182 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  February  27,  1902. 
^ntomologY" 
A  New  Scale  Pest. 
Within  a  recent  date,  a  formidable  looking  scale,  new  to  Wea- 
tein  Australia,  has  been  detected  in  some  of  the  gardens  of  that 
colony.  It  has  every  appearance  of  the  insect  known  as  the  brown 
Apricot  scale  (Lecanium  pruniosum  var.  Armeniacum).  The  pest 
is  covered  with  a  large  amount  of  waxy  material.  It  is  very  con¬ 
spicuous,  is  easily  killed,  although  its  eggs  seem  uncommonly 
resistant  to  the  fumes  of  hydrocyanic  acid  gas  in  moderate  doses, 
sufficient,  however,  to  destroy  e^s  of  other  scales.  First  com- 
nlaints  of  this  scale  were  of  attacking  Grape  Vines  and  Pear  trees. 
It  has  been  seen  in  isolated  gardens  in  Hay  Street,  Crawley, 
Claremont,  and  Leederville.  It  attacks  Grape  Vines  perferably, 
and  is  especially  found  on  the  new  Avood  of  the  season  and  of  the 
previous  year’s  growth.  Pears,  Mulberries,  and  the  Osage 
Orange  are  also  affected.  That  the  pest  has  been  accidentally 
introduced  into  Western  Australia  there  is  no  doubt  whatever. 
It  is  not  known  yet  to  be  widespread,  and  has  hitherto  been 
noticed  in  damp,  sheltered  spots  only.  It  is  feared,  however, 
that  it  may  prove  a  serious  pest  on  the  Grape  Vines  of  the  State, 
hitherto  remarkably  free  from  insect  lAests.  The  infested  garden* 
are  under  treatment,  and  the  scale  has  already  been  eradicated 
from  several  of  them. 
Trap  Lanterns 
Two  trap  lanterns  for  insects  were  set  up  in  the  grounds  of 
the  Ontario  Agricultural  College,  reports  “American  Gardening  ” 
and  kept  burning  from  June  7  to  September  7.  The  insects 
captured  were  taken  out  and  identified  every  morning.  Follow¬ 
ing  is  the  result  of  the  captures  ;  — 
PFR  CENT. 
OP  ALL  TAKEN. 
Inchneumon  flie.s . TO 
Lady-birds . Sf 
Ground  beetles  . 1.^ 
(The  above  are  decidedli/  heueficinl  infects.) 
r>ung  beetles . 6 
Mo.squitoes  ..  . b 
Fire  flies  . 2^ 
Crane  flies  . 
May  beetles . b 
Squash  bug .  ..  2 
Cucumber  beetles . 2] 
Codlin  moths . 0 
“  If  all  these  were  in  operation  for  four  months,  probably 
forty  millions  of  decidedly  beneficial  insects  were  captured  and 
destroyed,”  says  the  reporter.  Prof.  Lawrence  Bruner  recently 
reported  to  the  Nebraska  State  Horticultural  Society  that  he  had 
used  two  traps  in  experiments  in  an  old  orchard  last  August, 
catching  a  great  many  insects  some  15,000,  many  of  them 
injurious  species.  But  among  this  number  only  seven  were 
Codlin  moth.  He  Avas  forced  to  conclude  that  the  moth  trap 
Avas  of  no  use  as  a  protection  against  Codlin  moth  and  Colorado 
Potato  beetle. 
The  Lackey  Moth. 
At  this  season  occurs  one  of  the  opportunities  of  which  the 
gardener  should  take  advantage,  to  prevent  the  occurrence  of 
one  of  the  Avor.st  ravagers  of  his  trees — the  caterpillar  of  the 
Lackey,  or  Barred  Tree  Lackey  Moth  (Bombyx  neustria).  This 
insect  is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  trouble  and  confusion 
cau.sed  by  changing  scientific  names.  Stephens  and  Curtis  call 
it  Clisiocampa  neustria;  Kirby  and  Spence  call  it  Trichoda ; 
Latreille  and  Ormerod,  Bombyx;  Ochsenheimer,  Gastropacha ; 
and  Leach,  Lasiocampa.  The  eggs  of  this  insect  may  noAv  be 
detected  easily,  in  broad  bands  round  the  tAvigs  of  our  Pear, 
Apple,  and  other  trees.  They  are  arranged  Avith  such  admirable 
art,  that  they  seem  set  by  the  skilful  hands  of  the  jeAveller.  Each 
bracelet,  as  the  French  gardeners  call  it,  contains  from  200  to 
300  eggs,  fastened  by  their  ends,  in  a  series  of  from  15  to  17  close, 
spiral  circles,  round  the  tAvig.  The  .spaces  betAveen  the  eggs  are 
filled  up  Avith  a  tenacious,  broAvn  gum,  Avhich  protects  them  from 
inclement  Aveather,  as  Avell  as  from  all  attacks,  except  tliose  of 
man.  The  eggs,  thus  placed,  look  like  a  ring  of  seed-lac,  and  Ave 
tliink  its  name  may  have  been  thence  derived ;  they  are  easily 
crushed  by  the  gardener’s  knife.  The  caterpillars  congregate  early 
in  the  morning,  or  during  rain,  in  large  nests  at  the  forks  of  the 
small  branches,  and  are  then  ea.sily  crushed.  They  enter  the 
chry.salis  .state  at  the  end  of  June,  and  then  they  are  to  be  found 
in  cocoons,  or  oval  Avebs,  poAvdered  Avith  Avhite  or  yelloAvish  dust, 
betAveen  tAVO  leaves.  &c.  The  chry.salis,  or  pupa,  is  longLsh,  and 
dark  broAvn,  in  Avhich  state  it  remains  for  three  AA  eeks  or  a  month. 
The  in.sect  flies  only  at  night,  and  con.sequently  is  rarely  seen. 
It  often  appears  in  considerable  numbers,  and  does  not  confine  its 
ravages  to  fruit  trees,  but  attacks  many  other  trees — such  as 
Beeches,  Elms,  Poplars,  Oaks,  and  even  Pines.  In  May,  Avhen 
the  caterpillars  are  living  in  .society,  the  nests  containing  them 
.should  be  collected  and  destroyed.  Care  must  be  taken  aa  hen 
collecting  the  nest,  for  if  the  caterpillars  are  much  disturbed  they 
let  themselves  doAvn  to  the  ground  by  means  of  a  tlun,  silken 
thread,  and  escape.  In  July  their  cocoons  should  be. looked  tor 
oil  the  trees,  betAA’een  the  leaves  in  the  roofs  of  sheds,  in  hedges, 
amt  eA'en  on  the  tops  cf,.AA  alls,  . 
- - - -  <«»•»  - 
Spring  Planting  and  Pruning. 
The  ravages  perpetrated  by  birds  among  Gooseberry  and  Cur¬ 
rant  busheS' during  the  Avinter  months  are  mainly  the  cause  o 
cultivators  deferring  the  pruning  of  the  bushes  until  the  end  ot 
the  present  month.  The  adoption  of  spring  pruning  is  ^ 
plan  AA  here  no  protection  is  given  so  as  to  tliAvart  the  feathered 
marauders,  because  the  attacks  on  the  buds  must  ,  Pj’"" 
sistent  and  thorough  if  every  shoot  is  Avholly  denuded  ot  buds.- 
The  points  of 
Raspberry  Canes 
Avh'ch  have  been  left  unpruned  until  severe  weather  is  over,  may- 
now,  or  shortly,  be  cut  back  to  the  height  of  the  stake  or  trel  is,, 
pruning  to  ripe  Avood.  Shorten  newly  planted  Blackberries 
Loganberries  closely  to  the  ground.  The  first  season  after 
planting  the  canes  could  only  produce  an  indiffereiit  crop  it  h,. 
hence  it  is  best  to  ensure  a  strong  groAvth  of  shoots  tor  the- 
folio Aving  season.  CroAvded 
Orchard  Trees 
ought  to  have  the  branches  thinned  and  a  good  balance 
of  growth  ensured,  also  re-arrange  croAvded  Avail  trees 
while  buds  are  still  dormant.  The  general  pruning  and 
thinning  of  all  fruit  trees  and  bushes  should  be  completetL 
forthw.th.  In  pruning  away  large  limbs  or  branches  pare  tlm 
cuts  smoothly.  This  is  necessary,  not  only  for  appearance,  but 
to  prevent  the  setting  in  of  decay  and  disease  as  well  as  insect 
pests. 
Gooseberries 
The  amount  of  pruning  required  by  bushes  depends  largely  on. 
their  condition  as  regards  growth.  If  the  bush^  are  large  or 
even  of  medium  size,  but  the  centres  are  crowded  with  inter¬ 
crossing  and  iiiterlac'.ng  branches  of  young  growths,  it  is  obvious, 
that  this  part  must  be  freely  thinned  out.  Brariches  or  shoots 
descending  to  the  ground  may  be  discarded,  as  they  obstruct  a 
free  circulation  of  air,  and  help  to  encourage  the  establishment 
of  perennial  or  annual  weeds,  for  cftltural  operations  Avuth  the 
hoe  cannot  so  well  be  carried  out.  The  spring  pruning  of  Goos.^ 
berry  bushes  is  ma  iily  confined  to  thinning,  leaving  the  slioots 
retained  ah  full  length.  Good  buds  are  usually  to  be  found  on 
these  shoots  toAvards  the  points,  even  if  birds  may  have  cleared 
the  base.  Where  the  young  previous  year’s  groAvths  may  be  so 
numerous  that  a  considerable  reduction  in  number  is  desirable, 
all  may  not  be  cut  out  entirely,  but  some  can  be  shortened  to 
form  spurs,  providing  there  are  buds  at  the  base  which  aauU 
warrant  this  being  done.  Cut  away  entirely  extra  strong  grouLhs; 
as  well  as  suckers  springing  from  the  base  of  the  stems,  jhe 
p  un  ng  of  Gooseberries  on  walls  and  fences  is  usually  practised 
on  the  spur  system,  the  s  de  shoots  being  cut  in  Jo  within  half 
an  inch  of  their  base.  If  this  has  not  been  carried  out  previously 
it  may  be  done  noAV. 
Red  and  White  Currants. 
Birds  are  often  very  troublesome  to  these,  especially  when 
hey  remove  buds  from  young  growths  required  for  extension, 
vhich  renders  it  difficult  to  properly  produce  shaply  bushes, 
riie  manner  of  pruning  both  bushes  and  trees  on  walls  and  fences 
s  the  same.  Ma  n  branches  are  formed  five  or  seven  for  a  bush, 
iiid  sino'leiv.double,  or  triple  cordons  for  walls  or  fence  training, 
"ut  in  the  side  shoots  to  the  basal  buds,  or  to  within  half  an  inch 
)f  the  base.  Leading  growths,  when  sufficiently  extended,  are 
ilso  cut  closely  in ;  but  during  the  extension  of  the  main  branches 
he  leading  giowth  may  be  left  each  year  about  Din  in  length,  or 
me-third  its  whole  length.  Old-established  Currant  bushes  may 
•equire  some  of  the  branches  renewing,  hence  it  is  good  practice 
m  occasionally  cut  down  entirely  any  branches  that  show  signs 
if  Aveakness,  and  alloAV  their  places  to  be  taken  by  strong  basal 
rrowths,  shortening  them  back  each  season  so  as  to  admit  of 
Hn  of  young  Avood  to  be  retained,  and  encourage  side  shoots 
;o  push,  these,  of  course,  being  spurred  in  the  next  season  m- 
;he  usual  way. 
The  pruning  of  Black  Currants  is  readily  carried  out.  They 
are  only  groAvn  as  bushes,  and  not  on  walls  and  fences.  The 
best  bearing  groAvths  are  the  strong  shoots  of  the  previous  year, 
therefore  a  good  selection  of  these  should  be  retained,  cutting 
out  the  old  bearing  wood,  and  any  other  useless  branches,  Avhich 
croAvd  or  spoil  the  bushes.  Treatment  on  these  lines  annually 
cro'vd  or  suoil  the  bushes.  Treatment  on  these  lines  annually  Avill 
maintain  Black  Currants  in  good  condition  for  many  years.— 1>. 
