676 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 25, 1898, 
stationary, progressing to the mature condi¬ 
tion after passing through two distinct larval 
stages, under the protecting scale. The 
males pass through similar stages, and have 
a scale of a different form, but ultimately 
acquire a pair of wings after passing 
through a pupa stage. They are seldom 
met with, however, being rare as in other 
allied insects. The scale of the female is 
round, flat, closely adpressed to the bark, 
which it resembles in colour ; it also some¬ 
times presents the appearance of concentric 
rings, and has a small nipple or umbo aris¬ 
ing from the centre of a flat area. In size 
the full grown scale varies from the 5 i r> in. 
to | in., and is mottled with gray, except 
over the centre which varies from pale 
reddish-yellow to dark brown. This scale is 
believed to be a native of Japan from whence 
it has been introduced to America by way 
of California, and to Sydney from the latter 
place on Apple and Pear Stocks. It attacks 
all fruit trees and bushes belonging to the 
natural order Rosaceae, as well as Red and 
Black Currants, Gooseberries and a host of 
ornamental trees and shrubs. 
The scales, under favourable conditions 
increase at an enormous rate, as has been 
proved by the experiments made at the 
Department of Entomology at Washington. 
A mature female produces nine to ten 
young ones every twenty-four hours for the 
space of six weeks, giving a total of 400 in 
that time. One winter female, it is calcu¬ 
lated, will give rise to 3,216,080,400 of a 
progeny during the year under favourable 
circumstances. The methods of distribu¬ 
tion may even be more interesting to 
gardeners. The larvae can only wander 
about for short distances around the spot 
where they are born ; but it is believed they 
are borne about by the wind from tree to 
tree. Birds and insects also serve to carry 
them about involuntarily, attached to their 
bodies, legs and wings. By this means 
alone the larvae of the scale could be carried 
to every tree in an orchard, and from plan¬ 
tation to plantation, it might be, miles apart. 
Artificial distribution, however, is most to 
be dreaded ; for there is no more potent 
nor far reaching means of dispersing the 
scale than on nursery stock, whether fruit or 
ornamental trees. Its introduction to the 
different States in America has been traced 
either to nursery stock or cuttings. At the 
same time to be “ forewarned is to be fore¬ 
armed,” and it would be well for people in 
this country'to guard against casting the 
skins of imported fruit near trees or bushes 
of any kind. Examination of imported 
Pears has already revealed the presence of 
the scale in this country. 
Several imported scales have given a 
greater or less amount of trouble to British 
gardeners, and it is just possible that the 
rapid propagation of the San Jose Scale 
might enable it to get acclimatised in this 
country by adaptation to changes of climate. 
The Peach Scale has accustomed itself to 
thrive in temperate as well as tropical 
countries. Scales often behave in an erratic 
manner in new territories under climatic 
conditions different from that to which they 
were previously accustomed, so that entom¬ 
ologists cannot even predict what would 
happen in the case of the species (Aspidiotus 
perniciosus) under notice. If it merely con¬ 
formed to the habits of the Apple Mussel 
Scale (Mytilaspis pomorum) in this country, 
it would become single brooded, and, conse¬ 
quently, could not multiply with anything 
like the rapidity it does in America. Even 
then, however, it might become productive 
of much mischief. 
The only successful remedy hitherto dis¬ 
covered for the pest is what is known as 
Gas Treatment, which unfortunately hardly 
appears to be practicable in the open 
orchard. In the case of infestation in hot¬ 
houses, the plan is to ascertain the cubic 
contents of the interior, and for every 100 
cub. ft. to use \ oz. cyanide of potassium, ^ 
oz. sulphuric acid and i oz. water. The 
requisite quantity of the cyanide is to be 
put in a box fixed at some little distance 
above the ground and quite clear of all 
foliage, say 3 ft. away. Each box employed 
should be furnished with a tin, movable 
bottom, attached to a wire passed through 
the wall of the house so that it can be got 
at by the operator from the outside. Beneath 
the box a soup plate or other open vessel is 
to be placed, containing the requisite 
amount of sulphuric acid and water in mix¬ 
ture. All these preparations should be made 
towards evening when the house can be 
closed and locked up for the night. The 
preparations completed, close and lock the 
door. Then the operator is to pull the wire 
so as to open the bottom of the box and let 
the cyanide fall into the sulphuric acid 
beneath. The fumes given off will quickly 
permeate the house, which need not be 
made more air-tight than usual. As the 
cyanide and the fumes given off from it are 
deadly poisonous, care should be taken not 
to inhale the same. The house should 
be kept closed till morning, by which time 
the poison will have done its work and be¬ 
come dissipated. The house should be 
freely ventilated early on the following 
morning. All infested trees, shrubs and 
other plants should be treated in this way 
before being planted, or placed with clean 
stock. Plants with delicate foliage cannot 
withstand this remedy, but Peaches and 
other hardy subjects could be treated with 
advantage. 
National Italian Chrysanthemum Society. — A 
Chrysanthemum society has been founded in Italy. 
A provisional committee has been formed, having 
for its president M. Scalarandis, the King’s gardener 
at the royal gardens of Monza. 
Mr. Thomas Henderson, formerly head gardener to 
the late A. O. Shalders, Elmleigh, Ilkley, has been 
appointed head gardener to J. H. Rand, Esq., Wood- 
side, Baildon, near Leeds. Orchids are great 
favourites with Mr. Henderson, who has sent us 
Odontoglossum coronarium and other species for 
our inspection, while he was at Elmleigh. He gav 
great satisfaction to his late master, and we hope 1 e 
will be equally successful in his new situation, 
where there are valuable collections of Orchids and 
other plants. 
Rotherham and Horticulture.—" I was through 
your district the other day, and thought of you at 
once, and wondered in my mind however you can 
manage to grow anything in your smoke-begrimed 
neighbourhood." These were the words addressed 
to the writer by a celebrated nurseryman who 
luxuriates in wealthy and charming suburban 
London, on the first day of the Temple Show, 
Well, it is an undisputed fact, perhaps, that a great 
deal more judgment than luck is required to grow 
things to perfection hereabouts, but many subjects 
grown would certainly not disgrace any show-board 
in London. It may be true, it no doubt is, that 
nothing has attracted the horticultural world in 
Rotherham district since the celebrated Selwood 
collection of Orchids disappeared, but what is sup¬ 
posed locally is undoubtedly considered universally, 
so far as horticulture is concerned, that Rotherham 
is all very well for steam whistles, pistons, and brass 
work generally, stove grates, and wrought iron, but 
horticulture is, and must be quite off, to speak in up-to- 
date style. If this were a fact, why is Sheffield not 
considered equally unfortunate for matters horticul¬ 
tural ? Why, forsooth! No, depend upon it, 
Rotherham is, perforce, dwarfed by the importance of 
busy Sheffield, but I hope, Mr. Editor, that with 
your permission I may be able to prove in successive 
articles that Rotherham possesses natural charms 
and able men to make the best of them . — Albert 
Up st one. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society will be held on Tuesday, June 28th, 
in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1 to 5 
p.m. The Rose show which was to have been held 
on this date is now postponed until July 12th. Will 
all intending exhibitors please note this. At 
3 o’clock a lecture on “ Some of the Plants Ex¬ 
hibited" will be given by the Rev. Prof. Henslow, 
V.M.H. 
Lectures at Chiswick.—The meeting on the 15th 
inst., in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural 
Society, Chiswick, was a very successful one, being 
attended by sixty to seventy of the members of the 
Mutual Improvement Associations of Kew and 
Chiswick to hear a lecture by the Rev. Prof. George 
Henslow, on " The Importance of a General Know¬ 
ledge of Vegetable Physiology to Cultivators.” The 
chair was occupied by Mr. Wm. Marshall, the chair-, 
man of the floral committee of the R.H.S. The 
lecturer dwelt on the functions of the roots, stems 
and leaves of plants. The second lecture of the 
series was delivered on Wednesday evening last after 
we had gone to press. The members of the Ealing 
Gardeners' Society were invited to attend, and having 
arrived some time before the commencement of the 
lecture, they inspected the various trials being con¬ 
ducted iD the gardens this year. 
Hybrids cf Anthurium andreanum.—An article, 
historical and descriptive of the hybrids of this 
Anthurium, now so plentiful in cultivation, appears 
in the current number of Tijdschrift voor Tuinbouw, 
and is illustrated by a double page coloured plate 
of some of the more recent acquisitions as 
well as by beautifully executed photographic 
reproductions of some of the older forms. 
The coloured plate includes a variety having 
a very large smooth spathe of a delicate creamy- 
salmon colour, and an orange-salmon spadix. This 
has been named H. C. Zwart, in compliment to the 
secretary of the Dutch Horticultural Society. A very 
much smaller form, having a creamy-salmon, nearly 
orbicular spathe, tinted with apricot, has been named 
J. H. Krelage. The spathe is also smooth, as in the 
previous form. That named Columbus has an 
orange-scarlet, and elongated spathe, corrugated in 
the same way as A. andreanum. 
New Public Park at Tipton.—The first prize of £25 
in the public competition for the best plan for laying 
out the new Victoria Park at Tipton, has been 
unanimously awarded to Messrs. William Barron & 
Son, Elvaston Nurseries, Borrowash, Derbyshire. 
Their plan shows a lake about 3 acres in extent, 
cricket and recreation grounds, lawn tennis grounds, 
bowling green, bandstand, shelters, etc., etc. They 
also furnish plans for lodges, entrance gates, orna¬ 
mental fencing, etc. The park is 33 acres in extent. 
The second prize was awarded to Mr. John Perry, 
Architect, Tipton. There were ten competitors. 
The site of the park is a very difficult one to deal 
with, on account of the undulating and unlevel 
nature of the ground. A great quantity of material 
will have to be removed in order to obtain the spaces 
for cricket and other forms of recreation, as well as 
in excavating the lake. Material for construction is 
obtainable almost on the site. Provisions have been 
made for a lodge on a southern aspect, and a site for 
a reading-room in the future suggested. These sites 
are situated at the main entrance in the Victoria 
Road, which gives its name to the park. It is pro¬ 
posed to be partly surrounded by ornamental fencing 
6 ft. high, and in less conspicuous places by plain 
unclimbable fencing. The cricket ground is to be 
oval, a little over 5! acres in extent, and surrounded 
by a drive 12 ft. wide, the latter being continued 
round the park. The greater portion of the walks 
are to be 8 ft. wide, to be winding, and traverse all 
the more important parts of the park. According to 
the plan, the cricket ground will be surrounded 
by a line of trees, of which there will be groups and 
short lines in suitable places elsewhere. A belt of 
shrubbery will surround the park, with clumps and 
masses in various places, including the banks of the 
lake and the islands. The lake is to be narrow in 
the middle, widened towards either end like a dumb¬ 
bell, and is to be nearly 3 acres in extent. A mound 
would be formed of the excavations from the lake 
and would be a feature of the park. Plantations 
would occupy nearly 8 acres of the surface. 
