October 21, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 367 
and which, in my opinion, is the cause of the disease, each family 
being carefully protected from the wet and cold by a well woven 
covering of insect wings and bodies, small leaves, &c., about the 
size of a lady’s thimble. These coverings varied in number from 
two to six on each tree ; some of them enclosed a greenish-looking 
egg, in the centre at the top, the old spider sitting underneath it, 
no doubt in the act of incubation. Some of the habitations or 
coverings are attached to the stems, others hanging underneath 
the branches, which were each occupied by a family of young 
ones, varying in number from six to twelve, as far as I could 
ascertain, about the size of a small shot corn, each tent being well 
protected from their stronger enemies by massive webs. My first 
object was to cut off the branches most affected, and destroy as 
much as possible the holds of the invaders. I have since applied 
three or four solutions of paraffin and water, but with little effect. 
I am now trying a similar solution of soft soap, and sprinkling 
the ground with lime, which I hope may have the desired effect. 
Pinus nobilis, Nordmanniana, and aus'triaca have all slightly 
suffered from the same cause. The pest, I fear, is general, as I 
have seen it in the neighbouring woods and nurseries.” 
PLANTING APPLE AND PEAR TREES. 
As the season will soon be at hand for planting fruit trees I 
think a few remarks will not be inopportune to amateur planters. 
To commence with : Most people prefer size, quality, and quantity 
of fruits, and to obtain such you must have good trees, to be after¬ 
wards well attended to as regards dressing and pruning. 
I think it is a mistake to plant Apples on the Crab stock in a 
kitchen garden, as they grow too freely and require too much prun¬ 
ing. For orchard planting Apples on the Crab are preferable, as 
they grow freely and only require the branches to be thinned 
out, cutting out those that are inclined to cross others. For 
kitchen-garden planting Apples on the Paradise stock are the best 
either for pyramids or espaliers. They come into bearing much 
sooner than those on the Crab, besides bearing much finer fruit. 
The same may be said of the Pear, those on the Quince being much 
finer and come into bearing quicker than those on the Pear or free 
stock. Trees that have the soil dug amongst them produce better 
fruit than those with the soil left undisturbed. After planting, which 
should be just as the leaves are falling, mulch with long litter. 
The first year after planting they will require very little pruning ; 
the following season treat as established trees. The lateral growths 
should be pruned-in about the last week in August, which will 
expose the fruit to the sun and air, besides ripening the buds for 
the following season. At the winter pruning the shoots may be 
cut in close to the fruit buds. If large fruits are required they 
must be thinned. 
The best Apples to grow for certainty of crop are, for culinary 
purposes, Ecklinville Seedling, Lord Suffield, Stirling Castle, Al- 
friston, Lord Derby, Emperor Alexander, Mere de Manage, Waltham 
Abbey Seedling, Warner’s King, Cellini, Dumelow’s Seedling, Gloria 
Mundi, and Loddington Seedling. The above almost always pro¬ 
duce a crop. For dessert the following are good—Rlbston Pippin, 
Ashmead’s Kernel, Adams’ Pearmain, Old Nonpareil, Braddick’s 
Nonpareil, King of the Pippins, Golden Beinette, Worcester Pear- 
main, Cornish Gilliflower, Court Pendu Plat, Melon Apple, Cox’s 
Orange Pippin, and Royal Russet. The above are a good selection, 
and if on the Paradise stock will take up very little room and 
commence bearing the second year after planting. Pears succeed 
best planted against walls, but good fruit may be procured from 
pyramids grafted on the Quince. They require about the same 
treatment as Apples. The best varieties for succession are Doyenne 
d’Ete, Beurr6 d’Amanlis, Flemish Beauty, Beurre Hardy, Bcurrc 
Superfin, Marie Louise, Beurrd Diel, Doyemffi du Comice, Gansel’s 
Bergamot, Durondeau, Josephine de Malines, Thompson’s, Glou 
Morceau, Winter Nelis, and Knight’s Monarch.— Fruit Grower, 
VALORADIA PLUMBAGINOIDES. 
This charming little plant is better known under the name of 
Plumbago Larpentae, but the above is accepted as the correct title 
by the best authorities, as there is some trifling difference between 
the genera Plumbago and Valoradia, though to a casual observer 
they appear very similar. Its chief recommendations are the 
brilliant blue colour of the flowers and the late period at which 
they are produced, the plant in the south of England often being 
very attractive until near the end of the present month. Unfor¬ 
tunately, however, in the northern parts of the kingdom the frost 
often destroys it, especially in exposed positions ; but in such 
localities it should be grown in pots, succeeding well in a cold 
frame or cool house. Whether planted out or grown in pots a 
rich loamy soil is required to obtain it in the best condition. 
Valoradia plumbaginoides has been in this country upwards of 
thirty years, and the following remarks from the pen of an 
able writer, which appeared in the first volume of the Cottage 
Gardener a short time after the plant was introduced—namely, 
in 1848, may be interesting. Under the heading “ New Plants ” 
he wrote thus :—“ The charms of novelty are nowhere more 
irresistible than in the garden, and this often leads to some 
blunders. You hear or read of such-and-such fine plants ‘coming 
out,’ as the phrase goes, and your very fingers itch to possess 
them ; but after laying out a handsome sum to procure them you 
soon find that they are no better than they should be. I shall 
pledge my word, however, that no one who will buy the plant that 
I shall name to-day will ever feel a disappointment respecting it. 
It is from the island of Chusan, on the coast of China, and is called 
Plumbago Larpentse. Plumbago means Leadwort. The second is a 
complimentary name to Lady Larpent, who was so lucky as to 
Fig. 68.—Valoradia plumbaginoides. 
raise this plant first from seed sent to her ladyship by a British 
officer. This new Leadwort, then, is a charming, low, bushy, 
blue-flowering pot plant that will flower as easily as a Fuchsia 
from June till the frost comes, and in less that two years will be 
in every cottage garden in the kingdom. Although it was sold 
last August as high as 45s. each plant it may be had now for 
3s. 6rZ., and before the end of next May I should not wonder to 
see them advertised at 9s. the long dozen, and all this because it 
comes from cuttings as easily as the new Verbenas.” 
The prediction concerning the price has been verified, for good 
roots can be obtained for 9 d. each, and the stock is readily in¬ 
creased by cuttings. The flowers are slightly fugacious, but they 
are produced very abundantly in favourable positions, the brilliant 
blue colour gradually becoming a deep violet as the flowers grow 
older. The annexed engraving fairly represents the characters of 
foliage and flowers, but the plant is slightly straggling in its 
growth, except when very luxuriant.—L. C. 
The Grape Tomato. —On one of the side shelves in the tem¬ 
perate house at Kew may now be seen some fine examples of the 
Grape Tomato. The plants are nearly 2 feet high and about 
1 j foot through, trained round three or four stakes. There are 
several bunches of fruit on each plant, the individual berries 
