38 
THE GARDENING Yv 7 ORLD 
Sept. 20tli. 1884. 
may be either squirted over the enemy or brushed 
into the parts it inhabits; the latter being the better 
plan of the two, as then the pest is sure to get a 
wetting, and the brood and all destroyed at once. 
In cases where the sore places are large and the trees 
old, it is advisable, after the dressing, to fill them up 
with clay and cow-dung, well mixed, which, if pressed 
tightly in, will keep out the light and air and allow 
the parts to heal by making new bark. So pernicious 
is this bug, and so fatal to the welfare of trees, that an 
onslaught should be made against it the moment it 
is detected, for if left to itself it is surprising how 
soon it spreads itself over an orchard or garden, and 
how quickly it cripples the plants. 
Another insect that has caused a great scare of late 
is the phylloxera, which is a bug or louse that works 
underground, feeding on the roots of Tines, which it 
oarks, and therefore cuts off a large portion of the 
supply of sap from the fibres, under which circum¬ 
stances it is a constant effort on the part of the Tines 
to exist, and as to fruiting, or keeping in health, both 
are quite out of the question. Growers who have had 
experience are not quite so alarmed about this 
phylloxera as they were, as they know its habits now 
and what favours it, which is a state of dryness in the 
borders, and a check or remedy therefore suggests 
itself, which is to give plenty of water, and if this is 
always impregnated with lime, it is fatal to the insects 
if continued for a fair length of time. By adding 
soot and steeping the same in the water till its 
strength is taken out, a splendid stimulant is formed, 
and no better can be had for the Tine. 
Scaie Insects. —Of scale there are many kinds, and 
theremedyforthese long ago,whenlfirsttookto garden¬ 
ing, was to paint the trees on walls, or in houses, with 
■sole sorts of mixtures, which work took up an infinity of 
time, and often did quite as much harm as good. The 
practice is still carried out; but here I have abolished 
it, for when I find any of these insects on the bark, or 
moss or lichen forming, I quickly despatch them all at 
once. This is done by burning a little sulphur at the 
foot of the trees, on a still day, when I can make 
sure of the fumes travelling well up the face of the : 
wall and through and among the branches, after which 
we have no further trouble, as scale and conferva and 
all parasitical growth perish and chop off and leave thg 
trees clear, with stems as polished as if they were 
scrubbed. All who follow the old fashion try this 
remedy, and I will answer for it that you will never 
again go back to the other. On plants with foliage, 
I need hardly say that the application of burning 
sulphur would be a serious matter, as the effect would 
be to scorch it all up ; and therefore in such eases 
insecticides must be resorted to when any have scale. 
The safest among these, so far as my experience goes, 
is Nicotine soap, which has the active properties of 
tobacco in it, and if this is mixed with water, at the 
rate of from 4 to 6 oz. to the gallon, and sponged on, 
scale, whether turtle or white, will soon loose its hold. 
When plants are in pots or tubs, and can be laid on 
their sides, it is always as well to do so, as then the 
liquid is prevented from penetrating the soil with the 
risk of injuring the roots, and to stop this with 
Camellias, or such other as may be planted out, it is 
advisable to put a thick layer of dry moss under them, 
or some other absorbent. 
Thp.ip used to be considered a very troublesome 
customer, and so it is if not battled with; but it may 
easily be vanquished by either tobacco juice, Nicotine 
soap, or smoking, fumigating with the best tobacco 
paper, a few doings of which, in a closely-shut house, 
will kill all that are hatched. Eggs, which are de¬ 
posited thickly on the under sides of leaves, are not 
so easily destroyed, as they have a varnished coating, 
which, however, the Nicotine soap will penetrate and 
spoil their fertility; but to get rid of any fresh young 
ones, we have only to smoke again later on. Bed spider 
is a far worse enemy than thrip, as they are proof 
against any fumigating, except it be the sulphur, and 
so fast do they increase, and suck so much out of the 
leaves, that they soon impoverish the pilant. Tines 
and Peach-trees are then- specialities, although they 
may, only too often, be found on Apples and Pears. 
In vineries there is no remedy better than sulphur 
painted thickly on the pipes, when the leaf should be 
raised, after the house is shut for the night, so as to 
push the temperature up to 90 deg. or 95 deg., and if 
this is continued for a week, maintaining a moist 
atmosphere as well, red spider will have vanished by 
the end of that time. I have just cleared a house, as 
I have done other years when grapes have been colour¬ 
ing, by a thorough washing of the foliage with a 
garden-engine to force the water, which, sent at them 
in that way immediately under the leaves, breaks up 
the webs and carries the insects quite off. If this is 
done during a dry, airy morning, and the house set 
wide-open, no harm is done to the bloom or colour of 
the berries, which, if the water is pure, seem to finish 
all the better for the rinsing they get. For Peach and 
other fruit trees out of doors, water is the only help that 
is worth thinking about; and if they get plenty at the 
root they will seldom need much at the top, as starva¬ 
tion is the general cause of the evil. 
Aphis, of which there are several species, are equally 
common with thrip and red spider, but fortunately 
they, except the black, may, when in a house, be easily 
got rid of by smoke, the same as the thrip. To kill 
the black, repeated doses are necessary, and when 
dipped in insecticide, the mixture has to be strong. 
Weaker applications will destroy green fly, and an ex¬ 
cellent remedy is the tobacco dust, which should always 
be kept at hand, ready in a distributor, to be puffed on 
whenever a shoot is seen affected; as it is only by 
timely attention that they may be kept from being 
quite crippled, and the spread of the insects stopped. 
For caterpillars hand-picking is the thing ; and to keep 
down, slugs, lime, and frequent dressings of it in the 
dust state must be resorted to, the time for scattering 
it over the ground being early morning, when they are 
abroad after their food. 
Wasps, those tiresome devourers of fruit, ought to be 
trapped continually, by having plenty of clear bottles, 
half filled with beer and sugar hung about, which 
greatly lessens their numbers ; but to be quite quit of 
them, nests must be hunted up and tar poured in at the 
holes, or other means used to kill them when home 
for the night.— Alpha. 
—5==^+?<>-9i=-==a— 
BRITISH FERNS. 
[Continued from p. 25.) 
Cystopteris Montana. Mountain Bladder Fern.— 
A very rare British species, found in moist alpine 
situations in a few localities in the Highlands of 
Scotland. It is a handsome species, and easy of 
cultivation in shady rocky places on the Fernery. 
Athyrtum Filix-fcesiina. Lady Fern.—A common 
and beautiful species, diffused throughout the three 
kingdoms, in moist woods, hedge-banks, and ravines. 
It is a most variable plant, even when wild, and under 
cultivation some three hundred varieties have been 
named. A selection of about thirty of the more dis¬ 
tinct forms are perhaps preferable for effect. They 
require plenty of water in the growing season. 
Asplentum fontancm. Bock Spleenwort.—A rare 
and beautiful species. It has been found on walls in 
a few localities in England, but there are dpubts as to 
its being truly indigenous. A most desirable species 
for cultivation. 
A. ianceolatcm. Lanceolate Spleenwort.—A rather 
rare species, occurring on rocks and walls in a few 
localities in the south-western and Welsh counties, at 
Tunbridge Wells, in Kent, and near Cork in Ireland. 
A small but ornamental plant, and not difficult of 
cultivation. There are one or two rather rare but 
very pretty varieties. 
A. Adiantcm-nigrum. Black Spleenwort.—A com¬ 
mon and widely-diffused species, occurring on rocks 
and old walls throughout the three kingdoms. There 
are several distinct varieties, which, as well as the 
species, are very ornamental on the rockwork. 
A. Trichomanes. Common Spleenwort._This 
beautiful little plant occurs on rocks and old walls 
throughout the three kingdoms. It is easy of cultiva¬ 
tion, but, like most other species of the genus, too 
much care cannot be taken in removing it. There 
are a few very beautiful varieties, which are very 
effective on the hardy Fernery. 
A. vibide. Green Spleenwort.—This is very similar 
to the preceding in every respect, excepting that it i 3 
less common, and not quite so easy to cultivate. It 
prefers a cool and somewhat shady situation, and 
when well grown is a very handsome species. 
A. marinum. Sea Spleenwort. — This species is 
chiefly confined to rocks and walls on the coast, 
where it is abundant in several localities as far north 
as the Orkneys. It requires protection in most inland 
localities, and in the Wardian case is a very handsome 
species. There are also a few very handsome 
varieties. 
A. BriA-ircRARiA. Wall-Bue Spleenwort.—A tiny 
little species, widely-diffused through the three king¬ 
doms, and very abundant on rocks and old walls in 
many localities. It is a most difficult species to 
transplant, though it has a very pretty effect when 
established on a piece of sandstone, or in crevices of 
the rockwork near to the eye. If a piece of rock 
cannot be removed with the plants attached, the 
spores may be sown in suitable situations. The two 
varieties of this species are also charming little plants. 
A germanictjm. Alternate Spleenwort. — A very 
scarce species, growing in similar situations to the 
last. It has been found in a few isolated localities in 
western and northern England and southern Scotland. 
It requires similar treatment to the previous species. 
The variety acutidentatum is also a pretty little plant. 
A septentbionale. Forked Spleenwort.—A rare 
species, occurring in clefts of rock and old walls in 
several of the western and northern counties of 
England and in southern Scotland. It is a very 
distinct-looking plant, but .great care must be taken 
not to damage the roots in transplanting. 
ScoLOPEXDRrcii yulgarf. Hart’s Tongue Fern.— 
An abundant and widely-diffused species, occurring 
throughout the three kingdoms on banks, rocks, walls, 
and similar situations. It is the most protean of the 
British species, some four to five hundred varieties 
having been named, many of them very beautiful and 
some of extraordinary distinctness. Some thirty or 
forty of the more distinct varieties form a valuable 
addition to the hardy Fernery. 
Ceterach officinap.um. Scaly Spleenwort. — A 
common species in many parts of England and Ire¬ 
land, but rarer in Scotland. It occurs on rocks and 
old walls, and is very impatient of removal, in which 
operation great care should be taken not to damage 
the roots. It is a very distinct and charming little 
object when well-established on the front of the rock¬ 
work. 
Gymnogkammb leptophtlla. Annual Maiden-hair. 
—The only claim of this curious little plant to a 
place in our list is its occurrence in a few localities 
in Jersey. Its annual duration is anomalous amongst 
hardy ferns. In Jersey it grows on banks with a 
south-west aspect, not shaded with trees but pro¬ 
tected from the sun’s rays by the dwarf vegetation of 
the bank, which is kept sufficiently damp for the 
growth of Marehantia, by the constant oozing of a 
small stream. To cultivate it successfully, its natural 
conditions should be imitated under a bell-glass, the 
soil used being a light friable loam with a little sand, 
when it forms a very pretty object. 
Blechxuai bore am . Hard Fern. (B. Spicant, 
Loinaria Spicant .)—A common species, widely-diffused 
through the three kingdoms, and occurring in woods, 
and moist, stony, and heathy places. It is a striking 
and ornamental species, easy of cultivation, and with 
several pretty varieties. 
Pteris aqcilina. (Common Brake or Bracken.)— 
Generally distributed throughout the three kingdoms 
in woods and heaths; but seldom cultivated except in 
large Ferneries. It is, however, a noble fern when 
planted in a shady spot, in good soil, near the back 
of the Fernery. There are also one or two rather 
pretty varieties. 
Adiantum Capillus-Teneris. Maiden-hair Fern. 
—This elegant species occurs in damp caves and 
rocks in a few localities in the south-western counties 
of England, in one Scotch locality, in the Isle of Man, 
and in the west coast of Ireland. Under cultivation 
it requires protection from frost, and is more at home 
in the green-house. There are Several very pretty 
varieties. 
Trichomanes eadicans. Bristle Fern.—This beau¬ 
tiful filmy fern occurs in a few Irish localities, particu¬ 
larly near Killarney, in the Isle of Arran, and in one 
locality in the Snowdon range, in North Wales. It 
requires the protection of a bell-glass or Wardian 
case, frost should be excluded, and the ah - should be 
heavily saturated with moisture. The soil should 
consist of rough peat and lumps of sandstone, with 
plenty of sphagnum moss. 
Hymenophyli/cm tcxbridgexse. Tunbridge Fihny 
Fern. This elegant little species occurs in many 
localities throughout the three kingdoms, but in 
England is more common in the west and north than 
