176 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ August 24, 1893. 
of the ventilators in the roof of the house. When the plant has 
rooted into the sphagnum and is making its growth it requires 
abundance of water and plenty of air with a moist atmosphere, 
and when growth is completed very little water is needed during 
the winter months. The sphagnum must not be allowed to become 
too dry, or the plant will shrivel and lose its lower leaves.— 
Specialist. 
WASPS.* 
Desteoyino with Tukpentine—Queens. 
I QUITE agree with “W. R. Raillem” that the use of gas tar is the 
easiest, cheapest, and best method of destroying wasps’ nests, provided 
you can do so from above perpendicularly ; but suppose the nests to 
be in the bank of a river, how then? My extensive rosarium, about 
80 yards long, area 40 poles, is situated on the bank of the mighty river 
Hiz. Perpendicular fall of the bank 18 inches, depth of water 10 inches, 
width of river, average, 6 feet. There were four wasps’ nests in the 
bank this year, about 6 inches above water level. These were destroyed 
by a piece ot rag well saturated with spirit of turpentine being thrust 
into the holes, and then set on fire at night. Next morning the nests 
were dug out and burnt. Cost of turpentine 6d., rag an old pocket- 
hankerchief. 
At all early flower shows, i.e., before the end of June, I would 
suggest a prize should be ofiered for the largest number of queen wasps 
exhibited dead, killed in the current year before date of the show, this 
would exclude museum specimens.—H. F. Llag, 
Wasps and Benzoline. 
The wasps are doing so much damage to the orchards in South 
Lincolnshire that fruit growers have been obliged to gather the fruit 
before it is ripe, thus incurring considerable loss in their sales. At 
Quadring, the mail cart, which runs between Spalding and Bonington, 
was attacked by a swarm of wasps, and the horse and driver were 
stung so severely that they were unable to proceed on their journey, 
and the mails were delayed for over an hour. Shopkeepers, whose 
windows .are infested with the insects, have found a benzoline spray 
to be an effective means of extirpation. 
Wasps and Tomatoes. 
Mr. Thorne, gardener,jThe Bush, Walton-on-Thames, informs us that 
he established Tomatoes in pots for growing up and over the front 
ventilators of the vinery purposely for excluding wasps. The air filters 
through the Tomatoes, but the wasps remain outside. There is quite a 
plague of them, and they are devouring all kinds of fruit within reach. 
In the absence of the Tomato barrier the vinery was “ full of wasps.” 
A gentleman informs us of a case of wasps devouring Green Gage 
Plums ; some of these he placed in a small open conservatory among 
Tomatoes in pots, and there they were safe, as no wasps enter the house. 
Wasps and Muslin. 
A Sussex correspondent desiring to protect ripe Figs enclosed the 
fruit in muslin, but the pertinacious wasps ate through the muslin and 
finished the Figs. 
MacDougall’s Smoke Ferrets. 
I DO not see that any of your correspondents who are suffering 
under this plague of wasps have mentioned MacDougall’s “ smoke 
ferrets,” which I look upon as the simplest and most effective destroyer 
of wasps’ nests that I have met with. I had in my rockery what seemed 
to be a tolerably strong nest, I therefore applied in the first instance 
some cyanide of potassium. This killed a considerable number; after 
a few days the nest was as strong as ever. I therefore one night lighted 
one of these smoke ferrets and put it into the hole, closing the entrance. 
In about half an hour’s time the nest was dug out and a gallon of dead 
wasps was taken out, besides six large pieces of comb full of larvse. 
Many nests have since been taken by it all around me. It derives 
its name of smoke ferret from the fact that it is used instead of that 
unpleasant animal for the purpose of driving rabbits out. A lighted 
tube is placed in the run and bunny very soon bolts.—D., Beal. 
JUDGING AT FLOWER SHOWS—WHAT IS AN EXOTIC? 
At the Cardiff Flower Show last year I had occasion to blame the 
Judges for giving the first prize to a “collection of cut flowers, hardy 
herbaceous perennials, twelve bunches, distinct varieties,” which 
contained Roses, Hydrangeas, and some other woody plants : and this 
year I have reason to find fault with the Judges for disqualifying a 
“ collection of cut flowers, twelve bunches (exotic) distinct varieties,” 
for containing a bunch of Anemone japonica alba. With this I send 
you a copy of the Society’s schedule so that you can see the wording 
for yourself. Anemone japonica alba—if 1 mistake not—was intro¬ 
duced from Japan by Fortune, and is not indigenous to this country, 
and therefore must be an exotic to all intents. If the wording of 
the schedule had been “ tropical exotics ” I could have understood their 
decision ; but as it is, I must say I am surprised at the Judges, especially, 
one of them who hails from London, showing such a lack of knowledge 
of our English etymology. What do you think, Mr. Editor ? — 
A. Pettigrew, Castle Gardens, Cardiff. 
_ [We think the Judges were wrong both last year and this. We also 
think the wording of the schedule distinctly open to improvement in 
more than one class.] 
Chrysanthemum Foes. 
The diagrams of eelworms and text on page 129 must be of vital 
interest to all in this department, and we cannot but feel grateful to 
Mr. Abbey for revealing to us so subtle an enemy. Perhaps he and the 
Editor may be induced to supplement it by bringing us in like manner 
face to face with that “small weevil-like creature” which cripples the 
tops and our hopes at the same time. Given a good fat caterpillar or 
earwig there is something tangible to get between your thumb and 
finger, not to mention the exquisite pleasure (not to the beastie) of 
giving him the coup de grace; but science alone can give us dominion 
over these microscopic foes. To this end she straps Vermorei pumps on 
our back and stocks the seedroom shelf with Kilm-Wrights (nothing 
personal) and other ingenious aids from her laboratory. One lesson I 
learned last season about this “worm i’ the bud” is not to let him get 
there ; dredge the tops freely with tobacco powder while healthy. The 
result has been that crippled tops this season are reduced to a minimum. 
Another lesson learned this season is that Mr. Molyneux’s remedy (lime 
and sulphur solution), as given in his admirable book, is harmless to the 
roots, and can be used in safety at this season, if required, without 
unfastening tall plants to lay them down. This I tested by watering 
some plants with the mixture as diluted for syringing without any 
baneful results. I will not further trespass on space lest I incur the 
reproach that “ Ireland blocks the way,” but I do hope the ball will 
be kept rolling in that “ fair field for discussion” the Editor generously 
provides.—E. K., Buhlin. 
Chrysanthemums at Heywood. 
As a West of England grower Mr. Robinson, gardener to Lord Justice 
Lopes, has acquired more than local fame, his success last year at several 
shows, including Devizes, Bath, and Bristol, being above the average, 
and he is, therefore, looked upon as a strong rival competitor to many 
who visit the above named and other shows. Judging from'the present 
appearance of his plants there is every prospect of his credit being well 
maintained, if it does not even supersede that of 1892. The buds are 
evidently being well timed by the usual course of pinching and cutting 
down, according to the variety, during the spring and early summer 
months, and the manner in which the buds are setting, their free growth, 
and healthy appearance of leaf and stem proves they are judiciously 
and systematically treated. I was struck with the high quality of 
many of the varieties of recent introduction numbered among the 
collection of some 460 plants grown principally for large blooms. 
Several of the better known novelties are represented, not by solitary 
plants, but with from four to six of a sort, and as these are forming 
their crown buds in succession new varieties will sure to be a strong 
feature in Mr. Robinson’s stands during the coming contests. 
Colonel W. B. Smith is wonderfully promising, and is represented by 
six uniformly healthy and vigorous plants ; so also is Lord Brooke. 
J. Shrimpton, W. Seward, and G, W. Childs, the new Cullingfordi 
seedlings, are each strong, and bid fair to give large blooms in due time. 
Duke of York, Edwin Beckett, W. Tricker, J. P. Kendal, John Dyer, 
said to be an improved Kate Mursell; Coronet, Waban, Golden Wedding, 
R. C. Kingston, Mrs. C. H. Payne, Robert Owen, J. S. Fogg, Mrs. E. D. 
Adams, Mrs. Gov. Fifer, Tuxedo, Le Verseux, Mrs. Nisbet, E. G. Hill, 
Beauty of Castlehill, and Beauty of Castleford, are all in the finest 
possible condition. Mr. Robinson had perhaps the finest specimen 
bloom of Viviand Morel last year seen in the west of England, and his 
plants (several of them cut down in April) look well now. Its sports, 
Chas. Davis and Mrs. W. R. Wells, are equally vigorous. Of older sorts, 
E. Molyneux, Sunflower, Mrs. Wheeler, Mdlle. M. Hoste, Mrs. Falconer 
Jameson, Florence Davis, Gloriosum, Etoile de Lyon, Avalanche, Stan- 
stead White, and Mdlle. Lacroix may be mentioned among many others, 
all in the same enviable state of health. The hairy petalled varieties are 
well represented. Of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy there are a dozen plants in 
various stages of bud development. Queen of the Hirsutes, Louis 
Boehmer, and its white sport were noted as doing well. 
Some of the incurved showed much disposition to flower in the early 
summer months, but by cutting down a goodly portion of the Queen 
family this failing was outgrown. These are comparatively dwarf, but 
the “ Princesses ” are most of them 8 feet or more in height, and it is 
computed that by the time the flowers are open a large portion of the 
stock will cover 12 feet stakes. No mildew is to be found, consequently 
with the very close personal attention given to the smallest detail, the 
foliage is perfect almost to the pots ; the bright sunshine, too, which we 
have known only too well this summer has given them the beautiful 
tint that bespeaks perfect maturity in the stems. 
Now that the buds are forming rapidly, feeding with artificial 
manures will commence in earnest. Clay’s and Thomson’s command¬ 
ing the largest favours at Heywood. Soot water has been the principal 
stimulant used since the pots were filled with hungry roots, with 
occasional weak doses of liquid manure as a change. No artificial of any 
sort had been used by the middle of August, save that mixed with soil at 
potting time, and the stout stems, vigorous foliage, and perfect colour 
betokens unusual effort in attending to the daily needs of the plants. 
