November  5,  1903.  JOURNAL  CF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDFjNER. 
41Y 
not  now,  nor  lias  he  for'  some  years  past,  allowed  the  “stage 
Mums”  to  altogether  monopolise-  his  attention;  but  this  year’s 
display  of  Dahlias  eclipses  those  of  former  years,  because  of  the 
novelties  on  view.  I  ought  to  say  that  the  Cactus  section  are 
those  favoured  in  this  instance. 
The  end  of  October  is  certainly  not  a  date  when  such  a  large, 
bright,  and  varied  wealth  of  colour  could  be  expected,  nor 
would  it  be  possible  had  the  slightest  frost  paid  an  early 
autumn  visit.  As  the  meteorological  observers  incline  to  the 
opinion  that  a  cycle  of  wet  seasons  is  pending,  it  would  be  as 
well  to  remember  and  emphasise  the  importance  attached  td 
Dahlias,  especially  for  the  autumn,  and  particularly  in  wet, 
dripping  seasons.  They  appear  to  revel  rather  than  languish 
in  continuous  showers.  Spring  struck  plants,  and  new  varieties, 
.seem  to  give  the  best  results. — W. 
The  Colours  of  Leaves  and  of  Fruits. 
The  subject  of  the  variation  in  the  colour  of  plant  leaves 
and  of  fruits,  especially  Apples,  has  occupied  the  attention  of 
scientists  for  many  years,  and  has  been  found  to  be  one  of  great 
difficulty.  Sachs  says  that  among  the  changes  caused  in  plants 
by  long  continued  depression  of  temperature,  one  of  the  most 
striking  is  the  change  in  colour  of  leaves  and  of  fruits.  This 
change  is  of  two  kinds ;  the  leaves  either  merely  lose  their 
colour  and  become  brownish,  yellowish,  or  rusty  brown,  or  turn 
a  decided  red  on  the-  upper  surface.  The  loss  of  colour  of  the 
first  group  depends,  according  to  Kraus,  on  a  change  in  the 
grains  of  chlorophyll  which  lose  their  form  and  definition,  a 
cloudy  mass  of  protoplasm  of  a  reddish  brown  or  brownish  yellow 
colour  being  formed,  while  the  nucleus  remains  colourless.  These 
changes  are  usually  more  complete  on  the  upper  side  than  in 
the  parenchjmia,  which  lies  deeper. 
The  winter  leaves  of  the  second  group,  which  are  coloured  red 
or  purplish  brown  on  the  upper  side,  owe  this  colour  to  a 
rounded,  hyaline,  strongly  refractive  mass  lying  in  the  upper  cells, 
which  appears  of  a  beautiful  carmine  red  where  thei  leaves  are 
red,  but  elsewhere  of  a  pale  yellow,  and  consists  mainly  of 
tannin.  The  red  colouring  matter  is  soluble  in  water,  and 
cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  red  colouring  substances  of 
flowers  and  fruits.  In  all  leaves  which  persist  through  the 
winter  it  is  found  that  when  the  weather  has  become  sufficiently 
warm  in  the  spring,  the  normal  condition  is  restored  ;  the  red 
colouring  substance  disappears,  and  the  grains  of  chlorophyll 
again  take  up  their  normal  position  on  the  cell  walls.  Kraus 
shows  that  the  winter  change  of  the  leaves  depends  on  the 
fall  of  temperature,  since  it  is  restored  to  the  normal  state  by 
a  simple  rise  in  the  temperature,  whether  in  the  dark  or  in  the 
light.  It  may  be  remarked  that  in  the  present  season  leaves  are 
slow  to  assume  their  usual  autumnal  tints,  owing  to  the  con¬ 
tinued  moist  and  mild  weather.  With  the  lowering  of  tempera¬ 
ture  and  a  slight  frost  during  the  past  week,  the  leaves  quickly 
put  on  their  beautiful  yellow  and  red  tints.  A  single  .severe 
fro.sty  night  frequently  suffices  to-  bring  about  the  change  in 
the  form  and  colour  of  the  chlorophyll  grains.  The  writer  has 
been  informed  by  Mr.  A.  D.  Hall,  Director  of  the  Rothamsted 
Experimental  Station,  that  at  Wye  College,  during  the  past 
three  years,  special  experiments  bave  been  carried  out  with 
Apple  trees  treated  with  various  artificial  manures,  with  a  view 
to  determine  their  effect  upon  the  colouring  of  the  fruits.  It 
has  been  found  that  manures  have  little,  if  any,  effect  upon  the 
colouring  of  Apples.  Mr.  Hall  is  of  opinion  that  the  red  skin 
colour  is  entirely  due  to  a  Sudden  lowering  of  temperature. — 
J.  J.  Willis,  Harpenden. 
A  Hint  for  the  R.H.S. 
I  observe-  that  advice  is  freely  being  given  to  the  R.H.S.  re 
what  it  should  and  should  not  do  at  Wisley.  Laboratories  for 
research,  large  ranges  of  gla.ss  for  experiments  in  hybridisation, 
and  many  other  suggestions  are  forthcoming  in  abundance. 
Now,  I  notice  we  have  a  “Metropolitan  Fellow,”  page  381, 
anxious  for  the  Society  to  obtain  models  of  Apples  and  Pears. 
This  may  appear  to  be  very  feasible  advice  to  those  not  well 
acquainted  with  the  v^aries  of  these  fruits ;  but  to  those  who 
know  something  of  fruit  growing  and  to  those  who-  attended  the 
fruit  show  recently  held  at  Chiswick,  and  there  noticed  the 
remarkable  difference  in  the  same  variety  of  Apple,  brought 
from  different  districts,  this  advice  may  justly  appear  of 
doubtful  utility.  Apples  and  Pears  not  only  vary  in  different 
counties,  but  they  vary  in  neighbouring  gardens,  and  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  be  quite  unrecognisable.  On  one  occasion  I 
knew  a  gardener  make  a  wager  that  he  would  gather  three 
Apples  from  the  same  tree,  and  send  them  to  an  authority,  and 
that  each  Apple  would  receive  a  different  name.  The  Apples 
were  sent  aw'ay,  and  three  names  were  returned.  I  simply 
mention  this  to  show  the  difficulty  of  preparing  models.  For 
certainly  one  cast  of  each  variety  from  any  district  in  England 
would  be  of  very  little  use.  . 
I  am  aware  that  certain  varieties  vary  very  little,  viz.,  Peas- 
good’.s  Nonesuch  cannot  be  well  mistaken.  True,  it  is  some¬ 
what  like  a  really  good  sample  of  Blenheim  Orange  sometimes. 
Or  we  may  take  one  or  two  of  the  Russian  Apples,  Duchess 
of  Oldenburg,  for  example.  This  is  a  very  distinct  and  un¬ 
changeable  fruit.  When  looking  over  the  Apples  at  Chiswick,  I 
Avas  interested  at  the  great  difference  in  the  shape-  and  colour 
of  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin.  It  is  quite  possible  that  if  half  a 
dozen  of  these  fruits  had  been  carefully  selected  and  jilaccd 
before  some  of  our  highe.st  authorities,  they  Avould  have  re¬ 
ceived  several  names.  Therefore  I  think  that  a  single  model 
of  any  variety  of  Apple  or  Pear  Avould  be  useless  for  future 
comparison,  and  several  Avould  cause  confusion.  Seeing  that 
there  are  at  least  600  varieties  of  Apples  alone,  known  to  culti- 
A'ation,  it  would  be  no  small  matter  financially  to  prepare  a 
single  cast  of  each.  At  present,  however,  it  seems  that  the 
R.H.S.  is,  after  all,  not  over-burdened  with  cash,  for,  I 
observe  that  in  an  article  in  a  contemporary  on  the  Wisley 
garden,  the  writer  easily  finds  use  for  £10,000.  A  large  pro¬ 
portion  of  this  large-  sum  is  absolutely  necessary  before  the  staff 
can  settle  there,  for  the-  building  of  the  necessary  residences 
and  other  offices,  to  say  nothing  of  glass  structures.  This  to¬ 
gether  Avith  £15,000  still  Avanting  for  the  completion  of  the 
iieAV  hall,  is  a  big  sum  to  collect  by  voluntary  contributions.  I 
think,  therefore,  Ave  Avill  have  to  exercise  patience  for  our 
hobbies. — T.  Arnold,  Cirencester. 
AkeMa  quinata. 
There  is  something  very  attractive  about  this  old,  almost 
hardy  climber,  Avhich,  I  think,  ought  to  give  it  a  place  in  every 
eollection.  In  Scottish  gardens  it  i.s,  if  not  a  rara  avis,  at 
least  a  plant  of  very  limited  distribution.  The  five-fingered 
leaves,  Avere  these  its  only  merits,  are  quite  sufficient  to  make 
it  an  object  of  no  ordinary  decorative  \mlue.  for  conservatory 
pillars.  The  racemes  of  beautiful  purple  floAvers,  which  are 
abundantly  produced,  are  very  fragrant  as  well  as  ornamental, 
and  suspend  in  copious  masses  among  the  picturesque  foliage. 
The  delicious  aroma  impregnates  the  Avhole  atmosphere  of  a 
house.  The  plant  is  a  native  of  Chusan,  and  probably  of  Japan, 
for  Ave  read  that  the  Japanese  use  the  plant  for  medicinal  pur¬ 
poses.  It  is  not  quite  hardy  in  the  North,  as  at  one  time  it 
Avas  supposed  to  be  ;  but  it  is  said  to  survive  in  favoured^  parts 
of  South  Britain,  West  of  England,  and  Scotland,  with  pro¬ 
tection.  [Which  is  true. — Ed.]  It  can  be  multiplied  by  the 
ordinary  means,  viz.,  division  and  cuttings,  and  thrives  best  in 
a  compost  in  which  a  dash  of  good  fibrous  peat  obtains. — D.  C. 
Large  Potatoes,  and  a  Heavy  Crop  of  Apples. 
Notwithstanding  the-  universal  untoward  nature  of  the 
past  summer,  large  Potatoes  seem  to  be  greatly  in  evidence. 
In  some  places  Ave  find  a  single  specimen  weigh  as  many  as 
26oz.  The  eating  qualities,  of  course,  in  such  cases  cannot 
be  expected  to  be  proportionately  satisfactory.  As  far  as 
size  is  concerned,  it  Avould  seem  that  abundance-  of  moisture 
is  not  undesirable  for  the  Potato;  at  the  same  time,  we  heard 
good  cultivators  of  this  essential  food  supply  say  that  the  crop 
can  Avell  afford  to  do  Avithout  moisture,  provided  it  gets  a  good 
drenching  after  being  earthed  up.  No  more  is  needed  till  tlie 
crop  is  gathered  in.  Disease  is  not  so-  bad  northwards  as  had 
been  expected.  I  have  seen  several  samples  of  the  big  Potato 
this  year,  and  not  later  than  last  Aveek,  being  on  a  visit  to-  the 
gardens  of  Trinity  Grove,  Edinburgh,  w;here  they  Avere-  at  the 
time  busy  digging  their  crop.  The  kind  Avas  Up-to-Date,  and 
for  size,  abundance,  and  regularity  could  not  be  beaten.  I  Avas 
also  considerably  astonished  to  see  there  such  a  heavy  crop  of 
Apples.  The  trees  Avere  literally  groaning  under  their  heavy 
loads,  and  they  Avere  nothing  to  what  they  Avere  last  year.  I 
Avas  told  by  Mr.  McKenzie  the  dearth  of  all  kinds  of  fruits  so 
generally  felt  throughout  the  country  was  not  in  the  lea.st 
experienced  there.  The  early  summer  frosts  Avliich  proved  so 
disastrous  in  most  places  clearly  had  little  effect  on  blossom  or 
vegetation  there,  probably  on  account  of  the-  proximity  to  the, 
sea,  as  Avell  as  the  garden’s  Avell  sheltered  situation. — D.  C.. 
Hamilton. 
[It  is  pleasant  to  hoar  of  the  continued  fruitfulness  of  the 
Apple  trees  at  'Trinity  Grove.  The  soil  there  is  almost  pure  sand 
on  a  gravel  subsoil,  and  it  is  not  oA-erfed  ;  nevertheless,  there  is 
an  annual  plethora  of  fruit,  particularly  from  Stirling  Castle,, 
EckliiiA-ille,  Lord  Suffield,  and  Ribston  Pippin.  Every  tree, 
hoAvever,  crops  aa'cII  ;  it  is  their  fertility  that  keeps  them  fertile 
. _ which  is  neither  paradox  or  iiun.  Mr.  McKenzie  finds  inany 
of  tlie  trees  apt  to  become  hide-bound,  and  he  used  to  enjoy  (!) 
ripping  them  open  by  longitudinal  cuts.  The  immediate  ex¬ 
pansion  of  the  bark  before  the  knife  Avas  interesting  to  observe  ; 
indeed,  no  pressure  Avas  needed,  for  the  bark  burst  asunder. 
SaA'e  that  the  crevices  that  folloAved  the  cutting  formed  a 
harbour  for  American  blight,  no  harm  or  damage  Avas  done. 
From  the  heavy  annual  crops  obtained,  it  Avould  appear  to  be  all 
for  good.  These  trees  (Avith  Avhich  Ave  have  had  practical  ex¬ 
perience)  are  on  cultivated  vegetable  ground.— Ed.] 
