  Van  Tubergen,  hor- 
ticulteur  a  Haarlem,  has  put  into  commerce  a  new  variety  of 
tills  Liliacee,  the  issue  of  E.  Himalaicus  x  E.  robustus,  hence 
the  compound  name  Him.  rob  !  The  foliage  is  that  of  Himalaious, 
and  hardier  than  robustus,  the  flowers  resembling  Elwesianus, 
but  are  clearer. 
Commercial  Culture  of  Hyacinths. 
We  have  the  privilege  to  reproduce  an  illustration  of  one  of 
Messrs.  Toogood  and  Son’s  Hyacinth  fields,  as  grown  for  them  in 
Holland.  The  photograph  (page  286)  speaks  for  itself;  the  irriga¬ 
tion  channel  down  the  centre  is  sometimes  necessary  in  such  dry 
porous  soils.  The  bulbs,  of  course,  are  grown  in  beds,  each  bed 
containing  many  thousands  of  bulbs,  and  all  of  one  variety. 
The  Water  Hyacinth  in  American  Rivers. 
A  successful  method  for  destroying  the.  Water  Hyacinth 
(Echornea)  which  seriou.sly  obstructs  navigation  in  southern 
rivers  of  North  America,  has  been  tried  on  the  St.  John’s,  where 
some  wharves  have  been  abandoned  because  of  it,  according  to  the 
Boston  “  Transcript.”  A  boat  filled  with  a  laboratory  and  force- 
pump  sprays  a  swath  90ft  wide  with  a  chemical  which  causes 
them  to  die  at  the  roots. 
A  ‘'Friendship  Garden.” 
Sir  William  Harcourt  is  an  enthusiastic  gardener.  At  Mal- 
wood,  says  a  contemporary,  where  his  estate  comprises  only 
twenty-five  acre.s,  he  has  devoted  four  to  his  garden — a  beautiful 
and  carefully-kept  retreat,  across  the  green  swards  of  which  pea¬ 
cocks  strut  proudly,  as  though  conscious  of  the  Royal  descent  of 
their  owner.  A  feature  of  the  retreat  is  the  “  Friendship 
Garden,”  in  which  trees  planted  by  old  friends  are  growing.  The 
garden  was  commenced  in  1890,  when  tlie  first  Oak  was  planted 
by  Mr.  Gladstone  and  thei  first  Elm  by  Mrs.  Gladstone. 
Allium  Neapolitanum. 
There  are  a  number  of  species  of  Allium,  but  the  mo.st  useful 
for  greenhouse  cultivation  is  Allium  neapolitanum.  The  flowers, 
which  are  borne  in  heads  or  umbels,  are  of  the  purest  white. 
The  bulbs  are  easily  forced,  so  that  they  can  be  had  in  bloom 
early,  and  at  a  time  when  white  floAvers  are  sought  after  for 
various  purposes.  Place  the  bulbs  in  T-i-in  or  5in  pots,  IJin  apart, 
and  2in  deep,  in  a  sandy  mixture  of  loam,  leaf  soil,  and  sand. 
Plunge  the  pots  under  ashes  until  groivth  begins,  after  Avhich 
place  in  a  cool  greenhouse,  and  allow  them  to  come  gradually  into 
bloom. — E. 
Beautiful  Aet.r?. 
On  September  15,  Mr.  Amos  Perry,  of  the  Hardj'  Plant  Farm, 
Winchmore  Hill,  London,  N.,  sent  us  bunches  of  perennial  Asters, 
and  his  splendid  form  of  Geum  Heldreichi,  that  soems  to  improve 
on  accj;uaintance.  The  folloAving  letter  accompanies  the  florvers : 
‘‘  I  herewith  send  you  a  few  flowers  of  my  iierv  Geum  Heldreichi 
superba.  This  is  without  a  doubt  one  of  the  best  nerv  hardj^ 
plant.s  introduced  during  the  last  trvo  or  three  years.  It  is  now 
in  full  floAver  Avith  me,  and  Avill  remain  so  until  thci  frost  .sets  in. 
It  has  been  floAvering  since  the  first  Aveek  in  May,  and  is  of  a 
pretty,  neat  habit,  Avith  floAver  stems  Avell  thrown  up  above  the 
foliage,  and  lasts  some  time  cut.  Its  delightful  colour  will  make 
it  a  A'ery  poplular  irlant.  Aster,  Perry’s  White,  is  Avithout  a 
question  the  fine.st  Avhite  Aster  up  to  date.  It  is  quite  distinct, 
AA-ith  its  pretty  loose  petals  reminding  one  of  a.  Japanese 
Chry.santhemum.  It  is  of  a  pretty,  neat  erect  habit.  Aster 
Elsie  Perry  is  the  best  pink  variety  introduced  up  to  the  present. 
It  is  a  seedling  I  raised  here  seme  three  oi'  four  years  ago,  and 
Avhich  received  an  AAvard  of  Merit  at  the  R.H.S.  last  year.  The 
floAver  is  a  clear  rosy  pink.  I  also  enclose  a  fcAV  flowers  of  my 
ncAV  double  pink  Aster.  I  have  several  very  promising  double 
ones  AA'lnch  I  hope  to  .shoAv  before  the  R.H.S.”  [The  floAvers  are 
in  each  case  all  that  is  claimed  for  them. — En.] 
Nepenthes  x  picturata. 
The  folloAA-iiig  shoAvs  the  genealogy  of  a  beautiful  and  handsome 
neAV  Pitcher  plant  posse.ssed  by  Me.ssrs.  J.  Veitch  and  Sons,  Ltd., 
Chelsea. 
N.  Curtisi  x  X.  Northiana  X.  llalile.iia  ia  x  X.  A'ti..lii 
X.  X  mixta  X.  Dicksouiana 
X.  picturata 
The  NeAV  Iceland  Poppies. 
In  August,  Messrs.  Storrie  and  Storrie,  of  Dundee,  sent  the 
folloAving  letter  AA'ith  a  delightful  bunch  of  pale  ijink,  rose,  carmine 
and  tea-coloured  Iceland  Poppies:  “  We  send  you  liereAvith  a  feAV 
blooms  of  our  new  strain  of  Iceland  Poppies,  Avhi^li  Avas  certi¬ 
ficated  by  the  R.H.S.  in  June  last.  We  hope  tO'  send  you  a 
larger  bunch  later  on,  Avhen  the  possibilities  of  seed  producticii 
are  spent ;  but,  meantime,  Ave  think  you  Avill  admire  the  delicate 
.shades  aird  harmonies  of  these  neAV  colours.” 
A  NeAV  Disease  of  Turnips. 
A  neAV  disease  of  Turnips  Avas  discovered  in  Lincolnshire  in 
the  early  part  of  this  year.  It  is  caused  by  a  fungu.s  of  the  genus 
Tlinina,  AA’lnch  is  not  yet  defined,  but  Avhich  is  very  infectious  and 
closely  allied  to  that  Avhich  has  caused  great  destruction  to  Man¬ 
golds.  Although  it  does  not  appear  (says  the  “Nottingham 
Guardian”)  to  have  been  seen  as  yet  anyAvhere  except  in  Lincoln¬ 
shire,  it  is  very  desirable  that  vigorous  steps  should  be  taken  tO' 
prevent  its  spreading,  and,  therefore,  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  has  done  useful  service  by  issuing  al  little  leaflet,  by  its 
consulting  botani.st,  Mr.  W’illiam  Carruthers,  F.R.S.,  in  which 
some  very  practical  advice  on  the  subject  is  given  to  groAA'ers. 
Farmers  are  AA’arned  to  be  on  the  watch  against  the  disease  during 
the  present  Turnip  season.  It  appears  that  no  possible'  treat¬ 
ment  can  get  rid  of  the  fungus  Avhen  it  has  once  got  possession  of 
the  roots  of  the  Turnip  or  Mangold.  The  only  thing  to  be  done 
is  to  prevent  the  spread  of  the  disease  by  removing  the  affected 
roots  from  the  field  before  the  ripe  spores  escape  into  the  air.  On 
the  assumption  that  the  fungus  reaches  the  Turnip  through  the 
leaves,  the  foliage  should  be  sprayed  in  the  autumn  Avith  dis¬ 
solved  sulphate  of  copper,  or,  better  still,  with  a  Bordeaux  mix¬ 
ture,  made  up  of  121b  of  sulphate  of  copper,  91b  of  quicklime,  and 
100  gallons  of  Avater.  This  is  an  operation  that  should  be  per¬ 
formed  at  once. 
Our  Fruit  Supplies. 
If  the  season,  had  been  at  all  favourable  the  Avholesale  salesmen 
in  the  Birmingham  market  Avould  have  been  receiving  daily  at 
the  present  time  at  least  a  thousand  pots  each  containing  721b  of 
Engli.sh  Plums,  Avhereas  recently  there  Avas  scarcely  an  English 
Plum  on  the  market.  The  Dutch  and  German  Plums  are  brought 
across  the  Avater  to  Hull,  from  Avhich  port  they  are  consigned 
to  all  the  great  distributing  centres.  Birmingham  get  its  full  .share, 
and  the  Plums  of  the  best  quality  Avere  selling  at  3s.  to  3s.  Gd. 
a  sieve  of  241b,  Avhile  the  inferior  sorts  Avere  di.sposed  of  at  from 
2s.  down  to  9d.  a  sieve.  Of  late,  the  Apples  from  Italy  and 
Spain  have  been  in  demand  in  the  absence  of  English  but  on 
the  20th  tliere  Avere  far  more  home-groAvn  Apples  in  the  market 
than  a  month  ago,  with  the  result  that  the  demand  for  the.' foreign 
fruit  was  considerably  curtailed.  The  price  for  English  Apples 
Avas  63.  to  12s.  per  pot  of  641b,  according  to  quality.  The  Italiair 
Apples  arrive  in  chips  containing  181b,  and  they  VA’ere  sold  at 
from  2s.  3d.  to  2s.  9d.  per  chip,  a  marked  reduction  on  the  5s.  a 
chip,  Avhich  AvauS  readily  given  a  few  Aveeks  back.  The  Spani.sh 
Apples  are  selling  at  83.  to  11s.  per  case  of  841b,  Avhereas  a  month 
ago  the  price  Avas  nearly  double.  The  season  for  American 
Apples  is  commencing,  and  the  consignments  already  received 
are  in  capital  condition.  It  is  expected  that  the  Apple  crop  in 
Canada  will  be  plentiful,  and  that  the  supplies  in  the  Engli.sh 
markets  Avill  last  Avell  into  the  ncAv  year,  Avhen  the  Australian 
season  Avill  begin.  A  feAV  English  Melons  were  on  sale  at  from 
Is.  3d.  to  2s.  6d.  each,  but  the  greatest  supply  Avas  from  Valencia. 
The  Spanish  Melons  Avere  sold  at  from  6s.  6d.  to  8s.  per  case,  each 
containing  tAventy-four  or  thirty-six ;  but  the  best  class  of 
Valencias  sold  freely  at  9s.  to  10s.  6d  per  case.  These  Valencia 
Melons  are. of  very  fine  quality.  Each  Melon  is  Avrapped  in  tinted 
paper. 
