May 3, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
371 
All correspondence should be directed either to “ Tue 
Editor” or to “ The Publisher.” Letters addressed to Dr. 
Hogg or members of the staff often remain unopened un¬ 
avoidably. We request that no one will write privately 
to any of our correspondents, as doing so subjects them to 
unjustifiable trouble and expense. 
Books (A Beginner'). —Mr. Barron’s work on the Vine can be had 
post free from this office, price 5s. 3d. ; and Mr. Molyneux’s work on the 
Chrysanthemum for Is. 2d. 
Cotoneaster (B'. S. <9.).—We do not know of any Cotoneaster that 
clings to walls after the manner of Ivy. We know of no plants th.at 
will answer your purpose so well as green and variegated Ivies and 
Ampelopsis Veitchi, this latter clinging to walls like glue, but is de¬ 
ciduous, the leaves assuming a brilliant hue in some positions in the 
autumn. 
Table Plants (J. S.). —You will find the following good plants 
for exhibition and general use—Cocos Wcddelliana, Geonoma gracilis, 
Thrinax elegans, Crotons angustifolius, interrnptus aureus, Johannis and 
Eodeckianus, Dracajnas Sydneyi, ijucunda, nigi-a rubra, and gracilis, 
Reidia glaucescens, Asparagus plumosus nanus, Cyperus laxus, Aralias 
Veitchi, gracillima and elegantissima, and Pandanus graminifolius. 
Canadian Wonder Beans—Vine Follag-e {Tliomai^ W'lchMm ).— 
We hope we have deciphered your name correctly. The Beans are very 
good indeed, and the crop you have gathered affords evidence both of 
the adaptability of the variety for forcing and your own good culture. 
The Vine leaves are unusually good, being quite barge enough, stout 
in texture, and deep green in colour. The Vines under good manage¬ 
ment cannot fail to produce fine Grapes. 
Anthurium—Cbrysanthemums {J. C.). — The spots you mention 
are generally caused by having the plant in too low a temperature 
with too much moisture in the soil or atmosphere. Perhaps the 
temperature has fallen below the degrees you name upon some cold 
nights. At this time of year plenty of moisture will suit it, and by 
encouraging growth the plant will ])robably soon recover. We do not 
remember your previous letter respecting the Chrysanthemums, but the 
following dozen bright or deep red Japanese varieties will no doubt 
meet your requirements Flambeau, Roi des Prdcoces, Cossack, Orne- 
ments, Tokio, Garnet, Jupiter, M. N. Davis, Mr. W. Holmes, Simon 
Delaux, Cullingfordi (reflexed), and M. Henry Jacotot. 
Snails in Conservatory (^Inju'irer ).—If you place small heaps of 
fresh brewers’ grain or bran in suitable positions about the house, and 
examine them an hour or two after dark, you will probably find them 
covered with the snails that are eating your Ferns, and with perseverance 
you will soon be able to clear out most or all of the destructive molluscs. 
In the meantime you might syringe the plants now and then with soft- 
soap and quassia water, with the object of rendering them less tempting 
to the snails, and which might consequently take to the gi-ains or bran 
more readily. If you have reason to believe they lurk down amongst 
the rhizomes of the plants or in the soil give them some fresh and quite 
clear lime water. This will not hurt the Ferns, while snails cannot 
endure it. 
Strawberries Falling' (P. T .).—The roots of the plants are 
dead, but whether this is the result of their having been kept too dry, as 
they were on arrival, or of an overdose of liquid manure, we are unable 
to say. If the plants were growing- satisfactorily until you gave them 
the soot water, you may conclude it was too strong, and instead of 
assisting them has caused their destruction. Liquid manure is like 
some medicines, excellent when rightly used, otherwise dangerous and 
even deadly. We have many times advised that soot water should only 
be used when clean and of the colour of very pale ale or weak tea, not 
black like porter or stout. We have seen plants of various kinds seri¬ 
ously injured, and not a few killed, by the injudicious use of liquid 
manure that was intended to assist their growth. 
Caterpillar on Tea Bose (d. TI.). —This is the caterpillar or 
arva of the swallow-tail moth (Urapteryx sambucata), the English 
name suggested by the points at the ends of the under wings of the 
insect, and the Latin by its occurrence upon the Elder in some seasons. 
The caterpillar feeds a short time during autumn, then lays up for the 
winter in some crack or crevice, reappearing about this time or even 
earlier. Actually it is found feeding on many species of trees and 
herbaceous plants, chiefly, however, out of doors; but if one has crept 
into a house to shelter during the winter season it will probably feed 
there in the spring on anything that may be handy. Though not a 
scarce insect, it appears in too small numbers to be injurious, especially 
as the food is so varied, and it is hardly necessary to kill the moth, which 
may be seen floating about the gardens in the June twilight. 
Francoa and Plumbago {Conn!ant Header). —If you reside in a 
district where the Francoa is exclusively grown in pots under glass you 
would be justified in showing it as you suggest ; but if the plant is more 
or less grown outdoors in your locality it would not be wise to include 
the flowers in the collection. The shoots of your Plumbago should not 
be stopped afterthisdate ; unlesstheyare already far advanced, then pinch 
them at once, and allow the shoots to extend until they come into flower. 
We do not advise ohe shoots to be pinched, and should prefer to retard 
the plant from starting into growth early in spring. It takes eight or 
ten weeks from the time of starting to the time of flowering, but this 
entirely depends upon the temperature in which it is grown. We prefer 
to start it in an intermediate temperature, and then bring it forward as 
cool as possible. 
Pears—Cotyledons—Crassula jasmlnea (IF. B .).—The Pears 
probably suffered by the drought of last summer, and may have been 
gathered too soon. They should not be removed till they fall into the 
hand when slightly raised and without twisting the stalk. They often 
hang till the middle of November when the autumn is mild. The fruit 
resembles the Easter Beurre. Cotyledons can be propagated by insert¬ 
ing their leaves in sandy soil either in well drained pots or shallow pans. 
Place them in a temperature of 55° to 60°, and keep the soil rather dry 
until young plants appear ; succulent plants at any time are more 
liable to suffer from excess of water than theieverse. The Crassula can 
be propagated by cuttings inserted in similar soil and temperature, and 
the plants should be grown on a shelf in a greenhouse well exposed to 
sun, as upon the ripening of the growth their flowering chiefly depends. 
IMw growers have much difficulty wich the plant. 
Weevils Eating Ferns (.7. 11 .).—The enemy which is making such 
“ sad havoc ” with your Ferns and Lapageria is the very destructive 
Weevil, Curculio, or Otiorhynchus sulcatus. These beetle-like pests will 
eat almost anything, and are by no means easy to eradicate. In the 
grub state they cat the roots of plants, and when developed devour the 
leaves and flowers. Search for them sedulously, especially at night, 
catching all you can, and so prevent a further increase. Shaking the 
plants violently over a white cloth at night will dislodge many, and 
they will be visible on the white surface, and can be the more i.'eadily 
secured. A bitter decoction of aloes, quassia, and tobacco is said to 
render plants distasteful to the weevils. Early in spring as much of the 
old soil should be removed from the Ferns and other plants as can be 
safely done, and probably many small white grubs, the larvm of the 
weevils, will be destroyed. K<ep the soil moist, and a solution of helle¬ 
bore, made by pouring boiling water on 2 ozs. of the powder, then 
increasing to a gallon of water before using might do good. It will not 
injure foliage or roots. 
Vine Xieaves Decaying (Z>.).—Too much moisture in the house 
consequent on its being “ crowded with Ferns and other plants,” and 
also its being possibly kept too close, especially at night, would contri¬ 
bute to the decay in patches of the very thin leaves. The root action is 
also, wo suspect, defective, or, what amounts to the same thing, several 
of the roots have found their way into ungenial soil. The Vines will 
probably improve as the season advances, especially if you take care the 
growths are not overcrowded, and that the plants are watered soon 
enough for the atmosphere to become moderately dry before night ; and 
we should expect still better results if you could raise the temperature 
5°, and leaving the top ventilators open to the extent of an inch or so 
all night, increasing the ventilation early in the morning as soon as the 
sun influences the temperature of the house. If by a thick mulching of 
manure you could incite the free production of roots near the surface, 
then apply phosphatic fertilisers, such as bonemeal or special manures 
that are advertised, the leaves would soon assume a stouter texture, and 
be less liable to decay through the effects of unfavourable atmospheric 
conditions. The Vines are evidently in a weak and unsatisfactory state. 
Caterpillars on Azalea and Vine (./. IF.).—On examinationj- 
the caterpillars forwarded appear to be those of the very variable moth 
Peronea hastana, which possesses many synonyms from this circumstance, 
and is also found feeding on a great variety of plants, on some as diverse 
as the Rose and Willow, for instance. Its occurrence upon the Azalea 
does not seem to have been noted before. These leaf-rolling larvs or 
caterpillars belonging to the tortrix group are often exceedingly like- 
each other in allied species, and it is possible that the Grape insect may 
be a different species, but bearing resemblance to the Azalea eaters. If 
it be the same, we should presume the larvm that attack your ripening' 
fruit are a second brood, the moths of which emerge from the matured 
larv® of the spring season. One difficulty in dealing with these cater¬ 
pillars, which conceal themselves in folds of leaves and silken wraps is 
the protection they thus obtain from any syringing process. The destruc¬ 
tion of tortrix caterpillars has been attempted by a solution of petroleum 
in water, afterwards washed off with warm water, also bj^ means of a 
solution of nicotine soap, and by a liquor composed of a decoction of 
quassia chips made alkaline with soda. All leaves containing the pup» 
or chrysalids should be promptly removed. 
Xilftlngr Sno-wdrops (C. IF.).—The most suitable time to lift the 
bulbs is from the beginning to the middle of July. The time will vary 
a week or two according to the season. They should not be lifted until 
the foliage has ripened or leaves the bulbs with e.ase ; the skin of the 
bulbs should also be thoroughly brown. Lifting is best done during 
dry weather. If lifted just before the foliage leaves them there is no 
difficulty in picking the bulbs from amongst the soil. They are usually 
lifted in Lincolnshire -with a fork, and bo 3 'S are employed for picking 
them from the soil. When the foliage h.as completely dried there is 
some difficult}' in thoroughly clearing the land of them. When lifted 
