104 THE FLOEIST AND POMOLOGIST. MAT, 



Certainly these creatures do appear somewhat suddenly, for in the course of eight 

 or ten days after the female has deposited her eggs, the young brood shows itself, 

 and at once begins the attack, when, if allowed to rest unmolested, it will clear 

 the bushes of every leaf. The next phase of its existence is, that the caterpillars 

 descend into the earth, where in the course of three weeks they complete their 

 transformation, and then make a second attack — repeating the same course till 

 about October, after which they remain underground till the following spring. 



Although hand-picking has been recommended as a remedy, it is mere waste 

 of time, as from the minuteness of the young grubs they escape observation. For 

 several years we had no end of trouble with these pests, several ineffectual 

 attempts being made to destroy them, but in every case we suffered defeat, till I 

 had the bushes thoroughly washed several times with a powerful garden-engine, 

 and the grubs killed. During winter I had the surface soil removed to a distance 

 of about two feet beyond the trees, and the place filled with fresh soil, and now, 

 for many years past, they have entirely disappeared. — Alexander Cbamb, 

 Tortworth. 



SOLANUM CAPSICASTRUM. 



jPEIL is a good time to begin preparing for another season with any plants 

 of these that are getting over. Let water be kept from them for a short 

 time ; they should then be cut in pretty closely and put into a gentle 

 heat, and if a little bottom-heat can be given at the same time, so much 

 the better. Under these conditions, with daily syringing, they will soon show 

 signs of breaking. When the shoots are about half an inch long, let them be 

 taken to the potting bench, and nearly all the old soil picked from the roots, 

 cutting in some of the longest roots at the same time. If the plants are from 

 seed of the previous year, 6-in. or 7-in. pots will be large enough, besides being 

 convenient sizes for table decoration ; let them be well drained. The compost 

 should be rich, as they are intended to grow and stand all the following winter. 

 They grow well in turfy loam and leaf-mould, with some old cow-dung, and if 

 to be got, a little bone-meal. After potting let them be put into their old 

 quarters for a short time, shading from bright sun, and syringing at least twice 

 daily, but keeping the soil in the pots rather dry until the roots begin to work. 

 When fairly started to grow, if any of the shoots are growing away stronger than 

 the rest, the points must be pinched out ; this will help to throw the strength 

 into the weaker ones. Gradually harden them off, so that by the time all the 

 bedding plants are out of the frames, they may be plunged in them ; or a sheltered 

 place in the open garden will do equally as well, only when in frames they are 

 more easily attended to with water. There ought to be something below the 

 pots rather rough to let water pass freely away. In dry weather let them get 

 daily syringings, and after the pots are full of roots, frequent manure-waterings. 

 The foliage and general health of the plants grown in this way will be better than 

 of those grown in heat ; the berries will also set much better. We have counted 



