278 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN G17TDE. 



pulp of the leaves, and greatly distress 

 the plants. There are two ways of 

 meeting this enemy. One is, to exa- 

 mine the crop occasionally, and pick 

 otf every withered leaf, destroying, at 

 the same time, every grub found on 

 them. Another is to stretch a string 

 smeared with bird-lime along each 

 trench as soon as planted, which will 

 entrap a good many of the flies as they 

 come to deposit their eggs. This pest 

 is one of the most beautiful of the two- 

 winged flies, and is known to entomo- 

 logists as Tephritis onopordinis. Tne 

 length of the insect is one-sixth of an 

 inch ; in breadth, when the wings are 

 expanded, half an inch ; the body 

 varies from rusty brown to shining 

 black, head buff, legs yellow, wings 

 black, marked with pale spots, eyes 

 green. It may be seen hovering over 

 large-leaved shrubs and dry woodwork 

 in the sunshine of May and June. The 

 grubs that escape destruction on the 

 leaves of the celery retire to the earth 

 for the winter, and that is sufficient 

 reason for turning up to the frost the 

 plot on which the crop has been grown 

 as soon as it is cleared off. What the 

 frost does not kill, the birds will de- 

 vour, and the industrious gardener will 

 have his reward. 



One word more on the produce of 

 giant salary for exhibitions. Thorough 

 good culture, according to the instruc- 

 tions above given, will produce fine 

 heads, if the seed was true in the first 

 instance ; but there is another method 

 of encouraging the plant to take up 

 more nutriment than it would do under 

 ordinary circumstances. Sow in a fine 

 rich compost, prick off into a gentle 

 hot-bed, and when the plants are ready 

 to lift, prepare a trench for them by 

 taking out the soil thirty inches deep 

 and two feet wide. In the trench lay 

 eighteen inches depth of hot dung, on 

 that a mixture of finely chopped loam 

 and rotten dung six inches deep, which 

 will bring the trench to within six 



inches of the surface. Plant one row 

 of the best plants, choosing them not 

 for height but for substance — those 

 that are thickest at the collar, and not 

 at all drawn. Put them one foot apart, 

 crumble fine stuff on their roots in 

 filling in, and make them firm. Water 

 with tepid water, and hoop them over 

 with mats or canvas, to keep the sun 

 from them for two or three clays ; then 

 remove the awning, and just scratch 

 the surface of the trench with a hoe, 

 and give a thin sprinkling of soot. 

 Water as needful, and at every water- 

 ing give plenty. A fortnight after 

 planting, begin with manure water, 

 weak at first, and gradually stronger, 

 and never use it twice in succession, 

 hut always give one watering with 

 rain-water between every two doses 

 of liquid manure. Defer earthing as 

 long as possible, and give a tremendous 

 soaking with water before you begin. 



The first earthing should be done a 

 month before the day of the show, the 

 second a week from the first ; a week 

 after that another, and the last three 

 days afterwards. This time bank it up 

 pretty firm and close, and the exclu- 

 sion of light will blanch it thoroughly 

 by the time it is to be taken up for 

 exhibition. This large celery makes a 

 fine dish boiled like asparagus. Cut 

 into six-inch lengths, tie in bundles, 

 and boil in salt and water till quite 

 tender. It usually takes from twenty 

 minutes to half an hour, and is then 

 to be taken up. drained dry, and served 

 on toast with melted butter. Gardeners 

 who take pride in the culture of celery, 

 often complain that their labour is in 

 great part lost: let them persuade the 

 cook to send it up asparagus fashion, 

 and that trouble will be at an end. To 

 curl celery for table, first soak it in 

 spring water with a little salt for 

 twenty minutes, then run the point of 

 a knife along the back of each stalk, 

 and put it into the glass, and it will 

 curl to perfection. 



REMINDERS FOR DECEMBER. 



Auriculas. — To be kept clean, and to 

 have not a drop more water than will just 

 keep them alive. 



Azaleas. — To bloom early, to have very 



moderate bottom-heat and be syringed daily" 

 Those still at rest to have a rather dry 

 air. 



2} t ,f£. 9- — To be planted at once if any 



