Notes and Gleanings. 163 



Clinton Vines vs. Rose-Bugs. — When I saw a paragraph in a horticultural 

 paper advising grape-growers to keep one vine of the Clinton in the garden for' 

 the use of the rose-bugs, I thought it merely a feeble joke ; but experience 

 teaches me that it is " nojoque " at all. 



I have a Clinton vine at a little distance from a dozen other kinds, and its 

 leaves are entirely riddled by the rose-bugs ; while I have not found six bugs on 

 the other varieties, and none at all on the roses. 



I pity the want of taste displayed by the bugs, but am glad to find that the 

 Clinton is good for something. J. M. M., Juit. 



P. S. — Since writing the above, I have found bugs in abundance on the Frank- 

 lin : but that only strengthens the case ; for the Franklin is much like the Clin- 

 ton, and just as worthless. 



The Celsis Occidcntalis., or nettle-tree, is quite common with us, and is held 

 in very little repute. 



We have never seen a tree of this species, although transplanted from the 

 woods and hedge-rows into good soil and properly cared for, that was equal to 

 our American elm, the different varieties of maples, ash, lindens, or any of our 

 desirable shade-trees. 



It may grow better, and be more highly esteemed, in other places ; but, if a 

 nursery-man here should offer trees of this variety for sale, poor, indeed, would 

 be his success among those that were acquainted with it. One of the most 

 striking objects we have had this season was a fine bush of the Weigelia Dcs- 

 boisii. It is a strong grower, very abundant bloomer, and the flowers of a deep red. 

 We like sometimes, for the sake of variety, to train up shrubs to a single stalk. 

 We have seen the syringa {Philadelphus grandijlorus) almost resemble a tree, 

 and also the Forsythia. The Weigelia Desboisiii resembles, when trained this 

 way, and seen from a distance, a small tree of the double crimson hawthorn, and 

 is a very attractive object. /. //. 



Westburv, N. Hempstead, L.I. 



Mealy Bug. — We know of no means of destroying the mealy bug, except 

 constant washing with soaf) or glue water; and that will only keep the pest under 

 a little. In places swarming with it, it is most likely that the walls and stages 

 and shelves are infested. We have seen slate stages taken up ; and, on every 

 bearer, you could scrape off the insects in handfuls ; and hence all temporary 

 expedients proved unavailing. In such circumstances, we would thoroughly clean 

 out one house ; then we would shut it up closely, and smoke it for forty-eight 

 hours with turpentine and sulphur burned, which, of course, would destroy every 

 green thing and all animal life. We would then wash the house all over with 

 boihng water holding soap in solution, dash it into every joint, and, when dry and 

 exposed, fresh paint and clean. We would next bring in the plants that were 

 cleaned, by cutting them back, and bathing their tops and roots, and then fresh 

 potting in a moist heat. For the present, we know no remedy but washing, and 

 that will only be a palliative. We never found smoking with tobacco of much 

 use. 



