PARK AND CEMETERY. 
109 
The Elm Leaf Beetle in Kentucky. 
Specimens of the imported elm leaf 
beetle, Galerucella luteola, have been re- 
ceived from a section of Nelson County 
thirty miles south of Louisville, Ken- 
tucky, where it was found in such quan- 
tities that ten bushels of the mature bee- 
tles might have been taken from as many 
trees. 
It is interesting to note that where the 
English and the American elm were 
growing side by side the European tree 
only was attacked, the native species be- 
ing quite free from the pest. 
The only effectual remedy is to spray 
the trees with a preparation of Paris 
green or arsenate of lead when the insects 
are in the larval state and as there are 
often two or more broods each season it 
will be necessary to repeat the operation 
at intervals. 
Persons in authority in towns where 
this beetle is found should make every 
possible effort to have it exterminated in 
order to avert the injury which would 
come from its increase. 
To this end it would be well to secure 
legislative aid by the enactment of such 
laws as would require owners of infested 
trees to take prompt action towards the 
destruction of the pest. — Warren H. 
Manning. 
* * * 
Kalmia, or Mountain Laurel. 
The sides of old Lookout and all sur- 
rounding mountains have been clothed in 
festal May garments of wild Laurel, and 
a more beautiful wild flower has never yet 
been discovered. This genus of evergreen 
shrubs is common from Maine to Georgia 
and is usu.illy found on mountain sides or 
dry waste places, and occasionally along 
streams. 
It is generally supposed that this shrub 
cannot be transplanted from the woods, 
and the writer has repeatedly been 
unsuccessful in his attempts at so doing; 
but a good authority says this is a mistake 
for with proper precaution in preparing 
the soil, as nearly like that in which 
Kalmia usually grows, success is assured. 
The following few directions are to be 
closely observed: First, soil which is in a 
great measure leaf mould should be pro- 
cured, than take up plants of small size, 
being careful not to cut the loots, and not 
to let them get dry; plant as quickly as 
possible after taking up, then cut back 
and it is said very few will fail to make 
elegant plants which will flower freely the 
second year. 
The flowers of Kalmia latifolia are 
bor.ie in large and showy clusters of rose 
color or white with crimson spots, flowers 
terminal; leaves are lance ovate of bright 
rich green. — Southern Florist and 
Gardener. 
* * 4f 
Spraying. 
It is marvelous what spraying has 
done and is doing for horticulture. The 
ravages of insects on fruit and foliage have 
no doubt discouraged many persons from 
planting certain desirable things. Putting 
aside the San Jose scale, which has al- 
ready had more than its share of dis- 
cussion in the past few years, the elm 
and most all evergreens have chiefly 
suffered — the former from the leaf beetle 
and the latter from red spider. The 
largest immunity from human attack is 
had by the spider. Evergreens get pos- 
sessed by these minute creatures and be- 
come virtually smothered with them, dy- 
ing gradually. I witnessed the destruction 
of one of the most beautiful hedges of 
Norway spruce, which had become so 
infected as to make it a menace to other 
near-by evergreens as well as an unsightly 
object. Spraying has placed greater re- 
sponsibilities on the shoulders of the hor- 
ticulturist, for by its means, if taken in 
time and properly used, almost all insects 
and fungi may be controlled. Kerosene 
emulsion is an effective spray against red 
spider, though where trees have been 
neglected many years, and have become 
bare of foliage and haggard, it is often 
most satisfactory to apply the axe and 
supply the brush heap to be immediately 
burned. Leaf-eating insects are always 
best reached by poison solutions, such as 
Paris green. It is becoming quite usual 
to use the latter in connection with Bor- 
deaux mixture, making the spray against 
fungi as well as insects. The spraying 
apparatus should become tools for regu- 
lar use whereever there are trees, and 
when this becomes an established rule, 
pests will be under fair subjection. Both 
sulphur and lime are known to be puri- 
fiers and are much used in greenhouses to 
check mildew and rot. But their use 
should be extended further to many out- 
side cases. Root diseases, particularly 
among evergreens and small plants, are 
not infrequent, and an application of sul- 
phur or lime will usually be found helpful. 
The English gooseberry has found ill- 
favor in the United States because of mil- 
dew attacks on the leaves. Powdered 
lime sprinkled over the plant, as sulphur 
is used in greenhouses on rose leavss, has 
been found entirely effective. An impor- 
tant thing for the person who sprays is 
to learn that delays are dangerous. Spray 
early and at regular intervals. These 
pests do not come with a flare of trumpets, 
and signs of their presence should not be 
waited for. Spray anyhow, as prevention 
is always better than a cure.- 5. Mendel- 
son Meehan . 
# » » 
Sob-Irrigating Flower Beds. 
The experiments that have been tried 
in introducing water freely below the beds 
of growing plants have proved conclu- 
sively the value of this kind of watering. 
The cross section given herewith shows 
how one may readily try this experiment 
for himself any time. Select the spot 
where a small bed is to be devoted to 
foliage or other plants, and sink an empty 
keg in the centre just below the position 
of the coming roots Fit an old piece of 
tin pipe, as suggested in the sketch, and 
your ‘-irrigating plant” is ready for busi- 
ness. Not only can water be thus freely 
applied, but liquid manure also. The 
keg, it should be said should not be one 
that will “hold water.” 
* X -x 
The Linden Tree, 
At the Arnold Arboretum lecture in 
Professor J. G. Jack’s course he said re- 
specting the Linden: “The linden has 
many names, in various localities it is 
called linden, lime tree and whitewood. 
The common name for the American 
species of the tree is basswood. One 
pleasant characteristic of the linden is its 
delicate sweet-scented flowers. Another 
peculiar feature is its bark, which is soft, 
white, and so tough and close in texture 
that the inner portion is used for fine 
matting. Although the basswood is the 
only native species to be found in New 
England, it is not at all common about 
Boston, and most of the trees seen here 
on the Common and elsewhere are of 
foreign origin. The basswood is the latest 
of the lindens to flower, its blossoms 
being seen about the first week in July, 
although there is one European species 
which puts forth its flowers almost as late. 
It is easy to identify a linden, no matter of 
what kind, for the bark of all has a peculiar 
odor and flavor.” — New England Farmer. 
