CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS. 
235 
CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS, AND ORIGINAL NOTES. 
Slugs are the most destructive vermin in 
a gai-den, and there are many ways of getting 
rid of them, but all require perseverance, and 
if they have been neglected long, the work 
will be the more troublesome. One of the 
most rapid modes of destroying is, to lay 
cabbage-leaves every yard all over the bor- 
ders and beds, and at daylight to examine 
every leaf, and put the slugs into salt and 
water, in a pail, or old garden-pot. The 
number that will be taken by this means is 
incredible. The leaves must be renewed over 
and over again, if the slugs continue to find 
them. Lime sown on the ground when the 
slugs are on the move, is another effective 
mode of destroying ; but it looks so untidy 
and offensive to the eye, that it can scarcely 
be done in a flower-garden. A slight sprinkle 
of salt will also destroy all it comes in contact 
with ; but these should only be applied when 
the slugs are abroad. — G. 
Wire-worm. — We have never known any 
remedy but catching and killing this pest. 
We have covered them with salt for twenty- 
four hours, and they have been none the 
worse. The best way is, to make holes and 
plant carrots, to be drawn up every morning, 
and put down again. The worms work their 
way into the cai*rot half-way, and stick there, 
so that a score may be sometimes pulled out 
of a single carrot ; and this continued, not 
only diverts them from the other crop, but 
lures them to their destruction. — G. 
Snails hide in old walls, and especially at 
the foot, and among ivy, and in all kinds of 
arbours. They must be hunted and destroyed, 
or they will be ten times as numerous before 
the summer is over. They may be traced by 
their slimy track, but nothing should be left 
undone to clear them away. — G. 
Wasps. — Every wasp killed this month is 
better than many at a later period. In fact, 
the earlier a wasp is killed, the better. A 
very sharp look:Out in time, will prevent 
whole swarms from infesting fruit ; and it is 
impossible to be too vigilant. — G. 
Butterflies. — By killing one of these, 
we destroy an eiitire future colony ; for if the 
fly once lays the eggs, the sun does the rest, 
and our crops are damaged, if not destroyed, 
by their ravages. — G. 
The Holly. — Too little use is now made 
of hollies in all our ornamental plantations, 
for they are, in fact, the jewels of the shrub- 
bery ; none so brilliant, none so glittering, as 
the holly ; and that not for a season only, but 
in winter as in summer, in one age as in 
another, for it lives for centuries. Pliny 
mentions one at Rome, 800 years old. If 
variety be coveted, it is freely given in the 
peculiarities of the spiny green leaves, in 
numerous variegations, and in differences of 
fruit. More attention appears to have been 
paid to these varieties, a century ago, than at 
present; for Miller enumerates many, some 
of which glory in names full of the gallantry 
of the age, as Phyllis, Painted Lady, Milk- 
maid, &c. As some guide to persons collect- 
ing different sorts, we will enumerate a few 
of the most distinct. These are, the Laurel- 
leaved — small leaves, without prickles ; Thick 
margin-leaved — broad leaves, without prickles, 
with a thickened margin ; Ciliated-leaved — 
with very fine prickles on the edges ; Ser- 
rated-leaved, or saw-edged ; Hedgehog, or 
very prickly ; the Spineless ; White-margined- 
leaved; White-spotted-leaved; Gold-edged; 
Gold - spotted ; Silver - blotched Hedgehog ; 
Gold - blotched Hedgehog ; White - fruited ; 
Yellow-fruited ; and of common variegations, 
of different markings, twenty varieties may 
be had in any extensive nursery. As regards 
the cultivation of tlie holly, no shrub can be 
more inviting. The only care required, is in 
transplanting ; and this, if done but with 
common attention, is sure to be successful. It 
has been recommended by some, that holly be 
removed at Midsummer ; by others, in April. 
With due precaution it may be removed at 
any time ; but when there is the choice of 
time, and a desire to avoid subsequent labour, 
transplant in November. The soil is of some 
importance. It should be light and dry. This 
may always be obtained by shallow planting, 
and by mixing sand with the broken earth. — 
MaundJ's Botanic Garden. 
Cheap Flower Gardening. — Those who 
do not possess a sufficient extent of glass 
frames for the propagation of Verbenas, Cal- 
ceolarias, and other half-hardy bedding plants, 
may make a splendid display by filling some 
of the beds with masses of the more durable 
annuals sown in the places in which they are 
to remain. It is not to be expected that the 
duration of these will be equal to the plants 
for which they are substitutes, but with a 
proper exercise of taste in arranging them, the 
result will be much more satisfactory than many 
suppose. For white beds use Clarkia pulchella 
alba, NemofJiila atomaria, or White Vir- 
ginian Stock ; for pink or rose colour, Clarkia 
p. rosea, Sa/ponaria calahj'ica, or Rose Vir- 
ginian Stock ; few things make a more splen- 
did yellow or orange bed than JEschscholtzia, 
and for a dwarf very compact bed of the 
same colour the common Mimulus moschatus 
is well adapted, if the situation is not too 
shady; for blue beds NemopJdla lusignu, 
