April  30,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
393 
yet.  Sweet-scented  Wallflowers  greet  us  with  their  perfume. 
Starry  Doronicums,  the  Banes  of  the  Leopards,  form  the  pleasure 
of  the  gardener.  Grape  Hyacinths  still  raise  their  cones  of  blue. 
Anemones  delight  us  with  their  varied  colours.  Aubrietias  are 
sheets  of  mauve,  lilac,  purple,  and  rose.  Forget-me-nots  enchant 
us  with  flowers  of  softest  or  of  deepest  blue,  and  many  other 
cherished  treasures  stand  around  either  in  fall  bloom  or  preparing 
to  yield  us  their  yearly  offering  of  delight  in  return  for  our  care. 
Delight  of  the  highest  it  is,  and  full  recompense  for  the  labour  and 
the  care  they  need.  They  repay  it  with  interest  which  would 
satisfy  the  most  exacting.  He  who  is  not  satisfied  with  the  array 
of  the  garden’s  beauty  is  a  churl  indeed,  and  it  is  vain  to  expect 
of  him  any  recognition  of  the  value  of  those  things  which  add  to 
the  joy  of  life,  and  the  sweetening  of  the  inevitable  cup  of 
bitterness  which  at  times  is  the  lot  of  all. — S.  Arnott. 
GARDEN  PESTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 
( Continued  from  page  344.) 
Aerial  Pests. 
From  the  time  of  Herodotus,  and  long  before,  ashes  and  road 
dust  were  employed  for  smothering  insects  infesting  vegetation, 
and  in  the  past  fifty  years  gardeners  have  endeavoured  by  winter 
dressing  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  insect  plagues.  During 
recent  yeais  the  practice  of  smothering  has  been  decried,  and 
in  many  cases  abandoned,  with  a  certainty  that  insect  pests  have 
vastly  increased  of  late  years.  No  precautionary  measures  being 
adopted,  it  is  clear  insects  have  a  free  hano,  and  though  I  do  not 
approve  of  the  smothering  doctrine,  it  had  a  deterring  effect  on 
many  parasites  which  sleep  through  the  winter  months,  in  order 
that  they  may  take  advantage  of  the  reviving  influence  of  spring, 
its  glowing  warmth  and  genial  moisture  calling  vegetation  into 
activity. 
In  the  old  time  gardeners  and  orcbardists  always  gave  their 
fruit  trees  a  complete  overhaul  in  the  winter.  Gardeners  dressed 
the  wall  trees  under  their  charge,  and  even  attended  to  the  walls. 
Orchardists  gave  some  regard  to  pruning,  cutting  out  cross  limbs, 
thinning  where  crowded,  and  often  coating  the  stems  with  white¬ 
wash  and  dusting  the  heads  with  quicklime.  Even  bush  fruits 
were  dusted  with  a  mixture  of  two  parts  air-slaked  lime  and  dry 
fresh  soot,  sometimes  with  the  object  of  making  the  buds 
distasteful  to  bud-eating  birds,  but  to  kill  the  lichen  and  moss  and 
the  hordes  of  pests  harbouring  thereon,  and  on  or  under  the  clods 
and  stones  of  the  earth,  as  well  as  those  ensconced  under  the  rough 
bark  and  in  the  crevices  of  the  bushes.  All  these  things  had  a 
purpose,  and  that  they  effected  it  is  clear  from  the  greater  freedom 
then  of  crops  from  insect  attacks  than  is  the  case  at  the  present 
time. 
In  looking  through  the  volumes  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture 
for  well-nigh  half  a  century,  I  was  much  struck  with  the  frequent 
allusiou  to  the  winter  dressing  of  fruit  trees.  Soot  and  lime  are 
the  chief  substances  advised  as  antipests  by  the  older  gardeners  for 
application  to  the  soil.  Perhaps  they  did  or  they  may  not  have 
known  that  this  combination  is  the  very  best  in  which  to  apply 
matter  to  the  plant  for  the  production  of  healthy,  clear-skinned, 
and  highly  coloured  fruit.  Some  went  even  further,  and  used  a 
mixture  of  lime,  sulphur,  snuff ,  softsoap,  soot,  and  other  unpalatable 
substances,  each  in  his  way  striving  to  compass  the  destruction  of 
the  pe»t9,  which  were  as  recurrent  in  their  appearance  as  the  seasons. 
Soot  water,  lime  water,  woodash  water,  caustic  lime,  and  dry  soot, 
with  wood  ashes,  were  about  the  main  of  the  old  practitioners’ 
recommendations.  Perhaps  it  may  be  urged  that  they  knew  no 
better,  but  that  is  very  uncharitable,  for  what  is  most  enduring, 
commonest,  and  generally  beneficial  is  most  important  to  mankind, 
and  it  is  a  notable  fact  that  these  things  are  still  foremost  in  place 
as  generally  useful  for  the  prevention  and  destruction  of  crop  pests, 
and  likewise  for  enriching  the  soil  or  conferring  other  benefit  on 
the  plants  grown  on  it. 
Soot,  lime,  and  wood  ashes  are  no  doubt  clumsy,  but  Nature 
does  not  deal  in  essences  and  extracts,  for  these  are  unable  to 
support  life  for  prolonged  periods,  therefore  the  bulkier  the 
substance  relative  to  its  containing  an  essential  amount  of  nourish¬ 
ment  in  a  quantity  the  better  for  the  plant  or  the  animal.  This 
implies  a  substance  composed  of  many  elements,  or  of  some  one 
specially  beneficial  to  the  subject,  which  will  act  agaiust  the  enemies 
of  the  plant  and  in  favour  of  its  future  health  or  nourishment. 
Of  late  years  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  winter 
dressings  are  useless.  Entomologists  are,  to  a  great  extent, 
responsible  for  this  by  averring  that  insects  are  little  affected 
by  climatic,  influences,  and  in  the  egg  state  are  practically  unassail¬ 
able.  This  is  the  greatest  of  delusions,  either  as  regards  fungi  or 
insects.  What  hibernating  insect  or  that  passing  its  existence  in 
the  egg  state  will  bear  water  with  impunity  at  a  temperature  of 
140°  ?  What  egg  escapes  addling  when  dusted  with  caustic  lime  ? 
Where  is  the  insect  or  egg  of  one  that  will  not  succumb  to  a 
solution  of  caustic  soda  and  potash  ?  What  is  the  difference 
between  neglect  of,  and  the  use  of,  precautionary  measures  ? 
Look  around.  Where  is  the  scale  on  the  Fig  and  Peach  or 
Nectarine  trees  that  mere  syringing  with  hot  water  at  140°  to  160° 
whilst  the  trees  were  quite  dormant,  and  care  taken  to  prevent  the 
water  damaging  the  roots  ?  Also,  where  are  the  aphides  in  such 
case,  and  the  hibernating  red  spider  ?  Make  no  mistake,  but  tell 
exactly  where  they  are,  and  why  the  trees  are  glowing  with 
health  and  promise  of  fruit.  Remember  that  for  such  recipe, 
which  entails  no  cost  for  material  and  very  little  in  preparation, 
we  are  indebted  to  the  late  Mr.  R.  Fish  and  others  before  him. 
Or  where  is  the  mealy  bug  on  Vines  that  were  treated  with 
petroleum  last  autumn,  as  advised  some  years  ago  in  these  pages  by 
Mr.  W.  Taylor  ?  I  found  it  a  complete  remedy,  a  mealy  bug  not 
being  found  in  the  house  after  the  treatment. 
What  of  the  Gooseberries,  Currants,  Apple,  Pear,  and  Plum 
trees  that  were  dusted  with  caustic  lime  whilst  they  were  damp 
and  perfectly  dormant  ?  Where  are  the  moss,  lichen,  red  spider, 
and  aphis  ?  What  of  the  lice  that  cluster  in  the  opening  crowns 
of  Strawberries  where  neither  lime  nor  soot  has  been  used  ? 
Again,  what  has  been  the  effect  of  washing  trees  infested  with 
scale  with  a  lye  of  wood  ashes — potash  in  solution  ?  What  of  the 
scale,  encased  codlin  moth  pupa,  hibernating  red  spider,  chermes, 
aphis,  and  winter  moth  eggs,  including  the  lichen  and  moss  on  trees 
treated  in  proper  season  and  manner  with  a  solution  of  caustic 
soda  and  commercial  potash,  as  advised  by  Mr.  Leonard  Coates 
only  a  few  years  ago  in  the  Journal,  and  found  efficient  by  Mr. 
Wright  (late  of  Glewston  Court)  and  Mr.  Molyneux? 
Finally,  what  is  the  difference  between  trees  which  have  been 
dressed  in  the  winter  with  a  proprietary  insecticide,  such  as  Gis- 
hurst  compound,  and  trees  which  have  been  left  to  take  care  of 
themselves  ?  In  brief,  what  is  the  contrast  between  crops  on 
land,  properly  worked  and  manured  and  preventive  measures 
taken  against  the  recurrence  of  their  invading  parasites,  and  those 
on  land  foul  in  itself  and  in  the  plants  on  it  ? 
Now,  assuming  that  due  precautionary  measures  have  been 
taken  in  respect  of  the  soil  management  and  the  plant  during  the 
winter  there  will  be  little  trouble  with  insects  until  the  fruit  is  set, 
but  where  the  preventive  measures  have  been  neglected  aphides, 
chermes,  flower -bud  weevils,  caterpillars  of  winter  moths,  and 
some  other  pest3  make  merry  with  the  opening  buds,  unfolding 
growths,  and  tender  foliage.  That  is  the  difference — the  crop  for 
the  year  is  partly  or  wholly  injured  or  destroyed  when  pre¬ 
cautionary  measures  are  neglected,  and  when  preventive  steps  are 
taken  at  the  proper  time,  with  the  right  material  in  the  effective 
manner,  there  is  no  bother  or  anything  to  dread  but  the  pests  that 
come  unbidden  to  feast  on  the  tender  foliage  growths  and  fruit. 
Perhaps  some  of  these  have  escaped  the  winter  dressing,  most  are 
the  outcome  of  neglect,  and  where  not  that  are  migrations  from 
neighbouring  land  or  vegetation. 
With  the  opening  buds  insect  life  becomes  active.  Mites  live 
in  the  scales  during  the  winter,  ready  to  pounce  on  the  tender 
leaves,  and  give  them  a  freckled  yellow  and  crimson  appearance. 
Chermes  are  nearly  a*  eager,  biting  at  the  bud  scales,  and  making 
sad  work  ere  the  buds  unfold.  Even  the  bud- weevil  saves  aome 
buda  the  trouble  of  opening,  and  directly  the  scales  are  thrown  off 
those  escaping  such  attention  come  the  aphides,  tiny  creatures 
fostering  amongst  the  unfolding  leaves  and  developing  blossoms. 
Sometimes  mottled  umber  and  winter  moth  caterpillars  join  issue 
with  the  host  of  invaders  and  clear  all  before  them,  leaving  nothing 
but  skeletonised  and  rusty  remains.  Blossom-bud  weevil  grubs 
frequently  clear  blossoms  of  the  fructifying  organs.  In  brief, 
every  plant  has  some  such  ordeal  to  pass  through  ere  there  is  the 
certainty  of  a  set  of  fruit. 
What  has  become  of  the  natural  checks  to  increase  ?  Aphides 
were  astir  from  the  eggs  in  which  they  had  passed  the  winter  early 
in  March,  but  the  first  ladybird  did  not  put  in  appearance  till 
April  2nd,  and  that  a  fortnight  before  the  usual  time  (?)  The 
natural  aids  therefore  do  not  forestall,  but  follow  pest  invasions,  so 
that  reliers  on  Nature  find  the  crop  of  the  year  crippled  or  ruined 
before  the  checks  to  increase  tell  in  favour  of  the  plant  on  the 
attacking  insects.  All  the  pests  infesting  useful  plants  have  their 
great  nurseries  in  waste  and  neglected  places,  such  as  waysides, 
hedgerows  and  headlands,  commons  and  woodlands,  where  the  chief 
natural  checks  to  increase  are  the  birds  and  the  carnivorous  insects. 
Why  not  encourage  them  in  such  places  ?  It  means  untold  benefit 
to  cultivators  of  useful  crops,  for  it  is  in  such  quarters  that  crop 
pests  increase  and  issue  to  invade  and  devastate  cultivated  crops. 
It  is  therefore  futile  relying  on  useful  insects.  The  cultivator 
must  take  preventive  measure*  to  safeguard  his  crops  from  the 
attacks  of  insects.  Ladybirds  and  all  useful  insects  do  not  appear 
