1 Dec., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 459 
dearly loves the succulent young annual, and will go a long distance (for aslug) 
to get it. A quantity of soot or ashes thrown in his path has a most discouraging 
effect, and makes him think the game hardly worth the candle. 
All kinds of shrubby plants may be propagated by cuttings, these being 
chosen in the majority of cases with a heel of old wood. That class of 
Pelargonium commonly called “ geraniums”’ may also be readily propagated in 
this way. These plants do remarkably well im Queensland, and yield some 
splendid flowers. Of course you can propagate coleus, crotons, and all kinds 
of tropical foliage plants this month very readily. By stretching a piece of thin 
calico on a frame of lath, itis possible to make a capital propagating frame 
which will serve to keep the air moist around your cuttings and to prevent 
currents of air, which by carrying off the moisture from the cuttings often prove 
fatal. Weeds, too, will not grow so readily where there is a slight shade kept 
by this means. 
During this month you will have to pay particular attention to all pot 
plants. There is so much growth that plants grown under the artificial condi- 
tions of planthouses will, if they are allowed to become dry, easily sustain 
permanent injury. When a pot plant becomes thoroughly dry, it is often 
impossible to water it by means of the ordinary watering-can, as the water 
runs off through the loose earth on the outside, and, although the plant appears 
to be thoroughly well watered, it is quite dry in the middle of the ball of earth 
which surrounds its roots. The remedy is to stand the pot in a bucket or basin | 
of water until air-bubbles cease to be given off. 
There.is a tendency at this season, both indoors and out, to over-water. 
As was pointed out last month, this requires to be carefully guarded against. A 
stringent ukase against the undue use of the garden hose in suburban gardens 
would do as much as anything to enhance the beauty of their floral occupants. 
Look out for insects this month. The scale insects especially will be 
increasing at a great rate, and will need a wary eye to keep them under control. 
The difficulty in dealing with these pests often is that the trees which they 
love the most are tall and difficult to get at. By balancing a long bamboo across 
an upright arrangement supported in a cart or wagon, and swinging it about like 
a gigantic fishing pole, we find it possible to reach trees at a considerable 
height. In this way the scales on lofty trees can be treated to a dose of resin- 
wash or kerosene emulsion, or, what we use very frequently, kerosene simply 
mixed with the water by means of the mixing arrangement attached to the 
Doncaster spray pump. This method of using kerosene saves a great deal of 
trouble in mixing, and leaves a very fine film of the oil over the leaves. It is, 
however, best adapted for trees and plants with hard leaves, for we find that it 
injuries foliage which is at all delicate. The quantity of kerosene can be 
regulated very nicely by the apparatus, when one has had a little experience of 
it, and, of course, a larger quanity of kerosene is used with a tough than with 
a delicate subject. 
Propagate verbenas, choosing only the best varieties. It is better to have 
two or three well and distinctively coloured sorts than a large variety of washy 
colours. They will make a great display by-and-by. The variety known as 
Foxhunter makes a perfect blaze of scarlet, and requires to be planted ina 
mass, or in a long line ina border, where it shows up well. They like tolerably 
rich ground. 
Palms may be planted out all through the month. If the weather should 
prove at all dry, see that the young trees are shaded, and in planting disturb the 
roots as little as may be. Lawns must be well looked after. Where there is a 
paucity of labour, which is a common case everywhere in Queensland, these are 
apt to get out of hand, and January is a month during which it is a most difficult 
task to keep them looking well. We use an ordinary Buckeye agricultural 
mower for the larger lawns, and for the finer lawns a Shanks golf links machine. 
This is a great improvement on the old lawn mower, as it is provided with 
prings which enable it to “give” with any inequalities of the ground. The 
