OPERATIONS FOR AUGUST, &c. 
167 
layered. Beds of struck Pink pipings may be formed, or they should be potted where they are 
meant to form plants for forcing. 
Layering and budding of all shrubs, trees, or plants, that can be increased by such agency, 
must be properly regarded. More things, probably, are in a fit state to layer at this season than 
at any other ; and this should be borne in mind. 
Increase of shrubs, plants, &c, by whichever of the many ways of propagation it is effected, 
involves more considerations than may be imagined. For instance, it sometimes occurs that a 
particular shrub or specimen plant would be greatly improved if its dimensions were enlarged ; 
and some of the methods of propagation may be called in to effect such an object, without additional 
numbers of the plants operated upon being produced. But the principal matter brought under 
attention by proceeding to propagate is the merits of the various plants about to be propagated. 
The advantage of giving these considerations their due share of attention will be obvious to almost 
every one ; and such considerations are the more worthy of attentive regard, because every season 
a multitude of things are forced into notice which have little beyond novelty to recommend them. 
In nearly all departments of the garden the principal general work, at this time of year, is of a 
routine character. Everything should be done in each to develop and maintain its several 
attractions. 
Growing plants, to whichever class they belong, must have due attention ; so also must those 
which have matured, or are maturing, their growth. Autumn and winter-flowering things will 
well repay whatever care and trouble is taken with them. They are an important item amongst 
the objects of the culturists' care at this season. Various annuals help to create a very effective 
display in autumn, both as pot plants and in the open ground ; they should have due attention 
accordingly. 
Seed gathering, and the care and preservation of bulbous or tuberous-rooted things, is a matter 
of some importance henceforth for the remainder of the season, and must not be neglected. 
Insects in this month are very numerous ; every place teems ; turn which way we will, our 
path is beset with millions of living creatures ; and this year especially, Roses and many other 
plants have severely suffered by the attack of the more injurious. Persons who are very imper- 
fectly acquainted with the habits of these little creatures, are liable to consider every insect met 
with in a garden in the light of a depredator : this is far from being the case, some are quite 
innocuous, and may be considered as ornaments ; others, although they attack our garden-plants, 
their depredations are too trifling to notice. The following are a few of those most active amongst 
flowering plants during this month : — 
Pepper Moth (Biston betularius). — This moth is double-brooded ; the first appearing in June, 
and the second in September. The eggs of the June brood are hatched in July, and continue 
feeding until the last week of the present month, when they go into the pupae state, burying them- 
selves in the ground, and the perfect moths appear about the beginning of September. The eggs 
of the autumn brood are laid on the steins of the Rose trees, and there remain until the following 
spring, and are hatched about the time of the expansion of the leaves. By the middle of May 
they are an inch long, and shortly afterwards go into the pupse state, the moth appearing about the 
beginning, or towards the middle of June. 
The caterpillars are greyish brown, with a faint red line down the centre of the back. In 
some seasons they are numerous ; but as they feed only on the Hose leaves in the season of luxu- 
riant growth, the injury occasioned by them'is trifling. The perfect moth measures, when the 
wings are expanded, an inch-and-a-half ; all the wings are dirty white, clouded with pale ash, and 
thickly spotted over the whole insect with black, whence the name " Pepper Moth." 
Barred Yellow Moth (Harpaiyce fulvata). — This beautiful little moth appears in June, and 
may be caught in abundance now by beating the Rose bushes. The caterpillar is greenish yellow, 
with a white mark, bordered by a darker one on each side. It feeds voraciously on the leaves of 
the Rose trees, but does not appear to attack the buds. The parent lays her eggs in July, and the 
caterpillars, which are this month feeding in considerable quantities, will be full fed early in Sep- 
tember, and will then enter into the pupee state, burying themselves in the ground, and forming 
brown cocoons. The perfect moths appear the following June. The wings measure, when expanded, 
about an inch across. First pair, tawny yellow, with a deep broad band across the centre ; second 
pair, pale dull yellow, with darker margins. 
