130 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Max 29, 1860. 
and Nectarines. However, I got old Joe, my vermin killer, to 
give the trees two syringings of tobacco water, and this has been 
complete. The first effort of the aphides on the Peach is to dis¬ 
tort and curl the young foliage, and this they generally accom¬ 
plish in a week or so, and within these curls they take refuge. 
After the foliage becomes curled, it becomes most difficult to 
eradicate them, and double the quantity of tobacco or other 
destructive to extirpate them. So here, at least, is one reason for 
a speedy application. Eew duly estimate the damages occasioned 
by these pests. I once had a wall of Peaches and Nectarines 
completely ruined in this way ; they became full of naked patches, 
and the lower portions were obliged to be cut away. This is 
some twenty-five years since. 
Apricots. —Persons who esteem this fruit should - look well 
over them from the middle of May until Midsummer. The cater¬ 
pillars of the Red-bar moth are almost sure to hatch by hundreds 
during that period. Any one may readily detect their existence 
without going close to the tree. These rogues roll up the foliage 
in bunches, and the latter have to be unrolled without bruising, 
and the enemy crushed without a spark of mercy. 
Pears. —These are not particularly liable to insects, but there 
needs much assiduity from the moment they arc in full bloom 
until they get as large as marbles. A vile caterpillar attacks the 
young fruit the moment it begins to enlarge. These must be 
hunted out and destroyed. Pears are in some situations troubled 
with singular fungi of which there are three or four kinds. I 
was much troubled with one kind of which I could not learn the 
name for a few years, and even at this moment I can see their 
ravages occasionally. The leaf becomes completely blistered over 
and crumpled, something after the manner of the curl in Peaches, 
and the pest spreads with amazing rapidity. It threatened at 
one period, some sixteen years since, to overrun and destroy 
all the Pears in the gardens, and we were all highly alarmed. I 
could see no w r ay at the time of averting the evil, but by stripping 
off every diseased leaf. This I had done with a heavy heart, 
knowing it would rob tho trees of the fruit-bearing principle for 
a time, which, of course, it did. This plan was persisted in, and 
annually they became much, very much, less; and 1 have had 
the pleasure of seeing my trees full of health and producing good 
crops of excellent Pears for several j'ears. Doubtless, there may 
be some better mode than picking off the leaves; but, like all pro¬ 
gress, for it time is requisite. But there is another affair which 
is very serious indeed, and well it is that it is of rare occurrence; 
but I have known in two first-class gardens -within two score miles 
of here, the Pears either destroyed or paralysed for years through 
this pest. It is a caterpillar in the interior of the leaf, and which 
seems to feed on the colouring matter, or chlorophyll, according 
to learned men. We all know that there is a class of these cater¬ 
pillars, or grubs as they are commonly called, that possess such 
habits. The Holly tree is particularly liable to a similar attack in 
some districts, and the Celery likewise. During the thirty-three 
years I have been here (Oulton Park), I have never met with 
them, but when living on Wimbledon Heath previously, my 
Celery, as also that of many neighbours, was spoiled with it 
occasionally. 
CnERRiES. —These, as soon as the foliage is developed, are sure 
to have an attack from the green fly, and thero is no securing a 
crop of handsome fruit without pains. Tobacco should be got to 
work, or those who like change may try Gishurst; but I can 
only say, that my man prefers his tobacco paper, which may be 
had good now. Whether this be prejudice or mere caution I 
do not know. Like the colour of the chameleon in the fable, 
each will settle tho affair according to his own light. 
Pltjms. —The same may be said of Plums, only the aphis does 
not usually commence so early with these. Above all, let me 
recommend that the bull be taken by the horns, that tho early 
attacks of insects be not trifled with. This is the way for a gar¬ 
dener to have a. little comfort during the height of summer. 
This bids fair at present (May I7tb), to bo one of the greatest 
fruit years on record, and the wasps arc at present pretty abun¬ 
dant, although I have at times seen more. My men have all a 
penny a wasp for taking them, and very busy they are at meal¬ 
times and odd moments. Now', the policy of this will scarcely 
be called in question in the year 1860 ; but. I am afraid many 
neglect it. This is like one farmer of clean habits extirpating 
Thistles with all his might, whilst his neighbour, Dick Careless, 
takes no notice of them. I do not know how it is, but I have for 
many years noticed it, and heard experienced men declare the 
same, that whenever there is a great fruit year, there is sure to be 
abundance of wasps. Now, if these vile insects would but eat 
and thin out the young fruit in such cases, it would be w r ell; but 
they wait until the fruit has robbed the tree. 
Let us not forget our old enemy, the red spider, one of the 
worst enemies of the gardener. It is almost sure to appear on 
tho Peaches and Nectarines, and, indeed, on some other fruits. 
I have a row of Gooseberries, fifty yards long, which have been 
half devoured by this spider for three years. I could have ex¬ 
tirpated or driven them, no doubt, by sulphur ; but my sulphur 
account is already a consideration, and there are points at which 
w'e are obliged to stop with things which swell the garden 
accounts. Indeed, it is of little avail growing Peaches which cost 
nearly Is. each, and which, when costly, are almost sure to be 
inferior. Gardeners, therefore, must partake of the utilitarian 
principle, and in the matter of fruits and vegetables, endeavour 
to make them at least equal to the outlay on them. 
Flow'crs are another affair and decorative matters. We might 
as well scrutinise milliners’ bills with an economical eye as think 
to make ornamental gardening profitable, R. Erkington. 
DEFECTIVE AZALEA FLOWEES-SEEDS OF 
PAMPAS GRASS. 
I have an Azalea (decora), in flou r er at present; but some of 
the flowers have not come to perfection, the petals being shrivelled 
and small, though others, and the greater part, are large and 
good. There are also some of the flowers pale in colour, and 
others of a good colour. Can you advise me as to what may be 
the cause of these defects ? There is a very great growth on the 
plant, and has been for several weeks, or since the bilds began to 
swell. There are from six to twelve strong shoots from the base 
of each flower from two to three inches and a half in length. 
These in some measure conceal the flowers, and in some parts 
press upon the flowers, so as to prevent their opening properly. 
Should I allow all these shoots to remain ? or should I have 
thinned them long ere now ? 
Early in spring I sowed some seed of tho Pampas Grass. 
Only three seeds appeared to vegetate. 1 have nursed these with 
great care; but they are so like to common Grass in appearance, 
that I am beginning to suspect that they are from three common 
Grass seeds that were previously in the mould, and that none of 
the Pampas seeds have grown. Can you tell me of any marks by 
which I may know whether the plants are common Grass or 
Pampas Grass ?—J. M. 
[Last year, when that Azalea had finished its yearly growth, tho 
weather 1 , or the house in which it stood, was too hot for it, and 
it was within an ace of making a second or forced growth : that 
is the reason why the flowers are not all perfect as they should 
be. The stronger shoot s are induced by the same cause. When 
they are hard enough at the bottom, slip off every one of them 
with a heel, and make cuttings of them. 
You sowed only the chaff’ of the Pampas Grass, and your 
harvest will be accordingly. How could you think that a male 
or female Pampas plant oould seed without a partner to cross 
with ?] 
MILDEW IN A GREENHOUSE. 
What is tho best remedy for mildew among Roses, or rather, 
I should say, among greenhouse shelves ? We have been sadly 
troubled with it for the last two or three seasons. It seems to be 
j confined to one house—the cool greenhouse, where most of the 
flowering plants are kept. Dredging tho plants with sulphur 
1 appears to answer for a time—that is, if they are removed to 
other quarters ; but as sure as they are brought back from 
quarantine, though looking perfectly clean and healthy, it breaks 
i out again, often in the course of a week, and spreads with mar- 
1 vellous rapidity. The gardener attributes the infection to an 
unusually large stock of Chrysanthemums that w r ere brought 
there to bloom about three winters ago. The shelves, which are 
stone, have been repeatedly washed and scoured; and the last 
; cleaning day, about a fortnight ago, they had in addition a doso 
j of sulphur, the effect of which remains to be proved, as all the 
Roses have been banished for a time.—J. R. 
[It is not probable that the fungus, which is the mildew of the 
Chrysanthemum, will live upon and similarly disease the Rose. 
It is more likely, as both the flowers named were mildewed in that 
greenhouse, that from some cause the structure is favourable to 
the growth of parasitic fungi. What that cause may be, having 
no information as to the management of the house, we can only 
