JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
March 8,1883. ] 
in a pot. Never allow the soil to be dry, and to prevent the 
necessity for frequent waterings shade with thick paper till the 
seedlings appear. 
They will thrive anywhere in the northern counties, but in the 
southern they are greatly benefited by being shaded from the mid¬ 
day sun. Copious waterings in very hot dry weather are of great 
advantage.— Single-handed. 
[In consideration of the severe and protracted illness of our 
esteemed correspondent, who is now in a public institution, we shall 
be glad to distribute this seed for him, and will forward packets 
containing one hundred seeds for 1.?., or three packets for 2s. Gd., 
in the rotation that the letters of applicants are opened, return¬ 
ing the stamps, less one for postage, to those who may send them 
after the supply of seed is exhausted. We should prefer, however, 
that an extra stamp be sent for defraying the postage of the 
packets, and we presume those who apply will be glad to send it. 
Some wonderfully vigorous trusses and richly coloured flowers of 
this excellent strain of Alpine Auriculas were sent to us last year. 
We may add, in answer to inquiries, that although “ Single- 
handed ” is, we trust, steadily recovering, some time must 
elapse before he will be able to resume his employment; but if 
he cannot wield the spade, it is a satisfaction to observe he can 
“ lift the pen.”] 
SO-CALLED LARGE BUNCHES OF GRAPES. 
I READ and reasoned over the article by “ Druid ” on this 
subject, which appeared on page 53. He begins by announcing 
that he does not propose to deal with the question whether 
they are genuine and bond fide single bunches, and is found a 
little further on remarking on the “ sore dissatisfaction ” which 
past exhibits of large bunches have caused, and “ justly so, too, 
in many cases.” This last quotation makes “ Druid ” deal with 
the question in a manner that leaves no doubt on the mind—at 
least on mine—that he considers many of the past exhibits of 
large bunches to have been the reverse of bona fide. The cluster 
of Grapes figured on the page quoted does not appear to me a 
60 -called bunch, but in reality one bunch. What I consider con¬ 
stitutes two bunches is when they come direct fiom the lateral 
without joining, as in fig. 57. 
I cannot gather from “ Druid ” if he manipulated the bunch 
figured in the way he says can be done so easily. A little clearer 
information on the matter would be acceptable to me, and I dare¬ 
say to others who have in times past shown large bunches which 
were not subjected to the splicing treatment which “ Druid ” says 
can be so easily practised. I, for one, entirely fail to see that 
“ Druid ” has proved anything by his writing and the bunch 
figured ; it is neither more nor less than one bunch as it appears 
in your paper, having only one stem proceeding from the lateral 
that bears it. Trusting “ Druid ” will make himself clearer on 
the subject, so that there may be a chance of comprehending him. 
—A Grower. 
[What our correspondent alludes to as the “ stem,” is really the 
lateral bearing two distinct bunches so close together as to form 
one cluster. There is no splicing, and the only manipulation 
required is to stop the lateral after two bunches have been formed, 
201 
and remove the foliage. What is termed by “A Grower” the 
“ lateral ” is really a sub-lateral induced by the stopping and de¬ 
foliation of the original, and is encouraged to form the leading 
shoot. Perhaps “Druid” can make the matter more plain.] 
A SUBSTITUTE FOR PEAT IN ORCHID CULTURE. 
AS good Orchid peat is now very difficult to be obtained, this 
being proved by what Mr. Harry Yeitch states in a letter to me re¬ 
ceived last week—viz., “ Orchid peat has been a great difficulty 
with us lately on account of the excessive rainfall, which has 
made it difficult to procure. I fear it may be weeks, if not months, 
before we could send you any ; it becomes scarcer every season.” 
Under these circumstances, and as a substitute, I am going to 
try the outer shell of the Cocoa-nut chopped up into pieces suitable 
to the size of the pot. Will other growers give this a trial and 
let us know the result?— Alex. Paterson, M.D., Fernfield, 
Bridge of Allan. 
THE INSECT ENEMIES OF OUR GARDEN 
CROPS.—No. 2. 
When they are regarded in their general aspect, it will be 
agreed that the fruit crops are of less importance to the nation 
than are the vegetable crops. The actual nutriment afforded by 
fruit is below the average of that obtainable from vegetables, I 
should say, even if we leave the cereals out of the question ; and 
several fruits largely cultivated in this luxurious age serve rather 
to gratify the palate than to sustain life or invigorate the body. 
Hence we have less reason, perhaps, to regret the fact that our 
fruits inflict upon the growers, small and large, various disappoint¬ 
ments that do not occur in the culture of vegetables. With many 
of our garden vegetables a few months embrace the wffiole period 
of growth, and if one crop fails another can frequently be raised 
to succeed it; while in the dull season there is little to be done by 
way of precaution against insects, except to watch against enemies 
lurking underground. But fruit-bearing trees and shrubs require 
attention of a special kind during their period of rest, when they 
are liable to the attacks of minute and crafty insect foes. Changes 
of weather, cold winds, drenching rains, lack of sunshine, also 
affect unfavourably the fruits more than they do the humbler 
products of our gardens ; and the insects by which they are 
haunted during the summer season are sometimes of gregarious 
habit, so that by their numbers and activity they are apt to baffle 
all the gardener’s efforts. 
In the preceding article an attempt was made to sum up briefly 
those insects that are chiefly destructive to garden vegetables. A 
few of them are also injurious to the leaves or roots of shrubs and 
trees, those I shall not here recapitulate. Then there are cases 
where an in r ect in its mature state does harm to our fruit, while 
as grub or larva it had previously attacked our vegetables. Some 
of the insects found upon fruit trees have no special liking for 
them, but the moths or other species during their flight lay eggs 
promiscuously upon the leaves or twigs that may come in their 
way. It is for this reason an objection has been raised to the 
familiar Hawthorn hedge, because sundry caterpillars feeding 
upon it, as also upon the Blackthorn, Ash, Elm, and Lime, soon 
make themselves at home upon such trees as the Plum, Pear, 
Apple, or Peach. But it might be argued on the other hand 
that the presence of a variety of trees may draw off some of the 
enemies of our fruits. 
As amongst the vegetable produce the Lepidoptera, comprising 
the butterflies and moths, may take the lead, for not less than 
thirty species of these can be reckoned upon the list of the foes 
to fruit. Beginning at the root, every part of a tree or shrub has 
its regular or occasional enemy : in some cases, however, the harm 
done is but slight, amounting merely to disfigurement of the 
foliage. And again, concerning several tiny caterpillars and 
grubs which bore into and so destroy a per-centage of the buds or 
fruit trees almost every year, it has been suggested that their 
office is, within certain limits, a useful one ; they remove part of 
the bloom to give the remainder a better chance of maturing into 
fruit. It is possible for them to be too abundant, and then the 
ministry of insect-eating birds comes in ; but it is the fashion now, 
both in Britain and on the Continent, to discourage some of our 
best friends of the feathered race. We have not a butterfly that 
is harmful to fruit, though the Black-veined White was formerly 
complained of. Of the moths the two largest attack the wood of 
trees and not their fruit; these are familiarly called the Goat 
and the Wood Leopard. Their caterpillars, which live many 
months, live unseen for the most part until their destructive 
labours are finished. Possibly a portion of the trees they infest 
