M«rck 1, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE! AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



155 



frnit is vfty large and handsome. It is a most abandant 

 bearer, and is of a very robust and yet dwarf habit of growth. 

 Altogether I oontider McLaren's favourite Raspberry a vtry 

 valuable acquisition. I believe it to be a most profitable 

 variety and well worthy of extended cultivation. — A Gardener, 

 Durham. 



THE EFFECTS OF AMMONIA ON VEGETABLE 

 AND INSECT LIFE. 

 Much has been written from time to time on the above sub- 

 ject in your Journal, and I doubt not with profit. In the year 

 1871 Mr. Abbey detailed his practice with ammonia in deal- 

 ing with mealy busr, red spider, &a , wbich was followed by an 

 article from Mr. Wright informing us distinctly that am- 

 monia arising from guano heated in a liquid state would 

 destroy or keep at bay thrips and red spider. In those articles 

 the writers, while testifying to the value of ammouia a^ au 

 insect- destroying agent, advised also that it should be used 

 cautiously, as an excess of it would be injurious to vegetatioo. 

 But there ifj another manure which gives off more ammonia 

 than guano, and is, I believe, more potent and dangerous — 

 namely, horse or stable manure, for when in its first stage of 

 decomposition it gives off ammouiain volumes, which i< equally 

 83 destructive to vegetable as animal life. la my early vinery 

 there is a pit about 4 feet deep, which every year we fill with 

 stable manure and leaves. In the spring of 187C we put a 

 quantity ot manure fresh from the stable, at the same time 

 sprinkled it well with water, and in a few days it began to 

 steam and give-off quantities of ammonia, which desiroyed 

 the old foliage of the plants in the housi but not the young 

 leaves — a fact I cannot explain. 



The plants in the house were a miscellaneous lot, therefore 

 I will describe the effect on each. Ferns stood it badly, as all 

 the old fronds were bluckened and presents 1 the sppearnnce 

 of having been burnt or severely sco'ohed. P'-Lirginiums, 

 Echeverias, Lobelias, Cypripedinms, CHutradenias, Az ileas, 

 Statices, aud Tricolor Geraniums all suffered much from loss 

 of foliage, but soon afterwards commenced growing vigorously. 

 Camellias, Gajtuse.<, Oranges, &c , stood in the hou-e without 

 being the least affected. The Viues were only swelling thuir 

 buds, and consequently escaped injury. We repeated our 

 practice this spriog, but with more care, as we put on air as 

 soon as the dang began fermentiog. 



I have read a great deal latterly about the injurious effects 

 produced by fumigating with tobacco, burning sulphur in 

 Peach houses and vineries to destroy red spider, aud painting 

 hot-water pipes with sulphur for the same purpose. AU these 

 practices have been classed as being more or less dangerous, 

 and extreme caution has been advised in their adoption. 

 Perhaps I should qualify this statement, as fumigitiug with 

 tobacco is inoladed, which is not very dangerous ; yet there 

 are some plants. Ferns for instanc", which will not stand 

 tobacco smoke, and Gesueraceous plants do not like it. 



I will no V refer to the effects of ammonia on insect life. 

 M-jaly bugs, I believe, are not easily killed by the fumes of 

 ammonia. Picking and squeezing them, or smothering them 

 with paint, as on Vines and the woodwork ot houses, are, I con- 

 ceive, the safest means of destruction. It has been stated 

 that this insect cannot stand water or d*mp, but where is 

 moisture more plentiful than in a steaming stove? I might 

 almost say that mealy bugs are " waterproof," as I have 

 rolled them through tobacco and soft-soap liquid, and they 

 have afterwards run away as if nothing had happened. The 

 covering of dust, or " meal " as it is called, enables the insect 

 to bid defiance to most liquids, at least when they are applied 

 with sifety to the plants. Paraffin oil will kill bug at once, 

 but it will also kill the plants or trees. To beome well ac- 

 quainted with anything is to know its habits from birth till 

 maturity. To this end I have watched this insect iu all 

 stages. I will first mention a fair-sized one secreted under 

 bark or under a leaf : soon it will be surrounded with some- 

 thing like very fine cotton wool, and ia the process of time 

 the " nest " will be as large as a Cucumber or Melon seed. In 

 this the bng deposits its eggs, not less than one hundred. 

 Now, if the syringe is brought to bear upon these nests mucti 

 good results, but in a moist stive or vinery th3 young progeny 

 thrives equally ai well as the plants. 



As regards r"d spider I cannot say, liko some of your corra- 

 Bpondents, that I " never have to do with it," for I have had 

 much to dj v>ith it. I find ths best cure aud preventive is 

 aleanliness, plenty of syringing, and washing the wood, trees and 



plants, in winter with strong soft-soap water. It has been 

 said that red spider will not frequent healthy trees or plants. 

 I believe this is a mistaken idea, for there is nothing they like 

 better than healthy pasture. What gave rise to this was, I 

 believe, they were seldom found on healthy foliage ; for trees 

 or plants infested with them, if healthy, will not be long so, 

 but that is no reason why they would rather have an nnhealth; 

 pasture. Neglected plants afford them a splendid opportunity 

 for the incubation of their eggs. 



Thrips is less hardy than the last-named insect. They can 

 be destroyed by tobacco fumes and tobacco water, and syringing 

 with clean water will destroy their eggs, which are very nume- 

 rous. Ammonia will also kill them, as I obs-erved many deaths 

 from what I described above about the stable manure. We 

 may write much, and talk much, and be loud about our dis- 

 coveries of insecticides and such lik-*, still we are the assistants 

 of insect-propagation in our gardens by affording a congenial 

 atmosphere and an undisturbed season for incubation. 



I had written thus far when the Journal arrived, aud I flaw 

 a paragraph calling attention to the use of paratlia against 

 scale and mealy bug. I have not the presumption to question 

 Mr. K'irr's practice, but I would caution every young gardener 

 against the use of paraffia. In the year 1873 I mixed some 

 with paint which I was preparing fur Vines aud Peach trees, 

 the former being much infested with m^aly bug. I did not 

 perceive any harm it did the Peaches, but my strong he i hy 

 Vines were so much affected that the buds as they b > ke 

 withered, and it was a long time before they anything like re- 

 covered. I have never used paraffin sine. Peach trees infested 

 with scale can be successfully cleaned of them by washing the 

 trees with soft-soap water during winter, and afterwards dress- 

 ing them all over with a compnsition of tough clay, sulphur, 

 and tobacco water. — B. G., Co. Down. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 It was announced in the annual report of the Eoyal Hor- 

 ticultural Society that the Wednesday Committee meetings 

 will henceforth be held in the conservatory, after which a 

 military band will be in attendance. The next meeting of the 

 Committees will therefore be held in the conservatory, and a 

 fine Sbow is anticipated. 



What Azalea amoiaa is amongst its species — namely, 



small, early, and distinct, so is Eaklt Gem amongst Ehodo- 

 denlrons. This, as it has been exhibited by Mes-rs. Veitch,ia 

 exceedingly early, dwarf, and floriferous, and for producing 

 pleasing masses of flowers, either in the garden or conservatory, 

 it is a plant not to be overlooked. The culour of the flowers 

 is rosy lilac, aud the plant is of very clo-e habit. It must be 

 regarded as an acquisition for winter and spring decorative 

 purpoies, its natural precocity rendering but little forcing 

 necessary to assist in unfolding its numerous flowers during 

 the early months of the year. 



" I NEVER before saw so much blossom on the Laurus- 



TiNCS as there is this year. All the winter it has been most 

 useful for the flower stands, and with a few green sprays from 

 the shrubbery and a few Primulas to give colour has been very 

 effective, and since the Crocuses, H^ath, and other spring 

 flowers have come in still more so. I do not Consider it later 

 than in some other seasons — last year for instance. Some 

 blossoms always come out in the autumn, and the others wait 

 for heat, but occasionally the frost in winter is so severe that 

 all the remaining blossom buds are destroyed, and in com- 

 parison with those seasons the present blossom muy be said to 

 be later, but not otherwise. — Amateur, Cir<:nceslfr." 



We have received the following note from a " City 



Man" in reference to Sutton's Golden Globe Savoy: — "I 

 have had three sorts of Savoys sent me from a garden in 

 Surrey, and could not resist admiring the beautiful appearance 

 of Sutton's Golden Globe. When cook«d it was also the most 

 tender and delicate iu flavour of tbe three. Its colour may be 

 an objection with some, but I think no one can dispute its 

 superior quality." 



The following hardy herbaceous plants flowered daring 



February at the Messrs. Rollisson & Sons, Tooting Nursery : — 

 Galanthns plicatus, G. nivalis, Kcilla sibprica, Sixifraga rubra, 

 S. oppjsitifolia major, S. oppofitifoliii pjronaica, S. cordifolia, 

 S. S'.racheyi, Diaathus Maria Pur-', Eranthis hyemalis, H"pa- 

 tica angulosa, H. triloba alba, H. triloba staminubus rubra, 

 H. triloba rubra, H. triloba rosea, H. triloba coernlen. Iris re- 

 ticulata (fragrant as Violets), Sisyrinchium grandiflorum, Ery- 



