440 



JOUENAIi OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



[ June 18, lSfi8. 



sho^ii by Messrs. Standish & Co., from Vine grafted in May, 1867. 

 Bpyal George and Violette Hative Peaches are large and well ripened ; 

 and of Stniwberries, immense berries of Dr. Hogg are shown by Mr. 

 Douglas, along with President, also large and fine. The Metropolitan 

 Sevage Compao; send Britiah Qaeen, also of very large size. 



INSECTS. 



(Continued from page 419.) 



Ked Spider. — This is one of the smallest and most inveterate 

 of the enemies witii which the gardener has to contend. There 

 is scarcely a house requiring fire heat for the successful cul- 

 tivation of its inmates, in which these do not at some time 

 suffer from red spider. Its attacks are mainly confined to the 

 nnder sides of the leaves, bat if allowed to establish itself it 

 •will destroy the young shoots. Whilst deriving food from the 

 plants, it greatly impairs their health and vigour, and in the 

 case of those which bear- fruit the flavour of that is to a great 

 extent destroyed. Indeed, if the red spider be allowed to have 

 its own way, the crop will be worth little, and the buds in the 

 axils of the leaves will be so imperfectly formed that they will 

 either fall in winter, or be so puny at the time of flowering that 

 there will be no hope of the blossom setting and of their bring- 

 JDg to maturity a good crop. The vigour of the tree, likewise, is 

 not 80 perfect in the foUowina year as that of a tree not attacked, 

 for the pai'asite feasts on the juices of the plant, appropriating 

 to its use that which would otherwise be expended on the forma- 

 tion of buds and the perfection of the current ye.nr's growth, 

 and depriving the tree of the stored-up sap on which its vigour 

 in the following year in a great measure depends. 



The red spider is of a bright red colour, and has the appear- 

 ance of a minute red speck no larger than a grain of silver 

 sand. In its young state the insect is pale grey, but varies 

 considerably in colour ; indeed, there are several kinds of it. 

 The red is, perhaps, the most common, but is not the most in- 

 jorions, nor is it lio difficult to destroy as the dark grey, which 

 has a whitish head, is far more active, and multiplies with 

 greater rapidity. It forms for itself a web of the slenderest 

 threads conceivable, and marches along its labyrinth with in- 

 Credible swiftness. 



The best indication of the presence of red spider is the upper 

 surface of the leaves exhibiting minute yellowish brown specks, 

 and if the under sides of the leaves are examined there will be 

 fonnd a small red speck, which may, by touching it with the 

 point of a pen, be set in motion. If the specks are more of a 

 blotch than speck, and spreading, it will mostly be found that 

 the specks on the under side of the blotched leaves are not red, 

 bnt of a dark grey hue, and that they are moving to and fro. 

 The upper surface of the leaves will show the presence of red 

 spider beneath, and when the least sign is noticed, no time 

 should be lost in attempting the destruction of the insect. 



Commence by giving a thorough syringing with water, direct- 

 ing its force against the nnder sides of the leaves, driving the 

 insect and its web ofi the leaves. This syringing should be 

 given every evening and morning as long as it is practicable 

 to do so without injuring the ripening of the fruit and of the 

 nood. This syringing may be thought injudicious, for some of 

 OBX best cultivators seldom syringe their fruit trees, but fruit 

 trees which are syringed morning and evening from the setting 

 of the fruit until it swells or changes colour for ripening are 

 never attacked by red spider. I would in all cases recommend 

 syringing where soft water can be obtained, and it may be 

 collected in most places, if provision be made to catch all the 

 xain water falling on the garden structures. There cannot be a 

 doubt that water in some places is not good for syringing with, 

 tmd especially where it is derived from springs ; but even such 

 may be made suitable for the purpose by exposure to the sun 

 and air in an uncovered cistern, and it may be rendered quite 

 equal to soft or rain water by adding one peck of soot to every 

 thirty gallons, stirring the soot well up, and allowing the whole 

 to stand forty-eight hours. Syringe with the clear liquid. 

 Either this or syringing with rain water is a complete preventive 

 to, as well as care for, red spider. 



There are cases in which the water cure cannot be em- 

 ployed, as where syringing one plant attacked would be injuri- 

 ons to other plants in a state of growth for which a dry at- 

 mosphere is needed. In the case of a solitary plant being 

 attacked it may be removed, and, if smooth-leaved, like the Gar- 

 denia and Fuchsia, it should be syringed with a solution of 

 soft-soap at the rate of 2rzs. to the g<ilon, the pot being laid 

 on its side, and the soapy water directed against the under 

 sides of the leaves, the plant being turned round so as to give 



every leaf a forcible syringing. The solution should be used at 

 a temperature of 120° for plants in growth, and at 140° for those 

 whose growth is perfected. This application repeated once or 

 twice will free the plants of the insect. 



Cucumbers and Melons in frames and pits cannot well be 

 syringed, and other means must, therefore, be resorted to. It 

 is well in all cases where plants subject to red spider are 

 grown, to give the woodwork of the house a thorough cleaning 

 with soft-soap water, using a brush and sponge, and taking care 

 to keep the soap from the glass, which, however, should be 

 thoroughly washed with clean water ; and the walls ought to 

 have a thorough whitewashing with equal quantities of lime 

 and flowers of sulphur, bringing them to the consistency of 

 whitewash by adding a solution of soft-soap at the rate of 2 ozs. 

 to the gallon. This is a good preventive, and yet not always 

 effectual. If the red spider appear fill the evaporation troughs, 

 if such exist, with guano water, 1 lb. being dissolved in a gallon 

 of water, and as it evaporates replenish them, and keep them 

 full for three weeks. This effectual cure was first brought into 

 notice by Mr D. Thomson, of Archerfield. It is eligible for 

 all descriptions of houses having evaporation troughs, and 

 where there is none the paths may be kept wet with goano 

 water. This sprinkled over the paths, walls, and put in the 

 evaporation troughs, is an excellent preventive, and increases 

 the vigour of the plants. I'our ounces of Peruvian guano to 

 the gallon will be sufficiently strong, and yet safe. 



If there are no evaporation troughs and red spider appear, 

 mis 1 lb. of flowers of sulphur with 1 cz. of gum arabic 

 dissolved in a quart of water, make into a paste, and add to 

 three gallons of water. Syringe the plants on a fine afternoon 

 with this liquid so as to wet them thoroughly, shutting the 

 frame close, and shading to prevent the leaves being scorched. 

 The syringing may take place at 2 p M. if shade can be given, 

 but an hour later if none can be afforded. The sides of the 

 frame or pit should be painted on the inside with a compo- 

 sition ol sulphur brought to the consistency of paint by the 

 addition of 4 ozs. of soft-soap in a gallon of water. This 

 must be kept from the leaves of the plants, as soft-soap will 

 destroy the foliage. Shut up early for a fortnight afterwards, 

 and repeat the syringing with sulphur water within a week if 

 it has been washed off the leaves in wateiing. This is an 

 etfectnal remedy for red spider on Peaeh trees, whether in 

 houses or against walls, adding 2 ozs. of soft-soap to every 

 gallon of water, but omitting the soft-soap if the fruit is more 

 than half swelled. This remedy must not be employed for 

 Vines. 



I will now say a few words in favour of a cheap remedy, and, I 

 think, the best of all applications for destroying red spider^via., 

 soot. One peck of soot in thirty gallons of water applied every 

 evening with a syringe for three weeks is a cure, and dusting 

 the leaves with dry soot till they are quite black is still better, 

 the foliage being previously wetted. For Strawberries in pots 

 or in the open gi-ound there is no better cure than strewing 

 soot over the plants and soil till the whole is quite blaok. 

 Violets, too, so liable to red spider, are effectually freed by a 

 thorough dusting with soot, and it is a remedy, unlike many 

 others, that acts as a manure. For this remedy 1 am indebted 

 to the Journal and the Rev. W. F. Eadcljffe. 



Opposed as some are to syringing Vines, and as it cannot 

 always be practised upon them, other means must be adopted, 

 though I never saw the least injury result from a daily syring- 

 ing with clear soft water from the setting of the fruit up to the 

 time of its changing colour, except where air has not been 

 given early ; then I have seen the leaves scorched and the 

 berries spotted, bnt quite as often when no syringing was 

 practised, for condensed moisture en the leaves and berries is 

 as frequently the cause of scorching and spot as moisture 

 from syringing, if not more so. Preventive measures being 

 always the best, the house ought every season before the Vines 

 are started to be thoroughly cleaned, the woodwork washed 

 with soap and water, the glass cleaned wiih water only, for 

 soapy water ought never to touch glass, and the walls should 

 be washed with sulphur and lime in equal proportions, brought 

 to the consistency of whitewash by adding 2 ozs. of .soft-soad 

 dissolved in a gallon of water. In addition to this I woold 

 strongly recommend keeping the evaporation troughs filled with 

 4 ozs. of guano to the gallon of water, sprinkling the floors 

 at least once daily with the same liquid. Should red spider 

 appear notwithstanding these precautions, a paint should be 

 made of sulphur and 2 ozs. of soft-soup to the gallon of water, 

 and the pipes being heated to a temperature of 140° or 150°, 

 coat every part of them with the srJf hnr paint, and then 



