January 17, 1884 J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
51 
its ravages to the Wattle trees. According to Mr. Maskell it is the 
Mytilaspis that is the more serious, for it overruns in countless millions 
all kinds of fruit and other trees (fortunately it appears to be enormously 
infested and destroyed by a parasite). With regard to remedies, there is 
a little vagueness in the report, owing apparently to the confusion of the 
two insects. The first portion speaks only of the Icerya, and states that 
Mr. Engle of Nelson had completely destroyed it by the application of 
kerosene and fish oil. Subsequently Mr. Maskell, dealing with the two 
species, says that a mixture of kerosene and linseed oil (one-third or 
one-fourth of the former) as recommended by Mr. Comstock in America, 
bad been perfectly successful so far as regards the Mytilaspis, which he 
does not regard as serious in its probable effect upon Wattles (Acacia), 
but very serious with respect to fruit and other trees. On the other 
band, he considers all remedies useless against the Icerya of the Wattle 
other than the radical one of cutting down and destroying the affected 
trees. No indication is given, however, of the use of a force-pump in 
distributing the kerosene ; if this were used, the remedial agent might 
be distributed to a greater height than would be possible by mere hand 
application, and, moreover, it might be made to penetrate dense hedges, 
&c., the interior of which it would be impossible to drench by hand 
labour. The same report speaks very hopefully of the ultimate success 
of attempts to cultivate Hops in the province of Wellington ; in Nelson 
success has been already secured. The great drawback is the expense of 
providing the necessary poles, and much stress is laid upon the necessity 
for cultivating Oak, Ash, Birch, and species of Eucalyptus for that 
purpose. Of the indigenous poles, those of Myrsine Urvillei are said to 
be the most durable.— (Nature.) 
VINES FAILING. 
The Vines which I replanted from those which had been hard frozen 
the previous winter (page 537, last vol.) began to move in July, new 
leaves formed, the leading buds plumped up fairly well, and there were 
some patches of a bluish metallic lustre in a few of the old jaundiced 
leaves. These patches were mostly on the strong ribs of the leaves, 
spreading a little on each side, but this is far from general amongst them 
yet. Roots, too, were moving ; I examined a few, like the white end of 
a quill, only not so strong, but I did not detect any hairs on them. The 
two Vines which I put in by way of experiment had then scarcely started, 
except appearing a little more plumped. The new Vines were very 
healthy, the best about 5 feet long and the smallest 3 feet. These had 
been struck from eyes in the early spring of the same year, and had, as 
I suppose, received their last potting for the season ; the roots were 
coming to the sides of the pots. Of course we could not spread out the 
roots in this case, so the balls were carefully placed in position with the 
addition of a little leaf soil and old mortar broken up as in the other 
case, a good soaking of tepid water given to each, and they were then 
kept in as warm and mdist an atmosphere as could be given with safety 
to the Vines. With a hot July sun it was necessary to open the houses 
freely, and it was not therefore an easy matter to maintain a moist 
atmosphere in glass structures. By the first week in August all were 
growing fast, the foliage of a good dark colour, but the leaves first formed 
on the old replanted Vines were small and not so deeply coloured as the 
newer ones, less moisture was given and as much air night and day as 
possible, being careful to keep a good temperature. This state of things 
was continued until the first week in October, at which time several of 
the Vines had reached the top of the houses, but the wood was very 
green and soft. They were cut back freely, with the expectation of 
having one or two bunches from each Vine in the following season. The 
two Vines put in by way of experiment had not made much progress, 
and were cut back within two eyes of the border ; also two of the others 
were cut lower down than the rest. 
After giving the house a thorough clearing 1 examined the border 
carefully. This, as I expected, was dry, as my object had been to take 
care of the fibre, and had therefore only given sufficient water to keep 
the Vines healthy. Early in January we began to start the Vines. We 
had on some of the best Vines four bunches, three had only one bunch 
each, all the rest two or three each only. The two Vines which made 
very pithy wood did not show fruit, but it was difficult to restrain the 
growth, and with a dryish border as before the wood was well ripened by 
the middle of September ; also the two which made pithy wood much 
improved, and the two planted by way of experiment had made very 
good canes. Pruning was then performed, following up with the same 
thorough cleaning as in the previous winter, only at an earlier date. In the 
first week of December we started the early house, but as we have 
insufficient pipes for winter work it was the first week in June before 
we commenced cutting Hamburghs. The Vines all ripened a most 
satisfactory crop, both bunch and berry being exceedingly fine. The 
two Vines planted by w T ay of experiment have given one seven and the 
other five bunches of well-fiDished fruit; they chanced to be the Canon 
Hall Muscat. The soil of the borders is not much occupied by the roots, 
as I never thought of keep'ng them for permanent Vines. I have now 
another set of Vines between those first planted, which will be easy to 
keep to the surface now the border is settled, and we shall cut away the 
first-planted Vines as the new ones take their places.— R. Livsey, Clair- 
villc, Birhdale, Southport. 
The Cocoa Plum. —Those persons who visit Florida can, if they are 
interested in such matters, mate the acquaintance of a number of wild 
fruits. Among these is the Cocoa Plum, of which some speak in high 
praise. The Cocoa Plum is Chrysobalanus Icaco (the generic name 
meaning “ golden acorn ”) ; the genus is now placed in a sub-order of the 
Rose family, and differs from Prunus, the common Plum, in points only 
of interest to the botanist. It is a shrub from 6 feet to 12 feet high, producing 
white flowers. It is very common in all of the West India islands, and in 
Florida it is confined to the southern portion of the State. The fruit, in 
size and general appearance, is much like a common Plum, but is remark¬ 
ably variable in colour, some being white, others yellow, while it is not 
rare to find specimens with red or purple fruit. The pulp is sweet, and, 
though a little austere at first, most persons become very fond of the fruit. 
In Jamaica and others of the West Indies, a conserve prepared from the 
pulp is an important article of domestic trade. The kernel yields an oil on 
expression. The leaves and roots are astringent and employed as local 
remedies .—(American Agriculturist.) 
KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Early Peas .—Where these are valued, and they are everywhere, them 
cultivation must now be commenced in earnest. Autumn-sown crops may 
be good in some places, and failure may be the result in others, but these 
must not he depended on altogether, as we have often had Peas appear 
strong, healthy, and well up in January, and yet they were very far from 
this after the February frosts and March winds were over, and those sown 
now or about this time came in before them. Young plants from autumn- 
sown seed should be as much exposed to air and sun as possible, and only 
give shelter from cutting winds. A good ridge of soil drawn up on each 
side is one of the best protectors they can have in spring, and little twigs 
are better to put on each side than tall bare stakes, to which the tendrils 
cannot readily cling. 
There are" many ways of raising young Peas in spring, but we only 
practise two of what we have proved to be the best modes. They are 
both simple. One is to sow the seed in the open ground, the other in pots. 
Round Pea seed such as William I. is very hardy. It will germinate now 
as well as in November or March, and a number of rows should be sown 
in the most sheltered corner available. Light rich soil is the best, and a 
quantity of sand put in with the seed is excellent for inducing quick and 
sure germination. If the seed be sown now the plants in ordinary 
winter weather would he 2 inches high a month hence, and will be sturdy 
in growth. 
In raising Peas under glass there is no better way than sowing the 
seeds in 3-inch pots. Each pot should have a few leaves put in the bottom, 
then half fill with soil, putting about a dozen or fifteen seeds on this, and 
then fill with more soil. Two or three hundred pots filled in this way 
will give plants to make several rows, especially if each potful is turned 
out without breaking the ball and planted 4 inches or so apart. This is 
how we always treat them. As soon as the seeds are sown the pots are 
placed in a house, pit, or frame where the temperature is from 55° to G5°, 
and their germination soon takes place. As soon as the young leaves are 
visible the”pots are kept near the glass, and air is admitted freely on all 
favourable occasions. As growth advances more ventilation is given, and 
by the time the Peas are 3 or 4 inches high they will have been transferred 
to a cold frame where they are thoroughly hardened, and then planted in 
the open ground in about one month from the time of sowing. In back¬ 
ward locafities other batches may be sown in the same way to make two 
or three successional plantations before the end of March, when then- 
culture in the open becomes an easy matter. 
Kidney Beans .—These if sown like the Peas in small pots and grown 
on in 5° or 10° more heat will make rapid progress now. Osborn's Forcing 
is the best variety to sow under glass. Three or four dozen pots will form 
a good batch, and if this number are filled weekly until the end of 
March Beans may be gathered constantly from March onwards. Light 
rich soil suits them best, and as soon as the plants are 4 inches high they 
should be transferred to 7, 8, or 9-inch pots. Abundance of light, a genial 
heat, and plenty of water when growing fast w 11 always bring Kidney 
Beans forward satisfactorily during the whole of the spring months. 
Broad Beans .—Early Mazagan and Seville Longpod varieties should 
be sown at once. Still well-manured soil suits this crop. At present 
large quantities should not be sown, but only a few rows in an early posi¬ 
tion for a first crop. Our early Broad Beans are mostly grown between 
our Strawberry rows. As the ground is good and well exposed here, 
when the Beans are planted 1 foot or more apart they do not interfere 
with anything, but bear heavily. 
Lettuce .—Early Paris Market and Wheeler’s Tom Thumb should be 
sown now. At this time we only fill some of our cutting boxes of 
seed, which give 400 or 500 plants, and these make a good batch to begin 
the season with. Any kind of light soil does for starting the plants, and 
very little heat suffices to cause germination and make the plants grow ; 
in fact, excepting during the time of frost any ordinary frame with a light 
over it is a suitable place in which to bring forward the young plants until 
they are large enough to handle, when they may be transplanted in boxes, 
frames, or sheltered places about the bottoms of hedges and walls. 
Cauliflowers .—Some of the extra early sorts now offered by many 
seedsmen should be sown in the same manner as we have advised for the 
