FIGHTING THE MIDSUMMER FESTS 131 



pendium of garden suggestions for the southern planter issued 

 in 1842, the author, Francis S. Holmes, says that he realizes 

 that all the books and instructions are written for other sections 

 where climatic differences are so great as to make the major por- 

 tion of their directions of no value. That Mr. Holmes convinced 

 the Horticultural Society of Charleston of the truth of his prem- 

 ises is evidenced by their letter of commendation in the preface. 

 His suggestions as to the use of the berries of Melia Azedarach^ 

 Pride of India or China Berry Trees, as they are so commonly 

 called, are corporate in the garden lore of the South. 



The remedy for green cabbage worm, plant lice, etc., is as 

 follows: Take a half bushel of Pride of India berries, well ripened, 

 put them in a barrel and add 15 gallons of water. After the 

 mixture has stood for two or three days sprinkle the plants with 

 it and in most cases it will prevent the depredations of these 

 insects. 



The negroes use a "bed of berries" around their fruit trees 

 and Cabbages and in their vegetable gardens to prevent worms 

 in fruit and cutworms and black grub. Some of our best gar- 

 deners also follow them in the use of this simple insecticide which 

 has the advantage of being easy to procure, easier to apply and 

 costing nothing except the labor of gathering. 



All these garden stories of the old days would seem to imply 

 that there were the same old gardens, the same old pests, the 

 same fresh beauties, the same rich joys. The work of spraying 

 is so largely overbalanced by the garden joy that it does not 

 enter into our calculations at all. The destruction of insects 

 and fungi, the taking of preventive measures against the ravages 

 of scale and other blights, is just a part of the regular routine 

 work and that some of these operations have to be carried on 

 during Midsummer heat is our misfortune, not our fault. Go 

 at it with a will, stick to it with determination, and before you 

 know it the work will be done, and you will feel as proud of your 

 achievement as if vou had won a victorvon a more ambitious field. 



