464 THE GARDENER. [Oct. 



sorts of insects. Some of the Adiantums are but slightly troubled with them, 

 but the generality of this order of Cryptogams require constant watching to 

 keej) them clean. Where Ferns have got badly infested with scale, it is the 

 best plan to cut them over close to the soil and let them start afresh— keeping 

 a sharp look-out, meanwhile, that they do not again effect a footing. That 

 beautiful Fern Pteris tricolor is seldom seen iu good condition, though it is 

 not a difficult one to cultivate, solely because of the damage done to it by 

 scale. The i'teris family are very subject to insects, and the only means of 

 doing them well is to keep a constant eye to them : moving those which it is 

 not possible to keep clean to a lower temperature makes a great difference. 

 Lomaria gibba and its varieties suffer much from Thrip if grown in too high a 

 temperature. Young plants of the normal variety are fine for room-decoration. 

 We find them do well in a cold frame, shaded during the summer season. 

 Greenfly sometimes attacks Adiantums of the cuneatum section. A dusting of 

 snuif or tobacco-powder, which is quite as effective, and much cheaper than snufiF, 

 is the best means of getting rid of these. These do not stand fumigating except 

 when they are comparatively at rest, when a slight doze will not harm them. 



We have seen much labour expended on fruit-trees to clear them of scale. 

 The Peach and Plum trees here were in places completely covered with them : 

 we had the affected parts painted with linseed-oil, by which they have been 

 cleaned. In the ' Handy-Book of Fruit Culture under Glass ' water at a 

 temperature of 160° is shown to entirely rid the trees of these insects. The 

 same means will insure the destruction of American Blight. Hot water is 

 also destructive to ants ; it may be used hot enough to kill the vermin without 

 hurting the roots of plants. The same means may be resorted to to kill wood- 

 lice — a vermin which is classed as the Gardener's friend in ' Our Garden Friends 

 and Foes,' though quite erroneously. Mice sometimes get troublesome ; where 

 a cat is objected to there is nothing like poisoning them. Phosphor-paste 

 will be found excellent for destroying all sorts of vermin as well as these. 

 Worms often prove mischievous to the gardener ; lime sprinkled on the surface 

 either of lawns, walks, or pots, and then watered, or dissolved in the water 

 and then applied, is equally effective. It is not safe to apply lime to all 

 sorts of plant. Then there are caterpillars, which devour the leaves of our 

 Gooseberries, eat up breadths of Cabbages wholesale, or prey on the foliage of 

 our tender plants: hand-picking, when once they are there, is as effective as any 

 plan ; but prevention to a considerable extent may be secured by keeping the 

 ground constantly stirred amongst the bush-fruit and green crops in the winter, 

 renewing the soil on the surface where the Gooseberries are grown, and burying 

 that taken off deeply between the rows. Slugs may be kept down by a free 

 use of the hoe, and keeping everything in the shape of withered leaves and 

 decaying matter clear away from all crops and flowers. Then there are the 

 various flies which attack Turnips, Cabbages, &c., and which may be destroyed 

 most eflfectually by wetting the plants and then dredging with dry sand. 



The very best way of keeping crops and plants free from insects and vermin 

 is by high cultivation and continually watching for the first trace of the enemy, 

 then using speedy means of extermination. 



We hope that amongst the number of your readers who may favour us by 

 reading our imperfect "paper" may be found some one who could put us on to 

 a plan by which we could clear the kitchen -garden here of wireworm: means 

 have been tried, but without success. We can only keep summer-j)lanted 

 Cauliflowers and so forth from "clubbing" by refraining from planting them 

 at aU. K. P. B. 



