Washing Walls to destroy Insects. 535 



only to a certain size, and forms mostly side-ovula, which, till 

 they are ripe, remain concealed by their coverings. It sometimes 

 happens, that, by a general deterioration of the organs of fructi- 

 fication, the fruit-axis grows into a branch, of which we have an 

 example in the double rose. The ovula are formed either from 

 the upper point of the undivided axis, as in Taxus and C/itica (the 

 rudiment of the ovulum being, like the top of the bud, the first 

 and most important formation, and fixed on the chalaza, a part 

 similar to the medullary point and the surrounding medullary 

 enclosure), or they proceed from the metamorphosis of the pri- 

 mitive bud. In the latter instance they grow sideways out of the 

 axis, either at the base of the fruit-leaves, as in i^anunculus, or 

 on the lengthened bundle of vessels of the medullary coat, which 

 is most usually the case. 



(Zb be continued.) 



Art. II. On the Utility/ of xvashing Garden Walls to destroy Insects. 



By W. P. 



I HAVE the management of some trees covering about 600 

 square yards of wall, which for several years had been so in- 

 fested with insects, that they neither bore fruit, nor made shoots 

 more than 1 or 2 inches long. I tried every means to get rid 

 of them throughout the summer, by washing them with various 

 mixtures, and also smoking them with tobacco, but it was of no 

 avail ; for, although it undoubtedly killed a great number of in- 

 sects, still the trees were soon again covered with them. As the 

 walls were old, and full of nail-holes, I conjectured that the 

 insects harboured there, and that if I washed the walls in the 

 winter when the trees were unnailed, with something destructive 

 to them, it would have a much better effect than any summer 

 dressing. The result proved that I was right in my supposition, 

 as the trees are now perfectly free from insects, have made ex- 

 cellent wood, and are loaded with fruit. 



The following was my method of proceeding. In the sprino- 

 I had the whole of the trees unnailed and tied to stakes driven 

 in the border ; I then washed the walls with the following mix- 

 ture : half a barrel of cement, one quarter of lime fresh from 

 the kiln, two bushels of soot, and 12 lb. of sulphur, mixed with 

 soap-suds to the consistency of whitewash. This was sufficient for 

 the quantity of wall mentioned ; and it was done by a common 

 labourer. I may mention that part of the wall was covered with 

 moss, which now appears to be all killed. 



Hertfordshire^ Sept, 4. 1841. 



