BULBOUS PLANTS. 



101 



pillars may also be caught and killed, and these 

 and the general nauseators already named are the 

 most efficient remedies. 



Just as this insect feeds chiefly on the huds, so 

 does the Slug or Slimy Worm, Tenthredo ceraai, confine 

 its operations chiefly to the leaves. This small hlack 

 caterpillar seldom begins operations till the autumn, 

 when it consumes all the cellular tissues of the leaves, 

 leaving the hare nerves and veins useless, skeleton- 

 like leaves on the branch. Fortunately their work 

 is easily seen, and a severe pinch between finger and 

 thumb, or frequent dustings of quicklime, make an 

 end of this small insect. If not taken in time, how- 

 ever, it ruins the leaves, and causes the fruit to drop 

 or makes it flavourless. Only the day before writing 

 this, the wi'iter saw many Pear-trees totally wrecked 

 for the season from the ravages of this small insect. 



The Tinea clerckela, or Pear-tree Blister-moth, also 

 operates on the leaves, and, unfortunately, commences 

 operations in June, while the Tenthredo seldom 

 begins its work of destruction till September. The 

 Blistor-moth also enters between the two skins of the 

 leaves, and eats up and out all its internal tissues 

 in safety, leaving the useless shells or outside cover- 

 ing intact. The leaves, as if shrinking from the 

 touch of these insects, form protuberances or blisters, 

 revealing their presence, and enabling the pomo- 

 logist to squash them. The eggs of this insect are 

 mostly found among the dead leaves under the trees, 

 and all these should be burned, and every means used 

 to destroy the moth and the caterpillar. 



The larva of another insect, that of the Homed 

 Tortrix, Tortrix quercana, also operates in a similar 

 manner on the leaves, confining its operations to the 

 under side, and concealing itself as far as may be by 

 a thin web of its own manufacture. As it is careful 

 never to pierce the leaf, and as its operations do not 

 cause it to develop into blisters, it is more difficult 

 to find. But in its last stage it becomes more bold, 

 and spins itself into a white cocoon, and even rolls 

 up the leaves to sleep in ; and now comes the oppor- 

 tunity of the Pear-grower to make an end of this 

 pest by hand-picking and bui-ning. 



Yet another caterpillar proves at times, though 

 more seldom, most destructive to the leaves. This is 

 called the Pear-tree Caterpillar, Astyages komerohiella. 

 Instead of consuming the whole leaf, this insect cuts 

 it up into tiny patches, from a quarter to half an 

 inch in diameter. This probably arises from its 

 peculiar structure and mode of feeding— pei-mitting 

 it only to graze so far without a fresh start, on the 

 same principle as a donkey on the line of its tether. 

 This peculiarity reveals its whereabouts, and invites 

 the destructive touch of the cultivator. 



Most of the insects that prove disastrous to the 

 Apple, with the great exception, however, of American 



Blight — that, fortunately, has not yet been induced 

 to try Pears — may frequently be found on the Pear, 

 and should be dealt with as described for Apples. 



But the caterpillar of the Pear Moth, Tortrix 

 augustiorana, like the Apple Grub, freely attacks the 

 fruits, concealing itself under the eye and its append- 

 ages, by a fine web, while it gnaws into safer quarters 

 under the rind, and feasts on the substance of the 

 Pear-flesh. Fortunately most of such fruits fall to 

 the ground prematurely, and if these and all pre- 

 maturely withered leaves are picked up and burnt, 

 the probabiHties are that the majority of the insects 

 will be destroyed with them. 



All this may seem somewhat slow and tedious 

 work, and it is, but it is astonishing how much 

 may be done to clear off these most noxioiis in- 

 sects by perseverance. These and other pests, such 

 as wasps, flies, earwigs, beetles, ants, should be 

 rooted out by cleanliness, filling up their lairs witli 

 mortar, making their homes uninhabitable witli 

 noxious smears, and alluring them into decoys and 

 traps of various sorts, such as bottles half filled 

 with sugar and beer, hand-lights so baited with ripe 

 fruit that the wasps, &c., can easily get in, but 

 cannot get out again. Besides this, all their nests 

 must be destroyed, and birds and wasps netted out 

 frqm choice fruits. Other enemies, such as rats, 

 mice, squirrels, must be kept down if garden Peai s 

 or other fruit are to be plentiful or safe in the garden 

 or on the walls. 



BULBOUS PLANTS. 



By "William Goldeins. 



Calostemma. — At the present time this genus 

 of Australian Amaryllidaceous plants is but little 

 known in English gardens, though fifty years ago 

 all those species comprised in- the genus appear to 

 have been grown. The plants are allied to the 

 Eurycles, and the species somewhat resemble those 

 of that genus. They are handsome plants, growing 

 wild along the river-banks in New South Wales 

 and Queensland, and sometimes in company with 

 Eurycles. They are easily - managed plants if 

 treated in the same manner as that recommended for 

 Eucharis and Eurycles and similar genera inhabit- 

 ing warm and moist localities. Being water-loving 

 plants they should be allowed abundance of water 

 during active growth, and even during the resting 

 period they should not be allowed to become quite 

 dry. The leaves are sometimes produced with the 

 flower-stems, at others not until after the flowers 

 are over. Late autumn is the usual flowering 

 period in this country, consequently the plants are 

 in active growth throughout the winter. 



