Spinage Disease

A new fungus has been discovered upon spinage in New Jersey, by Dr. Halsted and by him named Eniyloma Ellisii, in compliment to J. B. Ellis, the noted mycologist. " The infected leaves had lost all their normal green color and were of a pale yellowish white shade - in fact, presented much the same appearance as succulent foliage may take on after having been frost bitten some time before. Upon a closer examination, however, the surface of the whitened leaves was found coated in spots with a fine light substance that under the hand lens was seen to be in minute tufts." To botanists this new plant is unusually interesting because the entylomas have not qeen known to attack spinage-like plants. The disease is not known to be serious.

Spirata'Trllobata

One of the most serviceable of the spireas is the subject of our illustration, S, trilo-bata, often known as S. triloba. It is perfectly hardy in our northern states. It makes a large, compact, round-headed bush four or five feet high. It is one of our freest bloomers. The flowers are white, borne in dense clusters. - L. H. B.

Spray For Apple-Scab

Professor Goff finds carbonate of copper the best material to check the apple scab. The formula is an ounce of carbonate of copper dissolved in a quart of ammonia and diluted 100 times with water. Spraying the trees with this solution practically prevented the scab. Fruit produced on trees thus sprayed was so free from scab that 75 per cent. of it was marketable, while that on trees not sprayed gave but a small proportion of marketable fruit. The spraying should commence about the time the blossoms fall, and be repeated once in two weeks until six or seven applications have been made. To do this properly would not cost more than 15 cents per tree to spray both for scab and the codling moth, both mixtures, the above and London purple, being applied at once.

The St. Valery Apple

The accounts given of the "bloomless apple" in the January Garden, remind me of what Darwin says of the famous St.. Valery Apple. "The flower," he tells us, "has a double calyx, with 10 divisions and 14 styles, surmounted by conspicuous, oblique stigmas ; but is destitute of stamens or corolla. The fruit is constricted round the middle and is formed of five seed cells, surmounted by nine other cells." Of course, the tree requires artificial fertilization, and the girls of St. Valery annually go to "faire ses pommes" (make their apples), each marking her own tree with a ribbon. - -L., Charleston, S. C.

Star Of Bethlehem

Don't ask how to grow, or where to get it; rather how not to grow it. Although one of our most beautiful early summer flowers, it is by far to aggressive for the flower garden. Wherever it is planted it is sure to assume the mastery, and to drive out ail other forms of vegetation. It will not allow even grass to grow beside it. It is a genteel nuisance.

Steam Or Hot Water

The matter of selecting steam or hot water must also be decided by the gardener. For cool-houses the hot-water system is clearly the most economical and for hothouses the steam system is the most effective, and when used on a very large scale, as when rose or other houses two or three hundred feet long are occupied is probably the cheapest in first cost and the most economical of fuel. Exact data on this point cannot be easily obtained, and, while both systems have their advantages, it is not possible to state with absolute certainty which is the best. Such a question could only be settled by actual trial of the two systems side by side by trained scientific experts. We can only use in actual practice this general rule, that steam is best for large and very warm houses, hot water for cooler and smaller houses.