REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF ALPINES. loi 



A jar of brine should be placed handy, so that any 

 of the pests that are found may be disposed of expe- 

 ditiously by simply dropping them into it. Another 

 simple plan of reducing slugs is to dash freshly-slaked 

 Hme among the plants at night, when the slugs are 

 most active. It kills those that it falls on and does 

 not injure plants. When small, choice plants are 

 first put in it is a good plan to lay a few fresh brewers' 

 grains near them as a bait. Slugs are fond of choice 

 Alpines — the dearer the plant is to you the more 

 likely slugs are to devour it — but they are even fonder 

 of rich, aromatic grains straight from the brewery. 

 If the heaps are examined at night many slugs may 

 be found feeding, and can be given a change of diet 

 in the form of brine. Toads should be encouraged, 

 as slugs form part of their food, and the rapidity with 

 which a crawHng slug disappears under the lightning- 

 like flash of the long, thin, white tongue of a toad is 

 very comforting to an infuriated flower-lover smarting 

 from the loss of a cherished plant. 



Top-dressing. 



It has already been pointed out that grit is of great 

 benefit to the plants. It is good in summer because 

 it checks the evaporation of moisture, and in winter 

 because it prevents damp from lodging round the 

 collar of the plants. In case it should seem strange 

 that what is good for holding moisture in summer is 

 good for parting with it in winter it may be well to 

 offer a word or two of explanation. Stones remain 

 cool and moist at a period of the year when evaporation 



