June 3, 1896.] 



Garden and Forest. 



229 



same row have been planted in the ordinary way. Here the 

 methods of culture will be the same for each, and it is to be 

 hoped the merits of the system will be shown. It will be 

 interesting to remove some of these trees as they grow older, 

 in order to see what effect planting- in such an immense 

 earthen flower-pot will have upon the habit of root-growth. In 

 this planting the holes were dug about six feet in diameter and 

 six feet deep, with a post auger-hole three feet deep in the 

 bottom of each. 



No doubt, most orchardists will say at once that this involves 

 altogether too much work, and it does mean a good deal of 

 work, but it is less expensive than irrigation, which we may 

 sometimes think would bring us almost ideal conditions. 

 These holes can be dug and filled at a cost not exceeding a 

 dollar a tree. Now, reflect that a good Apple-tree in full bear- 

 ing is worth at least as much as a good dairy cow, and then 

 ask how many dairymen would hesitate to pay one dollar more 

 for a healthy, vigorous, productive cow than they would for 

 one not quite her equal. The important question is not the 

 expense of doing the work, but the effect which such planting 

 will have on the subsequent life of the tree, and no one can 

 answer that question satisfactorily ahead of time. 



Agricultural College, Lincoln, Nebraska. Fred IV. Card, 



Larch Sack-bearer (Coleophora Laricella). 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir,— In the spring of 1894 I noticed that the tips of the leaves 

 of the trees in my Larch plantation of five acres had become 

 yellow or brown, as if touched by frost, and later on in many 

 cases the whole leaf dying. This continued through the grow- 

 ing season, many of the trees attempting to put forth a new 

 growth. Not being able myself to discover the cause of this 

 trouble, I sent samples of the twigs and leaves to Professor 

 C. H. Fernald, of the State Agricultural College, who informed 

 me that they were infested with the Larch sack-bearer, as he 

 named it. The caterpillar was so minute and so concealed 

 under cover of the leaf that I had not observed it. On reexam- 

 ining the trees after this explanation I soon discovered the 

 caterpillars in countless numbers ; they bore into the needles, 

 so that the upper ends shrivel up and turn yellow and brown. 

 Professor Fernald wrote me that this insect was first reported 

 in this country by Dr. Hagen in 1886 on European Larches in 

 Northampton, Massachusetts. He also stated that he had ob- 

 served it on some Larches in Amherst, but had never heard of 

 it elsewhere until my trees were brought to his notice. In 

 1895 the insects were apparently undiminished in numbers, and 

 this spring they have appeared again ; as a consequence, the 

 growth of the trees has been checked. 



My trees, although European Larches, were not imported, 

 but came from Douglas, Illinois. The question arises, where 

 did these pests come from ? Have they been slowly increasing 

 in numbers from a small and unnoticeable family, or has the 

 horde dropped down from some unknown quarter ? On page 

 311 of vol. iv. of Schlich's Manual of Forestry may be found 

 the best description of this moth that I have seen. It is com- 

 mon in Great Britain and Germany. As to remedial measures 

 not much has been attempted on account of the magnitude of 

 the task. On one section, however, the lower branches have 

 been cut off and burnt. 

 Boston, Mass. /. D. W. French. 



Planting in the Boston Parks. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest: 



Sir, — Two years ago I wrote to your journal about the care 

 of the Boston parks ; since that time no improvement has taken 

 place. The most conspicuous illustration of what I mean can 

 be seen in that section of the Back Bay Fens nearest the city. 

 For some reason this section was planted with a general mix- 

 ture of anything and everything that was at hand, and a more 

 curious collection it would be hard to imagine. Garden shrubs 

 are crowded in with Spruces, showy perennials appear in most 

 unexpected and inappropriate places, and just now weeds and 

 dead wood abound in the most prominent portions. 



The use of certain garden shrubs on the edge of a marsh 

 seems to be rather questionable, but admitting their appropri- 

 ateness, surely if they are to remain some care should be 

 taken of them. At present, crowded in among plants of coarser 

 growth, some dead and others half-covered with deadwood, 

 they present a truly pitiable appearance. In many cases the 

 dangerous practice of planting strong-growing vines among 

 shrubs has been indulged in to a great extent and the evil 

 results are already apparent, so that it really seems as if Bos- 

 ton would be better off if her parks were half as large and 

 twice as well taken care of. 



Trained men are needed to take care of our parks after they 

 are planted, a constant thinning and pruning of trees and 

 shrubs must be kept up, and for such work men of skill and 

 experience are needed. 



In the meanwhile we keep on in the same way, every year 

 extending our park system (already too large), planting more 

 and more ground and leaving our old plantations to fight it 

 out among themselves. 



Wellesley, Mass. H. S. H. 



Why Rhododendrons do not Flower. 

 To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — I have read your note in Garden and Forest on the 

 influence of the past winter on the flower-buds of Rhododen- 

 drons and other shrubs. I am convinced that Rhododendron 

 buds in this neighborhood were injured in the severe cold 

 snap of the 10th of October, when the thermometer fell sud- 

 denly to twenty-three degrees, Fahrenheit, and the most of the 

 mischief was done at that time. The buds on several half- 

 hardy varieties here, which were housed in cellars on the first 

 of November, have been more or less injured, some varieties 

 losing all their buds and others having only a few flowers in a 

 truss. This must have been done before the plants were 

 moved into their winter quarters. I remember that the same 

 thing happened ten or twelve years ago. 



Wellesley, Mass. H. H. Hutlliewell. 



Recent Publications. 



A Travellers Notes. By James Herbert Veitch, F. L.S., 

 F.R. H.S. Published for private circulation by James 

 Veitch & Sons, Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea. 



All persons who keep themselves acquainted with current 

 horticultural literature will remember the series of letters 

 from the far east which appeared three or four years ago 

 in Tlie Gardeners' Chronicle. Mr. Veitch has brough these 

 together, revised them, added certain connecting links 

 which make the narrative continuous, so that the text and 

 notes, with the illustrations, make altogether a quarto 

 volume of considerably more than two hundred pages. 

 The tour made by the author was through India, Malaysia, 

 Japan, Corea, the Australian colonies and New Zealand, 

 and the work is chiefly descriptive of the vegetation of 

 those regions observed from a horticultural point of 

 view. Mr. Veitch's object was to study the conditions 

 under which the plants of these countries have been devel- 

 oped, with the view of learning something about their 

 cultural requirements when transplanted into British gar- 

 dens, and also to make a search for such new plants as 

 might seem worthy of introduction into cultivation. On the 

 first page of the text we read of impressive groves of 

 Cocoanut Palms, and all through the book the reader is 

 among plants, garden plants generally, with descriptions 

 of their appearance, habits and uses. Wherever a botanic 

 garden was found its treasures were carefully noted, and 

 one who takes even a cursory glance through these pages 

 will get a fair idea of what trees and plants are most used 

 for decorative purposes in the countries through which 

 Mr. Veitch's long journey extended. There is an interest- 

 ing map and numerous photogravures and reproductions 

 of photographs by the author, many of which are remark- 

 able, both for the interest of the subject and skill in treat- 

 ment. Of course, they are largely devoted to plant life, 

 but incidentally we see much of the splendid architecture 

 and scenery of the far east. The pictures are beautifully 

 printed and the mechanical execution of the book through- 

 out is unusually attractive. 



Notes. 



The Agricultural Gazette, of New South Wales, gives the 

 following as an example of the durability of the Yellow Box 

 timber, Eucalyptus melliodora : A tree was cut down in March, 

 1849, and a log fifteen feet long and fifteen inches in diameter 

 was placed while green as the ground plate or sleeper to sup- 

 port the posts of a veranda. About three-fourths of it was 

 under ground, where it has remained ever since, and it is 

 apparently as sound as the day it was cut. Another log of the 



