60 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



The Ladybird (Coccinella) is well known as a friend, 

 but its black larvae is also a foe to aphides, and should 

 by no means be killed, as we fear it often is. 



Red Spider. The foliage of Apples, especially those 

 of a hirsute character, are liable to be attacked by red 

 spider, which causes them to assume a rusty look. The 

 insects are very minute, and form a slight web over them- 

 selves. A severe syringing with tobacco-water and soft 

 soap will check them, and after applying this, syringe again 

 with tepid water in two days' time. This will generally 

 clear the trees, but it is necessary to syringe well under 

 the foliage to make sure of dislodging the pest. 



Canker. Amongst the contributing causes of canker 

 may be mentioned undrained soil, or soil which lacks some 

 essential element, also bruises upon the bark, or injuries 

 caused by small shot in scaring birds. In bad cases on 

 the older boughs it must be combated with drastic 

 measures. With a sharp knife and chisel cut away all 

 the rough, scaly bark and any dead, brown wood that is 

 found. Carefully smooth over the edges and apply painters' 

 knotting or a Blight Cure to the wound. This will keep 

 out the wet and allow the new bark to grow over and 

 heal the wound. Treat the smaller boughs in a similar 

 manner, but not so severely. If canker is present at the 

 ends of the boughs, cut them back to healthy wood to 

 induce new growth. In some cases, root-pruning will help 

 the trees ; and in others considerable benefit will follow 

 the application of artificial manures such as sulphate of 

 iron, basic slag, and sulphate of ammonia, using 2 oz. to 

 the square yard ; but these remedies are useless if the lower 

 roots are in a clayey or wet soil. Some Apples, such as 



