June 23,1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
679 
hole two, three, or four cane cuttings, each with 
three or four eyes are placed in parallel 
lines. If manure is used, a little is placed below 
the cane shoots and above it, and firmly stamped 
down. The fields are generally cleaned five or six 
times before the cane arrives at maturity, but as the 
plant grows larger and less subject to attacks from 
insects, the weeds are generally shaken to remove 
loose earth, and left on the field. If the lands are 
worked by ploughs driven by oxen, the following 
system is adopted :—The bean plants, which imme¬ 
diately precede the cane crop, are buried by plough¬ 
ing them up. The plough is drawn by six Mada¬ 
gascar oxen, one man guides it, there is a boy to prod 
the oxen, and one or two men follow to place the 
bean plants in the furrow. Fifteen days afterwards 
it is again ploughed over, harrowed once or twice, 
and lightly rolled. The horizontal furrows are then 
made with the plough and deepened by hand labour 
when the ploughing is done, the cane shoots as 
usual being placed end to end in two parallel rows 
at the ordinary distances in the furrow. The 
principal canes grown at Reunion are the Port 
Mackay, La Louzier, and the Quingimp or Batavia, 
all of which are well known .—Society of Arts Journal. 
- « — - 
|aRDEN1NG ^ISCELLANY. 
THE PINE SHOOT MOTH. 
Both Retinia Buoliana and R. turionana would 
seem to be more plentiful in this country than is 
generally supposed. Quite lately I visited a large 
plantation of young Scotch Fir,] the terminal buds of 
which were quite destroyed by the caterpillars of 
this elaborately coloured moth. The moth lays its 
eggs at the base of the buds, and into these the cater¬ 
pillars enter by hollowing out the centre, thus 
destroying the vitality and causing them to take on 
a withered appearance and to feel soft and empty to 
the touch. Trees infested by this insect resemble 
greatly in their stunted shoots and exudation of 
resin such as have become a prey of the Pice 
beetle (Flylurgus piniperda), only in the latter case 
it is the fresh young shoot and not the bud that is 
attacked. The Retinia would seem, from all my 
notes and observations, to be most abundant in what 
might be termed neglected Fir plantations, that is, 
where the trees have suffered from overcrowding, 
and if growing under unfavourable conditions as to 
soil, etc., and particularly when the wood is com¬ 
posed entirely of one species. There is no method 
of dealing with large infested areas, for the attacked 
trees have repeatedly been cut over and removed 
without any seeming diminution in the numbers of 
the insect. One experiment with a small infested 
corner has been rewarded with good results, by 
lighting a fire to windward, and causing the smoke 
of coal tar to pass over. This might be worth trying 
in the case of fruit trees infested by particular 
insects.— A. D. Webster. 
PROPAGATING SHOW AND FANCY 
PELARGONIUMS. 
This grand section of the Pelargoniums is now in 
full beauty. Their culture has frequently been 
treated upon in an exhaustive manner, so that I only 
wish to draw attention to the present as being an 
excellent time for increasing stock. We see some 
favourite variety, and can probably beg a cutting or 
two from it. The old plan was to propagate from 
ripened growths in the autumn, but I prefer doing 
it now. Choose a healthy growth without bloom 
and insert in small pots of sand, leaf soil, and loam. 
If you do not select a succulent shoot they will root 
as freely as the Zonal Pelargonium, and may be 
treated much the same. I use a zj-in. pot and keep 
them in these until the days turn again, when they 
are potted on into 5-in. sizes and will flower earlier 
than those obtained from ripened wood. Pinch out 
the tip as soon as they commence growing in the 
spring, and keep them clean as possible from insects. 
A rich loam with a dash of coarse sand suits them 
admirably. Don’t miss this opportunity of getting 
a stock of young plants, as these if struck now will 
make nice little specimens for windows and rooms 
next years. If you want to force them, pot on a few 
of the strongest in the early autumn, head them, and 
get a break of sturdy growths before December. 
Then let them rest for a month or so, after which 
they will grow away very rapidly.— Experience. 
A GOOD BORDER PINK. 
The finest types of Carnations and Picotees, that 
require pot culture to bring out their finest qualities, 
will always find their admirers and votaries, but 
those that can be grown to perfection in the open 
border will always command the greatest number 
of admirers and cultivators. The same applies to 
Pinks, and if their popularity is to be resuscitated in 
our day, it must be done by raising hardy and vigo¬ 
rous sorts that the million'can grow. Laced Pinks 
are excellent in their way, but they are not over vigo¬ 
rous for some reason or other, just as we find 
amongst the more refined of the Carnations and 
Picotees, and require the accomplishments of experts, 
whether amateur or professional, to bring them to 
perfection. A boxful of bloom of a new border 
variety, named Homer, was sent us the other day by 
Mr. F. Gifford, Montague Nurseries, Tottenham, N. 
It belongs to the same vigorous type as the old sort 
named Anne Boleynn, and has strong, upright stems 
of a dark, glaucous green as are the leaves. The 
flowers are large, and fully double, but the petals are 
not in anyjway crowded, so that thepod seldom'splits. 
They are of a rich, rose colour with a large, dark- 
crimson blotch at the base of each petal, and are 
delicately, although not powerfully fragrant. The 
variety has all the appearance of being of strong 
constitution, and useful either for border decoration 
or for cut fl.owers ; furthermore, it seems a Pink that 
anyone could grow. 
THE ACME DISTRIBUTOR. 
The Acme Chemical Company, Limited, Tonbridge, 
Kent, have just brought out a very handy little inven¬ 
tion for the distribution of sulphur, tobacco powder. 
and other fungi and insecticides used in the form of 
powder, and which should be included in every well- 
ordered collection of garden tools and appliances. It is 
so constructed that the powder is equally and effec¬ 
tively distributed under the leaves or above as may be 
required, the air channel being kept clear, and the 
supply of powder kept regular at the same time by a 
circular brush arrangement inside. The machine is 
fed at the side, and is a vast improvement on the old 
muslin bag, both in effectiveness and economy of 
material. 
MESSRS. SUTTON & SONS' ANNUAL 
EXCURSION. 
The first day of perfect summer weather- -June 
14th—was, fortunately for those who took part in it, 
chosen as the date of the excursion which Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons annually provide for their employees ; 
and the charming climatic conditions, being all that 
were [needed in addition to the arrangements made 
by the firm, put the finishing touch to a day of 
thorough enjoyment. Starting at 7.50 a.m., the 
heavy special train, which had been provided by 
the S.E.R. Co., conveyed nearly 600 happy persons 
to Brighton, which has been visited twice before, 
and was this year again selected by the general 
wish; and “ London-by-the-Sea " was reached by 
II a.m. The countless attractions of Brighton were 
fully enjoyed by the excursionists, the Aquarium 
(for which tickets of admission were given by 
Messrs. Sutton to everyone of the party), was much 
patronised, and the many members of the staff 
interested in cricket watched the opening of the 
match Middlesex and Sussex, which was being 
played on the Brighton ground. The return journey 
was completed about ii p.m., when the happy party 
dispersed, expressions of thanks being heard on all 
hands for Messrs. Sutton's liberality, which was, as 
usual, of the most complete character. In addition 
to providing the special train, etc., every married 
man received an invitation for his wife; every 
employee was before starting, as usual, given a sum 
equal to the day's needs in the matter of refresh¬ 
ments and amusements; and, still more, all four 
partners—Mr. Martin J. Sutton, Mr. Herbert Sut¬ 
ton, Mr. Arthur W. Sutton, Mr. Leonard G. Sutton, 
as well as Mrs. J. Sutton and Mrs. A. W. Sutton— 
accompanied the party, and, as on every other 
occasion, by their personal and kindly exertions, 
promoted the happiness and enjoyment of all.— 
Reading Mercury. 
ECHIUM CANDICANS GIGANTEUM. 
A large number of species of Viper's Bugloss are 
very showy objects whether they are hardy enough 
to be grown in the open air or may require green¬ 
house protection. That under notice is a biennial 
like some of the garden or wild species with which 
we are acquainted, but as it comes from Madeira it 
requires to be grown under glass from which the 
frost is merely excluded. The specific name applies 
more to the foliage than to the flowers, for instead of 
being whitish the latter are deep rosy red including 
the filaments ; the anthers on the contrary are pale 
lavender. The plant is confined to a single stem 
which terminates in a dense, oblong or pyramidal 
panicle of short, spreading cymes. The leaves are 
linear and hoary or whitish and densely cover the 
stout stem ; the whole plant dies after flowering and 
maturing its seeds if any have been set. A number 
of specimens in pots have been flowering in the 
temperate house at Kew for some weeks past. 
A USEFUL WASH FOR SCALE. 
The San Jose scale is considered the most pernicious 
scale insect known to the Pacific coast, where it has 
caused great pecuniary losses through the destruc¬ 
tion of thousands of fruit trees and many crops of 
fruit, and which now threatens the Eastern States. 
It belongs to the same group of scale insects—the 
Diaspinae, or armoured scales—to which the 
common and well-known oyster-shell bark louse of 
the Apple belongs. The Commissioner of the 
Oregon State Board of Horticulture, after trying 
different washes or sprays without success, has 
adopted one which has proved of the greatest benefit. 
He says :—“For the San Jose scale which has 
recently made its appearance in various Eastern 
States, we have a spray, that we have tested now for 
nearly a year, and wherever it has been used accord¬ 
ing to directions, no more scale have appeared, and 
the eggs and everything connected with it are 
thoroughly destroyed. For the benefit of your 
readers I will give you the formula and mode 
of treatment as practised by us with great 
success Sulphur, 100 lbs., lime, 100 lbs., blue 
vitriol, 8 lbs., water enough to permit thorough 
boiling. Slack the lime ; dissolve the sulphur by 
thoroughly boiling with the lime; when all is dis¬ 
solved add the vitriol and boil a few minutes longer 
until all is dissolved and thoroughly mixed, in which 
form it should be a thick paste. This mixture will 
keep any length of time. For winter use, while the 
trees are dormant, when ready to spray take i lb. 
of the mixture to two and one half gallons of water 
(hot preferred). For summer work take i lb. of the 
mixture to eight or ten gallons of water." 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Oxfordshire Horticultural, June 19th.—On this 
occasion the Commemorative Show was held in the 
beautiful grounds of Worcester College, Oxford, 
by the kind permission of the Rev. the Provost 
of Worcester, and the Fellows. The gardens 
are diversified by fine trees and by a lake. 
The exhibits were accommodated in two large tents 
upon the grass, while the vegetables were staged in 
the open air. Stove and greenhouse plants made a 
very effective display, and the first award for nine 
plants was easily taken by Mr. J. Cypher, Queen's 
Road, Cheltenham. Some of his finer specimens 
were Phoenocoma prolifera Barnesii, Darwinia 
macrostegia, Pimelea diosmaefolia, Aphlexis specta- 
bile, Clerodendron Balfourianum, EricaCavendishii, 
and others of large size and well flowered. Mr. J. 
F. Mould, Pewsey, Wilts, took the second award 
having a huge specimen of Erica Cavendishii. J. 
Marriott, Esq., Queen’s Road, Coventry, took the 
third place, but took the first rank in the class for 
six foliage plants, including Latania borbonica and 
Kentia Forsteriana of huge size ; he beat Mr. J. 
Cypher who was a good second. Mr. F. Mould had 
the best six stove and greenhouse plants, and Mr. 
Geo. Jacob, Witney, had the best four plants of the 
