December 24, 1898. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



355 



New Books. 



Insects Injurious to Orchard and Bush Fruits. By Eleanor A. Ormerod. 

 (Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, and Co., Stationers 1 Hall Court, E C. Price 

 35. 6d.)— Another most invaluable work has just issued from the pen of the 

 talented entomologist Miss E. A. Ormerod, and deals with insects injurious to 

 orchard and bush fruits and the best means of prevention and remedy. It con- 

 sists of 280 pages brimming over with valuable information to the fruit grower, 

 and contains as a frontispiece a photo likeness of the author, with sixty other 

 illustrations. In the preface the author states that she has endeavoured to collect 

 into a convenient form for reference the most important points of information 

 which we possess regarding the life-histories and habits of the insects of which the 

 attacks are commonly injurious to a serious extent to hardy fruit in this country, 

 together with notes of methods of prevention and remedy which have been found 

 serviceable at a paying rate. Same of the attacks mentioned have long been known 

 of, but there are few if any of these of which we have not gained some additional 

 information during the past few years, and of many of the others we have only 

 lately become possessed of the whole life-history ; whilst others, again, have lately 

 shown themselves as perfect scourges (in our present large scale of fruit growing) 

 which even within the last four or five years were wholly unknown to us as fruit 

 pests. 



Some of the infestations which have been little (or not at all) known of as 

 injurious until the past few years — as, for instance, the attacks of the Flat-celled 

 Shot-borer Beetles in plum wood, those of the "ground beetles " to strawberry 

 fruit, or again of the eelworm, which causes distorted growth of the strawberry 

 plant, have been entered into at considerable length, so as to give as much detail 

 as possible. In addition to the accounts of damage by insect attacks, observations 

 are also given of a few other kinds of infestations, such as injuries by phytoptidce 

 or gall mites, and nematoid worms ; and also, and very especially, the infestation 

 known as rust or red spider, of which more information was much needed where 

 it could be attainable for general reference. The author^ states that, as far as her 

 experience shows, the protection of our fruit crop? from insect ravages is likely to 

 be an increasing difficulty, consequent on the increasing extent of the areas in 

 which one kind of orchard tree or fruit bush is grown year after year, thus giving 

 every opportunity for the established settlement of the insect feeders on that 

 special crop. The handbook is worthy of careful study by every fruit grower, 

 and deserves a place in the library of every horticulturist. 



Pansies, Violas, and \ Violets. By William Cuthbertson, F,R,H.S. 

 (Macmillan and Co., Limited, London.) Price is. — Although a somewhat re- 

 stricted view is taken in dealing with the violas, Mr. Cuthbertron has been suc- 

 cessful in producing a handbook that will be highly appreciated by those who take 

 a special interest in the three classes of flowers which form the title, and should 

 be useful to all who are engaged in flower-garden management. In the admirably 

 written introduction the author gives an historical sketch of the development of the 

 show and fancy pansies, and of the race of violas which now receive so much 

 attention from amateurs, and are so largely employed in the embellishment of the 

 flower garden. As so well known to those who have studied the literature of the 

 pansy, the initial improvement of this flower is chiefly due to Lord Gambier and 

 his gardener, Mr. Thompson, who commenced the work of improvement by 

 selection from the seedlings of the common heartsease, which Lord Gambier had 

 asked him to cultivate, and by intercrossing the wild form with a blue variety 

 obtained from Brown, of Slough, and a dark one from Russia. The full account 

 of this early attempt to improve the pansy, written by Thompson in 1840, is given 

 and is extremely interesting reading. Thompson states that four years after he had 

 begun to raise seedlings he became much interested with the work, and as Lord 

 Gambier was much pleased with the results he persevered. One of the most beautiful 

 of the varieties was Lady Gambier, and Thompson states that although the flowers 

 were in shape " little more symmetrical than a child's windmill," it M won golden 

 opinions from every beholder. " In 1862 it was suggested that the show pansy had 

 nearly run its course, and with reference to this the author obs°rves that that writer 

 11 did not foresee that the show pansy was to maintain a firm hold on the tastes of 

 British florists for nearly twenty years longer.'*' This fact is satisfactory so far as it 

 goes,but it is not pleasant to think that show pansies with their finely marked flowers 

 have now practically become things of the past. We have no explanation given with 

 regard to their disappearance from gardens, notwithstanding the fact that the point 

 is of some importance. The development of the fancy pansy, and the race of 

 violas, which now obtains so much attention, undoubtedly had something to do 

 with the decline in the popularity of the show pansy, but the chief cause was 

 unquestionably the want of vigour in the plants. The raisers of pansies, as of 

 show pelargoniums, were so intent upon the shape and markings of the flowers as 

 to have lost sight of the fact that finely- formed flowers are of but little value unless 

 the plant has a constitution sufficiently strong to produce them with some degree 

 of freedom, Many of the later varieties of the show pansy had so weakly a con- 

 stitution that it was a work of extreme difficulty, except in favoured districts, to 

 maintain them in a healthy condition, and in consequence cultivators became tired 

 of the difficulties they had to contend with in their cultivation. These facts can- 

 not be brought too prominently before the raisers of pansies and viclas, and we 

 should therefore have been phased to see some reference to them in the pages of 

 this excellent manual. 



The historical sketch of the development of the fancy pansy and the race 

 of violas is in some respects less interesting than is that of the show pansy, but 

 that is in some respect due to their development having been accomplished within 

 a comparatively recent period. If apparently of less interest than is that of the 

 older section, it is not less brightly written, nor is it less useful. Mr. Cuthbert- 

 son traces with remarkable clearness the development of these tivo classes, and 

 accompanying the sketch are admirable illustrations of the several types, and 

 excellent portraits of the raisers who have specially distinguished themselves. Fol- 

 lowing the historical introduction is a chapter on the botany of the three classes 

 of flowers written by Mr. John Ballantyne, and this should prove extremely 

 useful to the practical cultivator as well as to the botanical student. In other 

 chapters the cultivation of pansies and violas for exhibition, and for flower garden 

 decoration, and of sweet violets ior the supply of cut flowers, is fully dealt with, 

 and carefully prepared selections adapted to the several purposes 2 re given. Nor 

 has the literature of the violet in its several forms been overlooked, for as a 

 balance to the immense amount of cultural and historical information contained in 

 the well-filled pages we have a chapter in which the poetry of the violet is dis- 

 cussed with singular ability. A chapter on the several beautiful species of viola 

 known to thrive in British gardens would have added materially to the usefulness 

 of the work, which is so valuable to warrant it having a place in the most select 

 garden library. 



Educational Leaflets. Part II. Edited by II. E. Dresser, F.L.S. (Society 

 for the Protection of Birds, 326, High Holborn.) Price is.— i his part of the Edu- 

 cational Leaflets, issued by the Society for the Protection of Birds, contains tul 

 particulars of the appearance, food, and general habits of the terns, wagtails 



chough, jay, flycatchers, nightingales, gulls, leaf- warblers, skylarks, skuas, pipits, 

 grebes, and the common buzzard. Information relating to the protection of these 

 birds is given, and the description of each species is accompanied by a charac- 

 teristic illustration. In his general remarks on the last-named bird the Rev. H. 

 A. H. Macpherson points out the importance of protecting birds of prey. He 

 writes : — 



The protection of the larger birds of prey can rarely be secured, except through 

 the forbearance of those who, as large owners of land, are most keenly interested 

 in preserving game. The sportsman who pays exorbitant rates upon the supposed 

 sporting value of his estate, and who has further to prevent his game from being 

 exterminated by maintaining a costly staff of keepers and watchers, has it greatly 

 in his power to decide whether the buzzard and other rapacious birds should be 

 allowed to increase and multiply upon his estate. If, then, it could be proved 

 that the buzzard habitually destroyed game, reason is that we should throw up the 

 brief which we hold for its defence. But happily the buzzard does not destroy 

 game ; cn the contrary, all our experience goes to prove the facts laid bare in the 

 stomachs of the buzzards which we have personally dissected (there is all the 

 difference in the world between the mere compiler and the man who writes from 

 a wide knowledge of substantial facts), that the buzzard lives on small but harmful 

 mammal and on carrion. Of course the buzzud kills rabbits, principally small 

 ones, when it can get them ; but this is in its favour. Rabbits do immense harm 

 to sheep pasture, not only because they eat a quantity of grass during the spring 

 months when food is scarce, but also by defiling the pasturage, which sheep refuse 

 to eat in consequence. The short-tailed fieldmouse or vole is most injurious to 

 hill pastures, and would multiply enormously were it not for the exertions of 

 buzzards, kestrels, and owls. The buzzard is a friend to the farmer, and well 

 worth encouraging on that score. But there is yet another reason why the hand 

 of the destroyer should be arrested before he fixes the iron gin to trap the harm - 

 less and useful buzzard. Much of our wildest and most beautiful scenery would 

 seem cold and lifeless were it not for the presence of the shy creatures which, 

 driven from more sheltered asylums, seek to continue their race among beetling 

 scaurs and desolate uplands. The buzzard — where does she nestle upon her 

 prettily-blotched eggs ? Far away among the shadows of the pathle«i hills, where 

 the muirfowl crows unheeded, where the red deer hinds file along ihe mountain 

 side, and the fox creeps through the loose screes, intent upon surprisirg the blue 

 hare that crouches in the heather in short-lived security. The male buzzard 

 sweeps through the adjacent strath, or challenges his mate to soar aloft in his 

 company, circling round with the least possible expenditure of exertion. When 

 one of a pair is killed, the survivor wails in loneliness among the passes of the 

 hills until time heals its sorrow by providing a new mate. Day after day the 

 freshly-united couple may be seen hunting in company, but they will most likely 

 defer further nesting plans to another spring. If they succeed in escaping the 

 tender attentions of the inveterate egg-collector, you may enjoy the evolutions of 

 the whole family, until the approach of autumn tempts the young birds to wander 

 to fresh districts. But the old birds will remain year after year in their accus- 

 tomed haunts, nesting in one or other of their ancestral eyries ; and at other times 

 coming in to roost just before dusk in their favourite niches among the crags. A 

 wild, free life is that of the buzzard, ever gliding through the air in easy circles, 

 or poised upon the projecting pinnacle of some sea-washed precipice. Why 

 should the charm of its fine presence be withdrawn from the mountain or the 

 lonely island shore, seeing that it is harmless to game, and a friend to the hard- 

 pressed agriculturist ? Game preserves have nothing to gain by effecting or per- 

 mitting its extermination. The world is the poorer for every buzzard that yields 

 up its innocent life in the keeper's trap. 



How fully the utility of the buzzard is understood in Germany is evidenced by 

 the title it bears, " Der Mause Bussard n : anglice, the Mouse Bussard. 



The Buying and Home Testing of Seeds. By William Toogood. (Toogood 

 and Sons, Southampton.)— In an admirably prepared brochure of sixteen pages 

 Mr. Toogood gives much useful information on the purchase and testing of the 

 purity and germinating power of different classes of seeds. Numerous illustrations 

 are given of the apparatus used in the germination of seed, and the results 

 obtained, and these will be found useful in the elucidation of the text. 



Cucumber Culture. (G. Tucker, 1, 2, and 3, Salisbury Court, Fleet Street.) 

 Price 2d. — A pamphlet of some thirty pages, in which useful information on the 

 cultivation of cucumbers for market and home use is given. 



Markets. 



Covent Garden* 



There are abundant supplies of fruits and vegetables. Oranges, grapes, apples, 

 and nuts sell readily, and the potato trade is fairly good, and the cut flower trade 

 fc ri 1c 



FRUIT.— English apples, 3s. to 8s. per bushel ; Nova Scotian and Canadian, 12s. 

 to 223. per barrel; Californian, 8;. to 91. per case ; French pears, 3s. to 5s. per ■ case; 

 Californian, 4s. to 7 s. per half-case ; English grapes, loi. to is. 9 d. ; Channel Islands, 

 6d. to is. peTlb. ; Almeria, xos. to 185. per barrel; Jaffa oranges. 8s. to ,10,. per 

 box; Valencia, 8s. to 16s. ; Murcia, 6s. to 6s. 6d. per case ; pineapples, is. 61 to 

 ?° id. each; bananas, 4s. to 9- bunch ; lemons 8s. to i5s. per case ; English 

 natos 6s. per 12 lb. ; Bordeaux, is. 6d. to 2s. per box. 



FLOWEKS.-Arums, 93. to 12s. ; carnations, 23. to «• ; chrysanthemums, white, 

 6s. to 95. ; chrysanthemums, yellow, 4 s. to 6s. J euchans, 4s. to 6s. ; gardemas 2s to 

 2 -ilium Harrisi. 9 s. to 12s. ; tea roses, is. to 23. ; pink roses, 4 s ; to .ft . ; cattleyas 

 ?o3 to 128. ; Odontoglossum crispum, 4 s. to 6s.; poinsettias, 12s. to 15s. , 

 In^s ad to od. per dozen blooms ; Adiantum cuneatum, 4 s. to 8s. ; chrysanthe- 

 mfmsos to marguerites, to 9- ; pelargoniums (scarlet), 12s. to 15s. 



ner dozen bunches lily of the valley, is. to 2s. ; Roman hyacinths, is. to . is. 6d. ; 

 SeaSca, white, is. to is. 3d. per do*n sprays; and bouvard.as, 4 d. to 6d. per 



tUn VEGETABLES.-English onions, 5*. to 5 s. €d. per cwt. ; Valencia, 6s. per case ; 

 Dutch » id. to 3s. od. per bag ; eschalbts. 83, to ios. per cwt. ; cucumbers, 2s. 6d. 

 F Ifkd ■ endive is. tf.to is. 9 d. ; lettuce, 9 d. to is. ; cos, 2s. to 2s. 6d. per 

 d-£ "«b£S Tss 6d to6s.; cauliflowers, 6s?t0 93.per tally; celery, 5 s. to 12s. 



to 



12 lb. 



eakale, 9d. to is. per punnet ; mushrooms, 5s. 1 3 8s. ; garhc, 3s. per 



Borough Potato Market. 



T t,,„ a modera'e trade, .ana a sugnt rise in me wi mui »» »^«'"/ ~- — - 

 2£? squish abundance. Bruce, and Main Crop, 65s. to 75 M f 

 Hebro?' Snowdrop, and Up to Date, 70s. to 75s.; White Hebron, Ear y 

 p£5J ftSHfigmim. Suttons Early Regent. Reading Giant, and Imperator. 

 i ' ' . Ri^iri.nHQ. fios. Der ton: Germans. 2s. 6d. per big. 



Mf „ rs Tames Carter am- Co. inform us that their establishment will be 

 closed fro* : two o'clock to-day (Saturday) until nine o'clock on Wednesday 

 morning next. 



