22 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ July 6, 1882. 
Plum Trees Dying (//. Mount ).-—We have many times, and in different 
places, observed the foliage of Plum trees assume a silvery appearance, and the 
branches afterwards die. We have also noticed that the occurrence has been 
most frequent when bright and dry days have followed a term of wet and dull 
weather. We have further found that the trees which have suffered the most 
were those with apparently fine healthy foliage, and that the leaves after the 
attack were harsh and dry like smooth paper. As we could not find any trace 
of insects and mildew to account for the condition of the leaves we attributed 
the cause of injury to sudden and extreme transpiration—a drying-up of the 
sap, and the consequent separation of the cuticle from the substance of the 
leaf, and the cuticle being transparent, must necessarily when raised impart 
to the leaf a silvery appearance. This is in substance what we have more than 
once stated ; but with the object of gaining further information we submitted 
some of the leaves you sent to Mr. Worthington G. Smith, who is an adept in 
detecting under the microscope, and delineating things hidden from ordinary 
observers. His reply is in accordance with our own views on the subject. He 
found the cuticle raised from the leaves and much torn, only adhering to the 
veins. He attributes this to the substance of the leaf shrinking or drying up, 
which seems to show that at one period of growth there was a too rapid for¬ 
mation of leaves, and then the growth ceased, and the too much distended 
material shrunk back and tore itself away from the cuticle, and at the same 
time made the wrinkles. This is all we are able to say at present on this serious 
change to which Plums, and occasionally Peaches and Laurels, are liable, as we 
regret to say we know of no practical remedy. 
The Pear-tree Slug (/. Adams).—"We know quite well what you mean, 
and you are acting wisely by endeavouring to prevent the increase of this 
destructive enemy of the Pear. You do not say that it has attacked your trees 
this year, but refer to its ravages during past seasons. We have never seen 
trees attacked until August. In reference to this insect Curtis, under the head 
Fig. 5.—Tenthredo adumbrata 
(perfect insect). 
persons having far more experience than yourself and much better educated 
who are unable to get into a nursery and learn what you wish to learn there. 
A man cannot become competent in the various branches of gardening by work¬ 
ing in a nursery for a year or two and reading books, especially if he, like your¬ 
self, “ cannot lose much time to learn.” So long as you entertain such an erro¬ 
neous notion as losing time in learning you will certainly never succeed in your 
object. By learning you will be gaining, not losing, time ; and it would have 
been a decided advantage to you had you not been afraid of losing time by learn¬ 
ing to write. Such a badly written letter (bad alike in penmanship, spelling, 
and expression) as you have sent indicates that you have little aptitude for self- 
improvement. No gentleman would entertain an application from a gardener 
who wrote him such a letter as you have sent to us. Yet you are twenty-three 
years of age I If you have had good health during the past ten years you have 
wasted valuable time that you might have utilised. We cannot hold out any 
hope that you will obtain a good position as a gardener, since so many able and 
well-educated men fail to do so, and you might probably do better by seeking 
some other occupation for obtaining a livelihood. We should not have written 
so fully on your case for yourself alone, but there are other young men, far too 
many of them, who have been negligent in self-improvement, yet think they can 
easily “pick up gardening” and obtain good positions. We warn them against 
indulging in such visions, incurring disappointment and bringing discredit on 
a craft in which so many competent, intelligent, well-educated, and in all 
respects worthy men are struggling to live. To return to yourself, you ask if 
Thompson’s “ Gardeners’ Assistant ” is a good book. It is a very good and 
comprehensive work on gardening, and can be obtained through a bookseller, 
price 35.?. If you want a less costly, yet very useful, work, the “ Cottage Gar¬ 
dener’s Dictionary ” will be suitable, and can be had post free from this office 
for 8s. 3 d. A book (or, as you write it, a “bok ”) still more cheap and very ser¬ 
viceable is our “ Garden Manual,” price Is. 9 d. post free. 
Names of Plants ( R. R. T .).—Both specimens arrived in a greatly withered 
condition. The one with white flowers is Deutzia scabra; the other is one of 
the dwarf Phloxes, but we cannot determine it without flowers. (T. H.).— 
1, Abutilon Bouie de Neige ; 2, Hoya bella ; 3, Agapanthus umbellatus ; 4, 
Euphorbia jacquinisefiora; 5, Insufficient. (IF. T.). —1, Deutzia scabra, fl.-pl.; 
2, Calycanthus floridus ; 3, Spirtea callosa; 4, Spiraea opulifolia ; 5, a Ceanothus, 
but we cannot determine it without flowers. (IF. Cranswick). —1, Cynosurus 
cristatus ; 2, Poa trivialis ; 3, Aira coespitosa ; 4, Dactylis glomerata; 5, Holcus 
lanatus. 
COYENT GARDEN MARKET.—JULY 5TII. 
Our market has been well supplied, and clearances made at last week’s quota¬ 
tions. Soft fruit is reaching us in good condition and supply. Trade brisk. 
FRUIT. 
Fig. 4.—Tenthredo adumbrata (larva state). 
of Tenthredo adumbrata, says—“Arboriculturists are familiar with a slimy black 
larva like a little leech, which appears as if glued to the leaves of Pear trees, 
and which is of very common occurrence in fruit gardens in September and 
October. From its form and appearance Reaumur called it the slug-worm. At 
the end of autumn, when it has attained its full size, it somewhat resembles a 
small tadpole. It has twenty feet, which, however, cannot be seen without 
dislodging it from the leaf. It does not begin at the edges of the Pear leaf, but 
gnaws aw ay the parenchyma in the middle, leaving the smallest veins and the 
epidermis of the under side untouched, so that the leaves attacked are left like 
the finest lace (see fig. 4). After four times casting its skin it changes to an 
orange yellow colour, comes down from the tree, and forms a cocoon from 
particles of soil bound together by a few silken threads. The perfect insect 
(see fig. 5), according to Hartig, is 2£ lines long, smooth, black, and shining 
with the horns almost as long 
as the abdomen; the legs are 
black, the joints and thighs 
reddish brown, the wings ob¬ 
scure.” The grub is frequently 
very destructive to wall trees. 
It appears on Pear trees when 
the fruit are from one half to 
two-thirds of their full size, 
and by destroying the paren¬ 
chyma of the leaves it prevents 
the elaboration of the sap, 
brings growth to a standstill, 
and the Pears, instead of swell¬ 
ing, drop. Some authors con¬ 
sider that the slug-worm of 
Rdaumur produces the Ten¬ 
thredo Cerasi of Linnaeus ; 
others consider it to belong to 
the Tenthredo iEthiops of Fa- 
bricius. The investigations of 
Gorsky, Westwood, and M. De- 
lacour have set the question at rest. They have shown that there are several 
slug-like grubs, which are developed into insects belonging to distinct species, 
and that the T. Cerasi of Linnaeus does not form its cocoon in the ground, but 
amongst the leaves of the Cherry. The best remedy is to dust the trees with 
quicklime as soon as the slimy grub is perceived, and to repeat the dusting as 
often as may be necessary. 
Learning Gardening (Wild Rose ).— We fear your aspirations are 
greater than your advantages. You cannot learn plant-growing for exhibition 
satisfactorily from any books, and we think you will experience great difficulty 
in gaining the information you need in nurseries. In fact, you would not find 
it easy to get an appointment in a good establishment. There are hundreds of 
s. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
a. 
d. 
S. 
d. 
Apples. 
j sieve 
0 
OtoO 
0 
Grapes . 
1 
6 to4 
0 
Apricots. 
box 
l 
6 
2 
0 
Lemons. 
ft 
20 
0 
Ditto . 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Melons . 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Cherries. 
£ si ere 
6 
0 
12 
0 
Nectarines.. 
4 
0 
12 
0 
Chestnuts. 
bushel 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Oranges .... 
4 
0 
6 
0 
Currants, Black.. 
£ sieve 
5 
6 
6 
0 
Peaches .... 
4 
0 
12 
0 
„ Red.... 
$ sieve 
4 
6 
5 
6 
Pears,kitchen .. dozen 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Figs. 
dozen 
4 
0 
6 
0 
dessert .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Filberts. 
ft. 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Pine Apples, English ft. 
3 
0 
4 
• 
Cobs. 
100 ft. 
45 
0 
50 
0 
Strawberries 
lb. 
0 
6 
1 
0 
Gooseberries .... 
4 sieve 
o 
6 
0 
0 
Walnuts .... 
0 
0 
0 
0 
VEGETABLES. 
S. 
d. 
s. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
8. 
d. 
Artichokes. 
dozen 
2 
0 to 4 
0 
Mushrooms 
l 
otoi 
6 
Asparagus. 
bundle 
3 
0 
6 
0 
Mustard* Cress ..punnet 
0 
2 
0 
3 
Beans,Kidney... 
100 
1 
3 
1 
6 
Onions. 
3 
6 
0 
0 
Beet, Red. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
pickling ... 
0 
0 
e 
5 
Broccoli. 
bundle 
0 
9 
i 
6 
Parsley. 
doz.bunches 
3 
0 
4 
0 
Brussels Sprouts. 
i sieve 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Parsnips .... 
1 
0 
2 
0 
dozen 
0 
6 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Capsicums. 
100 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Kidnev.... 
0 
14 
0 
Carrots, new. 
bunch 
0 
6 
i 
0 
Radishes.... 
doz .bunches 
1 
0 
0 
6 
dozen 
2 
0 
3 
0 
0 
4 
0 
6 
Celery . 
bundle 
1 
6 
2 
0 
Salsafy. 
1 
0 
0 
0 
Coleworts_doz. bunches 
2 
0 
4 
0 
Scorzonera 
1 
6 
0 
0 
Cucumbers. 
each 
0 
4 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Endive. 
dozen 
1 
0 
2 
0 
Shallots. 
0 
8 
0 
0 
Fennel. 
bunch 
0 
3 
0 
0 
Spinach .... 
3 
0 
0 
0 
Gerlic . 
ft. 
0 
6 
0 
0 
Tomatoes .. 
. ft. 
0 
6 
0 
8 
Herbs . 
bunch 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Turnips, new 
0 
6 
o 
0 
Leeks. 
. bunch 
0 
3 
0 
4 
POULTRY AND PIGEON CHRONICLE. 
THE SHORTHORNED BREED OF CATTLE. 
(Continued frontpage 547, last vol.) 
Our notes and references to the celebrated Shorthorn breeders 
of former times will not be complete without introducing the 
name of the Booth family, who began cattle-breeding at Studley 
about 1790 with Teeswaters, a breed of cattle of great substance. 
The fragments of history on which their origin rests are some¬ 
what shadowy and uncertain. Some were found who contended 
they must have been of Dutch origin, or being only another type 
of the Holderness; be this as it may, the Teeswaters’ capability 
