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JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Insects. — Diseases may be prevented by draining, using suit- 

 able soils, and care ; but insects put in an appearance in the best 

 regulated Pineta. When insects attack our lawn specimens, the 

 injury is serious enough ; but when they destroy or injure valuable 

 timber trees, the loss is very great. The most troublesome ma- 

 rauder is the Pine Beetle. Hylurgus piniperda, which deposits its 

 eggs in the bark and buds of young trees ; the larva? eat out the in- 

 terior of the buds and growing shoots, and in this way check, if they 

 do not destroy, the trees. Pinus insignis, and some others, are 

 much disfigured by the larva? of this beetle eating their way out 

 of the young shoots, which droop and die. The trees at Eastnor 

 some years ago were badly attacked, and being large, hand-pick- 

 ing, the only remedy, was a troublesome undertaking. Whether 

 it be due to perseverance in hand-picking or other causes, this 

 beetle has not been troublesome now for several seasons. 



The Typographic Beetle, so called from the lines made in the 

 young wood by its larva? resembling letters, attacks the Silver 

 Firs, but it is not so troublesome as the preceding. "Who has 

 not noticed his Junipers literally woven together by the larva? 

 of the juniper moth, which left alone destroys the leaves, and 

 permanently mars the beauty of the trees ? The Irish and 

 Swedish Junipers, also J. communis, seem special favourites, 

 chiefly in hot dry summers. When detected the branches 

 should be separated by hand, when syringing with lime water, 

 or dusting well into the centres with quicklime, will destroy 

 without injuring the trees. 



Commentary. 



Speaking of Conifers generally, I may say the Spruces, which 

 may be distinguished by their pendant cones, are supposed to 

 have the widest range of all the Conifers in the northern hemi- 

 sphere, consequently they are considered hardier than the 

 Silver Firs, which occupy a zone of variable width south of the 

 Spruces. The Spruces produce the most valuable timber, and 

 make very handsome specimens, many of them standing with 

 impunity where the Silver Firs, known by their upright cones, 

 get cut by late frosts in the spring. The latter, however, are so 

 beautiful that no one would think of omitting them from 

 their collections. In addition to the old friends from the New 

 "World, we now have some magnificent species from Japan. 



