822 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



stroy, or at least greatly to keep under all aquatic insects, an effectual mode is to dry the pond for a day 

 or two ; but in the case of an aquarium it cannot be done ; fish and frogs, their natural enemies, must 

 therefore be encouraged, in order that they may attack them. ' 



6194 Insects and vermin. These must be kept under in every part of the flower-garden and shrubbery, 

 and we perfectly agree with the author of the Florist's Manual, that " the simple and laborious mode of 

 picking away the animal, is the only one to which recourse can be had with permanent advantage. To 

 give full efficacy to this method of 

 rescuing plants from caterpillars, 

 snails, &c. our attacks must be 

 made upon them at particular sea- 

 sons, which can only be done from 

 such a knowledge of their history, 

 as shall enable us to have swarms 

 of them destroyed in the destruc- 

 tion of an individual of the spe- 

 cies. Without, however, much re- 

 search into their natural history 

 we may, from common observ- 

 ation, understand that in the 

 winged insect we may free our 

 plants from an innumerable tribe 

 of those which crawl, and which, 

 in that reptile state, have the ca- ^ 

 parity of devouring the whole 

 product of a garden. The two pe- 

 riods of change of form in the ca- 

 terpillar species, seem to afford 

 the most advantageous times to 

 put an end to their existence. 

 Thus, the ephemeral butterfly ; if 

 timely attended to, we may de- 

 stroy the animal before it has ac- 

 quired the power of disseminating 

 its young progeny ; and, in the in- 

 termediate and voracious state of 

 caterpillar, every single one which 

 is prevented attaining the winged 

 form, preserves our flowers from a 

 host of enemies. The green ca- 

 terpillar is the most common foe 

 to our flower-borders and in au- 

 tumn attacks the branches of mig- 

 nonette in such numbers as to af- 

 ford an easy opportunity of their 

 destruction. A more persevering enemy, and more difficult to exterminate from gardens, is the snail 

 {Helix) and slug (Limax) ; which, forming their habitations under the soil, attack the roots of the flow- 

 ers, and frequently destroy them before the gardener can be aware of the mischief, that too often becomes 

 visible only when past reparation. Under a vigilant eye, however, plants will not twice suffer from the 

 enemy not being ostensible ; as the symptoms of his vicinity may be marked by flowers perishing as they 

 first emerge from their buds or bulbs, by leaves or petals being pierced in small holes, or having the ap- 

 pearance of being gnawed in growth, or from almost any failure in vigor which cannot be accounted for 

 by external causes. In cold and dry weather the snail rarely appears, but after warm showers it may 

 generally be found ; early in the morning, and about the close of evening, are the usual times of their 

 coming abroad, when they may be picked up in large quantities. They will, however, frequently molest 

 a plant for a length of time without being visible, in which case, when there is reason to suspect their 

 hidden attacks, the only method to entrap them is to place a common garden-pot over the infested root, 

 and it will rarely occur that the enemy is not discovered, as snails fasten themselves to the sides or tops of 

 boards, or mats, or cabbage-leaves, so placed, and thence are easily taken. In droughty seasons it will 

 be of use to water the plant before it is covered, as the moisture of the earth will be an additional mo- 

 tive of attraction to draw the animal from his hiding-place. The smaller insects which infest rose-trees, 

 and some herbaceous plants, can only be kept within moderate bounds by sweeping them from the branches, 

 or by cutting off those whereon they are found in most profusion. In carrying off these diminutive ene- 

 mies, birds are peculiarly serviceable. Insects generally attack those plants which are least vigorous ; 

 and the reason of the selection of such leaves as are beginning to decav may be, that in their declining 



