184 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



The best time for budding is early morn- 

 ing. The shady side of the stock is prefer- 

 able. One bud is enough for a stock, but two 

 are generally entered on opposite shoots, to 

 make more sure of a take. A laurel leaf tied I 



over the bud in the form of an arch, after it 

 is bound up, will protect it from sunshine. 

 If possible, see the operation performed, 

 before you attempt it yourself. 



An Old Gardener. 



TREATMENT OF INSECTS. 



"I will do it when I go out slug-hunting 

 to-night," was a sentence which fell from 

 the lips of an amateur gardener. This 

 " slug-hunting" is at certain periods a nightly 

 occupation, when by means of an applica- 

 tion of the booted foot, several scores of 

 these creatures are scrunched to death. 



After this, tobacco-pots are set burning 

 in the forcing houses, by way of extermi- 

 nating aphides, and satisfied that he has 

 done his duty, our friend retires to bed, 

 little thinking of the number of happj- 

 existences he has arrested, or the pain which 

 he has occasioned. 



Every insect killed by the hand of man, 

 causes the balance, provided by the Almighty, 

 to be disturbed. If man saw the uses of all 

 God's creatures, he would not so wantonly 

 destroy the worm, the slug, or rose insects, 

 because they appear to interfere with his gar- 

 dening operations. In reality they are valu- 

 able help-meets for him ; and were they not 

 so, the enjoyment of health is at any time 

 preferable to the production of an artificial 

 garden, or an vnclovered (consequently 

 scorchable) lawn. The horticulturalist wor- 

 ries himself about worm-casts, and burns 

 the creatures that produce them, with hot 

 lime. But these poor sufferers were opening 

 the soil and roots to air and rain, causing a 

 nourishing description of manure in the 

 very place where it teas wanted. Insects on 

 our flowering plants, too, must needs be 

 suflfocated with sulphur-dust, or tobacco 

 fumes. Now, a lapwing kept in a forcing- 

 house will devour all the insects, without 

 injuring the plants ; and a hedgehog will 

 consume wood-lice. The little aphides 

 preyed on by ants, clear away decaying 

 mutters, which, if suffered to remain would 

 become a far greater nuisance. Linnanis 

 said, three flesh flies were equal to one lion 

 in devouring carrion. Professor Owen de- 



clares this no exaggeration. Were it not 

 for the fifty varieties of insecta found on the 

 common nettle, this plant would rapidly 

 over-run our open spaces. If we destroy 

 ichneumon insects, we must expect an in- 

 crease of cabbage butterflies. We kill, or 

 frighten cockchafers into the ground; to get 

 at them, the rooks spoil our grass and corn. 

 If we only let nature have her own way, 

 the birds finding plenty to feed on, will not 

 molest our seed. In countries where birds 

 and insects have been exterminated, the 

 inhabitants were obliged, at considerable 

 outlay, to re-import them. Wasps again, 

 keep caterpillars down to proper propor- 

 tions ; and ants, in their turn, prey on the 

 little rose aphides. 



Under present circumstances, it is, no 

 doubt, necessary that some insects should be 

 deprived of life ; but much more mercy 

 might be exhibited, on the part of the hor- 

 ticulturalist, were he more observant of 

 the manner in which the various species 

 prey on each other ; and how, if they were 

 left alone, each variety would keep others in 

 check, reducing them to their proper propor- 

 tions. 



Now, the fact is, some of these small 

 insects have a plant-organization, similar to 

 the water monads ; that is, they inhale foul 

 air, and give off oxygen, of which we so 

 much stand in need. Hence, we should not 

 destroy them merely from habit's sake, 

 they being evidently created as purifiers of 

 our atmosphere. Were men and women 

 imbued with perfect charity, they would not 

 crush the toad or spider ; they would bear 

 in mind that their Heavenly Father cares 

 even for sparrows. AVith Cowper they can- 

 not admire their fellow, who, 



"Needlessly sets foot upon a worm." 



Edward A. Copland. 





