218 



THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



sponge. I find it is best either to syringe 

 the plant two or three times a-day for 

 several days previous to sponging, and use 

 a dry sponge, the smudge then comes off 

 easily, and leaves a iine gloss on tlie leaves ; 

 otherways at the time of sponging the 

 syringe ought to be kept in full play, or 

 the pores of the leaves will be stopjied, and 

 the plant wear a dull appearance after the 

 operation. What it is that smudges the 

 leaves of Citrus, and makes an item in the 

 cultivation of them unnecessary in that of 

 most other plants, I do not pretend to know 

 positively, but have iny opinion, which is 

 this : the scale with which the orange- 

 tree becomes infested, although in its full 

 growth as large as wheat bran, it is, 

 when very young, all but invisible, and 

 covers leaf and stem before it is noticed. 

 The exudation of the insect in itself is all 

 but colourless, but is of a gummy nature, 

 and spreading over the surface, the dust 

 and small particles of matter floating in 

 the atmosphere settle upon this and become 

 fixed, so that the syringe alone will not 

 wash it off. 



Although the plants uuder my own 

 care are mixed up with a miscellaneous 

 collection of plants, and they look tole- 

 I'ably well, and yield a fair annual supply 

 of blossom and fruit, it is certain that, to 

 grow the orange and lemon to perfection, 

 it must have a house devoted entirely to 

 it, because there are times when the treat- 

 ment required by them is at variance with 

 that required by other plants ; for instance, 

 at the time the orange is in blossom and 

 requires plenty of air and keeping dry, the 

 camellia is in full growth and should be 



plentifully syringed ; and if under a vine, 

 the latter ought to be kept humid and 

 moist. After blooming, the orange should 

 be well syringed, but at this time, the ca- 

 mellia is about setting its buds and ought 

 to be kept dry, so that treatment which one 

 requires is ruinous to the other, and it is 

 impossible to do both well together. The 

 majority of these plants are grown in 

 pots and tubs, which admits, for the more 

 perfect consolidation of the sap, of their 

 being placed entirely out of doors ; hut I 

 lielieve this can be accomplished quite as 

 effectually within doors, and that in an 

 orangery, if the trees are planted in a 

 border, they will bear as well as if in pots 

 or tubs, and in every way may be grown 

 as creditably, besides avoiding the un- 

 sightly appearance of the tubs, and b.are 

 stems, which are the most conspicuous 

 part when the roots are above ground, but 

 if the roots ai'e sunk below the surface the 

 head of the tree is brought to the level 

 of the eye, and has a more natural ap- 

 pearance. 



The myrtle-leaved orange makes an 

 excellent standard, and being of a dwarf 

 and compact habit does well as a frontage 

 to the other sorts, and requires in every way 

 the same treatment. Tlie variety Otabeite 

 Japonica is of too diminutive habit to make 

 a border plant; it requires cool, shady treat- 

 ment to induce it to bear well and carry a 

 good foliage. It bears a small but sweet 

 and thin rind fruit, and on the whole is 

 worth a place, not only in every collection, 

 but in every conservatory. 



Stamford Sill. F, Chixty. 



EAEWI&S AMONG DAHLIAS. 



The prevailing practice of placing garden- 

 pots on the tops of dahlia stakes to entrap 

 the earwig, so injurious to the blossom of 

 that plant, to me appears highly discordant 

 -with good taste, and yet these unsightly 

 objects are exhibited in almost every gar- 

 den and pleasure-ground, from the time of 

 planting the dahlia to the end of the season. 

 Permit me to suggest, as an improve- 

 ment, that the pot be placed erect on the 

 ground, behind the plant, close to its stem, 

 with a small qitantity of wool inside, or 

 anything else that would afford warmth 

 and concealment to the insect which feeds 

 in the night and secretes itself during the 

 day ; or, in place of the pot, a small piece 

 of woollen cloth may be put between the 



stem of the plant and the stake, or a bundle 

 composed of half a dozen bean-stalks, five 

 or six inches long, may be placed between 

 the plant and the stake, or amongst the 

 branches. Indeed, almost anything that 

 Would afford concealment to the insect, and 

 at the same time not look untidy, would 

 answer : of whatever material the trap is, 

 it should be frequently examined, and the 

 insects shaken out and destroyed. I may 

 also mention that the caterpillar, which 

 feeds upon the dahlia blooms, and secretes 

 itself during the day between the stake 

 and plant and in the bloom, may be en- 

 trapped by placing the old blossoms about 

 the plant iu the above manner. 



Major. 



