872 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 8, 1896. 
DISEASE AND INSECT PESTS OF 
VEGETABLES." 
Before proceeding with my paper I may be allowed 
to state that the subject is so extensive and interest¬ 
ing that I have found in its preparation considerable 
difficulty in cutting down into readable matter the 
numerous insects and diseases that affect the 
vegetable garden. I am sure you will agree with me 
that, to treat thoroughly on many of the insects alone, 
sufficient for a paper could be found on each species ; 
therefore I have confined myself to the more common 
of the insects, with notes on the different vegetables 
they attack, and also their prevention and remedies. 
It seems to me that gardeners of the present day do 
not take so much interest in the entomology of the 
garden as the subject deserves, for a more interest¬ 
ing study would be hard to find than in collecting 
insects of many kinds, especially those that are 
troublesome to him in the garden, and also in 
rearing them from their first stages. By carefully 
observing the different changes they undergo, before 
they have attained their perfect form, much of their 
habits would he learned that would materially aid 
him in finding a proper means for their destruction. 
I maj here admit that, until recently, I had given the 
matter but scant study further than in the ordinary 
course of observation ; but I can assure those present 
who have not yet taken the subject in hand that do 
study will afford them a greater amount of pleasure 
and insight than the one I have just referred to. 
Assuming, then, that we are in the garden, and face 
to face with our enemies, we will begin with our 
efforts to obtain the master hand of the insects that 
affect the different vegetables, the Asparagus Beetle 
being first on my list. 
Asparagus Beetle. 
The Asparagus Beetle, although not known as a 
destructive pest in all gardens, often does much 
damage by the grubs eating the leaves and gnawing 
the more tender shoots, and practically rendering 
them useless. The grubs are of a slate colour and 
emit a curious fluid from the mouth on being 
touched. They generally feed for about a fortnight, 
then go down into the ground, and after a lapse of 
three weeks they return as perfect beetles. These 
lay their eggs directly, and the insect in various 
stages may be found from the middle of June to the 
end of September. 
Many remedies have been suggested, but, owing to 
the peculiar manner in which the grubs cling so 
persistently to the shoots —through having a curved 
tail and holding fast by a curious fleshy foot—it is 
somewhat difficult to remove them without injury to 
the plant. Frequent sowings of hot slaked lime or 
soot, when the plants are wet with dew in the 
mornings, are possibly the most effectual of all 
remedies. 
Bean Aphis. 
Bean Aphis, commonly known as black fly, is the 
most deadly of all the insects that attack the Broad 
Bean. Their attacks are begun by a few of the 
females gathering round the top of the shoots, where 
they produce their living young, These in turn aie 
soon able to produce another living generation, and 
so on until the increase becomes enormous, and the 
whole crop is eventually destroyed. 
The best method in dealing with this insect is to 
pinch out the top of the shoot as soon as the insect 
appears, or even earlier, for, although the fly may not 
have made its appearance, the top of the shoot having 
been cut off or pinched becomes matured and too 
hard for it to extract sufficient nutriment for its 
existence. Care is necessary to gather the infested 
tops and burn them ; otherwise, if thrown down the 
Aphis will easily find its way back to the growing 
plants. 
Cabbage Aphis. 
The Cabbage Aphis may be found in great numbers 
clustered under the outer leaves and also in the folds 
of the inner leaves, and some may be found remain¬ 
ing till late in the autumn or early in the winter. 
They do a considerable amount of damage by suck¬ 
ing the nutriment out of the leaves, causing deformed 
and diseased growth. Among many remedies none 
seem to do more good than the garden hose, not 
only in washing off the insects but in encouraging 
the growth of the plant, as is well known the Cabbage 
is dependent on a considerable supply of moisture for 
its maintenance. 
__ (To b e continued .) 
*Apaper read by Mr. James Gibson at a meeting of the 
Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association, 
November 28th. 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
Chrysanthemum Culture. 
Wells’ Book on the Culture of the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum. Illustrated with many Photo-reproduc¬ 
tions. Published by W. Wells, Earlswood 
Nurseries, Redhill, Surrey. Price is. 
Still another book has been added to the list that 
deals with the cultural requirements of the popular 
“ autumn queen of flowers.” Mr. Wells’ object is to 
furnish hints that may be of service to all lovers of 
Chrysanthemums, whatever method of culture they 
may intend to pursue. The book is octavo size, 
runs to seventy-five pages, and is divided into 
twenty-nine short chapters each dealing with some 
phase or other of the Chrysanthemum. 
The first chapter deals with the ordinary method 
of growing blooms for exhibition purposes ; and the 
second with the subject of stopping or pinching, 
which constitutes such a stumbling-block to many 
beginners, especially if the writer indulges in the 
technicalities of the subject to any great extent. 
Having been a practical grower for many years, Mr. 
Wells deals with his subject in a very practical 
manner, giving terse directions as to the methods of 
treatment step by step, using so few of the technical 
terms employed by professional growers that we think 
amateurs would have very little difficulty in compre¬ 
hending all the details with a moderate amount of 
attention and thinking. We do not intend to imply 
that Chrysanthemums can be grown to perfection 
with a small amount of attention. On the contrary, 
Mr. Wells speaks of plants grown for exhibition 
blooms requiring to be watered four times a day 
in summer; and that those who grow trained 
specimens must not demur to putting in a few extra 
hours of overtime every night, if he means to 
succeed. 
The third chapter deals with " another way of grow¬ 
ing exhibition blooms, namely in 6 in. and 7-in. pots.” 
The writer does not call it a new way of growing 
them, nevertheless he thinks he “ can lay claim to 
being the introducer of this method of growing 
large flowers in small pots.” The crux of the situa¬ 
tion hangs upon what Mr. Wells considers a large 
bloom. Nevertheless we can testify that his 
exhibits of plants grown in 32-sized pots, bore 
unusually large blooms. Moreover, we think this 
chapter one of the most interesting in the book, and 
probably the most serviceable to amateurs who have 
little convenience in the matter of glass houses, 
and still less in heating appliances. Many an 
amateur would like to grow large or exhibition 
blooms, however limited his accommodation and 
facilities. The leading advantages of this system of 
cultivation are that propagation is not necessary 
before March ; that many varieties will produce 
three blooms, each 6 in. in diameter on plants 15 in. 
to 18 in. high,.or one much larger bloom on a plant 
2 ft. high, or thereby according to which bud is 
" taken ” ; that less watering is needed, and the 
blooms are less liable to damping than those grown 
in large pots ; and that the stems will be furnished 
with foliage down to the pot. That less watering is 
necessary for small pots is explainable by the fact 
that the pots do not get filled with roots till August, 
when the nights are longer, and dewfall more preva¬ 
lent, so that evaporation is relatively limited and 
becomes more so as autumn approaches. In other 
words, late struck plants are less advanced in growth 
during the heat of summer, yet the blooms are in 
time for the exhibitions all the same. It the growing 
period of Chrysanthemums could be shortened in 
this way without detriment to the size of the 
blooms, all concerned with their culture would be 
gainers. 
Chrysanthemums for decoration should also 
please a large number of amateurs and others who 
prefer numerous flowers of moderate size. The 
chapter on sweet-scented varieties is •' short and 
sweet.” Insect enemies and fungoid diseases are 
more numerous than insect friends. Amongst the 
latter we should have used the term " alligator " as 
an English name for the larvae of the lady-bird 
instead of "nigger,” as the latter is already applied 
to the black caterpillars of the turnip sawfly, 
which is anything but a friend. Mr. Wells frankly 
confesses that he has not been educated to the 
highest standard, so that we let him down softly, 
notwithstanding his decided preference for demon¬ 
strative adjective pronouns instead of the more 
suitable personal pronouns. The directions and 
hints of a practical man must be the main point of 
a book of this nature. 
Numerous lists of Chrysanthemums suitable for 
different purposes or requiring certain treatment are 
furnished, and will prove useful. Illustrations are 
given of plants in different stages of growth ; and 
the accompanying much-reduced representation of 
Mons. Chenon de Leche from the same source was 
supplied by Mr. Wells. The plants were grown in 
Chrysanthemum Mons. Chenon de Leche. 
