RED SPIDER. 



wood, though least active, and charged in the smallest degree with organizable 

 and nitrogenous matters, is usually preferred, and for the following reason : It is 

 indispensable that some time should elapse between planting a cutting and its 

 emission of roots, during which time its vitality must be maintained by artificial 

 means. In many plants this is an operation so difficult or uncertain, that vitality 

 departs before roots can come, and thus the cutting dies. Wherefore nearly ripe 

 or fully ripe wood is often preferred, because its vitality, although comparatively 

 low, is more easily supported in the absence of roots than if it were younger and 

 more active. Whether or not, therefore, it is desirable to use green, half-ripe, or 

 fully ripe wood for propagation, can only be determined experimentally. In many 

 cases it has been thus determined, and we find one year old wood used for some 

 things, two year old wood for others (as oaks and beeches when grafted), while in 

 some cases the quite green wood is universally employed ; to which latter class 

 the vine may be now referred. 



But is this a good mode of propagating the vine as well as an easy ? That is 

 to say, will the young plants obtained from green wood be as healthy as if from 

 ripe wood ? We understand that the vines obtained by Mr. Fleming's process 

 are weakly the first year, but become strong and healthy in the second, if allowed 

 to break in a cool house. Probably he has never pushed the process to its extreme 

 limits by availing himself of the third generation of laterals. Let us, however, 

 suppose he did ; would the consequences be injurious. We cannot but think that 

 they might be ; for the laterals of the third generation, though active enough at 

 first, would be likely to indicate symptoms of inherent, and possibly incurable, 

 debility, as has occurred to the dahlia in cases of the over multiplication of that 

 plant. 



This is certain, that if vines are multiplied by the method above described, and 

 are struck comparatively late in the season, it will be more difficult for them to 

 ripen their wood than when coming from eyes in the usual way. This is, however, 

 mere speculation, and we should be glad to hear that our anticipations are un- 

 founded. 



RED SPIDER. 



The little insect known too well to gardeners under the name of red spider, 

 has obtained its popular name from the delicate web which it spins on the leaves 

 which it affects, either presenting mere scattered threads or a distinct sac, though 

 it is in reality a mite, and not a spider. It is just visible to the naked eye, being 

 distinguished by its reddish hue, which, however, varies with age and other cir- 

 cumstances, unless more than one species is included under the name, and its 

 active habits. The leaves which it attacks have a peculiar mottled appearance, 

 from the exhaustion of the chlorophylle, which at once betrays its presence. It is 

 not confined to .stoves, but is often quite as })revalent upon walls, or even in the 

 open ground, occasionally destroying whole branches of the trees which it affects. 

 It is especially abundant in dry weather, and in stoves in which the air does not 

 contain a proper degree of moisture, and is far more easily prevented tlian cured. 

 There are, indeed, remedies which are at once fatal, as the fumes of burning sulphur ; 

 but these, unfortunately, if strong enough to destroy the insect, often destroy the 

 plant at the same time ; or even if the plant does not suffer, the eggs are not 

 affected, and in a few days the plague is as bad as ever. If the fumes of sulphur 

 are used, it is quite astonishing to see the myriads which sometimes collect at the 

 tips of decayed leafstalks, or on the leaves themselves, apparently not at all the 

 worse for the discipline, if the fumes are not extremely strong. The proper course , 



