February 7, 1 «K4 | 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
113 
where water has been scant and manuring not well attended to, 
because the new growth does not then replace the leaves that 
have perished. 
One of the correspondents of this Journal states that he has 
found brewers’ hops a good preventive. When the Celery 
seedlings are pi'icked out he sprinkles some hops amongst them, 
and at the time the plants are removed to the trenches he puts 
more between the rows. This seems to keep the flies from 
approaching to deposit eggs. Also the leaves may be dusted 
with soot, lime, or other substances w'hicli are likely to keep them 
from settling upon the young plants. The winter is an impor¬ 
tant season for operations, since many pupae are lying then in 
the earth just below the Celery, hence the advantage of scraping 
off the surface and of rough digging, which buries some too 
■deep for the flies to emerge, and brings others within reach of 
birds. Or gaslime may be used to give the soil a dressing ; this 
will kill most of the pupae. The Celery fly has a parasite which 
reduces the number of the pupae that produce the mature insect. 
It appears to attack the larvae, placing one egg in each; they turn 
to pupae, but the enemy within ends their life in this stage. 
This useful species is called Phagonia smaragdina; it is a beauti¬ 
ful object under a magnifier, of a golden green, having the 
antennae and legs bright orange. Some years the blisters of this 
leaf-miner are not uncommon upon the Parsnip also, a plant 
which does not seem to have any foes peculiar to itself, but which 
is sometimes infested by the “ rust ” of the Carrot (Psila rosa?), 
and the two species of Depressaria which visit the flower heads 
Fig. : 
and seed of the Carrot occur upon the Parsnip as well. That 
very general fee ler on roots and stems, the wireworm, larvae of 
one or other of the click beetles or Elaters, occasionally touches 
Celery, but much prefers Carrots or Turnips when they are 
handy. I have not found the Celery attacked by the subter¬ 
ranean caterpillars of those common garden moths, the Turnip 
moth (Agrotis segetum), and the Dart (A. nigricans) though 
it would be no wonder if such were the case. — Entomo¬ 
logist. 
PEACH TREES CASTING THEIR BUDS. 
In reply to “ Alpha,” I may state that for more than a dozen years I 
used nothing hut spring water for watering the indoor borders of Peach 
houses, and it was never warmed or brought to the same temperature as 
that of the house in which the trees were growing, but it was distributed 
by a hose pipe just as it came from the cistern into which the spring 
delivered, and as the cisterns were underground the temperature of the 
water was rarely more than 50°. This may seem strange as applied to 
Peach trees forced to ripen their fruit in May or early June, and still 
stranger to sj ringe the trees twice a day with the same water at the same 
temperature. It may he considered contrary to sound practice, and yet 
I never noticed any sensible difference in the results when the trees 
were watered and syringed at the same temperature as that of the house 
•or when they were supplied with the cold water. Did the buds fall ? 
Yes, some of them two years in the fourteen, yet it did not occur to me 
that it was due to the spring water; in fact it was not, as the buds were 
cast in one of the years when tepid water was applied—viz., in the fourth 
year from planting, and in the eighth when they were supplied with the 
cold water. The buds were cast just as badly with the warm soft water 
as with the cold spring water. This may appear remarkable, yet it is not 
in the least perplexing, as the trees had attained in the third year to such a 
■degree of luxuriance that the wood did not ripen, and some of it was fully 
<5 feet in length, and nearly as thick as the thumb. The buds were cast 
for the most part from the weaker wood, double and even triple fruit buds 
•coming off in a shower. The buds on the strong wood, though they 
remained, expanded into deformed flowers deficient in the organs of fructi¬ 
fication, some with two and even three pistils, and the anthers defective in 
pollen. Although fertilised with pollen from other trees, the set was very 
indifferent, and fully nine-tenths of the fruits fell during the stoning pro¬ 
cess. The growths were magnificent, leaves 9 inches long and 3 inches 
across at the widest part. They were well fed and well watered, It was 
clear what was wrong. The borders were too rich, too wide, and too deep. 
It is a common error, aud more disasters are attributable to this cause than 
any other, as when the roots are in wide deep borders they make more 
wood than is needed for the due extension of the trees or for insuring a 
supply for future bearing. The roots go down deeply, and no mulching in 
that case will attract them upwards. The drainage was all that could be 
desired, and the border also as regards materials, only there was too much 
of it, and if it had a fault at all the compost was too rich. 
I did not see my way to alter the border, therefore set to work to alter 
the trees. Consequently as soon as the wood had become a little firm a 
trench were taken out a yard from the stem all around down to the drainage 
and every root cut off. The trench remained open about a fortnight, care 
being taken that the circle did not lack moisture during that time. This 
put a stop to all further growth, and the need to stop laterals ended. The 
surface soil before filling in the trenches was removed down to the roots 
and some of them brought nearer the surface, but not many. The trenches 
were then filled up, a good watering given, and the buds swelled plumply. 
No buds were cast, not even of Noblesse, Grosse Mignonne, Bellegarde, 
and Barrington, the former being one of the worst bud-casters known. 
The set was good, and the stoning most satisfactory. 
In the eighth year the buds began to fall again, the roots were too 
strong, and the wood was corresponding. Lifting was resorted to, and so 
severe were the checks that despite keeping close, syringing, and shading, 
some of the wood shrivelled slightly, but it was only temporary, for when 
the roots were in action again it plumped up and the buds also. No buds 
fell, and the set and stoning were all that could be wished. No more buds 
were cast, for the simple reason that when the trees showed any tendency 
to over-luxuriance they were lifted as soon as the wood became firm, and 
then the wood ripened and the buds formed perfectly. This is one side of 
the question; there is another which I shall presently allude to, but before 
doing so would like to point out that when a Peach tree makes strong 
wood (and there is nothing like it for obtaining fine fruit), the trees being 
on the extension system there must be more space allowed between the 
shoots, so that the foliage may have full exposure to light and air, for 
when the growths are crowded the wood, for want of those elements, is not 
solidified, and never has a chance of becoming ripened. This is a very 
prevalent error, and cannot be too often pointed out with a view to its 
avoidance. 
Then Peach trees cast their buds most frequently, it must be allowed 
for lack of nutrition, especially of the great solvent—water. This is by 
far the chief cause of Peach trees casting their buds. We very often see 
water given plentifully when the buds are swelling, and not infrequently 
it serves no purpose, except to cause them to fall. They have been dry 
at the roots all the winter, the house has been kept dry, the wood has 
been losing moisture all the time, and the buds have been literally 
starved to death—dried up. When the watering is given the sap is 
drawn or impelled upwards, and it serves no purpose but to push off the 
buds, simply because they have no channels to receive the nutriment 
which in their case comes too late. The roots of Peach trees are always 
more or less active, and to keep them dry when the trees are at rest is 
to jeopardise the buds. 
There is another aspect of the question—viz., Peach trees casting 
their buds from imperfect development in embryo. It is a mistake to 
keep the borders well supplied with water up to the fruit ripening, and 
then begin to diminish the supply or allow, as is sometimes done, the 
border to become dry with a view to ripen the wood. Until the fruit is 
ripe, or nearly so, very little is done by the trees towards bud-develop¬ 
ment, but as soon as this is effected the vital force seems concentrated 
on the fruit buds, which swell with amazing rapidity. This is the time 
when the roots need moisture, and if the trees have carried a heavy crop 
give them liquid manure, also removing all wood not required for the 
next year. This serves the twofold purpose of concentrating the 
strength on the buds for future bearing, and by admitting more air 
ripens the wood perfectly. We conclude, therefore, that the soil in 
which Peach trees are growing should never be allowed to become dry ; 
more particularly is this the case when the buds are being plumped than 
during the earlier stages of their formation. 
Lastly, Peach trees cast their buds through the foliage being allowed 
to become a prey to red spider ; the leaves in that case are not able to 
perform their functions, and they collapse ere the buds are perfectly 
formed.— G. Abbey. 
Relative to Peach trees losing their buds, may I inform “ Alpha ” 
that I have been troubled in the same way with trees in pots ? Consequently 
last season I resolved to give them a natural winter’s rest out of doors, 
and I am sure there cannot be better-looking buds anywhere. I would 
advise your correspondent to give his trees more water, which would help 
them but not save the buds this season. Next autumn and winter he 
should keep the border moist so that the roots can keep the tree and buds 
well charged with moisture, as a tree naturally is outdoors, as if the roots 
are dry then the buds will fall in the spring.—J. H. 
Having read in the Journal several complaints under the above 
heading, I am sorry to report that similar cases have recently come under 
my notice with trees grown under glass, but the trees on the walls 
outside do not appear to be affected in the same way. I believe that 
deficiency of water at the roots at some period of their growth is the cause 
of the disaster, that too little attention is generally paid to the condition of 
inside borders after the crop is gathered, and that as a rule they are kept 
too dry when the trees are at rest. I should be glad to hear if your 
