302 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



Insects to which, the Fig is subject. — The 



insects most frequently found in the Fig-house are 

 red spider, thrips, mealy bug, and brown scale. 

 The first does not often cause trouble until the fruit 

 begins to ripen, and as syringing can only be 

 occasionally resorted to, a strong effort should be 

 made to have the trees clean at the time moisture is 

 discontinued. The usual remedies are the timely 

 sponging of the leaves with warm soap-water, 

 syringing with clear sulphur-water after the fruit 

 has been closely picked, and painting the pipes with 

 sulphur when the house is close and dry. Sulphur 

 should always be applied to the pipes after the sun 

 has gone down, and air should be given before it 

 touches the roof the following morning. 



Thrips must be treated as described in previous 

 fruit articles. Mealy Bug, like thrips, is generally 

 introduced by means of infested plants from other 

 departments, and a most formidable and loathsome 

 enemy it is. Its entire destruction during the 

 growing season is very difficult, but it can be kept 

 in check by the use of methylated spirits applied 

 with a small brush, and the trees can be syringed 

 with paraffin and water, a wineglassful to four 

 gallons of water, after all the fruit is gathered. As 

 the oil does not readily mix with the water, one 

 person should keep them in constant agitation with a 

 syringe, while a second applies the mixture to the 

 trees. If washed within half an hour with clean 

 water the foliage will not be injured. 



Brown Scale. — In a dry warm Fig-house this 

 insect makes rapid strides, and soon extends from 

 the wood to the leaves and fruit. If taken in hand 

 as soon as the first family of young make their 

 appearance, the majority may be destroyed by using 

 a hard half -worn painter's brush, or a few stiff 

 bristles tied together and cut flat at the ends. 

 When all the fruit is gathered the trees can be well 

 syringed with hot water at a temperature of 120°. 



These remedies during the growing season only 

 scotch the scale and bug, but when the trees are 

 dormant more effectual cleansing should be carefully 

 performed. Every tie should then be removed and 

 burnt, together with all loose mulching and prunings, 

 the walls washed with hot lime and sulphur, the 

 glass washed, and the wood- work painted. Last of 

 all the trees should be well scrubbed with strong 

 soap- water and painted with Gishurst compound, 

 eight ounces to a gallon of soft water. When 

 forcing is commenced it will again be necessary to 

 keep watch for any insects that may have escaped 

 the winter dressing. So soon as one bug or scale 

 appears it must be instantly destroyed or picked off. 

 Before the leaves are fully developed the pests are 

 readily seen. If these precautions are neglected, 

 mealy bug will never be eradicated. 



TUBEEOUS-EOOTED PLANTS. 



By William Hugh Gower. 



MANY of the names under the following list are 

 often classed under Bulbous Plants. This, 

 however, is incorrect, according to the definition of 

 a bulb so lucidly set forth in the Life-History of 

 Plants by Dr. Masters in our first volume, and it 

 will be best to arrange them in a division by them- 

 selves. A few of similar character have already 

 been treated of under Greek-house Plants, being 

 so well known as such that their inclusion could 

 hardly be avoided. 



Achimenes. — A numerous genus of scaly-rooted 

 plants belonging to the Gcsneraccce, the majority 

 of which form splendid ornaments in the plant-stove. 

 For soil, use loam, peat, leaf-mould, and good well- 

 decayed manure, in equal parts, adding a fair pro- 

 portion of sand. If a succession of these plants is 

 required, some of the tubers should be started 

 monthly ; as the stems are slender, they require 

 careful staking, and this should be done early when 

 the plants are small. Achimenes luxuriate in strong 

 heat and moisture, and partial shade ; but when in 

 bloom they may easily be hardened off to stand in a 

 cool green-house. As they show signs of decay, 

 gradually reduce the supply of water until the tops 

 are all dead, after which keep them dry until the 

 following spring. Stove. 



A. Admiration — flowers 

 large, deep rose, with 

 light throat. 



A. Advance— deep reddish- 

 purple ; spotted eye. 



A. Anibroise Verschaffelt— 

 pale lilac, streaked with 

 violet, and spotted with 

 orange. 



A. Argus — deep plum- 

 colour, spotted carmine ; 

 orange eye. 



A. Celestial— light blue; eye 

 purple and cream-colour. 



A. Cherub — large, white, 

 sbaded with blue on the 

 edges. 



A. Diadem — magenta - car- 

 mine ; eye golden-yellow. 



A. Eclipse — orange -red, 

 spotted carmine. 



A. Harry Williams — cerise ; 

 eye yellow and mauve, 

 spotted with maroon. 



A . Lady Lyttleton — magen- 

 ta-crimson ; eye orange- 

 yellow. 



A. longiflora alba — flowers 

 large ; pure white. 



A. longiflora major — very 

 large; clear blue. 



A. Marvel — rosy -violet, with 

 light throat. 



A. Masterpiece — rich rose, 



shaded violet. 

 A. Mauve Queen— flowers 



large, mauve ; chocolate 



eye. 



A. nesida-soft lilac, with 



yellow centre. 

 A." Oberon — bright blue, 



white centre ; eye purple. 

 A. Pink Perfection — rosy- 

 pink, shaded violet; eye 



carmine. 

 A. purpurea elegans — deep 



claret ; throat spotted. 



orange. 

 A. Rival— rich deep puce. 

 A. Eose Queen— ro&y-lake, 



shaded purple ; orange 



eye. 



A. Scarlet Perfection — rich 

 bright scarlet ; orange eye. 



A. Sparkler— rich deep scar- 

 let. 



A. Stella— magenta, spotted 

 carmine ; orange eye. 



A. Unique— soft rosy-pink, 

 dotted scarlet ; yellow 



. eje -' • • a 



A. vivicans — carmine, sha- 

 ded with blue ; crimson 

 eye. 



A. Williamsii — brilliant 

 scarlet ; orange eye. 



Alstrcemeria.— The plants comprising this 

 genus, though belonging to the Amaryllis family, 

 are not strictly bulbous, the roots in the majority of 



