MO 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTUEIST. 



MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. 



Insects on Roses. — Vick's Monthly 

 states that a good remedy for the insects 

 which infest the rose, is to syringe both 

 surfaces with a solution of whale-oil soap, 

 using one pound of the soap to one gallon 

 of water. Another remedy is kerosene 

 mixed with an equal quantity of milk, a 

 spoonful of the mixture being then stirred 

 in a gallon of water for syringing. In a 

 few hours wash off either of these appli- 

 cations by syringing with clear water. 

 Caution is recommended in the use of 

 carbolic acid on plants, as it will destroy 

 them if used too freely. It is advised to 

 mix a few drops in soap suds made from 

 soft soap, and try its strength on weeds. 



Decorative Tree Planting. — The 

 Commissioners of the Woods and Forests, 

 of England, are trying to plant a large ex- 

 tent of crown lands in the Isle of Man 

 with forest and ornamental trees. T]ie 

 experiment, which is watched with inter- 

 est not only by those who follow sylvi- 

 culture as an art but by many who regard 

 with apprehension the gradual denudation 

 of forest and woodlands, leads Lajid to 

 comment on the growth of a taste for 

 planting ; for transforming into artistic 

 plots grounds which are ill-favored and 

 uninviting ; for digging lakes and forming 

 cascades, resulting in magnificent combi- 

 nations of sylvan charms. — American 

 Garden. 



A German Insecticide. — The Reper- 

 toire de Pharmacie quotes, upon the 

 authority of Dr. Nes^sler, a receipt for an 

 insecticide which is said to have a great 

 reputation among German horticulturists. 

 It consists of soft soap, 4 parts ; extract 

 of tobacco, 6 parts ; amylic alcohol, 5 

 parts ; methylic alcohol, 20 parts ; water 

 to make 1,000 parts. The extract of 

 tobacco is made by boiling together equal 

 parts of roll tobacco and water for half an 

 hour, adding water for what is evaporated. 

 The soft soap is first dissolved in the water 

 with the aid of a gentle heat, and the other 

 ingredients are then added. The mixture 

 requires to be well stirred before used, 

 and is applied by means of a brush or a 

 garden syringe fitted with a small rose. — 

 Scientijic American, 



Piper's Seedling Strawberry. — This 

 is a remarkable berry. It has the greatest 

 vitality of any strawberry in cultivation ; 

 the plants stand our coldest winters with- 

 out protection, and stand our severe hot 

 summers, and continue to make plants 

 when others die on the same ground along 

 side of it. The fruit is firm, and can be 

 shipped a long distance. The fruit has 

 been ready to pick on Friday, and it set 

 in raining, and it rained for two or three 

 days, so as to prevent the fruit from being 

 gathered until Monday, when it has been 

 gathered and hauled fourteen miles, and 

 then it sold readily at 15 cents per box, 

 by the crate, when others were selling at 

 from 10 cents to 12| cents, at retail. It 

 is unsurpassed for canning and preserving. 

 It is believed the berry can be shipped 

 500 miles, and arrive in good condition. 

 The fruit is large, some berries measuring 

 2^ inches in diameter. The fruit is fine, 

 sweet, and of delicious flavor. Taking all 

 things into consideration, we think the 

 Piper cannot be excelled. — S. W. , in Fruit 

 Recorder. 



Roses on Arbor-vit.es. — One of the 

 prettiest, certainly one of the most strik- 

 ing, combinations seen for some time we 

 {Irish Farmer's Gazette) saw this last week 

 at a villa residence near town. Immedi- 

 ately in front of the house and just out- 

 side the carriage ring stand two fine old 

 specimens (companion plants) of the Am- 

 erican Arbor- vitae {Thuja occidentalis). 

 Near one of the two at some time a plant 

 of the old cluster Rose, Rosa multiflora, 

 was growing, which, inclining to fraternise 

 with its American cousin, extended a 

 feeler shoot, which w^as favorably welcom- 

 ed b}'- the friendly conifer, the result be- 

 ing a picture of shrub and floral beauty 

 in combination. When at this season 

 the somewhat sombre, irregular, and 

 picturesquely broken surface of the Thuja 

 is garlanded with the snowy Rose wreaths 

 which burst out here and there, and in 

 striking contrast of color, hang from or 

 drape the dark spray of the friendly tree, 

 it forms one of the prettiest an.l most 

 striking combinations imaginable — a com- 

 bination, too, like many another happy 

 one, the result of accident rather than 

 design. 



PRINTED A.T THE STKAM PBE3S ESTABLISHMENT OF COPP, CLARK k CO. COLBORNE STREET, TORONTO. 



