]anuary_i2, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
2 1 
AMERICAN BLIGHT. 
HOW TO ERADICATE IT. 
This is a question which confronts 
nany an amateur gardener who. is un- 
ortunate enough to have the above- 
famed pest playing havoc with his Apple 
Irees, for once it becomes established the 
jrees commence to canker, which im- 
nediatelv causes unfruitfulness. 
It is easily recognised by any one 
Laving the faintest description of it, be- 
Lg first noticeable in the form of a white 
■ ottony substance, which acts as a covcr- 
ng for the insects, and which, if crushed, 
Lift exude a redclish-brown liquid. The 
nsects are usually found in clusters of a 
lozen or even more, adhering to the bark 
,r hiding in crevices; in fact, they will 
hibernate anywhere at this season, even 
he roots will get infested at times. 
It attacks both old and young trees in 
xactly the same manner, but with young 
rees it may be cleared out in a season, 
dtereas it may take two years to properly 
lear old trees, which are usually covered 
,-ith lichens and a quantity of olcl bark, 
,oth of which serve as hiding places. 
From now up till the end of March is 
he best time to take this pest in hand. 
This must be entered into with a 
horough determination to, do every 
.peration in connection with it as well as 
lossible. 
Where the trees are badly attacked 
ommence by removing all the loose bark 
ncl lichens/the latter being a kind of 
nossv growth usually found on old trees, 
lurn this directly it is cleared off, and on 
10 account allow it to remain about the 
rees. A good plan is to lay a sheet 
ound the base of the tree to make sure 
>f catching all that falls. After this has 
>een completed, the dressing should be 
ipplied. This is best done by means 
if a paint brush, as the liquid can then 
>e properly worked into all the crevices. 
This of course applies to trees of a modcr- 
ite size. 
What has proved to me to* be the 
)est dressing for small trees, where they 
an be gone over with a brush, is castor 
>il, which should be applied in the spring 
ust before growth commences. Methy- 
ated spirit may be used with good re¬ 
mits, and is much to be preferred to 
laraffin, which is injurious to the buds, 
bn large trees, where it becomes 
tecessary to use a syringe or sprayer, an 
ipplication of concentrated alkali should 
re given. This I have found very 
effectual, besides being cheap, and not 
rnly destroys American Blight, but also 
scale and fungoid growths. I may add 
that full directions for use are supplied 
With each tin. 
Another good wash can be made by 
boiling two pounds of soft soap in three 
gallons of water until dissolved, then add 
a quart of paraffin, and thoroughly mile. 
Dilute this for use by using half a pint 
in three gallons of water and apply as hot 
as possible with the syringe. 
In all cases after the trees have been 
dressed, remove the soil from directly 
underneath to the depth of about an 
inch; take this clear away and replace 
with a good top-dressing. 
H. Hall. 
Lancs. 
] 
LI 
[] 
[ „ MARIE LEGRAYE. 
At this season of the year one thinks 
of forcing when the Lilac is mentioned, 
but this process has been carried on for 
some months by those who like to hate 
flowers of the Lilac out of season. Some 
people, in fact, have Lilac pretty nearly 
all the year round, commencing, let us 
say, with the bushes and trees which flower 
naturallv in the open air during May. 
After these go out of bloom, a succession 
can onlv be maintained by having a stock 
of plants in a refrigerator. These re¬ 
tarded plants are placed under suitable 
sufficient for about a week after intro¬ 
ducing the plants into heat, but the tem¬ 
perature may then be gradually raised if 
the flowers are required by a given period 
and they happen to be a little behind 
time. 
This temperature induces flower buds 
to start first, as they are usually more 
advanced than the wood buds proper. If 
brought along slowly, the flowers are 
larger and last longer than if they were 
hurried into bloom by a very high tem¬ 
perature. Those who have not established 
conditions in patches, according to re¬ 
quirements from time to time, and thus 
Lilac is easily obtainable. This process 
of bringing retarded Lilac into bloom may 
be continued till the end of the year, after 
which the ordinary plants may be forced 
with the greatest ease. Indeed, the Lilac 
was amongst the first plants to be sub¬ 
jected to forcing in this way, as far as 
shrubs are concerned, but since then many 
kinds have been pressed into service. 
Plants for forcing give the best results 
when thev have been established for at 
least a year in pots, previous to their be¬ 
ing placed in heat at an unseasonable 
period to bring them into bloom. As the 
Lilac is so easy to start into growth, it 
should not be subjected to a high tempera¬ 
ture at first, otherwise some of the flower 
buds will remain dormant, or else make 
an attempt at starting and then damp off. 
About 50 degs. to 55 clegs, would be quite 
plants in pots could lift some of handy 
size from the open air. retaining the soil 
about the roots if possible, and pot them 
firmly. If not subjected to too high a 
temperature, this will give fair satisfac¬ 
tion, but the result can never be so good 
as when the plants have been established 
in the pots. The accompanying illustra¬ 
tion shows a plant of Marie Legraye which 
has been brought along under glass. The 
variety has large bunches of white flowers 
freelv produced, and is a favourite for 
forcing purposes. Some Lilacs are more 
easilv started into growth than others, and 
this is one of them. 
-- 
APPLES, in spite of the huge trade in 
Bananas, still remain the most popular 
fruit in this country, and growers in 
Canada and Nova Scotia are straining 
every nerve to supply us with the best 
and most attractive article in that line. 
