March 4. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
357 
ground, and paying no regard whether it is a sixpenny 
or a new five shillings one. In moist weather they will, 
during the night, creep up the stems, and feed upon the 
young flower-buds, perhaps those that otherwise would 
have filled a place in the stand of flowers in the exhibi¬ 
tion tent. Again, the plants in pots are often preyed 
upon by these destructive vermin, and a plant will soon 
be almost destroyed if they are not looked after and 
killed. There is, however, one comfort to the grower, 
they can easily he stopped in the career of destruction, 
whether the plants are cultivated in beds or in pots. If 
they are not very numerous, the best way to get rid of 
them is to gather them up every morning and throw 
them into some quick-lime, or very hot-water. To attract 
them, lay a few cabbage or lettuce leaves here and there 
upon the bed, or amongst the pots in the frame or pits. 
Under these they will creep for shelter and concealment, 
and may then be easily found by turning up the leaves. 
Examine also the pots themselves, lift them up and 
look into the hole at the bottom; we have often found 
them there, after searching in vain in the other parts of 
the frame. The leaves were eaten, and the slime was 
visible, but the slug was not visible until he was traced 
to his hiding place. Should they be very numerous, 
resort must be had to lime-water. This is easily made 
by procuring a lump or two of unslaked lime, put it 
into a pail of water, and let it gradually dissolve. If the 
beds are numerous and large, the quantity of lime and 
water must of course be in proportion ; let it stand till 
it is quite clear, and then skim off a thin scum that will 
be found on the surface. Dip a watering-pot into it 
without disturbing the lime at the bottom, or, what is 
better, have a tap fixed into the side of the tub above 
the lime, and draw off the liquor quite clear; then, some 
dry evening, water the bed or pit thoroughly all over 
with the lime-water. This will destroy these vermin, 
especially if the application is given twice, first in the 
evening and again in the morning. Where Worms are 
troublesome, one or two applications of the lime-water 
will destroy them also, even if they are in the pots. 
Wireworm. —In fresh soil this tough fellow will often 
be found, and a difficult one he is to catch and destroy, 
but he must be sought for, or many a plant will he 
devour, boring into the stems, and eating the delicate 
pith. The plant then, though in appearance green and 
healthy, will sicken suddenly and die. Previously to 
planting, turn the soil over very carefully, and diligently 
look for the wireworms. Collect them into a deep vessel, 
and if you have any fowls, spread them before them, 
and they will speedily pick them up, and save you the 
trouble of killing them. Some will escape, and to catch 
them, lay traps. These are slices of potatoes or Swedish 
turnips put into the soil close to the plants, and slightly 
covered. Examine these traps daily, as long as even a 
single wireworm is found eating them. With proper 
care and diligence, this difficult insect may be got rid of, 
or at least the number greatly reduced. 
The larva of the cockchafer, and “ daddy long legs," 
are also frequently found in fresh loam. These are not 
only destructive to the pets of the florists but are also 
fearfully injurious to what is of far greater consequence, 
the plants of the farm—such as wheat, potatoes, &c. 
With the latter case, indeed, we have no business at 
present; we have only to do with the Verbena. The 
same means to destroy them must be resorted to as 
those described above for the wireworm, with the ex¬ 
ception of the traps, which are of no use for these ver¬ 
min. They may generally be found congregated round 
the plants just under the soil, and may be then caught 
and destroyed. It is a good method by way of preven¬ 
tion, to put in decayed plants for the insects to feed 
upon, instead of the plants desirable to be preserved 
from their attacks. The plant we have found most 
useful for this purpose is cos lettuce. When one of 
these flags, or appears to be dying, pluck it up, and 
quickly examine the soil in the place where it grew, and 
destroy every enemy that may be found. 
Di seases. —The diseases that attack the verbena are 
two. The first may be denominated apoplexy, for its 
effects are equally fatal, and is brought on by too gross 
feeding, or in other words, by being planted in a soil too 
much charged with rich nutriment, in the shape of dung 
or leaf-mould. When these preponderate too much in 
the compost, the plants turn suddenly yellow and die. 
There is no remedy for this disease. The only way to 
act, is to remove the plants so infected, and also all the 
soil near the place, and put in fresh soil and plants to 
fill up the vacant space. 
The other disease is gangrene on the leaves. This is 
indicated by a small spot which swells and becomes of 
a bright red colour. If it is allowed to spread much it 
becomes dangerous to the general health of the plant. 
The cause is unknown. The remedy is to cut oft' every 
infected leaf and burn them. T. Appleby. 
A CHAPTER ON MELONS. 
From a variety of causes, which we shall not en¬ 
deavour to explain, the culture of this fruit has not 
improved in the same degree as that of pines and 
grapes. Whether it be that the last-mentioned fruits 
have latterly derived more attention, or that melons 
were formerly grown to a degree of excellence approach¬ 
ing nearer to perfection than their rivals for distinction, 
we know not; but certainly, good melons of the “ olden 
times ” might compete with those of the present day, 
with a much better chance of success than good pines 
and grapes of that same period could with those now 
produced. Perhaps the one being an annual might give 
it more claims to attention than the other, and as a 
high state of cultivation could alone produce a good- 
flavoured melon thirty years ago, the same may be said 
now, and all indifferent, or even middle-course systems 
of management, must still end in disappointment; so 
that all who think of growing melons must make up 
their minds to grow them well, otherwise not to attempt 
them. A good crop is only to be obtained by carefully 
attending to the wants of the plants from the time the 
seed is sown, to the time the fruit is properly ripe and 
cut; such is the sensitive delicacy of this plant, that its 
success or failure is really more the result of our well or 
ill directed skill, than is that of most other objects placed 
under our care; not but that nature plays an important 
part in this affair, but that she requires more of our 
help here than in most of her other operations. 
Notwithstanding the predilection old people have for 
the favourite contrivances of their younger days, they 
generally admit the utility and superiority of hot-water 
heated pits for growing melons, and, in all cases where 
they are wanted very early, fire-heat, either in that or 
some other shape, must be adopted to ensure their pro¬ 
gress during the dull, dark days of winter and early 
spring; but as we have, in our article on cucumbers, 
and at other times, given some directions regarding 
their treatment at that particular time, we omit repeat¬ 
ing it here, and suppose that pots full of healthy plants 
are awaiting being planted out: and now to the mode 
in which that ought to be done. 
There is a wide difference of opinion respecting the 
soil most suitable for growing this fruit, and when we 
see or hear, from well-authenticated sources, of the 
success that has attended the use of soils or composts 
diametrically opposed to each other, we are led to 
enquire if other causes have not also been at work to 
produce such results. The issue of such enquiries natu¬ 
rally enough leads to the inference, that quality in the 
soil alone will not ensure success, while, at the same 
