Economic Fungi

A series of Specimens designed chiefly to Illustrate the Fungous Diseases of Useful and Noxious plants. Fascicle I. Nos 1 - 50, Edited and published by A. B. Seymour and F. S. Earle. This is the first distribution of fungi in this country designed for the particular purpose of illustrating and elucidating plant diseases. The present fascicle is concerned mostly with diseases of plants of the rose and vine families. Grape mildews, plum-pockets, leaf curl, peach and plum rot, strawberry rust, blackberry rust, apple scab, rose diseases and tomato blight, are among the diseases represented. The fascicle is neatly made, and the reputation of the authors for accuracy makes the distribution invaluable for those having much to do with plant diseases.

Economy In Fuel

OF THE four methods of heating buildings described in The American Garden for December, only three are available in a greenhouse or other building used for growing plants. Such buildings may be warmed by a flue, by hot-water pipes or steam pipes. The hot-air system used in dwellings cannot be used on account of the leakage of gas and the difficulty of conveying the hot air through a long, narrow building. The flue system is cheap, but dangerous and not effective in a building over forty feet long. The hot-water and steam systems are, therefore, the best for all horticultural structures.

Education And Journalism

In connection with J. H. McF.'s assertion that the "way to educate the dear people against being humbugged is through an honest horticultural publication" (June issue, p. 377), place this fact: In a national convention which the promoters had striven to make the best that had ever been held, and when special effort had been made to have the best speakers in the country to deliver addresses on the most live, and most practical topics, very little was brought out that had not already appeared, in various forms, in our best agricultural and horticultural publications. The convention was a grand educator; the matter was brought together in systematic form, which cannot always be done in our journals. What better exposition could we have of the value of these periodicals ? - C. S. Valentine.

An Efficient Propagating Case

The accompaning illustration of a propagating case should have appeared with Mr. Card's article on the propagation of dracaenas and nepenthes in our last issue. The case is a simple bottomless box about four feet long, three feet wide, and two feet deep, and covered with sash. In such a case the temperature and moisture are under the control of the operator, and good results are easily obtained.

Egg Plants

Start egg-plants early. They require a long season ; but keep them growing - a check while young will injure them seriously. Give an abundance of heat; have uniformity of heat and moisture. Dwarf Purple is a good early sort, New York Purple is the standard late sort.

Egg Plants #1

"Troublesome to grow?" No, not in the least; there is nothing in the garden that grows more freely, But enemies they have, or enemies we have that cause as much trouble. The worst enemy of all is the potato bug ; this pest will leave the potato every time to attack the egg-plant. Prevent their ravages and the plants will grow vigorously and bear fruits proportionately. They like a strong, deep, rich soil and generous cultivation. The plants should be started in a hot-bed or greenhouse, and not transferred into the garden until warm weather. Cold winds and storms they do not like. Plant three feet apart each way.