195 



friends to remember that the same course must be 

 taken with them as with weeds, namely persistent 

 effort. Every w:ed destroyed is so much gained, 

 and so is every insect killed. We give no thought 

 to this subject, but it is one we must thin : about. 

 There is no doubt one great agent which we must 

 encourage to help us is th : birds. They eat our 

 fruit, but it is much easier to keep fruit from birds 

 than from bugs. 



The number of insects destroyed by birds is won- 

 derful. In our own grounds the feathered tribes 

 find safe protection. We think we have the best 

 ornithological collection of any one near here, and 

 from the arrival of the blue bird in February till 

 the first of June, when the first fruits in the shape 

 of s rawberrics ripen, they eat nearly nothing but 

 insect food, for they have nothing else to eat. • We 

 are quite sure ins-cts by t e million -are destroyed 

 in these three months by robins, blackbirds and other 

 feathered friends for us. 



One of the great pleasures of the fruit ^ rower, is 

 the effort* he makes to improve his varieties ; at this 

 season he will be busy making notes of the conduct 

 of various kinds, in different soils, and opposing 

 circumstances. He will remember that different 

 places, and modes of culture have very much to do 

 w th the size and quality of fruits, and that there- 

 fore it will not do for him to run in a hurry after 

 any big thing he sees until he has had a chance to 

 see more about it. We ar^ button-holed every day 

 by our friends, every one of whom has the most 

 remarkable seedlings ever known. 



(jomrauHirefiong^ 



COAL OIL FOR IN ECTS. 



BY J. M. 



Your correspondent from Cleveland, Tenn. , in the 

 June number of the Monthly, gives us some inter- 

 esting facts, on this subject; his experiments do 

 not seem to have been satisfactory to him. 



I should suppose it to be almost impossible to 

 clear a bed of young plants of inserts by the use of 

 the syringe or watering pot, from the difficulty of 

 getting the oil in contact with every part of the 

 plant, but when plants are in pots and can be im- 

 mersed, oil is certain death to any plant insect. Last 

 spring I tried it very extensively on a general col- 

 lection of plants consisting of Azaleas, Camellias, 

 &c., and the experiment was very successful, a few 

 plants only being scorched. I found a very small 

 quantity of oil sufficient, using only about two table 

 spoonsfull in a large tub of water, the plants were 



then immersed and then plunged for the summer 

 in a sunny place out of doors. It completely clear- 

 ed them of all insects. Mealy bug, Scale, Green fly, 

 &c., and in some case of leaves too, but not to any 

 extent, or to any visible injury to the plants now. 

 A more healthy lot of plants than they now are 

 could not be wished for, and their flowering the past 

 winter has been most profuse. A friend, who has 

 also tried the oil remedy tells me the danger is 

 lessened by placing the plants in the shade after- 

 wards for a few days. 



I have found the use of oil unnecessary since the 

 time recorded, from the absence of any insects on 

 the plants. When they do again appear I shall 

 certainly " oil them. " 



USES OP 



EVERGREENS IN 

 TAL PLANTING. 



ORNAMEN- 



BY C. H. MILLER, PHILADELPHIA. 



Read before the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 

 April 2d, 1867. 



A Tree is an object which has, at all times, been 

 held in great admiration, Its beauty of form, its 

 grand appearance, and its usefulness in so many 

 ways appeal to the esteem of all mankind, in all 

 ages, associated with the dwellings of civilized na- 

 tions in every country. 



The Persians, Greeks, and the Komans, were 

 particularly fond of trees. It was the greatest am- 

 bition of their wisest and most wealthy men to culti- 

 vate trees with their own hands, — and plantations, 

 whether planted by Nature or Art, were by them 

 held sacred : and stringent laws were made for their 

 protection. 



In this country the increasing taste for agricultu- 

 ral and horticultural pursuits has induced a great 

 many to remove from the cities to more pleasant 

 dwellings in the country, surrounded by trees and 

 flowers. Thus a demand has been created for them 

 which has, consequently, led to the extensive em- 

 ployment of trees, both as objects of use and orna- 

 ment. 



Trees, especially evergreens in a growing state, 

 afford shelter and improve the local climate, ameli- 

 orate bad soils, produce shade, seclusion, distinction 

 of character and concealment of disagreeable objects. 

 They also add to the charms of agreeable objects- 

 creating beauty, and adding value prospectively. 

 For these combined purposes, planting is now ex- 

 tensively practiced, — and what relates to their use 

 and culture is the subject now under consider- 

 ation. 



shelter considered economically. 

 The advantages to be gained by dividiiig tracts of 



