392 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 18, 1893. 
Aubrietia grseja, Polyanthus, Primrose, Hyacinths, Tulips, Cardamine 
rotundifolia, the later Hellebores and Myosotis dissitiflora. 
The third division will include the foregoing, with the very important 
addition of Aubrietia Leichtlini, many Narcissi, Hyacinths and Tulips, 
Alpine Auriculas, Daisies, Wallflowers, both double, dark, and yellow, 
also Doronicum excelsum and austriacum, Myosotis dissitiflora, and 
M. alpestris Victoria. 
Beds which we make up with various plants, although not giving a 
great effect of colour, are, nevertheless, interesting from the variety of 
plants they contain. They are useful in receiving plants when the 
stock is insufficient for masses, or when their duration of bloom is 
short. In these we have Hepaticas, Anemone nemorosa plena and 
A. Robinsoniana, Tiarella cordifolia, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Pulmonaria, 
Cardamine, Narcissi, Epimedium macranthum, double Primroses, 
Saxifraga muscoides atro-purpurea, Corydalis nobilis, C. cava, Ranunculus 
montanus, this year a veritable gem; Adonis vernalis. Dog’s-tooth 
Violet, and the Alpine Daisy. 
A description of some of the bedding arrangements may be of 
interest. I will just slightly mention some that have been much 
admired. In one part of the castle garden there are six beds 5 yards 
across holding about 100 plants. 
1, Aubrietia Leichtlini, edged with Alpine Daisy, and dotted with 
about fifty yellow Tulips. This is a very striking and effective bed, and 
most enduring. 
2, Arabis and Scilla sibirica, edged with dark crimson Daisy, and 
dotted with scarlet Tulips. 
3, Yellow Polyanthus, edged with dark red Daisy, pricked out with 
dark red Tulips. 
4, Aubrietia grmca, edged with pink Daisy, and dotted with Couleur 
Ponceau Tulips. 
5, Heath, edged with Heucbera Richardsoni, and dotted with yellow 
Tulips. 
6, Crimson Primrose, white Tulips, pink Daisies. 
There is another set of beds which I call from their make up 
bouquet beds. These have a centre of Erica carnea, edged with variegated 
Arabis and succeeded in bands by yellow Polyanthus, Aubrietia and 
yellow Primrose. Red, white, and blue Hyacinths brighten the central 
part of the bed. 
In this garden there are raised beds, some filled with the two 
Doronicums, and others with dark Wallflowers and yellow Daffodils. A 
very large bed in the centre is filled with yellow Wallflower-s, banded by 
Myosotis and followed by Aubrietia Leichtlini and Daisies. 
I have not space to continue the description of beds, having left out 
our best garden, called after the Duchess. 
HAZEL BUD AND PEAR LEAF MITES. 
I HOPE Mr. J. Hiam (page 358) has procured specimens of Hazel 
bu's infested with mites, and has subjected them to microscopic 
examination. It depends, however, upon the buds taken for finding the 
condition I found them in on April 7th, which is shown in the Journal 
U Horticulture, April 20th (page 321). On weakly growths, feeble or 
lean bushes, and aged trees, ninety-nine per cent, of the buds in the 
condition shown on April 20th (page 321), remained in the same state 
up to May 6th as they were found on April 7th, that is, they were 
utterly destroyed, and the growths, bushes, or trees presented no 
evidence of continued existence beyond a straggling growth here and 
there. 
On May 6th buds on strong wood and vigorous bushes had pushed a 
little growth, and instead of the attacked buds being entirely destroyed 
they were making efforts at elongation, forming what are called witch 
knots. This latter term is very misleading, for the witch knots caused 
by mRes only apply to the bud growths of the Birch, Currant, Hazel, 
and Yew, and instead of remaining undeveloped, as in the cases just 
recited, enlarge to a conspicuous size, or grow into stunted branches, the 
cone-like protuberances or bunches attaining the size of a hen’s egg, and, 
if repeated, the growth of the stunted branches may become as large as 
a cricket ball. These witch knots must not be confounded with the 
curious clusters of twigs that frequently occur on Birch, Bullace, Horn¬ 
beam, and occasionally on Fir trees, which at a distance resemble a 
bird’s nest formed of twigs, for these are the work of minute fungi 
belonging to the Asoomycetes group. 
Examining the attacked Hazel buds not killed by the mites on 
May 6th, I found the what should have been shoot leaves and buds had 
produced a luxuriant crop of outgrowths, an enormous quantity of 
hairs, and on these the mites were browsing. They were generally of 
the form shown in c, fig. 61, Journal of Horticulture, April 20th, 1893 
(page 321), but of different sizes. There were no eggs nor empty sacs, 
and the whole nest was as clean as “a new pin.” But I was for a long 
^^PPoiQted, for there was something in the life history of mites I 
>> cycle being broken for want of a certain “ missiner 
in The four-legged mites do not pair but increase by “ budding,” 
and in the spring thej become as retiring as a fowl moulting. What the 
creature was like after the metamorphosis was the grand secret. Whilst 
I was examining, putting fresh slices on the slide one after another 
without getting at anything farther than has already been described, 
almost blind with searching, and leaving the last slice of infested bud 
on the slide, I took a rest to recover clear vision preparatory to putting 
the things away clean and tidy, an imperative necessity in microscopic 
operations. Notwithstanding, I was not by any means satisfied ; I knew 
the thing was there, only it would not come into view, therefore I took 
a last “ fond look,” and was rewarded, for a creature appeared as large 
as a woodlouse is to the naked eye under the same magnifying power as 
the four-legged mite, shown on page 321 at c, was subjected to, and it 
had eight legs. This is what I was in search of, a fertilised female 
capable of traversing the naturally hairy young growths of the Hazel, 
piercing the young buds, and depositing its eggs in them. The cycle is 
now complete. I cannot agree with Mr. Gibbon and Mr. Hiam that 
bud gall mites are all one species. The late Mr. Andrew Murray is very 
clear upon this point, and does not make one figure of a bud gall mite 
do service for five species. There is a difference between the Birch and 
Currant buds gall mites. True it is slight, and only an expert would 
notice what the difference is, but it is enough to show that the re¬ 
presentation in books in many cases are mere copies, often of continental 
specimens, which are larger, if not better than ours, they are made to do 
duty for. 
As regards the Pear leaf gall mite, I shall be pleased to examine any 
specimen Mr. Hiam may send, through the recognised channel. I may 
say, however, that I have worked out the life history of the Pear leaf 
mite, and in some points connected it with a certain form of canker, but 
I am not certain when and how the mites attack the wood and produce 
the cankerous affection. If Mr. Hiam will kindly send to the Editor 
specimen of the current year’s growth with galls on the leaves early in 
June, similar specimen with two year old early in August, and similar 
specimen immediately before the leaves fall in autumn, I will see what I 
can make of them and report in the Journal of Horticulture. I have 
the specimen of the fertilised female Mr. Hiam submitted to the Editor 
in the spring of this year. Fresh specimen of these might be submitted 
for inspection between the fall of the leaves and the appearance of new 
growth.—G. Abbey. 
FRUIT PROSPECTS—INSECTS. 
Steawbebries look very well, but the drought will probably shorten 
the duration of the crop. Here we have had no rain sufficient to lay 
the dust since March 1st. Gooseberries a good crop. Black Currants 
very short. Red Currants good, though have fallen much in consequence 
of the dry weather. Plums and Cherries good at present, but they keep 
getting fewer. Apples and Pears very good. I do not think the cold 
winds while the fruit was in bloom have been injurious, for the old 
saying is, “ A cold blow suits Cherry bloom,” and according to my 
observation this is correct. The blossom seems less injured by frost 
when the weather is dry and cold. 
With the cold winds and the dry weather insect pests are very 
numerous, particularly green fly and red spider. For the latter on 
Gooseberries we have till recently had no cure, as the usual washes do 
not kill it, and they walk about under hellebore powder with perfect 
indifference. As when once established it returns usually every year 
during hot, dry weather, bushes are much injured by it, and in a few 
years are worthless. Some growers here are having to grub a number 
of bushes through this. We have now found that the “ Curative” wash 
applied about 1 in 20 kills them. For Gooseberry caterpillar we 
find nothing better than hellebore powder, which kills very quickly, 
but of course it must not be applied near gathering time. We have had 
an unusual visitation this year, and had to go over alt our bushes, and 
as soon as we had been round another batch had arrived, and we had to 
go over the bushes again. Still insects must on no account be allowed 
to remain unchecked, or good-bye to fine fruit and heavy crops.— 
Walter Kruse, Leeds, Kent. 
Fruit prospects are fairly promising hereabouts, and if frosts be 
done with I think we shall have an all-round satisfactory crop. The 
long succession of bright days and frosty nights—except on the night of 
the 11th ult., when the bulk of half-opened blooms were killed—does 
not appear to have left us any other evil legacy, and would but the 
long-deferred rain in kindness remember us the year 1893 bids fair to 
be remunerative. Fortunately on that sharp night some two-thirds of 
the bloom took no harm, and as the weather since has been very satis¬ 
factory for pollen distribution, a sufficient ” set ” will still be secured. 
Our Vines and Peaches too I may say are highly satisfactory, and the 
thinning some three weeks earlier than usual will be finished this 
week. With the breezy bright weather Tomatoes are also setting well, 
and so far are, I think, healthier than usual.— Joseph WITHERSPOON, 
Red Rose Vineries, Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham. 
The unfortunately persistent dry weather, besides its other prejudical 
gardening effects, has prematurely invited the Gooseberry caterpillar, 
and in many instances, »s in my own garden, induced its appearance 
where it was never seen before. I thought of using dry flowers of 
sulphur, and with the best effects. I say dry, for if in the least damp it 
wilt be useless. Scatter it with a spraying canister wherever the cater¬ 
pillars appear or may reasjnably be expected, and the least touch 
immediately kills them, Now is the time, before the eggs are laid, and 
