JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
202 
[ March 8, 1883. 
have an unsoundness previously which invites such attacks. The 
Currant Clearwing, a little fly-like species, tunnels in the Currant 
pith ; and its relative, the Red-belted, performs upon the Apple, 
Pear, and rarely on the Apricot. Our Gooseberries have their 
caterpillar, in some seasons a great pest to them, and also to the 
Currant. The leaves of the trees in our orchards and upon our 
walls are seldom free from the traces of the jaws of caterpillars, 
and if undisturbed, one or two such prolific species as the Little 
Ermine and the Winter Moth may spoil our success for years. 
Others prefer, as already noted, the buds or flowers, or they enter 
the fruit like the Codlin Moth in its larval stage, and the red 
grub of the Plum. 
The beetles, or Coleoptera, are represented by more than a 
dozen species prejudicial to fruit. The majority of these belong 
to those curiously snouted fellows, the weevils. There is a weevil 
that frequents the blossom of the Apple, and the Pear has a similar 
species which feeds upon the leaf as well as on the flower buds. 
Several species in the genus Otiorhynchus, especially the insect 
called the “ black weevil,” are injurious to the Vine, the Straw¬ 
berry, and various fruit trees. One or two of the weevils have a 
fancy for the young leaves of Peach and Plum. The Apple bark 
beetle, a Scolytus, does not kill, but probably weakens the trees it 
visits, and the notorious S. destructor is credited with the de¬ 
struction of some old trees that would still be good fruit-bearers 
if let alone. There are beetles which in their larval state feed 
upon the roots of various plants, and they—the Rose Chafer is an 
example—may lurk beneath the Currant bushes or in our Straw¬ 
berry beds. A number of beetles, hitherto deemed beneficial, as 
carnivorous by habit, have now got a bad repute because they 
have been detected feeding upon Strawberries, perhaps through 
scarcity of their natural food. Every season the Nut Weevil takes 
its share of our crop of Filberts, for its attacks cannot be guarded 
against. 
When we come to the order Hymenoptera we are at once 
reminded of the hornet and the wasp, species fond of fruit, yet 
also killers of a variety of other insects. Far worse enemies are 
the grubs or larvae of some of the saw fly family. One of the 
very familiar species swarms upon the Gooseberry in certain (or 
rather uncertain) seasons. The Plum and Pear have also their 
species. Yet more disgusting, if less injurious, are the slug worms 
of the genus Selandria, and it is very difficult to remove them 
from trees, although we may clear the bushes and saplings of the 
insects and their slimy deposit. We have not much to say against 
the Diptera or two-winged flies, but of course they will visit ripe 
fruit. Some of them, like some in the preceding order, are para¬ 
sites upon caterpillars, and so they check the increase of trouble¬ 
some garden species. 
A formidable yet minute array of disagreeable insects is pre¬ 
sented by the Hemipterous order. Here belong the aphis hosts, 
the so-called “ American blight,” nearly allied to them, all of 
prolific habit and given to sucking, whereby more harm is done to 
vegetation than by the simple act of biting or nibbling. Then 
there are the scale insects, very pertinacious if less abundant than 
the aphides. Against the Vine bug (Coccus Vitis) there is need 
of careful precaution in our houses ; and the grubs of the Psyllae, 
which occur on various parts of the Apple and Pear, make their 
visitations more troublesome by clothing themselves with patches 
of a downy substance. Amongst the wingless insects the centi¬ 
pedes, although predatory at times, like to enter stone fruit; 
especially is this the case with the smaller kinds. The red spider, 
as it is popularly termed, is a spinning mite or Acarus ; with 
sundry species of its tribe it holds a place intermediate between 
true insects and spiders. Other Acari occur on fruit trees ; one 
or two species appear to feed sometimes upon the scale insects. 
Some of the insect enemies of our fruit and vegetables also haunt 
flowerbeds or greenhouses; but in the present imperfect condi¬ 
tion of our knowledge it would be difficult to give a summary 
grouping the foes of floriculture.— Entomologist. 
r By the most skilful Cultivators in the several Departments .] 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
Filberts ana Nuts. —The pink fruit-producing blossom is now 
open and is abundant on all kinds of Nuts, but the crop will 
probably prove a failure, for the catkins that should now be 
yellow with pollen have all been destroyed by the wet winter, with 
the exception of a few of Pearson’s Prolific, which may afford 
sufficient pollen to insure a crop of that valuable and very hardy 
Nut. We have repeatedly recommended it as a sure and abundant 
cropper of robust sturdy growth, thriving perfectly in soil where 
the delicate Red Filbert will hardly exist, and this year it appears 
likely to confirm our high opinion of it. 
The pruning of all sorts of Nuts should be proceeded with forth¬ 
with. The best form for the trees is that of a shallow basin, which 
is imparted by pulling the branches downwards and outwards 
with strings fastened to pegs driven into the ground, and by 
pruning the top of each branch to a bud on the under side the 
lateral growth is pruned closely to spurs, an occasional shoot 
bearing plenty of catkins being left 6 or 8 inches long to afford 
pollen. This unfortunately cannot be well done this year. Strong 
young growths crowding the interior of any trees must be cut 
clean off close to the base, and all suckers be removed carefully 
without injury to the roots, a few of the most promising being 
selected for the nursery to make trees for future requirements. 
Protecting Fruit Blossom. —Have the materials for protection 
at hand when required, but do not use them till the blossom begins 
to expand. Full exposure now tends to retard the swelling buds, 
and every day so gained adds to our prospects of a crop of fruit. 
A little extra care and pains now in sheltering the blossom from 
cold wind and late frost may crown the labours of the past 
twelve months with success, and make all the difference between 
scarcity and abundance. Sorts of fruit which naturally flower 
late are of especial value from their immunity from the risk of 
harm to which earlier kinds are so liable. Much valuable know¬ 
ledge of this important matter may be gained by close observation 
at this season of the year. For example, we observe now among 
pyramidal Pear trees that the buds of Nouvelle Fulvie, Duchesse 
d’Orleans, and Beurrd Duhaume are all white and full to bursting, 
while close by Knight’s Monarch, Urbaniste, and Pitmaston 
Duchess have hardly a sign of animation ; and of espaliers side 
by side the buds of Beurre Hardy are quite dormant, but those of 
Beurrd d’Anjou are just bursting open. So, too, among Apples 
and Plums in the open, and Peaches and Nectarines on walls, the 
same difference is perceptible. Blossom is also tender only in 
degree, that of some varieties bearing exposure to cold much 
better than others. All this, of course, applies to ordinary seasons, 
and not to weather of such exceptional severity as we experienced 
last spring. 
FRUIT-FORCING. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Thinning in the earliest house must 
be proceeded with gradually, removing a few of the least promis¬ 
ing fruits daily, avoiding as far as possible sudden changes ; and 
as bright powerful sun may now be expected, air should be given 
early and gradually, and be reduced in the same way, as the Peach 
and Nectarine suffer more from sudden fluctuations of temperature 
than most fruit trees. It will be necessary for the present, and 
until after the stoning is completed, to maintain a night tempera¬ 
ture of 55° to 60° according to external influences, with a rise of 
10° to 15° from sun heat. Syringe the trees twice on fine days, 
but not when the weather is dull, as the foliage should always be 
dry before night. The drying influence of fire heat may be 
counteracted by damping the walls and sprinkling the floors with 
tepid liquid manure before dusk. Secure a good set in succession 
houses by distributing the pollen on fine days with a camel’s-hair 
brush, and use little water until the fruit is safe, when directions 
laid down for the management of the early house will need 
attention. See that the soil of inside borders is kept thoroughly 
moist, as the crop is liable to be lost or much injured through 
these being kept too dry at any time. 
Pines. —The short, dark, sunless days of the winter season have 
a tendency to make the foliage of these plants tender and sus¬ 
ceptible of injury from sudden outbursts of sunshine, such as we 
often experience at this time of year, which will necessitate great 
care in ventilation. Attend, therefore, to this matter early in the 
morning by admitting a little air at the top of the house where 
shading is not employed, so as to dissipate the moisture on the 
plants before the sun is very powerful. The temperature advised 
in our last calendar should still be maintained, and the potting 
of plants referred to therein should still be carried out, no further 
delay being permitted. See that the heat at the roots is not too 
powerful, as the heat in the fermenting beds rises rapidly at this 
season, and the new roots are quickly damaged by too much heat. 
Pay particular attention to watering, as in this lies the secret of 
success, the plants being examined at least once a week, and 
well supplied with tepid guano water as occasion require. Super¬ 
fluous suckers on fruiting plants should have their centres removed, 
and an abundant supply of moisture should be provided when 
