590 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  24,  1903. 
Vegetable  Marrows  in  pots  for  the  earliest  supplies,  and  out 
of  doors  for  the  later.  Turnips  taxed  the  skill  of  the  gardener 
to  have  them  in  good  condition  all  the  year  round,  especially 
during  the  hot  months.  Tomatoes:  Sow  in  March  for  outside 
work,  grow  them  on  to  have  them  strong  for  planting  out 
early  in  June.  Rhubarb  was  much  appreciated  from  Christmas 
until  Gooseberries  were  fit  for  use,  and  Mr.  Lee  gave  instruc¬ 
tions  for  growing  and  forcing,  so  as  to  keep  up  a  succession. 
A  good  discussion  followed,  in  which  Messrs.  Harris,  Basham, 
-Jones,  Powell,  Woodward,  and  Daniels  took  part.  A  very 
hearty  vote  of  thanks  was  accorded  Mr.  Lee  for  his  very  able 
and  instructive  paper.  Mr.  J.  Duff  presided  over  a  good 
attendance. — J.  Pegler. 
Birmingham:  Vine  Culture. 
Birmingham  Gardeners’  Association. — An  interesting  and 
instructive  lecture  was  afforded  by  Mr.  Robert  Cock,  Horti¬ 
cultural  Lecturer  to  the  Staffordshire  County  Council,  on  the 
14th  inst.,  on  “Vine  Culture.”  Among  a  select  list  of  the  best 
varieties  he  particularly  mentioned  the  Muscat  Hamburgh  and 
Muscat  of  Alexandria  as  the  best  flavoured  Grapes  extant,  the 
former  not  excelled  by  the  latter  kind.  In  the  construction  of 
Vine  borders  inside  or  outside,  Mr.  Cock  strongly  disapproves 
the  adoption  of  brick  walls  and  concrete  floors,  unless  the  natural 
surrounding  soil  should  be  of  an  unfavourable  nature  and  the 
sub.strata  excessively  cold.  Thoroughly  consolidated  borders 
(the  surface  especially)  were  advocated  for  inducing  a  freer 
root-action  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  border.  For  interior 
borders,  paving  the  surface  with  ordinai-y  clay  bricks,  about  2in 
apart,  with  a  view  to  conserve  moisture  and  heat,  thereby  acting 
as  a  medium  for  attracting  the  roots  towards  the  surface,  was 
advised.  In  the  formation  of  Vine  borders,  while  advocating 
incorporation  of  old  mortar  rubble  in  the  compost,  Mr.  Cock’s 
experience  led  him  to  eschew  that  of  old  chimneys.  He  omitted 
however,  to  define  the  reason,  excepting  that  he  had  known 
instances  wdiere  the  roots  of  newly  planted  Vines  had  absolutely 
refused  to  grow  in  such  a  medium,  and  that  the  wdiole  of  the 
border  had  to  be  replenished  by  a  new  one.  It  would  be  interest¬ 
ing  to  learn  the  experience  of  other  cultivators  regarding  the 
matter  in  question,  and  whether  the  mortar  rubble  obtained 
from  factory  or  dwelling-house  chimneys  alone  possessed  any  dis¬ 
tinctive  chemical  property  inimical  to  Grape  Vines  or  any  other 
plant-root  growth. 
Horticultural  Club:  Scented  Fl.wers. 
The  monthly  dinner  of  this  club  on  the  15th  inst.  was 
followed  by  a  most  interesting  joint  paper  by  Mr.  G.  Bunyard 
and  Mr.  Jas.  O’Brien  on  “  Scented  Inconspicuous  Flowers.” 
Mr.  O’Brien  naturally  treated  of  the  Orchid  tribe,  while  Mr. 
Bunyard’s  remarks  were  of  a  more  general  character.  With 
regard  to  the  human  faculty  of  appreciating  odours,  it  was 
generally  felt  that  man  is  little  qualified  to  judge  for  the  insect, 
or  even  the  animal  world,  since,  as  Mr.  Engleheart  pointed  out, 
it  was  impossible  to  form  a  scale  of  odours  in  the  same  way  as 
w'e  can  of  musical  sounds  or  optical  colours,  and  it  is  quite 
possible,  and  indeed  more  than  probable,  that  while  our  eyes 
and  ears  are  limited  in  their  scope  to  certain  ranges  of  audible 
vibrations,  or  a  limited  area  of  the  spectrum,  insect  organs  may 
be  capable  of  appreciating,  at  any  rate,  sounds  which  are  too 
subtle  for  our  senses,  and  their  olfactory  nerves  may  also  be  so 
differently  constituted  as  to  be  sensible  of  subtle  scents  beyond 
our  ken.  The  case  of  rare  moths  in  captivity  attracting  those 
of  their  kind  for  long  distances  was  cited  as  an  .example  by 
Mr.  Druery,  and  while  Mr.  Charles  Pearson  considered  that  this 
attraction  might  be  due  to  extremely  high  pitched  sounds 
emitted  by  the  captives,  Mr.  Engleheart  quoted  an  instance  in 
support  of  Mr.  Druery’s  contention,  which  indicated  the  attrac¬ 
tion  of  certain  moths  whose  only  habitat  was  seven  miles  distant. 
■Applying  this  to  flowers,  it  is  conceivable  that  inodorous  ones 
to  man,  may  nevertheless  yet  attract  the  needful  insects  by 
scent.  The  curious  fact  of  certain  recognised  odours  being 
common,  not  merely  to  flowers  of  quite  different  species,  but 
even  to  animals  and  minerals,  was  brought  forward,  the  pungent 
odour  of  the  Onion  being  perceptible  not  only  in  other  plants 
but  also  in  the  small  snail,  Helix  alliaria,  and  in  yaporised 
arsenic.  Allusion  may  also  be  made  to  the  singular  cases  of 
flowers  with,  to  man,  the  most  repulsive  odours,  attracting 
carrion  flies  in  large  numbers  with  the  result  that  they  laid  their 
eggs  in  profusion  upon  such  flowers,  though  these  eggs  were 
destined  to  perish  since  no  real  food,  such  as  was  suggested  by 
the  odour,  existed  for  the  future  brood. 
Some  of  the  Stapelias  possess  this  peculiarity,  and  Mr.  Druery 
suggested  the  possibility  of  such  plants  being  allied  to  car¬ 
nivorous  ones,  the  addled  eggs  acting  as  nutricats.  The  subtle 
nature  of  odours  was  also  indicated,  the  musk  glands  of  animals 
having  the  power  for  many  yeans,  not  only  of  retaining  their 
peculiar  scent,  but  of  imparting  it  perceptibly  to  the  surrounding 
air  and  adjacent  articles  without  any  appreciable  decrease  in 
substance  or  v' eight. 
Referring  to  the  inumerable  odours  of  the  foliage  apart  from 
flowers,  it  was  mentioned  that  such  emanations  had  been 
regarded  as  the  throwing  off  of  useless  materials.  This  view, 
however,  could  hardly  be  justified,  since  there  Avas  undoubted 
evidence  that  in  some  cases  these  odours  exercised  a  deterrent 
effect  upon  verminous  foes.  Both  papers  teemed  with  examples 
of  curious  relations  between  scent  and  inconspicuousness,  while 
on  the  other  hand  it  was  pointed  out  that  many  very  conspicuous 
ones  had,  as  it  were,  two  strings  to  their  bow,  being  fully  as 
odoriferous  as  their  humbler  relatives. 
Isle  of  Wight:  Tomato  Culture. 
The  monthly  meeting  of  this  horticultural  association  was 
held  at  the  Warburton  Hotel,  NeAvport,  on  Saturday, 
December  5,  Dr.  J.  Grove  in  the  chair.  Considering  the  in¬ 
clemency  of  the  w'eather  there  Avas  a  good  attendance  of 
members.  The  subject  for  the  meeting  Avas  a  paper  read  by  Mr. 
E.  C.  Goble,  of  the  Walcot  Nurseries,  Ryde,  “  On  the  Cultiva¬ 
tion  of  Tomatoes.”  Mr.  Goble  is  a  large  groAver  of  Tomato, 
annually  placing  on  the  market  tons  of  fruits,  and  has  probably 
the  largest  glass  structures  in  the  island  devoted  exclusively  to 
their  culture.  He  said  Ham  Green  and  Chemin  Avere  good  old 
Amrieties,  Avhile  of  ncAver  introduction  Up-to-Date  Avas  one  of 
the  best.  Mr.  Goble  holds  an  opinion  that  the  supply  of  these 
fruit  someAA’hat  exceeds  the  demand,  so  that  it  is  sometimes 
difficult  to  dispose  of  produce  at  remunerative  rates.  The 
exhibit  included  a  fine  dish  of  tubers  of  the  famed  Northern  Star 
Potato.  From  6ozs  of  seed  sets  Mr.  Bound,  Freshwater,  had 
secured  691bs.  Sutton’s  iieAV  Potato,  Discovery,  Avas  also  shoAAm. 
Mr.  Kime,  Westhill,  Yarmouth,  showed  a  lovely  Zonal  Geranium, 
Mrs.  Martin,  of  a  lovely  salmon  pink  shade.  The  annual  meet¬ 
ing  Avill  be  held  on  January  9. 
Ipswich :  The  Carnation. 
Ipswich  Mutual  Improvement  Society. — The  year’s  Avork 
Avas  brought  to  a  successful  conclusion  on  Thursday,  the 
17th  inst.,  when  Mr.  R.  Dean,  V.M.H.,  gave  a  lecture  on  The 
Carnation:  its  Types,  Culture,  and  Uses.”  Happy  recollec¬ 
tions  of  a  previous  visit  from  Mr.  Dean  evidently  conduced  to 
the  large  attendance.  By  Avay  of  introduction  the  essayist 
first  referred  to  the  popularity  of  the  flower,  and  then  to  its 
early  history.  The  development  of  the  old  florists’  Carnations 
and  Picotees  and  their  classification  into  various  types  was  then 
treated  at  considerable  length,  and  followed  Avith  evident 
interest  by  his  audience.  Mr.  Dean  then  passed  on  to  the 
consideration  of  the  present  day  forms  of  border  Carnations, 
likeAvise  the  Malmaison  and  Winter  or  Tree  flowering  varieties. 
Details  of  cultivation  were  given  for  all  sections,  as  Avell  as 
notes  on  the  insect  and  fungoid  pests  to  Avhich  the  plants  are 
subject.  In  the  discussion  Avhich  folloAved,  Messrs.  Messenger, 
Creek,  Morgan,  Bullard,  and  Finlay  took  a  prominent  part,  the 
proceedings  closing  Avith  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
essayist. — E.  C. 
Meteorological  Observations  at  Chiswick. 
Taken  in  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  Gardens  at  Chis¬ 
wick,  height  above  sea  level  24  feet. 
Date. 
Temperature  of  the 
Air. 
Temperature  of 
the  Soil. 
At  9  A.M. 
0 
ai 
At  9  A.M. 
Day. 
Night 
.9 
’S 
At 
1-ft. 
deep. 
At 
2-ft. 
deep. 
At 
4-ft. 
deep. 
J>4  • 
Q  03 
•*3  ^  Q3 
^  0  CD 
December. 
a 
Dry 
Bulb. 
Wet 
Bulb. 
4a 
09 
<U 
to 
s 
43 
03 
0 
& 
0 
J 
sg 
0  0 
Sundav  ...13 
E.S.E. 
deg. 
466 
deg. 
45-9 
deg. 
50'6 
deg. 
40-5 
Ins. 
deg. 
41-2 
deg. 
44-3 
deg. 
47  4 
deg. 
37-2 
Monday  ...14 
S.E. 
44.7 
44-4 
50 '3 
37-5 
— 
42-8 
44-6 
47-3 
27.0 
Tuesday  ...15 
S.E. 
41 -9 
40-3 
45-3 
39-0 
— 
42-1 
44-5 
47'3 
25-5 
Wed’sday  16 
E.N.E. 
41-1 
391 
43-6 
40-2 
— 
420 
44‘5 
47  2 
32-5 
Thursday  17 
E.S.E. 
40-5 
39  6 
45-3 
37  5 
— 
42-0 
44  4 
47-2 
27 -Z 
Friday  ...18 
E.S.E. 
41-7 
41-2 
44-8 
40  2 
0-03 
42-7 
44-4 
47-2 
28-3 
Saturday  19 
E. 
420 
40-2 
43-3 
41-2 
42-9 
44  6 
47-1 
39  0 
Means  ... 
. 
42-6 
41'2 
46  2 
39-4 
Total. 
0-03 
42  2 
44  5 
47‘2 
31  0 
The  Aveather  during  the  past  Aveek  has  been  fair,  but  very  dull  and 
dark. 
Kent  Fruit-Growers’  Anxiety.— Fruit-groAvers  in  Kent  are 
anxious  Avith  regard  to  the  prospect  of  next  year’s  Black 
Currant  crop  oAving  to  the  continued  ravages  of  the  pest 
Phytoptus  ribis,  knoAvn  to  farmers  as  the  bud  mite.  It  attacks 
the  Avood  as  Avell  as  the  buds  of  the  plants,  and  acres  of  planta¬ 
tions  have  been  affected.  The  pest  has  been  spreading  in  the 
Hop  country  for  the  past  seven  years,  and  so  far  no  cure  has 
been  found,  although  seAmral  methods  of  treatment  check  it  to 
some  extent. 
