March  iU,  1904. 
i'74  JOURiVAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AiVD  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  ioref^oiiig  extract  .serv'e->  to  .sliow  tlie  practical  ti'eatnieiit 
ot  tlie  .subjects  dealt  uitli.  Sonu'  interesting  tacts  alxmt  the 
I'hgs  grown  in  the  o])en  air  at  U'orthing,  Sussex,  are  given,  and 
it  is  stated  that  practically  all  the  green  Figs  in  Covent  Garden 
-Market  come  from  Worthing.  The  Melon  furnishes  Mr.  Owen 
'I’homas  with  a  sulrject  which  he  knows  fi'om  end  to  end,  and 
.Mr.  H.  H.  Thomas  fuiiiishes  some  facts  about  the  dates  of 
Howering  in  the  case  of  differrmt  varieties  of  the  Strawbeny 
V  hen  forced. 
Mealy  Bugs  and  Scale  Insects. 
( Coticl  iided  from  paije  l~)7 ) . 
\Vhen  we  look  at  tlie  ([uantity  of  honeydew  emitted  by  many 
of  the  Coccidm  wi'  aie  not  surjrrisetl  that  tlu'  insects  prove  very 
exhaustive  to  young  or  tender  plants.  Again,  this  curious  sub¬ 
stance,  whicli  is  expelled  about  the  end  of  April  and  onwards, 
has  also  a  hurtful  effect  in  checking  respiration  ;  it  is  dischai'ged 
both  night  and  day,  .most  in  tin*  day.  Mr.  Neastead  put  under 
special  ob.servation  100  females  of  Pulvinaria  Vitis,  and  found 
they  expelled  about  eight  diojrs  each  between  (>  a.m.  and  0  p.m. 
It  may  be  pi'esunuxl  they  would  do  the  least  haiin  (out  of  doors) 
during  a  moist  st'ason.  Xumerous  insects  are  attracted  by  this 
sweet  substance,  the  hive  and  other  bees,  wasps  sometimes,  and 
a  variety  of  Hies.  Ants  are  not  so  enthusiastic  aftei'  it  as  they 
are  in  seeking  the  aphis  milk,  but  they  have  been  seen  cairying 
off  CoccidtV  of  various  sizes. 
Some  reduction  is  made  in  the  hosts  of  Coccida^  l)y  the  attacks 
of  theii’  natural  foes,  to  which  they  can  offei'  no  resistance; 
several  birds  fancy  them.  Tin-  tits  are  often  noticed  to  devour 
scale,  and  the  iireprcsssible  spariow  includes  them  in  his  long  list 
of  foods.  Probably  they  attract  a  few  of  the  beetles  that  are 
partial  to  sweets,  i)ut  w(‘  get  most  service  from  tiny  and  active 
flies  of  the  C'halcis  tiibe.  A  good  description  is  given  by  Mr. 
Nh'wstead  of  the  proceedings  ot  a  specimen  he  watched.  He 
says;  “  When  first  seen,  the  parasite  was  lunning  swiftly  from 
place  to  place,  evidently  .seaiching  for  a  suitable  host;  its 
autenme  wei'e  bent  downwards,  and  wei'e  moved  up  and  down 
rapidly  and  alteinately,  tin*  tips  each  time  touching  the  path 
ol  the  insect.  ^lany  Coccids  weie  examined,  and  when  a  suitable 
f)ne  was  found  the  parasite  tuimed  its  head  towards  the  anterior 
('xtremity  of  the  Coccid,  and,  resting  with  all  its  feet  ui)on  the 
liody,  inserted  its  ovipositor  into  the  centre  of  the  thoiax.  It 
tluui  slowly  moved  its  abdomen  up  and  down,  and  apjnii'ently 
laid  its  eggs  in  the  imncture.  The  parasite  then  withdrew  its 
ovipositor,  and,  turning  rouiul  abiuptly,  again  feeding  its  way 
with  the  antenme,  seized  the  lips  of  the  wound  made*,  and 
distinctly  closed  tluun.”  Cewtainiy  a  useful  insect,  to  which  we 
\\'ould  ghully  give  encouragement. 
i5y  careful  reseaich,  Mr.  Xe'wstc'ad  has  di.scoveu'ed  tiu'  males 
ol  several  sj>ecies  which  hail  Ixaui  unknow  n,  and  w  hose  (‘xistence 
was  doulitcd,  though  iudicatixl  by  the  appeaiance  of  eggs.  As 
with  aphis,  the  vivij)arous  form  occurs  without  male  interven¬ 
tion,  hence  its  abundance.  Considering  the  many  species 
importixl,  it  seems  desirable  to  subject  exotic  plants  from  warm 
|•(>gions  to  a  sort  of  (|uarantine. 
Journal  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture. 
The  March  volume  of  this  pulilication  (price  Is.)  contains 
a.rticles  on  tin'  sul)i('ct.s:  Agiicultural  Correspondents;  Oil¬ 
engines  for  agricultui’al  purposes  ;  weeds  and  their  supi)ression  ; 
bee-keei)ing  for  small  farmers;  minor  ailments  of  poultry; 
imports  of  agricultural  pioduce  in  11)03;  agricnltuial  and  mis¬ 
cellaneous  notes;  harvest  and  croi)  reports;  parliamentaiy  puh- 
hcations;  prices  of  live  stock;  piices  of  agricidtui'al  produce. 
- •  ■  - 
Insecticides, 
(Continued  from  pa^e  2d0.) 
The  insecticide  hellebore  is  the  powdei'ed  rhizome  of  a  plant 
called  white  Hellebore  (Veratrum  allnim  or  viridis),  and  is  a 
vi'getable  poison,  but  much  less  dangerous  than  the  mineral 
rrsenical  poisons,  and  kills  both  by  contact  and  by  being  eati'ii. 
it  acts  as  a  poison  on  in.si'cts.  and  for  tliis  purpose  it  should  be 
usc'd  freshly  ground,  as  it  is  .apt  to  losi'  its  virtue  by  keeping, 
rim  w  bite  In'llehore  powder  may  he  applied  a  sa  dry  powder  by 
uu'ans  (5f  a  dredger  or  l)ellow  ap|iai'atus,  dusting  over  the  huslies 
oi‘  tiees  while  the  foliage  is  damp;  or  in  water,  preferablv  along 
w  ith  size.  111)  of  size  being  dissoivtxl  in  2gal!s  of  hot  w  ater,  and 
to  this  adding  lib  of  lu'llebore  powder. 
t\  hen  the  water  Ix'csmu's  neai  ly  cold,  mix  thoroughly,  and 
add  enough  cold  water  to  make  Kigali, s,  applying  with  a  water- 
put,  .syringe,  or  .sprayer,  and  at  the  end  of  a  week  wash  off 
with  clean  water.  M’hite  liellebore  powder  is  chiefly  u.sed  for 
destroying  Goo.seberry  or  Cuiwant  sawfly  larvie  or  caterpillar-, 
and  for  slugwoi  ins  generally. 
Hot  Watek. 
At  a  temperature  of  13t)deg  to  13-')deg  most  insects,  a  term 
commonly  applied  to  all  animal  pests,  from  vermes  (worms), 
mollusca  (slugs),  Crustacea  (woodlice),  myriapoda  (millipedes), 
insecta  (insects),  up  to  arachnida  (mites),  succumb,  whether  in 
the  soil  or  air,  hence  hot  water  is  a  vei’y  old,  simple,  and  effective 
insecticide.  Gardeners  usually  treat  plant  and  fruit  houses  at 
the  dormant  time  of  year  with  hot  water  before  commencing 
cleansing  operations,  as  it  aofti’us  dirt,  better,  destroys  confer- 
vous  growths,  eggs,  larvie,  and  hyhernating  pests,  so  that  the 
good  results  following  are  incalculable,  cleanline.ss  being  a  sure 
road  to  health. 
Outdoors,  Cabbage  caterpillars  yield  to  spriidiling  with  hot 
watei',  so  hot,  indeed,  as  to  be  near  boiling  point  when  placed  in 
the  watering-can,  and  yet  not  too  hot  when  it  reaches  the 
Cabbage  leaves  throngh  a  flue  rose.  The  temireratnre,  however, 
should  not  exceed  13()cU'g  to  13odeg  when  the  water  falls  on  the 
foliage.  Soil  is  effectively  sterilised,  that  is,  fieed  from  con¬ 
tained  insects  and  fungal  germs  by  treatment  with  boiling  hot 
water  weeds  and  weed  seeds  being  also  killed.  The  term 
sterilisation,  however,  is  a  misnomei',  for  the  .soil  is  not  really 
sterili.sed,  but  simply  freed  from  pe.sts,  the  micro-organisms 
known  as  nitrifying  bacteria  not  being  materially  impaired  in 
vitality,  the  soil  remaining  fertile,  which  is  not  always  the  case 
w  hen  steaming  and  charring  is  had  recourse  to  for  the  so-called 
sterilisation.  The  bacteria  are  not  capable  of  resisting  a  tem- 
])erature  of  over  ISOdeg  without  prejudice.  Growers,  therefore, 
mu.st  exercise  judgment  in  the  u.se  of  hot  water,  always  .securing 
safety  of  ])lant  and  soil  fertility. 
Hyuhocyanic  Acid  Gas. 
This  is  generated  with  potassium  cyanide  and  sulphuric  acid, 
and  the  fumes  are  fatal  to  all  animal  life.  Outdoors  the  fumiga¬ 
tion  is  effected  by  placing  over  the  hnslies  or  trees  a  tent  of  some 
closely  woven  material,  snch  as  8oz  duck  or  drilling,  oiled  and 
painti'd  black  if  treatment  is  made  in  daylight.  The  edges  of  the 
tent  an'  held  down  by  a  few  shoA'elfuls  of  earth.  Fused  98  per 
cent,  potassium  cyanide  loz,  sulphuric  acid  1  fluid  ounce,  water 
2  fluid  ounci'S,  are  used  for  generating  the  gas  in  propel’  amount 
for  180  cubic  feet  of  .space  enclosed. 
The  water  and  sulphuric  acid  are  placed  together  in  an  earthen 
vessel  in  tlx'  order  named  (always  pouring  in  the  snlphuric  acid 
slowly  on  the  water,  not  this  on  the  sulphuric  acid),  and  the 
vi'ssel  is  ))laced  iindei'  the  tent.  The  potassium  cyanide  is  then 
droiiped  in,  and  the  operator  quickly  withdraws  from  the  tent 
and  closes  the  opening.  The  thmigation  is  performed  similarly 
undei’  glass,  and  is  best  performed  at  night.  Kriglit  sunlight  is 
liable  to  cause  injuiy  to  the  foliage,  therefore  the  use  of  painted 
black  material  is  imiierative  when  operating  in  the  daytime. 
About  half  an  hour  suffices  to  destroy  the  pests,  when  the  tent 
can  be  removed  to  other  quarters.  Always  exercise  the  greatest 
care  in  applying  this  method  of  treatment,  as  the  gas  is  very 
fatal.  Fxi'KiiiENCE. 
Market  Gapdening  Notes, 
Referring  to  X'arci.ssi,  a  daily  paper  observes;  “In  singles. 
Golden  Spin-  takes  the  lead.  It  has  a  jierfectly  expanded 
trum])et  of  a  clear  yellow  colour,  and  is  the  most  fashionable 
l,ent-lily  grown.  Piinceps  is  another  fine  single.  Its  perianth 
is  sulphur  white,  its  trumpet  yellow,  and  the  contrast  formed  by 
the  two  is  most  pleasing,  yet  Golden  Spur  is  worth  bO  per  cent, 
more  than  princeps.  A  .striking  form  of  Lent-lily  is  seen  in  the 
one  named  after  our  great  actor  Henry  Ii’ving.  It  is  plentiful 
this  season,  and  is  being  sold  from  3s.  to  4s.  a  dozen  bunches 
Avholesale.  It  is  worth  more  than  princeps.  Obvallaris,  the 
Tenby  Lent-lily,  is  also  meeting  a  ready  demand.  It  is  the 
cheapest  of  all  the  Rritish  grown  “  Daffs  ”  on  sale  just  now. 
Sir  Watkin,  the  magnificent  incomparabilis,  is  in  its  prime.  This 
“  Daft,”  with  Golden  Spur  and  the  large,  old-fashioned  double 
telamonius,  makes  from  5s.  to  (is.  a  dozen  bunches  fir.st  hand. 
Of  the  latter  enormous  quantities  ai’e  being  sold  daily. 
A  few  gi'eenhouse  Strawberries  from  the  Worthing  district 
made  their  appearance  at  the  Xewcastle  Green  Mai’ket  last 
week.  They  fetched  from  Is.  (id.  to  2s.  (id.  per  ba.sket.  Oranges 
are  fairly  plentiful  just  now,  but  they  have  been  about  Is.  ])er 
box  dearer.  Onions  are  from  Is.  to  2s.  per  box  dearer,  and  Parsley 
has  been  much  dearer  of  late,  and  if  the  weather  does  not 
impiove  it  looks  as  if  it  will  be  vei’y  dear  at  Easter.  Italian 
Cauliflowers  are  l)eginning  to  ariive.  They  are  selling  at  3.s.  9d. 
to  4s.  (id.  ])er  basket  of  18.  Cucumbei’s  reali.se  5s.  to  7s.  per 
dozen.  Spionts  are  nearly  done.  Best  Canadian  Apples  ari' 
selling  at  20s.  to  2(is.  {)er  barrel.  Californian  Xewtowns,  9s.  Gd. 
to  12.S.  (id.  per  box.  Floweis  are  fairly  plentiful,  particularly 
those  which  are  consigned  from  the  Scilly  Isles  and  Lincoln¬ 
shire.  Large  supplies  of  double  Daffodils  ai’e  arriving. 
