OPERATIONS FOR MAY. 
95 
garden, for a summer and autumn display of flowers. This is done chiefly with Verbenas, Salvias, 
Petunias, Anagallis, Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Alonsoas, Sec, in preference to annuals, which soon 
cease flowering, and become shabby. It is better to sow annuals either in the borders or in rows 
round some of the beds in the flower garden, near the edge. In planting do not lose sight of 
harmony in colours, nor of the rules generally observed to obtain a good effect. The centre bed 
should always be planted with some species growing strong, and very conspicuous when in flower, 
or else it should consist of a basket of flowers, a fountain, or something else which will form a 
conspicuous centre object ; every surrounding bed should have another similar bed on the opposite 
side of the group, planted so as to exactly correspond both in habit and colour. If the beds are 
cut out on the grass, very rich and lively colours are requisite to give a warm and cheerful 
appearance ; but if the beds are made on gravel, more pale- coloured flowers may be introduced. 
Keeping down insects is a very important part of successful cultivation, for without this no 
plant can be kept long in vigorous growth. Those which may be mentioned as very prevalent 
at this season, are the common Brown Scale (Coccus hesperidum) ; the small White Scale 
(Aspidiotus Nerii) ; the Brown Limpet Scale (Coccus patellceformis) ; the Black Turtle Scale 
(Coccus testud) ; the small Brown Scale (Aspidiotus Proteus) ; the Mealy Bug, (Trecliocorys Curt. 
[Coccus'] adonidum) ; the Olive Green Aphis (Aphis cassice) ; and Red Spider (Acarus telarius). — 
The Brown Scale ( Coccus hesperidum) is so well and universally known, that nothing need be said in 
point of description. The small White Scale (Aspidiotus Nerii) is a most destructive little creature, 
and exceedingly difficult to extirpate, for they secrete themselves in niches in the bark, on the 
under sides of leaves, folded buds, and in other situations where the application of remedies can 
with difficulty reach them ; they attack almost, indiscriminately, all plants with hard wood and 
shining leaves, but avoid those where the wood and leaves are very downy. The economy of 
these insects resemble in many respects that of the C. hesperidum, but, both male and female are 
much smaller ; the latter is more prolific, and when fixed, has less the appearance of a living 
creature. The colour is a pale yellowish white, inclining in the centre to a brownish buff ; the 
form is nearly round, and the whole very thin and flat ; but if the shield be carefully raised, and 
examined with a miscroscope, it will be found to cover an almost incredible number of very minute 
eggs. In the course of some days these eggs are hatched, and in a week or so afterwards, the 
young quit the shelter of the shield, proceeding from the lower extremity, and thus leave it 
unmutilated, and nearly as entire to appearance as ever. The young are at this time, not only 
remarkably small but somewhat active, and with a good glass may be seen moving about from 
place to place, exhibiting nothing of that torpor which after they become visible to the naked eye, 
is their unvarying characteristic. In a few days after their separation, the females select a 
situation whereon to fix themselves for life ; they there commence sucking up the juices, assume 
the form in which we usually see them, and lay their eggs. After having performed this great 
business of their existence, they die, and their skins furnish habitations for their numerous 
progeny. The males are much smaller than the females, and very dissimilar in appearance, being 
in reality little flies of a slender make and yellowish brown colour ; they have antennae and two 
black eyes, also two bristles on the abdomen, very much like those of Aphis ; they have six legs and 
two long semi-transparent wings, more than twice the length of the animal's body. They are 
seldom on the wing, but may often be seen slowly crawling over the branches or leaves of infested 
plants ; and from appearance their life is extremely short, probably not exceeding a few days. 
The Brown Limpet Scale (Coccus patellceformis) bears a great resemblance to the C. hesperidum, 
but is intermediate in size betwixt the latter, and the large winter scale of the Mealy Bug 
( Trichocorys adonidum) being larger than G. hesperidum, and smaller than T. adonidum. This 
especially infects Cinnamomum cassia, C.verum, and other aromatic plants, and from the rapidity 
of its increase, is very difficult to master. The colour of the shield is dark brown when the insect 
is matured, and of an oval shape ; but when young, and seated on the tender leaves of plants, 
they are pale buff. 
The Black Turtle Scale (Coccus testudo) is smaller than the last and not so flat. It infests the 
leaves and stems of most hard- wooded stove plants, but does not refuse those subjected to the 
temperature of the greenhouse , This species is found seated both in the upper and under side of 
the leaves, but prefer the latter, and usually fix themselves along the midribs. In shape 
they are oval, somewhat cylindrical, covered with tufts of short downiness, not very con- 
