March 20, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
233 
greater part of the season until autumn developes an egg-laying 
brood, with brown females and brownish yellow males. From 
these eggs appear the young aphides of spring, and gardeners 
are rather apt to neglect looking after these until they are 
troublesome to check. Mr. Taylor has advised diligent syring¬ 
ing before the bloom of the Cherry opens. The solution he 
recommends is that compound of soft soap, petroleum, and 
water, the formula for which has been repeatedly published 
This is to be applied in the form of a gentle spray to the trees, 
and also the walls if needful. Quassia water, tobacco water, and 
other recognised remedies for “fly ” have their advocates. It is 
sometimes necessary, where the pest has been let alone, to cut off 
freely those shoots on which it swarms. 
Some caterpillars of moths occur upon the Cherry. One that 
is decidedly injurious is that which produces the small ermine 
moth, Yponomeuta padella (fig. 54). This species is not con¬ 
fined to the Cherry, but is, in 
most years, abundant on the 
Hawthorn, and visits also other 
fruit trees, the Apple, for ex¬ 
ample. It is doubly a nuisance 
in its larval state, from its not 
only devouring the leaves of 
the tree so voraciously, but 
overspreading the branches be¬ 
sides with a mass of web which 
is unsightly, and checks the 
growth of the buds. Yet few 
natural objects of its size are 
more beautiful than is this little moth, whose satiny glossy 
fore wings of white, shading into a delicate grey, are dotted 
over with about thirty black spots, the hind wings being dark 
brown. The caterpillar has a resemblance to the moth in the 
matter of colour. When adult it is whitish, having numerous 
black points scattered over the body. There are few indications 
of these caterpillars during early spring, when they burrow 
within the young leaves; but in May they show themselves 
upon the masses of web which they spin in company, and if 
unmolested will very soon strip an ordinary sized tree of its 
foliage. Having fed up they then spin each a silken cocoon, 
under the protection of the general web, and the moths emerge 
about the end of June Their eggs are deposited soon after, 
under a patch of gum, and the caterpillars hatch in the autumn, 
though they do not begin to feed till the next season. It is 
difficult to find these upon the branches, but syringing or 
washing would probably remove some of the caterpillars from 
their hiding-places while young. As they, when older, drop 
readily on any alarm, the trees may be well shaken, and the 
fallen caterpillars removed and burnt, or the webs may be 
cleared by handpicking. It has been recommended to drench 
the trees well with a decoction of quassia at the time the earliest 
caterpillars are noticed, and as almost the whole brood of moths 
emerges together, syringing when they are first seen will kill 
many as they leave the chrysalis if any of the webs have 
escaped.— Entomologist. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Shelter .—Taken in its full sense of protection from frost and cold 
cutting winds for the tender blossom of fruit trees, shelter resolves itself 
into two distinct parts—the first permanent, in the form of walls, hedges, 
and tree belts ; and the second, temporary and portable, consists of mats, 
netting, tiffany, and similar light materials. The hest form of temporary 
shelter is that which can be used at night and removed by day. This plan, 
however, involves much labour, and generally preference i3 given to any 
contrivance that can be left over the trees till the fruit is safe. For wall 
trees this may be managed by broad coping-boards, from the outer edge of 
which Nottingham netting is stretched downwards over poles thrust into 
the ground and fastened to the coping so as to avoid all risk of the blossom 
being battered by the netting during the prevalence of high winds. In 
bleak exposed positions the netting may be doubled without keeping the 
light from the blossom in a hurtful degree. A double covering of this light 
hexagonal-meshed netting has repeatedly answered so well as a me ns of 
protection that we strongly recommend its use also for espaliers, pyramids, 
and bushes, over which it is stretched upon a light yet strong fiamework of 
wood. A little dried fern litter scattered over the tops of Gooseberry 
bushes now serves to protect the young foliage and blossom from injury by 
frost We have been obliged to put netting over the bushes to keep off 
bullfinches, and the fern is kept off the bushes by it. 
Now is the best time to see if the permanent shelter is as efficient as 
it ought to be. Walls are too expensive to be extended indefinitely, but 
hedges of Thuja Lobbi are not, and they make such admirable wind 
screens—growing quickly even in a poor soil—that there should be 
several intersecting each other in all large fruit gardens. For enclosing a 
small fruit plantation they answer better than any other tree. There is still 
time to plant them if due care is taken both in the transplantation and 
in carefully mulching them with litter, or better still with rough half- 
decayed manure. Let the provisions of means of shelter extend beyond 
the garden, and make good any want of tree shelter, by planting thick 
groves or belts of Spruce, Silver, and Larch Fir upon the north and east 
sides. Let, also, the baneful effects of cold cutting north-eastern winds 
aDd of late frost in valleys at this season of the year not be forgotten if 
you are selecting the site of a new fruit garden, and if possible choose a 
sheltered sunny south-western slope for the purpose. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Vines. — Early Houses. —If the remains of the fermenting materials 
ought to be removed from the inside borders before the Grapes begin 
colouring, leaving only sufficient for a mulch, and giving a thorough 
soaking with tepid liquid manure. The mulching will keep the roots 
active near the surface and prevent evaporation. Maintain a good 
moisture in the atmosphere by damping well at closing time. Allow a 
fair amount of lateral extension, which will materially assist the Vines 
in swelling off their crops, but do not allow growth to be made which 
must afterwards be removed in quantity. 
Succession Houses. —Continue disbudding, tying, and stopping, allow¬ 
ing two joints beyond the show of fruit, and the laterals may be allowed 
to make as much growth as there is space at command without crowd¬ 
ing the principal foliage, which, under any conditions, must have full 
exposure to light and air. Thinning the bunches must be attended to 
in good time, commencing with the freest setting varieties as soon as 
they are out of flower, having previously removed all surplus and ill¬ 
shaped or imperfectly fertilised bunches. This needs some judgment 
and not a little firmness, as a great crop is sometimes sought for the 
sake of appearance, which can only be had at the expense of the Vines, 
and mostly results in bad finish. Where Grapes are setting keep up a 
circulation of dry warm air, but avoid currents or draughts, especially 
of cold air. Should the bunches exhibit by curling a disposition to run 
into tendrils, which is not infrequent when the wood has not been 
properly ripened, the moisture should be reduced and the temperature 
kept a little higher. When Hamburghs are in flower a minimum tem¬ 
perature of 65° at night and 70° by day should be accorded, and for 
Muscats it ought to be 5° higher. Gently shake the Vines occasionally 
to liberate the pollen, and pass a camel-hair brush over shy-setting 
varieties, using pollen from Black Hamburghs. 
Late Vines. —When these have started into growth gentle fire heat 
will be necessary to keep them in steady progress. Vigorous young 
canes do not break freely, hence they should be brought down to a 
horizontal position to prevent a rush of sap to the terminal bud, and 
when all the eyes have started they may be tied up to the wires. Syringe 
twice a day, but sufficiently early to allow the Vines to become dry 
before night. Admit a little air at 70°, and encourage a free growth by 
closing with a humid atmosphere at 75°. Late houses of Hamburghs 
should be allowed to start naturally, keeping the houses freely ventilated 
above 50° for the present. 
Vines in Pots. —Give liberal supplies of liquid manure to those 
swelling-off their crops of fruit, and renew the top-dressing where 
necessary. When the Grapes commence showing colour allow a circula¬ 
tion of warm rather dry air constantly, but do not lessen the moisture 
all at once, but gradually, as the Grapes swell considerably in finishing, 
aud must not lack moisture at the roots nor have a dry parching atmo¬ 
sphere. Pot young Vines from this year’s eyes as they break into free 
growth, plunge in gentle bottom heat, keeping them close and moist 
for a few days, and when they have taken to the new soil fully expose 
to sun and light. 
Melons. —The earliest plants in a heated house are now swelling-off 
their fruits, and have been earthed-up. Do not allow the growth to 
extend much, but stop, tie, and thin out the shoots so as to prevent 
overcrowding. Remove all blossoms from plants swelling-off their fruit, 
and finally earth-up if it were only partially done when the fruits 
commenced swelling. See that the plants do not suffer from insufficient 
supplies of water, and when the roots are working freely in the fresh 
material afford copious supplies of tepid liquid manure, being careful to 
keep it from the stems of the plants so as to avoid canker. Maintain 
a bottom heat of 85° to 90°, and keep the day temperature at 75°, and 
between 80° and 90° from sun heat, closing at 85°. Ventilate early 
avoid cold currents, and syringe twice a day, damping well before 
nightful, but be careful to have the foliage dry. In succession houses 
attend to stopping, tying, and regulating the growth, avoiding over¬ 
crowding, impregnating the blossoms on fine days, and stop one joint 
beyond the fruit. 
PLANT HOUSES. 
Chrysanthemums. —Those who grow these plants for decoration should 
strike a good batch without further delay. Select for the cuttings good 
vigorous shoots, which may be inserted singly in small pots and placed 
in a temperature of 50° to 55°, where they will soon form roots. They 
can either be placed under handlights or not as long as the cuttings are 
Fig. 54.—Small Ermine Moth, 
(Yponomeuta padella). 
