110 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



November, 1918 



later to become the large untidy frass-filled 

 shelters of the numerous family of caterpillars. 

 For it is here they rest on cold and rainy days 

 and at night when not feeding or while casting 

 their skins at molting time. 



The other egg mass with the abrupter ends is 

 that of the forest tent caterpillar. This name is 

 a misnomer for unlike its twin species it builds 

 no sheltering tent and is so called merely because 

 of the habit of its relative. It is, therefore, 

 sometimes called the tentless caterpillar and 

 with good reason. To be sure it spins, as does 

 its cousin, but only a carpet for its feet instead 

 of a covering for its body. When the light 

 falls right you can see the white trails of these 

 tentless caterpillars shimmering against the bark 

 of the trunk and branches and along this silken 

 path theyretrace their steps to gather in company 

 at molting time for though they wander apart 

 they are gregarious by instinct at these critical 

 periods in their growth and they can be found in 

 congregations while waiting to cast aside the 

 old raiment which displays the fresh garment 

 underneath. 



The two egg masses are much alike and so are 

 the caterpillars which hatch from them. Both 

 are golden brown with creamy white lines and 

 decorations of pale blue. If we saw either singly 

 and rarely this color scheme would be more 

 admired but the large colonies are messy in 



effect and the individuals have a habit of dropping 

 carelessly to our neck or clothing which is more 

 startling than pleasing. 



The first mentioned species has a continuous 

 line of creamy white running lengthwise along 

 the middle of the back and the other has instead 

 a row of broken marks of the same color. 



Like egg mass and caterpillar, the cocoons 

 are much alike but still distinctive enough to 

 be told apart; the latter species having a much 

 more filmy outer cocoon about the snug yellow 

 frescoed inner one. If the children are wondering 

 what to do, by the way, set them to gathering a 

 few of these caterpillars at cocoon time and 

 bid them find out how the caterpillar paints his 

 cocoon yellow. 'Tis worth watching yourself, 

 if you have not in your own youth been fortunate 

 enough to satisfy your curiosity on this point. 

 A strange brush these larvae use and a paint as 

 well adapted to their needs as the no more 

 beautiful soft fresque tints that cover the ceilings 

 of your own domicile, however wealthy you may 

 be. 



The two moths which emerge from the well 

 built and well painted cocoons are much alike 

 in color tone and general appearance yet different 

 enough to be told apart. 



Both species are common orchard pests and 

 both can be controlled by a spring spray though 

 it is well enough to clip the brown egg rings 



when j^ou find them glistening in the sun at 

 pruning time. 



' I TIUS one by one we read the signs of the 

 ■*■ times in the orchard. We watch for 

 moth, egg, or caterpillar hibernaculum, or cocoon. 

 We notice whether the scale insects on the twigs 

 are abundant and what species are present. We 

 look for the glistening black eggs of the various 

 species of aphids which winter on the apple and 

 take account of the reddish masses of minute 

 eggs of the clover mite, a frequent invader of 

 orchards. 



Some of these pests call for treatment while the 

 tree is dormant and enter into the winter's 

 programme of every successful orchardist. Other 

 insects we note in passing and decide whether 

 nicotine sulphate would not as well be added 

 to our list of orders as the arsenate of lead we 

 always keep on hand for the great spring drive. 



Altogether we take the ladder and pruning 

 tools back to the shed with the realization that 

 it was to no idle errand the call of woodpecker and 

 chickadee wakened us from our idle doze before 

 the tempting hearth. We await the spring 

 now with a feeling of duty performed and in- 

 formation gathered which makes us indeed 

 masters of the situation. Complacently, we 

 open the book at the mark which kept our place 

 while we pruned the orchard. 



The Garden in the South 



NOVEMBER in this region is the month 

 for general preparedness for the spring 

 drive; cleaning up; rehabilitation of soil, 

 shrubs and trees; conservation of time 

 in a thorough preparation of the soil; saving 

 clean trash for a compost heap; setting out dor- 

 mant plants, trees, and shrubs. 



Cleaning up or setting the garden in order. 

 Burn weeds that are obnoxious or diseased or 

 infested with insects. Read also the article on 

 page 1 1 8. 



Rehabilitation of the soil by the sowing of crops 

 for green manures. Alsike clover, vetch and rye, 

 and Canada field peas can be sown now on all 

 vacant plots, orchard, and vineyard. Scatter 

 lime over the garden every three or four years — ■ 

 where vegetables are constantly grown the land 

 is apt to get sour. Plow deeply and leave the 

 furrows rough so that constant freezing and thaw- 

 ing of the ground will mellow it; and insects will 

 be frozen out. Throughout the winter fresh 

 manure can be scattered broadcast over the 

 garden plots and fields, to be plowed under in 

 the early spring. 



Rehabilitation of the orchard and small fruit 

 garden by pruning out all dead and diseased 

 limbs and thinning out where the limbs cross 

 each other and are too thick to let in the sun-light, 

 trimming off the long canes of blackberries and 

 raspberries, and cutting out entirely all the old 

 canes. Setting out new trees and shrubs in 

 vacant places or where others have died out. 



Dormant planting should be done this month 

 before the ground freezes. In the orchard apple, 

 pear, and cherry trees can be set out. Also set 

 out gooseberry, currant, raspberry and black- 

 berry bushes. Most of the ornamental shrubs 

 and trees should be set out now, but a few like 

 Tulip Poplar are best planted in the spring, and 

 all evergreens should be planted in March or 

 late February. Peaches, plums and apricots 

 or such fruit as have large kernels should be 

 planted in the spring. 



In planting dormant trees in the fall it is not 

 necessary to water them; but one person should 

 hold the tree steady and straight while another 

 packs the dirt firmly about the roots with a 

 pointed pole; and two poles should be planted 

 a foot away from the tree on opposite sides, 



to which the tree should be tied to prevent its 

 being loosened by the strong winds. 



This preparation of the soil and rehabilitation 

 of the fruit trees and bushes is great conservation 

 of time. Conservation is the watch word now 

 as labor is scarce and materials are costly. 



Because of their food value the planting of 

 nut trees is advocated, the quick growing varieties 

 of chestnuts, pecans, and walnuts. The two latter 

 are particularly ornamental trees and could be 

 planted on the lawn. 



There should be more apples planted; they are 

 such a wholesome fruit both raw and cooked, 

 and although the standards do not begin bearing 

 for eight years — setting out an orchard is a good 

 investment — and the small gardens could grow 

 the dwarf apples which come into bearing earlier 

 and take up one-fourth the space. 



Grime's Golden is a yellow apple for early 

 winter and a good eating apple. The Albemarle 

 pippin adapted to special soils in Virginia is a 

 most superior apple for all purposes; and the 

 Winesap is a close second and can be more widely 

 planted. Black Twig is also a good winter apple. 



Saving of bean vines, grass clippings, old leaves, 

 and all clean trash and piling them together for 

 a compost heap is more necessary than ever — 

 and if they are turned over several times, and 

 mixed with well rotted manure and in the spring 

 some acid phosphate added, no better material 

 could be had for the renewing of the soil in the 

 cold frames or to use in the garden. 



The dormant crops in vegetable gardens are 

 asparagus, cabbages, and lettuce. Get good 

 strong roots of asparagus and plant them eighteen 

 inches apart in a trench which is two feet deep 

 and two feet wide — put six inches of well rooted 

 cow manure in the bottom of trench, over this 

 two inches of soil; — lay the roots cross-wise of 

 the trench; fill in a little soil at a time. Asparagus 

 roots have a tendency to push upward and 

 therefore should be planted deep; the trenches 

 should be five feet apart. Conover's Colossal is 

 a good green variety an'd should have flat culture. 

 The Giant Argenteuil is an excellent variety to 

 be hilled up and use the white or blanched 

 stalks. It is free from rust or other diseases. 

 Set out one year old plants. 



Set out the Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage 



plants in rows running east and west and in 

 furrows quite deep, so that the earth hilled up on 

 the north side will give protection in very severe 

 weather. Set these plants fifteen inches apart and 

 between them set a plant of Hanson lettuce. 



For the flower garden the dormant things are 

 mainly the Sweet Peas, Shirley Poppies, Arabis, 

 Forget-me-not, Phlox Drummondii — in the way 

 of annuals; and all perennials are best planted in 

 the fall so they can get an early start the first 

 warm days of spring. 



Care should be taken not to put manure too 

 close to Rose bushes and only well rotted, strawy 

 manure should be put on the beds. Only the 

 tender varieties should be protected in winter 

 with straw or pine tags about them and this 

 should be done after the ground is frozen. The 

 object is to prevent the constant freezing and 

 thawing which loosens the roots in the ground 

 and so often kills the plant. 



The celery must be continually banked up 

 with earth as fast as it grows and in December 

 pine tags or straw put over the entire bed and 

 held down by planks or poles put on in a slanting 

 manner like a roof, to shed the snow and rain. 



The indoor garden needs constant attention. 

 Vegetables and flowers in greenhouse, coldframes 

 and conservatory should have air every day 

 even in cold weather; and extra protection given 

 in severe weather at nights. A thorough watering 

 when needed is better than a sprinkling each day. 



Lettuce in the cold frames can be forced to 

 maturity for Thanksgiving if started in August 

 and constantly feeding the plants with nitrate 

 of soda or manure water between the rows of 

 lettuce, and not allowing the leaves to get wet. 

 Constantly loosen the soil between the rows. 

 Keep on the lookout for lettuce worms and 

 use slug shot to exterminate them. In order to 

 prevent lettuce wilt put fresh soil in the frames 

 each winter; — also give air every day. Bring 

 plants to quick maturity by constant feeding. 

 Way-a-head is a good winter variety which 

 heads up readily. 



Store vegetables for winter use either in cool 

 cellars or kilns. Directions for making same are 

 given in November number of 1916 Garden 

 Magazine. 



Virginia J. M. Patterson. 



