January 9, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
301 
GARDEN FOES,* 
Insects. 
Amongst these we find some of the gardener’s most 
deadly and destructive foes ; and as so many of them 
carry on their work of devastation in the dark, they 
are most difficult to battle with. Every gardener, 
however, ought to make himself acquainted with 
their habits, and mode of living, for though to him 
many of them are enemies, and must be got rid of 
at all hazards, others are his friends, which should 
be preserved ; but unless the tiller of the soil makes 
himself acquainted with them, how is he to dis¬ 
tinguish one from the other ? 
If we ask the majority of people what an insect is, 
they would be unable to describe one. Some would 
tell us that it is a thing that creeps, others would 
say a snail, a woodlouse, a spider, and the like. 
Now none of these are insects, neither is the mite 
that is so distructive to our crops, so we will dis¬ 
miss these for the present, and pass on. If we turn 
to a dictionary, in the same way as a gentleman of 
my acquaintance did when he wished to look for the 
botanical name of the cocoa bean, "Theobroma 
cacao,” as he was about to give a lecture on that 
refreshing beverage, it is possible we should get 
rather mixed, as he did, for he triumphantly rolled a 
Cocoa-nut in its husk on to the platform, ejaculating, 
“ This is the joker that gives you the refreshing cup 
for breakfast! * The majority of dictionaries 
describe an insect as follows :—" It is an articu¬ 
late animal, whose body is divided into three dis¬ 
tinct parts, the head, the thorax, and abdomen, 
having six legs, and two or four wings, respiring by 
means of punctures,along the sides of the abdomen.” 
Now this is all very well for one versed in entomology, 
or who may have a knowledge of insect life, but it 
does not describe an insect definitely, and the un¬ 
initiated find some difficulty in acquiring that know¬ 
ledge. We will therefore endeavour to make this 
more plain. Most gardeners should know that the 
animal, like the vegetable, kingdom is divided into 
classes ; these are again divided into orders, genera, 
families and species. By some entomologists the 
whole of the insect world is divided into nine orders ; 
by others some of these are sub-divided, making 
thirteen. Most insects commence their existence in 
the egg form, which hatches in the course of time to 
larvae, grubs, or caterpillars, changing again to the 
chrysalis or pupa, from which in due course the 
perfect insect emerges. From this it will be seen 
that most insects undergo several changes before 
they arrive at the perfect state. It is essential that 
gardeners should know this, and make themselves 
acquainted with their habits. We will take the 
orders according to the old classification, the first of 
which is— 
1. Aptera or Wingless Insects. —To this order 
the flea and lice belong, and as these are in no way 
injurious to the garden crops, we may pass them by 
without further notice. The next order is 
2. Diptera or Two-Winged. —In this we find 
find some of our greatest foes, while others are our 
friends, as they subsist on those we ourselves wish 
to destroy. As an example, let us take the Crane 
Fly or Dandy-long-legs, as it is sometimes called. 
The gardener is often annoyed to find many of his 
plants eaten off just below the surface of the ground, 
shortly after being planted. If he removes some 
of the soil he will there find a thick leathery look¬ 
ing creature without legs. This is the larva of 
Tipula oleracea, which should be at once destroyed. 
It is to this order that the Celery Fly, Tephrites 
onopordinis and Anthomyia ceparum or Onion Fly 
belong. The cradle of these mischievous little 
creatures is the interior of the leaves. They work 
as the miner does, but instead of in the bowels of the 
earth, in the parenchyma or cellular tissues between 
the two epidermal membranes of the leaves. Most 
gardeners have observed their brown appearance, 
and find these little creatures hidden under the skin 
as it were. If you hold one of them up to the light 
you will there see the miner at work, boring away at 
the vegetable membrane. Its head is armed with a 
hook formed of two horny pieces, and with this it 
digs away into the parenchyma of the leaf. When 
the larvae are full fed they change to the pupae, and 
in the course of a short time come forth as winged 
insects. Fortunately for the gardener these little 
creatures have a deadly enemy in the shape of 
*A paper read by Mr. H. C. Prinsep at a meeting of the 
Brighton and Sussex Horticultural Society, on the 15th Octo¬ 
ber. There were 300 people present, and the paper was 
Illustrated by lantern slides. 
another dipterous insect, an ichneumon, named 
Alysia Apii, which lays its eggs in the body of the 
larvae, and so destroys myriads of them. Where 
they are very numerous the plants should be looked 
over, and the larvae crushed between the finger and 
thumb. As for the destruclion of the Onion Fly, 
deep cultivation will do more than anything else ; 
but where this is troublesome, the plants should be 
occasionally dusted with soot when damp, from the 
end'of April to the beginning of June. The plants 
may also be earthed up till the latter date. 
Carrot Fly, Psila rosea, is also troublesome. One 
is often annoyed to find the roots of Carrots attacked, 
small holes being made in them, the foliage turning 
yellow long before it is time. Deep cultivation and 
a change of ground is also a remedy against their 
attacks, likewise a dressing of gas lime. 
(To be continued.) 
-- 
Hardening ||iscellany. 
COCOS INSIGNIS. 
Cocos plumosa is invaluable for decorating purposes, 
and the semi-erect habited fronds with their long 
drooping pinnae are at once distinct and ornamental. 
C. insignis exhibits precisely the same characteristics 
with regard to habit. The pinnae, however, are rather 
narrower, although they are fully as long. They are of 
a rich green on their upper surfaces,and shining silvery- 
white upon their lower ones. Having never seen the 
plant at an advanced age we are unable to speak de¬ 
finitely as to whether the resemblances then between 
the two are as close as they are in the baby stages, 
but judging from the specimens we recently saw with 
Messrs. John LaiDg & Sons, at Forest Hill, S.E., C. 
insignis possesses a vigorous constitution, and would 
be likely to grow to a good size. 
WEEDS. 
The old books tell us that the Creator, looking upon 
the work of his hands, pronounced it very good, and 
doubtless it is ; but why, it is often asked, do these 
useless weeds grow apace, and if allowed, to the 
detriment ol other plants, which man takes under his 
fostering care ? They speak to the sluggard, in a 
manner and tone unmistakable, that if he is to 
profit from the bounty of the earth he must be up 
and doing, and if be is to share at all in the munifi¬ 
cent provision that Nature lays at his feet, he must 
follow her leadings, and by diligence and per¬ 
severance in well doing endeavour to secure for him¬ 
self and his belongings a fair share of the hidden 
treasures of the earth.— W. B. G. 
PRIMULA MARCHIONESS OF EXETER, 
This is a double white Primula of great merit, and 
a distinct improvement upon the common double 
white variety which, however, is so useful for cutting 
from. The flowers are very much larger and more 
double, although they are not perhaps produced 
with quite so much freedom as in the latter case. 
The foliage is strong and vigorous, and the plant is 
evidently gifted with a very strong constitution. It is 
well worthy a place in every collection of double 
Primulas. Messrs. John Laing & Sons grow quantities 
of it in their nurseries at Forest Hill, where it is 
thought highly of. 
DRACAENA LAINGII. 
Taken as a whole the Dracaenas are one of the 
most useful classes of plants we possess, and we have 
now a great diversity of form, size, and shape of the 
leaf, and colour amongst them. D. Laingii appears 
to come very close to D. Doucettii. The leaves are 
similar to those of the last-named variety, and the 
habits of the two plants are identical. In D. 
Laingii, however, a narrow light red stripe runs up 
the whole of the leaf, and this serves'to set off still 
further the green, and the white variegations. 
Narrow-leaved Dracaenas of the kind under notice 
make very effective table plants, and stand out with 
great distinctness amidst a collection of stove subjects. 
We recently saw some nice specimens with Messrs. 
John Laing & Sons, at Forest Hill. 
ASTERS AS POT PLANTS. 
Calling in to see Mr. M. Mills, gardener at Coombe 
House, Croydon, during the autumn, we were much 
struck with the beautiful display these, in conjunc¬ 
tion with some of his earlier Chrysanthemums, made 
in the conservatory ; and to all on the look out for 
something fresh and beautiful for the purpose, we 
most heartily recommend the culture of this com¬ 
paratively neglected family. They have the merits 
of cheapness, easy management, and exquisite beauty 
in their favour. His plants were taken from the 
parent stools in the open borders, during the third 
week in February, and potted into No. 16 pots, 
using a good sandy loam as compost. They were 
stood out in the open on a bed of ashes, and received 
the necessary waterings, and staking to secure them 
from wind. The following are among the cream of 
the collection, and comparatively dwarf :—Aster 
acris, A. Vesta, A. Lady Trevelyan, A. Amellus 
bessarabicus, A. spectablis, A. laevigatus nanus, A. 
horizontalis, A. A. H. Grant, A. vimineus, and A. 
Andromeda.— IV. B. G. 
-- 
HURST & SON’S CLOVER AND GRASS 
SEED CIRCULAR. 
January 1st, 1897. 
We have pleasure in handing you our annual report 
upon the Clover and Grass Seed Crops of the past 
season, based upon the best information we can 
procure from reliable sources. 
According to our deductions, the supplies of many 
articles will be less abundant than last season, and 
consequently a higher range of prices will presumably 
prevail. 
English Red Clover and Cowgrass. —A very 
small quantity has been harvested, forming a striking 
contrast to the great acreage and yield of the previous 
year. The samples we have already seen are 
generally inferior in size and character. Fortunately 
there still remains on hand a considerable proportion 
of the well-harvested 1895 crop—this will go a long 
long way towards making up the present year’s 
deficiency. 
Single Cut Cowgrass.— It is difficult to meet 
with a sample of new seed, consequently the yearling 
parcels command high prices. 
Foreign Red Clover. —There seems to be a 
shortage in the new crops of most continental 
countries, but France has still a large quantity of 
yearling to offer. The boldest and best ripened 
samples we have seen are irom South-east Germany, 
but it is almost too early to say what Germany may 
be able to fcffer in the aggregate. The United States 
and Canadian crops are reported as very uneven, 
some producing states having hardly any seed. 
Should America, as the season advances, become an 
importer, it would make a considerable difference to 
the European markets. 
White Clover.— The English crop is very small, 
but some good yearling parcels are still to be met 
with. The German crops are short; the American 
is above the average. 
Alsike.— A general deficiency is reported, but the 
large stock of yearling available will check any great 
advance in value ; this article is still very cheap, and 
should be considerably used as an economical and 
never-failing crop. 
Trefoil. —The English crop is below an average, 
but a large quantity of good yearling seed has been 
held over. The Continental crops may be called 
an average. 
Lucerne. —The American crop is an average one, 
but the French crop is short; the fine Provence 
samples will command higher prices than last year. 
Sainfoin. —English Giant is a very small crop, 
but English Common is above an average. French 
Giant is below an average in yield, but of finer 
character than usual. Hungarian is offered freely, 
but we do not advocate its use; much disappoint¬ 
ment to farmers has resulted from this being 
substituted for French. 
Italian Ryegrass —The French crop is not so 
large as last year; fine Mayenne seed being cheap 
will supply the bulk of the demand. The Irish 
crop is large and good in quality. The English is an 
average one. 
Perennial Ryegrasses. —Another large crop 
from a great acreage has brought the prices down to 
almost the lowest on record. The finest cleaned 
samples should be sought for, as even these are at 
most moderate prices. 
Natural Grasses vary considerably in supply. 
Cocksfoot, Crested Dogstail, Poa trivialis, and 
Meadow Foxtail are the scarcest articles. America 
