78 



I in SI 1 (lARDKNTNG 



Prunus subhirtella. 



Tins .lai>anfs.- tlit-iiy was inlidduc.Ml {>> British 

 uanlfiis in IS!I.'>. a plant durini; tliat yt-ai' litin^r 

 n'<-.ivrtl at Kcw fioni tin- Arn >1.1 .\iImii',-(miu. It 

 Ix'lunus t(. thf ('.Tasns section of tli.' ^:.'niis. .m.l 

 is ilos.-lv alli.-<l to th.- rosr-l)n(l .Ii.tin . I'liinio 

 l.rndnla." An inhahitant of Ww n.ountaJMs .,r 

 .lapan. the uativi- nanvf is IliLcansaktiia. 



1'. sul.hirtrila forms a tr.-r ..f nu-dinni li<-ij;ht . 

 wiiU'ly siircailiniT coniiiarr.l with its statnn-. and 

 notirt-atilc l>y reason of tli.> nunu-i'ons twiiriry 

 hranchi's. 'riw llow.'rin;: season varies from the 

 last week in Marcli to th.' »'nd of Aprih 'riii- 

 vear. which is a late season, it is tlu> second hi 1 1 

 of the period. The in.lividual hlooms aiv ;-ii..ii 

 in diamet.-r. verv freely horne alori),' tiie slm.l. r 

 l>ranches in clusters of two to four or live lluwers : 

 openinu with a pleasins' I'ink tini,'e they chaii-c In 

 white with ap;e. 



Til.- readiest iiu'thod of propau^•lt ion is t.. insert 

 ruttiiiiis mule of the hnlf ui.-ituiv slioots towar.ls 

 the eiul of .lulv iu a pro p.iuat in- fiaiiir with sli-hl 

 bottom h.-at. -^ (). 



Woodlice. 



As \s.. ai-,' liv,puntly n.ked f.,r .nUice ;.s to llu' 

 destruction of Ihis pest, we puhlish the followin- 

 extracts kindly sent by a coiTespondent : — 



TiiK Economic Importanck of Woodi.k k. 

 Hv \V. K. Collinsi;e (Journal of the. Board of Agri- 

 • liUurr. \-<)l. XXI., Xo. 3. ])i). 2(M)-212. plate).— 

 The article (h>als at som.e lenp;tli with the life 

 histories ami liahits of tlie more common s])ecies 

 ')f woodlice, which on occasion cause serious loss 

 to liorticultiirists. I'nder the heading of " Pre- 

 ventive and iU'nu'dial Measures " it is said that 

 there is no douht that netjlect to clean ont out- 

 houses, i)otting sheds, and similar ])laees, from 

 time to time, has much to do with the increase 

 of woodlice. Again, rahl)ish heaps are frequently 

 left to afl'ord admirable breeding-places. A long 

 series of out(h)or tests with baits was made in 

 order to liml out what substances might be used 

 to attract tlie woodlice, and another series to 

 ascertain the most advisable i)oi.s<)n. A series of 

 tests with rei)ellents were also made. It w^as 

 found that sliced i)otatoes given a thin covering 

 of Paris green or London purple, proved most, 

 effective. liondon i)urple also ])roved the best 

 repellent. Kerosene emulsion as a contact S])ray 

 w'as fatal. In a greenhouse it was found tiiat 

 s])rinkling Paris green <jn the floor and covering 

 it with damp boards was very effective. On the 

 lirst morning there were I'M dead s])ecimens, on 

 the second 59, and on the third 21. Dusting the 

 .soil, especially along the sides of tiles surrounding 

 flower-beds, with equal i)arts of Paris green and 

 ground unslaked lime is an excellent remedy. 



To Dksthoy Woodlice (Journal of the Depart - 

 mcut of AgriuJtural, Victoria, Decemloer, 1913, 

 p. 518,' in article; " Insect Pests of the Potato," 

 by C. French). — Trap V)y jilacinv; in the haunts of 

 tVie woodlice pieces of ))arsnip. bet-troot, or potato 

 cooked in a solution of arsenic. They eat these 

 greedily. They can also be trap]jed in large 

 numbers by placing empty boxes (or bones on 

 top of old sacks) at the side of the garden, and 

 into these the woodlice will creepi on the apyiroach 

 of day. If the woodlice are in the ground, va])orite 

 well worked into the soil destroys them through 

 the gas evolved. 



The Month's Work. 



The Flower Garden. 



Kv W. Kl\(., Caidrnei- t,, I,,, id Dunlealh, Ualiv- 



W allel- I'.llk. Co. how II. 

 (•(.NIII.K-. An ill-|M-c1 inn ..r l!ie-e t r.-eS should 



he fiiMpieiit l\ iii.uh- (hiriim the liidwing season to 

 ^e.' Ih.il llM'le.'uhr is uiiiiijiilv.l. I.ec.'iiise tile pre- 

 S.TV.llioll ..r tills is drsiiahle in inc.^l species to 



m.iiiil.iiu the sMiiineliv ,,|- 11, ,■ >,M..i M. If aii\ 



have he,,,ni,. t m.h .l.l iiumed I,, Im. worlii 



lel.-.inin-. liie lieaivsl W.-ll-pl.i,-. d >l 1 should he 



lied lo a Nl.ike l.isiie.l 1,. th.' lualll sl.MM. If th.- 



top of th.- tive is iienv than a f.-w fe.-t fr-.m th.- 

 -round, us,- a soft liijature, su.-h as biml.-r-.-ord. 

 so that bv th.- timi- tin- new lead.-r is s.-lf-supp..rt - 

 ill-, th.- ii.- will hav.- i-ott.-d an. I fall.-n awav. 



N'ouiiu 1 i-.-.-s of Al)i.-s ami Pi.-.-a. .sp.-.-iall v .'.f the 

 I;it1.-r g.-mis. ..ft.-n f..rm twin lea.l.-rs. wl'ii.-h. if 

 .iHow.-.l to -^row-, not onlv destrov the out'ine of 

 111.- li.-.-. hut later .m f..rm a lo.lgm.-nt for d.-ad 

 l(-a\is ;uid wat.-r. wliii-h soon iu'liice decav at the 

 h.ik. ami a gal.- .-ventually splits th.- tr.-.^ at this 



Ha.mh.l.s. .\iiv vaii.-ti.s .d' Hamhusa, Aran- 

 .liiiaiia .umI l'liyll..s1 a.li ys that have been 

 r.-.-.iitl\ plant.-. I sh.Mil.l he given occasional 

 wat.-riu'i,s. as thes.- plants liec.ime dry very 

 (piicklv in th.- presence of a drviiu' wind. A. 

 iiilida "and A. ance]is are greatly alTected by dry 

 .•.(ii.liti.uis. the leaves fi'ecpiently sliowing signs 

 .d' shi-iv.'lling during an east wind. 



kar,;-.- clujups of Bamboos can be impi'oved in 

 c.uiditi.in by ajiplying water from the hos.-. 



Hhododenduons. — The early removal of th.- 

 seed vessels is of great benefit to the bushes, 

 especially the Hin\alayan species, and all young 

 and recently-moved plants which are showing 

 signs of exhaustion. Tliese latter would derive 

 great benefit from, a m.idching of iiartially dei-ayed 

 manure. Remove the point, from any shoots 

 which are making undue In-ailway to tiie detri- 

 ment of the shape of the bush. liemove the 

 suckers whi.-h often spring uji around the stems 

 .if grafted plants. 



I'uiMHoyES AND AcKUTLAs. — Seeds may now 

 be sown in pans or b.ixes .if light, sandy soil. 

 Barely cov.-r the seeds and jilace the boxes in a 

 cold frame. Altli.uigh the florists' Auricula is 

 tender and .susceptible to damp, the " garden " 

 forms are quite hardy, and liave such a Ijeautiful 

 range of colour and form that they should be 

 largely grown where spring flowers are in request. 



Annuals. — The seedli)igs from the lirst sowing 

 out-of-doors will soon lie lit f.ir thinning. This 

 should be rigorously carried out, for it is ))t>tter 

 to slightly err in allowing too much room than 

 too little. After thinning has been d.ine, hoe 

 bi'tween the rows, and if slugs are suspected dust 

 the 111 ants with .soot. 



General Kemakks. — Space in the glass-bouses 

 will be in great demand just now , thei-efore jilants 

 should be hardened as so<m as ]>ossible, so that 

 they may be stood out-of-doors. The more 

 tender subjects may be transferred from the 

 houses to cold frames. Tender plants with .soft 

 growth, such as Heliotrope, Salvia, and Iresine, 

 must be treated carefully, or the ])lants may 

 receive a check. Ventilate the franies freely 

 whenever tlie weather is favourable ; in a few^ 

 days the lights may be withdrawn entirely, and 

 this will lead to a firm healthy growth. 



