4 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July G, 1893. 
NOTES FROM SOUTH WALES. 
The present season will be remembered as one of the hottest 
and driest on record for many years past. The rainfall during 
March was only 0 35 inch, which fell on six days, and the fall in 
April was still less—0 25 inch, which fell on three days. The rain¬ 
fall in May was 2-49 inches, but owing to the dry state of the 
ground and the prevailing hot bright weather it soon evaporated, 
and vegetation was little benefited by it. The fall in June was 
very low, 0'60 inch, with a high temperature and scorching sun¬ 
shine. The ground has been dried now to a considerable depth, 
and vegetation is suffering severely for the want of rain. 
All kinds of fruit trees flowered profusely this year from a 
fortnight to three weeks earlier than usual. The weather was 
favourable during the time they were in flower, and the fruits set 
well and swelled freely until the trees began to feel the effects of 
the drought, when the Apple trees began to get covered with red 
spider and American blight. The fruits dropped off in great 
numbers, and they have continued to drop more or less ever since, 
although many of them are more than half grown. The set of 
Apples and Pears was enormous, and the Pitmaston Duchess Pear 
trees here had to be propped up six weeks ago to keep the branches 
from being broken by the weight of fruit. Plums are a much 
better crop than I anticipated early in the season, but the trees 
are very much blighted with aphis. If we are favoured with 
copious rain, of which there is no sign at present, there would be 
a good crop left; but the fruits will be smaller than usual. 
The crops of small fruits have been very good, notwithstanding 
the long-continued drought. The Strawberry plants were mulched 
with rough stable litter early in January, and they have withstood 
the dry hot weather well and produced a good crop, which began 
to ripen at least three weeks earlier than in ordinary seasons. 
Scarlet Queen ripened fully eight days before Noble, both growing 
side by side on a south border. The fruits are not so large nor so 
handsome looking as Noble, but they are much firmer and better 
in quality. Gooseberries, Raspberries, Black, White, and Red 
Currants were plentiful and of good quality in this district, but the 
birds were troublesome upon those not netted. 
Vegetable crops have suffered most. The early crops of Broad 
Beans are covered with black aphis, and the successional crops 
withered and died before coming into flower. Scarlet Runners 
are also infested with black aphis ; the flowers are dropping off and 
pods not setting well. Peas have grown fairly well, but soon 
ripen and get too old for use. Onions, Carrots, and Turnips have 
made little progress, and I am afraid they will do little good this 
season. It is difficult with a short supply of water to keep up a 
succession of Lettuces ; they are withering up in the drills before 
they are fit for use. The winter crops—Savoys, Broccoli, Brussels 
Sprouts, and Celery—are at a standstill, and in some places the 
plants of the Brassica family are still in the seed bed, where 
planting was delayed with the expectation of getting rain soon. 
Asparagus and Seakale, also Tomatoes trained on walls, luxuriate 
in this dry hot weather, which seems to suit them admirably ; but 
Potatoes are losing their leaves and ripening off prematurely. 
The loss among newly planted forest trees is very great. In 
some places (on the hills here) all those that were planted last 
season have perished, and we have lost thousands of Scotch Pine 
and Larch on this estate that were planted four years ago, and had 
grown to the height of 6 feet. The Larch plantations in this 
district are badly diseased this season, which may in some measure 
be attributed to the long drought. 
The Vines in the vineyards at Castle Coch, Swanbridge, and 
St. Quintin’s Castle, never looked better since they were planted. 
They are covered with fruit, and the bunches are as forward now 
as they usually are at the end of August. The foliage is clean 
and healthy, and the young canes are stronger this year than ever 
I remember them.—A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
INSECT PESTS. 
Insect pests are most abundant this year, and correspondingly 
harmful to plant life. I have, on former occasions, seen a greater 
plague of insects on the vegetation of a poor peaty soil, but have 
never witnessed anything like the same multitude in a garden. 
Up to the present the red spider has not made itself conspicuous in 
the garden of which I have charge, but vaiious aphides are to be 
found on many plants, fruit trees, and shrubs. It is a marked 
feature of this insect visitation that vegetation growing in deep 
rich soil has kept comparatively free of the pests, while, on the other 
hand, plants growing in dry and shallow ground, as well as 
tpes or shrubs which have stood a long period on the same 
site without having received any cultural help, have been infested 
with insects. This points most clearly to the beneficial aspect of 
high cultivation as a deterrent to insect attack. It cannot, how¬ 
ever, be regarded as a settled point, because Carnations in luxuriant 
growth have been much preyed upon, while Chrysanthemums in 
pots have suffered from repeated attack of the aphis. 
Hymenoptera have been very early afield and in great numbers. 
Three species at least of the humble bee have been largely repre¬ 
sented. The mischief they confine themselves to, so far as the 
garden is concerned, is the destruction of Carnation and Pink 
flowers. Few of these have escaped them, and practically nothing 
can be done to prevent their visits. The common wasp is also 
more numerous than usual, hanging nests in particular being 
common. I do not much object to these, as at present and for a few 
weeks longer they are not f rugivorous, but distinctly insectivorous. 
The foliage of infested fruit trees, m.ore particularly Pears, is 
swarming with wasps. Some cottagers have been endeavouring to 
destroy those colonies settled in their gardens. Where hanging 
nests are easy of access no better method of extinction need be 
followed than this. On a fire shovel place a few embers and 
keep them in a glow until wanted by means of a little added 
charcoal. Then throw a handful of flowers of sulphur on the 
glowing mass, and with this stupefy the wasps. Cut down the nest, 
letting it drop on the shovel, and few, if any, wasps will remain. 
Cyanide of potassium is sometimes applied to wasps in burrows, 
but unless the nest is dug out and destroyed within twelve hours 
the colony quickly resembles in vigorous life. 
Respecting the eradication of aphis, and also of other insects 
which infest trees and other plants growing outdoors, it is as well 
to see whether anything cannot be effected in the way of helping 
the plant itself to greater vigour. To this end I advise the removal 
of all superfluous, and on that account hurtful growth. Take for 
example, an old wall-trained Rose tree. Even should the spring 
pruning have been well done there is now sure to be many weakly 
growths unable to produce buds, or in any way to further the well¬ 
being of the tree in general. Every one of these shoots ought to 
be removed. In the case of Plum trees, which are very subject to 
insect attack, similar measures must be followed ; and the same 
remark applies to all kinds of trained trees. The benefit of thinning 
is apparent in the number of insects which are at once cleared out, 
as it is these worthless growths that harbour vermin. The 
vigour of the tree is also enhanced, and any help afforded in the 
way of water or manure at once reaches those shoots which are 
alone capable of receiving benefit. With the growths thus thinned 
remedial measures can be applied more successfully. There are 
fewer leaves to reach, and these are more easily cleansed. 
For cleansing on a large scale I do not know anything better or 
generally easier to procure than soapsuds. Progressive laundresses 
do not now employ soda as a softener of water, but in cases where 
soda is used it is doubtful if it does any harm. To a large tubful 
of suds add a quart of petroleum, then with a syringe churn the 
suds until the mineral is assimilated. To any tree requiring 
cleansing apply this solution in the evening. Follow in an hour 
with another cleansing of pure water, and if the work is properly 
done few, if any, insects of any sort will be left. American blight 
succumbs to the same agent. In this case, however, it is necessary 
to direct with some force the spray from the syringe on the insect- 
infested spots. Currants and Gooseberries, which are sometimes 
attacked by aphis, are most expeditiously cleaned by removing the 
points of the shoots. I clean the buds of Carnations by means of 
a slight dusting of tobacco powder. Chrysanthemum shoots are 
rendered clean in the same way. 
Turning to the inmates of glass structures, the only difficult 
pest I have had to deal with has been mealy bug. During 
the time the heat lasted mealy bug multiplied with rapidity. 
Stephanotis in flower was attacked perhaps the worst ; but also on 
some old Vines, which have given little trouble for many years, the 
pest increased most alarmingly. Asparagus in a hot stove also 
became quickly dirty. The break up of the drought brought a 
desired opportunity, and with one day’s cleaning not many of the 
enemy was left. The Grape Vines took longest to clean, as it was 
needful to go carefully over every rod, shoot, leaf, and bunch, the 
latter with a camel hair pencil, the others with a sponge. I used 
as an insecticide a strong solution of softsoap, with a very small 
quantity of petroleum added. The sponge and the pencil were 
dipped in the solution, then squeezed almost free of moisture, and 
the insects thereafter touched lightly with either. The Vines will 
require to be looked to again in order to destroy those which 
escaped notice, and I am hopeful that not much mealy bug will be 
seen again for a long lime to come. Stephanotis, Asparagus, Palms, 
and other plants not easily injured were syringed with a solution of 
soapy water ap.d petroleum, followed closely with clean water. It 
is well to note that shade from sunshine is advantageous for a few 
days after cleansing. 
It is curious to observe how insects attack the same plant year 
after year. I had a Vine which regularly developed red spider at 
