96 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
those of late spring planting. In case of their being ten- 
der varieties, a light covering of brush or similar mate- 
rial will help them over the first winter. 
The question of the right distance to plant is often 
asked, but this cannot always be answered, as there is 
much difference in certain varieties, and the fertility of 
the soil has much to do with it. But would say, five to 
six feet for strong growing varieties of shrubs, and 
about three to four feet for the low growing, compact 
sorts. We are also asked about pruning" of shrubbery, 
etc., but really no hard or fast rule can be given. I 
can only indicate in a general way what may be done. 
All shrubs that bloom before mid-summer, such as Deut- 
zias, Forsythia, Lilac, Philadelphus, Weiglias, etc., 
produce their flowers on the previous season's growth. 
To prune these in the fall or spring would destroy the 
crop of flowers for that season, therefore, they should 
have their pruning immediately after blooming. Va- 
rieties of shrubs that bloom on wood made the same sea- 
son, this class including such kinds as Altheas, Des- 
moduims. Hydrangea, Paniculata, etc., may all be 
trimmed in the early spring. 
Too much pruning is often done on shrubbery in 
many cases, and according to my judgment, all the 
pruning really necessary is generally some over-grown 
branches, dead wood, or sometimes a little thining out to 
let necessary air and light in, but to shear shrubbery like 
you were trimming a hedge is really an eyesore, and an 
injury to the beauty of flower and shrubbery. 
The earliest spring flowers, commencing with the little 
Snowdrop, Crosuses, etc., may be planted in the grass on 
the lawn or under the trees, where grass will not grow. 
There are lots of places where these little souvenirs or 
springtime can be grown, as they grow and mature be- 
fore the moisture is taken out of the ground by trees, etc., 
and they will be done blooming and be gone before the 
lawn really needs mowing. Narcissis, Hyacinths, Tulips 
can also be planted in certain locations in the shrubbery, 
or certain blocks or beds about the lawn. Planted in the 
grass like the aforementioned Snowdrops, etc., unless 
they can be left until later is not advisable ; that is, if you 
want to retain them for other years, as the grass may 
have to be cut before the roots of these bulbs have 
matured. Bulbs form a link between winter and the time 
the earlv shrubbery gets in bloom. 
INSECT ENEMIES OF TREES. 
(Continued from page 90) 
row drives away our insectivorous birds and inciden- 
tally protects this bright yellow and black caterpillar with 
coral red head and gorgeous plumes. The female is 
wingless and the spread of the pest is therefore slow, 
dependent upon the caterpillars crawling, or being carried 
from tree to tree. The winter is passed in conspicuous 
white egg-masses (more than 300 in each), the young 
caterpillars appearing the latter part of ^lay and com- 
pleting their growth in about a month. They feed by 
preference on horse chestnut and linden, though they 
may be abundant on elm and maple. There is only one 
generation yearly in inland Northern cities, such as Al- 
bany, though in both Boston and New York a later, mid- 
summer brood appears. 
This pest is easily controlled by removing and destroy- 
ing the conspicuous egg masses, or by timely spraying 
with a poison. In spite of this being the case, the cater- 
pillars annually defoliate or partially strip many trees 
in various cities. 
Ill regard to spray compounds and their proper appli- 
cation. Dr. E. P. Felt, New York State entomologist, 
gives the following helpful information : 
It is absolutely necessary, when fighting insects, to 
know whether the pest devours or chews its food, for, 
if not, contact insecticides or other means must be em- 
ployed. Biting or chewing insects devour or eat away 
portions of the plant, and the poison, in order to be ef- 
fective, should be applied where it must be eaten or the 
msect go hungry. If this is done thoroughly at the time 
of the appearance of the pest most excellent results may 
be expected, since young caterpillars usually succumb to 
poisons much more quickly than older ones. Sucking 
insects, as a rule, produce a wilting or discoloration of 
small areas and sometimes considerable curling of the 
leaves, as, for example, certain plant lice. Such attacks 
should be checked at their inception by the use of contact 
insecticides. 
Thoroughness is more than half the battle, and in 
applying poisons aim to cover all i)ortions of the plant 
liable to attack, and when using contact insecticides 
strive to hit as many insects as possible. 
Internal poisons or arsenical compovmds are applied 
where they must be eaten if the plant is attacked and 
on nothing soon to be used for food. They are valuable 
only for insects which devour their food. 
Arsenate of lead is the preferred poison for most leaf 
eating insects. A standard paste arsenate of lead shotild 
contain 15 per cent, arsenic oxid and is generally used 
at the rate of 2 to 4 pounds to 50 gallons of water. The 
dry arsenate of lead, a more recent development, has 
not proved satisfactory in all cases. In any event, this 
|)oison should be valued for its arsenic oxid content and 
freedom from water soluble arsenic oxid. Arsenate of 
lead may be added to either a lime-stilphur wash or bor- 
deaux mixture and thus form a combined insecticide and 
fungicide. 
Paris green may be applied at the rate of 1 pound to 
100-300 gallons of water. When used on fruit trees, 1 
]X)und of quicklime should be added. Repeated applica- 
tions will injure most foliage, tmless lime is employed. 
Paris green and bordeaux mixture can be applied to- 
gether with perfect safety. Use at the rate of 4 ounces 
of poison to 50 gallons of the mixture. This is combined 
insecticide and fungicide. 
London purple may be used in the same way as Paris 
green, but as it is more caustic in its action, two or three 
times its weight of lime should be added, especially for 
plum and peach trees. Green arsenite can be similarly 
employed. 
A well known authority on the subject says : "The 
time of spraying will depend upon the purpose in view, 
but in no case should the spraying of fruit trees be done 
when the plants are in full bloom. Spraying at this time 
will often interfere with the fertilization of the flowers, 
and consequently reduce the crop of fruit, while there is 
much needless destruction of bees and other insects which 
work upon the flowers. 
"Insecticides and fungicides are more eft'ective if ap- 
plied in a liquid rather than in a dry form, since they 
adhere to the foliage better. Sprinkling is not spraying. 
The best results are obtained from the use of a fine spray 
cr mist forcibly applied to the foliage ; and so far as 
possible, it should reach the under side of the leaves. A 
fine mist is preferable to a coarse spray, as there is much 
less waste of material and much less danger of injury 
to the foliage." — Tree Talk. 
