264 



THE OARDENEB'S MONTHLY 



I September, 



to unconditionally surrender to tlieir use trees 

 above nanieil, my liojies centre ui>on the assist- 

 ance oi' a more scientilic student. 



1 have dusted the foliage of the trees with 

 sulphur (when the leaves were damp); have 

 sprinkled with water strongly impregnated with 

 gas-tar ; also water with t'oal oil, but all to no 

 purjiose, as nightly the leaves continue to dis- 

 appear. Have you ever been similarly pestered ? 

 If so, will you be good enough to enlighten me 

 as to how I can preserve the foliage of my 

 "pets," and with it their lives? If the beetles 

 were day-workers I would hnve revenge, but, as 

 it is, they have a two-fold advantage." 



[So far as we can understand, this must be the 

 common "May Beetle," or one of its allies. 

 They are never very destructive where crows 

 abound ; they afford a very delicious morsel to 

 these much-abused birds. They used to be com- 

 mon on the trees of the public squares of Philadel- 

 phia, but the sparrows keep them wholly down. 

 We saw half a dozen birds in a fight over an 

 unlucky one that had strayed into Logan Square, 

 a few days ago. The encouragjnent of insectivo- 

 rous birds is tbe best antidote to these beetles. 

 —Ed. G. M.] 



Our Contributors. — K. says :— " I hardly like 

 to write when you have already such an admir- 

 able corps of contributors,, who make the maga- 

 zine, I think, the best in the world ! " [But we 

 beg to say that, though we highly appreciate the 

 compliment to the many good writers who so 

 kindly help us, we have always room for a few 

 more. We do not ask for long articles, which 

 take valuable time to write, but prefer the brief 

 notes of thought or experience, dashed off on the 

 spur of the occasion. — Ed. G. M.] 



GARDfiN Flowers in California.— The increas- 

 ing taste for gardening in California is well 

 attested by the numerous notes we receive from 

 correspondents, as to what they are doing there, 

 and wliich it always gives us pleasure to receive. 

 Here is what one writes to us about some well- 

 known flowers: — "You say you like to hear of 

 fine plants, shall I tell you of some of mine? 

 I have a fine Fuchsia, 'Brilliant' by name; it 

 was in the mail bag in May, 1870; it commenced 

 flowering in September, and from that day to 

 this it has not been without flowers. It had 

 ninety odd flowers on it at one time; it now has 

 three pairs of twins, that is, two flowers the tubes 

 of which are unitetl, while the corolhis are 



distinct. Again, I have a foliage Begonia, with 

 leaves over a fof»t across, and twice as long. 

 Another, a Perennial Phlo.x, with a head on 

 lifteen inches across. Once more, a Tiger Lily, 

 with a flower eleven and a half inches from tip 

 to tip of opposite petal. I don't think you will 

 believe half of this, but it is all true." 



Asm.KNirM TuKHOMANKS.— A. C. Tuttle, Bara- 

 boo, Wis., sends us, for name, the above very 

 pretty fern, which he says is (luite abundant at 

 Devil's Lake, near him. 



Cfirvsantiiemum FOC.NiruLATfM. — G., Louis- 

 ville, Ky., sends us, for name, the above, which 

 he says he has had several years, and always 

 attracts attention in his garden by its prettj' 

 foliage. The flower itself is white, like the com- 

 mon Ox ej'e Daisy, but the glaucous, fennel-like 

 leaves are beautiful. 



Convolvulus arvensis.— W. P. P., Onargo, 111., 

 writes: — "I send you inclosed a vine that is fast 

 taking possession of a corner of my grounds. 

 The tenacity with which it holds on to life, and 

 its wonderful capacity for extending itself over, 

 are alarming me. It sends its main root down 

 pftrpendicularly, I do not know how far. The 

 one I send you is nearly three feet long, and 

 where it was cut off" it is about as large aa it is 

 at or near the surface of the ground. It has a 

 small white blossom, probably about half the 

 size of the common Morning Glory. Can you 

 tell me what it is, and the best method,of subdu- 

 ing it? Cultivation seems to have no effect 

 upon it, except to check its growth for the time 

 being. I have covered it up, several feet deep, 

 with mulch, and yet it forces its vfny up through. 

 Please respond, and greatly oblige one of your 

 subscribers." 



[This is that identical " Lily " about which we 

 made a note from an English paper recently. 

 Its " proper " common name is the " Field Bind- 

 weed," and its botanical name Convolvulus 

 arvensis. Perseverance in digging it out caro- 

 fullj', every time you see a green leaf, is the 

 only remedy, and it is effectual. — Ed. G. M.] 



Pruning Evergreens. — Mary S., writes : "Can 

 you tell me how I can make a Norway Spruce 

 get back again the beauty of its early years. I 

 suppose you will say 'plant another;' but if 

 there is any way to mend it I would prefer." 



[" Plant another ! " No, — rather we say read 

 Gen. Noble's paper in this number. — Ed. G. M.] 



