98 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



February, 



Nycotyl as an Insect Destroyer. 



W. FALCONER, OLEN COVE, N. T. 



On page 64 I find a statement that Nycotyl 

 " will not injure the tenderest flower." Bnt 

 it will. Used in moderation and with dis- 

 cretion it is a cheap, convenient, effectual 

 and safe insecticide so far as aphides and 

 thrips are concerned, but like tobacco in 



THE HANDSOME NEW LILAC C/CRULEA 8UPERBA. 



any form, of no avail at all against red 

 spider, mealy bugs or scale. 



Nycotyl vapor has been used as an insect- 

 icide for the past twenty-flve years, but not 

 so generally as it has been of late. The way 

 in which we commonly use it is by steeping 

 Tobacco stems in the evaporating pans on 

 our hot water pipes, scattering stems be- 

 tween the plants, under the stages, along 

 the pathwaysorelsewhere where convenient, 

 and moistening them. The most effectual 

 and quickest way, but by far the most dan- 

 gerous, is to spread some moistened fresh 

 stems on the warm pipes. 



The vaporizer recently illustrated in your 

 columns is a capital thing for small green- 

 houses or frames, but I don't know that it is 

 any better than a lamp set under a shallow 

 pan. Where tobacco stems are so very cheap 

 and plentiful as they are here, we haven't 

 much use for complicated vaporizers, but in 

 European countries where tobacco paper, 

 tobacco rag, and twist tobacco are used in- 

 stead of stems vaporizers are of importance. 



In oiu- vrindow gardens nycotyl vapor is 

 the most convenient way of applying to- 

 bacco for killing insects. We often read 

 about fumigating window plants with to- 

 bacco smoke ! Why, the thing is not only 

 almost impracticable, but an abomination 

 that no family would submit to. But it 

 looks pretty enough on paper. 



withal the perfume and sweetness of the 

 flowers, of the Lilac, the plant has spread 

 from garden to garden until it is familiar 

 to everybody. 



But the object of this article is to invite at- 

 tention to some of the improved but less com- 

 monly known sorts of this shrub, and which 

 deserve to be more widely cultivated. We 

 do not forget how- 

 ever that the old | 

 common White I^i- j 

 lac with its delight- 

 ful creamy-white 

 blooms is a difficult 

 variety to surpass, 

 if indeed it ever has 

 been altogether ex- 

 celled. This pos- 

 sesses the peculiar- 

 ity of tending to 

 become a tree, a 

 characteristic that 

 should in this case 

 be encouraged by 

 cultivators, while 

 some of the more 

 recent whites espec- 

 ially such as have 

 Persian blood are 

 bush like in their 

 habits, hence, are 

 generally con- 

 sidered to be more 

 desirable. 



Of improved va- 

 rieties that have 

 proceeded from the 

 common types may 

 be mentioned the 

 following. 



Large-flowered 

 White. This has pure 

 white flowers that ap- 

 pear in very large 

 conceded to be the 



A Glance at Some Good Lilacs. 



The more common forms of the genus, 

 the old purple and white of our gardens, are 

 more widely known perhaps than any other 

 ornamental shrubs in cultivation. This is 

 easily accounted for. Their cultivation in 

 this country dates almost from its first settle- 

 ment, when our forefathers brought the 

 bush with them as so much of the old homes 

 to be transplanted to the new. Ever since, 

 as a result of the hardiness, ease of culture, 

 freedom of propagation by division, and 



trusses. It is generally 



finest white Lilac now in cultivation. 



Albert the Oood. A recent variety of erect 

 growth. Flowers reddish purple, the best and 

 most decided color of its class. 



Charlemhery. A distinct vaiiety with small 

 light purple flowers shaded to pink. 



Colmar's Lilac. Large pale blue flowers, re- 

 markably fine glossy foliage. 



Ccerulea superba. This is a recent variety that 

 originated in the grounds of EUwanger & Barry, 

 Rochester, N. Y.. and to whose kindness we are 

 indebted for the use of the accompanying en- 

 graving. The flowers, in immense trusses, are of 

 a remarkably distinct color, being light purple in 

 the bud but of a distinct blue when open. 



Double Purple. Similar to the common purple 

 except that the flower has a double row of petals. 



Giant. Unusually vigorous, with large leaves 

 and flowers, the latter of a blue color. 



Jacques Calat. Flowers rosy pink, of remark- 

 ably large size and produced in immense panicles. 



Dwarf. This is a distinct variety, of small 

 growth. Flowers of a dark 

 reddish purple, in large com- 

 pact spikes. 



Prince Nottger. One of the 

 earliest Lilacs. Flowers deli- 

 cate bluish purple. 



Prince of Wales. A new 

 variety, the flowers of which 

 are purplish lilac, the petals 

 slightly curled near the edge; 

 Panicles medium to large. 



Prof. Stockhardt. Laven- 

 der flowers; large trusses. 



Next to the Common 

 Purple and Common 

 White Lilacs, the distinct 

 species knovni as the Per- 

 sian Lilacs are the best 

 known. In point of fact 

 all the types of Lilacs are 

 of Persian origin. The 

 Persian White Lilac, un- 

 like the Common White, 



the Common Persian has a habit similar to 

 that last described. The flowers are a dark 

 lilac color and are produced in much larger 

 clusters and looser than those of the Com- 

 mon Purple. Although this shrub presents 

 a more delicate style of growth than does 

 the Common Purple, it in time forms a large 

 broad bush. 



Tlie Rouen or French Red. This is said to be a 

 hybrid between the Common and the Persian 

 species and erabodys many good qualities. The 

 flowers are reddish lilac in color, in numerous 

 large panicles. One of the finest of Lilacs. 



Jost/ia's or Chifinanthus-leaved. A distinct and 

 remarkably handsome variety of strong, upright 

 growth and with long rich, shining leaves. The 

 flowers are not so freely produced as in most 

 other sorts, but are prized because of coming 

 very late— after the others are gone. 



VerischajfeWs Lilac. Another remarkably dis- 

 tinct variety, with flowers in large compact pan- 

 icles, dark-red in the bud, changing later to Lilac. 



Tlie Chinese Lilac. This resembles the Persian, 

 but with longer leaves; there are several varie- 

 ties including reddish, purple and white. 



Emod's Lilac is a distinct Chinese species, which 

 assumes a tree-like form and has white flowers. 



Insect Enemies of Flowers. 



Nearly every flowering plant is affected 

 by Plant-lice or Aphides. These cluster on 

 the stems of succulent plants, or on the un- 

 der side of leaves, causing them to curl over. 

 They have flask-shaped bodies, with the 

 hind-body or abdomen thick and rounded, 

 and provided with two tubes for the exit of 

 a sweet fluid which is secreted from the 

 stomach. This fluid is called "honey-dew," 

 and is eagerly lapped up by ants, (See Fig. 2), 

 who are often the companions of Aphides. 



The Aphides are exceedingly proliflc, the 

 summer broods being brought forth alive. 

 It appears that the first brood, which in the 

 spring hatch from eggs, and the succeeding 

 summer broods, are all females. The males 

 do not appear until autumn, when they pair, 

 and the females deposit eggs on the stems 

 of plants and branches of trees. 



Fortunately the planWice have many 

 enemies. The maggots of the bright colored, 

 wasp-like, Syrphus Flies, Fig. 1; the grubs 

 of the Lady-bird, or Coccinclla, Fig. 3; the 

 Aphis Lion, Fig. 9, or young of the golden- 

 eyed, green I.,ace-winged Fly (Chrysopa), 

 Fig. H; and also minute Ichneumon files, all 

 devour them. 



Among garden plants, the Pink is affected 

 by Aiihis dianthi. The roots of Asters are 

 infested by a whitish Aphis.which is always 

 attended by small, yellow ants, which may 

 be seen bearing away their "cows" to a 

 place of safety when an Aster is uprooted. 

 The Aphides have long beaks, which they 

 stick into the leaves and stems of plants, 

 suck out the sap, and arrest their growth. 



Plants which are aphis-ridden should be 



PLANT OF OALATHEA (MARANTA) ZEBRINA. SEE OPPOSITE PAGE. 



forms a large 

 spreading shrub, the branches of which with 

 age bend with a fine curve when loaded with 

 flowers. The blossoms are of a delicate 

 lavender white in May. The type known as 



showered with a weak solution of carbolic 

 acid or benzine and water; or Dalmatian 

 insect-powder may be dusted over them. 

 By burn ing Tobacco.having the plants under 

 a cover, the lice may be destroyed. 



